A Week in Palm Springs
A WEEK IN PALM SPRINGS
WITH A LOT OF ETC., ETC., ETC.
May & June 2007
May 23 to 30 A MEMORIAL DAY GETAWAY
We decided to spend a week with James Lee in lovely Palm Springs. The weather was perfect for us; between 95 & 100 degrees every day and nice and dry! We helped get James moving and doing some things around the house; throwing away junk mail, paying bills, organizing folders, etc., etc., etc. James looks good; he still needs to get his energy back—maybe a bit more exercise would help. Hope we were as helpful to him as we thought we were. We got him out of the house more for movies, luncheons, dinners, and socializing.
Swimming every day was a great way to exercise for us. Water was slightly cool and felt so refreshing with the high temperatures! Got to the pool at least once a day during the warmest time of the day.
Dining is always great in Palm Springs; one has to be careful with restaurant selections since many of them are rather so-so. Plum in their new location was a great disappointment; their hamburger has gone way down in taste and preparation. La Casitas is one of the better Mexican restaurants in town. Always fill up on the delicious combination plate and those wonderful margeritas!! Davey’s Hideaway, one of our favorite restaurants in Palm Springs, did not disappoint. Began with their Caesar Salad. Love their fettucini Alfredo; I never make that at home. Had an enjoyable time with friends: Todd, Gary, & John Rock. Davey’s also makes a superb martini!! Then had a marvelous Sunday Brunch at my favorite place in Palm Springs, Le Vallauris. Ken joined us. They served a rather tasty chilled tomato-fennel soup with bits of avocado on top. Then their whitefish with a mustard sauce over a delicious warm spinach with plenty of garlic and olive oil and boiled saffron potatoes were superb!! All the champagne you can drink is included—they lose money with me sipping away! Dessert was a homemade peach tart with a superb vanilla custard. Jim & Danny’s for a carbonara dinner: delicious with many guests. A pineapple coconut cake completed the evening. It was good to see James mixing in with everyone and enjoying himself. Spencer’s for their $19.95 lunch at the old tennis club. Began with a very tasty lobster bisque; then had linguini with grilled shrimp in a tasty tomato sauce. A crème brulee with fresh fruit finished it all off. Most delicious! A good red wine to go with it all. Europa Restaurant, Sonja Henie’s living room in a lovely old Hollywood resort, gets better and better every time we go there. Had a leisurely dinner with James there our last night in Palm Springs. They also make a superb martini; shared a fabulous Caesar Salad with James. Then tried their whitefish with a garlic and caper sauce with lovely, buttery mashed potatoes and some zucchini and carrots on the plate. We all shared Merrill’s rich and dense chocolate mousse; more like a melted candy bar than a light, fluffy mousse.
Got to see friends: Rick, who is battling a sight loss and Dick, who is suffering from over radiation from cancer treatment. The cancer has gone; it is now the effects of the radiation that he is battling. Also got to see Antonio who recently lost his partner of 35 years, Bob Wheaton.
The Palm Springs Art Museum had three enjoyable exhibits:
Treasures of the West: Art from Desert Collections
This collection of over 100 artworks collected by residents of the Coachella Valley. Not really my type of art; a lot of cowboys and Indians, but colorful and a few interesting pieces.
The Eyes: Mirrors of the Soul Portraits by Marion Pike
This was more to my liking. Marion Pike (1913-1998) captured her subjects usually in 8’ by 5’ facial portraits. The eyes are the first thing you seem to notice on the canvas. She painted many celebrities, including Bob and Dolores Hope, Rosalind Russell, Arthur Rubenstein, Zubin Mheta, among others.
Russel Wright: Living with Good Design
Considered America’s first celebrity designer, Russel Wright and his wife Mary, created designs that were found in nearly every American kitchen and dining room during the 1940s and 1950s. If you could see a photos or two of his designs, you would recognize it immediately. He transformed a generation of Americans following World War II.
