Senigallia, Italy. I awoke on Saturday morning to nothing short of the most beautiful day of this leg yet. The sky was dotted with cotton ball clouds and the sun was giving us the warmest welcome. Our hotel was RIGHT ON THE ADRIATIC SEA and my room had a view of it. I nearly collapsed when I walked into my room. I flung the balcony (yes balcony) doors open, quickly changed into a summer frock, and made sure my bike was off the trailer and ready to go. After a brief breakfast with the band on the ROOF TERRACE, Jenni Steven and I hopped on bikes and went exploring. Gorgeous small old Italian town. When everything began to close down for lunch (so civilized, those Italians), so did we, parking ourselves at an outdoor cafe and ordering glass after glass of Prosecco.



Melissa arrived later that afternoon and it was a joyous reunion to say the least. We walked and walked and talked and talked and finally settled down at a restaurant on the water. All I can say is.... fresh pasta with fresh seafood. I am simultaneously crying and salivating at the thought of it. And yes, gelato after. One scoop of Strattiatella and one of well... cold brownie batter. I can't talk about this anymore. Lastly, we met up with Jenni Steven and Graham for a nightcap on Steven's balcony.





Next day Mel and I went for a cold and rainy bike ride along the water. At the pivot point of our journey we sat on picnic benches, stared at the Adriatic, and caught up. Eventually we made our way to the venue. She came with us on the bus to Verona only to take a 6am train back to Rome. I am a lucky lucky girl for I will see that beautiful lady again in July. With that in mind, our parting could be less dramatic than usual. :)

I am determined to spend my few days in Italy sightseeing til my legs cannot bare to walk another step. So I woke up mad early in Verona and hit the streets. I walked for four hours with only a fifteen minute break to scarf down an entire spinach and mozzarella thin crust pizza. I saw the Arena, "Juliet's balcony," and beautiful piazza after beautiful piazza.



The venue was STUNNING. One of the most ornate we've ever played. I had a small but mighty breakthrough during the show. We dance in The Great Curve as part of the first encore and it is always at that particular point in the show that I really have to muster up energy because not only have we been dancing for over an hour but it is a particularly lively number. But for some unknown reason, I busted through that barrier last night and had a BLAST performing it with a newfound source of energy at the ready. Perhaps it was because the audience was partying like crazy. That sparked a whole series of new discoveries for the last few numbers. When I came on to sing Everything That Happens, I was able to actually take in where I was. Standing on that raked stage in front of five goldleaf painted balconies packed with people on their feet in Verona, Italy. I teared up. Prosecco and bruschetta followed. The majority of us, including Cindy and David, found one of the few cafes still open and made it happen. A delight.

Also in Paris, we performed four songs for a french music tv show called One Shot Not. It is hosted by a famous drummer who invites you to play with him in his "living room."

A Few Random Images

This was one of the installation art pieces we saw at an underground punk/goth 24-hour art club in London:


Guinness, James, and traditional Irish music in Dublin:


For my birthday, Steven, Jenni, and David made a bar full of all my favorite ingredients for me in the catering room. This is one of the photos taken during the dance party that ensued:


Paris:


The view from my room in Bath:

We rolled into Sheffield at around 3am. I slept until just before the complimentary breakfast ended and joined Jenni and Graham for some yogurt and toppings. I got the most surprising and joyous phone call from Miss Jessica Halliburton in my hotel room! I was completely FLOORED by her detective work. Jessica, thank you again for that.

Next on the agenda - birthday trip to the nail salon. Unfortunately it smelled so densely of acrylic that we opted for a more classy affair. At around 3pm we (Lily, Jenni, and myself) went for tea and dessert wine at a French cafe. On to sound check, dinner, a sold out gig (David blew up - rightfully - at a security guard in the middle of the show!), and finally - I was led into the catering room at the end of the night to a surprise party equip with a huge chocolate cake and a band-made bar full of my favorite ingredients (gin, cachaca, mint, chopped limes and lemons, a fantastic home made sangria by Sir Steven, the list goes on...). Paul, the bassist, became the DJ for the night, Steven the bartender, and we danced the night away... well, until bus call. :) It was raucous and Dionysian (sp?) and lovely. I missed you guys but felt you in spirit. Photos to come. I might be one of the luckiest girls to ever turn 24.

Yesterday we ended the longest string of shows we have ever had. In 11 days, we performed 10 times in four different countries. We all were thrilled to have a day off and even more excited to sleep in the same hotel for two consecutive nights. The band and crew celebrated by gathering at the hotel bar (the ONLY bar in Newcastle, UK that stays open past 11pm on a weekday) and clinking glass after glass.

