Sunday, February 01, 2009

Odds and Sods for Sunday, February 1, 2009

Gah! I can't believe it's February already. As my favorite waiter in an Asian fusion restaurant once told me, "Time fries, Lobin."

So this past Friday, January 30 was beautiful daughter Julie Slick's 23rd birthday:



I'm sorry, I know this photo (posted here many times cos' I love it) is not current as evidenced by the bass she's playing, but it's one of my favorites -- from her very last "Best Of" Rock School show at the Troc almost five years ago!

And speaking of that, if you live in the Philadelphia area and want something very cool to do prior to the Super Bowl, be at World Cafe Live at 2:00 today for the winter, 2009 version of that same event, which will feature kids/songs from last week's fabbo Philadelphia Beatle show and students from Wilmington, Princeton, and Cherry Hill School of Rock as well. You can purchase your tickets right here!

Oh, did I mention the show will also include "Guest Professor" Earl Slick? Ha ha, Gary finally gets to meet the man/guitarist most often confused as the father of our two kids. We have a running family joke that Earl should play a gig with Julie and Eric called Slick, Slick, Slick...then it turns out Eric may be playing with him at some point in the future afer all - not sure yet, though and Eric will probably call me on the phone and yell at me if he reads this but yes, it has been talked about as a one-off. By the way, Eric is currently on tour with Project Object and I apologize for falling behind in my usual PR on the blog - they've already done shows in Teaneck, NJ, Baltimore, MD, and Sellersville, PA but tonight should be a great one down in Falls Church, Virginia -- they are opening the doors early for patrons to watch the Super Bowl on big screen television; then Project Object will take the stage immediately thereafter. Ticket information can be found right here.

Here's two You Tubes of the band filmed in November, 2008 - some tasty stuff:





Speaking of great You Tubes, I know I promised a couple from the Beatle show last week but I was so freaking busy I didn't get around to it so let me make amends now. By the way, I was the crazy woman sitting by herself at a table sipping wine and bawling over every song. Of course that was partially a result of being up the entire night before partying in New York (see prior post) and then watching kids ages 6-17, from all cultures, backgrounds, and even disabilities perform the White Album in its entirety - I was their age when it was first released and naturally it played a huge part in my musical and creative life...so if you were there and wondering "Who the hell is that sobbing lunatic?" now you know...





Yep, the show was incredible and Eric, as the show's music director, and Gary, as his assistant, just did a stellar job with these kids.

Okay, what else. Oh yeah, Julie's birthday. Well, we all went out as a family (minus Eric, who was gigging in Baltimore that night, but filling his seat was Julie's significant other, Matt) to Chloe at 232 Arch Street in Philadelphia. We had a most excellent meal but I forgot to bring the camera so you'll have to take my word that the appetizers of lobster/crab crepes swimming in lobster bisque, oysters in garlic butter, spicy grilled shrimp with chili, coconut cilantro sauce, served atop corn cakes, and Chloe Salad with baked panko crusted goat cheese, mixed greens, red onion, and orange chipotle dressing were totally awesome, as were our entrees of grilled salmon fillet with crispy polenta, sweet and sour eggplant chutney, and parsley gremolata (me), pan seared sea scallops, crispy potato pancake, watercress and red onion salad, smoked chile and sour cream drizzle (Julie); baby back pork ribs, macaroni & cheese, seared spinach, bourbon chipolte glaze (Matt)...and center cut pork chop with sweet potato mash and grilled apples (Gary).

For dessert we split a light cheesecake (I only had a forkful...damn diet) and banana bread pudding (ditto).

Julie wanted art supplies as her gift, so yesterday the two of us went to a couple of way cool stores and picked up all kinds of things - tubes of paint, canvases, brushes...and while we were at Chloe, we noticed they had these really unique "lamps"...candles in pint glasses which were wrapped in gorgeous paper and tied in twine...very atmospheric and neat. So I knew of an art supply store which sells all kinds of crazy paper by the sheet (Taws, at 16th and Locust)...we picked up some lovely burnt orange, textured paper, pale ivory with moss green highlights..and dark green twine. Monday night has now been designated as "Robin and Julie Art Night" so I'm heading over to Julie's new digs tomorrow night for dinner (she's cooking me either scallops over warm lentil salad or black bean chili - I don't know yet); then we are making our lamps and we're both going to paint. It's so weird. I was an art major when I was in high school and thought that it would be my career. It's only been lately that I've had a strong desire to get back into it, and I never said a word to anyone in my family...then Julie expresses the same urge and that she wanted paints for her birthday. It was so freaky! So to say I'm looking forward to tomorrow night is putting it mildly.

