Tag: coffee

A Minute in New Orleans with Sarah Quintana and Michael Doucet

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This is Sarah Quintana, singer/guitarist in Michael Doucet’s new solo project, Lâcher-Prise, and I love being a tourist in my own hometown, New Orleans. Michael and I met one Mardi Gras day, following a brass band through the French Quarter. Music is everywhere! Cajun and zydeco dancing, good Creole cooking and historic scenes. Here are some of our favourite places to perform, shop and eat!

Michael loves to go to Cane and Table on Decatur for his favourite Cuban cocktail, the Hotel Nacionale. Marjie’s Grill on N. Broad is one of his favourite places to eat. I sing for the Sunday Brunches at Emeril’s Delmonico. The atmosphere, the menu and the live music make this one of the best dining experiences in New Orleans.

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One of our favourite clubs to play at and go dancing is d.b.a. on Frenchman Street. They have a wood floor series in the early evening that is acoustic and magic, dance lessons, lots of craft beer and rocking late-night shows. Need a coffee fix? Spitfire Coffee in the French Quarter is Michael’s favourite espresso bar.

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Water here, Water there! My favourite neighborhood is Bayou St. John in Mid-City. Get your tour of frontier New Orleans by boat! Book a Kayak tour from Kayakitiyat! If you go on a gallery art walk down Royal Street in the French Quarter, stop by Antieau Gallery to see the artist who created our cover art for our album.

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Photo credit: Daniel Kadar

BGS 5+5: Van William

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Artist: Van William
Hometown: Kodiak Island, Alaska
Latest Album: Countries
Personal Nicknames: My friends call me GOV (Good Ol’ Vanny)

Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?

It’s almost impossible to pick a single artist that stands above the rest as all the influences swirl around my brain like some amalgam of swirling colors and sound that I draw from involuntarily and without knowing the source. But, if I were forced to answer the question: Neil Young. He’s been a source of inspiration to me for so many years and has taken so many forms — his melodic instincts, his raw commitment to always trying new shit, his unapologetic pride in what he is currently doing. I met him years ago, and we smoked a joint together after a show I played with his ex-wife, Pegi, in Redwood City, California. In person, his spirit matched the quality of his work in a way that I will never forget.

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

Again, picking one singular moment is not really possible. My feet to the flames: When my old band, Port O’Brien, was on tour in Australia, we were playing the Laneway Festival and invited the crowd on stage for the last song “I Woke Up Today.” In hindsight, it was a ridiculously stupid idea, as so many people came up that the stage nearly collapsed, someone stole my acoustic guitar, and we almost got kicked off the festival tour. But during the song, I just remember being surrounded by that mess of people screaming along the lyrics, and jumping, and thought that was essentially the apex of performing.

If you could spend 10 minutes with John Lennon, Dolly Parton, Hank Williams, Joni Mitchell, Sister Rosetta, or Merle Haggard how would it go?

In my dream, John Lennon and I would smoke a joint and listen to all my favorite records that came out after he died, and he would tell me what he thinks about them. I’ve always wondered what he would think of Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III and Nirvana’s In Utero.

What rituals do you have, either in the studio or before a show?

Coffee is an important ritual. There’s nothing better than a cup of good, clean Four Barrel black coffee from my Chemex. I’m constantly brewing and serving to the band and crew in the studio. It’s the one thing in my life that is both meditative and stimulating at the same time.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?

The sea has been at the center of my entire life. Having spent years up on Kodiak Island in Alaska working on my father’s commercial fishing boat, the sea has become a powerful force of centering for me. I wouldn’t say nature directly impacts my work, but it’s incredibly important for my general well-being which, of course, is related to my productivity.

Photo credit: Silvia Grav

A Minute In East Kent with Will Varley

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Welcome to “A Minute In …” — a BGS feature that turns our favorite artists into hometown reporters. In our latest column, Will Varley takes us through his hometown of East Kent along the southeastern coast of England.

