Warming Up (January 13, 2010)
Tour started out cold and snowy in DC…
so I checked out the Museum of the American Indian (did you know all of the Smithsonian exhibits are free?!)
Discovered interesting ice formations in various cups and bottles when I packed up for Asheville, where I found a new love…
Madame Padam. Now before you criticize me for moving on too quickly, I’ll have you know that Dorothy abandoned me during a snowstorm on a particularly treacherous stretch of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which were, at the time, pitch black. She had it coming, too, after pulling tricks like that 75 mile detour outside of Chicago this fall… so upon recommendation of one of my favorite writers, DC Pierson, I checked out this Garmin Nuvi 255 and it was love at first trip… this is only the beginning for us (especially because it turns out she has multiple personalities and is fluent in various languages!)
The honeymoon led us to Carl Sandburg’s home in Flat Rock, which was very Bob Ross on the approach…
though not quite suitable for skating.
I was delighted to have a personal tour of his home…
which houses 17,000 books!
I thought the dining room chandelier was very fitting…
and it was as if everyone was still at home (look at all of those hair dresser appointments!)
The shows have been fantastic – Steel City was great fun, loved playing Asheville with Lewis, very talented, sweet guys. Johnson City is always a hoot – someone posted a video on YouTube:
(By the way, if you like that song you can download it for free here).
I played with Wes Hartley (Dead End Armory), who has a phenomenal voice, and I’ve really been enjoying his CDs – for fans of Neil Young, My Morning Jacket, Cave Singers, Ryan Adams, Josh Ritter… such great stuff.
While I was in Asheville I stocked up on bulk spices and teas at the French Broad Co-op (where I got the most colorful, fragrant organic cardamom pods I’ve ever seen). I was very impressed by the selection, and Asheville eats in general…
until I stumbled into the Life Grocery and Cafe today, in Marietta, GA. WOW! One of the greatest stores I’ve ever seen. Tons of bulk products (every grain, nut, seed, you’ll ever need, PLUS organic dried mulberries! YEA!) and the prepared food is reason enough for me to move to Atlanta… Jamaican sweet potatoes, curried garbanzos, raw macaroons (all organic & vegan!). I would share a picture with you except that my hands (and mouth) were too full. Good thing I’m coming back in June for the Eddie’s Attic Shoot-out!!!
Also, I just confirmed a bunch of West Coast dates for March! In the more immediate future, I’m playing Smith’s Olde Bar tomorrow night/tonight (Thursday), then Sentient Bean (more amazing food) in Savannah, and then FLORIDA!!
So much to look forward to…
Thanks for tuning in 
Winter Tour Begins! New Year, New Decade, New Dates (January 3, 2009)
Happy New Year!
It’s still snowing, but in just two weeks I’ll be in Miami!!! ON THE BEACH!!! YEAAAAA!!!!
I’ll be playing lots of shows too…
Links to venues and directions are at www.laurameyer.net.
March and April West Coast dates will be announced next month!
Hope you’re all warm and healthy and I’m sending you good wishes for the new year!!!
I know a lot of you have to go back to work tomorrow so here are some more videos to make your day a little brighter, courtesy of WSCA Stay Tuned Radio:
Ho-Ho-Home for the Holidays (December 22, 2009)
Last night I finished up the Long Underwear Tour, but I’m still sitting here in my long underwear… sometimes it’s just hard to let go. And this tour is/was no exception. (Plus, it’s cold.)
A highlight of this week was the Dream Away Lodge, a magical place I’ve been dreaming of for some time…
A fan I first met at a show in Bryan, TX surprised me with some homemade vegan lemon poppy scones, which kind of blew my mind…
Little did she know that earlier in the day I’d been searching online for a vegan bakery between Becket and Portsmouth so I could hopefully score some lemon poppy muffins on the next day’s drive. They were my favorite growing up and I hadn’t had any for years… just a random craving and a little magical orchestration of the universe. They were phenomenal.
Maybe she’ll share the recipe with us.
In the morning I headed up to Portsmouth, NH and sang for Shawn Henderson and his listeners on WSCA which was a blast. He recorded the show so I’ll share the YouTube link when the videos are up. Nothing puts me in the holiday spirit like sitting under Christmas lights and screaming “Chelsea Hotel.”
Then it was on to Portland, ME. My favorite thing about playing in New England, to be honest, is the food. Wherever it’s dark and bone-chilling cold for months out of the year you know the food is going to be excellent. North Star Music Cafe’s “mostly macro” bowl hit the spot. If you’re in the area this winter definitely check it out – they have great musicians coming through every week and some of the nicest staff you’ll ever meet.
When I got to my friends’ house in Stowe later that night it was, indeed, bone-chilling.
However the weekend was beautiful, with great shows at the recently-expanded Radio Bean in Burlington and the also expanded (since my last visit) Bees Knees in Morrisville. More delicious food, generous people, and recipe exchange. Christmas came early this year.
