April 2004

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

April 1st is Berkeley's 126th Birthday

 

I wrote this some time ago about a favorite LP set of the J.S. Bach Well Tempered Clavier--it is played by Ralph Kirkpatrick on the clavichord. The set was released in 1963 as Archive 198311/12. Originally, I thought only neighbor, harpsichord builder, and train lover, John Philips might enjoy it. But after almost no thought what-so-ever, I concluded that many would. "In the great American folk art model railroading, the locomotive that runs the most slowly and quietly is the one that is the most sought after. The severe test of locomotive performance is just how slowly and quietly it can move, for slow and quiet running are thought of as qualities of excellence. Running a noisy engine around the track at breakneck speed is thought of as child's play. The mature model railroader spends much time and effort making his favorite locomotive creep along silently. The mechanically minded may even disassemble and fine tune the locomotive, and upon successful re-assembly and test running, boast that their engine runs so slowly that its movement cannot be seen. The like test for stereo equipment is to play quiet music, and value the hardware that renders it most accurately. These records of the Well-Tempered Clavier are of music, a performance, and a recording that lend themselves to such a test: a test of quiet excellence. This set of records sold well in the Berkeley of the 1960s, a time and place of some sensitivity. When I worked at Campus Records, I would often hear of their otherworldly beauty from those who apparently had spent all night listening to them. However, on casual listening in the shop they seemed boring; its playing there did not convince. But time has revealed these records to be music of subtle color and soft richness, and of a performance and recording of quiet excellence. The recording, above all, beautifully captures the clavichord's quiet rainbow hue and bell-like tone. The performance too is beautiful, and deeply felt."

 

 

 

4/30/04

CBS News reports that after being trained by us, 10% of the Iraqi security forces fired on US troops in the field.

 

"Lawsuits and tinkering could push off complete reform until 2007" writes George Avalos in his West County Times "Workers Comp Questions remain."

And, Steve Lawrence of the AP reports "Auditors Criticize Fight Against Fraud."

 

 

 

4/29/04

In keeping with Albert E. Braver's view that "Brother, the Human Race is a mistake." I offer this not-too-sinister, absurd event. In WWII, in 1943, the Italians planned an air raid on New York City. The raid was conceived at the highest levels of the Italian government, Il Duce himself being involved. In a 1972 edition of the Air Britain Digest, Giancarlo Garello writes "[We] must point it out that the much-debated raid to New York underwent several modifications still while being planned; the idea of a bombing on the American metropolis was actually discarded at a very early stage and adequate consideration was instead given to the possibility of utilizing the raid essentially to propaganda purposes with the dropping of thousands of leaflets exalting Italy [and] we must now report what we were told by Ingegner Palanca himself: it seems that shortly before being deprived of his authority Mussolini, proving to possess a remarkable sense of humour coupled with a disconcerting lack of seriousness, gave orders that the load to have been carried in the first special flight should consist of parachute fitted Sicilian oranges to be dropped on millions of bewildered Americans!"

 

In college, as Program Director of the Student Union, I brought the Max Roach Quintet to our school. Sometime ago I wrote of this concert "For one concert, the Max Roach Quintet drove up from Chicago on a snow-stormy winter night, and they arrived late. I remember their 'cool,' and I remember their playing in the dim light of the Union Lounge. But most of all I remember that they 'hit on our chicks.' Kimar was one of those "chicks." "Boy, I don't remember a thing " she said yesterday "Memory's a blank."

For more, read "They hadn't listened to as many records as we had" in I Learned to Love Records.

 

 

Yesterday, I was also talking to my friend, Jerry Landis who attended Janine and friends last-week's concert. Of the concert Janine herself said "It was a blast for both performers and audience" and my friend used so many superlatives I can't remember them. But I do remember that he was particularly amazed at the life the performers brought to the Telemann Quartet. "I mean, it was just a Telemann quartet" he said "but it was alive!" I think much the way a jazz player like Sonny Rollins makes "I'm an Old Cowhand" his own, these Baroque players creatively personalized "just a Telemann quartet." Imagine what they could do with Bach!

