Song For Sonja

Welcome back Dear Readers.

Last week 

I wanted to do something special 

for my friend 

Sonja

who is moving back to Denmark soon. 

So I decided to have something 

of a 

surprise dinner party for her.

For days I planned, schemed, and  plotted.

Then there were stops, and some repeat stops at many shops. 

When all my ingredients were assembled 

I cooked my tail off!

I think Sonja and all my guests 

enjoyed themselves. 

Here's my

Dinner For Sonja

French 75

 - a flute of Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve with 

a float of Germain Robin Select XO

and a lemon twist.

Small Plates 

of Wild Boar Proscuitto,

Caperberries, Speck, Olives, 

Pickled Garlic Cloves,  Peppers

and Marcona Almonds

First Course

Smoked Sturgeon 

served on a Burgundy Dandelion garnish

with Lemon and Tobiko Caviar

Salad

Mache and Watercress Salad

with French Icicle and Rainbow Radishes 

and Mushrooms 

in a Champagne Vinagrette

2006 Ravenswood Dickerson Zinfandel

Main Course

Broiled Lamb Rib Chops on an Ancho Sauce

with "Everything" Mashed Potatoes,

and Swiss Chard

Dessert

Individual 

Strawberry Rhubarb Blueberry Crisps 

served with Vanilla Ice Cream

Daterra Farm Calabria Espresso Roast Coffee

and

Sri Lankan Ratnapura Tea

with 

Various Parisian Macaroons 

and Chocolates

Strains of Astrud Gilberto and laughter

could be heard throughout the 

candlelit room.

A good time was had by all. 

I hope you'll agree that this was a meal fit for 

My Great Dane 

Sonja!

D.C. is The Place To Be

Welcome back Dear Readers. 

So nice to see you again.

Have you ever felt that 

while it may great to be handsome,

or brilliant, 

or the life of the party,

that sometimes it's

 just nice to be lucky?

That's how I'm feeling this week as 

Global Around Town 

previews some of the most exciting events in

The World of the Arts,

in my own backyard

Washington D.C.

Wednesday night,

 any of you who happen to be in or around D.C.

 should try and get one of the remaining tickets to see 

Pat Metheny and his Orchestrion 

in concert at Strathmore Performing Arts Center. 

The prolific and ever creative Metheny

has created an Orchestrion

and knows how to use it 

to create his inimitable magic.

Here's Wikipedia's definition - 

"An orchestrion is a generic name for a machine that plays music and is designed to sound like an orchestra or band. Orchestrions may be operated by means of a large pinned cylinder or by a music roll and less commonly book music. The sound is usually produced by pipes, though they will be voiced differently to those found in a pipe organ, as well as percussion instruments. Many orchestrions contain a piano as well."

I've been listening to Pat for the past 35 years or so. 

From his days with Gary Burton, to his trio with Jaco & Bobby Moses. 
I've been with him for his solo and various group excursions.
Seeing him take charge of this immense instrument Wednesday night should prove to be 
fascinating and beautiful.

As if this were not enough,

one of the most important contemporary composers around, 

John Adams,

is in town conducting his own and others' works. 

What a special and rare opportunity this is!

Saturday night John Adams will lead 

The National Symphony Orchestra with violinist

 Leila Josefowicz

 in the following concert - 

BRITTEN - Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op.33a

ADAMS - The Dharma at Big Sur

STRAVINSKY - Feu d'Artifice

ADAMS - Doctor Atomic Symphony

I have enjoyed listening to this Pulitzer Prize winning composer for many, many years. 

Some of his music has been described as "minimalist" 

although I think it can be very romantic & sweeping.

You may be familiar with his operas 

Nixon in China, The Death of Klinghoffer

or

Dr. Atomic. 

Adams won the Pulitzer for his piece

On The Transmigration of Souls

which commemorates those who lost their lives in 

the September 11, 2001 attacks on 

the World Trade Center in New York. 

A couple years ago I took friends to hear 

El Nino - A Nativity Oratorio

and it was very special. 

I know the concerts led by Adams this week

will be as well. 

See ya there!

Also opening in D.C Thursday the 20th, 

Yves Klein: With the Void Full Powers

at The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. 

Revel in the works of one of

 "last century's most influential artists."

Klein,

 you may recall,

bathed nude women in blue paint and used them as 

"living brushes" 

on his canvases. 

As you can see 

D.C. 

is a great place to be this week.

I hope you'll be able to take advantage of it.



For more information on Metheny go to http://www.patmetheny.com

John Adams - http://www.earbox.com

Yves Klein at The Hirshhorn - http://hirshhorn.si.edu/exhibitions/view.asp?key=21&subkey=252

The Girl Who Played With Fire - The Movie

Perhaps you've read 

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

or the entire 

Millennium Trilogy. 

Maybe you saw the movie

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

Millions & millions did. 

So, 

if you are like me,

how excited will you be,

knowing that the film, 

The Girl Who Played With Fire,

part deux of 

The Millennium Trilogy,

opens July 2

?!?!?!?!?!?!

I cannot wait!!!