Bargain Hunting

My sister-in-law and I went shopping on King Street in Charleston and experienced some serious sticker shock. I think our fingers actually buzzed when we touched the price tags of baby clothes that were fifty dollars and simple cotton shirts for one hundred and fifty. Is this inflation or the price of high quality living? We returned home that day surprised that we did not have a single shopping bag for all our effort. Perhaps the Outlet Mall will be a better choice tomorrow. I did love the “window shopping” to see the finery displayed in tempting colors and styles. Where would we wear those pretty things now?

Do you remember when we dressed up more than two years ago? Fifty years ago my mother and I would put on our best dress on Sundays ( I believe I owned three). My father and brothers put on a suit and tie to go to church. Other occasions included holiday dinners at grandma’s house, funerals, and birthday dinners at a fancy restaurant. High School was especially exciting, dressing in long formal gowns for Prom. Men in Tuxedoes made us look like we were being escorted by royalty or Hollywood stars.

Flash forward. A year of no church, dining out or formal occasions. Many of us took to wearing sweats. My daughters refer to them as “soft” clothes as opposed to hard clothes. As we returned to church and fine dining, there seemed to be less emphasis on dresses and jewelry. The suit and tie have disappeared from law offices, pulpits, parties even before the pandemic. Now, people are working remotely and totally casual. Some will admit to wearing a nice shirt and have on pajama pants and slippers hidden from the computer screen while conducting meetings online.

Does dress code matter? Public as well as Parochial Schools started wearing uniforms because data showed that students had better behavior. Uniforms helped them feel a sense of equality. Teachers found that when they dressed up, they were shown more respect and students focused on their lessons better.(https://www.academia.edu/Documents/in/Dress_codes). Even so, pastors dropped the robes and ties to be more welcoming and approachable. Jesus did not ask anyone to dress up for the Sermon on the Mount. We picture him dressed as a shepherd or maybe a pauper who had given his cloak to someone who had none.

Mathew recorded Jesus’s words on clothes in chapter 6:25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?”

Still I worry. Like so many others, I want to look good, fit in with the group, and show some creativity in my choices of color and style. Well, maybe it is not worry. I do trust God and sometimes Goodwill to provide what I need to survive. I think women enjoy shopping, because it is our form of hunting. We walk endlessly to find a bargain or a treasure. Our tracking device is the constant marketing and advertisements that lure us out of the house. We go as a team to spot an item among the racks and shelves, like men scanning the horizon for the rack of and elk or antelope.

After we bag a purchase it is off to tea. This is where many world problems are solved. We will survive inflation if we share our resources. We will hold onto our dresses for a time in the future when the style returns or occasion merits it. We will look forward to tomorrow with hope that God’s love will prevail and peace will return to the land.

Chamber Music Magic

The charming little town of Beaufort, South Carolina is home to a branch of University of South Carolina, and hosts a remarkable Chamber Music Series. Andy Armstrong, a world renown pianist, is the artistic director and a performer extraordinaire that designed a delightful season of music. My family met him and two of his fellow musicians at the community table in FIG, a restaurant on Meeting Street in Charleston, SC. They were in town for a private concert the next evening. They treated us as family and we were captivated by their love of life and stories of music. At the end of our delicious dinner and delightful conversation, Andy offered us tickets to his March 6 performance in Beaufort, and we could not pass up the chance to see a trio with remarkable credentials and lively personalities.
Sunday afternoon, we attended our last Wine and Food Festival event, and set out for Beaufort. When we arrived, we were welcomed with Southern Hospitality and received our tickets at Will Call. Our seats were close to the stage and situated so that we could see every animated expression Andy made while playing the piano.
The evening started with the introduction of another world famous musician, violinist Solomiya Ivakhiv from the Ukraine. There was a resounding applause that brought everyone to their feet, and Solomiya to tears. She presented a Ukrainian patriotic song on her violin under a blue and gold spot light. More applause; and then I had tears.
The performance continued with a Beethoven duet of piano and violin. The two just met this year, but played like lifelong friends, with smiles and enthusiasm. Next was Kevin Rivard, from San Francisco, on the French Horn, accompanied by Andy on piano. They played three pieces by an American composer, William Grant Still. Kevin’s breath control and lilting notes on the horn were liquid. Then he ended with a rollicking hunt style song.
The final piece before intermission was a Chopin piano solo. Andy masterfully turned the piano into a performance of dramatic scherzos and tender pianissimos. His movements reminded me of Charlie Chaplin’s expressive silent films. Andy later told me Chaplin is his hero.
After intermission, the trio of piano, violin and French Horn played three movements of a Brahms symphony. I do not have the eloquence to describe the interplay between the musicians and the beauty of their magic with their instruments. After five standing ovations throughout the performance, it was clear the audience understood music and the talent that was before them.
My family was invited backstage to have pictures taken with the performers, and we exchanged many hugs and small gifts. Andy promised that we could get together again when he is next in Charleston. To quote Humphry Bogart, “This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship” between music lovers and musicians.

Concert of Serendipity

Charleston is home to some extraordinary people and incredible dining establishments. I should not have been surprised that my hubs and I experienced both on a Wednesday evening when we popped into FIG on Meeting Street. We did not have a reservation, but hoped to find two seats at the bar. There were none. They did have a large circular “community” table in the corner. It was empty so we snuggled side by side next to the window. A single woman joined us in the first hour, as well as our daughter and her coworker. They had just set up a hospitality room at The Ryder Inn for the Wine and Food Festival.

We ordered a bottle of Beaujolais and three appetizers that arrived table side when both of the lovely ladies sat down. Pleasantries were exchanged as we passed the plates of duck confit salad, clam chowder, and cavatelli with humus and parmigiana. The dishes were delectable and I could write paragraphs describing their nuance of flavors. 

The first woman left after one dish, but before we ordered entrees, another couple joined us. “Hello, I am Solomiya, and this is Andy”, she said. “You look like cool people, may we join you?” he asked. “Of course”, my family chimed in. I started singing under my breath  “O Sole Mio” to remember her name. We quickly learned that they are classical musicians in town for a performance. We later leaned they are world class performers of piano and violin. 

They were lively and animated in their stories of travel, teaching and performance. Another member of the trio was to join them and they asked us to pretend we were ignorant about orchestral music to see if we could shock him. Hubby and my daughter were were right in step by claiming not to know that a city like Chicago had an orchestra. “What is a French Horn,” one of them asked. Soon we were giggling and sharing our experience with the Cleveland Orchestra. It was a night of sharing tales of when they knew music would be their life – around twelve years old or younger and trying to impress someone whom they were infatuated with. The three had met for the first time this year but seemed very much like family.

We were having such an enjoyable time, we ordered dessert just to extend our time together. Well, my daughter would say, “Never pass on fancy desserts.” We laughed at how difficult it was for the trio to order their entrees, and at how easily they shared tastes of each. They told us they would be performing in Beaufort on Sunday evening and that we should come. “Just tell us how many tickets to reserve for you at the box office,” said Andy. We knew we would have to find a way to get there after our wine event at noon. I knew also that hubs would want to pick up the tab for the evening.

When we arrived home, we looked up the names of all three musicians. Stunning photography of each one was on the internet. They are all accomplished and so young. It was an honor to dine with celebrities that were so unassuming.

The waitstaff told us that the Community Table has had magic moments, and our experience was one of them. I will report later on the Beaufort Chamber Concert. I am happy to say that the Arts are alive once again in Charleston. We look forward to many more exciting opportunities to be with new people.

Our family welcomes all people to the table. My hubby describes it as a concert of serendipity.