Winter Tour Blog 6: Yikes (January 29, 2008)

* My MySpace account was hacked! I don’t know what that entails, but I thought you should know in case any naughty things happened. *

The past weekend was the extreme-sports version of performing songwriter. On Friday I left Bolinas not a moment too soon, as local roads were soon flooded! My exhaustion/weather-anxiety got me all sorts of turned around and I was quite surprised to find myself cruising over the Golden Gate Bridge – not exactly the direction of Salem, OR….

However, the gods were smiling upon me – drool and all – and after a butt-numbing 12-hour drive through sleet, rain, and snow, I pulled up at The Blue Pepper right at 7PM. It was nothing short of a miracle. The show went very well, as did the show in Portland the following night. Though, on my way to Portland late Friday night an unidentifiable animal dashed in front of my car and missed my bumper by centimeters! Probably the scariest moment of the trip – so far. It was too big to be a dog… kind of shaggy like a sheep (but I’ve never seen a sheep run that fast!)… cream-colored. Any thoughts?

Portland is a very friendly town. It’s the kind of tap-them-on-the-shoulder-and-they’ll-give-you-a-smile kind of friendly, rather than a welcome wagon friendly. Which I like. Maybe it’s that Northern boundary thing that I’m used to. I like a little space (understatement). Whatever it is, it’s an authentic kindness, even towards a non-polka-dot-or-stripe-wearing non-smoker like me. That’s a lot of hyphens right there. The coffeehouse music is downright depressing, though.

I stayed on in Portland a couple extra nights because of threatening weather, which keeps getting pushed further and further down the week. Very frustrating. I’d rather have no forecast than a worthless forecast. Which brings me to my Plan For A Better World…

After three days of basically flipping between the Weather Channel and “Ballot Bowl 08″ (thank god for people like Stephen Colbert and John Stewart) I’m really sick of people talking about “change change change” and then not really SAYING anything or offering any specific plans for change. There’s more fluff coming from the mouths of (most of) these candidates than the clouds above the Cascades. So I’ve been thinking about explicit things that would better the world, or at least the road world:

* Each lane of the highway should have a designated cruise control speed, which would result in seamless, stress-free driving.
* All gas pumps should have that little lever on the handle which allows for warm car sanctuary while fueling, granted that no one abuses this privilege by spending a half an hour ogling beef jerky inside the food mart and holding up the filling line.
* Trucks must obey lane restrictions, and ideally have their own lanes with dividers. This way we can still share the road, but I won’t freak out on those mountain passages.
* Fruits, vegetables, and bakeries in gas station food marts.
* Hot water dispensers built into dashboards like Tim Allen’s cocoa dispenser in “Santa Clause” (a person could choose coffee, cocoa, tea, etc). Hmmm… a rice cooker would be nice, too.
* People who refuse to use the left lane for passing, or worse – those who clog it – should be tagged and confined to separate (unpaved) roads, along with people who don’t use turn signals and people who drive at erratic speeds.
* All restrooms must have hot water, soap, and a hands-free way to exit.
* No vanity plates should be allowed, for the collective self-respect of our species (TUNE GUY? YOGINI? NTR BOY?!)
* And, of course, accurate, up-to-the-minute weather and interstate advisories on the radio, web, and television – at all times! I don’t want to watch your kids making snowmen when I am trying to figure out whether or not I’m headed for an avalanche!!!

Ok. Now that that’s out of the way – There are lots of cool nooks in Portland. My favorite thing about the city is Powell’s City of Books. Wow, I was ready to move in! The perfect place for a cold and rainy day, or a sunny day for that matter. I picked up a bunch of books and an audiobook for the long haul back to CA this Friday. But first – I’m playing in Bellingham, WA Thursday night! I’m very excited because this is my first time in Oregon and Washington. I feel a certain wholeness now… like I’ve been staring at a puzzle with the upper-left-hand chunk missing, and now I have the satisfaction of clicking in those pieces. The four corners.

All-in-all life is good, despite the wasted hours on CNN and WTC. I’ve been particularly upset about the recent death of the young man that’s been all over the news. Right now some people on TV are talking about this “breaking news” involving an US Weekly report and drugs, and it’s all pretty sickening. Aside from the fact that US Weekly is not exactly the most reliable news source, I’m wondering – if drugs are involved in someone’s death, does that make it less tragic? Is that individual all of a sudden deserving – even guilty – of his fate – the hounding, the prying, the loss? Should we be less mournful? I am endlessly amazed by our capacity to turn on a person. It is so, so tragic.

