South Pacific--Broadway Revival 2010
Watched most of South Pacific on WQED-TV yesterday afternoon. Here is a video clip from the production. I actually like the way Rodgers and Hammerstein handled some of the socio-political issues (more than in Miss Saigon).
The show is a revival and is in its last few days of this run on Broadway. The energy between Kelli O'Hara (Nellie Forbush) and Paulo Szot (Emile de Becque) was nothing short of electric in the live broadcast from Lincoln Center.
Labels: New York, theater
Choir End-of-Year Party 2010
Left with Maureen and Karina for a Teacher-Staff Day at Costco. I bought pan de sal and a pineapple. We also stopped at the craft store. We then brought the perishables in to Maureen's place, had a quick lemonade drink, then parked the car to go to the Walnut Street Arts Festival. We also stopped in some shops, mostly to window-shop.
Maureen drove me home, I spoke to Jennifer H, and showered, bringing my umbrella, camera, and the multicolored flaxseed chips and French onion dip. Jennifer and her hubby Brian gave me a lift to the party chez Diana and Craig (and Andrew). There was plenteous food, music on the two pianos, a capella singing (notably of the 2-choir Biebl "Ave Maria" piece), games (of Apples to Apples, with eleven players and Jennifer H winning five Green Cards!), and chit-chatting by attendees. Upon a recommendation from Gabe's brother Carlo, I tried the delicious strawberry shortcake, as well as Jennifer H's toll house cookies.
After fond goodbyes to everyone, Brian, Jennifer H, and I took leave, but not before taking a photo of the misty view out their front door.
Labels: art, celebration, Choir, dine, games, music, New York, photos, shopping, singing, teaching
Food, Inc.
Watched ~one and a half hours of Food, Inc. last night on WQED. The ending was palpably missing. Meredith at work recommended we watch it. Quite thought-provoking. Reminds me of books I read for a class @ MC back in the day with Jan Wilbanks.
Special prayers go out now to Kelly and her compadres as they head out for an event for which they need luck, prayers, and talent.
Labels: cinema tv, Marietta, New York, prayer, school, talent
Day Before Christmas Eve
Yesterday morning and after I wrapped all the Christmas gifts for the family.
Now I will write many a Christmas card, prepare to decorate a local church with friends, and prepare to donate old stuff after Christmas. (Need to sing for Christmas eve late Mass as well as noon Mass Christmas Day.)
I spoke with Carmella after Mass, we talked about food during Christmas. Don handed off a CD after Mass, as well.
~~~
15.25
This morning, I took care of some administrative tasks for next semester, wrote polar bear holiday cards for my neighbors, took a nap, delivered my neighborly cards, had lunch, and sent out a couple handfuls of Christmas cards through the mail. I wore my Santa's elf hat on my errand runs.
~~~~~
22.54
Took another nap, met up with Maureen and Karina at Karina's home for chatting, choir card writing, chai, and company. Maureen, Karina, and I walked to my parents' home to pick up the car. I gave Maureen a ride home, and Karina and I met up with V. at Sacred Heart Church to help decorate. We had a factory-line mentality to cutting ribbon for the high-hanging wreaths...we cut 22 out of 24 lengths of ribbon. Then we decorated the wreaths with the ribbon, acted as wreath doctors, and took photos of Karina and Deena decorating the pulpit with garland and "fruit." V, Jeanne, and I spoke about features of the church while on the altar, and noted that a demon and Judas Iscariot are found in the church imagery. V and I checked out the wall paintings, which had been restored a number of years ago. After cupcakes and photos, we departed for hot cocoa and roasting of Karina at Borders Books. I made two little lists of people for her to contact and of things she finds important in an ideal job.
We headed out soon before they closed, and I heard from Mom that Kelly was at the Holland Tunnel at rush hour. "She probably won't be here until ~3am," I stated flatly.
Labels: Choir, Christmas, Church, dine, music, New York, singing, sleep
Niagara and Toronto I, August 2009
Mom,Dad, and I travelled to the American side of Niagara Falls (which is a New York State Park and the oldest state park in the United States), visited the visitor center, went to the observation deck (outstanding) and to the Maid of the Mist,
where we saw the American Falls,
other Maids of the Mist, and a view of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. We enjoyed our picnic lunch from the disabled parking spot, where a cool breeze blew and there were multicolored hydrangea in full bloom.
We continued on to Toronto, where Uncle Alex and Auntie Baby live. Colleen, their apo, was visiting and we had our merienda. I took a nap, and Allan, Sonia, and their family had arrived as well as Christie and her family. We all dined together on Pinoy food.
