A Jazz Concert and Little India

While perusing the paper last weekend, I noticed a blurb about a Lunchtime Concert Series holding a free concert at LaSalle College of the Arts.  It sounded interesting, and not too far - as nothing in Singapore is TOO far - and the price was right.  Frequently, in Chicago, I would notice an event that seemed interesting, but the timing wasn't right.  Or it was too far away.  Or it was too expensive.  But, in Singapore, anything that happens on a weekday, that has a reasonable cost is within limits!  I just do not want to waste this opportunity!!!

I google mapped the location, and check the bus journey planner, and I was off.  There was another School of the Arts that was in the same area, so I may have gotten the bus a stop too early, but I had given myself step-by-step directions, so I was able to find the college.  It was a very urban area, with a little hill in the middle with what looked like astroturf for the kids to sit on.  Pretty funny!  College kids need their green space...

My only difficulty arose when I tried to find "The Singapore Airlines Theatre".  I did not see any signs pointing me in that direction, so I stopped and asked a student.  Initially, she didn't seem to know the answer, but then she told me it was on level B1.  Knowing that, it was easy to find.  There were about 10 other adults waiting for the show to start.  The man sitting next to me in the waiting area was reading a brochure called "Life at LaSalle".  It listed different events, and this concert was the highlight of April.

As usual, things got off to a late start.  The adults were admitted, followed by throngs of students at the college.  I kept hearing a teacher ask if they had marked themselves in attendance.  Because I don't like to be too close to the stage, so I can take in all the sights and sounds, I ended up right in the middle of a row of students.  They were all very polite, and didn't make me feel like a nuisance or an outsider.  As the quintet was tuning up, and making sure that the sound board was right on their particular instruments, I noticed that several members of the band were fan favorites.  They hooted their approval, but immediately quieted down, when the performer asked for silence to hear his instrument.

The group was called "The Tim O'Dwyer Project".The band members included the leader, who played Alto and Bari Sax; a violin/fiddle player; a drummer; a bassist; and a piano/keyboard/synthesizer/sound box player.  I am not exactly how that last instrument worked, but I saw her opening a box, and sound came out of it.  They either wore all black, or a black and white combination of clothes.  Each piece had each member performing something they had written for their instrument, that had been arranged with the other members' contributions to make a pleasing whole.  On March 1st, they had performed at "The Esplanade".

Most of the students around me were really getting into the music.  Initially, the young man next to me was more interested in texting, etc., but even he ended up showing some real appreciation for the music and the performers.  A guy 3 seats away from me was on the edge of his seat.  The girl next to me kept hooting.  It was wonderful to see kids that were so interested in the music.  Because I saw many of the kids taking pictures with their phones, I tried to take a picture with mine, too, even though there was a sign outside prohibiting it.  Just as I took my picture, the cameraman decided to pan the audience.  Don't know if my picture turned out!

After the concert, I walked over to Little India.  I had checked the map, and Little India appeared pretty close.  Upon walking over there, it was even closer than I anticipated.  There were some comments on TripAdvisor, saying that men were heckling girls, and some vendors were too aggressive.  I did not find that to be true.  Every vendor with whom I dealt was very pleasant.  They helped me try things on, and didn't tell me that nothing would fit.  I found a one-size elastic skirt, 2 gauzy dresses, and a long sleeveless cotton top, with which the saleswoman convinced me to buy a pair of balloon pants and a scarf.  The dresses are super cool and comfy, and they only cost $16 for both.  Even if I only wear them as swimsuit cover-ups, they are well worth it.  There were lots of really cute elastic skirts, but they were all ankle length.  That's just too hot for me!  I needed something shorter.  They found ONE shorter skirt.  It looked good when I tried it on, but I had my capris on underneath.  I'm hoping it's not too revealing without pants under it!  I really don't know if I'll wear the pants, but the woman so wanted to get me into a full Indian costume, that I went along.  It was actually quite fun going through the Indian Marketplace.  And the smells were so wonderful.  I smelled curry and cinnamon everywhere.  I wished I hadn't already eaten lunch, but I wouldn't have been able to last 'til after the 1 PM concert.  Sadly, I did not find a purple wrap-around skirt with gold elephants.  I'll just have to go back to Little India and look again.  And next time, I won't eat before I go there.

Passed "The University of Chicago Booth School of Business" on my bus ride.

The venue for the concert; LaSalle College of the Arts.

The grassy knoll in the middle of campus.

Artsy Auditorium Doors.

My purple one size elastic skirt.

Tops and Pants Galore in Little India.

My 2 Dresses for $16

My Sleeveless Top, Balloon Pants, and Scarf.

I got onto the subway, and headed from Little India to Chinatown.  I wanted to return to the stall that had advertised a shipment of larger size clothes and shoes coming in that day.  Unfortunately, by the time I found the stall, it appeared that they had completely sold out.  It looked as if a fire sale had swept through, and they had even sold the mannequins!  Darn!  I needed new flip flops.  The ones that I had been wearing for the past couple of days had given me a blister!  Luckily, I found a stall that sold and repaired shoes nearby.  It turned out that he had a pair of black flip flops that would fit me.  They aren't as cute as my old flip flops, and they don't have the comfort and arch support, but for $10.90, they'll do until Erin gets here with my replacement pair!