Has anyone seen my feather?

February 4, 2008

I hear people say all the time that there is nothing to do in Jacksonville, that the night life is boring and the arts are lacking. I also have people ask me all the time what I do with my time. Well the best way for me to comment on this statement and question is to tell you what I did this weekend.

First let me say wasn’t the weather beautiful! The skies were clear at night and one could’ve spent a fair amount of time just studying the night sky.

On Friday evening I went to The Landing. If you have not been there in a while you really need to check it out. I got there just before 9PM and caught the tail end of a live band on the outdoor stage called STR8 UP. A multiple piece rhythm and blues band with lead vocals by Lanora, a very powerful performance. At the break I went to a new club called 9th and Main. They have a “back stage” room that has live bands on Thursday, Friday, and Saturdays. Don’t let the parking fool you…there is plenty around back. And while you’re there they have an excellent restaurant of local flavor I’m sure you will enjoy. I went back to The Landing and a band called Matanzas was performing. They are a 3 piece band from St. Augustine. They played a lot of cover songs from Tom Petty, ZZ Top, Pink Floyd, and Lynyrd Skynyrd to name a few. They were very good. By the way folks that’s a 13,000 watt sound system you’re listening to. I also wandered over to Bourbon Bayou which is a Cajun Specialties restaurant and bar with bands on Friday and Saturday nights. Their chicken/eggplant parmesan is excellent. After the Bayou I checked out Mavericks, the new mainly country club on the second floor. The highlight there was watching the lovely ladies on the mechanical bull ride. You go cow girl! All of these bands were free for me to see. Sure I had to pay to park at The Landing but it was around four dollars for the evening and well worth it to be in a secured lot.

On Saturday my son was wrestling in the 3A District 1 finals. It was at Fletcher High School. There were eight schools there with Niceville being the powerhouse they usually are. My son and his best friend came in second place and qualified for the next round of finals in Orlando. This was an all day event with excellent sportsmanship and athleticism. Fletcher did themselves proud…congrats guys. I left there after my son’s last match just in time to get to the University of North Florida’s Fine Arts Center to see Aeros. Aeros is a choreographed rhythmatic gymnastics performance. They are from Romania with five Olympians in the performance. It was absolutely awesome. Those of us that were there were treated to a display of human grace and ability that…well you just have to see it to believe it. After Aeros I went to Bourbon Street on St. Johns Bluff Road.
Numerous venues there, met a nice bartender at Crazy Horse, but what was really was cool was a little bar in there called The Varsity Club. You have to look for it off in the corner of the Horse…but once you’re in there you’ll be treated to a smaller crowd, and some excellent karaoke. There were two female vocalists who, well to be honest, it was better than some of the stuff the Horse was playing. This ain’t your mamas karaoke…check it out. At about 12:30 am I went to Tera Nova on Phillips and Baymeadows. A techno club with an awesome sound system and visuals. I sat at the back bar which was being tended by Nicole. She took excellent care of me and even put up with my occasional coin flipping and tossing. I enjoyed a pleasant ride home with the stars out and a cool breeze pushing thin clouds to the northwest.

Sunday morning I woke up to a glorious sunshiny day. I went to church and was treated to a very special moment. At the end of the service I sparked up a conversation with the organist (who is nationally known by the way) as we talked I told him I played a little and to my surprise he invited me to try out the magnificent pipe organ. I have never played a pipe organ before. I don’t read music so I just do my own creations. I played for about 10 minutes and was lost in the crisp bellowing sound of the most influential instrument in religion. Thank you Reverend Lance…it was the highlight of my weekend.

I got home just in time to change and high tail it to the Clay County Fairgrounds to see the Hunter Jumpers Equestrian event. This was a free event with five dollar parking. There were numerous shops and trade tents, a silent auction, a luncheon by Outback (there was a charge for that of course) pony rides, and tours. There was a celebrity horse race that was very entertaining. There were eight teams of four riders that had to do things like ride with an egg in a spoon, ride while putting on lipstick etc. etc. the Sheriff was there, 96.1FM and 99.9 FM had teams, there was a sports celebrity entry, elected officials, news media and the Zoo were all represented. The order of finish: 8th 99.9FM, 7th Fox TV 47, 6th Sports Team, 5th Elected Officials, 4th Times Union, 3rd 96.1 FM, 2nd The Zoo, and first place went to (once again) the channel 4 news crew. You had to see the glow on Mary’s face when she got that champions silver plate. Well she’s got bragging rights…at least til next year! Hey Mary I got it all on tape if you want a copy.

The main event was the third event in the 2008 series. This was a Grand Prix event with horses and riders from all over the world. Olympians, Pan Am games winners, last years champion, and several up and comers. Seven horses qualified for the jump off. I went to the practice area before the jump off to get a closer look at these magnificent animals. I got some excellent close up video of these practice jumps. During this time I picked my favorite and wished her luck on her way out to the ring. A local entry from Rolling Acres farm in Ocala the horse was Gerona 92 ridden by Mary Nicholson-Leffler. She had an excellent clean run and ended up coming in third. The winner was Polygraff from Winsor Farm Sales ridden by Bill Lowry. I have the whole jump off on tape so I can show it to my son later. What a special afternoon in glorious northeast Florida.

If that wasn’t enough I stopped by Chicago pizza on Phillips and Baymeadows and had an excellent thin crust pizza and enjoyed watching the beginning of the Super Bowl. Hey I don’t know about you but that tribute to our Declaration and Bill of Rights done by so many influential NFL figures before kick off was very emotional. Followed by the anthem which was done to perfection, I couldn’t help but realize again what a blessed and wonderful country we live, work and play in. What a capper to a perfect weekend, watching the Giants take out those egotistical, obnoxious and rude Patriots with their stuffy fan base. Congratulations Coach Coughlin you deserved this. I guess Tiki Barber picked the wrong year to retire. That catch and throw by Eli to David Tyree (you know the one, Eli was almost sacked and David caught the ball off his head) was the best in the moment play I seen all year. Of course Plaxico’s TD was very special too. How cool for a guy to catch the winning ball in the Super Bowl after fighting an ankle injury all year. Tom Petty’s half time performance was awesome wasn’t it? Even without a boob.

So that was my weekend and it was really special all in the quest of making memories and adding to the story line. So don’t tell me there is nothing to do here. Pick up the latest copy of EU, Buzz, or Folio…check out the newspaper, listen to TV and radio and open your eyes and ears to all the wondrous events coming here this year. We don’t need to see the world…the world is coming here to see us. Support your local arts and entertainment venues and they will continue to come and perform for your pleasure.

There was one downer this weekend for me. I had an eagle feather above my visor. It is very sentimental to me. I found it on the tarmac of the New International Airport in Ft. Myers when I was there during construction prior to its’ opening a couple years ago. Somehow it must have fallen out of my truck. I’ve already checked the area that I parked at Tera Nova and it was not there. I do plan on retracing my path today to look for it. But in the meantime if you should find it please contact me. It is about 20 inches long, slightly weathered and it has three or four blood spots on it. There is no reward, just a good feeling you helped someone. So as I started this story I have to ask again…
Has anyone seen my feather?

Have a great week and enjoy your City…it’s trying to enjoy you.

Bryan A. Stross
Owner/Operator Sensory Solutions LLC
Jacksonville, Florida 32207
Email: strossba@sensoryllc.com
Blog: http://bryanastross.blogspot.com
Website: www.sensoryllc.com
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