Solo

It was really hard for me to wait so long to see Solo: A Star Wars Story (particularly since so many of my friends were seeing it before me) but my Dad made me promise him that I wouldn't see it without him!  I'm glad that I kept my promise because he took my family to see it on Memorial Day and we had such a good time together!  We all loved it because it is such a fun and entertaining movie, perfect for the holiday weekend!  The galaxy is ruled by competing crime syndicates and a young Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) teams up with Tobias Beckett (Woody Harrelson) to procure a valuable resource, coaxium, for Crimson Dawn, a syndicate run by the ruthless Dryden Vos (Paul Bettany).  Along the way he meets the wookie Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), wins the Millennium Falcon in a card game from Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover), and makes the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs!  The story gave me everything I was looking for and I think it does a good job explaining how Han Solo got to be the rakish smuggler we meet in the original trilogy.  Ehrenreich is more than up for the challenge of playing such an iconic character but Glover steals the show as Lando Calrissian.  I laughed and laughed at the scene where he records the "Calrissian Chronicles."  The action sequences and special effects are really what make this movie so much fun, particularly a spectacular high speed train robbery and the infamous Kessel Run!  I still think that Rogue One has more depth and pathos but this addition to the Star Wars Anthology is well worth a visit to the theater!  Go see it!

1945

Yesterday I spent a rainy afternoon at the Broadway seeing a compelling foreign film called 1945.  In a rural village in Hungary just after World War II, two Orthodox Jews get off a train and arrange for two large trunks to be taken into the town by wagon.  News immediately spreads throughout the village and everyone reacts with alarm, wondering who they are and what they want.  We slowly learn that many of the villagers were complicit in denouncing a prominent Jewish family before the war and that many profited, unethically, from their arrest.  Intermingled with these frantic scenes of chaos are long shots of the two men slowly following the wagon into town which is a bit menacing as the villagers await their arrival.  As guilt plagues the villagers, with catastrophic results for many of them, we learn the innocuous reason for their visit.  It reminded me a lot of High Noon because the town is anticipating, not gunslingers, but two strangers walking into the town while nervously peering out from behind lace curtains as events unfold in real time.  This is, ultimately, a profound portrayal of guilt and how you cannot escape from the consequences of your actions forever and I am sure that I will be thinking about it for some time to come.  The cinematography effectively uses high contrast black and white to create unbearably beautiful images and the jarring score does much to add to the tension.  It is in Hungarian, and some Russian, with English subtitles and many of the characters look and dress alike (particularly the women) so I had a difficult time following the action at first but I found the images on the screen to be riveting.  I would definitely recommend this film.

Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2

Last night my friend Angela and I went to the final Utah Symphony performance of the 2017-2018 season and it was such an amazing concert!  In my opinion a performance featuring Rachmaninoff was a great way to end what has been a fantastic season!  The orchestra began with a piece commissioned by the Utah Symphony called Reflections by Tristan Murail.  It is very modern but, as explained by Thierry Fischer, it is a contemplative piece where the instruments mimic the tides and the wind and their ability to withstand adversity.  I found it to be very soothing.  Next Concertmaster Madeleine Adkins was the featured soloist in a performance of Korngold's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra.  I had never heard this piece before and I thought it was beautiful.  I especially loved the third movement because it was very lively and the violin sounded a lot like a fiddle.  Adkins gave a spectacular performance (I really like her and I like the fact that the Concertmaster is a woman) and she received a thunderous standing ovation.  After the intermission the orchestra played Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2.  Rachmaninoff is one of my favorite composers so I enjoyed this immensely.  I think that the fanfare played by the horns in the second movement is so quintessentially Russian and I think that the main theme played in the third movement is especially romantic.  It was such a lovely concert and it was a great way to celebrate the end of the school year!

Note:  I am really looking forward to seeing the Utah Symphony perform in some outdoor venues this summer, particularly a performance with Sutton Foster at Deer Valley!

