What's Opera, Doc?

 

 

 

Last night Jack and I attended the San Francisco Opera's performance of Lohengrin as the guest of our landlady, who is a dresser with the opera company.  Lohengrin is a Germanic spin on a medieval myth that was composed by Richard Wagner.  It was a favorite of King Ludwig of Bavaria who built the famous castle of Neuschwanstein, which is on our travel bucket list.

This was only the second opera I've seen and I must confess that I don't see the attraction.  There were subtitles over the stage so we could follow the story, but the operatic performance style seems so forced to me.  A stage full of people with their mouths wide open and their vocal cords straining as they sing just seems so overly melodramatic.  Of course, in certain circumstances, I can see the attraction of all that.

We wanted to love the performance but we just didn't, although we could appreciate the training and skill that went into it.  Jack and I escaped like guilty schoolchildren after three hours (Lohengrin is LONG) at the second intermission.  On our way out the door we took a picture of the Opera House lobby and

 

and of one of the gilded wall hangings with Jack's new Iphone.  



 

 

 

Maybe Jack and I will try the opera again some day.  Until then, we'll just enjoy the Looney Tunes version of it.  Now that is the kind of refined culture that I can enjoy.

 

 





A Thousand Things I Want To Say to You

Last night was our last night in Portland and we spent it with our good friends, Nadine and Eric

at one of our favorite Portland hangout spots, Palace of Industry.  Located just a few blocks from Nadine and Eric's house, Palace of Industry is a wacky mix of a vintage store and a bar

and a restaurant. 

There is a DJ on Friday nights, the furniture is comfy (although these two look pretty uncomfortable - like they're on an awkward first date)

and there are lots of fun things to look at.

Jack and I have sure enjoyed spending time with our friends here and it's reminded us (as if we need reminding) of our wonderful friends and family across the country.  Like the sign on the wall says,

just not good-bye.  We wish that we could take all of you with us on our journey.   Don't forget that there is an air mattress with your name on it wherever we are.  (Pretty tempting, huh?  How can you resist such an offer?) We miss all of you and hope to see you sometime soon.  Next stop - San Francisco!

Sing it With Me... "Rocky Mountain Hiiiigh"

I've been thinking about John Denver lately.  Love him or hate him, if you grew up in the '70's, the music of John Denver became embedded in your brain due to the continuous airplay of his songs on Top 40 radio stations.  While I was never a big Denver fan, I still know most of the words to his biggest hits.  (Why is it that I can remember forty year old song lyrics but not the code number to my debit card?)  John Denver's music focused on his love for nature and for Colorado, his adopted home and I can see why.  It's been a dream of mine to live in Colorado since I was dancing under a mirrored disco ball back in the day and now, for a time, I am. 

Jack, Coco and I have been staying in Winter Park, Colorado for almost two weeks now and we really love it here.  Located about an hour west of Denver, Winter Park is a ski town in the Fraser Valley.  It is VERY small but it has lots of restaurants and a nice wine bar so all is good.  We are renting a condo in  the middle of town so we can walk to everything.  There is a river that runs right in front of our building and we've been enjoying sitting outside listening to the water and working on our crossword puzzles together. 

Hiking trails and biking trails are right at the edge of the condominium complex property and we try and get out every day for a walk or a run or a bike ride.  It makes it so easy to get motivated when you can just walk out the door into beautiful scenery.  This morning on my way back from a run I saw a fox in front of one of the buildings.    

Last week-end the three of us went for a hike at Monarch Lake which was about a forty minute drive away.  The trail is a beautiful, four mile loop with a waterfall, a river, and, of course, the lake. 

Jack and I agreed that Coco earned a hiking Merit Badge because she walked the entire loop and seemed to love it.  Lots to see and investigate. 

When you look at Coco on the trail with Jack you can see how small she is and what an trek it was for her.  Even small rocks can be a tough climb when you are that small. 

My favorite part of the day was sitting on a bridge watching the river tumble over the rocks below.  It was a nice spot to catch our breath and take some pictures.  The altitude really takes a lot out of you!

Jack and I were hoping to see some moose on our trek but we were out of luck that day.  We did see some beautiful Calypso Orchids, or Fairy Slippers, which are endangered here in Colorado.

While Jack and I don't know if we could ever live in this small of a town long term, we are really enjoying mountain living and we're glad that we have another month to explore and enjoy that "Rocky Mountain Hiiigh".

