My latest music mix

To the left of this blog is a couple of music players containing some favorites of mine. The opera mix has three works that were played at our wedding; "Mon coeur souvre a ta voix" from Samson and Delilah by Saint-Saens, "The Entrance of Butterfly" from Madama Butterfly by Puccini, and "The Entr'acte to Act 111" from Carmen also by Bizet. I sure hope you enjoy them.

When I was a callow youth...

In 1982 I was living in Providence's Fox Point neighborhood (Armstrong Avenue) with Michael Fravel and Joe Braz. We were just having a quiet evening at home when Joe, being a theater person, suggested we watch the Tony Awards on TV. I had had a few... and put up no resistance to watching, even though I was not a big fan of the musical theater at the time. I know what you are saying... Gay man... not into musical theater... a non-sequitur. I changed my mind that night as a relative unknown appearing in a little show called Dreamgirls was introduced by Tony Randall to sing a number from the show called "And I Am Telling You". Well... our TV nearly exploded after the work out that Jennifer Holliday gave it with her amazing rendition of that number. We were literally standing on our feet screaming at the TV shouting praise for her performance. Here is the video from that performance. It is a marvel of our time that these performances are available on YouTube for us to enjoy again.

And now for a little musical interlude...

May I present for your consideration a lovely little number called "The International Rag" sung by Ethel Merman from the movie "Call Me Madame"

Today's "Dynasty" Break

Today's Dynasty Break has Krystle figuring out that it was Alexis who caused her to lose her unborn child. The first Alexis vs. Krystle catfight ensues...

An Interesting set of poll numbers

The Pew Research Center has released a "Then and Now" poll outlining what the people thing of the outgoing President "then and now" Hmmm....

A "WTF" Moment

Picture this... We had just taken the Contessa di Pomodori out for an airing and were returning to her magnificent lakeside villa, Castello Pomodori, when we decided to take a little sightseeing detour. Instead of taking a turn to the left on her street we decided to go to the right to where the "locals" could launch their boats into the river. We passed one house that had ARTIFICIAL TURF for a lawn!! I was... shocked... apalled... sconvolto! I couldn't imagine what the people who owned this place were thinking. In a neighborhood of such beautiful homes and stunning vistas was this. Take a look and decide for yourself (click on the photo)...

This puts me in mind of an article I read in a Martha Stewart mag, reprinted from the Cape Cod Times, that bemoaned the use of artificial anything on Cape Cod. Have a look at this (click on the photo):