Penelope and I led the way down to Austin on Monday, with Diana following behind in the racing Passat. Alicia flew in on Thursday and the girls are driving back up to McKinney on Monday, so we needed two cars.
My Christmas present from Diana was delivered in person to the apartment on Monday night. Sharon from the Soundwaves art gallery decided it would be easier to drive over my painting than to mail it. She is married to the artist, Tim Wakefield, who creates these excellent music related pieces. Mine is of The Kinks “Waterloo Sunset” and is signed by Ray Davies. It looks amazing. Thanks D! One of my very favourite songs from such an underrated band.
Sticking with the new artwork theme, we installed Quine and Loon in our Austin bedroom – don’t they look great?
And finally, D’s spin art from the Christmas party was installed in the Austin bedroom as well. It’s an album by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a glam rock band formed in Scotland in 1972. I can remember checking their albums out of the High School library in Stewarton. How did the spin art folks happen to have one of these albums in Austin, TX? I think Diana created a very interesting piece.
Our first New Year’s Eve in Austin was a lot of fun. We met up with a work colleague, Issac, and his wife Adrienne. They have a similar situation to us, splitting time between a home in San Antonio and an apartment in Austin. Issac selected La Volpe (the fox) as our dinner destination with a 10:30pm reservation to facilitate ringing in the New Year.
The interior of the restaurant was very modern and cool, and I read was designed by Jennifer Long, who also worked on C-Boy’s Heart and Soul on South Congress.
The special menu was all small plates with some great options. The plates ended up not being so small and we had plenty to eat.
The poached lobster and duck confit risotto were absolute standouts. Great choice Issac! We wandered around the corner to Antone’s blues club to close out the evening and posed for these fancy pictures in front of Eddie V’s:
New Year’s Eve in Austin certainly ended up being more exciting than our typical McKinney experience. Maybe we’ll do it again next year.
We rested up on New Year’s Day and planned some fun for Alicia’s arrival on Thursday. Festivities started with dinner at Diana’s favourite Austin restaurant, Peche. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals. Then we walked across the street to the Parker Jazz Club for the early show. The House Band was playing, but we got very lucky. The trumpet player Mike Sailors was sitting in, along with club owner Kris Kimura (who plays 10 different instruments including various clarinets, saxophones, flugel horn, and ukulele), and an excellent trombone player. Sailors has been a big name in New York for the last several years, playing with the Village Vanguard orchestra and the Birdland band, among many others. He just moved back to Austin to take the role of jazz trumpet professor at the University of Austin, and this was his first gig. What a treat! The music was very much focused around Louis Armstrong – perfect for me. Here’s a sample.
Did I mention an excellent trombone player?
Armstrong’s “The Sunny Side of the Street” took me back to New Orleans and Kermit Ruffins at Vaughan’s on my first evening in that fantastic city:
Everyone thought the music was outstanding. A great first night for Alicia.
On Friday night, Alicia decided she was in the mood for sushi. I suggested Lucky Robot on South Congress based on a quick Yelp search. We had walked by it many times, but never considered dining there. The food and service were both very good, with a menu that included several things that I liked – pork belly bao (steamed buns). There are a lot of origami birds inside.
Saturday was a gorgeous 70 degree day – seriously, in January – so I went for a jog along the river trail while the girls hit the gym downstairs. In the afternoon, we walked across to the Alta coffee shop and enjoyed the sunset. A very nice, relaxed Saturday.
Sunday started with workouts downstairs and then brunch on the rooftop patio at El Alma – such a good, close spot. Then we drove over to Covert Park to hike up to the top of Mount Bonnell. This is the highest spot in the city limit of Austin at 785 feet – I know, not that impressive in the scheme of things, but does offer some excellent views of downtown, and up and down river. There are some little multi-million dollar shacks right below the peak. It’s 106 steps up from the parking area to the top of Mount Bonnell. Whew, we made it!
McD took advantage of a table to enhance her view, and I snapped this picture of the two girls looking up river.
“Mission Song” by John Le Carre was my first book this week. I “borrowed” it from the bookcase at Mum and Dad’s house. The story is told from the point of view of Bruno Salvador, “Salvo”, a very talented interpreter of African, particularly Congolese, languages. This is Le Carre’s 20th novel, published in 2006, and it focuses attention on the atrocities committed in the Congo, and largely ignored by the British and American press. Salvo begins his interpreter assignment thinking he is helping Britain find a good solution to the problems in Congo, then realizes it’s just another plan to take advantage of the region’s natural resources. He decides to attempt to stop the plan, with dire consequences. This was a typically beautifully written Le Carre book, with another really disappointing ending. A 375 page book, that comes to a conclusion with a report occupying the last page and a half – I’m getting really tired of less than rewarding endings. The commentary on the role an interpreter plays and the skill associated with the position seemed very well done.
My second book was “Made in Scotland” by the hilarious, and very Scottish, Billy Connolly, a Christmas gift from my parents. What an excellent read, but fair warning, the language is very salty at times.
There are so many great stories from a very interesting life, starting with Billy’s tough childhood and initial working life at 15, as a welder in the Clyde shipyards – building the Queen Mary and QE2.
I learned that Connolly had a band in the early 70s and recruited a young Gerry Rafferty to join. The duo were quite successful, but Rafferty was clearly a more sophisticated and talented musician, going on to release some amazing albums. Did you now that Dire Straits opened for Rafferty on some of his biggest tours?
I enjoyed the stories about Connolly’s Dad taking he and his sister to Rothesay, on the Isle of Bute, for summer holidays during the Glasgow Fair. And handing their buckets and spades to the incoming Paisley Fair kids as they left. The descriptions of the trauma of a knitted swimsuit are very funny.
This book has a lot of heart and soul, and captures the Scottish population very nicely.
Let’s start with some more of “Sunny Side of the Street”. The original and Kermit’s version from Vaughan’s:
The Australian Teskey Brothers came across Spotify again this week. What a great sound:
And this song by FREEMAN popped up again. I really like this one:
Here’s an interesting biography of Diana’s Mum, Clorinda, written by a fellow member of the Pacifica Historical Society.
Written by Jean Bartlett, December 4, 2019
(APacificaHistorical Society Project)
Oakland Tribune, October 8, 1961 Announcing Clorinda’s performance in “Tosca”
In 1977, Clorinda Di Lonardo Campagna, her husband Dr. Sebastian Campagna, and their daughter and five sons moved to Pacifica, California. Prior to that, the growing family lived briefly in places that included: Nebraska, Michigan and New Zealand. How did the couple meet? Sebastian first noticed Clorinda when he saw her photo in the San Jose Mercury News. It was an announcement. The soprano would be performing with the Santa Clara Philharmonic.
“It is because of music that Sebastian and I met,” Clorinda said. “It was in the late 1950s and Sebastian saw my photo and decided to call me up. He wanted to meet me and I said, ‘No, I’m too busy and I don’t know you.’ But I did tell him to come to the concert. I remember my father asked me, ‘Who called you?’ I was embarrassed. This sort of thing had never happened to me. But Sebastian came and he introduced himself.”
“We didn’t really date,” she said. “We were both very busy with our professional lives. I was teaching full-time in the Alum Rock School District in San Jose and Sebastian at that point in time was in general medical practice in San Jose.”
But they did like each other and love bloomed. In 1963 they joined their paths at the altar.
* * *
Clorinda’s life has its roots in Guardia Sanframondi, Italy. In fact, the home where her father Carlo Di Lonardo was born still remains in the family. Guardia Sanframondi is a small town in Italy’s Campania Region in the Province of Benevento. It is 1,400 feet above sea level and looks out over the Titerno River Valley and the Valley of the Calore. The castle at the top of this hilly, cobble-stoned city was built in the
late 1400s. Rich with surrounding vineyards and olive trees, the medieval town is famous for its grape harvesting, olive pressing, annual wine festival and its Rites of Penance Festival.
“My father was from a family of five brothers and two sisters. His family’s business was olive oil and they had acres of olive trees. My mother, Costanza ‘Connie’ Foschini, was also born in Guardia Sanframondi. She and her sisters were known for never leaving their family home unless they were dressed perfectly! My mother and father were the same age, both born in 1898. At the very least they met in school, if they didn’t know each other beforehand. My father used to say, ‘The only thing Mussolini did for us is he made every child in Italy go to school.'”
After Carlo and Connie married they lived in Carlo’s family home. That is where the first of their five children, all daughters, were born.
