Here is everything I love . . . .

I had a fantastic experience recently. I went on a Musical Plates food tour with White Moustache here in Seattle. We rode around on a bus with OK Sweetheart’s Erin Austin. She sang some songs and we tried some delicious food. I discovered that you can have good ribs in Seattle, fried pickles are delightful, there’s such a thing as a hot dog slider and it tastes about what you’d expect, my own macaroni and cheese is better than that of some pretty good chefs, homemade potato chips are a wonderful breakfast treat the next morning, Trophy Cupcakes are fantastic, and a brisket sandwich from a food truck can be exactly what you need at that moment in time to make everything right with the world.

Wow, that is quite a run on sentence. In honor of the gritty streets of Seattle (Ha!) I am leaving it exactly as is. Don’t tell Dr. Erickson, my college advisor and favorite English teacher. She would not approve, even if I am doing it on purpose and know better. I think it makes me sound a little like a detective in a 1940s dime store novel. I know I’m the only one who thinks that but it’s my blog and I get to indulge my own fantasies sometimes. 

The greatest thing about the whole darn Musical Plates trip? Why it’s Bryce Lathrop, Mr. White Moustache himself. He’s knowledgable. He loves food and music. He’s funny. He carries a bottle of whiskey in a paper bag. Scratch that, he might have a bottle of whiskey in a paper bag if it’s legal. He is a great promoter and knows the Seattle scene of music and food. 

I love the Pike Place Market. My parents pushed me in a stroller through the Market and we bought our produce there when I was a kid. The Market is not just for tourists but is a glittering gem on the crown of Seattle, I might even say that it’s the centerpiece of the table at a great banquet. I might say that but it’s just ridiculous hyperbole. The Market is a wonderful place for native, transplant, and even tourist (Is that a dig on tourists blocking my path while they take pictures? You can judge for yourself)  but I don’t need a tour of the Market. There’s nothing on a tour for me to discover that I can’t do on my own and that I probably haven’t already.

What makes Bryce’s White Moustache tours so wonderful is that he’s taking me to new and interesting places, maybe even quirky places. It’s even better when they’re places that I have driven by and haven’t noticed.

All right, Tom Douglas makes great coconut cream pie already. I’ve had it. I’ve been to a class where he showed how to cook it. I have the recipe. I want and need to discover something new and interesting and that’s where Bryce comes in. He searches the mean streets of Seattle, from Ballard to the U District and beyond, to find interesting food and people with interesting stories. He tells their stories and you get to experience their food. Oh, and the food is good, too, and surprising, and unexpected, and unusual. 

Join me on the tour in June. I can’t wait. It’s a bargain with lots of food, great stories, and wonderful entertainment from the band Local Strangers. 

http://www.thelocalstrangers.com/

http://whitemoustache.com/musicalplates

What are you waiting for? 

Coldplay killed it in Seattle last week. I’ve seen them before but this was an extravaganza and better seats made this one of the best show experiences ever. I love me some indie singer songwriters but sometimes this just must be done. They are very ernest and Chris Martin is so limber and wry. Anyone who doesn’t see the humor with which this band conducts business isn’t listening. It was well worth the traffic and parking efforts on a school night. 

heraesthetic:

THANK YOU SO MUCH GAVIN DeGRAW! Ahhh, showered beyond belief with love! :) CHECK IT OUT, REBLOG, LIKE, whatever you want… & SPREAD IT AROUND LIKE BUTTER AND JAM! 

I saw an amazing show last December. In it the band Pickwick covered The Ostrich. It was wonderful!

campfireok:

Last weekend Mychal and I were invited to play with our friend Le Wrens and St. Paul de Vence. We went under the name “Bonfire So-So”. It was truly a magical evening for us. To strip down our “rock ‘n roll” to this intimate sound opened up the songs to truly breathe. To all who came, thank you. To…

(Source: campfireok)

I was lucky enough to see Ingrid Michaelson’s pop up show in Seattle at the Tractor Tavern, a small club that only holds 200 people. Oh, and I was in the front row. It was also extra cool that they opened the doors 30 minutes early. Well, it was if you were already standing in line. Fun night. I can’t wait for her full show at the Moore Theater in April. 

Ingrid said these were fan shows and it was obvious because people were quiet when they should be. That’s a first. 

Allie Moss accompanied Ingrid and she was just great, too. She’s a solo artist as well and I got a chance to see her in August. 

I got a Flip video camera for my birthday. I had literally never taken a video in my life. A few days later I tried it out at a Gavin DeGraw concert. Obviously, I had a lot to learn and the lighting wasn’t too good for my camera but this was an incredible moment. It was the first night of the tour promoting Free. We had a meet and greet beforehand so that’s why we weren’t at the front. When Gavin came out for the M & G I said to my friend, “Is he hatless?” I have my picture with a hatless Gavin. A few years later when he signed it he told me that it was one in a million. 

Is there anyone better than this man? Or these men? Love Gavin DeGraw. He’s an incredible performer. Nice to see Billy Norris accompany him. What a fun event this was. So thankful to Star 101.5 for giving me the opportunity to see Gavin and Billy.