Kingsdown Beach: On the south coast of England, if you follow the white cliffs six or seven miles east from Dover, eventually they come down at Kingsdown Beach — and that’s where I live. It’s usually pretty windswept out there, except for a few days in the summer and, apart from the occasional fisherman, you can often have the whole stretch to yourself. There’s something particular about the light in this part of the world, and for me, there’s nothing better than sitting outside on a blustery day and watching a storm blow in from France over a little glass of Guinness.

Smugglers Records: Forty minutes walk along the beach is the town of Deal. Despite Charles Dickens once describing it as having “as dull an appearance as any place I ever saw,” I think it’s a handsome place, littered with Georgian cottages and perched right on the coast of the English Channel. Just off the high street, you’ll find Smugglers Records — a fantastic local record store that also has a great selection of tipples and snacks. A mighty fine place to browse some vinyl while sampling a light ale.

The Black Douglas Coffee House: After picking up a 12-inch or two at the record store, head around the corner to the Black Douglas. It’s a beautiful and fiercely independent café, the perfect place to get lost in a book or eavesdrop on someone else’s conversation with a mug of coffee at your side. There’s a relaxed, lazy vibe that is contagious enough to mean it might well be getting dark by the time you stumble out the door.

The Shell Grotto: Drive about half-an-hour north along the coast and you’ll get to Margate, home of the Shell Grotto. Supposedly discovered by local children in 1835, the Shell Grotto is a 70-foot long underground passage, the walls of which are adorned with over 4.6 million shells. Nobody knows who built it or why, and some theories claim it to be thousands of years old. It’s an awe-inspiring place to be and, as one travel writer put it in 2007, “Within six months of visiting, unless your soul is utterly dead, you will have a dream set here …”

Wild Goose: Head in land from Margate and you will come across the ancient city of Canterbury. For most, it’s a city that’s significant for its picturesque medieval streets and its rich religious history; but for me, Canterbury is the city that is home to my favourite bar. The Wild Goose serves the best cocktails in the world, bespoke original recipes based around the English garden. They also have an ever-changing menu of perfect small plates and English tapas. The kitchen is just behind the bar, so you can watch the chefs prepare your food, as you chat away to the other patrons and sip your Gosling Martini.

The Lighthouse: After a short drive back to Deal, aim to arrive at the Lighthouse around 9 pm, just as the evening’s band is taking to the stage. When I’m in town, you can find me here most nights watching the music or sat at the bar drinking my fourth or fifth nightcap. They have touring and local acts playing four of five times a week and a whole host of other cool things going on, too. It’s a seriously good pub, run by people who love live music and frequented by the best rabble of locals you could hope to meet. If you’re ever in the area, drop by and sink a half, or two …

3×3: Jesse Terry on Hendrix, Harrison, and Hotel Room Exercise

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Artist: Jesse Terry
Hometown: Stonington, CT
Latest Album: Stargazer
Personal Nicknames: JT, J-Breeze, Breeze-daddy, O’Terry, Breezy

If you could go back (or forward) to live in any decade, when would you choose?

Oh definitely the ’60s. I can’t imagine what it would be like to hear the Beatles for the first time, when everything was brand new. Or hear Hendrix, for that matter, when he was brand new and freaking everyone out. That would have been unreal. It’s still unreal and it’s 50 years later. There was no time like it.

Who would be your dream co-writer?

Gone or still with us? I would choose George Harrison for folks that have left this world. I love them all, but George was probably my favorite Beatle. He seemed like such a gentle soul with such a beautiful, humble spirit. And, wow, George wrote the most amazing songs — some of my favorite Beatles songs, not to mention his work on All Things Must Pass and his other solo albums. I have this feeling that co-writing with him would be really relaxed. I picture us drinking tea in his garden and just talking about life and spirituality until an idea hit us.

