i Madonnari in San Luis Obispo (2009)

Waiting for the Rain

Everyone’s favorite film rain moment.  I don’t know anyone who hasn’t tried some of these dance moves. 

 The sun was shining this morning, but the rain is rolling in.  It has been a very dry winter and early Spring on the Central Coast, so I can’t complain and the beautiful flowers and the vineyards need the rain. How nice when you can combine the two with a visit to one of the many wineries in the area.

 So many of the tasting rooms have marvelous landscaping and container gardening in empty wine barrels is always a delight.  Do flowers really smell better after a few sips of good pinot noir? 

 

 

 

Neil Sedaka is coming to the showroom of a local casino.  Laughter in the Rain has always been a favorite song.   I’d love to see him, but , I’ve got  Willy Wonka rehearsal.  How many times have I had to say that.   Maybe next time, Neil.   Willy Wonka is going to be a great show.  Only matinees due to the content, but such fun for kids of all ages.  Since I have never grown up , it works for me. 

 

Guess it’s time to load some rain music on the old MP3 player.   How about….

1. The Beatles  Rain

2. Eurythmics Here Comes the Rain Again

3. Creedence Clearwater Revival  Have You Ever Seen the Rain

4.Peter Paul and Mary Early Morning Rain

5. Chopin Prelude “Raindrop” in D flat

6. Ramsey Lewis After the Rain

7. Barbra Streisand Soon It’s Gonna Rain

8. Judy Garland  April Showers

9.   James Taylor Fire and Rain

10.  Blossom Dearie I Love London in the Rain

San Francisco Symphony Visits the Central Coast

I’m still humming Tchaikovsky this morning having had  7th row tickets to the debut appearance of the San Franciso Symphony at the Cohan Center in San Luis Obispo last night.  The program included Copland’s music from the film Our Town, Berg’s Three Pieces for Orchestra, and Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony.  Three totally different works that together showed off each of the sections of such a great orchestra. 

Getting to finally see Michael Tilson Thomas conduct in person was such a treat.  He really is a rock star.  I am in awe.   I especially enjoyed my sight lines.  Being so close to be able to see his expressions as he conducted and to really be able to watch the concertmaster’s fingering, especially on the Tchaikovsky,  was spectacular.

The opening  credits of Our Town (1940)

The Second Movement of Berg’s Three Pieces for Orchestra

Finale from Tchaikovsky’s 5th

I Madonnari 2008

Another wonderful sidewalk chalk art show in San Luis Obispo this past weekend.  I never tire of watching the artists transform the blacktop around the mission into works of art.  People of all ages strolled and delighted in their surroundings. 

Two days watching the artists with side trips to local wineries, walks on the beach, visits from two out-of-town friends, and dinner at exceptional restaurants made for a glorious weekend.

 Here are some of my favorites….

Scary October Music

It’s October and time to get ready for Halloween and find some scary music.  On Sunday I went to an organ concert featuring the brand new Forbes Pipe Organ at the Cohan Center at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo.  The featured organist, James Welch, played “Introduction and Passacaglia in D minor by Max Reger.  He introduced the piece by saying it was October and time for something in D minor. (A little musicial humor) Everyone knows about the Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor (BWV 565).  If you’ve never heard the entire piece and want to watch how it’s played on a real pipe organ check out this clip: Bach Toccata and Fugue in D Minor It is probably the most famous organ piece in the world.  Who hasn’t been to a Halloween party without it?   Since the Bach had been played at the inaugural concert in June, Welch chose the Reger piece. It may be my new favorite October music. 

I Madonnari Art Festival

This was the weekend of the beautiful I Madonnari Italian street art festival in San Luis Obispo.  Using chalk, artists create works of art on the blacktop streets around the San Luis Mission. The festival is a charity event (see link) which supports children’s art.  Nice to see someone is.   I hear they don’t have a fill-in-the-bubble test about the  arts as part of the No Child Left Behind Act. Too bad, it might help protect arts education in our schools.

 

The festival featured everything from Farside cartoons to Diego Rivera. It was a windy day and every so often a cloud of multicolored chalkdust would waft over the onlookers.  I went on Saturday and Sunday to watch the artists work and then to see the finished projects.

My personal favorite was hosted by the local PFLAG chapter and was a celebration of all things rainbow.  It was so joyful and such an amazing use of color.  Here is a series of shots of one of the images as it developed over the two days.  Bellissima!