NYC coffee and music

I spent the morning going on an espresso bar pilgrimage.  After finding my favorite Midtown place, Zibetto, closed for renovation, I ventured downtown by train to Cafe Grumpy in Chelsea and Gimme Coffee in SoHo.

At Grumpy's I had their Guatemalan coffee made in the Clover.  It was heavenly!  The Clover gives a full flavor and a very clean taste.

At Gimme Coffee, I had the espresso.  The barista took a lot of care with my order, tossing at least two shots that he didn't feel up to standards.  He was tasting the shots all along and adjusting the grind.  The one he gave me was a little strong and bitter for my taste, though.

I made it to our morning rehearsal with time to spare.  I tried reeds on the Carnegie stage.  This is one of the most flattering halls in the world.  You can hear others AND yourself clearly.

In the rehearsal, Franz adjusted balances and colors in "Faune" and "Heldenleben"
and the orchestra responded with some magical textures.  The Orchestra has played here for years.  We know what to expect, so our adjustments were enhanced by the hall's legendary acoustics.

I'm really looking forward to our concert tonight.