santa cruz - lost boys - alan guilbert - NY Philharmonics - acres - band practice - sound insulations - geeks - steam roller - reverse polarity

[10:19:54 AM] pD says: hi nsy

[10:19:59 AM] pD says: thanks for the info on santa cruz

[10:20:09 AM] pD says: would you mind if i post it sans your phone number

[10:20:15 AM] pD says: makes for good references

[10:24:33 AM] nsy says: sure :)

[10:25:07 AM] nsy says: oh, and they are showing "the lost boys" movie on the beach where some scenes were filmed - next Wed, I believe. I can't wait.

[10:25:20 AM] nsy says: and the Moscow Circus is in town, they do a 45 min show on the wharf

[10:25:42 AM] nsy says: santa cruz rules

[10:25:47 AM] pD says: who are the lost boys?

[10:26:27 AM] pD says: this is from nsy - guru of santa cruz

[10:26:28 AM] pD says: Here are some links fro Santa Cruz...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Cruz,_California

Metro Santa Cruz lists events, and you can search by date and type:

http://calendar.metroactive.com/calendar/Events?StartDate=2006-12-18&EventCategory=&RegionCity=oid%3A5892&searchPhrase=

Wander along Pacific ave

http://www.downtownsantacruz.com/

Take the train!

http://www.roaringcamp.com/fares.html

Shakespeare is great for Babies!

http://shakespearesantacruz.org/summer2007/calendar.html

A good way to kill an hour or 2:

http://www2.ucsc.edu/seymourcenter/visitor_information.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Cruz_Museum_of_Natural_History

A bit off the beaten path, but fun:

http://www.mysteryspot.com/

Bonfante Gardens was recently purchased by Gilroy Theme parks, but is supposedly nice:

http://www.gilroygardens.org/

Off HWY 9 in Felton, this is an easy, paved loop through a section of old redwoods. Get a brochure at the visitors center, and follow the numbered items to get history of certain spots. Even better if you follow a volunteer docent. There is one older gentleman who knows all the "unspoken" history, and its is pretty interesting stuff. Only takes about an hour if you are slow.

http://www.bahiker.com/southbayhikes/henrycowell.html

The Beach boardwalk !

http://www.beachboardwalk.com/01_events.html

http://www.boardwalkbowl.com/events.html

Mini Golf:

http://www.beachboardwalk.com/02_neptunes_kingdom.html

Classic corner arcade games - yeah!

http://www.beachboardwalk.com/02_casino_arcade.html

You can walk from the Boardwalk to the Wharf. The only places I would recommend to eat there are Riva Fish House or Olitas Mexican Grill.

http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/08.16.00/riva-0033.html

Dining is actually better down town, which is about a 10 minute walk from the Wharf.

Kianti's is Italian-style family place. Good food (nothing fancy), reasonable prices, big portions, great service. They sing and dance and toss pizzas on weekend nights at 7 and 9. http://www.rojo.com/story/T4MN3675ZlDjpqRv

If you are willing to drive to Felton, the Tyrolean Inn is great Bavarian food! http://www.tyroleaninn.com/

If you want a really great (but pricey) adult dinner - make reservations at Pearl Alley Bistro. http://www.pearlalley.com/

Another good eatery, but requires driving down Soquel a bit is the Crepe Place:

http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/12.12.96/dining-9650.html

For dessert, just walk down town Pacific ave to Chocolat and order a copper pot of Sofia to share. Yum!

For breakfast, Walnut Cafe is the local favorite, but usually has a long wait. http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/02.14.01/dining-0107.html

Hoffman's also does a good breakfast, and everything else there is good, too! http://www.hoffmansbakery.com/aboutus.htm

Zachary's is also a local favorite. http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/06.14.00/zacharys-0024.html

If you are willing to leave the downtown and drive to food for breakfast, you have to try Cafe Brazil! Crowded, ling wait - but worth it!

http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/05.04.05/dining-0518.html

Nice lounge for adults after hours:

http://www.redsantacruz.com/

[10:28:05 AM] nsy says: just one of my top 5 movies ;). cheezy 80's vampire flick: http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/196737/ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093437/

[10:32:23 AM] pD says: cool!

[10:32:26 AM] pD says: i will put it on my list

[10:44:20 AM] AE says: wow pD. You know a lot about our back yard up here...

[10:44:23 AM] AE says: kinda... scary.

[10:44:34 AM] AE says: Guess where I'm going?

[10:44:39 AM] AE says: that's right! Running!

[10:44:43 AM] AE says: bye

[10:50:52 AM] pD says: in the meantime, pD shall sit on his butt

[10:51:09 AM] pD says: 's a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it

[1:01:10 PM] pD says: alan gilbert

[1:01:22 PM] pD says: is going to be the new boss at NY Philharmonics

[1:01:23 PM] pD says: http://nyphil.org/attend/guests/index.cfm?page=profile&personNum=478&seasonNum=7

[1:01:29 PM] pD says: hail gilbert

[1:02:03 PM] pD says: on NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/arts/music/18phil.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp

[1:16:07 PM] nsy says: gilbert is a chump - what's so great about gilbert anyway?

[1:16:15 PM] AE says: Wow! I just ran with my son. 5 miles!

