I got one of my boys! I flew to Maui bright and early to pick Leif up. Holly and I needed some time, so I spent the day in Kahului with her and Leif at the mall. Leif was really good. He loves being out and about. Especially when he knows he gets to go on a plane with dad. 🙂 But while he waited, he got to eat a fudge brownie sundae while mom and dad had a few beers and tapped around uncomfortable conversations and talked about other various things. Can’t go wrong there.

Later in the afternoon, we finally made it to the airport and took our small journey back to Oahu. Leif is a good passenger. He reads the manuals and listens to the attendants tell him how to use an oxygen mask. Good boy.

Back on Oahu, I had to attend an RSCDS function that included a board meeting, food, a video, and some dancing. It was a really long day and neither Leif nor myself really wanted to stay long. We ate some food (I coerced Lief to stay just a bit longer with a peanut butter cookie), sat through a meeting and watched a video of daddy dancing. Leif was very interested in that. That was it though. It was late and we had both had it. So we ditched out. Time to go home. Leif naturally fell asleep shortly after getting in the car. I had a short text conversation with Holly. Indeed, it was a long day. Well worth it though. Yes, the moon was beautiful that night. The below picture does it no justice. I felt it worthy of documenting though.

Upon entering the house, Leif looked around and exclaimed, “Wow. It look nice in here”. That made me feel good after all the cleaning I’ve been doing. Then Leif got a second (or third?) wind and wanted to play with all the toys. I apologized, but told him it was bed time. I offered him a bath instead. He was in agreement with that, so bathe he did. Quickly he realized how tired he was and hopped out of his bath, put on his Spongebob pajamas, laid down, played a little Lego Ninjago, turned the lights out, and went to sleep. Such a sweet boy. I’m glad to have him back for a bit.

We’ve come to the last opera of the season. I really enjoyed it. The last two have been wonderful. Having no time to sit and eat at home after work, we dressed ourselves up in our finest and headed right out. We found a great little place called Asahi Grill. It doesn’t look like much from the outside. On the inside, it looked a bit better. We weren’t sure we wanted to really eat there, but looking around we realized the place was packed. And that is a good sign. So we sat and looked at their menu. After much deliberation over their great looking menu, I settled on Chicken Katsu Curry, and Mary settled on a Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura. It was quite wonderful; fresh and delicious. A great meal before the opera.

Back at the opera house, we ordered two drinks and admired some of the great outfits worn by the young and old. There were some beautiful dresses and shawls. Of course there were also the people who come dressed in jeans and slippers (with any luck), but we ignore them. We headed back to the bar to order us some intermission drinks, before having to head in and find our seats.

This was a very captivating opera. The music was just amazing. They didn’t play the same theme over and over and over again throughout. It had variety; slow and fast, quiet and loud, soft and sharp. And the conductor was so passionate about it. He was bouncing around, while his hair flailed from side to side, all while waving his arms in beautiful little circular patterns. Wonderful.

It being a French opera, there were ballet dancers that appeared and disappeared, much like fairies do, throughout the evening. It was elegant and a little strange. But that’s ok. They were there to convey dance and celebration, and they did it very well.

I won’t go into the set and cast too much, but they were both fantastic. It was clear that they spent a lot of time and effort on the set. It didn’t change a whole lot between scenes, but I don’t mind. They were very beautiful. As for the cast? There was no question about wether they deserved the standing ovation they received.

The Pearl Fishers by Georges Bizet

Prologue: Nourabad, the High Priest, is seen asking Brahma to give wisdom and protection to the new chief, whom they have just chosen.

Act I. Takes place in Ceylon, among the pearl fishers, who yearly visit the coast and camp there during the pearl fishing season. They are in the midst of a joyous festival when Zurga solemnly invites the fishermen to choose a chief whose word they shall obey. They inform him that he has been chosen.

A figure appears and Zurga recognizes the newcomer as an old friend from his youth, Nadir, who is also known to the fishermen as a great huntsman. Zurga and Nadir remember their rivalry for the beautiful priestess of Brahma, Leila. They had both seen her at the temple of Kandy and fallen in love with her. Because they both loved her, anger had developed between them, so they swore an oath of friendship that has never been broken.

