Episode #2: Try me, Buy me, Satisfy me

Hi friends, colleagues and special people from across the earth.

I can't believe it's been 3 months since my last email out.. well, almost. I know you must be absolutely gagging for episode 2 by now, so..without delay I'll get into the nitty gritty informative stuff.

NEWS

-Last weekend I staged 2 concerts with my ensemble 'The Blackbird Ensemble'. We performed music by the Estonian composer Arvo Part. It's been a concern of mine for a while that the audience for classical music is not growing. In fact, it's practically dying out. Just by breaking a few of the traditional performance conventions, we managed to reach our desired audience - people who wouldn't normally come to classical music.

One of the concerts we staged in a bar/restaurant which happened to have a grand piano. We held the audience off in a separate room (behind an iron gate) until the concert started. As the starting time drew near, people were pressed up against the gate like prisoners wanting to escape into the concert room! A great sight for myself as I sat on stage alone with my cello, preparing to welcome the guests in with a quiet 'Spiegel im spiegel'.

We lit the stage with candles and created a gentle ambience as people flooded into the room and took their seats. Out of my peripheral vision I saw more and more faces gathering closer and closer together as I played on. Over the course of the 9 minute piece, the audience calmed into a serene state and prepared themselves for a musical experience which I hope none will forget.

The young ensemble (13 strong) of strings and piano performed some of Part's most powerful repertoire - and judging from the feedback afterwards we certainly moved many people positively and deeply.. More concerts will definitely be on the cards in the future for this ensemble.. Step by step I aim to bring a diverse range of music to new ears..who, as it seems (judging by the sold out audience) definitely do want to hear!

-TOAD (the country/folky/rock band I play with) are doing a show at ARTSPACE gallery on July 29th. I think it'll start pretty early like 7 or 8. It'll be a special gig with Steve Abel supporting, and a string quintet joining the band.

-There was a lunar eclipse on saturday night. Did anyone see it? I did.

TRY ME

- Deus Ex Machina Cafe, Shed 5, upper deck, 90 Wellesley St, Auckland.

How this cafe has existed for so long without me knowing is a complete mystery. This place is awesome! And when I went, there was an exhibition of Robots and robot photographs by artist Martin Horspool. You can sit and drink a berry smoothie and carrot and walnut cake while oogling over beautifully custom made retro motorbikes, lovingly restored. *shivers with delight*

- Handmade Lamingtons from Grind on High (used to be Toasted expresso) on High st.

It's a little bit up from fryberg square, on the right heading towards victoria. Always excellent service and they're only $2.50! I'd rate raspberry slightly higher over chocolate, but that's just me.

- Richmond Road Cafe's Granny smith Pineapple & Mint Frappe. Oh so delish.

BUY ME

-Tickets to the NZ International Film Fest, presales are cheaper until 8 July! see you there! Plus if you can go during the day you get cheaper seats also.

-There's this store in Victoria st that sells everything you need for cheap. It's called Look Sharp. (Just up from whitcoulls.)

So far this store has provided me with; multiplugs, lighting solutions, hammers, nails, rugs, vases, cutlery, gumboots, facepaint, vivids, kitchenware, the list goes on! They buy end of lines from other shops and sell them off cheap! Ok, let's keep it a secret now..

- Stuff from Britomart market, Saturday mornings 8-12pm, off Galway st.

Good for: Fresh bread, hummus, flowers, cheeses, meats, smoked fish, indian food, fruit (fill a bag for $2 of granny smiths!), honey and olive oil.. yum!

CRY ME (a river)

- The lawn got muddy and my motorbike fell over last night.

- I got a tangy fruit craving in the movies the other day and I couldn't fulfill it.

- I've been sick for 4 days. (but getting better now!)

-There's a funny/bad smell in the kitchen and no-one knows what it is.

- All my local supermarkets have favoured home-brand over Pascal branded marshmallows. In fact, they don't even stock them. This sucks, because you can't roast the home-brand ones on the fire. They just go all crystally and yuck (or in hot chocolates.) You've been warned.. However, the corner dairy stocks them, at a criminal $4.80 a bag.

SIGH ME

- Heath Ledger in 'The Imaginarium of Dr Parnasus.' Very Strange Terry Gilliam film that feature's Heath's last screen performance. Worth a watch on dvd, curled up on the couch with a rug and a hottie, and large bowl of crunchy snacks. And maybe your husband/wife/partner/boyfriend/girlfriend/dog/cat/flatmate etc..

SATISFY ME

- Books to satisfy I have read lately:

Dawn French's Bio, 'Dear Fatty'

Shaun Tan's gorgeous Graphic Novel 'The Arrival'

- Bake an apple pie, so easy and SO satisfying!

Buy the pastry (unless you have the patience to make it yourself..)

Cut up 5 granny smiths in thin slices

Put a half a cup of sugar, 2 Tbs Flour in with them and a pinch of crushed cloves/mixed spice/ & cinnamon

Pour a few table spoons melted butter over it once it's in the pie dish

Cover with pastry shapes of your choice, bake at 200C for 45min or a bit longer if your oven's crap.

This is edmonds, you can trust it.. I promise.

- I bought an old Imperial Model 60 Typewriter. It is in tip top condition and types like a dream.

Very pleasurable to sit down and type out a letter on some coloured paper from the japanese shop. My ribbon also types in red! The heavy keys are so tactile and satisfying to type on! The only downer is that it doesn't have an exclamation mark so I can't exclaim anything! Dang!

BYE from ME.

I hope you've enjoyed my informative spiel. Do send me a photo of your new hairdo, that awesome book title you're reading, your thoughts on my recommendations and musings, a drawing of your pet turtle.. etc

and most importantly.. you know who to come to for all your musical/magical needs.. I have a new showreel too if anyone wants a copy, fling me an email.

sincerely, ME.

xx Claire Cowan