Day After Araiza Wedding photos

I just came across photos I didn't have ready until now to post. They are from November, the day after my cousin Matt and Heather's wedding (see blog here). They are beautiful photos and worth posting, even late :)

Click on slideshow below:

Heather and Matt Day After Wedding Party

L'Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio

ahhhh - I just watched one of my new favorite foreign films from Italy, "L'Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio." I am on a high right now, feeling the music of this Roman Orchestra made up immigrants from Tunisia, India, Romania, Egypt, Hungary, Cuba, Argentina, Ecuador, Senegal, North America..to name a few...

The film is a low budget, perfect documentary shot over a couple years in Rome when the founder, former Italian pop musician Mario Tronca was the brainchild and leader in finding immigrant professional musicians as a challenge to the post 9/11 government and it's sudden, radical anti-immigration laws and protests. Overcoming financial, language and ego boundaries it is just an amazing story and if you are a world music lover, a musician, or just love people uniting (something that happens much more in the Arts than anywhere) then this movies is a must-see! By the time they put on their first concert in November of 2002, (with only 1 week of group rehearsals) I am willing to bet you will be so happy and amazed at their success - I was literally clapping and dancing on the couch with Fred-the-Basset at the gorgeous and lively music. The story is just amazing and inspiring - - not only were they able to track down topnotch musicians barely surviving in Rome working in kitchens, etc. but to write an orchestral score including all those different kinds of world instruments is a feat in itself. The collaboration is something to put the UN to shame.

I am ill that only a few short weeks ago my friend Heidi invited me to a performance of them (they now have 2 CDs out and are touring the USA in conjunction with the film) - - neither of us could make it at the time and I deeply regret experiencing that ... That said: the film is in my heart and their multi-cultural plethora of music will soon be purchased and supported by me! :) Simply wonderful stuff...

Pride 2008

 
I noticed while perusing my photos on picassa stored on my laptop that I have pictures and memories that I still have yet to blog about. I kind of would like to get them up and stored on my picassa google web albums so that I can delete them off my hard drive where they take up space and memory. So, please excuse the tardiness - here goes:

 








This was from Gay Pride parade in Hillcrest from last July. I was working like a fool last summer and pretty much went out twice all summer - I am not exaggerating. So this was a beautiful, warm day for me to have fun with my galpal Richele. We ended up not watching the entire parade as it nears 3-4 hours in length nowadays and I had to go back to work that afternoon. So we ducked in to our fun and fabulous Baja Betty's gay bar - the one-time site of major mischief back in the day - - including a very inebriated Richele once trying to pay for a whole round of drinks on her Banana Republic card. Or our friend Joanna who was 9 sheets to the wind and her boob kept popping out of her spaghetti strap tank top. But nothing tops the memory of when our old friend Bubbachunk, Danny, my ex Mik with Richele and I stole a pinata and a huge punch bowl FULL of margarita from the back patio where we crashed the thank you party for the volunteers for the Rock and Roll Marathon. Bubba got his bright obvious yellow Xterra car, pulled into the alley behind the patio and the rest of grabbed and went out the emergency exit fence and sped off with the booze jostling and spilling everywhere. We were laughing so hard I am surprised we did not crash and although Richele and I have both moved on for personal and sanity reasons from that group I have no problem acknowledging how funny that incident was. (and oh yes, the manager of Baja Bettys vaguely knew T and recognized his big head and tracked him down calling him the next day telling him to bring it all back...) HAHA HA - busted!

That said - Richele and I found ourselves much more composed, sharing the huge plate of nachos there and enjoying a couple of their 'Kick-ass Margaritas' -that is really the name, when we were eventually joined by Shannon and another friend.

There is so much fun in people watching and support - always a good, colorful time - plus it's nice to see the community and families come out and support. Tolerance must be taught and exemplified.

Hopefully next year I won't be working that day at all so I can enjoy it more... :)
Click on slideshow below!

Pride08