Beach Party

The Sunday afternoon Beach Party was delightful. Weather perfect. Food kind of like dinner around the pool the night before but freshly grilled. On the way our shuttle driver asked if it would be okay if we stopped at her house in Normal Heights (!) so that she could pick up a hat. No problem. We admired her lemon tree (on the tree lawn) and artichoke and other plantings, plus her resident tortoise. She took us to a nearby hill overlooking the valley; then to see a eucalyptus tree. With our enthusiastic agreement, we then went to Hillcrest (the gay area) and then Balboa Park to see museums, etc., AND the huge pipe organ concert which only happens once a week. Then on to Mission Bay to enjoy spontaneous performances by the Grand Rapids and Sound Circle choruses, plus a drum circle joined by Ubaka Hill and our own Rose and Kathleen. Highlight for me was having time with composer Josefina Punceles de Benedetti talk about life in Venezuela now. A very scary place.

--Kathryn Kay