New Orleans Voodoo

I hate slasher movies and don't like to read murder mysteriers or anything involving women or children in peril but I must admit to a fascination with the supernatural.  Fairies, vampires, werewolves - I'm your girl. New Orleans is a city that is closely associated with the occult so it only makes sense that I would want to do a little research into the supernatural while I'm visiting here.

When my sister Deb and brother-in-law Bob were visiting here recently we made a stop at the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum which bills itself as the original and only actual voodoo museum in New Orleans.  Located on Rue Dumaine in the French Quarter, the Voodoo Museum was created in 1972 by Charles Gandolfo who was a New Orleans Creole native, artist and cultural preservationist.  General admission is $7.00 but because I mentioned that we found them on the internet our admission was only $5.00.  On the day we visited no one was available to give us a tour so we walked around the 3 cluttered rooms ourselves.  Below is a picture of the altar room where people still leave small objects or money on the altar as petitions to the voodoo spirits for intercession.



The Museum's website states that it's purpose is to explain the history of voodoo and it's contemporary existence by exploring voodoo as a spiritual practice,  discussing the facts and folklore surrounding voodoo, and exploring the fusion of voodoo into music and jazz, Mardi Gras, movies and literature. 

Voodoo came to Louisiana when African captives were brought to the territory as slaves bringing with them their religious beliefs rooted in spirit and ancestor worship and their knowledge of herbs, poisons and the ritural creation of charms and amulets used for protection or harm.  Over the course of time, Catholic traditions and practices were incorporated into the voodoo faith and the spirits that presided over everyday life gradually took on the names of the Catholic Saints.  Louisiana voodoo recognizes one God and multiple lesser spirits who intercede in the lives of their followers.  Followers can connect with these spiritual forces through music, dance and the use of snakes which represent Legba.  Unlike the traditional Judeo-Christian imagery of the serpent as a representation of evil, voodoo practioners believe that Legba represents the connection between Heaven and Earth and is the main spiritual conduit to all other spirits and to God.



During our visit we learned that the most famous voodoo practioner was the healer Marie Laveau.  Born in 1801, Marie Laveau was a free woman of color who specialized in love potions and sought to help the hungry and poor. 

In New Orleans, a voodoo priestess is called a Queen and a priest is called a Doctor so Marie Laveau is often referred to as the Voodoo Queen.  New Orleans musician Malcolm "Mac" Rebennack gained fame when he took on the persona of Dr. John, the Night Tripper a name that came from an early 19th century Louisiana voodoo practioner.  His first solo album was called Gris-Gris which is the word for both the act and the object of voodoo magical power.  Wikipedia says that the album contains voodoo rhythms and chants and was ranked number 143 in Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".  It might be fun to try and find that.  I wonder if it's on ITunes?



Our stop at the Voodoo Museum was entertaining and informative.  It made for a nice break in our exploration of the French Quarter and got me to thinking about the history of this area and the diverse cultures of the people that live here today.  I'm excited to learn more about New Orleans.





Things We Love About New Orleans

New Orleans Likes: Food, Music, the "Vibe",Feel of History, Smell of Flowers  Everywhere, Friendliness (to humans and dogs), Weather,
Outdoor Lifestyle, Walkability, Festivals, Drew Brees

New Orleans Dislikes: Mosquitos, Heat, Broken and Bumpy Sidewalks and Streets, No Recycling

Jack and I have been in New Orleans now for almost a month and it has taken me that long to start feeling settled in.  Jack seems to feel right at home here and has said more than once that he could see living here.  He loves the heat and humidity (and it's only April!) and of course, the great food and music. 
While I like it here in New Orleans, I don't get the feeling of "home".  We really enjoy the Garden District neighborhood where our rental house is located so it's not that.  Our current home is one half of a double shotgun style house with high ceilings and hardwood floors.  It's certainly not a fancy place but it's clean and safe.  We laugh and say that it's like your dream first apartment after college - close to retail, lots of bars and restaurants, public transportation and Walgreen's.

Jack and I really enjoy the four block walk to yoga class at Shanti Yoga Shala and then stopping at Martin's wine store to pick up a bottle or two of wine on the way home.  You cannot beat their selection and prices! On another day, we might stop at Mahoney's to sit outside and split a veggie poorboy and some amazing onion ring straws washed down with an Abita beer.  While we hiked when we lived in Illinois, we rarely walked to anyplace like a restaurant or store and we are both really enjoying the walkability of New Orleans.  It's also fun to take the trolley that runs between Uptown and Downtown. The wooden seats, no air conditioning and the open windows give the trolley that old time feel that is one of the things we enjoy in New Orleans.