Okay, I have all kinds of things to do today...I am dying to show you my new, finished book cover; what I plan to give away as promo (you are all going to want to read my new book just based on what you're going to get with each copy you buy! I'm so excited and will link you to the person/artist responsible next post)...but I want to make that a separate journal entry so hang on...it's coming...

One final note, which I will be posting again...there is a very special event happening for those of you living near Fort Wayne, Indiana on February 17. You can read about it here. And yes, the dynamic duo will be joining him...

Later,
xo

9 comments:

  1. Oh man, do I wanna go to that workshop!!! Oooh and excited to hear more about the new book!

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  2. Thanks for sharing the P/O videos. That is as close as I get for now - flippin' you-tube. And that first video of The Beatles Rock School show is awesome! I love that kid up front! His screaming is cute. The band was rockin too.

    Oh, and I haven't forgotten your mention that Eric was up to something special out west last month. Okay, spill it girl.

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  3. Love those Beatles YouTubes!

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  4. Hey, I hope you make it to the workshop and take some video, Johnny...

    Yeah, I'm glad you got to enjoy the You Tubes while they were up, Rena, but Insane Gail had them removed...she is truly one sick puppy as is her son and it's only out of respect to Adrian that I don't tell you all in great detail just how much of a stain he is...

    Sue, glad you loved them and so happy you now have reciprocal You Tubes of your brilliant kids at Rock School and especially with their own band, Phone Book.

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  5. You know, I have to come in and comment again about the fact that Gail had those You Tubes removed.

    (1) How nice to have nothing better to do with your day than do things like stalk You Tube and go on bitter attack against musicians wanting to play your late husband's music instead of doing something to actually help mankind. Like, how about donating some of your obvious free time to a soup kitchen or other charitable endeavors, Gail? Or making art in general?

    (2) These are freaking You Tubes. People see them on my blog, which gets many many hits, and then they go out and buy Frank's CDs. But you can't see that, because you are so full of hate and your motives are so transparent everyone sees through them and laughs at you behind your back and even to your face. You husband said, on his deathbed, "Play my Music" but you insist on waging personal vendettas, not against the musicians playing his music, but against your late husband himself and we all know why, don't we. I believe in karma, woman, and you're due for something horrible and miserable. Enjoy!

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  6. Anonymous3:11 PM

    You Go Rob!

    I loved the letter to Gail!
    Sure hope she reads it...and I didn't get to see the You Tubes in question but I am sure that they did Frank justice!

    To me Gail is just like Theresa Earnhardt and where did that get her? ALL ALONE in the BIG CITY of MOORESVILLE, NC .....WITHOUT her step son on her new INHERITED! racing team!

    Gail shame shame shame on you! Frank would have to give you a STEVIES SPANKING...

    Mike - a yet unknown artist from NC

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  7. Wow, that was fast. I just watched them yesterday. Too bad I didn't snag 'em first.

    I just don't get it. You would think she would be honored by the fact that her husband was truly an icon and that many were, and still are, heavily influenced by his music. How many times have I read that somebody that wasn't familar with Zappa went to see P/O or another cover band, only to love the music so much that they go out the next day and buy as much Zappa as they can get their hands on? Countless times, over and over again. It's such a great thing to destroy. And not to change the subject but, how did your art session go?

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  8. hey Robin,

    So- lemme get this straight -- after enjoying the Beatles COVER VIDEOS, which were great -- I can;t help but be confused -- don't the surviving Beatles and the estates of harrison/lennon have anyone who can be on staff to waste time looking for vids of people covering their music??

    Why can't they catch up!!!??

    I also think -- if it's fair game for Gail to gossip about various alumni and their legal issues YEARs ago, or recent substance abuse problems - shouldn't it be OK to discuss her (alledged) propensity to EAT AN ENTIRE LOAF OF BREAD when stressed out?? this from a very, very close source?

    anyway -- to be serious..it's UNREAL that you and all the others keep getting harassed for your vids -- I hope people see the irony when so many MORE IMPORTANT artist don't give a RAT'S ASS about someone paying tribute to their work....they are cognizant enough of the REAL WORLD to realize that each mention of an artist only sends waves of awareness and curiosity ABOUT that artist out into the ether....


    Insane stuff. Keep up your great work. Love ya.

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  9. Frank's music will live on, despite Gail's best efforts. Hopefully Dweezil will figure things out eventually.

    That picture of Julie is Oh. My. Goodness. Matt is a very lucky fellow. - S.

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