After dinner, we took group photos, and Allan shared his thoughts on what to see. I decided I wanted to see many things that are part of their life in Toronto, and some touristy sites, too.
Labels: automobile, Canada, citizenship, family, flowers, ice cream, international culture, New York, photos, Pilipino culture, reunion, travel, visitor, walking, water
Back in the Burgh
Mom, Dad, and I returned to Pittsburgh late yesterday afternoon. It was good to:
See Donough again,
See Gaby, Chrissy, Uncle Dodong, Maria, and Anna,
See (and stay with) Kelly in her neighborhood
Shop at China Town, Manhattan
See Angela Lansbury in Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit
Go to the Met (Museum)
Enjoy Mother's Day in New York
Shop around NYU (including at Strand Books and the street fair)
Listen to an organ meditation at Grace Church
See (and stay with) Ben & Benita, Linda, Bill, and Alex at their home
Be treated to amazing food by Foodie relatives
Drive back with minimal precipitation/rain
Be back in time for choir practice yesterday evening
Nap practically every day
Labels: art, Choir, dining, family, friends, jewelry, museum, music, New York, photography, photos, reunion, seasons, shoes, shopping, sleep, St. Paul Cathedral, theater, weather
NYC-Checkin' email Ia
Back to the library with dad after I had lunch and siesta at Kelly's home...Mom & Dad joined Kelly and her employers for a leisurely lunch. Listened to some music on the CD player...Telemann, etc. Dad and I departed for the library (main branch of the public library), and arrived just minutes before a torrential downpour. Took care of correspondence to folks back in Pittsburgh, now am blogging.
We're planning a relaxing evening with Kelly tonight. Mom will contact her family and friends in the area.
Labels: dine, family, library, New York, sleep, weather
To NYC
I awoke at six o'clock to get ready to go to the City. I threw out the trash and lowered the windows. Arriving at Mom & Dad's with my luggage, I was surprised to hear that Mom had slept an hour prior (preparing for the trip). I loaded most of my luggage into the car. I stopped by the computer lab at work to print out the directions (from here to Donough's, ...to Uncle Dodong's, and ...to LSC; from Kelly's to Donough's homes) for our trip, which I had prepared last night. Stopped by to get hand cream at the drugstore...it was still closed, with newspapers strewn in front of the door.
I need to call to reschedule a medical appointment on Monday the 18th...must wait for their office to open this morning.
As Donough said, it will be nice to get together and to see each other after all these years: To meet his family, to see Aine and Eamon (and their spouses), again, too.
Labels: computer, email, family, friends, health, home, international culture, Ireland, New York, reunion, sleep, transportation, work
Gather Together, January 2008
Last night, William's family came by for dinner and to celebrate a (belated) Marissa's birthday. We had food from Lulu's Noodle Restaurant which Mom and Dad picked up for us on their way home from a PAMS meeting.
Solomon is getting big and crawling about---what a great nine-month old he is! After dinner, Beatrice and Lola (and subsequently, she played with me) played the Elmo matching game right before they suited up to go out in the cold. The game is very similar to Concentration, with variations on the theme available. Earlier in the evening, Beatrice and I practiced ballet moves.
There was neither choir practice nor choir for this Sunday. It was nice to have a break while Don played a concert this afternoon in New York City. We continued to collect eyeglasses for the medical mission in the Philippines, and Dad had a chance to speak with Fr. Tom after Mass.
The young man who disrupted Mass last Sunday stood on a pew during quiet reflection after Communion and started to "lecture" that we can all be like Christ. The ushers immediately motioned for him to get down off the pew and he was brought to the back of the Church, where the police spoke to him.
Mom, Dad, and I enjoyed lunch at Quiznos sandwich shop. We also sent emails back and forth to Tina P. regarding the appreciation plaque and certificate verbiage to Tina. Mom had written a poem for the certificates.
I spoke with Grace Y and her niece Jenny about their experiences this weekend. I received emails from several friends this weekend. I called Nancy K. and switched dates with her for lectoring this week. She happily obliged.
Labels: Choir, dining, email, family, friends, lector, Mass, medical mission, New York, niece and nephew, thankfulness
New Cell Phones; Encyclopedia Article, First Draft Reworking
Today, Mom and Dad and I went to Eat and Park at the Waterfront for lunch. We then went to Verizon for our new cell phones, as our first cell phones were not holding a charge. The gentleman who helped us indicated two other brands that were better at holding a charge. We selected a model that has Bluetooth capabilities, though we rarely used a similar option on our first phones. It has photo capabilities, as well. Mom was nonplussed that the phone could not play the "Skater's Waltz" ringtone (Miranda's favorite), and I was not pleased that it wasn't obvious how to record sounds, and turn those sounds into ringtones, as was obvious on our first phones. Other than that, we were happy with our new phones, and I requested that we transfer our address books to our new ones.