“My sister Ludovica was born at home in Guardia Sanframondi in 1922. On the day she was born, my father was on the ship to the United States. It was a hard decision and it took a lot of courage to leave his wife and their daughter. But he and Connie knew it was best. He had cousins in Hackensack and two of his brothers lived in New York, and like a number of his family members he felt there was greater opportunity in the States. When Ludovica was 7, she and my mother came by ship to New Jersey. By then my father was established. He had bought a home on Grove Street in Hackensack, he had steady work as a cement finisher and he had planted a large garden filled with fruit and vegetables. His family would be taken care of.”
Connie,Ludovica and Carlo Di Lonardo, circa 1929.
Pasqualina “Lena” was the couple’s second daughter and 14 months later, Clorinda came along on October 24, 1931. In Latin, the name “Clorinda” means renowned. Her father told her that when she was born, he was reading some Italian literature where the heroine, a warrior, was named “Clorinda” – and now, so was she.
“My mother was so proud that I came along on the 24th,” Clorinda said. “Because that was the official day the George Washington Bridge opened.”
New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the bridge the day Clorinda was born. The bridge which spans the Hudson River, connecting Fort Lee, New Jersey to Washington Heights in Manhattan, New York, opened to traffic on October 25. It was eight months ahead of schedule.
Shirley was Carlo and Connie’s next daughter, and Margie was born in 1936. “We lost Margie in 1977 and it was heartbreaking. My parents were so stoic. Margie was very talented. She could play the piano without ever having taken a lesson and she couldn’t read music. She was an artist and a painter. She taught music in Orinda and the sound she got from her fifth grade students just made tears roll down my cheeks. She died of a primary tumor in the liver. I still miss her.
“I understand Italian but I don’t speak it. My parents both spoke English and both became U.S. citizens. My father formed a night school in the community to help prepare other immigrants for U.S. citizenship. He had real leadership ability, including with children. We had one boy in our neighborhood who was frequently in trouble and who often made trouble over at our local school. There were two families in our neighborhood that were German – we were all immigrants – and at school, he was calling their kids ‘Nazis.’ When my dad heard about this, he got all the boys in our neighborhood to come sit on our front steps so he could talk to them. We were told to go inside and we were a bit nervous because these boys, all of them, were our friends. What was my father going to do? But my dad talked to this boy and all the boys. He said, ‘We are all Americans and neighbors here and we don’t call anybody names. That just can’t be.’ My father and my mother were both very much about community – always help where you can help.
“At one point I remember that people wanted my father to run for mayor of Hackensack but he said,
‘No, I can’t be mayor, I don’t have the education for that.’ My father was a people person. He was devoted to his faith, as was my mom, and he was handsome. I remember when I was 11 or 12, after I went to church with my family, I was going to walk to the candy store around the block and meet my girlfriends. But they were waiting for me when I got out. ‘What are you doing here?’ I said. ‘I thought we were going to meet at the candy store?’ And they said, ‘Well, we are waiting to see your dad.’ ‘How come?’ I asked. ‘Because he is as handsome as a movie star,’ they told me. That really shocked me. He was just my dad!
“As to my mother, oh how she could sing. Everybody knew when Connie was baking bread. She was singing at 5 o’clock in the morning! She was, however, most definitely the more serious of the two and my dad loved to tease her and she never smiled when he teased her. I remember one New Year’s Eve in Hackensack, my dad had made wine with grapes from California’s Santa Clara Valley and he shared it with the neighborhood. We had a three story house, which included the basement, and the wine was down in the basement. This particular New Year’s Eve he thought it would be fun if his daughters came downstairs with him and then when we went back upstairs – we all pretended that we were drunk. My mom did not laugh and was so angry that she told us all to go outside. It was freezing cold and it was dinnertime and we were hungry. So my dad went to the store, bought hot dogs, came back and heated up the barbecue and my dad and all of his daughters ate outside. Eventually my mother let us back in. She knew we were there. She could see us through the window. But that was my father and my mother!”
During the Depression the family struggled financially and her father worked every hour he could. But her parents grew their own vegetables and kept chickens and rabbits and there was always enough to eat. In addition, there was always music playing.
“My mom constantly tuned into all this wonderful Italian music on the radio, straight from Italy, and we never missed a Metropolitan Opera broadcast. I liked opera from the moment I heard it.” (Like the George Washington Bridge, the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts were also launched the year Clorinda was born…and they are still going.)
Clorinda also began singing as a little girl and her ability to sing was recognized early on.
“I’ll never forget my kindergarten teacher,” Clorinda said. “She was a tall, beautiful blond woman with a beautiful voice, and she had us kids singing all of the time. When she realized that I could carry a tune too, she really encouraged me and invited me to sing.”
Clorinda sang in school performances. She sang with her church’s children’s choir, intermediate choir and when she became a teen, with their adult choir. Serious vocal lessons began when she was in sixth grade. Her school principal talked to Clorinda’s father. “Mr. Di Lonardo, Clorinda is ready for professional lessons.” He recommended vocal instructor Mary Olney Smith. Mary was just graduating from Mannes School of Music in New York City. And so Clorinda’s musical career began.
“Our cousins that lived next door were all musicians. I had an uncle in Italy who had a beautiful tenor voice and his son was a boy soprano with the Metropolitan Opera Boy’s Chorus. So it was not a surprise that I went into music.
“I really had a wonderful childhood in New Jersey. One of the things I so fondly recall are Sunday car rides with my dad. He loved the country, and he would take his girls to the southern part of New Jersey where there are some beautiful lakes. We would bring bread or crackers to feed the ducks and he would say, ‘If you are good, you can get all the ice cream you want at the creamery just across the way,’ and that’s exactly what we did!”
Fourofthe five Di Lonardo sisters: Clorinda, Lena, Shirley and Margie. Circa 1947.
In 1945, the family moved to California’s Santa Clara Valley.
“My father’s cousin was stationed in California during the War. When he came back to New Jersey, he described all the orchards he saw and he said to my father, ‘Carlo, California is for you.”
The Santa Clara Valley, which in the 1940s had more than 100,000 acres planted with orchards, was known throughout the world as the “Valley of Heart’s Delight.”
“My dad and my sister Lena came out first,” Clorinda said. “They drove across the country with another relative who was moving here. My dad wanted to be sure it was the kind of place he wanted to bring his family to – and the minute he saw it he knew this was where we belonged.”
“Through relatives my dad met Frank Iusi,” Clorinda continued. “Frank was a realtor and he was very successful. He became my father’s mentor and friend, and he helped my dad find the house that became our first home which was in the village of Agnew, California.” (Agnew has since incorporated into Santa Clara). “We packed up the house, put things on a moving truck and then my mother, my two younger sisters and I came out to California on the bus. My eldest sister, who like all the Di Lonardo daughters went to college, was married and remained in New Jersey. We stayed in that first home for maybe a year and then moved to another home in Santa Clara. Frank found us that home as well. Finally, and this is all within a four-year period, we settled in Campbell. Frank found a home which had five acres of apricots and was exactly what my dad wanted. My dad was a grower and always wanted fruit trees.”
California was a beautiful place to move to. Clorinda attended Santa Clara High School and sang with her high school’s chorus. She also studied voice with Helen Kalas. Helen was Clorinda’s first vocal teacher on the West Coast. The daughter of the Czech-born cellist Jan Kalas, Helen came recommended by a national touring concert pianist Clorinda had met in New York at a recording studio. (Clorinda had been sent to New York by her vocal teacher to make a professional recording.) Clorinda also became a member of Santa Clara’s Wutzit Club.
Circa1948. Clorinda meets Robert Alda, center, and also says hello to a family friend at a Santa Clara youth organization fundraiser.
The Wutzit Club was a youth recreational organization. It was started during the Second World War by a handful of youth to put the kibosh on any juvenile delinquency. By the time Clorinda moved to Santa Clara, the Club was run by Father Walter E. Schmidt, Society of Jesus. The Club had weekly radio broadcasts, a glee club, a club newspaper, a dramatic society and a sports program. They also sponsored three dances a week, did community work and offered classes in the arts. When Clorinda joined in 1948, she was one of 1,000 Club members. Father Schmidt was also the co-founder and coordinator of the Golden Circle Theatre Party – an annual “Wutzit” fundraising event at San Jose’s Civic Auditorium – which featured local high school performers and a number of Hollywood stars. At one of the Theatre Party events, Clorinda was singing with her high school chorus and got a chance to say “hello” to someone backstage who she knew from Hackensack. He used to come and sing at her cousin’s house.
“My cousins lived next door and they had converted their garage into a little studio. I remember that when I was a little girl, this fellow from Hoboken (about 20 minutes south by car), used to come over and sing with them and then they’d all hang out at the local soda fountain. I talked to him as well. One time he gave my mother and my sister Margie a ride to the hospital because Margie had gotten her hand stuck in some sort of a chain.” That “fellow” was Frank Sinatra and Clorinda’s cousin was the drummer for the Shep Fields and “His Rippling Rhythm” Big Band.