 

From my note about Ensemble Mirable's recording of the Triemer cello sonatas "That would be the Blendulf-Kim CD. Interestingly, the Minuet I and II of the Sonata No 2 do not dance without Ms. Kim's harpsichord. And throughout there is more than just support. (Though the liner notes talk of conversations between the instruments-I would question that. Perhaps the exception rather than the rule.) And, I believe the CD to be a major work, equaling those of 'famous' Baroque soloists--Manze comes to mind. As John would say 'I like it.'"

 

 

 

4/28/04

"One afternoon about three years ago, while killing time until rush hour, Mr. McDonald came upon a man playing Bach on a cello in the Times Square subway station. The sweet song of this cello, the first one he had ever heard, soared above the train rattle and jangle. 'The sound, the feeling, the intensity, the emotion of it,' he recalled. 'It was like a wave that came over me. I had never felt that before.' Suddenly, he wanted to play the cello" writes New York Times reporter, Dan Barry in "Keeping Hands on Wheel, and on Bow, and Strings." Also, check out my "Demicello's Story."

 

 

 

4/27/04

Sure looks like Summer to me!

 

ABC News reports that the Pentagon is now armoring more new HUMVEES and is retrofitting older ones with armor. Officials also admit they misread the tactical use of HUMVEES and are now advocating the employment of a vehicle similar to the one mentioned in my 10/30/04 post. On October 30, 2003 I wrote "Do our troops in Iraq have the proper equipment? Well, there's a vehicle available specifically for internal security operations and we don't have it. It offers much greater protection than our soft skinned HUMVEEs. It is the Reumech OMC Casspir. A writer for Jane's offers 'A unique feature of the Casspir is that it has been designed to give its crew a high degree of protection against anti-tank mines and for this reason the vehicle has a very high ground clearance with the hull having a V-shape to help deflect the blast from any mines.' More information and a photo are at Jane's Land Forces"

The Army estimates that one in four of our soldiers killed in HUMVEES in Iraq would not have died if their vehicle had been armored.

 

"May the injustices and humiliation suffered here as a result of hysteria, racism and economic exploitation never emerge again" quotes Sandy Kleffman in her "Memories Live at Manzanar" in the West County Tmes.

 

And my neighbor, Ruth Okimoto writes in her monograph, Sharing a Desert Home: Life on the Colorado Indian Reservation "Our family of six arrived in Poston Camp III on August 28,1942. . . . "

 

 

 

4/26/04

Tired of the over-produced, over-priced and often boring recorded-performances of the classical Music Establishment? Then listen to KDFC's "From the Top." The teenagers, recorded-live on this hour program, have chops and soul. They give me hope. Again, . . . there is a God and She likes us. (The program is broadcast from 9:00 AM till 10:00 AM on Sunday morning. It is a PRI production.)

 

 

4/25/04

 

story next week

 

 

 

4/24/04

In the '70s, at Moe's Books and Records we very seldom carried new records, mostly because of their short markup. My memory is that you'd make seventy-five cents to a dollar on a four-dollar record, and these records were available to customers on trade which we issued at 75 percent, so we were just swapping dollars on trade transactions. This was not trading-up, and Moe did not look kindly on such practices. But one new record that we regularly stocked was the Balfa Brothers Traditional Cajun Music vol 2 (Swallow 6019 [1974])-- the music was fresh, tuneful and dance filled. Also, the brothers played together well and on hearing you knew they loved what they were doing. The record sold well even with its corny album cover. I loved the record. I even remember drinking a lot of red wine and playing along on my cello, imitating their cajun style. The more red wine, the better the imitation--it seemed. Though I traded away my personal copy long ago, I always remembered the disq. Some months ago at a neighbor's, I saw what looked like a tiny version of the album on her living room table, instantly recognizable by it's same, but now not-so-corny cover. This was in fact the CD release of my favorite old record plus another Balfa brothers LP. I borrowed and eagerly listen to it. Like better-wine-than-I-drank-when-playing-along-with-the-record, it has aged well. Buy it and you will have lots of listening fun. My own favorite cuts are Two Step De L'anse A Paille, Madeleine, and Family Waltz. An aside--I've recently begun listening to CDs of the Baroque authenticists often because of the free and improvisation-like quality of their playing, their performances being excitingly filled with the musicians' own trills and turns. The Balfa Brothers too, decorate their tunes with trills and turns. What fun! (The Balfa Brothers Play Traditional Cajun Music vols 1 and 2 cost $16.00 here or get it at your local store.)

