Peoria Pundit

About a month ago, someone deeply involved in the Hotel Pere Marquette renovation/expansion told me, and I’m paraphrasing here: “The new, second tower would not in any way resemble the Gem Terrace building in East Peoria.”

And I was reassured.

Here’s a picture of Gem Terrace. Perhaps you’ve seen it before, driving through over-grown series of unconnected, unwalkable strip malls that downtown East Peoria has become.

Actually, it’s an artist’s rendering … an idealized version of what it’s supposed to look like. In other words, this is what the creators think looks good, shown in its best possible light.

Now, here is a picture — another artist’s rendering — of the proposed addition to the Pere Marquette addition:

My first reaction upon seeing this image, courtesy of the Peoria Journal Star, was: “Oh, my God. This isn’t just ugly. It’s butt ugly.” My second reaction was “Oh, my God. It’s looks just like Gem Terrace.” My third reaction: “I’ve been lied to.”

Look at the damn thing. It’s ugly. It’s a glass monstrocity. Obviously, they are more concerned with the hotel looking like the Peoria Civic Center than they are with the new addition looking like the original hotel. And it’s ugly. Did I mention ugly?

Personally, I don’t care if someone wants to build an ugly building. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and if it were for the vulgarians among us, we woduld have no reason to appreciate true beauty and taste. 

But Dave Matthews and the other investors are coming before the city council, like beggars, asking for every single Peorians to help contribute to the financing for this thing. That means everyone ought to have a say about this thing. And I say that if these people want $39.3 million in public financing for their $102 million project, they can damn well send this thing back to the drawing board.

I used to love Red Zin. Oh, it was out of my price range, to be sure. But occasionally, there would be some political event, and I’d get invited and I’d nosh on whatever was set out. Delicious stuff.

So it broke my heart when it closed. I always thought the vacant site would be a good location for upscale version of Hooters, considering it’s right across the street from Peoria City Hall. But alas, that is not to be. A new joint is going in there, and get a load of the name of the place:

When Robert Frank went searching for a new name for the bar that formerly housed Red Zin and The Grill, he didn’t have a chance to get too creative. Every name he could think of was already taken.

“The whole deal was I had a list of names with a meaning to them but every time I submitted one to the state, someone already had it,” Frank said. “I just started thinking of stuff.

Then, “Black Rabbit” popped in his head.

Yep. Black Rabbit.

No. I don’t know why either.

But I will say one thing. I guarantee I’m not the only one who, upon hearing of the name, was reminded of the movie “The Brown Bunny.”

If you aren’t familiar with that movie, stop reading this post and click on the link and then come back.

Done? Did you read the whole thing? OK, then you know what I’m talking about.

So it’s a good thing there aren’t serving food at the new place. I cannot imaging eating an eggroll off the buffet table.

(Press Release)

Apollo celebrates decade since cult-fave ‘Lebowski’Filmmaker Joel; and Ethan Coen have a recent Oscar (for “No Country for Old Men”) and a current hit the comedy “Burn After Reading”), but for film fans, they’re perhaps most appreciated for their offbeat cult favorite starring Jeff Bridges: “The Big Lebowski.”

The fantasy/comedy/crime movie also features John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore and – in smaller roles – Philip Seymour Hoffman and John Turturro.

Showing at 7 p.m. Saturday, September 20, “The Big Lebowski” is about Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski being mistaken for a millionaire by the same name. Two thugs ruin his rug trying to get paid for a debt that’s not his, setting in motion a weird revenge motive. Looking for compensation for his ruined rug from his rich namesake, the Dude takes a short-term job with promise of a big reward. With help his bowling buddy Walter – a gun-toting Vietnam vet and Jewish-convert with a temper – the Dude finds himself in serious trouble with women, nihilists and another wacky bowler Jesus Quintana (Turturro).

The 1998 action movie this fall was released in a deluxe 10th anniversary DVD by Universal.

The 117-minute film won a 1998 award from Russian film critics and was nominated for two other honors from European movie groups.

Admission at the nonprofit Apollo is $5 and $4 for kids and seniors. Shows start at 7 p.m.; for details call (309) 673-4343.