by Karin Leperi
I’ll be the first to admit that I have absolutely no musical talent when it comes to playing an instrument or singing a tune. In fact, back when I was in junior high school and an eager member of the church choir, I was given a hard dose of reality when the choir director asked if I might just mouth the hymnal words rather than voice them. I guess my voice just didn’t blend with all the angelic pipes around me. Not a problem as I was well aware that musical genes were lacking in all members of my immediate family. Nothing personal.
But don’t make the mistake that the lack of acoustic talent means you can’t appreciate good music as that is simply not the case. So, even though I don’t read music, nor have perfect pitch or an ear for subtle octave differences; nevertheless, I appreciate music of all genres. From country to classical, from the harp to the bass guitar, well…I love them all.
So, when I found out that the Museum of Making Music was about a stone’s throw from Legoland California Resort & Sea Life Aquarium in Carlsbad, I decided to make some time and check out the story on making music. A hidden jewel, it’s a treasure trove of a century of musical instruments and innovations that shaped American popular music.
It’s located in what looks like a modern business park, and I was not sure where the actual museum was hidden, so I just trusted my GPS. It actually worked this time. What was also nice was that parking is free. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 AM until 5 PM, except for major holidays. As you walk inside, a gift shop will be on your right and the reception desk straight ahead. Head for the reception desk and make sure to ask for a group tour of about an hour: it is well worth the expertise. Admission for adults is $8 and includes the docent tour with discounts available for military, students, and seniors.
My guide explains that the museum consists of five galleries that span a century of American musical genres, innovations, and musical instruments and devices. He adds that the focus is on connections between people, instruments, and making music, with each gallery featuring a “breakthrough” instrument – an instrument that changed the course of future music. Oftentimes, the artifact and the current version are displayed alongside a modern version you can play. The interactive areas were great and let you try your musical genius on a variety of instruments, including drums. I found out, and not surprisingly so, that I still have no musical genes or talent, but it didn’t dampen my joy seeing, hearing, and playing through the notes, or perhaps I should say my musical cacophony.
The galleries include:
1890-1909 – America’s Music Industry Comes of Age
1910-1929 – A Long Boom Before the Bust
1930-1949 – The We’ll Try Anything Years
1950-1969 – The Baby Boom Sparks Dynamic Growth
1970 – 1989 – Conglomerates Retire / Technology Inspires
Along the way, I learned about someone I had never heard of as revolutionizing studio drumming. In the 1960’s, Hal Blaine developed a signature drum beat that made him quite popular with producers and songwriters. To keep up with the demand, he used a cartage company to transport his customized drums and hardware to meet the demands of live and studio performances. Songs like Elvis Presley’s “Return to Sender” and Frank Sinatra’s “Strangers in the Night” were recorded on the Hal Blaine Custom Drum Kit.
My favorite exhibit was near the end and focused on international music. With an interactive global map, you can discover what special musical instruments influenced different countries around the world, from Africa and Australia to Russia, Brazil, and Poland. At this point, I only had five minutes left, so I was rushed. However, I would definitely come back for this exhibit alone.
As a non-musician, I whipped through the museum in under an hour and definitely wanted more time. My recommendation is to allow at least 1-2 hours. More if you want to explore the gift shop at the end of your tour.
If You Go:
The Museum of Making Music
5790 Armada Drive
Carlsbad, CA 92008
About the author:
Karin Leperi is an award winning writer and photographer with bylines in over 75 publications that include print, broadcast, and internet media. A gypsy at heart who particularly enjoys bucket-list experiences, she has traveled to 80 countries and is still counting. Specialties include travel, culture, cuisine, nature, adventure and lifestyle. Her photo website is: www.travelprism.com
All photos are by Karin Leperi.
The 1970s brought about the Austin music scene as it is now. Recording artist Willie Nelson was prominent among the artists that helped bring it to life. PBS’s Austin City Limits show is the longest running live performance TV show in US history, and it produces a massive music festival there each September.
