Desert Symphony notes 35th season with gala, 5-shows, Sinatra singer

Palm Desert is a haven for sun seekers, hikers, bikers, lovers of the desert
and its beauty.  Since 1989, tourists and locals alike have something else
to attract them to this unique part of the country: the Desert Symphony.

The Desert Symphony
has a full orchestra of
60 gifted players, from
all walks of life. 

MUSIC SOARS
 ABOVE PALMS:
GRASSROOTS
EFFORT 
BLOSSOMS
TO PRODUCE A 
SYMPHONY WITH
60 PLAYERS AND
A FIVE-SHOW
SEASON

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

and courtesy Desert Symphony

Headlining the March 6 gala to celebrate Desert
Symphony's 35th anniversary are Daniel Emmet
and Pia Toscano, at Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage.
The Desert Symphony will accompany the duo.

THIRTY-FIVE years ago, an ambitious group of Palm Springs residents decided to organize a symphony, to bring orchestra music and musical events to the area normally associated with golfing get-aways, movie stars and admirers of the desert, its relaxed lifestyle and scenery.

The Indian Wells Symphony was born in 1989 and soon adopted its present moniker, the Desert Symphony. With the energy of volunteers and support of local businesses and its enthusiastic long-time president Nancy Tapick, a driving force in the region was born.

The Symphony's annual gala takes place in
the showroom of Agua Caliente Casino Resort
and Spa in Rancho Mirage, on March 6. 

The reach of the symphony extends to future musicians in Coachella Valley, through programs for school children. "Our goal is to inspire them to become musicians and music appreciators," says Tapick.
The Children’s Music Discovery Series offers programs ranging from a string quartet to a wind octet, supervised by the symphony's music director and drawing from the talents of the orchestra, whose musicians have played with major symphonies in the country. The organization proudly encourages young musicians through scholarships.  Several have gone on to professional music careers. 

 

The Desert Symphony of Palm Springs presents five concerts
yearly, including popular entertainers, singers, musicians
and acrobats -- plus a major gala  fundraiser.  Performances
are enjoyed by both locals and tourists at McCallum Theatre. 

THROUGH THE years, the symphony has hosted -- and accompanied -- a "who's who" of popular performers, including its first big name, singer Glen Campbell.  A roster of other famed artists followed including Andy Williams, Jose Feliciano, Peter Nero, the Gatlin Brothers, Tommy Tune, Art Garfunkel, Roger Williams, Jack Jones, Kaye Ballard, Michael Bolton, Jason Alexander, The Texas Tenors, Neil Sedaka, Crystal Gayle, Melissa Manchester, Peter Frampton and recently, Mary Osmond.

Next up this season is noted singer Tony DeSare. He promises an evening of treats, celebrating the music of Frank Sinatra, who lived in Palm Springs for many years while touring the world and making films. The Feb. 29 concert is DeSare's second performance with the Symphony.  The first was so well received he was invited to return.

Singer songwriter Tony DeSare will headline
a concert accompanied by Desert Symphony. 

New York born DeSare promises to "do my best to conjure the magic of the music from the Great American songbook with a few surprises sprinkled in."  The jazz and soul singer is also a songwriter and musician and may take a turn at the piano in George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue."  "I’m excited to be working with the wonderful Desert Symphony again," says DeSare, about his return.

Then just a few days later, this year's gala features pop duo Daniel Emmet and Pia Toscano performing at Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage, Wednesday, March 6 . Cocktails are at 5 p.m., dinner at 5:30 p.m., and the concert at 8 p.m. The duo, discovered by Marie Osmond, presents a show, "Simply the Best." 

Through years of an impressive five-part season, the Symphony has earned a reputation as one of the finest orchestras of popular music in the southwest United States.

Glen Campbell was the first
big name to play with
 the Desert Symphony.
Many other stars followed. 

Singer Tommy Tune is one of many luminaries to
perform with Desert Symphony, now 35 years old.

In its early days, the season  featured great works from the world of classical music, including Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and Brahms. "The orchestra began a slow transition toward  “pops,” says Tapick, when residents and visitors expressed interest in lighter fare.  The board listened, introducing the present format which includes popular entertainers accompanied by the 60-piece orchestra.

The Desert Symphony has performed and partnered with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Coachella Valley, the Rancho Mirage Public Library, the City of La Quinta, La Quinta Public Library, the Palm Desert Public Library, and McCallum Theatre, where it presents its docket of five annual "star" concerts.

