Bonaire Trip - Day 2

It was rather warm in Bonaire at 5:15 am -- about 81 degrees. It's always strange to me when it's warm before the sun comes up! We had a bit of a line to wait in to get through customs, but even that was interesting because we were serenaded the whole time by some tropical bird under the eves of the airport terminal.

After we gathered all our luggage, we found our way over to the car rental area. I say "car", but most rental vehicles on Bonaire are actually pick-up trucks. Like most I saw, ours had a crew cab and a wooden rack in the bed for carrying scuba tanks.



We managed to navigate our way pretty easily through Kralendijk in the dark. Fortunately, there were lots of signs - just no street signs, so my map was next to useless. First we headed toward downtown, and then followed the signs that said "hotels." When we got to the traffic circle (the only one on the island), we knew we were getting close.

As we were getting out of our truck at Captain Don's Habitat, I saw a shuttle full of people pulling in (obviously had arrived on our same plane), so we hustled a bit to get into the lobby ahead of them. We'd reserved a room for Friday night, so we were able to check right in.

There were several people on the shuttle (a single dive group) who were quite vocally amazed and annoyed that their rooms weren't ready for them. At 6 o'clock in the morning. What hotel on this planet has a 6 a.m. check-in time, I ask you?

Dive orientation was at 9, so we forced ourselves to stay awake for awhile after breakfast. It was very low key -- they checked our diver certification cards (affectionately known as "C" Cards) and explained the marine park rules. We were free to do our orientation dive on our own anytime the first day, so we went back to our room and slept about four hours. We were in no shape to be diving, tired as we were!

In the afternoon, after we bought our marine park tags and rented our gear, we took a nice dive off Baby Dock. 30 minutes, maximum depth 60 feet.

Then we had a delightful, delicious and leisurely dinner of lasagna at Pasa Bon Pizza.

Bonaire Trip - Day 1

We caught a mid-day flight to Houston where we had about a 6-hour layover. After a long, leisurely dinner at Pappadeaux in the airport, we sat near our gate and people watched. At Pappadeaux, I had the best Key Lime pie EVER! I also had a shrimp and crab cocktail and a crawfish platter.

I slept in bits and pieces on our redeye flight to Bonaire. The movie was Poseidon -- poor choice for someone going to spend a few days in the ocean, don't you think? I never plugged in my earphones, but I did watch the scene where the rogue wave rolls the cruise ship over....

We landed in Bonaire about 5:15 a.m.

Eek! I've been subpoenaed!

I checked my answering machine messages for this last week a little while ago, and there was a message from the DA's office about the subpoena I received to appear this Friday. Well...I don't have any subpoena, so I'll have to call the office tomorrow. I did enough research online to see that the number given on my machine is for the Witness Coordination Office.

I did get a letter a few months or so ago about someone who had some of my mail in his possession, and I filled out a form and returned it that said I didn't know the person and he didn't have permission to have my mail. Maybe it's about that.

I was subpoenaed about something very similar a couple of years ago. Maybe it's time to get a locking mailbox, huh?

Fire at Las Vegas' Venetian Hotel

Maybe I'm a bit of a disaster magnet...!

We were at the Venetian, watching "Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular", and when we came out of the hotel about 9 p.m., discovered the entire street was closed with police and fire vehicles everywhere:
http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5447704

Phantom was incredible -- absolutely an amazing, beautiful, breathtaking, wonderful program. Definitely worth seeing, if you get the chance.

We saw "Zumanity" Saturday night: http://www.zumanity.com/. It's the adult member of the Cirque du Soleil family -- really more of a variety show. Very racy, lots of nudity, varied from funny as heck to totally amazing and unreal.

And had incredible meals during the weekend at Michael's http://www.barbarycoastcasino.com/dining/michaels.php, Emeril's http://www.emerils.com/restaurants/lasvegas_fishhouse/index.html, and Commander's Palace http://www.commanderspalace.com/las_vegas/index.php.

Lovely anniversary roses...

The ladies I work with are jealous, and the men are hoping their wives don't find out, 'cause I get flowers every month!

Aren't I spoiled?

Found Hermione

Poor Hermione apparently crawled off into a dark corner of a seldom-used closet to die. I was sure she hadn’t died anywhere in the house, because we never smelled anything. Strange thing is there was never any odor. It’s like she just dried up. Poor little kitty.

9,000 Steps

I've been wearing a pedometer and attempting to walk at least 10,000 steps a day...with mixed results. Today's been so crazy that I've already completed 9,000 steps, and it's only lunch time! We call this the Harvest diet....

