The Urban Experience

We had to rise early today, because we had tickets for the Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues in San Diego. I would also be meeting several of Scout's co-workers, a nice little quid pro quo. Praise the Lord and pass the biscuits! The spread is lavish, with everything you can imagine from fried chicken to made-to-order omelets, fruit, desserts, and all of the side dishes you could possibly want including macaroni and cheese with a panko crumb topping. You sit at long tables in front of the stage, and my only complaint is that if you are not sitting in the area where they decide to set down the coffee pot, you are out of luck. Which I was. That annoyed me a bit.

The entertainment for the afternoon was a terrific group called Bishop John W. Haynes and Change with the host Reverend Earl Deen. The vocalists were four ladies, backed up on organ, guitar, bass and drums by relatives of one stripe or another (brothers, husbands, sons). They were quite rousing, entertaining and good. One minor observation is that they really focus on an interactive experience, and they spend a good deal of time out in the crowd, getting folks to stand up and sing. A little of this goes a long way. And just speaking for myself, I am way more interested in paying to be entertained that I am in paying to be part of the show.

Following the show, we all went upstairs to the bar and had mimosas and visited. The band was getting ready to leave, so we got to tell them once again how much we enjoyed the show. I love seeing entertainers just hanging around, waiting for their transportation. It warms my stage manager heart...

Scout and I then headed to Hillcrest where we saw Capote.The line for the theatre was tremendous, but the sun was warm, a welcome aberration for me. The gals in front of us were teasing that they were going to buy the last seats for Capote and then scalp them to us. As it turned out, I have no idea where all of the people went, but they sure weren't in Capote. We got good seats, and the show began. Sure, Philip Seymour Hoffman is transcendent. But the movie was carried by Catherine Keener, in my opinion. Her portrayal of Harper Lee (Catherine is far too attractive though) as the conscious of the film is magnificent. I found it fascinating that Capote was able to hold two completely opposite thoughts in his head at the same time, and his ability to believe both to be completely the truth simultaneously. That is, they say, the mark of genius, or insanity. I wouldn't say that it was a great film. I wouldn't even really recommend it, but I found the story very interesting. Yeah, that's it. It is an engrossing story, but it is not the makings of a great FILM. I think a stage version would have been really excellent.

We walked around the neighborhood for a bit, and I was really not impressed in anyway, except for the mandatory stop in the local Starbuck's. We determined that the area was just not for us, or we had somehow missed what all of the hype was about. Kinda the same way I felt about my daytrip to Tremont a while back...

Coming back home, Scout took me by her workplace, and that was great fun to see where she spends so much of her time. We were both getting pretty hungry and Scout really wanted to go Miyabi, a Japanese restaurant. So we did. You sit around a hibachi table with six strangers. This is destined to be problematic. And we had the misfortune of being seated at a table with the most obnoxious young "man" I have encountered in some time. He loudly and repeatedly called the chef "PingPong" or "KingKong" (his name tag said Phong). You just wanted to spank him and profusely apologize for all Americans. It was embarrassing. That being said, the food was really good, and I was very skeptical going in. I loved the fried rice and the potstickers and shrimp, and my meal of teriyaki steak was excellent. I even tried some of Scout's lobster, which I also enjoyed.

When we got home, we weren't too tired, so we started watching a movie I had brought in case Scout was going to be couch-bound, Harper Valley PTA. Ah, Barbara Eden and Nanette Fabray. They just don't make movies like that anymore (although it did in some ways remind of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, and therevenge SHE brings about on the small-minded town folk...). Revenge is sweet. Sock it to 'em!