Life + Culture
Summer Bliss: Maxwell in Concert
Friday night, I had the best time seeing Maxwell perform live at Foxwoods in Connecticut. Maxwell has been a favorite artist of mine for decades and I had never seen him before.
It had been a while since I had been to a concert at all. After Prince died, I resolved to attend more live shows. I will never regret seeing Prince in concert on the spur of the moment. There is nothing like a live performance.
I had to save and budget for this little trip. This week money will be very tight, because of course unexpected things always come up at the worst time. But I am so glad that I went.
A friend invited me to attend with a couple of her friends and I did not hesitate agreeing to go. We decided to stay overnight at a nearby hotel, Hilton Garden Inn Preston Casino Area, so we wouldn’t have to worry about driving back to Massachusetts the same night and just enjoy ourselves.
The Hilton Garden Inn is a nice hotel and in great location. On my drive down, I passed Mystic Pizza 2. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to go in and try their famous pizza. Ever since I saw the movie, one of my all-time favorites, I’ve always wanted to try it and visit the Mystic area.
Also, since I wrote my Craving Boston article about modern Native American food, I wanted to try the food at the Pequot Museum in Mashantucket, which is just minutes away from the hotel. So I already have a return trip in mind.
Back to Maxwell. Before the show, we had a quick dinner at Fuddruckers, because we were running late. The show was a real treat for all of us. I forgot just how much I love Maxwell’s music. He and his band were incredible. And Maxwell is sexy as hell! Go and see him if you can.
You can tell that Maxwell was truly grateful when he thanked us for supporting him for 20 years. He kept mentioning how old he is at 43 and how much he has learned along the way. He knows and respects his audience and we all felt it.
He spoke about the racial tension in this country after the shooting deaths of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile and the police officers in Dallas. The show was a momentary escape, but all that is going on right now was still not far from our minds. Before he sang Lifetime, Maxwell let us know that all our lives matter and yes, Black Lives Matter too.
By the way, I’m listening to his music as I write. If you have Amazon Prime, it appears that all his albums are available in the music library for free.
After the show, we stayed nearby in the casino area, had drinks, listened to music and danced. None of us are gamblers, but we still had a blast.
The next morning we had brunch at the hotel. It was good, reasonably priced and I’d recommend staying there and eating there too. Then we left.
It was a quick trip and I combined some additional freelance writing work with it as well. If you follow me on Instagram, you saw that I stopped in Tiverton, Rhode Island on the way back home. Tiverton is quintessential quaint New England. Such a beautiful area! 
Milk & Honey is the cutest little store that I found. It has all sorts of local food products. I enjoyed the lemon Yacht Club soda. Delicious! Did you know that their brand is Rhode Island’s Official Soda? It is! I’m also looking forward to trying the Summertime Garden Honey that I bought. It’s from Sakonnet Seaside Bees at Hollygate Farm also in Tiverton. I could not find a website to link to for them unfortunately.
Anyway, while I was there I took many more pictures and did an interview for my next Craving Boston article. Stay tuned!
Quote of the Week: John Adams
The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.
Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 July 1776, “Had a Declaration…”
You Wanna See Hamilton, But Don’t Vote?
If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. I wasn’t the first to say it, but I believe it.
And standing for something is what many of our Democratic Representatives are doing with support from some Democratic Senators too. In solidarity they are standing up for the victims of gun violence and for those of us left with lives to lose.
When I heard that civil rights icon John Lewis was leading the call with a sit-in, I was enthralled. Still am. It couldn’t have been written any better. How cinematic and extraordinary.
Many of us have been complaining about our representatives lack of action when it comes to gun violence. Rise up! They have!
As I write this, they have been holding the floor of the people’s house for nearly 24 hours. We are witnesses to history. Isn’t it fitting that at the same time, Alexander Hamilton the musical is making history too? I’m listening to the cast recording as I write this. Not many of us can get enough of it. It’s engaging and addictive.
Tickets to the show in Chicago have been reported to be selling for as much as $10,000.00. With low voter participation being such a problem in this country, I wonder what percentage of people who attend the show actually vote. Is the show about a Founding Father completely lost on most?
The best way for us to get our shot is to vote and get involved with politics on some level. Are we part of the solution?
We have so many levels of problems in this country. If we all tackle something, I truly believe that we can make a huge difference. We the people. Three little words. The start of one of the most beautiful documents ever. It’s us.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. ~ Preamble to the United States Constitution
When they wrote “our Posterity”, they were thinking about us. Now. But it’s up to us to do something. Life is an experiment. This country is an experiment. All we can do is try to think about the kind of world and country that we want to live in. Insure domestic tranquility.
Is what is happening now the American Dream? I don’t think so. Republicans are content to have us gunned down walking home. Gunned down in a theater. Gunned down in church. Gunned down in school. Gunned down anywhere. They think it’s okay.
We can’t pursue Happiness when we are in fear for our lives. It seems the only lives the Republicans have concern for are unborn. After that, we’re on our own.
We have to do better. We can do better. It’s time. I’m a Sanders supporter, but you better believe I will still vote. I’m not giving away my shot. Neither should you. History has its eyes on you.
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Screenshot: Los Angeles Times
