Had an amazing time at the Sister Cities International Dinner and Auction, which took place at the Filipino Community Center here in Vallejo. I helped Shea pick out this beautiful barong at Vallejo’s own Barong & Formal. The event was in recognition of Sister City La Spezia, Italy, where my cousin lives with his family. I got to speak a little Italian with the Italian dancers who performed, which I think they appreciated. There was a buffet from at least nine different cultures, as well as representatives from many parts of the world.
Had a great time at the Vallejo Thursday August Night last night. The live music in both intersections was impressive and very engaging with the crowd.
Turtle spotting, duck invading, country-music-playing float with a bunch of queers down the Russian River only to finish off with someone on a paddleboard moving forward with a dog onboard!
Feeling strong after moving a piano across town with one hired handyman on Taskrabbit. It’s nice to have a piano to practice on, even though I mostly play by ear. At first I wasn’t going to take the sheet music that came with it, but I’m so glad I did because one of them was Barbra Streisand!
She did a Walnut Creek performance right by my office. John Muir Health, my employer of four years, was a primary corporate contributor to the charity event.
Some sites from the Castro, including a shrine to Donna Summer, RIP.
It was also the weekend of the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate, and we caught them testing the lights for the fireworks show to happen the next night.
Let me tell you that while the poignant story of her discovery was amazing, the woman is a POWERHOUSE. Don’t be fooled for a moment that she is not a talent to be reckoned with as she approaches fifty and was only discovered within the last few years. Her voice is unstoppable and there is absolutely nothing that could be done in a studio that could make her voice do the things that they do on her latest album. Take a careful listen to “Return” on her latest album called “Someone to Watch Over Me”. I also find that the song choice in this third full album of hers is quite deliberate and appropriate. She continues to move people, and I think that’s what makes the difference between her and the fly-by-night dance troop that actually won the reality TV show she first appeared on.
