Back to Mexico. The concert was wonderful!
Everyone was there, even Santa Clause.....
not to mention Gerardo, Bobby's anxious partner....
Even Arnaldo, Drag Chanteusse, made a guest appearance! (Trust me, the pictures don't do her justice!) The hall was packed (about 850 people), with a good mix of Mexicans and ex-pats, gays and straights, young and old. And who can resist a great choir doing Christmas carols, in whatever language?? The guys got a standing ovation, and at least among friends and family, there wasn't a dry eye in the house!
The after party, held at Daquiri Dick's, was a class act!
And here comes the part where I made an unabashed plug. Bobby (or Maestro Bruneau, as he shall henceforth be known) worked amazingly hard for eight months to pull this off: he created the first gay men's chorus in Latin America, trained over 40 men who had no tradition of blending voices, many of whom had never sung on stage before, found a locale, arranged for musicians and sets, and pulled it all together. I was proud to be a part of it, and I hope you will consider supporting these guys as well. As in every arts organization, money is a constant problem, and no music director relishes the job of going around with a begging bowl.
So I will do it for him. Check out the Puerto Vallarta Men's Chorus at www.pvmenschorus.org. If you like what you see, consider making a contribution. $500 will get you into the Conductor's Circle with me, but $5. will help. They are attached to Pay Pal, and you can make a donation on the website. In any event, get on their mailing list, and think about going down to PV for their Viva Mexico! concert in the spring.
Okay, enough with the (unpaid) advertising!
The day after the concert, after clearing out the hall and returning the tuxes, we relaxed with brunch and a walk on the Malecon
...and the afternoon at Bobby's house
...and particularly the rooftop pool..
I stayed at Bobby's overnight, and after a final brunch the next day, we said our goodbye's at the airport!
Honestly, but for wanting to support Bobby, I would not have gone - it was too hard being there without Davey (who, as a musician himself, would have been so proud of Bobby's accomplishment!) - but I am so glad I went!! My friends are my family (you, my readers are, of course, among them), and one does things for friends.....
And I was no sooner back in Palm Springs (having landed in L.A., picked up my car, and driven for two and a half hours because, after all, noone but a raving idiot tries to drive out of LA on Friday night the weekend before Christmas!) when friend Peter from San Francisco arrived (as in, I got home at 8:30 P.M. and he arrived at 1:00 A.M. the following morning.
Peter is a good friend, and an easy guest, and it was great to have him here fore the festivities.
Like the Christmas Eve party given by friends Pete and Greg at out clubhouse, attended by the usual cast of characters...
there's Peter...
...as differentiated from Pete, our host...
...and Greg, on the right, doing his hosting duties
By this time friend Carol, from Salt Spring Island, B.C. (far right) has also arrived, and is able to join the festivities, and, as usual, a good time was had by all.
Missing from the photos - and the parties - are friends Art and Wally, who are felled by this awful cold/flu thing, that, truth be known, I have also been suffering from off and on since before Phoenix. I never let a cold get in the way of a good party, but Artie especially loves Christmas, and I am sorry to see him miss it this year.
But, life goes on, as does Christmas dinner for 22 at my place the next day...
And, talk about a Christmas miracle, friend Craig (also from Salt Spring, who, with his partner Joanne, is down here every year) just happened to have an electric carving knife in his car, and, miracle of miracles, knew how to use it! Thanks, Craig!
And just had to get a picture of neighbor Michael's prize-winning Christmas lights to finish off the holiday.
My turkey got rave reviews again this year (thank you to Walmart, and your most excellent $$10.00 electric roaster )and yes, I managed to get away with doing Christmas dinner without a functioning oven, but then, I had a lot of help!!!
Peter left the day after Christmas, and the days to the end of the year were spent in usual Palm Springs fashion - eating, playing bridge, and generally being lazy, aided by the fact that I still felt crummy, and not much in the mood for doing anything. Luckily, Carol is pretty good at fending for herself. She drover her (Smart) car down, so give her a map, some tourist instructions, and a few free passes, and she is good to go. I have been a terrible hostess, really - it is hard to be "on" when you feel shitty (and I am a horrible sick person), so kudos to Carol for not letting it stop her.
You might have noticed that missing from things to do in Palm Springs was sitting by the pool. In actual fact, it was a little cold for all of that. Of course, it is not cold in any real sense of the word - half of the guests ate Christmas dinner outside, after all, but it it cold for here, and not really pool weather, although I am contemplating doing the hot tub tommorow, as the weather seems to have turned
Which brings us to New Years Eve. It has not been my habit to go out for New Years recently. When David was alive, I always joined the table for the "band widows" who sat together while the band (Swing Shift, a swing band, although you might have guessed that) played. (David always put his trombone on his chair and danced the last dance with me, though). New Year's eve is nice here, though. The party is at the Club House, just down the hill, so I can wander down, have a (or several) drink with my friends, and, having watched the ball drop in New York and wished all my friends a happy new year, wander home to bed.
And so it came to pass this year as well. I wish you all a very, very happy new year, filled with health and happiness, family and friends, and all the adventure you would like to fill your life. I hope to see and/or hear from you all in the new year. Final word: Carpe diem.
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