Month: February 2023

Week in Review – February 12th, 2023

“Alone again”

I flew home from San Francisco on Tuesday afternoon.  I snapped this picture of the flowers blooming on the hill before I left:

The San Francisco airport has a rotating exhibition that you can walk through on the way to the departure gates.  The current show is celebrating 100 years of the San Francisco Opera.  Clorinda would enjoy it – costumes and artifacts from Tosca and Rigoletto.

All the ice was long gone on return to Dallas, and the drive home was smooth.  The house seemed in good shape – just a couple of small tree branches down.

While I was working away in my home office, Diana was struggling through the Dali melting clock puzzle that Amy and Adamo gave her for Christmas.  Lots of whining and complaining about how difficult the black section was, but she persevered.

This was one of the busier work weeks in a while.  I did manage to escape for lunch with our Enterprise Architect, Prabhjit, on Wednesday.  Shiawase Japanese restaurant was mid-way between our homes and is always good.

Diana took her Mum to watch the kids swim lesson again on Thursday afternoon.  No Frankie drama this time.  The trio of Luciano, Massimo, and Louie were capable of jumping in without needing to be rescued:

I met up with a work colleague for a late lunch on Saturday.   We tried to go to the Libertine on Greenville Ave (great food and cocktails), but there was a “Cupid Crawl” in progress.  This is some ridiculous pre-Valentines event, and had the place absolutely packed.  We diverted to The Hideaway and enjoyed a couple of hours of work gossip and story telling.

Saturday was busy on Gypsy Hill.  Joey and family arrived to celebrate Leanna’s birthday.  Seems like all had a good time.  Pretty salad and flowers that Bonna brought:

Diana, Clorinda and Alicia are always happy when they are able to host family.

Later in the afternoon, Marco, Julie, and Gianluca showed up for a visit.  Oh – and not to forget Yeti, who seemed pretty bored with the proceedings.

Marco just had a recent drain removed from his tummy and is in a lot of pain.  I think we talked him out of trying to go back to work on Monday.

The weather in Pacifica got much better after I left and Diana has been torturing me with sunset views.

In additional torture, the Krewe was out to watch the first of the Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans.  So much fun.

Sunday has been quiet so far.  I drove to downtown McKinney for coffee and a quiche with my crossword.  Then made a visit to Trader Joe’s for some essential supplies to tide me over until my D returns on Tuesday.  Now I’m catching up on things before the Superbowl starts in a few hours.

My book this week was “Lessons” by Ian McEwan.  I haven’t quite finished yet.

Here’s an online review and synopsis:

““Masterful…. McEwan is a storyteller at the peak of his powers…. One of the joys of the novel is the way it weaves history into Roland’s biography…. The pleasure in reading this novel is letting it wash over you.” —Associated Press

When the world is still counting the cost of the Second World War and the Iron Curtain has closed, eleven-year-old Roland Baines’s life is turned upside down. Two thousand miles from his mother’s protective love, stranded at an unusual boarding school, his vulnerability attracts piano teacher Miss Miriam Cornell, leaving scars as well as a memory of love that will never fade.

Now, when his wife vanishes, leaving him alone with his tiny son, Roland is forced to confront the reality of his restless existence. As the radiation from Chernobyl spreads across Europe, he begins a search for answers that looks deep into his family history and will last for the rest of his life.

Haunted by lost opportunities, Roland seeks solace through every possible means—music, literature, friends, sex, politics, and, finally, love cut tragically short, then love ultimately redeemed. His journey raises important questions for us all. Can we take full charge of the course of our lives without causing damage to others? How do global events beyond our control shape our lives and our memories? And what can we really learn from the traumas of the past?

Epic, mesmerizing, and deeply humane, Lessons is a chronicle for our times—a powerful meditation on history and humanity through the prism of one man’s lifetime.”

I have enjoyed this book quite a bit, but maybe not quite as much as I anticipated.  The pacing seems to drag a bit form time to time.  I did enjoy reliving all the recent history that weaves in and out of the story.  Maybe there is a terrific ending ahead for me to enjoy.

