Sunday Snaps
Recap and Recs for April and May
Note: you may need to click through to read in full…
To quote Peggy Olson: “Holy Shit, it’s June 1st?” I too, feel blindsighted by time although I’ve been seeing it everywhere. When I drive to Napa to see my parents, I’ve been clocking the neon yellow and mellowing fade of the mustard between the vines, along with tender spurts of grape leaves beginning in shades of celadon before expanding into their late spring emerald tone. The hillsides that were so lush and green all over the north bay have gone through their wildflower blooms and are now beginning to be a toasty golden tan. The flowers at the farmer’s market each week also clock every nuance of the season: hydrangea and ranunculas one week, into freesia and lilac the next, sweet peas and lilies the next, and finally peonies and the first sunflowers.
These months have been BUSY, but I've been inspired every time I turn my head. Is it me or is San Francisco just looking incredibly great these days?
April started out with a beautiful Passover Seder at my friend Justine’s house; an event I adore, not only because of its meaning, but because I have amazing conversations and make new friends every time. Later in the month, Justine invited me to come to Copia in Napa for a screening of Feeding Tomorrow — a moving documentary about regenerative farming — by brothers Simon and Oliver English. This was followed by a dinner created by the filmmakers’ father, Chef Todd English, and their sister, Chef Belle English, who is currently the the test kitchen and culinary director at Williams-Sonoma. This meal was farm-to-table magic! Sea scallop crudo, minted sheep’s milk ricotta agnolotti, Stemple Creek Ranch short rib, and a strawberry pavlova to finish, served with a wine pairing from Bonterra.
I attended my first Giants game of the season, so had my first hot dog of the season, which is always a treat. (Always go to the Doggie Diner Grill Cart for a freshly seared option with onions and peppers. There’s never any golden/brown mustard around, but at least the dogs are good.) I was with a bunch of friends in the bleachers on a Friday night which I haven’t done in years and it was the best. It was “Cal” night, so a lot of kids from Berkeley were there, and the Cal Straw Hat Band was just a few rows in front of us in the bleachers playing tunes at every inning change. One of the better Friday nights on offer.
I finally got to go to Verjus in the Financial District, which is a fun little spot. I’m thinking it may be better for a bar visit/pre-dinner, simply because the little backless stools get quickly uncomfortable to sit in for a full dinner. I loved the wines, the food was simple and tasty, and it has a great vibe overall. Also finally got to the newly-reopened Izzy’s off of Chestnut Street, or the “New Izzy’s” as some are calling it. After closing for a lengthy renovation, this classic has been elevated into a more refined experience and atmosphere. Locals know that some of the appeal of the “old” Izzy’s was it’s tavern-like, almost divey atmosphere, complete with a spectrum of steak and hot sauces at every booth. Guess what? The bottles of sauce are gone; the only condiments and sauces on offer are those made in-house, and they’re fantastic. (Apparently this has some of the old crowd up in arms…I guess people love their A1?) The main floor has beautiful new murals, lighting, and comfortable booths, while the upstairs has its own bar, fireplace lounge, and other private dining rooms. True to the old Izzy’s, the new version is priced well: New York strip is $49 and filets are $52 — a bargain against other steak houses in the city. I had the NewYork and I cannot remember the last time I had a steak that was so perfect. Very happy this place is back!
My friend Kim invited me along to the San Fancisco Opera Guild luncheon at Neiman Marcus, and I was in a bit of a panic about pulling together my “ladies who lunch” persona, but it happened. Upon arrival, the first thing I saw was a gray Birkin bag sitting on the carpet with a small Yorkshire Terrier poking its head out of the top. Yes! We! Have! Arrived! This was a very fun event, with a really fabulous fashion show curated by the one and only Chloe King — Director of Fashion and Lifesyle at Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. (Or, as you may know her from her incredible Instagram account chloe4dayz.) Honestly, I am such a fan of Chloe’s style that I was thrilled to meet her. The fashion show featured some unexpected favorites: Libertine, Dice Kayek, McQueen, and Ganni. It was a fun mix of classic, edgy, ladylike, and daring. To finish the day, the Opera Guild “Scouts” — a group of aspiring young opera singers (age 12 - 18) supported by the Guild — performed “The Moon Bridge” by Florence Price.
Speaking of singing…I’ve been rehearsing quite a bit with my choir — Music Education for Everyone — for our upcoming show on June 13th: The Choral Music of Ireland. Tickets are moving quickly, so if you’re so inclined, please purchase a ticket at the link! Our last show in March on Female Composers was one of our best, so here is a little sample…
The main choir is about 60 people, but I also sing with the Chamber Choir which is about 12-14 people. This video is of the Chamber Choir singing Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather”… I posted another clip in my notes of the same group singing Imogen Heap’s “Hide and Seek”, so check it out!