The next morning I met Jenni and David for a bike ride. What was supposed to be a leisurely ride along the Tyne River to the shore ended up being an arduous physical event. Up and down hills, along traffic, around construction sites, and every once in a while, a brief promenade with stunning views of Newcastle from a cliff overlooking the river and red roofs. We made it to a pedestrian tunnel that goes underneath the river. We were like three school children zipping down the incline on our bikes and pausing briefly at the end to ask a construction worker to take our picture. "This is really big for us; we've never ridden our bikes under a river before."



When we reemerged from our under-river adventure, a fellow rider stopped and asked if we were lost. This gent, James (I told him he had a "good strong name"), ended up being the Area Manager for Cyclists for that region. Thank God we ran into him because he whipped out map after map showing us where we were, where we came from, and how best to return. Eventually he told us to just follow him as he was heading in the same direction. He took us through a beautiful verdant shortcut that ended at a pub with one of the finest views of the city and all its bridges. We stopped briefly for a tea before heading back to the hotel. David had a meeting at 2pm to meet with art curators about a potential future project. He asked if we'd like to come along.

We dropped off our bikes and met Judith King and her partner Peter. Judith is a five foot tall fire cracker of a woman who is a self-proclaimed "spy for contemporary arts." What, pray tell, is that? She finds classic traditional English spaces and invites artists to create modern work from performance to installation pieces. They drove us out into the country to Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens. The mansion, built in 1807, is displayed without furnishings and therefore is a sort of blank canvas for artists. She would love David to do a piece in the space, perhaps a la "playing the building." She wasn't quite subtle about it as she continually said, "Now david, I'm just planting a seed here... just planting a seed." Currently Stella McCartney has a gorgeous crystal horse hanging in the adjacent castle. David was busy taking photos of each room while Jenni and I tested out the acoustics with some pretty bizarre "sound improvisations." Lastly, they took us on a tour of the gardens, my favorite stop being a plant that smells EXACTLY like chocolate!

After a quick rest, most of the band met Jenni and me at a little independent movie theater to watch Shirley Clarke's 1964 film called The Cool World with a wonderful soundtrack composed by Mal Waldron and with Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet.

Oh boy, time is running out. We're in Sheffield now and its almost gig time. More later.

Obama in the UK

More than one Brit has told me of their excitement about Obama. Yesterday I was in an elevator with an older well dressed British lady. When the doors opened I said, "After you." She immediately identified my accent and said, "Are you American?" Yes. "I am just delighted with your president. And that gorgeous Michelle. Isn't she just beautiful?" "Yes she is, and don't forget intelligent!" "Yes, yes she is. Well I am just charmed. Have a good day." That is just one of many interactions I have had these past few weeks.

So I took a big spill on stage. Yep. Jumped up on the Drum Kit Riser and tumbled straight onto the floor. That happened. At the end of The Great Curve, I am supposed to hop up on the riser and continue some crazy arm movements. The carpet on the riser wasn't taped down and up went the carpet and up went Natalie. I basically fell onto my knees and over myself onto the floor, hopped back up, gingerly approached the riser and finished the dance. Oh my god - I've never been so embarrassed. The only thing that could be considered a saving grace was that a similar but less drastic thing happened to Steven as he approached his riser. The carpet slipped and he was able to recover. Oh man. I suppose when you're 80 or so shows into a run, its inevitable, no? Dad, time to finally get health insurance. :)

Anyhow, we finished the show just in time to catch Best Actor and Best Movie. See you folks in NYC soon!

Blame Canada

We're in Edmonton right now. While the sun is shining and there's nary a cloud in sight, its pretty dismal. The temperature is somewhere in the 20s and there's a mall and several strip malls surrounding our hotel. I've never been more excited to go to the venue.

But I shan't complain. Why? We just returned from some glorious adventures in Australia and New Zealand.

If I could pick one city to return to in Australia it would be Melbourne. We met such warm and inviting people there who were gracious enough to bring us to their watering holes and introduce us to their friends. There's one building just north of the train station that has different bars on each floor. I'm not talking about hamburger and beer places. Think Roebling Tea Room on the first floor, Death and Co on the second floor, Union Pool on the rooftop - you get the idea. Needless to say, we spent two out of our three nights, bar hopping within the same building.

