Lustige Leute Newsletter Nov 2020

How are things going for you?  We're getting closer to the end of this year!  Just a little less than two months to go!  How we spend them is up to us, so let's make them good, even if the world around us seems to be coming apart.  Happy German folk and polka music will help make that time go by easier! 

Things are still busy around the Lustig Haus.  We are preparing for our last public performances for the four piece band this weekend, looking forward to a German Czech show we'll be playing in the Heights next weekend, and dusting the Christmas music folders off to begin rehearsing. 

We'll be performing online on Friday November 13, with a prost to Wurstfest, where we would have been on stage, or on the dance floor in a normal year.  It hurts our hearts to not be going to Wurstfest.  We miss playing the music on the stage, but the thing we're going to miss the most is seeing so many of you in the same place.  There just isn't anything quite like Wurstfest and the happy vibe that surrounds it.   The live online shows are broadcast from my facebook page; http://www.facebook.com/valinapolka There are also a few things on the http://www.youtube.com/valinapolka  page.  And more to come!    Make sure to subscribe to the channel, so you'll know when those videos are posted.  There may come a time when we will broadcast on youtube instead of facebook, and if that happens, we want to make sure you can find us when you want! 

November performances: 

Thursdays Nov 5, 12, 19 at The Sauer Kraut Grill at 734 Crabb River Rd, in Richmond, Texas from 6 - 8pm.  They have excellent food, and a great Bier (lots of Paulaner, and local craft brews!) and Wein selection!  Picnic tables outside if you feel safer dining in the fresh air.  We'll come out and play for you if you like! 

Friday and Saturday Nov 6 &7; Live music in the Biergarten tent at Walburg German Restaurant, Walburg, TX; 6pm both days; The 4 pc party band! (photo attached below) 

Wednesday Nov 11; Polka Wednesdays at Krause's Cafe in New Braunfels, Texas; 6 - 9pm; The Duo 

Friday Nov 13; Online Show starting at 7pm on the valinapolka facebook page. 

Sunday Nov 15; The Kolache Shoppe 50th anniversary celebration!  The parking lot at the corner of 11th and Heights BLVD in Houston; free admission;  The 3 pc German Czech band with special guest Mason Nesvadba! This event is weather permitting. 

Friday Nov 20; Rudi Lechner's Restaurant on Gessner near Westheimer in Houston, TX; 6 - 8pm; Ross Solo 

The Christmas Holidays are just around the corner.  We'd love to bring the Gemütlich feeling of a German Christmas to you!  At this time, all Saturdays in December, as well as New Year's Eve are available, and we'd love to spend that time playing music for you!  We will play for your event if it is outdoors under a covered porch, or in a garage, or even under a tent on your driveway.  As long as there is plenty of fresh outdoor air, having a small gathering of family and friends should be pretty safe. 

Hosting our trips to Europe will resume as soon as international travel is wide open again.  The trip we were going to host this year going to Germany and the Czech Republic has been postponed and reserved for next June, 2021.  Travel dates are Tuesday June 8 - Tuesday June 22.   The itinerary will follow the same plan (as much as possible) we had in place for this year's trip.  We are going to fly in to Frankfurt Airport with a scheduled arrival of 11:15am on Wed June 9.  We will depart from the Munich airport, which currently will require a change of aircraft between Munich and Houston.  We're hoping that changes when borders open, and people resume traveling.  We are bound by the current airline schedules and other factors beyond our control, but will do our best to provide you the best experience we can.  If you'd like to join us for travel to Europe in the future, let us know!  Our small groups have a ton of fun together! 

Website:  You can always find out what's happening with us at http://www.prostyall.com.  We update our calendar as information becomes available.  The store page has shirts, hat pins, and CD's that can make great gifts for your Biergarten loving friends.  Also, make sure to subscribe to our youtube channel, as we are loading the live shows from facebook up to youtube for those who prefer to stay away from facebook.   Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/user/valinapolka 

Behind the scenes: Ross and I just spent 3 days deep cleaning the house, and are celebrating some birthdays with family who we normally don't get to celebrate with because of our performance schedule.  Ross' mom, our niece and my brother all have birthdays in the same week, and for the first time, we were able to gather - in the backyard - and be together.  Ross is continuing to rehearse some new material, and I've been working on the songs I wrote.  Doing some tweaking here and there, and just trying to get to know them better.  Ross has also been processing Yaupon leaves to make more tea.  I'm working on some new merchandise designs with the hope things will be better next year and we can begin moving our business forward again.  It still feels like we're bumping in to brick walls every time we come up with an idea of something fun to do for you, our friends.   I am also compiling the photos and videos from our trip to South Dakota in September, and will upload them soon.  It's a very time consuming project, and I need a few days without responsibilities to make it happen.  When I do get them loaded, I'll have the videos on youtube, and will link them on facebook.  The photos will all be shared on facebook. 

The blessings are less glittery than usual, but still in abundance. Y'all stay healthy, and we hope to see you somewhere soon!

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