HAVE UKULELE, WILL TRAVEL

I am putting on my “you-gotta-toot-your-own-horn-because-no-one-will-do-it-for-you” hat and sharing some traveling news with you.

Hubby and I are leaving earthquake country for the land of lightning bugs, killer humidity and summer thunderstorms. The little slice of earth where I grew up. Washington D.C. We will be exercising our rent-a-car on what the locals call “The Beltway.” I am hoping it is called this because it’s a cinch to drive. But I don’t think so.

This is a working vacation. Let me start with the “vacation” part. Most of you recall that I recently found a missing trunk of my family tree thanks to Google and Facebook. Connecting with them has taken us to Indianapolis and Arizona and now we’ll be hanging out with the Baltimore ohana.

Here’s a quick Cliff Notes review:

My great grandparents escaped from Russia, landed in America and dropped roots in Baltimore. They had five children. The oldest, Jenny, was my grandmother and the youngest, Sidney was the musical prodigy in the family. But something mysterious happened when Sidney grew up. He disappeared. Like whoosh… At least that’s my mother’s story and she has repeated it like a mantra year after year. “Whatever happened to Sidney?” And then the Internet happened and Google. When I typed in his name, I found his daughter. And when I found his daughter, I found his other four children. Professional musicians all…

Then two more cousins friended me on Facebook. They are my Baltimore clan. A couple years ago Halaine and Laura visited us in Los Angeles and it was like I suddenly had two new sisters. For an only child with parents who were only children, it was and IS a revelation to discover family.

Craig and I are excited to spend time with our ukulele family too. Here is the what, where and when:

Saturday, July 13, we will do an early afternoon set at the Lake Ann Ukulele Festival in Reston, Virginia. This is a quaint town center and an altogether lovely place to hang out, enjoy the music, food and great people watching. Family friendly and free.

Sunday, July 14, Craig and I are giving workshops exclusively tailored for The Northern Virginia Ukulele Ensemble (NVUE). We’re taking one song, “Sway,” and spicing it up with fancy strums (Cali) and fingerpicking (Craig). Then we bring the two workshops together and get the song performance-ready! Afterwards Craig and I will do a mini-concert and lead a kanikapila for all those in attendance. Workshops and concert are a Café Montmartre, also in Reston, Virginia.

Workshop Fee: $20 for NVUE members
Workshop Fee: $35 for guests and other non-members
Click here for more information and to make reservations.

The following Saturday, July 20, we’re doing workshops and a mini-concert for the ukulele lovers at The House of Musical Traditions. Actually they have secured another location for us to do our thing: The Seekers Church in the Northwest part of Washington D.C. So for all of you folks in the neighborhood who are “seeking” some new ukulele thrills—fabulous strums, finger-picking styles and chord melodies, playing grooves that you feel in your belly and a fun concert, this is for you. Check the flyer below for all the details. This will be one very splendid afternoon and we look forward to sharing it with you.

So here’s a toast to family and friends and music!