Working through some IT problems. Hope to be back soon.
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In the mean time, please enjoy Tony Bennett's signature song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco", who first sang the song in the Venetian Room of the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill in December 1961 and recorded it the next month. CBS released it as the B-side of the single "Once Upon A Time". DJ's all but ignored the A-side and chose to flip over the record bringing "...San Francisco" to the top of the pop charts. Bennett received the Grammy for Best Male Solo Vocal Performance and the song received Record of the Year.
I have always adored this song, but now have a Pavlovian response of glee because it is played over the public address system at AT&T Park after every San Francisco Giants home game victory.
I have no doubt that this year's Willow Manor Ball of virtual fantasy will be every bit as fun as last year's. Time sneaked up on me this year and I feel a bit unprepared. I don't even have a date yet because Southern Gentleman Husband is traveling on business. Then there is the perpetual problem of not having a thing to wear. At least I can put on some lipstick while I search for a gown.
As luck would have it, Count Hubert de Givenchy happened to call for a chat. Not only did he offer me one of his vintage gowns, but he agreed to escort me to the ball.
Since the ball is Black and White this year, it didn't take long for me to decide to wear the luscious gown he designed for Sabrina. Darling Hubert promptly brought the gown to me and I was pleased how well it fit my tiny figure. He also agreed to take my poodles to his salon for the evening. The boys were hesitant at first but I promised, if they were good, they would get a treat when we got there.
I'm so glad that the gown has a black petticoat to protect against the Paris sidewalks. On my way out, I slipped my phone into my Guisseppe Zanotti's clutch. The black Swarovski crystals give just the right amount of sparkle.
I always love coming to Hubert's elegant salon. We had just enough time for an aperitif while the boys devoured a tray of canine petit fours the chef always has on hand.
Each week in my Beginning Photography class, our instructor Moshe Quinn introduced us to a new master photographer and assigned a mini research project each week. Though it was time-consuming, I loved learning about each photographer.
Roy De Carava was one of my favorite Photographers of the Week. I was thrilled to stumble upon this gentle photographer's interview on Fresh Air with Terry Gross early in my research.
I was amazed to learn that he “accepts the lighting conditions, whatever they are”. He didn’t believe that you couldn’t take a photo just because there wasn’t enough light. He said “I would rather sacrifice the information, in terms of details and things like that, for a feeling of mood.” This was a revelation for me, because I am the first to bellyache about the lack of perfect light conditions and point to it as a reason for not capturing a great image.
In “Woman Descending Stairs”, he allowed our eyes to find the precious few swathes of white in the photo. First one sees the woman’s hand as it elegantly bundles the excess volume of her coat. Then we are drawn to her legs that swished open her coat to reveal the light corner of the lining. Her natural grace would be the envy of any runway model.
In “Man Coming up Subway Stairs”, DeCarava conveys the man’s exhaustion by capturing the pull of the hand, just out of frame, and his posture slumped in his once-crisp shirt, now rumpled by a hard day’s work.
In an image from the book “The Sound I Saw”, DeCarava froze a moment of quietude that two jazz musicians found in an unadorned room back stage. It’s hard to decide whether this is quiet moment preceded or followed a lively jazz session on stage.
Roy DeCarava from "The Sound I Saw" published by Phaidon Press in 2001
Here are some other images of DeCarava's I admire. The white shirts and the Lingerie shop signs are the stars of this image:
Roy DeCarava
Lingerie, New York
1950
SmithsonianAmericanArt Museum
The tight embrace during a dance reveals just enough of the couple to imply the intimacy between them.
I love his fascination with stripes:
ROY DECARAVA
Man in Striped Shirt at Piano
Gelatin silver print. 1954/1981. Signed, titled, dated and numbered 481 3/2 in ink on the verso.
10 x 12 7/8in. (25.4 x 32.7cm.) Framed.
