tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26079947563567554342024-03-13T07:00:34.469-07:00phillysingerCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12391619694286244816noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607994756356755434.post-12949686612543263962012-08-01T13:29:00.003-07:002012-08-01T13:29:33.456-07:00<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mountain Adventure Day!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, this is my hotel. So sweet!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And this is the folk music academie, in the middle of "town" (it's a one bar/restaurant sort of town with the post office the next village over). </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iTtPgeE--Wc/UBmCWbHufoI/AAAAAAAAAP8/_pstijGDSkY/s1600/2012-08-01+13.51.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qJ7nFBTJi6U/UBl76p4HEII/AAAAAAAAAOk/F-3AKYrZEwc/s1600/2012-08-01+12.11.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qJ7nFBTJi6U/UBl76p4HEII/AAAAAAAAAOk/F-3AKYrZEwc/s320/2012-08-01+12.11.48.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The one church. Very sweet but not open weekdays.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> And then we went up a mountain. What should have been a 30 minute drive turned into a 40 minute drive followed by a 45 minute hike. BUT there was cake and beer and coffee and sausages for those who partake, though we did lose half the group since we got seperated. Not lost like that! They just couldn't believe the four of us would go that far, but I am greatly motivated by food, folks, and I was hangry. (so hungry you're almost angry = hangry). </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were cows on the path. They had bells and it was a wonderful sound. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Views from the top. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yWZcmPCIrHo/UBl9RmBOjuI/AAAAAAAAAPA/1M2cjPeQARw/s1600/2012-08-01+14.59.49+HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yWZcmPCIrHo/UBl9RmBOjuI/AAAAAAAAAPA/1M2cjPeQARw/s320/2012-08-01+14.59.49+HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jaQkt6joCxI/UBmBSb4zN-I/AAAAAAAAAP0/QqMPVakqYvE/s1600/2012-08-01+13.37.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jaQkt6joCxI/UBmBSb4zN-I/AAAAAAAAAP0/QqMPVakqYvE/s320/2012-08-01+13.37.55.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the hut where we ate. so cute.</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The friends we left behind by accident, but they got lovely food down at home, so oh well!!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Evening view on the mountains. </span></td></tr>
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<br /></div>CBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12391619694286244816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607994756356755434.post-10038252547192690412012-07-31T12:31:00.000-07:002012-07-31T12:31:08.147-07:00Liesing, Lesachtal, Austria<br />
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So I'm in the Alps.<br />
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That's the view from my balcony. Across those mountains is Italy.<br />
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That's to the left. Also,</div>
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The balcony where we can eat breakfast, etc. We (my teacher, other teachers and a couple other singers and I) are in the largest house in town run by a very nice Russian couple. I keep forgetting to ask the host if he speaks French as I have no German and he speaks great German and no English. We have people here that speak very well though so no problem. :)</div>
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I keep forgetting to take pictures of people because it's so freakin' pretty here. It's like living next to or in Yellowstone Canyon. Grandiose, huge, whoa. All the time. I was going to load pictures from Munich and my tiny cute room in the upper floor of the Gasthaus (guesthouse, more like a bed and breakfast) there but this place is so much prettier. Hard to compare. The people I forget to take pictures of though are really nice and all dedicated musicians, so the companionship is lovely. </div>
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Two longs days of traveling (6 hour bus ride in the rain last night anyone?) has caught up with me and I hope my voice will be better and easier tomorrow. Exercise will make it easier and sleeping earlier will as well. Gute Nacht and I'll catch up later friends!</div>CBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12391619694286244816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607994756356755434.post-17245770494722621112012-07-27T00:03:00.001-07:002012-07-27T00:13:05.392-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dworp</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, it's a silly word and you pronounce it just like it looks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's the name of the closest village to us here at the Destleheide Culture center for the jazz camp, and it's very cute. We arrived on Sunday to go to dinner with the Weyler family, the owners of the music school and heads of the camp (note Maarten's work of art dessert below from said dinner). That dinner brings together the teachers that come from out of country, which included this year David from Amsterdam and Serge from Montpellier as well as the three Americans, with Peter Eldridge being the other voice teacher. