Tasting the treats of tango: San Diego keeps sexy dance form alive and well

Expert tango dancers move with the music at Pampas Argentine Grill. 

STORY: CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

Is there a dance more sexy than the tango?
Is there any ballroom movement more appealing? More showy? More bold and dramatic?
In a lifelong fascination with the form, I've taken tango lessons in Argentina! That takes chutzpah! I've applauded tango shows every chance I get -- in many other places in the world, including smokey basements in Manhattan, and spacious ballrooms in London.

 Tango is intimate, calling for quick,
decisive moves as a couple dances.

Imagine my surprise and delight to find that San Diego is tango crazy! I love it. There are tango clubs, an abundance of world-class instructors and several venues which feature tango and welcome newcomers.
A North Park Club even celebrates tango love on a regular monthly basis, with parties and dances every fourth Sunday from 8-11 p.m. It's Tango Addicts Milonga. (Google San Diego tango and you'll find a wealth of references and information and fine teachers to encourage.)
A tiny venue in San Diego features magnificent tango in a setting that might surprise you!  In the heart of busy traffic and city life, Pampas Argentine Grill in a small shopping mall at 8690 Aero Drive offers enthusiastic tango and tasty fare.

Legwork is part of tango teamwork.

We sampled the enticing package with our sailing buddies, Melanie and Larry Cogsdill. We laughed and sighed and applauded -- a tango-tinged, bang-up evening -- and we recommend it to tango aficionados and fans of small clubs.
The much larger and opulent Tango Del Rey can accommodate parties of 50 to 250 and is glorious for its decor and drama.
 The intimate atmosphere at Pampas lends itself to tango up-close and personal. It's great to be close enough to observe and enjoy the chemistry between the dancers, and to see, savor and appreciate the intricacy of the quick, precise moves and steps.
Pampas provides that, with a dozen tables and a small but ample square wood dance floor on which the performers do their thing.
Tango has been around for at least 150 years, and most historians believe it was born in the working class neighborhoods of Buenos Aires.  Its success before and after the First World War took tango to international heights and its Golden Age from the mid 1930s until the coup in Argentina in 1955.
For a time, tango was in the closet. The art form experienced a "dark ages" when the dance was pushed underground and persecuted, and the fabulous Tango renaissance which has spread the dance once again all over the world.  It's sexy, romantic, beautiful -- to watch or try yourself.  So I'm exercising, practicing my turns and polishing my red heels! Keller is hat-shopping!

Larry Cogsdill delights in the dancers.

COMING SOON: Our tango loving travelers take a turn at the
glider port, sail on the vintage yacht Jada and celebrate the
glories of Montana summer. Remember to explore, learn and live!

Check us our Wednesdays and Saturdays at:
whereiscookie.com

Jewish arts festival is a treat, a shining San Diego star

Distinguished bass player Bert Turetsky delighted Jewish Festival jazz lovers.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

The 20th annual Lipinsky Family Jewish Arts Festival is heating up to a happy, enthusiastic audience eager to celebrate the variety of talent and remarkable gifts the culture shares with San Diego and the world.
Monday evening's 12th annual Klezmer Summit -- "Jews in Jazz" -- had a nearly full Lyceum Theater crowd clapping, cheering, reminiscing and noshing.
The extravaganza at the Lyceum was a jazz lover's paradise, with world class musicians playing tunes that speak to the rich musical heritage of the culture.
From the moment Bert Turetsky took center stage at a pre-show talk and demonstration, the spell was cast. An evening of pure musical joy and cultural celebration awaited!
The master double bass player Turetsky entertained a lobby audience with anecdotes about his life in music and the evolution of the double bass from a stalwart accompanist and rhythm-keeper to  a respected solo instrument and occasional star of the show.

Violinist Yale Strom delivered a rousing evening.

