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Paul Simon or bust… Our Dublin getaway! Part one

Going back to Ireland for a stop on our year of concerts…

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about how Bill and I have dubbed 2018 as our year of concerts.  Bill and I aren’t usually concertgoers, but we’ll definitely drop some cash on tickets for certain shows.  On June 30th, we both saw The Rolling Stones for the first time and were absolutely blown away by the experience, obnoxious as it was.  Although the Stones was the first show we’ve seen so far, it was not the first concert I bought tickets to.  I think that honor probably belongs to Elton John, who announced his farewell tour.  Bill and I haven’t seen him either, but he’s coming to Stuttgart next year.  I bought tickets to his show, then got on a roll buying other tickets.

And then James Taylor announced on Facebook that he and Bonnie Raitt would be joining Paul Simon for a few dates on his Homeward Bound tour.  Now… as a child of the 70s and 80s, of course I like Paul Simon’s music.  I couldn’t get through my childhood without hearing his greatest hits with former musical partner Art Garfunkel.  My dad was a big fan of theirs.  I have always liked Paul Simon, although at least prior to Friday night’s show in Dublin, not quite as much as I did James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt.  Of the three on the bill, I was the most excited about seeing James play again.  This was my third time seeing him play live.

The idea of seeing James, Bonnie, and Paul appealed, as did going to Dublin in the summer.  Last time we were there was my first time– back in November 2016.  The weather wasn’t exactly stellar.  We spent three nights there before we moved on to the west coast of Ireland.  The hotel I chose that first time was nice, but not in the part of the city most conducive to seeing Dublin.  Plus, our time there was eaten by trips to Kilkenny to see the Smithwick’s Visitor’s Center and doing the Guinness tour.  Bill had also never been to Dublin during the summer, although he has been to Ireland once more than I have.  With his blessing, I ordered us tickets in February… and promptly lost them by June.

We don’t usually lose things at our house because Bill and I are both hoarders.  But we’re also getting old and forgetful.  Somehow, the tickets to the show I was most looking forward to got misplaced.  I had to call Ticketmaster Ireland to get new ones issued.  Fortunately, that wasn’t as onerous a task as online reviewers had led me to believe.  We just called them on a Saturday morning and a young woman with a charming Irish lilt verified my payment details and sent duplicates.  I’m so glad we went to the trouble.  The show was absolutely incredible– as good or probably even better than the Stones’ show was.  It’s too bad Paul Simon says he won’t be doing any more big tours.

I decided I wanted this particular trip to be as comfortable as possible.  I used Expedia to book us a room at Dublin’s Merrion Hotel, which is reputed to be the best in the city.  I also got us business class tickets on Lufthansa with flights laying over in Frankfurt on the way to Dublin and Munich on the way back.  We booked the dogs for four nights with Uncle Max and Bill arranged for the time off, so we could leave last Thursday morning and come back today.  Four nights made for a nice break, and gave us the chance to see a few places we missed the first time we visited Dublin.

As usual, this will be a series.  That means there will be several posts, along with lots of pictures.  I hope those who read this first post will follow along as I write up the whole weekend, although I know not everyone will be interested.  My travel tends to be very adult oriented and full of stories about people we meet and things we see, rather than stuff we do.  However, if you’re interested in reading about the hotel, restaurants we tried, and our activities, I highly recommend staying the course.

This is a concert I will never… ever… forget.  It was just awesome.  As amazed as I was by The Rolling Stones, I was even more blown away by this show, for which tickets cost me significantly less money.

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Our Rolling Stones weekend in Stuttgart… part threef

The gates at the Mercedes Benz Arena were due to open at 5:00pm.  Although the concert wasn’t going to start until 7:15, we decided to head over early, just to take in the scene.  I wisely decided not to bring my big purse with me, after being forced to lock it up at the museum.  Having seen some of the purses hanging off of the women at the show last night, I probably could have got into the venue with mine, although lockers were also available at the arena.  It was good that I didn’t bring it.  I didn’t need it.

On the way to the stadium…

We took a cab to the stadium and walked the short distance to security, which was thoughtfully staffed with female friskers for nervous ladies.  After we were frisked, we scanned the barcodes on our tickets and walked into the massiveness that is the Mercedes Benz Arena.  I had never been there before, although we did see Sting at the Porsche Arena next door.  We found our seats, 18 and 19 in row 13 in A6.  They were pretty close… at least when the arena is empty.  When it’s full, the seats don’t seem quite so close to the stage.

Security scene…

I guess people mistook this for a bathroom one too many times.

First view of the arena.  It’s massive.

A view of where we sat before it was full of people.

Small concessions area.  They had plastic cups with the Rolling Stones logo on them.  We probably should have foregone the pfand and brought a couple home.

We decided to have beer at the concessions stand.  Bill got me a bratwurst and fries, although I had asked for currywurst.  I don’t think the lady running the concessions heard him right.  There were also guys walking around the stadium selling beer and sodas out of camelbacks, ice creams, and sandwiches.  That was about the extent of what was available food wise.

You can see the guy who sat next to me in this picture, although I didn’t know he’d be sitting next to me when I took this shot.

I was interested in the clothes people wore to this event.  A few people were dressed up.  A whole lot of people were wearing concert t-shirts.  Many people were as old or older than Bill and me.  Almost everyone, whether or not they had a seat, was standing for most of the show.  I only mention this because at most concerts I’ve attended, people don’t necessarily stand if they can sit.  Most German audiences are fairly subdued, yet appreciative.  Not so at this concert.  

The Stones have been rotating several different opening bands for the 2018 No Filter Tour.  Last night, the opening band was The Kooks, from Brighton, England.  I had never heard of them before.  I actually enjoyed their music, although the lead singer, Luke Pritchard, who looks like a Dallas era version of Patrick Duffy, appeared to be trying to channel Mick Jagger and failed miserably.  I watched him dance and work the stage, but there wasn’t much connection between his movement and the expression on his face.  But I did enjoy their set and Luke’s weird shoes, which appeared to be fur lined slippers of some sort.

A few shots of the Kooks… This is Luke Pritchard, aka young Patrick Duffy.

Alexis Nunez stole the show.  At one point, they showed him in the audience while the Stones were playing and he looked positively orgasmic.  I was drawn to him more than the Kooks’ frontman.

Luke Pritchard promised us that the Stones were “on fire”.  He didn’t lie.

