Check my band

Heading to Montreal tomorrow to record with my band Pacific Theater. I started a new blog for the band to post pictures and stuff.

pacifictheater.tumblr.com

Enjoy.

Werk

Not working has started getting depressing.

Every time I tell someone that I haven't been working for 3 weeks, they get jealous. I would too. But being in the thick of it really blows, because you're worried about getting work which makes it hard to enjoy your free time.

I sit here at this desk everyday noodling on guitar and waiting to hear back if I'm going to work anytime soon.

I need to get outside.

Gobbledigook

It seems like such a shame to waste a perfectly good blog, doesn't it? With that in mind I'd like to start writing about things I like.

So without further ado, welcome back to The Mezzanine.

Last Day

Today is the last day of my 8 weeks in Latin America. Tomorrow I will be on a plane heading back to New York City.

Thanks for being a part of my journey. Writing about it, taking pictures of it and making music for it have been an integral part of being here for me. And sharing it with you all was like my way of whispering secrets into the trees and having the wind sweep them up and blow them to you.

Now here are a couple final pictures that I managed to snag before Jean Grey bit the dust again.






So again thanks for reading. I have a feeling this blog isn't over, so don't delete it from your bookmarks just yet...

With Love,
Daniel

Are You Sleeping?

Can you hear me? Do you know if I am by your side?

Ok some of you may remember my last post where I mentioned sickness and general unhappiness. Let me give you a 10 point numerical list of what I did yesterday, my first full day in Cancun, Mexico.

1. Woke up late
2. Ate awesome breakfast
3. Got in the Caribbean
5. Took a Scuba Diving lesson
6. Ate tacos
7. Went to the Cancun Aquarium
8. Saw a Dolphin show
9. Ate more tacos
10. Wore my bathrobe before bed.

Ooohkay. Best day ever? Sounds like it, but guess remember when I Scuba Diving Lesson? Well, I'm headin' now to go see some friggin' coral reef.

Hasta luego mi amigos!

Bogota -> San Jose

Part one: Party On Bogota

I'll be honest with you, I didn't write at all in Columbia because 4 of the 7 nights I was in Columbia I went out on the town. Let me tell you what- if you ever want to party like a rock-star and dance the night away, Bogota is the place to do it.We met some amazing people and had a ton of fun.

It's crazy that it has such a bad reputation. I even expected a 3rd world type scenario, but it's a modern and expansive city. There are dangers, but I never felt unsafe even late at night. It's probably my most recommended city that I've been to so far.

Jean Grey (new name for my camera) started working again so I snagged a couple cool shots of the city.






Part two: Sick in San Jose

Immediately juxtaposed with the biggest positive surprise of Bogota was the biggest letdown of San Jose, Costa Rica. Let me be clear- Costa Rica is beautiful. There is rainforests, volcanoes, monkeys, sloths and all kinds of cool things. However the capital city San Jose where I have been stuck in the equivalent to a Motel 6 sucks really hard. In fact it's the first place that has disappointed me.

And on top of everything else I got a wicked cold two days ago and have been laid up in this gross, muggy, prostitute riddled place. Did I mention there is a casino in the lobby of our hotel? Sounds cool right? No, it's scummy and terrible. I was excited to gamble for the first time in my life, but as soon as I walked in there I realized that this was not the place to lose my gambling virginity. I picture gambling in a James Bond tuxedo, plopping down $100,000 chips in a fight to the death duel of no limit Texas Hold 'Em. This is ugly Americans with ugly hookers and ugly carpet.

I hate to be so negative, because I like to be positive about everything. In fact the first day here when everyone else was complaining I kept saying "Hey guys, it's not so bad! It's like hotels we stayed in while the band was on tour. And you don't have to share it with 4 dudes!"

But I'll tell you what, tour hotel generally don't have as many prostitutes. And you generally only have to stay in them one night and then move on to a city where hopefully you have some friends who'll let you crash on their couch. And usually your friends aren't prostitutes. And also on tour you get to place music at night and hang out in the city during the day, not work during the day, then stay inside at night for fear of being assaulted by fat prostitutes.

Did I mention prostitutes yet?

Anyway, enough of my bitchin. Here's what I've been doing in my free time.

Click To Play

PPS> I did get to go to a volcano in Costa Rica that was wicked awesome. I have some shots which I will hopefully post on Flickr soon, but they are on a drive that got sent to the editors room. So you're just stuck with the whining for now.

Cusco Got Her Groove Back

Cusco (or Cuzco) Peru is the first place that feels like we're in the heart of South America. It's a place unlike anything I've seen on this trip. The people are kind and full of their ancient culture. Every road is cobblestone and the architecture is beautiful in it's Spanish and native design.

Interesting things about Cusco:

1) It's the city that the movie "The Emperor's New Groove" was set in. Haven't seen it personally, so I can't really add anything to.

2) Here in Cusco it's ok to pee where ever you want. This is a great policy for anyone with a weak bladder. The only downside is that the streets smell like piss and genitalia is waved around with wild abandon.

3) Women carry their babies around on their backs. It looks like they have psychedelic, backwards baby björns. Also, men are never carrying children. So my assumption is that Peruvian ladies are just stronger.

In other news, while I haven't been posting songs on here, I have still been purchasing instruments in every place I visit. In Peru I met a wonderful street musician who sold me a Charango which he handcrafted himself.

Now spending time in Peru, you see a lot of Charangos. They have mariachi bands that play in 75% of the restaurants, and there's always someone playing one. So I've seen a Charango or two and most of them have the personality of Short Round from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom- short, spunky and loud. Mine however reminds me more of Natalie Portman in The Professional- short, calm and cute, so I named her Mathilda.



I'm still going through my Cusco pictures and I'll post some of them soon.