one more night...

This will likely be my last post from Playa del Carmen. I spent today on the beach. Very crowded today... I sat right in front of the music (at Mamitas Beach Club) - the music was great. Kinda housey, very organic, reminded me very much of Sector 9 which is fitting given my location. The beach was crowded today mostly with seemingly well-to-do Mexicans. They were beautiful and loud too. Of course i have no idea what they were all talking about but they seemed to be having a great day.

Just got invited out to dinner with a big crew that is here at the hotel from Arkansas. Should be interesting!

That´s really all i got for ya today. I have a ride to the airport at 2pm tomorrow afternoon so i´ll probably spend the early part of the day hangin out here by the pool.

Oh, i got some info for Ilissa and Curry´s wedding... The place i was asked to find out about is called Iberostar Tucan which, what i´ve learned, is south of playa del carmen in Playa Car so i wasn´t able to go over there and check it out myself. From what i hear, it´s the same as any big all-inclusive - Iberostar is a chain, apparently. Anyway, i just got another place to look into in Tulum. Apparently it´s just gorgeous and cheaper only it sounds like we´d be roughin it a bit more. Where i am staying now would be a perfect place to rent out the whole thing (44 rooms) but that might not be feasible given the size of the party. We´ll discuss...

Also i will highly recommend La Tortuga for Toby and Kitty´s honeymoon. I even got them a little surprise to use while they are here as a wedding gift. Yay!

Ok, going to chill before dinner and my last night in playa (boo hoo!) No, it´s cool. I love coming back to SF - it´s easier leaving a lovely place like this knowing i´m heading back to my wonderful friends in the best city ever!

ruins ruins and mas ruins

Hola! Just arrived back to La Tortuga from a day of exploring... The free car didn´t happen but i got one anyway. Started early this morning and drove to Coba (on waldorf´s recommendation - gracias amigo). It´s about an hour south to Tulum and then 45 minutes inland from there. Tons of groups of mayan ruins. i didn´t take a tour cuz it just looked annoying so i just roamed around by myself for a few hours. it´s really fascinating that all of it is still there to some degree. these structures are almost a thousand years old! the "big pyramid" there is bigger than the one in chichen itza and it was pretty remarkable. i didn´t climb it though - too hot and people coming down didn´t look overly psyched. it´s my vacation and i´ll climb if i want to!

From there i went to check out the village of tulum and then to the archeological site which is gorgeous. lots more intact there and you could imagine the people living their lives, having their little sacrifices at the different structures. again, i didn´t take a tour. too many people were looking hot and bored. so i took my pictures and roamed around on my own and then made it down to la playa which was so beautiful. hung out there for a bit with some lizard friends. (i think this is the land of the lizards!)

the goal at the beginning of the day was to also visit some cenotes but i was over it by the time i was leaving tulum. i actually tried to hit one up but they were closing so i figured that was a sign. i´ll see cenotes next time around...

back at the hotel where peeps are hangin out drinking coronas and whatnot. last night´s dinner was AWESOME. i went to an argetinian restaurant called Buenos Aires (thanks to waldorf, toby and kathleen for that rec). i had the juiciest steak in the universe. last night i dined with my new friends from austin and athens and just bumped into them again here at the pool.

so now i relax some more and eventually go have some dinner. everything´s feeling wonderful today. can´t wait to hit la playa again tomorrow. until then...

p.s.

Right after I blogged earlier, I was reading my book by the pool when i was overhearing a conversation by this group of four 20something people that had just arrived at the hotel today. I heard this one girl (her name is nancy) start rattling off all these band names, Widespread Panic, Coldplay, Allman Brothers... Then they started talking about the Drive By Truckers. Obviously i found my new friends for the night! Nancy lives in Austin and the other three (Kate, Will and Jeff) live in Athens. They even know who PGroove is! Buenos noches mi amigos.

Super sun Dee...

Hola amigos! Back at my hotel (free internet at the bar - Luis is making me a mojito) after another scorcher at the beach. Slightly more overcast today but i still managed to get my legs bright red - ouchie!

This morning started out kinda rough because of a night on the town with my new friends Ken and Cary (the awesome gay couple from LA). They are opening a day spa in LA called DTox that will open before the end of the year so i have to remember to look them up. Anyway, after i blogged yesterday i came back to sit by the pool and Ken and Cary came back from their day. We hung out for a while and they invited me out to dinner with them. It was their last night here so that was nice.

We walked along 5th ave for a while which is AMAZING at night. everything is all lit up and all the wares look so good. We chose a lively restaurant with a mariachi band outside - we were looking for some real mexican flava. We ordered drinks - i had a huge mango margerita - yum! For dinner, i had a mayan fish filet with bananas wrapped in banana leaves - so good. After ANOTHER huge mango margerita (the boys were also indulging in mas tequila) we went out to this trendy-ish bar that was very euro and very LA - something in between. There were these beds that you hang out on by a pool. Very good looking bartenders... very nice place. We had a few more drinks there and Cary wanted to go to the Blue Parrot but we were pretty toasted by that point so back to La Tortuga we went. It was a fun night but made for a difficult morning as far as getting anything down into my stomach. After a few hours of laying out at the beach i felt better :)

So now i´m back at the hotel. Not sure what i´ll do for dinner as i´ll probably be dining alone (unless i run into the OTHER cute gay couple we met last night - i like hanging out with the gay guys because they are guys but no pressure - perfect sitch. and because i´m from SF, they feel comfortable around me!) I made arrangements to get a car to go to Tulum tomorrow. i got kinda roped into a promotional deal where i have to go check out this new hotel in the morning but they are gonna give me the car for free so what the hey. i´ll probably go to tulum and coba to climb the pyramid and maybe check out a cenote or two. PIBE!

