Summertime Wrap-Up

Can you believe the summer is already coming to a close? Where did all that free time to relax and travel to Hawaii go? (oh, wait. That was never on the agenda.) All in all, this summer has been good: we drove a couple thousand miles in our car and had some great times and good experiences.

As you may have noticed, weeks 3 and 4 of the music festival were so busy I didn't do any posts. So here are of the pictures we took during the last leg of the festival.

 I finally tried the ribs. Big time disappointment. They were dry and no so flavorful. 

My new friend Alice (also the 2nd violinist in our quartet) tried this Watermelon and Shrimp salad. Looks fantastic!

I also had the Peach and Mozzarella Caprese which was ok. 

One night I ordered a side of the Green Beans with my meal. Another blegh. Does anyone else out there believe in slightly cooking their green beans so that they're still green?

One day they took about 20 of us musicians down to Monticello (Jefferson's estate) to play/perform some of our music around the grounds. Our first location was at the back of the house. We were right in by the fish pond (which was a pretty shallow pond that they used to keep fish fresh in until they were ready to kill, cook and eat it). You can see part of the pond in the right corner of this picture.

Part of one garden. Behind the garden to the left lay the orchards. (wouldn't that be wonderful to have? gardens AND orchards?)

After we were all done playing, we stopped in at the gift shop where you can buy an oversized nickel nickel for $4.95.  (probably worth its weight in......nickel!)

During the last week of the festival we also got to meet our sponsors (they are the first two people on the left) and have a lunch at their uh-MAz-ing house. They gave over $20,000 this year so that we could come study and perform at Wintergreen. (Notice Karl is not in this picture. That is because he is neither Hispanic nor Black, which you need to be in order to receive the scholarship) 

This is the Evans Center Tent where most of the performances are held backdropped by the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains. 

Walking to a concert! On the left you can see the yellow snow-makers which they use often! (since it is a ski resort in Virginia!)

More Evans Center. With the concessions stand nearby.

After the festival, we stopped and had lunch with my amazing and wonderful friends. It was so refreshing to see them (for the first time since my wedding!).

 

And last, but not leastly (yeah, I know it's not a word) we spent a couple days with my mom in NY. This was our first meal there: LAMB TIPS, roasted zucchini and carrots, salad, jasmine rice and garlic bread. No matter where you travel, whether near nor far, across the globe, into a 5-star restaurant, remember this: nobody-NOBODY makes lamb tips like my MAMA!