I Left My Heart

I have not really gone downtown San Francisco in a very long time.  I figure that living close to Serramonte and Tanforan shopping centers I can do all the shopping on the Peninsula.  And there are several good restaurants there, too.  Today I acutually took a Muni bus, the 14 Mission and showed my Spanish guest downtown.  He was not impressed with Muni; too many stops!  We got off at 5th and Mission and proceeded towards Market Street and I felt like a child in a theme park.  The streets were crowded, of course, and there were lines to board our National Landmarks that move...the cable cars.  Tourists, locals, workers, etc made today's experience a wonderful one.  The weather was spectacular.  Sunny and somewhat warm and occasionally a cool breeze.  We walked up to Union Square, which was being readied for some gastronomic event.  The St. Francis hotel was flying the flag of El Salvador, next to our flag.  Lots of memories of childhood and Union Square, remembering the hundreds of pigeons that flocked the benches and walkways.  Neiman-Marcus was stunning as always.  But my favorite part is the beautiful stained glass roof, a remnant from a by-gone era- the old City of Paris department store.  Speaking of remnants, we proceeded to the Westfield Mall in the old Emporium building.  Such memories of that place, too.  The bargain basement, which we could afford.  The center is huge, housing lots of high priced boutiques and shops, such as Bloomingdale's  and Nordstroms.  A Japanese tourist headed towards my friend inquiring where Powell Street was.  My friend was speechless as I told the young man were to go.  He was actually about a block away.  I suppose when you have a camera in hand, you are not a local!  So, my friend was anxious to resolve a financial problem- he had some traveler's cheques (remember those?) and wanted to see if they were still valid.  We proceeded towards the Financial District; Bank of America and went to the Foreign Currency window.  Long story short, problem was resolved.  We proceeded down California Street towards the Embarcadero.  We stopped at Vaillencourt Fountain.  I must admit I have only seen it in postcards or driven by.  Today I got up close and personal; felt a cool mist and enjoyed the fountain along with everyone else.  Crossing the wide boulevard we headed towards the Ferry Building and again I was surprised.  Such hustle and bustle.  We had a delicious lunch, Chinese chicken salad and shared a table with two wonderfully and chatty Fijian women and their gringo pal.  Walking through the Ferry Building's food court was great- the smells of international and local cuisines, coffees and desserts.  Yummy!  We proceeded to see the view from a pier.  Lo and behold, a former student of mine, Maude Wilson, hugged and shocked me.  She works in a building across the street from the pier and she was taking full advantage of the awesome weather.  The picture opportunities were wonderful from this vantage point.  Soon it was time to come home.  We boarded BART and in 15 minutes we reached our destination, Balboa Park Station.  My friend's only negative comment regarding BART is that the stations were not announced.  I know they used to, but I agree.  Especially for visitors who don't know what stations are approaching.  Needless to say, it was a wonderful day to rediscover my hometown.   Sure it has its problems like any other major metropolis, but it is home.   If you read this and have never been to San Francisco, make it a point to visit.  If you are from the San Francisco Bay Area, make it a point to re-acquaint yourself with this beautiful city.  A world class city, a city I am proud to call home!  Go 9ers!  Go Giants!

San Francisco, open your Golden Gate, you let no stranger wait outside your door...

Welcome to the United States

Today my friend Ismael came to spend his holiday in the United States.  Unlike other Spaniards who spend holiday on the East Coast, he came to the West Coast.  I am getting to meet a pen pal after almost a year of communicating via emails.  I am hoping to write about his impressions of California.  There is so much to see and so little time.  Does the "good neighbor" policy still work?  Highlights I've planned...SoCal, Sonoma county fair, San Jose, Solvang, maybe Universal Studios.  And of course movies and introducing him to the wonderful, diverse cuisine our state has to offer- pupusas, nacatamales, chow fun, pho, and traditional American fare- meat and taters!   Bienvenido mi querido amigo Ismael.  Que pases buen tiempo en los United!!

Fiestas Patronales

In July, 1966, my mom took me on a fantastic trip to Central America.  Nicaragua to be precise. Her homeland.  She had not been there since her brother died in the late 50s.  She was taking me to meet my family, my abuelito Don Concepcion González.  My family history is complicated, so for now, bear with me.  