Ok, i have to concentrate on my two mojitos right now. TTYL. Mucho amore...

Greetings from PLAYA

Hola! I´ve been on vacation for about 24 hours now and ya know what? It suits me very much! Yes, I´m typing and this keyboard is kinda funny! My espanol is awful but I´m getting along very well... Just spent about 6 hours in the blazing sun on la playa. It was cloudy and muggy when I arrived last night but I stayed optomistic and today was just gorgeous.

I arrived at Hotel La Tortuga yesterday late afternoon and my first impression was that the website was very flattering! But I settled in and in a few hours the charm hit me and i was very happy. My first cocktail was a mojito and it was delicioso! I made a couple of friends from LA - Bobby and Ken. They were waiting for their girlfriend and boyfriend who were getting pedicures. We all hung out for a bit and had some drinks then I had dinner at the italiano restaurant that is attached to the hotel. I had the best pasta arrabiata ever! A few glasses of wine with dinner and a full day of travel did me in for the night and after chatting with my new friends by the pool for a bit, I went to bed.

Slept for about a million hours and got my free awesome breakfast at the same restaurant before hitting the beach. Did i have a crossaint with nutella for breakfast? i sure did! i´m on vacation! it was oh so yummy... When I got to the beach (the hotel has a deal with club Mamita about 10 blocks away on a very lovely stretch of sand) where i traded in my voucher for a chair and umbrella and this is where i was camped out for the entire day. Been totally on my own the whole time and yeah i got a bit lonely until i put on my ipod and it all washed away. i listened to Dennis Cook´s amazing Black Crowes Primer (a mix with about 40 amazing b-sides and otherwise amazing black crowes songs) and it made me think of one of my favorite lines by Penny Lane in Almost Famous: "and if you get lonely, just go to the record store and visit your friends." Music, as always is a salvation (not that i need a full salvation but you know what i mean) and no matter where i am in the world, i feel close to my loved ones.

so yes, there was this internet place a few steps away from my hotel where i am now headed for some shade and to read my book until i get hungry for dinner. hi andy if you´re still reading! ;) hasta la vista! mucho amore, superdee

Madonna circa 1984 hits this year's Bay 2 Breakers in San Francisco! 

INXS KICK

INXS KICK: It's been almost 20 years ago since INXS 'Kick' came out. It was probably my favorite album when I attended Woodland Junior High School. It still effin' rocks and with the new wave of seemingly 80's retro scenes happening right now, 'Kick' could be released brand new today and people would think it was the hot new band out of Des Moines called The Excess or something and Michael Hutchence would be the new hearthrob and they would get a spot on The O.C.. Anyway, it's worth another listen if you haven't given it a spin in over a decade. - SuperD

Ilissa and Curry got engaged in Venezuela! I love you guys and can't wait for barefoot nuptuals! 

Umphday #3

All in all, (and "All in Time"), it was a fantastic weekend of music. Highlights tonight were the much-welcomed "All in Time" and a brand new song called "Passing." The second set started with an uncanny version of "Shine on Your Diamond" that sounded just like the real thing - they totally nailed it note for note. "Glory" was, for lack of a better word at this hour, glorious. Overall a generally mellower night and a perfect bookend for this three-night run...

05.08.05 - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, California
Set One: Believe the Lie, Much Obliged > Jazz Odyssey > Water, All In Time, Uncle Wally, Nopener, Passing, Running With the Devil, Bad Poker
Set Two: Shine On You Crazy Diamond > Plunger, The Crooked One > Hurt Bird Bath > "Jimmy Stewart" > Syncopated Strangers, Slacker^, Women Wine and Song > Hurt Bird Bath
Encore: Glory > Push the Pig
Notes:
^ with Eric Levy on keys

Umphday #2

I'm definitely moving a little bit slower today... Last night was big - a very technical show with lots of nooks and crannies. Here is the setlist:

05.07.05 - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, California
Set One: Nemo, Get In the Van, The Bottom Half, Partyin' Peeps, Prowler, E.T.I. > Der Bluten Kat
Set Two: Miss Tinkle's Overture, In the Kitchen, Kabump > 2nd Self, The Triple Wide > Don't Fear the Reaper* > The Triple Wide > Don't Fear the Reaper* > The Triple Wide, Layla, JaJunk
Encore: 40's Theme > "Owner of a Lonely Big Butt"** > 40's Theme
Notes:
* one verse each
** "What do you get when you combine something like Yes and Sir Mix a Lot"

The first set was much grander than the first set on Friday. "The Bottom Half" was particularly good and there was a very exploratory jam in the "Prowler" and the set finished huge. BAM out of the setbreak with "Miss Tinkle's" and I feel like "In the Kitchen" is really going beyond its "hit" status with some drawn out sections. (Kind of like what happened to "Free" in 1997.) Anyway... Awesomely rocking second set with "Kabump > 2nd Self" and then a sweet "Triple Wide" dance party.

