Aspirin

Late posts again..

I got to Halina's party a bit late (well, for them I think... 11 for me isn't so late right Pam?:)) and almost everybody had gone home. But I still enjoyed the company of those left eventhough I didn't really know anyone that much.

bits and pieces...

Saw the other features of the Monster's Inc. DVD. Ang cute ni boo, and the other sections were really fun especially the play.

Also saw Andy Williams on DVD, galeng talaga! And the beautiful Norah Jones.

Pigged out on Carbonara, barbeque, Au Gratin, ice cream (MMM, strawberry!), and fruit salad. Too bad I wasn't able to taste Ghia's Gamberi...

Oh, and VANILLA COKE!!!

Harharhar!!!

Thanks Halina, I had a wonderful time!

*******

Last Saturday was indeed a weekender. After leaving the WTC exhibit in Roxas I headed over to Greenbelt and met up with Pam at M1 (Timo Maas' album is good, also, look for Cartouche) where she bought an album (double CD for 425!?!) impromptu. We were supposed to play badminton but the schedule got messed up so we chose to just hang out somewhere instead.

I didn't get drunk last saturday but I can say that I was intoxicated.

After making a few inquiries with her friends, we headed over to Monk's Dream at the Rockwell center. But not before heading to Fully Booked (former PageOne) where Pam bought a really interesting book. I can't remember the author but the title's Tongue First. It seems like a good read based on what I scanned.

The band started playing about 15 minutes after we got there.. by the way, the food is good. The chicken fingers and fries weren't greasy, the sour cream dip wasn't nakakaumay and the salsa was fresh. We had some pretty good shrimp and sausage pizza too! They must've used another kind of cheese as I didn't taste mozzarella. The taste was familiar but I just couldn't put my finger on it. Get the Blue Oasis too, really smooth... Pam had a Cosmopolitan, which was pretty mild for a Martini.

Flashback to Greenbelt!

Me: San tayo pupunta?
Pam: Ewan ko, ikaw?
Me: Parang gusto kong mag-Jazz bar

...or something like that...

Monk's Dream

So the band opened with an instrumental.. up to this point I was skeptical about the bar's idea of Jazz... I was thinking ; sana hindi pop jazz... and I wasn't disappointed. We had come to the right place! Jazz bar it was indeed! After about two numbers of showing off (which I think is characterized best by jazz players... I think that's where the solos we see and hear today came from.) the vocalist decided to climb up onstage. She must've been in her late thirties, but you could see that she looked the part of a jazz singer. Honestly, when she started singing we were like "oh no! Please don't ruin the set..." but a few verses later we were nodding our heads in approval.. "magaling naman pala, bumuwelo lang..." She's really suited for jazz.

If you have the time, go there on a Saturday. You will not be disappointed. Especially if you like jazz.

They had a few guests who came onstage that night... there were a couple of Italian(?) guys who substituted for the drummer and guitarist, another foreigner who came up for the drums (Pam says he looks like David Schwimmer... I think he does), a pretty young base player (Filipino), and this tatay-looking guy, complete with the pot belly and oblivious, anong meron jan? looks (also Filipino). We had no idea what this tatay was going to do as the vocalist left the stage... I remember the guy asking for reverb on his mic and I was wondering "reverb para sa vocals?" and "nako! Parang kakanta ng pang-videoke! Wag naman sana..." After the band started playing again (with David Schwimmer) I suddenly see this flash in his hand, and by the time I realize what it is I go "UY!" which snaps Pams' attention back to the stage. It's a harmonica.

Now understand this, all my background harmonica listening music was limited to slow blues and some attempts by my friends. And I had tried to play one sometime in my life and decided that it was quite a simple insturment. So I wasn't that impressed when I saw that onstage. Surpised yes. "...a harmonica with a jazz band...?" It seemed like the harmonica was going to interfere with the way the set was going...

Man. They brought down the house.

This guy was good. Really good. As Pam put it "Pwede na niyang palitan yung vocals!" He almost sounded like the Clarinet and the Sax! Well no, not really. But I had never heard of something like this before. They even played a Chuck Mangione number (which is quite complicated). His harmonica did not sound like one. He was melting all his notes into one distinct, powerful sound! I couldn't hear any seams! He's good, really good.

I cannot count how many times that night I climaxed emotionally.

We both agreed that we were ready to die that night. My night was made over and over.

And they played "Someone to watch over me." I felt like I could let go of the world.

*******

It was an incredible night... in fact, we're headed back there this week. Right before going to the beach, and right after coming back. Wanna come? You won't be disappointed, I promise.

*******

I spent Sunday in a cocoon. Only coming out by nightfall to hang out at Malou's house until 4 (yes, she's a vampire too like me and Pam). Had two lites then headed back home to find the lock activated again. This time I didn't sleep in the car. My want for my bed led me to climb all the way up to my window and enter from there.

I really want my own pad.

*******

I now know the nearest place to get my Vanilla Coke. Hi-Top on Aurora blvd. They sell it at an 87-pesos-for-three-bottles-and-one-bag-of-chips promo.

Hi-Top here I come!!!

Yeah!

posted by Karl @ 2:32 PM