Inside, as the performance began, versatile violinist Yale Strom artfully took the nearly full house through a magnificent medley of Yiddish tunes, giving generous solo time to each of the fine ensemble and peppering the numbers with anecdotes and history.
Accordianist Lou Fanucchi, horn player Tripp Sprague, trumpeter Gilbert Castellenos, guitarist Fred Benedetti, drummer Duncan Moore and Jeff Pekarek on bass all took turns in the spotlight. And Strom showed his own musicianship with deftly delivered solo bits.
Only a day before, headlining Los Angeles cellist Fred Katz, at nearly 93 and not feeling well, decided he couldn't make the show, so Turetsky stepped in, along with gifted woodwind player Norbert Stachel, who dazzled the audience with his versatility and spirit.
He made the clarinet sing, capturing the true spirit of "klezmer" with all its sense of fun and melancholy. In a colorful striped shirt he commanded the stage, delighting the audience with triumph after technical triumph in styles ranging from folk to classical, befitting the mixture "klezmer" represents, playing flute and tambourine, too.
The "klezmer" was a professional folk musician and the music we recognize as such borrows from Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland and Russia. The night was international -- from the audience of all walks of life and

Clarinetist (and much more) Norbert Stachel delighted the Lyceum crowd
as Yale Strom, violinist, gave each musician his solo time to shine.

many ethnic persuasions, all sharing knishes at intermission, and appreciating the deep connection of "Jewish music" to the music of many other cultures -- African, Middle-Eastern, and Turkish in particular with its syncopated rhythms. Singer Elizabeth Schwartz did two sets with the ensemble, ending the evening with the Andrew Sisters' famous hit, "Bay Mir Bistu Sheyn".  Her beautiful contralto voice ran the emotional gamut -- longing, frustration, determination and happiness.
The fantastic Jewish arts festival continues with "Chagall" this Sunday at La Jolla Playhouse," a new dance musical in workshop at LJP.

The writer and photographer enjoy!

Then  "Soulfarm"  performs June 17 at Temple Solel, the Israel-founded group which has wowed audiences internationally and earned a Grammy for its lead guitarist C Lanzbom. There's more!
The festival wraps with Soulfarm's June 18, 7:30 p.m. finale in the Lyceum Stage, where all the fun began. The band has opened for Brue Hornsby, Shawn Colvin and George Clinton and is lauded for its versatility in improvisation of world music.

 Singer Elizabeth Schwartz sang Yiddish balads and the hit song "Bay Mir Bistu Sheyn" to a delighted crowd at Lyceum.

Knish, anyone? You bet.

Artistic director Todd Salovey, at the fest's helm since the beginning, invited the crowd to sample  knishes at intermission and thanked the Lipinsky family for its vision and financial support. Salovey deserves huge kudos for his enthusiasm in keeping this inspirational series of artful programs alive and growing each year. Mazel tov!

COMING SATURDAY: We look at the Lyceum's upcoming year of performances which offer "art, sex and revolution". sdrep.org or 619-544-1000 for tickets and more information on either the Jewish festival or the Lyceum's upcoming sextet of shows. Keep the comments coming to our Wednesday and Saturday posts at
www.whereiscookie.com
We'll be sailing on the gorgeous Jada, flying high at the glider port and taking in a tango show soon!

Variety spices theatrical life in exciting San Diego playhouses

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

Three distinctly different venues -- each with its strong suits and personality -- offer San Diego theater lovers a wealth of wonderful play-going. On tap are humor, emotion, revivals, romance, new work, classics,    comedy -- in works that challenge the status quo and offer enticing food for thought.
In this lively theater town, it's possible to see almost a new play a week -- at least two or three per month -- beginning with the summer previews and extending through next spring.
We begin with Cygnet.
Like the old-fashioned poem for the bride's attire, Cygnet Theatre's new season has something old, something new, something borrowed, and, well, yes, something blue, if you count the sky framing the classic old red building that welcomes you to the heart of Old Town. (By intermission, you'll be star-gazing, but before opening curtain, it's a dazzling blue-sky-and-sun place to savor day's end.)

Cygnet's recently opened patio offers a pleasant atmosphere before the play
 or here during intermission of "Shakespeare's R&J," energetic and intriguing.

