August 31, 2018 at 1:58 am

Note: All my posts on the ’60s are gathered under “The ’60s,” above. Being a blog, these posts are in reverse order. If you want to read them from the beginning, scroll down. Chapter 1 is at the bottom, chapter 2 above that, etc.

Great Day/Night Out in Bay Area/Zoe Fitzgerald Carter & Sugartown

September 22, 2019 at 10:37 am
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I was on my way home Thursday after a great day “over the hill.” Early morning latte at Cafe Trieste in North Beach, then breakfast at Bette’s diner, Berkeley with bookpals Kevin & Elise, then across bridge again, go swimming in warm (for us, 60+ degrees) water in Aquatic Park cove, sauna at South End Rowing Club, then Irish coffee across street at Buena Vista cafe (hey, the place is so great, all the tourists don’t even spoil it), meet a fellow SFO native, we talk about the city we still love , and he buys my drink. Great dinner at Fiorella “neighborhood Italian” restaurant. THEN, I stop in at 19 Fairfax bar on the way home and heard this incredible band — Sugartown, fronted by Zoe Fitzgerald Carter. And there were like 5 people in the bar. Couldn’t believe it, both the excellence of this band and the fact that no one was there. Sheesh!
If you’ve read this blog before, you may know I’m prone to over-enthusiasm, can’t help it.
That said, I think this is a world-class band, and as far as I can tell, undiscovered.
I had 3 shots of Jack Daniels while sitting at a table in front, only one other person there. Couldn’t believe my luck.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE6cZiPyxqQ&list=PLDRFubRnUzToCmODpeHtsBDu2PMUKBVxq&index=1/p>

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Vegetable Garden in Connecticut

September 21, 2019 at 1:25 pm

This was in the ’80s, when I was visiting my friend John Welles at his compound in West Cornwall, Connecticut. One night, for dinner, we went to a neighbor’s homestead, where John had a free pass to the garden. We picked some corn, chard, peas and beans for dinner.

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Gypsy Wagon on Truck by Yogan and Menthé

September 18, 2019 at 6:56 pm

Two years ago, French carpenters Yogan and Menthé flew to California, carrying a few basic tools, and hitchhiked up the coast from San Francisco to Washington, exchanging their building skills for room and board. It’s poetry with wood.

(There’s no motor in the truck; It’s built so as to be towed around.)

Are these guys FUN!

More on these extraordinary carpenters:

L-R, yogan, Menthe, stopping by Shelter’s world headquarters on their way home from their productive trip.

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Val Agnoli’s Sculptural Home

September 17, 2019 at 3:30 am

Val is that unusual combination of creative architect and master builder. He can build what he designs!

I shot this picture of his home in 1973. There’s a long interview and about a dozen other pictures of his work in Shelter.

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Nadine – Chuck Berry

September 16, 2019 at 3:36 pm

youtube.com/watch?v=myPzYiTLvK0

Recorded in 1963, just after Chuck got out of jail. Essence of rock and roll. Johnny Johnson (I would guess) on piano here. Johnny was a big and relatively little-known integral part of Chuck’s success. I saw Johnny in NYC some years ago. I closed my eyes when he was playing and saw shimmering diamonds. And yeah, I was stoned. So?

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