Kimar's now working on a Summer tip--something to keep the kid's happy on those hot Summer days. Put heavy cream and stuff in a small plastic bag. Put crushed ice in a larger one. Put the small one inside the large one and give it to your kid to shake like crazy. It makes ice cream. Watch their bewildered pleasure. Details to follow.

Here's a current Kimar Tip. Check out the frozen Trader Ming's Mandarin Orange Chicken from Trader Joe's. It's Mandarin Orange Chicken made in your own kitchen in a few minutes and it's just about as good as you'll find in a restaurant. It cost $4.49 and has five one-cup servings per package.

 

 

 

4/23/04

This month, Albert E. Braver would have been eighty-six. He died last November 1st. I wrote this last year about one of the last meetings we had. "I spent yesterday afternoon with my mentor and former employer, Albert E. Braver. We mostly talked about the current state of the world -- about which 85-year-old Albert regularly observed 'Those who the gods would destroy, they first make mad' and offered when I recalled a particularly absurd event 'Look brother, the Human Race is a mistake.' Never overly optimistic about Humankind, Albert never-the-less takes great pleasure from his more-than-I-can-count grandchildren, and tea and black Russian cigarettes. 'Better to smoke here than Hereafter!' For stories about Albert read 'Back in the Day.'"

 

 

4/22/04

Will our White-collar Middle Class become marginalized as is our Blue-collar Working Class?

"At prestigious universities, more and more students from upper-income families are edging out those from the middle class" writes David Leonhardt in his New York Times report "As Wealthy Fill Top Colleges, . . . "

 

 

4/20/04

Potter Creek worker, Janine Johnson is playing the harpsichord in a concert this month. She will be performing with Rachel Streeter, flute; Elizabeth Blumenstock, violin; and Joanna Blendulf, cello. The concert will be held at St. Albans Episcopal Church, at 1501 Washington Street in Albany, CA on Saturday, April 24th at 8:00 PM. Tickets are $18 and $15. Phone (510) 524-5661 #3 for more information and advance tickets. The concert is presented by Healing Muses, a non-profit affiliate of the San Francisco Early Music Society.

 

Their program includes

"Airs for the Seasons" by James Oswald

Trio in g minor H. XV:1 by Joseph Haydn

Sonata II in C major by Luigi Boccherini

Quartett in G major by Tommaso Giordani

Sonata in G major for Flute and Continuo by C.P.E. Bach

Fantasia for Solo Violin in b minor by Georg P. Telemann

6th Quatuor in e minor by Georg P. Telemann


Here are the programs notes for the concert. Check it out!

James Oswald was a Scottish composer, publisher and cellist. He spent much of his time in London, where he absorbed the English, Italian, and French idioms. These, in combination with his Lowland Scots heritage, produced a unique style. The "Airs for the Four Seasons", 1755-56 contain many short movements, with fanciful titles. Most are dance movements, no doubt stemming from his past as a dance instructor in Dunfermline. Though the violin part is optional, it is hard to imagine these works as anything but trio sonatas.

