Life Recently :: Surviving March

Hello everyone,

I survived March!!!!  I know, I know, March isn't quite over yet, but the part I wasn't sure I would survive (namely, right after David and I got engaged till now) is done, and the only casualty seems to have been my immune system. 3 weeks of intensive sleep depravation seems to have been too much even for my trusty OnGuard oil to fight off the illnesses, but I can only count my blessings that the sore throat and the fever only hit on the last day of my marathon rehearsal/performance schedule!

Some people have asked if I have been busy planning our wedding, and the answer is the biggest, fattest, 'no'.  haha  David and I got engaged, David left to go back to Houston, and since then I've spent every waking hour running around the greater Boston area for rehearsals and performances.  so... yeah... weddings just kinda plan themselves, right?  if we keep telling ourselves that, maybe it will actually happen that way (fingers crossed!)

I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to play in so many performances with my friends in different chamber group configurations, for many prominent composers and teachers, and in awesome orchestras like the Phoenix and the Boston Ballet Orchestra!  so. so thankful.  

This was my first time playing with the Boston Ballet, and this was the first time I've loved playing in the pit!  Usually, many musicians dread playing in the pit (myself included), but the music was awesome, the Boston Ballet community (both musicians and dancers) was so warm and inviting, and the energy from both the performers and the audiences during the performances was really great!  I can't wait to play with them again soon, especially since the Boston Opera House is absolutely gorgeous!

During the 'off' days from the ballet, I got to be a part of the launch even for Phoenix!  Shortly after I moved to Boston, one of my friends from high school, Matt Szymanski, contacted me with an idea for a new orchestra he was starting, called Phoenix!  Since then, I have had the privilege to work with seriously incredible friends for the launch of Phoenix.  Last Tuesday, our dreams became a reality, and we had our first Phoenix concert ever in Oberon!  

I still get chills thinking about it because that night was... It's hard to describe in words just how amazing the night was. We had put in so many months of work beforehand, and to see it come together so spectacularly...  I'm getting emotional over here just thinking about it haha  but my friend and stand partner, Zenas (the goofball below with light antennae coming out of his head), wrote about the event beautifully on his blog, so check it out here!

Other than these two big orchestra performances, I also had the BU orchestra performances, chamber performances, and my solo recital!  For the recital, April came up to perform the Debussy Sonata, Nels Drue Daily (work written for us!), and the Beethoven Kreutzer Sonata with me, and we had such a rich week together full of incredible music making, companionship, and of course, amazing food!

i love this girl.

like this one.  the most incredible sandwich from Cutty's.  Go on Saturday, and ask for Pork Rabe.  ahmazing!

Abers' visit coincided with PI day, so of course, we had to celebrate.  It was, after all, 3/14/15. We also toasted at 9:26:53pm  ;)   (and yes, I realize just how behind I am on blogging haha)

Anyway, for this event, we got together with my string trio buddies, and made pizzas!

Look at this beauty!

and this one  ;) 

the perfect pie for pi day!

so thankful for these awesome friends in my life =)

More recently, right before a new music concert, we visited the Sunset Cantina to try their infamous dessert nachos!  Look at this...

It's an overwhelming sight, isn't it? so much fried, sweet, and fruity goodness  haha   Personally, it was too sweet for me, but it was definitely an experience, and worth a try if you've never had it before! Oh, but make sure to take a few friends with you...

We still couldn't finish it between the four of us!

So, March.  You have been one heck of a month.  In my sleep-deprived state, no adequate words come to mind to fully describe you, but all I know is that I am thankful for everything.

Now, I'm off to bed.  for the next week or so.

If you need me... I'll be back in one concert hall or another within a few days! haha

Have a wonderful week, and thanks for stopping by for this dinosaur of a blog post!

--Janny

Marliave and the Nutcracker

Hello everyone!

After freezing our tooshies off outside at Feneuil Hall, we headed indoors for some French cuisine at the Marliave.  If you are a French cuisine fan, this is definitely a place you have to check out in Boston.  

We were meeting Tristan and Daon (the cute engaged couple you've seen here) but we were early, so we sat down at our table, chatted about our relationship, the evening, just anything and everything we always end up talking about, and took some photos until they joined us.

couldn't have asked for a better date ;)

Then, our double date partners joined us, and our favorite part of the evening began: the FOOD!!

They ordered steak and risotto which they really enjoyed, and we got a little shrimp/lobster dish and gnocchi.  All of them were spot on.  We will definitely go back  =)

Having had our fill, we walked a few blocks over to the Boston Opera House for something I have been wanting to do for soooo looonngggg..

The Nutcracker ballet!!!

I grew up dancing, David and I still dance (ballroom, not ballet, but still) and I absolutely LOVE watching ballet.  I think it's one of the most beautiful things.  Not really sure David shares my same obsession, but he's always a good sport about things  haha  ;)

It was an even better evening because at the last minute, Daon and Tristan decided to join us for the ballet!  Daon and I are lucky to be with men who will humor us and attend ballets with us with smile on their faces  =)  They may protest before and after, but at least when we are there, everyone is having a good time, and that's all I care about (that and the fact that they know that they have no ther choice)  ;)  haha

The Opera house was beautiful..

and the ballet was so much fun  =)  such a classic.  

I can't wait to go back to watch other ballets in the future!

If you've been following my blog for awhile, you know that David and I love anything and everything to do with food.  I mean, we are the couple that got each other a stand mixer and a food processor for our anniversary presents last year  haha.  We also love dance. I always have, and I'm so glad that David does too, and that we have a hobby that we can do together.  

This Thanksgiving weekend was really an incredible mix of so many of my favorite things; good food, lots of dance (ballet and ballroom), and amazing company.  It makes me so happy to be looking back at the pictures now and reminiscing, and really, this is why I blog; to share all of these amazing experiences with my friends and family around the world, and to document it for my future self.  =)   Thanks for reading and letting me share my experiences in this tiny portion of the Interweb that I call my blog, and I hope you are all having a wonderful week!!

--Janny