So tomorrow I'm of to Leipzig for a few last rehearsals before my recital on Sunday. Gulp.

 I leave you with these beautiful images of the insides of instruments from a new campaign for the Berlin Philharmonic. Artistic direction is by Björn Ewers and photography by the Mierswa-Kluska duo from Munich. 

See you on the other side!

   

All is well...

In spite of a few minor setbacks ( a sliced finger, a cracked violin, a pianist gone AWOL etc. etc.) we are back on track, more or less.

H. is finally home and yesterday we walked over to the lake for a Shavuot picnic extravaganza. The weather was divine and everything was perfect (except there wasn't any cheese cake which kind of made me feel like a fraud...) Anyhow, happily there is only a week left to this phase of boot camp and the first part of my recital/exam. Round 1: Bach, Brahms and Stravinsky-
The countdown begins...

The most happiest of birthdays to my mother who is wiser and more beautiful all the time!

A few moments in between...

Because truth be told, sometimes it's all about how you distract yourself from the tasks at hand. Retail therapy is a most despicable habit but some times you just come home from the market with new clogs and some peonies.

#not sure how that happened.

Ho-hum

So, with the last orchestra concert behind me (for now) I am trying to psych myself up for a self imposed violin boot camp of marathon practicing (in preparation for my graduation recital extravaganza). Despite how exciting that may sound,I am actually feeling a little ho-hum about the whole thing.The quest for perfection is tedious and often boring and there are a million better or more interesting things to do at any given moment.There are moments of exquisite beauty and zen-like transcendence ,but those are few and far between. Ask my neighbors.
Also, H. has temporarily deserted me in order to play some concerts of his own so the house is way too quiet and I have no one to harass  during my frequent breaks.Wish me luck...



*The sculpture is by Leah Majaro-Mintz and can be found  in Neve Zedek, Tel Aviv

Seems like Spring is actually here in all of it's bird chirping flowery glory, the sun is shining and sailboats float across the Alster. I've noticed people are making and extra effort to be delightful-

Case in point:

Very Drunken Stranger (stumbling into my train cubicle): HOPE MY BEER DOESN'T BOTHER YOU 

 Me: ( smile/grimace) 

Very Drunken Stranger:  It's  WELLNESS beer. Healthy and NUTRITIOUS.

 

He went on to share various philosophical observations which led me to realize that all the prison tattoos and heavy metal  accessories were rather misleading.

Very.D.S. : LISTEN: (shoving some earphones in my direction)

THIS IS GOOD. (pumping out a Mariah Carey like ballad, in German)

MUSIC IS IMPORTANT , YOU KNOW. for the SOUL and everything.

Bits and Pieces

Quiet weekends are rare around these parts, and worth their weight in gold...perfect for reading, (Great House by Nicole Krauss)  Cooking/Baking and Eating, (Vegetable Curry and Banana Bread) Going to performances of beautiful opium induced music (Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique),

And following random objects of beauty around the Internets.

The beautiful calligraphy is by Mara Zepeda and is work she did for a tattoo that reads

 "Fideli Certa Merces"
or:  To the faithful, Reward is Certain.

( I'm concerned I might have passed the time where getting a tattoo is age appropriate.
Is there such a thing? Pre meditated mid-life crisis, anyone?? )

I also came across this handwoven Kurdi Guchan rug from Baluchistan,

 

An amazing hand painted mural, via Design Sponge,

  

and flowers, by Amy Merrick. Let me just add that the flower arranging situation in these parts is ugly and DIRE! Sometimes I do wonder if they do it on purpose-throwing  those sunflowers and carnations all over the place just to be spiteful...

 


So here's wishing you all a week filled with beauty in places you'd least expect.