If we’re talking about someone still with us, I’d probably choose Jeff Lynne, one of George’s best friends and one of my biggest heroes. He’s another guy that seems very grounded and chill — and he seems like a hilarious, sharp dude in his interviews. I’d love to see how Jeff’s mind works, as he’s writing. He plays like seven instruments, and I’m sure that would affect his writing process. I wonder how much he’s producing and thinking about arrangements as he’s writing. I think he’s one of the best melody writers of all time and certainly one of the greatest producers. I’d take that co-write.

If a song started playing every time you entered the room, what would you want it to be?

“All You Need Is Love” because that’s totally true, huh? What a simple and perfect lyric. And that melody makes me forget about all of the negative things in the world.

What is the one thing you can’t survive without on tour?

Exercise. Well, my wife and dog, too, but we’re a trio, so that goes without saying. We always make time to take our pup Jackson out to a local park when we’re traveling. Or we do some exercise together using this great app my wife found. This very calm lady on the app has us do a bunch of crazy moves in our hotel room and it totally kicks our ass. I think we get a better workout on the road than we do at home at the YMCA. If I don’t get exercise, I can get down and go a little batty. I tour so much that we really don’t have much time to drink or party, but I really don’t mind at all. I dig what we’ve got going on. ROCK ‘N’ ROLL!

What are you most afraid of?

Clowns and zombies … okay, mainly clowns.

Who is your celebrity crush?

My wife already knows this one … Scarlett Johansson.

Pickles or olives?

I don’t like either, but if I had to choose, I would go with pickles.

Plane, train, or automobile?

I dig all three big time, but if you can take one of those trains that goes from Italy to Switzerland with the glass roof, JUST DO IT! Wow, that was the best freaking transportation of my life. You go right through the Alps and over all of these crazy bridges and cliffs. You have a sneaky feeling that you might not survive the journey, but it’s almost okay at that point. What’s left to see after that?

Which is worse — rainy days or Mondays?

You’re talking to a touring troubadour and a coffee addict. I LOVE rainy days and Mondays. Rainy days are a great excuse to wear pajamas all day and drink an excessive amount of coffee with the windows open. And Mondays are like the weekend for me, after a long week of shows. We hardly ever book shows on Mondays, so they are usually my recuperating/movie watching days, too. What’s the best kind of day for me? A rainy Monday.

Traveler: Your Guide to Olympia, Washington

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The great out-of-doors is the name of the game in Olympia, Washington. The natural beauty of the state’s park-filled capital offers views of the Olympic Mountains, Mount Rainier, and Capitol Lake, all from downtown. With a population of around 42,000 and a total count of 40 city parks on 963 acres, Olympia’s ratio of people to parks ensures plenty of green space for all. Olympia’s vibe is informed by its rich past of feminist musical history, political dealings, and spectacular scenery.

Getting There

The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport — referred to as “Sea-Tac” — is an hour north of Olympia and is accessible via the Sound Transit route 592, going from downtown Seattle to downtown Olympia during weekday rush hours. Otherwise, taxis and rideshare apps are your best bet getting into the city.

Stay

Photo credit: swantowninn.com

Green bed & breakfast the Fertile Ground could be from an episode of Portlandia with its grown-on-site breakfast from their six chickens, organic cotton sheets, and commitment to composting all waste … and we’re into it. If you want to splurge on a more decadent room, the Swantown Inn is a 17-room Victorian mansion built in 1889 which is now an inn and spa. And it’s not even as pricey as you might think — rooms range from $119-$179.

See

Photo credit: Olympia Farmers’ Market

How could a town this au naturale not have a bomb-ass farmers’ market? An outdoor bee farm, fresh oysters, and live music are all staples at the Olympia Farmers’ Market. Head to the Swantown Marina nearby to watch boats dock in the Port of Olympia after perusing produce.

Photo credit: Port of Olympia

The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is a crossroads for the freshwater of the Nisqually River and the saltwater of Puget Sound, forming an unspoiled estuary, rich in nutrients and perfect for wildlife watching with a $3 price tag. Then, throw yourself to the wolves, literally, at Wolf Haven International, an 80-acre wolf sanctuary where guided tours are given every hour on the hour. The 287-foot-high dome at the Washington State Capitol is the fourth tallest in the world and a staple to see while you’re there, with its marble walls, floors, and pillars from different countries. It’s worth the free tour and even has two-hour free parking.

