These Eyes

Oh I've seen a lot. Trust me. A. LOT. Yet with as much as these eyes have seen, I was not prepared for some of the images of the past two weeks. From the ridiculous to the brilliant, to the grotesque and unbelievable. A veritable visual smorgasbord of sights etched into my brain. Pull up a chair while I recount this visual feast.

____________________

Tybee Island- Ahh Tybee, something about crossing over onto the island has a way of putting your entire body at ease. Bitsy and I were spending the weekend as guests of Stayce and Lannie Jarrell and Oceanfront Cottage Rentals. Within minutes of arriving, Bitsy took a tumble and (be warned NOT for the faint of heart) THIS occurred. I warned you didn't I?
I certainly didn't need to see that either!
But like a good soldier she sucked it up, bandaged her mangled toe and we progressed to the Beach Bum Parade.
Where I was left with my mouth agape, and my sides aching from laughing so hard.
Floats of people, 100s of people, all in varying stages of undress waging an all out water war. High pressure, ice cold, buckets full, screaming, blue lips, sneak attack, boobs falling out of bathing suit tops, water war. Did I mention ICE COLD WATER? It was ridiculous. Truly the funniest thing I have seen in quite a while.

I will definitely be a part of it next year. Maybe.

____________________

Metter. Their slogan is "It's better in Metter". Trust me it's not.
Metter is always where we seem to stop, let the dog out, and fill up with gas. It's home to a strip of fast food joints and the Guido Gardens (yes that is really what it's called with nary a Jersey Shore cast member in sight) and not much else to the place.
It is where Coco's car decided to break down. Pump 10 at the Texaco to be precise. Like a smart girl she called me, her father, and a tow truck. The closest garage that can fix a Volkswagen Passat is in Statesboro. That's where her little car went. Subsequently that's where we went the following week to pick it up.

Fast forward one week.
Coco and I are making that long boring drive to Statesboro. Somewhere around mile 70 on I-16 we had a Tommy Boy moment. Driving along with a good bit of Memorial Day holiday traffic around us I see something suddenly flying through the air. Something that looks remarkably like a car hood. Something that IS a car hood coming right at us. There was absolutely nothing we could do but wait, brace ourselves and see where it would land. Hopefully not on our car or near anyone else's. Hopefully not crashing through the windshield and taking my head off. Like watching a piece of paper float in the air it went this way and that. The car who lost it's hood just cruised on not even tapping their brakes. I started wondering "Is that really a hood or maybe just a big piece of cardboard?" Suddenly it came crashing down in the grassy median right next to us (thankfully hitting no one). It stuck out of the ground like a giant metal monolith. A White Trash Stonehenge.
"Yep", I said as I looked at Coco, "it was a car hood".

____________________

Once.
Once in a while I bow down to the power of Facebook. Literally minutes before making the above 4.5 hour drive I notice a facebook status from Irish Foodie Friend Judith McLoughlin stating "Say it to me now, We are going to hear Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova tonight"
Immediately I comment WHERE!? I google and find they are performing at Atlanta Symphony Hall. Tickets available! Quickly I call Jimmy Leg. He says "Aren't you going to get Coco's car?"
While flying out the door I tell him "Hurry there's no time! Buy tickets!" and with that Coco and I were off.
(see story above)
As I am exiting the freeway, upon my return to Macon, I call Jimmy Leg. "Please iron my white jeans and have a glass of wine waiting for me when I run in the door" I tell him. He does both. I am so rushed and flustered to get ready and for us to get to Atlanta I don't even recount the Tommy Boy story. 10 minutes later I am back in the car for another 1.5 hours. At least I am in the passenger seat and no one's hood comes off.
Finally settled in our velvet seats the concert we experienced was pure brilliance. With lilting vocals, masterful arrangements passionate guitar playing, layers upon layers of strings and melodies, the entire audience felt as if we were in some kind of musical rapture.

It was the kind of night that only happens Once.

____________________

How does one top that kind of concert? With the 33rd Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival of course.
Different hang, different music, different vibe, and a good bit of rain.
Making the hang and being ever entertaining was Jerry Adams. His job, to make mojitos.


My two "Poncho Villas" and I weathered the storms and feasted on the chops of Diane Schuur, Spiro Gyra, Stanley Clark, and Hiromi.

It was delicious.

____________________

What's next on the menu this weekend?

June 4-
Start your First Friday at Macon Arts.
"Flying Solo" is the new exhibit from a trio of self taught painters.
5-8 PM Free


Music Matters in Macon. A concert to help support the Georgia Music Hall of Fame begins at 7:30 at the Douglass Theatre For more information call 478-742-2000
Tickets $17

June 4-6th
The Virginia Highland Summerfest
Kick off the summer season with spectacular art vendors, food and 3 days of free LIVE music.

June 6th-
Have you Lemongrassed? They are the perfect spot for Sunday Brunch. Lemongrass offers THE best brunch menu in town and Sunday Brunch drink specials. The crab cakes are a must!
Sunday Brunch served from 12-4 PM

It's your last day to see "Feats of Clay" The colossal works of world renowned artist Jun Kaneko at the Museum of Arts and Sciences. These ceramic sculptures are close to 13ft tall and weigh tons. For information call 478-477-3232

Jazz at the Douglass- The summer concert series returns.
7PM Tickets $5