A few days is more like it. We had a three day weekend this past one, and we intended to enjoy it. Friday we drove to San Francisco to see a couple events. But first we had brunch at Hebivore, a vegan restaurant with three bay area locations. When you think vegan you might think “no thanks”, but this place would convince you. The food is really good and totally animal free. Check out the menu on their web site with an open mind. Then we went over to the DeYoung Museum to see the Andy Warhol exhibit. It was excellent, and you have two more weeks to see it before it leaves. We arrived just as a free docent tour was starting, so we got a thorough explanations of his life, his motivations, and his work. Then we walked back through to see some of the items we had skipped and to linger over others. There were some seven or eight rooms (from memory) filled with artwork and other items from different periods in his life and/or focusing on different subjects for his art. Also included were some of his experimental films. There was a lot more to him that that Campbells Soup Can painting! Much more after the jump…
A Day In The Life – Take 5
New pix! 2006 Seattle, Bumbershoot, OR, CA, yeah!
Finally!! And it’s about time!! The pictures are online from the 2006 trip to Seattle (including the Bumbershoot Festival, more Seattle, Portland and Eugene (Oregon), and northern California. After only two and a half years! Yeah, baby! Friends Larry and Robin were there, as well as Mama O and some of her friends too. You can see what we did during the trip, our photos, and Larry and Robin’s photos too. Check it out now, you’ll be glad you did, I guarantee it or your money back!!
New pix! The Indio Trip
We recently spent a week in Indio, in Southern California. Petra’s parents rented a house there and let us use their nearby time-share for a week, with friends Larry and Robin there for five of the seven days. And now the photos are on the web site! Check ‘em out here and leave a comment if you want to. Some of the pictures may be a little blurry or fuzzy but then isn’t everybody sometimes? Anyway, just take a look.
Of course, you can read about what we did on the trip too, check it out here. Have fun!!
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Bumbershoot Music And Arts Festival
– Update: The new Bumbershoot web site for 2009 is online as of March 6. Check it out. The first group of performers will be announced later this month, so they say, with more to follow…
– Second update: I can die happy now. Bumbershoot itself commented on this post [see below] and on their site! [click here]
It’s about six months until the 2009 Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival in Seattle. We go there every year, since 2001. And we already have a room reserved for this year, which will be our ninth Bumbershoot.
One of life’s coolest and most wonderful things, Bumbershoot is three full days of 15-20 stages, outdoor and indoor, full of music, comedy, art, dance, literature, theater, film, vendors, street perfomers, visual arts, exhibits, activities, food, and tons of other arts-related stuff. Some of you already know how much I love this festival. Some of you might have even gone with us! Or might go this year? The festival is over Labor Day weekend (this year September 5-7), when the festival has been held for some 38 or so years. I only wish I had known about it sooner.
You can find out more on their web site, although they haven’t put the 2009 site up yet. But you can sure check out the 2008 site to see how very cool this festival is. For instance, you can see what artists played the festival from 1980-2008. Seriously, check it out. There are also some pictures of our Seattle/Bumbershoot trips from 2007, 2005, and 2004 on the photos page. If you want to be on my Bumbershoot email list, for the occasional scoop about the festival and who might be playing this year, just send me an email here or leave a comment below.
As always, open for commenting…
A Warmer Week In Indio
It was gray, cold, and rainy in our town of Sacramento. So when we got offered a week’s stay in southern California, we were more than ready. Petra‘s parents had a timeshare they would let us use, and we took them up on it. We had heard about how nice and warm it is in the Indio-Palm Springs area, even in the winter, so it sounded pretty darned inviting. Since it was a two-bedroom place, we mentioned it to friends Larry and Robin and they met us there and spent five of the seven days with us. From what I am told it was rainy, cold, and gray in our home town while we were gone too. Good time for a short vacation, eh?
Friday, February 13th
We got an early start since we had over 500 miles to go. But after a while on the road we were hungry, so we stopped at Pea Soup Anderson’s for breakfast. They are known for, guess what, their pea soup, but I don’t like pea soup and it was breakfast after all. A pea soup omelet? Pea soup waffles? Pea soup benedict? I don’t think so. We had a normal breakfast. Well, if normal includes waitresses that are very reminiscent of Frau Blucher (video) in the movie Young Frankenstein. And if you haven’t seen that movie then you must see it. Now. Meanwhile, full and happy, we headed onward toward
Petra B. Is An Artist!
