Day 22 - Nashville: Last Full Day of Eastern Travels

That pretty much sums it up. We had some pool time in the morning again first. Absolutely adorable little girl in water wings being super-soaked by a boy I imagine was her brother. I think we persisted in our pool time until it actually rained on us.

THEN, Erel was driving me to Bongo Java before church so that I could meet up with my old friend David Browning - as in veeeerry old friend, another someone I met around the same time Slim and I met - though our keeping in touch-ness has been much more spotty. While we were driving over, I'd given Erel the address and she asked about the place I was going. I said, "oh it's Bongo Java" and the look on her face - I'm tellin' ya - it was priceless. Apparently, while I was going to be meeting David at the Belmont Bongo Java, she was going to be across town meeting Brett on his work break at another Bongo Java. There are only 2 or 3 in the whole city. Twinsies. Very odd, right?

Anyway, so we just had an hour or so to pull all this off, so she dropped me off, went to her Bongo Java, David & I caught up in super speed on about 15+ years where I did a million things, and he did a million things, including getting married, having 2 kids, doing songwriting w/Diane Warren in LA and some famous peeps in NY whose names I have of course forgotten, helping Katy Perry get her start, and starting his own boutique music company. When we met, he was playing w/Al Denson and I was doing stage crew. He says that during the down time of the day, he lent me the book Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster and I went off and read it during sound check etc., returning it to him later that night saying there were a couple chapters I hadn't got to yet. I have no recollection of this but it sounds like me. :)

Erel came back, took the above pic and delivered me to church at The Anchor, which is Kat Jones' church. It was in a small old church building. Had a loud band, an array of mostly youngish people with a good bit of tattoos, leather & beards present. I wandered in and while looking for a restroom, found a little library in the basement which I photographed because I thought it would be awesome to start one for Church in Uptown (in Minneapolis).

Whereupon Kat found me and took me up and introduced me to some lovely people and we enjoyed the service. It was very interesting - before the pastor spoke, there was a bearded tattooed guy named Joe Burgers who shared about his heart to be a pastor for bands, to travel with them and help them to grow spiritually while away from home. He and some other folks are even creating kind of a curriculum for a study or studies the bands can use on the road. Heretofore he had only done this for bands who could afford to pay his living expenses, but wanted to be able to provide that to anyone who asked, and so he is beginning to raise support - only $800/month. I found this fascinating and purposed to ask him about it at the end of the service.

Well, the worship was, I don't know, good I guess, because I found myself lost in it at some point, and on my knees, and crying, and a girl named Rachel and that road-pastor fellow Joe came and asked if they could pray for me. They prayed some really good stuff for me which I am still 'unpacking' a week later.

Later, I wandered about, took a pic of the cross they had on the altar at the front because I think it's by the same artist who painted the one I had in my apt. in Brooklyn, which I gave to my friend Corinna recently.

And this is Kat & I. Finally enough light to take a decent pic of her! My camera has an awful flash that vampirizes everyone, so I don't use it and my night photos are always hit & miss.

Afterward, Erel swung by and picked me up and we had dinner at Drifters, a suggestion of Kat's. And then, we re-met up w/her and some friends to catch the latest Pirates movie at the Regal Cinema. I don't think they are the highest art, but it was fun to watch w/some friends. :) A nice way to finish a long trip.

Day 21 - Nashville: Fullest Day of Road Trip So Far!

The happenings on this day were the following:

1) Erel & I touring the Country Music Hall of Fame w/Slim Bivens (who I know from many moons back when I helped on stage crew for Whiteheart in '94-'95 or so - he is a stage manager/sound guy type person & has worked with Hoi Polloi, Michael W. Smith, Reba McEntire, the Eagles, Paul McCartney etc etc). The tour started w/Tammy Wynette and moved on down the list over the years. Sometimes I think I don't have that much 'country' in me, but if you think about it, that most recent song I posted on myspace - Wake Your Horse Up - definitely is...and I've performed covers of songs by Johnny Cash, Emmy Lou Harris, and The Carter Family...so I guess I'm at least a little countrified. :) I was even shocked to find I actually cried when I watched the video of the interview with Dolly Parton, when she was explaining how she wrote the song 'Jolene'! I am such a softie! Slim enjoyed seeing how many of the gold record artists he'd worked with over the years, and was thoroughly disgusted when one of the last artists documented in the tour was Taylor Swift, who was playing across the street and had about 15 trucks loading in. He is not exactly a fan.

