Listening Lounge & Tea

The rain is starting early tonight, and the full moon barely visible through the clouds shines its white, yellow light through the dark gray layers in the sky. Pedestrians and bikers rush home through the downpour of a neighborhood lined with cherry blossom trees, and as the neon lights of the neighborhood glimmer in the spaces between raindrops so too do the blossoms shimmer on the sidewalk. Their soft pink and white flowers create their own kind of rain as they fall to the ground outside of Nostalgia Listening Bar. Let's escape the weather for the warm world of Nostalgia by starting with a short wind down exercise. Tonight's exercise is a really simple breathing exercise. So when you're ready, let's begin. So first, get yourself comfortable. Now just bringing the attention to the breath, just noticing where you feel it, in the nose, the throat, the chest, the diaphragm. You are nice and relaxed. We're going to be taking a deep breath in for four, holding it for four, and then breathing out for six. So are you ready? Let's begin in for four, two, three, four. Hold it for four, two, three, four. Now breathing out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. Great, now returning the breath to normal. Ralphie runs his hand over a wall of vinyl, trying to find the right music to match the mood of the weather outside with the needs of the small crowd. Nostalgia began with two crates of his grandfather's imported records, and now hundreds of rarities have been added to the collection from New York City Jazz to Blues, Soul and Cumbia. Around the record player a low wall of glass separates Ralphie from the rest of the room with two pothos plants at each side, draping their leaves towards the dark oak floor. A green banker's lamp glows softly over the scene. The album cover of a Carlos Murguia record rests in its protective sleeve on a wooden display for all to see. If we look closely at the album cover, the words "Corner Booth Jazz" are spelled out in blue neon and hang on a red brick wall. The track list is the perfect accompaniment to a night like tonight and includes audience favorites such as slow Blues and bossa nova. The vinyl turns on the player, ushering in a lush world of soulful piano keys, gentle standup bass and sizzly drums. At the bar, best friends Ita and Rocco sit in silence, nodding to the dynamic baseline of the record at the same time. They share a pot of tea that reminds them of the day...