Champain Fulton Blues: Friday, April 25th!

I don't mind that you think slowly but I do mind that you are publishing faster than you think. -Wolfgang Pauli, physicist, Nobel laureate (1900-1958) 

P, could do a shortish ride today if you are up for it. I am playing this evening.W

Hi Giggster!

Glad you returned safely, evading Homeland Security Polizei! Don't know whether you are an inveterate rider or an incorrigible pelotonian but I'm up for a junket. We are off to hear Champian Fulton this evening so looking forward to that. Time and place? Cheers, Il Conduttore!

Peggielene Bartels became one of the first dozen female village chiefs in the entire nation, Ghana, as well as Otuam's, (a small fishing village), nana, or king. Her main successes, since becoming successor-for-life, in 2008, have been in battling against a tide of corruption. Before her investiture in September, village elders were pocketing government fees and rents for years, leaving the treasury nearly empty. She replaced those leaders with younger members of the community, and took a dramatic approach to those who robbed the village of its future. At a council meeting soon after her installment as nana, she offered them a one-time clemency deal: “If people confess their crimes, I will be merciful. But if I they don't, I will squeeze their balls so hard their eyes pop out. Then I will put them in jail and let them rot there; I don't care how old they are. My mercy depends on your confessions,” she told the gathered crowd.

P, how about 10AM on million dollar mile and we can do a loop of the ivory towers? I am open to other suggestions if you have druthers. Seattle Sue does look like a formidable ride, W

Hi Nelson! I'll bring along some of Cora Lee's diamonds to add to your gold-plated Yellow Brick Point Grey Highway. See you at 10:00 am. Make sure you bring along a machete so that we can hack off pieces of ivory on campus to be used along with the diamond inlay. Cheers, De Beers, (not the potable kind), Dunn! 

Hi Raymond! Glad reviews were of interest. Just a quick note to say that I'm meeting Giorgio at Point Grey/Macdonald at 10:00 am this morning, to ride out to UBC. Be delighted if you are interested in joining us. Otherwise, Tuesday sounds like a very good possibility. Cheers, Patrizzio! 

Pat, Hope the ride went well. I was out a short distance at 7pm - still quite cool but I think we have better weather ahead. Ray 

Hi again, Raymond!

Sorry we couldn't ride yesterday. It was a lovely outing, as day turned out quite nicely, although as you noted, tad coolish at times. However, whenever bathed in sunshine, it was glorious, more than pleasantly warm. We did the regular Musqueam/Wesbrook Village Loop and then I continued on to SP after I left Whirlissimo on Macdonald. Did a dipsy-doodle up 3rd to avoid all the resurfacing work at the intersection of Macdonald/Point Grey. 

Gather City is trying to have this section, as well as approach to Burrard Bridge, done before Van Marathon/ Sun Run etc. Did an up-and-over once I'd reached park and then regular Spirit Trail to Bewicke. Quite a strong head wind crossing into West Van so I was quite happy to have it helping me up the long grade on return leg. Managed, by dint of sustained effort, to push the AVG to 21 km/hr on final run home, bucking the blasted, unrelenting westerly. Stats for today's ride:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/486971178#.U1rcyq-pMIM.email 

Cora Lee was working at AL's Thrift Store until 6:00 pm so I collected her after her shift was finished and we drove straight downtown. We had tickets for jazz pianist Champian Fulton at the VSO School of Music, right beside the Orpheum, at 7:00 pm. Parked right across the street and cost almost as much, ($15), as a single ticket, ($22)! 

Some mistake on start time, concert was to begin at 7:30 pm, rather than 7:00 pm printed on ticket, so we strolled to the Kingston, (Cora Lee knows downtoen like the back of her hand, from many, many luncheons and chai lattes, of course!), quite a comfortable sports bar. We enjoyed a glass of wine each, Bench 1775, Naramata, Sauvignon Blanc and a Malbec from Cahors, region we drove through after we left canal barge last October. Neither of us had ever been to the School of Music facility before and we were quite impressed with it. Pyatt Hall is quite small, but 120 seats, so a very intimate space. The Champian Fulton Quartet, (Cory Weeds, tenor saxophone; Jodi Prosnick, bass; Julian Macdonough, drums), were wonderful.   

Our seats were almost on stage, so to speak, and afforded us uninterrupted views of Champian's hands as she played. Quite a sight, let me tell you! They seemed to possess a life and animation of their own, literally dancing like mini-whirling dervishes across the keys. The other musicians were extremely accomplished as well so a very tight group. Everyone obviously enjoyed playing together and the on-stage good spirits were most infectious. Champian's voice is very strong but she can caress as well as belt, as you might expect. Her repertoire includes Cole Porter, Gershwin, Billy,  Ella and the like, (although with markedly different interpretations), so much to our liking.

 

Performance was almost two hours, or slightly more, broken by an intermission. Lovely table, complimentary, of various tasty cheeses, grapes/strawberries and different cookies so grazed quite contentedly before performance started. Out by just after 10:00 pm and home but a few minutes later so a lovely evening all around. Cheers, Patrizzio!