Date Night (And Day)

My wife is brilliant. There was something she wanted to go to yesterday that she thought I might enjoy. She asked me if I had anything on my calendar. Well, no, just the usual work stuff. Would I like to skip the office and join her? Yes.

And so we went off on an afternoon and evening together, on a weekday. That itself felt a little decadent. We had lunch at sophisticated restaurant near our home. Yum. Then down the street to Webster University, home of Opera Theater of St. Louis. We've been subscribers for 30 years. They have a Young Artists program, giving outstanding young singers a hand up to the pros. Yesterday there was a master class conducted by Christine Brewer, an international A List soprano who got her start at OTSL. Five of the young artists sang arias and received personal coaching from Brewer (who could have a second career as a stand-up comic if her voice fails). It taught us how to listen as much as it taught the students to sing.

Then off to the St. Louis Art Museum to see a special exhibition, Bare Witness: The Photographs of Gordon Parks. I knew just a little about Parks' work. He was the first black staff photographer for Life magazine and had many freelance projects. Some people remember him as a movie director, particularly of Shaft. His work blew us away. I highly recommend the book containing the photos in this show.

The art museum is open late on Friday and we went to dinner in its restaurant, which overlooks a sculpture garden. Thus the picture above. Nice that we like to do things like this together after 34 years. We're pretty good friends.

TOMORROW: The flood crest.