Following high school, Clorinda attended San Jose State College (now San Jose State University). A spinto soprano, she studied with contralto and professor of music, Maureen Thompson, while continuing to study with Helen Kalas. (A spinto soprano is a lyric soprano with darker color and more weight to her voice. For the spinto, it is easier to push through the big climaxes of the dramatic repertoire. Leontyne Price is a spinto soprano.)
In 1953, Clorinda graduated with a dual major in music and education. While studying at San Jose State, appearances included soloist with the San Jose State A Cappella Choir under the direction of William J. Erlendson, professor of music, and with the San Jose State Symphony Orchestra, in 1952, under the baton of Dr. Lyle Downey.
From an April 3, 1952 announcement in the Spartan Daily regarding an upcoming performance at the San Jose Civic Auditorium, featuring, as pictured above: John Morrison, Gloria Collins and Clorinda Di Lonardo.
Following her graduation, Clorinda continued to perform. She also taught full-time in San Jose’s Alum Rock School District. Along with being a sixth grade teacher, she additionally taught glee clubs and the Teacher’s Choir. She taught in San Jose for four years and then, following her performance with the Santa Clara Philharmonic, she was awarded a vocal scholarship with the Music and Arts Institute of San Francisco. There she studied in an opera workshop with conductor and pianist Dr. Antonia Brico, history’s first woman symphony conductor, and singer Alma Michelini, a protégé of Juilliard School of Music voice teacher Mme. Marcella Sembrich. (Mme. Sembrich was the first star of the Metropolitan Opera performing the day after the Met opened in October of 1883 and immediately becoming a household name.) Clorinda would also perform with Arthur Fiedler, the longtime conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra.
“I was still living at home when I got the invitation,” Clorinda said. “I had never heard of the Music and Arts Institute. I was excited and nervous. I asked my father, ‘Do you think I can do this?’ And he said, ‘Yes you can.’
“I had never driven to San Francisco so my dad came with me the first time. But then when I drove myself for the first time, I was pulled over by a police officer. He told me I was going too slow. I told him I had never driven to San Francisco and he asked me where I was going. I told him and gave him the address. And he said, ‘Follow me!’ Everyone at the workshop knew I was coming and they all saw me arrive with a police escort. Of course they never let me live that down!”
Clorinda’s performance résumé story also includes participation in opera workshops with composer, conductor and professor Fedor Kabalin at the University of California. She was the 1960 Western Regional Winner in the American Opera Auditions. She sang the leading role of the governess in the Northern California premiere of Benjamin Britten’s opera “The Turn of the Screw,” staged by the University of California. She performed with the Oakland Symphony in Verdi’s “Requiem.” In 1961, she performed the lead role of Princess Yaroslavna in Alexander Borodin’s “Prince Igor,” on the stage of the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House. Under the direction of 1955-West Bay Opera founder Henry Holt, she performed the role of Amelia in Giuseppe Verdi’s three-act opera “Un ballo in maschera” (A Masked Ball) at Palo Alto’s Lucie Stern Theatre. (Both the Opera and the Theatre – the latter which is also the stage for TheaterWorks and the Palo Alto Players – are still highly prized Bay Area performance events.)
Clorinda as Amelia in the West Bay Opera production of Giuseppe Verdi’s three-act opera “Un ballo in maschera” (A Masked Ball) at Palo Alto’s Lucie Stern Theatre. Circa 1961.
October8, 1961, soprano Clorinda Di Lonardo was photographed for the San Francisco Opera by the Opera’s photographer Carolyn Mason Jones.
In October of 1961, Clorinda sang the title role of Floria Tosca in Giacomo Puccini’s three-act opera “Tosca” at the Oakland Auditorium. Presented by the Italian-American Federation, tenor Sebastian Campagna sang the role of Cavaradossi – Tosca’s lover. Sebastian is the same man who introduced himself to Clorinda after seeing her picture in the paper. Who is this man she would marry less than two years later?
Creighton University varsity wrestling coach Sebastian Campagna, 1939.
From Omaha, Nebraska, Sebastian Campagna was a state high school wrestling champion who went on to organize and coach Creighton University’s first varsity wrestling team in 1939, while he was a junior law student at the same school. He, along with his brother Don, additionally served on the Bluejays 14-man squad. Also a stage actor, his credentials included a number of performances with the legendary Omaha Community Playhouse. After he became a lawyer, he moved out to California. Following his service in the Second World War, he decided he didn’t want to be a lawyer. He felt he had much more to give and he wanted to become a doctor. His Creighton professors told him he was too old to become a doctor.
“Before I knew Sebastian, he was doing general practice in San Jose,” Clorinda said. “He then did a surgery residency with Presbyterian Hospital in San Francisco, with Stanford and one with Kaiser. In addition, he was a tenor. Following WWII, he auditioned for the San Francisco Opera Chorus in his Army uniform. Gaetano Merola, the founder of the San Francisco Opera and the director of the Chorus listened and said, ‘The soldier will sing in the Chorus!'” After the couple met, Sebastian studied under Clorinda’s vocal coach Alma Michelini.
On June 29, 1963 Sebastian Campagna and Clorinda Di Lonardo married at St. Lucy Catholic Church on Winchester Boulevard in Campbell, California.
Clorinda andSebastianCampagna, June 29, 1963, Campbell, CA.
The couple’s first child, Diana, was born in San Francisco, where Clorinda was also working as a substitute sixth grade teacher. Their second child, Victor, was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. These moves followed Sebastian’s long list of educational requirements – licensing, trainings, boards – to become a thoracic cardiovascular surgeon. There was a move to Texas and a move to Michigan. The latter is where their son Giancarlo was born. Sebastian did his cardiothoracic surgery fellowship in Auckland, New Zealand where the family lived for close to two years. Their fourth child, Leonard, was born in Auckland.
Clorinda continued to perform throughout their travels. In Auckland, she performed in numerous live concerts with a pianist. In Wellington, New Zealand’s capital, Clorinda recorded the “Poème de l’amour et de la mer” (“Poem of Love and the Sea”), a song cycle by Ernest Chausson, with the New Zealand National Symphony. The recording was subsequently broadcast on various radio stations in New Zealand. In addition, Clorinda did live radio broadcasts in Auckland, with an accompanist, performing songs from a soprano’s repertoire. She also enjoyed meeting New Zealand’s world-renowned lyric soprano Kiri Te Kanawa at a high tea at Dame Te Kanawa’s home.
“You never know what might happen,” Clorinda laughed.
Clorindaathomein Auckland, New Zealand with Victor, Leonard, Diana and Giancarlo. Circa 1970-1971.
When the couple and their family returned to the States, they first went to Mississippi. Sebastian was going to be part of a heart team there. But the family didn’t stay. They wanted to return to the Bay Area.
Their fifth child, Marco, was born in Sanger, California. Next stop, Switzerland – an opportunity came up for Clorinda and the family of seven moved there for about a year. Clorinda had been invited to be a participant/performer in The International Opera Studio, which was established in 1961 under the patronage of the Friends of Zurich Opera. In 1973, the Campagna family was back in the Bay Area and their fifth son, Adamo, was born at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose. When Dr. Campagna became a part of the Pacifica Medical Center on Aura Vista Drive (now Bill Drake Way), the family moved to Pacifica. It was 1977. They rented at first and then bought their home on Gypsy Hill. Clorinda estimates that she, Sebastian and their children planted over 2,000 trees along their neighboring hillsides.
TheCampagnafamily,circa 1984. Sebastian and Clorinda seated, with their children, from l to r: Marco, Giancarlo, Victor, Leonard, Diana and Adamo.
The children all attended Good Shepherd Catholic School once they arrived in Pacifica. Diana attended San Domenico High School in Marin, Victor attended Oceana High School in Pacifica, and Giancarlo, Leonard, Marco and Adamo attended St. Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco. Clorinda continued to sing at various Bay Area events. She was also the volunteer choral music instructor at Good Shepherd for many years and later did some substitute teaching in Pacifica. Then there were her additional volunteer projects.
She’s been involved with Pacifica’s Annual 4th of July Celebration at Frontierland Park for more than 30 years. When the late, legendary Pacifica Tribune columnist Paul Azevedo passed in May of 2004 (Paul’s column “The Reactor” ran for three decades), Clorinda took over what he had done for many, many years at the Celebration – read to the crowd from the three parts of the Constitution – all of the Preamble, and some of the Articles and Amendments. The Declaration of Independence is also read in full.
