Misnomer

While sometimes places have those little cutesy names I mentioned last week, at other times you look at a place and wonder what the name on the sign could possibly have to do with anything. And sometimes that lends itself to a whole host of "what if" type ideas. For instance, near a park where I take my daughter there is a little nondescript building. It looks very much like some VFW hall or some other venerable establishment meeting hall. The Elk's club could meet there and feel at home.

I have no idea what the the place really is, though I suspect it's something like that, but it's called "Dante's." Now this may just be the effects of a semi-classical education, but to me a place that shares a name with someone most famous for laying out the architecture of Hell ought not to be a place for late-middle aged approaching senior citizens to hang out for Sunday brunch. (Which reminds me, I haven't been to a good Sunday buffet brunch in I don't know how long. Have to fix that sometime soon, I think.) Which brings to mind all sorts of hidden - possibly nefarious - purposes that the building could be "really" used for.

And it's kind of an ideal location for it, too. After all, who expects the minions of Hades, or other supernatural undesirables, to hang out amidst the semi-suburban neighborhoods where this building sits? It's across the street from a playground, after all. (Evil thoughts here of a monster's Sunday buffet, I suppose.) Of course, that's one of the reasons I like the place so much. I know it has a mundane purpose, and therefore haven't looked it up because I'd just as soon not know for sure, but imagining all the other purposes it COULD be used for, an that would fit its name so much better is a lot of fun.