The IT Police

The latest site I can't access? ask.com!

Must be highly seditious or racy or something...

I just HATE getting the big "Access Denied" flashed across my screen.

I won't name names, but there's one person's blog I can't open from work -- it's a blogspot one, too. Makes no sense whatsoever!

Back in the old days, when I was in IT, our filter bumped anyone going to a site deemed inappropriate directly to disney.com. Of course, now disney.com is blocked. Go figure!

Charlotte, the Ogre...

I had to do something awful yesterday. I called Animal Control to have a stray dog carted away. I'd feel even worse if he'd been a nice dog, but he wasn't. Very skittish and sometimes aggressive, he tried to bite several of our employees. He looked to be an odd mix of pit bull and golden retriever.

It's a sad thing to have to do.

Stockton Arts Commission - 29th annual Arts Awards Celebration

Catherine will be singing "Cabaret" at this event -- another opportunity to see her perform!

* * * * *

The Stockton Arts Commission welcomes the Stockton community to attend its 29th annual Arts Awards Celebration Friday, October 20 at the Bob Hope Theatre.

Tickets are available through the Bob Hope Theatre Box Office for $15, $25 and $30.

As the Haggin Museum celebrates its 75th year, museum director Tod Ruhstaller will be honored with the top STAR award for his work over more than 20 years to develop the Haggin into Stockton’s premier cultural center. In addition to its major national fine arts exhibitions and the conservation and restoration of museum collections, Ruhstaller has developed partnerships with area arts organizations, introduced diverse cultural exhibits and expanded the museum’s reach into the community through education, events, workshops, tours, concerts and recitals.

A new Mayor’s Award will be presented this year to the Downtown Stockton Alliance Art Walk event for its successful inaugural season.

Owner and founder of the Harlequin House Art Center Maxine DalBen will be recognized with a Volunteer Award for her decades of instruction, encouragement and mentoring of artists at Harlequin House and at the Amador Art Camp she and her late husband began for talented minority youth.

The awards gala will also recognize several anniversaries in the regional arts. These include Education Through Music, Inc.-Musical Chairs Children’s Concert Series (25 years); Stockton Friends of Chamber Music (50 years) and the Haggin Museum (75 years).

For their contribution of art reviews in The Record, which have helped communicate much of the area’s art and culture to members of the community, the following individuals will also receive special recognition: Howard Lachtman (literary, restaurant and cinema), Sherman Spencer (music), and Diane Runion (theater and ballet).

In addition to these presentations, the Arts Awards Celebration will feature artistic displays, performances and a “Taste of Downtown” with samplings of downtown restaurant entrees and desserts. The event’s honorary host committee includes Marian Jacobs, Ron Berberian, Vince Perrin, Gil Dellinger, Judy Caruso-Williamson, and Maestro Peter Jaffe.

For information, phone (209) 937-7488.

When fast food isn't

Most everybody's heard my mini-rampages on "fast" food. The Burger King that was the worst offender no longer exists! They were also the drive-thru most likely to mess up my order. Last week, I made a quick side-trip into a Jack in the Box for a soft drink on the way back from another errand, and ended up waiting in line in my very hot car (Mustang) for about 15 minutes. The bright note? Because I'd waited so long, they didn't charge me. So, what started as a very negative experience turned out kind of positive.

I was reminded of the whole "convenience" thing again yesterday. I brought my car (Breeze) to SpeeDee to have the transmission serviced. They said it would take about half an hour. I was feeling a bit guilty about getting back for it an hour later until I saw it was sitting EXACTLY where I left it. It took nearly half an hour of waiting to find out they hadn't started on it, so we agreed they'd call me when it was ready (probably took another hour or so). If I'd been in a dreadful hurry or had been sitting in their dreadful waiting room* the whole time, it would have been a problem. Since I had Cat to ferry me around, it was no big deal.

*Okay...It's not truly dreadful. It's clean; there's coffee. But there's also always at least one restless, fidgety child, and it always feels crowded and cramped and noisy.

Precious roses - 28 months!

Images from Cabaret

"Don't Tell Mama!"


Cliff and Sally


Life is a Cabaret...

'Cabaret' gives audience a show from the risqué to the fabulous

Rhonelle Runner
Special to The Record
Published Tuesday, Aug 1, 2006

From the opening curtain, Stockton Theatre Project's production of "Cabaret" teeters purposefully between concealment and revelation. The costumes are often revealing, but the story line, like a strip-tease artist, leaves certain elements concealed for dramatic effect.