“What I do is bring in people of all different ages – adults, elementary school students and high school students – to be readers,” Clorinda said. “When Paul passed away I thought we shouldn’t stop doing these readings. I think it is important that we realize our patriotism because we are kind of reluctant to show it or talk about it. I also think bringing in our young people as participants is important. They are our future.”
In addition, Clorinda provides the vocalist who sings “The Star Spangled Banner.”
“This is generally a young person from our town who is in high school or home from college,” Clorinda said. “All of the students who take part in our Annual 4th of July Celebration do so because they care.”
For a number of years Clorinda served as member of Pacifica’s Open Space Committee. She continues to be very active with Good Shepherd Church and is a longtime member of the Church’s Women’s Guild. She has been on the Committee for Pacifica Coastside Relay for Life since 2006 when her grandson, now in his twenties and a cancer survivor, was diagnosed with childhood cancer. She is a longtime volunteer with the Pacifica Historical Society, constantly working with its dedicated team of volunteers to successfully save Pacifica’s history. One of the Society’s projects, now completed, was to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to restore Pacifica’s oldest public building, the Little Brown Church, and turn it into the Pacifica Coastside Museum. Clorinda chaired a number of partnering events to bring in contributions. One such partnering event brought Pacifica’s iconic Winters Tavern to the table. Billed respectively as “Pacifica’s down ‘n’ dirty bar featuring live rock, folk & bluegrass bands in a rustic, wood- paneled space” and “the best dive bar in town,” Winters held a “Prom Night” in fundraising support for the Museum’s extensive, foundation-to-roof renovations.
“When you partner together with people and businesses in your community, everyone feels like they have a stake in the project and they want to be involved.”
She also continues to support the Pacifica Sea Lions. The Pacifica Sea Lions swim team is a competitive swimming program for youth 5-18 years of age. All of Clorinda’s kids were Sea Lions growing up and Clorinda has long been a force behind the Sea Lions hamburgers and hot dogs booth. She has also been a longtime believer in and fundraiser for UNICEF. On a family note, she is thrilled to be the grandmother of twelve, six boys and six girls.
In 2010, Clorinda was presented with an Outstanding Individual Contribution Award from the Pacifica Chamber of Commerce. In 2018, she was one of eight honorees singled out by Pacific Coast TV for continuous efforts which inspire and strengthen the community. For an opportunity to hear Clorinda sing, click into this link. It was recorded in 2012 at St. Ignatius Church in San Francisco. The occasion was the wedding of her son and daughter-in-law, Adamo and Amy.
Jean Bartlett photo
In 2011, Pacifica Historical Society members Clorinda Campagna, Pat Kremer, Jim Kremer, Kathy McGuire and Shirlee Gibbs get ready for “Prom Night” at Winters Tavern, a partnership fundraiser chaired by Clorinda.
Pacifica Historical Society photo
HelenJamesandClorinda Campagna, at Pacifica’s Sam Mazza Castle, put the details in order for a Pacifica Historical Society fundraising event for the Pacifica Coastside Museum. Circa 2005.
Sebastian Campagna died on June 4, 1993. Clorinda still remembers it as if it was yesterday.
“We were both going to visit my father’s old friend Frank Iusi to provide some paperwork he needed from us. At the very last minute, we were almost out the door, I got a call from Cabrillo Elementary School wanting to know if I could be there as a substitute immediately. I figured they really needed someone or they wouldn’t have called so late. I was dropped off at Cabrillo by either Sebastian or Adamo. At 4 o’clock I was waiting to be picked up but no one came. Then Adamo came and when I saw his face, I knew something had happened.”
Sebastian was killed in a car accident. His car was hit by a train earlier that day as he made his way to the Hall of Records in Redwood City. He was 77.
“Sebastian was such a good man, such a smart man and a wonderful husband. He was also a wonderful father. I’ve often thought about how I was supposed to be in the car with him. I guess God was just ready for Sebastian. There must be more things I need to do and I am happy to do them.”
Jean Bartlett photo
Clorinda at a Pacifica Coastside Museum fundraiser in 2014.
Clorindawithherparents,Carlo and Connie Di Lonardo, on her wedding day in 1963.
Both parents were always very supportive of Clorinda’s singing, but her dad said early on, “How are you going to make a living?” But he also said, “Whatever you do, Clorinda, be true to yourself.”
ThefiveDi Lonardo daughters, June 29, 1963: Ludovica, Clorinda, Lena, Shirley and Margie. “My sisters also very much supported my music journey. I had opportunities I wouldn’t have had without such strong family support. I’m very grateful.”
Clorinda andSebastiandance together for the first time as husband and wife.
Onstage with two of the leads in the Omaha Community Playhouse presentation of A.B. Shiffren’s comedy, “I Like it Here.” Sebastian Campagna, left, as Willie M. Colombo, and Charles Hoffman, right, as Sebastian Merriweather. April, 1947. (Sebastian was studying medicine in Omaha.)
FollowingtheSecondWorldWarandbeforehe met Clorinda, Sebastian auditioned for Gaetano Merola, the founder of the San Francisco Opera and the director of the San Francisco Opera Chorus. The conductor listened to the tenor’s vocal and Sebastian was immediately awarded a spot in the Chorus.
Clorindawith her childrenonthe occasion of her 75th birthday, l to r: Leonard, Victor, Clorinda, Giancarlo, Diana, Adamo and Marco. October 24, 2006.
Clorinda Di Lonardo Campagna and Sebastian Campagna, June 29, 1963.
David arrived in Stewarton on Sunday evening in time for some of my Mum’s yummy steak pie. Diana found the two of us waiting patiently in anticipation of the pie quite entertaining for some reason.
We enjoyed breakfast at the Millhouse on Monday morning, prior to David driving us up to Aberdeen in what’s known as a “Duber” service (David’s Uber). We gave him a very good rating. The Millhouse is much nicer than when I visited the previous discotheque incarnation more than 35 years ago. The 4 hour drive (with a pleasant stop for coffee) concluded just in time for us to ooh and aah over the amazing rural views from Elspeth and David’s home before the early sunset.
That’s the Bennachie mountain range in the distance, and the highest peak, Mither Tap at 1,732 feet, on the left. How would you like to enjoy that view from your kitchen every day? A website says it should take about 2.5 hours to climb Mither Tap. I asked David how long it took him – about an hour – sounds pretty typical of the speed he moves.
David’s younger sister, Suzanne, and her family arrived shortly after us on Friday afternoon. They came even further than us – all the way from Brisbane, Australia. It was funny to watch David looking down the road and judging the size and speed of each car to determine if it could possibly be Suzanne. When they arrived, Suzanne said she knew she was at the right house because she saw the way David was walking through the window. It was a real treat to meet the entire Ruff family of Suzanne, Alan, Rebecca, Izzy (Isabelle), and Alex.
From the left: Izzy, Alex, Michael, Heather, Struan, Rebecca, Bramble in the foreground
David was a good sport and took the girls out to enjoy the night sky from the hot tub.
The Ruffs headed off to the Lecht Ski Center on Monday morning, in search of some snow for the girls – not much of that in Australia. David took us to an excellent coffee shop – the Coffee Apothecary near Pitmedden, a short drive from the house.
The coffee selection and presentation were great, as was the chicken liver pate. What a nice feature to have such an excellent place close by in such a rural setting.
Alex and Bramble in the back garden
After coffee and a snack, it was Bramble’s time to have some fun. Who’s Bramble? Sorry – the latest addition to David and Elspeth’s family, a red Labrador retriever. David took us to Fyvie castle to give her a good run. Another pet seemed to sneak in on the adventure – that crazy baby penguin certainly gets around.
Here’s a video of the exercise routine. It helps when Bramble keeps an eye on the ball all the way to hitting the ground. Diana survived a direct hit on the noggin with the tennis ball from the launcher shortly after this video was made.
Tuesday was a quiet and relaxing day. David, Suzanne, Bramble and I went for a walk around the neighbourhood. I wasn’t expecting to be doing quite as much “off-roading” through mud and long grass. Wind power is popular in Scotland, with turbines seen all over the landscape. We passed under a set used to power the ice cream making operation at Mackie’s farm, next door to Bonnyview.
Our hike lasted about an hour and we had worked up a good appetite by the time we finished. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew was working their way slowly through a Christmas jigsaw puzzle. I’ll spoil the excitement and let you know that the puzzle was ultimately completed on Boxing Day afternoon. I hate to think how many man and woman hours were invested.