Just a short walk from downtown over the Colorado River, the South Congress area is one of the most interesting in Austin. And with all the city has to offer, that’s saying something! We found ourselves returning there over and over to browse. Block after block is full of great vintage clothing stores, restaurants, and shops crammed full of folk art curios.
There’s a plethora of great stuff to see in the downtown core. Here are just five of our faves.
In 1960, the Colorado River, which runs through the centre of Austin, was dammed to create a huge reservoir originally called Town Lake, recently renamed Lady Bird Lake in honour of celebrated Austin patron Lady Bird Johnson. There is a well-appointed trail (approx. 16 km, or 10 miles long) all around the lake, complete with pedestrian-only bridges at either end. A walk around it is a great remedy for the excesses of the night before in the local watering holes. Try and get an early start to avoid the mid-day heat.
Just a forty minute drive west of downtown Austin is the world-famous Collings Guitar Factory. We were expecting something a bit short and superficial, but were pleasantly surprised to discover it was an extremely comprehensive look at every phase of instrument building. The 90 minute journey took us from a climate-controlled warehouse full of blocks of exotic wood to the final room where the guitars, mandolins and so on were shipped out. There is only one tour a week, so it’s best to book ahead by phone or email.
By 1680, the year of the Pueblo Revolt in New Mexico, horses spread rapidly through the plains and prairies of North America, probably reaching the Northwest around 1700. And the Nez Perce tribe, long known for their dog-breeding skills, quickly adapted to the horse, harnessing it as an invaluable aide in hunting buffalo. Because of the horse’s speed, they were able to cover more territory in less time and thus extend the expanse of their hunting grounds. Life was good and meat became more plentiful as a result.
Over the following years, Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce found that his tribal homelands were increasingly encroached upon by white settlers, despite signed treaty promises to the contrary. Rather than continue to fight against overwhelming odds, he mustered a band of his people consisting of several warriors, elders, and many women and children, embarking on a 3-month, 1,170 mile journey to sanctuary in Canada.
Nowadays, the Appaloosa horse breed is enjoying a resurgence in popularity and can often be seen exhibited at county fairs along with their young mounts. Besides being popular with young horse riders, Appaloosas are also used as working ranch horses and trail horses. The Appaloosa Horse Club, an international breed registry, has records of more than 635,000 Appaloosas and 33,000 members. The horses excel in many competitive events, including racing, jumping, dressage, reining roping gaming, pleasure and endurance.
Photo credits:
The grasses were high, it was hot but not sunny, the huge domed sky blanketed with a thin layer of clouds. We were not beset by any pesky bugs like mosquitoes, but there was a fair share of crickets which seemed the only wildlife we could detect. The roads were lined with wire fences, and every now and then we would see a row of modern silos, which are metal and tubular rather than wooden like the classic grain elevators that are almost nearly extinct on the Canadian prairies. We came to a row of four which appeared to us to be very far away, but as we approached them, we found they were near and tiny. Our eyes had been fooled! The flatness of the land and the lack of any defined shadows had really played a number on our depth perception.
Drumheller is the heart of the Badlands and the dinosaur fossil capital of the world. Its main industry is dinosaurs and the town lets you know it. Look, there is Fred and Barney’s All You Can Eat Chinese and Western Buffet! Many businesses had fiberglass dinosaurs in front. The fire hall had one painted like a dalmatian, and another one had been painted all steampunk and metal. Well, no one knows what a dinosaur’s skin really looked like, do they? A lot of kids like dinosaurs so many of the town’s visitors were families with children. The downtown is small with no structures over two stories, with little cafes that serve grilled cheese sandwiches and chicken fingers and not very good coffee. We felt like no real living was done there, as if the town only existed so the children and their parents had some infrastructure to meet their needs after they were done looking at dinosaur bones.
In front of the Dinosaur Museum there was a T-Rex so large we could climb steps inside and six or seven people could gaze out of it’s mouth for a sweeping view of the town with the Badlands behind it.
