PopWars – Page 178 – Coke vs. Pepsi ~ that sort of thing.

July 14, 2010August 22, 2019

She’s A Mud House

Mud house on Webster Avenue in Rochester, NY

Webster Avenue is our preferred route to downtown so we travel it quite a bit. I read about the mud house that is being built there in City News but I couldn’t find it the first few times we drove by. It’s tucked behind another building, right near Rosedale Terrace where my mother grew up. In City I read that “Superadobes are the brainchild of architect and author Nader Khalili, who taught the technique at Cal-Earth Architecture, a California-based design center he founded in 1986.” This is the first one in New York State. The building seems to be going up under the direction of a church group because two of the people we met when we stopped by are called “Brother” and “Sister” and they didn’t look related by blood. And the worker bees are all city kids. The girl above was taking photos of us while I was taking photos of the giant beehive (and her). Her shirt read, “Before My Boyfriend Comes.” I didn’t ask.

Margaret Explosion plays tonight at RoCo on East Avenue. It’s a benefit for David and Sally’s son Oscar. He has a condition (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) that will seriously compromise his strength for the rest of his life. They’re raffling off an iPad as well. Come on out for a worthwhile event. Details.

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July 12, 2010August 22, 2019

España Ubuntu

Lemoncello Cafe in East Rochester, New York

South Africans have this word, “Ubuntu”, for the concept that we are all interconnected. There has to be a Spanish equivalent to it because the stars from Cataln’s Barco team and the stars from Real Madrid aligned perfectly for Spain’s thrilling finale to 2010’s Copa del Mundo.

We watched this one at home on ABC and our little tv while sipping a World Cup drink that first learned about four or five World Cups ago. That would be about twenty years. It has become our tradition. The recipe was in the paper and it may have included other ingredients but the way we do it is: Wine (inexpensive Spanish Red), lime juice and sugar, served over ice.

We watched Saturday’s runner-up game out in East Rochester, Rochester’s Little Italy, at a place called “Lemoncello”. They have a little café like setting in the front of their building with fresh Italian pastries and a cozy dinning room, bar and stage in the rear. Most the people in this place were watching the game outdoors on the patio on a big projection screen. We nixed that idea right away because the picture was sort of bleached by the sun. They also had a merchandise table out there with t-shirts, jerseys and warm up jackets for most of the big teams, Italy being one of them even though they were eliminated so quickly. We watched the game on a big shiny Panasonic in their dining room while eating calamari. This was a great game with Uruguay coming from behind to go ahead before losing to Germany who we earlier had became convinced were going the whole way. But when Spain took on Germany in the semifinals we quickly realigned our allegiances to our post US favorites, España.

After the game I tried on the Spanish warm up jacket and Peggi took a picture. There was way too much polyester there for me to consider it. I settled on red, yellow and black España T-shirt and Peggi announced that she had a premonition that I must wear this shirt until the game in order for Spain to win. The shirt was a little snug and I was worried about putting it in the dryer so I asked if this meant that I had to sleep in it. I didn’t. When we walked the morning of the game I kept the white T-shirt on that I had slept in. And then, well before game time, I put the shirt on. When it was still 0-0 in the second half I began to worry ithat I had jinxed the team and at the end of regulation I was certain I had. With four minutes left in the second overtime Spain came through!

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July 9, 2010August 22, 2019

Reformation, Resurrection

World Cup at our neighbor's house — World Cup at our neighbor’s house

Couldn’t help but talk a little World Cup with my brother at my aunt’s funeral service this morning. My brother thought Germany would have beat Spain if Müller had been allowed to play. I told him Spain cleaned Germany’s clock and controlled the whole field for the whole game or at least 65% of it. Forget about Germany and Brazil. Spain plays the “beautiful game.”

We were on the road to the church this morning when Peggi asked me if we knew where we were going. I had my aunt’s obituary in my pocket and took it out to read “Church of the Reformation” but there wasn’t any street address. So we turned around and googled it back home. There was a Church of the Reformation downtown but it was Lutheran so I looked at the obit again and it read “Resurrection” which sounds a lot more Catholic. We were a little late and I was thinking how people used to say I would be late to my own funeral and I’d say, “that sounds like a good idea.” but I’m not so sure anymore.

