Archive for Concerts

Van Halen’s Concert

29 October 2007

Both DB and I wanted to go for Van Halen’s concert held on October 25 at the Target Center in Minneapolis.  We saw it advertised back July.  We asked SD and BF, they wanted to go, too.  In the end, we all had to read, hear and watch the reviews on TV, radio and papers.  Per ticket  coz $100+.  Crazy.  It was way too, too spendy for us.  It seems like it was hell of a concert.  Everyone who called in to KQRS station were raving how good it was coming from a group of 50-something souls.  DB was looking forward to it, but we thought we could use that money on something else.

Busy Weekend Updates

1 June 2007

Memorial Day weekend started off with babysitting Riley. This time we had to pick him up from his home in Savage on Friday afternoon. As usual, he was as hyperactive as ever. We had a shadow the entire weekend. However, I have to say he was much better than the first time he was with us.

When we got home from Savage, we had our dinner and I got ready for my concert at MN Orchestra Hall. Met up with Simmie and we went to the Orchestra Hall together. The performance was so-so. Music was too modern. We left after the 2nd performance.

Then she took me to Dakota Club which is a jazz club. I heard so much about the club and now I get to see it. We hung around for a bit and went to Fallafal King for a late dinner. The fallafals were so good, I could eat a ton of them. For some reason, I enjoy eating Mediterranean food. Oh, I almost forgot about the hummus. They were appetizing that I wanted to eat more, but then gotta think about how late it was already. Can’t go to bed with a heavy stomach – “fat ngok moong” (nightmares). Actually, that’s a lame excuse….it’s more like being vain!

By the time I got home, it was about 10:45 p.m. and I was wired for some reason. I know I should be tired but I guess it was way passed my bedtime. I went to bed at midnight and woke up 6 on a Saturday. Pathetic, but I needed to. Took the three boys to the dog park and spent about 1.5 hours there till the sun was beating on us. When I got home, changed and DB and I dropped off his truck at the garage for oil change and I hit the grocery stores for my weekly duties. Each time I go to the store, I will drop by the nursery for more plants, what else. I didn’t get any this time.

Once I got home and put away the groceries, had my lunch and went out again to get my passport pictures taken at Sears but then, couldn’t do it right away because no frigging appointment. Made an appointment for 1:30 since I only have 1 hour to kill, I proceeded to Blockbuster to return the DVDs I received from the mail. Good thing about this Blockbuster Online Access is sure is handy. I can return the DVDs to the store and pick up any movies that are on the queue. I don’t have to pay for the rental since I am paying a monthly fee for the membership. I rented “The Red Violin” since it has Joshua Bell playing the solos, and “Water”, a Hindi movie about young girls in India back in the 1930s who are widowers and according to the Hindu system, they can marry the husband’s brother, if he wants to. If not, the girls’ parents have to take them to the widower’s house to live for the rest of their lives.

Obviously when I got home, I didn’t get to watch my movies. I have my babysitting duties to do. I took the boys out for their walk, then called Simmie and made our arrangements to meet for Joshua Bell concert at the Ordway.

On Sunday, I went to Mernards to get landscaping lights and some other stuff for DB’s executive bathroom. Then I itchy backside I bought Windex outdoor cleaner for our windows. I saw my neighbor did it and it looks so damn easy. Next stop…..the nursery and bought more plants. Their plants are dirt cheap. I bought 5 Hostas and 5 German sage plants, and a bag of Miracle Grow potting mix and the total came to $48 bucks.

Couldn’t wait to get home and plant them. When I got home, DB was already working on the front yard trimming bushes (shrubs) and I vacuumed the house. Didn’t want to do it coz I want to plant my stuff. Finished vacuuming, headed out, and started digging – digging out rocks. I was a squatting, kneeling, bending over, sitting, digging for four hours. I was so darn tired I wanted to sit on my butt and watch my movies.

SD, her BF and his son, Zack, came over for dinner. We sent her to the store to get brats and buns since I bought corn on the cob a week ago from the farmer’s market. We finally sat down to eat at 8:15. I was famished I could eat more but I over starved myself. DB and I were glad they left shortly after.

One thing good about having them over is they will play with the boys, this time three boys, till they knocked out. The boys were so tired they didn’t even want to go out for their night potty. YES!!!!

On Memorial Day, I finished cleaning the bathrooms and had a good whiff of Lysol Mildew remover. I kid you not, that thing was strong even though I had the exhaust fan and an oscillating fan in the bathrooms. For the rest of the day, I could not smell anything except Lysol. Wonder if I can die of inhaling Lysol fumes in the long run.

Right after I was done cleaning the house, I went out and finished transplanting my plants. Planted the lilies and the rest of the hostas. I was already aching from the day before from all the bending, squatting and kneeling.