2) Mexican food for lunch with the three of us and Steve and Gean Bell - I met Steve on Facebook after he read a comment I wrote on a friend's blog involving Puddleglum(sp?) & a faith crisis a year or two ago. So neat to finally meet he & Gean!

(Steve & Gean)

(me, peacock, Slim - photo courtesy Erel Pilo)

3) Erel went biking around Nashville and took a quick free bus tour while Slim & I caught up a bit.

4) My friend Lydia picked us all up and drove us over to East Nashville to walk a street fair event and eat ice cream. We were thereafter caught in a rainstorm without umbrellas, and hung out on the porch eating ice cream and watching the great sheets of rain come down. Lydia's friend Roddy also joined us...and when the rain let up and she was driving us all back over to our vehicles, he told us an amazing story about a time when he was in Africa and felt the Lord calling him to stay a week or more longer in Africa and to travel to Nairobi, without any money. So his team went back to the US and he went to Nairobi. There he was housed by a pretty financially well off couple who were Hindu and Unitarian I believe - just some random folks he met - and they liked him so much that they offered and insisted on paying to change his ticket back to a later date so that they could pay for him to go on a real safari. Crazy!

(Lydia)

(Erel)

(Lydia, Erel, me, Slim, Roddy - photo courtesy of Roddy MacIvor)

5) Erel & I returned 'home' and the Persikos (Dick and Gail) took us on a short tour of Hendersonville...

6) ...and then for Chinese! No pic of this, but my fortune cookie said:

You will have good luck in your personal affairs.

7) ...and then to the Opryland Hotel! It is right next to the Grand Ole Opry, which we didn't see since the hotel was so very vast, but we got to tour all the arboretums

...and see a very impressive water and light show.

8) After this, I think Erel went to see some music with Brett, but I'd been up earlier in the morning blogging so all this was about all my little traveling self could handle, and I collapsed upon return home into immediate sleep. :)

Off Topic - The Ubiquitous Michael Castillejos

So, Michael's part of my church community in Brooklyn and he and his wife Mary lived about a block or two from me in Carroll Gardens. He's an actor and sometimes model. For instance, at some point he was in this Verizon ad...this was a long time ago. It looks something like this:

I took this pic on the subway last year. It's kind of a comforting thing, being out in the world in NYC and seeing a friendly face. By fortunate coincidence, Verizon seems to love him and continues to use this photo all over the US, which brings a reminder of my Brooklyn years every time I see it. In fact, a month or so ago, Tommy and I drove out to deliver some stuff to the carriage house where he is staying in Prescott, WI, and I swear that on the way back we saw not one but two billboards with Michael's face on them. I think Erel and I also saw one on the way to the airport in DC. At one point last year I saw it online (maybe on Facebook) and a co-worker and I had a long debate over whether it was Michael or Adrian Grenier from Entourage. My points were a) I see this guy every week, it is definitely him, b) he has brown eyes not blue eyes for goodness sakes, and c) he's HISPANIC and Adrian has a European/Apache background (info gathered from Wikipedia as I've never watched the show)...come on, buddy. I really should've wagered some $ on it.

He was at the wedding in NYC on May 13; I told him of my run-ins with the photo-him and he laughed and said he has started telling his friends, "lo, I am always with you, even to the end of the age" or something like that. :)

Anyway, was just reminded of him today when a friend posted a link to his latest musical fun. I hereby present "what Michael does in his spare time":

Girl Get Out of Me from Mike Castillejos on Vimeo.

Pretty cool, I think. :)

Day 20 - Nashville: Art, Union Stations & Creme Brulee

On this day, we went into town and checked out the Frist Center of Visual Arts. I did try to take a picture, but was nearly tackled by a guard, who informed me this was not allowed and thereafter followed us from room to room to make sure his advice was followed. The ironic thing was that I was not even attempting to photograph the art; in fact I was wanting to capture a placard describing it, which said in part:

The story suggests that man's existence is merely the passing whimsy of a slumbering god.

It was by a picture where a god or something came out of a lotus flower (I think) which sprouted from another god's belly button while sleeping. And then that new god created the world? I am totally torching the story, which just goes to show that they ought to have let me take pictures so I could get the story straight. The main floor had a Hindu exhibit, and upstairs there was a Shaker exhibit. Kind of a strange pairing, but hey! it was interesting. Did you know that all Shakers took a vow of celibacy and only had the kids who were orphans that they adopted into the community and those of persons with children who converted? This may explain why there is only one small community of them left on a lake in Maine I think it was said.