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peter is the nicest person ever and and I think we will all be friends for a long time after this. I feel very blessed to have met him. I mean how many jazz musicians can you talk about your classical rep with, and they also say "Oh I love Poulenc!" Dig!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Raspberry mouse dome with nom nom nom...... also Chopped fans, notice the spoon push?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year I was invited to teach some extra vocal technique classes, in part because there were 21 singers registered and it would help keep students involved and provide smaller class sizes, and also because, like at home, contemporary music singers often don't get a lot of information on vocal production. The interest from the students has been in releasing tension, improving the breath control in ballads and such, and everyone wants to know how to belt. Of course! The students are very polite and inquisitive and after talking about jazz style and songwriting and having combo rehearsals, it's a totally different sort of class and a nice switch for them I think. It's an experiment this year and I have no idea if it will happen next summer, but I've had a great time teaching at a camp I've been at as a spouse for 4 years previously. The people here are just so nice, students and faculty alike. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And if you think larynx is difficult to spell, try </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">strottehoofd. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">View from the deck off the main classroom building. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">View to left. Fabulous weather here every day. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">View from first morning in the dorms, we move to the cabin Monday afternoon. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">View from our ground level room- we share a patio with a big table and umbrella with 2 other teachers down here. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sun sets here around 9 and lingers. Just beautiful. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Wednesday we escaped the caf food (not so bad this year) and went first to the bistro, which was closed on Wednesday, and then to the local castle for dinner. While there we met up with Matthias and two students from camp (friends of his) and then had dinner with Ewout and Tutu, now longtime friends and jazz musicians extraordinaire.</span><div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jFLUjez-Sqs/UBI_HWl4cAI/AAAAAAAAAMM/4MXdcFKiR7E/s1600/gravenhof+dinner.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jFLUjez-Sqs/UBI_HWl4cAI/AAAAAAAAAMM/4MXdcFKiR7E/s320/gravenhof+dinner.jpeg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love cram-in pictures. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R5d20W35Ehg/UBI_ISM4Y3I/AAAAAAAAAMQ/v6hMeOovRSU/s1600/peter+and+J+silly.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R5d20W35Ehg/UBI_ISM4Y3I/AAAAAAAAAMQ/v6hMeOovRSU/s320/peter+and+J+silly.jpeg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This guy.<br />Also, nice socks Peter. (Must continue joke). </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dYh3yOVkDnI/UBGuBvUjWTI/AAAAAAAAALM/6FdChCA1ybg/s1600/2012-07-26+09.04.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dYh3yOVkDnI/UBGuBvUjWTI/AAAAAAAAALM/6FdChCA1ybg/s320/2012-07-26+09.04.53.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the pond at the bottom of the hill- Zevenbronnen or Sept Fontaines, and is in a swanky neighborhood. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GHL-LcP4n14/UBGu9smjQ_I/AAAAAAAAALg/HYzzXfAuLec/s1600/2012-07-26+09.05.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GHL-LcP4n14/UBGu9smjQ_I/AAAAAAAAALg/HYzzXfAuLec/s320/2012-07-26+09.05.29.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">yeah I ran here yesterday. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mufaabhonoA/UBGvaMyUWuI/AAAAAAAAALo/zB5yCVYXG-g/s1600/2012-07-26+09.05.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mufaabhonoA/UBGvaMyUWuI/AAAAAAAAALo/zB5yCVYXG-g/s320/2012-07-26+09.05.35.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">here too. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-du-lxyduFPo/UBGwGaJ2WvI/AAAAAAAAAL4/KpbzDdgdXkw/s1600/2012-07-26+21.57.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-du-lxyduFPo/UBGwGaJ2WvI/AAAAAAAAAL4/KpbzDdgdXkw/s320/2012-07-26+21.57.16.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can you find the moon?<br />I was sitting outside rewriting song lyrics to memorize and I just loved the scene.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I promise I will remember to charge my phone today and take it with me and get some people pictures- it'll be easy since it's the faculty concert tonight. Hot in the day and delicious cool at night. Very jazz. </span></div>CBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12391619694286244816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607994756356755434.post-38065144295235754662012-07-22T05:47:00.001-07:002012-07-22T07:40:55.554-07:00<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">End of stay in Den Haag and nighttime Brussels</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm terrible at blogging.