Derek Isetti stars as the show's wonderfully wicked Emcee (master of ceremonies) who invites audience members to forget their troubles at the cabaret. His long-sleeved shirt glimmers and sparkles, and yet the near-transparent fabric conceals nothing.

As the narrator of this dreamlike tale, the Emcee lets the audience in on some of his secrets, but leaves the show's other characters to grope their own way through the gathering darkness as the Nazis rise to power.

Cliff Bradshaw (Matt Voyer) is a poor American writer traveling to Berlin seeking inspiration for a novel. He interacts with Ernst Ludwig (Parker Cushing), a German businessman who recommends a rooming house and a nightclub where he might find the inspiration he seeks.

Cliff finds himself at the Kit Kat Klub, where the black-gartered Kit Kat Girls (and the androgynous Kit Kat Boys) entertain crowds eager to indulge in the decadent side of the Weimar Republic. There he meets Sally Bowles (Catherine Frye), an English transplant determined to blossom in the decadent lifestyle.

The two begin a relationship of convenience. As Berlin (and German society) begins to implode, so does their relationship. Cliff wants to take Sally home, but she wants to return to the life she knows in the cabaret.

Director Jim Coleman has assembled a great cast, and with this production, strikes a balance between decadence, indifference and fear.

Matt Voyer was convincing as the naive, goodhearted author. His warm baritone was strong but not overpowering. He and Catherine Frye worked well together, and by the end of the show, they really had the audience on their side.

Much of the show's nuance came from the supporting characters. The romance between Fraulein Schneider (Dorothy Mulvihill) and Herr Schultz (Ray Rustigian) was one of the high points of the production, while Cushing and Joanna Bernazzini realized the layers of personality of their characters, along with their political leanings.

Another revelation was Frye's vocal performance. She grabbed the opportunity to shine, first with "Don't Tell Mama," and then with the show-stopping "Cabaret," which suited her voice perfectly.

Musical director Paul Kimball and vocal director Timothy Swaim have produced fine overall performances, especially from the pit orchestra. Vocally there was only one noticeable exception - the Act I quintet "Tomorrow Belongs to Me."

Beverly Norcross' costumes, in keeping with the show's spirited tension, run from risqué to fabulous. Valerie Gnassounou-Bynoe's choreography was wonderfully varied, from raunchy burlesque to proper social dances.

In all, "Cabaret" succeeds because of its talented cast and its confident exploration of human relationships.

Risqué 'Cabaret'

Stockton Theatre Project ends season with musical
AARON DAVIS
Special to The Record
Published Thursday, Jul 27, 2006

"Wilkommen, bienvenue, welcome, in cabaret, au cabaret, to cabaret!"

From the opening greeting, it's obvious that all are welcome when the curtains swing open on the classic musical "Cabaret." But, after two very different Broadway revivals in 19 years, the question is, which take on "Cabaret" awaits audiences when the show opens tonight at Atherton Auditorium?

Director Jim Coleman fancies a middle ground.

"We're doing the 1987 version," Coleman said. "In 1998, they came out with a different take on it. It was very steamy and grungy, the real in-your-face version."

"(Ours) is a little less risqué, but it's still not for the faint of heart," said Derek Isetti, who portrays the master of ceremonies. "For Stockton audiences, it still gets the message across without slapping them in the face."

"Cabaret" is the third and final production of this summer's Stockton Theatre Project, a collaboration among Stockton Civic Theatre, San Joaquin Delta College and the American Blues Theatre Company. Coleman said he's optimistic about the project's future as it finishes its second season.

"This year, we learned there are some more things we need to learn," joked Coleman, Stockton Civic Theatre's producing director. "It's always a growing process.

"But it's very viable," he added. "It's something people really want, and I'm just thrilled. It's really helped all the arts organizations in town."

"Cabaret" marks a return of sorts for Isetti. A Stockton native and 1992 St. Mary's High School graduate, he's back in town to study speech pathology at University of the Pacific. Isetti understudied the master of ceremonies role on Broadway while living in New York.

"My life is sort of coming full circle," Isetti said. "I worked with Jim (Coleman) on the East Coast and (musical director) Paul Kimball was my first musical director in high school, and this is the one show I was able to do in New York. It's kind of surreal."

Written by Fred Ebb and John Kander, and set in Berlin in the years between the world wars, "Cabaret" is a multiple Tony Award-winner that has seen more than 4,000 Broadway performances since opening in 1966. The 1972 film adaptation won Liza Minnelli an Oscar.

