A much needed break!

Thank you thank you thank you Carina for joining me at the free Opera concert in Central Park last night. It was just the break I needed from the packing and moving business!

This is by far my favorite menu at an out door concert/show ever. Smart, tasty and fairly quick although cooked to order!

We tried the Ginny, the Sydney and the Wang Ding.

So so good. If I were to franchise a stand at an out door venue. It would be this company.

Well done!!

Back to the packing I go!!

I cannot thank those who've come to help me pack up enough. Your time and company has been so wonderful!! Hugs to you all!

What a great night!

After relaxing for the day, enjoying the company of the boys (who sat on my lap whenever I sat down) and wrapping up laundry and unpacking, I got all dolled up for my date. Testing out a New dress, thank you China, that I intend to wear to an island wedding later next month (gotta see if it's comfortable enough for all night dancing!) Hair curled. Make up done. Voila!

Hop a cab and zoom down to Central Park South to the Jumeirah Essex Hotel for dinner with Josh and the new South Gate restaurant. It's always fun to see Josh. Although we both live in NYC, we certainly don't get to see each other nearly enough.

It hit me when Joe visited last month that I've known Joe for over 20 years and Josh for just about 20 years. We all went to school together.

After having such fun at dinner and the opera last month, we decided to take in the last opera of the season (and the only other one I would be in town for) tonight. Candide at the New York City Opera, with this wonderful dinner before hand. Sadly the City Opera will be closed for renovation next year, although I've read they will be doing some things through out the season. Time will tell.

I've been waiting for the email from Troy, South Gate's sommelier, detailing out the menu and wines, but it's yet to come. So I'll write a brief description and fill in more later when I get the email. Oh -- and yes -- the camera is still set on the crappy setting as in the photos from last night's surprise party -- SORRY!!!

From my confirmation call straight through to their help hailing a cab the staff at South Gate was wonderful. They greeted my usual bubbliness with a warm smile and friendliness.

Josh and I were seated towards the back of the airy and spacious dining room. Wonderful decor (I love the swively chairs!!) by famed designer, Tony Chi. Our waitress was fantastic. Nice, helpful and funny. We decided upon the 6 course Chef's Tasting. Chef Heffernan and his staff did not disappoint. From the yellow tail to the ravioli soup to the short ribs - wow!

And...wait for it...TWO dessert courses!

We decided to go all out and have wine paired with each course...a very wise choice indeed. Their sommelier, Troy, was wonderful. He chose interesting and unique wines for us to try. I liked them all! The only bad part of the evening was having to slightly rush the tasting and dash to the opera. (Not that we didn't enjoy the opera too...) Next visit to South Gate I'll plan the evening around it instead of having a performance to attend.

We hopped a cab up to the New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center and were there in plenty of time to settle in for Candide. Keeping ones self awake through even the most fun opera after a 6 course wine-paired tasting is, I must admit, difficult. But doable! It helped that they had a wonderful cast -- Lauren Worsham, Daniel Reichard, Jessica Wright and Richard Kind. A fun show. I wish it wasn't the last of the season! With my traveling this spring I missed all too many of the operas. I think both Josh and I had really gotten in to the groove with this dinner and the opera thing.

From the opera we walked down to the Mandarin Oriental in the Time Warner building to have a drink at their bar. Being that Josh has been missing China, he wanted to go here for not only the view, but for a Tsing Tao beer. He'll be heading back to China a mere 2 weeks after I'm home from my next trip. Some how we've always missed each other on our trips to China.

So we sat in the bar of one of the most expensive hotels in NYC drinking $9 Chinese beers (that cost $0.75 in China), eating dim sum and enjoying the view.

What a welcome wonderful night. Now for sleep if jet-lag will let me have some.

Thankfully I think the beer will help.

Opera Monday

I went to the office today and sent Mom and Dad to see the Bodies Exhibit. If you have one of these exhibits in a city near you, GO SEE IT! It's amazing. They both enjoyed it. It really is fascinating. Afterwards they met me at my office to see the new line (Fall/Winter 2007). We went across the street to the Red Lantern for some Thai food for lunch. YUM!!
Then they went home and I went back to work for a few hours.

Dan started his photography course at the ICP today. It's all day every day this week. I'd LOVE to take a course like this. Perhaps one of these days I'll take a vacation week and do something like this...although I also want to attend a few knitting courses out west. So many fun options -- if only I had unlimited time and money, ya know?

The day is finally here!!

I bought the tickets for this production of The First Emporer at the MET back in August!! Yeah!!! Mom, Dad, Brian, Ann Marie and Robin had all journeyed down from NH to join Dan and I for this opera. FUN!

First, all of us save for Dan had a fantastic meal at Payard on the east side. SO YUMMY!! I want to go back for some breakfast pastries soon!!! YUM! Dan would join us at the Opera after his class. The photo, left, is of the dessert I had -- - wow chocolate heaven! The dinner had been so good, I wish I'd left more room for dessert. Killer coffee too!

During dinner, Robin gave us each a gift... see the photo at the right... What is it? Opera glasses from the M&M store in Times Square!! What fun! Thanks Robin! I'll continue to make good use of them!

After dinner I arranged two livery cars to be waiting for us at the end of our meal, and we were wisked across Central Park to Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Opera. Just as we arrived and were getting out of the cars, it began to snow! It was something like a fairy tale. Just beautiful!

When you go to the MET, Be sure to arrive in time to see the chandeliers raise into the eves. It's magical.

We were there to see The First Emperor, a opera world premiering at the MET, starring Placido Domingo. It was a visual buffet, but I think I would have enjoyed it better had it been completely sung in Chinese rather than in English with bits of Chinese. English is not really a great language to hear opera in. It's not as smooth as so many others.

I'm not saying that I didn't enjoy it...I just think they will tighten it up and make a better showing of it after they spend some more time on it at their next stop in LA. Rumour has it that they aim to perform it in Beijing during the 2008 Olympics. I wonder if it'll be in English or Chinese when they perform it in China?

It was a lovely night...a lovely weekend. I'll be sorry to see my folks head home tomorrow. It's too bad that they live far enough away that easy visits (meeting for dinner after work or seeing a movie) are not in the cards without lots of planning.