Two final concerts round out the season, a John Denver tribute concert March 27, and "Let's Hang On" April 11, a quartet featuring the music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.   

For more on the Feb. 29 concert, March 6 gala or the symphony season, call 760 773-5988.  

 

 

More is more at Oscar's with dancers, acrobats,
big wigs and lots of bosoms, eye lashes and make-up
Here's Diamond Evvon, with her chest armor. 

Oscar's owner and producer
Dan Gore as Cheyenne Demuir
will zip line from Oscar's 
balcony in drag March 10. 

UP NEXT: Drag is time honored, and the drag show at Oscar's in Palm Springs is celebrating its sixth anniversary the weekend of March 9-10. Owner Dan Gore plans a special appearance during two performances of Sunday's "Bitchiest Brunch." He will zip line into the house in full drag -- from the balcony to the stage area below. Risque fun is all part of Oscar's brunch birthday party.  Two Sunday shows will feature Gore, dressed as his alter ego Cheyenne Demuir, with Oscar's gang of beauties performing, too. Emcee Anita Rose as the wisecracking spirit of Oscar's keeps the fun and jokes rolling.  She has headlined the brunch show all six years of its run and is a favorite with the packed houses. Book a seat for  laughs, bottomless mimosas, endless irreverence and more. Oscar's also has a great restaurant and many other shows to consider. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on the arts, travel, nature and family. Check out oscarspalmsprings.com/events/

and look for more arts and travel pieces at: www.whereiscookie.com

Rome Vivaldi concert rockets to top of reviewer's lifetime concert list

Elvin Dhimitri turns a page on a score, backed by one of two second violinists, partly hidden at left,
with his violist near mirror, and cellist, seated at right.  Each of six musicians participated in a stunning concert.

 

FABULOUS CONCERT, GREAT TOUR WITH 'GET YOUR GUIDE' -- A SPLENDID DAY

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

The second violinists enter the stage for an encore.

MUSIC CHANGED my life when I was a three year old, watching spellbound as the great Jascha Heifetz play Paganini.  I was mesmerized. I wanted to play the violin. And did, although piano is my main instrument.

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie"
Meyers arrive for the concert.

Music continues to enhance and guide my life.  It has taken me to concert halls, jazz clubs, orchestra pits and dressing rooms.  It has opened doors, introduced me to fellow musicians and music lovers around the world.  Music has made friends on ships, trains and even airplanes, when I played a keyboard long ago on the topside cocktail lounge of a glorious Boeing 747. The first-class cabin sang show tunes all the way from Los Angeles to New York.

The soloist, Elvin Dhimitri, and Cookie after
the concert. Both all smiles, a wonderful night
following a terrific day tour with GetYourGuide.

A RECENT NIGHT TO remember rocketed to the top of my "most memorable" concert list.  It shines next to Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga's Radio City Music Hall farewell. The concert featured brilliant violinist Elvin Dhimitri, considered by many as one of Italy's finest living violinists.
Bruce Keller secretly purchased a pair of tickets to Dhimitri's "Le Quattro Stagioni," better known to the English speaking world as "The Four Seasons," Vivaldi's masterpiece. The famous concertos composed in 1723, are the world's most popular pieces of Baroque music and broke ground with their lyrical depiction of the changing seasons.

"Keller and Cookie" peak out from behind a poster advertising
the Vivaldi concert.  It will run through mid-December,
so if you're in Rome, don't miss it. Opera E Lirica sponsors.

The pieces are famous for their flourish and technical innovations. Dhimitri's dazzling technique brought the works to a mesmerized house on a hot late-August evening. His immaculately honed technique and unflappable stage presence transported the audience into a dream world. As a fellow concert goer said, "He played as if possessed by a holy spirit, a musical genius under a spell."

A PERFECT RAPPORT with his gifted players was sustained in frequent eye contact. His ensemble includes two second violins, a violist, cellist and harpsichord so we had the pleasure of hearing six superbly talented musicians.

THE DAY Tour walk with GetYourGuide was terrific -- amiable guide, knowledgeable and fun to point out new things about places we'd been before.

THEN THE  EVENING was charmed from beginning to end.  Keller and I took a taxi from our hotel to the venue, stopping for a glass of wine for me, a beer for Keller, at the Sala Verdi concert hall, inside the gracious Hotel Quirinale, a treasure of its own built in 1865 near the Piazza Venezia. It's in the heart of Roma, five minutes from the Colosseum and just a bit farther to the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps.