My father gave a nice little talk about his sister and their close knit neighborhood in the 19th ward. He finished with how he will always remember her smile. It seemed she was always laughing in the old days. I think she really enjoyed life.

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July 8, 2010August 22, 2019

Beatles Or Bottles

New Math at Orange Monkey in Rochester, New York

Every time I hear a Beatles song I think of the bikers at “Big Daddy’s” on Lyell Avenue who challenged “New Math” with shouts of “Beatles or bottles”. They didn’t like what we were playing and I can’t quite remember how Kevin handled it but it seems like he announced one of our songs as an “obscure Beatle song”. At least that sounds like something he would do.

We streamed “Stones in Exile” last night with our Netflix app. We had the iPad cranked through the stereo and the footage from the “Exile” period was great. I have the double lp out and have played it quite a bit since reading the 33 1/3 book on the lp. That corresponded with the re-release of the remaster lp on a double cd. I ripped a copy of that while at a friend’s but haven’t listened to it yet. I don’t think I can handle the new tracks that Mick tarted up.

We stopped down at Vic & Irv’s while Duane was here and he spotted a skull and cross bones tattoo on the back of neck of the woman behind the grill. Rochester’s Lou Gramn was playing on the sound system. Their onion rings and milk shakes are sensational and have been since I started coming here back in the British Invasion days. In the Stones documentary Kieth says Mick’s rock and he’s roll. I have always felt that Vic & Irv’s is Stones compared to Don & Bob’s Beatles. The Beatles may have been more musical but the Stones have better hot sauce.

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July 7, 2010August 22, 2019

Pink or Blue

Hydrangeas in yard off Rocket Street in Rochester, NY

Hydrangeas around here are either pink or blue. Supposedly the color is determined by ph of the soil but that may just be an old wives tale. They are usually more fun than the truth. I’ve seen pink and blue flowers on the same bush. Maybe the pink ones are boys and blue ones girls.

Richard Margolis . The last time we were in the Pelican Restaurant on East Main we were having lunch with our old neighbor, Sparky. It’s changed names now but not cliental. We sat across from a cop who was eatting bacon, eggs and toast. He was reading the front page story on the sentencing of the former Greece NY police chief. We were meeting with photographer, Richard Margolis, who was just back from Tel Aviv. We were planning to meet in his studio but his air conditioning gave out in the heat. We are designing a book of his photos of Israel public art.

Peggi was supposed to take her mom to the doctor this afternoon but we had to cancel that for the World Cup match. We scurried down to our neighbors house to watch the Spain play Germany. We had seen Germany play four times this tournament and we were convinced they were going to go the whole way but it was impossible for us to route against Spain and we were thrilled to see them win 1-0. It really is tough getting work done during the Copa Mundial.

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July 6, 2010August 22, 2019

We Pick

Peggi's feet overlooking Blue Mountain Lake from Castle Rock in the Adirondacks — Peggi’s feet overlooking Blue Mountain Lake from Castle Rock in the Adirondacks

We picked two more pans of raspberries from the garden. You really need to wearing long sleeve shirts and full length pants when you get out there in the prickers but it was too hot for that. Peggi made a pie and plans to make another today after the World Cup. I’m afraid Paraquay’s going down today but it would be nice to see them upset the Netherlands apple cart. We had more raspberries for breakfast. I’ve been picking seeds out from between my teeth for days. I’ve been afraid to use my Waterpik, in fear that I’ll drive one of those little seeds up my gums.

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July 2, 2010August 22, 2019

Loons

Peggi and I jumped at the the chance to slip into the void and spend a few days in the mountains at a cabin with a stuffed moose head, a whole stuffed mountain lion, a stuffed snapping turtle and something that looked like a stuffed crow. Actually those animals were all in my sister’s cottage. We were staying in the knotty pine lined cabin next door along with my parents. We threw the contents of our refrigerator into a cooler and split right after our noon phone conference on Tuesday.

