The bowl

I went to the first of the four free Melbourne Symphony Orchestra concerts at the sidney Myer Music Bowl tonight. It was an evening of Mahler and Mozart.  I love the Bowl. It's a magical location. And walking distance from home!

Glee: the sequel

The crowd builds

Two posts in one day! This is a first, but I want to strike while the iron is gleeful.  I went to see the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at the Myer Music Bowl again tonight and it was magnificent. I loved it!

Tonight's performance was an Opera Showcase - bits from various operas - and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Not that I expected not to like it. I've never been one of those people who scorns opera, but I don't own any and I've never really seen it live before. It's so powerful it gave me goosebumps at times. I'm gonna get me some of that on my iPod.

Although it was drizzly at times tonight, I still enjoyed the outdoor setting, high on the hill with the city lights to our left. I enjoyed the opportunity to wear my doona-esque parka in summer too. It got a little cool and breezy, but I was snug.

My friend Anna and I did more sewing practice at Thread Den today in preparation for making a skirt. There was a patchwork class in progress while we toiled away over our zips. When Anna successfully sewed in her first invisible zip, she said, "Yes!" and threw her arms in the air as if she'd just crossed the line in a marathon. A patchworker using the iron looked at us oddly and I said, "We're beginners". Maybe you had to be there..

MSO at the Bowl and new shades

I saw the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at the Myer Music Bowl tonight. It's the third time I've seen them perform in under six months and I think this was my favourite of the three performances (not because it was free either!).

It was less formal, the crowd was more diverse, I was familiar with some of the pieces (excerpts from Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream) and there's just something nice about listening to music in the open air, especially with the city as a backdrop and the sun setting over your shoulder. 

I'm going again on Saturday night for the final of the series of four free concerts.

I got me some prescription sunglasses. Yay. I had been using an old pair of glasses with clip-on sunglasses, but they're small and didn't cut out enough glare, so I decided it was time for a proper pair of prescription ones. It's such a relief not to be Squinty McSquint anymore. And they're kinda cool too...

What's also pleasing is that after claiming on my insurance, they only set me back $140. Not bad for a pair of Vera Wang prescription sunglasses, eh? I reckon I must be one of the few people who gets back more than they spend on private health insurance (but then I only have extras, not hospital).