[1:16:29 PM] nsy playing devils advocate to rattle pD's cage

[1:16:31 PM] AE says: who's gilbert?

[1:16:39 PM] AE says: *read read read read*

[1:16:43 PM] AE says: Ok. got it.

[1:17:21 PM] nsy says: greetings, runs-with-a-kid

[1:18:37 PM] AE says: hello. sorry i forgot to log back in. been busy?

[1:18:56 PM] nsy says: hey, AE... your opinion...how many acres must one have to host a "band practice" of the electric kind, and not infernalize one's neighbors?

[1:18:59 PM] AE says: I only had one install today, and one tomorrow, none Friday, so I think we're past the busy time.

[1:19:13 PM] AE says: uh... not an acreage issue.

[1:19:28 PM] AE says: it's an acoustic insulation issue.

[1:19:53 PM] AE says: if you have a flat field, or are in a canyon, sound can travel or bounce very far: hundred acres wouldn't be enough.

[1:20:16 PM] AE says: But, if you have a well insulated room, you could do it on a small lot.

[1:20:35 PM] AE says: are you talking out doors? Or just needing a place to practice?

[1:25:24 PM] pD says: on gilbert: well, it is all about buzz - anyone who does not think classical music is show biz is kiddin' themselves

[1:25:36 PM] pD says: the selection process has gone on for several years

[1:25:44 PM] pD says: so, it is the climax

[1:25:59 PM] pD says: btw, i am glad that they have come to their sense to hire somebody who is relatively young and an american

[1:26:24 PM] pD says: it is funny that most american musicians go to Europe and most Europeans come to the US to build their careers

[1:26:55 PM] pD says: now back to the band thing - for whatever it is worth, couldn't the instruments be plugged into a mixing board and headphones?

[1:27:25 PM] pD does not play electric guitar

[1:51:20 PM] pD says: for sound insulation, there are two things that you want to consider

[1:51:33 PM] pD says: speaking as a minor audio geek

[1:51:56 PM] pD says: one is the heft of the insulation and the other is the surface characteristic of the insulation

[1:52:15 PM] pD says: heft (the heavier) is the key determinant on how far the sounds energy will travel

[1:52:43 PM] pD says: so, in audio equipments, for example, lead is used a lot to minimize minor vibrations

[1:53:02 PM] AE says: i disagree.

[1:53:05 PM] pD says: surface area is a concern because depending on what it is, it determines how "bouncy" the sound is

[1:53:18 PM] AE says: you need something that absorbs vibration.

[1:53:28 PM] pD says: in other words, if you have a hard surface, there will be more echo/bounces

[1:53:30 PM] AE says: heavy objects can still transmit vibration.

[1:53:42 PM] AE says: true. but density is not the key to sound deadening.

[1:53:59 PM] AE says: you need something with dead air space; something that cannot vibrate.

[1:54:03 PM] pD says: the reverse is true, in that, if it absorbs all the sound, transfers it into heat - more specifically

[1:54:04 PM] nsy says: just looking for a good place for band practice. if your neighbors had a teenager with a metal band, what would you recommend to them?

[1:54:19 PM] pD says: it could also sound "strange" as it is not "natural"

[1:54:39 PM] AE says: how it sounds was not the question though.

[1:54:46 PM] AE says: the goal is sound deadening.

[1:55:04 PM] pD says: so, there are the two things that you want to consider - heft to protect your reputation, but it has to sound natural enough that the "practice" sounds real

[1:55:05 PM] AE says: *AE and pD steam roller past nsy....

[1:55:14 PM] pD says: * like always

[1:55:51 PM] pD says: so, if you wish to do it in an open space, i would suggest that you do it in a area with lots of shrub/tree

[1:56:19 PM] pD says: running water also acts as good insulation, but that requires you to direct the amp's in certain directions

[1:56:50 PM] pD says: so, this goes back to my original suggestion, if it is for practice, it would be best to hook everything up to a mixer and everyone can hear it via headphone

[1:57:15 PM] pD says: not sure this is being at all helpful

[1:57:35 PM] pD says: yakking away all the same

[1:57:55 PM] pD = the yakker

[4:02:41 PM] pD says: btw, nsy

[4:03:01 PM] pD says: did we make any meaningful impact on your acreage for the band question?

[4:07:16 PM] nsy says: nope, but it was an amusing debate. i like to stir the bees nest and watch the fray! (sinister laughter...)

[4:07:36 PM] nsy says: i'm guessing about 5 acres will do if you have an insulated room

[4:07:47 PM] nsy says: and the land is rolling and semi-wooded

[4:08:47 PM] pD says: well, i think the truth is that if it is indoor with an insulated wall, you may not need 5 acres.

[4:08:58 PM] pD says: but, i am assuming that you have a specific location in mind and that is probably okay

[4:09:31 PM] pD says: if you really want to make sure, just play a CD of their music and ride around the property on the bike to be sure

[4:18:59 PM] pD says: now, if you want to get fancy - and assuming that you have the equipments - you can direct the amp/speakers toward each other with reverse polarity

[4:19:45 PM] pD says: the effect is that the sound (waves) will cancel each other out for the most part. Think of it as a very large "noise cancellation" set that you can get on airplanes

[4:39:57 PM] nsy says: hm... good idea ;-p

===
NSA Chatters crew