A Foreign Affair concert by Seattle Men's Chorus. Conducted by Dennis Coleman, sign interpreted by Kevin Gallagher. It was so much fun. Interesting arrangements by Chad Weirick (like yet another take on Danny Boy), funny lyrics (like Carmina Ricotta). Rick Steves, the guest of honor, made some good (but same) jokes and advices about traveling. A couple of funny video clips were shown. The concert ends in promoting peace solemnly. Dona Nobis Pacem was sung together with the audience while figures of casualty of the recent Afghanistan and Iraqi wars shown on screen.

2008.3.22. Seattle Symphony and Choir perform Bach's Mass in B minor.

Gerard Schwarz, conductor
Sarah Coburn, soprano
Mary Phillips, mezzo-soprano
Stanford Olsen, tenor
Charles Robert Austin, bass

Quite a bit of solo, and voice solo accompanied by one instrument. I like the choir part better. 100 voices. Small orchestra, maybe 1/3.

2008.3.23. Lawrence of Arabia at Cinerama. 70mm film. Large screen. It needs a bit of restoration. Sound seems harsh compared with the new releases. An excellent movie to revisit, nonetheless.

2008.3.21. Rover's (maybe the cheapest ever) set dinner.

Amuse-Bouche (1 slice of salami, 1 drop of artichoke soup, 1 petite savory bioche)
House Smoked Sturgeon and Salmon on mix green Salad and parsnip coleslaw with Caper-Mustard Mayonnaise (I don't like the Mayonnaise)
Baked Cod (drizzled with Moroccan spice & sea salt) Braised Collard Greens on a bed of Farro & Bacon (Perfectly cooked fish, better without the spice mix. Farro is a bit too salty.)
Venison Medallions with Celery Root Gratin and Potato Anna, Choron and Cabernet Sauce (Three 2mm slices, but very tasty. So is the potato.)
Dessert Preserved Organic Nectarine Bavarian Mousse - or - Bittersweet Chocolate Soufflé with English Cream (Hot and soft in the middle. Perfect execution. Should add a bit brandy in the cream.)

Presentation is excellent. Some food combination didn't achieve harmony. Great un-rushed service. Chef Thierry Rautureau with his signature hat came out and talk to every table. Very amiable.

2008.3.17. Daniel Schorr interviewed by Seattle Public Library's present of the board Eric Liu at Town Hall. Schorr recounted a couple of anecdotes logged in his new memoir; contributed his assets to being old and being there. He criticized current generation's detachment of history; advised journalists-to-be to specialize. At age 91, he's very lucid and sharp (which he credited his health entirely to his wife), however, his walk was unsteady. The discussion was barely 1 hr and Schorr spoke less than half of the time. I left a bit disappointed.

2008.3.18. Bravo Club event: tour of Seattle Opera's scenic studio in Renton. Much better than the last tour. 5 employees there gave a brief talk of each of the 3 stages: design & draft, build, and paint (or fake the appearance). Saw quite a few sketches, and some half-done pieces of the next production I Puritani.

2008.3.15. PNB

Pacific Northwest Ballet's performance of four modern pieces:

• SENSE OF DOUBT
  Music: Philip Glass
  Choreography: Paul Gibson
• FÜR ALINA — PNB Premiere!
  Music: Arvo Pärt (piano solo)
  Choreography: Edwaard Liang
• VESPERS — PNB Premiere!
  Music: Mikel Rouse (all percussion, noisy)
  Choreography: Ulysses Dove
• ONE FLAT THING, REPRODUCED — PNB Premiere
  Music: Thom Willems
  Choreography: William Forsythe (over a dozen performers in "street" clothes, jumping around tables)

2008.3.16. Frye Art Museum is doing a showcase of R. Crumb's 40 years' underground comics. Due to Crumb's minor obsession of sex, there were guides posted to block under-aged viewers. A movie American Splendor about Crumb's collaborator Harvey Peckar was screened at 2pm. Quite an original move about an ordinary (and even a bit loathsome) guy.

2008.3.14. Farewell dinner of C.E. at Canlis' private dining room Caché. Aptly name, impossible to find on your own, up on a back staircase. Room is tiny, but the view is as good as other rooms. A large crew of smiling waiting staff, the most professional I've ever encountered.
This dinner was planned over a month ago. The menu was designed by the restaurant's chefs and sommelier to pair with the three wines Niles collected. A minor setback: one guest doesn't take sugar, another is allergic to nuts and just turned vegetarian this year. A couple of substitutions were arranged, and we all left happy after midnight.

Amuse bouche
(mushroom soup comes in espresso cups offered by the chef, hence not on the menu).
*
Caviar & Oysters
Quail eggs topped with Osetra Caviar & Virginica Oysters with raspberry mignonette. 3 piece each. (The oysters are better without the sauce.)
2000 Schramsberg "J. Schram" brut, Napa Valley, CA
*
Canlis Salad
romaine, bacon, Romano, mint, oregano, olive oil & lemon juice.
(Unexceptional, but goes very well with the sparkling wine.)
*
Cucumber Shiso Sorbet
(Awesome)
*
American Wagyu Tenderloin
Kobe-style beef topped with seared foie gras, accompanied by soy-madeira glazed mushrooms.
(Excellent. I have to request some bread to clean the jus on my plate.)
2002 Shafer "Hillside Select" Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, CA
*
Serra de Estrela Cheese
Sheep cheese with nutty fruit compote and micro-green salad.
*
Pear, Hazelnut, and Thyme
Hazelnut brown butter cake, poached pears & thyme ice cream, pear consommé.
2006 Bonny Doon "Beeswax vineyard" Le Vol Des Anges, Arroyo Seco, CA
*
Executive chef Aaron Wright
Wine director Nelson Daquip

2008.3.12. Molière's The Miser by Seattle Shakespeare Company. A bit over acted, but very funny. The actors threw in some wisecracks about current affairs like sub prime mortgage. Center House Theatre is a small venue. Was almost full for this performance.

2008.3.2. Penn Cove Mussel Festival at Coupeville in the middle of Whidbey Island. The wharf became the beer garden and classic car show. At 2pm boarded the Mystic Sea Charters for a close look at the mussel farm. One of the mussel pens is now home to a few tanning seals. At 3:30, 19 people participated the mussel eating contest. That was fun. For $5, you get to eat 3 bowls of freshly cooked fresh mussel. When the winner reached his finish line, I barely cleaned up my second bowl.

2008.2.29. Giacomo Puccini's Tosca at Seattle Opera. Michele Capalbo as Tosca, Brandon Jovanovich as Cavaradossi, and Gary Simpson as Scarpia, conducted by Vjekoslav Sutej, sets from San Francisco Opera, costumes from New York City Opera.
Tosca's voice is a bit weak in comparison with the other two. At least she's slender and pretty. Very nice stage design. Overture lecture is quite worthwhile this time.

2008.3.1. Backstage tour organized by Bravo Club at 16:30. Only get to walk around the stage, some dressing rooms, the trap room. Nothing was demonstrated. I was hoping to see a set being moved, and how the trap door opens. Disappointing. After-tour reception at Veil was even more disappointing. No food was prepared at all, until some members raised the question. In the end, just some olives, almond, bread and cheese.
However, seeing what I saw the previous day up close was neat.