I read that Hugh Hudson, director of Chariots of Fire, died this week.  Here’s some of the iconic Vangelis sound track to honour him:

I also read that Gustavo Dudamel is moving from his position as conductor of the LA Philharmonic to the New York Philharmonic.  There’s been a lot of chatter in the media the last couple of weeks about ChatGPT, which can answer any question and generate papers on any subject.  I asked it “What makes Gustavo Dudamel such a great conductor?”  Here’s the response – very impressive AI tool:

Gustavo Dudamel is considered a great conductor for several reasons:

  1. Musical Interpretation: Dudamel has a unique interpretation of music and a remarkable ability to bring out the emotional content of a piece. He is known for his energetic and passionate conducting style that inspires and captivates audiences.
  2. Technically Proficient: Dudamel is a highly skilled conductor with a deep understanding of music. He has a strong sense of rhythm and is able to bring out the best in orchestras, ensuring that every section is well balanced and in tune.
  3. Dynamic Presence: Dudamel is a charismatic and dynamic conductor who has the ability to engage and excite audiences. His enthusiasm and energy are contagious, and he often receives standing ovations.
  4. Commitment to Education: Dudamel is committed to music education and has a passion for promoting classical music to new generations. He is the founder of the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) and has been instrumental in developing programs that give young people access to music education.
  5. Wide Repertoire: Dudamel has a broad repertoire that ranges from classical to contemporary music, and he is known for his interpretations of the works of Gustav Mahler, Ludwig van Beethoven, and many other composers.

All of these factors have combined to make Gustavo Dudamel one of the most respected and sought-after conductors of his generation.

Bruce Springsteen performed in Dallas on Friday night.  Three of his band members were ill and didn’t join the band, but this review would indicate he didn’t miss a beat:

https://amp.star-telegram.com/entertainment/article272399133.html

I was enjoying listening to the reprised River tour from Dallas several years ago this week.  Thanks Matt!

Coexist peacefully, with kindness and compassion for all!

 

Fortnight in Review – February 5th, 2023

“Mexico City to Dallas – No go!”

We had some very light snow flurries last Tuesday – certainly an omen of what was to come.

Both of  us had dental experiences last Tuesday.   I had a cleaning and Diana went to the orthodontist to see about Invisalign stuff.  I tried to go to a new empanada place I had read about close to Dr. Toney’s office but they were closed – next time.

The Ogans were in town for Cooper Clinic appointments on Thursday.  Anne particularly likes to have Tex-Mex food when in Dallas – the only cuisine that they can’t find a better version of in New Orleans.  We met them at Mena’s in Carrolton and had a lovely late lunch.  They had carried a king cake all the way for us – so thoughtful.

Last Saturday was pretty typical – workout and a visit to Duino for avocado toasts.  In the afternoon, I enjoyed this New Yorker article on the fantastic pianist, Brad Mehldau:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/01/30/brad-mehldau-trades-bach-for-the-beatles

Diana dropped me off last Sunday for my flight to Mexico City for our quarterly Board of Directors meeting.  We decided it was smart to move her Tuesday flight to San Francisco up to Monday, given the increasingly bleak weather forecast for the rest of the week.    I was able to watch the first half of the NFC Championship game between the Eagles and the 49ers on the flight.

Immigration in Mexico City was remarkably smooth and quick compared to prior experiences.  After a 20 minute limo ride, I was comfortably installed in the Intercontinental El Presidente hotel.  This is the sister hotel to the one we were married at in Cozumel.

Here are views of the city from my room and the elevator lobby on the 40th floor:

The hotel is in the Polanco district – apparently the fancy part of Mexico City.  There are several excellent restaurants in the hotel, and we enjoyed an outstanding Italian meal at Alfredo di Roma on Sunday evening.  They even provided a private room with a TV so that we could enjoy the AFC Championship game.  The baby octopus (pulpitos) were yummy and the tiramisu was the best I’ve ever tasted.

There is a lot of theater in these restaurants – here Blair’s seafood pasta is being prepared:

I got up at night to adjust the thermostat and was tackled by this sculpture – those black out shades are very effective.

Our rooms came with access to the Club lounge on the 39th floor for breakfast and happy hour.  I really enjoyed their chilaquiles with verde sauce, spicy chicken and eggs in the morning, and the excellent views.

I met Jose, who runs Latin America for me, for lunch at another hotel restaurant, Au Pied de Cochon, for lunch.  The French food was very good – foie gras mousse and scallops on a bed of risotto.  We enjoyed catching up face to face over a delicious meal.

I did some work in the afternoon, and then ran into Phil, our majority shareholder, who insisted that I join him and the Board members for dinner.  Guess where that was – yep, right back at Au Pied de Cochon.  I was able to sample some other delights.  The theater continued with dry ice smoking over the oysters and table side preparation of my steak tartare.

Here I am with Jorge, who runs Operations in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras at the dinner.