Well, I don’t really want to end on such a sad note, but I don’t want to glaze over it either, so I’ll leave you with some pictures. Stay warm and dry, unless you’re reading from Sydney or something, in which case please send me a one-way ticket from Seattle.

Winter Tour Blog 6: Yikes (January 29, 2008)

* My MySpace account was hacked! I don’t know what that entails, but I thought you should know in case any naughty things happened. *

The past weekend was the extreme-sports version of performing songwriter. On Friday I left Bolinas not a moment too soon, as local roads were soon flooded! My exhaustion/weather-anxiety got me all sorts of turned around and I was quite surprised to find myself cruising over the Golden Gate Bridge – not exactly the direction of Salem, OR….

However, the gods were smiling upon me – drool and all – and after a butt-numbing 12-hour drive through sleet, rain, and snow, I pulled up at The Blue Pepper right at 7PM. It was nothing short of a miracle. The show went very well, as did the show in Portland the following night. Though, on my way to Portland late Friday night an unidentifiable animal dashed in front of my car and missed my bumper by centimeters! Probably the scariest moment of the trip – so far. It was too big to be a dog… kind of shaggy like a sheep (but I’ve never seen a sheep run that fast!)… cream-colored. Any thoughts?

Portland is a very friendly town. It’s the kind of tap-them-on-the-shoulder-and-they’ll-give-you-a-smile kind of friendly, rather than a welcome wagon friendly. Which I like. Maybe it’s that Northern boundary thing that I’m used to. I like a little space (understatement). Whatever it is, it’s an authentic kindness, even towards a non-polka-dot-or-stripe-wearing non-smoker like me. That’s a lot of hyphens right there. The coffeehouse music is downright depressing, though.

I stayed on in Portland a couple extra nights because of threatening weather, which keeps getting pushed further and further down the week. Very frustrating. I’d rather have no forecast than a worthless forecast. Which brings me to my Plan For A Better World…

After three days of basically flipping between the Weather Channel and “Ballot Bowl 08″ (thank god for people like Stephen Colbert and John Stewart) I’m really sick of people talking about “change change change” and then not really SAYING anything or offering any specific plans for change. There’s more fluff coming from the mouths of (most of) these candidates than the clouds above the Cascades. So I’ve been thinking about explicit things that would better the world, or at least the road world:

* Each lane of the highway should have a designated cruise control speed, which would result in seamless, stress-free driving.
* All gas pumps should have that little lever on the handle which allows for warm car sanctuary while fueling, granted that no one abuses this privilege by spending a half an hour ogling beef jerky inside the food mart and holding up the filling line.
* Trucks must obey lane restrictions, and ideally have their own lanes with dividers. This way we can still share the road, but I won’t freak out on those mountain passages.
* Fruits, vegetables, and bakeries in gas station food marts.
* Hot water dispensers built into dashboards like Tim Allen’s cocoa dispenser in “Santa Clause” (a person could choose coffee, cocoa, tea, etc). Hmmm… a rice cooker would be nice, too.
* People who refuse to use the left lane for passing, or worse – those who clog it – should be tagged and confined to separate (unpaved) roads, along with people who don’t use turn signals and people who drive at erratic speeds.
* All restrooms must have hot water, soap, and a hands-free way to exit.
* No vanity plates should be allowed, for the collective self-respect of our species (TUNE GUY? YOGINI? NTR BOY?!)
* And, of course, accurate, up-to-the-minute weather and interstate advisories on the radio, web, and television – at all times! I don’t want to watch your kids making snowmen when I am trying to figure out whether or not I’m headed for an avalanche!!!

Ok. Now that that’s out of the way – There are lots of cool nooks in Portland. My favorite thing about the city is Powell’s City of Books. Wow, I was ready to move in! The perfect place for a cold and rainy day, or a sunny day for that matter. I picked up a bunch of books and an audiobook for the long haul back to CA this Friday. But first – I’m playing in Bellingham, WA Thursday night! I’m very excited because this is my first time in Oregon and Washington. I feel a certain wholeness now… like I’ve been staring at a puzzle with the upper-left-hand chunk missing, and now I have the satisfaction of clicking in those pieces. The four corners.

All-in-all life is good, despite the wasted hours on CNN and WTC. I’ve been particularly upset about the recent death of the young man that’s been all over the news. Right now some people on TV are talking about this “breaking news” involving an US Weekly report and drugs, and it’s all pretty sickening. Aside from the fact that US Weekly is not exactly the most reliable news source, I’m wondering – if drugs are involved in someone’s death, does that make it less tragic? Is that individual all of a sudden deserving – even guilty – of his fate – the hounding, the prying, the loss? Should we be less mournful? I am endlessly amazed by our capacity to turn on a person. It is so, so tragic.

