Lots of work activity this week and so the weekend was more precious than normal. Our main activity was the much anticipated, at least by me, Nick Lowe concert at the Kessler.
Dinner before the concert was at Nova, the excellent restaurant that Brent found, and a short walk from the theater. We both commented on the different feel we experience in restaurants like this than our local places – so much more friendly and relaxed.
Have you heard of Nick Lowe? Do you know the songs “Cruel to be Kind”, “What’s so Funny About Peace Love and Understanding”, “Allison” or “I Knew the Bride When She Used to Rock N’ Roll”? You may not have heard of Mr. Lowe, but I bet you’ve heard at least two of his songs and know them well. Here’s a video of “Cruel to be Kind” to get you started:
In addition to his songwriting, Lowe produced the best known Elvis Costello albums from 1975 through 1981, Graham Parker, and the Pretenders, among many others.
We both loved this concert and rate it as one of the most exceptional concerts that we’ve seen at the Kessler – right up there with the Marc Cohn show that led us to pick “True Companion” as our wedding song. Here’s “Peace Love and Understanding”:
The backup band was “Los Straightjackets’, a surf rock band who wear crazy Luche Libre wrestling masks while performing. They played a few or their songs in the middle of the set, including this version of “Batman” complete with Gogo dancers recruited from the audience:
Here’s one last song from the show, “Allison”, the final encore to an amazing show:
Please go and see the 69 year old Lowe if you ever get the chance – a great gentleman, songwriter and performer.
We spent the night downtown at the classic art deco hotel, the Belmont, and talked about how concerned we are that this classic destination is going to be caught up in the gentrification of the neighborhood and ruined. There was an amazing view of downtown Dallas at night from our room.
On Sunday morning we explored the newly gentrified area across the street from the Belmont and were happy to find a great coffee shop, the “Houndstooth Coffee” in the Sylvan 30 development. Next door was a Taco Deli and so we were able to get a “quick bite to hold us over until lunch”.
We had brunch at “Boulevardier” restaurant in Oak Cliff and it was one of our most surprisingly great meals in a while. I had the “Legs and Eggs” – duck confit with sunny side up eggs served over stone cut grit cakes – yummy! Diana might have had an even better brunch – lox benedict over an amazingly light brioche. The hollandaise sauce and the brioche were the best I’ve tasted.
After lunch, we drove home to watch the Cowboys play the Detroit Lions. After a couple of anemic performances, I wasn’t excited about the game. However, it turned out to be a great game with a good performance by all aspects of the Cowboys team. They won by 1 point in the last few seconds – with the rookie kicker winning the game. Here’s the amazing pass to Elliott from Prescott that almost sealed the game.
An exceptional concert, tasty brunch, and Cowboys win – what a pleasant weekend!
I enjoyed the book “Summer Hours at the Robbers Library” this week. It was well reviewed and started out feeling very fluffy and inconsequential, but the characters and interesting plot twists sucked me in around the half way point. The book features varied characters that meet at a library, including a Wall St executive who looses his job in the 2008 financial crisis, a home schooled “alternative lifestyle” girl, and a divorcee trying to escape her prior life. They all come together to help solve each others’ problems in creative ways. This is what I would describe as a great vacation or beach read.
I read an interesting post about the album “Solid Air” by John Martyn this week. Martyn, who died in 2009, was described by the London Times as “an electrifying guitarist and singer whose music blurred the boundaries between folk, jazz, rock and blues”. I remember a friend in University being a huge fan of Martyn and, as much as I tried, I couldn’t get into the music. It’s amazing what 3o plus years can do to your musical taste – I’ve been really enjoying the record this week. Here’s “May You Never”:
And to finish out the post this week, here’s a picture of my oldest child resplendent in the kilt and accessories he purchased on his trip to Scotland last week. Apparently this was the outfit he planned to wear to see “The Phantom of the Opera” in San Francisco this weekend.