Friday, September 30, 2011

2011.9.29. Rite of Spring

Seattle Symphony presents:
Ludovic Morlot, conductor
Yang Xu: guest concert master

Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
Gershwin: An American in Paris
Varèse: Amériques

Varèse is one noise maker. 12 people manned percussion section. Large wind presence. The end is the loudest you can imagine. Stravinsky's is about the same time. At least more tonal. Gershwin is melodic, happy and playful.
Again Morlot talked before the last piece.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

2011.9.24. Elliott Bay bookstore

5pm. The Stranger's columnist Clark Humphrey talked about his new book Walking Seattle briefly at Elliott Bay Bookstore, and lead a ~40 minute tour afterwards for ~5 blocks east of the store. He was not a tour guide, lost the better half of his flock 15 minutes into the walk. I found it interesting, so did probably the rest 6-7 people. One person in the audience (I didn't catch his name) also added some tidbits about the neighborhood.

Had watermelon sorbet and tomato basil sorbet at Molly Moon, two of the 4 current seasonal flavors. I couldn't really taste tomato or basil.

7pm, Mridula Koshy read the first story of her book If It Is Sweet. She's skillful at painting an image, or a series of images to convey a sense of feeling. Her story has no beginning, no end. More interesting to me, is what she talked about why she wrote, the language, the literary scene in India. Her 3 children were in the audience, while she read this story which contains a sexual scene. They were well behaved, none as good looking as their mother.

Had dinner at Quinn's and then nursing a glass of Radeberger. Excellent small plates, albeit pricy. Bustling outside.

Friday, September 23, 2011

2011.9.22. Beethoven's 3rd

Seattle Symphony conducted by the new music director Ludovic Morlot.

Frank Zappa: Dupree’s Paradise from The Perfect Stranger;
Henri Dutilleux: L’arbre des songes. Renaud Capuçon on violin;
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3, in E-flat major, Op. 55.

Zappa is a noise maker. According to the online writeup, this is about a bar on Avalon Boulevard in Watts at 6:00 a.m. on a Sunday in 1964, during the early morning jam session. For about seven minutes, the customers (winos, musicians, degenerates, and policemen) do the things that set them apart from the rest of society. No wonder.
Dutilleux's is interesting. Lots of percussion instrument, lots of color. The 34 year old violinist is superb. Morlot talked briefly before this 2nd piece and introduced the cimbalom and the oboe d'amore, and pointed out the tuning session in the middle of the work.
Beethoven's, of course, is a masterpiece. Somehow the first two movements of Beethoven's Eroica sound more familiar to me than the last two.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

2011.9.20. Neal Stephenson @town hall

Neal Stephenson read his new book Reamde, at Town Hall Seattle. Not sold out, but pretty full. His reading was monotone and boring. The Q&A was better. Stephenson was pretty realistic and funny. Seemingly humble and straight forward. He is shorter than I thought, mismatched pants and suit.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

2011.9.18. Day of Music @Benaroya Hall

Seattle Symphony's Day of Music celebration. 7 venues (including the lobby) with 30 some music groups performing. Noon to 6pm.

The new director Ludovic Morlot conducted the symphony for two 45-minute concerts playing these same works: Debussy's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, Gershwin's An American in Paris and Ravel's La Valse. Energetic. The concert hall was almost full. Hope some of today's audience will come back later. This is not the best occasion to listen to serious music, as too many toddlers were struggling in their seat or on their parents' laps.

I also went to Seattle Women's Chorus and Captain Smartypants' short concert. The latter's number on 1-minute-classic-books is hilarious.

5th Ave Theatre's 4 singers performed some Rogers and Hammerstein's songs at the Recital Hall.

Snake Suspenderz is new to me. Sounds and looks very entertaining.

Bought 4 tickets to some upcoming concerts.

2011.9.17. On the way to Lummi Island

Planned to catch crabs at Lummi Island. Late start. The ferry is very small. Didn't see any vehicle, so I wrongfully assumed that this was a passenger only ferry. At the same time, people were gathering near the eastern side of the ferry dock. It happened to be an outrigger race, with only 4 teams, each consists of 6 rowers. The first canoe out performed the rest for a long shot.

On the way back, took the 1896 Chuckanut Drive. There're quite a few fish/oyster houses along the pleasant winding road. Larrabee State Park is a must stop. Rocky coast, birds and 3 otters. There is an outdoor stage, sheltered picnic tables, a short trail runs along the shore with ~3 view points that you can climb around the rocks.
Tried to catch crabs at Deception Point State Park, but was told that the crabbing season was closed for the year. I guess for most of the mainland, Labor Day is the last day of the year.

On the way back on Hwy 20, picked up some potatoes. Almost a bucket of harvest!

Quite lucky with the weather. It was pouring when entering Seattle.

Friday, September 16, 2011

2011.9.15. Border Songs @Boot-it

Book-It Repertory Theatre stages Jim Lynch's 2009 book Border Songs. The story of a young big (230lb + 6'6") border patrol who's borderline autistic, with a talent for animals especially birds, in a border town between WA and BC, where the Canadians were enjoying and some cultivating cannabis, and the American dairy farmers were having trouble with inferior feeds due to lack of money. Many issues were weaved into the story. Well acted (especially the woman cop, and mad Canadian professor). Simple stage.

This is the 2nd PWYC preview of this performance. I'm sad to see that the small theater was not even full.