Cygnet's eleventh season in its charming, intimate venue promises to "startle the soul and celebrate what makes us human," according to artistic director Sean Murray, also an accomplished actor. Start your theatrical adventure by sipping a cocktail or coffee on the spacious, newly opened patio.
From an Oscar Wilde classic to a popular Christmas tradition, a Sondheim musical, Tom Stoppard extravaganza and Cygnet's popular holiday show, the line-up will entertain, stimulate and amuse. I can't wait for to see what Cygnet does with one of my favorite Sondheim works, "Company" opening July 5. A San Diego premiere, "Maple and Vine," sounds delightful, opening in January, a comic homage to the 1950s.
We've seen a bonanza of spectacular productions at Cygnet, many of them with Murray either directing or starring.  From "Sweeney Todd" to "Cabaret," "Man  of LaMancha," "Private Lives" and recently "Assassins" and a contemporary take on "Romeo and Juliet," Cygnet delivers, and never disappoints.
Consider Cygnet's theater tour to Dublin and London this autumn. Tour price of $4,495 includes air across the pond and between Dublin and London, eight nights in hotels, several dinners, six productions (three in each grand city) and visits to classic museums, theaters, cathedrals and a highlight trip to the original Old Globe. Why not?
www.cygnettheatre.com or veronica@cygnettheatre.com
for season tickets or to book the theater tour.
 *  *  *
  On the northwest side of town, at LaJolla Playhouse, it's time for experiments, new work and engaging treats for the play-passionate aficionado.

La Jolla Playhouse is at once stately and contemporary,
befitting its varied and wide-ranging new season.

With both "Chaplin" and "Hands on a Hard Body" nominated for Tony Awards this year, San Diegans and arts patrons can proudly say: "we saw it here and we saw it first!" The LJP is justifiably proud of its exciting record: sending more shows to Broadway than any other venue. In our five years of being regulars here, we've met many sophisticated and well traveled fellow theater lovers. Because of this discerning and educated clientele, LJP is a fine proving ground to determine if a play might succeed on the Great White Way.
The tradition of novelty and challenge continues at the gorgeous, state-of-the-art complex with the recently opened "His Girl Friday," in its west coast premiere.  , The vintage movie with Cary Grant and
Rosalind Russell is one of my favorites, a fast-paced tale of reporters in 1939 Chicago. The production, directed by Christopher Ashley, promises romance, lively banter and "velocity, plenty of it," says Ashley, the Playhouse's artistic director. We'll be there next week to watch reporter Hildy Johnson go after one last scoop, breaking a big story, and falling in love again (with her ex-husband!) Sheer fun.
"Tribes" takes a savage, funny look at family dynamics, a romantic tale with a twist as a young deaf man from a hearing family falls in love. The talented Moises Kaufman directs "The Tallest Tree in the Forest" in autumn, based on the life of famed vocalist-actor and controversial activist Paul Robeson.
And there's more: "Sideways" is coming! Hooray. A favorite novel turned acclaimed movie weaves the story of male friendship, change, relationships and romance set in lovely Santa Barbara wine country.
And "Sideshow" looks captivating -- the story of talented conjoined twins and the complexity of life for Daisy and Violet.  "The Who and The What" is another world premiere, exploring tradition and contemporary life. The playwright is award winner Ayad Akhtar. Tempted? Treat yourself and a pal.
www.lajollaplayhouse.org
Both seasons offer package deals. There's no better present to yourself or gift to a friend than theater!

COMING WEDNESDAY:   San Diego Repertory Theatre's
 Lipinsky Family Jewish Arts Festival is in full and fun swing, with enthusiastic attendance in the Lyceum Theatre.  This week's fabulous staged reading about the life of activist Abbie Hoffman was written with tenderness and emotion by the gifted Herbert Siguenza, who also plays the lead in "Steal Heaven."  A klezmer summit is on tap this Monday featuring "Jews in Jazz" with renowned jazz cellist Fred Katz, now in his 90s and still going strong.
Note: If you missed Siguenza's inspired "Steal Heaven" you have another chance Tuesday, June 11, at North Coast Repetory Theatre. This delightful, intimate venue recently presented a sold out "Odd Couple" and in the wings are "Leonard Nimoy's Vincent" about the life of Van Gogh, and A.R. Gurney's always moving "Love Letters. www.northcoastrep.org
Wednesday we'll preview SD Rep's new season where yet more treats await! www.sdrep.org
Remember to explore, learn and live and check out our postings Wednesdays and Saturdays at
www.whereiscookie.com

The lure of Las Vegas and gambling close to home

 Framed by the glitzy hotels of the world's greatest
gambling city, Cookie and Keller enjoy a night out! 

