Tremors

Before you ask, no, I did not feel the earthquake here last week, although my friends did.  I was actually in LA at the time, so missed all the excitement.

But before all that....

Neighbor Michael and I celebrated his birthday (we've decided not to give them numbers any more) on March 5 with dinner at Melvyn's.

It is a venerable old Palm Springs restaurant, and as I've said, I often go there for drinks and jazz of a Sunday afternoon.  I had never eaten dinner there, though, and Michael specifically requested it for a birthday treat.  I must say I was disappointed.  They did make the caesar salad at the table, but the lettuce was limp and the dressing lacking in anchovies. the veal was tired and the dessert souffle was a disappointment.  So, now we've done it; don't need to do it again!

Wednesday night was another opera experience, the encore performance of the Metropolitan Opera's new production of Rigoletto.  Usually, I don't like people messing with the classics, but this one really worked - instead of a duke in Italy a mob boss in LA circa 1960, and characterizations from the Rat Pack!  The staging, costumes, orchestra, music, chorus, and, of course, the singing, were brilliant, and friends Joan, Art and Wally all loved it too!  It was Wally's first opera experience, and I couldn't have wished for a better one for him!  If you get a chance to see it, do! 

Friday night, I met friends Craig and Joanne (from Saltspring Island, B.C.) for dinner at the Blue Coyote downtown.  They too are heading away from the desert in a few weeks, as are almost all the snowbirds, so there is a rush of last minute social engagements and goodbyes.  The Blue Coyote is another one of those restaurants that I have been meaning to visit.  Unfortunately, the anticipation was better than the actual event.  Well, another one off the list.  However, it was great to catch up with Craig and Joanne - I probably won't see them again until we are both back in PS next season.

And Saturday morning, I was on the way to LA to pick up friend Peter from the airport for a long planned weekend centered around - imagine! - the opera, this time a performance of Wagner's The FLying Dutchman.  Well, let's get the bad part out of the way first - the opera was a disappointment!!  I loathed the staging and the costumes, and although I like the music (and the orchestra was great), the voices, unfortunately, did not rescue the otherwise dismal production!  However, all was not lost.  I had not been in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilian for a million years, and it was good to see it again.  As usual when Peter organizes things, we had great seats, and dinner in the restaurant there, The Kendall Brasserie, was quite fine.

Not to mention the fact that Peter was able to organize the weekend at the Beverly Hills Hotel, and that certainly did not disappoint!

.....and we got to eat - and drink - at the infamous Polo Lounge, and their other, less famous, bar.

The rest ot the weekend was equally swish: shopping on Rodeo Drive

....and a wonderful afternoon at the J.Paul Getty Museum.  (Forgive the excess pictures - it was a glorious, sunny, warm day, and I got carried away....)

(check out the detail!)

I threw in a picture just to assure you that in addition to the architecture and the gardens and the statues, there were, indeed, pictures!  I always love going to museums (as well as operas) with Peter.  He has a degree in art history (or some such thing) and knows everything one needs to know about the pictures, the artists, and the context.  It is like having my own private audio tour! 

We finished off the weekend with an Indian dinner - I couldn't wait till I got to Vancouver to have my fix, and this little neighborhood dive, recommended by the concierge - Electric Bombay, I think - was just what the doctor ordered.

So, between the room delivery of the New York Times and the LA Times, sitting on our private patio, the food, the drink, the culture - it was (with the exception of the opera) just about the perfect weekend!  And even the opera - well, you know, it is almost as much fun to dish as it is to praise, or maybe more!  And we're doing a repeat in Houston at the end of April - different opera, different museums, different hotel (The St. Regis, I think), but the same idea.  I have never been to Houston, but apparently the opera is supposed to be great, as are the museums, so I am looking forward to it.

And the last week flew by.  Friends Maureen and Eric visited from Vancouver, and we had a lovely lunch at the Escena Golf Club (and no, I have not had time to learn how to play golf yet...Maybe next season...)

...ongoing bridge lessons

(no, that is not me, just a fellow student)

...and bridge playing, with both Robin and Art.  You can see where the time goes!

It has, indeed, been very hot here - no, I am not complaining, just a statement of fact.  Hey, even the Canadian geese come here for the winter....

The other morning, well, noon, really, it was 101 degrees.  I would say that it was 101 degrees in the shade, but there was no shade.  Right now, though, the sun has just gone down, the air smells like orange blossoms, and there is no place where I would rather be than on my patio (and it was for this reason that god created wifi and  portable computers!) watching the rabbits (the birds are back in their perches), listening to the coyotes, and talking to you.

I hope to do one more post before the big adventure begins on March 24th.  Stay tuned!  Egypt, Jordan and Israel are in our future!