My wife and partner, Petra B, will be one of the Swell Sister artists included in a Second Saturday art show, titled Gather The Women. This will be her first time to have a piece of art included in a public showing. Way to go, PB! Her piece is a work of fused glass and wire art, entitled “Five Women”.
As you can see from the postcard at right, the showing will be Saturday December 13th, 2008, at the Coffee Garden. This venue is located at 2904 Franklin Blvd in Sacramento, CA. Click on the postcard graphic to see a larger version. One of the pictures on the card is a glass bowl that Petra created a while back (see top row, fourth from right).
The reception for this event will start at 6:00 PM but you can drop by any time that evening to see the art. Food and coffee are available and there will be music by the Jahari Sai Trio. Bring your friends and come by the Coffee Garden on December 13th to see Petra‘s latest and greatest work of art “Five Women”. And check out the rest of the Sisters’ art too, of course!!
New pix! Las Vegas/Grand Canyon Mini-Vacation
It was only four nights, two in Vegas and two cold nights at the Canyon. But we did a lot and we saw a lot. And now the photos are on the site! Check ’em out here and leave a comment if you want to. Some of the picture may be a little blurry or fuzzy but then so is life sometimes. Cellphones can take pictures, but can they take good pictures? Anyway, just take a look.
Of course, you can read about the trip too, part one is here and part two is here. Have fun!
The Las Vegas/Grand Canyon Trip – Days 3-5
We (me, Petra, Larry, and Robin) got up the morning of October 12th and hit the road. Well, not literally. But we had a long 5-6 hour drive ahead to the Grand Canyon. Along the way we stopped in Williams on legendary Route 66 and had a picnic lunch. We stopped at a coffee shop there for some caffeinated refreshment. Then we continued our drive, heading toward a huge plume of ominous-looking dark smoke. Was the Grand Canyon on fire? Naaa, I didn’t think so. They were just doing a controlled burn nearby. Whew! So we finally arrived at the South Rim and before even checking into our rooms we had to stop and look at the view from Mather Point. Wow! That is one big hole in the ground! We walked around and admired the view for a bit then headed to check in.
It was a decent, clean room and we headed back to the nearby Canyon for sunset. We got there a little too late, so we decided to check that out tomorrow evening. So, instead, well, let’s eat! At one of the lodges they had a sort or food court with different types of food, most places with a vegetarian option or two. Fed and happy, we went to a different lodge nearby that had a big fireplace (remember, it got down to aout 20 degrees at night). We had a drink and sat a while near the fireplace, then we headed back to the rooms, visiting for a while first in our friends’ room. Then it was nighty nightime…
The Las Vegas/Grand Canyon Trip – Days 1-2
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. But how interesting is that? Bah! So here are the facts about what happened in Las Vegas, more or less, pretty much, you know what I mean. And don’t panic, the Grand Canyon part of the trip will be in the next post. And pictures will be here one of these days too.
We flew Our plane flew out of Sacramento fairly early on the morning of the 10th. It was a short and uneventful flight. Our friends Larry and Robin picked us up at the airport. What were they doing there, you ask? Well, since you asked, they were driving a van across country for a relative and hooked up with us for the 4-5 days of this trip. 
After the warm and fuzzy “hi good to see you” part, we headed to the Original Pancake House (inside a casino of course) for a enormous hearty breakfast. Then after we gambled there for a little while, we headed to the Riviera Casino to pick up our tickets to tonight’s show. We’ll get to that in a few. But now it was time to check into the Worldmark, our hotel for the next two nights. It was a nice, roomy place with two bedrooms, two baths, and a kitchen. Of course by then we were hungry again. 😉
So we went to Komol Thai Restaurant, where we had gone on our previous Vegas trip. And it was good this time too. Then it was back to
The Excellent Seattle Trip: Days 6 – 8
Note: Be sure to check out some of the links too!!
