In case you're wondering, "Paw Paw" is not Appalchian for "papa," and it has nothing to do with animal feet. It's the goddamned Town So Nice They Named It Twice, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Actually it's named after a kind of fruit, which curiously enough cannot be found there. It's a small hamlet in the southwestern part of Michigan, halfway between Chicago and Detroit on I-94. Known best for its wineries and Charlie "Paw Paw" Maxwell, who played for the Detroit Tigers in the fifties. I lived there for the first 18 years of my life and still have family and friends there.

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(1997) This was going to be an annual event, "The New Year's Eve Trip to Food Hawk Truck Stop To Have Our Picture Taken In Front of This Wallpaper"...	...And we did it two years in a row, despite insane, life-threatning road conditions and knowledge of Isaac's unique "driving style"... (1998)	(1999) But it sort of deteriorated. Isaac, me, and Paul in Toliusis' living room. My goddamned fault for living so far away.

Skipped a few years here, but here are Isaac, Paul and I at Dave's wedding in October of 2003.	Just before embarking on a very fun camping/roadtrip with Dale, summer '96. Went North to St. Ignace and back, 3 days.	Here's a picture of Dale and I, seven years later! Amazing how time flies. Dale still has long hair, but mine isn't dyed black now.

Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Mansberger on their wedding day, 10/03.	Sitting around the campfire at Jeff's wedding. Here we see Paul and Ben (who made a rare appearance).	The Toliusis men (minus Matthew), Paul, Mark and Vete, enjoying their pitchers of Old Style at the Mutiny bar in Chicago, 2003.

A familiar scene just about every time I visit, the interior of the Big Boy restaurant. I used to work here as a waiter.	Another "must" on every visit is a knock on this door to visit Joe and Patty German and hear their latest stories. Great folks.	Almost as good as the flea market...this used to be a bar/restaurant called "DiJauanco's," now it's M51 Surplus and they have all kinds of random shit.

Took this rather dramatic shot of a gate in the town center; I'd never even noticed it before. Court house is in background (Paw Paw is the county seat).	Many people often laugh in disbelief when I tell 'em there's usually "pussy" incense at the flea market in Paw Paw. Here's proof! You're probably wondering what is smells like, huh?	This poor goddamn place is something different every time I visit. In the 80s it was a Tastee Freeze, then a Subway, and about a dozen other things. Now I'm starting to document it. (It's a Mexican rest. here).

Ah, the high school break-dancing years. Posing with instructional book while waiting for Vo-Tech bus with Jeremy, Brennan and Isaac, ca. 1994.	An old shot of my backyard with some skateboard ramps. Dad collects signs, maybe that sparked an interest in me... This photo is from '92. The wall and ramps are gone now.	A portrait of the artist as a younger man, painting a giant Pop Art Big Boy. Probably 1994. Don't know if the painting still exists, I gave it to a girl...

More Paw Paw related photos:

My October 2002 Trip