The Rider

Last night I saw The Rider, a film I have been anticipating for weeks, and it is so good!  Brady Blackburn (Brady Jandreau) has suffered a catastrophic brain injury from being trampled after riding a bucking bronco at a rodeo.  Riding broncos is the only thing he knows how to do and it is his sole source of identity.  When he is told that he can never ride again he struggles to find himself again.  It is a beautiful and powerful exploration of what it means to let go of a dream.  What makes this film so remarkable is that it is based on actual events in the life of rodeo star Brady Jandreau, who plays a fictionalized version of himself, and stars his father Tim, his sister Lilly, several of his friends, and a former bull rider named Lane Scott who was paralyzed in a similar accident.  This device lends a certain authenticity to the film.  Footage from Jandreau's accident is used in the film and scenes where he actually trains wild horses are absolutely spellbinding.  Because he lived through these events, his pain and frustration are palpable and I found Brady to be an incredibly sympathetic character.  When he breaks down after visiting Lane in the rehabilitation center, knowing that this could be his fate if he continues, it is one of the most powerful moments I've seen on film.  The scene where he rides his horse for the first time after the accident is also beautiful and the look on his face does much to establish his motivation for wanting to continue in the face of insurmountable obstacles.  It is a remarkable performance.  The film takes place in the South Dakota badlands and the cinematography is stunning.  The beautiful, yet harsh, environment is the perfect backdrop for a character-driven film that is ultimately hopeful but tinged with melancholy.  I loved The Rider (it is now one of my very favorites of 2018) and I highly recommend it!

Summer Reading 2018

There is nothing that I enjoy more than spending an afternoon reading and, now that the school year has officially concluded, I have some uninterrupted time to do just that!  Once again I am sharing my summer reading list and inviting you to read along with me.  This year my list includes popular historical fiction, my very favorite genre, including Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave, We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter, Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline, The Alice Network by Kate Quinn, Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate, To Capture What We Cannot Keep by Beatrice Colin, The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck, Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan, The Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan, and Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly.  I am so excited to get started!  Once again I will review each selection here every Friday and I hope you will join me and tell me what you think in the comments.  Yay for summer reading!

Mamma Mia at PTC

I have seen the Broadway touring production of Mamma Mia several times and I've even seen it in London's West End twice (once on a theater trip with PTC and once with my Mom who danced in the aisle) so I was really curious to see what a regional theater like PTC would do with it.  I am happy to report that I loved their version and I think some of the choreography, especially in "Lay All Your Love On Me" (more about that in a minute) and "Voulez-Vous," even surpassed the Broadway version.  This musical features some of Abba's best known songs, such as "Dancing Queen," "Money, Money, Money," "S.O.S.," "Knowing Me, Knowing You," and, of course, "Mamma Mia."  Sophie Sheridan (Kathryn Brunner) wants her father to walk her down the aisle at her wedding but she doesn't know who he is.  When she reads her mother's diary, she discovers three possibilities:  Sam Carmichael (Brian Sutherland), Bill Austin (Dan Sharkey), and Harry Bright (Paul Castree).  Without telling her mother Donna (Coleen Sexton), she invites all three of them to the wedding and chaos ensues!  The cast is incredible in this show, especially Sexton!  During the fourth performance she broke her foot but decided to continue the run, wearing a boot and occasionally using crutches.  When I heard about this, I worried that this might take me out of the illusion of the show.  But the production team did such a great job of adjusting the costumes, choreography, and lighting (in just 24 hours) that, after her initial entrance on stage, I really didn't notice at all.  Sexton is definitely a trooper (a super trouper?) for continuing to perform with such a severe injury!  As great as the main cast is, I think the male ensemble steal the show with their scuba gear in "Lay All Your Love On Me" and their acrobatics in "Does Your Mother Know?"  This show is so much fun and I absolutely recommend that you take a chance (too much?) on PTC and see one of the remaining performances (go here for tickets).

Note:  I have really enjoyed the 2017-2018 season at PTC!  Highlights have been The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Bright Star.