As the Baroque era progressed into the Classical, the roles of the cellist and harpsichordist in the Continuo team, broke apart. In this Haydn Trio, the cello is still primarily doubling the bass line, but the keyboard has its own fully written out part. One could liken this, perhaps, to an accompanied keyboard sonata, were it not for the violin part, which is fully fledged. It carries on a dialogue with the keyboard, very much its equal, coming into its own, especially, in the Trio of the Menuet. The triple stops in the final Presto also mark this as a more forward looking work. Though this Trio is considered to be transitional , (ca. 1760-62), it was likely intended for the harpsichord, rather than the fortepiano (published for Cembalo). The style of the writing works well on the harpsichord, and Haydn's familiarity with the works of Scarlatti is evident in the final movement.

Luigi Boccherini, (b. Lucca in 1743), was a child prodigy cellist, with a cellist/bass player father, the two taking posts in the theater in Vienna when he was a mere 14 years old. In 1766 he set off on concert tours, settling briefly in Paris, and eventually in Spain. The Cello Sonatas are virtuostic early works, played as showpieces in concerts, and were not published in his lifetime (though pirated versions circulated in London). They were written for Cello and basso, with no figures for Continuo realization. There is speculation that these are simply duos for two cellos, or cello and bass, rather than for Cello and Continuo. The double stops in the basso part, would certainly indicate a desire for a second cello, and that would be ideal, with or without keyboard. There are places where the texture of the two parts alone appears to want filling out, however, and this is where a keyboard (or possibly guitar) seems called for. It is possible a second cellist could have ornamented his part, and it is also thought that perhaps Boccherini might have simply accepted whatever was available to him, while on tour. Regardless of this laissez-faire, the solo part is extraordinarily demanding and quite possibly some of the most difficult literature in the cello repertoire. No mere bass line player here!

Tommaso Giordani (b. ca. 1733, Naples) son of an impresario, singer, and librettist, spent his youth traveling throughout Europe as part of his family's opera company. His earliest known opera was performed at Covent Garden in 1756. Eventually he settled in London, where his music, written in the prevalent galant style, enjoyed great popularity. The Quartett is one such work. It also has an interesting treatment of the Continuo team. It is a Trio Sonata, at the outset, with the cello doubling the bass line, and the keyboard realizing figures, when suddenly the rules change, and the keyboard emerges with a fully written out part. The piece is quite unique in this regard, with the instrumentalists and keyboard contrasting in texture and importance. Of the instrumentalists, the flute carries most of the treble lines, with the violin filling in with very effective accompaniment. The result appears to be more than a sum of its parts, with the work being very rich and full textured.

Carl Philip Emmanuel Bach, the second son of J.S. Bach, studied music under his father. Surprisingly, he was more revered in his day, than his father. This is no doubt because of his musical innovations with the Empfindsamerstil, a compositional style to "touch the heart and move the affections." In 1738 he moved to Berlin, becoming court harpsichordist for the Prussian Crown Prince, Frederick, an accomplished flutist. In 1767, Bach found even better work in Hamburg, succeeding Telemann as Kantor and music director there. He composed the G major Sonate (aka Hamburg Sonate), in 1786. The Sonate takes the flute to great heights with its florid passagework, and beautiful, inventive melodies . The Rondo Presto, is a bit in the style of Italian comic opera, and treats the continuo unusually, directing the keyboard to play nothing but the bass notes, in certain places.

Telemann, one of the great figureheads of the Baroque, composed a huge amount of vocal and chamber music. One of the lesser known sets of pieces are the 12 Fantasias for solo violin. While these are not the towering masterpieces along the lines of J.S. Bach's solo Sonatas and Partitas, they are inventive and delightful in their own right. Small in scope, but big in charm and energy, they typically feature three small movements in contrasting tempi and moods. The Paris Quartets were written during a 7 month stay in that city, in 1737-38. Telemann was invited there by musicians who had come to know and like other works of his, through what were likely pirated editions. It is speculated that he went in part, to gain the proper copyrights to his works. Regardless of the reason for his travel, the Quartets are a great result from this, and stand out as very fine music indeed. They are written for flute, violin, and either cello or viola da gamba, as the three upper parts, and Continuo. They are only occasionally written like Trio Sonatas, as Telemann truly takes the cello out of the realm of mere bass line doubling, with independent lines and some of the most exquisite writing for this instrument, such as in the final, haunting Chaconne (Modéré). This Quartet is musically challenging for all involved, with unusual rhythmic complexities, tempo changes, and surprising technical
demands.


