The Art Of Making Totally Local Red Wine From Grapes Here In Our Northwest, Washington D.C. Neighborhood, 20008 With Grapes In The Courtyard Arbor Of The Firehook Bakery! 8/29/13

Want to eat ripe grapes? Want to make wine with Washington D.C. grapes?!?   This is your chance! I just walked through the courtyard of the Firehook Bakery trying to get " to get to work on time ! ", Hear that before , in the famous song : " Get me to the church on time! ".   ANYWAY, the first thing that greeted me on this cool, a touch foggy, misty morning was the smell of ripe grapes there hanging from the arbors that circle the courtyard and the small fountain in the center, just below the last vestiges of the AROMA Italian restaurant of Bobby and his parents with the large stuffed wild animals that would greet you as you walked in the front doors, remember? It's been awhile hasn't it. Time does not stand still.

After being frightened by the wild stuffed animals you could find comfort, relief and joy in the back courtyard with the magnificent wall mural that looks down on everyone there.

IT'S STILL THERE, and I love that, along with the grapes,too. A few weeks ago I saw Booby himself up pruning these vines, what a sight that was. He still cares, he's still obviously proud of this. We thanks you Bobby.

SO : go by, sit under these arbors and look up and take some of the grapes and eat them, ask if you can have some to make a bottle or two of wine? I know a lot of you do this. Here's your chance NOW to make Washington D.C. wine! What fun, what a treat. Don't miss this opportunity. Tell others. I'd like to taste it : Cleveland Park, Northwest, Washington D.C. 20008 wine, It doesn't have to be great, just fun and a treat, something special, something TOTALLY LOCAL! Cheers, Happy Thursday, Aug. 29th, 2013 10:17AM, the aroma of these grapes now is completely intoxicating and wonderful, too.  Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn
always, we thank you for your business.

Discover ALL OVER AGAIN The FABulous Dry Red Indigenous Blend Of Callet , Manto Negre & Fogoneu In The AN / 2 From ANIMA NEGRA in Mallorca! Be Prepared For A Grand Experience, An Art Experience!

 AN/2 by ANIMA NEGRA, vin de la terra Mallorca , 2010 ( $24.99, 13.5% alcohol by volume, Falanis, 07200 ) : made with a blend of indigenous grapes : Callet, Manto Negre and Fogoneu - 80% of the wine, using both American and French oak.

THIS IS an experience to be treasured, taken slowly as the flavors, the bouquet, the essence of the red and beefy, earthy, pungent, perfumed, tarred, leathered, feathered, furnished, fleshed-out flavors and savors have a chance to take center stage and center-palate and perform and blossom and blazon a trail all their own along the surface and nooks and crannies of your palate, gullet, stomach, soul, head, fingers and tippy-tip-toes ...

AND SETTLE AS A FINE EMBER in the pit of your guts with the time they need, NEVER to be rushed, can't do that, can't rob yourselves of the full experience. This is a full-Monty experience indeed. Try it on for size, fit and feel and have some food, too as it's foremost a food wine - from Mallorca.

YOU WILL BE WASHED BY THE WAVES, you will be challenged, you may sleep on the sands, you may have that chance finally under the protective wings of these indigenous grapes from Mallorca, and the fine breezes that move ever so gracefully the sea oats of our beaches here, too ... 


ON VACATION or not, no matter, enjoy this incredible AN/2 dry red from Mallorca, $24.99.


This is a beauty and a great treat. Try some soon with a meal. Cheers. Happy Thursday, August 22nd, 2013  ...   Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn   

Anthony Quinn's Store Email He Wrote & Posted In Late July 2011 : Enjoy, Cheers, How Have Things Changed In 2 Years?!?

