Writes of Passage

New York City Building,
Corona, NY 11368

Carnegie Hall, New York

Many people say his odd numbered symphonies are better than the even numbered. However, pastoral is my favored since day one. Oddly enough one of my dream trips was playing the 6th on a drive in a Jaguar from Paris to Bordeaux.

This ORR (Orchestra Revolutionnaire et Romantique) sucks. French horn is known to be difficult to operate but flute is relative easy but this time, sour notes are produced by the flute.
Every time I left, would think, gosh this is my late time … But with weak self control, especially seeing the full cycle of Beethoven’s nine symphonies, couldn’t help but return.

During the intermission, two Asian families came. One sat behind me with two disruptive toddlers who whined and kicked. The other to my left, a girl about ten who flipped her book very loud. The management said, they can NOT refuse anyone to come, even it’s an infant. NYC owns the building. Oh boy.

It’s a full house and the audience gave them a warm applause at the end – I’m wondering what’s the percentage here is for the composer. ORR’s play wasn’t too clean.

贝爷多芬的六和七 好点没得比
明天是 八和九

每当我离开卡内基音乐厅时，都会想，这真是我最后一次了. 但是自我控制能力很弱，尤其是看到贝多芬的九首交响曲 忍不住回来了.

674 Thayer Rd,
West Point, NY 10996

The restaurant is on the left, half flat down from the lobby of the Thayer Hotel, which is on the compound of the United States Military Academy. Exposed brick walls, fresh flowers – mostly carnations, but overall it feels stuffy. $11 house wine: Merlot is better than Pino Noir.

The crab cakes (enough for an entry) are good, so is the salmon but the veggie cassoulet is subpar, tasteless.

Each table has a bell (not an astray) – I thought it’s pretty military-ish. We didn’t have to use it because the restaurant was very empty, even on a game night.

Patton’s Tavern is on the same level as the lobby but it was filled to the brim when we got there – probably due to the game: ice hockey team vs SHU. 

The Five Star Generals of the Army

George C. Marshall, VMI 1901
Douglas MacArthur, USMA 1903
Dwight D. Eisenhower, USMA 1915
Henry “Hap” Arnold, USMA 1907
Omar Bradley, USMA 1915

^{Wiki: Aerial view of West Point & Hudson River}

The town sits on the western side of the Hudson River, 50 miles north of Grand Central Station in Manhattan. The population in 2010 is 6,763. It is well known for the United States Military Academy, (which is commonly called West Point). It was identified as the most important strategic point by Gen. George Washington during the American Revolution.

To know more about the West Point Academy, a recent book (recent, is in relative term … )  Absolutely American: Four Years at West Point (2003) by David Lipsky provided me a lot of insight into this iconic institution. And please DO read his Preface too.

• 2020,

4097 Albany Post Road
Hyde Park, NY 12538

some events in 2020

The site is 2 miles north of FDR Library and 4 miles north of CIA, this park is worth stopping by. The panoramic view is paramount.

The Millionaire’s View

Four men built homes atop the bluff to command panoramic views of the Hudson River: Samuel Bard (1799), Dr. David Hosack (1829), Walter Langdon (1847), and Frederick Vanderbilt (1898). All maintained overlooks at this site just north of their homes. From where you’re standing, Shaupeneak Ridge stands out across the river, in front of the distant Catskill Mountains, while the mid-ground remains concealed. Step closer to the edge and the meadows and woodlands below the bluff, as well as the channel of the Hudson itself, come dramatically into view.

3A W Hawthorne Road
Lenox, MA 01240

Father and son at Linde Center @ Berkshires. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008) was the 1970 Noble Prize literature winner and his son, Ignat curated a 90 minutes show, in which he excites his father’s poems (Growing Old is particularly moving) and plays piano. Supposedly two Beethoven and a Dmitri Shostakovich. BUT because the limited parking spaces (late comers have to park at the main lot and being shuttled over), we started 15 minutes later at 7:45. Therefore, he forgo Shostakovich’s prelude. Why on earth the organizer sells more tickets than the seatings and parking allowed? It brings back the traffic nightmare from last summer …

• Linde Center
• Olivia’s Overlook

亚历山大·索尔仁尼琴（1918-2008）是1970年诺贝尔文学奖得主. 他的儿子 Ignat 在美国长大是个指挥. 策展了一个90分钟节目: 爸爸的诗和贝爷的钢琴奏鸣曲. 我是为了贝爷去的. 曲目很冷门 但是他老爸Growing Old 正在变老 非常棒. 一石2鸟

乌鸦婆弱问一句: 1970 … 是真的值得还是政治原因？乌鸦婆弱问一句: 1970 … 是真的值得还是政治原因？[Grin]

您看过几本诺贝尔文学奖作品？

励志决定: 要多识几个斗大的字 … 说不定哪天真的可以去看诺贝尔文学作品

3A W Hawthorne Road
Lenox, MA 01240

A beautiful space with a terrible management. The Studio E is the largest area, looking out to Seiji Ozawa Hall. We didn’t see the sunset in February but the golden glow from the setting sun light up the room.

• 2020, the Solzhenitsyns

..
Yokun Ridge South, Hiking Trails,
West Stockbridge, MA 01266

We passed by this lookout (Yokun Ridge) a few times but unable to stop due to the small parking lot was always full. On a cold winter weekday afternoon, the lot was NOT empty. It’s the easier to drive from West Stockbridge, heading toward Tanglewood.

1946 Campus Dr. @ Roth Hall
Hyde Park, NY 12538

Will return, for the kids.

I rarely give a five star rating and this one, ran by the kids caught my fancy @ CIA. We were lucky, secured a table without a reservation – even on an open house day.

Thanks, perhaps to February blues.

It’s a crispy blue sky day. Cold – 25 degrees – but brilliant.

Out of three restaurants, this one hosed in Roth Hall ranks on top and is the last rotation before graduating. So the skills are better and the kids are clearly excited, which makes the  
atmosphere so much nicer and genuine. They’re wide eyed to welcome their next stage and couldn’t wait.

The decoration is bright and modern, quiet. Thin stem glasses: Riesling and Cape Rosé are good. Two kinds of bread – the sour dough bread is substantial – are delicious, so is the room temperature butter ok fess up: I only ask for it again once -:)

They’ve a small brewery on site @ the Student Common and the WIT draft beer is pretty good: light and delicious. The curly celery is done with slicer and soaked in the ice water (hope I remember it right …).

They served two lightly cooked physalis (also known as the Cape Gooseberry) in with the octopus. The high heat left a brown spot on the berry – not sure sure for the extra step, it tastes as raw. I first had it at a friend’s home on Long Island about a decade ago, wild. She picked. We looked. And I tried. Guess I was lucky that it wasn’t poisonous.

Their winter prix fixe menu runs till March 13. Make a reservation and go.

1946 Campus Dr,
Hyde Park, NY 12538

The Italian restaurant @ CIA. Unfortunately it doesn’t open for lunch .. or at least not in February. Unlucky for us.

It’s the only one (of three) that is housed away from the Roth Hall, designed by the architect Roberto Magris.