 

 

4/19/04

West Berkeley is in the New York Times "Travel Section." How hip is that?

 

 

4/18/04

Meredith May informs and illuminates with her report in the San Francisco Chronicle's "Paddling with Purpose: Disabled Athletes Look to Make Canoeing a Paralympic Event."

"Most of Panel Feel Sept. 11 Was Avoidable" report David Johnson and Jim Dwyer of the New York Times in the Sunday West County Times.

 

 

4/17/04

George Avalos reports that worker's comp premiums could be reduced by 20% to 45% in his "Overhaul of Worker's Comp Set for Signing" in the West County Times. But, this saving must be measured against recent premium increases of 100%, 200% and even 300%.

Though the worker's comp problem has recently been getting a lot of press, Jerry Victor tipped me to the problem last year. Check 2003 posts to see. And, it's been a long standing problem in California.

 

 

 

4/16/04

My neighbor, Sarah and her sister's new book will be available later this year. I've seen the printer's proof and though a children's book, Sarah's art work is breathtaking to all.

 

 

 

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

Makes about 4 dozen

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted
1 1/4 C. all purpose flour
1/2 C. Dutch cocoa powder
2 t. bkg powder
1/4 t. salt
8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.
1 1/3 C. light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/3 C. milk
1C. confectioners sugar, plus more for rolling

1. Heat oven to 350 Chop chocolate and melt in doubleboiler. Set aside to cool. sift flour, cocoa, bkg powder and salt together.

2. In the bowl of a heavy duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add melted chocolate. With mixer on low speed, alternate adding dry ingredients and milk until just combined. Divide dough into quarters, wrap with plastic wrap and chill until firm, about 2 hrs.

3. On a clean countertop roll each portion of dough into a log about 16"long and about 1" in diameter. Wrap logs in plastic wrap and chill for 30 min. Cut each log into 1"pieces and toss in confectioners sugar a few at a time. Shape into balls in your hand and re-roll in conf. sugar. Place 2' apart on a parchment lined baking pan. Bake until cookies have flattened and the sugar splits on the top, 12 to 15 min.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool. These cookies will keep for a week in an airtight tin, they also ship well.

This is a Martha Stewart recipe from her TV show. Kimar

 

 

 

Janine Johnson, John Phillips' harpsichord-finisher, is also a fine fortepianist and harpsichordist. In 1999 John produced her CD, J.S. Bach Works for Harpsichord. The CD was put together as if a recital and contains, in order of performance, the Well-Tempered Clavier Book II , Prelude and Fugue in f#, BWV 883; English Suite No 2 in a, BWV 807; Well-Tempered Clavier Book I, Prelude and Fugue in C, BWV 846; Well-Tempered Clavier Book II, Prelude and Fuge in G, BWV 884; English Suite No 3 in g, BWV 808 and "Gott der Vater wohn' uns bei." Chorale and Chorale Prelude. (This is Janinie's own arrangement of "Gott der Vater wohn' uns bei.") Ms. Johnson plays John's copy of a Grabner, 1739. Of the Grabners John writes "There are good connections between the Grabners and J.S Bach, A Grabner brother, Christian Heinrich, studied with Bach in Leipzig [and] Bach would have frequently encountered the Grabners and their instruments . . ." The works were programed by Ms. Johnson to flow as in a concert and some are her favorites, she specially likes the English Suite in g. ( I love her performance of the a Suite.) As she would in a recital, Janine warms up on the f# Prelude and Fugue. Then, limber and lose, she dances here way through Suites. I enjoyed the bouncy Bouree from the a Suite and the grave Sarabande from the Suite in g. For contrast, the Suites are separated by two Preludes and Fugues from the Well-Tempered Clavier. The program ends with the celebratory "Gott der Vater wohn' uns bei" All-in-all, here is a CD concert of real variety, delivered with understanding and sensitivity, and accurately rendered by recordist, Jim Bartam. This is not an all-sounds-the-same harpsichord recording! (The CD was recorded in John's 9th Street workshop and John believes that it accurately conveys that space and setting. John says that the recital-like continuity is also a result of the short three-hour recording-session, sometimes only with one take. How refreshing it is to hear recorded like-live music! ) You can purchase a copy from Janine Johnson. The cost is $12.00 with shipping in the U.S. Her email is janartmuse@earthlink.net

