2019: CAPSULE OF OUR YEAR

PERFORMANCE 2019 (ok, gotta figure out google photos before can pepper this with pics)

SAT. JAN 1. BRIAN AND FRANK. Departing after their visit. 

We ring out the old year and invite the new together.

 SUNDAY, JAN. 2. We're invited to 1st rehearsal of The Hour of Great Mercy, play we've sponsored at Diversionary.

     Who will it be??

 SUNDAY, JAN. 6. Reuel takes a NIA class in the morning. Love 'em. Sue instructor.

 Golden Globes honors old timers.

MON JAN 7

LUZ, housekeeper, Monday we pass on Bohemian Rhapsody 62% Rotten Tomatoes. And walk to Arrivederci Italian (what then?) restaurant in Hillcrest--always fab. A nice Chianti (Ruffino Reserva) with Bob’s Rigatoni picante (sausage in it) he recommends “for a family” (portions are huge) Reuel: linguini and meatballs. Doggy bags "prego".

TUESDAY JAN. 8. Getting ready for our Burma trip with a haircut and saying goodbye to our bar and opium den.

SEE FAB BLOG OF FAB JANUARY 9-27 THAILAND/MYANMAR TRIP!

MON JAN 28

Back late last night from the Burma (Myanmar) trip and not really prepared for the advent of Luz but there she is so it’s Hob Nob Hill. Nice to have American food making food great again. 1/2 carafe. Reuel: round steak, rather overly doused with gravy. 

SUNDAY FEB 3.

MOXIE THEATRE. Herland. By Grace McCloud.

We find ourselves here in the heartland beyond SDSU in a shopping center, um strip mall, at Moxie Theatre. Suggested by Ann a compadre in Jill’s exercise class. Have u been to Moxie? No but I’ve heard about it. Seems Jill Drexler, our mutual Thursday and Saturday aerobics instructor and habitual “mommy” in my plays in San Diego is one of the "old lady" stars--it's about old ladies who are individuals and refuse to go gently into that good night. Interesting discussion afterwards. Fascinating that we liked it a lot more than the ladies we met there did. 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4.

A visit to Coronado for Bob’s pre-op. Thank you Uber for that always extraordinary view of San Diego on the Bay as we ride back to URBAN MO’s (and it isn’t even Luz Monday).

Me: martini. Tuna sub yum. Always order unless you need the meatball sub. Bob: "goyashe" pasrtrami. (Mayonaise?) “Good but it’s goyishe.” 

MONDAY FEBRUARY 11.

We leave before Luz arrives because Bob has another pre-cataract Visit in Coronado. Uber to the rescue and to take us back to Urban MOs afterwards. Are we regulars? Ryan the bartender waves—he knows us enough to pour Reuel the mother of all Grey Goose martinis.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 23.

Hershey Felder’s Beethoven at the San Diego Rep. 2: matinee. Uber (our driver is getting his Ph.D. In climate change at Scripps belying 1st impressions and his selection of hip hop) drops us off at the other end of the virtually moribund Horton Plaza. Brilliant theatrical and musical experience . . . of course.

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 24. DIANA @ LJP. Greatly anticipated as the crown of the Playhouse’s season (not its best) finally disappointing though it has its moments. Judy Kaye as Barbara Cartland and the Queen nails it of course as does the performer in a small role as Diana’s valet who advises her to take revenge on her husband’s and Camilla’s (here a villain) Machiavellian tactics and wear a “fuck me” dress. In fact the Wm. Ivy Long costumes steal the show. Diana performer talented but lacks charisma. 2nd act picks up. But at  2 1/2 hours, something’s got to go.

FRIDAY MARCH 1.

Rehearsal at San Diego Symphony of Mahler’s 4th. This by invitation of the JCF who seemed mighty glad to see us and treated us like the big donors it appears we are. Good event—a breakfast (who knew) in the elegant meeting room, meeting Beth the CEO with Jeremy who we  know. Then the rehearsal with maestro de Waart wonderful. Let’s a whole bunch play, then focuses on specific passages—what I remember from my own orchestra days as a second violin in maestro Singer’s orchestra in Jersey City. 

SUNDAY MARCH 10.

GEORGE’S ON THE COVE, La Jolla with the Ladies Supper Club. Sharron driving us to Andria and Erica’s house in OB, their place being renovated but looking a lot neater than our hole-infested re-pipe trap. The restaurant, Beautiful location on the ocean, strange arrangement of a 3 story restaurant, Sharon needing to take their handicap elevator with mixed success. Terrifically expensive, especially for what was widely regarded (by our group of 6) as mediocre fare. Crudo appetizer is a nice revelation but though my chicken is fine the accompanying green vegetables are too salty—a common plaint, e. g. Sharron and Bob’s pork loin and Andrea and Kathy’s shared yellow tail. Oh well, the company is fine. 