And then, as if Umphrey's weren't my favorite thing since sliced bread right now, they bust into one of the best rock'n'roll songs in history - "Layla." This song has it all... Insane love, longing, anguish, sadness, guitar shreading and then what? Salvation... Jake got the honors of bringing the guitar back after the piano solo and he did not quite nail it but made up for it in the end with some beautiful soaring and they made me cry. Interesting thing about that guitar solo. Perhaps it was only meant to be that perfect just that once. And it wasn't even Clapton playing it apparently! Scott tells me last night that it was Duane Allman who played that solo on the album and I feel like that is a story I've heard before. Eric and Duane were apparently huge fans of each other and the Allmans just so happened to be rolling through town while Clapton was in the studio. Duane comes by the studio and in one take they record the most touching sound in rock'n' roll (for me, anyway). *sigh* I digress... but that is what a blog is for anyway, right???

So, encore... "40's Theme" was very fun with some "Owner of a Lonely Heart" and "I like big butts" teases in there. Those Umphs are so silly...

Ok, back to my Sopranos season 1 marathon sunday. Got a few more hours until it's back to the Great American to close out the weekend!

Umphday #1

Night one of three at the Great American was a hot one out of the gates. Conspirator - Marc Brownstein and Aron Magner's new(ish) project - opened the show. There were a handful of Bisco People out on the scene which made for a fun mix of old and new in the crowd. The music was awesome - I love the Conspiring sound! I was standing on the side talking with Jake for a bit while they were on and we were just looking around the Great American admiring its beauty and getting ready to feel its magic throughout the next few days. I mentioned that it was "the church." Jake got up to play with the band (a "de ja vu" from the sick Jam Cruise set in the Endless Summer lounge)... ANYWAY, what I'm trying to get to is the last jam they played was a Clapton-y, bluesy/gospel, soul-lifting organ-lead revival. It was amazing.

Ok, the Umphrey's show... Here is the setlists:

05.06.05 - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, California
Set One: Example 1 > "Jimmy Stewart" > Great American > Mulche's Odyssey > Ocean Billy > Tribute to the Spinal Shaft > White Man's Moccasins > I Ran^
Set Two: Ringo^^ > "Jimmy Stewart" > 2x2* > Baby You're A Rich Man > Ringo > Atmosfarag, The Fussy Dutchman > Hysteria** > Resolution, Bright Lights
Encore: Hangover > Pipeline > Hangover
Notes:
Conspirator opened
^ with Aron Magner on keytar
^^ Kris broke his kick drum; Jake and Brendan played percussion; later, Jake switched to bass and Brendan switched to keys
* with Feels So Good tease
** one verse and chorus

This was so fun!!! Highlights for me: The "White Man's Moccasin's" into "I Ran" with Aron on keytar was really great. So fun to watch them all enjoying each other. Second set was sick sick... OK! THE 2X2!!! When they started playing it, I felt like I entered that special magic time machine. You know the machine of which I speak? The one that can only happen with music... When the music itself is timeless, you love it always, and it reminds you of the past, gives you glimpses of the future, and in the present, well all you can do is smile smile smile. Vince was standing next to me saying that it was this song that made him want to work for this band for the rest of his life.

And seeing Aron in the first set holding that keytar reminded me of the '80s which reminded me of Def Leppard and then, in the second set, little by little out came the "Hysteria" out of "The Fussy Dutchman." SO SICK!!!! I love these guys....

I was surprised they pulled out the "Hangover" so early in the weekend (full on with the break out the booty wax) - I figured they'd wait until Sunday for that one being that I expect we'll all be pretty hung over by then.

Ok, one down, two to go!

Porcupine Tree's Deadwing

Porcupine Tree's Deadwing: "Long live rock 'n' roll! Leave it to the Brits to bring me the rockingest new rock I've heard at least all year. This album has a little of everything for the rock lover: heavy proggy guitar monster jams, soft acoustic tender ballads, and some stuff in between that puts them in the 21st century. Great stuff. It even causes my head to bang. Highly recommended..."

Just because we couldn't make it to NOLA this year doesn't mean we couldn't boil those crawdaddies! Jazz Fest West was a huge success. 

Devils & Dust

Devils & Dust is the great new album by Bruuuuuuuuuce. It's "an instant classic" as they say. Seriously though... I dig it. Amazing how this New Jersey boy can end up sounding like a cowboy sometimes!

What's the deal with blogging?

I'd like to think of myself as an internet saavy person yet this is my first foray into the world of blogging. What does it all mean? Why do people feel so fabulous when they blog? Is blog a noun or a verb or both? Could it ever be an adjective? "My lunch was blog today." Hmmm... maybe not yet.