Dennis Spielman

The real and imaginative adventures of Dennis Spielman

Travel Log: Five Little Points, Food Trucks, and Pirates

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On September 16, 2013

In Real

Last month I went to Atlanta, Georgia to visit family again for my Mom’s Celebrate Life ceremony. I didn’t get to be a tourist too much this trip, but I have a few places I visited I want to share with everyone.

Outside Bang-On
Outside Junkman’s Daughter
Inside Junkman’s Daughter
Inside Junkman’s Daughter

One of the most interesting places I got to visit was Five Little Points. The district has become famous for the alternative culture it brings to Atlanta. It’s a bohemian community known for independent theatre, tattoo shops, and alternative clothing stores. It’s simply artistic and worth visiting if you’re into that scene.

Atlanta Food Truck Park
Atlanta Food Truck Park
Atlanta Food Truck Park
Atlanta Food Truck Park
Atlanta Food Truck Park
Atlanta Food Truck Park

I love how over the past few years, Food Trucks have become “cool.” In Oklahoma City, we have a few monthly events that feature groups of Food Trucks such as H&8th Night Market and Live on the Plaza, but there isn’t a everyday place food trucks gather together. The Atlanta Food Truck Park such a place with an ever changing collection of Food Trucks in the area. There was something for everyone even those eating heathy or vegan. It’s best to check their Facebook page to see if they will be open or not that day and what food trucks will be there.


Lastly, in Duluth, there was an adventurous mini-golf course, Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf. I loved how the whole course had such depth and life to it. My sister and I had fun here.

That’s all I have to share from my Atlanta trip.

Recommendation: Welcome to Night Vale

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On September 3, 2013

In Real

I want to preface this recommendation that I haven’t followed any podcasts until now. Welcome to Night Vale was introduced to me as a radio show from the place of Courage the Cowardly Dog. The twice-monthly podcast describes itself as “community updates for the small desert town of Night Vale, featuring local weather, news, announcements from the Sheriff’s Secret Police, mysterious lights in the night sky, dark hooded figures with unknowable powers, and cultural events.”

The show is clever, dark, and witty such as this moment from the first podcast:

“Hello listeners. To start things off I’ve been asked to read this brief notice: the city council announces the opening of a new dog park at the corner of Earl and Summerset near the Ralph’s. They would like to remind everyone that dogs are not allowed in the dog park. People are not allowed in the dog park. It is possible you will see hooded figures in the dog park. Do not approach them. Do not approach the dog park. The fence is electrified and highly dangerous. Try not to look at the dog park, and especially do not look for any period of time at the hooded figures. The dog park will not harm you.”

Welcome to Night Vale is wonderfully written and narrated show that gets my recommendation.

Unbound Updated

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On September 2, 2013

In Real

Lessa’s Unbound Dilemmas at the Library has been updated universally. The Kindle, Nook, iBookstore versions are all the same version with formatting fixes and updated parts. The story is now a single short story with multiple paths for $0.99. Unbound is an interactive urban fantasy adventure that follows librarian, Lessa, in a typical night of closing the library. As usual, the characters have come unbound from their books to roam the library at night. But this time one of the characters wants to be free of the library and will do anything to guarantee his freedom.

I plan to take the Unbound concept and flesh it out into a non-interactive novel in the future.

On another note, the price on Uncovering Oklahoma’s 2013 Date Idea Book has been cut since we are getting close to the end of the year. Work has been underway for the 2014 edition. I’ve been gathering information and taking pictures.

Uncovering Oklahoma: Ludivine

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On August 30, 2013

In Real


Today I published a video interview on the Oklahoma City restaurant, Ludivine, for Uncovering Oklahoma. This is the first video this year for my travel site. For this one, I did something new where I edited the video to feature five key points about the place. I’m proud of how the video turned out.

Ludivine is a farm-to-table, open kitchen restaurant in Oklahoma City’s Midtown district. Offering a daily changing menu that is guided by what is available from local farms and ranches in a modern environment, Ludivine features food not seen at common restaurants. They are ideal for nice dates and showing out-of-towners Oklahoma isn’t all fried food and gravy.

In my video interview, Co-Owner / Chef, Russ Johnson, shares five facts about Ludivine. Russ has been cooking most of his life, starting professionally at age 16. While he grew up in Oklahoma City and has moved around, Russ came back starting out doing private chef work. He later met up with Jonathon Stranger, working him on One Table, a reservation only place with only one table. They had wanted to flesh out One Table as more of an full restaurant, which became Ludivine.

Watch the video and be sure to visit Ludivine for delicious food and tasty drinks.

Ludivine will be listed in Uncovering Oklahoma’s 2014 Date Idea, which work is already under way.

Free Promotion Results: The Crashing of Heaven and Hell

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On August 19, 2013

In Real

On Monday, August 20, 2013, I ran a free promotion for my sci-fi/fantasy novel, The Crashing of Heaven and Hell, allowing people to download the novel for free for the Kindle.

In total, The Crashing of Heaven and Hell was downloaded 96 times! Thank you! In the evening, it managed to reach #97 in the free Sci-fi section and #2,370 overall. To those that got it, I hope you enjoy it and recommend it to people. If you missed the promotion, those that have a prime membership and an actual Kindle can check it out for free (and I do get some money for this way).

Stick around as I have more great things to share.

My sci-fi/fantasy novel, The Crashing of Heaven and Hell, is currently free today for the Kindle. Enjoy this free gift for those visiting today. If you enjoyed the book, leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads and tell your friends about it.

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