Sip

Photo credit: burialgroundscoffee.com

Burial Grounds Coffee is a delightfully morbid coffee shop, offering some skull-ful latte art atop their death-themed lattes. For brews hop, err … hops, on over to Three Magnets Brewing Company for sandwiches, local microbrews, and ginger beer on draft. Fish Brewing Company boasts bargain beer and cider in 20-ounce pours for $4.50. Spar Café, called “the Spar” by locals, is in a 1930s building with a bohemian vibe and a 22-foot shuffleboard, plus pub grub and craft beer.

Do

Photo credit: levoyeurolympia.com

Energetic art and music scenes are thriving cornerstones of Olympia’s culture. With the feminist riot grrrl movement barely in the rearview mirror, Olympia’s grunge scene remains alive and kickin’. However, rock ‘n’ roll isn’t the only genre around: Olympia’s folk, blues, and jazz scenes thrive. The best places to catch shows include the restored 1920s Capitol Theater and Le Voyeur, the quintessential Olympia lounge. The city’s DIY scene makes use of nearly every vacant building, bar, and basement as a music venue.

Photo credit: Last Word Books

What’s an eclectic town to do without a bustling bookstore? Luckily, Olympia has Last Word Books, touting itself as a “radical, independent bookstore” selling mostly used books. Speaking of grungy, enter the town’s best vintage clothing store, Dumpster Values, and don’t ignore the Sleater-Kinney discount bin at Rainy Day Records.

Eat

Olympia’s culinary scene has everything from Pad Thai to Adobo to a good ol’ American “John Wayne” burger. Check out Cebu for authentic Filipino food in a strip mall next to a gas station. Get your Pad Thai fix at the Lemon Grass, and grab a John Wayne burger from Norma’s Burgers — a local chain voted best burger in Washington State. Da Nang’s authentic Vietnamese food is also a staple in the city, and we hear it’s pho-cking great!

Lede photo credit: dreamsjung via Foter.com / CC BY-SA

A Minute in Austin with Matt the Electrician

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Welcome to “A Minute In …” — a BGS feature that turns our favorite artists into hometown reporters. In our latest column, Matt the Electrician explains why Austin, Texas, is the place he calls home.

I’ve lived in Austin, Texas, for 21 years, which is five times longer than I’ve lived anywhere else in my life. I’m not from here, and I’m not the only one. Austin has been one of the fastest-growing cities in the country for much of the past two decades. There are positives and negatives to the growth, and I’ve felt them both. And I’ve griped about it, and undoubtedly been a part of it, and my kids were born here, and my community is here. And that community is the main reason that I’m still here, and I still love this town. So even as condominiums continue to rise up on the sites of long-bulldozed nightclubs and bbq joints, there are still a few places — some old and some new — that make me feel like the Austin I know is still there. 

TOWN LAKE TRAIL-LAMAR PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE: The Lower Colorado River runs through downtown Austin and divides it north and south, and there a a number of bridges, and a trail that runs along the river, and depending on where you start, and which bridge you use to double back, you can run for three miles, or five miles, or 10 miles. Most mornings, I use the Lamar Bridge, which is a little over three miles, but on occasion I have been known to go for the whole 10 miles! (Well, really, I did it once, and it was kinda accidental.) I love to run.

HOUSE PARK: When I don’t run, and if I’m up early enough, I like to hit House Park. It’s a fairly mellow outdoor concrete skatepark. There is a bigger bowl with vert, too, but it is mostly taken over by the BMX guys. The early part is important, though: 1. So it is not 100 degrees and, 2. because I am 40-something, and 40-somethings go to the skatepark early, when no one else is there to laugh at us, and we can re-learn front side rock ‘n’ rolls on the shortest transition, and practice our fakie shove-its without 9-year-olds doing double impossibles in our way. Also, shorter wait times at the emergency room.

