November isn't a month with a lot going on around these parts, but I've managed to keep occupied. Last Friday, I won tickets to see the band Dawes play live at Studio M at the Triple M radio station. I'd heard good buzz about Dawes live, though I was a little suspicious after reading about their connection with Jonathan Wilson and the whole Laurel Canyon crowd. I wasn't able to attend their Friday night show at the Majestic, so the chance to see them free in a very small room that afternoon was much appreciated.
Triple M gave out free beer and Blue Sky soda before the show, an unexpected bonus. Not being a soda or beer fan, I still appreciated the thought. After drinks were distributed, approximately twenty of us were led down to the studio where Dawes was already set up on a small stage. They played four songs, and were interviewed for about half an hour. It was interesting to be part of a future radio broadcast - a little bit like being in a TV audience. I enjoyed the performance, although judging from some of the questions in the interview, I'm guessing I don't have a much better feel for the full Dawes live show than I did before. According to lead singer Taylor Goldsmith, they don't typically use acoustic guitars at all. The studio performance consisted of one acoustic guitar, and three voices - the bass player didn't attend, because he doesn't sing. Maybe I'll catch a proper Dawes show sometime. From all I've heard, good things seem to be ahead for the band.
On Thursday, I saw Anthony Bourdain at the Overture Center. I'm a fan of Tony's various TV shows and books, but I wasn't sure what to expect from his live appearance. As it turned out, more of the delightful same: trash talk about various Food Network personalities, anecdotes about Top Chef, rants and advice about traveling and eating abroad, and a lengthy Q&A session at the end. Someone asked a leading question about high speed trains in Wisconsin, earning a huge laugh and big applause when Tony - clearly getting that he had suddenly become part of some inside joke - nevertheless spoke in favor of high speed rail. Listening to the crowd's reaction, I again wished Dane County could somehow secede from Wisconsin.
Between those two activities, I had a birthday. There was no big trip or serenades this year, but I had a very pleasant day and heard from many friends and family members. Plus, a coworker friend brought a birthday treat to work on my behalf. Someone else baking your birthday treat: highly recommended. And this afternoon: Harry Potter!
Showing posts with label birthday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label birthday. Show all posts
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Touch down, take off
I got home from my Italy and Holland holiday yesterday, and early tomorrow morning I leave again. Before the working vacation gets underway, in the midst of laundry and repacking, I wanted to take a moment to talk about the birthday trip.
Milano was a much bigger city than I'd expected - the fifth-largest urban area in the E.U., as it turns out. The Duomo, the only major sight we visited, is surrounded by tall buildings, restaurants, and shops. A day wasn't nearly enough time to experience Milan properly, but I liked what I saw just fine. I paid the equivalent of $16.75 for a pistachio milkshake in a fancy tearoom. That's not something you get to do every day. I couldn't read the full description; maybe it was made from the milk of Italian unicorns.
Amsterdam felt more manageable to me, though it's by no means a small town. It was rainy on and off while we were there, but we still explored much of the city on foot. I saw coffee shops, and shops that actually sold coffee. The red light district. The Oude Kerk, the flower market, Central Station, and many lovely old houses on the canals. Our hotel was a block from the great Van Gogh museum. I bought Christmas cards from the Rijksmuseum store. We explored De Pijp - Albert Cuyp market and rijsttafel at Sari Citra. And yes, I saw the Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet parade! It was everything I'd hoped for and more. You haven't lived until you've seen little Dutch children in afro wigs and blackface, wearing colorful and festive elf outfits.
Whenever I told anyone in Amsterdam that I was headed to Eindhoven, they were genuinely puzzled. "Why? Do you have family there?" Judging from their reactions, I didn't expect a perfectly nice city with plenty of shopping, cafes, an open market, and a carousel outside our hotel. We didn't have time to do a lot in Eindhoven, but the Centrum seemed charming. Hey, the carillon of the nearby old church played "Imagine."
Those were the cities. Then there was the other part of my trip: the concerts. Andrew Bird at Melkweg was a good show, though he seemed to be having some trouble focusing. Many stops and starts because the timing was off, or he couldn't remember something. The room was very boomy, which didn't help. Andrew was solo, except for a couple of songs (including "Oh Sister") for which he brought out his solo female opener, Jesca Hoop, and a few songs for which Pat Sansone came out and played piano. The only song Andrew played from Mysterious Production of Eggs was "The Happy Birthday Song." Total shout-out, of course. Right.
The Wilco shows were very good, too. Paradiso in Amsterdam is a former church, and it was fun to see the band with a backdrop of stained glass windows. The setlists of Amsterdam and Eindhoven complemented each other very well. Jeff dedicating "Handshake Drugs" to Zwarte Piet at Paradiso made me laugh, as did the pandering Amsterdam lyrical references. It was a treat to hear songs like "Cars Can't Escape" and "Wishful Thinking" in Eindhoven. But for me, the biggest treat in Eindhoven was a totally surprising happy birthday singalong and song dedication. Whether or not Jeff actually dreamed about killing me (lyrical reference!), it made for an even more memorable, special show. Thank you, Wilco.
