MADRID, NEW MEXICO - Once upon a great while, one happens upon a shop unlike any other. A shop that is as much inviting as it gives pause. In Paris, there’s such a shop called Deyrolle. In Madrid, New Mexico (pronounced “MAD-rid”), lives the American equivalent: ROCKpaper gallery.

Madrid is a small, dusty, cool little town of 200 souls, about 50 miles northeast of Albuquerque. No stoplights (or stop signs for that matter), the town was used as a backdrop for the film “Wild Hogs” (don’t bother) which has helped to boost tourism to the area. Madrid is chock-a-block with cafes, shops, and art galleries of all types, one might describe it as a less-pretentious Canyon Road. On the weekends, the town swells from tourists taking the long road to/from Santa Fe.

Anyhow, back to Rock Paper. Almost a year ago to the date, I happened into this place - a welcome relief from after several hours of gallery wandering. Upon entering, a strange feeling of familiarity came over me. Don’t know why, but the place just had this deja-vu quality and an interesting vibe: unassuming, sometimes macabre, perhaps even a bit daunting, but very inviting. The staff and owners are fantastic and happy to go into detail about any of the items for sale.

I returned to Rock Paper yesterday, and was admiring a piece called “Fallen Angel” (the legless, adolescent cherub shown bottom right in the photo at the top of this post) when the creator of the piece - Oma Anand Naren - strolled in. Oma is a local artist and had also created a few other, equally curious works on display. Much of the gallery is filled with works from by local artists. Rock Paper also has an impressive collection of curiosities created from found objects - apothecary jars, odd bits and pieces from the turn of the century - and as you might guess from the name, many, many scissors, both ancient and new. There is also an excellent photography exhibit in the rear of the gallery.

Bottom line is that if you find yourself in the environs of Albuquerque or Santa Fe, it’s well worth the short trek to Madrid. A visit to ROCKpaper will make your visit that much sweeter.

ALBUQUERQUE - I’ve been an aviation fan since I was a kid. Growing up, our street was on final approach to the Hayward Airport (KHWD), I’d forever be looking to the sky and admiring the single-engine Cessnas, multi turboprop SkyKings, and the occasional, massive, Air National Guard C-130 transports descending to land. Just after arriving at Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) this week to begin a short holiday, I had the distinct privilege of touring Eclipse Aviation headquarters and final assembly hangar.

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If you’re an airplane junkie like me, you’ll know that Eclipse has started nothing short of a revolution in the aviation world with the creation of the Eclipse 500 - the first Very Light Jet (VLJ) on the market. Much like the introduction of the Cessna was meant to make flying a private plane affordable for the average person, Eclipse is making a similar splash around owning and operating a private jet. The Eclipse 500 was certified by the FAA in 2006 and are rolling off the line at almost one per day. The plane is commercially viable as well and is currently in use by several air taxi companies.

The Eclipse facility is impressive, spanning four large hangars at ABQ. This isn’t Boeing, mind you, but these guys definitely know their stuff, have exacting standards, and everyone I met has a seemingly endless enthusiasm for the company and its excellent product. (Heather, my tour guide and sales support representative, is already down the track to acquiring her private pilot’s license.)

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The showroom and final assembly hangar are both spotless. The showroom features the first certified Eclipse 500, which now serves as demonstrator. Also in the showroom is the Eclipse Concept Jet - a sleek, V-tailed, single-turbofan Lamborghini of the private jet world. The Concept Jet demonstrator is jaw-droppingly cool and is apparently generating quite a bit of excitement among prospective buyers…can’t get certified soon enough. Also in the showroom is a working mockup of the new avionics system. (The Eclipse 500 practically flies itself, with the fully-redundant computers doing about 80% of the heavy lifting.) The tour was nothing short of fantastic, and I owe a huge thank you to the Eclipse staff…can’t wait to return. Check out this video of the Eclipse 500 in action.

So then, perhaps one day I will join the ranks of Eclipse owners, presented with a movie of my plane through each phase of development, and then watch in awe as the hangar door slowly opens.

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OAKLAND - Have you seen this?!?!?!  Got the tip-off while perusing Crown Dozen last week, and my stomach is still in knots from laughing so hard.  But hey, maybe it’s just me.  Regardless, hats off to the Super Deluxe crew.

Witness:

Larger: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AB7qL3volo

OAKLAND - It’s official (sort of)…20th Century Fox is releasing a new X-Files movie this summer. Perhaps you weren’t a rabid fan as I was, but it’s pretty damned cool. Original cast and all, plus…Billy Connolly? We’ll he’ll not doubt get killed off in the first few minutes. Xzibit? Huh? Come on now…somebody needs to tell that boy those aliens don’t want him sneakin’ around trying to pimp their rides. Really now. Anyway…

Witness: “Believe Again” trailer (fr. ‘08 Worldcon)

OAKLAND - So, anyone catch that Eels show Monday night? I missed out danggit! Anyway, after a brief hiatus I’m back to my regular music posts (and an actual blog site as well…hey I’m tryin’). I will make a strong attempt to push these music posts out weekly but we all know how life can suck up valuable time that could be spent on music.