STORY BY CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS BY WILLIAM KELLER

I have a confession to make.  
My name is Cookie and I love Las Vegas. I adore casinos.
I've visited gorgeous ones in Monte Carlo, in London's Mayfair district, in the Dutch Antilles and Macau.
The glitter of Las Vegas easily seduces me and I love playing my way up and down the strip -- from the Mirage to the Venetian, with sidetrips to Mandalay Bay, Paris,  Bellagio, New York, New York.  My game? Usually video poker.
I like sitting in a glitzy casino sipping a coffee, cranberry or cocktail and taking my chances with lady luck. Looking forward to seeing Cher, Bette Midler or one of the variety shows. I love remembering the old circular Sands Hotel, and the greats I saw there: Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Debbie Reynolds, Frank Sinatra.
I've introduced casino hotels to many members of my family and have had lots of fun on casino ships with my brother Rick and my late husbands, Bruce Meyers and Bill Jones.  Both Bruce and Billy were good blackjack players.  Bruce, in fact, paid for our tips and wine bill on an Atlantic crossing on the Queen Elizabeth II, with his blackjack wins.

 Cookie held a single ace -- and got four!

I prefer video poker. For some reason, the game attracts far more women than men.
Perhaps we all love the symmetry of a straight, the cohesiveness of a flush, the delight in four aces and the thrill of that elusive big bopper of the video poker arcade:  the royal flush.
I'm working on the "know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em" technique. And I'm improving.
The time to cash in is when you're ahead (a large "duh" from the audience.)  Sometimes the timing is wrong, though.  If you win immediately when you arrive, for instance, that's not good. Now what are you going to do?

 The MGM Grand's signature lions look out on the glorious Vegas strip.

As Bugsey Siegel knew, gambling is time honored. Ah, Las Vegas.  As long as I'm not using the mortgage money or shortchanging the children (wait, I don't have children), I'm okay. And the Yorkies still have plenty of clothes.
As I write this, we're nestled in a beautiful suite at Harrah's Rincon Casino Resort, a lovely property about ninety minutes from San Diego.
It's close enough for an easy weekend drive, and yet not so near that we are tempted to visit every day.
We love Las Vegas, but a quick trip there involves a plane ride. Two reasons we are loyal to Harrah's: Proximity to San Diego. And pups are welcome for a small charge.

 Harrah's Rincon offers patio rooms with a mountain view.

Rooms in the Garden Tower wing of this lovely landscaped resort are dog friendly, and the pups are greeted by a doggie fairy who delivers treats of biscuits, a designer bag for pick-ups, and a silver water bowl with a non-skid, non-stick bottom.
Keller just stopped by the window of the Palomar Suite, enroute back after walking the doggies. Yes, I realize upgrades in casino hotels are not really "free" -- we've paid for them with our play.
But Harrah's provides a reasonably priced get-away for us with breaks on the room with our Total Rewards points.
Keller said the Yorkies made new friends on their stroll -- a bassett hound and an Australian shepherd, both accompanied by their owners, taking a break from the gaming action on the floor.
We're planning a return to Las Vegas, where we can stay in Total Rewards sister properties involved in the collaboration.
We're considering Caesar's, a favorite of mine for forty years with our favorite showroom.
And we'll rack up more points towards our passage from "Gold" to "Diamond" status, which means we'll be eligible for more upgrades, more perks, more points.

 Harrah's Rincon Casino Resort welcomes Nick and Nora.

I get it that the more we play, the more we risk losing, and the more the casinos make.The casinos are flourishing. Harrah's Rincon is building a new tower! People will always spend money to take chances on winning.
Perhaps the reason is the same one that explained why people in the Great Depression spent money on movies and treated themselves to a bite to eat.
They wanted to have a little fun, to lighten their load.
I really don't have much to lighten.
Knock wood.