Frankly, I think the star in that band is the drummer, Alexis Nunez.  I couldn’t keep my eyes off of him when he was on the big screen.  He appeared to be taking a gigantic crap as he hit the skins– his eyes were squinty and teeth were clenched with effort as he pounded out rhythms, but I couldn’t help but be attracted…  Hmm… I guess that says something else about me.  I did like their music enough to download a few of their albums.  I probably wouldn’t necessarily work hard to get to one of their shows, but they were appealing enough.

A lot of people started showing up to the arena when it got closer to about nine o’clock, including the people sitting beside Bill and me.  The guy next to me was very tall and wore a tank top and cowboy hat.  He was also a smoker and didn’t hesitate to light up several times during the performance.  I know smoking is perfectly fine in Germany, but I can’t imagine being so rude as to basically smoke in someone’s face like that guy did to me.  Oh well… I guess it’s important to satisfy that nic fit.  I needed a shower anyway, after all the sweating I did.  Seriously, the chairs were arranged tightly.  It reminded me of being in the center seat on an airplane.

Half-time, which seemed to take forever as the roadies set the stage.  I noticed that the Stones have been staggering their performances, having shows every few days.  After watching them last night and their extreme level of energy, especially from Mick, I can’t blame them for taking a rest.

The audience reacts as the band takes the stage. I needed a step stool.

I was blown away by Mick Jagger’s stage presence.  Yes, I’ve seen him perform on TV, but it really isn’t the same as when you see him live.  There is no other person like him.  He’s a true marvel of nature.  His charisma is just astonishing.  Hard to believe he’s about to turn 75.

Ronnie Wood is also incredibly charismatic and sexy.  Not many people can pull off that look he has. He reminded me of a supermodel.

This was the view of the stage without the big screen.  I would have fared better if genetics had blessed me with a few more inches of height.

The bearded guy, Chuck Leavell, played wicked keyboards last night.  He’s American and has been playing with the Stones since 1982.  I was blown away by his playing.

Keith Richards was looking like he was having a blast!  To be honest, although I have always enjoyed The Rolling Stones’ music, I am not a super fan.  I had heard a lot of jokes about Keith Richards looking almost dead, but didn’t see any truth to the jokes last night.  He seemed very self-effacing and almost even overwhelmed by the love he got from the crowd last night.  

 

And here is drummer, Charlie Watts, who seemed the most straightlaced of the group.  He made me laugh with his goofy facial expressions and laid back demeanor.


Mick engages the crowd.

I shared one of these pictures on Facebook and a friend thought I was at a rally where people were burning an effigy of Donald Trump.  Nope… it was actually Mick Jagger who was on fire.

 

Below are a few more pictures from the show.  To be honest, I took more video than photos.  I normally don’t video at concerts, but almost everyone was doing it and, frankly, it’s hard to capture the magic of Mick Jagger in a still shot, especially when you’re not close and many people are in the way.  I will try to make a video of the clips I have and will, perhaps, eventually put it in this post.  Suffice to say, the man did not stop shaking his ass the whole concert.  His stamina was incredible.  No wonder he has eight kids.  I was also impressed that he spoke a fair amount of German.  Apparently, the Stones have been coming to Germany, particularly the Stuttgart area, for many years. Mick even spoke a little Schwabish to the crowd, which made them go wild.

I was amazed by Mick Jagger’s energy.  He has a way of making you feel like he’s only singing for you.  The camera loves him and no matter what he says or does, it looks natural.  It’s almost like performing is as as easy as breathing for him.  This is in sharp contrast to what I observed when Bill and I saw Eric Clapton in 2004.  Although Clapton had a fantastic opening band– Robert Randolph and the Family Band– his own performance was uninspired and lackluster.  I would not pay to see Eric Clapton again, even in the cheap seats, even though I still love his music. 

One of the two amazing sax players.  I have samples of them on video.

 

Before I close this post, I must write a bit about the Stones’ female backup singer, Sasha Allen, who joined the band in 2016 after previous backup vocalist Lisa Fischer left to pursue a solo career.  I am myself a singer, so I have a real appreciation for raw talent and what it takes to make the sounds Sasha makes.  Sasha Allen has some seriously powerful pipes.  At the end of the show, she and Mick did a fierce version of “Gimme Shelter” that brought the house down.  Yes, I recorded most of it.  And yes, as excellent Mick Jagger is as a performer, even he seemed blown away by Sasha Allen’s big voice.  She rivals Jennifer Hudson.

Now that I’m looking at her entry on Wikipedia, I see that Sasha Allen was also in the cult classic movie, Camp, which I discovered when we lived in Germany the first time.  I love that movie!  Anyway, she and the rest of the collaborators were every bit as good as the Stones themselves were.  It was a fantastic concert, in part, because of all of the backing musicians.  And Mick was great about sharing the stage with all of them.

Final bows…  The show ended with some rather sudden fireworks that went off, ejaculation style, at the end of the show.  Bill turned to me and said, “Well… that was unexpected.”  Sometimes I forget he has a touch of PTSD from his time in Iraq.

Once the show was over, the stadium emptied out in a surprisingly orderly fashion.  Thousands of people streamed out into the street and headed in different directions.  We had to walk about a mile and a half from the stadium until we got to where the road was open.  We were lucky to score a cab who whisked us back to the hotel, where our favorite Italian bartender was waiting.  We had a nightcap and I took a shower, then we passed out.  I slept until 9:00am today.  I don’t remember the last time I did that.

We ran into our new Icelandic friends at breakfast and managed to say goodbye after we each raved about the show.  After breakfast, we settled up with the hotel– our bill came to 540 euros and included Friday night’s dinners and last night’s nightcap.

Final thoughts…

Okay… so I spent $1200 on our tickets once all of the taxes and conversion rates were added.  Never in my wildest dreams would I ever have expected to pay that much to see a concert and none of the other shows I’ve booked so far have cost that much.  Was it worth it?  To be honest, yes.  The show was incredible.  I don’t think I like arena concerts that much because of how huge the crowds are and how hard it is to get in and out.  However, I can see why the Stones attract such huge crowds.  They are truly awesome live.  I can’t believe they’ve been playing for over 50 years and are still kicking so much ass.

I think if I ever spring for really expensive seats again, I’ll be more careful about their actual location within the venue.  I might try for aisle seats if I’m going to pay $1200 to see a show.

