DLR LotD 09/29/13

Disneyland Resort
Line of the Day

Sunday, September 29, 2013

"I don't think you guys know the meaning of "F*ck It'." -- Karla, to Jenn and Sher, on Main Street, as they continued a futile MouseAdventure quest

Thanks for the fun, Team Those People!

DLR LotD 09/19/13

Disneyland Resort
Line of the Day

Thursday, September 19, 2013 -- Extra Hours for Annual Passholders

"We all know that we've all been on this ride before!" -- Sherry, to people fake-screaming before the ride started, on Tower of Terror

DLR LotD 09/12/13

Disneyland Resort
Line of the Day

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Special Edition: Minassian-Young Vineyards Wine Dinner at Catal

2011 Rose
"They found one in my scope." -- Adrienne, discussing CHOC Bears with Sherry

Amuse Bouche: Compressed watermelon, house-made chair ricotta, roased grapes, white balsamic, basil
"I would go anywhere in a limo with Sally." -- Cindy

2011 White  (blend of Rousanne and Grenache Blanc)
Seared diver scallop, creamed parsnips, frisee, vanilla oil, bacon essence, parsnip curls
"Balsamicness--I just made a new word." -- Chef Steven

2011 "Junipero" (blend of Tempranillo, Grenache, Mataro and Zinfandel)
Skuna Bay Salmon, corn cake, black kale, cherry gastrique, crispy shallots
"What is the burlesque show you are doing over there with the wine glasses?" -- Adrienne, to Glenn

2010 "Beyond the Pale" (blenf of Syrah, Zinfandel and Malbec)
Bacon wrapped lamb roulade, deconstructed ratatouille, liquid polenta, berry-kissed lamb jus
"Sherry's out." -- Glenn

2010 Estate Zinfandel
Angus beef tenderloin, smoked bone marrow, gremolata, melted cipollini, horseradish espuma
"i had this stuck to my foot." -- Sally, returning from the restroom with a seat cover

Dessert: Citrus "cheesecake", chocolate-espresso crumb, mixed Italian meringue
"I'm eating butter." -- Sally

DLR LotD 08/30/13

Disneyland Resort
Line of the Day

Friday, August 30, 2013

<Linda violently stabbing her fork into her pasta>, in response to Ryan's suggestion to "Poke around and if you can't find any chicken, let me know." -- at Catal

Drum Corps at the Bowl

Tchaikovsky Spectacular with Fireworks

Los Angeles Philharmonic

Robert Moody, Conductor

Pacific Crest

Santa Clara Vanguard

Friday, August 16, 2013

Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, CA

You read that right!  My favorite drum corps at the Hollywood Bowl!  I don't know why I didn't know about this ahead of time, since I follow both corps very closely during the summer, but at least I did find out the night before so that I could buy a ticket and reserve a spot on the bus.  I was really excited and didn't even care whether or not any of my friends would agree to meet me there.  But yes, my friend Dodie already had a ticket for the evening!  Yay!

I rushed out of my office as soon as I could, so that I could go home and get into my drum corps gear (a PC shirt and my green SCV jacket -- gotta represent!) before going to Arcadia County Park to catch the bus to the Hollywood Bowl.  The shuttles are the best way to get there because the parking situation is a bit insane.  I got the last spot on the first bus, and was irritated by someone texting me about work, because I was trying to save cell phone battery and that was not helping.  (The next day, all those texts did not matter anyway, so that irritated me the next day again).  

The Bowl in Daylight

I hadn't been to the Bowl in quite some time, and back then, I had someone telling me where to go, so I had to figure out everything by myself this time.  I bought something to eat at the Market Cafe (my favorite to-go bag: Patina), and attempted to find my way to my seat.  On the way, I saw Dodie waving at me, so I sat with her and ate my dinner as we chatted.  Dodie was excited that she'd get a little taste of the drum corps scene.  I was excited that I could stave off my Drum Corps Withdrawal for another weekend.   Dodie said that in prior years, the orchestra was joined in the 1812 Overture by the USC Trojan Marching Band, and she explained to me where they would stand.  Presumably, the drum corps members would stand in the same place, along the edge of the pit.  I'd much rather watch the drum corps than that band. Then it was time to get my butt to my own seat, which was on the aisle, and nobody was sitting in front of me because of the configuration (Section N3, Row 6, Seat 1).  

