Yesterday was fantastic. My good old friend Feff and his fiance Adriana had caught a cruise ship from L.A. to Vancouver. Three choppy, nauseous days by sea, apparently. Made it to downtown Vancouver by 8am yesterday. I met them in Chinatown. Their first time in Van.
We wandered around checking out various incongruous parts of Vancouver. RC Weslowski met up with us in Gastown and we wandered up Main Street. Not the best day for walking, as we’d stop every fifteen minutes for cover from the rain.
It was so awesome to be with such good friends from different worlds. It was like showing family an old, favorite haunt. Seeing Feff and Adriana in a setting I love so dearly was sublime.
We stopped at Old Town Cafe at Main and Broadway and talked and talked. I stood to use the restroom at one point and, while I waited, I watched the three of them chat and chat and get along.
We parted from RC and made our way to Cafe Montmartre for Thundering Word.
Later they kept commenting how much they really liked RC.
I signed up to read and we met a number of my friends there.
The featured performer was Hilary Grist. Never heard her music before, but I became mesmerized with her voice and songs. She sat at a keyboard and played these lovely tunes, accompanied by another singer-violinist who filled in with harmonies and strings. They were wonderful.
After the show, I approached Hilary to buy her CD. I flipped out when she told me that her husband is Mike Southworth — the man who recorded T.O.F.U.’s second album. That recording process was so wonderful, it endeared us to Mike. His studio in Vancouver is fantastic. What a neat coincidence!
Hilary said she knew my work because after each T.O.F.U. session, Mike would bring home the newest tracks to play her out of excitement. So neat. Glad I bought her album. It sounds great. As it should — Mike recorded that as well. Look up Hilary Grist! She’s Hilary Great!
TODAY
I am going to head up to a cafe on Commercial Drive and sit and watch people and the weather. I will attend Magpie Ulysses feature tonight at the VanSlam.
TOMORROW
I Amtrak it back to Everett, Washington for one last day hanging with Art.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 5
I fly to Chico, California — one day before my show there.
THURSDAY, MAY 6
Show at Chico State University. Whitney Dining at 9:00pm.
FRIDAY, MAY 7
Amtrak to San Jose. Probably won’t get to hang out. Pretty much straight to the airport most likely.
SATURDAY, MAY 8
Depending on travel, I will fly to Manchester or Boston. The ultimate goal is to get to Manchester to host their Poetry Slam Grand Championship.
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Word to the nerd.
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