Last Friday, we walked down to Perlis Clothing so that Jack could get some new work clothes (shorts).  Perlis is an old time department store that sells Men's, Women's and Children's clothing.  Unlike in many stores today, every sales person seemed glad to see us and talked to us.  Pleasantly.  They made eye contact.  The owner came over and told me about living behind the store when he was a boy, Jack's salesperson told him about her grandchildren and her recipe for stuffed peppers, and I learned all about the young shoe salesperson who taught himself English at school after his parents immigrated to New Orleans from Korea, earned a scholarship to Tulane and is now headed for medical school.  Such a different way of interacting here.   

 

We love the beautiful homes here in the Garden District and Uptown and, as always, we wonder what these people do for a living?  Some of the homes are amazing, and while you know that they have to be less expensive than a similar home in a city like New York or Chicago they still must cost a great deal. 

Last week, while I was out walking Coco in the neighborhood, I came upon the film crew preparing to shoot scenes for Quentin Tarantino's new movie, Django Unchained.  A neighbor of the home the studio had rented for the shoot told me that it was a Tarantino film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Morgan Freeman, and Sacha Baron Cohen so I Googled the film name when I got back home.  Unfortunately, no celebrities were spotted that day.  

Jack and I feel very lucky to be able to spend some time in this beautiful city.  We've walked and driven through almost all of the neighborhoods and have found a lot to like.  In the next several weeks, we have both the French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest to look forward to along with trips to the Rock and Bowl for Zydeco Music and trips to Mandina's and Mother's for local food.  I'll keep you posted!

   

St. Patrick's Day - NOLA Style

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Today was a beautiful sunny day in New Orleans.  Jack and I got moving early this morning so that we could go for a run in Audubon Park before heading back to watch the St. Patrick's Day Parade.  We took the bus up to the Park and the Trolley back home which costs $1.25 each way.  We didn't want to move our car because we were told that traffic and parking would get crazy this afternoon as people poured into the area for the St. Patrick's Day Parade.  Public transportation was easy and convenient but I've got to learn to relax and WAIT for it to show up.  Things seem to run at a little more casual pace in the South and I find myself getting impatient. I'm not sure why.   

Audubon Park is beautiful and we had really enjoyed our run there.  Jack and I are so grateful that we are healthy enough to get out and run, especially considering that Jack could barely walk last year at this time.  It was a wonderful day to get outside; sunny and breezy and not too humid.  Audubon Park has century old oak trees which offer a lot of shade, lots of open green space, a lagoon, a zoo and stables.  We like the 1.8 mile paved path for running and biking that goes around the park.  It's right in town, surrounded by beautiful homes and near to Loyola and Tulane Universities. 



After our run we headed home to eat lunch and head over to the parade.  You couldn't ask for better weather to enjoy the St. Patrick's Day Parade.  Jack and I staked out a good spot on Louisiana Avenue which is a few blocks from where we are staying. We brought Coco with us but ended up bringing her back home mid-way through the parade.  As usual, she was a hit with everyone sitting around us but the noise got to be too much for her. While we only brought over lawn chairs and a few drinks, many people arrived early with tables, coolers, portable tents and lots of food.  

People really seem to get into the spirit of the parade and lots of people were in costume which was fun and added to the party atmosphere. 



There is a strong Irish presence in New Orleans which was a surprise to me.  Of course, on St. Patrick's Day everyone is Irish or pretends they are for a little while!  Jack and I were surprised that to find that the parade was primarily made up of walking groups from Irish bars and Irish organizations along with parade floats. 

 In addition to throwing LOTS of beads, marchers in this parade have a tradition of carrying styrofoam sticks with silk flowers stuck in them so that they look like floral parasols.  Women on the parade route are then given a flower in exchange for a kiss on the cheek.  





Along with beads and flowers, groups gave out items like garters, stuffed animals, plastic cups and underwear. 



The most unusual things we saw thrown from the floats were heads of cabbage and little packets of carrots for soup.  The streets were littered with beads, trash and vegetable bits.  

The floats were bright and colorful and played lots of fun, upbeat music. We enjoyed the music but were disappointed that there was very little Irish music played in the parade.  We were hoping for lots of bagpipes!  In fact, there was only one band in the parade.  The kids did a great job but looked like they were worn out by the time they reached our spot on the parade route.  Jack and I enjoyed all of the floats and terrific people watching. 

