Leaving Exeter today…it’s been a grand stay and I will miss all the people we’ve met and played with. We’re checking out of the hotel in a few minutes and driving to London, our last gig is tonight at the Sir Richard Steel. JayJay and Pete will be following us as they kindly have volunteered to make the 3 hour trek to do the show.
Recording at Studio 69
2010
05.10
05.10
We had our session today, of course this is the one sunny day we’ve had since we got here and we’ll be inside all day from 10am-5pm! Jill, Billy and I are doing a song that we wrote last summer…Monday morning just seems wrong. Pete (drums) and JayJay (bass) will be joining us. They’ve played several gigs with us already, so I feel like we’re a band!
The photo post…
2010
05.09
05.09
Sarana, Billy and Jill performing our first night at the White Hart Inn
Sarana & Jill down by the quay
Jamming outside on the rooftop at Phonic FM
Onstage at The Old Firehouse
Fire in the House
2010
05.08
05.08
Earlier yesterday we did performed live on Phonic Radio, a radio station broadcasting from the Phoenix Arts Centre, and we performed at an art show there today. The Centre is an interesting place…hey have a huge auditorium there with artists performing such as Fairport Convention, Luka Bloom, The Damned, Wishbone Ash. They have an art gallery there and conduct workshops. They also have a cafe/bar with wonderful food and drinks. Check it out: http://www.exeterphoenix.org.uk/
Also, check out the http://rootsandshootsdevon.blogspot.com/ which is the blog for Roots & Shoots…all the best in local and global Roots Music on Phonic 106.8fm in Exeter
Last night was our Old Firehouse gig with Humm running our sound. This is one of the few places that stays open late. Although there weren’t a lot of people when we first went on, by the time our set was done it was a packed house both inside and outside on the patio.
Jill and Sarana sharing harmonies at Old Firehous
After our gig we all ate at a Chinese restaurant…where I don’t think they understood us very well…
“Liquor and Coffee…wLast night was our Old Firehouse gig with Humm running our sound. This is one of the few places that stays open late. Although there weren’t a lot of people when we first went on, by the time our set was done it was a packed house both inside and outside on the patio. Earlier yesterday we did performed live on Phonic Radio, a radio station broadcasting from the Phoenix Arts Centre, and we performed at an art show there today. The Centre is an interesting place…hey have a huge auditorium there with artists performing such as Fairport Convention, Luka Bloom, The Damned, Wishbone Ash. They have an art gallery there and conduct workshops. They also have a cafe/bar with wonderful food and drinks. Check it out: http://www.exeterphoenix.org.uk/
Also, check out the http://rootsandshootsdevon.blogspot.com/ which is the blog for Roots & Shoots…all the best in local and global Roots Music on Phonic 106.8fm in Exeter
After our gig we all ate at a Chinese restaurant…where I don’t think they understood us very well…
“Liquor and Coffee…what kind of liquor is that?”
“Alcohol.”
“The duck with minced prawns, how is that cooked?”
“It’s duck with minced prawns.”
We went through 3 waiters before we got our order. Then we were handed lollipops at the door as we left…which of course led to:
Exeter-Lollipop Song
Coffee and Food
2010
05.07
05.07
They have coffeehouses here on every corner. Including a Starbucks. They actually have great coffee here…even in the hotel they bring a coffee press to your table and hot water in case you don’t like it so strong (I DO like it strong.) And the croissants….I’m not talking about the typical croissant I get back home which are usually boring, stale and doughy, these are fresh baked every morning (they throw them out at noon), flakey, and the best I’ve ever tasted. Especially the chocolate croissant,
I’ve noticed some interesting food items here. Our first morning there was a farmer’s market set up on the street. Aside from the usual croissants, pastries and assorted goat cheeses, they had lots of meat and sausages…since I’ve seen gammon steak everywhere, I asked what it was. Gammon steak is pig steak. Not a pork chop, more like a bacon steak. Speaking of bacon, everywhere you go there are sausage rolls and bacon rolls. The bacon here is nothing like our bacon, nor is it Canadian bacon…not sure how to describe it but it’s damn good. No shrimp here, but prawns abound. Carrot and coriander soup is served in the cafe or you can buy a bag to take home. And of course I stopped in a Sweet Shop and finally tasted Turkish Delight, which is how the White Witch tempted Edmund in the Chronicles of Narnia. And did I mention Elderflower Bubbly?
Sarana VerLin & Jill Jack smiles
Medieval Exeter
2010
05.06
05.06
White Hart Inn
Maureen looking up the fireplace to see the priest's hiding room
The Secret Garden...where we performed our first night.
There are ancient underground passages in Exeter and they can be explored. The tunnels are full of mysterious stories of rogue nuns and priests, buried treasure, and ghosts. They also have walking tours to which include “Murder and Mayhem” and “Ghosts and Legends”.
Earlier we took a short walk to Exeter Quay, where the ships used to come in from the sea and had the best fish and chips at a pub on the water.
The underpass on our way to the quay
All the way through the underpass...
Walking towards the water
We’re HERE!
2010
05.05
05.05
Arrived in England around 8am…that’s 3am Detroit time…picked up our ‘green’ (diesel) rental car
Billy guarding the luggage
Stonehenge
After the requisite Stonehenge visit (I’ve been there twice before but Billy and Maureen were Stonehenge virgins) and photos we continued into Exeter. At one point we went through a town with cars parked taking up over half of the lane…and this on road curves with cars approaching at 40 mph from the opposite direction! I’m still not sure how we made it with nary a scratch but we did. Mo at the wheel and me commandeering my laptop with G3 access (GPS was an additional $28 a day, no thank you).
Exeter is a college town, similar to Ann Arbor, except Ann Arbor doesn’t have historic cathedrals and partial castles along the main streets. We are staying at the White Hart Hotel which is also where we’re performing tomorrow night. Jill Jack will be arriving tomorrow and be as exhausted as we are right now, only she will have to perform. We’ve forced ourselves to stay awake all day, it’s 10pm now and I think it’s safe to start winding down! G’night all!
-Sarana
Tea & Scones Tour
2010
05.02
05.02
One more day before we leave for England. Among the things I needed to find out..
1) Do they have internet access on our flight (no, not on international flights)
2) Where can I find wi-fi once we get there…surprise! Exeter is the leading UK area for wi-fi hotspots! That will make updates a lot easier!
3) Where to get the best exchange rates (use an ATM card or your credit card)
4) Can you plug your laptop in on the plane? (Get extra battery for laptop in case the seat is not equipped…only some seats have outlets)
The countdown is on….
- Sarana