SF Uke Rebellion invades Land's End San Francisco!

me and the gang down at Land's End...a beautiful day in San Francisco

Yesterday a whole group of us, about 25 people, played ukuleles at a magical place...down at Land's End of San Francisco where the ocean meets the bay. In spite of some of us having to park a little up the hill and trek in, the day could not have been MORE perfect for our very first ukulele jam here...! People stopped to listen and even clapped after we finished...good times! 

Afterwards I walked the trail..or most of it anyway, on my own...and that's when I remembered that 16 years ago at about this time we scattered my mom's ashes into the Pacific Ocean at Yaquina Head Lighthouse up in Oregon..I still remember it as clear as day. The ocean is where we go to honor and remember my mom...and I think she would've dug the ukulele playing too (even as a spectator) so close to the ocean that she loved so much...she was eccentric, smart and funny and never cared what anyone thought about what she did or said...! 

One of a kind...she would've approved of her first great grandson's name ("Jeremiah")...trust me, she did NOT always approve of the names I chose and she would have been thrilled to meet both of her great grandsons Baby Jeremiah (born July 2011) and Baby Iyumni (born Sept. 2012)...we sang and played for you Mom...because we won't forget you. 

Oh and to top everything off, I ended up on Haight Street in San Francisco last night with my friend...we ate dinner at this very cool, funky Indian restaurant I'd never seen nor heard of before and walked up and down the street...stayed at the book store til it closed...then happened to find a Tobacco store that was still open -- had no need for tobacco but dug the psychedelic memoralbilia in the window...even the ashtrays were cool...walked inside and found a TREASURE TROVE of rare 1960's posters, artwork, ceramics...YOU NAME it! The guy didn't mind that we spent a very long time looking at all the fabulous posters...a piece of 1960's rock n' roll history tucked away here...early photos of The Who, the Stones, the BEATLES (of course)...the Doors (and Jefferson Airplane seemed to be everyone's special guest -- OF COURSE!)...turns out the building is called the Red House...Jimi hendrix once resided there...I ended up purchasing a Yellow submarine tie-dye t-shirt in my size...what a perfect way to end a momentous occasion such as yesterday.

Adventures and Music Martin Luther King Day Style

the world is MINE, all MINE! we were the only ones at Seven Hills Park this Day!

So even though I was super exhausted after running uphill and all around San Francisco, I still managed to wake up the next morning, which was a holiday because of Martin Luther King Day (yay) to Dave Fitchner's Monday morning ukulele jam in Portola Valley. I can rarely make this because I work during the week days. I was a little late because I wanted to let the "pink haired chick" I met at water aerobics at 24-Hour Fitness know where Dave's jam was and to get her contact information. I left in such a hurry the Friday before that I didn't get a chance to get her email address, name or phone number. I just know her as the pink haired writer's chick in aqua aerobics!

anyway, she had just left but the dude at the front desk gave her name and cell phone number which was fabulous -- because she had left it for him. I made contact and got to the jam a little late -- but not too late. It was a relatively small crowd compared to what I've seen in the past (like a year ago when we celebrated the two-year anniversary of the Ukulele Club of Silicon Valley when the place was crammed with people and bursting at the seams). My friend June was there, so we stood together...I love singing with her because she sings harmony and we always have fun singing together.

This was the gang that showed up at Dave F.'s house a year ago (2012)...The Ukulele Club of Silicon Valley!!

I LOVE THESE PEOPLE!!!
Afterwards, some of us went over to the Alpine Inn for a bit more playing...because it was a beautiful day. Then I headed over to Poorhouse Bistro early to meet with my fabulous uke chick friends, June (once again!) and Diane! The three of us hung out and practiced a bunch of music together and then we played and sang four songs. we really ROCKED!!! We did Ticket to Ride, Crawdad Song, Bye Bye Love and ended with Down by the Riverside in honor of Martin Luther King! We had also sung that in the morning.

Here we are singing and playing "Down by the Riverside" with Fenny on harp!

Check this out...(click here) Here we are singing and playing, the Crawdad Song!!!

(of course we did this on the fly!!!)  But we do rock!

I'd say it was a good Martin Luther King Day which did not end tonight...

Me with Baby Jeremiah and Denise who took us all out to breakfast at the Black Bear Cafe in Milpitas!!

Of course I was absolutely exhausted from my very crazy weekend, so it was necessary to take yet one more day off to "recover" from all the festivities, sore fingers, sore legs from running, you know the deal. So I hung with Baby Jeremiah and Mama Jen and her friends Denise and her sis...and we all went out to breakfast...so cool to have Baby Jeremiah sitting right next to me as we ate...!! hehee!

Then we went off on our own adventure, me and Baby J...for a while...