WE HAD hoped to hear the concert in Church of San Francesco Caravita but temperatures of near 100 degrees forced moving it to the cooler hotel concert hall, with its equally fine acoustics and plenty of history to entertain concert goers before the show began.  

Violinist Jascha Heifetz
performed at Fox Theatre
in the early 1950s when
Cookie was a little girl.

We in the audience were from all over the globe: India, Japan, France, Germany, Norway, Australia, greeted by a lovely Eliana, who scanned our tickets and had an assistant guide us to our second-row seats. 

I could feel the presence of my grandmother, a fine pianist and

A lifelong love of music began at birth -- or
likely before -- for Cookie, whose musical
mother and grandmother greatly influence her.

accompanist, and my mother, who also played piano and was an accomplished violinist.  She and another old friend, Eloise Kirk, played fiddle in the Montana State University Orchestra in Bozeman. Each was  pregnant with their first child -- Eloise had her son John and my mother had me.

THE EVENING was too brief. There were three sets of gracious applause-filled bows, followed by exits.  Then Dhimitri appeared again to cheers, and ushered his ensemble back on stage. After a generous encore  -- more Vivaldi, a precisely rendered section of "The Four Seasons" -- the musicians took a final bow and exited.

A beautiful harpsichord was
much photographed after
the standing-ovation crowd.

By good fortune, we were able to catch up to Dhimitri for a brief chat after his exhausting performance. 
He was gracious and accommodating, put his violin case down to pose for photos and answer a couple questions. He believes in daily practice, like Heifetz, and off stage showed himself to be a gentleman of elegance, discipline and gracious demeanor.

The audience would have enjoyed another 90 minutes, but the maestro and his five faithful and equally gifted players, are doing several shows a week through mid December. So the evening sadly ended.

Tickets are reasonably priced for this masterful program, from 15 Euros to 50 Euros.

If you're in Rome and have the Roma pass, ask for the "Roma Pass" discount.

If you're in Europe, call +39 338 12 18 424.

www.opera-lirica.com

For a fun, reasonably priced tour in many cities worldwide: GetYourGuide.com 

The rocky seashore of Madeira is only one of its charms.
The beautiful Portuguese island has been popular with
Europeans and sun-seekers from Britain for decades. 

NEXT UP: Madeira. It sounds lovely and it is. Long a favorite of visitors from the UK, this Portuguese island is now popular with tourists from all over the world. This gorgeous island is located in the Atlantic Ocean, 1,000 kilometers from the Portuguese mainland. The picturesque island is part of the Madeira Islands group. Besides the wine for which it is famous, it offers beach activities, beautiful hotels and restaurants, historic monuments, and fabulous botanical gardens.  Come along with us, remembering to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, the arts, nature, family and more.

NCL's Viva inaugural offers classic ports, artful design, dining delights

 

Norwegian Cruise Lines is known for its flashy artwork and distinctive designs on the ship. 
Here, NCL's Getaway is photographed on a recent trans-Atlantic cruise from Orlando to Lisbon. 
The new NCL Viva has an artful design, too, in blues and aquas conjuring ocean waves. 

NCL's FLEET WELCOME WORLD-CLASS SHIP VIVA WITH MANY ENTICEMENTS

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers
leave Orlando recently on a trans-Atlantic
NCL cruise to Lisbon aboard the Getaway.
They're excited to be on Viva's inaugural.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

IF YOU'RE a fan of cruising and follow "cruise news," you know about the newest Norwegian Cruise Lines ship, Viva. 
She's making quite a splash, at 142,500 gross tons and a length of 965 feet, about a fifth of a mile. She's a luxurious floating resort, the latest NCL "Prima Class" vessel. Viva boasts a staggering selection of activities and entertainment, from an array of musical options to a global offering of restaurants, elegantly designed areas to relax and unwind, and a thoughtful itinerary of favorite cities and less visited ports. 

NCL's Viva offers an Infinity Beach area with inviting places
to relax, swim, read, enjoy a beverage and watch the water.

OUR RECENT crossing on NCL's Getaway previewed the offerings we'll enjoy on Viva. We booked the inaugural over a year ago when we heard of it from a fellow cruise enthusiast.  Special events are planned for Viva's first passengers. Joining us to salute the ship will be Viva godparent Luis Fonsi, five-time Latin Grammy-winning singer. We're excited about this Labor Day cruise because we'll visit favorite cities like Naples and Venice as well as cities not often visited: Syracusa, Koper, and Zadar.  
ON OUR Atlantic crossing earlier this month, we lazed about our Deck 10 balcony, enjoyed first-rate entertainment including Latin dance and a Broadway show, and strolled deck 8 with its lovely indoor and outdoor dining and relaxing spaces. 

