Woodinville, Washington 11 September, 2015

Everyone still buzzing over last night’s show.  I forgot to mention in my notes that our pal Ruth Moody joined us last night on stage for three or four songs making the evening all the better.

It was our first flight of the N. Am. tour today, a Legacy of course.  Our hostess Debby had a lunch of sushi that was fresh as it gets and delicious.  A quick 25 minutes and we were down in Seattle followed by a 20 minute drive to Woodinville and the Ste. Michelle Winery.  The last time we played this wonderful outdoor venue was in 2005.  I guess that it’s true, time flies when you’re having fun, because it honestly seems like only a few years ago that we were here last.  It must have made a big impression because I remember it so clearly, yet I couldn’t even tell you what I had for breakfast this morning.  It’s a great gig, with all kinds of food concession stands and of course the delicious Ste. Michelle wine is available for purchase all around the grounds.  The official capacity is listed at 4,300.  I dunno, all I can tell you is I saw a bunch of very happy people for as far as my eye could see.  Another smashing gig, tonight’s show was actually an added on show.  Tomorrow’s was the booked show and it sold out in 5 minutes.  A great place to see anybody I would think.  The audience was ear shattering and deliriously happy.  The music?  The wine?  A bit of both I suspect.

The dinner at the winery, served in the Manor House was exceptional as it was cooked right there in the house kitchen, steaks wrapped in bacon, fresh vegetables and a cioppino that was one of the finest things I’ve ever eaten.  Cioppino is a fish stew originating from the late 1800’s in San Francisco, a dark red tomatoey based, tangy, rich stew with shrimp, clams, chunks of white fish, scallops.  It was so good I had three bowls of it and just writing about it makes me wish I had some right now.  I never made it to any of the other dishes but was assured they were equally remarkable.  I really must find a good recipe for cioppino and get cracking with it when the tour ends.  It’s a perfect autumn and winter dinner with some crusty sourdough bread and an ice cold glass of white Bourdeaux.

A runner back to Seattle where we’ll spend the next couple of nights and head back to Woodinville tomorrow afternoon for our second show.

So long,

Richard