On the surface, it might seem a bit risky taking on such an oft-performed show. Coleman had no qualms about that.

"There's something about these shows; there's a reason they're done a lot," he said. "There are some shows that merit redoing a lot and some where there's a reason you do them only every 40 years.

"It's set in a specific period of time but it's very meaningful even today with the war in Iraq," Coleman added. "There's not a wasted word, there's no flab. I love something that you can come away from feeling like you've had an experience other than tapping your foot."

More on Cabaret

Let me know if you'd like me to pick up tickets for you -- I'll be going to the box office tomorrow morning. I understand they're selling briskly!

Location: Delta College Atherton Auditorium 5151 Pacific Avenue
Date: 7/27/2006 to 8/6/2006
Hours: 8:00 p.m.; Sunday Matinees 2:30 p.m.
Prices: Adults $22; Students/Seniors $19
Ticket Info: For more informationcall 209/954-5110.

Bringing together the talents of local and nationally renowned artists, STOCKTON THEATRE PROJECT will present the classic musical CABARET on the weekends of July 27-30 and August 4-6, 2006. Delta College's Atherton Auditorium will be the venue for this last in a three show summer series resulting from a collaboration between American Blues Theatre Company, Delta College Drama Department, and Stockton Civic Theatre. CABARET will be a Stockton Civic Theatre production.

The winner of eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, CABARET was written by Joe Masteroff with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. This hugely popular stage and film musical recalls the wanton decade of 1920s Berlin, as the swastika's shadow began to loom over that city. The Master of Ceremonies welcomes the audience to the show, and assures them that, whatever their troubles, they will forget them at the cabaret. His songs provide wry commentary throughout the performance. The story of two doomed young lovers is at the core of CABARET -- the frenetic English girl, and the young American writer -- both of whom had come to the German capital in search of glamour and excitement.

Broadway veteran Jim Coleman, who has directed over 25 musicals and won a nomination for a Drama Critic's Award for Best Musical Direction, will direct this elaborate production. Paul Kimball will serve as Musical Director and Timothy Swaim as Vocal Director. Choreography will be by Valerie Gnassounou.

The Stockton Arts Commission is providing partial funding for the Stockton Theatre Project. The mission of the program is to encourage participation in summer productions for actors, singers, dancers, musicians and especially theatergoers from throughout the region.

Tickets to CABARET can be charged by phone through the Delta Center for the Arts Box Office at 209/954-5110, or online at dca.deltacollege.edu. Stockton Civic Theatre season ticket holders will receive admission to CABARET as a part of their regular season ticket package but must call the Box Office to reserve their seats at Atherton Auditorium.

All show times are at 8:00 p.m. except Sunday matinees, which are at 2:30 p.m. Delta Center Box Office hours are 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. on Saturdays.

Cabaret Poster

The Big Two-Seven!

A Sad Goodbye to Winfield

We lost our sweet Winny-dog last night.

He was very sick when we got home after work - I guess he walked around a bit in the yard, then just couldn't climb the stairs. There was also evidence that he'd vomited earlier in the day. He lay on the back porch for a good while, breathing hard and trembling, so we gathered him up and took him to the emergency veterinary clinic. He took the ride in the car far too calmly, worrying us even more, and when the technician took Winny's temperature it was 104.7F - quite high. His abdomen was distended and hard, so they took him back for x-rays which showed that either his kidney or spleen was extremely enlarged. In a dog Winny's age, chances were very high that that spelled cancer. The only treatment options are very heroic and would include exploratory surgery. He was miserable and we didn't want to put him through any more pain, so we chose to have him put down. Catherine and I stroked him and told him what a good boy he was while he received the injection. It's definitely one of the saddest and most difficult things I've ever done.

We'll always remember our "wild dog of Bornio" who loved to play-fight with our feet and who was always cheerful and loving. It's been a sad year for us -- we also lost our kitty, Hermione, in April.

Goodbye Winny.

GROJ SALE

Don't know whether or not the misspelling was intentional; however, I saw this sign today, and it definitely was an attention-getter!

I'm enjoying my four-day weekend. I know plenty of people are working today (including Cat), and I'm quite grateful not to be one of them.

I've been working on the Cabaret music all weekend (just got it midweek). It's tougher than I remember. Guess it's been awhile since music school! Cat & I went to see Side by Side by Sondheim on Saturday night -- sort of a cross between a concert and a show, actually.

We've got a 4th of July party in Martinez tomorrow -- the same one we go to nearly every year. I'm bringing wine (surprise, surprise).