Tag Archives: Rey Fresco

A Couple of Things…

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1. The Ventura Fair is in full swing!   The theme is Boots, Barns & Banjos.  It was so much fun walking the parade route last Saturday with Kat and Totally Local VC.   The float provided live music from Dan Grimm on guitar & Ian McFadyen on banjo and Jonny Reese of Amigos on air guitar.  Photo above has Mary McGrath who represented locally grown pumpkins, Kat Merrick of Totally Local VC and myself supporting local music.   The float took first place!!!

2. The second photo is courtesy of my friend, photographer Amanda Peacock.  When I saw this when she posted it on Facebook I laughed because I had no idea she was shooting me.  Then my second thought was, “What happened to my ass?!!!” Seriously!  I use to have one!

3. My birthday, by the way (thanks for asking!), was amazing!!  Went to the Getty Museum with Sydney, band practice with Christine & Charles Law, then drinks with the Laws, Eve, Kat & Chris, then a delicious dinner with the family, Staci and the Mimiagas at Aloha.  My birth week started with dancing to Rey Fresco the weekend before with Maggie at Bombay’s and ended the following Friday with Linda (my oldest & dearest friend) for great music from Shawn Jones at Peirano’s.
Dancing, amazing music, delicious food, the best friends and family.  Life is good!!!

4. I’ll be reviewing the no gift birthday policy with Kat.  (See last blog)

5. Oh!  I learned “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” by the Eurythmics at band practice on my birthday, the Marilyn Manson version that is.  But it sounds more like the White Stripes doing Marilyn Manson.

6. Double Oh!  Thought of another life hightlight:
Interviewing Neil Patrick Harris while he was taking flying trapeze lessons in the Valley, then at the end, he surprises me with a free try.  I can still recall the adrenalin rush with safety harness on, standing on tippy toes grasping the bar, and then taking a deep breath and swinging out.    SOOOO SCARY!!!   I was high for days!

7. Soon after I wrote that list last week of some of the highlights in my life I saw this and smiled.  This is why I wrote it’s the PG-13 version:  “Some of the best moments in life are the ones you can’t tell anyone about.”

8. I wonder, “Is it better to have the last laugh or to just take the freakin’ high road?”

9. I recently took a break at work and walked downtown to a local bakery where I not only knew 7 out 9 people there, but one of them was the mayor of Ventura himself! Love this town!!

10. I had my co-workers over for a beach day recently.  One of us was brave enough to jump in the cold water.  The rest of us…not so much.    I need to toughen up if I’m going to learn how to surf!

11. Congratulations to my old friend and radio colleague, John Vance, who recently accepted the Fire Chief’s position in Minnetonka, Minnesota.  He’s relocating his family from Granger, Indiana.  Best wishes Chief!!   Of course this means he’s only 1900 miles away as opposed to 2100 miles!

12. From my “Favorite Facebook Posts” file:  “He who is devoid of the power to forgive, is devoid of the power to love. ”   Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)

Thanks for listening!

A Couple of Things…Ventura Music Week

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Kat Merrick, Totally Local VC, David Comden of VC Report & Me.

Kat Merrick of Totally Local VC, David Comden of VC Reporter & Pam Baumgardner of VenturaRocks.com.

1. Ventura Music Week is underway.  I have no idea how we’re pulling it off, but I’m thinking the endless hours of planning and running around rallying the troops might have something to do with it.

2. I love the venues and the people who have stepped up to help with Ventura Music Week.  They get it.  It’s not about what’s in it for them…but about coming together as a community to brand Ventura as a music town.

3. Monday night is a special screening of Dave Grohl’s film, “Sound City, Real to Reel.”  There are obligatory rumors of a special guest showing up…just saying.

4. Our kick off party on Friday was amazing. Music from Dan Grimm, Spencer the Gardener, Raging Arb and the Redheads and the McEuen Brothers all performing in the historic Erle Stanley Gardner Building (known as the birthplace of Perry Mason). Plus we had City Councilmen, Carl Morehouse and Mayor Mike Tracy in attendance.

5. Went to a private Whiskey tasting event Sunday afternoon at The Tavern. I’ll be honest, I was a little scared of overindulging.  Especially having not eaten all day long. Highlight was finally getting to see Rey Fresco perform.

6. I love when I go out to shoot a show that I’m never alone.  I always run into friends to hang out with.

7. One of the perks of Ventura Music Week is establishing new relationships with and getting to know business owners. Most are extremely hard working individuals who deserve help.  Some others…not so much.

8. I am grateful I was wise enough to take vacation time from my day job so I could focus entirely on pulling off Ventura Music Week.  Plus I don’t have to worry about a curfew.

9. 100 bands – 30 venues – 10 days – 1 city.  Yeah, that’s Ventura Music Week baby!

10. Many thanks to Kat Merrick whose drive, expertise and commitment to seeing this through.  Seriously, without her…well  I couldn’t even imagine!

11.  Ventura Music Week was put together by a committee of business owners who donated their time and/or resources:  David Comden, publisher from the VC Reporter, Kevin Clerici of Downtown Ventura, Sam Benner of Benner Marketing, Peter Brown of The City of Ventura, Gary Stewart of Four Brix, Pam Baumgardner (me!) of VenturaRocks.com and of course Kat Merrick from Totally Local VC…thank you for all your hard work.  We did it!!!

12. From my “Favorite Facebook Posts” file:   “I would rather die of passion than boredom.” Vincent van Gogh

Thanks for listening.

(Photo above is from the Ventura Music Week kick off party)