~~~
After a stop at CVS, I spent ~two hours at Hillman Library reworking the first draft of my encyclopedia article after editorial comments. Dinner was leftovers, and Mom and I watched some Curb Your Enthusiasm (the restaurant opening), as well as the episode of Wife Swap in which the New York househusband family swaps with the pet crematory family.
Labels: accessibility, Curb Your Enthusiasm, dining, encyclopedia, New York, phone, writing
Cleaning/Organizing/Purging I
Yesterday, Mom and I started purging from the top of my "coffee table." We also shredded documents, boxed up a boom box for donation, and were joined by William, who set up the old computer from Vickie to test it. He also went to test my CD-R drive from the old Mac from Deb, which we could not get to work. He proffered that if I should ever want to get a dining room table off my hands, that he would be happy to take it...Mom and I discussed this later, and I said that the table may have to be sold with the apartment coop. This table is the one we dined on when we lived in the Bronx, when we were about five years old. It is the one William hid under when our teacher came to visit, and he had Winnie-the-Pooh as a puppet.
I showered after, and William joined Mom, Dad, and I for dinner (Marissa and the kids were enjoying the afternoon at IKEA). William shared with us oven-dried honeyed banana/plaintain with us from one of his students, which we had for dessert with sweet sliced pineapple that Dad had prepared. We chatted for a bit, then he caught the bus for home.
I noted to Mom that my left leg is bothering me lots more than my right, operated one.
Labels: BAD, computer, dining, health, home, New York, pain, St. Lucy, surgery, tea, teaching, transportation
Channel Surfing: Clean House, Cyndi Lauper, Morning Mass
This morning, while channel surfing, I watched an episode of Clean House ("If you keep an item, you have to work the design around it"), Good Morning America's Summer Concert Series in Bryant Park, in which Cyndi Lauper sings various classic and new songs, of'times making her way into the audience ("I always thought Girls Just Wanna Have Fun is about entitlement...my mom was in the video"---CL), and the morning Mass in Oakland (Fr. Andrew Fisher said the Mass, Feast of St. Antony of Padua---intercessor for lost articles).
This morning's channel surf encapsulates issues important to me in my life.
Labels: California, cleaning, Mass, music, New York, organizing, Pittsburgh, singing, St. Paul Cathedral, stars, talent
The Memory Keeper's Daughter
After an evening nap, I just completed reading a novel, The Memory Keeper's Daughter. My sister and mom had recommended it to me. The book is based on a premise, a family secret held by a father from the rest of his family. The book unravels slowly, slowly embracing a character study of each of the main characters in the novel. About two-thirds into the book, the weaving of the characters' actions starts to pick up.
I look forward to Kim Edwards' next novel, set in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. That novel keeps a secret hidden from the characters, as well as from the reader of the book.
~~~
early AM, 21 June 2008
It turns out there is a television movie of the book, The Memory Keeper's Daughter. I hope to see the movie sometime this year.
Labels: cinema, family, museum, music, New York, photography, photos, Pittsburgh, Point, PSO, read, surprise, TV
A rare CA
Kelly's mentor has a rare form of CA. I am praying for him, his health, and for everyone who depends upon him.
He seems like such a hearty guy, so full of life. This came on so suddenly. Please join me in praying for him.
Labels: accessibility, Atlantic Ocean, music, New York
Birthday Cake, Tax time, WELCOME
Today after dinner Mom, Dad, and I went over to William, Marissa, Beatrice, and her little brother's home to partake of homemade double chocolate cake iced with chocolate and raspberry icing with ice cream and tea. Over cake and tea, William introduced Solomon Clemente to us. We were all pleased by the name (like "Haim Solomon," Mom and Dad intoned, where Dad had worked in Brooklyn), and its many meanings to our family and to Pittsburgh.
We also discussed how Beatrice makes associations to family members when we mention sentences to her...anything about a van gets mention of Papa, "You have a nice personality" gets a mention of Mimi.
I had a chance to feed him 4 ounces of milk after his regular feeding (followed by two loud burps!) He loves to feed, sleep, and he has long fingers: "Like a pianist's--like Lola's fingers." Dad said, "He has a surgeon's fingers."
William also filed an extension to his taxes.
What a great way to spend a birthday!!