Monday 9/1
The last day of the Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival. Yikes! So let’s enjoy it!! After a quick monorail ride to the festival grounds, we strategized in the hospitality area. And we ate. Hey, you gotta eat or you’ll die, right? We started the days entertainment with an hour containing two short independent fims grouped loosely under the title of Portrait Of The Artist. The films were a bit weird but harmless and not bad really. Then on to the main stage for recently popular modern rockers Paramore. They are a young and energetic band with a charismatic female singer, and we were up pretty close to the stage. I had ony heard a song or two by them but ended up liking their entire set. I’ll have to watch for their CD. Oh, and as a general side note, there will be pictures of them and the rest of the trip up on this site soon. Check back often! Then, when the pictures are not here yet, you can grumble “Why is Steven so slow?” Ha! It’s fun, try it! Anyway,
The Excellent Seattle Trip: Days 4 – 5
Note: Be sure to check out some of the links too!!
Saturday 8/30
Today is the first day of the Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival. We are totally psyched and even more ready. Lots of music and almost every kind of arts spanning what, 15 or so stages, and elsewhere on the grounds too. It’s huge and wonderful! Check out their web site! We got there and ended up standing in a bit of a line to get in, since it is such a popular event. Once in, we headed to the hospitality area. Since we had bought the “gold passes“, we got an indoor area (with private restrooms) and free snacks and beverages all day long. We were with friends Larry and Robin and we met up with Mama O and her posse there too. Then the various groups headed their various ways. Petra and I went to see
The Excellent 2008 Seattle Trip: Days 1 – 3
Note: Be sure to check out some of the links too!!
Wednesday 8/27
We flew into Seattle. Actually the plane did, but we were on it. There was me and Petra, friends Larry and Robin, and Mama O (who would meet up with the rest of her posse later). We took a crowded bus to the Camlin hotel. It let us off right across the street which was very convenient. We checked in and took a quick look at the nice rooms. But of course we were all hungry so we walked a block over to Cyber Dogs Internet Cafe and Vegetarian Oasis, a great vegetarian hot dog place. The dogs are meatless but good and the toppings more than make up for that. I’ve tried a couple different ones over the last few trips and all were great. The menu is here, check out the specialty dogs. After food, what else is important? You guessed it. We took a quick and easy bus ride to the state-run liquor store. Yar!! Then we started walking back to the hotel and
Bumbershoot 2008 – Less Than Four Weeks Away!
This is where we go every year for the past seven years and again this year (and next!). It’s the Bumbershoot Music And Arts Festival in Seattle. Go to their web site right away for more info. It is most awesome.
Basically, the festival is 15 or so stages and venues (give or take a couple) with tons of music, comedy, drama, literary arts, dance, film, visual arts, and lots more. Why not check out our pictures from previous years. And click here to see who is playing this year!
See you there…?
A Day In The Life – Take 2
Last Friday we took a day trip and met up with friends Larry and Robin in San Francisco. The main reason? To see the Chihuly Exhibit at the DeYoung Museum. Dale Chihuly is the most famous glass artist working today and for good reason. Check out his wikipedia page to learn more about him or his official site to see more of his work. I”m serious, his work is amazing.
But wait! There’s more! You can see our pictures of the Chihuly Exhibit on Petra’s site or go directly to them here. The pieces look awesome and when you remember that it is all glass it is even more stunning. One work was over 30 feet long, others filled a room or a stage. The presentation was superb but it was the glass that was the true star. Take a look, I’ll bet you will agree. And, oh yeah, we toured most of the rest of the museum too.
That was well worth the trip, but while there we grabbed lunch at the DeYoung Cafe and then dinner at a vegetarian chinese place that is going out of business at the end of the month. No need to link to them I guess ;-(
Have you seen the exhibit? Ot at least Petra’s photos? What do you think?
New Pix! Well, New To You Anyway…
Greetings, gentle readers. I have finally posted the pictures from last year’s Seattle trip! See the glory of the Emerald City, view us and our posse, check out the annual Bumbershoot Festival, and much more! You can also read an exciting written summary of what we did, which will amaze and astound you. And the photos! There are some that we took and also some different ones that Larry and Robin took. Check ’em out and let me know what you think…
