It seems I took a rather lengthy break from blogging - I had no idea that my last post was published 16 months ago. I assure you, though, there have been many very worth distractions in my life during the past year and four months, some of which I will try to catch up on chronicling, starting today. In a nutshell, I've been traveling a great deal. And having some amazing experiences, as well as a few difficult ones, along the way.
I'll be writing about some mentionable highlights from the past year of touring and all the adventures associated with these travels, or at least as much as I can manage to recount... this may take a few blog entries, so consider this "Part One", in chronological order:
- In April 2011, I went to Los Angeles for two weeks with one of my best friends (Amoris Walker), who also happens to be a fantastic documentary film-maker and tour "assistant"/partner-in-crime. Among the adventures of those two weeks were:
- Performing at Kulak's and Guitar Merchant with long-time friend, talented guitarist and super lovely person Chad Watson - we hadn't seen each other or performed together in 13 years, so it was both a great show AND reunion!
- Attending and having a great time at the ASCAP Expo (where I met a lot of lovely music industry folks and fellow artists and writers, including one lovely young woman wearing a red pea coat that I adored, and who, after my complimenting said coat, replied "really? You can have it if you want - it isn't my kind of red." It's sitting in my closet right now.)
- Being given an awesome fedora hat by a hat kiosk vendor just because we stopped by to chat as he was closing up
- Being a featured guest on Martini in the Morning
- Meeting and having lunch with the one and only Mandi Martin (who, sadly, recently passed) and my friend/music promoter Toni Koch of Cosmo Coalition, who helped bring the L.A. trip together, at Duke's in Malibu - what an honor that was.
- Encountering Mel Gibson in a health food store in Malibu, where he very kindly paid a chair masseuse for Amoris and I, who were behind him in line at the time, to receive massages. He did it for the masseuse as much as (or more than) for us two strangers, since she probably needed the business, but still. "Mel Gibson bought me a massage". Sounds so potentially eyebrow-raising when summed up that way...Hah :)
- Visiting Cafe Gratitude and indulging in some amazing raw vegan food that I never find the time to make for myself (and that I possibly wouldn't ever be able to, since I'm pretty sure their recipes contain a bit of magic, which is terribly difficult to find on the store shelf) but would eat every day if I could
- Seeing one of my dearest high school friends (David Gallic!), an amazing actor, playwright, screenwriter, and pretty much jack-of-all-trades when it comes to anything theatrical. He's going to be famous.
- Seeing the Bird and the Bee performing acoustically... it was especially awesome because I had no idea that they would be featured at the showcase concert I attended at ASCAP. I saw Jonatha Brooke perform at the same venue the next night, and talked to her after the show... I got to interview her for Songwriter's Monthly magazine (now out of print) when I was 15, which solidified my Fan-For-Life status. She's a lovely woman, in all respects.
- Meeting Sinbad on FOUR separate occasions
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- Being randomly invited to a party in Hollywood. Because the bouncer liked our hats and my newly acquired awesome red coat, saying "you'll lend this party 100% more class". Maybe that's code for "I think you ladies are hot!", but either way, we at least got a free glass of wine out of the deal while infusing the room with our uber-classy stylishness... Hah! :D
