Figure on the moon, with satellites and fish hook. Pencil and ink on dew-soaked paper. Found folded into quarters, a heart inscribed on the upward-facing panel. Left at ATM. Artist unknown.

( More pictures behind the cut. )

As seen around town: Helen Putnam's 'Stache.

Spotted around town: Sad Bunny misses George Carlin.

Spotted on Kentucky Street while wandering around last night in search of food. Downtown Petaluma looked like a ghost town, deserted, with wind-blown plastic bags scuttling down the street and the moans of distant zombies.

I'm home from WHC 2008, despite entanglements with hordes of infected, diabolical government agents, armored anacro-luddite separatists, and Scottish punk rock hotrod cannibals (or was that just the Neil Marshall flick we caught on Monday?). I met some great people, picked up a few books (reviews coming), and took a bunch of pictures. But first... the quote of the weekend:

"Are you musicians?"
"No ma'am. We're publishers."



Inspiration strikes Jeremy Lassen while visiting the hotel bar.


The Night Shade Books table in the dealers' room.


Stack 'o Wastelands.

( More stuff behind the cut... )

Peter Pan

Last week, we had the opportunity to check out one of the premiere dramatic events in Petaluma, a show that almost didn't happen, due to the injury of one of its lead actors (which delayed opening night by two weeks), and another of its lead actors opening-night illness that brought an unexpected understudy to the stage... but as they say, the show must go on. And what a show it was. Pirates! Indians! Mermaids! And a tap-dancing crocodile! Of course, I'm talking about the Meadow School Drama Enrichment Class presentation of James M. Barrie's Peter Pan, one of the great adventure plays of the 20th Century.

As usual, the presentation by the Meadow School students was nothing short of amazing. The young man playing Peter brought a little bit of extra realism to the part, thanks to the cast on his arm. Captain Hook and Smee stole every scene they were in, and that tap-dancing Croc... most impressive (what a costume!). Special kudos go to Wendy's understudy, school principal Melissa Becker, who played her role in such a subdued manner that it focused attention on her young castmates.


The play climaxes aboard Captain Hook's pirate ship... and what a great-looking ship it was!


The cast takes a collective bow.


The play's directors, Kassie Nixon and Janine Arendt.

( More stuff behind the cut... )

We just got back from a walk in the rain. I thought for sure it had stopped when we left the house, but shortly after we reached Wickersham Park, the clouds opened up and the waterworks let loose, soaking me and Maddie. Here's evidence:


"Nice hairdo, Maddie," I said. "More of a hair-don't." I reached for the towel. "And you smell like a wet dog."

"How do you think I feel?" asked Maddie. "I am a wet dog. And you smell like a wet human."


Found in the park: "I do not speak French." What could it be?

( Find out behind the cut... )

"I'm having fun in San Diego," says Maddie. "Even if it is a little bit exhausting, going from place to place and meeting people and eating stuff. We drove down on Tuesday. It was a long, long drive, but I slept for a while. Oh, and I've got a new car, which was a big surprise, but those pictures didn't come out so well. It doesn't smell quite right, but I've been rolling around on the back seat, trying to remedy the situation.


"As always, we did make one special stop on the way down. Ross and I waited, while Jennifer ran inside.


"And we waited, and waited, and waited...


"She'd better be bringing me soup and onion cheese bread."

( More of Maddie's adventures behind the cut... )

"Okay, that's weird," said Maddie. "I've never seen a tree wearing a sweater before." She paused, sniffed at the yarn, scratched an ear, then looked up at me. "Do trees get cold?" she asked.


"It's knit graffiti, Maddie. Wow. I've seen pictures of it online, but never in the wild." I looked up and down the tree. "That's pretty cool."


"Oh," said Maddie. "So a person did this?"
"Yeah," I answered. "It's kind of like a guerrilla beautification project. Since we get so used to seeing ads and brands, stuff like that, some people, like taggers, have taken to interjecting crafts into the public space. It's a way of shaking people up, making them think."


"So the tree's not just cold?" asked Maddie.
"No, trees don't really get cold like we do. Why?"
"'Cause it's pretty chilly out here," answered Maddie. "And seeing this tree all wrapped up and cozy made me wish I'd remembered to wear my hoodie."

For more on Yarn Tagging and other knitted graffiti, look here, here, or here.

( And for some old-fashioned, property-damaging graffiti pics, check behind the cut... )

What follows is a visual record of my adventure at World Fantasy 2007.


Welcome to Saratoga Springs, where our entire economy is based on conventions!


And horses abound (as do Caucasian lawn jockeys).


jlassen in front of the Night Shade Books table, my home for the last five days. Have zoot suit, will travel.

( More and more and more behind the cut... )

Maddie stops for lunch at the newly-opened Walnut Park Grill (in the spot that used to be Quinley's): "What do you mean we can't get both onion rings and sweet potato fries with our veggie burgers? I'm hungry!"


Spotted on a stop sign on 5th Street: "Sup foo?"


Spotted on a parking sign across from the library museum: "Dennis Daniels: Komin at your face!"


The Herald of Winter: Snowman 2007.

After this morning's weather-induced blackout had passed (We spent our powerless moments putting together a puzzle and listening to a battery-powered radio. How about you?), we decided to brave the rain and venture forth for our usual Saturday walk downtown.

