I have been hearing about this thing for weeks - a wave organ.... sounded weird and like most good things... it's sorta secret. Only the intrepid will do sufficient research. (It's down past the Yacht club by the Marina - there you go the secret is out)
So this thing was constructed as an environmental, audio art installation - and it's kinda cool, not blow your mind cool, but the views from this quiet little promontory are amazing. This guy thought so too.
The organ was built by a dude called Peter Richards with bits of stone taken from a nearby cemetery which gives it a slightly eerie feel. Logded in between the stones are a series of pipes that make different sounds, some peaceful others a little more guttural.
Wow. I think I have now genuinely seen it all. Just had to be dragged away from The Utah this evening whilst transfixed by a Kid Rock impersonator playing an electric spade (actually) accompanied by a skinny, leopard skin fez wearing, saxophonist called Breakfast. You can't make this stuff up.
Evil Ruby stole the evening with her cautionary tale of the vultures coming to get us which she hissed with true hate in her eyes and her teeth bared. In retrospect it was a good thing we made it out alive.
The star of the show was Clare Buttery - (she may have had to fight for 1st place with James if we had actually stuck around for his 72nd placing on the list of acts (!!!?).
You can hear her performance on the Utah's site here
Camera ran out of battery so here is a pic of her surfing instead (on the left). She sings, she surfs, she is the ultimate cool chick.
Fritz's little brother James Lanman is a pop star - you may have read about his very tight little shorts here on my blog before.
James has entered the Airwalk Unsigned Heroes contest and has but a small chance of actually winning the thing. However he has pledged to go "balls out" to win... literally... he says he'll run rodeo drive (which I hear is pretty long) absolutely naked if he wins. I think that is worth voting for - www.airwalk.com/ush
James played an ace gig on Saturday night at Brainwash a music venue/bar/cafe/launderette on 7th and Folsom. The choice of backdrop was a little bizarre, but for sale, thank goodness.
I would update you on the full adventures of this weekend but Alicia's visit has left me completely exhausted. Suffice to say it involved a great big convertible car, beaches, champagne, sailing boats, hikes and lots of raw vegan food.
In the true tradition of blogging I thought I would record this most momentous of events 5 days late.
The "Cool" (say with funny french accent) Hosted Products BU (worst team name EVER!) had dinner chez le chef d'equipe, Alex,
Monday night: traditionally the night of rest and recuperation, guaranteed goodness and generally wholesome living.
Then Eugenie organised a trip to the baseball. This was my 4th game (Oakland A's vs. another team from somewhere else in the States - could it have been Kansas somebodies?) and I can now definitively say - I'm not that into baseball. As a game. I mean what is the point? really? That said I always have the best time. This is partly due to great company but mainly due to pretzels and beer (only joking kids) which tend to make that break in the innings, where everyone gets up and sings, the highlight of the game (David Tokheim is hating right now - sorry).
Any way - two pals from Cambridge turned up - Dan Abramson and Alex Paulin - and Nicky was celebrating the fact that she has 10 days to write a thesis that she hasn't started so we decided to make a night of it.
All that glitters actually, genuinely, is gold. No, it really is. The real deal. Take these beautiful sneakers... (sneakers..?!)
These are the new guilded loves of my life - thanks to my personal style and general colour co-ordinator Mrs T Hope.
Thoughts? (only positive feedback is welcome though - so no honest opinions please!)
I have a friend called Catkin.
She was made fairer than most (and has a Wii fitness age of 27! can you believe it?!She's pretty much invincible - any one for the gun show?)
She cooks a mean wagamamas stir fry and her personal shopper skills are also finely honed.
There is only one area this fair princess has yet to perfect; Petanque. A slightly pointless but endlessly entertaining game the French gave us, which is no measure of a lady of course, particularly when the ground is uneven, (suggest landscaping the grounds before our replay my dear) but nevertheless I feel it important to state the facts!
Pimms, shopping, chocolate birthday brownies (I had the first one - sorry Timmer), Facebook spying - it doesn't get much better than chez Hope. Now start saving and come and see me - before I have to give the Pimp pad up!!