We expected an early start on Christmas Day with the young girls in the house. They were exceptionally patient, and even waited through breakfast before heading to the living room to open presents. There were lots of fun presents for everyone. Here’s McD with one of the stuffed trophy heads we received from Elspeth and David. Aren’t they hilarious? They did generate some interest on the trip home as they peeked out from Diana’s carry on bag, even getting the once over by the Dallas customs team.
The girls enjoyed the colouring book, pens and charm bracelet kit that Diana picked out for them.
Elspeth, David and Heather worked very hard on a delicious Christmas dinner. From the prawn and smoked salmon starter, through turkey with all possible fixings, through to Christmas cake and pudding (thanks Mum), everything was perfect.
The hilarity level went up a bit after dinner with board game time. We played several rounds of a game, the name of which I can’t remember now, where you had to describe a thing without using the word. The teams were evenly matched and so we kept having to play another deciding game.
That was followed up with a game of Cranium. I enjoy the variety and silliness of this game – everything from clay modeling, to charades, to blindfolded Pictionary. I was disappointed that nobody could guess my puppeteer work as I had Suzanne demonstrating how to milk a cow. It’s really lovely to see everyone laughing and having so much fun.
The Ruffs left early on Thursday morning. Not really that early to give David a good excuse for wearing his pajamas out to close the gate after them.
David and I used our time in the afternoon to coach Michael through enhancing a picture that we had jokingly titled the “Elf on the Shelf”. I shared this with Brent, who in typical clever fashion, suggested “impaired on the stairs”.
We drove to the nearest decent sized town, Inverurie (Diana can do a decent Scottish accent on this one), for an Indian dinner. Rajpoot was very good, with everyone really enjoying their meals. The owner thought he was funny bringing me a kids dessert served in “Miss Pinky” – I had laughed when I saw them on the menu.
Our visit was drawing to a close and we did our best to organize our packing for an early start to the airport on Friday.
The airport is located less than a mile from where I worked my first job out of University at Gearhart. The area has changed a lot since 1985, but the Four Mile Inn (a regular lunch spot back in the day) is still there and looks much the same. The Aberdeen airport was small and pain free (other than not having jet bridges, resulting in us having to haul our carry on luggage up slippy metal stairs), and we were soon in some very comfy seats (particularly for a shuttle flight to Heathrow) and enjoying a massage.
The flight to Dallas was around 10 hours and a bit hot and stuffy. I was glad to get home and stretch out. I did catch up on some movies and enjoyed a TV series by Billy Connolly about traveling through the east coast of the United States. I had been reading his autobiography (a present from Mum and Dad) on the earlier flight.
We got a much needed work out in early on Saturday (early to bed and early awake thanks to time changes) and then enjoyed coffee and a crossword in downtown McKinney. We enjoyed reflecting back on how enjoyable our visit to Stewarton and Bonnyview had been. We are fortunate to enjoy spending time with our family as much as we do.
We exchanged gifts that were too much to carry to Scotland on Saturday afternoon. These penguins nest like Russian dolls. One of several very creative gifts that Diana picked out for me. She got another puzzle – this one double sided for extra fun.
I finished “Olive Again” by Elizabeth Strout this week. I had recently watched a TV series based on the original “Olive Kitteridge” book, and starring Bill Murray and Frances McDormand. I kept visualising them as I read this sequel. It’s a bit of a depressing story as each chapter chronicles residents of the town and their interactions with the aging Olive, but Strout is an excellent writer who can create a very vivid picture of a character in just a few paragraphs.
I’m not a huge fan of Christmas music, so try to find twists on it that I enjoy. As usual, New Orleans to the rescue. Here’s a big band version of a classic carol.
And here’s a couple from a great New Orleans Christmas album:
I heard this more raucous and irreverent carol by the Pogues on the Scottish radio:
Gemma was our destination for Diana’s birthday dinner on Wednesday night. The drive took about an hour, and we commented that if we were in Austin it would have been a 5 minute Uber ride. The food was worth the wait with delicious baby octopus and trumpet mushroom appetizers.
The owners worked in restaurants in Napa valley prior to moving back to Dallas to open Gemma. The lighter California touch on French and Italian recipes is very pleasant. Diana enjoyed a generously sized pork chop and I had an excellent papardelle with braised rabbit.
Fortunately the drive home was much quicker. We needed some sleep before packing up and heading to Scotland on Thursday afternoon.
Both flights were smooth and on time, resulting in a lunchtime Friday arrival in Glasgow.
Our taxi driver down to Stewarton was quite entertaining with stories of the Christmas gifts he had organized for his family members. He also made me laugh when he reminded me of the “Horsey Huts”, where I attended primary three.
We had a very nice time relaxing with my Mum and Dad on Friday evening. I had to find a guide to the Quality Street chocolates for Diana, so that she could identify the Orange Cream. Can you guess what colour the wrapper was?
Saturday started with my favourite breakfast delicacy – Stornaway black pudding. Where is Stornaway? Here it is on the map – in the very North West of Scotland on the island of Lewis. You can also see Aberdeen (where we’ll be spending Christmas) on the North East coast. I wonder why the black pudding from way up there is so much better than any other that I’ve tasted? Could it be something about the water?
Diana entertained herself by “helping” (she actually did quite well) with my Dad’s jigsaw puzzle. It’s a Lowry painting, and very challenging.
David showed up on Sunday and was a good helper, while BP kept a watchful eye on the proceedings from atop Geoffrey the giraffe.
We were treated to a live view of the “crampons” that my Mum and Dad use to walk in the snowy and icy conditions. Still not what we’re viewing as a great idea, despite all the locals siding with my parents.
Sunday’s outing was to the Eden garden center in Dundonald. We enjoyed lunch in their cafe. I was trusted to drive there and back – only once cautioned about my speed in a 20 mph zone, and fortunately the passengers didn’t react too negatively to me not noticing the road humps or “sleeping policemen”.
We perused the merchandise while waiting for a table in the cafe, and Diana thought she was funny pointing out the sign on the right hand side of this picture, until I pointed to the one on the left.
My Dad seemed to have a fun time at lunch:
We have certainly eaten very well during our first few days in Scotland – fresh Pittenweem salmon from the Friday fish delivery man, stuffed chicken breast, and my Mum’s special steak pie were all delicious.
The pictures from my company Christmas party were published and here’s one of us that we like:
Even with flying time and jet lag interrupted sleep, I still wasn’t able to finish a book this week. I’ll try to be better next week.
I read that the Boomtown Rats, popular when I was in high school, and led by Bob Geldoff (famous for planning Live Aid in 1985), were performing in Glasgow next year. That reminded me of this song (you haven’t lived until you’ve heard my brother in law David playing the intro):
Since the blog comes to you from Scotland this week, here’s one from our most famous band, Runrig:
Diana got a bit of a shock when a man attached himself to the 14th floor kitchen window with suction cups. No reason for panic D- it’s just the external window cleaner that we had been warned about. Does make for a funny picture though. This would not be good employment for either me or my Dad. Don’t these guys usually get lowered down in a bucket? This one’s just dangling from a rope and holding himself still with suction cups.
The Austin “Trail of Lights” in Zilker Park has been a holiday fixture for over 40 years. I drive by it on my commute each day and have been quite inconvenienced by all the traffic disruptions, so thought we should see what all the fuss is about this year.
The trail ended up being a lot of fun – about a mile walk through all kinds of light displays. I enjoyed the Winnie the Pooh display.
All the trees along the river are different colours, making a great picture against the city skyline.
The one above is from the Ferris wheel that Diana was surprised to see me enthusiastically ride with her.
Wednesday was “Heroes Night”, celebrating military and first responders.
There was a fun band of military folks playing towards the end of the trail.
The festivities finished at the huge purple tree. Apparently it’s traditional to spin around underneath until you’re dizzy.
McD looks a bit cold in front of the tree. Good practice for Scotland. Time to whisk her off somewhere warm with some good music.
Kevin Galloway was playing at Geraldine’s at the Van Zandt hotel – such a nice venue. Galloway was front man for Uncle Lucius, a pretty well known band, for years but has recently opted for a quieter solo life. He is a quiet singer song writer and was accompanied by beautiful cello playing. I had to politely ask those folks in front to be quiet so that we could all enjoy the music.
Diana made a quick trip to Chicago on Thursday and Friday to visit a client. She liked the hotel I recommended and enjoyed a lovely Christmas choir and orchestra performance in the lobby.
It was work holiday party time on Saturday night. We took a picture by the apartment tree and then Ubered over to the Fairmont hotel for the festivities.
The organizing team did a great job on the party – pictures and spin art during cocktail hour, very good food (Diana commented that she enjoyed the butternut squash soup, and she doesn’t like squash), and an excellent band named Suede.
