Met the Fockers

Ok...I had to go and see Meet the Fockers. To prepare, I borrowed the DVD of Meet the Parents from a co-worker, and it really wasn't that bad.

But Barbra was calling me. It has been a long, long time since I've seen her on screen (though The Phantom and I did see her live and in person at the Staples Center in LA for her farewell tour September 20, 2000- another tale).

I don't have much to say about the film - a lot of juvenile and graphic humor, but Streisand was wonderful - reminding us that she wasn't always an excruciating, perfectionist diva. She was kooky and charming and terrific.

And she still, to this day, has the smoothest, sexiest legs I've ever seen.

Meet the Fockers: C+ Barbra Streisand: A- Barbra's Legs: A+

Susan Sontag Dies at 71

I was saddened to see the news today that Susan Sontag had died. As she was referenced here, I thought I should mention her passing.

It is a melancholy thing to be made aware of someone or something just before they disappear - at least we have the books in this case to remember her contributions.

She wrote an excellent piece on the recent Iraq prison photos in the New York Times ("Regarding the Torture of Others" May 23, 2004). I wanted to link to it for you, but you have to be a member (it is free and takes less than a minute). I heartily recommend that you check it out.

New Music Tuesday - La Semana

I feel very lucky to have been at one of Ottmar Liebert's very first concert dates (September 5, 1990), when he was the opening act for Basia (remember her?) at the Palace Theatre in Cleveland. I usually hate opening acts, but Ottmar took my breath away. He was absolutely incredible. And of course, he went on to great things.

He has just released La Semana, a wonderful acoustic CD. Great music. It has been quite awhile since Ottmar has released any new tunes - he has been remixing, reissuing and generally futzing for years with tracks from his acclaimed Nouveau Flamenco CD, which features his classic signature piece, Barcelona Nights. This CD is a welcome reminder of what a great musician he is.

A Christmas Day Thought

All possessions not at the same time beautiful and useful are an affront to human dignity.
-- Ananda Coomaraswarmy 1877-1947

I wish that you all receive many gifts of beauty today.

Extractions on Christmas Eve

Because of my schedule and time zones, it had been several weeks since I had spoken with The Traveler in Portland. We were text messaging and voice mailing to be sure, but we were never able to connect.

So it was a great pleasure to sit down for a few moments and visit with her. After taking up some time updating her about myself, I asked what she had been up to.

"Oh, I just got out of the hospital."

"Excuse me?" (Yes, this part, getting to the essential information, is like pulling teeth.)

"Oh, I had an ovary removed."

Pregnant, Pinter-esque pause from me...

"Did you think I wouldn't want to know about this?" I asked.

"It's no big deal. I'm fine. It's just like getting a tooth pulled."

Ok, Faithful Readers. I would like to take a poll of those that think that pulling a tooth and having an ovary removed are the same thing, because to me, they are completely different procedures. In fact, two different types of medical professionals perform them. This leads me to believe that they are perhaps different types of events.

What do you think?

Weather Report - Part 3

I had to be somewhere this morning at 9 am, which was not a problem. The skies were clear, the roads were dry.

When I left my appointment around 11 am, there was 4" of fluffy snow covering everything.

New Music Tuesday - Maria Muldaur

I am becoming dangerously close to completing one of my many tasks - this one being a CD of all of the songs I had purchased in my youth on 45's. This took some discipline, because there were a few songs that I did have on 45 (stolen from my Uncle Greg - the Turtles "Happy Together" in particular) that I did not purchase, and so I could not in good conscience include them. Then there were other songs that I liked so much I bought the album which was a grand expenditure for a child on a limited allowance. So album purchases had to be disqualified, too.

As I neared completion, I realized that I still did not have a copy of "Midnight At the Oasis" by Maria Muldaur. I set out determined to bring home this single song, and lo and behold, there was 30 Years of Maria Muldaur: I’m a Woman, and I was feeling flush I suppose, and spent the $18 bucks...

Well, let me tell you...I still dig "Midnight" for sure...but this gal is a great old-timey blues singer. She does all sorts of music...but "Midnight" is a complete aberration in her oeuvre. I am especially taken with "It Feels Like Rain."

I am very happy to have acquired this CD as it will fit in nicely as the distaff representative when I get in the mood to listen to nothing but Guy Davis, Eric Bibb, and Keb'Mo'. A great lazy, summer disc.

Weather Report - Part Two

It has been dreadfully cold and snowy lately...So today the weather went psycho and it was about 40 degrees, which is like, five times as warm as it has been, and it makes people want to prance around in t-shirts.I had the opportunity to be outside on several occasions during my work day, and I was reveling in this bizarre afternoon.The sky was bright, the sun was shining...holiday music was playing out in the parking lot from the many concealed audio speakers in our center, and there were little decorative drifts of clean, white snow artistically arranged amongst the gables and peaks of the roofs of the businesses.It was ridiculously picturesque.

What Some People Will Do To Be Mentioned On My Blog

My friend Jeff was annoyed with me because I never wrote anything about him. He deviously came up with a plan that would make it impossible for me NOT to write about him.

Jeff asked me if I would take photos at his upcoming wedding. Of course this was a very flattering offer, but it is also an overwhelmingly stressful thing to do - after all, I would be responsible for their memories of their day of bliss.

Well, Jeff upped the ante on all wedding photos. He and his bride were getting married outside. In Ohio. In December.

The Temperature was a balmy 10 degrees this afternoon. I won't bother to tell you what the wind chill was.

We gathered at the downtown gazebo and waited impatiently for the mayor to show up, and then everyone crowded into the rustic wooden gazebo for the brief ceremony ( literally four minutes) and then everyone ran to their running cars for warmth.

My shutter decided to be temperamental in the cold and I did not get a shot of the "You may kiss the bride" moment. Which is too bad because at that moment I realized that watching people kiss on TV is way different than watching someone doing it in front of you.

If that unphotographed moment has anything to say about their future, I think Donna and Jeff will have a long and happy life together.

Congratulations to you both! Now stop your whining.

Sleepover at MyFriendJason's

We had ourselves quite the snowstorm, closing in on 10 inches of the stuff, and a hearty windchill of about -10 degrees. With this in mind, I took MyFriendJason up on his offer to stay at his house rather than make the 1 hour drive to my house, as we both had to be back at work dark and early in the morning.

The best feature of staying at MyFriendJason's house, besides the obvious time-saving proximity, is that you get a glorious cup of steaming Mexican coffee and milk to wake you up until you can make your way to the Starbuck's.

Bridges

Many thanks to MyFriendJason who told me about this...

The world's tallest roadway bridge has opened in France. The Millau Bridge with its streamlined diagonal suspension cables rests on seven pillars -- the tallest measuring 340 meters, making it 16 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower. It was designed by British architect Norman Foster. The photos I have found are simply breathtaking. It is brilliant - an organic fusion of Bauhaus and dance and engineering. While inarguably modern, it somehow magically fuses and enhances the landscape. Mr. Foster has obviously produced not only a gorgeous functional bridge and a landmark destination, he also has created a work of art.

Said Foster, "A work of man must fuse with nature. The pillars had to look almost organic, like they had grown from the earth.''

I am so happy to see such care taken to simultaneously solve a transportation problem and to provide the world with something unique and beautiful. It takes a considerable investment and belief in the necessity of aesthetics to pony up the funds for an undertaking of this size. To the French people, and Norman Foster, I applaud you for your contribution to the beauty of the world.

In contrast, check out Governor Schwarzenegger's plans for a drab concrete slab crossing the bay in San Francisco. Boring American quick solutions based solely on money are here blatantly exhibited. There is no concern for the soul of the people that will be living with this monstrosity. It is a the most expedient and cheapest solution. There is no longer any room for cultural art in America it seems.

The Big Bang Theory

So you have this dense bit of matter that contains all of existence and suddenly it gets blown to bits, and the pieces fly off into the unknown, scattered and drifting ever further apart...

Then, very very slowly, some pieces drift make together and reform, forming a tiny nucleus made up of just the essential elements - no more dross.

That is the metaphor for my life.

And just recently, a few of my atoms have drifted back, while others continue to speed away, now light years gone.

As the core coalesces, I welcome back my long-lost friend, my dear Jennifer, who was returned to me via a tiny scrap of orange paper this afternoon.

What an odd universe, indeed.

The 10 Essential Holiday CD's

After much consideration of my 200+ holiday CD collection, as a public service I present the ten CD's that are essential for the holidays:

1. Holly Cole: Santa Baby - Live in Toronto
Holly's Christmas concerts are a holiday tradition in Canada. I have been fortunate enough to attend two in Vancouver, BC. Nothing says Christmas like Holly in a beautiful gown, singing with her amazing trio and a full orchestra. This IS Christmas.

2. Dianne Reeves: Christmas Time Is Here
This is an immaculate CD. Dianne's voice is pure and beautiful. Her arrangements are fresh. She achieves the impossible; she does The Christmas Waltz without making you yearn for Karen Carpenter, and Christmas Time Is Here without conjuring the omnipresent ghost of Charlie Brown. And her Little Drummer Boy is the best I have ever heard. Finally, this is a jazz Christmas CD without a hint of strings - pared down perfect elegance.