DeCarava photographed many Jazz musicians who performed in Harlem, like Coltrane and Elvin:
Roy De Carava, Coltrane and Elvin, 1960
... and Duke Elington
I dare you to sit still during this fabulous clip of the young Duke Ellington playing “Take the A Train”. The A Train is the very best way to get to “Sugarhill way up in Harlem… in a hurry, hurry, hurry…”
Since this is a fantasy ball, I assume Willow will have the strategically-placed fans and the grand staircase adjoining the ballroom. The fantasy continues as my date and I clear the dance floor while admiring eyes watch us flawlessly perform this dance.
We heard it everywhere we traveled on our trip to South America. Every establishment we entered played it, either live or piped in from the sound system. They played it on the street in Quito, on our ship in Galápagos Islands, in the hotel in Lima, in restaurants in Cusco, and on the train to and from Machu Picchu. It was a tacit agreement, it must be present in every playlist. You could change the instrumentation, you could change the tempo, you could sing the lyrics, or not, but play it you must.
We started placing bets.
“I think it’s coming up next.”
“Nah, too soon.”
If it came up unexpectedly, we briefly shot each other a knowing look with index finger in the air. It always drew a smile.
Thank goodness it’s a great song - a classic, timeless, ancient. Or at least that’s what I thought. According to Wikipedia, El Condor Pasa (Flight of the Condor, literally: The Condor Passes Through) was written less than one hundred years ago, in 1913, by Peruvian composer and ethnomusicologist Daniel Alomía Robles. The song has an ancient sound because Alomia Robles wrote the song based on the Andean folk songs he studied and collected.
Simon and Garfunkel popularized the song by covering it on their 1969 albumBridge over Troubled Waters. I alwaysfelt that the English lyrics that Paul Simon composed for the song were incongruous to the title and the strength of the song, but I am grateful to him for bringing this wonderful music to our households. Simon first heard El Cóndor Pasa performed by the Peruvian musical group “Los Incas” while he was in Paris. Here is “Los Incas’” 1963 version of the song:
One day, while in Cusco, we came face to face with the subject of this song, the Andean Condor(Vultur gryphus):
Domesticated, sadly. Seeing this magnificent bird anchored to the earth by its clipped wings poses a dilemma. On the one hand, your heart aches as you wonder whether this wondrous bird will ever soar over the AndesMountains again. Can one justify taming this near-threatened vulture as part of wildlife education that is so critical for conservation? On the other hand, I wonder how many family members of this enterprising young man is able to feed with the tips tourists give him for the privilege of taking a photograph. Is it ever ethical to domesticate wild animals in today’s world?
“You and Dad ought to go see Fleetwood Mac!” “Are they coming to town?” “Yes, and there are still many great seats available.” “Hmm” “I’ve got the screen up right now, should I order them for you?”
This is how our daughter makes sure that my husband and I have a life, even on a school night. Last night, we went to see Fleetwood Mac give a great two and a half hour performance of a couple of dozen of their greatest hits.
What struck me as we walked through the parking lot was the number of young fans streaming into the arena. How did they become fans? Was it that their parents played Fleetwood Mac’s music at home, the Dixie Chicks remaking “Landslide”, or Bill Clinton using “Don’t Stop” as his campaign anthem? However they got there, I can vouch that their love of the music is as ardent as the first generation fans.
The band, all original members sans Christie McVie (sadly), still sounds incredible. With no new album to promote, the band decided to “keep it fun”, as Lindsey Buckingham put it early in the concert. They delivered song after song just as we remember it from decades ago with only a few adjustments to accommodate some loss in voice range. The concert was pure music without a lot of antics and gimmicks, sprinkled only occasionally with introductions to some of the songs.
Stevie Nicks introduced “Gypsy” by telling us how she met Lindsey Buckingham in her last year at Menlo-Atherton High School right here in Menlo Park, only one town over from Palo Alto. Nicks recalled how they formed a band named “Fritz”, which gained immediate popularity, with their success rising until they became the opening acts for Santana, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin. Nicks said she wrote “Gypsy” ten years later when she was looking back fondly to those days.
Here are a couple of clips from last month; last night’s performance was very similar.