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I forget to do this and three days go by- too much time having fun with actual people instead of the computer. There was an epic dinner cooked by yours truly on Thursday night out in the chi-chi suburbs and of course the boys' concert on Friday night, but Kyle has those pics because I was busy cooking/bossing around or having fun at the dinner. I made some wonderful new friends through Kyle and Mic and even got to visit with the matriarch, Omeka Kleykamp. I know I spelled that wrong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the meantime here are some pics.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uZ4g16wVL6w/UAvrEmCHLtI/AAAAAAAAAG0/kLaYgfDpcVM/s1600/2010-08-02+16.10.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uZ4g16wVL6w/UAvrEmCHLtI/AAAAAAAAAG0/kLaYgfDpcVM/s320/2010-08-02+16.10.21.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our beautiful friend Sophie (a pic from a couple years ago- but a fav)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9r_iacWVJos/UAvrG8JVfSI/AAAAAAAAAG8/UGJanqg9-PE/s1600/2012-07-21+22.47.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9r_iacWVJos/UAvrG8JVfSI/AAAAAAAAAG8/UGJanqg9-PE/s320/2012-07-21+22.47.32.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">St. Katrijn/Sainte-Catherine, the church of the square Sophie lives near. Lovely neighborhood. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QUtNJK-FHpQ/UAvrKMOFkaI/AAAAAAAAAHE/fHedUF__qMY/s1600/2012-07-21+22.50.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QUtNJK-FHpQ/UAvrKMOFkaI/AAAAAAAAAHE/fHedUF__qMY/s320/2012-07-21+22.50.37.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay the Flemish roof line isn't so obvious here, but there are parts of Brussels that is so much nicer at night. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aHiJFi5J0HA/UAvrMzA5Y4I/AAAAAAAAAHM/wYfn9trXiG0/s1600/2012-07-21+22.53.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aHiJFi5J0HA/UAvrMzA5Y4I/AAAAAAAAAHM/wYfn9trXiG0/s320/2012-07-21+22.53.02.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Beguinage/Cloisters, very Baroque. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kc_NvPpTmos/UAvrToijQII/AAAAAAAAAHc/YzyyGYaRekA/s1600/2012-07-21+23.37.44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kc_NvPpTmos/UAvrToijQII/AAAAAAAAAHc/YzyyGYaRekA/s320/2012-07-21+23.37.44.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Side of Ste. Catherine on the Quai, seafood restos galore. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nBeCodu1LmA/UAvrWCXwXBI/AAAAAAAAAHo/A3KylIpaKxE/s1600/2012-07-21+23.38.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nBeCodu1LmA/UAvrWCXwXBI/AAAAAAAAAHo/A3KylIpaKxE/s320/2012-07-21+23.38.07.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gah. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JEVWwoXGSm4/UAvrcqZTCKI/AAAAAAAAAIA/_Jbnyzm6q04/s1600/2012-07-22+11.09.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JEVWwoXGSm4/UAvrcqZTCKI/AAAAAAAAAIA/_Jbnyzm6q04/s320/2012-07-22+11.09.31.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fab wine that we drank while having a music exchange at midnight. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IpnD2Z9eSWY/UAvrfYaTHnI/AAAAAAAAAII/9LJYxsTBVSo/s1600/2012-07-22+11.16.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IpnD2Z9eSWY/UAvrfYaTHnI/AAAAAAAAAII/9LJYxsTBVSo/s320/2012-07-22+11.16.24.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sophie's building stairwell. I have a thing for staircases. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zseqpQF-xJU/UAvricDxjyI/AAAAAAAAAIU/Ninu-DYQP6I/s1600/2012-07-22+12.41.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zseqpQF-xJU/UAvricDxjyI/AAAAAAAAAIU/Ninu-DYQP6I/s320/2012-07-22+12.41.02.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Et vous aussi, monsieur. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-af8bZORVhOI/UAvrnliPukI/AAAAAAAAAIc/61PaitYnR1c/s1600/2012-07-22+12.43.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-af8bZORVhOI/UAvrnliPukI/AAAAAAAAAIc/61PaitYnR1c/s320/2012-07-22+12.43.48.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Smiling at me. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y32x_gONJTg/UAvrsSClwuI/AAAAAAAAAIk/VCK15bShsZ4/s1600/2012-07-22+12.44.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y32x_gONJTg/UAvrsSClwuI/AAAAAAAAAIk/VCK15bShsZ4/s320/2012-07-22+12.44.00.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another one, really?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HMCjHMYOi3E/UAvr1PUu5dI/AAAAAAAAAI4/vhLNbjmWoYQ/s1600/2012-07-22+12.49.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HMCjHMYOi3E/UAvr1PUu5dI/AAAAAAAAAI4/vhLNbjmWoYQ/s320/2012-07-22+12.49.01.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My favorite flowers followed me to Brussels. </span></td></tr>