We climbed Castle Rock trail near Indian Lake on Wednesday, went kayaking and sat around the fire at night. My father bought a bird app for his iPad and my brother-in-law hooked it up to his iPod speakers so my father could play loon sounds to answer the real loon that was calling from the woods. They got an interesting dialog going but our nephew said the other voice may have just been another guy on his iPad.

On Thursday we drove an hour north up to Pete and Shelley’s place in the Adirondacks. We got trapped between a Whiteman camper with a Marines sticker on it and a drunk delivery truck driver who kept crossing the yellow line in our rear view mirror. We surprised Pete and Shelley and took a hike across the marsh and up the hills out back. Shelley took us to a wild strawberry patch. At about one tenth the size of farm raised they have an delicious, intense flavor. She pointed out a deadly “Death Cap” mushroom and some golden Chantrells that she was planning to pick when they got a little bigger. On the way back to Rochester we listened to the Brazil game as they lost to the Netherlands.

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June 29, 2010August 22, 2019

Plastic Poinsettias

Sparky's Poinsettias — Sparky’s Poinsettias

I was on the phone with our neighbor, Rick, when our other neighbor, Leo, rang the doorbell. Leo asked if we could show him how to use the Garmin GPS unit he bought. He assumed we were tech savvy enough to have experience with these things. We walked out to the driveway and I plugged it into our cigarette lighter.

Leo told us he was out in Webster the night before and he took a wrong turn and couldn’t figure out where he was. We stumbled through the clunky interface and pecked out his home address and removed the “untitled” entries he had set up on his own. We punched in the Wegmans location near us, his daughter’s address, his lady friend’s address and then I asked him, “Where else do you go these days?” He thought for a while and said, “Toastmaster’s, once a month”, so we typed in that address and I demonstrated how the device could give us directions from directions from our driveway to his house next door.

I stopped by our former neighbor’s place this morning to see how he was doing. I rang the doorbell and l spotted some beautiful red flowers in the backyard. I complimented Sparky on the flowers and he laughed and said he found them in box and stuck them in the ground. “They’re plastic Poinsettias.”

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June 28, 2010August 22, 2019

Lovely Ball

We get our tv off the air so we’re limited to the few World Cup games that ABC decides to share. And then on Saturday when we could have watched he US game at home we were out at my father’s history talk in Brighton. When that finished we ran down the street to the Otter Lounge. They had ten big Toshibas lining the walls, all tuned to the USA/Ghana game and a pretty big crowd. The US was out hustled in the first half. They came back strong in the second and tied the game but then lost deservedly in overtime.

I read online that Sunday’s England/Germany game was on ABC but we found a political talk show on when tuned in. I called my parents and asked if we could me over and watch the game there. My dad was just climbing out of bed when we arrived. We went in routing for England. My family has roots there and of course, Paul Dodd is England’s number one soccer hooligan. I don’t care if they lost a goal to a bad call. They were completely out classed by Germany and we switched allegiances. Germany moved the ball with such incredible control I think they’re going all the way.

Mexico played Arentina in the afternoon game and we decided to watch this one out at Peggi’s mom’s place. I called her and asked if we could come out and watch the game and she said, “OK, but the World Cup is over.” I said, “It may be over for the US but it won’t be over until the final on July 11th.

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June 26, 2010August 22, 2019

Wish You Were Beer

Further at Highland Bowl in Rochester, New York

Our friend, John Gilmore, won a pair of tickets to the Further show at Highland Bowl. He was the ninth caller to Scott Regan’s WRUR morning show. He already had tickets so he gave them to us and encouraged us to go. He was there early enough to hear the sound check and stake out the perfect spot for his chair. We got there just before the show and wandering around looking for him for whole first set. The Bowl was packed, wall to wall tie dye, and if that was Frederick Douglas instead of a statue of him looking out over the crowd he would be stunned at what post emancipation looks like. We watched a guy pass out as he walked. He fell over a group of people who were sitting on a blanket spilling a woman’s beer. She jumped up and said, “That beer cost me seven dollars.”