Stevie Nicks sounded great, but yes, she still slurs her all her words, so I'm providing the lyrics as a public service:
Gypsy
So Im back, to the velvet underground Back to the floor, that I love To a room with some lace and paper flowers Back to the gypsy that I was To the gypsy... that I was
And it all comes down to you Well, you know that it does Well, lightning strikes, maybe once, maybe twice Ah, and it lights up the night And you see your gypsy You see your gypsy
To the gypsy that remains faces freedom with a little fear I have no fear, I have only love And if I was a child And the child was enough Enough for me to love Enough to love
She is dancing away from me now She was just a wish She was just a wish And a memory is all that is left for you now You see your gypsy You see your gypsy
Lightning strikes, maybe once, maybe twice And it all comes down to you
And it all comes down to you
Lightning strikes, maybe once, maybe twice And it all comes down to you
I still see your bright eyes, bright eyes And it all comes down to you I still see your bright eyes, bright eyes And it all comes down to you
I still see your bright eyes, bright eyes (she was just a wish) (she was just a wish) And it all comes down to you
Lightning strikes, maybe once, maybe twice And it all comes down to you
Lindsey Buckingham, born right here in Palo Alto, still plays a mean guitar, note the part from 4:40 onward:
As in this clip, last night’s audience sang along with Stevie Nicks:
Landslide
I took my love, I took it down Climbed a mountain and I turned around I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills till the landslide brought me down
Oh, mirror in the sky What is love Can the child within my heart rise above Can I sail thru the changing ocean tides Can I handle the seasons of my life
Well, I’ve been afraid of changing cause I’ve built my life around you But time makes you bolder Children get older I’m getting older too
Oh, take my love, take it down Climb a mountain and turn around If you see my reflection in the snow covered hills Well the landslide will bring it down
If you see my reflection in the snow covered hills Well maybe the landslide will bring it down
Though I missed Christie McVie's smoky voice, all the members of the band turned in great performances, but Lindsey Buckingham's artistry on the guitar was mesmerizing and his showmanship carried the show. Mick Fleetwood's drum solo towards the end of the concert was fantastic. The tour has concerts scheduled through the end of May with rumours of concerts being added into June. If they are coming near you, I highly recommend this tour.
It was so lovely spending the day with Fleetwood Mac songs endlessly running through my head. Thank you, my sweet daughter, for thinking of your ol’ parents.
I watched this enlightening clip, courtesy of one of my book club sisters, while I waited for my delayed plane to arrive at JFK airport last night. Since I rolled in at midnight after a long flight from New York, this is about all I can muster up for a post this morning. Enjoy!
My favorite Katharine Hepburn movie of all time is "Summertime", where she played an American spinster who travels to Venice and falls in love with (sigh) Rossano Brazzi:
In honor of New Year's Eve, I present you with a scene with old Hollywood's way of getting around the sensors by the use of, shall we say, implied fireworks:
Wishing you lots of fireworks this New Year's Eve!
I was very happy to learn that I am a Katharine Hepburn. I would have been thrilled if I was Audrey Hepburn, but I'm not sure that was even an option in this test. Even if it was, it would have been inaccurate. Audrey was too sweet and graceful to resemble me.
Don't get me wrong, I'm happy enough to be Kate. I love her no-nonsense, confident spirit of independence, her integrity, quick wit and honesty. I respect that she was so accomplished and productive. She was a hundred percent comfortable in her own skin. She was one of the first big stars in Hollywood to take control of her career during the era of the studio system. I also truly respect that she was impervious to public opinion and lived an authentic life. She survived the harsh press coverage about her and the love of her life, Spencer Tracy. She lived with the fact that his wife never granted him a divorce yet she accorded her enough respect by not showing up at Spencer's funeral.
But there was dark side to Kate, which unfortunately I would have also have to own. She was honest to a fault, little candy-coating might have served her well, and she liked to control things:
As painful as that was to watch, I have to remember that this is the same person who delivered top notch performances every time she appeared on the silver screen.