RBG

Yesterday I saw RBG, an inspiring documentary about a truly remarkable woman.  I happen to agree with her on a number of issues but no matter where you fall on the political spectrum you have to admire Ruth Bader Ginsburg for her tireless dedication to the notion that everyone deserves equal protection under the law.  This documentary portrays her as a trailblazer but it also humanizes her.  We learn that she was asked by the dean of Harvard Law School why she was sitting in a seat that could have been occupied by a male and that, upon graduation, no law firm in New York City would hire her despite the fact that she made Law Review.  This fueled her desire for equal rights for women but she was too shy and retiring to march with other protesters so she joined the ACLU and quietly and methodically argued cases for equality before the Supreme Court.  Of course there is an interview with Bill Clinton on her appointment to the Supreme Court and footage of her confirmation hearings.  Of course there are interviews with friends and colleagues about her incredible work ethic.  However, I loved learning about her relationship with her husband Marty and how he respected and supported her throughout her career.  I loved learning about her friendship with fellow Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia despite having vastly differing opinions.  It is hilarious when she watches Kate McKinnon's impersonation of her on Saturday Night Live and laughs out loud, when she mentions that she enjoys the comparison with the rapper Notorious B.I.G. because they are both from Brooklyn, and when she shows us all of her signature jabots (including the rhinestone encrusted one she wears when delivering a dissenting opinion).  She is a rock star and I really enjoyed this entertaining portrait of her life.

Note:  I leaned that I have two things in common with her:  a love of opera and the inability to cook!

The Eagles at the Vivint Arena

When I heard the sad news that Glenn Frey had died, I was really glad that my family had the chance to see the Eagles the last time they played in SLC because I thought that they would never tour again.  Then I heard that the surviving members of the Eagles were going to tour with Vince Gill and Glenn's son Deacon and I knew that I had to get a ticket!  I love the Eagles so much because their music has been such a big part of my life.  The Eagles' album Greatest Hits (1971-1975) was my Dad's favorite road trip music and we would sing every song at the top of our lungs!  This concert was amazing!  They began, as they often do, with "Seven Bridges Road" which gave me goosebumps with the beautiful harmonies.  Then, in an emotional moment, Don Henley talked about Glenn Frey and introduced Deacon (he sounded so much like his Dad) who sang "Take It Easy."  I was so impressed with Deacon!  It had to be emotional for him to sing these songs and a bit overwhelming to be on stage with so many veterans but he definitely held his own.  He also sang vocals on "Peaceful Easy Feeling" and "Already Gone."  Vince Gill was also a great addition to the lineup and he gave me goosebumps with his rendition of "Take it to the Limit."  I also loved his vocals on "Lyin' Eyes," "Tequila Sunrise," "Heartache Tonight," and "New Kid in Town."  They let Joe Walsh off his chain and he provided much entertainment for the evening with "In the City," "Life's Been Good," and "Funk #49."  Even if his vocals aren't what they used to be, he can definitely play the guitar!  Timothy B. Schmidt was seated the entire evening due to surgery on his foot but he performed one of my favorites, "I Can't Tell You Why," as well as "Love Will Keep Us Alive" from the Hell Freezes Over album.  I have always really loved Don Henley and I was thrilled when he performed a fabulous version of "The Best of My Love," which is a favorite of mine.  I also really enjoyed a very sultry version of "Witchy Woman."  They got the Vivint Arena rocking with "Those Shoes,” “Victim of Love,” and  "Life in the Fast Lane."  The Eagles played for over two hours and I was really sad to see this concert come to an end because I enjoyed reliving my youth so much!  Despite being one of the youngest in my section I sang the words to every single song!  For the encore, they performed "Hotel California," with an incredible trumpet solo introduction, "Rocky Mountain Way," and "Desperado" complete with strings!  An awesome night!