Good music, new cities, and meeting up with friends halfway around the world. I just knew this trip would be a great way to kick off my thirties. On to California!
Milano was a much bigger city than I'd expected - the fifth-largest urban area in the E.U., as it turns out. The Duomo, the only major sight we visited, is surrounded by tall buildings, restaurants, and shops. A day wasn't nearly enough time to experience Milan properly, but I liked what I saw just fine. I paid the equivalent of $16.75 for a pistachio milkshake in a fancy tearoom. That's not something you get to do every day. I couldn't read the full description; maybe it was made from the milk of Italian unicorns.
Amsterdam felt more manageable to me, though it's by no means a small town. It was rainy on and off while we were there, but we still explored much of the city on foot. I saw coffee shops, and shops that actually sold coffee. The red light district. The Oude Kerk, the flower market, Central Station, and many lovely old houses on the canals. Our hotel was a block from the great Van Gogh museum. I bought Christmas cards from the Rijksmuseum store. We explored De Pijp - Albert Cuyp market and rijsttafel at Sari Citra. And yes, I saw the Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet parade! It was everything I'd hoped for and more. You haven't lived until you've seen little Dutch children in afro wigs and blackface, wearing colorful and festive elf outfits.
Whenever I told anyone in Amsterdam that I was headed to Eindhoven, they were genuinely puzzled. "Why? Do you have family there?" Judging from their reactions, I didn't expect a perfectly nice city with plenty of shopping, cafes, an open market, and a carousel outside our hotel. We didn't have time to do a lot in Eindhoven, but the Centrum seemed charming. Hey, the carillon of the nearby old church played "Imagine."
Those were the cities. Then there was the other part of my trip: the concerts. Andrew Bird at Melkweg was a good show, though he seemed to be having some trouble focusing. Many stops and starts because the timing was off, or he couldn't remember something. The room was very boomy, which didn't help. Andrew was solo, except for a couple of songs (including "Oh Sister") for which he brought out his solo female opener, Jesca Hoop, and a few songs for which Pat Sansone came out and played piano. The only song Andrew played from Mysterious Production of Eggs was "The Happy Birthday Song." Total shout-out, of course. Right.
The Wilco shows were very good, too. Paradiso in Amsterdam is a former church, and it was fun to see the band with a backdrop of stained glass windows. The setlists of Amsterdam and Eindhoven complemented each other very well. Jeff dedicating "Handshake Drugs" to Zwarte Piet at Paradiso made me laugh, as did the pandering Amsterdam lyrical references. It was a treat to hear songs like "Cars Can't Escape" and "Wishful Thinking" in Eindhoven. But for me, the biggest treat in Eindhoven was a totally surprising happy birthday singalong and song dedication. Whether or not Jeff actually dreamed about killing me (lyrical reference!), it made for an even more memorable, special show. Thank you, Wilco.
Good music, new cities, and meeting up with friends halfway around the world. I just knew this trip would be a great way to kick off my thirties. On to California!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Sinterklaas and the Black Petes
I'm going to Amsterdam for my 30th birthday.
It's not that I buy into the hype about turning 30. Is hype the right word? Maybe not. More accurately, I'm not particularly intimidated by the idea of being 30. It's kind of a shame that I won't have a 2 in front of my age anymore, but more due to nostalgia than anything else. Plenty of my friends are over 30, and I haven't noticed anything scary happening to them. Though I have noticed that lately I derive great satisfaction from filling out any form that asks for my age. Twenty-nine! Still 29, damn it! But, in my head, I've been 30 for awhile. It's a side effect of planning everything months and months in advance.
Which brings us back to Holland. It's going to be a quick trip: my birthday is Tuesday 11/17, and I'll be back at work on Thursday. The point isn't really to see the sights. The point is to do something crazy for my birthday, because why the hell not? When a certain band announced a show in Amsterdam the day before my birthday, I was tempted. But when they announced a show an hour or so away in Eindhoven on the day itself, that decided it. A few days' vacation, and a memorable farewell to my twenties? Sign me up.
The plan is to meet up with some friends on that Saturday. In, um, Milan. Then on Sunday, P and I will fly to Amsterdam. Two awesome things are happening on Sunday about which I had no idea when this trip was booked. First of all, Andrew Bird is playing at Melkweg that night. Secondly, Sunday morning is when Sinterklaas arrives in Amsterdam on a boat from Spain, with his six to eight black men.
Hell. Yes.
Even if we don't make it to the waterfront in time for the actual arrival, I figure we'll be in time for residual merriment. And souvenirs. Oh please, let there be souvenirs.
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