In the year that we have lived here, we have enjoyed watching the Cleveland Orchestra play many concerts at Blossom, their summer/outdoor locations and at Severance Hall, their indoor location. In order to reach out to new audiences, members of the orchestra are playing in small ensembles at local restaurants, and last week we had the opportunity to attend a couple of these events!
We started the evening out at Spice Kitchen and Bar (where we had dinner the previous weekend with our amazing friends, Rob and Sarah, who came to visit us!). The restaurant was packed with reservations and standing room only, and we had planned on getting a cocktail and watching from the bar. A bass quartet serenaded everyone and it was a great prelude to the evening!
Next, we walked across the street to The Happy Dog. This casual restaurant serves hot dogs with a multitude of topping choices that each person selects individually.
I had been wanting come here and try their famous hot dogs for a while, so I was excited to have the chance to see members of the orchestra play here as well! This restaurant was already getting pretty crowded when we arrived, but we ended up sharing a table with some nice ladies who had two spare spots. We had a pretty good view of the stage and enjoyed hearing the incredible musicians play quartets that we hadn't heard before. It was such a fun evening!
The BBC just released a story on the Cleveland Orchestra reaching out to new audiences, which you can watch here, and Bryan and I have a short appearance! It's too bad I was looking to the side. I really was intrigued by the musicians the entire time!