Though I think I would have preferred Audrey's ethereal gracefulness, it will just have to remain an unattainable goal because if my personality was like hers, I would have wished that I had Kate Hepburn's moxy.
Here are the results to my quiz:
You are a Katharine -- "I am happy and open to new things"
Katharines are energetic, lively, and optimistic. They want to contribute to the world.
How to Get Along with Me * Give me companionship, affection, and freedom. * Engage with me in stimulating conversation and laughter. * Appreciate my grand visions and listen to my stories. * Don't try to change my style. Accept me the way I am. * Be responsible for youself. I dislike clingy or needy people. * Don't tell me what to do.
What I Like About Being a Katharine * being optimistic and not letting life's troubles get me down * being spontaneous and free-spirited * being outspoken and outrageous. It's part of the fun. * being generous and trying to make the world a better place * having the guts to take risks and to try exciting adventures * having such varied interests and abilities
What's Hard About Being a Katharine * not having enough time to do all the things I want * not completing things I start * not being able to profit from the benefits that come from specializing; not making a commitment to a career * having a tendency to be ungrounded; getting lost in plans or fantasies * feeling confined when I'm in a one-to-one relationship
Katharines as Children Often * are action oriented and adventuresome * drum up excitement * prefer being with other children to being alone * finesse their way around adults * dream of the freedom they'll have when they grow up
Katharines as Parents * are often enthusiastic and generous * want their children to be exposed to many adventures in life * may be too busy with their own activities to be attentive
Last night a group of us went to the Tina Turner 50th Anniversary Concert at the HP Pavillion in San Jose. Even though some of our teenage sons wished us fun at our “fossil concert” and drove home the point by making fun of the 7:30 start time, we all had a rollicking good time.
Tina put on an amazing show. The show pulled every imaginable glitzy trick in the book. She had great musicians in her band and four sexy dancers, each a fraction of her age, who could duplicate every Tina Turner signature dance move with Tina’s signature attitude. I was very impressed how she can still belt out all the songs in tune and at full power at age 68. She used the two female singers wisely, allowing them to complete songs she kick started while she went back stage to change costumes and, I’m sure, to catch her breath. We went to a concert at the Mountain Winery a few weeks ago where the star was in denial about having lost most of the upper range of his voice. It was agonizing to hear him reach for notes that never materialized. We all would have been grateful had he allowed the back up singers to fill in the gaps. But I digress.
Tina's performance did not disappoint. She sang all the big, big hits like “What’s Love Got to Do With It?”, “Simply the Best”, “Mad Max” performed in full costume, and “Let’s Stay Together”. She gave every song her all while dancing, shimmying and strutting in five-inch stilettos. I also enjoyed a ballad version of The Beatles’ “Help!” and “Addicted to Love” performed in front of a large screen duplicate of the famed all-female band of Robert Palmer’s video. The "Proud Mary" finale was spectacular! I'm still new at this blogging business so I haven't figured out how to include videos in stream yet, so I'll just have to give you this link instead.
The other star of the show was the stage. It had the ability to morph into what seemed like endless combinations of stairs, hydraulic lifts, pyrotechnics, and scaffolding. Just when we thought we saw it all, she kept a surprise for us at the encore. Tina sang from a cherry-picker-style bucket that was at the end of a long arm that emerged from the stage and swung over the audience.
The biggest negative of the evening was the venue. HP Pavilion may be a great location for ice hockey, but the acoustics were deplorable. I vowed that I will never go to a concert there again unless I believe it is the last chance to see a great performer. The second, more unplugged set was more forgiving of the bad acoustics and therefore more enjoyable.
I just got an e-mail from Mor Mor Kris who wrote about last night’s performance:
“What a fun and most interesting concert last night. I can't wait 'till I am 68 to start climbing on slippery metal catwalks with 5 inch heels, dancing like I was 20 and just belting out soul 'till the cows come home! Amazing! (I want fire, too). So fun!”
Hear, hear! Thank you, Dakota Angel, for arranging a great evening!
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