Labels: Birthday, children, family, genealogy, ice cream, New York, niece and nephew
Just for Fun
I received an email from Laura, in which the point is to complete abbreviated lists. Here are mine:
4 jobs I have had in my life
1) Biology Lab Instructional Faculty, Univ of Pittsburgh
2) one of the last staff at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Science and Tech Dept.
3) NASA research fellow: Jet Propulsion Lab, Pasadena, CA; Univ of CA, and remote locales
4) Jewish Community Center, nursery and Kindergarten aide, Pittsburgh
4 movies I would watch over and over:
1) The Lake House
2) Dead Again (the lead character is a "Grace")
3) ----
4) ----
4 places I have lived
1) by Yankee Stadium and Joyce Kilmer Park, Bronx, NY
2) in a beautiful home on a hill overlooking the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers
3) in a gothic dorm, in a room overlooking the green and the lake, Wellesley College
4) within 2 miles of the San Francisco Bay, Berkeley, CA
4 TV Shows that I watch:
1) Monk
2) Curb Your Enthusiasm
3) Keeping Up Appearances
4) Dancing with the Stars
4 Places I have been:
1) the Philippines
2) the "Continent"
3) S. Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales
4) Baja California, Mexico
4 people who e-mail me regularly
1) Mom (at least once daily, when she's not away from the computer)
2) Joyce
3) My students
4) My girlfriends--Lisa, Laura, my choirfriends, Marva, etc.
4 of my favorite foods:
1)Mom's home cooking
2) Anything I don't have to prepare
3) Thai/Filipino
4) Irish/Scottish salmon
5 places I would rather be right now:
1) At home, in bed, asleep (Just came from choir practice, Mass, and a 3-hr. mtg...boy, I'm tired).
2) In a warm bubble bath
3) Lying down, with my legs up.
4) Visiting with my family, either distant or not-so
5) In the kitchen, drinking good grape juice...
4 Things I am looking forward to:
1) tomorrow
2) and tomorrow....and tomorrow (a great Vonnegut title).
3) I agree with Laura: A Liberal in the White House
4) whatever the next thing brings!
~~~~
This email Laura sent me today reminds me of one I received on March 16th 2006: Tag, You're It! from Marissa. That email asked for fave hobbies, and I listed "exercise: Dance and swimming" as favorites. My current condition makes dance unable to be done. My, how fast things change....
~~~~
10 March 2008
I thought of a great movie to add to my "list" of two--Sliding Doors...
...and another, The Rock.
Labels: career, Carnegie, children, color, dance, health, list, love, Monk, New York, Philippines, Pittsburgh, pool, science, soils, teaching, travel, TV, Wellesley, work
From a Distance
There was some reaching out from a distance today. First, I just completed viewing the HGTV show on Top 10 Amazing Kitchens. My distant cousin, Linda, and her husband Bill, from Morristown, NJ, were featured as #3 homeowners on the list, of the Family Room Kitchen. There are two of each major appliance (refrigerator, dishwasher), except for ovens--there are seven ovens, including a pizza oven. It is a highly functional kitchen and has a magnificent kick vacuum. Over 100 people can fit in the 1500+ sq. ft. space. We saw Uncle Bill making pizza in the pizza room, and Alexandra and Linda entertaining in this show's episode.
Also, Judy, Jonathan, Alroy and Kay, Ornella, Jess, and I dined with Anjali at Camille's (after a tour of eating establishments of N. Craig) as part of her self-dubbed "last supper." We shared warm food, cold smoothie, and company; followed by many hugs and well-wishing. She was kind enough to send me off with small friendship tokens from India.
And, during Mass, Karen handed her cell phone off to Don to transmit Palestrina's Sicut Cervus by remote link to Ned in NY state (or parts unknown). Karen is known to transmit by cell phone various singing to her mom. This being Ned's favorite hymn, she decided to send our live rendition to him.
Labels: children, Choir, cleaning, dining, family, farewell, genealogy, home, New York, singing, St. Paul Cathedral, TV
Happy New Year 2008
New Year's Eve, I napped for a couple of hours after watching part of the game show Pyramid marathon with Mom. At about 11 pm I woke up Dad, and we watched the Channel 4 news, which was followed by Dick Clark's New Year's Eve in Times Square (boy, he's been doing his therapy for his stroke!) We watched the new, multi-faceted Waterford crystal ball descend, then hugs and kisses followed. We had a snack of bagels, crackers, and schmears, as well as cookies and various sparkling beverages.
~~~
6-7pm
Mom and I just watched an episode, "Mr. Monk and the Airplane" (2002), as part of a Monk-fest.
Labels: celebration, dining, family, Ireland, Monk, New York, TV
