Monday, March 30, 2009

Gable Mansion

Gable Mansion, Woodland 03-30-09

Today I went to the Gable Mansion to tune a piano. It was a square grand, so I couldn't tune it, so instead I got a personal tour from the owner. Amazing!

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

This used to be Neptune's Table...


...a very old-fashioned restaurant. Then it was briefly a nightclub. I don't remember the name, except they had Al Green (yes, that one!) on opening night. Then it was the Highlander, featuring Scottish cuisine. (There can be only one.) Then it was a sushi place which thriftily kept the name Highlander. Now, it's quickly turning into a dump. 

They displayed Jack's head on the countertop...


...as a warning to the others.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Mind the knocker



My customer's doorknocker reminds me of the London Underground sign.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Yesterday we saw Avenue Q


... on its national tour. Unique and hilarious show. I strongly recommend that you listen to the soundtrack, too, because it's hard to catch all the words in performance. A truly funny song is a glorious thing, and this show has a lot of them. 

Our Peace Corps wine tasting fundraiser was a success...


we raised almost $600 which will be divided up among four projects. Above are Zande (she served in Peru) and Natalie (a Peace Corps groupie).
Next year we're going to raise even more money. 

Saturday, March 21, 2009

View from the stage


I fixed a keyboard problem at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret today; I took this picture from the stage.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

How to Succeed


I played piano for How to Succeed at Sac State today. I had never played in their theatre before... quite nice! The set, costumes, and acting were quite good. But the show lasted over three hours... how'd that happen? 

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

How to Succeed


I'm going to be subbing on piano for a couple of performances of How to Succeed... at Sac State. I've never done a show there... should be fun.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

These are made from free range cats...


...who were raised on a vegetarian diet.

Peace Corps Day


On Peace Corps Day, Fran Kennedy wore a sari. I didn't have a costume. But I swear I'm going to get one by next year!

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Roberta and Martin, then and now

I'm doing a cabaret show with Roberta Mumm and Martin Beal. Above (from the wall of Roberta's studio): twenty years ago in Pirates of Penzance. Below, today. 

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

A former mailbox...


...screwed shut and painted over. I hope they removed all the mail first.

Monday, March 09, 2009

Sunday, March 08, 2009

I found my dream girl...


...Dora Carrington, as portrayed by Emma Thompson in the movie Carrington. 

Friday, March 06, 2009

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Mural at the Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek



Frank Warren


We went to Walnut Creek (1 hr. 20 min. drive) to see a show of Postsecret cards and hear a talk by the Postsecret founder, Frank Warren (here seen signing books). After his talk people came up to a microphone and told their secrets. Powerfully moving. 
Postsecret is a fascinating art project and social phenomenon, but it has also demonstrably saved hundreds and possibly thousands of lives. 

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Me playing chess in college


Chris Harvey, my onetime dormmate, posted this picture. Note the homemade chess set. 

A Hohner concertina?


Hohner is famous for harmonicas, of course, which made me wonder if accordions, concertinas, and harmonicas all had the same kind of reeds inside.

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Period piece


I showed my friend, a woman of a certain age, an article about a Leonardo self-portrait discovered in his Codex on the Flight of Birds. She remarked, "I used to use Codex, but I don't have to any more."

Another piano-related tragedy


This is the lyre (pedal frame) from a Yamaha grand at Sacramento City College. Kathleen Poe (head of the music department) watched in horror as a team of men rolled the piano into an obstacle and tore the lyre off. 
But as my grandmother used to say: there's hardly anything that a little marine-grade epoxy can't fix.