BACK FROM THE OUTER BANKS, North Carolina and feeling a bit disoriented as a result of cooler weather there as well as a lovely breeze and very few mosquitoes. It was pretty magnificent there and I am happy to say that it was quite relaxing : almost to the point that I was concerned that I was doing so very little at times. Working on a Walt Disney puzzle that was perhaps the hardest that I have ever seen with a scene from the animated film " Under The Sea ". We did finish it I am happy to report. I WAS ALSO ABLE TO DO SOME DRAWING and even more important record myself drawing with my Flip camera on three occasions I believe? The body surfing was also key here and the waves did manage to make me scrape my chest on the very first wave that I rode. I was much more careful after that.Wave-running with my son was also a big highlight for me : my main job being to hold on and not fall off as he steered and zoomed and I had to keep my cap from flying off every split second as well as not losing my balance and landing way behind in the wake of our waves. That was challenging, let me tell you. But I did manage somehow. HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU ARE ENJOYING YOUR VACATION or time-off with family and loved ones. WHAT ARE YOUR " Big Plans "? May we be of any assistance here in helping you to relax and enjoy yourselves to the very max and to the fullest extensions of your fingers and toes and hairs wild and tame on head, arms and legs?! I AM ALSO HAPPY TO REPORT that ( on my trip to the Outer Banks ) there was also plenty of wine to go around. I was, of course the master of wine ceremonies as well as of cheeses and crackers. Our " Happy Hours " would start later in the afternoon and extend on into the wee hours and depending on our own remaining stashes of energies, enthusiasms, catching of dreams, chasing of fantasies and trails of conversations and many words on many books. Picture-taking was a key element as well as there were so many Kodak moments to preserve as we do not see one another very often and so we have to " max-out " on our time together. THE WINE FLOWED SO EASILY( at the Outer Banks ) BECAUSE many of our wine reps were nice enough to drop off some samples each for me to take to Salvo, North Carolina. Thanks to them my extended family as immediate one did quite well and we enjoyed many great wines as well as stories and " new " shared moments together with broad smiles, giggles, outright laughs and moments of discovery, too. SINCE THE WINES WERE SAMPLES I WILL mention in their places several similar wines that we currently have here in the store. I will naturally speak to our reps and inquire about buying some of these wines for the store : probably to arrive here in August. MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW for Wednesday, July 27th, 2011 ( 5:30-8:30PM ) when we have our " Big-Theme FRENCH Loire Valley Wine-Tasting with many dry reds and whites that also include some sparkling, some rose wines and some off-dry as well. We have invited some of the most informed and qualified people in the business to be here like Danny Haas of Vineyard Brands, as well as Roy Cloud of Vintage 59 Imports and Charles Noel Gendrot of Williams Corner Selections. Jeremy Sutton of Kysela Imports will also be here pouring his wines. There should be something for everyone. The Loire Valley makes lots of great wines to be enjoyed in the heat and the humidity and so we will discover different towns and areas, grapes and styles and levels of dryness as well as of minerality and citrus, too. Here are some of the wines being considered for pouring : From Charles Gendrot ( Williams Corner ) - 1) J. MOURAT Collection Rouge 2010 ( $16.99, sustainable agriculture ), from the Fiefs Vendeens region 2) DOMAINE DE LA BERGERIE Rose De Loire 2010 ( $15.99 ), Anjou 3) Bernard Baudry Chinon dry rose 2010, $19.99 4) Bernard Baudry Chinon Estate dry red Cabernet Franc " Les Granges " 2009 ( $24.99 ) and more being considered ... From Roy Cloud ( Vintage 59 ) - 1)09 BOVE Sparkling Chenin Blanc ,$15.99 2) 09 BRAGER Muscadet, $14.99 3) GARRELIERE Cendrillon Sauv. Bl., $24.99 4) 10 Sancerre MERLIN-CHERRIERE,$29.99 5) 09 ROCHER , Montlouis white, $27.99 6) GARRELIERE Touraine Blanc, $19.99 7) GARRELIERE Touraine Rouge, $19.99 From Danny Haas - 1) DOM. DE BERNIER Chard 10, 2) Muscadet De RAGOTIERE 09 3) PATIENT COTTAT'S Sauv Blanc 2009 4) DELAPORTE Sancerre 2009 5) BERTIERS Pouilly Fume 2009 6) BERTHIERS Pouilly Fume Cuvee Eve 2008 7) Vouvray Cotteaux de la Biche 2009 8) PICHOT Vouvray 2010 From Jeremy Sutton ( Kysela ) - Jeremy has a variety from his three sparkling Loire Valley wines, a dry light-bodoed and inexpensive Chardonnay, a Vouvray, and a biodynamic L'ECU Muscadet, too ... and more. THINGS ARE STILL BEING WORKED OUT and so more will follow next week. Feel assured that you will learn lots about the Loire Valley at this tasting. ALL WINES WILL BE ON SALE by the bottle at this tasting. Bring family and friends. Cheers. BACK TO TODAY and the HERE and the NOW and the heat and the strong sunshine and the need and desire to chill. Here are some great suggestions, the first of which I took to the beach and enjoyed thoroughly this past week: Reds: 1) 2008 Chianti Colli Senesi ( $16.99 ) from VALDIPIATTA. It drinks so smoothly, so wonderfully , so brightly. It's a charmer and a pleaser and a thorough delight no matter which way you taste or evaluate it. I'm thrilled to have it here as it tasted great even with all the heat and direct, over-head sunshine of the Outer Banks. Lovely, really lovely and such a bouquet and rich color, too. I highly recommend this for now. THREE REDS From West Virginia - ALL OFF-DRY and fun 1) WEST WHITEHILL Sweet Mountain Spice Wine ( $10.99) 2) WEST WHITEHILL Raspberry Royale ( $10.99) 3) WEST WHITEHILL Highland Mist Blush Wine ( $10.99, with natural flavors of orange and lemon)... CHILL ALL THREE and just enjoy with or without any food. Fruit baskets would be nice, of course as well as some dark chocolates, too : and so much more. MORE REDS - 1) 2009 Cotes-Du-Rhone from Charles Thomas ( $9.99 ) was tasted here just this past Saturday with some of you lucky enough to have been in the right place at the right time! It sold really well but we still have some for you now. Don't wait too long , it will sell quickly. 