Well, I don’t really want to end on such a sad note, but I don’t want to glaze over it either, so I’ll leave you with some pictures. Stay warm and dry, unless you’re reading from Sydney or something, in which case please send me a one-way ticket from Seattle.

Winter Tour Blog 6: Yikes (January 29, 2008)

* My MySpace account was hacked! I don’t know what that entails, but I thought you should know in case any naughty things happened. *The past weekend was the extreme-sports version of performing songwriter. On Friday I left Bolinas not a moment too soon, as local roads were soon flooded! My exhaustion/weather-anxiety got me all sorts of turned around and I was quite surprised to find myself cruising over the Golden Gate Bridge – not exactly the direction of Salem, OR….However, the gods were smiling upon me – drool and all – and after a butt-numbing 12-hour drive through sleet, rain, and snow, I pulled up at The Blue Pepper right at 7PM. It was nothing short of a miracle. The show went very well, as did the show in Portland the following night. Though, on my way to Portland late Friday night an unidentifiable animal dashed in front of my car and missed my bumper by centimeters! Probably the scariest moment of the trip – so far. It was too big to be a dog… kind of shaggy like a sheep (but I’ve never seen a sheep run that fast!)… cream-colored. Any thoughts?Portland is a very friendly town. It’s the kind of tap-them-on-the-shoulder-and-they’ll-give-you-a-smile kind of friendly, rather than a welcome wagon friendly. Which I like. Maybe it’s that Northern boundary thing that I’m used to. I like a little space (understatement). Whatever it is, it’s an authentic kindness, even towards a non-polka-dot-or-stripe-wearing non-smoker like me. That’s a lot of hyphens right there. The coffeehouse music is downright depressing, though.I stayed on in Portland a couple extra nights because of threatening weather, which keeps getting pushed further and further down the week. Very frustrating. I’d rather have no forecast than a worthless forecast. Which brings me to my Plan For A Better World…After three days of basically flipping between the Weather Channel and “Ballot Bowl 08″ (thank god for people like Stephen Colbert and John Stewart) I’m really sick of people talking about “change change change” and then not really SAYING anything or offering any specific plans for change. There’s more fluff coming from the mouths of (most of) these candidates than the clouds above the Cascades. So I’ve been thinking about explicit things that would better the world, or at least the road world:* Each lane of the highway should have a designated cruise control speed, which would result in seamless, stress-free driving.* All gas pumps should have that little lever on the handle which allows for warm car sanctuary while fueling, granted that no one abuses this privilege by spending a half an hour ogling beef jerky inside the food mart and holding up the filling line.* Trucks must obey lane restrictions, and ideally have their own lanes with dividers. This way we can still share the road, but I won’t freak out on those mountain passages.* Fruits, vegetables, and bakeries in gas station food marts.* Hot water dispensers built into dashboards like Tim Allen’s cocoa dispenser in “Santa Clause” (a person could choose coffee, cocoa, tea, etc). Hmmm… a rice cooker would be nice, too.* People who refuse to use the left lane for passing, or worse – those who clog it – should be tagged and confined to separate (unpaved) roads, along with people who don’t use turn signals and people who drive at erratic speeds.* All restrooms must have hot water, soap, and a hands-free way to exit.* No vanity plates should be allowed, for the collective self-respect of our species (TUNE GUY? YOGINI? NTR BOY?!)* And, of course, accurate, up-to-the-minute weather and interstate advisories on the radio, web, and television – at all times! I don’t want to watch your kids making snowmen when I am trying to figure out whether or not I’m headed for an avalanche!!!Ok. Now that that’s out of the way – There are lots of cool nooks in Portland. My favorite thing about the city is Powell’s City of Books. Wow, I was ready to move in! The perfect place for a cold and rainy day, or a sunny day for that matter. I picked up a bunch of books and an audiobook for the long haul back to CA this Friday. But first – I’m playing in Bellingham, WA Thursday night! I’m very excited because this is my first time in Oregon and Washington. I feel a certain wholeness now… like I’ve been staring at a puzzle with the upper-left-hand chunk missing, and now I have the satisfaction of clicking in those pieces. The four corners.All-in-all life is good, despite the wasted hours on CNN and WTC. I’ve been particularly upset about the recent death of the young man that’s been all over the news. Right now some people on TV are talking about this “breaking news” involving an US Weekly report and drugs, and it’s all pretty sickening. Aside from the fact that US Weekly is not exactly the most reliable news source, I’m wondering – if drugs are involved in someone’s death, does that make it less tragic? Is that individual all of a sudden deserving – even guilty – of his fate – the hounding, the prying, the loss? Should we be less mournful? I am endlessly amazed by our capacity to turn on a person. It is so, so tragic.Well, I don’t really want to end on such a sad note, but I don’t want to glaze over it either, so I’ll leave you with some pictures. Stay warm and dry, unless you’re reading from Sydney or something, in which case please send me a one-way ticket from Seattle.

