A sleepy stopover in Sturbridge for the Hartford-Worcester stage.

1. “Ma” Glockner. In Bellingham, Massachusetts, is a restaurant/institution called ” ‘Ma’ Glockner’s.” My Honey had memories of this place going back decades. She had talked about it a few days ago, and since we were driving to Medway (next to Bellingham) and on to Natick, we decided to go. It is an old white clapboard restaurant set out of the way in a not-easy-to-find location unless you are a native. It serves a variety of food but its claim to fame, its specialite d’hotel, is a chicken preparation I’ll try to describe. They steam the chicken (I guess it is fully cooked at that stage) then finish it up on a griddle (or some such contraption) with some form of pressing and seasoning so the skin gets nice and crispy. They serve it as a half-chicken, and it’s kind of flattened out. There is no batter, but some seasoning. It was quite tasty, especially the dark meat, and we did out best but could not finish it off (we both ordered this delicacy). Once you order, they bring each diner a tasty roll that is like a cinammon roll/sticky bun, a bit of a hybrid. I took one bite, and it was Yummy! My Honey ate all of hers (and brought the rest of mine home). An unusual dining experience, but I liked it, and would go back. I eat a lot of chicken (poor chickens!) and this was a tasty change. We both were put in mind of “Broasted” chicken. Anyone remember that stuff?

Two days before, we’d been eating luncheon in Firefly in Falmouth, and Emeril was on the TV. He was making some chickie dish which required 12 hours of marinating and another 12 of cooking. When we got home Honey got the recipe on the Web, rounded up the ingredients, and tonight we’ll eat the result–the chicken is done and in the fridge, and will be stewed in the other stuff later. She “doctored” the recipe which she always does (and which is why she is not a baker!). I have high hopes.

2. Catie Curtis. We were in the Bellingham/Medway/Natick area because, on a whim, we looked online for some music to attend, and decided to see Catie Curtis in The Center for the Arts in Natick (TCAN–why every verdamte organization has to have an allegedly cute acronym is completely beyond me, it drains all local color, name recognition, and charm out of place/organizatin names). But I digress. Catie Curtis is a singer/songwriter, or, as I call ‘em, Modern Folksinger. I have been charmed by her music for several years. I have purchased some of it, even, and she has a couple or more slots on my iPods. I’ll get to the concert in a moment.

We decided to stop in to see the Basignanis on the way. They live in Medford. Honey has known them for many years, and I have become acquainted with them in my time with her. Mr. Basignani had a stroke before I met him and has been confined to a wheelchair in all the time I’ve known him. Mrs. Basignani is a wonderful woman who has cared for him ever since his illness. Their grown daughter lives with them and is a tremendous help. They also have sons. The point of this is that we visit every summer, more than once, usually, and I find them inspiring. When I met my Honey, it was (gasp) at a saloon in Fort Lauderdale. She was embroiled in a nasty divorce, and was to meet up that evening with Pete Basignani who worked for her about-to-be-history husband. Pete got wayLaid (note the capital “L”) somewhere, and thus a lifelong (I hope) romance was born.

So, Medford, then the meal at Ma Glockner’s, and on to Natick. The facility of TCAN is a really cool old firehouse from the 19th century. The restoration/conversion is superb, and the performance space is wonderful. A male singer/songwriter opened up, and did a decent set. One of his songs was in the movie “August Rush,” and is among 60 “eligible” for Oscar consideration. He said it was the “main love theme.” Nice song. As an aside, I recommend the movie. He had one okay song about growing up as a nerd, dork, chump (oh I forget!) in high school, and in the end the downtrodden have more success than the “cool” folk, and, indeed, the “jock” turns out to be gay. Ahem. I didn’t detect any direct intent to be pejorative, but the implication was that the “jocks” outcome was less wonderful than the risen-up dorks, whatever.

Okay, not every word, gesture, and deed is political, or fraught with negative propoganda. However, I was considering the context. Catie Curtis is openly gay. She refers to her partner (even by name), and her two adopted children. The handout at the show even mentioned that she won a 1997 Album of the Year award at the Gay and Lesbian Music Awards. That’s fine. A pretty fair number of lesbian couples were in attendance. Maybe the opening singer could have tailored his set list better. Ah, hell, it parbly don’t signify nothin’.

Ms. Curtis did a nice show, and had a talented acoustic guitarist accompanying her (and her guitar). She did some of her back catalog and some newer stuff (if you want, try her songs on her album “A Crash Course in Roses” on iTunes). I enjoyed it, my Honey thought the show needed something. If I had been Ms. Curtis, I think a bassist (preferably a really good one with a fretless electric bass) would have replaced/supplemented the guitarist.

Well, of course, having discussed Ms. Curtis, the “gay thing,” and the audience, I have to head back to the Melody Tent and . . .

3. Kimya Dawson. Ms. Dawson opened for Ani DiFranco. My Honey and I both thought she was awful, and couldn’t wait for Ms. DiFranco to appear. I haven’t changed my mind, but I/We watched “Juno” on pay-per-view. I recommend this movie highly. We both loved it. The songs in it were composed by. . . Kimya Dawson. Mostly they were sung by others, but not all. In the context of the movie, the songs worked pretty well, according to me. So, despite her less-than-sparkling live act, Ms. Dawson moves up a notch.

I mentioned in my prior post about the DiFranco concert that there were many lesbian couples there. I don’t think I mentioned that (outside the venue) there was incredible smoking by cigarettes by the attendees before the show, during the intermission, and after. It was really remarkable (I don’t see this much). Serious nicotine addiction. Outside the Natick Venue I saw little or none of this.

This post is much too long. Bye.