Pulp at the Bowl

A little over two years ago, I met up with Allison in Glasgow to see Pulp headline the first day of the TRNSMT festival.  I thought then that it would be the only opportunity for me to see them live, having spent the group's 90s heyday in northern BC, a place where few musical acts ventured.  But no, I got to see them, and they sounded very very good.  Allison and I had a great time reliving the music of our twenties that day in Scotland.  And I was content.

And then I learned that they would be playing at the Hollywood Bowl. 

And, what?  It was scheduled for the two days after my return from Hawaii?  Yes, please!  Conrad and Van had planned to be away on a road trip this past week, plans scuttled by Conrad's surgery, so I bought one ticket and was thrilled to get to go.

At Chris and Allister's wedding late last month, I was seated at a table that included a couple I hadn't met before.  The wife, Uda, is a member of the same book club as Chris.  The husband, Aidan, told me that he was coming to LA for a concert and more.  What concert?  Why, the same one as me.  To be fair, he was coming because he is a big fan of the actual headliners, LCD Soundsystem (and I still shake my head that they were the headliners because even today, a day after the concert, I am not).  So we exchanged numbers and said we should meet up, and hey, we did! 

A drink on the Bowl grounds before the show, and then to our seats, which weren't that far from each other.  Aidan and I found each other at the break between acts, and since I was in a better location (not by much, but a little better) and since no one had claimed the seats on my one side, he simply moved to enjoy LCD Soundsystem next to me.  Curiously, he left after several songs, giving me a hug and saying good night.  He made it to his hotel fine, though, so I'll chalk it up to exhaustion or something and hope he enjoys the rest of his time in LA.  

I stayed through most of the set, but I bailed a few songs early to get a jump on the crowds that would be exiting and heading for the shuttles.  The LCD Soundsystem stuff was fine,

I moved a little, but the guy just didn't work the crowd (and maybe he didn't need to), and I felt like it was an odd fit with Pulp.  Ah well.

But Pulp!  As the opener (co-headliner?), they had a little over an hour and gave us a dozen songs.  Three from the new album, which I've been enjoying a bunch, and the rest of them familiar hits.  Of course it all culminated with Common People, and of course I knew all the words to sing along.  I thought they did a great set, truly. 

Oh, and yes, I bought a tshirt - I also got a lot of compliments on the one I wore to the show!

Van and I have a show later this fall, a group he's into, and I'm happy to go along.  The three of us have Herb Alpert (yes, he's still performing!) and Chanticleer later this year as well.  I recently bought Dan Mangan tickets for February as well.  Not a super-busy line-up of concerts, but it's fun that we have some things to go to.  It does mean an occasional late night like last night, but hey, seeing Pulp again was well worth it! 

Hawaii, day one

I'm back from Hawaii and settled in at home.  Next week will actually be a full week of work at work (well, maybe Friday will be remote).  Bizarre!  There is plenty to catch up on, and I thought I would take Hawaii day by day since there are many photos, and a decent amount of narrative.  Ready?  Let's go!

Hawaii, day one, is really the tale of getting there.  And the tale is not an arduous one, I promise.  Heck, I didn't even have to get up early for my flight!  I got the airport late morning and parked in the lounge to do a little bit of work there. 

The flight was scheduled for about 1:00 in the afternoon, and I was in business class on the way there

(cute little amenities kit!). 

I got on the plane, had lunch in the air,

dozed a bunch, watched some things on my iPad (The Gentlemen on Netflix, a few episodes, funny stuff), and read a little as well (Underland by Robert McFarlane).  The flight took us over the Channel Islands on the continent side of things,

and then after a long while, the Big Island came into view. 

I was happy to have the window seat!  We flew past Honolulu and approached the airport from the west, coming in over the suburban communities there.

The trip was scheduled for a work matter that I'll get to in a later post.  I took advantage of that to enjoy a few days in Honolulu and invite Marie to join me.  She wouldn't arrive until much later that evening, though, so I had a handful of hours to myself.  I booked us a suite at the same hotel where I was told to stay for the work, and the suite proved to be a nice one.  It was roomy - I gave Marie the bedroom

and took the pull-out sofa for myself

- and the view of Manoa and the convention center and the canal and even a glimpse of the water was welcome. 

Yes, you did have to crane your neck a little for that water view,

but not badly so, especially out on the balcony.

I got myself unpacked, and then it was to the mall.  Oh yes.  We were staying at the Ala Moana Hotel, and that meant we were right at the one end of the Ala Moana Shopping Center.  Now, I'm NOT a mall person, generally speaking, but Ala Moana is really something else.  Super high-end designer stores, inexpensive souvenir shops.  Multiple department stores.  Groceries.  It's a big complex, and just going end to end helps the step count.  Marie and I would visit it several times, but on that first day last Wednesday, I had one thing in mind:  musubi.