When I look back on these past six weeks, there are a hand full of days that I can safely put in the Utopic Experiences category. One of them was our day off in Auckland, NZ. A hearty group of us took a 30 minute ferry to Waiheke Island where we rented a jeep and a motorcycle (don't worry dad, i didn't even THINK about getting on the motorcycle). We picked up two bottles of champagne, tamarillo jam, apples, figs, kiwiberries, and OJ and headed to Ontenagi Beach. The sand was so fine and the water was quite shallow. The clouds periodically drifted past the sun so it never got too hot. Mauro and his girlfriend Su went for a long beach walk and returned with oysters that they found in some rock crevass. Steven whipped out his knife and Graham popped them open for us. Eat your heart out, Nobu!

At around 4:30pm we packed up and decided to drive all the way around the island, hitting every scenic point possible. The beauty of it was that EVERY MOMENT was a scenic spot! Every turn was of verdant undulation hills giving way to seascapes and valley vineyards. Graham, who cannot go 10 minutes without filming something, said "Oh god, someone else has got to drive. I gotta man the camera." As he was the only one able and willing to drive a left handed stick shift, I took on that responsability. So lush - so undeveloped - so perfect in its natural state; I half expected a T-Rex to come lumbering through the trees.

At one spot marked Picnic Area, we got out to have a look around and within moments, mauro had discovered that the receded water had left a minefield of clams. We can barely call it clam "digging" as our efforts required only some mild scooping. As soon as that discovery was made, the rest of the evening fell into place. Clearly the only thing to do was hop back on our vehicles and head to the nearest grocery store for some linguini. We MUST cook tonight!

As we drove away with a plastic big FULL of fresh clams and said goodbye to our corner of shellfish paradise, I said quietly "I am going to miss this day tomorrow" to which Graham replied "I already miss it." The rest of the evening making a feast of salad, clam linguini, and lamb chops. Quite possibly the best dinner of this leg of the tour. I've got Mauro's recipe for clams if anyone is interested.

Inside the Sydney Opera House before sound check

Sydney Opera House Day One:

Love the Icons.

Rub that Buddha's Belly! This was from a Chinese Mythology Theme Park in Singapore

The backstage area of the Convention Center we played at in Singapore. The white walls on the right were our makeshift dressing rooms.

Dried Lizards on sticks.

Number 20. Enough Said.

Letterman has been cancelled. U2 wants the whole week. DAMN YOU BONO! :(

Australia So Far

SYDNEY:
My dear dear friend Anni Lindner stayed with me all three nights that we were there. The band and crew quickly fell in love with her. Mark has a friend with a sailboat and so most of the band went for a 'three hour tour' of Sydney Harbor, basking in the ozone free sun, and getting a description of each neighborhood we were sailing past. Anni and I went out to lunch and caught up. We had about one whole year to cover in three days and boy did we make a valiant effort to cover all our bases.

Met the band in the lobby and off we went in a van straight to the stage door of the Sydney Opera House. The inside is laid out like a seashell, coiling around itself until you get to the stairs that lead up to the stage. In many ways, the actual house reminds me a lot of the San Francisco Opera House. It has a larger capacity and taller ceilings but it looks quite similar. From the first moment I stepped on stage to the last second of the final performance, I was constantly aware that this was perhaps my only opportunity to standing on that stage. As Jessica said to me on the phone, the majority of the human race will not get the chance to perform there. Its certainly not a guarantee. I don't think I could have been any more conscious of that. After the first show, I turned to David and said "thank God we get to do it all again tomorrow."

After both shows we went to an outdoor bar aptly called Opera Bar just outside the venue. We sat drinking in the view of the bridge and SOH and sipping our cocktails. Anni and I chatted away until the bartenders kicked us out.

Oh boy - just about to board a plane. More when we arrive in Brisbane.

Japan

OSAKA:
Decided to try my hand at the Japanese subway system. I was ensured by Jonathan that the one in Tokyo was very comprehensive, so if he can handle that - I could handle Osaka. There I was... dumbfounded. Their subway system is not based on a flat fare; if you are traveling to midtown in might be $2 but to get to harlem it might be $2.75. Now what about Nagatacho-mitsuke? I pressed "Call Attendant" and looked around furtively wondering where the attendant was and how this person would know I was in distress. All of a sudden, the poster to my left swings open and a face pops through the secret window "SHIMASEN!?" "Holy God!" I exclaimed as I jumped out of my skin and backwards three feet. Who knew? Be warned - there are people behind the ticket booths!

