Past Season Winners in Carlsbad and La Jolla

 Dan and I have two subscriptions to local theaters -- La Jolla Playhouse, and New Village Arts in Carlsbad. Three shows that top my list from the past season are "The Heart," "Rent," and "The Recipe."  Two of the them are original productions which may travel to Broadway, OR appear on a stage near you!

"The Heart," a La Jolla playhouse production directed by the theater's artistic director, Christopher Ashley, was a fast-paced musical taking the audience through 24 hours of a heart transplant.  As part of my job at UCLA, I worked with the heart transplant team, and was especially eager to see how this ambitious undertaking would be handled onstage. It was riveting from the start. A surfer in San Diego is killed in a car crash on his way home from a favorite beach for morning waves. His parents are called, and rush to the hospital to face the tragic news, followed soon afterwards by a request to consider a donation of their son's heart. The emotional impact of the situation is palpable, with urgent dialogue, an electronic-driven score, and a ticker-tape backdrop, blinking neon colors and graphs to suggest data from hospital monitoring equipment. Questions, concerns, and the shock of their dilemma delay a response from the parents. A girlfriend joins them while doctors and nurses go about their business, anticipating next steps. When the decision is made, the action picks up. 

We meet the recipient who is a match for the heart. Key staff step in to harvest the organ from the donor and prepare the recipient for surgery. From beginning to end, I was transported by scenes switching locations on the small stage, and props adapted to convey the action and pace of a hospital setting, when hours and minutes count. Donation of a son's heart on the most difficult day two parents could ever imagine is portrayed with poignancy, a gift of life from loss, a defining moment of generosity. My hope is that this emotional, heartfelt musical will appear in flashing lights on Broadway for all to experience. A pure work of art at its best, "The Heart" pulses with life in the face of death.  Catch it if you can!

 

 "Rent" at New Village Arts was a revival of a ‘90s rock musical about a diverse group of young artists and creatives living in an apartment building in New York City at the height of the AIDS epidemic. While fear, disease, and death are spreading throughout the city, rents are being raised, and will boot many of them onto the street. Despite the physical and emotional struggles, they cling to each other and their dreams. But the loss of a beloved young woman whose life ended abruptly cuts into theirs hopes for a better future. Some question if they are next. The play depicts a nightmare, taking this audience member back to the era when I was a single mom who felt the fear and vulnerability of the times. Even though deaths have calmed down from the 80's fervor, the disease remains a challenge among marginalized groups with non-traditional sexual preferences, and racial, addiction, and socio-economic risks. 

The play's book, lyrics, and music were written by Jonathan Larson to share some of his own experiences from the AIDS crisis. Kym Pappas, a member of Pasadena Playhouse Directors Lab West, directed the show in the theater's intimate setting, giving it the immediacy of the 80's story, with a timeless message about friendship, love, and creativity. Pappas directed previous, critically-acclaimed shows at NVA -- "The Half Life of Marie Curie," "Fun Home," "Doubt," and "The Ferryman." 

"The Recipe," another production of La Jolla Playhouse, was an entertaining biographical study of the life of the acclaimed chef, Julia Child. She evolves from a privileged childhood in Pasadena, California, to a career in intelligence in Washington DC, to her marriage to a colleague in the foreign intelligence service, to become a celebrated chef in America. The story is as captivating as the personality, a highly independent, free thinker who rejects her father's mandate to marry and start a family like other women in Pasadena's finest neighborhoods. A self-starter, Julia graduates from Smith College in Boston to take on DC and worlds beyond. Along the way, she meets a colleague who finds her intriguing, despite her untethered mannerisms and height at six-foot-two. With a cup of whimsy, a tablespoon of humor, and a sprinkling of romance, the two marry in 1946, and Paul Child accepts a position in Paris. Julia takes a liking to French dishes, and uses her considerable personal force to refuse a cooking course offered for housewives, and enrolls in the course for chefs at the Cordon Bleu. She bumbles along to master the culinary art as best she can, and meets a couple of women who partner with her to write and publish the English version of what would become a best-selling cookbook, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." It's released in America, establishes her as a bonafide expert, and leads to the PBS cooking show which cements her reputation as a winsome celebrity, beloved by American audiences.

Playwright Claudia Shear was drawn to the material based on the appeal of someone who could "break through boxes," much like Amelia Earhart. She credits her body of work on stories about "obsession and redemption." Director  Lisa Peterson signed on because she admired Shear's work, based on "female protagonists who are indomitable, devastatingly funny, self-deprecating, and butting up against intractable societal barriers."  Julia Child fits that bill to a T in "The Recipe!" Broadway bound?  Fingers crossed.