Lights, lure of Las Vegas -- from the sky bridge connecting
MGM Grand with New York, New York.

I have a wonderful partner, a good life in two states, beloved Yorkies, a loving family, truly devoted friends, nature's beauty to greet me in both Montana and California, my native and adopted states.
But I get a rush walking down the strip, gazing at the fake Eifel Tower, the skyline of a fake New York, the turrets of Excalibur, the majestic lions at MGM Grand, a recent favorite.
And I'm at home here in Harrah's Palomar Suite, with two giant flat screen TVs, tasteful art, a couch big enough for my entire family and a bathroom big enough to hide in (with mirrors that tell me more about my face than I want to know.)
Gotta go now. Time to register for my slot in a

 Keller reviewing his four deuces says: "I've won and I've lost
 while casino hopping with Cookie. Winning's better."

tournament.  And Keller just hit the jackpot: four deuces and a win that will make a big dent in his next Montana ticket.  Hope springs eternal in the gambler's breast.
COMING: The great theater town of San Diego boasts many gems, including Cygnet, located in Old Town. We take a look at the upcoming, adventurous season and check out wine tasting, too. Remember to explore, learn and live! And check our Wednesday and Saturday postings at:
www.whereiscookie.com

Yo, ho, ho -- the pleasures of setting sail on a San Diego Sunday

 STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

"Cap'n Cookie" takes
the wheel. Whee!

Keller, Cookie, Melody and Larry Cogsdill sail at Paradise Point
and Harbor Yacht Club, popular get-aways for locals and tourists.

WE'VE ALL heard the old joke about a boat owner's two most happy days.
He was happy, of course, the day he bought the boat.
And he was happy the day he sold it!
Thousands of people, though -- including my partner -- love having their own boats and taking them out as often as possible.
Or just hanging out in them for a pleasant afternoon, as we discover whenever we visit Paradise Point or Harbor Yacht Club for relaxing sails.
AT PARADISE Point, the place is always humming with activity -- jet skiing, boating and kayaking.  We enjoy the resort restaurant and all the fun activities the tropical atmosphere suggests, including fish-watching from the bridge.

Sailing gives one time to smell the roses (and enjoy the sea lions), and we explore sailing and sea life in these blogs.

"Ahoy, maties!" says Keller

We usually rent a 27-foot sloop with our friends, Melody and Larry.  He, like Keller, grew up sailing -- so the two boys were at home manning the sails and we girls took a "supporting role," helping with the sheets and keeping the snacks coming. I get to be "Cap'n Cookie" for a few minutes, taking a brief turn at the helm, trying my best to keep us going straight.    Sure, there are plenty of women who "know the ropes" -- one of the fun bits of language we've borrowed from sailing.
BUT WE girls usually chose on a lovely spring day to simply enjoy the sail.
I've been learning a lot lately about boats and yachts. The Sundancers, Classicos, Sport Cruisers,Voyagers, on and on. With the America's Cup coming to San Francisco July 4th, and the "wildly exciting" AC 72 catamarans, we traveled there and checked out the harbor.

Above and below, a Sunday at sail is enjoyed with Larry at the helm.

I've learned to respect the water, for even an expert sailor can be the victim of the caprice of the weather, wind and weight of the sails and rigging if the boat flips.
Within the past few years since Keller, I've continued my love of ship cruising -- we'll log my 100th later this summer on an Alaskan cruise, cross the Atlantic in late autumn and transit the Panama Canal next spring.
HIS FAVORITE way to navigate the waterways is not with a view of the bridge from our veranda, but on the bridge himself! Better yet, at the wheel. So we're taking to the sea in smaller boats, too, getting out on the water at least once a month either by ourselves or with a friend or two to sail San Diego's beautiful bays and venture occasionally out into the Pacific. Paradise Point is on Mission Bay, a good place for the "sailor in training," such as myself.

ONE RECENT lazy Sunday, with Keller and Larry taking turns as captain, we sailed smoothly and safely out of San Diego Bay, past that last bit of land and into the actual ocean toward Mexico and the Coronado Islands.