Winter Tour Blog 5: The Coast (January 24, 2008)

Driving through Arizona into California…

…the silhouettes were beautiful:

The energy of the highway changed dramatically as I went through Barstow and approached San Bernardino Sunday night and the empty roads of the Midwest and Southwest became the arcade insanity of LA. Yes, the video-game drivers got my adrenaline pumping and I was more than a little eager to crash, not into the guardrail (dear god those gusts are powerful!), but into a sweet budget motel.

Alas, the first I tried were booked, and so I found myself drifting further and further out to sea with no place to lay my weary head. But if I have learned anything from prior trips to Lalaland it’s that this is a magical city wherein magical things happen. I mean, last time I was here I met Tom Petty, who you should know, is my childhood hero. Times infinity. So just as I was growing irritable I saw a sign for Vermont Avenue, and since Vermont has always been a place of home for me I thought this was a sure sign (ignorance is bliss). Pretty soon I found my way into a Travelodge that looked sketchy enough to be affordable and well-lit enough to be acceptable. The price was far more than I had wanted to spend, but as I stood in the steamy, fluorescent office I saw Tom Petty on the cover of the current LA Weekly I realized that not having to get back into the car was worth the splurge.

The title of the LA Weekly article was “A Sound Map of Tom Petty’s Los Angeles.” Can you imagine my delight when – after hauling anything of value upstairs, and encountering a sweet little mouse on the way – I opened the paper and read that this very Travelodge (1401 N Vermont Ave) is where Tom lived while recording his first album?! Far out! A much-appreciated sign, indeed, and enough to distract me from the roaches skittering in the bathroom.

Check out the view – oranges outside my window!

I had a chance to stretch my legs Monday afternoon before the show, and I strolled along the beach below the Santa Monica Pier:

Please deliver hammock here:

Genghis Cohen is a great spot, with a really intimate listening room. The seats are set up kind of like pews, with miniature lanterns. I dug it. When the sound man, George, asked where I was coming from I told him that I had narrowly escaped three major storms so far; between the Northeast and the Midwest, I have departed mere hours before some serious snow-dumping. He joked that I was going to make it snow in LA…. Did you catch the weather today? That was me

Thankfully, there was no snow on my ride up to Santa Cruz, though it POURED rain. Good rains always make for good clouds:

Sunset behind; rainbow ahead. So, so beautiful:

I arrived in Santa Cruz rather road-weary and ready for a good sleep. My god, was I spoiled! I stayed with a family friend who lives on a cliff overlooking the water. And I mean OVERLOOKING – you look out any window and right THERE is the beach. And the water (usually goes along with the beach).

The view from a downstairs window:

I could hear waves crashing on the rocks as I fell asleep, which is possibly my favorite sound in the world. That, and the dryer. (Such a sweet lullaby). So I was well-fed and well-slept upon rising, and after receiving a tour of Santa Cruz I was quite ready to cancel the rest of the tour and spend my life strumming my guitar on the sand. I definitely felt at home, thanks to this angel who housed me, and it was a treat to have the company. She sent me off with a bag of pistachios from her ranch and a brownie from Gayle’s in Capitola – life on the road can be very, very good.

I departed, a little reluctantly, for Oakland, where I checked into my sketchiest accommodations yet. Bulletproof windows, various police activities, car alarms throughout the night (of course I had to run and peak out of the bulletproof window every time) – I was a long way from my cliffside paradise. However, the Alameda show went very well, mainly because I had the pleasure of playing for some musicians who were very into it. Each person I meet who “gets it” is such an energy boost, and I am very grateful to you guys (you know who you are). Plus I probably had the best salad of my life, so thanks, Peter.

After my eventful night of window-peaking and neighbor-shrieking I headed to Berkeley, my former home and the scene of my official quarter-life-crisis. As I exited onto University on this rainy afternoon, Leonard Cohen sang “The rain falls down on last year’s man,” and it felt very appropriate. I drove through a lot of old haunts, and of course popped into Amoeba on Telegraph. Crazy to see the same faces hanging out front, three years later. I also visited the Cheeseboard, which I admit I am glad I live 3000 miles away from. No willpower. I split a Wolverine with a girl who sleeps on a very soggy stoop off Shattuck and I took two sweet baguettes for the road, though only one made it that far. I guess some things never change.

