Tag: Atlanta

Posted in Life Experiences

Seeing Ukraine in Atlanta

Posted on by Neal Saye

If you read my last Five Friday Happy Bringers post (and why on earth would you not?), you may remember that Robert and I left Savannah to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day on its own and journeyed up to our favorite city, Atlanta, for a long weekend.

I don’t know about you, but when I travel, I tend to pay much less attention to the news (usually a blessing). And of course the headlines now are all about the horrors going on in Ukraine.

Robert is retired military, Army (thank you for your service) and gets wonderful free veteran tickets to The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, The Alliance Theatre, The Atlanta Ballet, The Atlanta Opera, The High Museum of Art, and midtown Atlanta parking—to name some of the biggies. We very often take advantage of this blessing. (Again, why on earth would you not?)

For this St. Patrick’s trip, we were able to get terrific seats for three performances with the symphony orchestra, theatre and ballet.

What I did not expect was the Ukraine connection in Atlanta.

As I mentioned In Friday ‘s post, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus sang the very moving national anthem of Ukraine. And dedicated the evening to the war torn nation. Several members of the orchestra were Ukrainian.

What was even more surprising was the Ukrainian connection the next night at the Alliance Theatre’s production of Bina’s Six Apples. In the play, “a family must abruptly flee for safety as bombings and battles encroach upon their home. It’s an all too familiar sight right now, as daily images of Russia’s onslaught of Ukraine dominate global news, showing refugees fleeing towns under siege every day … The theme of senseless violence is a powerful and sadly eternal one, given the shattering conflicts that have continually riddled the world and the impact these clashes have on regular people with no direct stake in the conflict.” ArtsATL.

And the matinee of Atlanta Ballet’s Giselle was bittersweet, with the incredibly talented male lead, Denys Needak, being from Odessa, Ukraine.

He was remarkable.

Thank you, Atlanta, for helping me to see. And reminding me to pray.

“Peace. Peace. Peace. Please Peace.”

“Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer.”

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 3/18/22

Posted on by Neal Saye

1. Traveling to Atlanta for St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Savannah’s Big Parade/Craziness was back this year, so we decided to abandon our parade route apartment and get outta Dodge.

2. Marveling at the gorgeous Atlanta Botanical Garden glory.

I felt bad for this sad and lonely little red tulip. I told her not to be embarrassed because she was different from the daffodils, to get right back up and stand proud. I hope she listened.

3. Robert’s obsession with close ups of him and his camera.

4. Last night’s Atlanta Symphony Orchestra/Chorus presentation of Mozart’s Requiem and Strauss’ Tod and Verklarung (Death and Transfiguration). The music was absolutely lush and lovely.

It was exciting to see and hear ASO’s new conductor/music director Nathalie Stutzmann. She was pretty amazing, “a consummate rock star on the podium,” according to ArtsATL. It is also cool that she is the only woman to head a top-25 American orchestra.

And it was especially moving when, after intermission, the orchestra and chorus performed The State Anthem of Ukraine—and dedicated Requiem to the war torn nation.

5. The ability to make choices, sometimes wise, sometimes unwise.

Happy Last Day of Winter & First Day of Spring Weekend Ahead!

Posted in T-shirt Tuesday

T-shirt Tuesday: “Dunkin’ Donuts Advice”

Posted on by Neal Saye

Robert and I were walking down Peachtree Street in Atlanta the other day, heading to Dunkin’ Donuts to get my coffee. (Remind me sometime to tell you about perhaps the biggest disagreement between the two of us—I like, no LOVE, DD coffee, while he’s a Starbucks fan.)

Inside the heavenly aromatic wonderland, I saw this little sign:

Such GREAT ADVICE. And it SHOULD be on a t-shirt, don’t you think?

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Posted on by Neal Saye

1. Robert’s hasselback potatoes the other night. Yum!

2. Always having enough water. And being aware of always having enough water.

3. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s holiday concert, Christmas with the ASO last night.

The orchestra warming up. I had no idea at this moment about our big surprise honor just ahead.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Choir, the incredible Morehouse Glee Club and the Gwinnett Young Singers joined the Orchestra to get us all in the holiday mood. Beethoven, Bach, Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky mixing it up with contemporary composers. And “Hallelujah!” special thanks to Handel.

But that’s not all, Blog Fans, I have some Very Exciting News to share with you about last night. News which, if I know you like I think I know you, will make you even prouder of me than you already are. Are you ready? Maybe you should sit down.

Robert and I were SPECIFICALLY INVITED to sing “The First Nowell” (their spelling, not mine) and to be backed up by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra! Seriously. Little us from Savannah. Can you imagine how thrilled I was the moment I realized that Robert and I were being asked to sing?!

[I’ll pause and give you a couple of minutes to try.]

I’ve always thought I had a terrible, adequate, good, stellar voice, but I was just so very humbled yet honored to be asked. I am so glad I wore a sports coat and put a little Suave Professionals Styling Gel in my hair. I tell you my my knees were shaking when we stood up to walk up to the stage and sing. And the performance was, in my unbiased view, nothing short of festively spectacular.

P. S. Robert is insisting that I include this minor and inconsequential (if you ask me) “fact” (according to his definition) from the above concert program …

Well, “we” did get an invitation.

4. Visiting Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in Atlanta. The Gothic-Tudor style mansion was built by Coca-Cola president/zillionaire Charles Howard Candler in the 1920’s as a private home. Each Christmas they have a neat beautifully decorated Christmas extravaganza.

Do you see what I saw on the holiday garland to the left of Robert? Pine cones (HUGE) from my favorite tree, the Longleaf Pine!

I could … bearly contain myself with excitement!

5. Hope and expectation.

A Weekend of Wonder to You!