Happy Halloween, with Pictures

Halloween is the overall theme,  but lots of other stuff.

First, a leftover picture, Peter and Nora at the opera in San Francisco.....

A handsome couple, aren't we?

....and back to Palm Springs.....

I started two classes under the auspices of the Osher School of Life Long Learning, under the University of California.  Neither is too much of a stretch - the first is a course on the opera, reviewing the operas being presented in HD by the Metropolitan Opera this season, discussing the history of the operas, the composers. context, etc.  The second is a course entitled "Why is That Art?  So far (I've now had two of each), both professors are very knowledgeable and fun.  Who knows?  I might actually feel better about modern art?  The class is being held at the Palm Springs Art Museum, and we have started doing the class, in part, while exploring the collection.

So, what would a typical day in paradise be?  Well, it might start with coffee on the patio, looking out at...

Then off to the gym every day, for a half an hour to an hour and a half, depending on my mood and my schedule.  Then either off to class, or home for lunch, and, three afternoons a week, more or less, duplicate bridge.  If there are no bridge games or classes, there is always the pool... 

Then there is all the socializing - coffees on the patio, or lunches out, and, of course, the parties....

The first Metropolitan Opera at the Movies for me in Palm Springs was The Nose, an opera by Shostokovich, based on a short story by Gogol.  For a silly thing, it was actually staged quite brilliantly, but I am still not sophisticated enough to be able to stand 2 1/2 hours of Shostokovich; we left after Act II.

Halloween at Palm Springs View Estates is quite the event......

The party was early on Saturday evening, October 27th.  In contrast to the hoopla indoors, was the non-untypical, glorious sunset...

.....And on to LA, and Disney Hall....

...... to meet friend Ray.  Originally from Boston, I met Ray in the Bank America days of my checkered career.  He has graced these pages before, but have I ever mentioned how we met?   We were both living in Marin County (I was living on a sailboat, but that is another very long story, for another day), both (unbeknownst to each other) working for B of A.  It was December, he was hitchiking to work, I was driving my convertible with the top down, and I picked him up.  We started taking about opera and the symphony and the Bank, and, well, we have been friends for the 30 + years since.

Anyway, Ray was visiting Southern California, and scored tickets to the LA Philharmonic.  We were both quite excited, as neither of us had seen Disney Hall, in spite of the fact that it is 10 years old this year.  It was a wonderful concert, a short piece by Ives, a piece written by Salinen, who was conducting, for the violinist who was playing it, and Sibelius' 5th Symphony.  The accoustics were glorious, as advertised.  Afterwards, we explored downtown LA a bit (quite a different place from when I worked there for Security Pacific, as it then was, many moons ago).  (see pictures above)

We ended up at the top of the Ritz Carlton, where Ray had made reservations at WP24, Wolfgang Puck's (reasonably) new restaurant.  I must say, it was a lovely dining experience, with lots to time for us to catch up.  The drive from LA to Palm Springs was a breeze at that time of night (about an hour and forty five minutes), and it altogether a lovely day.

Monday was another lovely day in paradise (see above for approximate details).  Robin and Grant flew in from Vancouver; I picked them up at the airport (an easy matter here, of course), and we had a "welcome back to the desert" lunch at Sherman's Deli - another tradition recently started. 

This was followed by a nice dinner (and you wonder why I have to go to the gym every day) at Johanna's for schnitzel with new friend Robert, introduced to me by David, from Vancouver.  (There seems to be quite a cohort of guys who divide their time between Vancouver, Palm Springs and Puerto Vallarta - I keep meeting more and more of them!)

This turned out to be a big bridge week - Tuesday with the above-noted Robert, Wednesday with old friend Art, and Friday with Robin.

Thursday night was, of course, Halloween, a civic holiday in this town, for sure.  I went out to dinner with friend Geoff at Tropicale, where all of the staff and most of the clientele were in costume.....

By Saturday, I was plumb tuckered out, so no gay pride parade for me this weekend.  Just sitting by the pool on Saturday afternoon, a quick cheap Mexican dinner at La Gallita, our neighborhood dive, and on Sunday, the New York Times. 

Ladies and gentlemen, we are experiencing technical difficulties.  Those blank spaces above?  They are for pictures, none of which I am able to upload (having spent hours editing them!)  The site has a lovely new look, which means that the ##!!## programers have been mucking with it, and, as usual, did not put things back the way they found them.  I suspect they will fix it eventually; meanwhile, I will publish sans pictures, and republish later with pics.  As for the Halloween festivities, well, just use your imaginations!!!

P.S.

It took me two hourss, but, as you can see, pictures are downloaded.  However, although the computer says the pictures were compressed, I think they were not, so your respective computers may explode when opening this blog post.  If anyone has a solution, please please please let me know,  Meanwhile, I will have to be judicious with the pictures!!!


 

Back to Ashland

When I left you, we were just getting on the road to Ashland, from San Francisco.  Our first stop, for breakfast, was one of those places that I think you can only find on the road in America - a nameless town (actually, Hank and/or Pat could probably remember, but I don't), with a locally owned bakery that morphed into a restaurant that added on a store.....                            

(Pat was obviously pleased with his choice!)

We got to Ashland safe and sound, after the obligatory stops at the Olive Pit for a years supply of olives, and some rest area and gas breaks.  Seven hours, as advertised. 

