The first reading in Stephanie Young's apartment reading series featured David Hess and Catherine Meng. The evening, to say the least, was an immense treat for bloggers! Alli Warren drove all the way from Los Angeles, picking up Kasey S. Mohammed on the way. Catherine and David each read with completely contrasting but utterly engrossing sorts of quiet intensity. Catherine Meng's reading matched the clarity and precision of her poetic style. This isn't to say her work isn't without paradox, enigma and poetic reverie but like her co-reader David Hess, when wit informs the whole, a reading becomes more than the poetry plus the poet. David read serious poems and funny poems and explained why he was drinking so much water. He had used a tube of moisterizer this morning instead of his toothpaste, wondering all the while why the toothpaste looked so thin! To my delight, David also read a poem that referred to *fait accompli*! A five minute break seemed to stretch into 15 and there were lots of people to meet and greet. Bloggers James Meetze and Tanya Brolaski were there as were Cynthia Sailers, Stephen Vincent (here's a scoop: SV may start a blog soon!) and Cassie Lewis. Cassie Lewis graciously gave me three more Postcard books, and now I have the whole stunningly lovely collection. My postcard book with Stephanie is now in the editing stage and hopefully will be available in October or thereabouts.

David has two more readings in the Bay area this weekend so check the blogs for more information! Kasey and Noah Eli Gordon read at 21Grand on Sunday. Cassie Lewis and Mei-Mei Bersenbrugge are also reading this weekend. Toni and I will be back in New York this weekend and we will surely be missing our Bay area friends who have shown us such amazing California-style hospitality in every single case. Last night everyone was saying to me "Are you still here?" My answer: You may have to get used to it. We will be back soon- and again and again. We love it! Wow!