Find dining and decadent desserts are
part of the allure of an NCL cruise.

 Viva's welcoming design follows suit with this novelty, also on deck 8. Features include the Oceanwalk glass bridge, infinity pools and an inviting space called "Infinity Beach." With its floating resort motif, a firepit and dining options await at Indulge Outdoor Lounge and Indulge Food Hall, billed as an "upscale open-air marketplace."

 As on our Getaway, NCL prides itself in a range of dining options, several centering in Viva's Ocean Boulevard seaside restaurants. The beautifully designed outdoor promenade is a 44,000 square foot walkway wrapping around the ship. Besides enticing dining options, the area boasts a three-story speedway and pulse-pounding slides for the daring. 

CRUISE LINES vie for "over the top" offerings, new ways to attract the world's growing cruise clientele.  Style, luxury and innovation are the bywords. Wealthy cruisers look for a high staff-to-passenger ratio to increase their service.

Dining can be a classy affair on the new Viva,
with elegant tables and views of the ocean.

NCL    attracts these high-end cruises in the way the liners of yore did.

NCL offers quiet, relaxing places to unwind,
here Getaway's Vibe Beach Club on deck 17.
 Viva sports a Vibe, too, for guests 18 and older.

 While Cunard's classic ocean liners offered first-class areas exclusive to "deep pocket" travelers, NCL ships have a separate "ultimate luxury" area called The Haven. It's the equivalent of Cunard's "Queen's Class" travel, a separate area for travelers who expect the best in luxury cruising. On Norwegian vessels, including the new Viva, the Haven includes personal concierge and butler service, luxurious suite accommodations and many amenities. Haven guests enjoy a private sundeck with its own infinity pool, hot tub, sauna and cold room, lovely lounging areas, a private restaurant and exclusive bars.

Top entertainment awaits on Viva, as on Getaway, with
Broadway caliber shows, such as "Million Dollar Quartet." 
A range of entertainment includes ethnic bands, piano, vocal
duos, comedy, game shows and specialty acts including magic. 

OUR GETAWAY general manager, Mario Markovic, noted that Haven usually quickly sells out but that all NCL guests have access to fine dining options and ship entertainment. Guests in inside cabins save money by utilizing handsomely designed public spaces. NCL cares about environmental impact, and Viva's Metropolitan Bar is Norwegian's sustainably-focused bar. 
Because dining is a big attraction for cruisers of all budgets, myriad options await on Viva, including the Mediterranean-inspired Palomar, traditional hibachi-style Hasuki, gourmet French fare in Le Bistro, a contemporary sushi house Nama and American fare in Surfside Cafe and Grill. Specialty restaurants cost a bit extra, but some visits are often included in the fare. It's worth it to augment the fine dining available to all cruisers.

NCL WAS AMONG the first line to offer "freestyle cruising" where guests dine when and with whom they choose. The globe-trotting line cruises Alaska, Bermuda, Australia and New Zealand, Hawaii, Bahamas, Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean and more in options ranging from world cruises to weekend getaways. NCL transits the Panama Canal and offers a popular week-long Hawaiian itinerary on Pride of America. Watch for specials at ncl.com

Christene "Cookie" Meyers and Bruce Keller aboard
a vintage caboose on Dunedin Railways in New Zealand.
A mutual love of trains takes them on many fun trips.

UP NEXT: Train, train, train. Wherever we go in the world, we look for an opportunity to travel by train. Trains get us "up close" to enjoy the countryside, historic sites, rivers, peaks, fields, animal life and gardens. We see how people live in a relaxing and colorful way, and at a slower pace than air travel affords. We "look" without the strain of driving a car, and get a leisurely feel for a new city, state or country.  All aboard trains in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Europe, Japan and San Francisco, where our nephew James is our knowledgeable guide, a youthful aficionado of train travel. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for  a fresh spin on travel, nature, the arts, family and more:  www.whereiscookie.com

Seeing L.A. a new way: fun small bus tour offers sights, delights

 

Hooray for Hollywood, where the famous letters stand in a well preserved forest near
Griffith Observatory.  A day on the road with Hollywood Bus Tours is strongly recommended.

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers
stroll the famous Santa Monica Pier.

