greetings from new york

well, i've been in new york since sunday. two nights at my great-aunt barbra's in scarsdale, and two nights in the city at lucy's apartment/loft in union square. tomorrow i head down to dc for my cousin bob's wedding on saturday, and passover on monday.

too tired for a long post now, but here are some pictures from my adventures today.

greenmarket in union square.


remains of a bike.


tea shop i went to this afternoon.


madonna on a building on houston st.

Pictures from Austin, the joys of Krispy Kreme

Ellen and I at Eliza's house on Saturday morning

A little post SXSW post... The last night was much fun. We did see Johnette Napolitano, she was amazing (though a bit crazy). Balkan Beatbox got snowed in in New York and didn't make it. That was somewhat devastating, but I did get to dance to Soulico for a while instead. And see Eliza do a midnight showcase.

But most importantly, I got to make my annual (well almost annual) pilgrimage to Krispy Kreme with Ellen and Flora. A tradition started a few years back, maybe in Nashville? Anyone remember? Anyway, Jill, we missed you and we hope you can join us next time!

Not much sleep was had that night. Big thanks for Raina for sleeping in my hotel parking lot in her cozy van and driving me to the airport at 5:30am. I made it back to Portland in time for a brilliant Patty Griffin show that night. Should be enough great music to last me for a while. Well, at least until my Danny Schmidt show tomorrow evening, Laura Viers on Friday, and the "Lady Sings the Blues" Siren Nation benefit on Saturday night. Then on Sunday I'm off to New York and DC for 10 days for a wedding and Passover.

Anyway, here are some pictures:

Raina jamming out with The Driskill Airbuskers

Raina busking with her cute bluegrass band, Green Mountain Grass.

Flora and I drinking foofy drinks at the Hilton.

The beautiful donuts and, below, the happy donut-eaters.

Report from the SXSW Exhibit Hall, Austin

A quick report from a computer in the Indie Village area of the exhibit hall at SXSW. My friend/hotelmate Ellen Stanley, the Publicity Director for Red House Records is a few feet away schmoozing someone very important (not sure who). We had a lovely brunch this morning at the South Austin home of Eliza Gilkyson (who is one of Ellen's artists on Red House, and someone I've promoted several times). Eliza is always fun to hang with, and it was a great pleasure to meet her super cool sister and beautiful grandchildren (I tried to kidnap Rex, who is 3 months old, but I didn't get past the living room).

Raina is living here, so I've been able to hang out with her a bit. She took me to the mother of all Whole Foods stores, a very exciting experience. Got to see Raina do a showcase last night with a great banjo player. She, Jim Olsen, and I tried to go see Ozomatli (from LA) and Public Enemy, but it was too packed to get in. Bummer, as I've really been trying to get beyond my usual acoustic music reality. Maybe some Latin bands tonight.

I also finally got to see the Winterpills perform live. Stunning (but not amazing, no)!! You must hear them. Also got to hang out with them for many hours while they dragged me around downtown Austin searching for the perfect bar. We finally found one where Paula Cole was singing a Dolly Parton song in the courtyard (have you ever heard Jolene with beatboxing? Very interesting...).

Alright, I must be off now. More later, maybe. Hoping to see Johnette Napolitano, the singer from Concrete Blonde, tonight right before Eliza's midnight showcase. And then there's this band called Balkan Beatbox from Tel Aviv, that sounds intriguing....

a dream from cairo

As most of you already know, my cousin Jonah lives in Egypt (with his lovely wife and daughter, soon to be two daughters). He teaches English at the American University of Cairo. I spent about six weeks with them there last winter, and hope to return sometime in the next few years. If you don't know how I feel about Jonah, you should read this. Or read this one to see pictures and read about our adventures here last August (back when I still posted interesting things here).

But my reason for this post is that Jonah has a very lovely blog of his own. I really liked his last post about a dream he had, and I wanted to share it here. Check it out.

And while I'm at it, here are a few recent pictures of him and his daughter Makaylah, on her second birthday (March 6th).

i wanted a perfect ending

Some quotes I've been thinking about....

I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity.
- Gilda Radner, Comedian (died of ovarian cancer at age 42)

Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.
- Kurt Vonnegut

The sun shines down, and its image reflects in a thousand different pots filled with water. The reflections are many, but they are each reflecting the same sun. Similarly, when we come to know who we truly are, we see ourselves in all people.
- Amma

The future is not a result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created -- created first in the mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made, and the activity of making them changes both the maker and the destination.
- John Schaar

The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.
- William James