Hisdale, Burr Ridge and Lake Shore drive

I am still “underwater” and my ears are still not stereo. I will wait with the jazz lessons another few days. It’s anyway my vacation time.

We had a big storm two days ago. Some parts of Chicago stayed without power till today. I spent walking around the neighborhood and spent some time with my friend talking mostly about our mutual interests and things that occupy our daily lives now days.

On Friday I also met again with one of my first students who lives here in Chicago and works as a violin teacher.

I did not make any pictures until today since there was some overcast and the light was not right in my opinion.

This morning Jelena took me to Hinsdale where she had to give a piano lesson to one of her students. We noticed some aftermath of the storm with lot of fallen threes on the sides of the road.

Hinsdale is a beautiful small town (Chicago suburb) with an old city center like I remember from the tv show long time ago called Payton Place. She dropped me in the town center. I walked around the little park, the wonderful big library and I entered some shops that were open. This library looked also like the city hall from the movie Back To The Future with the Town Clock and I was wondering weather I was in a movie or it was a present tense. Oh, and there was a cute railroad station too.

I did not expect to see crowded streets but on some points there was really not a single soul walking around. The reason could be the official beginning of summer vacations and also Independence Day weekend. Who would know?

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After all the weather changed and we had a tropical day today going up to 35 C.

We made dinner, my recipe as we called a “Camping Dish”. It was made of some local ingredients and it turned out just fine like at home.

I figured out that the cigarettes cost close to 10 $ WAY way way too expensive to buy any more packages. After all smoking is not in the fashion anymore. I’ll be a good girl, I promise.

Wanna see more? Go and watch these two videos that took more than 7 hours to upload to YouTube. Hallelujah! Thats where the rest of the time went to, now I know.

Keywords± Hinsdale, Burr Ridge, Lake Shore

 

 

 

Day 2

I am still enjoying my under-water Chicago. My ears are still sound proof and I think I will need to start learning some lip reading

After a lazy day editing the video from the previous day and Jelena started her special piano practicing I decided it was time to run away from home.

I took the buss to the town and made a nice 2,5 hour walk from the State street, Millennium Park, along Michigan Avenue till Hancock Tower, Hotel Drake and Water Tower. There were some interesting moments you can see in the video I just posted.

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The Trip to CHICAGO

So there I am again flying over the Ocean. All went well, except I slept only two hours the night before the trip.

The flight went all according to the plan. But, I could not have a moment of sleep since screaming kids running all over the plane were so disturbing. I tried to watch 2 movies and a concert. Finally I passed all customer control and really exhausted arrived to the destination after  more than 12 hours on the road all together. I made a small video of the shots of the day.

A girl with a long hair, screaming kids and some strange practicing piano of my friend Jelena… ha-ha are the highlights of this video.

BTW. I am totally deaf today. My ears are not “stereo” anymore  ha-ha probably need some rinsing I think. Chicago sounds like underwater!

 

 

 

Two Days Left

Two days left till my trip.

Luggage

Everything is washed, almost everything is ready, me too. It will take another hour to pack everything. Therefore you really have to think smart. I always think a small suitcase would be enough and than at the end I would always find myself carrying another 3 hand bags full of nonsense. This time I really have to be smart and carry only the most essential things I will need in a month time.

Last time I had to pay 50$ for every other handbag. I was shocked, but managed to build it like a tower. The biggest bag  under, smaller in the big one and the smallest on the top.  I was like a magician struggling not to loose anything since it could just fold out by itself any moment.  In that case I would wish that some MR. Big would show up and help me pick it up ha-ha. Was not necessary after all, but I learned my lesson.

Now I have a bigger suitcase to give for checking in and a smaller one to fit under my feet to carry it in the plane. I hope it will be light this time with all real most important things to carry with me while flying. Not more.  Oops, wait how about my laptop, iPhone, iPod, two photo camera’s, one video camera..? I would for no money leave my toys to the beasts on the airport who smash with suitcases like they are full of potato’s……hmmm that will fit but how about all stupid wires, chargers that go with it? Not to forget net adopter for USA. Pffft….

Some Albert-Heijn plastic bags will be great for packing the shoes, dirty laundry on the trip back home. I secretly hope I will catch some  season SALE in Chicago end of June. NO, I promise myself I will not come back home with another additional bag. Would my kids start asking: Where are our gifts from America? Booooo!

Will see what the time brings, and what mama will bring home of course!

 

Another two weeks to go! .

Well, another two weeks to go!

I bought the ticket for my flight on www.orbitz.com  … So, Chicago here I come. again. My beautiful city. I think I know everything about this city. I already saw a lot of landmarks, museums and Michigan Avenue. I think I will do it differently this time. I will try to get to know more native Chicago people who will be willing to share their home town as they see it. What they cook, where they do errands, where they go on a free Sunday, even visit a church in the neighborhood.

I am always curious what they sing there in different churches.  I visited the Catholic church for Christmas last time and that was one of the most beautiful services I ever attended for Christmas Eve.  I used to play 13 years piano in a church in the neighborhood.  It was a nice experience. Unfortunately with a change of a conductor who was absolutely no communicative and self centered  to do a cooperative creative work together with me as a pianist he just refused to work with me as a accompanist. Well, that was a great idea because I could have my Wednesday evening finally free for my family and Sunday’s was a celibration being able to sleep for once till 10 a.m.  However, I did not miss practicing that stuff at all

I posted a few days ago one of my Blues Bytes to my Youtube Channel. I will try to practice more of this type of music since I will be visiting in Chicago different piano teachers who are specialized in blues, jazz and improvisation.  Hopefully I will get back in form by than. I will go through my thick books about playing jazz again since my knowledge is a bit misty…Ooops, I am afraid to admit I neglected it for a few years now.

So enjoy this micro blues byte…

Chicago / in the Summer of 2011

Hello

I am new here. I just opened this blog/vlog. Don’t know exactly how it works but it seems not so complicated comparing to any Beethoven piano sonata…haha

PS (I will add more about myself later)

By the way I am planing a trip to USA/Chicago this summer. I will be visiting some colleagues and will try to broaden my life musical journey by learning more about improvising jazz on the piano. I will be posting here my daily journal with pictures and video’s.

So stay tuned and enjoy my trip stories, feel free to add your comments and make me happy by suggesting anything you think I should see and do in Chicago this summer.

OK so let’s go now and try to find some special fair flights Amsterdam – Chicago …

XxxLana

Hello world!