2) MARCHIGUE Carmenere 2010 Gran Reserva, from Chile's Colchagua Valley, this dry red Carmenere On Special for $14.99 is a real,beauty with a great bottle and label and once tasted by you it will win you over immediately : even with this really hot and bright weather. What a winning taste. SOME SURPRISES IN WHITES - 1) TERRANOBLE 2010 Sauvignon Blanc from Chile's Central Valley ( $7.99 ) is so dry and bright and refreshing and light enough for this heat and blaze/craze ... and the price is wonderful, too! 2) ROSENBLUM Cellars Vintner's Cuvee California 2009 Chardonnay ( $9.99 ) has just the right amount of flavorful butter and oak tastes and at this price I predict that it will become a big favorite for a number of our customers.It showed beautifully the other day. Not my style at all but really well-made and also a value. 3) KENWOOD 2009 Pinot Gris Sonoma County at $10.99 is a real steal! KENWOOD is on a roll and makes some really classy, well-balanced wines and has stood the test of time. What a lovely dry, aromatic white at a ridiculous price, too! 4) HUSCH " La Ribera Vineyards " estate-bottled 2010 Mendocino Chenin Blanc ( $13.99 ) is hugely popular here with a number of our customers. We tasted it out here this past Saturday with Nolan and it sold quite well once again. It's very forward and very bright and the rich fruit Chenin Blanc flavors just jump right out of the glass before you even have a chance to weigh-in or have an opinion on it or not. Not shy at all : quite the contrary - quite extroverted in fact. Charming and full of character and pizzaz! Cheers. 5) LA VAL Dry White Albarino Spanish white from the Rias Baixas region ( $19.99 ) was just tasted here this past Saturday by Estebe to quite a favorable response. We still have a few bottles left of the brustling and totally refreshing dry white made with Spain's famous Albarino grape that is still it's most famous after many years of competition from other grapes like the Verdejo and the Verdelho and Godello grapes, just to mention a few. SOME DELIRIOUSLY Delectable Roses - 1) VITIANO Dry Umbrian Rosato blend of Merlot and Sangiovese is really quite amazing. So much more flavorful with more personality than most and at the ridiculous price of only $6.99 a bottle. It's the 2008 vintage and for many bottles of rose that would be the end of them but for the VITIANO dry roses their life spans are long and glorious. How refreshing to hear. Cheers. 2) 2010 Touraine Dry Rose from the DOMAINE DE BELLEVUE ( $10.99 ) has consistently been one of the most popular dry roses and we are thrilled to have it here. It's so bright and refreshing and so perfect for this intense heat and scolding sunshine now... HEY SANTOS, What BEER Do You Have: 1) BROTHERS Reserve " THe Beer " ( $9.49 22 Fl Oz bottle, 9.5% alc. by volume , limited release #4 Spring 2011 ) Galaxy Hopped, Barleywine Ale, " ale brewed with huskless malt and Belgian candy sugar ". 2) WEYERBACHER " Slam Dunlel " Double Dunkelweizen Ale ( On Special $6.99 , 12 Fl. Oz, 7% alc. by volume, 4-pack ) is brand, spanking new! 3) PAULANER Salvator Double Bock Munchen ( $9.49 a 6-pack of 11.2 Fl. Oz Bottles, 7.9% alc. by volume , www.paulanerusa.com, from Munich, Germany ) is a special order for a good customer and we liked it so much we ordered some for the store as well. Oh yeah ... Oh Ravi, What You Have In Liquor?!? - 1) JEREMIAH WEED Blended Bourbon Whiskey 90 Proof On Special for $14.99 a 750ml bottle. From Norwalk, CT distilling company ... www.jeremiahweed.com for more info. 2) Pear Williams Alto Adige-Sudtirol ( $37.99 a 750ml bottle, 40% alc. by volume, Osterreichischer Williamsbrand ) pear brandy is also " new and exciting ". 3) HIGH WEST Distillery " The 36th Vote " Barreled Manhattan ( $54.99 ) is Manhattan made with rye whiskey and vermouth, 37% alcohol by volume is also " new and exciting". So much that's new to consider. This is a good thing. " The 36th Vote commemorates Utah's role as the deciding vote to end Prohibition". 4) ATLANTICO Ron Private Cask Rum from the Dominican Republic ( $29.99 ) will be here tomorrow or this week anyway. It's owned in part by singer Enrique Iglesias and I believe that we will be tasting it here shortly. Sounds pretty exciting. Will Enrique be here for the tasting? We sure do hope so. Perhaps we could get him to sing a couple of songs during the tasting? What do you say Enrique?!? Venga aqui por favor ... WEEK'STASTINGS : Friday, July 15th, 2011 ( 5-8PM ) : We have wine rep Ann Skillman back again to taste her wines from India called THE GOOD EARTH which includes a dry, spicy, flavorful 2998 Reserve Shiraz " Brio "( $22.99 ), an earthy and old-world style Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ( On Special for $19.99 the " Basso " ; and a dry white Sauvignon Blanc 2008 ( $16.99 ) : all three from Nashik, India. Join us, the wines are exceptionally nice and great with flavorful meals as they all have tons of character and personality. Nothing light-hearted or innocuous here. Oops, that was last Friday! Were you all here? Thanks Ann for the tasting. Sorry I missed it but I was at the Outer Banks chilling. Friday, July 22nd, 2011 ( 5-8PM ) : We have Jeremy Sutton of Kysela Pere Et Fils here to taste a selection of his wines from France, Austria, Spain, and Italy. Saturday, July 23rd, 2011 ( 2-6PM ) : We have Matt of Washburn Imports here tasting some of his excellent selections which will include Chile and California and France I believe. What fun! Matt brings a lot of experience to the table here with him. He's been a really fine Washington D.C. waiter for years and can answer questions about that, too if you are interested. I WANT TO THANK all our reps for helping both Greg and myself last Saturday here as we were both off. I hear that things went really well. I AM SURE THAT I HAVE MISSED MANY THINGS but it's time to get this email to press and release it into the infinite cyberspace that is both exciting and mysterious, too. Come check on us and learn more at : www.clevelandparkwine.com, on Facebook at : Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits, on Twitter at : cpwinespirits, and at : chatwine.blogspot.com, chatpoetry.blogspot.com , too. Tell us what we may improve here. Let's always work together as a team. Some of the best work done ever is because of team work. Cheers and thanks as always for all of your support now and over the years. Let us know what we may do better for you all to repay in part your support and kindness. Take care, TONY Please visit our website below for more information, events and specials, and our calender of wine tastings! [1]www.clevelandparkwine.com If you have any orders, suggestions or questions, you may e-mail us at [2]sales@clevelandparkwine.com or call (202) 363-4265. References 1. http://www.clevelandparkwine.com/

