Cheese Lust Delivers Music Talk

Monday night I headed over to everyone's favorite hipster/vegetarian joint, Ipanema, for dinner.

Partly I was craving their amazing smoked gouda grilled cheese and partly I just needed to be out amongst others.

It worked out great because I had a delicious meal, got happy hour prices for my wine (2 bucks a glass is hard to beat) and sat next to a music-loving VCU grad student who supplied plenty of thoughful conversation for the evening.

I can make small talk with the best of them, but after discussing the weather (way too cold), his studies (advertising), our birthplaces (Oklahoma and DC), art (we'd both seen the Turner exhibit at the National Gallery) and birth order (only and first), it was time, at least for me, to move on to music.

I love a good discussion of musical taste and my bar mate Tony was ready to provide.

We began with Animal Collective, moved through his Phish days, my fondness for Joy Division and their followers, our mutual admiration society for Yo La Tengo and assorted concert experiences.

Several hours passed in a haze of band comparisons before we both realized it was time to get home.

I love evenings like that.

I went in for a favorite sandwich and as a bonus got stellar conversation, all kinds of musical challenges and some excellent conversation.

Thanks, Tony.

Life is good.