Hearts and Pearls

That's one off my list.

I knocked off one of the 1001 movies you must see before you die, "Sherlock Jr." at the Silent Music Revival tonight at Gallery 5.

The classic 1924 Buster Keaton movie got a boost with an improvised soundtrack by the Green Boys, the handsome Fredericksburg band with slide guitar, doublebass and mandolin, along with the usual suspects.

Host Jameson had created the perfect pairing with the tale of a lowly film projectionist who yearns to be a detective and gets his chance when a rival for his love steals a watch and pawns it.

He warned us to look out for a scene where Buster jumped off a train and into a water torrent because during that scene, the actor had broken his neck, unbeknownst to him.

I have to say, it's more than a little unsettling to watch an actor do his own stunt, knowing that his neck is being broken in the process.

But most of the film was laugh-out-loud funny and the Green Boys' accompaniment was  ideal- energetic, homey and with just enough twang to convey our hero's everyman status.

As a bonus, I loved all the scenes of '20s-era California, so much simpler a time.

All the cool kids were there- the scientist bearing chocolate he shared with me, the DJ who'd had a sad morning (our third meeting in as many days), the printmaker whose prints I'd coveted earlier today, the harmonium player about to go out on tour.

It was a record crowd in Gallery 5, where, mercifully, the heating system had been restored after Friday night's breakdown, and they had to bring in extra chairs to accommodate them all.

Judging by all the laughter during the movie and the heartfelt applause afterwards, I'd say it was a perfect marriage of film and music.

But then, that's what Jameson does best. I should know; I've been going since 2007 when he used to do it in Rumors boutique for a dozen people.

When I left there, it was to go to Max's on Broad for a bite where a familiar actor friend greeted us and before long, the scientist and his date showed up, too.

The music was ideally suited to the room - Billy Holiday, Edith Piaf- and we started with an extremely generous serving of steak tartare, made all the richer with an egg yolk and a creamy pesto to take it over the top.

I followed meat with meat with a French dip with Gruyere, horseradish and red onion on a baguette with asparagus on the side, a sandwich so tasty I shared a bite with the scientist despite his date's surprised look.

The way I see it, if a man offers me his chocolate, the least I can do is offer him a bite of my roast beast in return.

And that's my story and I'm sticking to it.