Hello! I’m writing this early on a Saturday morning, a few days before I plan to hit send. I’m coming off a busy week and in the throes of a cold and windy San Francisco weekend celebrating the wedding of friends. I’m gazing at the beautiful henna on my hand from their mehndi party last night and looking forward to being part of the zeffa tonight with my mazhar (big Egyptian tambourine). I’m heading out of town for some work next week, too. In between I’ll be back at rehearsals with Aswat, as we’ve started up again for the fall season. Stuff is happening, friends, and I want to share some upcoming events and a few things I’ve found inspiring and worth reading or watching with you since I last wrote.

Classes

Monthlies with Monica: Mediterranean Movement
Saturday, September 12
1275 Connecticut Street, San Francisco

You can find all the details about what to expect in my monthly in-person class, including how to register, here. It’s been swell to be teaching again, and I would love love love to dance with you!

Shows

Gruppo Pizzicato
Saturday, September 5
Vino Rosso, 875 Cortland, San Francisco

Join us for our monthly show, offering up Italian songs on mandolin, guitar, and percussion. We play in a cozy heated outdoor space, and you can grab a drink for some food or just come by and hang out. We’ll be a trio, not a gruppo this month.

Gilded Raqs
Sunday, September 13
Scottish Rite Center, San Jose

Monica performs a solo piece at 3pm on the main stage at this community dance festival.

Reading

The non-fiction hits keep coming from my library holds list. I got Dave Zirin’s new biography of Howard Zinn which will keep me in fine company on the train next week. I also got Dangerous, Dirty, Violent and Young by Zayd Ayers Dohrn which I’m eager to dive into in (ha!) all my spare time.

I’m still deep in Staying with the Trouble which I mentioned last month.

I’m also making my way through Viaggio nel Tarantismo / Journey into Tarantism by Sandra Taveri, which my sweet friend Kate brought me back from Italy earlier this year. It’s bilingual, and I’m reading the Italian side and using the English side to check comprehension when need be (and oh babes, need be), which means it is s l o w going. I’m enjoying it, and her thesis is interesting and challenging and expanding for this De Martino stan. Kate has a nice interview with the author here.

Basically with the above, and along with my many beloved mysteries and sci fi and fantasy novels and my terrifyingly high to read pile, I am in book heaven.

Have I mentioned here that I made an account on Storygraph? Can’t remember. I left goodreads and am trying this. Let’s link up and share titles and nerd out if you are, too.

Watching

I love Valentina Farraiuolo’s drumming so much. The opening piece in this video is not my own style of playing, but it really makes me want to get off the computer and go practice!

Also very into Slow Horses. THE TENSION.

Gonna leave it there as we head into fall, my friends. As always, I keep my calendar updated with additional goings ons, my blog occasionally updated with other writings, and my socials updated with day to day shenanigans.

Thanks for reading!

xo

Monica