Saturday, November 5, 2011

More culture in Carson City - yes, I said Carson City

Whoa Nellie, we went from breakfast at Heidi's with the windmill circling outside, to the Nevada State Museum, where we celebrated la Dia de los Muertos with Aztec dancers, to the Carson City Brewery Arts Center for a baroque concert featuring virtuosos from as far away as Chicago and San Francisco.  What a day!  Here it is in pictures!

I thought the day couldn't get any better that this when we tucked into the breakfast of champions: a Yodeler, a Farmhouse Skillet, and an Empire Skillet.  Heidi's is fantastic - great food, great service, great windmill!






It was tough to believe the day could get any better, but when we walked into the Nevada State Museum, we discovered it was la Dia de los Muertos! 



On la Dia de los Muertos, we honor our ancestors who have died, by creating ofrendas (offerings, displays of things that were loved by the departed or that remind us of them), by celebrating and remembering them.  What a wonderful holiday and a wonderful concept.  I'm a devout atheist, but I am also not so foolhardy as to rule out anything.  The thought that we should honor my wife's father by remembering his favorite whiskey and brand of cigar, or my departed uncle's favorite magazine and vodka, or my aunt's favorite song, and that we should do this every year not in sadness but in celebration, makes this a beautiful holiday and a great hedge in case they are actually watching over us every day.  On top of this, the Nevada State Museum is a gem amongst small museums, well-funded, well-presented, and educational.  The displays were fantastic, and the dancers were amazing.




So, you're thinking, surely we couldn't absorb much more culture without having our heads explode?  The coup-de-grace was the Reno Baroque Ensemble in an intimate setting in the Carson City Brewery Arts center.  This was an intimate and up close concert that really brought history to life for our son, already a huge history buff.  In his words, "wow, there's no way I can download this on my iPod".


Our son with cellist Farley Pearce, who laid down the back beat for a fantastic concert!

Our son with conductor, musicologist, and vocalist Eric Gault, who conducted the Reno Baroque Ensemble.

Our son with featured violinist Martin Davids, who also arranged one of the compositions that we enjoyed tonight.  Along with inspiring guest violinist Ruth Lenz, and stunning violinist Olga Archdekin, they put on an incredible show.


Who'dve thunk it in Carson City, Nevada?

But that's not all!  Tonight I stopped into the High Sierra Brewing Company after the concert to sample their great stout and IPA.  Just when I thought life couldn't get any better, in walks one of the members of the Phanton of the Opera orchestra, and Mark D. Williams, the Phantom of the Opera himself (seated on the far right below).  It was a pleasure buying them a beer!


It just doesn't get any better than this!

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