Monday, February 25, 2013

Wilco Wasn't Here But I Was

February 18, 2006 was a good night. I have to document it before I totally forget because it was pre-Facebook and my journal was destroyed therefore it may not have happened. I have a few photos somewhere possibly on film, dear God.

It was a time of some chaos in my life. That night was no different. I was living with a musician and he and his friends had been on the music scene around College Park, MD for 15 plus years. One of their previous band mates, the least motivated in the bunch, had just gotten a break and was picked up by a major metal band. The metal band was browsing a local music store asking if anyone knew of anyone who could play a Hammond organ. His name was given, they knocked on his mom's door and he was signed, on a tour bus, money in his pocket within days. An absolute 180 from getting drunk and sleeping on mom's couch. Everyone was a bit shocked "the dream" happened to him out of all of them.

This brings me to another dream-come-true story which created this night. I don't remember his name but he was a musician and a fan of Wilco. He wrote on their MySpace page. Glenn Kotche checked out his music liked it and said, "Hey, you find a place for us to play there (Baltimore) and you can open for us." Something like that. All I know is 1. He was going to get to perform his music (which had never been performed nor was there a band to preform it) 2. He was going to get to hang with people he admired 3. He was going to open for Wilco musicians and plan their flippin show.

Wilco

It was a side project with Glenn Kotche and maybe Pat Sansone but I can't find what the name of the band was, nor recall it. I'm thinking this gig was just for kicks and I'm the only one documenting it. Afterall, it all went down in some random warehouse.

A day or so before the show, there was a quick practice. I attended. My roomate was the drummer and his bandmate the guitar player for these never performed songs. I went because I love being a fly on the wall. Especially that afternoon. The poor guy was a shy talented person. I wanted to see how he was going to work this out in such short time. Nothing like a dream smacking you upside the head. You have show up son! The guy was all nerves and doubting himself. That afternoon he was in the 'I'm not going to do this' stage.

The guitar player in the band was in a bit of a bind. He wanted to help his friend out and play the gig but that same night he had a prior commitment to attend a party for his boss and friend Paul Reed Smith. It was his 50th birthday party and a big bash was planned at The Ram's Head that night. He HAD to be at the star studded party. He planned to set up at the gig run to the birthday party and then come back to play then get back to the party. Whatever his plan it was tricky. Tricky, and he needed my help. Both were private parties.
To be continued...

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Neon Boneyard

This week I found a cool place to visit when I'm in Vegas called the Neon Museum. A culmination of some of my favorite things; letters, vintage signs, neon and awesome photo opportunities. It's a place where old Vegas neons go to retire or get born again. 
Photo credit Glark on Flickr

Here are a bunch of shots on Flickr. Looks like a fun place.
 
This week I took advantage of Old Navy's 20%-40% off sale for the kids. It's over tomorrow and they have great basics cheap and they arrive fast. I'm getting ready for summer. I'm hopeful about the suns return.
 
Elisabeth Irwin
I am also getting ready for Sam's 1st birthday. I am trying to decide on a theme. Since he came early he didn't have a shower or announcements so I want the invite to be extra special. I've been looking at paper airplanes for a theme. Check out my Pinterest board to see what I've pinned so far. My mom was a stewardess in the 50's and my dad a navigator for USAF so aside from just liking planes it's a family thing.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Vegas Bound

We're going to Vegas on an extended date night next month. It's been a couple of years since we've taken a vacation and there will be no babies on board! The 'old us' is bound to come out and have fun.
pam sattlers flickr
This will be my second time there. I was absolutely surprised that I LOVED it when I went for Kaydra's birthday 4 years ago. L O V E D  I T. 
cheer_dad flickr

We are staying @ The Golden Nugget in old town cuz I liked the vibe. It reminded me of old Omaha. That steak house, dingy carpet, 60's lighting feel. If the walls could talk it would be in a raspy cigarette stained voice about leisure suits, Manhattans and dirty money.
 
retrogirly.tumblr.com
 I have no idea what to wear. I feel like I should get hair extensions and a boob job real quick. Anyway, I will be planning for that the next few weeks. Excited! Any suggestions about what we should see while there?

Monday, February 11, 2013

Tales Of Cured Meats

They say the palate develops with age but tis true I have liked cured meat since childhood: pepperoni, summer sausage, beef jerky and so on. There have been a few defining cured meat moments. One was when my Frosted Miniwheat a.m. ritual was blown away in Germany. I was offered pepperoni, cheese and bread for breakfast. A people who began the day with pepperoni? Swoon.
Another chapter was when the salty beast went into hibernation while I was a vegetarian for a several years. Except for the occasional breakfast sausage (I could only go so far) I was pretty much meat free.  
A few years ago I visited Palmyra, PA. In a blue collar PA neighborhood that smelled funny and where the houses looked really run down my vegetarianism went up in smoke. Literally.  

Turned out these pungent and charred smokehouses are a staple of the Dutch Seltzer's Lebanon Bologna.  One of the last meat smokehouses in the USA according to Dirty Jobs. And the home to some old-school kick-butt cured meat!

You may want to sit down for this. Their gift shop is also a THRIFT STORE. Smoked meats and bargains? I was a convert. Meatless no more. This wonderful bologna awakened the Pepperidge Farm memories and brought back my inner meat loving child. Less than 4 miles from Hershey, PA it's definitely worth a visit and a taste. 

Monday, February 4, 2013

Stella Rides The Train

Last weekend I got to experience how chaos quickly fades into the shadows when your kid smiles from her little soul.

Rewind to this fall. I showed Stella the train that goes clacking and dinging around Wegman's on a track above the aisles. She was hooked. On the way home that night we stopped first in line at some tracks for an oncoming train. I rolled down the windows as the warning horn blared and the train crushed by us. Then in the quiet electric air a long scream of excitement came from the backseat and a train lover was born.


Stella in her new pants from the mall.
Trains have since been part of our daily conversations. After a few weeks I decided a metro ride would have to suffice in the middle of winter. Do you know what you have to pack for a 3 hour excursion with 2 babies on a 30 degree January day?!

The day included train delays on the outside platform. Some public crying. A wet diaper that leaked onto the pizza parlor floor with no spare pants in the diaper bag. A trip to the mall for new pants. A few hiccups but of course it was all worth it. Stella was blissful and when that happens not much else matters but seeing trains.