I heart Houston

Houston is the most wonderful city. It is January, and while most of my friends are up their ears in snow around the country, the temps here have hovered in the 60s almost all week...sunny, gorgeous. I have seen a tons of friends, mostly on charming outdoor patios. And it has been non-stop culture. Here is a list of cultural activities of which I have partaken in the seven days of my visit here:

4 Operas

• Britten's Mid-summer Night's Dream at Houston Grand Opera
• Tech rehearsal of HGO's Chorus! .....a pastiche extravaganza of opera chorus scenes.
• Met movie broadcast of Gluck's Orpheo ed Euridice
• DVD of Verdi's - Rigoletto... the one with Pav and Gruberova.

2 Movies

• Bread and Tulips Charming film about a modern Italian housewife who discovers a way out of her boring life.
• Slumdog Millionaire. see it. it is beautiful and funny and soaring.

1 Play

• Mrs. Warren's Profession at the Alley Theatre.

1 Talk

• Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers: The Story of Success, Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, and The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

...and tonight I am going contra-dancing. Can this place be beat?