KYOTO:
Noriko is a friend of Cindy and David's and she lives in Kyoto teaching at Art Literacy at the university there. On her suggestion, we went to a huge outdoor flea market in the middle of one of Kyoto's many temples. We got there at 8:30am to beat the crowds, and thank God we did because only a few hours later, any way you wanted to walk, you were swimming upstream. You could find everything there - from plastic hello kitty masks, to swords, to ancient porno jewelry boxes. And the FOOD! I tried what I like to call Octopus Balls - they look like donut holes but have octopus stuffed inside, red bean pancakes, and bbq mochi on a stick. After that, Steven, his brother Aaron, and I went to two more temples before we were templed-out.

TOKYO:
Our two shows were at the Shibuya Ox, a wonderful club venue with a small balcony and a deep ground level. The audiences were fantastic - excited and attentive. What I found most odd about the Asian audiences across the board was how controlled their enthusiasm is. When they clap, they clap strongly and systematically. After a song they hoot and holler and then IMMEDIATELY fall silent. Its really quiet bizarre how a room of hundreds of people collectively create an uproar one minute and then the next, you could hear a pin drop. For the first time in the past four or five months, no one has yelled for Free Bird in between songs.

SYDNEY:
We just arrived safe and sound. It was a long 10 hour flight, but well worth it. The sun is shining, the Sydney Opera House is to my right and the Sydney Harbor bridge is just north of that. In a few hours, the whole lot of us will be taking the ferry over to Manly Beach for some sun and some sea.

Singapore

We arrived in Singapore in the late afternoon. Just enough time to grab some grub. The proprietor, Alistar, gave us a brief history of the country, explaining that it was comprised of Indians, Chinese, Japanese, and Brits. The distinct ethic neighborhoods have now all become gentrified except for Little India... where we went for dinner. The banana leaf placemats also serve as plates which I only learned when the server came around with a huge pot of cinnamon rice and dumped a big pile right in front of me. The big hit of the night was Fish Head Soup. It is just as it sounds. A big bowl with a cut off fish head swimming in a "gravy." While I was a bit trepidatious at the beginning, nothing could come between me and it after the first bite. Until Alistar popped the eye in his mouth and after sucking it clean, spit the ball of the eye out. Aaaaand... check please.

At around midnight, Steven and I stayed up to watch the Inaguration. It was most certainly THE talk of the town the next day. I got into a cab and the driver asked where I was from. "America." "OH! America? OBAMA!!!! He is STRONG. GOOD. and POWER." Or when I was on a walking tour the Singaporian girl next to me said "You American? I taped Obama, I will watch it tonight."

Speaking of that cab driver, Robin, he gave me some great life advice (which I then video taped... that posting to come). "Try your best FOREVER - be happy FOREVER!" These words are in caps because he was yelling them.

I was up and out early the next day. I read about a walking tour in Time Out that unfortunately only happens every fourth wednesday. So I decided to try and do the tour myself. I set off to explore Tiong Bahru - I took photos of the sting rays being sold in the Wet Market along side cod and crab, read about a corner where "uncles" bring their birds in bird cages and hold bird song competitions, and made my way to where the best macaroons in Singapore are made. While sampling a salted caramel treat, in walks the tour group from the article! The group comprised of British ex-pat wives whose husbands are out working, allowed me to tag along for the last half. Thank God I found them. The Singaporian tour guide told us all about the architecture of the neighborhood and how its design helped the men conceal their affairs, the WWII stories that ripped through these streets, and even pointed out a few specialty stores like the man who only sells different kinds of hard boiled eggs.

Next I met up with Steven and Mauro for lunch at Newton Circle. It looks like a theme park for food. Each kiosk has a bright neon sign and are extremely specialized. This stand for pig snout soup. This stand for fresh juice. This stand for grass jelly. We opted for the Singaporian favorite: chili crab. We pointed to the picture of it on the menu and next thing we know, she has brought over a live crab tied up in rope on a platter. "this size?" I was just beginning to understand the Omnivores Dilemma when a few minutes later, out came a steaming hot plate with the crab dripping in a spicy chili sauce... the consistency of curry. Like any good carnivore, I quickly left my conscience at the door and dug in. I tasted something reminiscent of sweet potato and found out that we were eating a female crab and that was one of her eggs. Aaaaand... check please.