Baby J was very excited to walk Sydney the Dog!! WALKIN' THE DOG

and if you don't know how to do it, I'll show you how walk the dog!

Baby you can drive my car, yes I'm gonna be a star! :)

We had a marvelous adventure, being the only ones at Seven Hills Park and I thought that it would be a lovely place for a ukulele jam!!! of course...

PERFECT PLACE FOR A UKULELE JAM!!!!!

Tami Mulcahy...! opened Jan. 22, 2012's show at the Mud Puddle

Then "Big Wide Room" performed -- three fabulous guys playing and singing all their original songs... 

The fabulous long weekend ended in Niles yet again...at the Mud Puddle Cafe with Michael McNevin and crew...Tami Mulcahy opened and then BIG WIDE ROOM -- three high-energy guys...all original music...LOVED IT!!! we had a full-house plus one dog (Clancy). I feel as if I'm sort of becoming a "regular" at the Mud Puddle these days!

Afterwards, it was an honor to play with THE HORRIBLES!!!!!

the Old-School Rock n Roll San Francisco Adventure!

Today I'm taking BART to San Francisco to the ukulele rebellion! Got one ukulele, backpack with the Daily Ukulele Leap Year Edition and miscellaneous songsheets, along with a table-top music stand. I'm all ready to go! It's a beautiful day! Yesterday it was 70 at the beach in Santa Cruz where I played ukes with 100 plus people! Lots of people wearing 49ers red today headed for the city! Go San Francisco 49ers!

Riding muni in San Francisco never ceases to be a trippy experience with the most eclectic people imaginable! Two young boys wearing those gangsta pants falling off them fought over a piece of Ghirardelli chocolate squares! Then they left a huge bag of those squares sitting on the seat and got off the bus! This older lady moves to seat next to large bag of precious chocolate and swoops on it and bah disappears. Older white haired guy with southern accent goes on and on about how those gangsta boys with the chocolate are doomed and probably live in the streets and how they have bad parents, oh brother gimme a break I think. They're teenage boys. I smiled as I'm sure many people thought me and my friends and bro and sis were hoodlums running amuck all over San Francisco! As my childhood friend Barry Hirrell said, "We were the terrors of MUNI!" :) 

Young people board..a group looking for a bar in the Haight Ashbury to watch the game. Very nice Indian family with cute kids sit next to me okay time to get off. I'm at Divasadero and Haight! Uke rebellion here I come! 

Some of my friends from the Sacramento Uke Group had drivend down -- Dave and Sue! It was really good to see them. 

Me and Sue!

Dave plays my Nalu (which ironically I won at a raffle
at the Strum Shop in Roseville last June!

I'm playing Dave's AWESOME red
Bill TAPIA Ukulele! Lovin' it!

Around 25 people showed up at the Oakside Cafe that beautiful sunny San Francisco afternoon...Mark S. gave us constant updates on the 49ers game -- they were losing majorly in the first half but brought it back in the end and WON! We were convinced it was because we played Somewhere Over the Rainbow on our Ukes for them!

After the jam, I walked over to Dean's house with Steve and Dean -- where we usually jammed some more on ukuleles...and Dean was watching the recap of the epic football game. I knew that Jefferson Starship (members of them anyway) were going to be doing ALL of Surrealistic Pillow (classic 60s Jefferson airplane album, one of my all-time FAVES…defining 60’s rock n roll)… at this funky little club called the Razz near Geary and Van Ness. My friends Steve and Dean didn’t want to go (it cost like $40 which is kind of spendy, especially for me right now since I was pretty much down to my last 50 bucks!). So I figured I wouldn’t go. While I was at Dean’s house on Baker and Grove, his good friend Dave showed up and we continued to watch the recap of that amazing 49ers game where they were losing and then they got it back! Dave played guitar and had showed up at one of the Uke Rebellions. 

At about 6:30pm, a half hour before that Starship show was supposed to happen, I told Dave about the show and he yelled, “Oh my God, I have to go!!!! Surrealistic Pillow!” So Dean suggested me and Dave go (I don’t know him too well but Dean does). But we didn’t have a car to get to Geary and Van Ness as I took BART and he rode his bike over… so we had to catch a bus to make the show. Dave started RUNNING up Baker Street yelling, “We gotta hurry to catch the 38 Geary Bus!” I did my best to follow him really I did. I ran too, UP HILL>..he was sooo crazy because if we had just gone down to Divasadero a couple of blocks further east, we would not have hit all those HILLS!!!

