Third bike tour & Emily Wells in Concert

I took today my bike and tried to explore the Limekiln Canyon again. This time I found the entrance easily, but my cute small bike isn’t made for such grade. And it was hot, too. After I passed Chatsworth St I took the right side of the canyon, but just beyond Freeway 118 there was a dead end. There was only a path scarp up to Rinaldi St. I took a deep breath and a drink of water and climbed the hillside up. Up there was a big ugly church. I took some pictures. But it was so hot, that I decided to go back home. I rode up to Corbin Ave and from there it was only downhill. But the trees was so small, that there branches hit me n my head. I must duck to could use the sidewalk. Near Lassen I nearly fell down, because of the bad condition of the sidewalk.

After chilling in the pool and a sunbath my cousin Omid came to pick me up. I could convince him to come to a concert by Emily Wells in Glendale. Actually, it was the forth Broken Wave Music Social Scene. i hadn’t idea what this was and even wasn’t sure, if it will be a concert or a party…

Broken Wave Music is a recording studio. It seems they organize every month a gathering for socializing and networking for musicians and creatives. The entrance was free and the drinks, too. We was friendly welcomed and asked to fill out a list, where they collected names, email and occupation (I wrote Tourist). I asked him, if Emily will do a show. He said yes and that a lot of people asked this. It seems a lot of fans of her was there. The party was right in their normal business rooms. So there was a big studio where the presented a documentary about another label. Outside in the lot The Pirate Charles had there funny show. In another studio where turntables and the DJanes played some smooth songs. They had drinks and beer and even a Black Jack table, but nobody liked to play.

On the one hand I felt a bit in a wrong place between this networking-doin’ professionals (But I had nice talk with Omid). On the other hand I couldn’t await until the concert get started. The concert itself was in a big studio. I felt in love to her music, since Bea tweeted a link to a video of Emily Wells, once (see below). I was so addicted by her music, that I bought her album as MP3 online after a few days (I can’t find it somewhere else and wasn’t able to took her MySpace-Profile with me).

The room was filled with people, some must wait outside. She started the concert with Symphony 1 In the Barrel of a Gun and the people got warm. She played with her band, a drummer and a bassist. It was a really cool concert. I love her voice and how the play and loop the sound. Oh, yeah. She plays a violin and sings. But she has synthesizers, ukulele, xylophone, toy instruments and a loop machine, too. She combines her sounds and fragments with the loop machine into a great songs. I don’t like to write about her music. Please just watch the youtube video below.

After the concert I talked with her and bought from each CD (there was three) one. She is very nice. Of course, I invited her to Germany for concerts. Maybe she will come one day. For me this concert and chance was unbelievable. I checked her website every few days, to see if there is a show. She had one just one day before I arrived. And tomorrow another in San Diego. But I know this was to far away. And now I just was there and saw her live… Yippie.

Venice Beach, Hollywood and Disneyland

Saturday was family day. I everybody came around and I met my cousins Roya, Arezoo and Omid again. I saw Roya and Arezoo 10 years ago, when they visited us in Germany. But I didn’t saw Omid since he leaved Germany in 1988. Later Sepi, Kevin and myself go out for Lunch in Sushi-Restaurant in a mall. Everzthing is here so huge. From the meals over the malls up to the cars. I brought a power adapter for UK instead US, so we went to Fry’s to buy one. Unfortunately it doesn’t hold my chargers tight enough so I will get another one. In the evening we chill a bit around the pool.

Because a lot of guys asked me: They delivered my lost suitcase to our house on Friday night. And I didn’t recognize anything which might be a Jet-lag.

On Sunday morning we met all together at Country Deli for breakfast. Deli is short for delicatessen and they might have some, but as far as I saw it was a restaurant with a really good breakfast. We met there early, so we are there before the Church people. I had bagel, omelette, pancake, … But before we could start eating we needed take a lot of pictures of everybody (uploads later). Take care of your coffee cup. They refill it very fast. Oh, and they have advertisement in the menu. Like in a magazine. And choices. “I want a bagel.” “Toasted” “Which kind of bagel”…

After breakfast Kevin drove a little around Chatsworth and showed me some landmarks. Back at home Roya prepared Esfand dudkardan. She heated dried harmal capsulesit over a gas flame until they popped. She moved it three times over our heads. This is a ritual to spread health and good spirit. We all had a lot of fun.

Venice Beach

Later at afternoon we drive to Venice Beach. It’s a long beach at the Pacific, where a lot of small shops and traders are. They sell souvenirs, clothes, shoes, paintings, music or promote the medical usage of Marijuana. A lot of Hippies and other funny strangers. You can let them predict your future, buy sun glasses or got your daily dosis of Botox just in half a mile. I also see muscle beach, some kind of outdoor fitness center. They have some facilities for sports (like squash) and leisure, which everybody can use. Royas and Arezoos dogs had a lot fun, like us. We just walked two hours and then got back to our car.

Hollywood and Westwood

After a nice dinner with Sepi, Kevin, Arezoo and Marc at Stonefire Grill Omid picked me up for a trip to Hollywood and area. I saw the stars (quite disappointing) and there are still flowers and a couple of people around the one of Micheal. It was nice to driving around there and Bevery Hills, but we (Omid picked up his friend Sam, too) went to an Arab cafe in Westwood. The name was Habibi (Love you or My Dear) like every Arab Restaurant I know in Cologne. We ordered a Hookah and – because they didn’t serve drinks – a mint tea. Quite an halal outgo, but we had fun. I was at 12AM back at home, ’cause the next day we want to go to …

Disneyland

Next to LA, in Anaheim is the original Disneyland. It’s the one Walt Disney himself planned and built. I had breakfast with Sepi, Kevin and Arezoo at Western Bagel and then we drove to the land of kids dreams. The first ride we did was Pirates of the Caribbean. In the seat in front of us was a family with a young girl, maybe three years old. From the beginning she was scared and uncomfortable. And then the ride start and everything was dark, scary voices, skeletons etc. The poor tripped-out totally. We all was sad about her and tried to cheer her up, but she was scared down to her bones.

Our next ride was Splash Mountain, a log flume. I sat in front of the log, Kevin and Sepi behind me. This was a funny, wet ride. My shirt was totally wet and my pants to. Kevin the lucky hidden his self behind me to stay dry. But it was a sunny day and after a short period my clothes was dry. We took a few other rides, like Jungle Cruise, Matterhorn (roller coaster) and Indiana Jones. Because it was Monday we didn’t must wait long time for the rides. We had burritos and enchiladas for lunch. The food was ok, but it was really expensive. After we did all the main attractions we tried Innoventions out. We was welcomed by Tom Orrow. It was like huge show room for ambient intelligence. Companies like Microsoft and Siemens presented their stuff. I know all these technology, but it was interesting how they presented it to a broad public. Disneyland is nothing special from their rides, in Phantasialand you got similar one, but this theme park has it on touch. Of course, the Disney branding, but also the concept of small town, Main Street, parade, railway and so on. I had fun and it was something like observing local culture. If you prefer crazy rides you should try another park, but for kids up to 14 it’s perfect.