Disobedience

Last night I went to see the film Disobedience and it was an incredibly poignant experience for me.  I live in a very conservative community and I have several LGBTQ friends who have been disowned by their religious families so I was very eager to see how this film treated the subject.  Ronit Krushka (Rachel Weisz) is a New York photographer who is devastated by the news that her father, a distinguished Rabbi in an Orthodox Jewish congregation in London, has died.  She returns to her childhood home and, without a lot of exposition, it is clear that the community regards her with a mixture of curiosity and scorn.  She reconnects with Dovid (Alessandro Nivolo), a protege of her father's who is poised to take his place, and Esti (Rachel McAdams), another childhood friend.  She is stunned to learn that the two of them are married.  Through a series of interactions between the two women that are fraught with tension (it is a very slow burn) we learn that they once had a sexual relationship and were condemned by the community.  Ronit is rebellious and left but the repressed Esti submitted to the will of the Rabbi and dutifully married Dovid in order to "cure" herself.  Neither woman is happy in her choice and they eventually resume their relationship, bringing consequences for Esti.  The final resolution left me a bit conflicted because, while they seem to find a way to reconcile their sexuality with their faith, it is rather vague and I don't know if their choices will bring them happiness. I know that many of my LGBTQ friends still believe even after they have escaped the repression and it torments them (Utah has one of the highest suicide rates in the country).  Both Weisz and McAdams are incredible, giving highly nuanced performances, and their love scenes are passionate and romantic (aside from one bewildering element).  Nivolo is also good as a deeply religious man caught between his duty and his love for his wife.  It is more than just a film about forbidden love and I would recommend it for its powerful exploration of the freedom to disobey.

Utah Opera's Die Fledermaus

Utah Opera ended their 40th Anniversary Season, rather appropriately, with the pop of a champagne cork in a delightful production of Johann Strauss Jr.'s Die Fledermaus.  I was able to see this opera last night and it was the perfect way to end a stressful week.  Prince Orlofsky (Abigail Levis) is throwing a ball and Falke (Troy Cook) is using it as an opportunity to play a practical joke on his friend Eisenstein (Daniel Belcher) as revenge for abandoning him in the middle of town wearing a bat costume.  He contrives to get Eisenstein to go to the ball as Marquis Renard instead of reporting to jail for insulting an official.  He also arranges for his wife Rosalinde (Sara Gartland) to attend as a masked Hungarian countess, as well as his maid Adele (Abigail Rethwisch) and the warden of the prison (Christopher Clayton) who are also using assumed names.  Hilarity ensues as everyone attempts to conceal their identities while having fun at the ball (with a little champagne).  Meanwhile, Rosalinde's former lover Alfred (Robert Breault) has reported to jail in Eisenstein's place to keep from compromising her.  When Eisenstein arrives at the jail in the morning and discovers him there, he confronts Rosalinde over her behavior bust she reveals that she is the Hungarian countess that he flirted with at the ball!  The story is so much fun to watch (it sounds convoluted but it is actually very easy to follow) and I found myself laughing out loud on multiple occasions.   The music is incredible and all of the songs are sung in English in this production.  My favorites were "Adele's Laughing Song" and the "Champagne Song."  The entire cast is wonderful but my favorite was definitely Levis as Orlofsky, whose antics are completely over the top.  The choreography, and the addition of four professional dancers to the cast, greatly enhances the party atmosphere and I loved the opulent costumes and sets.  I had so much fun watching this opera, almost as if I had also had a glass of champagne!  I highly recommend getting a ticket to the one remaining performance (go here)!

Deadpool Double Feature

Last night I went to a double feature of Deadpool and Deadpool 2 and it was so much fun!  I thought the first movie was absolutely hilarious (and I really enjoyed seeing it again) so I have been anticipating the sequel for quite a while.  Everything that I loved about the first movie was bigger and better in this one!  A drug lord that Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) was unable to kill follows him home to attack him and ends up killing Vanessa (Morena Baccarin).  To help him through his grief, Colossus (Stefan Kapicic) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) once again try to recruit him as a member of the X-Men.  As a trainee,  Deadpool accompanies them when they are called to respond to a standoff at an orphanage for mutants.  They encounter Firefist (Julian Dennison) and learn that Cable (Josh Brolin), a mutant soldier from the future, wants to kill him in order to stop him from killing his family in the future.  Deapool decides to assemble his own team, calling them the X-Force, to stop Cable because he feels that Firefist is worth saving.  In addition to the snarky humor, the self-awareness, the breaking of the fourth wall, the cheesy pop songs (the montage to "9 to 5" by Dolly Parton just about killed me), and the epic action sequences, I really loved the character arc for Deadpool in this installment.  He comes to the realization that killing is not necessarily the way to solve every problem.  There was real heart and a bit of humanity in the character which was quite unexpected.  Just like with the first movie I laughed out loud during the opening credits (a spoof of the Bond opening credits) and that was certainly not the last time I did so.  There are so many hilarious references and I'm sure I didn't catch them all!  I really liked Cable as a villain because he has a sympathetic backstory and I really liked Zazie Beetz as Domino, a member of the X-Force.  This movie is just a little bit naughty but it is so entertaining!  If you liked the first movie, you will absolutely love this one!

