food and friends, my two favorite words

we had a very special visitor today.  an old huntington beach friend (who now splits time between utah and north dakota) is in town for a wedding and reached out to jami to see if he could come spend time time in long beach.  a visit from brandon is sure to be a satisfying one, as he gives, literally, the best hugs on the planet.

no, seriously, he's known for his hugs. they are strong and warm and long-lasting.  this is a man who is not afraid that you will get the wrong impression if he hugs you hard and long.  and it's been three years since a brandon-hug, so it was all the more appreciated!

with our special visitor and his special hugs, it seemed some pretty special food was required for our brunch!

we started with grilled fruit skewers,

followed by jami's bacon cheddar quiche,

and finished off with my blueberry cream cheese stuffed french toast.

needless to say, the few hours we spent together today was pretty epic!

the alignment of the stars

like many, i find my horoscope a fun entertaining way to pass the time now and again.  it's usually a drive-by, but i will admit that during the first week of each month, i spend a little more time than usual on one particular astrology site, 'cuz this chic has a pretty good record of 'coincidences'.  some nuggets from july (i promise, this is going somewhere):

If you look at the dates of the series of retrogrades of Venus, Mercury, and Mars so far this year, there was no oasis - those planets dovetailed almost precisely with their onset and direct dates, leaving no rest for the weary. You are a hard worker, and you rarely have problems with concentration, so you likely made progress in spite of the lack of help from the planets, but it took all the energy you had to give to do it. Life is about to become easier from now on.

You tend to overdo your work schedule, and the universe knows it, dear Virgo. July will be your time to unwind, make new friends, and connect with your current, favorite pals again. It's a time to rest, travel to the seashore, have dinners with pals, share stories, catch a new movie, and visit art openings.

You have so much to celebrate, dear Virgo. The start of 2014 will officially begin in July. Say goodbye to the never-ending series of retrograde planets - all that ends now. From now on you will have a more encouraging, productive environment in which to operate. While it is true that Mercury, your ruler, will go retrograde again on October 4 to 26, those three little weeks will pale in comparison to what we have all gone through in the first six months of 2014.

Take some needed rest in July, and see if you can take a vacation sometime in July. You need to unplug and enjoy life. You need to daydream - and don't let anyone tell you that it is a waste of time. This month, it may be the most valuable exercise you do.

there are a number of other apropos insights regarding this month, and even before i read this 'forecast',  the wheels had started turning.  it may or may not be obvious by my inconsistent blog appearances that this year has been incredibly busy.  my travel schedule in the last six months has seemed more intense than usual, and it has taken me longer to recover/settle in/get motivated to do anything but sleep and watch tv when i am home.

in fact, i have been looking forward to july all year!  i'll be making my annual trek to comic-con, followed immediately by my first vacation of the year, where i am overwhelmingly excited to return to one of my most happy places, my grandmother's lake house in new york.  all of my immediate family and much of the extended clan will be making the trek, and i can't wait to get some reading and relaxing done while reconnecting with aunts and uncles and cousins.

but there are other wonderful things happening right now.  the biggest is that i got some news at work in the last week which, if all goes according to plan, means something that i have spent the last two years hoping and praying for is now a reality.  it's not only a game-changer, it's a life-changer.  (i'm happy to share one-on-one, but not so publicly until things are more concrete).  and, since it dropped in from the sky like food rations to a deserted island, it gives me more confidence in the impressions and feelings i've been trying to interpret for some time.

meanwhile... july seems to be unfolding beautifully!

the independence day weekend involved meeting a bunch of new people, watching fireworks at the rose bowl in pasadena, spending a day at the beach with my friend tania, and having a neighbor navajo taco party.  it was the perfect mix of spending time with new friends and old.  and i certainly didn't mind the extra day of sleeping in!

music city: bonus day

melissa and i had an almost full day to do some exploring.  during my national parks research and in looking for daytrips from the city, i happened across a state park called fall creek falls.  it's about two hours outside of nashville and boasts a number of good-sized waterfalls.

the handful of national park sites that would have been doable, were either ones i had already visited, or ones i had no interest in visiting. so, when i posed the idea of this state park to mel, i was happy that she thought it looked as cool as i did.

because i had been busy with work and honky-tonking for most of the trip, i hadn't gotten to spend much time with my bulgarian friend, who was also in town for the conference. we had squeezed in a couple of lunches and some boot shopping (i was so excited to find women's boots in my size that i bought three pair!), but our usual 'last night dinner' had been pre-empted by my grand ole opry visit.  instead, we had a very very early breakfast since melissa and i were getting an early start on the drive.  i was flattered actually, that since his flight wasn't until 2pm, he was willing and wanted to meet up...even though it was 6:30am.  

