At the end of the spring semester last year, Dave informed me that 1) the King's Singers were coming to Richmond and 2) they were going to work with the choirs at the University of Richmond -- where Dave directs the Women's Chorale. WOW! We were both beyond excited. I remember listening to my dad's tape cassette recording of them LIVE from Wolf Trap (in VA) when I was little. I sang their arrangements of madrigals and pop songs in high school ("Short People" anyone?!) and have always wanted to see them in concert. So, a month in advance of their concert here in Richmond, we called to get tickets....only to be told that they were completely sold out. What?! Dave and I were crushed.
I don't know what got into Dave (though I'm eternally thankful for it) but he decided to see where else they were touring. And lo! they were performing at the Mesa Art Center -- right across the street from my family's church in Arizona. And lo! their concert was on my dad's birthday. And lo! that was also the weekend of my parents' Sonoran Desert Chorale Christmas Concert. WELL! We didn't need anymore signs to tell us that this unexpected trip to AZ was meant to be. :) I smiled at the thought that we were traveling 2500 miles just to see the King's Singers....and my family!
When it comes to flights, Dave has found a new motto: "What would Jeff Harris do?". Jeff Harris is my dad....and when it comes to him getting things done, the early bird gets the worm. So, we left our house at 3:45am -- yes, I said AM -- but when we arrived in AZ at 10:30am and had ALL day with my family....I stopped complaining. It was a very Ecumenical Day for us. As it was the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, we went to Mass at Queen of Peace in Mesa. We then zipped over to my family's church where we were invited to participate in my dad's church choir rehearsal for a while.
And we then went just down the street to the Mesa Mormon Temple .......
....where we walked around and enjoyed their always amazing and beautiful display of Christmas lights. For a long time, this was the prettiest lights display in the Valley. My high school choir used to sing here every year in December and I used to come here with friends for a cheap night out in high school. And it didn't disappoint this year. It was still just lovely!
After being up for almost 22 hours, we finally went to sleep to rest up for the fun filled day ahead of us. The day of my dad's birthday found us all over the valley: walking along the canals in Mesa with stunning views of Red Mountain and the Lehi Valley, admiring model trains at the Railroad Park up in Scottsdale....and then a trip to the beloved Sugar Bowl in Old Towne Scottsdale. The Sugar Bowl has some of the best ice cream desserts around and we even got them to put a candle in my dad's sundae!
That night -- I got to check something off my bucket list. That night was the King's Singer's performance and it was amazing! It really was. The auditorium was spectacular....and very impressive that it is in Mesa of all places! And they....they were just fantastic. I just sat in awe the whole time. I couldn't thank Dave enough for getting the hair-brained idea to travel all the way to AZ to see them. And afterwards, there was a meet and greet with them and I got three of their autographs....and they remembered Dave from working with him just a week prior at the University of Richmond!
After the concert, we walked across the street to my family's church where my parents' chorale was rehearsing. After the rehearsal, a small group of the chorale members retired to a local.... establishment :) where drinks were $1 and the karaoke was set up. I think I learned something new about my dad: he is really good at Karaoke! Going from the King's Singers to Karaoke at this....pub....was quite the cultural shift but the night was a ton of fun!!!!
The following day was probably the most overwhelming -- in a good way. My mom took Dave and me to the brand new Musical Instrument Museum in north Scottsdale. We had both heard fantastic things about this museum....but I don't think either of us knew just how fantastic it was going to be. The collection of musical instruments from all over the world is stunning. These instruments aren't old.....but when over 90% of the countries of the world are represented in this one museum....it is so wonderfully overwhelming.
They even had an Air Guitar which is made of oxygen, carbon monoxide and dreams. :)
For almost every country, there were videos (you had a device with earphones so you could hear the video privately) of the instruments being played or of the cultural music of that country. In 4 hours, we only made it through Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and North America. We completely missed Asia, South America, Latin America, and Oceania. I just kept shaking my head and (no offense to you Arizonians) saying "Why in Arizona?!". I mean, this kind of collection, this kind of museum belongs in New York City or along the D.C. Mall with the other Smithsonians. It is that amazing!!! Everyone should go!!!!
So, you may ask....where was Julie (my sister) during all of this? Ahhh. Poor Julie has a long way to go (as do we all) before retiring....unlike my parents. So Julie was educating the young minds put in her care at her school while we were out cavorting with my parents. We'd met her for dinner with my mom the first night we came to town but then she finally joined us again at the MIM that night for dinner as well as the next day for an early dinner at my parents' house.
The next day was terribly exciting for Dave. He spent the entire morning bird watching with a family friend. The friend is a vet who is an avid bird watcher and invited Dave to join him. They were hoping to see the rare Baikal Teal -- a duck. They normally live in Siberia and migrate to Korea but one had been reported in Arizona for the first time ever. Sadly, they didn't see the duck but....Dave gained a wealth of knowledge about the birds of the Sonoran Desert.
That evening was the Sonoran Desert Chorale's Christmas Concert. My dad is the founding director and my mom is a founding member....and the treasurer. Dave hadn't been to a concert of theirs since we left Arizona so it was a special treat for both of us to go to this concert. They had an amazing crowd (almost 500 in attendance) and the music was inspiring and beautiful and the sing-a-long was a really nice touch. It was the perfect way to end one of the nicest long weekends we've had in a long time.
I still can't believe we made it out to AZ. After everyone asked if my parents knew about us coming this time (unlike our surprise trip last May) :), they then commented that we're starting to make a habit of my family seeing each other within two weeks. This is very true. Last April, my parents came to VA only to have us surprise them in AZ 2 weeks later. This December, we traveled to AZ and in just 2 weeks (actually less now), my parents and sister will travel to VA to spend Christmas with us. And while you want to break most habits.....this is one that I would be happy continuing!!! :) Our trip to AZ was probably the nicest Christmas gift that Dave and I have ever given each other. We hope your Christmas season is filled with such wonderful joy and memories!
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