BARS, STARS AND FANCY CARS FILL THE DAY, WITH MOVIE LORE, FAMOUS STREETS,  PARKS, MANSIONS  

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

WE VISIT Los Angeles six or seven times a year, but we'd never seen some of her most delightful sights.
So on this last trip, with a quiet day between plays, friends and museums, we booked a half-day jaunt with Hollywood Bus Tours.

Our comfy, small tour bus took us all over the city, to
highlights ranging from Santa Monica to the Hollywood sign.

Hollywood's famous Wall of
Fame includes stars from long
ago, such as the great Italian
opera great, Enrico Caruso.
 

We were so glad to discover this fun tour.  What a delight the day was.  Our tour guide Jeff, a San Francisco transplant, now a devoted Angeleno, has an amiable nature that set the tone for an easy-going day with congenial, global people.

The drive aboard Hollywood Bus Tour takes curious guests
through Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and varied neighborhoods.

Jeff's comfortable, joking nature encouraged conversation and new friendships in a tour both informative and fun.  He took us through Hollywood and Beverly Hills, where we saw dozens of expensive autos and lavish gated homes of stars past and present.

WE TOURED both familiar landmarks and undiscovered parts of the city in our "Taste of L.A." It took us past Hollywood's famous bars and nightclubs, Beverly Hills with its five-star hotels, mansions and parks, Rodeo Drive with its gorgeous shops, and on to both iconic and little known corners.

THE TOUR takes a leisurely look at both the city's hot spots and its quiet treasures which was a pleasure for us.

Los Angeles, "City of Angels," made room
for two more potentials, Bruce Meyers
and Christene "Cookie" Meyers,
at the Griffith Observatory.

Jeff threw in tales about movie shoots and stars' deaths, including that of the great comedian John Belushi who died of a drug overdose at Chateau Marmont in 1982.

While Hollywood is only a part of Los Angeles, it's what most tourists come to see because of its connection to glamour, money and power. It's the show-biz capital of the world, home to famous television and movie studios and well known record companies. Jeff drove us past a half-dozen of these.

EVERYONE KNOWS of Santa Monica Pier, perhaps the west coast's most famous.

Farmer's Market offers shops
and pleasant places to relax.

We walked to the end of it, past the roller coaster and cafes, enjoying an ice cream as we watched fishermen and tourists mingle.

We were thrilled to visit Griffith Observatory, that stately treasure at the city's top. We stopped there for a splendid view of the famous Hollywood sign and the valley that became Los Angeles and hoe to Leonardo DiCaprio, Elvis, Madonna, Tom Cruise, Marilyn Monroe and countless other stars. The observatory is a popular tourist attraction. Besides those splendid views, it boasts and an extensive array of space and science-related displays, all thanks to its benefactor, Griffith J. Griffith. Admission has been free since the observatory's opening in 1935, honoring Griffith's will.

It's fun to walk the Santa Monica pier to its peaceful end.

WITH LEISURELY stops for snacks, photos or a restroom, we never felt "trapped" in the small bus. We enjoyed Jeff's banter and history lessons, delivered with wry humor and a genuine respect for his adopted town. He has become somewhat famous for his "jokes of the day,"  received each morning from his dad via email, and shared with amused tour passengers. 

While Jeff had plenty of anecdotes about the town's glitz and glamour, he also paid homage to its humble, 

Hooray for Hollywood -- and Hollywood Bus Tours -- which
takes visitors through neighborhoods in colorful Los Angeles.

agricultural roots. He described the Los Angeles of more than a century ago -- long before it became the sprawling city we know today.

 A stop at the famous Farmer's Market, founded in 1934, revealed the city's  long, close connection to agriculture, with rows of beautiful stalls lined with the best produce in the state.

WE STOPPED for a beverage, some sunshine and live guitar jazz at this sprawling, historic market.  Families, couples and singles young and old walked their dogs and lingered between a meal or shopping for refreshments and lovely music.

Besides the pretty displays of fresh produce, the market features an impressive range of trendy shops, cafes and gourmet grocery stores.

WE MADE new friends on this spirited tour, exchanging contact information with folks from Portugal and Berlin, learning new trivia about a city we thought we knew well, and enjoying iconic sights on a sunny, southern California day.

Hollywood Bus Tours with its lively narration and variety offers three tours -- each a memorable way to see the fascinating sights of one of the world's most famous cities.

hollywoodbustoursla.com

+1 (213) 986-7688
info@hollywoodbustoursla.com

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers stopped for
a photo in the fortress village of Valenca, Portugal. 