Sampling the Wines and Art of Portugal and Spain

At year's end, I'm always taken aback by the articles I intended to write, but failed to deliver. I will try to catch up before the bell tolls on NYE. This is a draft article about a fabulous trip I just found from months ago.

 In the Fall of 2024, my friend May and I spent ten days reveling in the people, landscapes, art and wines of Potugal and Spain. The Rioja and Duoro wine valleys of the two countries are as spectacular as the wines we sampled for ten days, many times twice a day.

Rioja Wine Region Portugal

Portugal's Rioja is the only wine region to be honored with a UNESCO world heritage rating. It's not surprising when you sample the port wines in Porto, the rich reds of the region, and green wines made from green grapes. The steep hillsides of the rocky terrain where vineyards are planted allow the roots to tap into a unique blend of minerals from the soil. Government requirements are strict about organic farming and wine-making, to ensure only the finest wines receive approval. 

Spain's wine museum is another stop worth a visit, along with massive, modern wine facilities. In  one, the long rows of barrels and shining stainless steel vats could fill a hangar that houses unto a dozen jumbo jets.  Family wineries, many with generations of ownership, and some with ancient, extensive cellars under an entire village, are a treat for touring as well, all courtesy of Wine Knows Travel for our trip. 

 

In addition to our early visit to lovely, leafy Lisbon, we were blown away by the idyllic setting and tasty treats of San Sebastian, a final stop after the wine tour. A glorious and pristine crescent bay stretches from one end of downtown to the other, much of it bordered by ornamental, white wrought iron fencing. reminiscent of another era of this resort destination. The beach hugs the water in a perfect arc of light-colored sand, unlike our SoCal beaches which tend to run in a straight line from one end to the other. Walkways and a tree-lined boardwalk stretch along the shore. Elegant buildings, many with architectural styles of bygone days, overlook the bustling boulevard. Our condo was steps from floral gardens with benches, a fountain, and sculptures decorating the seascape. 

San Sebastian from the Castle

The cuisine of the city did not disappoint. Since San Sebastián is known as the culinary destination of Spain, we were given a long list of recommended places (at least two with Michelin stars), and learned about Pinxtos (designer appetizers) and Txakoli (sparkly mix of cava, other liquor), served at all the busy bars. Patrons point to their selections and stand to eat, drink, and chat in the lively atmosphere. The San Telmo Basque Museum in Old Town tells the story of early settlers who made their living from the water -- fishing, building boats, and supplying the industry. The giant sepia-toned murals capture the hardships and accomplishments of the industrious seaside community. After rifling through posters of fancy cinema festivals in more modern times, May and I left for lunch nearby. I finished my octopus salad when a wicked rainstorm forced passersby to crowd against the restaurant's floor-to-ceiling windows for cover. We would later learn the havoc was caused by Hurricane Kirk, which took a direct hit on San Sebastian. After the storm appeared to die down a bit, we left for the condo, winding our way through cobblestone streets as the wind whipped at us and rain soaked through us. We dashed into shops the whole way back. A less dramatic lunch followed the next day when we took the vehicular up to an old castle for lunch and a view of the town below. 

The town of Bilbao is the financial capital of Spain, but tourists know it best as the location of the Guggenheim Museum designed by an award-winning architect, Frank Ghery of Los Angeles. The sweeping silver exterior is similar to Disney Hall's golden curves in downtown LA, also by Ghery.

 Our favorite exhibit was a special installation by Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara which showcased illustrations, paintings, sculptures, and a replica of his boyhood home, covering four decades of art from childhood through adulthood. It was especially poignant, given Nara's isolation as a boy who stayed home in a small, remote village while his parents worked. Many paintings depicted children with oversized heads and eyes, suggesting cartoon characters. He had a passion for music, displayed in one illustration of a boy's crammed notes and doodles of musicians he admired. The entire museum is an architectural feat inside and out, with familiar modern artists in the permanent collection. We took it all in until our legs and feet begged for a break. The afternoon of art in a world class museum was a fitting ending to our vibrant vacation in Portugal and Spain.

 

A Lesson From Lincoln

Dan and I are lucky to enjoy a steady diet of amazing theater in San Diego, and a show we saw last weekend illustrates why La Jolla Playhouse is one of our favorite stages. Founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, and Mel Ferrer, the theater located on the UCSD campus is always pushing the limits, introducing original shows, and adding to Broadway’s repertoire of adventurous new musicals, from Big River, to Memphis, and Come From Away. Last weekend we saw the latest show, a preview performance still being tweaked for a prime time audience. If it takes just a step or two in the right direction, it’s bound to be a blockbuster headed for Broadway. 

