Wednesday, May 03, 2006
UPCOMING GIGS, Canada May 2nd 2006
Hi guys,
Well it's been a while since my last correspondence, but i've been saving up the news for one big, phat gig diary entry. Here's some for the coming months and week:
OKANAGAN COLLEGE STUDENT LOUNGE, Salmon Arm, Wednesday 10th May 7pm
With Kelsey Sarrazin, Josh, Sasha (of "Behind The Girl" fame), and Dick Quaife. small cover applies (just a couple of bucks).
THE BEAN SCENE, VERNON, Friday 12th May, 7pm
Join me for a coffee (or tea or two!) to ease your way slowly into the weekend. It's my first time at The Bean Scene, hope to see you there!
COFFEE FOR CHANGE, Vernon Art Gallery, Saturday 27th May, daytime
"Playing for Poverty," this is a worthy fundraiser. Come down to the gallery for a showcase event of local musicians.
There's more in the bag for June and the rest of the year, hope to see you out and about!!
tessa x
Saturday, April 29, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO
14th March 2006
Hey there,
I just stumbled on the most awesome view of the bay: it's in the San Francisco Art Institute Cafe. they pretty much gave me a tuna bagel for $2.50. I've been walking around all day today, just cruising the streets of Chinatown, North Beach and i'm about to trek up the windiest street in the world. but right now i'm looking over to Alcatraz and i guess it's the East Bay. Pretty nice yeah? I also checked out Pier 39 which is i guess what i imagine Disney Land to be like: heaps of over-priced restaurants and gift shops and tourists EVERYWHERE. And it's just a monday morning. There was a perfume shop called Nantucket Natural Oils which I went into just because of the name: Nantucket being a spot near Boston right?
So i'm finally getting out in San Francisco. The weather is a little nicer than it was last week: rainy and windy and COLD!! Yanni's house doesn't have heat eithor so i feel like i've been snow camping or something. Mmmm. Don't think the cold is helping my singing voice at all.
Take care out there and hope you can all find some time to pen me a line!
love tessa x
Saturday, April 29, 2006
SNOWIN' IN BOSTON
14th Feb 2006
Hey so it's the end of a beautiful day in Boston.
Today I put on almost everything I own, rolled up my pants and donned my big black Brooklyn boots, in preparation for the snow. I ventured across the Charles River which divides the Back Bay (or downtown or wherever it is that i'm staying!) from Cambridge, and set out for a day of discovery. It snowed all day yesterday, so the streets were slushy, icey and wet and slippery but it must be my inner ballerina which kept my floating right over the top, with grace and poise. All your lessons in elegance paid off Nene (hahaha...at least I wasn't riding no bike!?!!)
So I came across Havard university, which is more like a TOWN. It's huge. I think I'm smarter from just having walked around in it. Although I did get kinda lost, maybe that cancels out my new found wisedom?! There's heaps of second hand bookstores around there, selling all sorts of revolutionary books, which I had to refrain from. "finish what's already on your plate, before you go looking for dessert," were my thoughts as I put book after book back on the shelf, deciding against carting ANOTHER heavy object across the country! Oh, I found a Fender Telecaster (didn't play it) for $350 US. so that's about $700 australian. Mmm, food for thought. Another heavy object...
Went and saw my first Berklee concert tonight: The Music of Bob Marley played by a 13 piece ensemble, combined with the tutor of the class giving the audience a slide show of his recent trip to Ghana and Jamaica. Yeah man Yeah. I don't think anyone was smoking hooch there, but I felt so relaxed as soon as they hit their first skanky notes. But timbo, there was no awesome shredding in sight and I thought, shit, how lucky I was to play with you guys back in WA. Word to yo mama.
Anyway, my beautiful boots are now stained white with snow. Lucky they're "vintage" and only cost $20! (hee hee hee). I'm all UPLIFTED and feelin' groovy after two hours of righteous reggae. Gonna go hunt me down some cheesecake and listen to some cookin' beats...
take it easy out there, keep me in the loop!
love tessa xxx
Saturday, April 29, 2006
BLOWIN' IN BOSTON
7th Feb 2006
Hi guys
How are you all?! I'm well, Happy Chinese New Year to you all! (Or is it "y'all"?!)