Still I think it’ll be awhile before I’ve processed last night’s show.  It was really amazing.  I’m delighted that we were able to attend.  I’m even more delighted that my husband had so much fun.  At one point, he turned to me with a big grin on his face and said, “I would never do this if it weren’t for you.”  I often wonder what my purpose in life is.  I think one of the main reasons I’m here is to make sure Bill has as much fun as possible for the rest of his life.  It’s a nice job to have.

Mick Jagger is just an incredible frontman.  He blew my brains out, just as I knew he would.  Many thanks to Stuttgart and the Stones for making last night so amazing.

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Our Rolling Stones weekend in Stuttgart… part one

View from our seats at the Rolling Stones concert in Stuttgart…  before the teeming crowds showed up!

 

I think 2018 will go down as our “year of the concerts”.  This year, I have purchased tickets to five concerts, four of which are happening between yesterday and Halloween and one for next spring.  In two weeks, we are going to fly to Dublin to see Paul Simon, who will have James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt as guests.  In September, we’re going to see Roger Hodgson, formerly of Supertramp.  In October, we’re planning to see an Irish folk music festival.  Next May, we’re going to see Elton John.

We don’t usually go to a lot of shows.  I don’t like crowds and Bill doesn’t like traffic.  Neither of us likes overpriced concessions or being too short to see the stage.  However, we have found that concerts in Germany are somewhat less obnoxious than shows in the United States, so we have taken advantage of the opportunity to see some of the great entertainers who pass through Stuttgart.  So far, in our two tours in the Stuttgart area, we have seen: Lyle Lovett, Diana Krall, Van Morrison, Sting, and now The Rolling Stones.

Last night’s Rolling Stones concert is probably the biggest of all of them…  and the tickets were definitely the most expensive.  However, having now seen the freak of nature that is Mick Jagger perform live, I can say it was worth everything– the expense, fighting the crowds, sitting next to a smoker who kept hitting me with his jacket, and Bill’s manspreading.

Last February, when I went on my ticket buying spree, I remember gasping at the price of the tickets I selected for the Stones’ concert.  They were priced at 497 euros each, but they were on the 13th row.  In retrospect, maybe I should have opted for a seat in the stands, since I’m only 5’2″ tall and the 13th row is in the flat area.  I probably would have had a better view on the side.  But I wanted, just once, to experience a concert “close up”.  Of course, if we’d really wanted to be close, we could have gone for the “stehplatz”.  There were two areas where people were standing and dancing the whole time; one was literally just a few yards from the stage.  Unfortunately, Bill and I are both short, neither of us are dancers, and Bill has a bad knee and needs to be able to sit.

Not so long ago, Bill and I were pretty much relegated to the cheap seats.  I remember seeing both Alison Krauss and Eric Clapton while perched high in the nosebleed section.  We had better seats when we saw James Taylor, except for the two drunk chicks who stood up and swayed in front of us for the whole show.  Probably our closest seats were at Livingston Taylor’s show at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia, and it was probably one of the best shows I’ve been to, although Liv is not as big a name performer as his brother James, is.  Anyway, I figured that if I was going to drop a load of cash on close seats, The Rollings Stones would be the show for which to do it.

I learned a new German word on the way to the hotel.  This camper is obviously driven by people who love their dogs.  On the bumper, there was a sign in German warning that dogs don’t have a “crumple zone”; therefore, please don’t tailgate…

As is our habit, we stayed at the Wald Hotel in Degerloch the night before and the night of the concert.  We started this custom when we saw Van Morrison in 2016.  I remembered the nutroll of getting in and out of the concert venues and how late it usually was when we got home.  The idea of staying downtown was very appealing, especially since Stuttgart is about 45 minutes from where we live, depending on traffic.  Staying in Stuttgart gives us a chance to see more of the city without having to worry about getting home to take care of our dogs, who never stay with us at the Wald Hotel, even though the place is pet friendly.

We checked in on Friday, June 29th.  As usual, I booked a “superior room” and added breakfast.  The Wald Hotel is a very comfortable four star hotel.  It’s situated very close to the TV tower and surrounded by a sports complex and walking trails.  I think I booked it the first time because it’s air conditioned.  I have booked in on subsequent occasions because it really is a nice place in a convenient location.  It has free parking, free WiFi, and a very attentive staff.  Even though we’re essentially staying in our home town, being at the Wald Hotel is a treat.

Below are pictures of our room, which was as expected. All three times, we’ve stayed in the same type of room and they all pretty much look the same.

King sized bed… very comfortable with fluffy duvets instead of sheets.  We brought pillows because German hotels usually don’t have good ones.  We needn’t have bothered.  I had forgotten that the Wald Hotel loads you up with nice pillows.

Sitting area and desk.

Awesome shower!  It has special lighting and a huge rainforest option that is just heavenly.  With the press of a button the ceiling rains down a large square shaped swath of water   You can also use the regular shower head, which you can see in the picture.

Since the World Cup has been going on, the hotel gifted us with soccer balls…

And the usual gummi bears, as well as a complimentary mini bar stocked with water, apple schorle, and beer.

View from our balcony.

 

Ordinarily, I would have liked to have booked us a table at a local restaurant, but we didn’t get to the hotel until about 7:00pm and Bill was tired from a day of hard work.  Although there are several casual eateries near the hotel, we decided to dine at the hotel’s Finch restaurant, which is a very pleasant, but rather pricey place to have dinner.  Although the weather was perfect, we didn’t have reservations.  All of the outside tables were taken, so we were seated in the elegant dining at a private booth.

We ate at Finch on our last visit to the Wald Hotel and remembered the slightly Asian inspired menu to be creative in flavor and presentation.  On our first trip to Finch, we both had meat.  This last time, we went with main courses from the sea.

Bill decides on a wine.  Finch offers menus in English, which I appreciated.  Our waitress was the same very service oriented server who took care of us the last time we dined at Finch.  She speaks English, but patiently indulged Bill’s elementary German.

 

Since we were both having seafood, Bill ordered a locally produced white burgundy.  It was crisp and refreshing and paired very well with our meals.

We also had fresh bread with an herb spread, olive oil, and fresh bread garnished with black salt.

I had the Avocado Tatar, with included avocados with beefsteak tomatoes, peanuts, and spinach.  This starter was surprisingly filling, but nice on a warm evening.

Bill had a lobster bisque; it was unfortunately served rather sloppily, but tasted good.

My lobster came with toasted macadamia nuts, half a lemon, drawn butter, spring onions and a sinful carrot puree.  I enjoyed the lobster, but especially liked the colorful presentation.