The road to the Hoodoos, although along a river, was not verdant at all. The dry, golden road with its walls of striped history really did make us feel like we were in the wild west, heading for the canyons. We were prepared for Nature’s majesty! But upon arrival at these Hoodoos, we discovered them to be few and only four feet tall.
Our AAA paper map in hand, the GPS stored away safely in the glove box we set out starting with a short stretch of the I5 from Bellingham to Burlington. There we exited taking Hwy. 20, followed by a thirty minute ferry ride to Historic Port Townsend and continued south on the inland highway, yes there are two Highways numbered 101. At this point we make sure to take the road to Leland and along the Hood Canal.The route was clearly shown on the map which is important as between the towns of Shelton and Arctic Wash. the highway number changes no fewer then four times. A more enjoyable journey the road snakes through Washington State from Burlington to the Oregon border passing through small communities rather then blasting past blurred exit signs to distant places. While the inland 101 is for the most part two lanes with lots of curves and a long stretch of logged off forest that also took the brunt of the November 2007 wind storm, it is still a much more relaxing drive then the I5. Our drive home will be the same restful route.
It’s late August the afternoon of day one of our road trip. We’ve made good time as we pass Dismal Nitch and cross the Megler Bridge over the Columbia River on the border of Washington and Oregon. Through the fog and far below we can see a large sandbar and deteriorating pilings, remnants of canneries and a once vigorous fishing industry. Astoria is our first stop in part because it is the perfect days drive from the Canada/U.S. border and we can sleep under the bridge. Don’t worry we do have a hotel room.
The first permanent U.S. Pacific Coast settlement, Astoria was incorporated in 1876 by settlers attracted to the fur trade, fishing and canneries. The town’s future became shaky when those employers packed up and left town so Astoria reinvented itself as a tourist destination. Key to the town’s undertaking is the River Walk a five mile ribbon extending along the river and serving both as a pedestrian walk, a cycle path as well as a trolley route that runs adjacent to quaint cafes, small shops and working wharves.
Day two of our Oregon trip, it’s foggy and cool. Cannon Beach is a short drive south of Astoria on the 101 and is so named for a cannon that washed ashore from the U.S. Navy Schooner Shark in 1846. A touristy community, Cannon Beach is also more family oriented complete with beach bikes,horse back riding, sand castle contests, kids in I heart Cannon Beach hoodies, ice cream and gift shops. There’s motels, hotels, B&Bs and family style restaurants all within walking distance of the beach. We include it in our journey for the miles of sandy beach, the open ocean and Haystack Rock. Stopping just long enough to stretch our legs and let Islay have a run on the beach,we continue in our search for the sun. It’s on to Lincoln City.
South of Tillamook the 101 heads inland through farm country passing towns with names such as Beaver, Hebo, Oretown and Neskowin before it veers west again offering a peek-a-boo view of the Pacific Ocean. Smiles appear on our faces, the dog wakes from her nap with a shake seemingly aware that she is minutes away from chasing gulls on the beach while barking at the wind. After a day and a half on the road we are nearing our road trip’s southern destination, Lincoln City Oregon.
Lincoln City is an incorporation of several small communities, it’s name courtesy of a children’s naming contest. It’s economy dependent on tourism, retired folks and a casino. While it may not have the history or the character of some other coastal towns Lincoln City does have its own characters. Ken Morris is a trained chef, his persona and Humble Pie reminiscent of a sixties low budget movie and the home of possibly the best pizza on the Oregon Coast. Don’t get me started on his freshly baked chocolate éclairs.
To soon our week has ended but unwilling to rush home we stop again south of Cannon Beach. This is a much quieter area,the beaches more vast while the restaurants and shops are minutes away. Always open to new epicurean treats, on a recommendation from the lodge staff we try the Sweet Basil Café. The café is small, the décor is Louisiana rustic, the Chef’s leanings are Cajun.The food is local and delicious, it’s a gem in the state known for Red Bull Slushies, pancake dispensing machines and where size matters when it comes to meal portions.
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