Big News

This past March marked two years since I moved to LA. This is crazy to me. The other day I found my long lost Marc Cohn cd and immediately popped it into my cd player and my car was enveloped with the soundtrack to my life of two years ago. I was obsessed with that record, I listened to it for most of the cross-country drive from Nashville, for most of the two months I was in the Bay Area before I moved to LA, and for most of the first spring I was here. It’s true that a ‘melody can bring back a memory’ (what! what! Clint Black). I was very nostalgic thinking about how daunting this place had seemed, what a long road seemed to loom before me; all the excitement and uncertainty. And now, LA too, has become home. I have found my niche, I love my neighborhood, I’ve become a way more aggressive driver, I have amazing, inspiring friends and a magical man- I am settled.
The gifts and the blessings I’ve received by moving here have been huge and numerous. Moving to LA was never something I had in my plan for myself, but as I am reminded time and again, sometimes you have to throw your OWN plan out the window and take a leap. It’s about that time for another one of those.
Jeremy and I are moving up to the Bay Area this summer! I almost can’t believe it’s really true, and it still astounds me that I’ve spent a good portion of my adult life waiting for a sign about when I could move back home and I come to LA and fall in love with a boy who has wanted to live there for awhile. One of the many reasons we are meant to be. We aren’t totally sure yet which city we’ll live in, be it San Francisco or Berkeley or even somewhere in Marin, just that this is our next adventure. I am so excited to move home and be closer to my friends and family up there, to breathe the air and hike all the trails and sit up in the Headlands and watch the Golden Gate Bridge.
Of course, this is also very bittersweet. As I said, I’ve come to love LA in all its crazy glory, but most importantly, I love all the people who have come into my life while I have lived here. Every teacher and classmate I had the privilege of meeting while at Musician’s Institute, everyone I’ve worked with at Hugo’s and the kids I’ve tutored, my family and Jeremy's family I’ve gotten closer to, the new friends I’ve made and the old ones I’ve reconnected with, it will be so, so sad to say goodbye to you.
A special thanks to Natalie Metcalf and Danny Byrne whose friendship and musical companionship have made an indelible mark on my heart and brought me so much joy. Getting to play and sing with you during my time here has taught me so much and I hope you’ll be up for taking some trips to the Bay for a show or two here and there :)
Before the big move, though, Jeremy and I are going on a fantastical road trip that has had a few incarnations of its own. What began as an idea for a month long camping expedition turned into something of an interactive mini-tour with blog posts and picture and video postings. We are still planning on lots of camping and sightseeing, but I’m going to play some shows along the way; the way being: all across the country. Everything is still in the works now but I’d love any input from you if you know of a cool venue in your city or if you’d like to host a house-concert or something, we are up for all ideas. In addition to all this, we’re also going to be raising awareness about Children of Strength, the non-profit so dear to my heart that supports a community in need in Kenya.
(http://www.kilimambogo.org/)
Stay tuned for more details about the road trip/tour and where we will land afterwards, and in the meantime I will be soaking up all the little bits of magic springtime in LA has to offer. Thank you for your continued support!!!