Bill had “wolfbarsch” (European sea bass).  As much as I like lobster and enjoyed my main course, I think I liked Bill’s dish better. It was a bit more flavorful.

I probably shouldn’t eat dessert so often, but I was intrigued by the “oats and nougat”, which was a nougat atop toasted oats (granola) and served with a caramel panna cotta.  The dish was garnished with chocolate pieces and raspberries.

Bill had a passionfruit creation that he said reminded him a little of a napoleon.  He especially liked the scoop of mango sorbet that came with his dessert.  Wald Hotel also offers several cheese plates for those who are less tempted by sweets.

 

After dinner, we decided to hang out at the hotel bar.  Wald Hotel has a very personable Italian bartender who is a master at mixing drinks and making conversation.  While we were at the bar, a rather alternative looking couple came in.  They heard us speaking English and asked if we were American.  We answered affirmatively.  It turned out they had come to Stuttgart to see The Rolling Stones.  Both had lived in the United States to work and study and both had great love for our country.  They were surprised we’d choose to live in Germany.

It turned out our new friends, Bjorn and Rokka, work in the film industry.  Rokka is a makeup artist and has put her touch on many celebrities.  Bjorn didn’t talk as much about what he does in film, but I got the sense that maybe he was a producer.  Both looked a lot younger than their ages and, in fact, they told us they had booked the “stehplatz” up front.  I was impressed, since agewise they were probably contemporaries of Mick Jagger’s.  They seemed to have drunk from the same fountain of youth he has.  Anyway, we had a very nice time talking to them, especially since they were so friendly and Bill has actually been to Iceland.  I love it when we meet interesting people.  Luckily, it seems to happen to us a lot!

An expertly produced gin and tonic by the barman, who also joined in our conversation.  I’ve seen him on each of our three stays at Wald Hotel.  He definitely makes booking the hotel even more attractive.

We decided to turn in at about 11:00 or so,  which is kind of past our bedtimes.  Little did we know how full our Saturday was going to be.  More on that in the next post.

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Der Schönbuchturm in Herrenberg!

Last weekend, Herrenberg opened Der Schönbuchturm, its long awaited new tower that overlooks the forested areas surrounding the city.  I considered visiting the tower last weekend, but since it was the first day, I figured it might be better to wait a week.  I’m glad we waited.  We had perfect weather this afternoon to see the brand new tower– a miracle of German engineering.  Bill pointed out the tower as we drove down the hill from Jettingen.  I’m surprised I hadn’t noticed it before.  It sticks up from the trees in the distant hills overlooking Herrenberg.

First view of the tower.

Der Schönbuchturm, which reaches a height of 35 meters, is located across from the Schönbuch Naturpark, right next to the Naturfreundehaus am Schönbuch, a self-serve restaurant and Biergarten.  We parked there at about 3:00pm.  There was a fairly decent sized crowd there, but it wasn’t too obnoxious.  We easily found a parking spot and then began the 400 meter mostly uphill hike up to the tower.  I was pretty breathless by the time we reached the new engineering marvel.  Some people were biking up and there were plenty of places for people to lock their bikes.  It costs nothing to visit the tower, which is open until 7:00pm nightly.

At the start of the trail, there’s a sign welcoming visitors and a place to lock bikes.

The trail to the tower is covered in gravel made of small stones.  Part of the trail consists of steps.  I noticed a steep bike trail to the side of the steps, but I don’t think that would be suitable terrain for a stroller or a wheelchair.

A bit closer… I stopped to catch my breath after the short uphill hike.  As you can see, you can stop at two vantage points on the way to the top level.

 

Some interesting stats.  The trail to the tower also has little information points like this one.  Since my German blows, I mostly ignored them.

There are two stairways.  Seems like one should be designated as the “up” stairway and the other as the “down” stairway.  However, both stairways are open to either direction.  Consequently, you may have to stop to let someone pass in the other direction.

These pictures are from the first vantage point.  To be honest, as sturdy as I know the tower is, I was feeling slightly anxious with each new level.  The tower has been designed so that there’s little to obstruct your view.  It can be a bit unnerving.

Wire fencing and “handrails” rather than solid metal…

The above pics are from the top vantage point.

On the way down… phew.  The tower wobbled a bit with the breeze.  It reminded me a little of our visit to Highline 179 in Austria.  I’m not sure I’d want to climb the tower during bad weather!  Today, it was kind of a thrill.  

I think I like this view the best!  

Our visit to the tower only took about a half hour.  It occurred to me as we were enjoying the views that last weekend, we climbed a 35 meter tower that was originally built in the 12th century.  Today, we climbed a 35 meter tower that has only been open for a week!  And both activities were completely free of charge with no one hanging around to enforce the rules!  Gosh, I love Germany!

Last week’s climb was just as high as today’s climb, but today’s was less painful.  Instead of a tight spiral staircase, there’s a much gentler climb.  I noticed a lot of children climbing up, including one adorable little girl with intense blue eyes crawling on her hands and knees!  As nervous as the climb made me, I have to admit the view at the top is breathtaking.  You can see for miles.

Although we could have gone to the Naturfreundehaus for a snack, Bill and I decided to visit La Piazza Gelataria for ice cream.  The outside seating was full of people who had the same idea we did.  I will note that the Naturfreundhaus, while no frills and self-serve, also has a little playground for kids!

The church bells played a hymn we used at our wedding in 2002… “Now Thank We All Our God.”

Bill had a Waldbeere Becher (wild berry cup).  It was strawberry and vanilla ice cream with blueberries, strawberries, currents, and cherries, along with lots of whipped cream.

I had an After Eight Becher, made with After Eight mints.  My mom used to love those things!  It had chocolate ice cream, mint ice cream, mint sauce, and chocolate “streusel”.  We also shared San Pellegrino.  Our total bill was just over 16 euros.  Today was “cheap”!  I don’t think I’ll need dinner, either.

For the first time, I noticed the really cool looking balcony on this building, along with its terrace on the roof.

Fun scene in Herrenberg.  Little kids were enjoying the fountain.  I couldn’t help but muse about how pleasant life in Germany is… for me, anyway.  It’s so nice to be able to sit in a square that looks like it’s out of a fairytale and eat ice cream while children play in the fountain.  

One last shot before we went home.  