We stopped at Starbucks, only to discover (Horrors!) that they'd run out of soy milk, so we made our way, espresso-free, to Copperfield's, where I picked up a few books downstairs: A Song of Stone, by Iain Banks, The High Window and The Long Goodbye, by Raymond Chandler, Karl Edward Wagner's Robert Howard pastiche Legion from the Shadows, and Fritz Leiber's Conjure Wife. We stopped back by Starbucks after leaving Copperfield's to find that soy milk had been delivered. And there was much rejoicing.

From there, we made our way over to Theatre Square in order to check out the grand opening festivities.

We'd just walked onto the plaza, and were standing between Toys West's balloon-tying magician, Twistyman, and Jennie Low's sample fortune cookies and princess chicken when Maddie pawed at my leg. "Omigoodness," she said. "It's Elvis."
"What?"
"Elvis is here. How's my hair look?"
"Maddie," I said, shaking my head. "We're not calling any tabloids."
"No, really," said Maddie. "He's here."
"Maddie, Elvis Presley died in nineteen..."
And that's when Elvis sauntered over.



Not Elvis Presley, mind you, but Elvis the Papillion, along with his human, Frida.



"Oh, Elvis," said Maddie, batting her eyelashes. "You're so dreamy."
"Thank you very much," replied Elvis, with a curl of his lip.



Elvis and Frida demonstrated one of their parlor tricks as well, as she balanced him atop her head. Wow!

( A whole lot more behind the cut... )

Spotted while out walking this afternoon…


"198 Knows Your #."


As seen on a newspaper machine: Portrait of Emma Goldman.


"The model police state: of Petaluma." Maybe it used to say "City?"

( More graffiti (and poetry) behind the cut. )

Saturday morning, Jennifer, Maddie, and I met up with Jennifer Q, recently returned from her adventures d’amour in Seattle (but that’s her story, so you’ll have to have her tell it to you) for our traditional weekend walk downtown.

First, we stopped at the Post Office in order to pick up a package that the folks at Random House were nice enough to send me, containing a copy of David Anthony Durham’s Acacia: Book One: The War With the Mein, an epic fantasy novel that promises a dark re-imagination of Eurocentric fantasy tropes, weaving African and Arabian influences into the tapestry of its storytelling. A full review is forthcoming… just as soon as I manage to read it.

After that, it was down to Starbucks. While the Jennifers were inside, Maddie and I wandered through Putnam Plaza, running into the Rodgers pack. We said hello to Belle, Guinness, and Happy (and Ray and Jerene), and passed along our condolences for the recent loss of one of the pack’s members, Happy’s shadow, a lovable short-haired Shih-Tzu named Missy. Missy will be missed.


Belle.


Guinness the Brave.


Happy, perhaps the most appropriately-named dog we’ve ever met.

( More pictures and stuff behind the cut... )

Here are a few things we spotted while out walking this weekend...


Broken drinking fountain in Putnam Plaza. "City Hall - Please fix this public drinking fountain. (Broken for over 6 mos.)!!!" While you're at it, City Hall, the fountain on the north side of Walnut Park needs fixing too.


Sticker graffiti on the mysterious door near Copperfield's: "We got the X-Rays back..."


Maddie pauses to check out the "New" window at Copperfield's. This month they're featuring the retro mosaic mirrors of Jan Frost. Well worth a peek. Just for the record, it's rather difficult taking pictures of mirrors through glass.


Abused egg cup, as seen near Fourth and Sea: "This is NOT a trash bin!" Of course not, silly, it's an ashtray, and an expensive one at that.


Maddie: "That's enough pictures, can we go to the toy store now?"

Charlie's Angels...


Charlie: "I wanna be Farrah!"
Peanut: "No, you can't be Farrah, Charlie. Tppht!"
Charlie: "Wait? Why not?"


Peanut: "'Cause you're a boy, silly!"

( More and more behind the cut... )

Maddie marvels at how quickly the construction at Rex Ace Hardware is coming along.


Window display at P.S. Caterers: Hedgehogs and Legumes.


If you can't get a historical building plaque, a marble marker is the next best thing. Flower added by a neighbor who didn't think it should look quite so grave. Or something like that.

( More stuff behind the cut... )

"Marilyn: Sleep in Fame." Sicker found in streetside planter.


"Upside-Down Library." Sticker found on streetlight pole.


"Big Zombie Teeth," by Boga. Found on trash can support pole in front of Dead Dog Coffee.

More behind the cut...( Read more... )

I just realized that my clock has stopped, and that it's half an hour later than I thought it was. No wonder I'm tired. The real bummer is that I have to get up at 4:45 a.m. Ugh.

But I'd rather post pictures than sleep, so... here's what we saw today:


A graffitied lost dog poster. I hope he made it home.


A shoe tree.


Randy and Charlie. Does that chair look familiar?

More behind the cut...( Read more... )

I'm up early (for a Sunday), trying to finish up a couple of things before the weekend completely disappears (but instead, being completely distracted by the latest news and images from Toy Fair), but I thought I'd get a few of yesterday's pictures posted...


Maddie, ready to go out for her walk.


Remember last weekend's graffiti stencil skulls, and how I was certain that I'd find a third one? I guess I just didn't look hard enough. Here's #3, found on the bandstand at Walnut Park...


...and #4, defiantly sprayed on the "Skateboards and bicycles prohibited on sidewalk" sign across the street from the library museum.


Valentine heart on a brick, downtown.