Loree Paris

I splurged today and bought myself a Loree oboe. Don't ask me how much I spent. You can look online and get an idea. It's $$$ but I did save some money by going to the mothership instead of US distributors.  It took me awhile to find the Loree office though. I was looking for some big music store like Volkwein's in Pittsburgh or the Woodwind and Brasswind in Ohio.  But there's only a small nameplate on the door where you have to be buzzed in.  I took two trains to get to the office, walked down the wrong road at first - Rue de Madrid.  heh heh, the train station is called Europe. Then Rue de Madrid turned into Rue de Lisbon and I realized I was on the wrong road. Backtracked my way back to Rue de Rome and realized that was the street I wanted from the beginning!  Then I had in my head that the address was 43 Rue de Rome (formerly 43 Rue de Madrid in my head) so I walked past the office about a block, crossed the street since I thought it was an odd number and had to backtrack again. No jaywalking here! Unless you want to be run over by a bike, scooter, motorcycle, bus, mini-car, or taxi. Basically lots of traffic.  I seriously obey the crosswalk signs here.  Anyway, I finally made it to 48 Rue de Madrid. Buzzed my way in and walked up to a quaint apartment on the 1st floor - as in not the ground floor.  Again another American confusion of mine.  A very nice woman welcomed me inside and brought me to another small room that had a bunch of oboes set up and an english horn. I was in heaven. The wall was plastered with pictures of famous oboe players from around the world. I recognized a picture of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's principal oboist -  cynthia dealmeida.  I also mentioned that I took lessons and get my English Horn reeds from Harold Smoliar.  They were excited that I knew him and even gave me a little letter to bring back to him if I see him before the PSO travels to Paris in September.  Anyway it was a great chance to feel like a professional musician trying out Loree oboes at the Paris headquarters.  I pretended like I knew what I was doing. :)

Now the trick is getting this baby through customs.  I have the papers and have been warned to go early to declare it. Question is whether I have to pay any kind of fee at the airport. I hope not. Yikes!