Dance!

For those of you who don't know, my friend Katie and I started taking a jazz dance class this summer. We decided to continue on this school year and we moved up to jazz 2! We are having a great time even though we have 9 year olds all the way up to our age in the class. Being honest, there is one other girl in college, and then the rest in middle school! The class says age 9-adult, so technically we are in the right place!

I found this picture yesterday when I was on Jared's computer. It sums up why I am taking my current dance class. I hope and pray we get costumes like this for our recital! Yes, I am going to be in a dance recital in June with 9 year olds. I will probably be in the back bc I am tall...For the record, I was in the front of the dance when I wore this outfit, because everyone followed me for the steps! I was probably 9 years old in this picture...no hips just like the girls in my class, although I think I could probably jazz walk better than they can! Ha!
My favorite part of this outfit is the backwards hat, and the bead "chain" on the front of the outfit! What about you!?

A Free Saturday!

This Saturday was one of the coolest days in a while! Jared and I were able to do a few free things that were very fun!

Saturday morning we got to go see Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs in 3D! It was a great film! Hilarious, beautiful to watch, and a great story! I highly recommend it! For adults and kids!

Later, I got to play at an event for Gallo Family Wine Co. at the Hollywood Bowl before the concert. I played a number of jazz tunes as well as some latin and folk songs with guitarist, John Storie. We had a great time performing, and it seemed that everyone at the party enjoyed the music as well. Jared and a few friends got to enjoy the free food and wine and then we also got to see Pink Martini that night for free at the Hollywood Bowl!

I never thought I would be playing jazz at a dinner party, but there I was! I am having such a great time with it, and hope to continue to learn more about jazz and everything you need to know to be successful at "soloing" (If that is even what everyone calls it?).

I am slowly getting more calls for students, so that is great, and I hope to land a few more cool gigs this year!

:)

My current world of fluting!

I have been given so many cool opportunities lately, and I am extremely grateful!

I don't think it has set in yet, but I have an audition tonight for the American Youth Symphony. It is just to get on the sub list, but that would still be very cool!

I will also be auditioning for the Debut Orchestra in October!

Next Saturday, the 19th, I am playing before the Pink Martini concert at the Hollywood Bowl for a dinner party for Gallo Family vineyards! I am playing with John Storie, a really cool guitarist, and I am very excited! We are going to do a combination of jazz, latin, and others.

Recently, I also got to record with a flute choir with David Shostac playing the Vivaldi concertos! I hope I get asked back to play on the rest! I had a great time!

I have also been trying to get some more students. This is a tricky business because you have to find the kids who really want lessons and people who live semi-close to me and the studio. I am going to print flyers and hang them around MB soon, and also visit some schools!

I have also been trying to come up with places to email for gig opportunities for me and my guitarist (We are calling ourselves the Allegria Duo). I have mostly emailed museums so far. If you have any suggestions of where people might want to hear this combo, please let me know!

I have also joined a site that directs people to hire you for events. We have received 3 opportunities to bid in the last week. Hopefully someone will pick us! This is mostly for weddings and parties, which are really fun!

So, that is what I have been up to! If you have anyone who needs live music, let me know! There are recordings on my website if you haven't checked it out already!

robinbrient.com/audio

Have a great weekend! I will be watching college football ALL DAY Saturday! :) Yes, I play the flute, but I love me some football! Go Horns!

Prayers for Schools

Just wanted to give a shout out to my friends who are teachers who begin the new year today and kids I know who are starting school today. I am praying for you all and even for those that I don't know. You will all do great!

<3

Simple Spanish Fritatta!

Here is something you should make for dinner tonight!

I made this up based on a recipe I saw on TV for a lox and egg Fritatta

Spanish Fritatta

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups fresh Spinach

8 eggs

1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican Cheese

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 can rotel diced tomatoes and peppers

Pre-heat oven to 325

Pour olive oil into a 12 inch oven safe skillet

Cook Spinach down in oil on med-high, then spread evenly around skillet

Wisk eggs in a separate bowl, stir in cheese, Rotel tomatoes and peppers, and chopped onion

Pour mixture evenly over cooked down spinach

Cook on med until edges pull away from pan with a spatula

Put skillet in oven and cook for 30 minutes

Serve with:

Chips and Guacamole and Salsa

Black Beans

Uncle Ben's 90 second Spanish Rice

Enjoy! We sure did! :)

Hollywood Bowl

Let me paint a picture...