MONDAY MARCH 11. 

Hob Nob Hill—it’s Luz cleaning day after all, though the poor lady has to wiggle around the furniture and objects moved for the re-pipe plumbing contractor’s workmen. Wall-to-ceiling openings between 16” joists displaying the new copper pipes are in the Living Room, M Bedroom, and M bath (Next week for the remainder). 

As to our lunch, my Fancy Tomato (stuffed with tuna fish) and ice tea and Bobs chard and egg salad sandwich hit the spot.  HN celebrating its 75th year at its present (nearby) location.

Evening. The Jewish Community Foundation (Beth CEO and Jeremy CFO) are taking us and our financial planner, Sheryl, to Mr. A’s. I guess it’s supposed to be a celebration for our sale of a percentage of our property to JCF as we await word on a potential buyer’s offer. 

Verdict: splendid.

MONDAY MATCH 25. LuzdayMonday. We gotta get away from the chaos on our condo, the holes in the walls, and the piles of our things, all in service to the Repiping and poor Luz has to clean around it. 

So it’s URBAN MO’S. Bob cheeseburger “Big. Good.” Turns out its not med rare but well done. For me definitely a no no. Reuel--Mediterranean salad featuring couscous. And a ginormous Grey Goose 

Hold on I’m driving home cheeseburger movies Monday to get away from the holes in our walls is it repairable martini. There goes the afternoon. I tell our server Ryan I’d also like a registration in AA. Owner Chris Shaw comes over to greet  us. Some banter. He’s a nice guy despite being very rich; he remembers our Palm Springs resort of course.

SEE APRIL 6-MAY 4. POLYNESIAN CRUISE notes and photos.

SATURDAY MAY 11. MEMORIAL FOR MILLIE GALLAGHER. Of Corrie’s Class and Bill’s wife. Everything is impressive as, we discover from Bill’s memorial, was Millie who as an engineer worked on the Jupiter rocket. Her quilts hang on the walls of the huge chapel filled to the brim with Bill’s and Millie’s fellow parishioners (they were deacons of the church). Many of Corrie’s class are here too, some of us wearing flowery attire. For me, one of my Jam’s Hawaiian shirts under my jacket. At the Pt. Loma Presbyterian Church. It’s raining. I’ve still got and will continue to have bronchitis so I let Beth know that Gator By the Bay is not an option today—tomorrow yes. Beautiful music, piano, organ, and a great spread of sandwiches—crusts removed, they’re Presbyterians—fruit and tea and coffee served by a sweet elderly lady pouring from a silver service. Driving back, we pass a soggy Gator By the Bay. 

SUNDAY MAY 12. It’s Mother’s Day and Gator By the Bay, one of those days Bob gets by his wishes to stay home and I get to drink many glasses of wine and eat jambolaya and some of g’nephew Gregory’s crawfish, listen mostly to blues bands—not crazy about zaideko—and chat with niece Judie’s kids, Greg (who I discover  has become a mensch), Daniel and my g’niece. 

WEDNESDAY MAY 15. Get to take Nancy and Beth, who is still hobbling from her injury, but off her crutches and improving rapidly, and Nancy-in honor of her birthday yesterday—to PF Chang’s. I am appalled at poor service training—I guess spoiled by our treatment on the Golden Princess—and find myself tearful at my poor youngest niece’s depressive condition. 

FRIDAY MAY 17. MIA TRATORIA in the neighb. Bob pronounces it “mediocre “. We manage to consume a bottle of uninteresting Chianti however. Wonder how long this restaurant will continue. 

SATURDAY JUNE 1. Opening Night “Significant Other” at Diversionary. Light comedy (why do it?) professionally directed and acted, particularly the lead, playing a NYC gay man looking for love, whose only friends are women who, to his dismay, have their own lives. 

SUNDAY JUNE 2. Rented an apartment yes. SAUVAGE/WILD  at the Ken Theatre—bless its heart. Riveting. Young male prostitute in France—his travails. Damned gritty. Not a happy ending despite trajectory. 

WEDNESDAY JUNE 5. The Gods of Comedy, by Ken Ludwig, Old Globe. Matinee. Great acting and direction makes it work. Not Side-splitting writing but fun enough. 

FRIDAY JUNE 7. THE SOUVENIR. tomato meter says 91% but 41% from general audience responders who saw it as pretentious crap. Hey I’m with them. Love to see Tilda Swinton playing mom to her actual mother of actress daughter who is an ambitious film student but masochistic about her heroin addicted lover. Not enough for a full meal of a movie. 