The Moth
In case you missed it: yes, I won The Moth in San Francisco! Although I knew of this monthly event and its storytelling sort of on the periphery, I’d never attended a show until April. My friend Meg brought me along and was saying “are you SURE you DON’T want to tell a story?” I had no idea what was happening, so I was happy to just enjoy it. The next month (May) had a theme of “Only in San Francisco” and I very quickly thought of a story to tell.
People have asked me if I practiced or rehearsed it, and all I can say is…kind of? Maybe in the shower? I’m generally at my best in presentations when I’m under-rehearsed and a bit off the cuff. Likewise, you don’t even know if you’re going to be picked, so why spend too much time rehearsing? Night of, I filled out my form and put it in the black bag for the storyteller drawing, and waited…and waited. Three of my friends had come with me, so I was starting to feel like this was a bust for all of us…and then I was picked 10th out of 10 storytellers. My story was about a very terrifying night I’d spent on Alcatraz Island with a now-defunct young professionals group I was a member of; we supported the GGNPC and used to do volunteer events throughout the parks. (The work I did with this group also inspired The Spring.) It ended up being a really weird, intense, wonderful night, but also incredibly scary. I’m glad I got the crowd to gasp and chuckle a few times, but honestly it’s all such a blur! I sat down again, and since I was last, I received my scores from the judges (9.1, 9.2, & 9.3 I think…) and won the best story of the night, which meant I had to get right back up on stage and receive some applause. Eeek!
If you’re a fan of The Moth radio or podcast show, you know that the episodes are anthologies and the story segments are culled from all over the country. So, that means I have no idea if or when my story will be on the show. I’ll also be invited to a Grand Slam — a storytelling event that makes the 10 best storytellers from SF & Berkeley go head-to-head — but this too is TBD as there is a backlog of storytellers from the pandemic. Beyond kudos, and feathers in my cap, and a lovely frame-able certificate, I basically have bragging rights and I’m okay with that!
My friend
told me that I needed to add this to my resume and Linkedin because it’s such a big deal, and I’m just beginning to understand that. So many people have been giving me congratulations — I can honestly say I’ve never had such a response over anything I’ve ever done. Thank you everyone!The Spring
We’re close everyone! Just a few more chapters and The Spring will be complete. Will you be satisfied with the ending? I can’t say, but it’s what feels right…
Any thoughts on who the Admin is? Leave a comment with your thoughts.
Seen. Heard. Enjoyed. Still Thinking About.
Hey - did you know we have some incredible museums? Yes, and they are in fine form at the moment with some wonderful exhibits. In fact, that’s kind of been another activity these last few months: going to museums and museum parties.
First, the de Young museum had it’s Late Night party, which starts at 9PM and goes into the wee hours. It’s always fun, but at this event there were only 2 bars for the whole party, not to mention that the queues for said bars were extensive making cocktails a bit of a process. Ooof. What did we do? Well, we didn’t even bother to get drinks. Instead we saw the art! Shocking, I know. The exhibit of Paul McCartney’s photography really surprised me and my friend Kim; we thought this would be yet another viewing of Beatles photos, but they aren’t that. These are photos Paul McCartney took right when the Beatles were starting out through the highpoint of Beatlemania. The pictures are fresh, funny, sophisticated, and really capture the time.
The SFMOMA’s annual Art Bash is always a great time, and somehow although the museum is so much larger than the De Young, you can always find a cocktail, some music, a bite of food, and not have to wait. The main draw right now is the incredible retrospective of Ruth Asawa’s art, which is really transporting. If, like me, you grew up in San Francisco, you knew the name Ruth Asawa from her famous fountain at the Hyatt Hotel, and her art education programs and activism which led to the creation of San Francisco’s first School of the Arts - now the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts. Her wire-woven “gourd” sculptures cluster and hang beautifully like airy creatures from another planet. Even though they’re made of wire, they have a light, barely-there presence that is peaceful and meditative. The other characters of course are the shadows cast by said sculptures and how the transparency — both in the shadows and the sculptures — layer together. There is also a room devoted to her line art botanical drawings that she made in her back yard on Castro Street in Noe Valley. These too almost look like they’re made of wire with their crisp outlines — they’re almost reminiscent of Japanese prints from the 19th century. It’s a beautiful show.
