Why Yes, That IS a Naked Man

Monday was the big day, the touristy day, my sister and her husband were showing me around their city, Amarillo. They asked the usual questions (what do you want to see, where do you want to go?), I had no opinions. The schedule got set as follows.




1. Stop at Palace Coffee (any time you are within an hour of this place,
stop).
2. Drop James off to do some work.
3. Guitar Center.
4. Blue Sky Diner.
5. Pick up James.
6. The 806 (a place that reminds James of a place where we used to go in
school).
7. Home by 1730 for the girls to make practice.

Early rising is not my forte as I have been off from getting to bed after 0500 for less than a week. I set 3 alarms to go off before 0800, Woke with the first one and popped the 5-hour I had set beside the bed. And slowly woke up. I had time to shave and enjoy a luxourious breakfast (banana and vitacake while streaming my eschatology and salvation mixes) and get ready before 0830. Since I still had a half hour to kill, I set out to explore Dimmitt.


Tabbetha had some business to take care of at the bank and they were running a little late, we finally got underway ~0925. The stop at Palace was good as expected. I picked up a mug, a pound of coffee, and some stickers. I really need to get a way of displaying my stickers. I think I got it. . .  will post up a pic when I get it finished. I got to meet Patrick (owns the shop) and gave him some of the Guatemalan Sofia from Sump (Do this if you are ever less than 4h from StL and enjoy coffee, but read the rules first). Then we headed for the city.
I find it interesting that folks get nervous as they introduce you to the part of the world that they are familiar with. I guess I do this, too. There is no need of this, will have to talk with the therapist on this. Merg, off topic, anywho.
We went to drop James off at Roaster's, there was no free spaces so James figured that there were no spaces inside either. We headed to Hastings, just behind to drop him off. Last nights dinner had worked through, so I went in with him to see a guy about a dog. Well the restrooms are all greenified in Hastings now so the lights come on as you enter. This tickled something in the back of my head, but I wasn't very mindful. . . timers go off in 5 minutes. If you are in a stall, you are unable to reactivate the lights. Dicey at best.
We then headed to the shopping center that contains the music shop. Jenna, Jay and I went in. Spent a little while looking at percussion and Jay wandered around look at stuff. Then we looked at the accoustics. Jenna really liked the Baby Taylor. Then played around with a 7/8th sized electric. I was teaching her some positional stuff (minor pentatonics & tonal centers). A couple of the older guys (late 50's and up) walked past, smiled, and nodded encouragement to her as she played. You could tell she really fed off of it. She has an amazing ear and a lot of talent.  After about 90 minutes or so, Tabbetha came in to get us for lunch. We grabbed some strings and picks headed out. Lunch was good at Blue Sky. Then we went and picked up James and headed for the 806.
The 806 is the area code in and around Amarillo. The coffee shop was a little dark and bordered between kitschy and kluttered. What is most important to know about this is that it is designed for a college crowd. The music is dark and loud, the clientele mostly in their late teens and early twenties. The age when you start feeling free and wanting to be your own person. I like this place a lot. There was a plethora of named drinks with various syrups, tea and coffee, and blends from carafes. I placed my order and asked if it was ok to take pictures. It was. They are below. As I looked around, on the back wall was a 4' acrylic painting of a reclined man with nothing on but an apple in his right hand. It explains why my older sister was quick to take the kids to go get gelato next door. Coffee was good, got some art done, gelato was reportedly good. All in all a good day.