Feliz Cinco de Mayo

Today is the 5th of May, better know as Cinco de Mayo.  The date is observed to commemorate the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín.  In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is sometimes mistaken to be Mexico's Independence Day—the most important national holiday in Mexico—which is celebrated on September 16 not today.  In the US among non Mexican  peoples, it is usually just an excuse to eat Mexican food and drink Cerveza mas Fine' to excess.  For me, it is truck night, so no celebrating and definitely no drinking.  Dammitall!!!

So we continue with our exploration of the Great Concerti amd Sonatas for the Violin today by featuring the Music of Johannes Brahms.  Brahm's wrote 1 Violin Concerto and 3 Violin Sonatas, all of which I have for you today between these pages and my tumblr.  Posted down below you will find the Violin Concerto in D Major, Opus 77 recorded live at the Konzerthaus in Vienna with the Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of Leonard Bernstein with Gidon Kremer as the Soloist.  Over on my tumblr, you will find the Violin Sonatas in G Major, A Major and D Minor performed beautifully by Itzhak Perlman and Daniel Barenboim.  This is also a live recording.  

For your daily dose of masculine pulchritude, there is this edition of Random Hotness posted down below.  And in celebration of Cinco de Mayo, tu Bombon del Dia! es Esculpida y Candente (your Hottie of the Day! is Sculpted and Sizzlin') over on my tumblr.  Thanks for the visit, see you again soon.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!

Mea Culpa & Miscellany

I must begin this week by saying I am sorry about being MIA from these pages last week.  However, some issues cropped up that necessitated taking some 'me time' to deal with, so I did.  I will try to get back on track this week with regular postings, but will take it on a day by day basis for the time being.  I have been woefully negligent in keeping up with the news cycle although I am somewhat aware of the earthquake in Nepal and the arrest of 6 cops in Baltimore after yet another death of a black man at the hands of "law enforcement officers".  I also noticed that SCOTUS took up oral arguments in the Marriage Equality cases before it with a decision expected next month.  All indications are favorable for a favorable outcome, but let's not count our chickens before they hatch.  As for the rest of it, I will just have to catch up as I can.  

I did have the distinct pleasure of buying smaller pants last week.  My appetite has decreased somewhat and I am eating about half of what I have normally been eating.  This of course has had its benefits in weight loss.  Coupled with all the exercise I get around the store, I am slimming down nicely.  I bought size 34 jeans as my 36's were sliding off my ass even with a belt.  I am happy to report that the 34's are not exactly snug either.  I have not felt a pair of 34 jeans loose on my hips in more years than I can care to remember, so I won't.  I don't want to press my luck by buying a pair of 32's just yet, but maybe someday...

I think musically this week we will explore the many Violin Concerti  and Sonatas that have been composed by this versatile instrument and staple of the orchestra.  Beginning with your Monday with Mozart, both here and on my tumblr.  Here, Anne-Sophie Mutter exquisitely performs 4 of Mozart's 5 Violin Concerti accompanied by the Camerata Salzburg Orchestra.  Included in the play list are Violin Concerto Numbers 1 in B Flat Major; 3 in G Major; 4 in D major and 5 in A Major.  I could not find a video of Ms Mutter's performance of Number 2 in D Major, however I did find an excellent performance of Number 2 by Gidon Kremer and Kremerata Baltica recorded live at the Mozarteum in Salzburg which you will find on my tumblr. 

To the beauty of the Music we add the Majesty of the Men with these selected portraits in this weeks edition of Monday's Undies posted down below and in the 'Sleek and Sculpted' Hottie of the Day! over on my tumblr.  Thanks for hanging in there, see you again soon.   Until next time as always, Enjoy!