We left SF International early morning July 3, 1966 on a Pan Am Boeing 707.  A connecting stop at LAX, then a 4 hour 16 minute flight to Guatemala City, at the time the only airport in Central America with a runway big enough for a 707.  From there we flew to San Salvador for our overnight stay, as we could not catch the 6 PM flight to Managua.  San Salvador was fun since we had family friends there, Don Rodolfo Ramirez Amaya, who was a member of the Chamber of Deputies.  His family treated us like diplomats...first class all the way.  Well, the next day we flew to Managua on a DC-6, I believe, LaNica Airlines.  In the middle of a storm.  I became SO Catholic and did not stop praying until that prop plane landed at Las Mercedes International Airport.  After customs, I was introduced to my family and finally my grandfather.  Tall, wearing a straw hat, kind of elegant and aristocratic, and olive complexioned and his kind eyes.  He was skinny...so he could not be the grandfather of this chubby 10 year old.  Well, we spent the first night in Managua, at a pension a sort of motel in a large house.

The next day we took the microbus (think of a VW bus) to my mom's hometown, Boaco.  It is about 2 hours east of the capital.  Long, winding roads with mountains, hills, and one or two volcanoes.  Scenery was just incredible.  Upon arriving to Boaco, I noted something.  Streets were not all paved.  I asked where the main street or downtown was.  My family laughed and said we've past it.  Talk about rural!!  Dogs, cows, horses, little kids barefoot.  Then that distinct aroma...odor...smell.  Coffee!!!  Apparently a burning process was going on and the air was filled with that magnificent smell.  And of course, there were other not so friendly odors...cow dung.  Boaco is the heart of cattle country in Nicaragua.  In fact, my grandfather was a dairy farmer.  He had his two fincas in the hills.  Fincas are ranches.  We stayed at my Tia Sarita's house.  My bedroom had a mosquito net, which I had no idea what it was for.  No television, and my cousins played the radio.  Of course, they were in school.  The kitchen was in another building, across from the main residence.  The bathroom?  Either a bedpan or a nice walk to the outhouse!  Talk about odors...and bugs of all kinds.  I protest.  My friend Lynn has accused me of being a wuss for not going camping here in California.  Hey, I survived Nicaragua...twice!  Outhouses are an experience.  My Tia Sarita's son, Abelardo and his wife Celina, took care of the cattle.  Every morning they'd go and milk the cows by hand.  They would make fresh cheese that was to die for with a homemade tortilla.  As the days went on, we traveled all over with my relative and grandfather.  He was ever the good Catholic, taking off his hat each time we passed a church.  And the towns visited...Teustepe, León, Matagalpa, Chinandega, San Benito, Santa Lucia, El Viejo...amazing towns rich in history, color and folklore.  León's cathedral has the distinction of being the oldest Spanish colonial style in Central America.  

Ingesting food caused problems...too rich or too greasy and caused me to get sick; thought I was going to die.  And who could sleep when it rained; rain fell on aluminum roofs.  And the thunder and lightning- Mother Nature's pyrotechnics!!  The landscape was so green in some parts, whilst others were dry and desert like.  The weather was hot and tropical.  

Managua in 1966 was a bustling metropolis.  It's cathedral was beautiful.  Buses overcrowded, traffic that made rush hour in the States look like a kiddie ride, the smell of foods...you must experience it to understand.  Oh, and the patron saint celebrations.  In Latin America, all cities and towns have a patron saint.  Boaco's is St. James the Great, or Santiago.  The colors, the horses, the marimbas and the indigenous people in their tribal colors.  Closest thing to Carnaval I will ever experience. 

Well, I shall close this telling now.  I never did see my grandfather again as he died on February 29, 1972.  My mom and I would trek  to Nicaragua in 1973.  And that's a whole different story.  As a ten year old, I was glad to come home.  I did not appreciate my mom's homeland as I would later as a teenager.  

We Came in Peace

Has it been 40 years already?  July 20, 1969.  It was summer vacation...going into the 8th grade at Mission Dolores.  And it was going to be a newsworthy summer.  My father passed away in May, and later two notable entertainment icons passed as well...Judy Garland and Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong.  But it was the mission of Apollo 11 that kept the world on the edge.  I went to my Aunt Amanda & cousin Rick's home for their birthday, but I just had to come home to watch a human walk on another celestial object.  We had an old black and white, 20 inch Emerson TV, the kind that warmed up a bit before you got a picture.  I changed the channel from ABC to CBS to NBC just to get the flavor of the different networks.  Mind you, it was all done manually, not with a remote.  Walter Cronkite, Frank Reynolds, and other notable journalists of the day gave their all and their enthusiasm was only matched by those of my age who were ready to do moon landing reports once school started.  Science fiction was slowly becoming fact.  And the moon was not made of green cheese, as seen in many works of fantasy.