Alas, I had to say goodbye and now it’s back to NYC for a Ho-Ho-Hotel holiday as I am currently Ho-Ho-Homeless. He he. (What else could you expect from the girl whose favorite book growing up was Eloise?) I hope you have a very happy holiday and I hope your dreams lead you wherever you want to be in the new year. I’ll be back on the road January 4, and I’m hoping Santa has some sleep for me in that big red sleigh…
Holiday Update!!! (December 9, 2009)
Greetings from Marion, IN! I’m about to hop on stage with this chick…
… but I wanted to check in and say THANK YOU for coming to the shows! The windchill has nothing on the fun I’m having out here, and the Midwest sure knows how to get a girl in the holiday spirit. Did I mention Santa Clause manned the soundboard the other night at Swing State?
I’m very impressed with all the decorations burning through the blizzard…
Also – in case you’re not on my mailing list (what?! you’re not on my mailing list? if you don’t want to miss out on free downloads and other goodies sign up here) – I wanted to let you all know that there are beautiful handcrafted limited edition (yes, signed and numbered, kids!) holiday gift sets available in the store…
… so order soon! Santa has a lot of stops to make and I wouldn’t want you to be stuck with an empty stocking Christmas morning.
Stay warm and talk to you soon!
The Long Underwear Tour… Is On (December 5, 2009)
Good morning from Chillytown! Yesterday’s 867-mile drive led me straight to Ethosphere Chicago, where a packed house kicked off the Long Underwear Tour. Liza Day (above) opened up the night of art & music and now I’m hanging out with the fabulous Emily White and about to got for a walk. Yea!! No driving today!!! Chicago is one of my favorite places to play, so I’m extra excited to play Uncommon Ground on Clark tonight. Info and links here. Other tour dates below…
Dec 4 Ethosphere, Chicago, IL
Dec 5 Uncommon Ground, Chicago, IL
Dec 6 Swing State, Morris, IL
Dec 7 The Root Note, La Crosse, WI
Dec 9 Beatnik’s, Marion, IN
Dec 10 Blue Rock Tavern, Cincinnati, OH
Dec 11 Wilbert’s, Cleveland, OH
Dec 15 Larry’s, Danbury, CT
Dec 16 Brooklyn Tea & Coffee, Providence, RI
Dec 17 Dream Away Lodge, Beckett, MA
Dec 18 WSCA Stay Tuned Radio, Portsmouth, NH
Dec 18 North Star Music Café, Portland, ME
Dec 19 Radio Bean, Burlington, VT
Dec 20 Bees Knees, Morrisville, VT
Brrr! I’m getting a good dose of cold weather before my winter migration… just confirmed some dates in Louisiana, Texas, and New Mexico for February! More winter dates will be announced soon.
Have a great weekend!
Thank you (November 23, 2009)
Thank you for coming to the shows. Thank you for buying the albums. Thank you for sending your emails, poetry, and trinkets in the mail. Thank you for sharing your music, like Will who wrote “Candles” after the Des Moines show. Thank you for filling my heart so I can’t help but write new songs, too. Rinse, repeat.
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I’m really excited to try out a new pumpkin pie recipe! Just wanted you to know how much I appreciate you being in my life… and to let you know you’ll be there at the table with me.
Happy Thanksgiving! More recipes here
Graveyards: Atlanta, Macon, Savannah & Charleston (October 27, 2009)
If you’re ever in the need for inspiration I recommend visiting a cemetery. It will put life in a new perspective.
During the past week in Georgia I enjoyed shows in East Point, Atlanta, Decatur, Macon, & Savannah… plus 80-degree weather, time with friends and family, and many beautiful cemeteries.
Atlanta’s Oakland Cemetery (right by Ria’s Bluebird – great brunch with veg options) is home to many elegant tombs and lush floral landscapes.
I enjoyed strolling through the markers and contemplating what makes that grass so green…
There is a large section dedicated to Confederate soldiers…
The backdrop of the Atlanta skyline compliments the tombs… which offers an interesting insight into city life.
I took my legs for a walk at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield, which felt phenomenal after over 6000 miles of sitting behind the driver’s wheel.
Back in Missouri a fan recommended I read Southern Storm, a fantastic account of Sherman’s “march to the sea.” Reading about the occupation of Atlanta while overlooking the battlefield definitely left an impression…
Then in Macon I visited the ancient Ocmulgee mounds…
… before going to visit Duane Allman.
Savannah has a spooky vibe about it, and after walking around in a light rain I spent the afternoon reading in an old Revolutionary War cemetery.
Then I spent a couple days hanging out with my cousin in Charleston. It was heaven.
We walked around downtown, through the Circular Church Cemetery…
and I was very happy to see the ocean after weeks of being landlocked.
Some final thoughts:
