Dear David Byrne,

Let it be known that I resisted your music for quite a long time. That one summer when I worked at a potpourri-scented Hallmark was enough to make me turn away from you forever. Each time a customer walked in and the Singing Billy Bass would wake up, I wanted to drop-kick that fish and curse you. “Take Me to the River,” at least 15 times a shift.

Coincidentally, that summer job paid for my first computer in college, the computer on which your song “Look Into the Eyeball” was part of the Windows Media Player package. Only a lame musician would get mixed up in that marketing arrangement, I surmised.

Then, a complete change of opinion - or a new pair of ears. A mere two years after poo-pooing all that you contributed to this world, I was sitting in a friend’s living room and he put on an old Talking Heads album. All he had to do was to turn up the volume, and my entire perception of you changed. With those African rhythms backing voices calling out peculiar lyrics, we were soon putting down our fruit punch and pretzels and all three of us in the room were up on our feet, dancing around. I couldn’t tell you which album it was, but the point is...

 

THERE I WAS last Thursday, clapping and whooping and smiling. And you - in a tutu! And I will never forget it, and I am

Forever yours,
Elizabeth

August 24

After Chris and Brendan finished playing their ella's gig, we headed to a small enclosed space of a bar called The Baby Bar (named for its size - no babies drinking beer, I assure you). We had heard that Billy Bob Thornton was in town and, coincidentally, there was a Billy Bob look-alike in our midst! After several sneaky glances, however, we confirmed that it was not him.

But you can kind of see him in the background of this photo.

 

June 3

I purchased this glistening pound of coffee yesterday. It's Cravens Frank's Diner Blend. I've heard that coffee beans aren't supposed to be shiny like this, but at 7:30 in the morning, it tasted pretty darn good fresh out of the French press.

This is why I got up so early on a Sunday morning...

They're the new stars of morning television!

June 2

Hanging up posters for Centerfest2 at SFCC.

March 8

Once again, I find myself at ella's. No free champagne tonight, but the server did give me 50% off my tab. Yeah!

March 3 and 4

More from New York...

Chris pre-audition

Brendan in the subway

Brooklyn bridge awesomeness

Feb 16

Ladies, if you ever want to drink for free, sit alone at a jazz club. This was my prize for my 40 minutes of solitude: a small $18 bottle of champagne, compliments of some friend of the bartender. Sweet!

January 27

This drummer...whoever he may be...can be interpreted as many things, as is indicated in this photo.

January 25

James Pants a.k.a. "Do you even know who I am?" Golden Voice at Prago. And some other guy in a tux who seemed pretty cool.

January 19

Sorry girls, James will NOT play your explicit-lyric music selections for your roller-skating escapades.