Dear Stewart,

Today's letter is a request.

Two, actually.

Here's the first one: I recently started working with my friends at City Garage again. You can read all about it over here: http://irenethebean.blogspot.com. But maybe you remember - when we "met" at Amoeba a few years ago (when I was nobody's mother, when my hair was long, when the world was a different place entirely), I handed you a "passport" to the theater.

Do you recall?

It was a simple little piece of cardboard, and it entitled the bearer to free admission to the shows at City Garage.

Have you used it yet? I think no.

Since our meeting in Hollywood, City Garage has closed up the old space in the alley behind the Promenade, and opened a new theater at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica. Tonight is opening night for "Orestes 3.0." This is the first show in the gorgeous new space. I will be in the booth. Tonight's show is sold out, but won't you come later? Call the theater and make a reservation (all the info can be found here, at www.citygarage.org). Or come tonight, and watch the show from the booth with me. You won't be able to see everything, and being in that kind of close proximity to you will probably wreak havoc on my performance (and complexion, and breathing pattern, and heartbeat; as a drummer, these off kilter rhythms might interest you), but hey, I'm inviting you.

No, on second thought: pick a Friday or Sunday night in the future, make a reservation, and come see the show from a real seat. Or if you want to come on a Saturday, just let me know, and I'll meet you there. There is a cozy loveseat with our name on it. Not literally (the seats all do have someone's name on them, but as far as I know, yours is not one of them. Neither is mine). Really, there are loveseats (fine: you sit with Fiona on the loveseat, I'll sit... nearby); they're pretty cool.

Seriously: it's a beautiful show: I think you'll like it.

Second request:

Would you please write some flute music? I'm talking, for flute and something. Flute and guitar, flute and piano, flute and percussion - whatever. No: not whatever: flute and percussion would be awesome, if I could find a percussionist to play with. You, maybe?

Come on, do it for/with me, won't you? Sure, you probably could have any world-class flutist you want (in more ways than one, I'm sure!), and I'm just a 40 year old amateur who needs more practice time and technique... but wouldn't it be a fun thing to do? Sit down and bust something out - I bet you could do it in an afternoon!

I kind of got on a flute and percussion kick today, and I started looking for some stuff that I might like to play. I listened to Jolivet, "Une Minute Trente" for flute and percussion, and I fell in love. It's so dang cute. I also like Muczynski (who, to my knowlege, which admittedly is very shallow, wrote nothing for flute and percussion; I'm including him only so you can see what else I like), and (surprisingly) something called "La Clave del Viento" by a composer whose name I have already forgotten, but is also for flute and percussion. I say "surprisingly" because I think this falls in the "Latin jazz" category, and I'm not a fan of Latin jazz.

Anyway. I won't hold my breath for an invitation to the world premiere of your next flute + percussion piece (with a dedication to "Irene Palma," maybe?)... or to come to your house to play with you... but I still think it's a killer idea. Either. Any.

Anyway, don't forget to come to the theater. Friday or Sunday nights only, or let me know if you want a Saturday.

Love you,
Irene