The Obligatory

Got back from Seattle last night, and absolutely loved it. It was a land of microbrews, coffee, music, history, seafaring, bad weather and efficiently-planned neighborhoods ... in other words, better than I ever thought it would be.

As I visit more and more cities, my "Top 5" list gets more and more difficult to work out. Boston was number one for a long time. Then London bumped it off, only to be replaced by Boston again. San Francisco held top billing for a long time, before the Oregon Corps of Discovery Tour 2005 threw Bend, Medford, Astoria and Portland into the mix. Now Seattle and Portland are neck and neck.

One thing that's sure is that Los Angeles will never, never be anywhere on that list. I am convinced, now more than ever, that I really do live in the worst metropolitan area in the country. Were it not for my work (and, potentially Amoeba Records), I would have very little reason not to pack up and move somewhere much, much better.

But oh well. I'm stuck for now.

I'll recount the major events of Seattle later on this week. Here's a short list of keywords to pique your interest. Or make you stop reading this thing for a few days:

1. Underground
2. Rain
3. Guitars
4. Beer
5. Fish

Labels: travel

I live in North Dakota. I know the battle is over metropolitan areas, but really, whenever you think LA is bad, think of my town and remember how great a thing Amoeba Records really is. If I could be anywhere right now it would be Amoeba Records or Newbury Comics.

Have you ever been to the underground in Portland? I live there, and let me tell you, it is COOL. Not as organized as it is in Seattle (I haven't been on the tour there, but from what I've heard of it) and it's much more intimate.

aim: tinaxduzgen.