UP NEXT: Come with us to discover the charms of a quiet, little known Portuguese village. Most travelers to Portugal don't visit Valenca, often confused with Valencia, Spain. It's an impressive medieval town whose imposing fortress overlooks the River Minho. We spent a few days soaking up the atmosphere of this laid back village. We found intriguing museums, elegant boutiques, and inviting eateries that didn't break the bank. We saw pilgrims on the famous Camino de Santiago -- the way of St. James. A network of paths lead to the shrine of the apostle Saint James in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galacia in Northern Spain. As a border town, it's a great place to sample both Portuguese and Spanish wines.

Spiritus: splendid psychedelic immersion in famous Portuguese chapel

Clerigos Church and its magnificent cathedral host a light-filled wondrous show, "Spiritus."

Gorgeous lights highlight windows and offer nature imagery
and accentuate the church's large windows and baroque architecture.

STEP INSIDE A WORLD OF WONDER, WITH PORTUGAL LIGHT AND SOUND SHOW

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

PREPARE TO immerse your senses as you simultaneously celebrate an architectural wonder.

This unique opportunity unfolds in a stunning show in an historic Portuguese church, Clerigos.

Clerigos Tower aglow at night, a proud Porto landmark.

In its sanctuary, "Spiritus" -- an inventive light and sound show --  examines with imagination the connection between man, nature and the heavens.
We hurried from a city walking tour as dusk fell, to the lovely Baroque church in the city of Porto. Our "compass" was Clerigos Church with its impressive 75-meter-tall bell tower, the Torre dos Clérigos. As we hurried several blocks from our bus to the show, we could see the tower getting closer. It was fun to observe it from various vantage points and as evening fell and muted clouds blanketed the city. The immense Torre dos Clérigos towers over its surroundings and is a central point on virtually all views of historic Porto. The baroque tower was designed by Italian artist and architect Nicolau Nasoni in the mid-eighteenth century.

Famous Clergios Church and Tower are worth a visit.

Nasoni lived and worked in Porto for fifty years, designing many beautiful structures in Porto and throughout the north of Portugal. He was a busy man, also creating the loggia on the Porto Cathedral, the Episcopal Palace, Palace of São João Novo, and the Palace of Freixo, all proud landmarks of Porto. As we turned corners and navigated narrow streets and alleys, the tower remained nearly always in view. No wonder it was placed where it is -- on a high point in the city where all eyes are drawn to its magnificence.

The small but fascinating museum at Clerigos is
enjoyed by Cookie with insights from a docent.

The interior of Clerigos Church Clérigos Museum
 exhibits a collection of sacred art and liturgical
 objects dating from the 13th to the 20th century.

WE HAD tickets in hand -- an advantage in moving through a line at the box office and toward the entrance of this popular production. The queue was long but moved quickly with visitors from around the world. People were quiet and respectful as we entered the cathedral to take our seats. Then a young man with a sonorous voice gave a brief introduction to what we were about to behold. He explained that the innovative multimedia show would "transcend the walls" and promised a spiritual and emotional journey in this lovely and much loved Baroque church.
Then the lights dimmed and a wonderous light show appeared.  Spiritus is an audiovisual experience, pairing light, music, and architecture in the heart of the church. Created by OCUBO, an internationally known Portuguese art studio, the 
experience uses its religious location to carry the spectator on a spiritual and emotional journey. The work is inspired by the poem “In the end, the best way to travel is to feel,” by Álvaro de Campos, respected Portuguese poet.  One need not be religious to appreciate the splendor. 

CLERIGOS was built in 1753 and has been a national monument since 1910, much loved by the people of the city. It inspired the urbanization of the city, and is a landmark of the town. It was begun at the request of the Brotherhood of Clerics, with architect Nasoni commissioned to design a bell tower to dominate Porto's landscape. 

The Clerigos light show, "Spiritus," moves many deeply.

It was completed 10 years later, in July of 1763, with the placing of the iron cross on the top, and the image of St. Paul in the niche above the door, its construction was finished. Since 2014, the Church, Tower and House of the Brotherhood are a museum. Do make time to visit it when you book the show. It is small -- just a few rooms -- but filled with antique furniture, sacred art and centuries old liturgical objects

Families and couples regularly make a pilgrimage to the tower, climbing the 225 steps to the top. The show and museum add dimension and can also be enjoyed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, too.

www.visitporto.travel.

www.portocvb.com
www.citypasses.eu/en/citytrip-porto/porto-card/
www.porto.travel/clerigos-tower
www.torredosclerigos.pt
www.porto.travel
spiritusporto.com

rto.travel › clerigos-tower

 

Jefferson McDonald, Matthew McGloin are a hit
in Northcoast Rep's "Two Pianos, Four Hands."