3. Etta James: Twelve Songs of Christmas
Killer arrangements and good song choices make this a great upbeat party CD, even though Etta sounds like she was hitting the spiked eggnog a few too many times on some tracks - it all adds to the fun.

4. Charles Brown: Cool Christmas Blues
The man who wrote Please Come Home For Christmas and Merry Christmas, Baby certainly should know a thing or two about Christmas songs. A great CD from a master.

5. B.B. King: A Christmas Celebration of Hope
The funny thing about this CD is that B.B. almost duplicates the aforementioned Charles Brown CD. It is interesting to compare their interpretations. That being said, this is also a wonderful, happy holiday CD, and B.B.'s Auld Lang Syne is a classic.

6. The Holly Cole Trio: Christmas Blues
Really an EP, this acoustic trio is simply beautiful.

7. Los Straitjackets: Tis the Season For Los Straitjackets
Good time guitar instrumentals will keep your holiday hoppin'!

8. Jingle Bell Jam: Jazz Christmas Classics
You gotta be careful with those pre-made compilations. They are sure to disappoint. This one, however, is so well chosen that almost ever track is a must-have. Classics from being to end.

9. Vince Guaraldi: A Charlie Brown Christmas
Yes, we are all overrun with this, but it IS a classic album, with great songs and a great performance. Is it Vince's fault that his masterpiece has become ubiquitous? Clear your head and give it a listen on its own, without the animation.

10. Loreena McKennitt: To Drive the Cold Winter Away
After all of this jazz and blues, you'll need a little classic Celtic soother. No one does it better than Loreena.

New Music Tuesday - Replacing Vinyl

I picked up two CD's today that I have been negligent in upgrading from vinyl. The first is A Classy Pair, an aptly titled effort from Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie. It is a wonderful CD, but the stand-out track is definitely Just A Sittin' and A Rockin'. I am so pleased to be able to listen to this song again! Basie has always exemplified swing for me; I think he had the greatest of the big bands for my money. And Ella is in great form throughout the disc; her scatting on Honeysuckle Rose is exemplary for any would-be vocalists.

The second treasure of the day is Getting Sentimental by the great saxophonist, Zoot Sims from 1975. The must-have track on this disc is Dream Dancing, a forgotten Cole Porter masterpiece. This was recorded live, and very simply in a house with a standard trio (piano, bass and drums). It is simple, elegant and romantic on the whole, but the inclusion of Fred and Caravan kind of shatter the mood; however, the other tracks yearn to be included on mix CD's.

Weather Report

While we had some snow on Thanksgiving, today was the first for-real get serious snowstorm of the year.

If memory serves me correctly, last year I had only one day that was troublesome in my commute to work, and that was in late February. This year is off to fast start - the severity of this storm easily beat the worst of last year.

To add to my enjoyment of the foul weather, I seem to have come down with my first illness of the year - a mysterious, lingering sore throat that is threatening to turn into strep, I fear.
Chills, fever, runny nose...

I love the winter so.

Holiday Festivities Part Deux

Retail workers get very little joy from the holiday season. There is a lot of overtime, a lot of crowds and it is simply a hectic time of year. So this year I have tried to do a least a couple of things to make the season a bit more festive and less of a long marathon to be conquered.

To this end, Heather and I went out for a nice luncheon at Bravo Cucina Italiana, a Ohio-based chain Italian eatery.

I had the wood-fired chicken marsala and Tuscan mashed potatoes, which was acceptable. Bravo is certainly a lovely place for conversation and ambiance, but the food is not the big draw.

We also agreed at that any restaurant that feels it must emblaze the name of the joint boldly on the rim of the dinner plates lacks a wee bit of class.

What Do You Want On Your Tombstone?

This is certainly in the running for mine - great words to remember... All Hail Camus!

By reason of their very duration, great misfortunes are monotonous.

-- Albert Camus 1913-1960

Holiday Festivities

My friend Patrick came to visit me this evening and brought with him a most welcome bottle Oban Single Malt Scotch, which is pleasant way to begin any celebration.

After dinner, I took him down the street to Stan Hywet to partake in their extravagant outdoor holiday light festival. The best part of the decor was at the end of the birch allee. When you get to the stone balcony overlooking the lagoons, there were four lighted fountains in the ponds, and huge lighted stars suspended high in the trees in the distance. It was very amazing.

Work continues on the restoration of the conservatory/greenhouse, and it looked particularly great at night.

Something got into us (perhaps the Oban) and we decided to take the interior house tour, which was led by an elderly man named Ted. The house is stunning, of course, and it did look lovely decked out for a 1917 Christmas. I really loved the men's lounge with the great billiard table, and the Plunge, the indoor pool.

Patrick felt that the Sieberling's had their priorities in the wrong place - he felt that rather than copying bits and pieces from estates throughout Europe and England, trying to build a 15th century house in the twentieth century, they should have put their money into creating something new and unique. I see his point, and I suppose that would be more to my personal taste. However, you cannot deny the beauty and grandeur of the hand carved paneling, the leaded glass windows and the painstaking level of detail that the designers and the Sieberling's went to to pull the house together.

After our walk in the brisk night, we went back to my house for espresso and Bailey's custard.

All in all, it was a great start to the holiday.

New Music Tuesday - Christmas III

Last year I casually listened to a bit of Operatica's Christmas Classics Performed, and had every intention of purchasing it, yet somehow the ship sailed and I forgot about it. I picked it up today, and not that I was disappointed with it, but it certainly is stranger than I had remembered. But, then again, let's keep in mind my recent misguided thoughts about Remy Shand...

Operatica is a group that fuses electronica/dance beats with opera, usually with quite pleasing results. The holiday CD features the wonderful Maureen O'Flynn. As I was composing this post, doing some research on Ms. Flynn, this is the first Google hit I found:

Maureen O'Flynn begins 2002 with her debut at the San Diego Opera in the role of role of GILDA. As anyone will tell you who has seen her perform and heard her mellifluous, lyrical voice...

Can we please have a moratorium on San Diego references? This is getting out of control. Really.

Meditations on Death

In honor of my friend, Eric Pollard, whose birthday is today, I dug out an old cassette tape he sent to me at college in 1982. The title of the tape was "Meditations on Death." He spends the 45 minutes of Side One acting out a conceit of Tim Curry as Frank N. Furter from The Rocky Horror Picture Show meeting God in Heaven. He, in a thinly veiled characterization, discusses the meaning of death and his views of the after-life. In this very strange context, he weaves many references to his then-recent involuntary deprogramming, and his general angst at being 18, being in high school and feeling very isolated and alienated.

Side Two is 45 minutes of him rambling from the rehearsal room at his high school, playing the piano intermittantly, and then reading a very long letter from our mutal friend, Alec, who was then a freshman at Yale. The letter captures all of our friend's misplaced arrogance, and innocence - and richocets from tales of decorating his "flat" (last time I checked Yale was not Oxford... I believe those are still apartments here on this side of the pond), with his "flat-mates" and his first encounters with pot. It ends with a pro and con discussion of the Montessori school system.

This cassette is a wonderful little time capsule of my friend Eric, who passed away on my birthday in 2002. It was bittersweet to be taken back in time, but wonderful to be reminded of what a character he was.

New Music Tuesday – Christmas II

Los Straitjackets – Tis the Season for Los Straitjackets

I guess this goes to show you where my head is at this holiday season. I love this CD of all guitar-heavy instrumentals. This is a great CD, very fun and very happy – but what should you expect from a group that performs in wrestling masks? The only tracks that aren't instant classics on the very first listen are Christmas in Las Vegas and Christmas Weekend, as I had no memories conjured up it compare their version to. Marshmallow World and Here Come Santa Claus are particular favorites, but Feliz Navidad and Let It Snow are great, too.

A perfect antidote to sappy, overly orchestrated holiday swill. Rock on. Oh, and in keeping with November's unintentinal theme, they are from San Diego.

Thanksgiving in Iceland

I awoke this Thanksgiving to a very well-behaved snowfall – the kind that outlines every branch and leaf, but stays off the roads. I promised myself that if it snowed I wouldn't leave the house today, except to go to Starbuck's in the morning for my required triple grande latte, but that is a necessity anyway. I drove down the hill past Stan Hywet, and I was entranced by the perfect pyramids of snow atop the fence posts. The drive to Starbuck's can take you through the park, over the meadow and through the river (as it crosses the road, it does not, like most rivers, go under the road) and it was very lovely and peaceful.

Since it snowed, my plan to spend the day at the movie theater was dashed, and so I settled in with some DVD's. Maybe because of the inclement weather I chose an Icelandic film to begin my day.

Nói Albinói, the debut film of writer/director Dagur Kári is a terrific film about growing up on a remote fjord in Iceland. (It was shot in the remote village of Bolungarvik on the West Fjord of Iceland, population 957.)

The very first scene of Nói’s Sisyphean labor was initially impressive, but even more so by the brilliant bookending echoed at the end of the film in a most unexpected way.