EL PRIMO TACOS: This one doesn’t need much explanation. El Primo Tacos are the best tacos in Austin. Someone else will tell you that their favorite taco truck has the best tacos in Austin. They are wrong. Or maybe they’re right. It’s kinda hard to go wrong with a taco in this town. But also, El Primo makes the best tacos. #asada

ONCE OVER COFFEE: Sharing the same parking lot with El Primo is the best coffee shop in Austin. Again, opinions will differ, but I’m the one who was asked to write my opinion down, so this is the best coffee shop. But more importantly, the people who work here, and the couple that runs the shop — Rob and Jenée Ovitt — are just really wonderful folks. And on any given morning, you can run into a who’s who of Austin musicians, writers, and artists. It is one of the places where my community congregates.

DELL DIAMOND: The Dell Diamond is home to our very own Triple-A Round Rock Express (just north of Austin), a Texas Rangers affiliate. Although I was born in San Francisco and am a third generation Giants fan (Go Giants!! Beat LA!!), it’s pretty great to have a local minor league team to root for. Baseball is religion. Baseball is life. And so long as they are not playing the Sacramento RiverCats, I am a Round Rock Express fan.

ROCK OF AGES TATTOO: There are many really great record stores and book stores in Austin, and I could have talked about so many of them, because I love so many of them, and you should totally go look them up, if you’re ever in town, or you can even email me and ask me, and I’ll write you a truly extensive guide to independent record and book stores in the greater Austin area, for reals … but, to round out my tour of Austin, I decided instead to go with my favorite tattoo shop in town. Rock of Ages is chock full of crazy talented artists, like Thomas Hooper, Tony Hundahl, and Steve Byrne (who is currently working on my right arm), among others, and they often have great guest artists. They are super nice. Their shop is located in a building that used to be an adult superstore when I first moved to town. And they are around the corner from my house, so I can get tattooed and then walk home. #livingthedream

Root 66: The Show Ponies’ Roadside Favorites

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Name: The Show Ponies
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Latest Project: How It All Goes Down

Gear Shop: Dusty Strings Music in Seattle, WA

Burgers: Dick’s Drive-In in Seattle, WA

Highway Stretch: Avenue of the Giants in Humboldt County, CA

Coffee: Extracto Coffee Roasters in Portland, OR

Brewery: Crux in Bend, OR

Roadside Attraction: Trees of Mystery in Klamath, CA

Truck Stop: Buc-ee’s in Texas

Listening Room: Club Passim in Cambridge, MA

House Show: Sheri’s Living Room in Oklahoma City, OK

Backstage Hang: Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, CA

Music Festival: FloydFest in Floyd, VA

Car Game: Improvise three-part harmonies until the other two non-participants can’t handle the dissonance.

Photo credit: Daley Hake

Root 66: Travis Linville’s Roadside Favorites

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Name: Travis Linville
Hometown: Oklahoma City, OK
Latest Project: Up Ahead

BBQ: Arthur Bryant’s — Kansas City. The real deal in KC bbq.

Truck Stop: Clines Corners — New Mexico. You have to stop at Clines or you might run out of gas. Also rattlesnake paraphernalia.

Coffeehouse: Barista Parlor — Nashville, TN. I’m cool with Waffle House coffee, but if I wanna get in touch with my inner coffee snob, Barista Parlor does it well.

 

Satisfies

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Dive Bar: White Water Tavern — Little Rock, AR. Dive bars don’t get any better than this one.

Record Store: Garageland — Spokane, WA. Micro record store/bar/food/vintage arcade.

Book Store: Square Books — Oxford, MS. I love the town squares! Oxford is one of my faves. Also, books are sometimes square.

Guitar Shop: Carter Vintage Guitars — Nashville, TN. Every time I visit this place, I am thankful I don’t have any money.

House Concert: Wyldwood — Austin, TX. Best setup. Beautiful place. Great hosts. And it’s 75 in December.