after stuffing my face, taking a selfie, and saying our goodbyes, i left to pick up melissa at her hotel and we were on our way.  

the two hour drive was uneventful, in the best kind of way.  it was a beautiful day in the mid-60s. the music was good, the conversation was good, and almost exactly two hours later, we arrived at our destination.

we spent the next several hours hiking the park, taking photos, enjoying the quiet (we had the place mostly to ourselves) and the multitude of picturesque waterfalls.  it was truly gorgeous.  and, even though i'm no better a hiker now than i have ever been, the scenery was well worth a little huffing and puffing.

eventually, it was time to return to civilization (aka, the airport), and the return drive was equally as lovely and uneventful.  we made it back to the airport in plenty of time to drop off the rental car, check-in for flights, and make our way through security.  once through, we said our farewells and headed off to our gates.

what was so amazing about this particular trip is that it felt like a vacation.  even despite the fact that we were all working pretty full days, we were able to take full advantage of the sights and each other's company. there was quite literally, never a dull moment! 

music city: antique archaeology and the grand ole opry

 between the country music hall of fame and the bluebird cafe, melissa and i had checked two things off 'the list'.  she visited the ryman without me, which, since i had been before, actually worked out really well.

the last day of the conference was a short one.  earlier in the day, i had taken a cab out to the airport to pick up a rental car for mine and melissa's 'bonus day'.  we had both scheduled late flights home the following day so that we could do some exploring.

so after the exhibit hall closed, melissa, julie, tiffany and i headed out to antique archaeology.  if you are a frequent watcher of the history channel, you won't need an explanation. if not, however, the significance will likely be lost on you.  there is a show called 'american pickers' that follows two guys who travel the country rummaging through barns and sheds, the older and messier the better, in search of unique antiques that they then resell.

a couple of years ago they purchased a second warehouse location (the first is in iowa) in nashville, and i wanted to take a gander.  a lot of the items they 'pick' are ones that i would be interested in, and i was genuinely hoping that i would find something that would fit with my decor.

when we arrived, there was a live band playing, and the place was packed.  it was much smaller (at least the show room) then any of us could have anticipated, and unfortunately, i didn't find anything that would be a good fit.  ultimately, i was glad to have checked it off, but a little disappointed in the experience.

with time still on our hands, we decided to explore the rest of the giant warehouse.  there were a couple of cute boutiques, but when we discovered the distillery/micro-brewery, the girls decided that it looked like a good opportunity to sit down and have a drink.  they tried a couple of different drinks, unique to the venue, and by all accounts, enjoyed the experience.  i, enjoyed the ambiance, and the diet coke i brought with me. :D

we made our way back to the hotel, where we dropped julie so she cold catch a cab and her flight home, and after changing, melissa, tiffany, and myself headed out to the grand ole opry.  melissa and i had purchased tickets before the trip, and tiffany had decided at the last minute that she would like to join us.  there were still tickets available, so she bought a single seat and the three of us made the 20 minute drive.

we hadn't been familiar with any of the bands, but it didn't really matter. we just wanted to experience it.  i didn't know (or had forgotten) that the seats are church-pew style, so from the beginning, it felt different.  i also hadn't realized that every show IS a a radio program, so there is a really unusual format. there is a host for each segment who also performs, then a band who sings two songs.  then the next segment has a new host and a new band.

during the first segment, the band was a male/female duo, who announced that they had just signed with their first label.  in order to celebrate, they said, they had invited a friend to join them in performing one of the songs.  to my great pleasure, their 'friend' turned out to be sam palladio, who plays gunnar on the nashville tv show.  the three of them sang a song that aired on a recent episode, which, it turned out, had been written by the duo.  i was happy to know that the show does actually use local talent, and it was fun to see real nashville and fictional nashville cross paths.

at the end of the evening, the three of us were starving, so we made a stop at cracker barrel for dinner before calling it a night.

music city: the bluebird cafe

adding to the goodness that was march, my one work trip (although it included back to back cities) would have me spending a few days in one of my all-time favorite cities - nashville.  i can't even express how much i love this town.  so much so, that i keep waiting for it to let me down.  that sounds terrible actually.  really i just mean that every time i visit, my expectations are so high, that i've become convinced that actually being there won't be able to meet them.

