Earlier this week, I was contacted by the managing editor of Schmap Digital Travel Guides, regarding a photo of mine being considered for possible inclusion in their latest edition. The good news is that my photo was included in the guide! Although I hadn’t heard of them before, apparently the guides are well-read (20 million have been downloaded) and have been well-received by a variety of media.
The picture was taken in 2005 during a trip to Berkeley, where I played in a memorial concert for my teacher Laurette Goldberg. The event’s purpose was to celebrate her life and accomplishments (both personal and professional), which were many. Despite the efforts toward celebration, there was still a layer of sadness, and understandably so. I actually thought Laurette would be around for many more years, as she was such a tenacious fighter.
I played two pieces by D’Anglebert, a composer she didn’t really care for, but who sparked in us a number of conversations. I love his music, and it’s probably my favorite keyboard music of 17th century France.
While I was in town, I reconnected with a number of friends and acquaintances. Particularly notable was a meal I had at Cesar, a wonderful tapas restaurant in Berkeley’s “gourmet ghetto” section of town. It is situated right next to Chez Panisse, another glorious restaurant, and probably my favorite place to eat in the US. The picture chosen by Schnap was taken during that meal, and is of calcots (spring onions) with romesco sauce; I remember that it was really delicious. The entire evening was a lot of fun, as I got to see a group of my good friends at dinner. All the food was wonderful, and the drinks were good as well - I believe I had a mojito.
I hope to return to Cesar sometime soon. And have those delicious onions again!
Post a Comment