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Well, I've been here for a month and a day now, and what have I got to show for it? Mostly a bunch of postcards I plan on scanning and Photoshopping myself into, a couple of new pairs of shoes, and for some strange reason about a million and a half little plastic bags all over my apartment... Hmmm... Actually, the last two
weeks have been awesome! On the 25th of April I "moved out"
of Hotel Little and moved into this
gorgeous
little apartment on the 5th floor of a fairly new(ish)
building in the 15th arrondissement. As you can see its got
great big windows that look out onto beautiful Rue
Mademoiselle in a great neighborhood, walking distance to
the Eiffel tower with lots of cafe's, flower shops, Chinese
take out places and all the stores I need on Rue Commerce.
It's spacious, and gets sun in the afternoon and a cool
breeze at night! It has that "lived in" look as we (Saji
& I) sort of just moved in in a hurry. I'll clean it up
and take some more shots later, or maybe not. I've got a swell
little kitchen/dining room/laundry room/pantry,
complete with clothes washing machine (no dryer)
and range & oven. This is the
(already much lived in) living room with the
windows wide open out into the street here at 7 Rue
Mademoiselle. Not much sun today as it was raining
when I woke up, but even the rain is beautiful
here! I think I said
somewhere that it's quiet here, but that may be a
bit of an exaggeration... The French (in summer at
least I guess) party well into the night and when I
say party, I mean simply enjoying people's company
over a late meal and post dinner aperitifs at a
restaurant on the street. This often lasts well
into the morning (3 - 5 AM) and they're not
extremely cautious about the noise level. Laughter
and singing are often on the playlist, as well as,
let's say, expressive conversation. It really
doesn't bother me and I gotta believe the locals
are used to it, or that it's not a severe faux-pas
to make a little noise while soaking in the good
things in life well into the night. I'm lucky as I
sleep pretty well, and if necessary, I can close
the windows which are really super sound resistant,
but I rather enjoy the sounds of my new
neighborhood! Ahh, the view!
It's actually much better than I can represent
here, but I hope you get the idea. I'm on the 5th
floor (actually the 6th as the ground floor is '0'
in Europe) and I get lots of sun and breeze. It's
great for those late night cigars as I kick up my
feet on the sill, pour a glass of wine and sit back
and solve all the world's problems in my mind. It's
ever so peaceful. I even like to just sit and look
at this beautiful building across the way.
Sometimes at night I'm treated to a show as
someone's always having a party over there. (Sorry
guys, no naked chicks yet, but I'm keeping my eyes
pealed!) I've only been here for two nights so far as on the 25th, Rod and I set sail (on a train) to Cologne, Germany. (See all the swell pic's on the side trips pages!) but it already feels great being here! I don't necessarily feel like a complete local or anything but when people ask, it's cool to say to say "I live in the 15th." Yesterday on the street while walking home I helped an elderly lady from Jamaica find her hotel, as she had gotten turned around after getting off of the Metro station (a common occurrence for me - You know, when you get your north and south/east and west bearings turned around) and she was appreciative and I felt a silly sense of residency because of it. Going the local market
makes me feel like I live here too, as I picked up some
shampoo, toothpaste, and bars of soap. and any of the
essentials for any household. Just doing the stuff you
normally do while living somewhere gives you that feeling I
guess.
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Dr.
Rod No, he's not
plugging his ears because I'm plying too
loud: As for my trip with Rod, a little background: Dr. Rod Harris is a longtime true and much loved friend. c. 1982 - While enrolled in my first year of college... Thanks to my Mom, who said "Clint, you should take a music class - You like music!" This, when I was studying to be a graphic artist in my first year at Columbia College in wonderful Columbia, CA. At the time I had been playing guitar a lot, as well as a bit of electric bass. My big brother Nick was my idol as he would play and sing songs he wrote at family gatherings, and I thought that was cool. But I was determined to study graphic art at the time because I liked that as well, and my other idol, my dad, was a part-time artist which I admired. So I sais to myself, "self..." sais I, "Let's go register for that Jazz Improvisation class you saw in the schedule. You like jazz and your mother is never wrong." So I registered and this music teacher guy, Rod Harris, sais "So, you play a little bass, huh?" I brought my bass to the next class where Rod put a chart (The Girl From Ipanema) in front of me and said "play this chord, count to four and go to the next measure." OK I sais, and after a couple of try's I was getting the hang of it! By the end of class I was HOOKED! This jazz stuff is awesome! Throughout the next couple of years I took to the electric bass like a fly on you-know-what. Thanks to Rod who continually challenged me and pushed me forward, I learned at an excellerated rate. I remember many times when I would say "I can't play that", and Rod would say "Yes you can, and by the way, you don't have a choice - We've got a gig this Saturday!" If I hadn't run into Rod during this time of my life, I'd probably be a guitar playing Print Shop operator somewhere. When I think of all the challenges, confidence, and just plain old good teaching I got from Dr. Rod over the years it's overwhelming! He always believed in me, gave me encouragement as well as criticism, and just kept me moving forward. He was full of praise all along the way, but was never as content as I was to let me rest on the laurels of accomplishments. For the next 17 years and to this day he continued to help me accomplish things musically that I never would have without him. I'm much indebted to my first music teacher. Consequently, over the years I continued to work for and with Rod, and our relationship transformed from Teacher/Student to very close friends. Oh the stories of many many great gigs and concerts at the College, as well as the numerous ones we should forget but are too funny not to bring up once in awhile. I fondly remember many nights after a concert at Rod's house relaxing with friends and fans, playing his sweet piano, and soaking in the hot tub in Rod's back yard. Invaluable memories! Doc, I love you with all my heart and don't know how I'll ever let you know how much you mean to me, and how invaluable your tuition both in music and life have been. I never could have done it without you! Not only were you my first music teacher, but first bass teacher as well. Thank you for having all the confidence in the world in me, always telling me I could do it, and being there as a trusted friend in hard times as well. But now that we've traveled together for two weeks, we hate each other! No, No, nothing of the sort! Rod and I are great travelers together. Rod has been here to Europe more times than I've washed my socks in Paris, and he is truly a seasoned veteran of the travel scene! He showed me around some of his old haunts as we traveled to Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, and Italy, and we got along famously! We're both pretty independent as well as dig each other's company as we could talk music or sports until the sun comes up (and often have an many occasions in California.) On some days I would head out alone to search around or he would go to the market on his own. We had a great time! See it all in living color in the side trips pages! Today I'm super psyched as
I'm going to get a phone. Yesterday Saji and Nicole helped
me buy my first telephone number here! By the way, thank
you, Nicole and Nada for all your tremendous help and
hospitality which is immensely appreciated! Without you I
would still be looking for towels, an iron, a great
restaurant with happening music, Chinese take out, an
APARTMENT, and not to mention a Cell Phone. You help has
meant much to me! Well now it's back to "work," if you can call this work! I can hear the collective sighs of sympathy from all of you! I've got to burn a bunch of CD's and send them out to producers, jazz clubs, radio stations, and concert promoters, in hopes that somebody will like the CD enough to at least get a hold of me for some playing. I've been practicing a lot but I haven't played a real gig in ernest for over a month now and it's frustrating (yes, MORE frustrating than something else I haven't done for 35 days now but who's counting...) Even just a jam session or two would get me in a groove, so I've got get hustling. One thing I've never been good at is hunting down gigs by being a pest, but now I've gotta learn how. (OK, OK Mom, I'll do it!) Keep your fingers crossed for me! |
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