and i had really high expectations this time.

my friend melissa who hadn't spent a lot of time in the city had asked for a list of must see sights/activities. i do love to build an itinerary, so i began putting it together for her.  the list looked like this:

-antique archaeology
-bluebird cafe
-grand ole opry
-country music hall of fame
-ryman auditorium

of these, i had only ever been to the ryman.  well, technically, i had been to the opry but i'd never seen, and wanted to see, a performance there.  i've checked off a number of other nashvillian activities, but some of these had managed to escape me on previous visits.

in fact, the bluebird cafe has been on my list for years.  in music city, it has long been known as a place for songwriters to come test out their work.  a LOT of really really well known songs (and singers) debuted here, long before the hit the country music charts.  but, fortunately or unfortunately, since the tv show 'nashville' begain airing, prominently featuring the bluebird, it has become difficult to get in. tickets are sold a week in advance for both the 6pm and 9pm shows, and even though i was online at the right time, i wasn't able to get tickets for our desired show.  i was bummed.  so was melissa.

so, come booth set up day, i had a smooth setup and melissa and i were able to visit the country music hall of fame. interesting, but not mind-blowing.

while there, she mentioned having read that the bluebird had seats that they didn't sell in advance for the early show, she asked if i wanted to try it.  i'll admit that i was on the fence.  i was pretty tired from the time zone transition and i didn't want to pay a fortune for a cab, stand in line for hours, and then not be let in.  ultimately though, i decided it was worth a shot.

$25 later, at about 4:30 the cab dropped us off at the strip mall cafe, and there was already a line.  it didn't look too out of control though, so we took the risk.  the early show would start at 6, and at about 5 staff members came out to tell us that there were 20 guaranteed seats, and any others that became available would only be so as a result of no-shows.  we had probably about 50 people in front of us and a handful behind.  it was interesting in that last hour to watch the line change configuration. the people who decided to wait it out, and the people who didn't.  at this point, my stubbornness kicked in and i was pretty determined.  so much so, that if we didn't get in, i was already planning on just sitting down and being the first in line for no-show seats at the 9pm show.

fortunately, it didn't come to that.  after the guaranteed 20 were let in, we probably still had 15-20 people in front of us.  slowly staff members would come outside and escort small groups in.  eventually, melissa and i were at the front of the line.  i couldn't stomach the idea of being the first people to NOT get in so i was relived when we were invited in and sent to a table at the front of the action. ironically, all of the folks both in front and behind us who had decided not to wait it out, would have made it in.  their loss!

rather than a traditional stage set up, the performers were positioned in chairs on the floor in the center of the room - the three of them facing each other.  though the description of the evening said 'in the round', i wasn't sure what that had meant, and i learned that each singer/songwriter would play one of their songs, and then the next person would play one of theirs.  sometimes they would back each other up or pause to tell stories about the origin of the song or about each other.

it was a really unique experience. first of all, it's extremely intimate.  in fact melissa and i could have wasily given one of the singers a shoulder massage, as he was basically sitting at our table (albeit, with his back to us).  secondly, the bluebird is what they call a 'listening room', and it's meant for just that.  though they appreciate a response to their songs,  talking amongst yourselves is discouraged.  the idea is that you go to listen.

we listened. and we really liked what we heard.

it was also unique because the suit-wearing "i'm walking in like i own the place" guy that had breezed by us while we were still in line outside, turned out to be the actual owner of the place, accompanied by a georgia congressman.

at the end of the performance, we waited our turn for the restroom, bought our tee shirts, and took photos with the singers.  my only trepidation had been not being sure how we were going to get back to the hotel.  the cafe is in kind of a strange location, and i was concerned that even if we called a cab and it came that it would take forever to get there.  my fears were put to rest when we walked outside and there was a taxi waiting, hoping to pick up a fare.

it was a perfect excursion, and, after we returned, we headed out to broadway (or honky tonk row) for more live music.  we met up with the other girls from my company and settled in for awhile at the stage. i was in a goofy mood - still on a bit of a high from the bluebird and just sooooo happy to be in nashville, so i had a blast listening to the band, laughing with the new girls, and making a new friend for the evening.

i never get over just how amazing it is that on a wednesday night (on any night) in nashville, every honky tonk will be packed, there will be two or three live bands, and they will be good.  i had an epiphany that night, realizing that nashville, to me, is like vegas is to a lot of people.  i can stay out all night, work all day, and do it over and over again.  i <3 nashville="" p="">