Backstage Hang: Saturn — Birmingham, AL. I can’t even … I once played a show there and didn’t leave the green room for three months.

Airport: Denver International. Rockies on approach. And I like the piano riff as the train doors close.

Highway Stretch: Highway 1 Vancouver to Calgary, if I’m not driving. If I am driving, then it’s I-80 from Salt Lake City to Cheyenne.

Car Game: “How Tall Is That Tower?” Self-explanatory gambling game. I use an aviation obstacles app to find exact heights, after the bets are in.

Driving Album: Love and Theft — Bob Dylan

Root 66: The Revelers’ Roadside Favorites

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Name: The Revelers
Hometown: Lafayette, LA
Latest Project: Play the Swamp Pop Classics Volume 2

Backstage Hang: Cedar Cultural Center – Minneapolis, MN. Great record collection, lots of couches and little nooks. Close second is Stoke Mountain Arts Center in Brownfield, ME … any backstage with a record player.

Music Festival: BlackPot Festival, of course! Lafayette, LA.

Day Off Activity: Any local minor league baseball game. Go Lancaster Barnstormers!

 

People camped out since 6am to try and see us on @prairie_home today! Minnesotans are hard core.

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Tacos: The Shack – Jamestown, RI. Unbelievable fish tacos, and the brisket and pulled pork are on point, too!

Truck Stop: Billy’s Boudin – Scott, LA. Best food you’ll ever get from a gas station. A must stop on I-10.

Coffeehouse: Too many to choose one. Recently, SteamDot in Anchorage, AK. Rêve in Lafayette hooked us up with nitro cold brew on tap at BlackPot Camp this year! And Carpe Diem provides concentrated cold brew to power BlackPot Festival.

 

We’re diversifying our income streams.

A photo posted by The Revelers (@revelersband) on

Health Food: Fried Cheese Curds at Culver’s whenever we’re in Wisconsin.

Pizza: Natalie’s Coal Fired Pizza – Worthington, OH. Great pizza, great venue!

Burger: Jalopy Tavern – Brooklyn, NY.

 

Wrapping up a great tour tonight in #Bellefontaine at the Holland Theatre

A photo posted by The Revelers (@revelersband) on

Tour Hobby: Antiquing / Junk Shops. Best this year has to be Lockhart, TX.

Book Store: Powell’s in Portland, OR is hard to beat.

Radio Station: KRVS! Never miss Friday afternoons wherever we are in the world.

Photo credit: Sandlin Gaither

Root 66: Red Wanting Blue’s Roadside Favorites

Posted on by Amy Reitnouer

Name: Red Wanting Blue
Hometown: Columbus, OH
Latest Project: RWB20: Live at Lincoln Theater

Tacos: Grey Eagle — Asheville, NC

Pizza: Juliana’s — Dumbo, Brooklyn

Burger: Yo MaMa — New Orleans, LA

Veggie Burger: Northstar Café — Columbus, OH

Health Food: Green Café — Phoenix, AZ

Roadside Diner: Mickey’s Diner — St.Paul, MN

Truck Stop: Porky’s Truck Stop at South of the Border — Dillon, SC

Coffeehouse: Neat Coffee Shop — Burnstown, ON (R.I.P.)

Dive Bar: Howard’s Club H — Bowling Green, OH

Record Store: Square Records — Akron, OH

Gear Shop: Chicago Music Exchange — Chicago, IL

Listening Room: Eddie’s Attic — Decatur, GA

Backstage Hang: SPACE — Evanston, IL

Highway Stretch: I-90W from Bozeman, MT to Seattle, WA or HWY 101 N (Redwood Hwy) in Northern California

Radio Station: 91.3, The Summit — OHIO

Day Off Activity: Frisbee Golf

Tour Hobby: Hunting for vintage travel stickers and roadside souvenirs at gas stations/general stores

Driving Album: Lost in the Dream by the War on Drugs

Live Studio Recording Session: Historian Sessions — Youngstown, OH