I’m pretty happy with how today turned out, especially given how it started off.  Next month, we’re going to Ireland to see Paul Simon in concert.  I bought tickets for the show in February and put them in my usual safe keeping spot.  Somehow in the past four months, the tickets got lost.  This morning, we spent about an hour trying to call Ticketmaster in Ireland to get duplicates made.  For awhile, it looked like we weren’t going to get through to a human being and I was getting pretty pissy.  But we were finally successful.  A lovely Irish lass helped us out and for a six euro fee, I hope to have duplicate concert tickets in my hands for next month’s concert… the second of four we’re planning to attend this year.

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Staycationing in Stuttgart #2… Sting… live in concert!

At just past five o’clock, my sweet husband, Bill, came back to the hotel to pick me up for the concert.  He had decided ahead of time that we’d take a cab to the Porsche Arena.  He didn’t want to have to worry about transportation.  There is an U Bahn stop near the venue, but apparently getting there from where we were staying would have been logistically challenging, especially later in the evening.  So the good folks at the hotel called us a cab and we got to the Porsche Arena at a little after 6:00.

I was shocked by the number of people who were standing outside the venue, many of whom appeared to be teenagers.  I had no idea that there was another show going on and most of the kids were headed to that one.

Bill and I decided to eat at the restaurant/bar at the Porsche Arena.  It was a place called Grandls, and it appeared to me that there are several locations in the area.  The restaurant was not very busy when we arrived, but business picked up quickly after we sat down.  Grandls seems to be more of a bar than a restaurant.  The menu is limited to just a few choices.  Bill and I both had hefeweizens and potato soup with wurst, bacon, and bread.  At six euros a bowl, it was cheap and filling.

Waiting for soup.


This was a nice dinner.

While we were eating, we ran into another American couple we know from the area.  The male half we know from beer tastings!  I always get a kick out of running into people.

I was a bit worried about how obnoxious the concert was going to be.  As I mentioned before, I am not a fan of big crowds and would probably sooner watch a DVD than sit in a concert hall.  However, I will go on record as saying that I was pleasantly surprised by the Porsche Arena.  It wasn’t too big and people were basically well-behaved.  We had good seats, so it wasn’t hard to see Sting, his son Joe, and The Last Bandoleros, a great band from San Antonio, Texas who are joining Sting on this tour.  Since our last American home was in San Antonio, it was especially great to be introduced to Sting’s warm up act, who joined him throughout the entire concert, along with Sting’s own band.

Maybe a half hour before the show started…

As you can see, it was eventually packed.

I noticed everybody and their brother was recording bits of the show.  I didn’t do that myself because I’d rather actually watch the person I came to see than the screen on my phone.  I did see one security guy gently ask one guy to stop recording.  Other than that, they weren’t very strict about taping at all. That may have something to do with the fact that Sting’s son, Joe Sumner (who looks and sounds a lot like his dad), actually started a business after he noticed how many video clips of concerts were on YouTube.  He calls his business Vyclone; it’s an app that allows fans to turn clips from concerts into collaborations with other fans.  The software takes clips from multiple users and assembles them into videos showing multiple angles.

I took one picture.

Joe Sumner sang a few of his original songs and I was astonished by how much he sounds like dear old dad, both in terms of his vocals and his guitar playing.  However, I wasn’t as impressed with his songwriting as I am with Sting’s.  In any case, it was interesting to see and hear him.  I take heart in knowing that he’s only four years younger than I am.  He put on a good show.  I especially enjoyed his cover of David Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes”.

I really enjoyed The Last Bandoleros, which has a great roadhouse sound.  This band from San Antonio employs lush harmonies that reminded me a little bit of The Eagles.  However, I was particularly impressed by a couple of members of the band who really stood out.  Jerry Fuentes sang a mean lead vocal, was incredibly energetic and engaging, and played wicked guitar.  I was also impressed by Percy, whose last name I didn’t catch.  He played “squeezebox” (accordion) like a master as he danced around the stage.  He reminded me of Verdine White of Earth, Wind, & Fire, the way he was working the crowd.  And I liked the way Sting used Percy’s squeezebox on songs that originally used different instrumentation.  For instance, Percy played a lovely solo on “Fields of Gold” that gave the song a different feel.  I think The Last Bandoleros are going places.  I downloaded their EP and it will get some spins in my house.

Not from last night’s show, but they did do this song last night.  Percy is in the video, but seems less animated in it.

I could tell the The Last Bandoleros is a band used to seeing concertgoers dancing.  Well, I’m here to tell you that the German crowd last night was fairly subdued.  They were enjoying the show for sure, but there wasn’t much room for them to boogie down in the “stehplatz”.  They were packed in like sardines!  Moreover, I have noticed at most of the concerts I’ve attended here that Germans tend to be well behaved and reserved at shows.  As a matter of fact, I kind of like that about them.  I still have vivid memories of the last James Taylor show I went to where Bill and I were forced to endure two drunk women who stood up the whole time.  They were swaying side to side as they sang loudly (and terribly) to James’s songs.  I’m an even bigger James Taylor fan than I am a Sting fan, so that was extremely irritating!  Other than a few folks coming in after the lights were down and trying to find their seats, the folks at Sting’s show were very considerate.

Sting was very generous in letting the other acts perform.  He also collaborated with them quite a bit and didn’t skimp on playing himself.  I got the sense that Sting lives to perform.  It’s probably a big rush for him to sing in front of a crowd (and as a singer myself, I can relate).  The show went on for a solid three hours with three encores.  They played a nice mix of classics by The Police, along with some of Sting’s best loved solo hits and songs from his latest album, 57th & 9th.  I would like to add that 57th & 9th is probably my favorite album by Sting since 1999’s Brand New Day.  But the beauty of Sting is that he and his music are always evolving and you never know what you’re going to get.  I loved that Sting dedicated his new song, “One Fine Day”, to Donald Trump.  It was very fitting.

After the show was over, Bill and I were heading out of the venue and I noticed a couple of Germans clapping.  Too late, I noticed that two of the guys from The Last Bandoleros were standing by the t-shirt counter, one of which was Percy.  I wish I’d stopped to say hi and thank them for a great show.  I want to give a shout out to Dominic and Rufus Miller, Sting’s father and son guitar players…  They were superb!

Bill and I started walking in search of a cab.  We were among many Germans also searching for transportation or walking home and I felt totally safe, as I almost always do in Germany.  But I was starting to get annoyed with Bill, because we seemed to be walking in the wrong direction and making no progress in scoring a cab.  It was late and we were both tired.  So I finally stopped at a Shell station and asked Bill to use his phone to call a taxi.  Bill was stubborn at first, but I reminded him that it’s easier for a cab to pull into the Shell station than off on the side of the busy road.