Berkeley Bowl… how I love thee:

After doing the necessary drive-bys I hit the road again, and headed north to Bolinas. The sky began to clear and I thought how nice it would be to arrive at the coast to see the sunset. Little did I know that I’d be cruising around the forest well after dark trying to find this mystical place. Here are some pictures from before dark:

As I snaked along the cliffs, the division between sky, road, and water disappeared…

and this is not where I wanted to be spending the night:

My quest felt very Harry Potter, but without a wand or a summoning charm or a marauder’s map – not to mention cell service – and I was getting a wee bit nervous cruising on this wet, foggy evening with Mr. Cohen, whom I eventually silenced, deciding I needed all of my senses for navigational purposes. Fortunately I came across a little town called Olema and some very helpful people at the bar clued me in. Twenty minutes later I was checked into the nicest hotel of the trip, courtesy of Smiley’s, a bar that really reminds me of the Spirit Store in Dundalk. Sure, both are quiet coastal towns with good music – the guys I played with tonight were excellent – but even more than that, it was the people in attendance who made the evening so enjoyable. I had the pleasure of meeting a group of bird conservationists who were – as one might expect – attentive listeners and some of the sweetest people I have ever met in my travels. I’d be a very lucky girl to come back and play here again.

Here I am expressing my relief upon arrival:

This weekend I’m up in Oregon – check the calendar and I’ll see you there!

Winter Tour Blog 5: The Coast (January 24, 2008)

Driving through Arizona into California…

…the silhouettes were beautiful:

The energy of the highway changed dramatically as I went through Barstow and approached San Bernardino Sunday night and the empty roads of the Midwest and Southwest became the arcade insanity of LA. Yes, the video-game drivers got my adrenaline pumping and I was more than a little eager to crash, not into the guardrail (dear god those gusts are powerful!), but into a sweet budget motel.

Alas, the first I tried were booked, and so I found myself drifting further and further out to sea with no place to lay my weary head. But if I have learned anything from prior trips to Lalaland it’s that this is a magical city wherein magical things happen. I mean, last time I was here I met Tom Petty, who you should know, is my childhood hero. Times infinity. So just as I was growing irritable I saw a sign for Vermont Avenue, and since Vermont has always been a place of home for me I thought this was a sure sign (ignorance is bliss). Pretty soon I found my way into a Travelodge that looked sketchy enough to be affordable and well-lit enough to be acceptable. The price was far more than I had wanted to spend, but as I stood in the steamy, fluorescent office I saw Tom Petty on the cover of the current LA Weekly I realized that not having to get back into the car was worth the splurge.

The title of the LA Weekly article was “A Sound Map of Tom Petty’s Los Angeles.” Can you imagine my delight when – after hauling anything of value upstairs, and encountering a sweet little mouse on the way – I opened the paper and read that this very Travelodge (1401 N Vermont Ave) is where Tom lived while recording his first album?! Far out! A much-appreciated sign, indeed, and enough to distract me from the roaches skittering in the bathroom.

Check out the view – oranges outside my window!

I had a chance to stretch my legs Monday afternoon before the show, and I strolled along the beach below the Santa Monica Pier:

Please deliver hammock here:

Genghis Cohen is a great spot, with a really intimate listening room. The seats are set up kind of like pews, with miniature lanterns. I dug it. When the sound man, George, asked where I was coming from I told him that I had narrowly escaped three major storms so far; between the Northeast and the Midwest, I have departed mere hours before some serious snow-dumping. He joked that I was going to make it snow in LA…. Did you catch the weather today? That was me

Thankfully, there was no snow on my ride up to Santa Cruz, though it POURED rain. Good rains always make for good clouds:

Sunset behind; rainbow ahead. So, so beautiful:

I arrived in Santa Cruz rather road-weary and ready for a good sleep. My god, was I spoiled! I stayed with a family friend who lives on a cliff overlooking the water. And I mean OVERLOOKING – you look out any window and right THERE is the beach. And the water (usually goes along with the beach).

The view from a downstairs window:

I could hear waves crashing on the rocks as I fell asleep, which is possibly my favorite sound in the world. That, and the dryer. (Such a sweet lullaby). So I was well-fed and well-slept upon rising, and after receiving a tour of Santa Cruz I was quite ready to cancel the rest of the tour and spend my life strumming my guitar on the sand. I definitely felt at home, thanks to this angel who housed me, and it was a treat to have the company. She sent me off with a bag of pistachios from her ranch and a brownie from Gayle’s in Capitola – life on the road can be very, very good.

