Chico-licious! (or Chico & the Man)

From Alameda we went to Chico where Liss had a retrospective at 1078 Gallery.  (Here's an article written about her for the show.) This is what I have to say about Chico - it was great.  Really.  The people at the gallery were great, (Carla Resnick, holder of 4 positions at the gallery, and I bonded over beer and compost - check out her blog at www.permacal.blogspot.com), we were invited to brunch by members of the local lesbian community, and it's the home of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.  Do I sound like I'm easy to please?  It just sounds that way - don't be fooled.
   Before her screening, Liss and I had time to kill, and we sat in the park where Liss asked me whether I could rock a small town.  This is one of the tensions I often go back to - the proverbial city mouse/country mouse thing.  As someone who has moved a lot, I like to think I could find my way in almost any locale, and I often fantasize about living in the country.  However, there are often things outside one's control - oh, like homophobia.  Nevertheless, some thought I wouldn't be happy outside of New York (okay, I was one of those people), but I'm finding my place in Hamilton.  I'm not saying I want to move to Chico, but there are some things that appeal to me in a smaller locale (we'll get more on this in my post about Trinidad, California).
    The other thing that became apparent in Chico is my inability or reluctance to speak about my own work.  I functioned more as Liss' partner (or arm candy, as I like to imagine) than as a writer and artist in my own right.  This is partly my fault because if you don't ask me, I won't tell you.  I need to work on this.
   We only have one photo from our trip, and it's from the 24-hour restaurant next to our hotel in Oroville (no room in Chico because the Wildflower Ride was that weekend).  This sign is awesome.  It was totally hand-done.  You just don't see that kind of work anymore.  Check out the juicy drumstick!

   Liss and I are going to put in a proposal (as Shake-n-Make) for 1078 Gallery.  Hopefully that'll mean we'll be back in Chico sometime in the near future.