It might be a record for my dining history. Wallace and I went to two restaurants today. Breakfast on me at Senor Café, which Wallace remembered from last year. It has indeed ballooned into one of the very best in the area, as I predicted. Wallace calls it the Argentine place. The service and quality are tops. We won a crib game each. So that you are informed, the only English you will encounter there is on the menus.Later, we went to Nicky’s, the other outstanding eatery hereabouts. The food is worth the high prices. It is the last true mom and pop operation in town. Wallace remarked the sandwiches they serve are massive. He won both crib games, but by very narrow margins, which of course I like to point out. How does the guy deal himself 16 hands every round? How does he get me to cut the right card? It is a mystery. Of the two cafes, Nicky’s is the better deal but both are light years ahead of any franchise. Nicky’s has been there so long a lot of regulars go there to see who else is there.
Analysis of the Friday gig shows my gear requires an overhaul. That is scheduled for Sunday, when JP says he will be out here so we can go to the casino. That means I’ll have a few hours waiting for him to show, ha ha. I had three phono cables go out on me on stage, delaying my start for almost twenty minutes and Wallace could only stay to hear two songs. Millie-Belle again, who I think may be destined for an unplanned trip back home, caused him to leave early. Wallace feels she cannot handle the heat, although I see no symptoms of that. Back to the gig.
As mentioned, Arnel did not make it, but the gig was very successful. Wallace reports he was not sure it was me playing, did I mention in some 17 years, he has never heard me play before. He walked up to the stage to see what was going on. Plus, as my illusion is intended, he also thought I was singing. That is the desired effect.
I went to the opening at the club beside the legion. It has several reputations and has variously served as city hall and a publishing house. Inside, it is huge and was once run as a private club for the Gambino family. That explains the seven chandeliers over the dance floor. And that is just one of the four bars inside the building. There is a huge kitchen, private party rooms, conference rooms and a huge patio staffed by “the cooks from Morton’s”. It has an elegance that I hope causes headaches for a few overpriced and overrated businesses downtown. I cannot comment on prices because I was a guest. And I’m booked starting next Tuesday to play in the downstairs lounge. The clientele is mainly local blacks as is the co-owner and he says my act will go over great. I hope so, it is my first downtown solo gig. Now we’ll find out if I’ve got anything worth selling.
I was quickly over to Jimbo’s to pack up my gear (I leave the heavier pieces in place after a year). Jackie, Will and I went up to Boston Johnny’s (Wallace does not like to drive at night so he was absent). The same show with the washboard dude was there. I don’t know the facts, but contrary to what they say on stage, that is no gang of local boys. They’ve got enough custom made equipment to open their own store. The lead player has an Epiphone guitar shaped like a trailer camper. They are simply too good to not be professional studio musicians on tour. Even the guests they get up on stage are in a league of their own. I can detect a Tennessee accent between songs.
The washrooms in Johnny’s are strange. The door of the Men’s opens right out into the seating area. Along with your sip of beer, you get the whole view. The single facility makes sure the door is constantly swinging open. Will locks the door when he goes, but most people don’t. We make it a point to dash over and jiggle the knob like crazy and be staring up at the ceiling when he emerges.
After nearly five years of service, my original cell phone finally quit working. I have no idea if this is good or average. I’m satisfied I got my money’s worth. Does anyone know if I can transfer the service to a new phone? I paid $200 for this one, Wallace paid $20 for his, but my phone says Metro PCS right on the case. I took it apart to see if I could locate the SIM chip I hear about. Looking at the guts of the phone right now, I wonder what could go wrong. There are no moving parts and the equipment is clean. I put it back together and it works. I think.