Anyhow, here we go…

DJ JAMIE LIN // TONIGHT & 22APR
Get ready people, tonight is the night for serious ass-shakin with local fave DJ Jamie Lin at Blowfish in San Jo. (In case ya didn’t know, Blowfish = crazy good sushi!). Tonight Jamie will be spinning with her partner-in-beats Lyndsay (of 1015 FOlsom)…double trouble of the best kind. Jamie will also spin next Tuesday night at the Cardiff Lounge in Campbell. Go ‘head girl!
~ Escucha: http://www.myspace.com/djamielin
~ Venue: Blowfish Sushi, San Jose

HALOU // TONIGHT & 23APR/21:00
If you’ve read my previous posts, you know I can’t get enough of our own Halou. This time they’re not only coming at us with one, but two dates (three including last Wednesday’s show which I missed thanks to American Airlines’ ridiculousness): tomorrow and next Wednesday at Cafe Du Nord. Evidently they’re starting a residency at CdN - good on ya Halou! If you haven’t heard of or don’t know of these folks and are in the City, GO TO ONE OF THESE SHOWS. They also released a new EP, “Sawtooth” available on iTunes. Yummy.
~ Escucha: http://www.myspace.com/halou
~ Witness: “Everything Is OK”
~ Venue: Cafe du Nord, SF

FLYLEAF // TONIGHT
What can I say, I’m a Flyleaf fan. Yes they are from Dallas. (Nothing wrong with that, just don’t see TONS of bands who make it from The Big D.) Yes they are all Christian (not to be confused with a “Christian” band). Thing is, Lacey Moseley has an incredible range and a piercing, often eerie delivery matched to some fairly deep and personal lyrics. Worth your time, I say.
~ Venue: The Warfield, SF
~ Witness: “Breathe Today”

DENGUE FEVER // 18APR/20:30
You’ve probably not heard a band like Dengue Fever. Basically it’s 60’s Cambodian pop-meets-LA shoegaze, with an occasional horn section. You got it…crazy. I caught their show last year at the Treasure Island Music Festival, which was nothing short of fantastic and lots of fun. Dengue Fever are a suprising crowd-pleaser, so don’t miss this show!
~ Witness:
~ Venue: The Independent, SF

ATMOSPHERE // 08-09MAY
Ya just can’t fade Atmosphere. Boy got skills…Brotha Pass, approved. His new album “When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold” drops next Tuesday. Don’t miss the dope show next month.
~ Escucha: “Shoulda Known” (sneak listen from his new album dropping on 22APR)
~ Witness: “Trying To Find A Balance”
~ Venue: Grand Ballroom, SF

CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE // 9MAY
Don’t miss what will surely be another electrifying club set by DJ Christophoer Lawrence at Ruby Skye next month. (Speaking of Ruby Skye, you might want to start shopping now…less than two months until the 7th Annual White Party.) Anyway, get ready to light up the floor and tuck in for a long sexy night with your boy CL.
~ Witness: “Freefall”
~ Venue: Ruby Skye, SF

M.I.A. // 21MAY
You just don’t know this girl until you’ve experienced one of her hot-like-fire shows. If you’re not the type to wind up ya waist an’ grind pon de beat, ya got no kinda business at an M.I.A. show. If you’re even a little curious, though, the night will be unforgettable - sure to linger for a long, long while.
Witness: “Boyz”
Venue: Concourse/SF Design Center

FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS // 27MAY
Who’s the Boom King?! Jermaine and Bret - the boys from the Land of The Long White Cloud drop their funky riffs on us at Nob Hill Masonic Center. If you don’t know about FOTC yet, well…
~ Witness: “Mutha Uckers”
~ Venue: Nob Hill Masonic, SF

UPCOMING:

REM + MODEST MOUSE // 31MAY-01JUN
~ The Greek, Berkeley

ERYKAH BADU + THE ROOTS // 08JUN
~ The Paramount, Oakland

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE // 21 JUN
~ The Greek, Berkeley

OAKLAND - A stalwart attempt at latte art this morning.

A bit sad, yes, but my best yet. (Hey, it’s not as easy as it seems bucko!) Still going for the gold!

Oh, and if you must know, the machine is a Gaggia Classic, frothing aid removed, 2% milk.

((W))

MOUNTAIN VIEW - “Wireless communication is changing the way people work, live, love and relate to places” summarizes a special report on mobility published by The Economist last week.

It all just makes so much sense, doesn’t it? Mobile devices with always-on Internet connections and the ability to immediately respond to an email are increasingly making our lives easier (and, interestingly, more complex) and are fast becoming the norm in our connected global society. If it’s 11:30 p.m. in California and my business partner in India is firing off emails or my colleague in Dubai is on Skype, communicating with these folks “right now” just works - it’s highly efficient, usually quick, and those 15 or 20 of late-night chat will save a day or two of multiple-time-zone ping-pong.

“The most wonderful thing about mobile technology today is that consumers can increasingly forget about how it works and simply take advantage of it.” Mr. Kluth points out in his article.