Yes, it was an amazing day for humankind.  Sad, that we're still a world at war and violence, as we were in the late 60s.  Anyway, the day made everyone forget their troubles and the world was at peace, at least for the duration of the mission.  

Here men from the planet earth first set foot upon the moon, July 1969 A.D.  We came in peace for all Mankind.

And that's the way it is

Walter Cronkite passed away today at the age of 92.  He was an excellent journalist.  Growing up in the 60s he was a visible feature as he reported the news.  Oh, the history he saw and reported.  He actually shed tears but remained professionally composed when he was reporting the assassination of John F. Kennedy.  I guess he could be considered "America's grandfather" as he knew how to maintain calm in a stressful situation.  His voice was articulate; if anyone would record the history of civilization, his would have been the voice to choose.  Future broadcasting students should study his news reports and listen to his delivery.  He was and will always be a living textbook in the area of broadcast journalism.

Don't Stop Believin'

Short entry.  Just got the OBC recording of Rock of Ages.  It was nominated for five Tonys.  Naive me thought it was about Gospel music.  No, it's a story that uses the hard rock songs of the 80s to tell a story, you know, like Mamma Mia, Jersey Boys, We Will Rock You, Movin' On...uh...wait.  It has the great songs and anthems by the great groups such as Styx, Poison, Journey.  I have not listened to it yet, but it dawned on me that eventually songs we heard on the radio or saw on MTV will have new life on the Broadway stage.  Kinda scary, but an incredible way to introduce a new generation to the magic of the theatre!  I'm so behind on what is new on Broadway...so I will blog about Hair, Next to Normal, Road Show, as well as the other classics that have been around.  Dang, it's been almost 24 years since I saw Liza Minelli and Chita Rivera...together...in The Rink at the Martin Beck Theatre.  

Open Sesame!

"The legendary tale comes to life in glorious technicolor."  It sure does!  Yet, another fun film from the past to relish.  Made in the mid 1940s, this wonderful film was definitely an escapist film during those horrid WWII days.  A Universal film that had scenes you thought were filmed in the exotic Middle East.  And to "discover" the talents of Maria Montez, Jon Hall and Turhan Bey.  I am pretty sure this was an answer to another studio's film, The Thief of Baghdad, a film that was the high tech SFX film of its day.  Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves did not rely on SFX.  I think the only effect was the cave that opened its door upon the uttering of those immortal words, "Open Sesame!"  The story is full of love, adventure and those 40 thieves.  Apparently the Mongols invade Baghdad, kill the Caliph and all hell breaks loose.  Of course, being the 1940s, the film parallels what is going on in Europe.  Ironically, the actor who is the Khan, has a slight German accent (and the actor has a German surname); the flag of the Mongol hordes is red and black.  Ali Baba and his band of merry men are the resistance.  Of course, good triumphs over evil.  OK, I was at Costco when I was perusing the DVDs, what little they have now.  Nothing of major interest, except the old classics.  Well, it was purchased, opened and enjoyed.  There is nothing more satisfying than a film that relies on dialog and story and very little special effects.  I think kids today would enjoy the antics of this film.  The main actors speak with an accent, except for Jon Hall.  The extras were Mexican- listen to their accents, and ethnically they do look Middle Eastern.  Maria Montez in her lavish costumes that scream 40s fashion.  Miss Montez was actually a beautiful woman and probably helped promote the "good neighbor" policy.  Sometimes it's too bad that during this time accents prevented actors from really good roles- because of an accent, actors were relegated to exotic roles, slaves, domestics or whatever.  Turhan Bey is of Turkish-Czech descent- a handsome actor who in the 1990s was cast as a Minbari ruler in Babylon 5.  And comedic actor, Andy Devine, had his comedy relief moments.  He would be the Jack Black of this time, I think.

It looks like a costly production, based on the sets, costumes and incredible matte work.   You'll love the opening credits how the colors blend...that's a spoiler for you.  Anyway, if it is on Netflix or you find it in a bin, take a chance and get it and watch it.  In fact, start it at 2 in the afternoon...have your own Saturday afternoon matinee!  You won't be sorry!

