Ithaca Redux

Ithaca is Gorges

I met up with Steve, Ben, Peter, & Jake from Daylow on Friday. The departure time was moved from 4:45 to 3:30, so I had to get a move on.

Steve, Ben, & I drove in one car. Poor Steve had pink eye, so every so often during the 5-hour trip, the smell of Purell would permeate the air. We loaded up on wet naps (you know, just in case Steve touched anything) and arrived @ Castaways in Ithaca early.

Daylow was slated to open up for Rising Sun and The Gunpoets, a hip-hop band from Ithaca. Man, were the hip-hoppers out in force. Daylow went on @ 11:00pm, and ripped it.

Reflections on Ithaca:

Gullys and Gorges. Granola and grins. Lots of good vibes from the people. There is something to be said of a hip-hop show that was well attended by dancing hippies. The sight of many non-Africans with dreadlocks in the audience was a sure sign of a tolerant city. Rising Sun & The Gun Poets worked the audience for a full hour, and it still seemed like they could have continued without pause or breath. The audience, composed of local rockers & hip-hoppers was out in force, waving their hands, and dancing (some with oxygen tanks in tow!)

The Gun Poets CD was produced by local producer J-San, himself a local hero. It was at his house that we started our foray into Ithaca social culture. J's neighbor was a wonderful bundle of energy, who knew all to well that the success and longevity of a large party was nearly impossible without keeping those party goers in the backyard quiet as church mice. he repeatedly implored all in earshot to quiet down with extra long "SSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH's". I even echoed him to see if we could start a trend. To no avail. 5.0 Rolled up 2-deep, and began the hustle of visiting party after party to address noise complaints.

Party Number 2.

Ben and I were left to our own after the show. The other band members of Daylow took off on their 5.5 hour trip back to NJ. The shut down of the first party led to an invitation for the party to reform @ our hosts house.

Ben and I made bee-lines towards our sleeping accommodations. 2 couches in the main living room were provided for R&R. Soon after our arrival, a WII tournament had commenced in our bedroom. moving tot he kitchen, our host was busily preparing cheese quesadillas & Cheese tortellini. I had some girl talking my ear off about crystals and energy harnessing. My main focus for the evening was clear: try to drop some flow, with Ithaca's best of the best.

No use. Too tired. Fell asleep.

Waking up @ noon, our host provided us with driving directions out of town that would have us pass some of Ithaca's famed waterfalls. I was floored by the curves of Ithaca, drunk on the views from the descending twits in the road, and encouraged to visit again for a longer period of time. I passed what I think was the Cornell campus. It looked like Hogwart's school of Wizardry as we whizzed by the collection of stately buildings.

It was great spending time with Ben, An Alabama transplant from 11 years ago. I did learn something very important: Do not ask a truck stop counter person to remake your tuna sandwich without brushing up on your diplomacy skills.