Reconnecting With Gene Ludwig Again After Many Years Through Yesterday's Washington Post Business Section Article On His Company : Remembering Days When He'd Shop @ The Mayflower Wines & Spirits & Gave Me My One-Man ART SHOW @ Covington-Burling Law Offices: Thanks Gene!

Wow, that was so very many years and moons ago that I have to scratch my head and think hard about that period in my life back in the mid to late eighties when Gene would leave his offices above of Covington Burling at the corner of New Hampshire Avenue and M Streets N.W. Washington D.C. to discuss wine, art, life and family with me. We and our families became friends and we did some business together and it was a good time in our lives I believe. It was in mine, and I do thank Gene for giving me the chance to display and sell my art there in their law offices up on the steep walls in the inside upper court well that was like a shaft of life and light and art that brightened all the offices in this impressive building on pennsylvania Avenue. N.W. so very many years ago. First-class, all the way from having Annie Bissel hang my art and a lovely young lady write an introduction for me and my art, from the days in Paris, France when I painted and etched to the current days in Washington D.C. when I painted with acrylics and did many watercolors and collage pieces,too. Exciting times, feeling quite alive and inspired and motivated to carve my own place in time and to make a difference - to contribute something fresh and meaningful to speak to, to help and to please others in our community here in Washington D.C.

