just returned from my latest excursion to New Orleans. still without a doubt my favorite city.
every time i go there a theme appears, and this time it was all about swing dancing.
it started on Frenchmen on Friday night. We were just walking and looking when we recognized John Joyce, the second Morning 40 Federation(RIP) bass player and his group playing in a random doorway on the sidewalk. he was playing an upright bass, a guy was playing chords on a banjo and the clarinet player sang sometimes. i discretely pushed the record button on my field recorder and before too long a girl with a washboard sat in with them. it was so refreshing to see these instruments not used for bluegrass. my best friend robbie and i stood there watching them for a couple songs when a young couple appeared and started dancing. i'd never really been impressed by dance, but the way this couple moved together made me suddenly aware of something, an entire section of joy in life that i wanted badly to tap into. we were both blown away, and from that point on, everywhere we went, there were couples dancing well. i approached a girl who turned out to be from illinois and asked her how long it takes to do that. she assured me just a few lessons. after talking for a couple minutes she took my phone number and email and agreed to start bugging me about taking lessons so that we could dance next time i was in town.
on Saturday night after the wedding, we ate calamari and a muffaletta at Frank's. there was something about our waitress that reminded me of Dawn from Faun Fables. maybe it was her attitude, it certainly wasn't how she looked. we sat and yapped for awhile, and soon enough she was telling me how she came from San Francisco. as we were leaving the restaurant, she told me her name was Dawn.
"did you tell me that earlier or did i just think that?" it was kind of weird in a not-that-surprising kind of way.
i hope i get to talk to her again.
every time i go there a theme appears, and this time it was all about swing dancing.
it started on Frenchmen on Friday night. We were just walking and looking when we recognized John Joyce, the second Morning 40 Federation(RIP) bass player and his group playing in a random doorway on the sidewalk. he was playing an upright bass, a guy was playing chords on a banjo and the clarinet player sang sometimes. i discretely pushed the record button on my field recorder and before too long a girl with a washboard sat in with them. it was so refreshing to see these instruments not used for bluegrass. my best friend robbie and i stood there watching them for a couple songs when a young couple appeared and started dancing. i'd never really been impressed by dance, but the way this couple moved together made me suddenly aware of something, an entire section of joy in life that i wanted badly to tap into. we were both blown away, and from that point on, everywhere we went, there were couples dancing well. i approached a girl who turned out to be from illinois and asked her how long it takes to do that. she assured me just a few lessons. after talking for a couple minutes she took my phone number and email and agreed to start bugging me about taking lessons so that we could dance next time i was in town.
on Saturday night after the wedding, we ate calamari and a muffaletta at Frank's. there was something about our waitress that reminded me of Dawn from Faun Fables. maybe it was her attitude, it certainly wasn't how she looked. we sat and yapped for awhile, and soon enough she was telling me how she came from San Francisco. as we were leaving the restaurant, she told me her name was Dawn.
"did you tell me that earlier or did i just think that?" it was kind of weird in a not-that-surprising kind of way.
i hope i get to talk to her again.