Lustige Leute Newsletter June 2022

Howdy Friends!  And welcome to our new Friends! 

June is almost here, graduations and proms are happening all around us, and it's finally raining a little in Texas!  Are you ready for summer?  I saw a joke on the social media this morning that "Texas weather is still in pre-heating mode". 

We're sending the newsletter out a little early this time, because we have a lot going on at the beginning of the month, and want to make sure you have time to plan if you're able to come join in for some of the fun.  We'll be in Florida Father's Day weekend for performances, then in the Netherlands for a family reunion and some future tour researching from June 23 - July 12.  Subsequent newsletters this summer may be a little off of our usual beginning of the month schedule.  We might even send one from Europe!  You're hopefully going to be out and about this summer as well, seeing friends and family you haven't been able to see in a couple of years! 

Late May / June performances: 

-- Krause's Cafe, 148 S. Castell Street, New Braunfels, TX; 
Wednesday May 25, 6pm - 9pm; Polka Wednesdays with The Duo 

--The Sauer Kraut Grill,734 Crabb River Rd, Richmond, TX; Stubenmusi (pub music) with the Duo 

Thursdays May 26, June 2 and 9;  6 - 8pm 

-- Rudi Lechner's Restaurant, 2503 Gessner, Houston, TX; 
Saturdays May 28 and June 11; 6pm - 9pm; Das ist Ross, solo 

-- Shiner Spring Picnic, KC Park, 102 South Ave G, Shiner, TX; 

Sunday May 29; 10:30am - 1pm - Outside; Wake up with the Das ist Lustig Duo and Audience Participation Specialists, then stay all day and enjoy the polka party with many of your favorite Texas polka bands!  Free Admission! 

-- Boerne Village Band Abendkonzerte, Gazebo, Boerne, TX; 

Tuesday June 7; 7:30 - 9pm;  Das ist Lustig Duo specialties show complete with Tanzenfest AND concert by Boerne Village Band! 

-- Hollerbach's Willow Tree Cafe, 205 East 1st Street, Sanford, FL; 
Friday June 17; 7 - 10pm, Saturday June 18; 1 - 4pm & 7 - 10pm, Sunday June 19; 1 - 4pm & 6 - 9pm; 
Dinner and a Show with Das ist Lustig Duo!  Bring Dad for Father's Day and make sure he gets a Boot of Bier! 

The homepage of our website reflects every performance except the private ones.  Often when we're on the road, we don't have access to update our facebook pages, but will always (as long as my cell phone works) update the home page on our website if there is a last minute change.  You're always welcome to give us a call or send a text if you want to make sure we're going to be where our calendar shows we're going to be. 

It's never too early to think about hosting that Christmas party!  Call us for pricing and availability if you have something to celebrate next winter!  We can play for you as a duo unplugged, or we can bring the sound equipment and specialty folk instruments.  We have a repertoire of about 30 Austrian, German and American Christmas favorites, even a couple of Christmas songs on the Alphorn! 

Looking ahead: 

--The Sauer Kraut Grill ,734 Crabb River Rd, Richmond, TX; Stubenmusi (pub music) with the Duo 

Thursdays July 14, 21; 

-- Schulenburg Public Library, 310 Simpson St, Schulenburg, TX 
Wednesday July 20, 10:30am; Hop on the virtual carousel for a musical ride around the German speaking countries of Europe! 

-- Momma's at Sengelmann, Main Street, Schulenburg, TX; 
Wednesday, July 20, 6:30 - 8:30; Dinner and a Show; 

-- Road Trip 2022!  Stops in Oklahoma, Missouri and Iowa, and featuring 3 days at the Milwaukee German Fest in Wisconsin! 

Monday July 25 - Friday August 5; Details HERE; Lots of live music, lots of German and even Dutch restaurants to visit, wine tasting, and parties! 

Hosting our trips:  We're going to Wisconsin for the Germanfest!   Won't you join us for this fun Road Trip?  We have FOUR spots left!  This classic American pass-time takes us across 7 states in 11 days!  There's lots of fun planned for your exclusive group of 10 or less travelers (with Ross and Valina in the driver's seat) of a luxury 15 passenger Mercedes Sprinter!  Most importantly, we'll get to visit several German, and even Dutch restaurants along the way, see some amazing history in the Steamboat Arabia museum in Kansas City, taste some great wines in America's original wine valley, Hermann, MO, have some German pure craft brews made right here in the US, and experience one of the best German festivals the USA has to offer, the Milwaukee Germanfest!  They're celebrating their 40 year anniversary, and have invited the Zillertaler Schurzenjager to headline the event!  The Alex Meixner Band will be there as well!  We'll spend 3 days visiting the festival, and you'll need all that time to experience everything this event has to offer.  See the attached brochure for details, itinerary, and pricing.  There are a few other photos attached as well to show you a little bit more of what we'll get to see and do together!  Contact Valina for a registration form! 

If you'd like to join us for travel in the future, we'd love to hear from you!  There have been requests to return to Austria, The Netherlands, requests to do a Christmas Market tour, and interest in expanding our travel to different places around the US.  We tailor these trips to your wishes!  You can even ask us to organize and host a private trip for you and 15 - 20 guests!  We will be returning to Germany and Prague in the summer of 2024 if things stabilize.  Stay tuned! 

Website:  You can always find out what's happening with us at http://www.prostyall.com.  We update our calendar as information becomes available, and always keep the upcoming gigs and last minute changes on the home page.  The shop page https://www.prostyall.com/shop has koozies! (they fit party cups, pint glasses and Wurstfest cups!)  The famous "Prost Y'all" sign is in stock and available for sale too!  Won't that look awesome on the wall of your favorite relaxation spot!  We also have shirts; including the brand new "Das ist Ross" shirts!  Hat pins, and CD's that can make lunch at the office a little more like a Biergarten! Who doesn't love a 45 minute escape mid-day? 

Social Media:  You can find us on Facebook, and Youtube.  You can subscribe to our Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/valinapolka , friend us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/valinapolka  "like" us on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prostyall/  We have an instagram, but don't know how to use it. 

Behind the scenes:  Ross and I just celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary, and our band is celebrating 15 years together!  Yes, we met because of the music.  I wanted to start a band, Ross had the right style and attitude, we got along like a song, then after several months of working together, I went on a vacation with my parents.  3 weeks in Europe, and all I could think about was Ross and how I wished he could be there too.  Ran up quite the phone bill on my dad's cell phone too... We started dating in July 2007, got engaged in November 2007, and married in May 2008.  It's been a fun ride!   Otherwise, we've been battling the usual home owner battles - critters getting in the attic uninvited, and having to deal with that, cooking, cleaning, yard work, etc.  Working on the Tomball Christmas festival already - nearly ready to get the bands on contract.  Then, will start on next March's schedule.  Ross has been planting some more baby trees.  Tiny little sprouts right now!  I don't know how something so big and strong can start out so tiny and vulnerable!  He's a green thumb for sure.  I stay far away from his little plants, because I don't do well with them.  I almost killed a century old Aloe Vera... Ross saved it, and it's now flourishing! 

That's all for this newsletter.  Your support and friendship means a lot to us!  Have a blessed Memorial Day weekend with a little time to reflect on those who gave all for our amazing country.  We're excited to have some of you along with us on our road trip this summer!  Stay healthy, stay safe, share a smile with a stranger.  We hope we get to "prost y'all" sometime soon!

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