06 November 2010

still more

thursday**

let me tell you a little something about wonder bread-- their product may be crap but their logo is ace. I grew up on wonder bread and I guess I turned out okay. though I suppose that is debatable. my sicilian grandfather used to take bright white slices of wonder bread into his toffee-colored hands and ball them up until there was nothing left but small starchy globs. dough! he'd bark. nothing but dough! and he was right, of course. my grandma baked fresh loaves each week so when it came to bread, my grandpa knew what time it was. he was on to the wonder bread scam. grandma's bread was the real stuff, the good stuff-- bread substantial enough to hold a whole mess of grape jelly or fat slabs of lunch meat without completely falling apart, yet soft enough to melt in the mouth. it was the kind of bread ideals are built on. the scent alone had the power to alter moods, therefore, the course of any given day. in my family, we still talk about this bread. we dream about it. we probably always will.

thursday*

I drive by the wonder bread outlet and often think of this. I think about how much I love the sign, how I much want to take photographs of it. I circle around the block but am usually too lazy to stop and get out of the car. the other day, I stopped and got out of the car. and then there's this photograph of ava-- taken over the summer at my mother-in-law's neighborhood swimming pool and I think about the moment right after I took it. after counting the recommended 90 (or 100 or whatever) seconds while the picture developed, I slowly peeled back the paper to reveal the image. and I was filled with wonder.

13 comments:

  1. I used to do the same thing as your grandfather - ball wonder bread - and then eat it like a dumpling after dipping into peanut butter. It makes me go blearrrgh when I think of it now, but then... the BEST.

    That photo of your daughter is exQUISite.

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  2. I used to make dough balls too! I will never forget being downtown several decades ago to take a dance class, and driving past the Sunbeam (similar white bread to Wonder) company, and the bakers were on a break...all these chef's caps there in the window of an old brick building...and it was the most amazing image. I wish I had had a camera.

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  3. I am SO happy to read this post and find out what wonderbread is. We don't have it over here but it's in my favourite Regina Spektor song (Samson) so it's pretty dear to me even if it is DOUGH.

    I totally want a loaf of amazing bread right now. Shall endeavour to bake one later! Cheers for the inspiration.

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  4. gosh that picture of your daughter is breathtaking, she looks like she's imagining another world. I've really enjoyed your polaroids this week- thankyou so much for sharing.

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  5. Wonder bread was not allowed in my house, thanks to my mother -- the stay-at-home baker. But I love the name and the logo. It's truly genius!

    Photo of your daughter. Love it! Reminds me of how it feels to be underwater in my own little world ...

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  6. My parents would never let us have white bread as a kid - they would say it was made out of the same stuff used in popcorn ceilings (what!?).

    When I was finally old enough to buy my own food and immediately purchased a loaf of wonder bread and a box of lucky charms - and it tasted like drywall to me. I guess my parents were right.

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  7. that picture of your daughter is amazing.

    (my daughter calls that mermaid hair.)

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  8. Great post. Great memories. Great photo.

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  9. I love this! I do the same exact thing and never stop the car. I also want to take a picture of the Hostess sign as well. I think I may actually get out of the car next time instead of pondering it while at the light.

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  10. Oh the smell in the air coming from the Wonder bread factory! Ahhhhh...

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  11. i have similar nostalgia with my grandfather with wonder bread. the logo is iconic + takes me to a time where comfort was that bread.

    p.s. beautiful photo of ava.

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  12. I loved this post! It was so well written and the photos are AMAZING! So dreamy.

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  13. I love your blog, and this post in particular. I'm with you on the Wonder. Thought you might enjoy this photo I took of a Wonder Bread truck. I took the photo probably 9 years ago, and it still has a permanent home in my kitchen! http://jenzahigian.com/artwork/215938_Wonder.html

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