He finally went into the station and one of the guys working there very kindly helped us out by calling a cab.  While we were waiting, we saw a couple of people eyeing the booze for sale in the convenience store.  The cashier helpfully told them that no alcohol could be sold after 10:00pm.  That was a surprise to me, especially since we saw a couple of people with a big grocery cart full of booze waiting to catch people leaving the venue.  I think they were selling it.

We got back to the hotel shortly before midnight and soon crashed into slumber.  I was really glad we decided to stay in Stuttgart rather than trying to drive home.  We would have gotten in very late.  I think, from now on, when we go to concerts downtown, we’ll just stay there… as long as Max can take the dogs.

This morning, we got up early, had breakfast, checked out, and now I’m at home waiting for Bill to get home with the dogs.  I think if we go to another show at the Porsche Arena, we may stay in a hotel closer to the venue.  But, all in all, we enjoyed our second staycation at the Wald Hotel.  I can see why people like it so much that it’s a top performer on Trip Advisor.  I would definitely recommend it, especially to people who like comfortable hotels and don’t mind paying a bit more.  And I am glad I finally got to see Sting play live.  He’s still looking and sounding great and the show was well worth the extra euros we paid for it.  I hope to see him again sometime.  And I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for The Last Bandoleros, too.

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Staycation in Stuttgart #2…

Those who know me well, know that I am a music fanatic.  I like all kinds of music, but I don’t often attend concerts, mainly because I don’t like crowds or traffic jams.  I did make an exception for Sting, though.  In November of last year, when I was feeling especially blue and a bit weakened by depression, I decided to buy a couple of ticket’s to last night’s Sting concert which took place at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart.

I paid a bundle for the tickets because I was a bit late to the game.  The only ones available were from “fan to fan” sales, which meant the price was a bit jacked up.  However, we did have great seats.  We were in row six, seats ten and eleven.  In fact, I was very surprised by how intimate the venue was.  I was expecting an enormous arena, but it wasn’t that big at all.  They didn’t even have those huge television monitors you often see at big name acts.  I will write more about last night’s excellent show in a later post.  It deserves its own commentary.  Suffice to say that Sting is still going strong at 65!  If I hadn’t been listening to him since the early 80s, I would think he was at least 20 years younger than he is.

Last summer, Bill and I saw Van Morrison play during the annual jazz open festival.  Because we live rather far from Stuttgart and traffic here is legendarily horrible, we decided to stay in a hotel downtown.  We had such a good experience at the Wald Hotel in Degerloch last July, we decided to stay there again for the Sting concert.  I booked us for two nights in a superior room.  Bill wanted to try the hotel’s restaurant, Finch, which we knew we wouldn’t have a chance to try on the night of the show.  Yes, it’s a hotel restaurant, but it has an interesting (and expensive) menu.  We made a 7:30 reservation for our first night at the hotel.

Our dogs, Zane and Arran, have spent two days hanging out with Max at Dog Holiday and will be coming home later today.  I’ve had the chance to earn my keep by doing some basic housekeeping.  Now I’m ready to write.

Stuttgart is not a bad city to visit… even if you’re kind of a local.

 

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Van Morrison and Lizz Wright in Stuttgart!

As I mentioned in my last post, Bill and I just enjoyed a two night “staycation” in Stuttgart.  We booked two nights at the Waldhotel in Degerloch so we would be very close to the Schlossplatz, which was where Van Morrison and his opening act, Lizz Wright, would be performing.

Normally, when we attend events in Stuttgart, we simply drive or take the train in.  This time, we decided to get a hotel room.  Originally, I was also supposed to see Dr. Blair in downtown Stuttgart on Tuesday of this week.  We live about 25 miles from Stuttgart and, with the traffic, it can be a real pain to get to and from the city.  Add in the hassle and expense of parking and the hotel idea becomes a lot more appealing.  My dentist appointment was rescheduled at the last minute, but we still had our staycation.  Enough about that, though.  This post is about the fantastic concert Bill and I attended last night.

The clouds threatened to dampen more than spirits last night.

Civilized crowds enjoying food and beverages outside of the venue.

We purchased our tickets to see the show back in April.  I love Van Morrison’s music, but had never had the chance to see him perform live.  I had also heard of Lizz Wright, because she did a gorgeous cover of James Taylor’s “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight” that was included on a jazz compilation album I have.  I knew I’d enjoy her performance, even though up until this morning, I didn’t own any of her albums.  That situation has now been rectified.

The stairs lead to the business lounge, where free wine was pouring.

Anyway, prior to last night, I had no experience attending a show at the Schlossplatz.  The other concerts I’ve been to in Stuttgart were at the Liederhalle.  I didn’t know what to expect.  I also noticed that quite a lot of tickets had been sold, though mostly for the “stehplatz” area.  Basically, that means standing up for a few hours while you listen to the music.  Being an old fart whose married to an old fart, I determined that we’d rather sit.  Bill has some issues with his knee and we’re both pretty short and have trouble seeing over tall people.

I booked us business tickets, which were hella expensive at about 190 euros each.  There was a time earlier in our marriage when buying those tickets would have been out of the question.  Fortunately, we had the means to get the pricey seats.  An added perk was a much shorter line to get into the Jazzfest and access to the business lounge, which was pouring free wine and beer all evening.  And the wine they were pouring wasn’t the cheap stuff… or maybe it was cheap, but it didn’t taste cheap.  ETA: My German friend Susanne says that there was also hot food included in the ticket.  I thought I saw something about food when I booked, but wasn’t sure.  Oh well.  Next time, I’ll know for sure!  I also have a cute pink wristband to commemorate sitting in the expensive seats, too!

As we were enjoying Lizz Wright’s luminous vocals, a storm came rolling in and dumped rain on all the people in the stehplatz.  I looked at Bill and said, “You’re glad I got us seats, aren’t you?”  He nodded affirmatively.  The folks who were standing didn’t seem to mind too much.  The sound was great and they had room to move.

Lizz Wright on stage from where we were sitting.  She was very kind to the people standing and did some uptempo songs so they could dance and stay warm.