Greatest Show on the Face of the Earth

This week rediscovered a film that I last saw in the early 70s.  It's not the best MGM film musical, in fact it was probably an omen towards the demise of the film musical as a cinema staple.  It had a top notch cast; Doris Day was in vocal perfection.  Stephen Boyd was riding on his success from his stint in Ben-Hur  (and was probably still under contract to MGM); Jimmy Durante was reprising his role from the 1935 stage spectacle; and one of America's beloved comediennes- Martha Raye.  And of course, the "star" of the film- a talented pachyderm.  The film?  Billy Rose's Jumbo.  Mr. Durante starred in the original stage version back in the day when Broadway impresarios, such as Florenz Ziegfeld and Billy Rose, competed for box office hits and bucks.  Back to the film- it was a holiday offering from MGM in the early 60s, but it was not popular with the critics, nor the audiences.  Watching it on TV in the early 70s was probably because there was nothing else to watch.  But it caught my interest.  So when I saw the DVD at my new favorite music shop, Rasputin Records, I bought it.  It had everything a MGM musical could offer...the music, the stars and the color.  I mean, it's as if the studio owned a rainbow and used it as a palette for celluloid purposes.  The second unit of the film was directed by legendary director Busby Berkley.  He was the man with the amazing kaleidoscope views of chorus girls doing amazing geometrics.  Mr. Berkley had a circus to deal with.  Some of the scenes were OK.  Either he was bored or was limited to a budget and could not recreate the wonders of his earlier films.  I wanted to like the circus spectacle, but I could not really get into it.  There is a circus parade that is colorful and hearkens to an earlier time when circuses literally paraded into a city...what better advertisement!  One of the best known songs from this film is The Most Beautiful Girl in the World.  Other songs revolve around circus acts, love, and the circus itself.  There is a bit of slapstick and some funny lines, but it just was not the hysterically funny musical comedy of Metro's earlier years.  The scenes with Jumbo are cute.  The film brought pleasant memories of going to the circus with my family...to the Cow Palace to see the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus or downtown to the Civic Auditorium to see the Pollack Bros. Circus.  The latter even performed at the Kezar Pavillion, but no elephants because of the hardwood floor, so we were told.  The circus, as I remember it, was a magical place.  What kid did not want to run away, even for a day or two, and be a lion tamer, clown or even ring master.  The smell of the cotton candy, popcorn, nay- even the animals.  Jumbo somehow could not capture that, at least for me.  But, do not overlook it.  It is, after all, an MGM musical and it is fun.  And it was nominated for one Oscar, Music Scoring, so even the Academy acknowledged its music.  So, pop that corn!  Grab that blanket!  Foist...er...uh, enjoy with a friend!  Jump for joy cause it's Jumbo!

Is Anybody There?

Is anybody there?
Does anybody care?
Does anybody see what I see?

They want to me to quit; they say
John, give up the fight
Still to England I say
Good night, forever, good night!
For I have crossed the Rubicon
Let the bridge be burned behind me
Come what may, come what may

Commitment!

The croakers all say we'll rue the day
There'll be hell to pay in fiery purgatory
Through all the gloom, through all the gloom
I see the rays of ravishing light and glory!

Is anybody there? Does anybody care?
Does anybody see what I see?

I see fireworks! I see the pageant and
Pomp and parade
I hear the bells ringing out
I hear the cannons roar
I see Americans - all Americans
Free forever more

How quiet, how quiet the chamber is
How silent, how silent the chamber is

Is anybody there? Does anybody care?
Does anybody see what I see?

from 1776   

Music and Lyrics by Sherman Edwards; Book by Peter Stone

Avert Your Gaze, Mr. Lucas!

These last two weeks have been full of celebrity obituaries, the majority of them overshadowed by the death of Michael Jackson.  Today I learn of the passing of Mollie Sugden, better known to American audiences as "Mrs. Betty Slocombe" on the hilarious British comedy, Are You Being Served?  Mrs. Slocombe was a flamboyant clerk in the women's deaprtment of the fictional Grace Brothers department store.  She had different colored hair in almost every episode; could be graceful and eloquent and could make a sailor blush...at the same time!  Mollie Sugden captured this character to a tee.  Oh...and the double entendres.  The first time I heard her say "Mr. Ackbar, can you look through the keyhole of my apartment and check if my pussy is resting" I just about died from laughing.  In future episodes we learn the name of the infamous pussy, Tiddles.  This show was an ensemble comedy show, yet each character was funny, even the supporting cast.  I think you hardly see this in American comedies, where the supporting actors are funnier than the leads.  She was in her 80s and now joins her other co-workers in the great department store in the sky...Wendy Richards (Miss Brahms) and John Inman (Mr. Humphries).  The show is a staple on the various PBS stations in the United States or you can get the episodes on DVD or the silly movie version.  I know this show has a major following and we all mourn the passing of this beloved, great comedienne.  Lucille Ball would be proud of her!!!