Note:  There are some hilarious mid-credits scenes (one made me laugh out loud) so definitely stay for those!

Sunset Boulevard

Last night I took my Mom to see Sunset Boulevard as part of the TCM Big Screen Classics series and we both loved it.  I had seen the Andrew Lloyd Webber stage musical but I had never seen the Billy Wilder classic film before and I was really excited for the opportunity to see it for the first time on the big screen!  Joe Gillis (William Holden) is a down and out Hollywood screenwriter who turns into a driveway on Sunset Boulevard to avoid having his car repossessed.  The driveway belongs to Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) a former actress of silent movies who has been forgotten but lives in a fantasy world where she is still a star.  She is aided and abetted in this fantasy by her butler Max (Erich von Stroheim) who is in reality her first director Max von Mayerling and her first husband.  Gillis cunningly arranges a job writing a screenplay for Desmond and moves into her mansion.  Soon Gillis realizes that Desmond is in love with him and he tries to leave but, when she threatens suicide, he returns to her to become a kept man.  When Desmond's illusions of making a Hollywood comeback are dashed and she realizes that Gillis is in love with someone else, she comes undone in one of the most famous scenes in film.  Sunset Boulevard is a classic example of film noir with atmospheric lighting, black and white cinematography, and a pessimistic portrayal of the underbelly of Hollywood.  I also think it is a great example of a dark comedy.  Both my Mom and I found ourselves laughing but immediately stifled that laughter because it seemed inappropriate given the drama.  Swanson gives the performance of her career and, while she is imperious and hysterical, she is somehow incredibly sympathetic as a woman trapped in the past.  Holden is very charismatic (and quite good looking) as a man who despises what he has become but can't bring himself to leave.  The production design is incredible.  Desmond's house is suitably ghoulish and ostentatious (I particularly loved all of the photos of her in her glory days) and her costumes are fantastic (the feathers!).  I am glad that I finally had the chance to see such a classic movie and it was so much fun with my Mom!

A Day in Las Vegas

I love Las Vegas...in small doses.  It is a really fun place with lots to see and do but it can also provide sensory overload.  I can only handle it for about a day so I usually plan short excursions to Sin City.  The reason for my most recent excursion was the U2 concert last Friday night but I got there early in the afternoon with some time to play.  My base of operations was the MGM Grand and from there I ventured out to the famous Strip.  I am a people-watcher and the people here put on quite the show but I soon become very weary of all of the hustlers on the street trying to get you to come to various shows (be careful about accepting any flyers from people, trust me on this!).

The Las Vegas Golden Knights have made it to the semifinal round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in their very first year in existence and the whole city is incredibly excited which was really fun to see.  There were banners and billboards everywhere but my favorite show of support was the jersey on the Statue of Liberty at the New York, New York Hotel.  By the way, now that my Colorado Avalanche are out of the playoffs I have temporarily transferred my affections to the Knights!

Of course, no visit to Las Vegas (or any other major city, for that matter) would be complete without a visit to the Hard Rock Cafe.  I started the tradition of collecting pins at the first HRC I visited (in London) and now I have hundreds of them.  I didn't get another one from this one because I have so many but I had lunch.  My waiter looked like Daveed Diggs and he flirted with me outrageously!  I continued wandering around for a while and then went back to the hotel for a quick nap.