I was thrilled that Gene recognized my talent. Thank you for that Gene. That meant a whole lot to me then and still does today. I am sorry that our paths have not crossed much since the years 1999-2000 when they crossed again briefly the year I spent working at Addy Bassin's MacArthur Beverages. That was the last time I saw either you or your lovely wife , and the last time that I sold any wine to you.

Back at the Mayflower Wines & Spirits we would speak a whole lot about wine as you were spreading your wings and trying many wines, some which you had already heard of , and many that I would then recommend to you, have your complete and rapt attention, smile and both joy and keen interest.

I wonder today if you still like wine like you did then? Do you have any time to enjoy wine today? I bet that even though it seems you are amazingly busy that you still make time to enjoy both wine and food, and family and friends, too. I am sure of that. You find a way to bring them all together. You probably create times and invite people over to share in some of both? Just my thoughts, I'd have to have you one-on-one as it used to be so many years ago.

At MacArthur Beverages I do not feel that we ever had that one-on-one that we used to have and, at that point it saddened me greatly. I did find that time, however, that personal-meaningful one-on-one as I helped your wife with your needs then, and that was special for me, as working the year at MacArthur Beverages was quite special for me. Going back there was quite unique because even though I had been working wholesale for many years it never seemed like I had left as there were so many wonderful wines still for me to sell there from the eighties : mature and delicious and fully-ready to drink and enjoy immediately. What else could I have ever asked for?

From reading yesterday's article it sounded like the whole business is built on faith and trust and delivering results that work and portray things in the best possible light? Sounds right to me. That's how I like to conduct my wine business as I continue to help many individuals, one-on-one with whatever their need or wants might be? I try and get to that point where I understand what I am trying to do? for others and somewhat for myself as well, as I learn more each and every time that I stick my neck out to help others achieve their goals.

With my own art that I do it is much more open and instinctual and fed by the movement, the atmosphere, the place and time of day, the emotion, the state-of-mind that I am currently at?! I never quite know?

I do know that often I work " on empty " as I like to put it. I am at the end of the day, exhausted, at my end's wits and yet I push forward. I do it because something always results that I am pleased with. It may not be my very best but I am pleased that I went ahead and did it anyway. I have gained- I have learned from it somehow, and am somehow definitely better off as a result.

I also know that in this show that I worked on that it was a definite " family effort " that involved my whole family, including my father that came from San Leandro, California to be there with us for the opening of the show. I was thrilled to get his assistance as it was working down to the wire. I could not have done it all without the help of everyone, as there were signs to put up, labels, titles to be made for the works, etcetera. It was a magical evening and many people showed up for the show and I did, in fact sell some of my work : and it was invaluable exposure for me. I am thrilled that I did this, that I worked closely with everyone to get this done and I will never forget this important experience and period in my life. I still work very hard today with my art and at this point I am doing many quick portrait sketches of the owners and winemakers that I encounter each and every week at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits in Cleveland Park, Northwest, Washington D.C. that I have now managed for fourteen years. I take pictures of these people holding the sketches up to their heads and then give them to them as " my gift " as I want to thank them in the most personal way that I can with something from me to them showing them that I do appreciate very much their taking the time to come to the store and to taste their wines with me.