Kári uses a lot of blues and greens in the movie, conveying an overwhelming sense of depression and confinement, while at the same time reveling in the natural beauty of the location. The characters are well-developed, but certainly odd. The characters each seem to inhabit a singular location – that is, Nói's grandmother is never seen outside of the house, Iris (the gas station girl) is the only person Nói ( Tómas Lemarquis ) ever sees in the gas station. What would it be like to grow up in a place where you know everyone, where routine is so deeply embedded, and change and strangers are unknown? Nói attempts to bring change to his world, and is foiled at every turn – the most dramatic being the reception to his attempt at robbing the bank. The elders can't see Nói as a danger – he is just a strange boy they have known all of his life, and they do not fear him for a moment. His grand attempt at escape is a haunting image – a blur of color and motion and life that breaks the bleakness of the film momentarily.

I really liked immersing myself into this strange culture that Kári i has depicted. And the ending, well...you won't be prepared for it. I suppose I could relate to what I took to be the “message”, sometimes the worst thing possible can also reveal a new beginning. Once everything is lost you are finally liberated.The final shot is beautifully ambiguous, so you can decide the outcome for yourself.

Cool Obscure Facts:
Kari Lemarquis , who plays the French schoolteacher, is the father of Tomas Lemarquis , who plays Nói. Kari Lemarquis is a French schoolteacher in real life, and the director Dagur Kári was one of his students.

Super Size Me

I finally got around to seeing Morgan Spurlock's great film, Super Size Me. This film, and Fahrenheit 9 11 should be required viewing for everyone. It is chilling to watch the demise of Morgan's health in 30 short days. As his mood changes, as his energy dissipates, his waist grows, his face fills out, and then he begins to flush and break out. It truly is incredible to watch him metamorphosize in a month. To regain his pre-film level of health took him over a year and a half. One month to destroy himself... almost two years to recover.

AND thirteen bags of garbage for one month of one person eating. That is a LOT of garbage - and there would be those that would make the connection that he probably would have been better off eating the paper wrappers than the food.

I got a good laugh from his "man on the street" interviews, where he asks people what a calorie is. When he finally gets to a scientist for the correct answer, it is as if the "Hallelujah Chorus" is playing. Very funny, yes, but also it verified my general elitist feeling about the stupidity of the masses.

And if you still aren't horrified by this point, the DVD features some deleted scenes, all of which are worth watching, but please check out "The Smoking Fry" in which Morgan places one of each item on the McDonald's menu in glass jars for 10 months, to recorded their disintegration. It is fuzzy and oozy and I am sure, stinky, as one would expect...but keep your eyes on the fries.....

New Music Tuesday - Taking Chances

Last night I did something I rarely do - I took unsolicated advice from the clerk at the record store and bought a CD that I knew nothing about based solely on a stranger's recommendation.

The CD: The Magnificent Tree (2000) by Hooverphonic. Well, I love, love, love the loungey, yet string heavy track Mad About You. I dig the lead singer Geike Arnaert's voice. This CD is a bit similar to Zero 7 (one of my favorite new bands), but at least on this offering, they seem brighter and happier than the morose and somber (yet very talented) Zero 7 folk.

Check out this quote from a Magnificent Tree review:

"Classic embryonic vocalic beauty from Geike Arnaert still carries the translucence of the band's signature ethereality"

Hmm...will I ever write like that? Anyway, good tip and a good find. I hadn't known my collection was lacking in signature ethereality until now...

So then, I took a recommendation from my faux cousin Erik (same last name, no relation) and picked up The Way I Feel by Remy Shand. While I pride myself on being quite knowledgable about music, the circumstances regarding this CD are comical. Erik was playing this CD while we were working, and so I only heard vague snippets of the songs, and only glimpsed the cover. I assumed that Remy Shand was an African or possibly Indian woman and the CD struck me as being kind of an ethnic- world type thing. Well, I bought it, went home and listened to it:

It is a GREAT soul album, and Remy (who is a 23 year old Canadian man for God's sake and is the songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer of the CD) sings a lot like Prince. In fact, it really feels like a retro-soulified Prince album. So, after my bout of foolishness, I really recommend this CD- which was the Juno winning Best R&B/Soul Recording Of The Year. Where have I been?

Allow me to quote a review regarding my favorite track: "the literate neo-classic soul vibe of The Mind’s Eye". Literate neo-classic soul vibe. Wow.

And thanks to Erik for hipping me up to this one.

Opera and Diners

I spent the night at my friend Annie's house. There are few things to compare with the sensation of waking up to someone playing the piano and singing opera, very well and live, enhanced by the friendly morning glow of a crackling fire and a full coffee pot.

Annie's husband has been away for a long time, as he is performing in the Ring at the State Opera of South Australia. All of this talk about opera makes me just want to point out that:

No opera plot can be sensible, for in sensible situations, people do not sing.
W.H. Auden

Before heading off to work, we went to eat at the Park City Diner.
It is a very upscale diner, yet it still captures that lowdown diner feeling. I loved the mural on the wall of Ohio history, which we were seated across from. I had the full-on standard egg breakfast and ended with my own little miniature pumpkin pie. It was quite a feast, and while I don't think the food is exceptional by any means, it was a very pleasant and good experience. I would definitely go back.

8111 Rockside Road, Valley View 216-328-0575

Finding Neverland

Annie and I went to see Finding Neverland this morning, before work. First of all, a moment to review the theatre...
We went to the Valley View Theatre, which is enormous and wonderful AND...you can get real food there, and take it in with you. I know what you are thinking...but I had a cheeseburger and fries and a drink, and it was $6. Which is less than a small popcorn in most theatres. So, I was deliriously happy, well-fed and sitting in nice, high-backed stadium seats in a big theatre even before the film began.

There isn't much to say...Finding Neverland was such a wonderful film. All of it. The story, the acting, the costuming, the filming, the music. All exquisite. And it is no secret that I love Johnny Depp - he does not disappoint. I am not one to get all emotional, but I teared up at several points in the film...and the end, well...what can you say?

This is not to say it is a sad movie though...we left feeling elated...I had that great feeling you get when you've encountered some great work of art or music. And I was bitten by the urge to go get "Peter Pan" to read. Neverland is fantastic.

Goodbye Lenin!

I watched Goodbye Lenin! today. It is a great film about one boys devotion to his mother. His mother was a fervent supporter of the Socialists, and falls into a coma in 1989. For the few months that she is in the coma, her world disappears...the wall falls and Coca-Cola comes to town. When she regains consciousness, the doctor warns the son that any shock might kill his mother, so he sets out to create a different world, the world as it was months ago.

Hilarity ensues as he tries to find old German pickles and other staples now that the grocery stores are overrun with the more desirable Western goods. He enlists a friend to create videotapes of news broadcasts to fool his mother into thinking life has continued on as normal.

And while this sort of storyline lends itself to comical situations, the filmmaker, Wolfgang Becker, has shown great restraint in portraying the reasoning behind all of these machinations.

The son does feel guilty as each small lie begets a larger lie, but his intentions were always good.

Very good film...I loaned this film to my assistant manager, and not only did he like it, he said his whole family enjoyed it, including his kids.

Pages

So there I was minding my own business, on my way to pick up what I was sure would be a dangerously romantic CD, having my daily triple grande latte and flipping through a magazine, when I see a name pop off of the masthead...someone very important to me, but someone I have not been in contact with at all for many months - yes, I am referring to my Phantom of San Diego.

What are the chances that a song that captures the nuances of a person (Dinner For One Please, James - see review), will conjure their name up in print the very same day?

Well, I'll tell you - very good indeed. Synchronicity is a strange thing. And while the universe is laughing at me, I just want to say that I did get the joke. Sometimes no matter how hard you try, there are some bonds that are inescapable for eternity.

And to the Phantom of San Diego - we shared a moment, and it was quite lovely, as it always was.

New Music Tuesday - Branford Marsalis

I heard a track from Branford's new CD, Eternal, last night driving home from work, and set out bright and early this morning to fetch the disc. On the whole, Eternal is a very romantic and seductive offering. The reason I bought the CD was Dinner For One Please, James, a ridiculously gorgeous sax ballad enhanced by some great piano work. I like that tune enough to make the purchase of the CD worthwhile, but I also like the much more upbeat opener, The Ruby and the Pearl. Branford says of this CD, " All of the songs reflect the idea that there is beauty in sadness.." While I believe that is certainly true, I don't find the CD sad at all, it is more of a wistful feeling...

How to Spend a Fall Day in Cleveland

I spent the night in Cleveland, and decided to take full advantage of my extended morning, before having to report to work.

I went to the Inn on Coventry, which prepares my favorite breakfast: two eggs, toast, hashbrowns, English muffin, OJ and coffee. Nothing fancy, mind you, and that is the point. They make it fast, good and cheap. It is the perfect breakfast. I used to go there so often that I wouldn't even have to order...I could just go and sit down and start reading and it would all show up before me like magic. That's the kind of service that gets great tips.

It was a glorious fall day, bright and sunny and still enough leaves left to be colorful. I went to the Cleveland Museum of Art and took in the exhibit: Dukes and Angels: Art from the Court of Burgundy 1364-1419. While this particular period is not a specialty of mine, it really was a fascinating exhibit. I spent a great deal of time enraptured by the many manuscripts. The detailing of the backgrounds in the illuminations were mind-boggling, and only serve to prove my point: Look what can be done when you don't have cable.

