Uno y dos y tres y cuatro. Robert’s voice marks the beat as our group of about thirty practices a simple turn, women rotating under the right arm of the men. I count along with him, trying to look at my partner - we rotate every minute or two so that the group can get…
It’s just different here. Just like it’s different having a bowl of pasta in Rome or dancing flamenco in Seville, classical music is somehow different in Vienna than anywhere else. Maybe it’s because there is more of it; pretty much everywhere you go you’ll be approached by people dressed as Mozart selling concert tickets for…
Sitting in the Music Room, I find myself moved to tears, and not for the first time today. A small circle of seats and a projection on the wall are the sole features of the room, but it an emotional sensory experience. Beethoven’s beautiful Moonlight Sonata is playing over a speaker, and the projection shows…
If asked to name the best venue in Los Angeles to see a concert, most would immediately say the Hollywood Bowl. And really, who can blame them? Set in a natural bowl in the Hollywood Hills, the amphitheater is a beautiful, open-air gem that is coincidentally celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. (My last three…
Editor’s note: I’ve never been to Liverpool, so we are lucky to have Mandy give us a taste of the most famous residents the city has ever known. For more of her awesome walking tours, click here. Liverpool one of my favorite places to visit in England and it is probably most famous for being…
Like so many other things in this beautiful southern Spanish city, it appears disjointed at first, three distinct parts, none seeming to match the others, but all coming together in an imperfect perfection that just makes sense. It is an experience that matches the spirit of Seville just as jazz does for New Orleans, capturing…
I had never been to Portugal before spending a month there earlier this year. First, wow, what an amazing country! However, there are some things I wish I'd known before coming that would have helped me better navigate as a tourist, better plan my trip, and better understand the people. Here is a list, in…
If comparisons between Lisbon and San Francisco are to be believed - and I heard many such statements before coming here, from friends and Rick Steves - this is where they come from. Walking up hills on winding, narrow streets while dodging street cars that rattle by does indeed remind me of San Francisco, at…
Who says turning 39 means having to always be an adult? The question runs through my head as I unabashedly bang a large drum in the experience gallery here at the Musical Instrument Museum, an incredible modern institution in north Phoenix. I smile, my beating getting louder as I attempt to accompany the group of…
Austin is the capital of Texas, America's eleventh largest city, seat of barbecue and live music, and a spectacular destination for those in search of an incredible fun-filled getaway. But what should you do in Austin? What should you expect when you come here to central Texas? We hope this guide will help! Note: please…