Monday, October 19, 2009
Marcell's Grand Opening and Oktoberfest
This is how my morning began. I put on my backpack and planned to hike to the farmer's market. It was a little after 10 and I paused to look at this riot of color down one of the side streets. I'm a sucker for dramatic colors in leaf and in sunset. I know fine arts folks who feel that taking such pictures is prosaic or whatever, I take more of the approach that the digital camera should, at times, be a sort of "extension of man" to be McLuhanesque. My nervous system responds to color and light so I record it. And with the digital world there is no cost to the individual except the time it takes to assess, and if one chooses, to edit and repurpose the image.
A few blocks from the house, I noticed it was starting to rain so I decided to stop at Marcell's earlier than I had planned. There was a band playing German music and all you can eat pancakes for less than 5 bucks. I decided to wait out the storm.
These images don't give one an idea of the ferocity and intensity of the morning rainstorm. I found a nice dry spot under the umbrellas for a while, read a book and the Saturday papers waiting for the storm to clear a bit. There are far worse places to be caught in a rainstorm.
Marcell's has turned into a fine little neighborhood gathering space, now with a shiny commercial kitchen and lots of nooks and crannies to connect your Wifi, meet a friend, read a book. It has been great to watch Marcell adapt and transform this place, formerly a little Ma and Pa market on 31st and Columbia streets in Vancouver USA.
The rains finally broke during Student Loan's set. These world traveling bluegrass/newgrass band is always a lot of fun. They can kick it with both a Bill Monroe tune or a Phish or Grateful Dead cover. I hope they will play on our side of the river as well.
Mayor Royce Pollard stopped by to give his tribute to Marcell and what she has been able to accomplish. He commented how we tend to emphasize big businesses that come into Vancouver such as SEH or Hewlett Packard, but it is the small business that really give our town its character. I personally hope that Royce fares well in the current election, and this is not the last time I see him in his convivial Bergermeister role. He does it so well talking about America's Vancouver and always ending his remarks with a God Bless America. He's old school, but I dig him.
The day's last act was a very fine one. Jacob Merlin has a voice very much like David Clayton Thomas' Blood Sweat and Tears lead singing back in the day. It is strong full and passionate and is matched well against a full, hard blowing horn section. He's the real deal, Tower of Power's Mic Gilette appears on the album, which is a surprising strong Rhythm and Blues, jazz rock offering. I'll probably have more to say about Merlin at a later time.
We couldn't take our beers into the street so folks tended to gather back behind the fence with our Wursts and Widmars. Marcell says she wants to do it again next year, maybe in the first weekend in October. I certainly hope to be there.
posted by well-executed buffet at 11:52 PM
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