Picnicing with some Brie Cheese, French Bread, Red Wine, Grapes, and pita chips and hummus with friends before a concert in 72 degree weather with beautiful hills/landscape surrounding you. You pick up your free tickets at will call before the show because you have an awesome friend, and go to your really great seats, and then listen to 1 1/2-2 hours of amazing classical music by the LA Phil, or another artist!

Jared and I have been to the Bowl 3 times in July, and 4 times in August so far. I am going 2 more times in September (I think Jared is a little burnt out on classical music, although we did go to Incubus!). We have actually been able to get there early and enjoy our picnic and wine before the concert this summer because Jared gets off at 6! It has been the best summer because we have actually had every week night to see each other and hang out with friends! I feel very lucky to have so much time with the person I love!

I also have to say, I am very impressed with the regulars that I see there. Every time I go, without fail, there they are. Now, these are not your average concert goers. No, these people are not even actually inside the establishment. These, my friends, are the people you see when you leave!

As you walk down the hill from the seating area, you begin to hear what sounds like a man singing "opera." It is not only a man singing "opera," it is a man holding up a dog puppet singing, with one hand on his mouth to cover up the fact he really can't sing without his mouth moving.

Just past the opera dog, you see bright flashing lights. Many hispanic women are selling those light up toys you find at theme parks. I have no idea how they make money, but the kid in the car next to us had purchased one!

Next, you head down the stairs to walk under the street, and you hear a saxophone playing. At first you think, wow, are there drums down there, too. Nope, just a man playing a sax and occasionally a key-tar to a soundtrack of drums. I think this guy actually makes money! People drop bills in there every time I walk by.

Finally, my favorite! You hear some people saying "ha-da" over and over again, and then you smell the delicious meat and onions on the grill. Any guesses...you got it..."Hot Dog"...for sale. They push around a cart with a burner under a cookie sheet and cook the most delicious smelling hot dogs and onions. Jared and I have yet to ever actually try one due to my health standards and the fact that it is usually 11:00 at night, but they smell good!

Now you know what to expect if you haven't ever been to the Bowl before. And if you haven't, please come and go with me sometime, because it is so much fun! Sorry if you don't live here...you are missing out!

Random weekend in San Fran!

Jared and I at Scoma's! A delicious Seafood Restaurant! We had Jean Marc as our waiter and he was from France and was hilarious!!!!!

It feels like we were just here, but that was a whole year ago with my brother and Beth.
We decided to ride along with our friends' Scott and Heather who were going up to take their engagement pictures. We had a great time! We literally just ate and walked around the city! My kind of vacation!

Cool House pic I took!
Jared and Guillermo climbing the hill to find a Geocache! This is a very fun thing to do in a big city! You should try it out! You look up the coordinates on your iphone and then look for the hidden item. You replace the item with something of equal value. The one below had a quarter...we decided not to replace it...But it was a thrill to find...but the next three we mapped we couldn't find...sad :(
This is the worst pic ever, but I found my first GeoCache!
Oh ya, my future home!!!! :) This neighborhood really made me want to move to San Francisco!
Cool old car on a crazy hill! We got our leg workout for the day for sure walking those neighborhoods!
Can you imagine being able to see Alcatraz from the top of your street!??
Jared and I at the end of the really cool street of amazing houses close to Fisherman's Wharf! Coit Tower in the background!

This is a picture that Jared took with coit tower in the background. Still have never been to the top of it! Maybe next trip!

We drove back Sunday night late...I wouldn't recommend this...we didn't get home until 2:30 am! But...it was a very fun trip! I love not having an itinerary when you only have a little over 24 hours in a city!