Tour Diary: Hello chicken!

(June 2, 2012) WILMINGTON, DE — I spent the day in Wilmington, Delaware. This is my first time in Delaware and the little bit I’ve seen has been lovely.

I started the day by walking through Arden, a planned community founded in 1900 to serve as an artists colony. I went there to interview guitarist and singer Judith Kay, who’ll be on Monday’s episode of The Jazz Session. It was a fun interview in a gorgeous setting.

My friends Jill and Matt and I then went to the Bellefonte Cafe, a charming spot run by Donna Rego, a former artist rep for Virgin Records who worked with the Smashing Pumpkins and many others. The food was wonderful — I had the vegan sandwich with avocado, sprouts, cucumber, tomato, onion and garlic olive oil. Yum! Jill and Matt, who perform together as Hot Breakfast (“Delaware’s Premier Acoustic Dork-Rock Power Duo!) play there often and pack the place. If you’re in the area, check them out.

While at the cafe, I met photographer Kevin Vincent, who took photo “B” here. Vote for him, OK?

Speaking of Jill, I’d be shirking my duty as your official “Jazz Or Bust” tour correspondent if I didn’t mention this:

Inside this container (at right) is a piece of pie Jill’s mom made her for her 30th birthday. Jill is now 41. That is not a typo. In fact, Jill no longer celebrates her own birthday. She has parties for the pie.

I spent the afternoon booking more interviews for the tour, including John D’earth, Donald Brown, Robert Jospe and a few more. Between the interviews and the poetry readings, things are really shaping up nicely. It’s exciting!

(Aside: Nighttime is always a challenge when life is uncertain. At least it is for me. Last night was the first time I was really struck by the weight of not having a home to return to. I lay there thinking that this tour is happening no matter what. I won’t be sleeping in a bed I can call my own for quite some time. That’s mostly thrilling, but there’s definitely a part of me that wants the security of a place to go back to.)

After an afternoon of getting things done, Jill and Matt and I had dinner then went to an amazing arcade and bar called 1984. If you’re ever in Wilmington, go. They were playing 80s music on the speakers, showing Cannonball Run on the TV and the place was filled with video games and pinball machines — all for 25 cents.

Jill (above) got the high score on the Hurricane pinball machine. I played Joust, Galaga, Frogger, TRON, Centipede and quite a few others, plus several games of pinball. WIN.

The other thing I did? Laundry. Here is every piece of clothing I have on the trip, with the exception of the shorts and shirt I wore while doing the laundry:

Tomorrow I travel to State College, PA, to visit my kids and interview cellist TJ Borden. Then it’s on to Shepherdstown, WV. I’ll be reading poetry there on June 6 and also interviewing drummer Jeff Cosgrove.