The concert was in the brand-new T-Mobile Arena and it was pretty amazing (so was the concert).  I especially loved all of the Stanley Cup Playoff banners all over the arena.  I had a lot of fun on this quick trip (I will be back in one month to see Hamilton again) and it was just what I needed to make it through the final weeks of school!

U2 in Las Vegas

Yesterday I took a much needed day off from school to drive to Las Vegas to see U2's Experience + Innocence Tour.  I have been looking forward to this concert for a really long time and it was absolutely amazing.  The stage was configured the same way it was for the Innocence + Experience Tour with a rectangular stage at one end of the arena, a circular stage at the other, and a runway connecting them.  Above the runway were giant screens with a catwalk between them.  I really love U2's new album Songs of Experience and I was glad that they began the concert with two songs from this album, "Love Is All We Have Left" and "Blackout," which were performed in between the screens with some really great effects.  Then Bono went to the circular stage to perform my very favorite song from the album, "Lights of Home," and I think he gave a great vocal performance.  This was definitely one of the highlights for me.  Bono returned to the rectangular stage for "Beautiful Day" and then the band played some of their early hits, including "I Will Follow" and "Gloria," which I've never heard live before (another highlight).  They continued with "Red Flag Day," another new song, which I think sounds a lot like their early hits.  Then Bono gave a heartfelt rendition of "Iris (Hold Me Close)" with home movies of his mother projected on the screens and, like he did for the Innocence + Experience Tour, he sang "Cedarwood Road" with an image of the actual street on the screens while he walked in between them.  It looked like he was walking up and down the street where he grew up and, once again, I really loved the effect.  They played an acoustic and edgy version of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "Raised By Wolves" while highlighting the troubles in Ireland on the screen.  They ended their first set with "Until the End of the World."  In between sets there was an animated superhero video depicting the history of U2 while "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" played and I thought it was hilarious.  The second set began on the circular stage with Bono wearing a top hat and white face paint (this is a stage persona called MacPhisto that hearkens back to the Zoo TV concerts).  They played "Elevation," "Vertigo," "Desire," and "Acrobat."  Next they performed an acoustic version of "You're The Best Thing About Me" which sounded very different from the album version (I heard them play it last September in Phoenix) but I really liked it.  They got a bit political with "Staring at the Sun" and a performance of "Pride (In the Name of Love)" that was quite emotional.  They returned to the rectangular stage for "Get Out of Your Own Way" and "American Soul," both from the new album.  They ended with "City of Blinding Lights" with, appropriately, images of Las Vegas on the screen.  For the encore, they performed "One" which just about made me cry because the entire audience sang along!  Another highlight was an incredible vocal performance by Bono of "Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way," another favorite from the new album, and "13 (There Is a Light)."  Sigh!  I thought there were some sound issues in T-Mobile Arena but it didn't really detract from the experience.  I love seeing U2 live (this was my seventh U2 concert) and I love watching Bono strut around the stage.  I think he is one of the most charismatic performers that I've ever seen and he certainly put on a show last night!  It was just amazing!

Tully

Yesterday I finally had the chance to see Tully, the new comedy from Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman.  Marlo (Charlize Theron) is a stressed out mom about to have her third child when she meets a friend from her days as a free-spirited young adult and begins ruminating on what she has given up to move to the suburbs.  Her husband (Ron Livingston) is well-meaning but he has a stressful job which frequently takes him out of town and is generally clueless about the toll motherhood has taken on Marlo.   Her wealthy brother (Mark Duplass) offers to gift her with a night nanny when the baby comes but she doesn't like the thought of a stranger taking care of her newborn.  After the baby is born she is almost incapacitated by fatigue and, after a particularly trying day with her son, who seems to be on the autism spectrum, she relents and calls Tully (Mackenzie Davis).  Tully's presence has an immediate effect on Marlo, who gets a good night's sleep for the first time in years and begins to re-engage with the world.  Tully reminds Marlo of the free-spirit she used to be while Tully tries to remind Marlo that her most important dream has come true.  There is a huge twist at the end which some viewers may have difficulty with but for me it worked very well.  It's hard to talk about why I loved it so much without giving too much away, but I think it shows that just because a woman's role may change she should never lose who she really is.  I loved that this film highlights the fact that you need to take care of yourself in order to take care of other people.  Charlize Theron is fantastic in this multi-layered role and she isn't afraid to show the real (read: unglamorous) side of motherhood.  You can really feel her quiet desperation.  She and Mackenzie Davis have great chemistry and the scenes of them giving each other advice are incredibly poignant.  I enjoyed this movie a great deal and I highly recommend it.