Directed by Tony-award winner Christopher Ashley, 3 SUMMERS OF LINCOLN is an ambitious period piece that looks and feels similar to HAMILTON. From the moment the curtain opens, the production is infused with powerful emotion, choreography, and music. The set design takes full advantage of technology for creative lighting and graphics in backdrops, bold and dramatic, familiar scenes authentic in execution and transitions. The revolving sets are minimalist, enhanced by the depictions of the White House, bloody battlefields, and a view of rolling hills at a soldiers’ home where the President and his family escape the politics of Washington for the.peace of the countryside.

Lincoln knows he’s losing the Civil War, the Union, and the presidency, all for good reason. Deaths are mounting exponentially, the Cabinet has abandoned him, McClellan is running against him for reelection after Lincoln fired the general for incompetence. At home, his wife, Mary, is seeing ghosts. The Civil War is a blood bath gone far too long. Public sentiment has slumped, and soldiers are confused. Are they fighting to restore the Union, as they thought, or to free the slaves?

Enter powerful abolitionist Frederick Douglass, a man of letters who proves a worthy match for the President’s intellect. Unlikely partners, they meet, and are surprised to discover mutual respect. Douglass encourages Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, allowing slaves to be free and volunteer to fight for the Union. In short order, Lincoln is exhilarated by a landslide victory for a second term, and Sherman's march to the sea ensures victory for the Union. The  rest unfolds in history books. 

A throbbing score and dance numbers propel the audience through a dramatic journey of this tragic period in American history. When it appears all is lost, Lincoln relies on his own instincts and better angels to end the war and free the slaves. 

Christopher Ashley has taken a big bite in directing and producing such an outsized exhibition of musical theater, and one is inclined think the next bite will surely be in the Big Apple! 

Boyhood Camp Lost and Home Still Stands

For days, Dan had been wondering what happened to his boyhood home at 732 Greentree Road in the Rustic Canyon neighborhood of Pacific Palisades. And whether Camp Josepho, where he'd had so many  wonderful experiences as a young boy, was still standing. 

April 16, 2016

In the summer of 2016, Dan drove to Los Angeles with his son, Craig, and grandsons Taylor, Noah, and Beau to visit the Greentree house, the lodge at Camp Josepho, and his elementary school. It was a rare outing to places where Grandpa had lived and gone to school when he was closer to their age. We were thrilled earlier today to discover the house survived (ca.gov/fires), just south of the perimeter of the Palisades fire. A high hill separates Greentree like a geographic shield from busy Sunset Boulevard, where the flames were contained. Unfortunately, Camp Josepho was lost in the apocalyptic tragedy the world has been witnessing in West Los Angeles this past week. The images on TV and online have brought back so many memories, not just for Dan, but likely for thousands of Boy Scouts and former Scouts who spent their formative years at the Camp and its two other camps in Catalina and Sequoia.

Camp Josepho 2016

732 Greentree Road 2016

 It was 1944 when Dan's parents, Marcy and Duane, packed up two young toddlers, along with blankets, towels, and toys, after a day at the beach near Sunset Boulevard. They had learned about a lot for sale in nearby Rustic Canyon, a largely undeveloped area of Pacific Palisades. By the time the young couple surveyed the empty land and returned home to their apartment near Duane's parents in central LA, they'd decided to buy the vacant plot which had served as polo fields at one time, and build a house for their young family. 

For the next three years, Dan recalls many weekends playing with his brothers all day long at Greentree while his dad dug giant holes to plant the saplings that would grow into mature trees for shade and food. There were pine trees, a redwood, magnolias, avocado trees, and a variety of fruit trees. Duane bent over his desk at night to draw the floor plans for the house. Eventually, he contracted with a builder, and construction started. In 1947, with a newborn baby, Sanderson, and brothers Dan and Tom, the family moved into their new home on Greentree, bringing the Rustic Canyon neighborhood to a total of thirteen houses.

