But when I looked in her eyes well I almost fell for Lola...

Lola is a magnet, always the center of attention where ever she goes. People love her. Now it's my turn to see what the fuss is all about.

We drove down to San Diego to see the amazing SPZ perform last night. I was ready to be in the same car and even be roomies with Folkhands' terrier, Lola. This year, I want to overcome all my fears and my terror of dogs has been the hardest to overcome. My one goal was to just have Lola on my lap and lightly pet her... Simple right?


We were all hungry so we made a quick stop at In'n'Out in Long Beach. Animal style was great at the time but haunting afterwards.


Checked into the W and munched on some passable sliders and cocktails at The Beach, their rooftop lounge (yes that's really sand in the pic). The crowd were TGIF types who were digging the light techno/house music universally found at every trendy boutiquey hotel lounge. But all of the sudden, Vampire Weekend came on followed by B&S. Felt like the invisible DJ was scanning the crowd and thought that he should play some indie music to satisfy us. But then it was back to self-inducing vomiting house music with some Brazilian flair thrown in. Thanks for being edgy DJ, I really appreciate your thoughtfulness.


Kev was once afraid of dogs (never even touched one really) but on a recent SF trip with Lola, they bonded and are now mates. He said that Lola is special; she is super predictable so holding her, you know she won't go berserk and say, bite you in the face...


Lola with her surrogate master as Folkhands is still in NY.


After the thrilling show, we hung out at Tilbury's nice loft with amazing views of downtown (thanks for the late-nite yummy omelettes). Pictures of the SPZ show won't do it any justice as you had to be in that room to experience how such simply crafted songs can impact you so emotionally, so profoundly. These songs are romantic, mournful, full of rue and acceptance, transcendent. When I first heard Acoustic Mainlines around a year ago, I weeped. I loved how it made me feel even sadder and welcomed it. Then, when I saw the show for the first time last fall, the songs made me nostalgic of my past but never wanting to go back to that past. Last night, those same songs made me happy, I have so much to look forward to. SPZ is rock music. It's soul music. It's modern day classical music.


After getting up super late the next day, we headed up the coast to Encinitas. The day before, a surfer was killed a mile away by a Great White.


Lola is not fond of other dogs. This is the only time she barked and freaked out, a full on epileptic seizure. Conor quickly calmed her down and all was good again.


As we were pulling up into the parking lot at yummy Swami's Natural Foods Cafe, Jason Spaceman, in the same shirt and dark glasses from the night before, walked past us!!! Wtf? What are the chances of this happening? What are the chances???


This fortuitousness encounter gave me strength and I felt it was time. I motioned to Lola, then picked her up and put her on my lap. She was into it. I was into it. It felt fantastic. Major breakthrough.