THE BAY AREA: ETC., ETC, ETC., IN BRIEF
Berkeley Rep’s BLUE DOOR was a drama about African-American ancestors and how they affect the present generation; quite an interesting idea from first time playwright, Tanya Berfield. A man does not go to the Million Man March and his white wife divorces him. Lots of dinners with our neighbors across the hall, Dennis & Joey Butler. They like to cook and so do we, so it is nice sharing meals. There is a God in Heaven after all: one of the most evil men on earth, Jerry Falwell, died much before his time! May he burn in hell. Our local paper printed some his famous quotes: “Christians, like slaves and soldiers, ask no questions.” “AIDS is not just God’s punishment for homosexuals; it is God’s punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals.” and “The ACLU is to Christians what the American Nazi party is to Jews.” Hoping his organization is taxed with such “political” statements and hatred!! Day Trip to Petaluma with the Oakland Museum’s Historical Society was quite interesting. The Victorian architecture in the town is gorgeous. We had a great lunch at the Italian restaurant, Volpi’s, that opened in 1925 and is still in the same Volpi family. Then we made a stop in the Marin Cheese Factory and took home a few bargains! Watched the Bob Barker 50th Anniversary Special on TV. I can remember “The Price Is Right” when it first began. Merrill and I celebrated 28 Years of Life together on May 19. Wonder what Rev. Falwell would say about that?? Celebrated with friends, Dennis & Joey and hostess Jan Lewis at a new California style restaurant, The Wood Tavern with lots of wonderful food and good company! Berkeley Rep’s OLIVER TWIST was wonderfully staged in shades of grays and blacks to capture Dickens’ gloomy setting of this orphan’s travails. This production was brought in from its off-Broadway run in NYC. Rather liked it except it was not moving in the least and a couple of the actors, especially Nancy, were rather amateurish. The Lorraine Hansberry Theatre did a good job with the musical, SPUNK; three short stories by black writer Zora Neale Hurston: “Sweat,” “Story in Harlem Slang,” and “The Gilded Six-Bits.” They were not upbeat tales and quite moving. Actress C. Kelly Wright was the most talented in the cast and is a performer to watch—she can sing, dance and act up a storm! I want to see her in something else. Local jazz singer-actress, Kim Nalley, was quite good although she was a bit “stiff” with her acting; she wrote a couple of new songs for this production and her singing is superb. I should get to see her more often in her nightclub, Pearl’s, which is not easy to get to via public transportation. Merrill quits Starbuck’s. The new boss does not like all the time he has been taking off for traveling. His old boss did not mind his absences. She is moving to Michigan, so that ends that. Something else will come up soon after a few trips that we have planned during the summer. It was 22 years since Mother’s death. Where does the time go?? I shall always miss her!! Our next door neighbor, George Horton, passed away on May 29 at the age of 96. He had a great life. He missed his wife, Ruth, who passed away two years ago. I always think of the song, Blue Moon, when we really have one: that occurred on May 31. Terese Grenecco “Alone Together, an Intimate Celebration of the Music of Arthur Schwartz” at the Plush Room was ok. It was just her and Mike Greensill (Wesla’s husband). Her narrative about Schwartz was not very good and jumped all over the place. Sometimes her voice was not up to the complexity of the songs. Her 10-minute medley at the very beginning of her set from “The Band Wagon” was sensational! Not one mention of the show or the movie with Fred Astaire. Did she forget? I got a bit bored by the end of her one hour, ten-minute set. Mike really made her look better than she actually was with his wonderful playing and some arrangements. Two nights later I was back at the Plush Room to see her award-winning cabaret show, Terese Grenecco Drunk Love—A Tribute to Frances Faye. What a difference a day or two does make!!! She was sensational in this tribute to San Francisco singer, Frances Faye’s rather unusual career in the 50s and 60s and even into the 70s. She played the lounges in Vegas, in London and Paris, and the gay and lesbian bars in San Francisco. She was ahead of her time by being openly gay herself. She seldom completed a song all the way through; when she thought of something funny as she was singing the lyrics, she would just say it or sing it! She always played with a six or seven piece band and loved the bongos; always had a bongo player. John Costanza who played bongos with Ms. Faye performed with Ms. Grenecco that evening; he was also sensational as was the seven piece band. This hour and a half show was great!!! A shame she was not as “up” with just herself and the piano a couple of nights before. June 1 would have been my mother’s 91st Birthday; it was also Marilyn Monroe’s 80th Birthday—what would she have looked like at that age? We shall always remember her as she looked at age 36! Forever young!
SF Playhouse’s FIRST PERSON SHOOTER is a very provocative first-time play by Aaron Loeb. About violent video game creators; are they responsible when students kill another student and say it was because of the video game they watched! Brings up quite a few questions. One of the most intellectually stimulating plays I’ve seen in a long time.
