Circus Time!

Yesterday, Sophia and I made our first trip to Circus Flora, a St. Louis tradition for 28 years. I don't plan on missing another year of this incredible circus.

Even though it was a terribly hot day, the performers worked so hard to transport us to another imaginative dimension. Obviously from this picture, you can see that Sophia was also entranced by the circus. I loved seeing the look of wonder on Sophia's face.

                                              

The Wallendas have been a family of circus performers since the 18th century!! Now there are several branches of the family performing in the United States and around the world. One of them performs in St. Louis every year with Circus Flora. And they were so fun to watch! 

Yesterday afternoon was the first time that Circus Flora had a "sensory-friendly" performance. As we walked in, they gave us an informational sheet to give people in attendance a good idea of what to expect in the way of noise, lights and action. Sophia had always been nervous about going to the circus before because of the noise and intensity. Once I told her this performance would be safe for her, she was excited to give it a try. Next year, we may be able to try the full experience. I don't think it will be much different, but the volume, at the least, will be louder.

The circus included horses, camels, dogs, a clown not dressed as a clown and so many acrobats and physical performers! It was an amazing afternoon for me and Sophia. We both had lots of stories to tell. Can't wait to see what next year's Circus Flora will bring.

Peter Pan Magic

For weeks now, I have been giddy with excitement about going to see Peter Pan at Touhill. I've been more excited, in fact, than Sophia was.

I was right to be so excited. That's for sure. What I didn't know was that the company that put it on, Variety Children's Theatre, specializes in helping children with disabilities have life experiences that are often limited to children without disabilities. Being in a play, for example.

I was surprised, at first, when some of the Lost Boys and Indians were in wheelchairs. Some were disabled in other ways. It was easy to forget, though, that anyone on that stage was anywhere but Never Land. The show not only did not suffer because of their addition, it's not an exaggeration to say that it was made better. I'm glad that the first play I got to see by Variety was Peter Pan. What better way for me to be introduced to this idea than through a play written about kids who are abandoned and lost? Kids who go out of their way to care for one another and who have to learn what it would be like to grow up "normally"? It was beautiful. I cried even more than I typically do when watching Peter Pan, which is saying something.

Aside from the unique aspects of the production, it was really a great show. Sophia always loves attending the theatre. Her passion for performing gets renewed. We'll see where that leads her, but for now it sends her into a world of possibility. And I'm in favor of that.

Sun and Music and some Yoga

LouFest rocked Forest Park this weekend. Erick and I were lucky enough to get to spend all weekend (well, as much as we wanted to, at least) there on our own, for the most part.

Saturday was hot. Humid and hot. So hot. The festival organizers had arranged for a free water bottle refilling station. That really saved all of us. I'm convinced. There was not a moment of the day that there weren't ten to twenty concert goers in line with one or two bottles for refilling. All the bands emphasized during their sets, "Stay hydrated, people!" It was not the kind of day that one messes around with that.

We did manage to find shade for a couple of sets. The only stage that had shade for the audience was the smallest stage. There were some good bands there, but the shade wasn't worth it to miss out on some of the other stuff.

Like this band, for example. Jukebox the Ghost. A great show. Entertaining, lively, a perfect cover of "Somebody to Love" right when they needed it. Performers. Their own music was incredible. And their most recent album, which we now own, lives up to the live experience.

Here's the thing about Saturday, though. We did not stay for Wilco, the main act of the night. In spite of all the water and the occasional shade, we were wiped out. We had a wonderful day, but the idea of forcing ourselves to stick it out through another two or three hours made me want to weep. We were asleep at 9:00. And it was glorious. I can't even pretend to regret that decision. "Make good choices!" is a phrase we always hold dear on weekends like these. And we did just that.

We did talk Sophia into giving it a try for a bit after my parents left on Sunday. Another great choice.

LouFest had a surprisingly large kid presence and a some fun, unique things for them to do. Plus, all kids 12 and under are free! And, as long as you're all right with your kids hearing an occasional f-bomb, then it's well worth the effort of getting out and in a crowd on a hot day. She loved doing yoga with this instructor. It was a lot of fun to watch. And less sweaty.