ALONG THE way, there were fun sights to behold and wonderful relaxation.  Among the delights:  seals sunning and singing on buoys, pelicans diving for a late lunch, spectacular views of the city's skyline viewed from a couple miles out, and the beauty of seeing dozens of sails with plenty of other boaters out for a Sunday sail. Best of all for me, the sense of peacefulness -- shoes kicked aside --  listening to the boat glide through the water, waving to other pleasure seekers, cherishing our own private space on the water.

Melody enjoys the view from 
the dock at day's end.

ON SAN DIEGO Bay, you'll see the gorgeous sails of the Californian, which come near as she heads out toward the Channel Islands.
On both bays, you'll see beautiful yachts and pleasure boats whose owners name them "Tranquility," "Time Out" and "Knotty Girl."  Our favorite was "Assisted Living."
For Paradise Point and Mission Bay information, go to:  www.paradisepoint.com/blog/sailing-on-mission-bay-in-san-diego
Harbor Yacht Club has a sliding scale of rental prices, depending on the size of your boat.  You get a break if you're a member:   www.harboryc.com

Paradise Point offers lovely accommodations in Balinese
style bungalows, with pretty Mission Bay views.

COMING UP: More on Mission Bay's delights, and fun accommodations at Paradise Point, with its Balinese inspired bungalows overlooking the water. Plus a look at the lure of gambling and why this reporter loves it so! Then we look at summer in Montana and a very special music festival, downtown Los Angeles and its famous theaters and performing arts halls. Remember to explore, learn and live. Each Wednesday and Saturday, check out www.whereiscookie.com

San Diego's musical treats include jazz, klezmer, classics in vivid venues

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

You  have to love a city that in a few week's time offers vocal jazz with Manhattan Transfer in the historic Balboa Theatre and classics played with vintage instruments by Bach Collegium in the

The art deco charms of the 1924 Balboa Theater are thanks to careful restoration.
It is the grand dame of downtown, adjacent to Horton Plaza and the Lyceum.

imposing venue of Balboa Park's History Center. Add a world-class Puerto Rican brother-sister chamber concert and klezmer tunes with knishes, both at the Lyceum Theatre downtown in colorful Horton Plaza.
The always inventive San Diego Repertory Theatre is hosting the 20th annual Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival. We were part of a rousing opening night Tuesday, for Guillermo and Ivonne Figueroa's "standing O" recital.
The talented violinist and pianist kicked off the festival's lively slate of performances with Fritz Kreisler, Felix Mendelssohn and photos of their extraordinary musical family in the intimate Lyceum space. The fest continues in San Diego and other at North County venues with more spellbinding music, theater and plenty of Jewish soul. Kudos to curator, organizer and director Todd Salovey, associate
artistic director of the Rep, for tackling daunting booking and scheduling challenges.
On tap are free events and reasonably priced concerts and

  San Diego Repertory Theatre makes its home in the Lyceum.

performances. The fest runs through June 18
Other intriguing highlights are “Chagall,” a new theatrical musical with dance presented by John Malashock and Yale Strom; Soulfarm, a Mediterranean flavored band from Israel, featuring Grammy-winner C. Lanzbom; and the popular Klezmer Summit featuring "Jews in Jazz" with ensemble Hot Pstromi and the remarkable talents of lively 94-year old cellist Fred Katz. The Summit is June 3, complete with complimentary kosher knishes sponsored by Schmoozers.  We've booked that and "Steal Heaven," the story of controversial activist Abbie Hoffman. He's still raising Cain, raising the Pentagon and raising the next generation of social game-changers. San Diego Rep's artist-in-residence Herbert Siguenza depicts Hoffman nestled in a Jewish home for the aged, plotting the course of America's future.

The  lively Lipinsky Family Jewish Arts Festival
offers reasons to visit the Lyceum Theatre and Horton Plaza. 

