Getting out of the house

Summer is here, where "things to do" abound in New York City. Last Tuesday night Chris and I saw Ray LaMontagne play in Central Park. It was an amazing performance, and for New York City, intimate and just great. (Current favorite Ray songs: Lord Willing and the Creek Don't Rise, Shelter and Repo Man.... But really, is there a bad Ray song...?)

The Chambers are fairly new to the wonder that is Ray, but we had a marvelous time. The temperature wasn't extremely hot and with nightfall came a wonderful breeze. I would say Ray is a folk singer. A songwriter. A poet. A young man with an old soul. Even though wailing vocally and playing the harmonica seemed to come naturally, he appeared quite nervous and soft spoken when it came to "what to say to the crowd..." And his band members were twice his age. It was just good folksy music. No frills, no back-up singers. Just raw lyrics and amazing musicians.

Afterward we escaped Central Park on 72nd street and spilled onto Fifth Avenue with hundreds of people. Chris and I walked North and sat on the steps at Metropolitan Museum of art. I don't ever recall hearing the fountains splashing so rhythmically and melodiously as I did that night. Honestly, I don't ever recall the fountains at all, but maybe I just never saw them or heard them. Sitting there, and having all that space felt great. Splashing water. Light spilling down the steps. No one around. New York City at it's finest.

....

This weekend I had a birthday party, a CD release party, a friend in a show, a Spring choir performance and a rooftop party, where we had an incredibly competitive Guac-off. (Six contestants entered for the chance to win the title of Best Guacamole by a panel of judges. A crowd favorite was also awarded. This was no friendly competition- this was southern folks who now live in the north, duking it out--- at our "end of the season choir rooftop party." Where else?)

I didn't make it to everything, but point out the busyness of my weekend to say: Tis the Season! Parties and events abound. Somehow in all of this I managed to do a couple loads of laundry, make a trip uptown to Target and bake a batch of Neiman Marcus bars.

Saturday night Chris and I saw our friend Laila Biali perform in the Lower East Side. She is an amazingly talented singer and arranger. She is a true artist and watching her play the piano is mesmerizing. She's terribly gorgeous and probably the one of the most sincere people I have ever met. Genuine. I hope people can say that about me- that I'm genuine and give more than I take and that I'm someone they actually enjoy being around. Laila brings out the best in a person.

She's Canadian, married to an artist and has the sweetest one-year-old son Joshua. I got to know Josh quite well Sunday morning while we were doing a quick "run through" before the 9:30AM church service. Laila plays piano at our church and her husband was the sound technician for the Spring Worship Event. Thus, the reason I got to hold Josh for nearly an hour. He's not a baby, but seemed completely content in my arms- just taking it all in. I didn't mind snuggling and swaying with him one bit. I can sing and hold a baby- of course I can!