San Francisco Ballet 2013 Opening Night Gala

Posted on January 31, 2013 // Leave a Comment

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This season marks the 80th anniversary of the San Francisco Ballet, the oldest professional and most heralded ballet company in the United States. I’ve been so stressed with everything that I didn’t have time to get a new dress to wear to the ball. I felt so under-dressed compared to all the women dripping with diamonds in their floor-length gowns. Next year, I vow to get all gussied up.

I just want to cry every time the principal dancer Yuan Yuan Tan gets on stage. She is my absolute favorite. I found this clip on YouTube which is the same dance that she performed at the gala. Dean and I have agreed that the year she retires (which should be soon), we are buying season tickets. There’s no one like her, so incredible!

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San Francisco Ballet 2012 Opening Night Gala

Posted on January 19, 2012 // Leave a Comment

We went to the SF Ballet’s gala last night which was splendiferous. The people-watching was like no other. Or at least for me since I don’t often mingle with high society. Ball gowns, tuxes, bow ties, and glitter. So fun seeing all these old people dolled up. When I say ‘old,’ I mean really old. They were so cute decked out in their diamond necklaces and high heels. Major bling!

My attendance at the gala hasn’t been consistent. Probably the last time I went was 2-3 years ago. This time, waiters were going around passing out champagne. That’s new to me. Plus the hall was more packed than I’ve ever seen it. Seeing all the limos and Lincoln town cars afterwards was a trip.

The gala is the show to attend. It’s like watching the full season compressed into two hours. We saw 10 vignettes. 6 dances in the first half, intermission, then 4 in the second half.

The SF Ballet is world-class. The breadth of dances performed–from classical to modern–was phenomenal. It’s must see SF arts & culture.

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Christmas Festivities

Posted on December 24, 2011 // 1 Comment

I love Christmas time. Does it get any more festive than this time of year? This year seems to have zoomed by along with December so I feel like I didn’t get a chance to do everything I love doing like having holiday tea at one of the big hotels, ice-skating in Union Square, or watching the Symphony.

But I did manage to catch my nephew sing as part of the Golden Gate Boys Choir. The choir is comprised of elementary and high school kids from all over the Bay Area. They had a concert at St. Francis in North Beach, singing all the classics: O Come, O Come Emmanuel, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, the Little Drummer Boy, O Come All Ye Faithful…

In addition to singing, they had bellringers who were the bomb. Older kids who played Carol of the Bells and the Coventry Carol. So amazing. I’ve never heard the bells played before. Click on the link below to a video.

Golden Gate Bellringers

I also got front row Orchestra seats to the San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker which is supposed to be one of the best Nutcrackers in the world. We read that the first full-length Nutcracker in the U.S. premiered at the SF Ballet. Plus I adore ballerina Yuan Yuan Tan who played the older Clara. You won’t see anyone like her. The day she announces her impending retirement (she’s getting up there), I plan on watching every ballet that she’s in. It was a Tuesday night and it seems like all the SF dwellers made it to that show (I saw a bunch of people), including one of my exes who texted me.

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Fashion Friday: NYC Ballet

Posted on September 23, 2011 // Leave a Comment

Whoops, I’ve been having so much fun I barely go online. It’s very refreshing to miss out on all the negative media! I think we need a break from warring politicos, the recession, and reality TV. Except that I’m addicted to Millionaire Matchmaker. She cracks me up! In one of the episodes, the matchmaker asked a girl with smears of makeup if she was a hooker! Love it. Frankly, if I had to pick one reality show to watch, it would be Millionaire Matchmaker. Ooh and Top Chef would be second.

Last week, I went to the NYC Ballet. I paid a fortune to see Paul McCartney’s first foray into creating the score for the ballet Ocean’s Kingdom. I’ve been, off and on, a season ticket holder to the SF Ballet and desperately have been wanting to watch the NYC Ballet. This was the perfect opportunity. The program started out with Ocean’s Kingdom which is new and contemporary, followed by a traditional Balanchine ballet the Union Jack.

What the NYC Ballet lacked in quality of dance, they made up for with costumes, set design, and theatrics. Ouch! I know that’s a harsh statement, but the SF ballerinas make the NYC ballerinas look like they’re in beginning ballet. Their moves were dull and simple. Sign me up to be a NYC ballerina because I could mimic everything they were doing.

The costumes for Ocean’s Kingdom were designed by Paul’s daughter Stella McCartney. Light and airy fabrics for the fairies. A dark and menacing look for the villains. They were gorgeous. The couple next to me, however, said that the arts critic for the NYTimes panned the ballet and called the costumes garish. I agree that McCartney’s ballet was an overall flop. The plot lacked substance and was so nauseatingly predictable. But I did enjoy the music and the costumes. The McCartney’s should press on. Practice makes perfect.

I’ll also note that the NYC Ballet program guide had full pages of donor names compared to poor little SF Ballet. I would urge ballet aficionados to watch an SF ballet, especially with my favorite principal dancer Yuan Yuan Tan. Catch her before she retires. There’s no one like her.

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