2011.9.14. Mary Stuart @ACT

ACT Theatre presents Mary Stuart by Peter Oswald after a play by Schiller. The last few days of Mary's life. Elizabeth's dilemma and cunning; Robert Dudley's lightening switch wind between the 2 queens; Lord Burleigh's hard determination; Lord Shrewsbury's worry of Mary's death might taint Elizabeth's reputation; Paulet - a jailor par excellence; and a fictional young Mortimer who devoted to free Mary. Wonderful dialogues and acting. No stage. Modern clothing, except for the queens.

ACT is making this performance PWYC everyday. I hope more people can come and enjoy it. All the arts groups are desperate financially.

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

2011.9.6. Welcome Pass

2.5 miles one way, 2800'.
I was planning to get to Excelsior Mt. But the road to Damfino Lakes are closed this year. Due to the time constraint (had to take my dad to YVR, so only arrived at Glacier Ranger Station ~2:30pm. Had lunch and filled water. Didn't start hiking until ~3:20pm.), I chose the shorter Welcome Pass, instead of the 4.2 mile and 3500' gain to Excelsior Pass. Someday, I'd like to ridge walk between these two passes (minimal ups and downs, great view).

The hike is steep (except for the first 15 minutes). Almost all in the woods. DRY and warm. 1:45 hr later, each the pass. Nice view to the north, with some snowy peaks low in the far north. Glowing green under the slanting sunshine. Yellow and white flowers. Stopping here would be a pity. The left (west) trail wanders behind a ridge with trees obscuring the view for ~20 minutes, but the slopes were covered with flowers. Once the trees are gone, the view of Shuksan and Baker is fabulous. Lupines cluster together. No flowering carpet. Still not bad. The east trail heads up a knoll, steep, but covered with more yellow and white flowers. Great view to the pass below. Headed back ~6pm, and reached the car in an hour.

Encountered only 3 hikes before 4pm, then I was entirely alone. Flies followed me from the trail head. At the pass, mosquitoes joined in to feast on the only sweaty body for miles around. When I left, the 5-6 cars at Excelsoir Pass trail head were all gone too.

Stopped at Nooksack Falls (a side 0.6 mile wide gravel road) on the way back to Glacier Ranger Station. Very pleasant. Not just the North Fork Nooksack River tumbling down here, another creek was also rushing to join Nooksack River. Unfortunately, high fences were lining the rock edge, couldn't get a photo of both. There was one other car on this Tuesday evening.

Direction: 12 miles east of Glacier Ranger Station. At milepost 46, take an unmarked and overgrown rough road on the left for 0.8 miles. YVR to #99 exit for 32nd ave is 30 minutes. Instead of waiting for 40 minutes (estimated sign on hwy) at the border, I drove along 16th ave to Abbotsford, then Huntington Rd to Sumas border crossing. Only 2 cars ahead of me. So, just 50 minutes after hwy, I was in US. 30 minutes later, arrived at Glacier.

Monday, September 05, 2011

2011.9.4. Heliotrope Ridge

5.5 mile RT, 1400' gain. On my way to Canada, I decided to take a hiking detour to seek flowers in my memory (my last visit was 7 years ago). 3 hours to the trail head from Seattle, 8 miles of winding and narrow (not too bad) Glacier Creek Road from Hwy 542. (End of the road @mile 9 is a view point.) Arrived at Heliotrope trail head at 3pm.

A minute into the trail, the bridge was broken by heavy snow. Had to go downstream ~100m, over hard dirty ice, thorny devil's club, aided by fallen logs and exposed tree roots. The middle section is flat. Many creek crossing: some require waterproof boots. The last slopes were covered with blue and white flowers. On the ridge proper, not many flowers. Shone by the lowering sun, leaves were shining green. In the north distance, Canadian peaks are clearly visible. The main attraction here is Coleman Glacier up and close: deep menacing crevasses. Met countless people: many kids.

Border crossing at Sumas took over 10 minutes. Bought a gallon of milk at IGA. 1:45 hours from Glacier's ranger station to home.

Sunday, September 04, 2011

2011.9.3. Mt Rainier

Saturday. Summerland and Tipsoo Lakes at Mt Rainier National Park. Flowers are very good along the roads.

After a picnic at Sunrise, I started my hike at 1:20pm. Back to the trail head at 5:20. ~8 miles RT to the campsites, 1900' gain. (Wasted about 10 minutes looking for missing sunglasses and then my poles.) The first 30 minutes is super easy. 1 hour later, broke out of forest. Possible to hear the Panhandle Creek most of the time, but only had glimpse of it twice. The final slopes (after a big bridge) were covered with tall velarians (interspersed with yellow and blue). Still some avalanche lily left. At the junction, turn right to follow the trail cross Summerland. Lushly green. Flowers were blooming, but not a pronounced feature here. Only one good patch of lupines, but hikers are not allowed to walk off the trail in order to get closer. One easy creek crossing. Soon after that, you get to walk on snow. Lots of people: many seniors.

Walked around Tipsoo Lakes. Quite some flowers, again, most yellow and white. Still some snow patches and avalanche lilies. One of my trip companion is a 7 year old. She certainly enjoyed stepping on the dirty snow. Naches peak turned golden, and Rainier went icy grey when the sun set. On the road back, could see the pink Mt Adams clear and majestic.