The Board meetings on Tuesday were very smooth and my presentation was well received, without any tough questions.  Then it was time for my favourite meal of the trip.  We went outside the hotel for dinner at La Buena Barra.  Pablo, our local Mexico City Board member, arranged a wonderful table on the terrace.  Then he proceeded to order up some amazing appetizers – soft shell crab tacos (best thing I ate), tuna tartare tostadas, and various other treats.

I had a massive octopus for my main course, and it was perfectly cooked on top of a hot stone.

The churro dessert presentation continued the creative trend.

If you’re ever in Mexico City – this is the place to eat.  Here’s a picture of the full group enjoying the meal:

I had planned to fly back to Dallas on Wednesday afternoon, but the ice storm caused all flights to be cancelled.

There are worse places to have to spend an extra night than the Intercontinental.  Nikki and Sunil were also stuck and we decided to revisit the amazing Italian restaurant.  I tried the mushroom risotto with truffles – so good.

I headed to the airport on Thursday morning to attempt a flight to Dallas.  The ice was forecast to melt during the day and then refreeze in the evening.  I was hoping flights would get out.  But no, my flight was pushed back six or seven times with arrival scheduled after the roads would have frozen again.  Time for a plan B.  There was a direct flight to San Francisco, and I decided to go and visit Diana and Clorinda for the weekend, letting things thaw out in Dallas.

I had forwarded Diana this boarding pass, but she didn’t initially notice that it was to San Francisco.  She did ultimately notice and picked me up in the afternoon.

We invited Andy and Jude down for Happy Hour on Friday.  They insisted on bringing a bunch of yummy Italian food from a new Pacifica restaurant.  We’ve been enjoying left overs for a couple of days.

Saturday was a rainy and miserable day and the only time we ventured out was for a coffee and snack at Soul Grind.  They have a new menu item – empanadas.  I chose a mushroom one and it was delicious.  We’d love to pick this place up and move it to McKinney.

Gianluca joined Alicia, Carolina, and Lucas for art and craft time on Saturday afternoon.  They created some really pretty pieces.

In the evening, the girls (Diana, Alicia, Aimee, Caroline and Carolina) went to the Eric Lindell show at the Longboard Margarita Bar – the local dive bar where I went to watch the Cowboys at Christmas.  They had a great time.  Aimee stayed over for a slumber party and we enjoyed catching up with her.

I stayed home and hung out with Clorinda, who was very well behaved.

The Ogans made a last minute trip to Park City, Utah for some skiing.  The conditions look excellent:

In other news, Alicia started a new job as a Project Coordinator at Communiversity – a community outreach program at San Jose State.  She had an internship there, and they liked her so much that they found a funded position for her to continue.  Way to go A!

 

 

My book this week was “Lucy, by the sea” by the wonderful Elizabeth Strout.  I loved this quick read and the way it captured all the fear and uncertainty of the COVID onset.  Here’s the online summary:

“With her trademark spare, crystalline prose—a voice infused with “intimate, fragile, desperate humanness” (The Washington Post)—Elizabeth Strout turns her exquisitely tuned eye to the inner workings of the human heart, following the indomitable heroine of My Name Is Lucy Barton through the early days of the pandemic.

As a panicked world goes into lockdown, Lucy Barton is uprooted from her life in Manhattan and bundled away to a small town in Maine by her ex-husband and on-again, off-again friend, William. For the next several months, it’s just Lucy, William, and their complex past together in a little house nestled against the moody, swirling sea.

Rich with empathy and emotion, Lucy by the Sea vividly captures the fear and struggles that come with isolation, as well as the hope, peace, and possibilities that those long, quiet days can inspire. At the heart of this story are the deep human connections that unite us even when we’re apart—the pain of a beloved daughter’s suffering, the emptiness that comes from the death of a loved one, the promise of a new friendship, and the comfort of an old, enduring love.”

There are several paragraphs that I had marked to include here, but I’m getting tired.  Trust me – this is another excellent book from Strout.

I love the spare guitar sound on this one from the Teskey Bros – an excellent new band from Australia:

One of the Board Members, Matt, recommended this band after we had been discussing our musical preferences for a while:

I can’t remember how Andy and I got on the topic of Glaswegian singer, songwriter John Martyn.  Oh now I do – I was telling him about Matt sending me every live Grateful Dead show on a drive, and he mentioned a bootleg recording he got in his record store from John Martyn.

Coexist peacefully, with kindness and patience for all!

P.S. – the pilot on my United flight to San Francisco came out in the aisle and thanked everyone for flying with him.  He went on to say he had flown for United for 23 years, and for the US Air Force for 10 before that, training up multiple teams.  “You are all on my team today, and that means we treat everyone on board with kindness and respect.”  What a great representative of the airline.