Natrona County Library, Casper, Wyoming

Upon arriving in Casper, Wyoming I determined that a sit down dinner was in order, so I started Googling around to see what was what. I eventually settled on The Office, a bar and grill with a high star rating described as a "quirky eatery serving eclectic diner fare, beer & cocktails amid Hollywood memorabilia." One reviewer referred to the interior design as "interesting" so I was really looking forward to whatever "wild" and "weird" decor was in store.

There was literally nothing weird nor quirky about The Office, other than the nonsensical name that did not match up with the basic interior that looked nothing like an office. I'm not even sure I saw any of the aforementioned memorabilia, but then I kept to front of the restaurant, so maybe it was more toward the bar? The Office was a nice place, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't special in the decorative sense. In fact, the most special part about it were the cutie pie fishies in the gigantic tank in the hallway. See how the biggest spud turns to say hiiiiiiiiiii?

What a happy little face.

No filter can save me
from lighting this bad.

The service was great and the food was excellent. I had a beef gyro with fries and a Dr. Pepper. While everything was good, the standout had to be the fries. It's worth a shout out and visit just for the fries alone. And it raises and interesting point: Why can't all fries be this good? It can't be that complicated. It just can't. So what's the deal? Why are there so many substandard fries? If you're going to eat the garbage and risk the poundage, it should at least be a spectacular taste sensation. Otherwise you might as well get chunky eating Swedish Fish and Circus Peanuts.

Side Note: In honor of Halloween, just days away, can we all agree that anyone who hands out Circus Peanuts on this, the most sacred of nights for kids, might as well put a sign in the window that states I HATE CHILDREN DIE DIE DIE? Because there is no love in the Circus Peanut. There is only a doorway to an abyss where all light dies and everything tastes like licking your 98-year-old Aunt Gertrude's kitchen counter. Sticky. Dusty. Bitter and sweet.

After another stellar AirBNB experience (I had the  basement to myself and the bathroom was stocked with every fun sized shampoo, conditioner, soap, face creams, lotions, etc. etc. you could possibly need), I headed over to the Natrona County Library, right in downtown Casper.

First of all, I loved downtown and wish I would have taken more pictures. It was as though Brooklyn and Wichita met at the Wyoming State Fair, do-si-doed, then had a fat, gurgling baby named Casper. The cutest. There were lots of old shops with old signage mixed in with trendy new places. Somehow the old coexisted in a pretty equal balance with the new. It was refreshing and dear.

The library was a hot mess of pure unadulterated PERSONALITY. I knew I was going to love it when I saw its entire front face was a gotdamned curved wall. Girrrrrrl. And born in 1972 to boot, just like me.

In addition to being a Soviet Spaceship from Polaris 5, Natrona library was bustling with activity. There were people coming and going at all corners. This was a library living up to its best potential, with an invested, present, and needful patronage many libraries could only dream of. I usually prefer an emptier library, but that's just a selfish desire. When all is said in done, the sight of a busy library warms my heart far more than eight hours sitting alone with the books.

Ask me how many times I ran up and down this ramp.

My favorite part of Natrona was the foyer. "Foyer" is a small word. Maybe "Grand Concourse" is more appropriate? That outer curved wall carries on to an inner curved entryway, with doors at either end, and an insane, 70s-perfect display case and atrium extravaganza. Interior to the outside wall are huge plants that were popular in the groovier decades: elephant ears, mother in law tongues, and so on. On the opposite side of the walkway are display cases, uniform in size and shape, curving upward as the entryway ascends.

The Office, take notes: This is how you get down in dirty with the quirky.

There was also a Barbara Bush Reading Room, pictured below. I looked her up to find that she was born in New York, so I am not really sure why Casper has a Barbara Bush Reading Room (and there is no information on their website or in my Google searches)...except maybe they just really, really love Barbara Bush?

I sat near a back corner and did some work while I watched the clock, knowing I would have to leave by a certain time in order to make it to the next library before they closed. The art throughout the library was all about the Old West, with cowboys rustling steer, lots of lonely pastorals, and representations of Native Americans that were specific to culture rather than Western legend.

I tried finding information on the artist, M. Sheppard, but ran into a wall. Per usual, Natrona's website does not have information on the art displayed there. This is pretty standard for almost every library I've visited where an art credit was required. I'm just glad there were no paintings of cowboys and indians at war, shooting their guns to and fro, all looking happy to be there.

The back door, also fancy.