a weekend of culture and cuddly sheep

It started on Friday night, with Linda Eder in concert. This is the second time I saw her, and the first was in Jekyll and Hyde in 1997, so a solo show at the Strathmore was a very different experience. It was her third night in a row, and I could tell she was a little tired (didn't hit the super-high note in Man of La Mancha, for instance), but even so, very good show, especially when she stuck to the showtunes. The Strathmore is a beautiful space, and I'm sure it sounds great with full orchestra and choir. Tim's old choir director is assistant conducting on Carmina Burana later this season, so maybe we'll head back for that.

Saturday was Sheep and Wool in the morning (and you can read all about it here or at its livejournal feed. Short story -- fun times, fluff purchased, livestock cooed over. Saturday afternoon, Tim and I took some yarn back to a local shop (I'm being realistic about my inability to finish a wedding afghan -- the brother will have to settle for a nice blender or something, and maybe a knitted pillow rather than full-blown bedspread). Went home, slept for two hours, then to Columbia for more mate/rooibos loose tea. Realized we were craving food with a lot of flavor behind it, and decided that steak with red wine sauce and shallots was the answer to the craving (plus some green beans and white rice and good wine). Slept well.

Sunday, Baltimore Farmer's Market (asparagus, mini donuts, a palmier - aka elephant ear, potatoes, apples), another small dose of Sheep and Wool, so that Tim could understand the immensity of it, home, potatoes and sausage, more napping. Played catch, did some laundry, wrote long paeans to the sheep and wool, and then into the big city. We ate at our standby favorite, Jaleo. Everyone should have tapas at approximately five month intervals, 'cause they're just so darn tasty, and you'll have forgotten just how much if you go five months between visits. Roasted sweet onion with pine nuts and blue cheese, manchego cheese and apple salad, roasted duck with pear confit, pork tenderloin in orange sauce, peppers stuffed with goat cheese, fried potatoes with a spicy tomato sauce, and for dessert, semolina cake with a cinnamon sauce and ice milk, and a glass of sherry. Fabulous. Ended the evening with a dress rehearsal with audience of Big Death and Little Death, which was mostly accessible, even for someone with not too much understanding of modern theater, and quite enjoyable. The new Wooly Mammoth Theater space is very cool. I'd be quite happy sitting at the tables, knitting, and watching the pretty people wander by on a regular basis.

Monday, today! took the day off of work, as I am wont to do after advising season ends. Took off in the early morning for Philadelphia, and did many tasty, touristy things, including partaking of a Life Experience at Cereality, the fast food cereal restaurant, stalking laine05 at her brand new job, loving the two hours spent at the art museum in the Dali exhibit, wandering around South Street, eating an authentic cheesesteak and washing it down with Strongbow Cider on tap, picking up CDs for the car ride home (John Conahan group and a jazz compilation) at a used record shop, playing a game of Scrabble (in which my only bingo was an uninspired SATIREs, but I also broke 400 points), and then refinding laine05 such that we could actually, finally chat over some bubble tea, and strategize for a fiber retreat weekend with lunatopaz, which one of us must now plan. Home, miso soup and somen for dinner, minor cleaning, yarn packaging, and now, off to bed, with a much fresher outlook on going to work, complete with a bit of tan and a couple new freckles.