Monday, May 28, 2007

A weekend's worth....

Having no internet access in Durango, I'm sure I've missed the chance to record a few highlights (bad memory and all that...)

What lovely country! Apparent from the first few miles in the rental car - heading out of Albuquerque on Route 550, through myriad Indian reservations that looked nothing more than miles of empty land decorated by stacked red rocks, mesas and the occasional scrub. Six of us in the car fighting over radio stations...and, then, wrong directions:)

On the other end, in Durango - what a place! Great looking from the outside, the unusual angles of a restored schoolhouse jutting up from the trees. Way back and way up, out of the valley and closer to the snow covered peaks to the North.

Lovely, lovely to spend time with friends, who I love so damn much! Could have sat around on the porch and just enjoyed the company, but...that wasn't in the cards because there was so much nature (and carnie-life) beckoning from beyond.

First paddling trip! Class III + rapids and my raft did go up on end in one breath-taking moment, but I managed to stay in and continue loving the whole thing. Although the beer clasped between my wet-suited legs suffered greatly...MM in a kayak, looking sharp as ever. A raft full of fun behind along with a few other duckies (one of which not so lucky on the dips - CB handling his drenching like a champ! Go, Chris!!!!!).

Less dramatic, but just as beautiful...a hike up Animus Mountain, a solo walk...night out at the local parking lot carnival. Skipped the Zipper and went for what proved to be a LAME funhouse (one of the 'fun' mirrors were taped up! HEYYYYYYYYYYYYY). Had the best bbq'ed veggie burgers of my life and the strongest margheritas, to boot! Thanks, KLB.

Best moment of the weekend though -------- let it be known that CARON ALLISON WOODWARD appeared on the CA Bar Exam PASS list. You go, pumpkin! Couldn't be prouder or happier for you (and I'll never forget NEVER FORGET that scary moment of hitting 'go' on my phone browser and being the only person in the world to know the answer....!!!!! Yikers!)

Lotsa love to all the ex-Maryland'ers who made it out. And, to the one that didn't. (MS, you know we picked next year's spot....)

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Snowing In Durango

Off from parts west to parts deep west...

Friday, May 11, 2007

The Lilacs! Oh, the lilacs....



The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, Part II started off a bit later, with a boy one size bigger and less accoutrement (no stroller, for instance - something I would come to regret the minute I heard 'Carry Me' echoing out across the Azaleas). Jack and I in a daring feat of interborough travel hopped the 2 train and landed right outside of the Brooklyn Museum. We headed into the gardens themselves in search of the promised 'grass to run on' and made our way to the quickly dying cherry blossoms, which carpeted the esplanade like some delightful pink snow! Almost as fun as looking at them on the trees. Wonderful, sometimes, to realize that we live in a city in which it is possible to land twenty minutes from our doorstep in such a glorious place of nature and beauty. Lilacs fading, but smelling delicious; azaleas blazing in full florescence; wisteria hanging, falling heavily across the pergolas.

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Opera, sunshine and five miles the hard way...

Pretty much sums up my day - oh, except for evening out with M. who never fails to provide adventure of some sort or another...

Difficult as hell to drag myself up to Lincoln Center this afternoon - gorgeous sun and all - but, drag I did and one long subway ride later was happy to be sitting in one of those hard-backed Alice Tully chairs for Tristan and Isolde. Lovely music and inspired projections; I'm always a fan of Bill Viola...particularly struck by one sequence of CU male and female faces immersed in a bowl of perfectly clear water. Almost took a full minute before I realized that they were underwater - not 'til the veins stuck up on their foreheads and the wrinkles to the side of their mouths became more pronounced. A wonderful work of art for Viola's part - different and more engrossing than the usual spectacle Wagner requires. Minimalism meeting maximum symphonic arrangement...

Must admit though, I left before the third act. So there.

It was sunny! C'mon! Plus, I gave my stub to a music student. See!?

Perfect end to a week of theater - Cymbeline, Frost/Nixon...life seems to go on. Doesn't it.