 

the Grabner

 

 

Janine Johnson is playing harpsichord in a concert this month. She will be performing with Rachel Streeter, flute; Elizabeth Blumenstock, violin; and Joanna Blendulf, cello.

 

Their program includes

"Airs for the Seasons" by James Oswald

Trio in g minor H. XV:1 by Joseph Haydn

Sonata II in C major by Luigi Boccherini

Quartett in G major by Tommaso Giordani

Sonata in G major for Flute and Continuo by C.P.E. Bach

Fantasia for Solo Violin in b minor by Georg P. Telemann

6th Quatuor in e minor by Georg P. Telemann

 

The concert will be held at St. Albans Episcopal Church, at 1501 Washington Street in Albany, CA on Saturday, April 24th at 8:00 PM. Tickets are $18 and $15. Phone (510) 524-5661 #3 for more information and advance tickets. The concert is presented by Healing Muses, a non-profit affiliate of the San Francisco Early Music Society.

 

 

From the office of Anthy Victor. Anthy is one of the owners of V & W Door.

 

 

"Barbie Hopes More Gear, New Guy Will Attract Buyers" reports Bloomberg News' Andria Cheng in the West County Times.

Berkeley High's Jazz Band made Meredith May's "School Notes" in the San Francisco Chronicle.

San Francisco Chronicle reporter, Jacob Adelman offers an appreciation of Caffé Trieste in his "Caffe Trieste Expanding Eastward from North Beach: Fabled coffee house 'introducing the best cappuccino' to West Berkeley's Left Bank." Left Bank of what would that be?

 

 

 

 

4/15/04

and sometimes the tiger gets you

 

 

 

4/14/04

"Tenative Worker's Comp Deal is Reached" is a report by Kate Folmar in the West County Times.

Also in the West County Times is a story about the tragic death of one of Berkeley's teenagers.

Don Lee of the Los Angeles Times reports in the West County Times that "More Firms Plan to Flee California."

 

 

 

4/11/04

HAPPY EASTER!

 

 

Saturday afternoon, John Phillips and Susanne Hering held what I like to think was an Easter Concert. In fact, it was a concert of Bach and the Couperins given to celebrate the completion of John and Susanne's new workshop and office building. (Though my sense is that this is more about beginnings than endings.) Baroque violinist John Holloway, harpsichordist, Davitt Moroney, and Baroque cellist, Joanna Blendulf filled John and Susanne's elegant Bauhaus building to overflowing with beautifully baroque sound. Their program was made up of Sonatas in e and G for Violin and Basso Continuo by Bach, Louis Couperin's Pieces in C for Harpsichord, a Francois Couperin Ordre in e for Harpsichord, and the Chaconne in d for Solo Violin of Bach. This Baroque music brought a sometimes almost unbearable beauty to our Potter Creek neighborhood. Most entertaining were the movements from the Couperin Ordre with their bouncing rhythms and changing hues. Most moving was the d Chaconne, a close to religious experience. And, the warm and dark Passacaille of the Louis Couperin Pieces brought John's shop-cum-chamber-hall to life. But almost unnoticed was cellist, Joanna Blendulf's quiet, firm, ground in the Bach sonatas--an important support for fiery violinist, Holloway. Happily, but unexpectedly, John's tall shop-space rendered all the music accurately. John Holloway's violin is a Gagliano, Naples 1780, Joanna Blendulf's cello is a Timothy Johnson, 1999 after Gagliano, Naples 1785, and Davitt Moroney played on one of John's strong French instruments. (After the recital there was a reception. The food was tasteful and excellently prepared by Susanne and friends. The strawberries were sweet and juicy, the asparagus spears perfect, and the baklava unbearably sweet.)

