Go Blue!!

The main reason I went home this weekend was to attend a very important concert. It was performed in this beautiful hall (Hill Auditorium) on the University of Michigan campus...
And featured the University of Michigan Men's Glee Club!
The concert was absolutely amazing! My mom and I recorded parts of it on our Flips cameras, and here are some of my favorite parts...

The boys entering and their first piece:


"Michigan Remember", written by the UMMGC Director:


My favorite part of the concert- introduced by my little brother:


The group bow- I just love how the stage gets so dark when they bow!


Isn't that cool? From the entrance, to the Michigan songs, to the group bow at the end, the performance was awesome! Hill Auditorium was completely sold out, and over 450 UMMGC alumni were in attendance.

Obviously, the concert was extremly entertaining. Between the performances, there were several speeches and awards, including this Lifetime Achievement Award given to Bob McGrath, of Sesame Street fame!
When the concert was finished, the boys stuck around for the photo-op. And now, may I ask you... have you ever seen a cuter group of boys?
I might be biased... but check out that wave- he's the best!
A few shots later, he was up front along with the rest of the executive committee. I tell you- those boys are so responsible and dedicated!
After the photo shoot on stage concluded, my brother came out to meet his adoring fans. He even brought along the award he was surprised with on stage earlier in the night- I was so doggone proud!
So, I asked him to pose with me... he's a really good sport!
And then we ALL lined up as a family for the official, post-concert portrait.
We all had a fantastic time- congratulations on a wonderful concert, SBV!
Thank you for stopping by- I hope you have a great Tuesday!

I don't mean to brag...

But I have the BEST weekend in store for myself!

I will be heading to my home-state to witness a momentous occasion:
That's right- the University of Michigan Men's Glee Club is celebrating 150 years of continuous music making. Isn't that incredible? This is the most talented and collegial group of college men I have ever heard of...
And do you know what makes them extra special?
My little brother is one of them!
I'll post an update on this amazing concert next week! In the meantime, I hope you have a wonderful weekend- thanks for stopping by!

Concert in the Park

What can you do on a random Tuesday night in the middle of the summer? Why, attend a concert in the park...
But it's not just any park... it's Central Park! And it's not just ANY concert... it's the NY Philharmonic! That's right- every year, the NY Phil does a mini-concert tour in NYC, performing in the BIG parks in all 5 boroughs. As these pictures will show, the concert is quite an event!

SFS and I attended last year, and this year actually ended up sitting about five feet away from where we sat LAST year. We snagged a place next to the baseball diamond. Although we were on the grass right in front of it, it was empty for a while and kids were playing catch with their dads. Of course, as prime real estate was hard to come by, the diamond was eventually taken over by blankets and chairs.
Here's a shot to the West. See all the balloons? When you have a group that's meeting at the park, it's really hard to find each other... so people get balloons to identify themselves. Smart, right? Plus, it makes the park that much more festive!
There are barricades set up throughout the park, and they create a series of roadways. Once the concert starts, you aren't allowed to squeeze between the barricades, or the police will chase you with their flashlight. I'm really happy they have these mini-roads, or people would sit everywhere and there would be MAD chaos about trying to exit the park!
Now, imagine this: there are so many people in the park using their cell phones to figure out where there friends are, that the cell satellites fill up and you sometimes can't get reception. FOR REAL!
But what's a concert in the park without a picnic? Behold the feast we snagged from Food Emporium (it's like a Shop Rite back home).
Mmmm... yummy pretzel bread sandwiches...
And focaccia (with herbs and spices) sandwiches...
And perhaps a little Prosecco!
Ahh... that's the good stuff!
I think someone agrees with me!
As the sun started to set, the place started filling up. On the program was:

Mozart - Symphony No. 41 (Jupiter)
Beethoven - Symphony No. 7

Great, right? And do you know what's weird? I've only ever heard the Beethoven in outdoor settings; first, at Ravinia back when I lived in Illinois, and then last night. If it doesn't ring a bell, I'm sure you'll recognize the second movement. (I used to play that song on the piano A LOT when I was a kid!)
The concert was really beautiful. The weather was perfect, and at the end of the concert, there was a special treat...
Fireworks! Of course, we're still a little spoiled from the 4th of July, but it was still a nice end to the night!
Someday I'll figure out a perfect setting for firework shots... but until then, you'll have to deal with crazy pictures like this! I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!

UMMGC in NYC

How's THAT for a whole lot o' acronyms? The University of Michigan Men's Glee Club visited NYC this weekend... and boy was it a blast! SBV and the rest of the boys arrived in town on Thursday afternoon, and performed a concert at Temple Emanu-El that evening. Here's a shot I took just after intermission (there wasn't a lot of light- sorry about the blurriness)...
Isn't that amazing? It was such a grand space- and the boys sounded great! Here's a shot of the whole group after the concert (SBV is in the second row, just to the left of the middle)...
There was an 'after-glow' following the concert. I even got SBV's carnation (sorry Mom)... yay! Do we look related, or what?
After that, it was off to celebrate the rest of SFS's birthday... can you figure out what I gave him?First there was Benny Goodman... now there's SFS! I was very impressed- having never played the clarinet before, SFS had a really good tone- way to go, Mr. Music!
On Friday, SBV and I had a chance to hang out. First, we hit up Central Park. It was a beautiful day, so we bought 'Mega Missiles' (the ice cream vendors don't know what a red/white/blue popsicle is... you have to order a Mega Missile)... YUM!
And as we watched a softball team rehearse, I admired my bro's new kicks... doesn't this look like an ad for Lacoste?
After that, we headed down to Union Square. After admiring things in Fishs Eddy (and stocking up on some glasses for SBV's apartment next year), we people watched before heading to Cafe Spice for dinner... btw, Maharaja beer is DELISH!
After dinner, we headed up to Times Square. SBV, SFS and I had tickets to 9 to 5, so we hung out on the TKTS stairs until the show started. We people watched, and while SFS was on the phone, SBV and I tried to take a good picture. Take it from me... it's harder than it sounds... here are a few of my favorites:
Yep... that's my bro! This next one is a classic, only because this is SBV's attempt at NON-squinty eyes!
Great... now he just has creepy eyes instead! Out of all of the shots, this one is the best...
It's not great, I know... but it's the best we could do! After all that fun, we finally made our way to the show (see it in the distance?)... it was a hoot! I would definitely recommend it- especially if you're a fan of the movie. It's a fun show, with great music from Dolly Parton, and Marc Kudisch was just hilarious!
I have lots more to share from the weekend... but this is a good start. Check back tomorrow for shots of the Greenmarket and other crazy antics with SFS. Happy Monday!