It is the custom that a priestess from another island will come to pray for the fishermen while they are at sea, to ward off evil spirits; the boat carrying her arrives. Zurga tells Nadir that the veiled woman must not be approached or seen by anyone during the period of her vigil. The priest Nourabad brings her in. As she is welcomed, Zurga administers her oath, warning her that she must die if the oath is broken. The priestess is Leila, and she and Nadir recognize each other. As though he were in a trance, he watches as she climbs the cliff, reflecting on his undying love for her. She prays to Brahma, and prepares for her vigil, while Nadir swears that he will protect her from any danger.

Act II. Opens on a procession in which Nourabad leads Leila to the temple where she will sleep. Nourabad reminds Leila that if she betrays her vows, she must die. She assures him that nothing can make her break her word once it is given. As an example, she explains that the necklace she is wearing was given to her by a fugitive whom she refused to betray despite the threat of death. When Nourabad leaves, she sings of her love and suddenly hears Nadir singing a serenade. He joins her and the rapturous couple are reunited. She begs Nadir to leave her, and they agree to meet again the following day. However, Nourabad has seen Nadir leave, and calls down wrath on them both. The people fear that a storm is building. Nadir is captured, Nourabad accuses both him and Leila of sacrilege and the people shout for vengeance. Zurga as chief claims the right to judge them both, wanting to be lenient with his friend, but when Nourabad tears the veil away and Zurga recognizes Leila, he realizes that his friend has broken his oath of friendship. The lovers pray to Brahma for help while the crowd urges Zurga to condemn them.

Act III. Zurga compares his restless state of mind to the dangerous storm that has just passed, sparing the fishing fleet. He laments his broken friendship with Nadir. Leila appears, begging for mercy for Nadir and willing to accept fatal punishment for herself. Zurga, however, is stricken by jealousy and Leila curses his cruelty. She asks the king for a final favor. Giving him her necklace, she asks him to send it to her mother.

In Scene 2, the betrayed and frightened people seek personal revenge through ritualism before the actual execution takes place. The lovers are led to the spot, but just as they are about to be executed, a fire breaks out in the distance and Zurga runs in, calling for help. Everyone rushes off to save the village. Zurga remains and tells the lovers that he personally set the fire. He has recognized the necklace -it was he who had given it to Leila, and the fugitive she had refused to betray was himself. He frees them and tells them to go. They flee, but Zurga is denounced for treachery by Nourabad in front of the people. During an ensuing struggle, Zurga is stabbed, and lies dying as Leila and Nadir are heard in the distance, escaping only because of his sacrifice.

For anyone who doesn’t already know, one of my all-time favorite places to go is Gordon Biersch. I’ve gone there for almost every birthday and father’s day for the past 8 years. But recently, now that I’m back living on Oahu, I’ve made it a point to visit GB more frequently. As it turns out, I have to be at a weekly appointment in a building that is not even a block from there. I get out just in time to make happy hour. So what better to do that have a little dinner and a beer?

For dinner I enjoy their Mediterranean chicken flatbread

There is nothing better for desert than their bread pudding.

I’ve recently had the pleasure of meeting their head brewer. He gave me a tour of the facilities and what a normal brew day entails for him. Then he gave me a free beer. Holly says that counts as a date. P’shaw.

And what is a trip to Gordon Biersch without enjoying one of their delicious beers? My two favorites there are their Märzen and their Schwarzbier. Two totally amazing beers. They are all quite tasty though.

Then just to make GB even awesomer is it’s atmosphere. It’s right on the water where you can watch the fish swim by (I saw a real pufferfish for the first time there), and if you’re there at the right time, a beautiful sunset.

So yeah. I think I have a hang out. Someplace I can go to regularly to hang out and relax and occasionally listen to some live music. Anyone care to join me?

Last night was another great opera night. This week, the  Hawaii Opera Theatre graced us with Don Pasquale.

