Brattle Theater Oscar Party
Boston Flower & Garden Show
Red Sox Game
However, eating and drinking are always relevant, no matter the outing! I read a lot about local food and beer and wine tasting events, but unfortunately, they always seem to come with a hefty price tag. One day I'll surprise you all and attend an event not related to movies or flowers or music or sports. One day.....
It is pretty clear I am passionate about food, drinks, restaurants, cooking (sometimes), Boston's North End and then some. But I am thrilled the blog has provided me an outlet for all the things in life I adore. (the beach, New England travels, va-ca-tion). I could go on.
Actually, I will go on. The latest event attended was the Boston Pops Orchestra "Hooray For Hollywood" ensemble at Symphony Hall, conducted by John Willams. You know, the guy who composed the theme songs for infamous blockbusters such as Jaws, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park and Star Wars.
This spring the Boston Pops opened their 125th season. 125 years! That's circa 1885 people. No wonder Boston has the most well known Pops Orchestra.
Actually, much of the Pops notoriety and success can be attributed to long time conductor Arthur Fiedler.
Actually, much of the Pops notoriety and success can be attributed to long time conductor Arthur Fiedler.
Visiting Symphony Hall was on my "to-do-in-Boston" list for a couple years now. I figured I'd get over there sooner or later. My friend Tricia offered to purchase tickets to this past Wednesday nights show for a group of us. Adam and I happily obliged.
Symphony Hall is a wondrous place. I was completely stunned and in awe of the interior.
They allow no flash photography but I took that to mean during the performance only.
To my surprise we were seated at one of the many small folding chairs with accompanying folding table sectioned off around the floor. Ah yes, this is a HALL, not a THEATER. Big difference.
They sure pack you in like sardines though. We arrived promptly a little after 7:30 for the 8:00 performance. We ordered drinks and to my disappointment didn't receive them until almost intermission, an hour later.
I had started to think they forgot about us. A waitress came over and apologized at length, stating they hadn't forgotten but she was responsible for 36 tables and was doing the best she could. 36 *&^%@ TABLES. My eyes nearly popped out of my head. That's 5 people per table, some even ordering food. The man next to us who was in town on business assured her "she was doing a great job", thus making me feel like an jerk for not acting a little more sympathetic and god forbid even asking her where my beer was in the first place. I completely understood her distress, the poor thing was swamped. I didn't want or need a 10 page explanation on why she had to wait on 36 tables. I just wanted my Amstel Light. It did not accompany her explanation and meanwhile, Tricia and I spotted our beers across the way just sitting at the waitress stand waiting for someone to deliver them to our table. 
I'll admit I was super antsy during the first half of the evening. Not having anything to sip on, and feeling like they forgot about me was dampening my spirits. The performance however was absolutely magical. They opened with Adam's favorite number, The March From 1941. "Textbook" he says,"The piece builds layer upon layer, it's just fun to listen to." I concur.
Once the the movie screen descended and Close Encounters of the Third Kind music was played along to movie clips, I was hooked. (I've never even seen that movie). Not a fan of the Harry Potter Series myself, I was still able to enjoy the emotional score, also played along to movie clips. Intermission provided me a chance to stretch and wander around the hall. I made my way over to the bar for a vodka-tonic-splash of cranberry. Adam just so happened to have ordered me another beer, which was delivered in light speed. The second half of the performance left me satisfyingly double-fisting. The engaging orchestral pieces continued sans clips, with music from the adventures with an alien classic, ET. The Star Wars Medley evoked all the intense drama we know and love. And same goes for the Indiana Jones theme "Raiders March" which was played for the finale.
I was really pulling for some Jurassic Park action. In fourth grade I played the Clarinet in my school band - The John Simpkins Elementary School band to be precise, conducted by Mr. Hill. We rocked the Jurassic Park Theme and naturally, it was everyone's favorite song to play. Our band was so good that Mr Hill entered us in a state competition where that song was included in our ensemble. We won THIRD place. Jurassic Park was all the fourth grade Clarinet player in me wanted to hear. That piece is so uplifting to me. Alas, they didn't deliver.
But what they did deliver was a memorable evening with an ensemble of powerful music in one of Boston's finest venues.
I took some photos after the hall cleared out.
The 125th Anniversary celebrations, performances and tributes run through June. Visit BSO.org to learn more information.
Post Symphony we headed to Delux, cutting across the Christian Science Center. I used to live right around the corner - literally, my apartment window looked into the back of the CSS. I miss this neighborhood and made a mental note I needed to venture over in the daylight. At Delux I had a couple more vodka-tonic-crans and this:
Only the best grilled cheese you will ever taste. The menu at Delux changes every 6 months, but they always have some variation of the Delux Grilled Cheese. This one is simple with Farmhouse cheddar, tomato and bacon. The perfect GC combo. If you know me, you understand my long running obsession with this sandwich.I've had so many amazing entrees off the ever changing menu, I wouldn't know where to begin. It's hard to photograph food well in Delux because of the dim lighting, but I will try my best to give more of their amazing eats some blog time in the future!!
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