Ashkenazy Conducts Rachmaninoff

On Zach's birthday last Sunday I didn't let him have his present right away. Instead, in his card I jumbled up the letters of the following words "Philharmonia Symphony: Ashkanazy Conducts Rachmaninoff." You see, Zach likes a challenge, especially with word games, and I thought that this would prove to be at least a small challenge. Wow was I wrong. The little stinker sat down with relish and solved all five words in a few moments. Really? Ashkenazy and Rachmaninoff are that evident?

Backing up a bit, Vladimir Ashkenazy is a world-renowned Russian pianist who began conducting in the latter part of his career. My heart skipped a beat when I found out he was conducting in Paris a week after Zach's birthday...so perfect.

So we dusted off our nice clothes and hopped over to the Theatre de Champes Elysees yesterday afternoon for a very memorable performance. Ashkenazy conducted London's Philharmonia Orchestra as they played Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto number 3 and Symphony number 2. We had previously found out that the third piano concerto is rarely heard in concert. The sheer difficulty of the piece intimidates most pianists. Even the pianist that Rachmaninoff wrote it for never attempted it! Needless to say the pianist we saw, Nikolai Lugansky, was exceptional.

Perched up way high in our box seats, we were well placed to see the pianist's hands. Lugansky played with stunning ease and stability, even through the extremely complex segments when he would momentarily rise from his bench to make the reaches that were required. This song was evidently embedded in his soul. From the conductor's stand, Ashkenazy deftly led the orchestra with such passion that he frequently had to wipe the sweat from his face. He was so clearly enjoying every second as were we. The Symphony number 2 that followed was also beautiful, and we left inspired and fully grateful for the opportunity to hear and see such excellent music played.

Zach's Birthday! ...and The Crazy French Strikes

Zach and I celebrated his 24th birthday yesterday. It's hard to believe it's already mid-October though it feels like December outside. We went out for a nice dinner and then enjoyed some delicious homemade cheesecake (my first cheesecake attempt in France without real cream cheese). We've postponed more celebrations for next weekend after Zach finishes the six exams he has this week...

Apparently the French don't believe in giving up after three strikes. Last year while I was teaching, I became used to the occasional symbolic strike that occurred once every two or three months. But this fall has been different. I'd lost count of the strikes that were called since the beginning of September. Then last Tuesday the unions called for a greve reconductible - a renewable or limitless strike.

Just to explain a bit, the French are up in arms over the recent law that was passed that raised the retirement age from 60 to 62. There are, of course, concerns over various nuances, but that is essentially it.  Nearly all the other countries in the European Union have a retirement age of 65.

While during typical strikes, elementary schools, post offices and transportation lines close for a day while people march in the streets for their cause, what France is now experiencing has come to a whole new level. Notably, high school students have joined in the chaos, claiming that they will be the ones most affected. They have built actual barricades in front of their schools to prevent them from opening. Also many gasoline refineries have closed, and access to gasoline has become scarce in some areas. Zach and I have even seen a local daycare claiming that they are closing shop in order to strike 'for the children'.  With no end in sight, life carries on as usual for us.

2 Months!

So...we start a blog and then don't write. We haven't completely missed the point. Life has just been unexpectedly full lately.

Yesterday marked two months since that beautiful day in August when we were married.  What a busy two months - spread over three continents, changing lodgings eight times to finally settle into our little Parisian apartment.

After the sunny skies of Colorado and Morocco, the Parisian gray that seems to permeate here was a bit difficult. However, today (and the rest of the week!) promise to give us a taste of some sunny fall weather, and we will enjoy it.

The messy 'before' picture

What better way to celebrate mid a busy week than with a nice salmon dinner finished by pie? I had been wanting to try to the single-crust plum and apple pie from the blog Smitten Kitchen which I enjoy reading. We had never tried plums in pies before, but it was delicious! I was pressed for time and didn't have time to chill the crust and thus ended up dolloping it in a haphazard mess all over the pie. It still turned out beautifully (if a little funny)!