Note:  My very favorite moment is when a school counselor tells Marlo to stop apologizing for her autistic son after he reacts to a loud noise because he has done nothing wrong.  So powerful! 

Spring in the City

Friday night I was downtown and I had an hour to kill in between dinner and the symphony.  I happened upon this lovely little garden area in between the Joseph Smith Building and Temple Square.  There were lots of little flower beds and places to sit and I absolutely loved it.  The spring flowers were so beautiful and they smelled amazing!  I wanted to sit there for hours!  I always say that fall is my favorite time of year but the spring is pretty spectacular, too!

Richard Strauss' Don Quixote & Zarathustra

Last week I went to a Utah Symphony concert with my friend Angela and this week I persuaded my sister to come along.  I usually really enjoy doing things by myself but I have to admit that it has been kind of nice being social lately!  I invited my sister along because she plays the cello and last night's concert featured Rainer Eudeikis, the Principal Cello.  The entire program highlighted the music of Richard Strauss and it was absolutely epic!  The concert began with Serenade in E-flat Major which is a lovely piece featuring the woodwinds and the horns.  Since I played the clarinet in school I enjoyed this very much.  Next, the orchestra played Don Quixote, with the aforementioned Rainer Eudikis on cello and Brant Bayless on viola.  This amazing piece is, of course, based on the novel by Miguel Cervantes and if you are at all familiar with the story it is uncanny how the various instruments mimic the action!  The cello represents Don Quixote, a old man who thinks that he is a knight is pursuit of an adventure, and the viola represents Sancho Panza, his loyal sidekick.  There are ten variations which tell the story and my favorites are when Don Quixote mistakes a bunch of sheep for an army because the brass sound just like the bleating of sheep, when he mistakes a group of pilgrims as kidnappers because the brass, once again, mimic the singing of liturgical chants, and the death of Don Quixote because I always think of the cello as a mournful sounding instrument and the final note depicting the old knight's last gasp is heartbreaking!  After the intermission, the orchestra played Also sprach Zarathustra which I found to be absolutely exhilarating!  I have never heard this piece performed live before but it is instantly recognizable if you have seen the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.  In fact, I can never hear the opening fanfare without thinking of the movie!  This piece is simply spectacular and I loved hearing it live!  I suggest you get a ticket for this epic evening of music (go here).

Note:  One of the perks of having a companion for the symphony is being able to go out to dinner!  Last week it was the Cheesecake Factory and this week it was the Garden Restaurant!

A Chilly Bees Game

Marilyn was offered some free tickets to yesterday's Bees game at work.   The seats were right behind the dugout so we were pretty excited.  It was 80 degrees over the weekend but you just never know with the weather in Utah.  At one point it was actually snowing yesterday and I thought the game might be postponed.  But then it cleared up in the afternoon and we decided to go.  We had so much fun!  I can't begin to tell you how much I love spending time with Sean and Tashena!  We love going to Bees games and we have some silly rituals like what we get to eat (we opted for hot chocolate instead of ice cream, or at least three of us did).  We were laughing so hard I wondered if we were bothering the people around us!  The Bees played the Fresno Grizzlies and they scored three runs in the first two innings which was a lot of fun.  Then the Grizzlies scored three runs in the third inning and three more in the fourth inning which deflated the crowd a bit!  By the bottom of the sixth inning we were all really cold so we decided to leave and it might be a good thing we did because the Bees ended up losing 11-4.

It really doesn't matter what the score is because we always have so much fun and last night was a blast!  I am so grateful that I get to spend so much time with my niece and nephew.  Being an aunt is the best!