They're really here!

The concertmaster played his "A" and the orchestra tuned, then conductor Robert Moody entered the stage.

The Star-Spangled Banner was played by the orchestra.

Mr. Moody announced that the drum corps would be playing later, although he said that they were teenagers, when in fact, DCI accepts you until the year that you are 21 at the start of the season.  Whatevs.  They're young.   You know I screamed when he announced that they'd be there, right?  He also said that there were 140 members from Pacific Crest, SCV and SCV Cadets, whom had won at Finals this year.  YAY!

Selections from "Swan Lake" -- Scene; Dance of the Cygnets; Waltz

Beautiful opening oboe solo.  Seriously?  Someone's cell phone rang.  The old fashioned telephone ring.  LAME.  Of course, they answered the phone and talked.  He's lucky that I wasn't sitting next to him, because my glare can bore holes like lasers through people.  I forgot how people don't know when to clap at a classical music concert.  I mean, yes, I was still in drum corps mode and wanted to stand when I got excited about a part of the show, but no, I did not.  It was kind of weird for me, though, because I was wearing a drum corps shirt.  I like the lighting that they do in the shell for the different moods of the music.  I especially liked the pink.

As I always do when I watch an orchestra play:  I miss my violin.

Capriccio italien

Mr. Moody had told us at the beginning of the evening that this piece was written by Tchaikovsky when he was listening to marching bands that were playing across the way from where he was staying at the time.  So, of course, we had to include the drum corps!  The piece started off with a few people from SCV playing in the balcony-ish section at the side of the shell.  The lush sound had a lot of people around me saying, "ooooh".  It was gorgeous.  Then the orchestra came in and I wondered if that was it for the corps.  Then they came back and walked on the stage.  Oh, what a sight to see those uniforms up there!  AND!  AND between some of the rows in the lower sections, there were flags!  Not just any flags, but the red/black fleur-de-lis flags from SCV's "Les Miserables" show!  Happy Sherry Smiles!!!!  They sounded great!  I hoped that they'd come back for more.

Playing the Capriccio

<Intermission>

I visited Dodie and met her friend Cindy, whom had bought their tickets. There was a lady sitting in back of them with the Pacific Crest "Transfixed" shirt from this summer.  I told her that I almost bought that shirt.  I love seeing the drum corps fans here!  Dodie and Cindy said that they were enjoying listening to the corps and seeing the flags.  That was quite a neato surprise.  Dodie especially liked the tone when the horns started the Capriccio.  I told her that it would even be better if they were moving on a field.  She thinks I'm trying to find her a new obsession called Drum Corps.  She's right.  :)

After intermission, Mr. Moody announced to the audience that Tchaikovsky was "not subtle".  Yeah, he's really not.  Mr. Moody reminds me of Fred Arminsen from "Saturday Night Live", at least from where I was sitting.  His picture in the program does not remind me of anyone.    

Festival Coronation March

This march was written for the coronation of Alexander III, and includes the anthem "God Save the Tsar", which is also included in the 1812.

Ukrainian Folk Song Suite (from Symphony No. 2 in C minor) -- I.  Down by the Mother Volga; IV. The Crane

For the piece about the Volga river, the shell lighting was blue.  

Pretty!

1812 Overture

The people sitting in the very front had to move from their seats so that they could watch the fireworks.  So while they moved, the orchestra tuned up, and I was very ready for more drum corps!  The corps members walked onto the stage, and some of them were also in front of the stage.  During the piece, I saw that people were holding flags and I got even more excited. Some were on stage, and some were in the aisles again. Well, I ended up trying not to scream, because the flags they held this time were the red/white/blue flags with the yellow fleur-de-lis,  again from SCV's show.  I really did like the effect of just seeing the flags kind of appear over people's heads.  It reminded me of the smaller flags they were tossing during the Les Miz show at Finals.  I didn't even need the fireworks to get me to ooh and aah, but fireworks are always better with drum corps.  :)

With Fireworks

Not That We Need Fireworks or Anything Else

That was fun!  I'm going to pay more attention next year when I get the Bowl schedule, to see if any drum corps join them again.  While I was walking out, I felt most at home when surrounded by guys wearing SCV corps jackets, as well as those wearing PC stuff.  I'm such a drum corps fan-geek.  And proud of it!

Until next summer, DCI!