But in Amman, Jordan, a generally mellow capital city, a gunman fired several shots from an assault rifle at Yoram Havivian, Israel's deputy consul, as he was getting into his car in his affluent neighborhood.
To me it always seemed like Austin or Minneapolis, one of those mellow, scenic cities where punks go to breed.
Dolton's energy, von Bergen's machismo, Di Toro's warmth, the mellow playing of the City of London Sinfonia under Stephen Higgins, and, most of all, Tynan's exquisitely idiomatic performance of "Prendi, per me sei libero" combine to touching effect.
In those days -- the mid-1970's -- the city was a mellow state capital best known for its live music scene.
Artists are moving in, attracted by the city's still-mellow vibe and proximity to nature.
Every apartment would contain a quirky dork, an outlandishly foxy woman, and a mild audience surrogate; they would rove around suspiciously clean cities and have mellow adventures.
But the city of nearly two million people has a mellower, more cultured side, as our family discovered on a recent weekend visit from our home in San Diego.
Outside Radio City Music Hall, Salvation Army bells rang and Frank Sinatra's mellow voice filled the air with "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas".
That sort of exchange - one of community camaraderie, rather than political innuendo - is not one people expect to hear in Washington DC, a city known more for monuments and memorials than mellow corner bars.
But recent reports suggest that the No Fun City vibe is determined to harsh Vancouver's mellow, especially on everyone's favourite nude beach.