The music last night was… what can I say?  Fantastic.  Really, it was the most enjoyable four hours I’ve spent in a long time.  Lizz Wright is a phenomenal talent and I was very surprised that she didn’t pull in more of a crowd than she did.  Her voice is simply marvelous and her band is very passionate. But what I enjoyed most about her, besides her silky voice, was the fact that she’s very humble and gracious.  She told us that it was “surreal” to be opening for Van Morrison and basically said she knew that most everyone was there to see him play.  She said she also looked forward to enjoying his concert along with us after she finished warming us up.

I enjoyed watching Lizz Wright’s face as she sang.  I could tell that she was really enjoying herself, especially as she beat her tambourine with its picture of praying hands on it.   I also enjoyed her band.  The organ player was especially entertaining.  Sometimes, his face would contort into almost pained expressions, as if it hurt his soul to make music so beautiful.  I saw him singing along with Lizz and not really because he was backing her up.  I also liked watching her guitar player, who would curiously play with a guitar pick between his teeth.  Anyway, this morning when I got home, I downloaded all of Lizz Wright’s albums.  She’s fabulous.  Her alto voice is like warm, melted chocolate… smooth, sensual, and satisfying.

Another shot of the Platz.

Van Morrison hit the stage at about 8:15 pm, after a bunch of roadies squeegeed the stage and moved around the instruments.  Once he hit the stage, he was all business.  Van Morrison sang for about two hours straight.  He never spoke to the crowd, but was all business… and everybody was LOVING it.  The guy sitting next to Bill was dressed in a leather suit and scarf and danced frenetically in his seat, all the while conducting.  He reminded me of a drunk guy Bill and I ran into in Luxembourg City, though it wasn’t alcohol that was intoxicating our new German friend.  The drunk guy we ran into in Luxembourg happened to show up at the main square while a band from a Munich high school was performing.  He staggered out to the middle of the square with his misbuttoned shirt and a can of Carlsberg beer, conducting and lumbering about to the music.  At least at the Van Morrison concert, the conductor was reasonably sober and sitting down.  It was still fun to watch him getting into the music, though.

Some readers may know that I am myself a singer and frequently get moved when I listen to the right sounds.  I must say, there were some tears of joy last night.  When Van Morrison sang “Someone Like You”, I pretty much melted into tears.  I found Van’s performance very inspiring.  I tell you what, though.  The guy who really stole the show last night was the keyboardist/trumpet player.  I was in awe watching him shift effortlessly from organ to piano to trumpet in the course of a single song.  I love watching musicians who love their work and it was clear that he did.  Van Morrison himself was looking and sounding fine, wearing a hat, sunglasses, and not really doing anything but singing, playing saxophone, and harmonica.  He had a fantastic backup singer who was not introduced to us.  Pity, because I would probably download all of her albums, too.

As we were enjoying last night’s show, I marveled at how civilized it was.  The crowds were well-behaved, so there was no need for shitloads of security.  People were drinking alcohol, but there were no ridiculous restrictions on how much a person was allowed to consume.  Food and beverages were reasonably priced and there were a lot of high quality options available.  Even the bathrooms were civilized.  They were clean, plentiful, and there was no need to pay a Klofrau.

When the show was over, it was too easy to just hop on the U-Bahn and go back to our comfortable hotel.  While we were riding back to the hotel, a drunk guy got on the train.  He was holding a can of beer and mumbling incoherently.  I happened to catch the eyes of a German guy standing nearby and we both cracked up at the same time as the drunk guy continued to blather about whatever.  He stayed on for one stopped, then hopped off into the night to his next destination.

After another great night’s sleep, Bill and I got up, had breakfast, and said goodbye to the Waldhotel.  I think we’ll be back, though.  All told, I spent about $440 for the room, plus another 100 euros on breakfast and a nightcap at the bar and whatever Bill paid to put the dogs up at Dog Holiday.  It wasn’t a cheap staycation, but it was very restful and pleasant.  Now, thanks to Van Morrison’s fabulous show, I’m left inspired to make some music and plan a trip to Ireland at long last.

I don’t like to video during concerts, but I did manage to catch a few very brief snippets of last night’s show.  It’s only a minute of three songs, but you get an idea of what the mood was like…

If we’re still here next July, I’m definitely going to plan another Staycation during Jazz Open week.  What a great time we had!  I’m sorry I didn’t get us tickets to the other shows, like Keb Mo’s.  He’s playing tonight and I’m sad to be missing him.

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Unexpected fun!

The best kind of fun is the fun you never expected to have.  Last night, Bill and I decided to go to Tommi’s Bistro for dinner.  Although I usually keep track of events there by checking their Web site, I failed to do that last night.  They usually have events on Thursdays and Saturdays, so I was expecting our usual quiet dinner.  When we arrived, our favorite waitress, Dani, was there.  She smiled in delight when she saw us and gave me a big hug!  I wasn’t expecting such a warm reception, but I definitely appreciated it.  She made us feel very welcome.

I looked around and noticed all the reserved signs on the tables.  On the stage were Vitek Spacek, the guy who leads the jam sessions every second Thursday of the month, and his brilliant keyboard player, whose name escapes me right now.  There was also a bald guy I’d never seen before.  Turns out, he was the headliner, David Hanselmann.  At first, I thought he was American.  I heard him speaking English like a native.  Edited to add, I have just learned that David Hanselmann is German-American, hence his very native grasp of both German and English.  I have also heard that Mr. Hanselmann has been suffering from cancer and wasn’t able to perform last year.  I never would have guessed after seeing him perform last night.  He put on a great show and we really enjoyed it.

We asked Dani if there was room for us, even though we hadn’t reserved.  She said there was.  She put us at a four top that had been reserved for two people.  I felt a little bad about it, even though I know it’s not uncommon for Germans to share tables even if they aren’t actually together.

Anyway, Bill and I had our usual delicious entrcote steaks, though he had his with a small side salad.  He’s trying to watch his weight so he can get into his dress blues when we go on our cruise.  I had my usual addictive wild potatoes.  We shared a bottle of wine and were pretty much done eating before the show started.  Although we could have left, we decided to stick around and were soon joined by the Germans who had thought to reserve.  We paid 15 euros per person and though we didn’t stay until the very end of the show, it was well worth the price of admission.

The couple we sat with came from Calw to see the show.  The male half spoke very good English.  His wife seemed somewhat less fluent.  Both of them were friendly and welcoming and we enjoyed an interesting conversation with them as we listened to David Hanselmann’s musical stylings.  He sang a lot of great songs from the 70s and 80s as he played an electronic drum.  The crowd really got into it when he sang “Easy” by the Commodores.  Toward the end of the evening, a couple of intrepid ladies got up and danced!

