Weekend: Sunshine, music, paint and the Oscars

Saturday we finally had warmer weather and some sun, and I was bad and went running. So worth it just for the Vitamin D!
Like most Saturdays, I spent much of the day cleaning the house and doing other chores, but that evening we went out for dinner and the symphony. We have been doing happy hour food specials before the symphony (we have a 8-ticket assortment for the season), but didn't plan this right; we wanted to go to the Swizzle Stick Bar in the Loews Hotel, but it was packed. We ended up getting appetizers at Cafe Adelaide, the restaurant also in the hotel, before heading to the Mahalia Jackson theater. It was a guest conductor, and we had good seats this time - B of the first level off the floor, on a row configured with leg room! The selection was Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (heard it a million times), a Ravel symphony (performed well; first time I'd heard it, but I didn't love it - not a fan of the excessive bassoon), and Rachmaninoff's symphonic dances, which the symphony really mastered. They play a LOT of Rachmaninoff, for whatever reason, but they're good at it. We were still hungry after, so we stopped for late-night sushi at the ever-speedy and reliable Sushi Brothers.

Sunday was another beautiful day. We walked to church - which I missed last week - and I volunteered at the visitor's table, where I quickly met several really interesting people. Our church attracts the most fascinating, accomplished mix of humans. I don't know how, but there's not a boring soul in the congregation.

In the afternoon, David and I walked to the park. I set up my easel and paints while he ran a few loops in the park; I only had a about two hours including set-up and clean-up, so I didn't get a lot of painting done, but I got a decent start. I am practicing a loose, Cezanne-like brush stroke.
Then we quickly cleaned up and headed to our pastor's Oscar party.

The gloves were a prop for photos. I stole them for most of the night. 

"Red-carpet attire optional," read the invitation. That's all I needed to hear. I happened to have a gown I was about to toss - it didn't survive the wash well at all, emerging with stitches undone, dye faded, and terminal wrinkles. I did an outrageous top-knot, nude lips, heavy gray smoky eyes, and topped it all off with loops of fake pearls from Mardi Gras.

Make-up job and pearl-wrapped hair

We left before the prediction ballots were completed, but not before I picked up my well-earned Best Dressed trophy.

Tearfully accepting my award

It pays to have heaps of ball gowns in your closets.