I departed, a little reluctantly, for Oakland, where I checked into my sketchiest accommodations yet. Bulletproof windows, various police activities, car alarms throughout the night (of course I had to run and peak out of the bulletproof window every time) – I was a long way from my cliffside paradise. However, the Alameda show went very well, mainly because I had the pleasure of playing for some musicians who were very into it. Each person I meet who “gets it” is such an energy boost, and I am very grateful to you guys (you know who you are). Plus I probably had the best salad of my life, so thanks, Peter.

After my eventful night of window-peaking and neighbor-shrieking I headed to Berkeley, my former home and the scene of my official quarter-life-crisis. As I exited onto University on this rainy afternoon, Leonard Cohen sang “The rain falls down on last year’s man,” and it felt very appropriate. I drove through a lot of old haunts, and of course popped into Amoeba on Telegraph. Crazy to see the same faces hanging out front, three years later. I also visited the Cheeseboard, which I admit I am glad I live 3000 miles away from. No willpower. I split a Wolverine with a girl who sleeps on a very soggy stoop off Shattuck and I took two sweet baguettes for the road, though only one made it that far. I guess some things never change.

Berkeley Bowl… how I love thee:

After doing the necessary drive-bys I hit the road again, and headed north to Bolinas. The sky began to clear and I thought how nice it would be to arrive at the coast to see the sunset. Little did I know that I’d be cruising around the forest well after dark trying to find this mystical place. Here are some pictures from before dark:

As I snaked along the cliffs, the division between sky, road, and water disappeared…

and this is not where I wanted to be spending the night:

My quest felt very Harry Potter, but without a wand or a summoning charm or a marauder’s map – not to mention cell service – and I was getting a wee bit nervous cruising on this wet, foggy evening with Mr. Cohen, whom I eventually silenced, deciding I needed all of my senses for navigational purposes. Fortunately I came across a little town called Olema and some very helpful people at the bar clued me in. Twenty minutes later I was checked into the nicest hotel of the trip, courtesy of Smiley’s, a bar that really reminds me of the Spirit Store in Dundalk. Sure, both are quiet coastal towns with good music – the guys I played with tonight were excellent – but even more than that, it was the people in attendance who made the evening so enjoyable. I had the pleasure of meeting a group of bird conservationists who were – as one might expect – attentive listeners and some of the sweetest people I have ever met in my travels. I’d be a very lucky girl to come back and play here again.

Here I am expressing my relief upon arrival:

This weekend I’m up in Oregon – check the calendar and I’ll see you there!

Winter Tour Blog 5: The Coast (January 24, 2008)