The other day I decided to take myself on an “art date” to the Legion of Honor Museum, and I have to say this is the way to do museums. Tuesday afternoon, around 1:30 PM, you have the whole place to yourself and it’s amazing. I went to see Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art. (Many of you know this, but it bears repeating: I was once a student of Wayne Thiebaud’s at UC Davis, where I took his Theory and Criticism class. He was a wonderful teacher and a kind, lovely man.) I didn’t really understand this show at first, but it quickly became clear that it was curated to show Thiebaud’s influences and how he reinterpreted works by other artists, taking an idea, a pose, a composition, and making it his own. The show starts with some side-by-sides with art by other artists, some even from Thiebaud’s own collection, along with his interpretation. In the main gallery, the cited works are presented in miniature next to the title card. I really enjoyed seeing so many Thiebauds together again, and I especially LOVED how they gallery’s trim was edged in bright colors to echo the edgings in the paintings. This is the kind of unexpected detail we need to see more of in the art world.
Okay, this has gone on long enough, so while I have some TV & movie recs, I’m going to make it quick.
Really enjoyed Four Seasons on Netflix. True, it can be cloying here and there, but I also found myself completely guffawing with laughter more than a few times. Plus, I found the ending extremely satisfying. The Pitt is great too, but definitely gets GRAPHIC and gory in places. Another great but incredibly DARK show is Adolescence. I’m so glad I watched this though — it really had me from the first moment. I love that each episode is told differently, but connect into the larger arc of the story. Another amazing thing is that each episode was shot in a SINGLE SHOT. It’s incredible filmmaking. The third episode seems innocuous enough but gets really intense — the young actor Owen Cooper deserves every award that’s coming to him.
In the started but haven’t finished pile I have Wear Whatever the F You Want — the redux of What Not to Wear from the early aughties that was my Friday night delight when I was a young working girl. I love Stacy London and Clinton Kelly and they are in fine form here advising people moving through big life transitions and trying to find their style. I also watched the first few episodes of Étoile on Prime, from Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino — the team behind Gilmore Girls and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel. This show is enjoyable despite the chaos, I’m just wishing there was a bit more of the ballet. I’ve also started Carême on AppleTV…and it’s basically about pastry, politics, and sex. Not against it, but it’s campy for sure. I read the book this is supposedly based on years ago, so I’m intrigued (and the history is fun — definitely looking everyone up on Wikipedia), but it’s a mile-a-minute. While you do see him develop the world’s first vol-au-vent, our Carême is too busy spying for Talleyrand to do much cooking.
Rewatchables
Here’s a few films I’ve re-watched recently just because…
Desperado, Robert Rodriguez, 1995. I have always enjoyed this film. It’s a remake of Rodriguez’s own film from 1992: El Mariachi, which some consider to be the better film. It’s definitely less campy and definitely less funny than the “Americanized” version with Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek. This one even has a cameo from that other “bad boy director” of the 90s Quentin Tarantino. Don’t worry, he gets killed right when you find him most annoying. Sure it’s gratuitously violent and ridiculous — kind of comic-bookish — but it’s a fun ride and worth a re-watch considering how huge it was when it came out. Also Antonio Banderas is extremely hot in this movie.
Lovely to Look At, Mervyn LeRoy, 1952. This is an interesting one for a number of reasons, and while it lacks the ooomph of other MGM musicals of the era, it’s still worth a look. This is a redux of the 1935 RKO film Roberta which starred Irene Dunne and Randolph Scott, supported by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It’s about the Parisian fashion house “Roberta”, and while the plot is kicky and convoluted, you end up rooting for these messy characters. Produced by Jack Cummings (kind of the B-team producer for the MGM musicals of the era, as opposed to Arthur Freed and “the Freed unit” and it’s stellar productions) the 1952 version features the same plot, general story, and songs by Jerome Kern, but with Katherine Grayson and Howard Keel in the lead, and Red Skelton and Ann Miller supporting. Lots of talent and a good backbone, but not gonna lie, the result is fair-to-middling. Why watch it? Because it’s one of those mid-century films that features a lush fashion show sequence which was directed by Vincente Minelli with gowns by Adrian. What’s more is it was art directed by Tony Duquette, and you see many of his signature motifs in action: antlers, forests, Venetian masks, striking drapery…It’s the best part of the whole thing.
I’m going to leave it there for now…I have a few product recs for you, but will save them for a summer treat!
Hope everyone has a wonderful summer…ours will begin in late September! (Northern California joke…)
xxx
The Moth is a BIG deal. In case you needed reminding. 🩷