The band opened with Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away.” We had just seen a “Not Fade Away” t-shirt and another one that said, “Wish You Were Beer.” The smell of pot filled the air, not the old fashioned scent but pungent, skunky stuff. The band was playing Traffic’s “Feelin’ Alright” when a group of kids in front of us asked if we had seen a bone bowl. I could barely hear with my earplugs in and said, “What?” “A small bone bowl pipe. I just had it a second ago.” The band sounds like the Dead on steroids doing athletic versions of their classics and crazy covers like “Strawberry Fields” and Pink Floyd’s “Time”. The sound was fantastic. The intermission music was all James Brown.

Phil Lesh and Bob Weir’s band includes a guitar player from a Dead cover band who sounds like Garcia when he sings and sort of sounds like him when he plays and a piano/organist who is the musical foundation. They do an admirable job of carrying on the Dead legacy. I’m glad we were beer.

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June 24, 2010August 22, 2019

This Is Not A Coal Tower

Pittsford kind of gives me the creeps but it looked pretty cool today as this big rain storm moved in. A suburb of Rochester, it’s an Erie Canal town gone prepsville with the Pendleton Shop, Starbucks and Ben & Jerry’s at the four corners. I’m calling this building the coal tower but I think the coal tower is shorter and off to the right. I should get my facts right before opening my mouth but I don’t. I’m sure Pittsford has a rich, colorful history but has been pretty much obliterated.

My father is presenting a talk on the history of the Buckland farmland in Brighton this Saturday at noon. Based on The Edmunds diaries, 40 handwritten books by a father and son, it’s an account of West Brighton farm life in the late 1800’s. Reservations are required.

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June 23, 2010August 22, 2019

Big Deal

Joe Deal's "Watering, Phillips Ranch, California" 1983 — Joe Deal’s “Watering, Phillips Ranch, California” 1983

Joe Deal is dead at 62. That’s one of his photos above. He emerged as a leading figure in the new wave of American photographers when 18 of his black and white photographs were included in the enormously influential exhibition “New Topographics: Photographs of a Man-Altered Landscape.” The exhibition, which William Jenkins organized at the George Eastman House in Rochester in 1975, is now regarded by historians as a turning point in American photography. I took two photography classes at the UoR in 1977 that were taught by Bill Jenkins and I loved them. I don’t print from b&w negs anymore but that doesn’t have anything to do with what Bill taught me.

We were all set to watch the US vs. Algeria game at ten this morning but it wasn’t on ABC like the last US games were. So we took a bowl of fruit down to our neighbors and asked if we could watch the game there. They have cable tv and the game was broadcast on ESPN. It was a real nail biter. US had to win to advance and they did so, 1-0, in the 91st minute.

As if that wasn’t enough excitement, we came back to work and we were previewing a Flash movie that Peggi had constructed on on cancer and the immune system when the house shook. Peggi felt the floor shake and I thought it was the roof was shaking. I couldn’t imagine who would be on our roof. It was a Magnitude-5.0 earthquake that was centered over Ottawa. My mom called later to tell us she was having an EKG and the nurse had just left the room with the equipment cart. She let the door close and just as it closed the building shook. My mom was naked and couldn’t imagine what the nurse had run into with the cart.

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June 22, 2010August 22, 2019

Beautiful Decay

Kentucky Fried Chicken on East Main Street in Rochester, NY

There was an article about abandoned homes in Detroit (Peggi’s home town) in the Sunday paper and I cut out a picture of a house engulfed in vegetation. It wasn’t even boarded up to keep people out. No one wanted in. And today there was a story in the business section about the 33 per cent of Califoria home owners who have negative equity in their homes. This article featured a photo of a boarded up house in Oakland. It looked a lot like our friend Brad’s house so I cut that out too. I get the feeling that I am one of the only people left who reads a newspaper so I’m recapping these news items for you. Besides, I am attracted to decay for some reason.

