DOWNTOWN DIARY

This is a trivial story about the 20 hours prior to waking up at two in the morning afflicted with vomiting, diarrhea, an aching body and a throbbing head.

The prior morning I went for breakfast at Aranda's. I ordered my usual scrambled eggs combined with ham, potatoes and onions. A dollop of refried beans, a flour tortilla and a cup of coffee accompanied the meal.

At noon I ate lunch at the Palm Lounge. I ordered the classic hamburger and fries. The fries were a bit raw, but I ate them. Too early in the day for a beer if I hoped to finish the writing I had started earlier in the afternoon, I drank a coke.

I play Thursday evenings at 7:30 at El Hueso de Fraile. Before taking the stage, I stopped at Bici Bistro and ordered a large, shrimp cocktail. I accompanied the seafood with a Topo Chico.

The hour set went well. I kept my voice in tune with two glasses of the house Malbec. I left my guitar and music at the room I had rented a room for the night at the Cameron Hotel.

This was both the inaugural night of the Half Moon Saloon's reopening and the Latin's Jazz Festival's first night of entertainment. The Half Moon has added a kitchen which owner George Ramirez hopes will be the difference between success and failure. I requested five taquitos Matamoros style and drank two beers.

I listened to the star attraction's first set, but I was dead tired. At two in the morning I awoke sicker than a dog. Two days later I am better, but I'm weary and weak.