BEST BET: "2 Pianos, 4 Hands" is a “must see” at Northcoast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach, Calif. It’s a dazzling love letter to the world's most versatile and difficult instrument. Two gifted musicians deliver classical war horses laced with comedy and pathos. Part slapstick, part highbrow, the show features Jefferson McDonald and Matthew McGloin whose flawless technique was honed in years of study. While their artistry amazes, the show's physical humor and impersonations make it more than a mere concert. Themes honor the hard work a classical career demands, conflicts with parents and coaches, and the challenges of devoting one's life to a passion. In the style of Victor Borge and Anna Russell, the actors weave parody and slapstick with flawless Liszt, Chopin, Beethoven, Bach and Mozart -- with tuneful nods to Rodgers and Hart, Dave Brubeck and Billy Joel. This perfect pitch production hits the high notes while tickling the funny bone -- all on a pair of 88s, through Jan. 1. Tickets at: northcoastrep.org; 858 481-1055.  

A colorfully clad Martinique woman prepares a holiday
cocktail for us on New Year's Day. Fresh fruit -- delicious!

UP NEXT: Holiday time is in full swing as a New Year approaches. We  find holidays make a lively time to explore new places, holding old habits dear while making room for new traditions. We'll share favorite places and activities for celebrating the flip of the calendar to 2023. We have a suggestion for our readers, too: How about making a resolution to travel, shake up your routine, broaden your worldly experience, take the trip you've long wanted, make new friends on another continent? Come along, remembering to explore, learn and live.  Catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, the arts, nature, family and more at: www.whereiscookie.com 

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Salute to the euduring Queen Elizabeth II, from a loyal American fan

 

Queen Elizabeth II, watches a "fly-past" of the Royal Air Force, with Prince Charles, heir to the throne,
and her great-grandchildren, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte, and their mother, Catherine
Middleton, who became the  Duchess of  Cambridge when she married Prince William.

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN AS AN AMERICAN WRITER RECALLS LONDON VISITS,  ROYAL ENCOUNTERS

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER & C MEYERS

and courtesy The Times of London and CNN

Thousands are gathering in the Mall outside Buckingham
Palace in a four-day holiday celebrating Queen Elizabeth II's
remarkable, record-setting 70 years on the throne. Here the
Royal Air Force does a "fly-past" as it is known in the UK.

MY AFFECTION for Queen Elizabeth dates to her coronation and my introduction to television.

As a toddler in 1953, I sat fascinated on my mum's knee as we watched history and majesty unfold. What transpired on our new black and white TV heralded the beginning of my lifelong fascination with London and the Royals. It also represented the introduction to the world of television as mainstream media.

LITTLE DID I know how remarkable QEII's reign would be -- or that I would be invited to cover her Silver Jubilee in 1977. Or that as a travel writer, I would visit London dozens of times and write about it for magazines and newspapers.

Lifelong love of the Royals

Street parties were everywhere in 1977, when
Christene "Cookie" Meyers covered QEII's
Silver Jubilee. Thousands of parties are taking
place this week as well, throughout England.
 

In July of 1977, at London's posh Intercontinental Hotel on Hyde Park, as champagne flowed, I learned with 49 other American journalists the protocol for meeting royals. While we were told there were no obligatory rules for Americans meeting royals, we females were urged by a protocol advisor to give a small, polite curtsy.
Men were to give a neck bow, from the head only. This was in preparation to our meeting Princess Anne and the "Queen Mum," at a gala black tie party the next evening.
THAT MEMORABLE weekend was 45 years ago, celebrating QEII's 25 years on the throne. Although we didn't meet the Queen, we saw her from the crowd as she waved from the famous Buckingham Palace balcony.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip wave at the
crowds at her coronation in 1953. This is her
first celebration without her  husband of 73 years.

We did meet Princess Anne at the world premiere of the latest James Bond film, "The Spy Who Loved Me." We also met the Queen Mum at a pub in Leicester Square near the Odeon Theater where many activities took place and she pulled her own pint and finished it with a gin chaser.