Following this, I wandered upstairs and caught the Needful Things: Recent Multiples exhibit, which is made up of very contemporary art that is not unique. I loved this exhibit so much...they had a paint-by-numbers set by Damien Hirst, one of my favorite eccentric artists, and well, really, each item in the exhibit was worth investigating. I liked the "cocaine" and "heroin" porcelain salt and pepper shakers. What was really exciting was the juxtaposition of this cutting edge art after being enveloped in the gilded pages and religious stone work of the 1400s earlier.

On the way out, they had some very exquisite and moving photographs by Luc Delahaye. His prints are enormous, 4 feet tall by 8 feet long. The most impressive, though they were all stunning, was his photo, Taliban. It is a masterpiece.

Finally, they had moved Spencer Tunick's photo taken at the Rock Hall to the New Acquisitions wall (it had previously been in the basement by the restrooms). It is a wonderful photo of 3000 naked folk laying together in the street. Check out his work, he is quite cool.

The Inn on Coventry 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd, Cleveland Heights 216-371-1811

Terry Gross

This has turned out to be one of the best weekends in recent memory.

It started by having the luxury to spend a long afternoon with my great friend, Heather. For whatever reason there may be, it is not often that you can spend a good deal of time with someone these days...and to not feel the pressure of time, but to just lie back and to talk with someone, was a glorious gift. And someone that makes you genuinely laugh is also a rare and wonderful treat.

At some point late in the day we roused ourselves from our stimulating conversation and decided to eat. Mark joined us for dinner at Cafe Tandoor, a very nice Indian restaurant. I am still in search of a worthy chicken vindaloo, and while this one was quite good, it was also quite different from my familiar Pacific Northwest vindaloos. So, in that arena, the search continues. However, let's take a moment and talk about the naan. My, oh my, but it was great...hot and fluffy and very tasty. So tasty that Heather and I had four servings. We were over-indulgent pigs. Really. But, again, great naan, people.

Then, Mark left us to our own devices, and we headed down to the Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square to see NPR's Terry Gross. It was a great show. Terry spoke about the intricacies of interviewing, and how she came into journalism in the first place, and to radio in particular. Interwoven in her lecture were audio clips from some of her more infamous interviews, such as Bill O'Reilly and Gene Simmons. She used the audio to enhance her points, and they were also quite amusing. She was quite self-effacing, and although it was a short show, I felt that we got our money's worth.

New Music Tuesday - Swing Out Sister

Swing Out Sister has released a new album entitled, Where Our Love Grows. The overwhelming response I have to this CD is this – place the CD in the player...then imagine you are running off of a diving board on the most perfect summer afternoon...the first bar of the first track comes on...and you feel like you have plunged into a very deep and cool pool...surrounded and immersed in this swell of orchestral summer. This CD conjures so many images – the best of Bacharach, 60's movies, Austin Powers, Dionne Warwick...it is lush and dense. My favorite track is the opener, Love Won't Let You Down, but I am also fond of the instrumental offering Certain Shades Of Limelight .

Corrinne Drewery's voice, like an old and dear friend, is welcoming and warm and flawless as it always has been. Sometimes I think she could sing the phone book and I would listen…

My recommendation – take the plunge.

(p.s. - might I add that on 1997's Shapes & Patterns they cover Ms. Nyro's Stoned Soul Picnic.)

Pumpkin Beer Tasting

I decided to have my own little beer tasting this fall. I chose five seasonal beers, and here are my conclusions:

Beer #1: Ichabod by The New Holland Brewing Company of Holland, Michigan. Ale made with pumpkin.They advertise this as “fall in a glass, with the essence of everything from Halloween to gingerbread to Thanksgiving and pumpkin pie”, and I really think that sums it up nicely. I think this would be an excellent beer to accompany any of those items, or just to spend a nice fall day with. It would compliment all autumn traditions. However, while it admirably captured the essence of the season, there was nary a hint of pumpkin in this beer.

Beer #2: Pumpkinhead Ale by The Shipyard of Portland, Maine. Malt beverage with pumpkin spice added.Immediately upon opening this beer, I was smelling pumpkin – the beer was definitely spiced up, but the taste sensation was definitely pumpkin, followed by a liquid pie aftertaste. As the goal of this tasting was to rate pumpkin beers, I have a strong feeling that Pumpkinhead will be hard to beat.

Beer #3: Pumpkin Ale from Buffalo Bill's Brewery of Portland, Oregon. (actually, the labeling is misleading - it is made in Hayward, California and licensed to the Portland Brewing Company - which makes me feel better about this particular review) An amber style ale, originally brewed by George Washington, brewed with fresh roasted pumpkins, malted barley. Cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg are added.
I was predisposed to root for the hometown favorite, but sadly, I felt that this beer was lacking in substance. It seemed thin, watery and albeit “spiced”, it captured none of the fall essence nor the pumpkin taste I am searching for. So very sad for the PDX offering (see above) I'm glad Washington got out of the brewing thing...not his strong suit in my opinion.

Beer #4: Pumpkin Lager Beer from Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukie, Wisconsin. Beer brewed with pumpkin and spices. My first impression of this one was that it was very peppery and certainly spicy, but again, the pumpkin essence was lacking. This beer was quite average, with nothing to really recommend it.

Beer #5: Pumpkin Ale from Sea Dog Brewing Company of Portland, Maine. Ale with pumpkin flavor added. Well, so they say, anyway. This was the oddest tasting of the beer selections, and, again, it felt quite thin and insubstantial. I was not impressed.

The clear winner for pumpkin flavored beer was PUMPKINHEAD ALE, but for an all-around taste of fall, ICHABOD is my choice.

Four People In Search Of Connections

Sean and I have been discussing how isolated not having a family makes you feel. There is a tremendous difference between not wanting to ask a relation for assistance, and not having any relations at all. The drastic sense of aloneness is very hard to explain, as most people are connected to several people, whether they enjoy those connections or not. Sean wants to locate more connectionless people, and make a documentary, which I have temporarily titled, "No Safe Harbor."

My dear friend K8 in Seattle is also battling with a family question, as she undertakes a project to write a book about the consequences for her of having a daughter give up a child for adoption. She posits, and is correct, that there are no books written about the biological grandparents of adopted children. She feels the loss of her granddaughter as deeply, if not more, than her daughter, as her daughter at least had financial and other reasons for making the choice. K8 is struggling with what her role could be in her biological yet un-legal relationship with her granddaughter.

All of these thoughts gathered together for me when it was brought to my attention that my dearest friend of all learned some devastating news regarding her family. For 22 years, her family had symbolized for me that goodness and normalcy were actually possible in this world, as my own experience has been one of transience and temporality. For me, all connections as tenuous and fleeting. To be raised with your original mother and father, and to have four grandparents all of your life, to have that tight circle of connections...these were very foreign concepts to me. And in a day, her foundations were rocked, too, and she questioned the veracity of her life.

In a way, I guess I prefer my being raised by wolves...it prepares one cynically to expect ever constant change . But deep down inside, I know I long for an afternoon of shopping with my mom and grandma, and coming home and preparing a meal for everyone - aunts and uncles included.

Those were halcyon days, indeed.

New Music Tuesday - Chris Isaak

Okay, I have to come clean. I have an illness - I have a huge collection of holiday music. One of my long-time passions was to make holiday mix tapes (which is now the mix CD) for my friends and acquaintances. To this end I have acquired over 200 holiday CD's. So today's new CD is one for the collection: Chris Isaak Christmas.

I've only listened to it twice, and although it has its moments, it is not the stellar find of the season that I was hoping for. I don't know what that will be, but you'll read it here first...

Anyway, I found Chris' voice to be a bit weak on this CD. I think that is my main problem with it.

So far the best track is an original (and that is amazing) Christmas on TV, on which Chris talks about being alone and watching old Christmas movies ...which made me remember one Christmas long ago spent with the love of my life, and watching "It's A Wonderful Life" together, wrapped up on the couch with a fire blazing. Moments like that can make you think that just maybe it IS a wonderful life.

And had I not gotten the Blind Boys of Alabama's Go Tell It On The Mountain last year, Chris' version of Last Day of Year , which the Boys give the definitive performance of, would be in the running for holiday track of 2004. As it is, he has to take a distant second to the Boys. Give them a listen, they are killer. And, by the way, The Blind Boys of Alabama won their third consecutive Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album with that release.

What Turns You On?

A strange thing happened. There I was, minding my own business, and a casual phrase rocked my world, and solved a mystery that my sainted therapist, Dianne, and myself could not solve for many years.

This is what happened...someone of my acquaintance, someone that I was not attracted to in the slightest manner, quite casually directed a comment to me. (I apologize for the intentional vagueness in this portion of the tale, Jaimie...regardless, the specifics of the comment are not the integral part of the story) Instantly, I felt like Nicholas Cage receiving the slap from Cher in Moonstruck – I was snapped out of a lingering haze that I had been living in. I was instantly present, and very, very drawn to the speaker, who had now become the most attractive thing on the planet.

How to explain this seismic shift in my own feelings? How to explain this comic turn of turn of events – from someone not being on your radar screen to becoming the most arousing being in the universe?

What is erotic? The acrobatic play of the imagination. The sea of memories in which we bathe. The way we caress and worship things with our eyes. Our willingness to be stirred by the sight of the voluptuous. What is erotic is our passion for the liveliness of life, and an appreciation for the unexpected.