MOVIES
“Half Nelson” Fair
Rented it to watch lead actor’s Oscar nominated performance. Bored very quickly with it all. Drug addicted teacher’s relationship with female student who cares about his addiction. Never did get to the end of it. That’s what’s great about NetFlicks!
“Waitress” Good
We got to see this in Palm Springs. Loved Keri Russell. Have been a fan of hers for years; watched her faithfully on TV’s “Felicity” for quite a few years. She has developed into quite an actress and may well receive an Oscar nomination for this performance. Also loved actress, writer and director of the movie, Adrienne Shelly and all the cast, including Andy Griffith. Did not like the subject matter of rednecks wallowing in their ignorance about life!
“Paris, Je T’Aime” Very Good
Also saw this one in Palm Springs. It took a while to get used to the whole concept of the movie. We see 18 short vignettes about love—all kinds of love. A French film which shows off how lovely Paris is. Wanted to get a ticket and fly to Paris the moment the films was over. No cast list is given at the beginning of the movie, so one is pleasantly surprised when the likes of Gina Rowlands, Ben Gazzara, Nick Nolte, Juliette Binoch, etc., etc., appear on the screen. Most of the short stories were quite good; others too predictable and very short.
“The Perils of Pauline” Fair
Decided to rent this from Net Flicks. It was mentioned in Betty Hutton’s obituary as being one of her best films. She was great in the bio of the silent film stunt star. Sometimes she overacted and should have been reigned in by the director of the film. Frank Loesser’s songs were fine for her. One of her big hits, “Pappa, Don’t Preach to Me” was featured in the movie. Billie DeWolfe was great in a supporting role. John Lund was the romantic lead. Got through it all, but it was rough.
“Goya in Bordeaux” Poor
Also from NetFlicks, this film I could NOT get through. It just got so damned artsy-fartsy that I lost interest rather quickly in an interesting true story of the artist’s exile because of his liberal beliefs during the Franco era. Dull, dull, dull!!!
Stay well and enjoy the summer!!! Have a few days left to get ready for my Wisconsin and Minnesota Trip (June 11 to 25). Taking a trip to the Filoli Gardens this week and ready for “The Sopranos” series finale and the Tony Awards!! Christine Ebersole better win or you will hear me screaming from Oakland!!
Gerry
WITH A LOT OF ETC., ETC., ETC.
May & June 2007
May 23 to 30 A MEMORIAL DAY GETAWAY
We decided to spend a week with James Lee in lovely Palm Springs. The weather was perfect for us; between 95 & 100 degrees every day and nice and dry! We helped get James moving and doing some things around the house; throwing away junk mail, paying bills, organizing folders, etc., etc., etc. James looks good; he still needs to get his energy back—maybe a bit more exercise would help. Hope we were as helpful to him as we thought we were. We got him out of the house more for movies, luncheons, dinners, and socializing.
Swimming every day was a great way to exercise for us. Water was slightly cool and felt so refreshing with the high temperatures! Got to the pool at least once a day during the warmest time of the day.
Dining is always great in Palm Springs; one has to be careful with restaurant selections since many of them are rather so-so. Plum in their new location was a great disappointment; their hamburger has gone way down in taste and preparation. La Casitas is one of the better Mexican restaurants in town. Always fill up on the delicious combination plate and those wonderful margeritas!! Davey’s Hideaway, one of our favorite restaurants in Palm Springs, did not disappoint. Began with their Caesar Salad. Love their fettucini Alfredo; I never make that at home. Had an enjoyable time with friends: Todd, Gary, & John Rock. Davey’s also makes a superb martini!! Then had a marvelous Sunday Brunch at my favorite place in Palm Springs, Le Vallauris. Ken joined us. They served a rather tasty chilled tomato-fennel soup with bits of avocado on top. Then their whitefish with a mustard sauce over a delicious warm spinach with plenty of garlic and olive oil and boiled saffron potatoes were superb!! All the champagne you can drink is included—they lose money with me sipping away! Dessert was a homemade peach tart with a superb vanilla custard. Jim & Danny’s for a carbonara dinner: delicious with many guests. A pineapple coconut cake completed the evening. It was good to see James mixing in with everyone and enjoying himself. Spencer’s for their $19.95 lunch at the old tennis club. Began with a very tasty lobster bisque; then had linguini with grilled shrimp in a tasty tomato sauce. A crème brulee with fresh fruit finished it all off. Most delicious! A good red wine to go with it all. Europa Restaurant, Sonja Henie’s living room in a lovely old Hollywood resort, gets better and better every time we go there. Had a leisurely dinner with James there our last night in Palm Springs. They also make a superb martini; shared a fabulous Caesar Salad with James. Then tried their whitefish with a garlic and caper sauce with lovely, buttery mashed potatoes and some zucchini and carrots on the plate. We all shared Merrill’s rich and dense chocolate mousse; more like a melted candy bar than a light, fluffy mousse.