You can read more about Baroque violinist, John Holloway, harpsichordist, Davitt Moroney, and Baroque cellist, Joanna Blendulf through these, their links.

 

 

4/9/04

On July 31, 1944 French author and Lockheed F-5 A pilot, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry disappeared on a reconnaissance mission over the Mediterranean. In "St. Exupery's Plane Wreck Located After Nearly 60 Years" an AP reporter writes "In France, the discovery is akin to solving the mystery of where Amelia Earhart's plane went down . . . ." Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote the beautiful "The Little Prince."

 

In the last month much has been written about our troops in Iraq not being properly equipped for some of their missions. On October 30, 2003 I wrote "Do our troops in Iraq have the proper equipment? Well, there's a vehicle available specifically for internal security operations and we don't have it. It offers much greater protection than our soft skinned HUMVEEs. It is the Reumech OMC Casspir. A writer for Jane's offers 'A unique feature of the Casspir is that it has been designed to give its crew a high degree of protection against anti-tank mines and for this reason the vehicle has a very high ground clearance with the hull having a V-shape to help deflect the blast from any mines.' More information and a photo are at Jane's Land Forces"

 

 

 

 

4/8/04

John and Susanne's building at 933 Grayson Street is now finished.

 

Kava is breaking ground for his new building on 8th between Pardee and Carleton.

Much is now being made in the press about private armies in Iraqi. On Janurary 28th I posted "I missed Bay Area Sean Penn's revisit-to-Iraq stories that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle. If you did too, you can read still read them. Check out Part 1 and Part 2 at SF Gate. It's good on-the-ground stuff with the PMC information particularly chilling."

Ah, a new odor surrounds the 2700 block of 8th Street and beyond! A heavy smell, best described as that of fresh-out-of-the-box-leather, was our guest in Potter Creek around Noon yesterday.

 

 

4/7/04

Another Kimar Tip

Always in search of a bargain and for the thrill of the hunt, I frequent discount stores--not necessarily to buy, just to look.
But recently, I did purchase a set of plastic food-storage containers, called Lock and Lock at a fancy store. What appealed was that they had a gasket, four snaps and a tight seal. They were priced at about $1.50 each. At the A Dollar Warehouse, El Cerrito I found a virtually identical item, same technology but no name brand and at a fraction of the price--$1.00 for 2 containers, one big and one small per package. They look so much alike that they could have been made by the same manufacture. A Dollar Warehouse is at 10730 San Pablo Avenue and their phone number is 510-559-9088. Kimar

 

 

 

4/5/04

Tonight is the first night of Passover.

 

 

 

 

4/3/04

Sometimes you get the tiger

 

 

 

4/2/04

In her "School Notes," San Francisco Chronicle reporter, Meredith May writes "Photography teacher Lucinda Daly always has more students than cameras in her photo classes at Berkeley High." Read more here.

Looking for an office-chair on which to sit in front of my new computer, the last few days I found myself browsing off and on through IKEA's Work area. I sat in all the office-chairs from a $20.00 plastic thermoform model to a plush hundreds-of-dollars soft leather, black beauty. Far and away the most comfortable is the $19.99 Snille. This plastic thermoformed chair comes on a fairly sturdy swivel-base and is available in a variety of bright colors and basic black.

 

 

 

4/1/04

The most enjoyable Classical CD that I've heard recently is the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Yuri Simonov performing three of Prokofiev's most popular works. This all-Prokofiev CD contains a suite from Romeo and Juliet, Symphony No. 1 "Classical" and the Lieutenant Kije Suite. It is Platinum 2876 (c1996). The best price I found is $5.69, new. It is as good a recorded digital production as I've heard at any price!

 

 

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