Driving through Arizona into California……the silhouettes were beautiful:The energy of the highway changed dramatically as I went through Barstow and approached San Bernardino Sunday night and the empty roads of the Midwest and Southwest became the arcade insanity of LA. Yes, the video-game drivers got my adrenaline pumping and I was more than a little eager to crash, not into the guardrail (dear god those gusts are powerful!), but into a sweet budget motel.Alas, the first I tried were booked, and so I found myself drifting further and further out to sea with no place to lay my weary head. But if I have learned anything from prior trips to Lalaland it’s that this is a magical city wherein magical things happen. I mean, last time I was here I met Tom Petty, who you should know, is my childhood hero. Times infinity. So just as I was growing irritable I saw a sign for Vermont Avenue, and since Vermont has always been a place of home for me I thought this was a sure sign (ignorance is bliss). Pretty soon I found my way into a Travelodge that looked sketchy enough to be affordable and well-lit enough to be acceptable. The price was far more than I had wanted to spend, but as I stood in the steamy, fluorescent office I saw Tom Petty on the cover of the current LA Weekly I realized that not having to get back into the car was worth the splurge.The title of the LA Weekly article was “A Sound Map of Tom Petty’s Los Angeles.” Can you imagine my delight when – after hauling anything of value upstairs, and encountering a sweet little mouse on the way – I opened the paper and read that this very Travelodge (1401 N Vermont Ave) is where Tom lived while recording his first album?! Far out! A much-appreciated sign, indeed, and enough to distract me from the roaches skittering in the bathroom.Check out the view – oranges outside my window!I had a chance to stretch my legs Monday afternoon before the show, and I strolled along the beach below the Santa Monica Pier:Please deliver hammock here:Genghis Cohen is a great spot, with a really intimate listening room. The seats are set up kind of like pews, with miniature lanterns. I dug it. When the sound man, George, asked where I was coming from I told him that I had narrowly escaped three major storms so far; between the Northeast and the Midwest, I have departed mere hours before some serious snow-dumping. He joked that I was going to make it snow in LA…. Did you catch the weather today? That was me Thankfully, there was no snow on my ride up to Santa Cruz, though it POURED rain. Good rains always make for good clouds:Sunset behind; rainbow ahead. So, so beautiful:I arrived in Santa Cruz rather road-weary and ready for a good sleep. My god, was I spoiled! I stayed with a family friend who lives on a cliff overlooking the water. And I mean OVERLOOKING – you look out any window and right THERE is the beach. And the water (usually goes along with the beach).The view from a downstairs window:I could hear waves crashing on the rocks as I fell asleep, which is possibly my favorite sound in the world. That, and the dryer. (Such a sweet lullaby). So I was well-fed and well-slept upon rising, and after receiving a tour of Santa Cruz I was quite ready to cancel the rest of the tour and spend my life strumming my guitar on the sand. I definitely felt at home, thanks to this angel who housed me, and it was a treat to have the company. She sent me off with a bag of pistachios from her ranch and a brownie from Gayle’s in Capitola – life on the road can be very, very good.I departed, a little reluctantly, for Oakland, where I checked into my sketchiest accommodations yet. Bulletproof windows, various police activities, car alarms throughout the night (of course I had to run and peak out of the bulletproof window every time) – I was a long way from my cliffside paradise. However, the Alameda show went very well, mainly because I had the pleasure of playing for some musicians who were very into it. Each person I meet who “gets it” is such an energy boost, and I am very grateful to you guys (you know who you are). Plus I probably had the best salad of my life, so thanks, Peter.After my eventful night of window-peaking and neighbor-shrieking I headed to Berkeley, my former home and the scene of my official quarter-life-crisis. As I exited onto University on this rainy afternoon, Leonard Cohen sang “The rain falls down on last year’s man,” and it felt very appropriate. I drove through a lot of old haunts, and of course popped into Amoeba on Telegraph. Crazy to see the same faces hanging out front, three years later. I also visited the Cheeseboard, which I admit I am glad I live 3000 miles away from. No willpower. I split a Wolverine with a girl who sleeps on a very soggy stoop off Shattuck and I took two sweet baguettes for the road, though only one made it that far. I guess some things never change.Berkeley Bowl… how I love thee:After doing the necessary drive-bys I hit the road again, and headed north to Bolinas. The sky began to clear and I thought how nice it would be to arrive at the coast to see the sunset. Little did I know that I’d be cruising around the forest well after dark trying to find this mystical place. Here are some pictures from before dark:As I snaked along the cliffs, the division between sky, road, and water disappeared…and this is not where I wanted to be spending the night:My quest felt very Harry Potter, but without a wand or a summoning charm or a marauder’s map – not to mention cell service – and I was getting a wee bit nervous cruising on this wet, foggy evening with Mr. Cohen, whom I eventually silenced, deciding I needed all of my senses for navigational purposes. Fortunately I came across a little town called Olema and some very helpful people at the bar clued me in. Twenty minutes later I was checked into the nicest hotel of the trip, courtesy of Smiley’s, a bar that really reminds me of the Spirit Store in Dundalk. Sure, both are quiet coastal towns with good music – the guys I played with tonight were excellent – but even more than that, it was the people in attendance who made the evening so enjoyable. I had the pleasure of meeting a group of bird conservationists who were – as one might expect – attentive listeners and some of the sweetest people I have ever met in my travels. I’d be a very lucky girl to come back and play here again.Here I am expressing my relief upon arrival:This weekend I’m up in Oregon – check the calendar and I’ll see you there!

Winter Tour Blog 4: The Road (January 20, 2008)

3010 miles down! It’s kind of sickening that I got my car serviced last week and I’m already due for another oil change. Good thing I am a cool driver – are you?

Here’s a video of a new song, “The Road,” from Friday night:

You can see/hear that I got a bit flustered by movement outside the car near the end. Those shadows can be spooky

“The Road” is one of fifteen tracks on the new album, “Boys & Eros”! The artwork is finished, and I LOVE the way it turned out:

I spent last night in Flagstaff, AZ, and my cozy motel off Route 66 was heaven after the previous night. Who knew the temperature dropped into the teens in the desert? Lesson learned. If you connected Arizona, New York City, Vermont, and Paris, you’d have a pretty good picture of what my heart looks like. Maybe Berkeley, too, since five is a more hearty number. It was a long ride through the desert, though I stopped for lunch in Albuquerque yesterday. I haven’t been stopping much, but roots have begun to sprout from what used to be my butt and any excuse to get up and move is welcome. Gas station rest stops are becoming more and more fascinating.