After many hours of reflection, it occurred to me that what turns me on in reality is none of the things I intellectually believe turn me on. None of the qualities I believe spark attraction for me really measure up to this one stunningly simple and unignorable fact...what turns me on is the unprompted recognition of my inner being by someone else. The knowledge that someone else sees me as I see myself, is an attraction so powerful that it has kept me in fetters for five years, wrapped up with the most inappropriate of alliances, which seemed indissolvable with no real explanation. And now I have been casually handed the key to understanding it it and hopefully freeing the Phantom of San Diego.

It was a very powerful day.

Halloween Costumes

Quite a bit of fun to be had in the workplace when you get to dress up for a change. And although working with the general public, in retail and being on your feet all day do not necessarily lend themselves to great costumes with detailed make-up, and also demands that the more gory options of the season are neglected, my co-workers and I who had to work today were able to enjoy a bit of the holiday.

Today I worked with an amazing Carmen Miranda, whose mother actually designed and sewed the costume, which would have been totally believable on any stage. It was extraordinary. And, as attention to details does count, there were even clusters of cherries garnishing the toes of the cream high heels. Cudos to you, Carmen Miranda!

Another co-worker came as, well, it really is hard to describe. A zaftig bathing beauty, complete with crown comes close. The defining element of the costume was the fellow's beard. Quite hilarious.

I think my favorite co-worker today was Medusa, with the white toga and a nest of snakes in her hair. Her finishing touch was the belt for her toga, also a lovely green snake. Great make-up, not too much, not too scary. It was outstanding.

A few of the night crew fellas came together as what I would deem a Tribute Band to Spinal Tap. Not quite impersonating Spinal Tap, but giving a essence of Spinal Tap.

A young lady graced us as Inga, a innocent German milkmaid, with a rather well-endowed bosom, which succumbed to the forces of gravity after a couple of hours at the register. This turned the costume somewhat tragic, and certainly more humorous, at least to me.

As for myself, I look forward to Halloween to break out my authentic, antique 1923 wool tuxedo with tails. Add a silk top hat, stringy hair, and sunglasses, a lovely and heavy bat medallion, a silk shirt, some white and light blue make-up, paint the nails black, and hey, I'm a Gothic English vampire. I was thinking that the German milkmaid was probably related to my family, lower Germany and Transylvania not being oh-so-distant.

The big surprise to me was, completely unbeknownst to me, another co-worker came as the Bride of Dracula. So that worked out very nice. Again, attention to detail counts...her long black and white streaked hair was swept up upon her head, and decorated with dead rose buds.
Velvet dress, lace up boots, and Gothic jewelry. It's all good, when you're undead.

Which is how my feet felt after 5 hours, when I had to change my costume back to my usual work garb.

All in all, it was a pretty festive day at the office.

Adventures in Auto Repairs

I drive a 1990 Toyota Corolla, with over 250,000 miles on it. Yes, it is a sexy car.

Well, driving home from work the other night, at 2 in the morning, I was stopped by the local long arm of the law, who wished to inform me that not only was my right rear tail light out, so was my license plate light. Then the very helpful and kind officer sent me on my way.

I stopped at a local oil change place to get replacement bulbs the next morning...the license plate bulb was $7. The tail light, well that was another matter all together.

Seems there is a hole in the wheel well that has been spraying water, salt and other kinds of Ohio weather road-gook up into my truck and, specifically, onto my right rear tail light assembly. It was all gross and rusty, and a rat's nest of what I could only assume was once a tidy collection of connected wires. So, the cheap bulb was, of course, not the answer to the problem.

I went to a repair shop, and asked if this matter could be rectified before 2 in the afternoon, as I had to be back at work at 3 pm...

After careful inspection, they told me it might just be possible, if they could get the part from the dealer in time.

The part, which is the internal white plastic thing that does nothing but hold four light bulbs in place, sells for the unbelievable price of... and I will write this out...four hundred and fifty dollars.

That's right.

So I said I reckoned I'd just chew this over, and went home and called a junkyard, something I had never done in my life. I made one phone call, based solely on two criteria: I knew where the place was located and it said foreign cars in the ad. I called them (the fine folks at D&L Motors - I love you) and asked if perchance they had parts for a 1990 Corolla. They did, they said. Well, I said, I'll be there directly.

I found the shop which was quite small and featured a hard-packed dirt floor. I was expecting a junkyard: miles of abandoned vehicles, snarly under-fed dogs, and hours spent on a scavenger hunt. Well, D&L appeared to have 5 cars, one of which was, indeed, a 1990 Corolla. We popped the trunk, and the inside was immaculate. The part I needed was sitting there as pristine and fresh as if it came new in a box. I had brought along my trusty wire snips, and snipped a good portion of the wires and within 2 minutes, my junkyard adventure was completed. I went back inside, and laid the proceeds of my hunting and gathering proudly on the plank of wood that was the counter, and the owner (D or L, who knew?) looked at it and said, "Oh, you needed the tail light circuit board!" To which I replied, "Yeah, or the tail light thingy, as I like to call it."
This made me instantly popular with Fess and Lud, workers passing through, and the owner who laughed at my foolish girly ways, and said, "Well, that will be $10 dollars."

Let me spell that: TEN DOLLARS.

I called the repair shop, and asked if they would be so kind as to install it for me. It took 20 minutes, and cost $25.

And so today, I thank my mother and grandmother, who were obviously in the right place, having tea and smiling down on me from above, and the fine folks at D&L, and the fine gentlemen Vince and Mark from my neighborhood repair shop. Y'all rock.

New Music Tuesday - Patricia Barber

Today’s CD review is the first CD released by one of my favorite performers of all time, Ms. Patricia Barber. The CD, Split, was first released in 1989. The title refers to her amazing abilities as both pianist and vocalist.

What is immediately shocking about this disc is the vocal range that Ms. Barber exhibits, which has most certainly not been in evidence of any of her subsequent recordings. Now I see that not only is she a magnificent pianist, an erudite songwriter, but she possesses some extraordinary, under-used chops. It was a wonderful surprise, and explains why she was the # 1 Female Jazz Vocal Talent Deserving Wider Recognition by DownBeat Magazine's International Critics Poll.

I listened to this disc on the way home from the record store, early in the morning on a grey, misty almost Pacific Northwest blissful day. The first track is a lovely evocative instrumental piece called, Early Autumn. The sychronicity of the moment was striking, and I can assure you that every time I listen to this track I will transported to this morning, driving my car…

Other stand-outs are the vocal tracks, Too Late Now (devastatingly beautiful), Then I’ll Be Tired Of You and Two For The Road.

Like one of my other all-time favorites, Ms. Holly Cole, Ms. Barber pays particular attention to detail. This record was made using re-constructed tube microphones from the 1950s.

It is a singular and wonderful aural treat. I guarantee it.

My Kadobi Afternoon

It was destined to be a great day today, because it was going to involve spending some time with my precious friend, the Nikon N70. I spent the late afternoon on a photo shoot with my friend, Kadobi, who is a white Jewish rapper. He is leaving on Sunday for a week in a New York recording studio, where he is recording his second album. The young Kadobi is quite a threat, as he not only raps, but writes and performs the beats, and produces his songs himself. So - you go Kadobi!

We were getting shots for the forthcoming CD, to be entitled, Conduct Unbecoming. As the rolls have not been developed yet, I can only report my gut feelings...but there is an overwhelming sense of certainty when you get what I refer to as the "money shot." I love that feeling...I suppose if I knew of a drug that would give me that feeling I might be interested in becoming a drug addict, but I have to think that the divine pleasure of the feeling is the fact that is so fleeting and rare... Anyway, this undeniable feeling of getting the unplanned, yet perfect moment came over me three times... so, as long as the shots are focused...I think we did real well.

It was great fun to work with only the vaguest of plans, and let happenstance dictate the choices. Things usually work out better that way, rather than going with a shooting plan etched in stone...then things don't work out right, and there is stress, which I hate. Hate stress.

One of our locations was a building I spotted when Sean was in town...and I was pretty sure that I remembered where I had seen it, but not completely. I was also afraid that since it looked so desolate and run-down and ghetto-ish, that it would have either fallen (or been) torn down. Happily, the shooting gods were on my side, and it was exactly where I thought, and even better for our purposes than I remembered.

Stay tuned for the CD release party info!

Following this adrenaline high, I kept an appointment I had made with a co-worker to see TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE.

I really don't want to talk about that film. The film gods were most definitely not looking out for me tonight.

Laura Nyro's Birthday

A moment to remember our dear Laura.

“Winds they blow and blow.
Happy birthday thirties
What do I want?
I want everything
Just everything
That you can bring
'Cause my heart needs to sing now”

--Laura Nyro, “Roadnotes” from 1984's Mother's Spiritual

New Music Tuesday - Larry Carlton

Today's CD review was not actually released today; I somehow missed it when it did come out earlier this year...but I did stumble upon it this afternoon, and I am so glad I did.

Mr. Larry Carlton, primo and fabulous guitarist, has released Sapphire Blue, a blues-oriented CD. From the first stellar track, Friday Night Shuffle, it is readily apparent that Mr. Carlton rules the fretboard. He is an incredible player. All but one track on this CD are fantastic, and the sole track that I don't care for is simply a statement of my personal taste and not the playing...I just don't like the tempo of the track, a little too frenetic and funky for me. But Track #3, Night Sweats...whoo. Aptly named. It's steamy, and a perfect soundtrack for whatever makes you sweat...like laying before a fire with a glass of nice red wine and...

