More pictures from the Sugar Mill

2009-05-30 Wedding at the Sugar Mill, Clarksburg, CA

While driving down the delta road to Clarksburg, I often noticed the old sugar mill and wondered what was going to happen to this amazing old factory building. Someone turned it into a winery, where I played a wedding on Saturday night. I've often thought that the Delta could turn into a food destination like Napa County, and perhaps this is one of the early signs.

George Bruno at the Elks

I played at the Elks (right around the corner) with George Bruno today. John Doolittle was playing saxophone. And as I always say, "It's not a show unless Doolittle is playing it." He told me a hilarious story about a trial he was on the jury of. The defendant's alibi? That they were fishing all day. I told Doolittle that if I ever need an alibi, it will be that I was fishing with him all day.

Rachel at the wedding

Rachel Songer listening to a song on her iPod before the set.

How to draw a fist #37

Van near Sacramento City College

Sixteen miles to the gallon

Today I took my Prius into the Toyota dealer for its 60k service. They had to keep it overnight so they loaned me this Highlander.

A really big Chinese mask

I can't promise this will be the last TOMMY picture

...there are so many good ones on Facebook!

We're a sensation, cont.

More TOMMY photos

TOMMY at the Crest Theatre 5/25/09

We're a sensation

Tommy rehearsal in Davis. Many people commented that it was the loudest rehearsal they've ever attended. Pete Townsend would be proud.

A painting in a customer's house

Found inside a piano

A racy painting

Paul Basye is holding up a racy manga-inspired image painted by one of his student/clients.

Too sexy for a regular exhibition — for private viewing only.

I parked here today

Award-winning bathroom

This bathroom is in a popular downtown restaurant. When you go to the sink, it looks like there is a mirror behind it. In fact, you are looking through clear glass at the identical sink in the women's rest room. There is even an identical paper towel dispenser behind the sink in the other room. The illusion persists even if you happen to see a person in the other room.

Two of my musical idols

Bobby Hutcherson and Mike McMullen.

A piano signed by Abbey Simon

He's really famous. Google him.

Band in a record store

Nothing says "bachelor apartment"...

...like a motorcycle in the living room.

Bug on the nose

At the Cafe Morocco, I saw this photo on the wall and thought, "How weird. A photo of a girl with a bug on her nose." Then I notice that it was a real bug caught under the glass. 

Michael Nelson band at the Fox & Goose!

Michael Nelson band at the Fox & Goose 5-14-09

A mysterious landscape

Six-foot dandelions

Next to my customer's house today was a foreclosed house. Someone should come mow the lawn.

Tommy sound

The Key 2 part in Tommy calls for what I assume is a very aggressive Clavinet patch.

I got to play with the World's Greatest Drummer...

...Elaine Lord.

Went to a movie tonight..

...and it was big fun!

Komen Race for the Cure

Today I walked in the Vox team at the Race for the Cure and made some new friends. I also saw some teams with silly names. 

Nina's landscape

This illustration has something to do with the idea that if you're a great barista, you can make something beautiful out of even Maxwell House beans. Besides that, I put in images which refer to friends and family. To the right is a bust of Jennifer, below that a guitar representing my old friend Michael Evert, and above the sculptor's head is a landscape by Nina Weiss. (Let's see if she picks this up with her Google Alert...)

Brick at Woodland Opera House

I was tuning at the Woodland Opera House today and on their set they had some really realistic looking brick walls. They made it from 4 by 8 sheets of styrofoam which their technician cut with a soldering iron and then painted with a roller. Even from up close it is very convincing. 

A check from McGraw-Hill

This is for a cartoon in a textbook — I'm not sure which one.

DVD commentary song

Joss Whedon's Internet musical Dr. Horrible's Singalong Blog was a brilliant hit. Now, for the DVD commentary, he has written a song that is both a commentary on the musical and the act of commenting itself. This performance is from a live This American Life broadcast. According to Ira Glass, before this performance, Whedon (who fairly recently taught himself piano so he could write musicals) had never performed for more than nine people. 

Went to Second City

...for the first time in 4 years, and saw Nina Weiss, my old classmate, for the first time in 28 years! She used to look like Maria Schneider; now she looks like the young Carrie Fisher. 

A square grand...

...in one of the miniature Thorne rooms at the Art Institute.

You're famous!

I was standing near American Gothic and overheard a couple of kids talking to the painting. "Grant Wood, you're famous. The Simpsons talked about you. Family Guy talked about you."

Best event ever!

We had our best Peace Corps event ever at Sierra 2 on Wednesday night. Our Nom (for people nominated to serve overseas) Party is usually a quiet affair, but this time we had fifty people in a tiny room plus a cameraman (from...?) and Anita Creamer writing a piece for the Bee. Above you see me handing a check to a guy from the Friends of Yimbo group.

Spitting fountain, Millenium Park

Spitting fountain, continued