Got to see friends: Rick, who is battling a sight loss and Dick, who is suffering from over radiation from cancer treatment. The cancer has gone; it is now the effects of the radiation that he is battling. Also got to see Antonio who recently lost his partner of 35 years, Bob Wheaton.
The Palm Springs Art Museum had three enjoyable exhibits:
Treasures of the West: Art from Desert Collections
This collection of over 100 artworks collected by residents of the Coachella Valley. Not really my type of art; a lot of cowboys and Indians, but colorful and a few interesting pieces.
The Eyes: Mirrors of the Soul Portraits by Marion Pike
This was more to my liking. Marion Pike (1913-1998) captured her subjects usually in 8’ by 5’ facial portraits. The eyes are the first thing you seem to notice on the canvas. She painted many celebrities, including Bob and Dolores Hope, Rosalind Russell, Arthur Rubenstein, Zubin Mheta, among others.
Russel Wright: Living with Good Design
Considered America’s first celebrity designer, Russel Wright and his wife Mary, created designs that were found in nearly every American kitchen and dining room during the 1940s and 1950s. If you could see a photos or two of his designs, you would recognize it immediately. He transformed a generation of Americans following World War II.
THE BAY AREA: ETC., ETC, ETC., IN BRIEF
Berkeley Rep’s BLUE DOOR was a drama about African-American ancestors and how they affect the present generation; quite an interesting idea from first time playwright, Tanya Berfield. A man does not go to the Million Man March and his white wife divorces him. Lots of dinners with our neighbors across the hall, Dennis & Joey Butler. They like to cook and so do we, so it is nice sharing meals. There is a God in Heaven after all: one of the most evil men on earth, Jerry Falwell, died much before his time! May he burn in hell. Our local paper printed some his famous quotes: “Christians, like slaves and soldiers, ask no questions.” “AIDS is not just God’s punishment for homosexuals; it is God’s punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals.” and “The ACLU is to Christians what the American Nazi party is to Jews.” Hoping his organization is taxed with such “political” statements and hatred!! Day Trip to Petaluma with the Oakland Museum’s Historical Society was quite interesting. The Victorian architecture in the town is gorgeous. We had a great lunch at the Italian restaurant, Volpi’s, that opened in 1925 and is still in the same Volpi family. Then we made a stop in the Marin Cheese Factory and took home a few bargains! Watched the Bob Barker 50th Anniversary Special on TV. I can remember “The Price Is Right” when it first began. Merrill and I celebrated 28 Years of Life together on May 19. Wonder what Rev. Falwell would say about that?? Celebrated with friends, Dennis & Joey and hostess Jan Lewis at a new California style restaurant, The Wood Tavern with lots of wonderful food and good company! Berkeley Rep’s OLIVER TWIST was wonderfully staged in shades of grays and blacks to capture Dickens’ gloomy setting of this orphan’s travails. This production was brought in from its off-Broadway run in NYC. Rather liked it except it was not moving in the least and a couple of the actors, especially Nancy, were rather amateurish. The Lorraine Hansberry Theatre did a good job with the musical, SPUNK; three short stories by black writer Zora Neale Hurston: “Sweat,” “Story in Harlem Slang,” and “The Gilded Six-Bits.” They were not upbeat tales and quite moving. Actress C. Kelly Wright was the most talented in the cast and is a performer to watch—she can sing, dance and act up a storm! I want to see her in something else. Local jazz singer-actress, Kim Nalley, was quite good although she was a bit “stiff” with her acting; she wrote a couple of new songs for this production and her singing is superb. I should get to see her more often in her nightclub, Pearl’s, which is not easy to get to via public transportation. Merrill quits Starbuck’s. The new boss does not like all the time he has been taking off for traveling. His old boss did not mind his absences. She is moving to Michigan, so that ends that. Something else will come up soon after a few trips that we have planned during the summer. It was 22 years since Mother’s death. Where does the time go?? I shall always miss her!! Our next door neighbor, George Horton, passed away on May 29 at the age of 96. He had a great life. He missed his wife, Ruth, who passed away two years ago. I always think of the song, Blue Moon, when we really have one: that occurred on May 31. Terese Grenecco “Alone Together, an Intimate