I was only on the job a few weeks last year at the party, and it was a lot more fun now that I know everyone.
The dance floor was packed most of the night – a sign of a good band that can read the crowd. I even spun McD around more than she was anticipating.
The party continued on the rooftop into the wee hours. A great time had by all.
The weather in Austin was amazing this week, with highs in the mid to upper seventies most days. We enjoyed some excellent sunsets from the balcony.
We slept late on Sunday, and then made the drive to McKinney, arriving in time to be shocked with the nice lead the Cowboys had against the LA Rams at half time. I had missed an amazing one handed touchdown by Jason Witten. The Boys ended up winning handily, setting up a big showdown next Sunday against the Eagles to decide who makes the playoffs.
This review encouraged me to read “Nothing to See Here” by Kevin Wilson this week.
What a completely unique and strange book. A very enjoyable and quick read and not like anything I’ve read before. Here’s a synopsis:
“Lillian and Madison were unlikely roommates and yet inseparable friends at their elite boarding school. But then Lillian had to leave the school unexpectedly in the wake of a scandal and they’ve barely spoken since. Until now, when Lillian gets a letter from Madison pleading for her help.
Madison’s twin stepkids are moving in with her family and she wants Lillian to be their caretaker. However, there’s a catch: the twins spontaneously combust when they get agitated, flames igniting from their skin in a startling but beautiful way. Lillian is convinced Madison is pulling her leg, but it’s the truth.
Thinking of her dead-end life at home, the life that has consistently disappointed her, Lillian figures she has nothing to lose. Over the course of one humid, demanding summer, Lillian and the twins learn to trust each other—and stay cool—while also staying out of the way of Madison’s buttoned-up politician husband. Surprised by her own ingenuity yet unused to the intense feelings of protectiveness she feels for them, Lillian ultimately begins to accept that she needs these strange children as much as they need her—urgently and fiercely. Couldn’t this be the start of the amazing life she’d always hoped for?”
I wonder if Wilson didn’t come up with the whole premise of the story just to support that cover picture. My only complaint, as is sometimes the case with me, was that the ending just left too much unfinished and hanging open.
Here’s something from Kevin Galloway’s band, Uncle Lucius:
And a selection from his solo record:
I enjoyed this song from Bonnie Raitt this weekend:
Penelope and I made the drive down to Austin on Monday morning. I was pleased to finish the trip with no back pain or other issues. P was happy to get up some decent speed for once – she typically maxes out at 45 mph on my short commute to the office.
The pins were extracted from my finger on Tuesday afternoon. The doctor says everything looks good, but my finger looks pretty ugly still – new nail required. I did find this ornament in the doctor’s office quite entertaining. That finger looks much better than mine.
The University of Texas was hosting an event to celebrate ground breaking on the new Moody Center – a basketball and concert venue to replace the 40 year old Frank Erwin center. This event started right after my finger appointment and was a short walk away – why not?
The event turned out to be quite something. Intro speeches by all the University brass and the “Minister of Culture” for the new Center – Oscar winning actor Matthew McConaughey. Free food trucks from several Austin classic spots – I enjoyed an empanada from Four Brothers and a delicious green chile pork taco from Torchy’s.
Moon Taxi (an indie rock band) performed after the speeches and I thought they had a very pleasant sound.
The whole event is what would be called a langiappe in New Orleans.
I almost forgot to share a picture from the event. I had my picture taken with the UT mascot – Bevo. Turns out this is Bevo XV – who knew there had been so many?
Those cheerleaders seem quite excited to be getting their picture taken with me. McD’s comment – I leave him unattended for a couple of hours and look what happens.
I enjoyed a nice long walk back home from the event. Here’s a nice view of the Capital on the way. Can you believe the tree in front of the Capital is fake? It’s true – I watch them assembling it level by level.
Diana’s bus wasn’t due for another 45 minutes and so I made a minor detour to Antone’s to listen to some free Blues music – what a deal.
The band included Denny Freeman and Sarah Brown – a couple of our favourites.
I was able to drag myself away from the music just in time to meet Diana arriving on the bus.
We had a delicious dinner with Damon on Wednesday at the Odd Duck. This is the last time we’ll see him before the holidays. He was very effusive in describing the Frozen play that his daughters are performing in this coming weekend. We just heard a recording and he had every right to be proud – beautiful voices.
I watched an inept Dallas Cowboys performance on Thursday night (at least until I fell asleep). Such a disappointing game from a team with so much talent!
We enjoyed a good Austin evening on Friday – starting with the Rosie Flores Review at C-Boy’s Heart and Soul. Rosie is 69 and belting it out and playing the guitar beautifully. I love their cover of the Blind Faith song “Can’t Find My Way Home”:
Diana chatted up Wayde who has a new food truck on the C-Boys patio. I laughed as he walked the waffle fries we ordered around every table asking – “Did you order these?” – a great advertising trick. He was quite a talker and turns out a fire fighter when not operating the truck.
Here’s a cover of Springsteen’s “Luckytown” from Rosie:
I really like the feel of C-Boys Heart and Soul. From there we made our usual stop just up South Congress at June’s, enjoying escargot and steak tartare. From there it was a pleasant one mile walk back home.
On Saturday we did some minor grocery shopping and some Christmas shopping on South Congress. There was a nice artist market set up by Guero’s and interesting gifts in some of the weird little stores. It was a beautiful day to be out and about, with temperatures in the mid 70s. We enjoyed an episode of “The Crown” in the evening. This one was set in 1967 and featured Prince Philip’s mother being rescued from Greece and visiting Buckingham Palace – a piece of history with which I was not at all familiar.
Sunday included the usual standards – workout, coffee and crossword, and football. No Cowboys but an excellent game between the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers in the Superdome. San Francisco ultimately winning 48-46 in a thrilling back and forth game. One of the best that I’ve seen in several years. Now we’re both working on things we need to have ready for work tomorrow – very boring!
I’ve very much enjoyed “Nine Lives: Mystery, Magic, Death, and Life in New Orleans” this week. Dan Baum tells the tales of nine New Orleans residents from Hurricane Betsy in 1960 through Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Baum was reporting on Katrina and fell in love with the city that Hurricane almost destroyed. His writing on the nine characters from different races, sections of the city, and backgrounds, captures New Orleans very well. It really is heartbreaking to read the stories of Hurricane Katrina – particularly that the city survived the actual storm but was then let down by the levees and water management system. Such a wonderful city that still suffers through so many problems.
All this talk of New Orleans has reminded me of the wonderful nights I’ve spent at Vaughan’s listening to Kermit Ruffins (features in the Nine Lives book as a kid at a backyard barbecue).
But let’s start out with a very catchy new song from the Lumineers that I’ve been hearing on the radio:
My Spotify Discover weekly took me to New Orleans also. This song from Snooks Eaglin – a superb blues artist that I saw at the original Rock N’ Bowl weeks before his death and not too long after Hurricane Katrina.
The same Discover list had me back at the Kessler listening to the unique James Hunter from England.
And let’s have Kermit finish things out this week with a song I heard the same night as I heard Snooks. Denny and Anne took me over to the broken down shack that is Vaughan’s to revel in Kermit’s genius. The late, great Henry Butler was sitting in on keyboards. What a memory.
We landed in cold and rainy San Francisco on Tuesday afternoon and were greeted by an American airlines protest outside the terminal – something about “One Job is Enough” – very loud.
Tuesday evening was spent at Adamo’s house enjoying Italian take out. We were glad to finally diagnose why Phoebe constantly barks whenever Grammie shows up in the house – her hearing aids emit a high frequency noise that drives the poor dog nuts.
Diana enjoyed holding Francesca – 7 weeks now and almost 7 pounds. I spent some quality time having Massimo read me his favourite books – he has them very well memorized for a 3 year old. The chameleon doesn’t have a colour of his own is his current favourite.
We returned to Adamo’s home on Wednesday morning to do a couple of hours of babysitting while Amy went to an appointment. McD did a good job on some puzzles and we were able to keep the two terrors entertained almost up until their Mom returned – they’re good for about 90 minutes.
Thanksgiving day started and continued with lots of cooking. Giancarlo and Diana made a good team preparing two kinds of stuffing and D’s famous artichoke dip.
I particularly enjoyed a story from Diana’s childhood about the reused lunch bags. While all the other kids in class got a new lunch bag with their name nicely written out each day – poor, tortured D had to reuse whatever size sack was available until it could be used no more. Apparently particularly embarrassing if containing a smelly leftover fish sandwich. It was better to go hungry than stink up the whole classroom. She created this mock up to make her point – Clorinda was too busy to write out full names and just went with initials. I think I saw some deep seated frustrations being worked out as the bag was aggressively crumpled up.
