Tuesday, July 8, 2008

A Concert Where??

Sunday after Joe got on a plane to go to an emergency meeting; I put on a skirt and a sweater and headed out. I hardly ever wear a skirt here due to the lack of warm weather but this was a special occasion. I didn’t know at the time what I was in for or that this would be one of the best adventures I would ever go on. (Not that Joe wanted to go with me, so I would have had to go alone anyway)

I attended my first “concert de salon” this is a concert preformed in someone’s house. I got the list Saturday night at Flagey and out of the 9 to chose from I picked the “Trio Horta” to see. Why…it was only a street over from our house, the description was a piano, violin and cello. The main reason was the owner of the house name was Asian. I just knew the house would be nice. (I would have done more however they were all around the same time)


The house was gorgeous filled with all old Asian antiques and long fabric runners with Asian characters written on them hanging from the walls. Our hostess was a young women dress in an amazing kimono. As I was greeted I realized that everyone there knew each other and I really started to feel like a fish out of water, so I sat with the kids on the couch. There were only about 15 people when the trio started, they played for 25 minutes then had a break were we were offered Asian cookies and biscuits. To wash them down there was juice, wine or water. Being daring I took a cookie (that was square and filled with something that I don’t know what it was) and some water however I took a plastic glass and the hostess insisted that I take a wine glass the plastic were for the kids. Up until this point my French skilled have served my well…but I was busted and she said ohhh you speak English I’m sorry.

At the break I’m not sure where these people came from but about 15 more people showed up. Then when the new comers heard that I spoke English that attracted a couple ladies. One who lives on my street is French but now Belgian and use to be married to a man from the Congo but got a divorce because she refused to speak Flemish. That isn’t the funny part, this is…She use to live in Boston but because the house are made of wood and there is no architecture she moved back here. Her statement is totally true and I didn’t have a response for her. Yes Boston has architecture but not what she is use to. The other lady was in her early 30’s and has lived all around the world and speaks 5 different languages. The French–Belgian lady left to go on an architecture tour and asked if I would like to attend but I didn’t have a reservation so I passed.

The concert continued for another 25 minutes then ending in an encore promoted by our hostess. (I think her daughter was the pianist)

To sum it all up I would highly suggest this I know it sounds a little strange but it was really enjoyable.

The video is o.k. you can tell when the clouds are moving over the sun the living room gets dark then light. It’s the best I could do… Click here for the video.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is hilarious! An aunt who came regularly to New York to see the latest in contemporary art, once remarked," Les Américains sont très forts en art moderne, mais ils n'ont aucune architecture, les pauvres".

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a fun thing to do, a good way to meet more people. Mom