I think it's funny that so many people disparage Spam.  Yes, it's processed, full of fat, sodium, and sugar.  But it also uses up animal parts, and I appreciate that.  Besides, since when do we not like fat, sodium, or sugar?  The people who make a fuss to me when I post about Spam are the true food snobs, a label that has been leveled at me many more times than I find amusing.  But no, there I am, eating as much Spam as possible on the trip, starting with that delicious treat.  I picked it up at Foodland along with some snacks, water, and wine for the room, and I didn't really eat much more than that for my dinner that night.

Sunset,

and then, as it does in Honolulu, the sky grew dark quickly. 

I hung out, waiting for Marie.  Not long after she arrived, it was time to crash - at this time of year, Honolulu is 3 hours behind us in SoCal, so it was past 1AM for me in reality.  Marie and I had a few days together to enjoy, and we wouldn't miss out by getting a night of sleep.

mantas

So... I did some shopping while here.  Shirts, souvenirs, the usual.  It doesn't hurt that I'm essentially staying at one end of a mall, after all.  I'm smitten with this, a print that looks abstract but is actually meant to be manta rays.

My last short post from Hawaii.  I fly home in the morning (I'm yawning here, and I still have to pack!), back in time for dinner and a night of sleep in my own bed.  I'll post likely a few longer things after I return.  Aloha!

another short post from Hawaii

A busy day of work behind me, a fully belly from dinner with colleagues.  I am soon to bed here.  So let me say aloha, hello, and goodnight.  I was welcomed and honoured today, and I feel grateful for that.

no, that's not me!

I'm rather paler than that.  But I can see how there would be confusion!

I kid.  A monk seal took up beach space yesterday, and we had to navigate around it at a defined distance to get to the water.  Another one was on the next section of beach.  Regulars, according to the beach attendant.  Cool to see it!

having a lovely time...

... wishing you were here!

Well, at least I wish Conrad and Van were here to enjoy Honolulu with us, but at least Marie and I are enjoying a good time. 

Beach time today, a dinner out ahead.  More beach time tomorrow!

And yes, I promise to post at greater length in days ahead.... 

Spam musubi

Hello from Honolulu!  I am here for work, I swear, but I am taking a few days before that work to enjoy the city with my sister.  She will arrive at the hotel in another couple of hours, so while I wait, a quick post sharing what is my special treat whenever I come here:  Spam musubi.  No, I am not joking.  I genuinely love it.

More to come from Hawaii in days ahead!!

second weekend in September

So, you already know that we spent last Friday evening with Van and Olive over at the condo, but how did the rest of the weekend, you wonder?  Well then, let me tell you....

Friday afternoon, after I was done work, Conrad and I drove over to Glendale to the Brand Library and Art Center, part of that city's public library system. 

A friend of mine from Chicago, Doug, had a piece in Brand 53: 53rd Annual National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper, and I wanted to get over to see it before the show closed.  Handsome little piece,

and I liked the show overall.  There was a large work there for a mere $15,000 that I would not have minded seeing in my home, provided I won a lottery and had a new, big home with some blank walls!

Saturday morning I got out on a walk without Conrad.  Indeed, he rather slept in that morning, and it was far later than usual that I got him out to door and down to Amara for breakfast. 

We did stuff around the condo on Saturday, then made our way to Van and Olive

later on for dinner out on the deck, where Van had done some replanting of his pots. 

Last Words all around,

and cheers to us enjoying that together.

I got up yesterday morning, and I admit, I just did not want to go out walking all around town.  I took myself grocery shopping instead (and look!  TJ's has the salted maple ice cream back in stock for the autumn),

then came home to make Conrad and me pancakes and bacon for breakfast.  I did spend much of the day cooking some food for Conrad because I head out of town on Wednesday (and I'm at Van's tonight), and then he and I grabbed a nap before moseying over to Maestro for an overdue dinner there.  Cocktails (Last Word for him,

a mezcal negroni

and then a Jungle Bird for me),

queso fundido,

beet salad,

the chicken mole

- it was so good to be back.  What an odd year we've had, it feels, of trying to be regulars at our favourite places!

And then this morning, it was up and at 'em, on foot for a handful of miles in the fog (that did burn off by the time I was done)

before making myself pretty and getting the work week started.

That concludes the weekend report! 

this little girl…

… is absolutely gorgeous.

It feels like for the first time in weeks, thanks to travels and then Conrad’s surgery, the three of us enjoyed an evening together.  Well, the four of us.  Because look at this girl.

And her daddy!!