When we came out we walked over to the Union Station hotel. It was an old rail station transformed into a hotel. Is it just me, or does every city have a Union Station? They just seem ubiquitous - NY, LA, DC, Nashville... It looked quite lovely against the sky.

We were in a hurry when we left, although I cannot now remember why... hmm. I think it was because we had slept in and spent a good stretch of time at the pool again perhaps, and we needed to get over to The Family Wash by 8 pm for dinner.

The opening act was a fellow by the name of Brett Rosenberg, who was announced as being from New York. Erel later talked w/him to see if he might wish to participate in her little variety show there (after we performed, the Path Cafe was eager to have her organize something similar on a monthly basis). He was, alas, a current resident of Nashville. But they hit it off as friends and subsequently hung out several times during our visit, which was a nice development.

Kat Jones was working - it was actually her birthday - and she was our waitress and treated us to creme brulee, made herself with a fiery torch! This was a highlight. :)

Day 19 - Nashville: Waffle Houses, Birds & Kat Jones

In the morning, a waffle house was first on Erel's to do list. So we made haste to the waffle house for brunch. I'm not sure what is going on w/my outfit in this pic, but the place itself is all cute and waffle-house-y. Erel made some friends with the staff, who were training in a new employee - as she relates because she'll be waitressing at Talia's, a fancy NY establishment, on her return home.



















Liked the genuine semi-trailer sitting out in front of it. :)

We then went shopping for a swimsuit for Erel, and then home to do some sunning at the pool at Gail & Dick's apartments. Around us, the birds were exceedingly verbal and busy putting together nests. This one found a place in the trestle just beside the pool. We did some crying too while talking, which caused me to reflect that I've cried with several friends on this trip - either them, or me, or both - and that has been a good thing. It's not everyone you can let down your guard with, and it's important to have the kind of friends with whom you can.

In the evening, we had some plans with Kat Jones, to visit her at work - but she got off early and we ended up going to meet her at 3 Crow Bar in Nashville, and her friend Bekah joined us. I know Kat from a Violet Burning show she opened at in Bakersfield, CA forever ago. Our time ran into the first couple hours of her birthday and we managed to enjoy them even tho' an at-first-almost-charming-and-then-kind-of-annoying young gent/comedian insinuated himself into our gathering and began to show signs of not ever leaving. In his southern drawl, before he took the hint and left, he had identified us as a group of 'elderly women, but you're all hot as hell!' It was kind of funny. He gave us a card and encouraged us to come to his comedy show, but we left it for the patrons after us.



(Kat & Bekah)















It's very interesting and depressing, some of the things we learned while talking to Kat, about the music industry, and the Christian music industry in the 90s. Persons were actually written 'testimonies' (ie their stories about how they came to faith) BY other persons at their label, and told to memorize and share these stories onstage - tho' they were not at all true. Because supposedly if you talk about your faith onstage in certain subcultures, the album sales increase by an amazing percentage. Harumph. It was alarming -- although admittedly, once any part of anything becomes about $$, becomes an industry, it's definitely in danger of poisoning the well. Probably that's the reason for that bible verse about how you can't serve both God and money. With these clashing interests, it seems that alcoholism has taken a pretty firm grip in this city - which became apparent over the next few days. It's sad, so sad. That said, on this particular night, we did not see anyone drunk or disorderly, and returned home safely, albeit very late.

Day 18 - Nashville: Scorpions & Cowboys

We flew in from DC and arrived at Gail and Dick Persiko's home in Hendersonville (which I suppose is considered a Nashville suburb?) at noon. Gail is my mom's best friend, and her daughters were best friends with my sister Nicole and I while growing up. So staying with them is really just staying with family. :)

[photo removed by request]

Gail spent some time with us, catching up w/me and orienting us to Nashville. We then took naps and showered, and had supper with Gail & Dick when he got home from work. Erel is an actress and is therefore very observant of people...she said later that Gail reminded her of Meryl Streep, with the twinkle in her eye and her sense of humor. I can see it now, tho' I would never have thought of that myself.

After supper we decided to venture into Nashville and investigate 'Broadway' - sort of the main drag down there. We did some shopping, where I was aghast to learn that people sold suckers with real scorpions in them (w/out their poisonous stings). That is disgusting. That's all I have to say about that. Altho' in college I was much better trained about cultural choices than that. Things aren't bad, they're just different. Whatever. It's gross. If I'm in some other country where it's all people have to eat, and it will wound them to refuse their hospitality, I'll accept graciously (I hope). But until then, I'm jus' sayin'...



















