Hi Ann Arbor

 

Though I was only in Ann Arbor for a scant two and a half days I tried to see as many people and go to as many of my favorite places as possible.  In addition to hanging out with Larry and singing with Kristin, I also caught up with Kelly and Puffer; made a trip to Briarwood to visit Nicole, Darcia and Jessica; hung out with Emily, the twins and the new baby; and even crashed a night at Brian's!

During the day time I was able to have lunch with my dear friend Phyllis at Totoro Sushi (another must eat when in A2), after which we headed down the street to the University of Michigan Museum of Art.  Some of you might remember her from our trip to the Purple Rose theater several years ago… we just can't help but be classy when we're together!

 

Outside with Marc di Suvero's Orion … WHERE IS YOUR BELT!?!

 

Getting' all Indian style up in Suvero's Shang

 

Other requisites to cross off the list were of course… a meal at Zingerman's and a film at the Michigan:

 

I just can't quit you!

 

The next morning I had an early bus to Chicago but, as is the custom whenever I leave Ann Arbor, I had to have breakfast with Kristin one last time!  This time I got to meet the newest addition to the Eder family AND have doughnuts at Washtenaw Dairy… not a bad farewell!

It's a bit of a hodge-podge of a post, but that's basically how my trip to Ann Arbor went.  Next up: CHICAGO!

 

Artist: Marissa Rinehart / Album: Longing Vines

Graduation Day

 

In the midst of getting ready (both mentally and musically) for Blue Lake this last weekend I completely forgot to post about my singing at the commencement ceremonies for the Houston campus of Texas Woman’s University last Sunday.  The event was held at the George R. Brown Convention Center and, though I’m sure I must have gone at some point in my childhood, I can’t actually recall doing anything but driving past the behemoth building since moving to Houston.

Get it, George!

 

One of the perks of being part of the podium posse is that you don’t have to gather with all of the riff raff commoners before the procession (aka the graduates).  I didn’t really take many pictures at the event but managed to snap one of the faculty ready room.

 

For those of you interested in the musical selections for the event, I sang the National Anthem (duh), the TWU Alma Mater (set to the tune of the Russian National Anthem), and a little ditty called “To The Texas Woman’s University.”  Whenever I first told Catherine I got the gig she immediately went: PUH-LEEAAAAASE tell me you’re going to be singing “Climb Every Mountain”?!?!?!?!?!?!?  Though the answer was obviously no, amazingly enough as I was driving home from the commencement I turned on the radio and I kid. you. not—it was playing on NPR.  What syzygy! So, because apparently Catherine needs a bit of a Rogers and Hammerstein II fix… I must oblige.

CLIMB IT, SHIRLEY!!!!!

 

I never particularly get over to this area of the city and it was nice to get a different vantage point of the downtown area from the convention center.

I LOVE THIS CITY!!!!

 

It really is hard to believe I’ve been out of school for a year already, and in the spirit of the day (and because I know I haven’t put one of these pictures up on the blog yet) here are some snapshots from my own college graduations!

Baylor University 2006     

 

     

  U of M 2008 (confession: I didn’t go to the ceremony)                                     U of M 2010  

 

Artist: Kanye West/ Album: The College Dropout

Think No More Lad; Laugh, Be Jolly

 

 

 

So what does one see when spending a Friday evening at the Kennedy Center.  Does one see Washington National Opera’s performance of Madama Butterfly with Ana Maria Martinez.  Nope… been there, done that in Houston. 

Does one see performers from the Manhattan School of Music as a part of the Conservatory Project (where, funnily enough, students from the University of Michigan performed just two nights prior).  Meh… one does not.

What one does does is attend probably the least Kennedy Center act that has been there since, I don’t know, when it opened 40 years ago in 1971.  That’s right baby, ginger-tongued comedienne Kathy Griffin was doing a two night stunt and you’d better believe my ass was in one of those plushy, velvety seats.

“That’s right, everybody… TAKE MY PICTURE!!!”

Practically the first thing she did when coming out was announce something like the following…

I feel it necessary to start off this evening by making an apology to the National Symphony Orchestra for dragging this beautiful concert hall into the mud. I mean, I’m not going to change my material or anything… 

My mother sent me an email today: “Now Kathleen, you MUST behave yourself. This isn’t some gritty comedy dive in Los Angeles—it’s the Kennedy Center for Christ’s sake!!!”

And, if you know anything about Miz Griffin, then you realize that’s about the last thing that I can quote here that is blog appropriate.  She spent over two hours riffing on her normal subjects (up to date coverage of the Charlie Sheen crazy), her newest Whitney run in at Clive Davis’ Grammy party, what those crazy Housewives across the country have been up to (“Why you all up in my Kool-Aid!?!”) and even infusing more political humor into the mix than normal.

I love that you guys here know who that pin-wheel eyed crazy Michele Bachmann is. Were I to talk about her in L.A. they’d just say… “Oh, is she that new chick on Gossip Girl?” To which many people in the audience probably went… what’s Gossip Girl?

She also spoke of being in Reno, Nevada the same time that La Palin was speaking at the Weatherby Awards (a big deal in the hunting world, apparently)  Why is that relevant, you might ask. Because our own, dear blog follower and frequent shout-out receiver, Jan, was in attendance!!

I did have to laugh when visiting the gift shop before the performance started.

Much like an appearance by me at the hunter’s ball, one of these is not like the other

 

Artist: Bryn Terfel/ Album: Silent Noon