Concert last night, marathon this morning

September 27, 2015 Becca Pulliam 2 Comments

After watching so many concerts online, my dream came true as I took a seat in the real hall with real music in the real air. The sound is sublime! I stretched my eye muscles (yoga reference) to look everywhere. The program was Korngold and Saint-Saens with violin and organ soloists. Total beauty and engagement.

And after the concert, here’s the studio team of Robert and Thomas with guest, then Peter from Copenhagen, and Ina from the media team on the right. Hanna not in photo and Holly’s the photographer. I spent the two previous nights watching them set shots and rehearse. Another dream.

Marathon is everywhere today!

My hotel is near where the route almost crosses itself, just below center of map. Just now the winner is running through the Brandenberg Gate! There will be many photos and here is mine from two days ago, during marathon preparations.

Berlin

At the Philharmonie

September 26, 2015 Becca Pulliam

Friday I toured the Philharmonie and visited the Museum of Musical Instruments there

My first glimpse of bldg behind the trees

1960s style catching the sunbeams in the Philharmonie

Berlin

Behind the curtain

September 25, 2015 Becca Pulliam

I’m seeing preparations for the livestreaming of this concert, Saturday at 7pm Berlin time, 1pm New York time, and far beyond. Especially cool to watch on the phone. So beautifully done by this Berlin Philharmonic team. Gil Shahame is guest violinist, concerto by Erich Korngold. Zubin Mehta conducts.

https://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/concert/22385

Berlin

Landing at Tegel, exploring Wittenbergplatz

September 23, 2015 Becca Pulliam 1 Comment

A great seat mate – the mother of four who with most of them was returning to Berlin after three weeks in California – made my flight enjoyable. One of the attendants was on her last flight; she was retiring after 42 years. We landed in the morning so I bought my one-week subway/tram/bus pass and navigated to my hotel. Other commuters helped me figure it out.

Berlin is quiet! Subways are quiet. Streets are full of people, there is traffic, but it’s quiet. It’s a miracle.

Wittenbergplatz and my hotel are chillingly near where Eichman’s offices were, as commemorated by a detailed story on a sign. It’s of the first things I saw while walking close to my hotel.

In the evening a concert opportunity jumped in front of me. It took place in a contemporary church next to one of the oldest and partially destroyed ones. Legendary pipe organ. Then after a good sleep, I went to a yoga class led in German, so I twisted my head around to see what others were doing and it worked out. At Spirit Yoga thanks to a recommendation by Tanja Siebert, who teaches jazz here in Berlin. I’m listening to jazz now on 106,8FM. Want more pictures, less talk. Forgive typos, I’m writing on my phone.

Berlin

Let them come to Berlin

September 18, 2015 Becca Pulliam

View image | gettyimages.com

As I pack my bag to visit Berlin next week, I think of JFK declaring “Ich bin ein Berliner” to >100,000 people west of the wall and some furtive souls to the east. The text of his historic speech is here, thanks to WGBH. And amazing to see the video from CBS here.

Ich bin nach Berlin!

Not on the grid: East Troy WI

Welcome to my blog

Image May 22, 2014 Becca Pulliam 2 Comments

Come to 42°47’44.2″N 88°23’55.0″W and you’ll find the Pulliam Nature Area. Four seasons of fun in southeastern Wisconsin. It’s named for my dad who moved to East Troy in the mid 1940s and fell in love with the post-glacial terrain. As he grew old and the farms morphed into housing developments, he said Let’s save the kettles. It happened! Now the residents live on the rim, their back yards dip into a nature area, and the streets are curved, not a grid.

But now I live on a grid in New York City, at N 40°48’1.9″ W 73°58’7.1″. And this is my new blog.

Berlin and beyond