Anyway, listening to this CD put me in such a good mood, and rekindled my respect for Larry. I had the opportunity to see Larry in an extraordinary concert at the Front Row on June 29,1989(his first performance following his traumatic accident -he was shot in the neck, doing great damage to his vocal cords and substantial nerve damage, impairing his ability to play) - his opening act was the amazing Stanley Jordan, who did a shattering performance of Stairway to Heaven, playing two guitars simultaneously.

A little history - Larry began his professional career in 1968 touring with the Fifth Dimension, and quickly became THE most requested studio guitarist of the 70s, playing for The Partridge Family, Vicki Carr, Andy Williams and Barbra Streisand. Then he joined the supergroup, The Crusaders. Larry is probably best known for his guitar work with Steely Dan, playing the stellar solo on their song, Kid Charlemagne.He has performed on over 100 gold albums. His has also worked for TV and films including Against All Odds, Who's the Boss, and Hill Street Blues which won a Grammy award in 1981 for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. A cover of Michael McDonald's Minute by Minute on his 1986 acoustic album, Discovery, won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 1987.

Sapphire Blue is now my favorite Larry Carlton CD, and if you aren't familiar with his work, it is a great introduction. (And the Japanese "Jazz Life Magazine" has selected it as album of the year as well.) However, that does not mean that my (now) second favorite CD is any less great. I would also recommend 1986's Alone/But Never Alone, Larry's phenomenal acoustic guitar CD. Although the opening track, Smiles and Smiles to Go, is a wee bit on the smooth jazz side, a genre I typically loathe, I am a sucker for the hook. Great tune. And Larry's playing on The Lord's Prayer is simply beautiful. Plus he is super cute and oh-so-young on the back cover.

On Photography - Something to Ponder

Beth and I spent most of our free time while living in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle and Portland) going shooting. It was shocking to me to discover that some people thought we were target practicing or worse, hunting! After thinking about it awhile, the language of photography - shooting, loading, - really is identical to that of the world of guns.

While doing some research on Annie Leibovitz, I discovered that her partner of many years is the esteemed Susan Sontag. When I discovered that Ms. Sontag wrote a book entitled On Photography, the book became a must-read title for me.

Sontag theorizes that a camera is sold as a predatory weapon. This disturbs me - and makes me question my motives in what I consider a quest for art - is it really about dominance and possession?

Anyway, I liked this passage from Sontag's book as it combines my passion for photography with my love of nature. It raises some interesting questions...

Eventually, people might learn to act out more of their aggressions with cameras and fewer with guns. One situation where people are switching from bullets to film is the photographic safari that is replacing the gun safari in East Africa. The hunters have Hasselblads { I would submit - the LUCKY ones have Hasselblads -nyro4797} instead of Winchesters; instead of looking through a telescopic sight to aim a rifle, they look through a viewfinder to frame a picture. Guns have metamorphosed into cameras in this earnest comedy, the ecology safari, because nature has ceased to be what it always had been - what people needed protection from. Now nature - tamed, endangered, mortal - needs to be protected from people.

When we are afraid, we shoot. But when we are nostalgic, we take pictures.

Look out Austria!

If you are a blues performer, the late fall and winter are a pretty slow time of year. For my good friend, Duffy Bishop, she spends the late spring and summer mainly on the road performing at outdoor blues festivals. In the slow seasons, she has been performing at the fabulous Teatro ZinZanni's show Love, Chaos, Dinner. She has been doing this for several years now - originating the role in Seattle (where she was replaced by Heart's Ann Wilson) and San Francisco (where she was replaced by Joan Baez).

A couple of years ago, Duffy and her band went off to some blues festivals in Norway.

This year, Duffy is going to be in Austria for a few months starring in the show PALAZZO, then she will be performing throughout Europe! If you happen to be taking a European vacation, drop by and hear the best blues vocalist in the world.

New Quizzes!

Today's quizzes have been submitted by My Friend Jason:

Test your Gay or Eurotrash? gaydar! or, if you have the energy...
Is she a Lesbian or a German Lady?

(He submits these in hopes of redeeming his score on the previous quiz...)

New Music Tuesday - World Edition

Today's discovery was a great CD by the group Tin Hat Trio entitled, Book of Silk.
They are an acoustic group, and I am struggling very hard to give you an idea of what they sound like. I found the CD in the Jazz section of my record store, and while I suppose that they appeal to folks with jazz sensibilities, I don't think I'd use that term to describe them. They do a wonderful multi-cultural blend of ethnic acoustic music - a phrase which really doesn't mean much, does it? I've really been enjoying this CD - a lot of the songs seem to be a useful soundtrack, if you believe that life should be orchestrated. You'll just have to try this one yourself.

Continuing on my multicultural journey this week, we have Deb by Souad Massi, from Algeria. I have also been enjoying her singing, and the acoustic guitar work on almost every track. One could call her a specialist of the Franco-Arabic chanson, as this writer for the BBC did.

Moving on we have Maria Rita. She is a terrific vocalist, filling the gap left for me since my favorite Brazilian vocalist, Kenia, appears to have retired. Kenia is now living in Pittsburgh - does that have something to do with the demise of her recording career? Happily, I did have the good fortune of seeing Kenia perform live at Peabody's DownUnder in the Flats in July 1991, and she was great. I invited someone to go along with me to the show, and they were very excited. It was only later that I discovered she thought I had said ENYA. Imagine her disappointment - new-agey Celtic music vs. up-tempo Brazilian music. Then, for even more fun, if you are familiar with the old venue, Peabody's DownUnder, try to imagine Enya performing there.

But back to Maria Rita. She and her self-titled debut CD were nominated for seven Latin Grammy awards, including Best New Artist (which she won) and Most Popular Brazilian Music Album (which she also won). Maria's voice is very similar to like that of her beloved mother, Elis Regina, but Maria's music is jazzier than that of her more bossa nova parent.

And finally, we have some blues. I do have a predilection for live albums, so today's pick is Stages, by Ruthie Foster, who I was introduced to my friend, Trish. I really liked the first Ruthie Foster CD, but found it to be best in limited, small doses. It was too much of the same thing. This CD, however, mixes things up nicely - covers and originals, fast tunes and ballads, and it has all the life of live recordings, which really appeal to me. I like the feeling of being there with the artist. If you are unfamiliar with Ruthie, I'd recommend starting here. You'll have a good time. I promise.

Indulging in a Favorite Pastime

After work today, I met up with Heather and we went out for a Turkish dinner at the Anatolia Cafe in Cleveland Heights. While living in Seattle, Beth and I would frequent many Greek restaurants, but I have not had Turkish cuisine before.

The restaurant was quite pleasant, the servers were very intent on making you feel welcomed, and they were very insistent on sharing their knowledge of Turkish food and spices with us.
We ordered an appetizer, Sigara Böreği, which is a light pastry dough filled with a blend of feta cheese and fresh herbs. Neither of us were very excited about this - perhaps it is an acquired taste. We also tried the black tea, which was served in small glass cups, and quite strong.

The main course was Chicken Adana, a dish of pan sautéed pita croutons with oregano topped with yogurt and grilled chicken, and topped with a light tomato sauce. I thought it was a good dish, but I was wanting something more substantial - in particular I wanted a creamy sauce and rice.

We ordered a Turkish coffee, which was served on an elegant tray in tiny porcelain cups. The Turkish way of preparing coffee, we were told, was without a filter, and the coffee did have a grittiness to it that was not to my taste. Our host presented us with apple tea, steaming hot in small glass gold-rimmed cups. The apple tea was fragrant and wonderful - not overpoweringly sweet. I would recommend a visit there if for no other reason than a cup of the apple tea. It was wonderful.

Following our meal, we were off to a friend's birthday party. She has a lovely home, the best part of which, for me, was indulging in one of favorite pastimes - sitting outside on a fall night by a woodburning fire, having good conversation and a good beverage, which in this instance was terrific mojitos. A most excellent evening, indeed.

The Things We Do For Love

As Marilyn McCoo once said so musically, last night I didn't get to sleep at all. Which was problematic, as I was to be at work at 3 am. I slept for a maximum possible amount of 2 hours. The good news is that I got to leave at 1 in the afternoon. I took advantage of this opportunity, despite the threat of the oncoming fatigue, to fulfill some obligations.

First of all, as faithful readers will know, I promised Sean a picture of Midwestern Fall taken from the back patio of Stan Hywet. And although it is still a bit premature for maximum fall foliage here, I really didn't know when another opportunity would present itself. Also, I had to get a birthday gift for the party I am going to tomorrow night, and I recalled that the gift shop of Stan Hywet had some nice, relatively affordable Don Drumm sculptures.

Well, this seemed like a well-made plan. But upon arrival, I discovered it was the dreaded OHIOMART weekend at Stan Hywet...homemade crafts and their crafters running rampant on the grounds...the only parking now several miles away!!! Strolling minstrels and their mime companions a certainty! Horrors!

Not to be daunted from my task, I found a somewhat illegal parking spot across the street from the entrance and, really, just walked in. Perseverance pays off. Missions were accomplished.

