Playing Catch Up~Some Music

I've been meaning to visit here for sometime but I've just been plain busy. Job transistion. Writing gigs. Kids and Husbands schedule. Volunteering. Side projects and gigs like the Art Bus, Duchess Blog, etc. It's a whirlwind but a good one.

Today is my day off. So here I am, playing catch up.

Firstly...........

MUSIC.

Music is a constant in my life. I'm not a musician (not in the slightest). Nor is anyone really in my family. Sure, Moira plays the trumpet. Drew has dabbled and yet to master in some instrument playing. Chris has been known to pick up a guitar. But not a one of us is musical on the regular. But music is a staple in the Casella (Fender/Bugal) home. We have an impressive collection and luckily the kids have damn good taste and appreciate it. I've had so much music in my life lately. Makes my heart happy. And though only a couple of weeks has passed, I'm feeling ancy and need another mucial adventure. Here's some examples of summer bliss that included food, drink and music.

Summer nights wouldn't be complete without some specialty cocktails from The Social.



Oh Bookstore Bar how you slay me. We discovered this little gem in Seattle thanks to the Passport Card. Looking for savings and a little something different. I fell in love with this place immediately with it's book lined walls and their blackened manhattan. Eagle Rare, Averna Amaro, Aperol and Orange Bitters with a lovely orange peel dancing in the drink. Seriously I wish this bar was here in Tacoma. It would be a top contender for the Manhattan Project. Yes, I know WE are slacking in our journey. I promise we will play some catch up. The aroma and flavor were Ah-fucking-mazing.

Books, Scotch and Whiskey. Does it get much better? I think not. If I ever open a place up it will be a lot like this.

Yup, Fiona Apple. Checking off my dream list each and every year. Though Chris went to appease my admiration we both walked away loving Fiona. She was flawless, passionate and seemed able to pull from emotions long past. She's either batshit crazy or brilliant. Maybe a little of both. As she croons out tunes both old and new she begins almost looking restrained physically with her hands behind her back. As the songs progress her dancing is as though she's writhing out of a straight-jacket. The words are like honey and a jackhammer.

Paramount, You remain to be a favorite venue of mine. Heart Smiles.

Immanuel Presbyterian Church here in Tacoma. Home to the most recent installation of CATHEDRALS, brought to you by The Broadway of Performing Arts Center.

Photo courtesy of Poetic Spectre Imaging. She has a set of peepers that views the world as I do and can convey that through the lense, which I do not. Le Sigh. My review done for this show to follow~David Bazan (pictured above), Pretty Broken Things and Kevin Sur~

Then of course, it was time for Drews birthday. He'd been listening closely to music. It was pretty clear since before the Black Keys concert that he was intersted in picking up the guitar. So, here it is. His bass. Excited to see where this journey takes him.

City Of Neighborhoods

City of Neighborhoods.

Sadly, for this event I was unable to stay for the workshops which were, undoubtedly, inspiring. BUT what I can say is the morning was full of amazing speakers with grand ideas and even grander intentions to make those ideas a reality.

Each and every neighborhood is composed of retail spots, restaurants, neighbors, clinics, entertainment hubs, parks, markets. Or at least they should be. Why is it necessary to drive 10-20-40 minutes to spend your money and find what you need?

The day began with speaker Jim Diers (author of "Neighborhood Power". He was a ball of energy. Enthusiastic. Hopeful. And why shouldn't he be?

He talked of "bumping places". (Frost Park and the weekly Frost Park Chalk Off is a GREAT example)

Central locations in a community where members can meet up, grow relationships, find common ground and build a sense of community identity.

Think about it.

How often do we not even know the people living in the house directly next door, let alone down the block?

People used to live in a time where they didn't lock their doors, saw each other at church each week, city hall meetings and PTA groups were common practice.

Now we all work too much, it's a go go go mentality that leaves no room for building a relationship with others in our community.

This leaves us suspicious and weary of others. Judgmental. Closed off.

Right?

The rest of the speakers included:

Paul Sparks, who spoke of community collaboration and big changes made by people who do.

Eric Jacobsen Author of "The Space Between: A Christian Engagement with the Built Environment" and "Sidewalks in the Kingdom: New Urbanism and the Christian Faith", inspiring us to extend the threshold.

Grace Kim, talked about cohousing and its ability to build community unity and strengthen local economy.

Derrick Rhayn, motivates with ideas on green building, renewable energy and support local businesses and the arts.

An intriguing idea to me is Kevin Freitas' new local site that encourages trade, barter and purchase of local produce between our green thumbs.

The phrase used through-out the peaked my interest was "collective intention".

Here we were, a group of individuals from different neighborhoods here to discuss ideas as a whole. Build a network. Inspire each other. Bottom Up action.

