3/09/2004 12:00:17 PM|||Brian Fending|||

Catching up can be hard to do. Oh, but it's worthwhile. As turns out, I've established a bi-monthly schedule for these updates. Gee, I hope that lasts.

I'm really clearing out my to-do list in March in preparation for a busy April between gigging and contracted Web work. Oh, and I'll be migrating to a new server soon, too. It's going to be a local collocation deal. It'll be nice to visit my bits in person. :) Wait, that sounded wrong... Oh, hell. Keep reading.

GROOVEBOX

Saturday night: 13 Mar 04, Groovebox at Cafe Etc., Third St, Niagara Falls, NY. Start time is 10:00/:30. Good times are ahead as we try something new on this date. Show up to find out more! Even fewer details are available at grooveboxjazz.com. Oh, and we're doing summer bookings now - drop me a line if you have a lead or a need. (Ha!)

PRESS

A few weeks ago, I got a call from a reporter at the Buffalo News who was doing a piece on the recently coined "creative class" as applied to Buffalo. Apparently, I qualify for membership to this elusive (exclusive? nahhhh...) class. As a reward, readers got to see my mug in living color and read a few clever quotes from other creative, uh, class members (?) in the First Sunday insert. Here's a 30-day link to the article, which is archived elsewhere in this blog.

I really haven't had time to read it yet, but have heard that I 'get the concept.' If there's more to say, I'll addend this post. I'm flattered by the attention, but wish I didn't look so bloody angry in posed photographs.

HOUSE HUNTING

Uh, we're still looking. Most of the dozen or so properties we've seen over the past two weeks were levels of unacceptable, though a couple of gems stand out. One was snatched up right away and the other had, uh, a high sticker price. Let's put it this way: I do a lot of research about a home when we like its look, features, and location. An asking price 36% above the current market value for the street is, to say the least, a warning flag. Not for nothing, but we're going to sit on that one and move on shortly. We drove by another promising house tonight and hope to see it soon enough.

If you know of something in or around Buffalo, let us know!

MISC.

Rachel and I visited friends this weekend while cabining in Luray, VA. After the transportation nightmare from BWI to the DC Metro (NEVER count on an Amtrak train being on time...), we had a relaxing night at my friend Jeff's house in Manassas and then trucked into the city the next morning to visit some galleries and, most importantly, to go to Fuzio's Universal Pasta, one of our favorite restaurants, for lunch. Well, the latter was closed, then we had mediocre-to-bad Greek food, but we *did* get to see the West Building of the National Gallery of Art before that mess. We left for Luray shortly after seeing some of Jeff's (AWESOME) recent work. The cabin was gorgeous (pics to come, I hope :) and the weather was a stark contrast to the sensation I felt brushing snow off my car at 8:00am Monday.

We watched American Splendor when we got home on Sunday. (We joined Netflix - after Blockbuster permanently pissed me off - and haven't looked back.) I must say, it is now one of my favorite films.

[And just for the record: I don't care if you hated the film or even why it's not among your favorites. Feel free to chime in with a "right on," but don't waste time trying to convert me - it was brilliantly done. And yes, this is the dark side speaking. He lets me out now and again to address the public directly. The rest of the time, I go to the day job in his place. You'd be bitter, too, wouldn't you? Well, then.]

So, I just opened a letter from SUNY Fredonia announcing the grand opening of the new recital hall, a project that's been in the works since, well, I was an undergrad there. The inaugural event will be a recital by pianist Peter Serkin on October 30th. I'm actually really looking forward to going back and seeing the changes. October 2004 is to be a busy month for weddings as usual, but it'll be a nice weekend retreat nonetheless.

Okaybye.

|||109171015728018669|||News, Press, and House Hunting