I arrived home and showered in a feeble attempt to muster the energy for my final obligation of the evening.

I went to the Mustard Seed, a healthy-food store, which has a balcony restaurant. The musical guest this evening was one Miss Anne E. DeChant, songstress with a guitar.
I decided to take myself to dinner, and to see the show.

Dinner was angel hair alfredo primavera with chicken, a house salad, a passable Black and Tan (draft Guinness and Harp), and for dessert, an espresso. The service was competent. And once you get all settled, the ambiance can be misleading...it does seem as if you are in a fairly nice restaurant, then your eye wanders and you remember that you are overlooking shoppers in the pet food aisle...Very odd.

Miss DeChant, certainly easy on the eyes, tried her best to be upbeat, and to play some snappy songs. This was made more difficult, I am sure, by the hour of the show (6 pm), and the non-existent lighting. The problem with this plan, in my opinion, is that she excels on lullaby-type ballads, accompanying herself on a high-capo'd guitar. Her voice, though not powerful, enters your soul with its melancholy and bittersweet tone. Granted a concert of these low-key, slow tempo tearjerkers would be ill-advised, I strongly feel that that that genre is her forte.

She was accompanied on the stage by a back-up harmonist, which was nice, who also supplied some meager rhythm on the peppier tunes, via her “accomplished” tambourine and shaker work. This struck me as more amusing that it should have, because when I first saw Miss DeChant, as the lead singer for the group Odd Girl Out in the 90's, she was the maraca and tambourine player. I was glad to see that she had picked up the guitar. That being said, she still mostly strums, but on one particular ballad (one of the killer high capo'd ones) she had the strings ringing like bells. Beautiful...and a reminder to get your Paxal prescription refilled.

Sidebar: I still get really annoyed at performers that think it is ok to take the stage in jeans and a t-shirt. Dress up a little.

My friend, Kim Gerstenfeld, was a HUGE (and I do mean HUGE) fan of Odd Girl Out, complete with their bumper sticker on her Volkswagen. This being said, I think she took me to see OGO about 35 times, the most memorable being when they opened for The Mamas and the Papas at Cain Park in July 1992. MacKenzie Phillips was supposed to be there, but she was too...well, YOU KNOW, to make it, but Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane of Spanky and Our Gang was there. That was pretty cool. A beautiful summer night, picnicking on the grass, with great music, and then the Mamas and the Papas .

Yep, back in the day, I could have recited the set list for OGO, I had seen them so much.

But that, as they say, was many years ago. I haven't seen or heard Anne E. DeChant since moving to Seattle in 1995...about ten years! And in that time, well, things happen. Things like my friend Kim getting up in the middle of the night in 1997, and her roommate finding her dead on the bathroom floor of an aneurysm in the morning.

So, I went to see your gal Anne E. for you tonight, Kim. I think you would have liked it. You are still in my thoughts my friend.

Boston

I went to Boston Sunday night with a few friends. We didn't get there in time to really do or see much, but I was enthralled with the architecture of the city.

As we were driving about, we passed the Berklee College of Music, where Patty Larkin went to school. I was much more excited about happening upon that site than I should have been. It had been a long day...

We went to Brookline and had dinner at a Mexican place called Boca Grande Taqueria. The food was huge and cheap and pretty good, and the place was packed at 8 o'clock at night.

What really made an impression that night was the number of folks out and about late in the evening on a Sunday night. It made me a bit wistful. You don't see that many people in downtown Cleveland at 5:10 on a Friday afternoon. I am sure the traffic and everything gets annoying, but I loved being in such a vital environment.

After checking in and getting situated at the hotel, we met in the lobby bar, where Charles, the English bartender took good care of us. I was very much into Knob Creek whisky on the rocks on this trip...I am finding it cool and refreshing, and very warm and satisfying all at the same time. Charles tried to upgrade me to Johnnie Walker Blue, but I was having a lovely time at the Creek, and declined to take him up on the offer.

We had a rental car, which was great, and because of a screw-up on the rental companies part, we were upgraded to a full-size car with leather seats. One of my traveling companions taught me a new term, "neutral-drop", and made it his goal in life to peel out of every parking space. And by the way, most of the streets in Boston (at least the one's we found ourselves on) are quite curvy. So, the passenger experience was not dissimilar to a rollercoaster ride.

The next night we went to Needham for dinner. We went to Masala Art, an exquisite Indian restaurant. We were fortunate enough to find a parking space across the street from the restaurant, and upon getting out of the car, we were already enticed by the extraordinary smells emanating from the front door.

The food and service were impeccable. The decor was stunning, especially the bar, which had three huge sculptures of Ganesha as a backdrop. The patrons there were also quite jovial, as we discovered when we all joined in to sing "Happy Birthday" to one of the ladies dining at the table beside us.

Other than the brief sights in Brookline, and the fabulous dinner in Needham, we spent all of our time in the hotel, so I could have been on the Westside of Cleveland for all I saw of the city. I guess my last impression was a lot of traffic, like Seattle...but with better (older anyway) architecture.

Flying from Boston to Cincinnati is not a terribly popular route I am surmising, as each of us had their own row for the flight back, which I do enjoy for the added leg room. As it was night, there wasn't a lot to see outside, so I spent most of the flight reading. When I did look out, framed perfectly in my window, at eye level and filling the window completely from edge to edge, was the Big Dipper. I thought that was very cool.

The final adventure of the trip came in the Cincinnati airport...we all hit the bar for cocktails before our final leg of the journey commenced. We were to get in to the airport at 11 pm, then most of us had about an hour's drive home, and two of us had to be at work at 7 am....

Well, our flight was delayed twice and finally, after midnight, cancelled. Taking our destinies into our own hands, we spurned the airline's offer to put us up in a hotel and to arrive at about 2 in the afternoon the next day, so we commandeered a rental minivan and drove from Cincinnati to Cleveland. That, by the way, is pretty much driving the entire diagonal length of the state. We let the two who had to work sleep in the back, and as the song goes, "We drove all night." (or is that morning?)

We realized that had we rented a car in Boston and driven from there, we all would have been home and asleep, rather than still on the road. That is not the sort of thing one wants to be aware of at 4:30 in the morning...

New Music Tuesday

Manhattan Transfer: VIBRATE

At long last, the Transfer has released a great album. As they have been around since 1972, they have recorded quite a few tunes. I think their greatest works are:

1. Vocalese
2. The Manhattan Transfer
3. Vibrate
4. & 5. (tie) The Offbeat of the Avenues and Brasil

Vibrate is really good because it captures the mood and essence of 2,4 and 5. On this CD, they really do the stuff they do best...a little avant garde, a little classic jazz, and some unexpected arrangements. This CD is very fresh,with great arrangements, surprising rhythm choices and containing a few tunes that will linger in your head all day ("Walking in New York"). I think that there is a Grammy in their future for Tutu, to match their Grammy for the similar "A Night in Tunisia."

I have great hopes for this CD. I hope it is well-received.

A Little Amusement

Found this site earlier, and found it very amusing.

I took the quiz and scored 85% correct, which meant I guessed correctly on 17 out of 20 pairings.

So, how is YOUR gaydar?

Another Curious Coincidence

I went to see a matinee of The Forgotten, starring Julianne Moore and Gary Sinise and Alfre Woodward at my favorite matinee theatre in Hudson. As usual, I had a private screening. I hope they get a lot of business in the evenings, because I like going there in the afternoons, and I am quite frequently the only patron in the place.

Anyway, I liked this movie. After seeing it, I came home and read a lot of reviews. Most of them were of the negative variety. And while I agree that the film doesn't really answer the questions it raises (such as why these things are happening) I find that life itself rarely gives answers either. I thought the concept and the acting were quite good, and perhaps this is more of a foreign film - Americans like their films all wrapped up nice and tight...we don't seem to like having to think or really discuss art.

And I did like the ending...I guess I am a sucker for determination winning out in the end. I liked seeing a happy ending. God, does that make me an optimist?

Oh, about the coincidence...when I woke up this morning, I found that great Virginia Woolf quote...then I went to the movie, which I wasn't planning on, and Julianne Moore was in The Hours, which was about (more or less) Virginia Woolf...It isn't like Virginia Woolf crosses my path every day...

Wisdom From Virginia Woolf

The only thing in the world is music-- music and books and one or two pictures.
--Virginia Woolf

New Music Tuesday

Well, I had every intention of getting QUEEN LATIFAH's new CD, The Dana Owens Album, when it was released today.

From the opening notes of Track 1, I can assure you all that this is the must-have CD of 2004. While only having time to give it a rather rudimentary perusal, this CD is destined to be one of my favorites of all time. If you are familiar with her tracks from the soundtrack to Living Out Loud, and, like me, yearned for more tunes ala Going Out Of My Head , Be Anything and Lush Life, the wait is over.

The CD is mostly soul, R&B and jazz covers, with a few ballads, and a great cover of California Dreamin' with nice guitar work. Go get this CD.

While I was picking up the Queen, I saw that JOSS STONE's new CD, Mind, Body & Soul also came out today, and it was on sale for $9.98.