           

 I met Dan at a New Year's Eve party in 1985, and can remember a story he told me when we were dating, about his childhood "growing up in the boonies." Months after we were married, he drove me past his boyhood home. There was no evidence of the hardscrabble life I'd pictured. He did attend a two-room elementary school with two portable buildings for extra classrooms, and his graduating class was 19 students. Canyon was the second-oldest grade school in Los Angeles. And he rode his bike seven miles to junior high school in Santa Monica, before Paul Revere opened in the Palisades. He also graduated from University High in West LA, before Palisades High was erected. Putting aside the lack of schools nearby, the family was obviously in excellent company. Early settlers included Governor Earl Warren, who'd become Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, actors Robert Mitchum, James Whitmore, Johnny Weissmuller (Tarzan), and James Arness (Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke), who lived in a house around the corner. There was a bit of mischief, too. Johnny Weissmuller Jr. gave Dan a bloody nose on his first day of school at Canyon! But on the other hand, Robert Mitchum asked Duane if Dan might audition for a film titled "The Kid in Left Field.". It never happened, but the gesture remains a topic of family lore, along with the Sepulveda family who were early settlers in Los Angeles on his mom's side of the family.    

One might think the celebrities had a big impact on Dan growing up in the Palisades. But they would be wrong. It was Camp Josepho, the Boy Scout camp and its sister camps, which led to endless outdoor activities, achievements, adventures, jobs, and memories for Dan and his brothers. They attended events and Order of the Arrow banquets at the Josepho, its enclave of buildings and recreation areas tucked in the Santa Monica Mountains, an urban range of forest about three miles from Will Rogers State Park on Sunset, which burned in the fires as well. When Dan turned eleven, his dad established the Boy Scout troupe he and his brothers would attend. Duane led it for the first five years, introducing his sons to a whole world of wilderness training and exploration. There were frequent weekend camping trips and weeklong Boy Scout camps at Emerald Bay on Catalina Island, and Wolverton in Sequoia National Park. At fourteen, Dan was the youngest ever staff member to accept a position at Wolverton where he would work for six weeks every summer the next three years. The staff of young recruits led their Boy Scout charges and a train of stubborn burros, food and camping supplies loaded on their backs, along mountain trails to the camp. The eager youngsters backpacked their own gear for a full week of hiking to lakes and sleeping overnight in the backcountry, just as Dan had done as a young Scout. 

Dan's early experiences with outdoor adventures in nature spilled over to his son, Craig, and his daughter, Laura. He enrolled Craig as a young boy in Indian Guides, an organization similar to Boy Scouts. Every June after Craig joined the Pawnee Tribe in Manhattan Beach, the three of them traveled from San Pedro Harbor with other Pawnee dads and kids to a camp on Catalina Island where they celebrated Fathers Day weekend. Dan and Craig, and the grandkids have continued the tradition.  

Emerald Bay Boy Scout Camp on Catalina

After we were married, Dan decided it was time to treat me to a Halloween weekend at Wolverton. We arrived late in the day as the sun dipped behind the mountains and the chill rose in the air. Our cozy room at a local lodge near Sequoia had kept us warm through the night, but something unexpected met us the next morning. We’d risen early, peeked out a fogged window, and were stunned by a beautiful blanket of snow that had coated the ground overnight. Needless to say, we soldiered on in our trusty hiking boots and backpacks stuffed with food and extras. At the sight of the sparkling white camp of his Boy Scout days, Dan was at home. He plodded through the snow to point out the latrines, outdoor shower stalls, picnic tables, and more before we set off to hike three lakes. 

Like salmon swimming upstream, he led us through the forest, along trails buried beneath the snow. Steep declines and ascents stretched over seven miles of wet, sometimes crunchy terrain to Heather, Aster, and Emerald Lakes where Boy Scouts had hiked and camped for decades. After trodding seven miles back to our car, I had to admit, the excursion was exhilarating, but exhausting. For Dan, it was so much more. Magical moments and memories surfaced as he scanned the winter landscape and recapped details of dozens of previous journeys. It had been twenty-five years since he'd made a trip to Wolverton. It was the summer after he'd graduated from college. He'd volunteered to be the chaperone for a group of Boy Scouts who needed an adult to accompany them on their weeklong summer camp. 

Why not?  Dan didn't hesitate. It was another opportunity for another chapter in the wilderness, just as we'd experienced together that Halloween day.    

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Thank You Norman Lear

2023 Travels

John Burrow

As the calendar moves through February, I'm reminded of two wonderful trips last year in February and March. 

The first was a long weekend in Arizona. I met my friend Vicki from Cincinnati in Phoenix to explore the Scottsdale area. Our definite highlight, after landing a Mercedes sports car at the rental counter, was the annual Arizona Fine Arts Expo. It's running again this year, January 12-March 24, and I can't recommend it more highly.  It was nothing short of a kaleidoscope of truly mesmerizing works of art. Strolling from one display to the next, impressive talent and techniques lured us into a trance. Lauren Knode, Dawn Normali, and George Jones stood out, using brilliant contrasting colors of the southwest to infuse energy and raw emotion in their paintings. Knode's luminous landscapes and delicate flowers intoxicated, Normali's rich desert scenes captured the stark mood of the setting, and Jones' stunning animals in motion leaped from the canvas. So much to savor that we spent much longer than planned. Worth every minute.