COLLECTIVE INTENTION.

We are in this together.

Thank you to Patricia Lecy Davis, Justin Mayfield

and everyone involved.

I'm looking forward to more of this~

Sangria Minus a Key Ingredient

Being the booze hound that I am, I am always looking for ways to make more unique and tasty drinks.
While my Basil Peach Sangria is always a favorite of guests and mine of course, I still haven't given a red version a shot. It's sure to keep with the basil theme, the herbal basil notes are just plain nice. An aroma that, for one reason or another, makes me think of comfort and refreshments.
So I do my homework, check out what other folks are trying. Surely in the great food and drink blogging world there's some goodness out there yes?
I'm seeing a trend that leaves me perplexed.
No liquor in the sangria.......
??????
Um, okay. Weird right? Most recipes call for brandy but any booze will do. And while I hold to the ole' motto "to each his own", why the hell would you omit the one ingredient that prevents a sangria from simply being wine with fruit in it?
Why, I ask you!!

Stop it. Just stop it.
By all means, be creative, play with herbs and fruits and nectars and such but PLEASE for the sake of all of the drunkity man kind do NOT forget the liquor.
If you are just making a wine spodey I will BMOB (bring my own booze).

Over n out.

Happy Fourth to my Favorites.

You know how they say that rockstars sell out because they have no angst to sing about any more? That has a level of truth to it don't you think? Not to say that there aren't millions of people creating from a sense of genuine despair that will never make it big. Just a thought. Go with it.

Success comes in the art created to express those feelings that we all encounter but never know how to express in ways acceptable to the public.
We close our doors and cry. Bottle it up. Pretend all is well.

Then there are those: Lyric Writers. Guitar Strummers. Picture Painters and Film Makers. Manifesting works that intrigue us, mirror our ideals, haunt our dreams.

Let's say that some of these very people 'make it big'.....find their soulmisters and misses. have babies. buy houses.
What do they sing about? Write about? Paint about?

There's a certain level of melancholy necessary to the creative process.
Maybe not for you but for me that stands true.

Life isn't all rainbows and butterflies. I have a Mother in law who can be dramatic. A partner who can as well. Teens (need I say more). A toddler (again, yikes). My daughter is inflicted with an incurable, invisible disease.
But really that's all peanuts. Life is good. Really good. By most standards I'm living the "American Dream"~not sure that's the most positive phrase.

What got me to thinking about all this was this:

It doesn't have to be writing so much as expressing in any form.

I began writing this yesterday and left it to go about my day. Today a dear friend of mine posted this:

This goes to show that regardless of the space of miles and time, true friends are forever connected. Just another example of why I am a firm believer in how the cosmos have a way of letting things happen just as they should and true connections never fade.

THIS video and what Maynard is talking about exemplifies the thoughts running through my mind.

That's all for today. Look forward to round two of the Manhattan Project next week where we visit MARROW and try a classic manhattan and a cocktail similar that goes by a different moniker.

A Start Off Point

While overanalyzing my life and the bits that make up my immediate universe (as always) I come to the realization that I surround myself with quirkiness.

My friends are social misfits, rad, kind, fun and certainly not what one would call popular. Mind you social misfits is a term my mom has used as a kind way to say that my friends are odd, fixer uppers. Naturally being a feeling, intuitive cancer I feel compelled to "fix" people, or so says my mom.

Today I watch as the old man crosses our residential street. Hunched over, curved spine and rounded shoulders. Today's grocery item is goldfish crackers.

Since the first week we've lived here I've spied that old man. He lives down a block or so and makes regular trips to the convenience store conveniently our direct neighbor.

That first time the grocery item was a six pack of beer, such is the case in most instances. I can't tell you what about this old man intrigued me so. We've never spoken a word but his very demeanor, his grocery item, his slow hunchbacked shuffle, never ceases to make me pause.

A little adventure today

It's the smallest things that make life such a beautiful adventure.

Finding myself at a loss for what to do, avoiding house work for now and having some time off with Connor, we decided to take a little walk.
A lovely, windy excursion through the Chinese Reconciliation Park.

All of these tiny little moments make up a whole.

The sound of the waves lapping at the shore.
A tiny crab running for cover.
Connors little voice talking to me as he picked up some of his favorite rocks.
A train passing by.
His little hand in mine.

I've been thinking about how lucky I am. Hearing about how some of my friends are involved in these toxic relationships. And thinking of all the times that I have been too. Reminding myself that now, currently, I am with my best friend who allows me to be the best version of myself and it goes both ways and continues to flourish.
I now call my best friend my husband.
Brings a smile to my heart.

my partner in crime

He's the Prince of Tides, King of Rocks.

"Come on Mommy"

Runny nose inducing winds and smile inducing company.

To do list