We finally found a bar with country music that was a little quieter than Tootsie's and all the rest which were just bar after bar with music blaring from every one and packed with people. We sat down for a bit there at Cadillac Ranch and enjoyed songs like 'She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy'. Very country. :) Finally, we went home to the Persiko's and slid into a deep sleep.

Day 17 - Washington DC

The day began with a Georgetown cupcake for breakfast (& some fruit of course), provided by Leeor. These are legendary and very difficult to come by. But personally, I think I am a) not a very cupcake-y person overall, and b) think 'Baked by Melissa' mini-muffins in NYC are superior. However, sadly I did not obtain any said mini-muffins on this trip. Which just means I'll have to come back to NY sometime! ;) (I was very thankful for my cupcake breakfast tho' Leeor!)

We ventured out on a bus that left from right in front of the apartment complex and took us to the subway. There, we descended into the belly of the beast. Seriously one of the longest escalator rides down we have ever taken. Exhibit A:

We rode along in the surprisingly clean DC subway train.

We emerged at Union Station. Visited Capitol Hill. Sat a long while at the Capitol Hill Reflecting Pool where we consulted Erel's iphone to figure out if it was reflective or if it was where politicians went to reflect before making important decisions. Saw a number of excellent ducks & ducklings.

We then meandered over to the United States Botanical Gardens, wandered through and smelled the flower-heavy air, while it rained outside.

Making our way in the direction of the long reflecting pool near the Lincoln Monument (which I wanted to see), and the Vietnam Memorial Museum (which Dr. de Rosset had suggested), we turned back and the sky was amazing around Capitol Hill. In the other direction, it was not too shabby behind the Washington Monument either.

On our way, we did a little shopping, discovered the Newseum which displays each state's front pages all in a row, and the International Spy Museum (where I bought a spy hat). We also saw the White House, though it was smallish and far away from the bars we could view it through.

We did (barely) make it to the Washington Monument, but our time was running out. We settled for glancing over at the Lincoln Monument, and (I settled for) griping over the non-existent long reflecting pool which apparently was under construction, and had to skip the Vietnam War Memorial. All this to say, this definitely warrants another trip to DC to see the many things I have missed, preferably in spring when the cherry blossoms are out.

The night ended with another Farewell Continental show at the Rock & Roll Hotel! Erel and I met up w/Jeff Kursonis, with whom I helped start Communion of the Arts (CotA - which was a church for artists & those interested in that sort of thing even if not artistically inclined themselves) in Manhattan, and Tommy came to join us next door to the venue for some eats & drinks. 'Twas sort of a beer garden place, and Jeff declared it his new favorite place in DC. Once caught up we meandered over for the show. Each show I go to, the music gets more into me somehow. I danced like a crazy person.

I took a few pics of their synchronized moves:

Afterward, a guy who seemed to be around 20 said to me as he left, "I have been to a lot of shows and you are the best dancer I've ever seen." Totally sweet thing to say. :) No, Mom, he was not hitting on me, because if he was, obviously Tommy would have to beat him up. ;)

This pic was at the end. L to R in mirror: myself, Erel, Jeff. Goodnight, all.

Day 16 - Bethesda, MD & Washington DC

Welcome Erel Pilo as new travel partner!

I take a cab through the rain to Manhattan.

I've had about 4 hours of sleep; it is surreal-ish.

Erel & I leave midtown at 10:30 a.m. on TripperBus.

I work on blog for a bit, Erel falls asleep.

I watch bits of movie White Chicks. We watch some of Beauty & the Beast.

I sleep.

4-5 hours later, we arrive in Bethesda, MD. Bethesda it turns out, is treeful. Verdant. Green.

We arrive to weather that is something like a rainforest. There is no way to expect what will happen next.

Erel's sister Leeor picks us up from the bus. We come back to her apartment and settle in.

She feeds us fruit. We rest. In the evening, she and her boyfriend Colin take us to Cava in Washington DC, a Greek restaurant, where we eat mezze, share all the food and a bottle of wine, talk about music and life. We leave, sated, and wander through the neighborhood in a leisurely fashion, back to the car. We practice 3rd grade grins for the camera.

I take this picture through a store window.

When we drive home, they point out landmarks rising out of the dark. I try to take some pictures. Soon we are back at the apartment, in a very. deep. sleep.