After we got Sophia home and ourselves back to a normal body temperature yet again, we returned for more great music. There were many incredible bands. Many, many that I would pay to see again on their own.

Another of my favorites, as I knew they would be, was Alabama Shakes. Their lead singer and the lady who put them all together is Brittany Howard. Her voice is stirring. Their group dynamics and musical instincts are just amazing. This is a band that works on every level.

Then The Killers closed out the night and the festival. I was looking forward to them, but not as much as Erick was. Next time, I'll be even more giddy than he was. They put on just an outstanding show. They knew what we wanted - a mix of old and new - and they gave it to us. So well put together. I expected a festival performance, but they went full out concert. It was great.

 There were lots of other memorable performances and moments. Great things about the festival's organization. The Mizzou game on TV at the beer tent Saturday. A quinoa and tomato salad that was cold and refreshing at just the right moment. But I think you've heard enough. Next year, I'll save you a spot on the blanket.

The Little Mermaid

Friday night, we had our last big outing of vacation. Not that vacation is required to attend a show, but it still counted this time.

I am so grateful that the current heat wave waited until yesterday to hit hard so we could enjoy The Little Mermaid in relative comfort! The Muny is such a great place to see a show, but it is a much bigger gamble, as are all outdoor activities in Missouri summer.

Sophia loves to get fancied up for an outing like this. A little bit of lipstick and we were on our way!

 

It was a great night. The show was superb, the actors were right on. The company, as always, was my absolute favorite! I adore having adventures with these two.

 

Jazz Night

Last night, Erick and I had a lovely date night, thanks to Grandmary and jazz.

For our dates, we have tried to either stay in our neighborhood for entertainment and food or to try places that we haven't tried yet. Last night, we went to the Triumph Grill. It was a very interesting place, maybe a little confused in its identity. The clientele and expectation of a reservation indicated a fancy restaurant. However, the restaurant itself is decorated in motorcycle paraphernalia and the servers wore motorcycle brand t-shirts and shorts. It was kind of confusing, but the food was great. They serve a buffalo chicken queso dip that is absolutely fantastic!

After dinner, we went to the Blanche Touhill Center for Performing Arts at the University of Missouri-St. Louis for the second night of their Jazz Festival. The evening there started with the Jazz Ensemble of the university. They are a very talented group. The last couple of numbers of their set, the ensemble was joined by Jazz legend Clark Terry. He is 90-years-old, and his stage presence was strong, and his talent as a jazz musician is still very clear.

The feature act for the evening was the Ron Carter Trio. They were an incredibly talented and skilled group of musicians. Erick and I both so enjoyed their performance. Their trio was piano, bass and acoustic guitar. Erick would have been more satisfied had the third instrument been a horn, but I loved it just the way it was.

The evening reminded me why I love jazz music, particularly when performed live. For me, as a form of music, jazz invites the audience into it in a more significant way than any other mainstream music. When listening to jazz, I feel the same as when enjoying a work of visual art. I am invited to bring my own feelings and experiences to the performance and let it take me to a place of my own. When listening to jazz, I find myself under a streetlight in New Orleans, having a conversation with friends or strangers. The next piece could take me to an open field in summer or to a place that I've never been. The notes and rhythm of jazz just speak to me in a way that no other music does. That does not mean it's my favorite music, but it certainly is the most absorbing for me. I just love it.

The other great thing about watching a live jazz performance is watching the musicians interact with one another. Some jazz performers are charismatic and full of movement. The Ron Carter Trio were subtle and stationary. When I wasn't lost in my own world of the song, I loved watching the appreciation that the musicians showed for one another, after having performed together for years. Sometimes, it seemed that one of them could get so lost in another's solo that he would forget to jump in when needed.

The thing about jazz is that each listener is having their own experience interacting with the music. It's a room full of people hearing the same thing and experiencing something very personal. I love that.