I look forward to seeing Gene and his wife again in the future. It was my wife that pointed this article out to me yesterday asking me if I had seen it? I said : " no ", but that I was very happy that she mentioned it to me, and that I would read it later. I did, and I enjoyed it. I read the whole article. My wife also mentioned to me that there was also an article on the famous Bordeaux property called Chateau Petrus. I was also happy to read that and it did make me both think and scratch my head once again as I thought about the vintage 1998 that they were touting as exceptional for red Bordeaux as well as for Chateau Petrus. I do not remember any of this. In fact I was always under the impression that 1995 and 2000 were exceptional vintages, even 1996, but not 1998? I know that it was a very fine vintage for sweet wines of Bordeaux like Chateau D'Yquem. Live and learn, live and let live, grow and let grow : I believe in all of that. I believe in relationships - friendships, trust and respect. I am so thrilled for all of this. I will write more. This is just the beginning here for me, inspired by yesterday's Washington Post article on Gene Ludwig and his group that

started with him alone in an office, trusting-believing in what he could accomplish, and has with hard work, a bit of luck, and perseverance. Cheers and thanks again Gene for believing in me so many years ago. I am glad that those talks of ours over many California wines like Liberty School have yielded such fruitful results for the both of us.

Take care, and until we next meet. I have passed your home in the past heading to Bobby Kacher's home where I have had some extraordinary times like the one with Betrand Ambroise and his daughter, that I had almost all to myself one delightful evening as we ate and drank really fine red and white Burgundy and spoke a mile-a-minute in French, I snapped away with my pictures, and Bertrand showed me how to drink his Corton red Burgundy with the meat that he had grilled and the red juice that it made and puddled the bottom of each of our plates. Bertrand was spot-on. I should have come and knocked on your door and invited you to come over? if I had thought of it I probably would. There's always a next time to look forward to Gene? You need to come over and sip some wine here at our home in northern Virginia and we can continue out talk about life and art and business and wine and food, family, friends, relationships. Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn Happy Monday afternoon everyone, August 5th, 2013. it's absolutely drop-dead gorgeous here now with low humidity, a breeze, baby blue skies and a few beautiful white puffy clouds drifting along ever-so-slowly-majestically: everything bathed in pure sunlight, and many bumble bees here and incredible yellow and black-blue butterflies going from lavender and white Plox to shades of lavender butterfly bushes as well. TONY 2:42 PM ... ahhhhh, I absolutely love it and am delighted to post this now. Sante a tous!

Seeing Savion Glover Tap Dance @ The Warner Theatre Sat. March 31st, 2012 @ 8PM W/ My Family : Transporting Experience For Me!

I loved this performance, really I did. Savion Glover is one his own wave length and still searching and exploring and it took me by complete surprise as I sat there in my seat in the orchestra at T 13 last night, Saturday just after 8 PM on March 31st, 2012 at the Warner Theatre.

It was great to watch the people arrive : more arrived closer to 8 P.M. and I loved looking all around me and at the people that were guests like my family and me and at those that worked there. The chamber that we were in all guilded gold and all and speaking volumes of wear-and-tear and history in itself was quite a treat and a lot for me to assimilate and digest. I did not mind. I listened to conversations all around us, too.

Vince and his son Will came in and walked past us to our right and I called out three or so times : " Vince ". He finally heard me and turned around and smiled and said he would come after they found their seats up front. They did and I introduced them both to my wife, daughter and son and we chatted briefly before they headed off in search of refreshments?

At one point my son saw someone with a box of popcorn and he immediately said that he wanted one, too and he was off in search of one. He got one, the box was passed down to us all and we each had some and then it headed back to him and I am sure that he finished it all off without a hitch.

The lights started to dim, the curtain rose and there was a solitary figure in profile on a slightly elevated stage in a hood and around him in front just off to the right were some smaller figures in hoods, too. A voice spoke to us all in the audience briefly : four or five lines and made some statements and then the figure on the stage in profile to us all with his right side visible started to tap with his feet and the show started. The smaller hooded figures simply stood there and the only sounds to be heard were those from the figure's feet on the stage : the thumps, bumps, scrapes and scratches. He moved his feet around and sometimes appeared to use them like two brushes or pencils, pieces of chalk : whatever - as he moved them in circles and fluid motions as if he was painting or telling a story in sounds that mimicked words and dialogue and music and dance, too. Basically he used his two feet to tell his stories ( or simply go on his personal safaris ) with the sounds that he could tap out like Morris Code , or like drums, or like his voice and his body that he could make us aware of through his shoes that talk for him, his sould, his heart, his guts - through his two feet.