This Dave dude kept running and yelling lyrics to songs from Surrealistic Pillow! I thought for sure I was going to die of a heart attack following him realizing just how out of shape I am – and he even said he was going slow for my sake and had a bad knee…GIMME AN EFFING BREAK!!! So anyway, he kept running and I kept going, but I slowed down…I just couldn’t keep up the speed. No way! I thought for sure someone would find me lying on the cement passed out…but somehow I kept going. He made a right and I went straight and I LOST him! He did not wait for me! He said later he yelled for me, but like he just wanted to get to the show! So I managed to figure out where I was and walked (half ran) AN ADDITIONAL four blocks after about 3 quarters of a mile uphill…but at least this was flat. I JUST missed the 38 Geary bus…it was awful. Then me and this lady started walking down Geary hoping to make headway to Van Ness where she was going and we missed ANOTHER bus cuz we couldn’t run fast enough to get to the next stop! I was pretty distraught and defeated and should have given up, but I did not. I flagged down an out of service bus and I begged the driver to get us to Van Ness and he DID IT just for us! Yaaayy for the nice bus driver! This is TOTAL OLD SCHOOL San Francisco stuff!

So I got to the venue but it was a movie theater 1000 Van Ness…and finally found out that the club (the Razz which just reopened) was upstairs…you have to go up all these marble steps but you don’t see them when you walk in…I RAN up those steps – on PURE ADRENALIN and walked into the night club. THE opening band was playing but not Starship yet! I was hyper ventilating as I tried to explain to this usher dude or whomever he was that I had run a long ways just to get to this show and please let me in…and he did! I did have to get a ticket though. I pretty much gave him the last of my money leaving only enough to get home on (this is so old school and nutty, I can’t believe it). And he gave me one of the best seats in the house right by the stage, crammed in with all these people dressed up in night club attire…but this was a 60’s show…what the heck? I was fully in tie-dye as I normally am on the weekends…I must’ve looked like a crazy hippie chick or something…

The show WAS AMAZING!!! It was worth every single penny and today is pay day too. I caught up with the guy who left me – he saw me and even managed to find him a seat close to mine. I even watched his stuff while he went outside to smoke a bowl on the break politely refusing to smoke one myself (those days for me are over now…been that way for quite a few years!! Hehe!)… the sound quality was perfect and I felt like I was a part of San Francisco history!

Turns out that crazy dude I was following is an attorney! I kid you NOT! At first I thought he was BSing me, but after he talked about it for a few moments, I realized it was the truth…I can tell. I work for lawyers and have been for many many years. He even knew my role in the office and had it all down. He’s a litigator from New York… Wow!

We stopped to eat at Tommy's Joint right across the street which brought back a major flood of memories because my Dad used to take us there all the time -- it's an old-school hof brau place. I could only afford a turkey sandwich on rye with no mayo -- no side-stuff, and water. I didn't want the dude I was with to know how crazy I was to go to this concert or how broke I am. 

We had to trek pretty fast down Van Ness all the way to Market to catch a bus back to Dean's house because I left my backpack and my ukulele there, and I was worried because BART stops running at midnight. I was very relieved to see that Steve had waited, he hadn't left without me as I figured he most likely would. That meant I didn't have to take BART alone and Dean managed to borrow his wife's car (it was gone earlier) and get us to the Civic Center Station just in time to catch the last BART train out of town! 

I was thinking, as I relayed the story to Steve who couldn't stop laughing -- I DON’T RUN! I actually tell people I don’t run…and I don’t! but I sure did on Sunday night…it was TOO MUCH of course, way more than what I should’ve done…pushing beyond all physical limits – beyond what I felt I was even CAPABLE of doing or handling. Would I do this every day? HECK NO!!! but the lesson here is that we are capable of more than we think we are!

Today was major back to reality! :) still recovering from wild 60's rock n' roll adventure in San Francisco Sunday evening, and musical adventures which began on a beautiful Saturday morning at the beach in Santa Cruz playing ukulele with at least 100 other people...got to see Mike Sult and the Scotty Griffin Trio Saturday evening, what a treat that was! Sunday, well what can I say about Sunday? From Uke Rebellion to the groovy Jefferson Starfish playing Surrealistic Pillow! Monday I got to play ukes with my rockin' uke chick friends and the Silicon Valley Uke Gang..Made it to the last half hour of Aqua Aerobics this morning...would've left earlier but Baby J woke up and wanted me to hold him...and well, what's a Grandma to do? No matter where I go or what I do or how many adventures I have, I never forget...

Musical Adventures with June

It was s fabulous day of music adventures and fun! I took my good friend June to sing the Beatles at the Chit Chat cafe in Pacifica where we sang Beatles songs for hours literally! This month Jeanine and her amazing little band us all the songs from Beatles for sale and then requests! She plays guitar DBS sings and kit plats bass and guitar with the lovely 14 yr old Julie on who sings and plays Beatles songs so beautifully. All generations represented! June sang harmony she's a great singer with loads of spirit! Got to plat abbey rd medley with jeanine she knows the whole abbey rd medley in guitar and I know most in uke from mean mean mustard but realizing it is still a work in progress and appreciating and basking in the brilliance if the Beatles!

