5/27/06 Erin and I went to the Acoustic Cafe last night to hear The Red Stick Ramblers.  I had never been there before and was very impressed with what Steve Masterson is doing on his Blount County mountain land.  The setting is rural Blount County in the rocky limestone hills which are timbered here with scrubby oak-hickory and cedar.  This kind of land can be very diverse in lifeforms, with an abundance of wildflowers and wildlife.  We hiked in from the lower parking lot and saw an Indian Pink, a beautiful pink tubular flower that opens up into a yellow starlike flower. ready to flower along the road.  This is not a common sight in the Alabama woods normally, although they are not rare.  

4/25/06  We have introduced a new cool drink to our summer drink menu; the California Creme Soda.  These creme sodas are made with various flavors or flavor combinations, club soda and cream.  It is our version of the Italian Creme Soda, but with a 60's ambiance. For example the Berkeley Hippie is a hip high flying combo of rasberry and vanilla, Flower Power features a  powerful elexir of cherries and amaretto, San Francisco Hooker is a sweet and sassy caramel and butter rum mix, LA Smog features espresso with no flavors, a perfect fogcutter.  There are many more, but I think you get the idea.  A cool and refreshing way to celebrate the good (?) old days while cooling off during the hot and humid dog days of another Alabama summer.   

4/17/06  We had an interesting open mike last night.  Local Channel 27 came and filmed it, complements of Andy Stephens. It  will be on the Morning Show at some future date.  We had everything from storytelling (Linnea Stevens told a story about a dog that became a human, she did a great reading) to poetry (Melia and Josh James read several of their deep interspective pieces, Melea did hers while Newby played background, very effective).  Andy Stephens sang a couple of his great folk song parodies.  We had a couple of new performers Daniel Lopez, Jacob Jetton, and Clint Vurden.  Regulars Carlo, Opie, Josh Brooks, Mac and Robert and Newby performed.  Andy Newby told us that he had passed thae last USMC audition for the Marine Corps Band and will be their next guitar player, he goes to Paris Island for Boot Camp in May. This is a fantastic accomplishment, they had one opening and he competed with musicians from all over.  Siemper Fi.     

3/26/06 WOW!! What can I say. Microwave Dave blew us away. This concert was everything I had hoped it would be. We had a full house of enthusiastic customers who really enjoyed Dave's take on the blues. He got a standing ovation when it was all over and raucous applause throughout. Comments included "Amazing", "Outstanding" and many more such superlatives. The crowd stayed enthusiastic through the whole two and a half hour performance. I had heard Dave on the radio, but in person he is so much more. His guitar work is excellent, he brought down the house playing slide on his cigar box guitar. He is a master with the loop and at times ended up sounding like a whole blues band, and once an old time jug band. In a way he jams with himself. His vocals and demeaner just fit together with his guitar and he works the audience well. It was just a great show. When it was over Dave shouted out "Lets do this again sometime" Come on back Dave we'll be ready. On a personal note it was nice getting to know Dave and Blair, they are class people.