Again, only time for a cursory listen, but it is also a highly recommended listen. Her first CD (EP really), Soul Sessions blew me away. I really am amazed by her voice - but I must admit to being a bit freaked out by the fact that not only is she a mere child of 16, but she is also British. To consider these facts while listening to her sing makes my head hurt. It is improbable at best. To me, I hear a soulful refined Joplinesque quality in her singing - a lot of living and feeling - and then I remind myself that she is a blond, 16 year old Brit. Amazing.

Time and Love

At long last, today is the day I celebrate owning my own copy of the CD, Laura Nyro: Live at the Bottom Line 1988!

I received it from an EBAY seller in California, after several years of waiting for a copy in excellent condition that one could purchase for less than $35. To make the waiting even more excruciating, I had borrowed a copy of the CD via inter-library loan from the New York Public Library...but the disc was so damaged it could not be copied, and barely played. Imagine my joy at a shiny, scratch-free disc!

Laura's live performances of Wedding Bell Blues, Stoned Soul Picnic and a "new" song, Companion are three of my favorite tracks of all the Nyro oeuvre.

I highly recommend giving this CD a listen. Delightful.

Time and Love refers to a Nyro tune, of course. To round off my day, I purchased four Fossil watches. I have no idea what came over me. I intended to buy one, but....there was a sale....and, well...I have a nice square sack of Fossil tins now. One is a gift, so three is slightly less self-indulgent, and with my current watch family of two, I think the five of us won't be seeing any additions at any point in the next decade or so. If you haven't checked out the majorly cool watchbands on the newest Fossil watches, I suggest you do so. But be forewarned, they appear to be surprisingly addictive...

Sadly, I visited the Fossil website, and found another "must-have"...I warned you about their addictive quality...

An Odd Coincidence - A Book Review

My best friend just took a fancy job at Stanford University in California, so while she and her husband are out there looking for a place to call home, I am house-sitting their soon-to-be sold home for them.

I settled in for a bit of reading, with a book I found at my new favorite bookstore, Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Legacy Village (Cleveland).The book is: River of Shadows -Eadweard Muybridge and the Technological Wild West by Rebecca Solnit (ISBN 0142004103).

Muybridge was the "father" of instantaneous motion photography. Solnit posits that he is also the father of cinema, and by a complicated, albeit fascinating chain of events, she argues that he is the father of the whole "modern" world that we live in, and the manner in which we perceive it. The book is a wonderful history of early western exploration, photography, cinema, Native American relations, and the effects of the railroad not only on opening up the country, but the effect it had on time, and on man's perception of time.

These are all topics I find intriguing in and of themselves, and it takes place in my favorite time period...but one of the major characters in this tale is LELAND STANFORD. This book is also a history of Stanford University, and California history! Very strange how life will lead you to connections like these...

And by the way...if you think of Muybridge as just a "motion photographer", (if you think of him at all) there is a world waiting to be discovered! Not only was he a gifted landscape and panoramic photographer - he was also a murderer! Ah, those wacky, crazy days of yore...

Restaurant Review - SERGIO's

I had a lovely lunch on this chilly and rainy, kinda Pacific Northwest day with my pal, Heather, at Sergio's, my new favorite restaurant in University Circle.

It advertises that it specializes in South American (Argentinean) cuisine, yet I am still not entirely sure what that means. Last time I was here (two weeks ago exactly), we were able to sit outside on their lovely patio. I must point out that the charming facade of the restaurant as well as its name does indeed lead one to think that it is an Italian eatery. But those kinds of identity dichotomies intrigue me - I suppose because I can relate to them so well.

The other great thing about the location of Sergio's (besides being in walking distance of the Botanical Gardens, the Cleveland Art Museum and the Cleveland Cinematheque), is that the Frank Gehry-designed Peter B. Lewis building of Case Western Reserve is across the street, and that is one cool building. Just trying to figure out how they managed to get the walls and windows to curve kept me entertained for the walk back to my car.

Okay, back to the review. The ambiance, the setting, the staff (I had the same waitress who did remember me and what I had ordered two weeks ago, including the type of wine I had, which impressed me perhaps more than it should have) and the food are all outstanding, and the prices are certainly reasonable.

I can highly recommend the orecchiette pasta, which is served with caramelized onions, chicken and spinach in a lovely wine sauce. And whatever you do, you must have the French press pot of Brazilian coffee after your meal. For me, that has become the sole reason for going there. But I must say for the record that Heather is an excellent dining companion, and the conversation was stimulating - even if I am filled with envy that she is leaving tomorrow for a much-deserved trip to the Toronto Film Festival. I am making a cyber-note to go next year!

Sergio's 1903 Ford Drive Cleveland, OH 44106 216-231-1234 (nice number!)

New Music Tuesday

PATRICIA BARBER: Live - A Fortnight in France

Oh, how I do adore Ms. Barber. And how excited I was to get this CD in my hands.

Ms. Barber kindly posted the CD on her website a few days ago, so I had heard and fallen madly in love with this performance, which I was already predisposed to adore, as I am inordinately fond of live albums.

I was most taken aback by Witchcraft which sounds like the opening act for Sinatra at the Sands...I have never heard her play in this manner before, and it is a great tune.

Other favorites are Gotcha , Dansons La Gigue! Call Me (not the Blondie tune) and Laura.

Reunited With a Old Friend

I've been having a huge urge to get outside and do some shooting (photography, not guns).

Today I got up early and grabbed by gear - my old friend, the Nikon N70. With a roll of color and roll of black and white film, and a fresh battery, and the obligatory stop at Starbuck's, I was off for my photography adventure.

I went to Lakeview Cemetery in Cleveland Heights. It is well-known for its Victorian angels, which is one of my favorite subjects for photography. A few very famous folks are resting there, including President Garfield, Eliot Ness (The Untouchables) and Mr. John D. Rockefeller. I think because of these high profile and wealthy residents, the enormous, unending grounds of the cemetery are in meticulous upkeep. Which means that though there are indeed many, many statues in the cemetery, they are almost, without exception, in perfect condition. No missing limbs, decay or untimely decapitations to be found here.

I think that the most dramatic photos from this shoot came from two bronze statues that have excessive patina stains that look like either tears, or a very abstract Cirque du Soleil performer's make-up. Once I figure out the photo posting thing, I will share my findings with you.

My trip was over very quickly, even with two rolls of film, as I dedicated practically the entire B&W roll to one statue. This means a return trip is called for...and there is so much more cemetery to explore...

Captain Saint Lucifer - The Lyrics

Just in case you were curious about the title of this blog of mine, I have taken it from one of Ms Nyro's songs...Here are the lyrics...

mama mama
you're a whiz and a scholar too
mama open up the room lock
sip sip
I'm going to the moon dock
he gives to me
buckles off shingles
off a cockleshell on norway basin
coke and tuna
boots and roses from russia
now I'll live and die and rise
with my captain
mama say go
meet me captain saint lucifer
darlin' I'll be there
don't you know
meet me captain saint lucifer
darlin' I'll be there
don't you know
now don't you know I love you
meet me captain saint lucifer
la la la la la la la la
oo I love you
love you I do
mama mama you're a whiz and a scholar too
mama I'm at anchor in your glow now
sip sip
even as I go now
he gives to me
buckles off shingles
and a jangle from a congo love chase
early bloomers made of earth and love lace
now I'll live and die and rise
with my captain
mama be happy
meet me captain saint lucifer
darlin' I'll be there
don't you know
meet me captain saint lucifer
darlin' I'll be there
don't you know
gutters in stacks
is where I come from
buckles off a poverty drum
oh my love trumpet soul
tell gabriel
to tell the captain
thank you baby
you're my baby now

Sean's Cultural Tour of Ohio - Day 5

I felt very bad about getting Sean up so early on her last day, but we were expected at Stan Hywet at 7:30 am.

Stan Hywet is an enormous Tudor Revival estate that was built by the Seiberling's, the founders of Goodyear Tire and Rubber (Akron was the rubber manufacturing capitol of the world, and it is still the location of the hangar for the Spirit of Goodyear Blimp). Sean and I were going on an early morning walk of the grounds, a private event they host occasionally, before the estate is open to the public for tours at 9 am. It was a rather chilly, overcast, gray day, and it looked like the sky was thinking over whether or not it should rain on us now or later.

But, the house and the grounds are lovely. I especially like the secluded English garden with its reflecting pool, and the vista from the lookout of the back patio. Sean thought the view must be amazing in the fall and winter, because the amazing amount of deciduous trees that the house looked out over. I promised to come back and take a photo for her. One of my other favorite areas was the birch allee, a long "hall" lined on either side with birch trees. This allee culminates at two tea houses, which overlook a man-made lagoon.

We were also allowed to go down into the Japanese garden, which is not part of the regular walk, but time has not been kind to this Japanese garden. The plants have gone wild, and are out of size, and to compensate they had introduced (temporarily, thank goodness) an odd assortment of tropical foliage, that is certainly not Japanese. I am hopeful that this garden too, will be restored, as funds permit.

After the walk, we went back to the carriage house where we were served coffee and bagels. And, joy of joys, there was a penny squishing machine in the gift shop! Sean found a little stuffed William Shakespeare Christmas ornament that she thought I should have, and I agreed. I pointed out to her how clever I had been to start her visit with Shakespeare and to end it in a Tudor mansion. Nothing like closure.