I didn’t have the best view of the stage…

The music still sounded great!

 

We’re going to have to make a habit of attending more of the shows at Tommi’s.  It’s such a treat to live in a town with a venue that offers great steak, friendly service, and fabulous music.  Dani reminded us that there’s a live jam session on Thursday.  She will be working and said she hopes we can make it.  Even Bill, who is chronically tired during the work week, says he’s game!  That might be just the thing to get us in the mood before our next trip begins on March 14th.

I see they are having Scottish folk music on the 19th.  I think we’d attend if we weren’t already going to be in Scotland!

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Dinner and a live show… Diana Krall in Stuttgart

Over the weekend, Bill and I managed to score deeply discounted tickets to see Diana Krall at the Liederhalle in Stuttgart.  Until last night, I was sort of a casual fan of Diana Krall’s music.  I like it very much when it’s playing, but I don’t always make a point of purchasing her albums unless I get into a certain mood.  After last night, I’m thinking I need to listen to her more often… especially the older, jazzier stuff she did before she made her latest album, Wallflower.

I wrote about Krall’s concert in detail on my music blog, if anyone is interested.  On this blog, I’ll just say it was a fabulous show and we really enjoyed ourselves, communing with Germans over jazzy tunes.  I will also say that this was my second concert experience at the Liederhalle (the first being Lyle Lovett in 2009) and it’s a wonderful venue for acoustic music.  I think it may now be my favorite place to hear live music, though I have admittedly not been to a whole lot of concerts.  Both shows I’ve seen there were wonderfully intimate and afforded a great view of the stage and the performers.  It helped that last night, we were on the eighth row!

A shot of the stage before Diana Krall came out.

The Liederhalle has a bar, a coat check, and plenty of restroom facilities, but be sure to bring your 50 cents for the Klofrau.  I know you can’t take for granted being able to pee without paying anywhere in Germany!  There is a metro stop nearby.  The Liederhalle is right next to the Berlinerplatz station.

Parking is also plentiful and relatively inexpensive, though there was a huge line to pay after the show.  One of the machines wasn’t working, which slowed us down a bit.  We paid five euros for about four hours.  One thing we learned last night is that you shouldn’t put your ticket in the machine to exit the garage until there’s enough room for you to pull up past the gate.  We watched one lady in a Smart Car do that last night, after she cut in front of us as Bill was trying to maneuver out of reverse.  She put the ticket in too early and the gate closed on her before she could pull through.  Then we had to wait for an attendant to lift the gate for her.  So much for her attempt at trying to save time by cutting in front of us.  😉

There are also plenty of restaurants in the area.  Last night, I chose to book one through OpenTable, an online restaurant reservation service.  I have been using OpenTable since 2002 and have 9500 “dining points” saved up.  Although you can’t get points for the US program in Germany (you get points for the German program instead), I did want to keep my account active so the ones I’ve been saving for thirteen years don’t expire.  You have to make one reservation a year or you lose your points.  I’m hoping they won’t expire, since I have no plans to go back to the States anytime soon.

The restaurant we chose last night was an Italian place called La Commedia.  It’s about a five minute walk from the Liederhalle and I noticed it got good ratings from other OpenTable members.  I knew nothing about the restaurant when I booked it, but decided on it when I noticed that it was really close to the concert venue and appeared to be well-liked by others.  I reserved for 6:15pm.

The restaurant turned out to be not very intimate.  It’s very open, with bright lights (that went down at 7:00), a bit of noise, and a large bar area separated by an electric sliding door.  It’s also attached to a theater of some sort and I could tell the waiters were used to serving the pre-theater/concert crowd.  When we arrived, we were shown to a two top next to a curtain.  It wasn’t the most romantic spot, but I didn’t really see any romantic spots in the place.

Obligatory shot of Bill looking studly.

 

And one of me at home…  It was time for a new selfie.

 
 

One of us together… See?  You can barely tell I’m missing a tooth, though the hole still feels huge to me.  Dr. Blair says that in 8-10 weeks, I can fill it in with an implant.

We took a moment to check out the menu.  The waiter was very prompt and would have taken our food order with our drink order.  I later saw why he was so prompt.  By 7:00, the restaurant was full.  Bill ordered San Pellegrino and a bottle of pinot grigio.

I started with the tomato soup, garnished with croutons and fresh basil.  This was a thick, rich soup, so I didn’t finish the whole thing.  It tasted good, but reminded me a little of marinara sauce.  The croutons were a little soggy.  

Bill had a vegetable minestrone, which he pronounced very good.  I didn’t taste it, but I think I would have preferred it to the tomato soup, which was a little heavy.  Note the candle holder.  It was made from an old bottle of Dom Perignon.

Fresh parmesan cheese wheel…

I was much happier with the second course, branzino (wolfbarsch) served with julienned vegetables.  The fish was cooked to perfection and tasted wonderful, but I particularly enjoyed the vegetables.  Peppers, onions, zucchini, and carrots were tossed with a little oil and lightly seasoned.  The flavors were exciting and really complimented the fish.

 

Bill had grilled shrimp served with sautéed spinach.  Once again, it was the vegetables that shone on his dish.  The spinach was perfect and a little buttery.  Not too mushy.  The shrimp were pierced with a spear of fresh rosemary. 

We decided to have dessert, since there was enough time before the concert.  I had tiramisu and Bill had a lemon sorbet…

I enjoyed this interesting presentation of the tiramisu, which was drizzled with chocolate and topped with fresh fruit.

Bill’s sorbet was light and refreshing.  It reminded me of lemon flavored snow, if I’d ever had that.

Bill asked for the check with dessert so we could pay and leave.  The server was happy to oblige us, since he had his hands full with a couple of large parties.  Our bill came to 95 euros.  By the time we got back from a last restroom stop, the server had already set our table for the next turn.

La Commedia offers good food and I think it’s a fine place to go before a show or for a business gathering.  I wouldn’t call it a romantic spot, nor do I think it’s a particularly charming restaurant.  In a way, it kind of reminded me of corporate restaurants in the United States.  But you can get a nice meal there and the service is good, if not a bit more rushed than what I’ve gotten used to in Germany. I’d go back again, though, if the opportunity presented itself.

Below are some pictures I took on yesterday’s walk.  Fall foliage is in full color in my neighborhood. There are some glorious scenes where I live…  Maybe today, I’ll get dressed and go for another walk…

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