End o' week musings

It's funny, but this week I have been sooo tired and I just can't seem to catch up. Usually 6 hours a night with a 45-minute nap over one day of the weekend and I'm fine... Hmmmm... could it be our weird weather??

Last Friday I met my friend Cindy for dinner and a trip to the Pasadena Playhouse (http://www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/ ) to see "The Little Foxes." It's a bit of a depressing play themewise, but the acting is superb. I also thought the set and costumes were fantastic. If you need a little drama -up on the stage, not in your life- this might be just right for an evening out.

Saturday I met Ben, owner of the Gallery at the End of the World, as well his "counterwench" Lynn and one of his resident artists Johnny Fox for dinner. We went to Pinnochio's in Pasadena- yummy! I had a very nice salad paired with a delicious chunk of chicken spinach lasagna and a refreshing glass of chianti (please pass the fava beans lol!). We also caught a photo exhibit nearby and stopped in at the Rancho bar for some midori sours.

I had dance practice Sunday and Tuesday... In between, Monday, was exciting. I worked all day (yawn) and then went to the Key Club in Hollywood to meet the Nigel Dupree Band. The lead vocalist and guitarist Nigel Dupree is the son of Jesse James Dupree of Jackyl (remember the rock band's famous chainsaw solo in "The Lumberjack"?). Nigel and his bandmates, bassist Josh Hilton and drummer Adam Townsend are as charming as they are cute. They are focused on creating good music and having fun along the way.

Yes, Nigel's dad may be able to make the path easier for them, but after catching their performance, I don't think he will have to do much. The trio were terrific on stage-- well-crafted songs, good musicianship, boundless energy and wonderful rapport with the audience. If you like rock reminiscent of the the party sounds of the '80s, but long for a modern update, Nigel Dupree Band may be just the ticket.

Last night I went to the Langham Huntington Hotel & Spa to try out its new Spatini Thursdays. Every Thursday through July the spa goes into party mode with lively music, appetizers, speciality cocktails and more to make your manicure, pedicure, massage or other treatment extra fun. (If you still crave quiet, you can have your service in the serene inner rooms and still enjoy cocktails and munchies). I had a mani-pedi and sipped on the Langham's martini concoction. It was relaxing and fun. Now I'm all soft and sexy with red nails (the color selected by my manicurist, Julie).... wonder what the boyz will think??? lol!

Tonight I will be dancing with my swords at McGinty's Gallery at the End of the World-- here's the info:

Friday Art Night

Event: 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday, June 5

Several dance performances by Almase Arabesque

Art show and sale with additional entertainment byWreck N Sow

and percussionist extraoridnaire Ric Sarabia

$5

McGinty's Gallery at the End of the World

2475 N. Lake Ave.

Altadena

http://www.galleryattheendoftheworld.com/

http://www.almasearabesque.com/

If you come out, please don't be shy-- come up and say hi!

Saturday and Sunday during the day, you'll probably catch me hanging out at the gallery as well for its barbecue potluck and brunch (respectively) offered noon-dusk. Free admission, but be cool and bring a dish to share.

Saturday night I'm heading to the Galaxy Concert Theatre in Santa Ana to see Orange Sky (www.myspace.com/theorangesky ). I just LOVE this band!! They play reggae mixed with hard rock and have some really great songs and live... well, they're awesome. King's X, another fave of mine, is headlining.

Next week you won't hear anything from me for a few days as I will be camping in Leo Carillo Monday through Wednesday. I really like that area, as the campsite is very clean and you drive a really short distance to be on the beach. It's a decent car-camping spot with showers and bathrooms and every camping spot has a tree, a picnic table and a grill/bonfire pit.

Lastly, please visit http://www.sgvn.com/ to see my stories on artist Bob Peak and the band Chickenfoot. And a big happy birthday to reader Olivia Bustamante. She got an early present this year too, as she's now the proud grandmother of Nicholas James. Lot o's hugs your way, my friend!

In rotation this week: Orange Sky, King's X, Carbon 9, Chickenfoot, Janis Joplin, Joe Walla and (via the Net) Dear Hunter and Nigel Dupree Band.

Photos we got 'em: Just a few odds and ends-- Disney fairies, plus lovely zebra and sweet rat images sent to me by friends and a cat photo that made me smile from StuffonmyCat.com.

Thought o' the Week: Nice counts. This was a weird week in another way, aside from feeling overly tired, I received a lot of compliments. Some people told me how pretty they thought I looked, others commented on my personality or the way I treated them. I don't really think about it, but I try to treat others how I would like to be treated. I like to make people laugh, I like to acknowledge and thank them for their thoughtfulness and kindness and, in general, I'm just trying to make the world a better place in my own little way.

The biggest compliment I received was last night at the Gallery at the End of the World. After I got off work, I dropped by and was grabbed at the door by artist Eve Kessler. She does the most beautiful and intriguing paintings of fish, as well as some horses and horse-fish, mer-horses, I don't know, but they're really nice mythical melds of her talents... Anyway, Eve just had to show me her latest work and I was more than happy to oblige. We reached her wall and I couldn't believe it! - right there in the middle of some of her fish was me as a mermaid!

I get a little choked up with emotion every time I think about the painting and see the image in my mind.

OK, so there's yet another reason to visit the gallery this weekend lol! I'm now wondering who might buy "me" for their wall and trying to figure out if I can afford myself (that doesn't sound quite right...) Still, it's one of the sweetest compliments I've ever received.

Where am I going with this? Well, in a long roundabout way, it pays to be nice. I'm not saying you should be nice because you want something in return, you should be nice because it's the right thing to do. And you shouldn't be "fake nice"-- it has to come from the heart.... It makes others feel good and, perhaps more importantly, it makes you feel good. Nice counts, 'nuff said.

Keep on rockin'

Mickie