MEANDERINGS – by Peter Rocchio

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Boy I sure wish I had been there—at Wrigley Field in Chicago, that is.  Yes, I am a baseball fan (the NY Mets) and I have yet to visit that granddaddy of all baseball parks but about a month ago, as the season was winding down, who was selected to sing the national anthem? No other than the Chicago Gay Men’s chorus.  That’s right–a gay chorus before some 35,000 fans at a major league sporting event.  As was reported to me by friends who were there, the response was explosive and enthusiastic with sustained cheers and applause.  Talk about progress.   I won’t hold my breath waiting for a similar happening at a NASCAR race but stranger things have happened.

Talking about the gay chorus – let me remind you of the upcoming 2005/2006 season for the Orlando Gay Chorus.  The first of the three concert series is entitled A Credit Card Christmas and will be at the Annie Russell theatre at Rollins College on Saturday December 10th and two performances on Sunday December 11th.  For tickets to this concert or for the series go to www.orlandogaychorus.org.

The OGC has grown in numbers as well as in quality and now, with a new director, deserves our support more than ever.  Let’s show our pride in our chorus – give tickets as gifts or ask friends (straight) to join you for a first rate evening of music and fun at an OGC performance. One of these days the OGC might even be asked to sing the National anthem at a Orlando Magic game – now that would be pride inducing.

One more item about advance planning - The Maitland Art Center and the Orlando Ballet have joined forces to bring Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo to Orlando for a one night performance on Thursday, January 19, 2006 at 8PM.  Tickets range from $100 to $32 and can be purchased by calling the Orlando Ballet or Hard Rock Live or at www.Ticketmaster.com.  There are no words to adequately describe a performance of Les Ballet Trockadero. – a company of men dancing classical ballet en pointe  with all the artistry of the Kirov, the precision of the Rockettes and the humor of a Jewel Box Review.  The Trocs haven’t been in Orlando in twenty years so the tickets are going fast.  You won’t want to miss this event.

I had every intention of reporting to you about the new, very posh restaurant on Park Avenue in Winter Park.  Called LUMA, it is on the ground floor of the Bank of America building at the corner of New York Avenue.  The interior is gorgeous –evoking a sense of East side Manhattan with extensive use of glass, stainless steel and soft earth tone fabrics. The menu is straight forward as is the wine list – no pretentions here. And the prices are very fair for what is truly an ‘upscale’ restaurant  If the food rises to a seven on a scale of ten LUMA will be around  for a long time. Now, why am I not commenting on the food?  Because we haven’t eaten there.  We had reservations to dine with friends but about a half hour before our arrival,  they had a fire – in the pizza ovens. (Isn’t that where fires belong?)  anyway, the smoke and smell made dining that night impossible so we just had to put off LUMA to a later date. I  must tell you however, the manager was most gracious, as well as easy on the eyes – for our trouble, he gave us a gift certificate of $50 – unnecessary but appreciated.  I will file my next MEANDERINGS on November 15th and it will have my comments on the food at LUMA.

As most of you know, Chris Alexander-Manley has, for some fourteen years, hosted the radio program Gay Orlando Talks on Friday afternoons at noon of WPRK (91.5FM) during which he addresses issues of the day as they concern our community as well as interviewing a wide variety of guests.  After having been off the air for about ten years now, I was pleased recently to fill in for Chris when he had to be out of town for a a few days. I had a ball but as one who is accustomed to having callers to talk to and to interact with on The Peter Rocchio show of the past,  I would suggest that Chris encourage his listeners to call and express their thought on the issues.  Talk radio is an opportunity for a community to be heard and for a variety of opinions to be explored and insofar as this is ‘Gay Talk’ and the only forum of its type in Orlando it is even more important that members of our community be heard.

Talking about interacting – how about some feedback here as to items I have recommended to you in past MEANDERINGS, i.e., books, films, restaurants, etc. I have had some e-mails which I appreciate but I’d love to hear from more of you.

If you are inclined to appreciate challenging theatre, I highly recommend the current production of ‘WIT’ at the Edyth Bush Theatre at Loch Haven Park. The Orlando Theatre Project has mounted a stunning show with a lead performance by Jan  Wilkstrom equal to the magnificent writing which earned the play a Pulitzer Prize for drama. The audience is challenged to follow the journey of a scholar of 17th century poetry, specifically the works of John Donne, as she deals with her inoperable ovarian cancer. The power of the words is matched by the power of the performance which combine to cause us to see the power of nobility and kindness. ‘WIT’ will run through November 13.  For tickets call: (407)896-7365.

Well, we’re off to Texas for a week to visit family (Bill’s) where we’ll over-indulge in some of the best Tex-Mex imaginable; get back to walking and talking funny and restrain ourselves from any Bush-bashing - ‘taint easy but it’s the only family Bill has.

Ciao for now!    

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