For those interested, these were this week’s gas prices:

$3.35 Wilton, CT
$2.99 Montville, NJ
$3.08 Lamar, PA
$3.40 Howe, IN
$3.26 DeKalb, IL
$3.10 Iowa City, IA
$2.98 Grimes, IA
$2.98 Council Bluffs, IA
$3.00 Percival, IA
$2.87 Overland Park, KS
$2.80 El Dorado, KS
$2.88 Canute, OK
$2.90 San Jon, NM
$2.84 Albuquerque, NM
$2.84 Holbrook, AZ

Dinner was at Café Ole in Flagstaff last night – delicious! They don’t use lard for their paper-thin chips, which is a darn good thing. The feeling in my legs is slowly returning.

Here are some pictures! Oh – and don’t miss the Genghis Cohen show tomorrow night (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day!) – it’s going to be a special one. I get these premonitions… so 7:30PM sharp!

Winter Tour Blog 4: The Road (January 20, 2008)

3010 miles down! It’s kind of sickening that I got my car serviced last week and I’m already due for another oil change. Good thing I am a cool driver – are you?

Here’s a video of a new song, “The Road,” from Friday night:

You can see/hear that I got a bit flustered by movement outside the car near the end. Those shadows can be spooky

“The Road” is one of fifteen tracks on the new album, “Boys & Eros”! The artwork is finished, and I LOVE the way it turned out:

I spent last night in Flagstaff, AZ, and my cozy motel off Route 66 was heaven after the previous night. Who knew the temperature dropped into the teens in the desert? Lesson learned. If you connected Arizona, New York City, Vermont, and Paris, you’d have a pretty good picture of what my heart looks like. Maybe Berkeley, too, since five is a more hearty number. It was a long ride through the desert, though I stopped for lunch in Albuquerque yesterday. I haven’t been stopping much, but roots have begun to sprout from what used to be my butt and any excuse to get up and move is welcome. Gas station rest stops are becoming more and more fascinating.

For those interested, these were this week’s gas prices:

$3.35 Wilton, CT
$2.99 Montville, NJ
$3.08 Lamar, PA
$3.40 Howe, IN
$3.26 DeKalb, IL
$3.10 Iowa City, IA
$2.98 Grimes, IA
$2.98 Council Bluffs, IA
$3.00 Percival, IA
$2.87 Overland Park, KS
$2.80 El Dorado, KS
$2.88 Canute, OK
$2.90 San Jon, NM
$2.84 Albuquerque, NM
$2.84 Holbrook, AZ

Dinner was at Café Ole in Flagstaff last night – delicious! They don’t use lard for their paper-thin chips, which is a darn good thing. The feeling in my legs is slowly returning.

Here are some pictures! Oh – and don’t miss the Genghis Cohen show tomorrow night (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day!) – it’s going to be a special one. I get these premonitions… so 7:30PM sharp!

Winter Tour Blog 4: The Road (January 20, 2008)

3010 miles down! It’s kind of sickening that I got my car serviced last week and I’m already due for another oil change. Good thing I am a cool driver – are you?Here’s a video of a new song, “The Road,” from Friday night:You can see/hear that I got a bit flustered by movement outside the car near the end. Those shadows can be spooky “The Road” is one of fifteen tracks on the new album, “Boys & Eros”! The artwork is finished, and I LOVE the way it turned out:I spent last night in Flagstaff, AZ, and my cozy motel off Route 66 was heaven after the previous night. Who knew the temperature dropped into the teens in the desert? Lesson learned. If you connected Arizona, New York City, Vermont, and Paris, you’d have a pretty good picture of what my heart looks like. Maybe Berkeley, too, since five is a more hearty number. It was a long ride through the desert, though I stopped for lunch in Albuquerque yesterday. I haven’t been stopping much, but roots have begun to sprout from what used to be my butt and any excuse to get up and move is welcome. Gas station rest stops are becoming more and more fascinating.For those interested, these were this week’s gas prices:$3.35 Wilton, CT$2.99 Montville, NJ$3.08 Lamar, PA$3.40 Howe, IN$3.26 DeKalb, IL$3.10 Iowa City, IA$2.98 Grimes, IA$2.98 Council Bluffs, IA$3.00 Percival, IA$2.87 Overland Park, KS$2.80 El Dorado, KS$2.88 Canute, OK$2.90 San Jon, NM$2.84 Albuquerque, NM$2.84 Holbrook, AZDinner was at Café Ole in Flagstaff last night – delicious! They don’t use lard for their paper-thin chips, which is a darn good thing. The feeling in my legs is slowly returning.Here are some pictures! Oh – and don’t miss the Genghis Cohen show tomorrow night (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day!) – it’s going to be a special one. I get these premonitions… so 7:30PM sharp!

Winter Tour Blog 3: New Mexican Noodles (January 19, 2008)

Here you go:

The Road beckons… more words later.