Neither one of us has been to Mardi Gras but if today is any indication, it must be a LOT of fun.  I think that a person would really have to build up to it.  How do people get the energy?  I'm not sure that I'm up for the challenge.  It was great to go to the parade and celebrate but then it was great to come back to our little place and enjoy the quiet.  Jack and I had a great time sharing in a New Orleans tradition and would recommend the parade for anyone. Despite the huge

huge amounts of alcohol being consumed (you can walk around with open alcohol here) it's very family friendly.  Lots of multi-generational groups were there along with the younger generation of partiers and everyone got along beautifully.  Just remember to keep your head up if you are standing in the front or you might get conked on the head by a cabbage! 



A Splendid Time Was Had By All

Being a tourist can be a lot of fun, can't it?  New sights, rich food, and impulse shopping all make for a fun-filled day or two.  I love to go on vacation but I'm always happy to go home.  Now that we are doing our "Grand Tour" the challenge is to make wherever we stay feel like home and still take advantage of all of the opportunities of a new place.  During our visit in New York City we've tried not to run amok and act like this is one long vacation.  Who can afford that?  Jack and I try to live like locals.  We cook at home most nights and the only shopping we've done has been for Christmas presents. 


This past week-end our friends, Pat and Denise came to New York City for a few days.  It was great to catch up with them and do some of the typical tourist things. Armed with our trusty subway map, Jack and I were able to play tour guide. (Our kids are laughing somewhere, muttering about "...the blind leading the blind.")

 We started our day with lunch overlooking the Bryant Park ice skating pond and then headed over to the Empire State Building.  It was a cloudy day but we were still able to see all over the city from the 86th floor observation area.  It was freezing cold and windy - it didn't seem that blustery when Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks met there at the end of Sleepless in Seattle!

We didn't really mind the wind or the cold but it was vaguely annoying that every step of the way cost money.  Tickets - $25/each.  Going to another level - an additional $15/each.  A map to know what you're looking at - more money. In order to leave the observation deck they route you through the gift shop to get to the elevator you just passed!  A small thing really but irritating.  How do families afford it?

Later that night we headed over to Grand Central Station which is one of the two train stations in Manhattan. 

Our kids had recommended that we have dinner at the Grand Central Oyster Bar so we took them up on their suggestion and had a terrific meal. The restaurant itself made me think of Mad Men for some reason.  It seems like the kind of place where those characters would enjoy a three martini lunch.  Since it was my birthday, I treated myself to scallops for dinner. I haven't eaten meat in several years but every once in awhile I will have fish when it seems like my body craves it.  Or maybe it's just when my willpower is low! 

The next day we all hopped on a Greyline Doubledecker bus for a tour of Manhattan.  Jack and I try and take a guided tour whenever we go to a new city and it's a great way to show visitors around town.  Since the tickets are good for 48 hours and you can hop on and hop off whenever you like, it seems like a pretty good value to me. 

Later that day, we had dinner and saw a jazz show at Dizzy's Club which is in the Time Warner building a couple of blocks from our apartment.  The view out of the floor to ceiling windows is incredible at night and the two times I've been there I've felt like I was in an episode of Sex in the City minus the amazing shoes and cool clothes, of course!  The food is good, the service is great and the prices are very reasonable.  Not New York reasonable but comparable to a nice restaurant anywhere.

Based on another recommendation from our kids, we finished off our night by heading back to Grand Central Station to have a drink at the Campbell Apartment which was closed for a private party the previous night.  Modeled after a 13th century Florentine palace, the Campbell Apartment was the private office of Joseph W. Campbell who rented the space to use as an office and to entertain guests in 1923 and maintained it for over twenty years.  The ceiling is 25 feet high and as you can see, the window behind the bar is enormous.  

Today, the Campbell Apartment is a place to enjoy "cocktails from another era".  It's the kind of spot where you would expect to see Hercule Poirot sipping a cup of tea or Howard Carter and George Herbert telling friends about their amazing discovery in the Valley of the Kings. It's a fun place to sit on a sofa in front of the fireplace and enjoy an appetizer while sipping a drink.  Jack stuck with Scotch but I had the Flapper's Delight and the Berry Royale, both of which I can highly recommend!  Stop by the next time you visit New York.  While it looks fancy, the dress code is casual.  It does say that tennis shoes are not allowed but I'm not sure how strictly the rule is enforced.  We did see someone with a baseball cap on so they probably aren't that strict about enforcing the dress code, but why risk being turned away?  The Campbell Apartment does recommend making a reservation if you plan on visiting during peak times like after work or on week-ends.  

We spent the following day visiting other New York City sites like Central Park and the 9/11 Memorial but I'll save that for another post. New York City was amazing but for Jack and me, the best part of the entire week-end was spending time with dear friends.  A splendid time was had by all.