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<br />CBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12391619694286244816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607994756356755434.post-27437428981151896152012-07-19T01:10:00.000-07:002012-07-19T01:10:33.697-07:00<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Arrival and Downtime: Brussels, Den Haag, and a little layover in Frankfurt. The town. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you don't know the basics about me yet, find www.ClaireBinek.com, and then come back here!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So Justin (husband) is with me until the end of the month when I go to Austria. First lesson we learned: Fly Lufthansa. Always. Not only was it cheaper and easier to get more choices with them, but the service was outstanding. The attendant that sat across from us </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on the exit row is a native of Frankfurt, </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the Lufthansa hub, </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and urged us to go downtown since we had six hours to kill. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so we did!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Alte Oper, Frankfurt. Because of course they have two opera houses. Find the tiny me! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--PEFujEe8rE/UAe3dW-_eXI/AAAAAAAAAGc/MC5JV6WEuw8/s1600/frankfurt+breakfast.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--PEFujEe8rE/UAe3dW-_eXI/AAAAAAAAAGc/MC5JV6WEuw8/s320/frankfurt+breakfast.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Strudel Strudel Strudel! Far, Kirschenkugel with Strudel, Near, Plum something with Strudel. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then on to a groggy day in Brussels and lots of good food. The frites at dinner with my mussels were so good I called them potato goddesses. I've made a point to go to the best frite houses in Brussels and Antwerp at the Cafe à l'Opera next to the Monnaie beat them. Or maybe it's since I didn't sleep for 36 hours. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RTgcVuhqeuQ/UAe2OLRksfI/AAAAAAAAAFM/Jw_7pv_wkWw/s1600/2012-07-17+12.15.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RTgcVuhqeuQ/UAe2OLRksfI/AAAAAAAAAFM/Jw_7pv_wkWw/s320/2012-07-17+12.15.42.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Grand Place, Brussels. What you can never see well in pictures is all the gold leaf. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WuuVtXn4Cfc/UAe2VRVFKYI/AAAAAAAAAFU/O36_iT4o7MI/s1600/2012-07-17+12.15.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WuuVtXn4Cfc/UAe2VRVFKYI/AAAAAAAAAFU/O36_iT4o7MI/s320/2012-07-17+12.15.47.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It makes the square bright even under clouds. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And on to friend time and pretending we are locals in The Hague/Den Haag. Sadly, my Dutch accent is better than my French- guess which one I studied? Bodes well for my German plans this fall, though. Yesterday J and I both got to practice for a couple hours at the Catholic church- he in preparation for the concert Friday night, and I in prep for Alpenkammermusik in Liesing/Lesachtal, Austria. There's a Liesing right outside Vienna, and it's not that one, so I list the area name as well if you want to Google it. The boys, Kyle and Mic, have gotten the local English Catholic church to make a hoopla </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">about Justin coming to Den Haag and there will be postings </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">about this fabulous dinner and concert after Friday night. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our former student/now colleague and singer-pianist-teacher Kyle is lending his apartment as he is house-sitting for some US ex-pat friends across town and it's beautiful. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunny again this morning!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZuMzkUNLmNA/UAe28fFNbVI/AAAAAAAAAGA/LWVCX_McpYk/s1600/2012-07-18+09.01.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZuMzkUNLmNA/UAe28fFNbVI/AAAAAAAAAGA/LWVCX_McpYk/s320/2012-07-18+09.01.52.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Window-walls on two sides- light is very important the farther north you live here. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wt7GF5ugnwM/UAe3BRZjBUI/AAAAAAAAAGI/8E5n3c524p0/s1600/2012-07-18+09.03.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wt7GF5ugnwM/UAe3BRZjBUI/AAAAAAAAAGI/8E5n3c524p0/s320/2012-07-18+09.03.27.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The apartment is at the intersection of two canals- fun!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was going to exercise this morning, but we are renting bikes today and I don't want to waste my legs running if we're going to the beach later. Running here is wasting your legs- we walk everywhere and for me, it's enough that I have that delayed I-worked-out-feeling each morning. The church alone is over a mile to get there; I'm not complaining! It's nice that it's cool weather and exercise is built in. You do notice the difference in fitness here with people of all ages and I'm convinced it has to do with the multitude of bikers and walkers. Now, time for that croissant. ;-)</span></div>CBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12391619694286244816noreply@blogger.com0