Celebration of the Music of Arthur Schwartz” at the Plush Room was ok. It was just her and Mike Greensill (Wesla’s husband). Her narrative about Schwartz was not very good and jumped all over the place. Sometimes her voice was not up to the complexity of the songs. Her 10-minute medley at the very beginning of her set from “The Band Wagon” was sensational! Not one mention of the show or the movie with Fred Astaire. Did she forget? I got a bit bored by the end of her one hour, ten-minute set. Mike really made her look better than she actually was with his wonderful playing and some arrangements. Two nights later I was back at the Plush Room to see her award-winning cabaret show, Terese Grenecco Drunk Love—A Tribute to Frances Faye. What a difference a day or two does make!!! She was sensational in this tribute to San Francisco singer, Frances Faye’s rather unusual career in the 50s and 60s and even into the 70s. She played the lounges in Vegas, in London and Paris, and the gay and lesbian bars in San Francisco. She was ahead of her time by being openly gay herself. She seldom completed a song all the way through; when she thought of something funny as she was singing the lyrics, she would just say it or sing it! She always played with a six or seven piece band and loved the bongos; always had a bongo player. John Costanza who played bongos with Ms. Faye performed with Ms. Grenecco that evening; he was also sensational as was the seven piece band. This hour and a half show was great!!! A shame she was not as “up” with just herself and the piano a couple of nights before. June 1 would have been my mother’s 91st Birthday; it was also Marilyn Monroe’s 80th Birthday—what would she have looked like at that age? We shall always remember her as she looked at age 36! Forever young!
SF Playhouse’s FIRST PERSON SHOOTER is a very provocative first-time play by Aaron Loeb. About violent video game creators; are they responsible when students kill another student and say it was because of the video game they watched! Brings up quite a few questions. One of the most intellectually stimulating plays I’ve seen in a long time.
MOVIES
“Half Nelson” Fair
Rented it to watch lead actor’s Oscar nominated performance. Bored very quickly with it all. Drug addicted teacher’s relationship with female student who cares about his addiction. Never did get to the end of it. That’s what’s great about NetFlicks!
“Waitress” Good
We got to see this in Palm Springs. Loved Keri Russell. Have been a fan of hers for years; watched her faithfully on TV’s “Felicity” for quite a few years. She has developed into quite an actress and may well receive an Oscar nomination for this performance. Also loved actress, writer and director of the movie, Adrienne Shelly and all the cast, including Andy Griffith. Did not like the subject matter of rednecks wallowing in their ignorance about life!
“Paris, Je T’Aime” Very Good
Also saw this one in Palm Springs. It took a while to get used to the whole concept of the movie. We see 18 short vignettes about love—all kinds of love. A French film which shows off how lovely Paris is. Wanted to get a ticket and fly to Paris the moment the films was over. No cast list is given at the beginning of the movie, so one is pleasantly surprised when the likes of Gina Rowlands, Ben Gazzara, Nick Nolte, Juliette Binoch, etc., etc., appear on the screen. Most of the short stories were quite good; others too predictable and very short.
“The Perils of Pauline” Fair
Decided to rent this from Net Flicks. It was mentioned in Betty Hutton’s obituary as being one of her best films. She was great in the bio of the silent film stunt star. Sometimes she overacted and should have been reigned in by the director of the film. Frank Loesser’s songs were fine for her. One of her big hits, “Pappa, Don’t Preach to Me” was featured in the movie. Billie DeWolfe was great in a supporting role. John Lund was the romantic lead. Got through it all, but it was rough.
“Goya in Bordeaux” Poor
Also from NetFlicks, this film I could NOT get through. It just got so damned artsy-fartsy that I lost interest rather quickly in an interesting true story of the artist’s exile because of his liberal beliefs during the Franco era. Dull, dull, dull!!!
Stay well and enjoy the summer!!! Have a few days left to get ready for my Wisconsin and Minnesota Trip (June 11 to 25). Taking a trip to the Filoli Gardens this week and ready for “The Sopranos” series finale and the Tony Awards!! Christine Ebersole better win or you will hear me screaming from Oakland!!
Gerry
posted by Gennaro (Gerry) DeVito | 6:12 AM
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