Beethoven's 9th

Last night Matt took me out to the city. I left home at 4:25, picked him up, caught the train then the subway and by 6:30 we were on the upper west side looking for somewhere to eat. We found a cute little wine bar with a few tables outside and wonderful food-nice cheeses and arugula, beet and warm goats' cheese salad (for me) and an octopus salad where the octopus was in big chunks like chicken (for Matt). And yes, we sat outside on 71st and Colombus IN NOVEMBER! It was brisk but bearable. And it was gorgeous. Nearly every time I go into the city I dream of living there. I just love it. And the upper west that time of night is just so wonderful. Everyone out walking their dogs after work, stopping to chat- we even passed a school with it's doors open and families filing in for an open night.

I could have sat out all night just soaking it up. But that wasn't the point of our evening. We walked down to the Lincoln center for our concert. Matt had secretly booked tickets for us to go and watch the national chorale and the national chorale orchestra.

NOW, Matt has tried to take me to the opera a few times and I have to say it's just not the medium for me. While I can appreciate the gorgeous singing (we once saw Placido Domingo) I find I'm very detached from it. And it Matt had asked me do I want to go and watch a choir I probably would have said,"there are other things I'd rather do". I admit it, I'm a PLEB! But I always enjoy those kind of experiences, and it's better than a Friday night spent at home on the couch knitting hats!

The singing was amazing. They did one Haydn, seven lesser known Beethoven's and a Brahms before intermission. But none of it MOVED me. I like to be MOVED by music. I like to feel it to my core. And I was excited to hear the 9th symphony, it's a moving piece of music, and at least familiar to me. We sat down after interval and the music started and it was beautiful. I closed my eyes to better appreciate it and...that's right...nodded off. I just couldn't stay awake. I was aware of the music, aware of Matt nudging me every now and again, aware of my head jerking dangerously about and I couldn't stop. I have to say it was the mostly delightful nap I've had in a LONG time. The music was just gorgeous-so gorgeous it sent me to sleep. OOPS! I apologised profusely to Matt, but he wasn't offended (the orchestra and choir might have been had they known). Maybe he should have taken me to Metallica last week-I'm sure I wouldn't have fallen asleep to that!

OH and Dad, we did a toast to you for your birthday sitting outside on the upper west side-seemed appropriate. Happy birthday!