2016 Cleveland Orchestra Gala

This past weekend, Nick and I attended the Cleveland Orchestra Gala with The Circle - The Cleveland Orchestra's Young Professionals. This was our second time attending this exclusive black tie event, and the discounted YP tickets are one of my favorite perks of being a member of The Circle. As always, it was a beautiful concert with our award winning, internationally renowned Cleveland Orchestra, and since it is the Orchestra's biggest fundraising event, it is very much black tie - lots of gowns and tuxes. 

As I do for most cocktail parties and black tie events, I ordered my dress via Rent the Runway, and styled it with the ESHA bracelet in Emerald and DEEPIKA earrings. The emerald stones in the center of the earrings paired beautifully with the large cabochon emerald quartz in the bracelet; coordinated without being matchy. I rounded off the look with a pair of gold sandals, a black clutch (so Nick and I could mirror our color palettes) and a bold, red lip.

If you'd like to learn more about The Circle, check out their website. Nick and I have been members since it was founded over two years ago and cannot recommend it highly enough! 

Explore CLE: The Orchestra at Blossom

This past weekend, Nick and I joined our fellow Circle members for The Cleveland Orchestra's kickoff to summer at Blossom Music Center. Nick and I really don't like driving, but lucky for us, the Circle had taken care of this problem by providing its members with a bus that drove us from Severance Hall to Blossom. Once at Blossom, we were treated to a yummy barbecue dinner and Great Lakes beer, after which we all made our way to the lawn to enjoy the show. 

It was a beautiful summer night, and as you can see, it was a packed house to listen to the Orchestra perform Beethoven's Ninth.

As always with the Cleveland Orchestra it was a great show, but since it was at Blossom, it was a very different experience, and one I highly recommend. However, if you are an Orchestra at Blossom newbie (as I was), here are five things you should know:
1. Blossom is WAY more casual than Severance Hall. This is an all ages event, so you can take your kids. There were a few parents who had even brought a change of clothes, so the kids were in pjs about half way through!
2. Unlike most concerts at Blossom, you can take coolers into the Orchestra shows. Which means you can bring in your own food AND wine
3. The ground can get a little wet as the sun goes down, so you definitely want a picnic blanket, ideally one with the water resistant backing
4. It can also get a little chilly after sunset, so an extra blanket or cardigan or hoodie is a good idea
5. Take bug spray

We had such a great time at Blossom that we're already planning our next visit. The lawn tickets are an incredible bargain at $26/each, and there are some really fun performances coming this season. A great way to experience our world-renowned Orchestra in a super casual setting!

Disclosure: I serve on the Board of Directors of The Circle. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. That being said, I LUUUUURVE The Circle-- it is absolutely the BEST value for money for a young professional in Cleveland. $20/month gives you 2 tickets in a household (even if you're single, you should get the double and take a friend!), which includes 12 events per year, at least 6 of which are concerts. Circle Members also get a 20% discount on classical concerts, and most important, the members themselves are fun and welcoming! Additional details available here.