Riley’s owner came around 3-ish while I was watching “The Red Violin”. There were total distractions from the boys coz they wanted to go for their walk. It was so hot and humid out, I rather stay inside and enjoy the coolness in the house. DB was so glad to get rid of Riley. He was such a pest this time around. No more babysitting at least till I’m done with school.

After our dinner, I just sat on my ass and watch “Water”. It’s a good movie, very sad, though. I thought my dam would open up big time; it did but very little. I would definitely watch it again, and same goes to “The Red Violin”.

Holiday weekends seems to be more tiring for me. Going back to work was a drag. This four-day week seems so long.

Joshua Bell Concert at Ordway Center

31 May 2007
Simmie and I went to Joshua Bell’s performance on Saturday, May 26. It was my first time at the Ordway. Very nice venue, much more sophisticated than MN Orchestra Hall. Plus, we had good seats too. Our seats were 12 rows from the stage. Yeah, I counted the rows.

Good thing I went with a music expert. I was wondering why there was no conductor and Simmie told me there is no conductor in chamber orchestra. Everyone is the best so they lead each other. And seeing JB making all these big movements with his arms, well, I was wondering that was pretty unusual till Simmie told me he is also the conductor. He is really good. I thoroughly enjoyed the performances. The way he handles his millions of dollars Stradivarius violin - dang, it’s as if he is making love with his beloved instrument!

This guy Joshua Bell is one heck of a young looking person. We Googled him and found out he is single, 39 years old and looks like he is 20. I’m serious. He certainly can pass up as a 20-year old. That lead us (Simmie and I) that why is he still single. He is a well-known violinist, a cutie pie with no mention of a girlfriend. Makes you wonder if he is gay, which he does represent as one.

I am not sure if he would be in town again, but I know I would see him in action for a second time. For sure because he’s a cutie, he’s renown and just to see him make love to his instrument is enough.

In my last post, I stated that Joshua Bell played at a train station in NY City. This is what I found on Wikipedia about him playing at the train station. I mentioned NY city on the last post, well, it was actually Washington, DC. Here is the skinny on it….

“In a curious experiment, Bell played as an incognito street busker at the Metro station L’Enfant Plaza in Washington, D.C. on January 12, 2007. Among 1,097 people who passed by, only one recognized him and only a couple more were drawn to his music. For his nearly 45-minute performance, Bell collected $32.17 (not counting $20 from the passerby who recognized him).”

Weekend of Concerts

21 May 2007

This Friday, May 25 is Vänskä Conducts Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2 at the Minnesota Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. I exchanged these tickets when they cancelled the German Requiem in March due to inclement weather.

Told DB to come with me since he didn’t want me to go by myself, his response: “Urgh”. Very nice of him. See, he does not want me to go alone but he won’t tag along, plant his butt and take and expensive nap. That’s the least he can do, right? Tell ya, he’s one of a kind.

Then, I received a call from the receptionist at the executive area on Monday and told me I won two tickets to Joshua Bell Plays Bruch Violin Concerto at the St Paul Chamber Orchestra, Ordway Center this Saturday, May 26 at 8 p.m. I didn’t expect to get my name picked. Knowing my luck……never that lucky. So happened a lady returned the tickets because she could not make it, so the receptionist picked my ticket.

Heard from my colleague that the Ordway Center’s acoustics are just superb. Simmie will be joining me for both concerts. I have heard a lot about Joshua Bell initially from my sister, and since then, I have heard him on the radio, ABC evening news and of course on the MN classical station. It was funny to see when Joshua Bell was in NY city playing in the train station for the heck of it if anyone recognizes him, no one paid attention to him except for a little girl and a lady. The rest of the commuters walked passed him without planting a glance at him.

I’m just pumped for this weekend plus it the holiday weekend. I can stay up later and just do whatever I want. 3-day weekend……Yeeehah!!!

MN Orchestra – Brahms German Requiem (Ein Deutsches Requiem)

9 February 2007

This evening after our dinner I asked DB if he wants to accompany me to this performance on March 2, 8 pm at the Minnesota Orchestra Hall. His facial expression was enough to tell me I have to go by myself. His expression was as if I poisoned him. Yes, that bad.

He didn’t bother to ask me what the performance was about. I asked my aiyah brother about it a week ago and he recommended I should go for this performance. He said the “ein deutsches requiem” is performed once in a blue moon because it requires quite a big chorus. It is about 75 minutes long and has 7 movements and it’s sung in German. There is an English version but it’s hardly ever performed. It has become the signature piece to remember the people who died in the September 11 tragedy.

Now I have to find someone to go with me. If not, I will have to go on my own. Gotta do it quick tho as the good seats are running out.