Symphony in Space

We Millers went on another adventure today.  This morning we ventured Downtown for a family concert performed by the Houston Symphony Orchestra.  They put on 4 concerts a year that are specifically designed for young children and their families.  Today, the theme was Space!  The concert began with Also sprach Zarathustra (familiar as a theme in 2001: A Space Odyssey) followed by Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C minor (music included on that played by the Voyager probe as it heads into deep space).  They then played Jupiter by Holst which was OUTSTANDING!  (The Houston Symphony is well known for their renditions of "The Planets" suite.)  The second half included a guest appearance from Astronaut, Chris Hatfield, who has flown on the Space Shuttle, gone on two space walks, and will lead the next expedition to the International Space Station.  He played the guitar and sang, accompanied by the Pearl Hall Elementary Children's Choir (Pasadena, Texas) and the Houston Symphony, a piece composed by his brother called Big Smoke to celebrate his adventures in space.  He then answered a few questions from kids in the audience concerning his space experiences.  The remainder of the hour-long concert included The Flinstones Meet the Jetsons, and Themes from ET and Star Wars.  You can guess which piece Zach liked the best!  Both he and Ash were "dancing" in their seats to the Imperial March  and the opening credits theme from Star Wars.  The conductor was a great host, dressing as a silver space alien for the event.  (Ash called him the Iron Man.)  All in all, a great time! 

After the concert, we went to Katz's Deli for lunch.  Katz's is another restaurant that we liked to visit when we lived in Austin but was always packed.  No line here in Houston today!  Derek had a Reuben.  I ate a hot salami and cream cheese sandwich and the boys enjoyed chicken fingers (some of the best I have ever tasted- lightly breaded) and mac-n-cheese of course! 

Now we will relax a bit and straighten up the house before a visit from our family friend, Sergei (He and his wife are in the process of moving here from Bartlesville as he has been transferred to Houston.  Sergei was in my group at ConocoPhillips in Bartlesville).  Fajitas and margaritas are on the menu!