Ghost Story

LOVE Madison, WI- this is the 3rd or 4th time we’ve played there, and every time I go I discover something new and interesting. Kudos for having over 400 concerts a year to choose from, and many of them free. In addition to a recital, this visit we had a blast playing the Beethoven Triple with the U of W Symphony Orchestra- under the lively direction of maestro James Smith. It was such a pleasure to play with such a talented group of musicians! They did a tremendous job and it was a lot of fun to chat about various music camps and festivals, etc..
Between rehearsals and performances, we got to explore this fabulously liberal town- there is so much to see in terms of quirky architecture (my favorite). A highlight was eating at the lobby restaurant at the Orpheum Theatre- such good food! The server was nice enough to let me wander around so I visited every level of course- apparently there is a female ghost there. I am kind of skeptical about that sort of thing, but I have to say it was creepy enough to give me some chills! The Wisconsin Union Theatre also had that great historic vibe- loved all of the old posters dating back from the 30’s. I hope that when they renovate they don’t replace the fantastic art deco chairs in the dressing rooms- or mess too much with the great acoustics!
I could on and on, but before I go I just have to say thanks to Sara for recommending the Tornado Room- I had some amazing Venison there and the authentic 50’s interior was killer! I ate my way through Madison- one of the best breakfasts EVER at Marigold Kitchen- it was well worth the ridiculous wait… My stomach thanks you Madison!xo Erika

Sarasota Fun

Who doesn’t love Florida in the Winter? We were lucky enough to return a few weeks ago to possibly the most unique of all concert halls, the famed purple Van Wezel! It was designed by a disciple of Frank Lloyd Wright in the shape of a giant sea-shell, perched right next to the Sarasota Bay. Apparently Wright's widow chose the color. It’s kind of funny how much the architecture or even the color of a hall can influence my performance….even down to the gown color choice. Sara told us that the first time she ever played there, she HAPPENED to wear a purple gown without knowing about the color of the hall, and the audience went wild! The trio doesn’t have an all purple outfit (yet?!) but we did decide on our most sparkly silver ensemble, which we thought would go really well with the purple.
The concert was a blast, and of course we were thrilled that it was oversold. My flight was delayed (what else is new) so I was lucky enough to be able to shop and hang out in St. Armand’s circle. I had to see the ocean even if only for a minute so I took off my shoes and sank my toes into the incredibly wide, white-sugary sand out to the waves- it was very windy so I ended up walking along the ocean with the new jeans I had just bought wrapped around my head. I must have been Quite the fashion statement! xo Erika