28 February 2006
Hey lover,
Great news to hear you booked the flight and that the Venus Envy tour will end with a romantic reunion in Montreal. I’ve been saying it’s my favorite Canadian city since 1995 when I was last there—should probably update the nostalgia.
Touring through Victoria and Vancouver makes you seem closer and farther away than you are. Afterall the cities are full of our favorite haunts and discoveries that defined us while we lived out here. From the simple condition of being a water baby frolicking along ocean views, to the organic food (I was zealous in satisfying my craving for health muffins . . .), to the great people, my time on the coast was so very groovy. And oh the coffee!
Every now and then, it’s good to soak up time with people who inspire you, who are just like-minded enough to remind you who you are and who you want to be. And certainly we arrived in Victoria at that point on the tour when the travel routines are comfortable, the shows are swimming along fabulously, and it’s time to relax. Let loose. Give in.
So I began my tour of Victoria, stuffed into a corner table in a crowded Italian restaurant with great wine and food to define “states of grace” with Wynn and Theresa. With wine lubricating our intellects, the discussion was lively and invigorating and continued onto the Reef, where we added Mike to the mix and switched to sangria. As my tour of old haunts continued, we dove into the Mint for martinis and by then, the music was calling. Back to Wynn’s for a jam. Perfect evening.
The show at the Duncan Garage Showroom was unpredictable, an experience only Longevity John (the owner) could deliver. The showroom is cluttered with oddities and wild paraphernalia that John tours us through: nutcrackers ranging from the obscene to the practical; a self-flipping spatula; a scalp-massager resembling something from a Frankenstein scene; a spoon with a revolving cup that always remains horizontal. All dispersed around the room, mingling with the 68 gold ducks that are sadly empty piggy banks now used to reserve seats.
On stage, Peter and I wildly enjoy ourselves, despite a very thin crowd. Theresa had come up from Victoria with us. And during my set, another crew of Peter’s friends arrived from Victoria. I was launching into a story, explaining that I could share my gossip with this crowd because we are so removed. With this intimate ensemble out at the far reaches of our tour in a small town out on an island, who knows the people I’m talking about! The story involves my brother, and as I mention this, someone from the crowd utters his name. Sure enough, among Peter’s friends is a guy I went to high school with. Surely such bizarre coincidence should have been expected in the close range of Longevity John.
After the show, Longevity John introduced us to his 11 dogs. Count them. 11. We heard about the dogs earlier. We smelled the strange odor coming from the van with the cracked, foggy windows, but we weren’t quite prepared. The mangy mutts practically took over, bustling about in a frenzy that was chaotic. Peter seemed visibly disturbed. Back in the car, he keeps returning to the scene: “I can still smell the dogs. . .” or randomly uttering “those dogs!”
Damn it if my camera battery doesn’t die and I miss the opportunity to record Longevity John. Peter has some pics I’ll put up. As you can see, we’ve been experimenting with exposures . . .
Before burning onto Kelowna for the next show, we’ve got some down time to settle into Doreen’s. In such domestic comfort, Peter’s affinity for beer and pajamas is allowed expression and we sink into relaxation mode, jamming, songwriting, stretching our limbs.
So I’ve got some time here to catch up—pour yourself a glass of wine and pick up the phone tonight. Let’s make it a date and settle into a good chat.
Love C
Great news to hear you booked the flight and that the Venus Envy tour will end with a romantic reunion in Montreal. I’ve been saying it’s my favorite Canadian city since 1995 when I was last there—should probably update the nostalgia.
Touring through Victoria and Vancouver makes you seem closer and farther away than you are. Afterall the cities are full of our favorite haunts and discoveries that defined us while we lived out here. From the simple condition of being a water baby frolicking along ocean views, to the organic food (I was zealous in satisfying my craving for health muffins . . .), to the great people, my time on the coast was so very groovy. And oh the coffee!
Every now and then, it’s good to soak up time with people who inspire you, who are just like-minded enough to remind you who you are and who you want to be. And certainly we arrived in Victoria at that point on the tour when the travel routines are comfortable, the shows are swimming along fabulously, and it’s time to relax. Let loose. Give in.
So I began my tour of Victoria, stuffed into a corner table in a crowded Italian restaurant with great wine and food to define “states of grace” with Wynn and Theresa. With wine lubricating our intellects, the discussion was lively and invigorating and continued onto the Reef, where we added Mike to the mix and switched to sangria. As my tour of old haunts continued, we dove into the Mint for martinis and by then, the music was calling. Back to Wynn’s for a jam. Perfect evening.
The show at the Duncan Garage Showroom was unpredictable, an experience only Longevity John (the owner) could deliver. The showroom is cluttered with oddities and wild paraphernalia that John tours us through: nutcrackers ranging from the obscene to the practical; a self-flipping spatula; a scalp-massager resembling something from a Frankenstein scene; a spoon with a revolving cup that always remains horizontal. All dispersed around the room, mingling with the 68 gold ducks that are sadly empty piggy banks now used to reserve seats.
On stage, Peter and I wildly enjoy ourselves, despite a very thin crowd. Theresa had come up from Victoria with us. And during my set, another crew of Peter’s friends arrived from Victoria. I was launching into a story, explaining that I could share my gossip with this crowd because we are so removed. With this intimate ensemble out at the far reaches of our tour in a small town out on an island, who knows the people I’m talking about! The story involves my brother, and as I mention this, someone from the crowd utters his name. Sure enough, among Peter’s friends is a guy I went to high school with. Surely such bizarre coincidence should have been expected in the close range of Longevity John.
After the show, Longevity John introduced us to his 11 dogs. Count them. 11. We heard about the dogs earlier. We smelled the strange odor coming from the van with the cracked, foggy windows, but we weren’t quite prepared. The mangy mutts practically took over, bustling about in a frenzy that was chaotic. Peter seemed visibly disturbed. Back in the car, he keeps returning to the scene: “I can still smell the dogs. . .” or randomly uttering “those dogs!”
Damn it if my camera battery doesn’t die and I miss the opportunity to record Longevity John. Peter has some pics I’ll put up. As you can see, we’ve been experimenting with exposures . . .
Before burning onto Kelowna for the next show, we’ve got some down time to settle into Doreen’s. In such domestic comfort, Peter’s affinity for beer and pajamas is allowed expression and we sink into relaxation mode, jamming, songwriting, stretching our limbs.
So I’ve got some time here to catch up—pour yourself a glass of wine and pick up the phone tonight. Let’s make it a date and settle into a good chat.
Love C
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