I arrived in Boston last night after a lovely trip on the bus from New York. When I looked out the window this morning, there was a light snow falling, yay! Nothing to serious to deter outdoor activities, just enough to lend the air a slightly romantic vibe. shucks eh!
So to update you all on my adventures thus far (without repeating myself to those to you who are worded up), I've just spent the last month in New York City, exploring the nooks and crannies of the various neighborhoods and bars. My favourites would have to be the Lower East Side and the East Village which borders the actual Village (is there a better name for that bit inbetween the west and east village?! dunno...) and Williamsburg. I guess my criteria for choosing these areas is mainly the inexpensivity of alcohol and friendliness of the locals and hippness of the shops so if that's what you're looking for, head to those spots! Williamsburg is in Brooklyn, and it's by far and away much more human and liveable and REALer than Manhattan: go check out Brooklyn Breweries and Zebulon.
I had a gig at Anway Cafe in the East Village last monday, which went really well. BIG thanks to Nerissa for the use of here PA and also to Dana, Asha, John and Nadia for the aussie support crew! thanks also to Steve Brown for his mandolin playing!
Here in Boston, I'm staying right across the road from the Berklee College of Music in a friend's apartment. What a shame hey!!! He has some awesome books in his bookshelf (including the tipping point Blake!) which I'm going to feast upon for the next two weeks and also tons of DVDs. I might actually have trouble leaving the apartment...
So that's it for me for now. Whilst all this holiday stuff has been going on, Gemma has been working her Mac to the bone for me (or should I say working it to the CPU?!) and the website is looking awesome. Check out the site for new photos (of old stuff: CD launch last november and Victorian tour). "Warm Orange Glow" will soon be available from www.musicplug.net, so you'll be able to order your lover a copy for Valentine's Day! Spread the Glow I say...
I also have a myspace thingo if you guys are up with that stuff: I'll be adding holiday blogs from time to time, just go to myspace.com and search for Tessa Lee.
So take care, stay safe (as they say in NYC) and keep in touch!
tessa x
Friday, April 28, 2006
NEW YORK II
Hi y'all
How's it going? I'm well, I'm pretty exhausted. Had lots and lots of fun last night at an open mic down on the lower east side at a cute little pizza restaurant, and made lots of new friends. Monday night was similar but worse, I didn't get to bed till 10am tuesday morning! Can you believe that?! That's not like me at all! Those bloody open mics, they're nothing but a bunch of trouble!
At the moment I'm killing time on the computer, waiting for a reasonable hour till I can crash out and for my ipod to recharge properly. It's 9pm and I could have gone to bed at 6pm. The hostel is going really well, there's a bit of a crew that we've been hanging out with. Three italian girls, a crazy spanish man, an aussie storytelling bloke from Adelaide and two stoner english boys who left this afternoon.
So haven't really been doing anything very touristy for a while now! Back on that good ol' musicians time, and wasting away the days whilst going a bit wild at night. I think I'll definately walk across the Brooklyn Bridge tomorrow. YOU HAVE TO DO IT is the resounding chorus from everyone who's ever been to New York hey?!
Anyway, I've attached some photos for fun! Central Park in the snow!
mwoah tessa x
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
NEW YORK CHRONICLES
Hi Everyone,
Hey so I think I've switched over to musicians time here in New York. It's a whole lot
easier to go to bed at three and wake up at 11am here I think. Might have something to do
with being on holidays as well. Today we did just that. Actually got out of bed at
2pm, gingerly trying not to disturb my splitting hangover. Found a great cure though:
went busking on the subway. Don't need a permit here, and it's funny but I think people
really appreciate it: they're so devoid of beauty and love here in the city which never sleeps
it seems. Made enough money to buy a bowl of soup for Asha and myself in an Irish bar on the
corner. We'd had so much fun playing music that the barman said "Geez i'll have what you're
having, whatever you're on, I want some." Pretty cute really, we were so glowing and buzzing.
Tonight I'm off to an open mic night at CBGB's in Greenwich Village (or maybe it's not there,
I don't know.) A guy staying at the hostel has been travelling all over the US, playing and
writing, so we're teaming up to go down there.
Hope all is well wherever you all are, send me news etc.
Lots of love, tessa x
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