For Marissa Valera and her brother, Millard, the act of listening can be a wellspring of inspiration for songwriting. Many of the lyrics they write for their local band, Midnite Mojo, are autobiographical, but they also get ideas from observations and other people’s stories. “[Sometimes we] listen to people when we go out, and hear their stories and think, ‘That guy’s story sounds like a pretty cool song—we could totally write that,’” Marissa says. The band began as a duo in 2007, with Marissa on guitar/vocals and Millard singing and playing upright bass.
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Poetic Cellars is a wonderful winery to visit over Valentine’s weekend. With its romantic overtones and interesting wines, not the least of which is the Merlot 2008, a bottle of Poetic Cellars wine would make a great gift—or to open up over a special dinner with your Valentine.
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