It's a whole lot to digest and it all hit me like a whirlwind with a force of sounds that swept past me like a howling wind : like Bob Dylan's " Idiot Wind "! I was startled, I was tired having worked all day long selling wine at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits where I manage the wine store. So I was a bit wanting to sleep in my seat and yet I could not : this hooded figure in profile with his two feet tapping away on the floor of this small stage kept shaking me awake - kept jarring my brain, kept pressing on me to get me to listen better and to fit the pieces together in a meaningful way for me that could then become meaningful to me.

That's what Savion Glover wanted, that's what he was doing : speaking to himself first and then to me and all of us secondly as he tapped away!

I never got a chance to finish this and for that I am sorry. It's now Monday, August 5th, 2013 at 11:28AM here in northern Virginia my home on my day-off and it's one of the most beautiful days so far this summer with low humidity, baby blue skies, a breeze, puffy white clouds scattered up above and awash in this delicate blue : the sun filtering the blue, the sun's shine delineating and accentuating the brilliant white of these floating white castles . I'm loving it , much like I loved watching Savion Glover dance. THE ONE real moment for me in all of this is when I started to imagine Savion dancing to the beat of John Mayall's classic song from way WAY , long ago : " California ." I do not know if Savion knows this song or not but I must say that I believe he does and that, in some way it must have influenced his dancing on this wonderful evening. I love both. Cheers and bravo Savion. Hope our paths cross again soon some day. Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn check out my : chatpoetry.blogspot.com page as well. Happy Monday! TONY 8/5/13

The Album " Relish " From Singer/ Writer/ Musician/Artist-EXTRA-Never-Ordinaire-Only : Joan Osborne & Her FABulous Band, With AMAZE-ingLY RAW, From DA GUTS, The DEPTHS Of THE COLLECTIVE SOUL Of Her & Her Band Mates & Any Others That Contributed THEN To Make One Of The MUSICAL WONDERS Of The Whole World To Be TREASURED As I Do : Cheers, Bravo EVERYONE Involved In This AMAZE-ing Feat!

( I took these two photos from Joan Osborne's band's Facebook page : I hope that they do not mind? Let me know. Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 8/4/13 Happy late Sunday, August 4th, 2013 ... the time I often refer to, being an artist myself, as : " working on empty ! " Have a great Monday. Cheers. I will be writing more. This is just the start for me on this. TONY ... " Dacula Moon " ... you sing " ... I'm just falling from grace ... ". What can I say Joan, that says it ALL. I LOVE every song on the " Relish " album EXCEPT " One Of Us " which I NEVER listen to. EVER, never ! How did THE whole world get it wrong : every song on your Grammy-winning album is brilliant from : St Theresa " to Dylan's song to " Crazy Baby " : I LOVE them all. I am so happy that years ago I discovered this album and painted much of my first house to sell before moving into this, our second house. I am so pleased that I saw / heard you sing here in northern Virginia at the Birchmere. I am so thrilled that on the napkins of the Birchmere that I wrote my thoughts and feelings down while you were singing. I am so happy that I gave the napkins to two ladies that worked at the Birchmere to give to you with my business card. I am so sad that I do nor know if they ever gave them to you as I never heard from you. Anyway, I have just been listening to your songs on " Relish " now, on Sunday, August 4th, 2013 as I see our American Swedish neighbors on their return from Sweden and mourn the cutting down of the miniature Redwood tree that grew in their front yard that represented for me the best tree ever in our neighborhood. I have been sad for two weeks now and listening to your music was the best balm and elixir for me after enjoying both some BASTIANICH dry white Ribolla Gialla that they make from their Slovinian winery a " stone's throw " away from their winery in Friuli, Italy : and to a Tempranillo dry Spanish red , too. There could be no better music : you GIVE IT ALL, your music, the lyrics, the band, too : GIVE IT ALL. Bravo! Thank you for singing from your guts and your soul, so raw, so rare, so precious, to unexpected : so welcome to me: it's saved me so many times. as I have always ALWAYS been falling from grace, and continue to do so, and take succor from the album " Relish ". Cheers and bravo , I love it! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn Happy Sunday, August 4th, 2013.