Leaving very, very early in the morning for Los Angeles and looking forward to great food, great family and — in L.A. — no music. But, there are times that family is better than festivals.

I feel like the 14-year-old Maria Wirries, taking off on a big trip with lots of exclamation marks and excitement and high hopes for fun. Can I be 68 years old and still feel the same way? Sure. I remember my mother at 75 saying she still felt, inside, like she was 35. Me, too. And I’m seven years younger. Does that make me 28? They should give us a course in high school about aging. Too late for that now.

Had an amazing farewell dinner tonight at Darwin’s on Fourth with our three favorite dishes there: lettuce-wrapped shrimp (like a South American version of a Korean dish); pork tacos (a positively yummy bunch of chopped pork and spices served over two soft tacos); and Jalea Andina (crispy sampler of fresh seasonal fish, octopus and shrimp topped with criolla salsa, fried yucca and lime sweet chili — one of the best things we've ever tasted!) Ed and I shared everything and used chopsticks, which makes everything easier to eat. It’s like an amazing combination of South American/Asian food. Talk about fusion!

We’re looking forward to great food of every kind in L.A. And, then, we have reservations in several of Santa Fe, N.M.’s best restaurants … not to mention two operas: “King Roger” and “Maometto — II,” a chamber concert featuring New York Philharmonic conductor Alan Gilbert and a concert of opera arias and duets with the amazing Susan Graham and Friends. Oh, and a special brunch we're doing with members of the Sarasota Orchestra who are also playing in the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra. More as we get there. Pictures, too.

 

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