Bubbles

Posted on by Thor

Pam Schwartz‘s family was in town and we went to a lake where you could float on the water in these bubbles. The bubbles could be blown up with a leaf blower and then you could roll down to the water. Standing in the water was close to impossible resulting in many prat falls. Navigating was possible by running on all fours like a dog or horse but there was still little traction in the water. Each ball was tethered to a rope and when the time was up, they were pulled back to shore by the bubble herder. Her niece and nephew loved the experience.

Now I am thinking it  would be nice to have these for simple everyday tasks like walking the dogs. Of course the clear plastic would likely get scratched all to hell on pavement and cement but I still would love to see people walking the neighborhood in these. It even settle for a Jurassic Park bubble vehicle.

The Orlando Concert Band.

Posted on by Thor

I sketched a rehearsal of the Orlando Concert Band at Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church (2021 West SR 426 Oviedo FL.) Pam Schwartz and I arrived just as the band began to play the Star Spangled Banner. Everyone in the audience was standing so we stood in the back row waiting to scope out a seat. The concert celebrated the music of John Williams and even the Star Spangled Banner was arranged by him. After the usual musical refrain you would hear at a football game the arrangement then expanded as if scoring an important scene in a movie.

The Music Director, Jon Territo, clearly loves the John Willams musical scores and the evening highlighted music from films such as Jurassic Park, Jaws, 1941, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler’s List, Catch Me if You Can, Superman and Star Wars. Between arrangements the conductor spoke to the audience about each piece. This was a working rehearsal although the audience was packed. On occasion the music stopped so that a passage could be reworked. The evening was an eclectic mix of scores that have become iconic over the years to scores that supported the drama of less known films.

The Orlando Concert Band was founded in 1989. If is composed of both professional and amateur musicians. The band’s mission is to celebrate and preserve America’s musical heritage through professional level performances of music for concert band, including major symphonic works and a wide variety of traditional contemporary and popular selections.

Mark Your Calendar

The remaining concert this season include:

Saturday February 17, 2018 at 6 PM. UCF Symphony Orchestra. Rising Star a Local Legend – Chung Park Director with guest composer Stella Young.

Sunday March 18, 2018 at 3 PM.  Lutheran Cantata Choir and Chamber Ensamble. A Voice from Heaven – Claire Hodge, Director. Reception for the audience after the concert.

Saturday April 14, 2018 at 7 PM. Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. Mozart and Dvorak – Benjamin Hochman, Pianist and guest Conductor.

Free admission to all concerts. For more information.

The Saint Regis Princeville Resort on Kauai has all the amenities,

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In contrast to the humble beach front Plantation cottages, Saint Regis Princeville Resort is plush and opulent. Located in the 9,000 acre resort community of Princeville at Hanalei,
this luxury resort on Kauai resides on the northern shore of the “Garden
Island” and provides visitors all the amenities expected from an island
destination considered to be one of the most spectacular in Hawaii.
Guests of our Kauai resort reside in a bastion of tropical
sophistication featuring cuisine that celebrates local flavors along
with an array of diverse activities. The site of the hotel was known as Pu’u Poa or Pu’u Pa’oa– Pu’u meaning
mountain and Pa’oa meaning the staff of the Fire Goddess, Pele who when
searching for a new home would strike her staff into the earth to
create a new crater. Directly below the hotel are remnants of an
ancient Hawaiian fishpond built in prehistoric time. Known as
Kamo’omaika’i it was one of the few kuapa (ocean wall) type fishponds on
Kauai.

The hotel was used in the filming of Jurassic Park, and I believe the lobby was inspiration for the scene in Lilo and Stitch in which Nani applied for a job while Stitch a used havoc trying to romance an elder tourist.

Terry relaxed in a lounge chair reading while I struggled to capture the sunset. Black volcanic rock dotted the shoreline. The gorgeous mountains turn mountains turned magnificent shades of purple and blue, as the clouds glowed orange. Every moment on this beautiful island begs to be captured. An artist would never fall short of subjects on this corner of paradise.