Three days well spent

Busy, busy weekend. Friday night was our first opera of the season. I didn't realise that the reason it was so much earlier than our other performances is that it was opening night. This compensated somewhat for being stuck off against the east wall instead of in our regular seats. (They cancelled the performance we would normally attend and had to fit us into a different one.) Nuphy was ecstatic about the singers, the orchestra, and the edgy staging (which was worthy of COT), which led me to conclude from my boredom that I simply don't care for Gluck all that much. I was taken aback given how much I enjoy Purcell and Handel, but Nuphy gave me a capsule history of the Rococo aesthetic, early modern neo-Classicism, Gluck's contribution to opera-as-drama, and the like that helped me come to grips.

All in all, I enjoyed dinner at Meiji beforehand almost as much as the opera. The King Eel is the best eel roll I've ever eaten; even Nuphy, who's not a fan (he finds it too heavy and greasy) agreed that it was light and balanced. But the real highlight was freshly-grated wasabi root. HOLY AVALOKITESHVARA! I don't know how I'm going to reaccustomed myself to eating the run-of-the-mill mushy paste after that.

The next morning, monshu and I rode the Rock Island line down to Midlothian for their annual Scottish Festival. The only thing about it that didn't disappoint was the food (the weakest link the downtown Celtic Fest): Hot-from-the-oven bridies and cold English ginger beer. I thought the supercute pipers would be there again but, alas, it was a different crop. For whatever reason, Clan Campbell didn't have a tent this year. (Probably off massacring MacDonalds somewhere--perhaps even in Glencoe!)

Can't complain about the weather at least: Despite the dire predictions, it was sunny and mild apart from about forty minutes of cloudburst. We sought shelter underneath a tent and barely escaped being bored to death by an earnest geologist recounting the story of his Cornish roots. Short as it was, it was long enough to drive off the Welshmen. Llwfrgwn! In search of something besides MGD to drink (no joke!), we found a sports bar right around the corner where the band members were taking refuge and got treated to an impromptu rendition of "Scotland the Brave" and the other one along with our whisky.

ottr4bear and Rubeus picked us up at the station and--after a lot of backing-and-forthing--we found ourselves at Penang being waited on by the most darling little South Side Irishman. He literally spoke out of the side of his mouth and evinced no sense of humour whatever; you just wanted to pat him on his greasy dishwater blond hair take him home. A number of nice dishes (including sea bass and duck), but the roti canai is still the standout there.

Sunday, we took it easy in the morning, but the day was so gorgeous I couldn't not take advantage of it with a stroll down by the lake. Figuring it might be my last chance, I tried the mamey flavour a friend had recommended from one of the roving ice-cream vendors. As snowy_owlet would say: "Muy yum!" On the way back, I passed the Nigerian Independence Day Festival in full swing. Ah, how I love thee, Chicago!