How true. The report raises some interesting questions and data points about working in a “nomadic environment” and features like location-based services (LBS). Concerns are also raised, about the importance of that all-elusive work-life balance. Mr. Kluth: “Nomads are constantly juggling the social rights of colleagues, relatives and friends, as well as their own right to downtime.” I agree. My BlackBerry is verboten at the dinner table, for example. (Perhaps I should finally write that book on mobile etiquette I’ve been pondering for so long?)

I was talking with a friend yesterday about the virtues of the connected business. In her case, she runs a small artisan bakery and, like many small businesses, does just about everything on her own. For businesses like hers, the company website becomes much so more than brochureware or a “here we are” type of statement: guiding prospective customers to actually DO something upon visiting that website is critical. (At minimum, to view options, ask questions, and place orders.) If my friend is in her bakery cranking out specialty pastry and wedding cake orders all day - away from her home office HQ where her laptop/email currently lives - a smartphone would facilitate quick, efficient responses to customers, prospects, and vendors, and likely improve productivity by several hours each week. Consider that there are there are several million small businesses (SMBs) in this country, many of them in the same situation as my friend the baker.

Helping solve these issues is what I do for a living, but I’d be interested in comments on how you manage your mobile life. Are you taking advantage of the mobile technology available to you? If yes, does it make working/living easier? How? Why? Indulge me.

((W))

Image courtesy Flickr/Miss Karen

LONDON - Rickmob = Flashmob + Rickroll. And this may very well be the worlds first. Took place yesterday at rush hour - 6pm - at London’s Liverpool Street Underground station. By most accounts, the plan went off without a hitch and hundreds of off-key-Eddies sang “Never Gonna Give You Up” to their heart’s content. Classic.

Witness:

Gotta love that Facebook…can’t think of a more efficient way to organize a flashmob these days.

((W))

…until the gates open at Black Rock City, the home of Burning Man. To say this day can’t come soon enough would be the mother of all understatements.

Many have said they can’t describe their experience at Burning Man, only that it is life-changing and beyond the true definition of the word “awesome”. I took these affirmations, like most such statements, with a big grain of salt. That was before I participated in Burining Man myself. I now understand.

It’s a strange experience, this Burning Man. A phenomenon really. I won’t go into describing my experience because honestly I can’t put it into words (sound familiar?). What I will say, though, is that this particular week in the Black Rock Desert is very very very intense. So much so (and one doesn’t realize this at the time) that it takes a serious amount of resolve and focus to “decompress” and assimilate back into the norms of society. Things like seeing birds flying (Burning Man takes place in an alkali dry lake bed - no bugs, animals, vegetation, nothing), traffic, and the seemingly complete self-absorbed vibe most people seem to exude, seem completely foreign after a week of immersion in a overly giving and commerce-free society. My experience at Burning Man 2007 was like nothing before it (note that I was chemical-free the entire time), and I’ve reflected on some piece of that experience every day since. Every. Single. Day.

Needless to say, I’m more than looking foward to this year’s event. The theme “The American Dream” is quite interesting - all of the positive, negative, and downright weird things that notion represents. I’m quite curious to see what folks come up with. Like last year, I prepare (for what I fully expect to be an annual pilgrimage) with no preconceptions or specific expectations…only that I will learn many new things, make many new friends, have a fantastic time and then, slowly, return to life - “the Default World” - in anticipation of Burning Man 2009.

((W))

OAKLAND - So I knew I was in for it when I saw Google news widget blowing up on Monday night: “Hundreds of flights cancelled as American Airlines…”

Did I mention I had not an hour before stepped off an American flight from Dallas to San Antonio? Well I was hopeful that by the time I had to fly back home yesterday all would be well. It wasn’t. Wednesday morning, the feared became reality…the SnackBerry buzzed away with an SMS from aa@aaflightinfo.com. All I needed to see was the word “CANCELLED.” Yeah. All American flights out of San Antone…shut. After a quick call to the Platinum Desk, Plan B was in effect; I was off to Austin.

Easy drive to Austin and I was feeling pretty good. Until I left my stunna shades in the rental - I know, complete rookie maneuver. (After the Avis crew had a good laugh on me, they located my sunnies and kindly dropped in the FedEx) Meanwhile, the AA counter at AUS was complete bedlam - upset and stranded passengers everywhere. All was well and arrived at DFW without delay. Now the fun begins: three-hour layover…no worries. If I said the plane was a dead-ringer for a sardine can it would be a gross understatement. (Seventy people on the waiting list, people. Seventy.) So we’re about to taxi away and what? “This is the captain speaking. The FAA has just inspected our plane (which I later learned was the SECOND time that day) and did find a problem with…” Uh-huh. “…so it’ll be at least two hours before we can…”

Long story bit shorter, the stellar A-club folks snuck me on to the next flight (on unaffected equipment) and we arrived safely in SFO around Midnight-thirty. Even with all of that, I’m still an AA loyalist (700,000 miles and counting); they’ve treated me really well over the years and I will continue to give them my business for the people alone…(almost) always service with a smile. (Note to Mr. Arpey: FIRE YOUR EFFING CHIEF MECHANIC!)