Last on the list of adventures before sound check was a trip to Tiger Balm Gardens, known in Singapore as Haw Par Villa. Again the image of a theme park comes up but this time, its a park for Chinese Mythology. The 10 Courts of Hell were so gruesomely depicted that I actually thought twice about cursing that day, remembering that the punishment was having your heart pulled out. It got better. Disrespecting your elders? Thrown on a bed of knives.

Theres a bit more to tell about Singapore and all its glory but I see the crew gathering for dinner. More later!

Day Off in Hong Kong

The first night, we straggled out of the hotel in desperate search to stay awake and feed our bellies. David led the pack with map in hand until we found some seemingly authentic Chinese restaurant. Equip with a big round table and a lazy-Susan, we parked ourselves for a delicious meal of abalogne, duck (with the option to eat the head - only Ray went for it), two different kinds of dumplings, and black bean pancake for dessert. One might think that after all that flying we'd all turn in. But then in walked Paul's friends who live in Hong Kong. Naturally, a few of us opted to stay out and see the HK Saturday Nightlife. First of all - you can drink on the streets. Off to one of the MANY 7 Elevens to take care of that. The streets were bustling with the very well dressed Chinese groups of girlfriends to the falling off their arses British expats. We settled on a bar several stories above the streets for a bit - long enough for me to order a Spicy Mule - the spiciest drink I've ever attempted to consume in my life.

Yesterday was our full day off. Breakfast... compliments of the hotel. Incredible! Dim Sum station, omlette bar, fresh fruit, different yogurts, salads, cereals of all kinds, what a spread. I'm about to enjoy another morning of it. Full enough to get through the day until dinner. I somehow took the lead of the day's social events which, I learned, I shall never do again. I was ready to go after breakfast, stir crazy, looking longingly at the buildings outside the lobby windows. But not all were so eager. A long two hours later, we finally left the hotel and took the Ferry over to Kowloon. We spent a good two hours exploring Kowloon Park which is supposed to be their Central Park. While fun, not impressed - I'm spoiled by New York. We ended up at Jade Market. WOW! Dozens of little stations selling all kinds of jewelry and knick knacks. My favorite being the Mao Tse-Tung pocket watch. You can bargain anything by just saying "No thank you." Following that, we walked down a busy outdoor market. Everything was out on the street, in the open air, ready for you to buy... dragon fruit, snake skin, lizard on a stick, bags of dried fish, all kinds of freshly cut meats hanging from big hooks - including a WHOLE pig.

The men went back to the hotel because they were "tired." But Lily and I forged on. We went to Man Mo Temple where the tourists were far outnumbered by the locals who were paying homage to several deities. They did so with bundles of lit incense and colorful papers with sayings of gratitude on them that would then be ceremoniously thrown on the pyre. I asked many of the people who worked there to explain what everyone was doing. They told me that it was the last Sunday before the new year and everyone is there to give thanks for all that they have been given. I said "why all the incense?" (my eyes were BURNING as I walked through the scented haze). To which a man replied "Why? Its Chinese Tradition!" in the tone of "silly girl." Then I decided to get my fortune read. oops. "2009 - Not so good for you. Troublesome year. 2010 - very good. You wait."

On that note - back to the hotel. Drinks with more local friends of the band and on to dinner. They took us all out for a Chinese meal in a part of town I'll never be able to pronounce. SO MUCH FOOD. It just kept coming. But truthfully, the best part of the night was after the delicious meal. Daveena took us to all get reflexology massages. All 12 of us filed into a large room, changed into scrub-like shorts, and promptly fell asleep as soon as the lights were dimmed and the massages started. David and Paul were even caught snoring. The obvious joke: "strange overtones." After that, I was like a horse with blinders on - must. find. bed.

We have a big day ahead of us. A several hour rehearsal, please God, let me remember everything! A short break, sound check, dinner, SHOW! First show of the second leg. Wish me luck!

Hong Kong

We finally arrived in Hong Kong after a 15 hour flight and a 45 minute car ride. David, Cindy, and the rest of the gang were in particularly high spirits at JFK. It could have been because there was a free self service bar at the British Airways First Class Lounge. Kaissa greeted me with what has now become known as "The Dad Hug." A small bend in the knees, the hug, the shaking. Many folks asked me if we would be flying Coach - the answer is yes and it really was no big deal. One book, one movie, and one episode of the Ali G Show and we were touching down. We're settling into our hotel now, getting ready for a bite before we crash for the evening. My hotel room has a killer view of downtown hong kong. I'm on the 33rd floor and yet am surrounded by buildings that tower over me. We've got a day off tomorrow, woo hoo! I've got a date with the funicular and Bird Street.