I headed up to Adamo’s home early on Thanksgiving afternoon to watch the Cowboys play the Bills and wish I hadn’t bothered – one of their weaker performances in a while. One of the cats was more interested and determined to block my view.
Family and friends soon arrived, with Julie bringing up the rear in typical fashion. Plates were filled with all kinds of delicious offerings and then we took our places at the very long table with the beautiful Pacific Ocean backdrop.
Amy stopped moving for a couple of minutes and allowed a couple of family pictures:
Massimo had on a very cool t-shirt under his flannel – Austin Mix Tape:
Clorinda’s neighbor, Andy, finally got the two terrors to settle down and watch some videos of the new mountain line that has been patrolling Gypsy Hill:
We met up with my boys, Christine, and her Dad, Guy, on Friday evening. Will chose Vino Santo in Redwood City and it was delicious. We had fun giving the kids their Christmas gifts as we won’t be in California this holiday season.
Will started us of with his “off-menu” appetizer sampler dish – a very nice way to try a number of things:
The lobster ravioli seemed to be the most popular entree at the table. I enjoyed veal marsala – haven’t had that in a long time.
The evening closed with the usual father and sons picture. It was great to see all the boys looking so well.
We walked up hill to Andy and Jude’s gorgeous home for coffee on Saturday morning. There was a hummingbird convention underway outside the window – this was just one of three feeders and all were equally populated.
Andy and Jude are a very kind couple, keeping a close eye on Clorinda, and full of good stories. I enjoyed a new one about hippies sitting outside their record store in the Haight Ashbury region of San Francisco, playing loud bongos and blocking entrance to their store. They tried several different approaches to moving the hippies on, ultimately having success with an Andy idea – play the Barney song repeatedly through the outside speakers.
I’m pushing publish a day early this week as we’ll be traveling back to Dallas most of tomorrow.
I finished a trio of books this week. My favourite was “The Dutch House” by Ann Patchett. I had brought this book to read on my previous trip to Pacifica, but Clorinda ended up getting engrossed in it. We were able to discuss it this time and she regularly asked me where I was in the story.
I really enjoyed Patchett’s prior book “The Commonwealth” and this was almost as good.
The story is based around the Dutch House, purchased at the end of the Second World War by Cyril Conroy, who combines luck and a single canny investment to build an immense real estate empire, and thrust his family from poverty to great wealth.
Set over the next five decades, the story is about two smart people, Danny and Maeve, who cannot overcome their past. Despite outward signs of success, the siblings are only truly comfortable when together. They are ultimately forced to confront the people who left them behind with dramatic consequences. I recommend this book a lot.
Here’s a paragraph that explains the book jacket picture:
“the thing I couldn’t stop thinking about was the portrait of Maeve hanging there in the drawing room without us. How had we forgotten her? Maeve at ten in a red coat, her eyes bright and direct, her black hair loose. The painting was as good as any of the paintings of the VanHoebeeks, but it was of Maeve, so what would Andrea do with it? Stash her in the damp basement? Throw her away? Even as my sister was right in front of me I felt like I had somehow left her behind, back in the house alone where she wouldn’t be safe.”
And here’s something that I don’t understand – “and two hamburgers for Kevin, who could have cared less”. How did this get turned around in American English? Patchett is trying to say Kevin didn’t care at all – he couldn’t have cared less – but instead uses, could have cared less, meaning he did care a bit. It’s interesting how these things that are obviously wrong, become accepted as meaning what they don’t. Climbing down off the soap box now to tell you about the other books I read.
I didn’t pay a lot of attention to the Amazon book review when one of my favourite authors recommended two new books that he had enjoyed very much – I ordered them up and put them in the to be read stack. The first, “Very Nice” by Marcy Dermansky is described as:
“A brilliantly funny novel of bad behavior in the post-Obama era, featuring a wealthy Connecticut divorcée, her college-age daughter, and the famous novelist who is seduced by them both.”
Not really my cup of tea, but a quick and entertaining read nonetheless – I think this is what is referred to as a perfect beach read.
The next recommendation, “All this could be yours”, by Jami Attenberg, had a bit more substance. One back jacket cover review captures the feel well:
“Big Little Lies meets Succession in the scorching heat of the Big Easy . . . Money, power and family are touched upon through Attenberg’s emotional, humorous and sharply written accounts.”
“If I know why they are the way they are, then maybe I can learn why I am the way I am,” says Alex Tuchman of her parents. Now that her father is on his deathbed, Alex—a strong-headed lawyer, devoted mother, and loving sister–feels she can finally unearth the secrets of who Victor is and what he did over the course of his life and career. (A power-hungry real estate developer, he is, by all accounts, a bad man.) She travels to New Orleans to be with her family, but mostly to interrogate her tightlipped mother, Barbra.
I enjoyed the characters and New Orleans setting of this novel, but it was also a bit of a quick, beachy read.
I revisited a couple of excellent country folk songs from Hayes Carll this week:
This new Grace Potter song came up on one of my playlists this week and I like it:
Here’s a good one from Austinite Rob Baird. He’s opened a couple of shows at the Kessler and seems to be gaining a good following:
The week started off on a bittersweet note. We had a farewell dinner for my boss, Mark, who is leaving the company. I’m sorry to see him go and it brings a lot more responsibility for me. D and I will miss going out with him in Austin.
We organized the dinner at Eddie V’s – an excellent seafood and steak house in downtown (next door to the legendary Antone’s blues club). Team members joined us from Guatemala, Canada and Australia. Everyone that Mark wanted there showed up. Diana did an exemplary job of selecting wine and appetizers for everyone. We particularly enjoyed going around the table telling our favourite Mark stories. Adam was hilarious. Going clockwise from me we have Caleb, Mark, Adam (Canada), Issac, Roy (Australia), Norma (Guatemala) and Damon. And not to forget our excellent photographer Diana.
Norma thought she was very funny in the office on Tuesday. Sitting with a bandage on her finger just waiting for me to notice. In her defense, she brought an amazing bottle of 23 year old Ron Zacapa rum from Guatemala that we all enjoyed very much.
View from the library rooftop garden
Saturday started with the normal routine – workout followed by coffee and crossword. Then we walked over to the excellent downtown Austin library, walked back on the river trail, made a Xmas shopping stop at the Yeti flagship store, and relaxed on the balcony with books. What great weather.
Fall colour from the reading balcony
Festivities picked up nicely on Saturday evening. We tried a new Vietnamese restaurant called Mandala. What delicious flavours and creative dishes. Edamame with truffle oil and sea salt, surf clam ceviche, mini rice pancakes, and Vietnamese curry chicken – all excellent. McD was pleased with an inexpensive and very good French champagne. This place is certainly a good addition to the expanding Austin restaurant rotation.
Mandala pancakes
clam ceviche
A short walk from Mandala and we were at the One-2-One bar for Shelley King’s new CD release party. And it was indeed a party – for the great value price of $10.
Here’s a favourite from the new CD – “Levon’s new drum set” – a tribute to the late, great Levon Helm of The Band. Shelley was in Woodstock to play one of Helm’s Midnight Rambles in the barn by his home. This was the week that Levon passed and there was no Ramble. At the time that the concert would have started, there was a massive thunderstorm. Shelley viewed this as Helm playing his “new drum set” in heaven. What a great song:
Then special guest Carolyn Wonderland joined the band, picking up the energy and guitar level immediately:
The next special guest was long tall Marcia Ball on the keyboards for “Hurricane Party”. Shelley told the story of Marcia being scheduled to play shows in Florida that were cancelled due to the hurricane. She called Shelley to arrange a dominoes game – like a “Hurricane Party”:
Another lovely night of music in a small Austin club. Four different bands were playing in the One-2-One on Saturday – an amazing array of talent.
We were up early for a workout on Sunday morning, and then packed up and made the drive to McKinney. I arrived just in time to catch the last few exciting minutes of the Saints game – they eked out another last minute win. The Cowboys are not doing so well now in freezing cold, rainy New England.
I finished “Conviction” by Denise Mina this week. Here’s the Amazon synopsis:
The day Anna McDonald’s quiet, respectable life exploded started off like all the days before: Packing up the kids for school, making breakfast, listening to yet another true crime podcast. Then her husband comes downstairs with an announcement, and Anna is suddenly, shockingly alone.
Reeling, desperate for distraction, Anna returns to the podcast. Other people’s problems are much better than one’s own — a sunken yacht, a murdered family, a hint of international conspiracy. But this case actually is Anna’s problem. She knows one of the victims from an earlier life, a life she’s taken great pains to leave behind. And she is convinced that she knows what really happened.