The whole night was wonderful. We arrived a whole 45 minutes. This was plenty of time for us to take a few pictures and order our pre-opera drinks, as well as pre-order our intermission drinks. I enjoyed a wonderful Crown Royal and Coke, while Mary enjoyed her usual glass of champagne. For intermission, we both played it safe with a simple mix of Long Island Iced Tea. They were perfect. And the opera, though was 2 1/2 hours long, held our full attention and didn’t try to lull us to sleep. It was a fine comedy with wonderful music played by an amazing orchestra, beautiful sets, great acting, and as usual, amazing voices. I do believe this was one of my favorites.

 Don Pasquale

ACT I. The old bachelor Don Pasquale wants to marry in order to punish his rebellious nephew, Ernesto, by providing himself with an heir and cutting the young man off without a penny. Dr. Malatesta, calling on Pasquale in his sunny morning room, suggests as a bride his own beautiful younger sister, whom he compares to an angel. Delighted, Pasquale tells him to arrange a meeting at once and pushes Malatesta from the room; even now the old man feels his youth returning. When Ernesto comes from his room, he again refuses to marry a woman of his uncle’s choice, saying he loves the widow Norina; the old man tells Ernesto he will have to leave the house. Pasquale then announces his own marriage plans to his astonished nephew. With no inheritance in the offing, Ernesto sees his dreams evaporating. To add insult to injury, he learns that his friend Malatesta has arranged the marriage of Pasquale, who gloats over Ernesto’s discouragement.

On her terrace Norina reads a romance, laughing at the feminine wiles it describes and taking stock of her own caprices. Suddenly depressed by a farewell note from Ernesto, she is cheered by the arrival of Malatesta, who is plotting on the lovers’ behalf. He suggests she impersonate his sister, marry Pasquale in a mock ceremony and drive him to such desperation that he will be at their mercy. Norina declares her willingness to play her role as a convent-bred country girl and goes about rehearsing gestures.

ACT II. In Pasquale’s living room, Ernesto, ignorant of Malatesta’s scheme, bewails the prospective loss of Norina. He leaves at the arrival of his uncle, who is presenting himself for an interview with the bride-to-be. Pasquale is enchanted when Malatesta introduces the timid “Sofronia” and resolves to marry at once. At the wedding ceremony that follows, Ernesto bursts in and denounces Norina’s faithlessness; Malatesta, aside, quickly informs him of the ruse, lest he ruin it, so Ernesto plays witness to the contract. No sooner has the Notary sealed the document and Pasquale bequeathed his fortune to his bride than Norina turns from demure ingenue to extravagant hussy. While Pasquale protests, Norina, Malatesta and the now convinced Ernesto delight in their success.

ACT III. In the redecorated living room, Pasquale is confronted by the stack of bills his new “wife” has amassed. When the servants arrive laden with more purchases, the furious old man resolves to assert his rights as husband. Elegantly dressed, Norina sweeps through the room on her way to the theater, giving Pasquale a slap when he tries to bar her way. As she leaves, airily saying she will return in time to wake him the next morning, she drops a letter from an unknown suitor appointing a rendezvous in the garden that night. The desperate Pasquale sends for Malatesta, then leaves the servants to comment on the advantages of working in a household fraught with such confusion. Later, Ernesto promises Malatesta to be in the garden that evening. Alone with Pasquale, Malatesta assures the old man they will trap “Sofronia” in a compromising situation. The vengeful Pasquale agrees to leave everything to Malatesta.

In the starlit garden, Ernesto serenades Norina, who responds rapturously. Their idyll is interrupted by Pasquale and Malatesta – too late to catch the young man, who slips into the house while Norina plays the innocent wife. Malatesta now announces that Ernesto is about to introduce his own bride, Norina, into the house. Norina, still playing her part, huffily exclaims she will never share the roof with another woman. She threatens to leave, at which Pasquale cannot contain his joy. Ernesto appears, and over “Sofronia”s mock protests Pasquale grants permission for Ernesto to marry Norina, with his inheritance. Dumbfounded to discover Norina is none other than “Sofronia,” Pasquale gives the couple his blessing and joins in observing that marriage is not for an old man.