The one-night performance takes place in the Lyceum Space on Thursday, May 30 at 7:30 p.m. An excuse to revisit the charms of Horton Plaza.
Looking for something in Oceanside --  an impromptu event tonight? One of the festival’s most popular musicians returns with a joyful selection of Jewish and Klezmer classics. Alexander Gourevitch was born in the Soviet Union and trained as a classical clarinetist.  He is a principle musician with Tijuana’s Orquesta de Baja and plays klezmer to express his Jewish soul. Gourevitch will be joined by his band Freilachs, featuring  Ara Ghukasyan, violin, Oxana Bulgakova, piano, and Carlos Maria, percussion. The concert is tonight (Wednesday, May 22) at 7:30 p.m. at the Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside, Calif. Tickets are $5. Call (760) 435-3720.
Check out the rest of the festival's impressive list of performers and venues, survey the complete line-up of stellar events and book tickcts at  http://www.sdrep.org or call (619) 544-1000.
*  *  *
Variety. Quality. Venues. San Diego is southern California's city with musical soul and a remarkable performing arts docket.  San Diego Opera produced "Aida" last month, we've heard classical music,

Manhattan Transfer still has it! Smooth harmonies, delightful jazz
arrangements and a brilliant accompanist. Tim Hauser, right,
is the only original member and makes his home in San Diego.

jazz and Broadway tunes within the month.  We just booked a tango show for next week.
That range is typical of the lively musical arts scene here.
We were thrilled to obtain last-minute tickets to Manhattan Transfer, favorites or ours since the early 1970s.
This enduring quartet, with a stellar pianist, includes Alan Paul, Cheryl Bentyne, Janis Siegel and Tim Hauser, who makes his home in the San Diego area.
"I'm delighted to be playing here," he said, "because tonight I don't have to sleep in a hotel."
We had delightful seats in first-row balcony of the beautiful Balboa Theatre downtown.
A perfect setting with its glorious art deco arches and brocade wall paper and hints of velvet, for our trip down memory lane.
The quartet delivered all its hits, changing coats, adding hats and costume props from a wardrobe on 
stage. Fun stuff! "Boy From New York City" and "Chanson d'Amour" showed off two very different

The Balboa Theatre is the cornerstone of Horton Plaza.

styles -- be-bop and romantic ballad -- no problem. The quartet does it all.  "Java Jive" and "Operator" were precisely but swingingly sung, in the smooth, close harmonies which identify the group.
 There have been two major manifestations of Manhattan Transfer; Hauser is the only person to be part of both. They take their name from the 1925 novel, "Manhattan Transfer," by John Dos Passos, and pays tribute to the quartet's New York ties. Their much honored pianist and arranger Yaron Gershovsky is a hugely important component.  His talent in many ways make him the star of the show.
And the venues in San Diego play more than supporting parts.  Balboa Theater is 1924 gem, surviving decay and neglect and a 20-year closure to return in 2008 with a $26 million restoration. On the Balboa's docket are the Canadian Tenors May 31 and Mainly

Yaron Gershovsky's genius as
pianist-arranger makes him
an integral part of the show,
here in the Balboa Theatre.

Mozart Festival June 13. Check out the summer schedule at SDBalboa.org or call 619 570-1100.
*  *  *

COMING UP: We take to the ocean -- beyond the two bays --  in a 27-foot sloop,sailing out of Harbor Yacht Club. Then we're off to Las Vegas, answering the call of gambling with all its glory. Remember to  explore, learn and live.
www.whereiscookie.com
posts each Wednesday and Saturday. Tell like minded people and join the fun.

A four-hour sail on San Diego's Californian recalls sailing's glory days

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

Sailing on the Californian is as close as I'll get to "going down to the sea in ships."
Fortunately, we went "down" in the best sense of the word:  out into the Pacific Ocean and safely back.
For this sailor -- with hundreds of hours on small sailing vessels and nearly 100 large-ship cruises -- the pride of San Diego's Maritime Museum feels like the real sailing deal.

Getting the sails ready then putting them back after
the sail is not for cowards or those afraid of heights!