Then Kit got out his guitar and helped June and I pick out songs with good harmony stayed until they kicked us out cuz another band was gonna play! They wanted us to stay but I promised Diane is check out the zydeco dance in Palo alto she invited us to. Had no idea what to expect. My friend Steve had sent me a big history lesson via text on Zydeco. That's about it. But wow! When we saw people dancing in the street outside this giant warehouse wood shop turned into a party room we knew it would be incredibly fun! The music was fabulous I'd say very upbeat blues! The kind if music you just wanna dance to! People everywhere dancing good and drink everywhere like a big Mardi Gras bash! Here we are at the party! Diane took pic and sent it to me! With a dude I've seen around but dunno his name! Two chicks ran up to me and said you play ukulele! I didn't remember them but that was ok they were cool! Great time! Finally had to leave to head home and get ready to dance the night away to classic rock music at the huddle in Fremont with my friends! Agreed to meet up with June again to pick cool songs to sing together! Kit said we had spirit! I believe him! I also believed those old hippie guys wearing Beatles t shirts at the chit chat who said thanks for passing on the spirit after I dedicated she lives you yeah yeah yeah to my grandson baby Jeremiah cuz he sings it all the time yeah yeah yeah over and over and me Jeanine and gang played and sang it together and it was fabulous. And I remembered my mom in 1964 and how we sang yeah yeah yeah over and over after that Ed Sullivan show that forever altered our lives ! No matter where I go or what I do their music forever remains closest to my heart... But it sure wonderful to check out other cool music and dancing the night away to great classic rock with full throttle is awesome too! Their rendition if the who's baba O'Reilly never ceases to blow my mind! I'm recovering today!

Starting 2013 out RIGHT!!!!

I can't think of a better way to bring in the new year! I had discovered Niles, located about a mile or so from our house, just a few months earlier...as well as the Mud Puddle and Michael McNevin and assorted fabulous people just a few months earlier. Up until a few days earlier, I really had no plans for new year's...so I jumped on the opportunity to attend the Mud Puddle musical awesomeness...and even managed to invite a couple of my good ukulele playing friends, Albert and Steve, before the event sold out. See, the Mud Puddle is a very small, cozy, funky place located on the main drag of Niles right across from the train station. From what I understand, it's about 15 x 15...and was once a barber shop...and now it's a soulful venue for fabulous music and jamming. I drove the mile and a half down the street and arrived in downtown Niles at 9:15pm. My friend Albert got there at about the same time. He said he brought bongo drums and a harmonica and I think a guitar -- you never know what instrument Albert will play! But I know him from the ukulele gatherings. I was a little frazzled because I had spent a couple of hours watching my little grandson...

the shopping cart was the last straw!

but now it was MY time! 

The place was jam packed with warm, inviting, friendly people...Albert and I sat in the "balcony" next to a guy holding a bass guitar. I had one ukulele with me. We were serenaded by some awesome guitar player/singers who did a couple of Grateful Dead songs which I loved. They reminded me of the Grateful Dead concerts I'd attended for new year's eve in San Francisco back in the '70's...and of their free concerts in Golden Gate Park. You can never go wrong with the Grateful Dead. The comedian lady Gail was HILARIOUS! Michael McNevin and his trustee bass player played a few songs including some lovely Michael McNevin originals...I loved the song he wrote about his Mom and the Rose Bowl. Heck, I loved all the songs. I didn't know for sure if my friend Steve, who is a MEGA ukulele player (and everything else player) would show up because he had driven a truck to Reno early that morning, but he still made it...just a little late! 

Me with my uke playing buddies Albert and Steve!

Then Michael McNevin kicked us out so he could rearrange the place for jamming. And that was one of the most WONDERFULLY EPIC parts of the evening for me because a whole group of us stood outside and jammed in the street!!! I was able to follow along with the "big guys" on ukulele (and I was the only chick playing an instrument that night)...and I loved EVERY SINGLE MOMENT of it!!! I don't shred or play solos or anything, but if I can follow along, I'm happy! the crowd outside on the street kept getting bigger and more and more people showed up! I think we jammed on this one blues song for like 15 minutes or maybe more...sooo cool! then we all went inside to bring in the new year with a lovely bang...and champagne...! I counted down the last minute on my iPhone...and heard "Auld Lang Syne" on ukulele and mandolin, with guitar and bass thrown in...and maybe bongos too. HAPPY NEW YEAR! thanks to Michael McNevin and the "Horribles" and all of you amazing people for keeping the spirit alive in Niles!!

Starting the new year out RIGHT!!!! OHHH YEAH!!!! this is what it is all about!