As with everything we do, we have our traditions around Ashland. and one is that our first meal we always have at The Lark, the restaurant in the Ashland Springs Hotel.  From left to right, yours truly, Hank Andy, Pat, (Hank, Andy, Pat and I know each other from Bank of America in San Francisco in the 80's), Carol (my friend and neighbor from Salt Spring Island in the 90's) and Linda (Andy's wife, and our former colleague from B of A).  The meal was excellent, as always, and everyone was in fine spirits and looking forward to our theater experiences.

Another tradition is eating breakfast at the Bread Board at least once (some of us made it more than once!)

And of course, there's the theater.  We all make different play selections, and I can only speak to mine.  My first play was Lear, and it led my rankings as best play this season.  It was in the New Theater (now known as the Thomas Theater - must have cost the Thomas family a pretty penny, that), and so very intimate in all its cruelty.  In modern dress, as they mostly are these days, but the Lear - and all the men - were fabulous.  The women, not so much, but noone was going to like anyone but Cordelia anyway.  Anyway, great theater experience.

Time always seems to stand still in Ashland, so even though we see six plays in four days, there is time to see the colour in nearby Lithia Park...

... see the arts and crafts show, see a non-to be- missed (at least by Hank and Andy) college football game in a local sports bar, and, of course, support the local Ashland economy by shopping.  But, meanwhile, back to the theater.

Next up for me was Streetcar Named Desire.  I must be the anniversary of Tennessee Williams birth, or death, or something, because there is a lot of Williams going around.  Streetcar has been played in Vancouver in recent memory, as was a play called His Greatness about Tennessee Williams himself.  This was a wonderful production, with a great Blanche,  The Stanley was no Marlon Brando, but he had some very good moves - oh, they were all good.  (Did you know that Karl Maldin played Mitch in the first Broadway production in 1947?  ) 

Then, Cymbeline, in the Elizabethan Theater.  First, a word about why we are in Oregon on this particular weekend.  It is the last weekend that the Elizabethan Theater, an open air theater, is open, and the tickets were half price.  For that reason, we were willing to try, to see just how cold it would be in the open air theater.....

As you can tell from the looks of Hank, above, it was very, very cold.  As for Cymbeline, well, there is a reason why they play it every 30 years.  Enough said.  It was meant to be a belt notch for me.  As it turns out, it was only half a belt notch.  Several (including me, but not all) left at intermission.  The cold was only part of the problem.  The rest was that the new crop of actors just aren't enunciating as well as the old ones.  Bad as a play might be, you want to hear the words.

Next, two modern plays, The Unfortunates, a new musical about a group of soldiers who maintain their courage through song (review: interesting and well done, but could have explored the topic better) and Liquid Plain, a world premier, part of Ashland's American History series.  We were wait listed for this play for the longest time, and finally got the tickets two days before we arrived.  We were all thrilled, as we had seen the previous ones in the series (although they are in no particular historical order), and it was worth it, although all agreed that we understood it better after the after-performance talk and Q & A given by one of the actors.  I finished up with Midsummer Night's Dream.  Unfortunately, they did a much better production several years ago.  This year, the Oberon and Titania were weak, and the Puck was downright silly, and not in a good way.  Add that to the cold, and Carol and I left at half time.

Shows seen by others, to various degrees of acclaim, were My Fair Lady ( 5 stars from all who attended), The Tenth Muse (rated the best in show by Carol) and The Heart of Robin Hood (three thumbs down from all who attended) and The Taming of the Shrew (Andy and Linda both loved it).

I know it sounds like a lot of negatives, but overall, it was a great experience for all of us.  Live theater is like that, you win some and you lose some, but for those of us who love it, well, it can't be beat.  And then there was the company, and the food (we have adopted a new Italian Restaurant on Main Street (which shall remain nameless as I can't remember its name - I'm sure Hank and/or Andy will let me know).....

and ....

....saw the Green Room show (outside, on the plaza between the theaters)

 ....and generally enjoyed each other's company.  All in all it was voted the best Ashland weekend ever.  We are already planning for next year.  Put your hands up, all who wish to join our merry band.  As they say, the more the merrier!

And, on Monday morning we went our separate ways home.  Again, uneventful trips for all, as one would hope.

On Tuesday, October 15th, I was lucky enough to score a rush ticket for the opera (I do so love paying $30 for a $120 seat!), and Peter enjoyed a wonderful (as usual) dinner at Absynthe, in the Hays Valley in San Francisco, and a wonderful night att the opera.  Falstaff (Verdi) was delightful, Bryn Terfel in fine voice, staging, directing, music, all wonderful.

And on Wednesday, I was on my way to Palm Springs.

Mariah picked me up from  the airport, and we had our -you guessed it - traditional - lunch at Sherman's Deli.  Neighbor Michael, god bless him, has taken care of everything, so the place is wonderful.  In mere hours, what with everyone saying "welcome home", it was as if I had never left.  I do love it here........

Am  back to the gyme (1 1/2 hours each day), and bridge.  Have made a few new friends, and connected with lots of old ones.  The Palm Springs Art Museum  had a reception for new members...

.....which I enjoyed a lot I may volunteer there - it is a far better museum than you might expect.

Mariah's friend Soo and her son Jake moved here from Seattle last spring.  I had met Soo, but in all these years had never met her son.  They had discovered a new (to us) place in Palm Desert called Clementine's, with a pasta and wine night...

Good conversation, good food, good everything.  I don't think there is anything about the desert I don't like, but in particular, it is the air.  Mariah says it feels like silk on your face, and that is certainly what it felt like going home in the balmy 60's with the top down.........

Well, that about brings you up to date.  I am starting my new classes tomorrow, and am fully booked through the weekend, but will try to post next Monday.  Meanwhile, I am taking reservations for winter visits.....