When we stopped in Peggi’s mom’s place to take her out to dinner she was watching a show on the History channel about the Bermuda Triangle. Last week it was America’s Funniest Home Videos. They had a clip of a dog opening the refrigerator and helping himself to food.

We decided on “Black & Blue” in Pittsford Plaza. The place was just about packed on a Tuesday night. Peggi and I ordered the Red Snapper special and her mom ordered the Mahi Mahi. We started by sharing an appetizer of Calamari. We order this whenever we see it on a menu and we’ve been comparing the versions. So far Mario’s grilled Calamari holds the title with has the best version of this dish with the Italian Osteria a close second.

Black & Blue’s Calamari was unrecognizable as Calamari. We had to confirm what we were eating with the waitress. The fish was dry and way too salty. Why does anyone eat here? Maybe it’s the babes a the bar in high heels and shorts. Peggi said they looked like hookers and sure enough when she was in the bathroom she overheard two of them discussing which guys they were gonna do.

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June 20, 2010August 22, 2019

Emergency Phone

We thoroughly enjoyed all nine nights of the Jazz Fest but we’re ready for a break. It is such a kick to see and hear so many creative and incredible players in our town. It was a pleasure wearing ourselves down while taking it all in.

As we cut through the construction zone surrounding the Eastman Theater on way to the third group of the evening we paused at the emergency phone but we weren’t in that bad shape.

Lopsided reviews of the Jazz Fest acts we saw can be found over here.

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June 19, 2010August 22, 2019

Belfiore Sardegna

Blue flowers in the marsh, late spring, Rochester, NY

The blue Spring flowers in the marsh are starting to give way to Summer and I have big plans for the summer. I’m going to clean out the garage.

Jeff Beck packed two shows at Kodak Hall last night and the streets were still packed with Jazz Fest goers. Downtown Rochester felt like a typical European city on most any night. We didn’t really find anything we liked in the clubs so we strolled the streets, found Deb Jones’ little party spot in the Harro Health Club parking lot and joined them for a bit and then checked out Booker T on East Ave. They had a big fat drummer that played just behind the beat enough to get a good groove on.

It’s hard to drive by Palermo’s Market without stopping in. Saturdays are always good even if you don’t need anything. The owner puts all sorts of cheese and olive samples out and everything always looks so good I walk out with a few bags full of stuff. I tried to pace myself with the Belfiore Sardegna cheese that I came home with but it’s gone already.

We had fallen so far behind with our 4D work that cancelled plans of watching the US in a pub downtown. Instead I kept a browser window open so I could follow the play by play at FIFA’s site. The US was robbed but how the heck did they get down 2-0 to begun with? Gome hell or highwater we’re going somewhere with ESPN for the US Alegeria game.

I’m keeping track of the Jazz Fest over here.

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June 17, 2010August 22, 2019

Happenstance

Anne Havens' shelves — Anne Havens’ shelves

Anne Havens hired us to record her sound sculpture installation piece called “Grace” and I can’t think of a better job. The work will be part of the upcoming MAG Biennial. Anne filmed it when it was shown at the Hungerford building but the mic on the video camera picked up a hum from the the fan that moves air on the hundred or so spoons that hang from pieces of string. It also picked up noise from the railroad yard out behind the building. We brought our mics over to her apartment today and we plan to drop a new soundtrack on her video.

Anne is such an inspiration. She surounds herself with art and treats everything she does as an art project. She has just returned from Florida with thirty or so new paintings based on Milton. Why Milton? It has something to do with happenstance.

I’m behind on the World Cup and my work but I’m keeping track of the Jazz Fest here.

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June 15, 2010August 22, 2019

Jazz Superstar

Francois Bourassa Quartet performing at the 2010 Rochester International Jazz Festival

Every Jazz Fest we stumble on one one act that is so good we see both the first and second show. Dave Liebman Quartet and Blake Tartare were both in that category a few years ago. This year it was Francois Bourassa Quartet from Canada. Three quarters of the band have been playing together for twelve years it shows as they complete each others thoughts and delicately support one another as they solo. The wild card here is the young Philippe Melanson on drums. Like a Warhol Factory star you can’t take your eyes off him and he plays in a completely unique way so you can’t help but tune in.