I'VE WATCHED "The Crown," have seen many plays on the royal family, read biographies and visited their palaces and castles. But I'll never forget that long ago black-and-white viewing of the coronation. The young queen was beautiful; the event was magical.   I memorized the names of the eight grey gelding horses which pulled her and Prince Philip in the gold state coach: Cunningham, Tovey, Noah, Tedder, Eisenhower, Snow White, Tipperary and McCreery.

Westminster Abbey is one of the world's most
 famous examples of gothic architecture.

 James Bond, Princess Anne, Cookie

The Admiralty on London's Trafalgar Square is a favorite of locals
and visitors, who enjoy its old-timey feeling in a decor suggesting
a ship. The pub is one of hundreds celebrating the Queen's Jubilee.

I adored those horses, the pomp and circumstance, the jewels, the hats. I supposedly told my mother, "I'm going to to 'West Minister" to pray for the Queen." (That often quoted family malaprop came from an awestruck four-year old's lips.) A dozen years later as a teen-age visitor to London, my first London stop was Buckingham Palace, then Westminster Abbey, where QE2 became the thirty-ninth sovereign to be crowned. That magnificent gothic building is one of the world's most famous architectural masterpieces with its magnificent  stained glass, sweeping arches, vaulted ceilings and gargoyles. I never tire of a visit.

I IMAGINE 1245 when King Henry III pulled down the eastern part of the 11th Century Abbey and made it his own, complete with flying buttresses. For even on our little 16-inch telly -- the largest money could buy at the time -- I was hooked on history, royalty and marvelous old buildings.

IN DOZENS of visits to the UK, I never miss a chance to hoist a pint in a pub, or take a side trip to Windsor, Sandringham or Balmoral or any of the string of palatial residences owned by the royals. 

Hats off to the Royals

Princess Diana, Prince Charles on wedding day.
The Queen has seen Diana die and Charles
remarry, to his longtime mistress, Camilla.

IF MY MOTHER had lived, she'd be a year younger than the Queen. Prince Charles is just a couple years older than I, so one could say I've grown up with the royal family. I've followed their triumphs and tragedies. I set my alarm to watch the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana, then again, the wedding of Prince William and Katherine Middleton. Didn't miss a minute of Diana's touching funeral, and am tuning in to ABC to watch highlights of the four-day 70th Jubilee Celebration. A highlight: the Queen's pre-recorded tea party with Paddington Bear. Delightful fun.

Queen Elizabeth II is surrounded by, left, her son
Charles, the Prince of Wales, next in line to the
throne, Prince George and his father Prince
William, whose mother was Princess Diana.

Although she was only 25 when she was proclaimed Queen after her father died in 1952, she would have just turned 27 when she was officially crowned in June, 1953, after the customary mourning period.

The coronation pre-empted "I Love Lucy" and "Dragnet." More than 20 million tuned in.
It was the first time in history that a TV audience outnumbered radio's.   I've grown up with TV -- and the Royal Family.

My favorite corner of Westminster, the
  Lady Chapel, last phase to be finished.
 

 

I admire the Queen for her fortitude and grace. She's seen the family through scandal and tragedy, divorce and controversy. She grieved the loss of her husband of 73 years and has lately experienced issues with balance and walking. Of course. She's nearly a century old, bless her. She still enjoys a daily cocktail, pets her beloved corgis and chats up the next generation, her great-grandchildren. Yes, she's the world's richest woman and lives what many consider an extravagant, pampered life, but it must also be lonely at times. Her only sister and best friend, Princess Margaret, has been gone for years. Yet she arises each day, faces the world, goes to work, does her duty. For me, she is an endearing, enduring figure, a "grand dame" in the grandest sense.

MORE INFORMATION: To watch the festivities, tune in to ABC, which per an agreement with BBC, is broadcasting live from London and Buckingham Palace through the weekend.

Come aboard the Love Tours "hippie bus" for a fun time
in San Francisco.  Here Christene "Cookie" Meyers and
Bruce Keller pause in the wind by Golden Gate Bridge.

UP NEXT: We're aging hippies, and sometimes we listen to the music from "The Summer of Love." So come with us on the "Hippie Bus," for a Love Tour of San Francisco. We take a magical trip aboard the colorful VW bus to Haight Ashbury, accompanied by the music of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. Love Tours tells the tale of a generation which shaped music, politics and art. It's counter-culture time and we promise a lively experience. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, nature, the arts, music, family and more: www.whereiscookie.com Please share the link.