Then an unexpected visitor arrives on her front stoop, a meddling neighbor intervenes, and life as Anna knows it is well and truly over. The devils of her past are awakened — and in hot pursuit. Convinced she has no other options, she goes on the run, and in pursuit of the truth, with a washed-up musician at her side and the podcast as her guide.
A true-crime podcast sets a trophy wife’s present life on a collision course with her secret past in the “blazingly intense, exciting as all hell” (A. J. Finn) new thriller from Denise Mina. We just listened to A.J. Finn’s “A Woman in the Window” on audible, and now we’re listening to Mina’s “The Red Road”. Audio books make the drive back and forward from Austin to McKinney pass much quicker.
I enjoyed this passage as the protagonist arrives at Skibo castle:
“First the hills across the water rose into view, pale and round. Then the sea became visible on the left, molten grey with the winking lights of oil rigs in the bay for repair. They stood ankle-deep in the shallow water, like giants wading, home for tea. Lastly; the castle rose up from behind a screen of strategically grown trees.”
This passage looks much better with double spaces after the periods. Something about the font and the single spacing after periods really bothered me. That and the five or six typos I found in a published book.
I heard this song by Patty Griffin on Sun Radio – what a pretty tune. So many great “River” songs – Springsteen, Joni Mitchell, Leon Bridges, and the young Dallas blues guitarist whose name I can’t remember right now.
Seth James was playing the Sun Radio Wednesday night show at Guero’s Oak Garden. Listening on the radio, I loved the Little Feat feel, the horn section and his guitar playing.
Kevin Galloway was playing at the Saxon Pub on Friday night – but not until 11pm – too late for us old folks. I do love his music and hope to catch an earlier show.
Lots of work this week for K and D. We were both so worn out at the end of the day that we didn’t do much in the evenings either. I did drag Diana over to the Hyatt on Tuesday night just to get her out of the apartment for a little while.
All my excitement came vicariously from my boys. Campbell and his crew traveled to Chicago last Sunday to watch Nick Bawden play for the Lions against the Bears. That’s the trio of Cameron, Campbell, and Grady in the middle – friends since they were in kindergarten.
Doesn’t it look freezing cold? Campbell said the wind was blowing directly in their faces at these elevated seats.
Will was checking off one of his “life goals” around the same time. He spent the weekend getting track driving lessons in his new BMW M2 competition (rated Road and Track #2 car of the year – behind what? – the 911 of course) and loved every minute of it. He got lots of great photos and I enjoy zooming in to see the concentration on his face.
The stitches came out of my finger on Wednesday and things are healing up nicely. I’m even able to change the dressing solo now. After that excitement we made the drive up to McKinney in the afternoon.
The weekend was quiet also with a lot of work interruptions for me. I’m watching the Cowboys playing the Lions as I write this post. It’s an evenly matched game so far and fun to see Nick Bawden on TV. Campbell must be torn about who to support.
When the game finishes, we’ll make the drive to Austin and are planning on watching the start of the new season of “The Crown” on Netflix when we arrive.
What a great album cover – Elvis Costello and the Attractions “Armed Forces”. Anne texted me this picture from the Costello concert in New Orleans. Her friend, Margaret, is a huge fan and you can tell they have very good seats. This reminded me of the album Costello made with Allen Toussaint after Katrina.
Sticking in New Orleans, I was listening to Luke Winslow King this weekend and came across this gem. I love his guitar playing.
I’ll finish up with JM Stevens from Austin. Wish we had reserved enough energy for his album release show at the Continental Club last week.
Thanks for all the concern about my poor finger. It’s much less painful and messy this week – still not completely straight and looking like some kind of bug with antennae sticking out. I did get a nice custom brace fitted on Wednesday afternoon, and the stitches should come out next week.
My week started with a different medical appointment – the annual eye exam complete with dilation on Monday morning. Nothing better or worse than last year, which is always pleasant news. Right after that we made the drive down to Austin so that McD could attend a prospective client meeting on Tuesday morning. It’s nice that she has a client in Austin instead of Milwaukee or Boston.
Our friend Ron was in town for a few days and met up with us on Wednesday night. The requisite Sky Bar picture opportunity was followed by a delicious dinner at Peche – the foie gras on grits was amazing. After dinner, we couldn’t resist a quick taste of the Spazmatics before walking back to the Catherine.
Denny and Anne arrived for a long awaited visit on Thursday afternoon. I took them shopping at the Yeti store, followed by pool at Ego’s, while poor Diana finished up work for the day.
Dinner was at Suerte and Denny said it was the best Mexican meal he’d ever had – we were off to a good start. I thought the mushroom tamale and goat barbacoa were highlights. And of course the famous suadero tacos.
After dinner we sampled a bit of the house band at the Parker jazz club, and then called it a relatively early night. The weather was very cold and wet and so the walking I had planned between events was all replaced by Uber XL.
I headed to work on Friday and left the Ogans to explore downtown Austin. The original plan was a trail hike, but again the weather didn’t cooperate. We met for lunch at Loro – a new south Lamar restaurant from the chefs behind Franklin Barbecue and Uchi. I had really been looking forward to this place after reading so much about it. In an interview with Henry Winkler (The Fonz), in town for Wizard Fest, he said, “I’m sitting here now thinking that when I get off the plane Loro’s is where I’m going to go first.”
Anne went with the bar tender’s recommendation and had this delicious bavette steak – perfectly cooked with a smoky flavour. Denny’s curry chicken was also perfect. I look forward to heading back to Loro soon.
While I went back to work, the Ogans walked all over Austin – they have so much energy – go, go, go all the time.
The four of us reconvened at C-Boy’s Heart and Soul for some happy hour music from Robert Kraft – very pleasant and a good volume that still allowed us to chat. Here are our guests with the Soulman Sam and Jimmy Vaughan murals out back:
It was a short walk to June’s and a typical situation – the champagne by the glass didn’t suit McD (I tasted both samples and agree with her this time), and so a bottle was ordered. We enjoyed another great meal – my bone marrow bolognese was fantastic. Our only complaint was the music the DJ was playing – we might be getting too old for this place on weekend evenings.
After dinner Diana and I were ready to call it a night. Not so much with our guests. They Ubered to a honky tonk 20 minutes away and enjoyed a show by Choctaw Wildfire. They always like to find some authentically local and off the grid spot.
The visit drew to a close on Saturday morning with a yummy brunch at Launderette and a walk along the river. Then we dropped Denny and Anne at the airport and had a relaxing afternoon.
The James Beard award winning pastry chef at Launderette does come up with some excellent creations.
Sunday saw our first workout in a couple of weeks and my finger survived fine. Not so much the coffee and crossword – Diana beat me! I got stuck on “Macduff and Macbeth”. I know, shouldn’t I have an advantage on Scottish clues. My parents will probably be disappointed that I didn’t know “Thanes”. Even had to look it up – “the chief of a clan, who became one of the king’s barons.”
The Saints lost badly to the Atlanta Falcons, much to the chagrin of the Ogans who were in attendance at the Superdome. That’s what happens when Denny taunts us about how well they’re going to do. We’ll see how the Cowboys do later tonight. Campbell and crew were also enjoying some live football – they traveled to Chicago to watch their friend Nick Bawden play for the Lions. Sounds like they had a great experience.
Will was having a great experience this weekend also. His birthday gift to himself was race track driving his BMW M2C around the Thunderhill Raceway.
My book this week was “Panama” by Thomas McGuane. What a crazy ride of a book, n0t like anything I’ve read. Felt like a marriage of Hunter S. Thompson at his gonzo best and John Kennedy Toole’s New Orleans humor from “Confederacy of Dunces”.
An interesting paragraph blends in the final lines of Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises”:
“On the steps of St. Paul’s church, a pigeon worked its way diagonally below the feet of two elderly gentlemen, factional members of a Long Island exodus.
“We could have had such a damned good time together,” I heard one say.
“Yes,” replied the one in the bonnet, “Isn’t it pretty to think so.”
“Now,” said the former, “I’m heading home to put things by.””
And then an excellent set of musical references:
“As to this orchestra, I am an admirer; at the same time, I know better. I came of age like everyone else, wearing out copies of Tupelo Honey, feeling richly gloomy. Now in Los Angeles, Jackson Browne and The Eagles nurse everybody’s bruises, and Mick Jagger, the tired old hag, says the Rolling Stones are the best punk band in the world.”
My fingers are getting tired now and I’m going to skip the “K’s New Music” section this week. It should be back next week with some new discoveries.