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September 1, 2012:

SEPTEMBER SONG

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, it is September. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, August is but a memory, and September is here and it is my most fervent hope and prayer that September will be a month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful. Yes, let us sing a September Song about the warm September of My Years. But before we commence with September, perhaps a look back at the final day and night of August is in order. It wasn’t a bad day and evening as last days of August go. Happily, even though I did get up several times during the night, the neighbor’s sprinklers happily did not go on and I managed to sleep until ten – which means I think I got nine hours. I need a few more of those and I’ll be back to normal or something approximating normal. I got up, answered e-mails, printed out some orders, then went and had bacon and eggs and toast and tomatoes. After that, I picked up no packages and an important envelope. Then I did some banking at the bank. Then I paid a rather obscene number of Kritzerland bills. I then spent a couple of hours typing in a set of liner notes that had previously appeared in another booklet and which we’re reusing some of for an upcoming project. It was slow going but it was good to get it done. Then I made my suggested edits and sent it to its author.

Then I got another set of liner notes from another author (I’m so glad I got a little two release break from doing them), and read over those, then I got all that stuff to our designer who should be able to finish up the packaging for our next release. Then I listened to two upcoming masters, both of which sound amazingly amazing. Then it was time to get ready to go to a big fancy-shmancy nightclub show in downtown Los Angeles, California.

Last night, the Kritzerland designer and myself went to a big fancy-shmancy nightclub show in downtown Los Angeles. We left at six because we thought the traffic on a Friday night holiday weekend could be horrendous. That proved not to be the case and we got there in less than twenty minutes, which was pretty unbelievable. So, even though we were thirty minutes ahead of our reservation we decided to go in. The venue, the Cicada Club, used to be a fancy-shmancy men’s clothing store – it must have been the ritziest men’s clothing store ever, because the inside is astoundingly beautiful – you can see it in the film The Artist. There was a table out front where you purchase tickets to go in – unless you’re eating dinner, which we were – there’s no charge to see the show if you’re dining, which is a wonderful thing. As I was finding this information out a gentleman standing near the table, dressed in pinstriped forties suit with two-toned shoes and a fedora and a pencil-thin moustache smiled at me and said, “Hi, Bruce.” I didn’t recognize him until he said his name and then I knew who it was immediately. He is the producer of the Cicada Club shows and as producer goes under the name, Maxwell De Mille. I knew him as Stanley Sheff, a film editor and film director (Lobster Man from Mars) – we met in the mid-1980s because he lived in the same apartment complex (bungalows, really) as my friend and writer David Del Valle. And I’d even met him before that – if memory serves, we may have played in a poker game together. So that was fun. We then entered the club and it’s just a beautifully done room, with a bandstand, tables downstairs and upstairs and a dance floor. The Helper, who is part of a group of dancing and singing gals called Satin Dollz, had arranged for us to get a great table upstairs, which is really the best place to sit.

The menu was eclectic and Doug and I both ended up ordering the same thing – penne pasta arrabiata with crab and a small Caesar salad. The salad was very good, but the pasta was absolutely great – I’d go back and have it anytime. For dessert we split a small crème brulee that was also very good. The Helper came and hung out at our table and I met all the gals and we all took a photograph – you can see it on my Facebook page. Then it was show time.

The show is hosted by a singer called Johnny Holiday who is a nephew of crooner Bing Crosby. He’s an amiable sort with an okay voice. The ten-piece onstage band is headed by Dean Mora, and they were terrific. The jernt was jammed, with many people dressed in the style of the 40s – the whole thing was like walking into a different era, a time machine back to elegance. Many men were in tuxedos, and the ladies wore elegant dresses and gowns, had their hair done in the style, and everyone looked like they were having a grand time. The number of younger patrons was truly surprising. People were up immediately, dancing away. In the crowd was the amazingly youthful-looking Anne Jeffrey. There were several “guest” performers, none of whom I knew, including an actress/singer named Emily Bergl and a singer named Richard Halperin. The best part of the evening was the Satin Dollz. The dance, they sing, they’re cute as buttons, and have great energy. I’d like to see a whole show of just them. This is the first time these Cicada Club shows have been done on a Friday night – the Sunday night shows are usually a couple of hours. I’m afraid at three complete sets, this one went on way too long. The show began a bit after eight, and we finally left at eleven after the first of the Dollz third set numbers. It probably didn’t end until eleven-thirty or later. But we had a really nice time and I recommend a visit if you’re in the city, if for nothing else just to eat great food and revel in an old-fashioned club with people who are dressed to the nines (I’m afraid I was only dressed to the sevens because none of my nines clothing fits right now). The Helper even got me to do something I never ever do – dance. She took me down to the dance floor and we cut a rug. There IS film of this and I will try to post it somehow.

Then I came home, and now it’s late so why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get another good night’s beauty sleep.

Today, I shall hopefully arise after a good night’s beauty sleep. I then shall do nothing but relax, maybe jog, eat something light but amusing, hopefully pick up a package or two, and watch movies. There will be no work allowed this day or evening and I’m sticking to that.

Tomorrow will be more of the same, although I may do some writing if I’m rested enough. Then it’s the Hollywood Bowl – supping before, then the show, then home. Monday, although a holiday, is our first Kritzerland rehearsal with the main cast. Our guest stars rehearse on Wednesday, our main cast is back on Thursday, our stumble-through is on Friday and sound check and show is Saturday. Whew!

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, maybe do a jog, eat, hopefully pick up some packages, and relax both day and evening. Today’s topic of discussion: If you could take our haineshisway.com Time Machine back and live in any decade you wanted to, which would it be and why? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, singing a September song with my most fervent hope and prayer that September will be a month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful.

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