This beautiful 145-foot long vessel is the state's official tall ship and she was the jewel in our crown of a glittery day of touring the Maritime Museum.  The 1984 ship is built in the style of the famous cutters which patrolled California's coast during the 1849 era gold rush. My sailor beau, child of the sea since birth, encouraged the Californian's adventure sail, a four-hour journey aboard the ship he's admired since it was built. I'd not expected to be so thoroughly entertained, but the location is a lure I couldn't resist.  Moored along the waterfront on the Embarcadero, it is one of the delights of the venue. The museum  sports more than a dozen boats and ships, a nicely researched and well curated array of nautical paraphernalia in a traditional indoor museum, and plenty of action outdoors as "pirates" stroll and repairmen do their endless work.

 Cookie found the submarine
claustrophobic.

Among the treats and surprises:  a vintage upright piano, lovingly cared for and donated by a local family who documented its seafaring background aboard a ferry.
We enjoyed a chocolate festival aboard the gorgeous ferryboat Berkeley, toured the Dolphin submarine (interesting for its design but too claustrophobic for this reporter), watched repairmen working on the tall ship Star of India, and the HMS Surprise, which has starred in several films, including "Pirates of the Caribbean."
A motley but enthusiastic group of us -- writers, teachers, builders, students and seafaring tourists -- spent a couple hours at the other ships of the museum before boarding the one that actually took us out on the water.Then it was onto the Californian and out into the bay to help hoist the sails and sail the ocean blue.  Despite a bit of rain and the wind -- sailors love wind -- the sun shone enough to take the chill off the day, and the mostly volunteer crew did yeoman's job of entertaining us with trivia about sailor's food, gear, health and hygiene, the workings and responsibilities on ship.
Of the ship's six massive sails (more than 7,000 square feet of canvas!), the unusual square sail was  Keller's favorite.  The launching, sailing and retrieving it -- watching all the work that goes into it -- thrilled him.  It took a half-dozen people to get her going -- two climbed up the rope ladder to the yard arm to undo her sheets.  And after our journey was over,

 The ship's cannons were blasted to welcome us back to shore! Nothing is boring aboard the Californian.

four limber crew climbed up and helped tie her back. Not for sissies or victims of vertigo!  Adjusting her sails along the route took many people on both sides of the ship.  Sailing, and doing it right, is a labor intensive process. And safety is a concern, so our captain reminded us of where to stand and sit, lest we feel the wrath of the proverbial "boom." No injuries, no accidents, terrific fresh air!

Keller was delighted to help keep the Californian
sailing, since he has sailed for all his life and loves it!

Most of the passengers were enthusiastic about helping, under the watchful eye of adept volunteers.  And when we returned to the harbor, we had the excitement of hearing and watching two of our cannons salute the shore and congratulate us on our safe return. The sound will shiver your timbers!
The Californian, as a "newer, old style ship,"  is 140 tons, created in the style of her ancestors.  But whether actually vintage or not, the maintenance of the museum's vessels and keeping them all in good repair is a challenge akin to the endless painting of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.  The work is never done.  Moisture, salt, attrition and wear and tear create dust, rust and decay so the wood and metal are constantly being polished, scraped, shored up.

One of the mates, Katharine, describes shipboard
life as it might have been a couple centuries ago.

  The Californian is available for charters and school sails.  She even goes to the Channel Islands, including Catalina Islan for a kayaking adventure. Others of the ships are able to be rented for special events.  The Berkeley, Star of India, Surprise and Californian all are available at various rates.

The museum is sponsoring Pirate Days this weekend, two days of kid-friendly, fun filled events this Saturday and Sunday on San Diego Bay.  On tap are carnival games, re-enactors, giveaways and prizes, scavenger hunts and pirates of course. Ahoy, maties. Enjoy. And remember to explore, learn and live!
More at www.sdmaritime.org or call 619 234-9153.

COMING WEDNESDAY: San Diego is gearing up for a fabulous festival -- its 20th -- of Jewish history and culture, with plays, art, food and music centered around the Lyceum Theater! And the swinging Manhattan

Transfer is still going strong, recording an album a year for 40 years, and delighting our audience at a recent Balboa Theatre performance, part of their current tour. What keeps this tightly knit quartet running and going strong?  A fabulous pianist is part of the answer. The group's enormous talent shines through, as individual singers and ensemble participants.

www.whereiscookie.com
publishes Wednesdays and Saturdays.