The Mercedes Sports Car

George Jones

                    

Dawn Normali

We also put forth our best effort to sample recommended restaurants in the Scottsdale area. All were worthy of the visit, but the elegant Persian Room won best of the show. It’s a slam dunk if you're in town and want something different.

The oversized, ornate wood doors were the first hint that this place was special. It's a two-story, elegant room dripping with jewel-colored fabrics, and a wrought iron staircase leading to a loft of luxury dining upstairs. Furniture in dark mahogany wood shades was accented by classical Middle Eastern designs, setting the mood of the spacious setting. The authentic cuisine was a celebration of taste and harmony, the perfect match for the other world atmosphere, both alluring and welcoming. The cocktails were equally pleasing and generous. A toast to the proprietors for creating memorable decor and food.

In March last year, a most worthy treat was a trip to Oaxaca. My friend Doralece from Virginia Beach invited me to join her for a culinary tour offered by Les Dames d'Escoffier International, an organization of female chefs and women in the beverage and produce industries serving fine dining restaurants. 

From the very first day to the last, the best of Oaxacan food, arts, and crafts dazzled. On the night of arrival, Oaxacan fabrics and clothing were showcased in a fashion show held in our hotel courtyard, a setting reminiscent of a Shakespearian play. The ancient stone gazebo, sculptures and artifacts offered the perfect backdrop for the parade of local models, elegant and graceful as they struck stunning poses in designer garments. 

 

A former convent, the Quinta Real Oaxaca is a Unesco Cultural Heritage of Humanity hotel with four centuries of history in its interior. A must consideration if you are planning a trip to Oaxaca, considered number one or two of the most desirable destinations in the world by at least one highly regarded travel magazine. 

Each day of our tour featured a cornucopia of world-class cuisine created by chefs throughout Oaxaca, a world-class culinary region. In addition, traditional candlemakers, figurine painters, and Mezcal producers demonstrated their crafts, and instructed us how to make our own samples, an immersive experience which led to a range of creative results!    

Finally, Dan and I outdid ourselves in June 2023 when we traveled to Arizona for a Colorado River rafting trip through the entire Grand Canyon. It was a dream of his, and he wouldn't go unless I came along. I had my qualms because I'd done half the trip years ago, and thought it might be wise to avoid it some 40 years later. I loved the original voyage with all the adrenalin pumped by the rapids. This time, with the assurance of a motorized raft, I agreed to go along. It may have been our best trip ever! The fact that we could even do it, getting on and off the huge inflated raft being the hardest part, was an accomplishment. We slept outside under a million stars every night except one, which threatened a repeat performance of the day's downpour. We lugged our gear on and off the boat, set up and took down our own camping area, peed in a plastic container the size of my yogurt container at home during the night, and walked through the brush to a semi-private outhouse for more serious elimination during the day. 

There were three major highlights of the trip -- our GUIDE JJ, the fellow RAFTERS, and the RAPIDS!!  Everyone was extremely congenial, with a shout out to the nine teenagers from Alaska and Arizona. They were Awesome kids. We were propped on our benches holding onto grab ropes for the rapids  and sat on the floor with grab ropes for the more challenging ones, which produced a bigger and longer roller coaster ride. But the world famous Lava Falls put all the others to shame. Our guides were extremely experienced in reading the river and calling the shots when it came to maneuvering through those badass rapids and boulders. The mighty Lava Falls on the last day, and well worth the wait. I would compare it to the height of an earthquake which keeps on quaking. I kept my eye on JJ, and she kept her focus on the water!! It was thrilling. We told our kids and grandkids they need to do that trip!

What we brought home with us, besides a broken toe, bruises, and very dirty garb, was an appreciation of the Grand Canyon as one of the true wonders of the world. We hiked into deep canyons with Caribbean colored water and cathedral caverns that were once the sacred settings for Native American ceremonies, we slid down rocks into an offshoot of the river with its own set of fast moving water, and we camped and ate next to the mighty Colorado every day and night. The water had been dangerously low the week before, but was perfect for our trip, thanks to the management of the dam -- except for one morning. We lingered at camp until after lunch before the water level returned and we were able to push our two rafts off land. It gave us the perfect opportunity to pose for our group photo in front of one of the rafts. We are grateful for the experience, and learned that climate change is affecting the Grand Canyon just as it is other precious places on the planet.