SATURDAY JUNE 8. KEEP YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER. LA Jolla Playhouse. Forum Theatre. Brilliant writing. Brilliant acting from the three actors. Starts out as a date between 2 young people. Becomes increasingly dystopian, a horror story, as the characters feel isolated in the upper middle class house in Evanston as death and destruction clearly is going on around them, an inevitable result of the Trump era. A 3rd character an older woman—a neighbor who comes in on the scene. She tries to make it out to safety and her family but returns and relates the horror. 

SUNDAY JUNE 9. MOVE OVER, MRS MARKHAM. At RANCHO Sante Fe Theatre at Allianz U. Let’s put it this way, an exuberant production . . . of a typical English French-style farce—various couples vying for kanoodle time in another couple’s apartment with the wrong people thus causing embarrassment. Broad English accents loudly Over-enunciated. The audience of septa and octogenarians warmed to it. Um . . . Stylish set. Friend Jill is the Artistic Director there so we—at half price—are there in support.. 

MONDAY JUNE 10

RED FOX! Always a blast. Dark. Your eyes need to adjust to the gloom. And Suzy, never small or smaller, so big as life, knows your order. Bob cheeseburger and fries—all American boy. Me, similarly American, the luncheon fillet with salad (blue cheese) and a baked potato. And a never disappointing martini. 

THURSDAY JUNE 13

Diversionary. It’s the first evening of the Sparks Festival, days of readings, sponsored by Bill and Judi Garett, whom we are seated next to as similar "machas". Much chat of rich people trips. As to the play, I’m enthralled—Gentlemen Caller. About the relationship between Wm. Inge and Tennessee Williams. I thinks it’s read brilliantly  by the Hedwig star pulling out the stops as Williams seducing with his flamboyance the uptight Inge. The language is appropriately lush. 

SUNDAY JUNE 23.

We are invited to “Teen- versionary”, which is the teen youth arm of Diversionary, by Skyler, Matt’s husband. The kids are assembling for the first time to read a play. We are introduced as sponsors. There’s a lot of talk about gender pronouns. 👌 . 

SEE JUNE 29-JULY 27 for PUERTO VALLARTA Dining and entertainment. 

SUNDAY JULY 28. LJP. THE LUCKIEST. By Melissa Ross. Beth who saw it earlier said she liked it.  Only  3 Character play (it will get a lot of productions consequently). Woman who discovers she is dying, her Best friend a gay black man and her mother. All love one another.  She decides she needs a death party rather than extending suffering. They all deal with it. Perhaps a might too extended—conversational. But Brilliantly acted. That matters a lot. Reuel tearful at end. That says something. 

FRIDAY AUGUST 9

“Once Upon A Time In Hollywood”. Quentin Tarantino ‘s latest. Yes lots of violence but 2 great actors being great, Di Caprio and Brad Pitt as has-been star and his stuntman man and friend. Intersecting their stories with the Manson-Sharon Tate episode. With a stunning reversal of history at the end after almost 3 hours—too leisurely, too long. Satire, if that’s what it is, not sharp enough. 

        LUNCH @ Neiman Marcus—a proper proper ladies’ lunch rather late closing in on 3 pm. Takes too long given it’s not crowded at this hour for our cheeseburgers but all is good-/especially the amuse bouche soup and the poppin bread—airy concoction. Just a glass of wine apiece. We’re outta there for under 90 bucks-oh well. 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 16. Invitation to first rehearsal read-thru of GIRLFRIEND at Diversionary Theatre in the Black Box. Conventional oft-told story--albeit sweet--of closet athlete boy and his gay amorato. Lots of false starts in the relationship. The music: unsurprising too.

AUGUST 24.

THE COAST STARLIGHT @ La Jolla Playhouse.

Intimidatingly well-written drama—no intermission—about passengers on a train heading for Seattle (which overnighter Bob and I took years ago from Seattle). The technique of characters addressing one another, offering their deepest secrets, and then saying “this is what I would have/could have/should have said is exciting and effective.  Centering around a pair of would be lovers—a brainiac, iconoclastic girl on the way to break up with her boyfriend and a young navy man deserting before he is once again sent to Afghanistan—the other four older passengers, an advantaged lesbian, a racy, wandering woman, an exhausted businessman at the end of his rope, and an ex GI reconciled to being at loose ends—are all in the imagined interactions touchingly empathetic, hence they are sympathetic. As usual with LJP, brilliantly acted and directed, with clever use of six movable chairs representing the train. 

Beth drives us and we invite her and her guest, Hannah, up for wine, showing off our place, cartons from the transition away from our last multi-unit alas included in the tour . . .  and fascinating conversation. At least we think so.

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