The road trip of road trips...

Almost 1000 miles. Okay... just over 900. But it's quite a schlep. I'm hauling myself and numerous boxes in my car along the 101 or the 1 north into Oregon. Quite a trek! Here are some highlights so far:

• Getting started – I hit the road around 9am on Wednesday. After grabbing coffee and a banana, I headed north on highway 101.

• Hearst Castle – Wow! It's hard to believe that someone lived like this. On 200,000 acres, there's a private airfield, a commercial dock, a zoo, and an immense mansion. The rooms are styled on themes... gothic, cloisters, baroque, etc. There are two enormous pools, an institutionally-equipped kitchen, and kennels for some 60 dachsunds. I can't even begin to fathom the kind of privilege this sort of ownership would bring.

• Big Sur – I watched the sunset as I drove north into Big Sur. Double wow!

• Monterey – I stopped over in Monterey before hitting up Cannery Row and the Monterey By Aquarium. This place is simply mesmerizing. The Row – as immortalized by Steinbeck – is now quite the commercial property, but you can catch a glimpse of yesteryear if you squint tightly enough. And the aquarium is absolutely spectacular!

• San Francisco – I stopped off briefly in the Frisco before I crossed the Golden Gate for destinations northward. I had intentions to hit up the Rogue brewing pub in North Beach, but they weren't going to open until I needed to be on my way. Oh well. But I got some great shots of Coit Tower and the Transamerica Building.

• Humboldt County – I wish that I saw more of this area during the daytime. As I moseyed into the redwood forests, I saw the bases of some of these giants, but as I passed signs advertising "Grandfather Tree" and "Drive-Thru Tree" I ached that I was missing it all. I was, however, impressed with folks who created peace signs with twinkle lights so I could experience the gist of the vibe in the dark.

Now, I'm sitting in a hotel room in Eureka, and I'm anxious to see the town in the daylight. Tomorrow will bring new adventures in visits to Trees of Mystery and points northward into Oregon. I just hope it will include visits to some spectacular lighthouses. We'll see. By tomorrow night, I'll be sleeping in my folks' guest bed.

The journey is wild. I'm happy to be on the journey, and I love that you're on it with me. Take care! Peace and love.

Oh my word... what have I done?

I'm sitting in a hotel room in Monterey, California. I left my LA apartment this morning with the remainder of my earthly belongings (that isn't on postal trucks around the country). The day's journey has taken me and my car towards Oregon where I'll leave said car and some boxes with my folks as I head east... Milwaukee for three months and then NYC.

My roots have been firmly planted in Southern California for almost 20 years. I've recently realized that I have spent more time there than I have in the place I was born and raised. A great majority of my family of friends are in SoCal, and in addition to packing my life into carefully planned boxed shipments, I've also spent the last couple of weeks saying "goodbye for now" to these folks who have been a part of my life over these years. While it has brought me great joy to be able to see these loved ones together in one place or another, I've also been left with a bit of an ache each time... knowing that life is changing and familiar places are passing into revered memory. Thank goodness that technology has made the world smaller and that a visit to the old neighborhood is just a plane ticket away.

Why have I found the need to make such a drastic change and move? In the gatherings of late, I've been telling many versions of the one main reason... my art needs the validity of being in the middle of the NY theatrical community and potential opportunity needs my presence to grow. I've been contemplating the move for almost six years now, and at this point I have to ask myself, "If not now... when?" It's time. However as free-wheelin' as I like to think I am, change is hard for me. I've actually fallen asleep each night for the past few weeks with anxiety pangs, and I've awoken the last two days with the dry heaves. And then I've had to remind myself that I not only have the support of countless friends and family members and colleagues, but I have a great potential that a lot of hard work has honed and focused upon a big dream. And that dream will come true if I take this leap.

And as the rubber meets the road... I'm following my heart. I value your prayers and positive thoughts. Here I go!


I want to note that this is the first journey I've taken quite a long time on which my feet haven't been shod in my ol' Doc Martins. I broke them in in London in 1994, and they've been on every trip abroad since. But it was time to retire them after many treasured steps over the years.



And finally, I offer a couple recent pieces I've posted over at Squigs Knows His Lines. Time marches on and so does my commitment to my weekly self-assigned project. Here's Scarlett Johansson and Liev Schreiber in A View from the Bridge on Broadway and Norman Large and Debbie Prutsman in Sweeney Todd in Long Beach, California. I may have to cheat in the next couple weeks as travels take me hither and yon around the country, but for now... fresh art weekly. I hope you enjoy.

That's quite a long and rambling message, but that's all for now. Take care! Peace and love, loved ones.