I’ve been keeping track of some of the Jazz Fest here.

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June 14, 2010August 22, 2019

Siren Song

Charnette Moffett at the Rochester International Jazz Festival

Chuchito Valdes, the son and grandson of famous Cuban bandleaders, opened at Montage with a rousing Cuban number that came on like a tropical storm and brought the crowd to their feet. This guy is sensational! His piano playing is every bit as powerful as the powerful drummer who was sitting on the other side of the stage from him. And then it was as delicate as can be on a beautiful rendition of “Over The Rainbow.” It’s kinda creepy when someone makes everyone every other band at the festival sound like a toy band.

Charnette Moffett was named after his father, Charles, and Ornette Coleman, who Charles played with. Charles plays drums on the fabulous “Golden Cirle” albums from the mid sixties and Charnette plays bass on two of my favorite Onette cds, the two “Sound Museum” releases. We had to check him out and we were richly rewarded. Although billed as a trio he opened with a mindblowing solo performance on stand up bass. He switched to the electric bass after a half hour or so and was joined by a woman on tambura for a beautiful version of “Nature Boy”. A drummer joined next on tablas and drum kit and then a piano player and a trumpeter. They proceeded to take it out! During there last song an alarm went off and kept going off at regular intervals every twenty seconds. Charnette stopped the band started playing with the siren, wrapping melodies around the mournful siren.

I’ve been keeping track of some of the Jazz Fest here.

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June 13, 2010August 22, 2019

I Repeat Myself

RGE power plant building with American flag

I probably take a picture of the Rochester Gas & Electric (there’s a monopoly for you) power plant every year during the annual Jazz Fest. I put my three year old, pocket, point & shoot in “Scene, Night Portrait” mode, set the timer and placed it on the curb.

We rode downtown with John Gilmore and were almost there when I realized I had left my Jazz Pass in our car so I wouldn’t forget it. Peggi had listened to the sound samples and had a club hopping route sketched out but this wrinkle rearranged the evening for us. We started with Katherine Russell and then ran into Rick and Monica in the newly carpeted tent. They highly recommended the Scottish sax quartet at Christ Church so we left and walked in the rain stood in back of the church while they played their opening number. The church was packed but I hatched a plan for a seat. I figured someone would hate them and walk out when the song finished. We planned to walk right down the center isle and grab the seats of whoever left. We kept walking toward the alter and no one left. We got to the front row (or pew) and a couple got up. Best seats in the house and the saxes sounded fantastic with the cathedral ambiance.

I’m keeping track of the Jazz Fest here.

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June 12, 2010August 22, 2019

Special Guests At Jazz Fest

Chris Grell, Donna Grell, and Patty Cowie at the Rochester International Jazz Festival

I got in to see my doctor on a day’s notice so that he could take a look at a tick bite that I have on my leg. I spotted the tick as I was getting ready for bed and suspect I picked it up when we walked in the woods that morning. I crushed it as I tried pulling it off and then dug the rest of it out with some tweezers. My doctor said there has not been a case of Lyme disease in Monroe County so he said keep an eye on it and if it acts up he will prescribe antibiotics. There is a lot of worrisome tick bite info online.

Went straight to the Jazz Fest from the doctor’s and started with Billy’s Band, a loungey, Russian Tom Waits-like combo. Worked our way over to the Xerox Auditorium to hear the Lynne Arriale Trio. She plays like Keith Jarrett, lyrical and relaxed and the band listens deeply while backing her.

Most fun of the night was out on Gibbs Street. There were too many people to hear the band so we hung out in the back by the merchandise booths. We got in line for a Downbeat photo session and a woman in front of me asked if she had just butted in line. I said I think so but that’s ok.” Turned out to be Dave Mahoney’s high school flame and a couple of other rockin’ women that I went to high school with. I grabbed a bootleg copy of their photo (above).

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