SRQ Life

Parker is home on fall break this week. Daryl and I took him to the new aquarium. 

They were feeding the rays with food on the end of these long poles. 

This penguin had a big bandage on one of his feet. 

And then later the whole family went to hear the Sarasota Orchestra play the soundtrack live for the Empire Strikes Back movie at the Van Wezel downtown. It was amazing! And the audience cheered and clapped and booed in all the right places throughout. 

 

The Last Bass

Davis had his final orchestra concert of middle school on Tuesday night this week. I wasn't able to be there but Wesley and Daryl were and Daryl sent me these great pictures and videos. Davis doesn't really want to play bass next year so it might be his final orchestra concert ever. He did a great job. 

 

Date Day

Friday we visited some place we've heard a lot of people talk about for walking - Celery Fields. It's on the great birding trail in Florida. 

Then we visited the library to stock up on books before our vacation this month. 

And finally we took in a concert with the Sarasota Orchestra tonight featuring Michael Cavanaugh on piano and vocals with the music of Paul Simon, James Taylor, Neil Diamond, Carole King, Billy Joel and Chicago. So good and so fun! 

Two Celebrations on One Night

On Tuesday night, our celebrations kicked off with Davis' winter concert. He's in the middle school Chamber Orchestra this year and is the only double bass again. 

We were all there for the first part of the concert and then Wesley and I took off for the Court of Honor. Daryl and Parker stayed and got great videos of the pieces Davis played. 

Troop 50 Court of Honor - The rest of the family made it in time to celebrate. Wesley ranked up to Star and received two Eagle required merit badges (Citizenship in Nation and Citizenship in Society). Davis also received the Citizenship in the Nation merit badge. 

Here's Wesley pinning on my mom pin for the Star rank. 

 

Broadway with the Orchestra

Friday night we dropped the boys off with the Scout troop for a campout at Sebastian Inlet in Vero Beach. 

And then we went on a date. We went to dinner at one of our favorite Asian restaurants, Stik. 

We made our first trip to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Center in downtown Sarasota, which is right on the Sarasota Bay. We were gifted tickets to the 70 piece Sarasota Orchestra for their Broadway Bound concert, with songs from about 10 different Broadway musicals. They also featured three soloists from various Broadway shows. It was fabulous! 

Holiday Orchestra Concert

Davis had his first string orchestra concert at Sarasota Middle School on Tuesday night. The concert was held in the theater space at the north end of their school cafeteria. 

It was a lovely concert. The two soloists were very talented, especially Davis' friend Jeremy who played an almost ten minute solo on the violin. 

Davis is the only double bass amid a sea of violins, violas and cellos. 

He loves it and he did a good job.

 

We took our budding maestro out to dinner at the restaurant of his choice afterwards - he picked Oak and Stone Brewery.