As we decided to spend a day in San Francisco, Inna purchased tickets to the Dear San Francisco show at Club Fugazi (in Little Italy).
Before the show, we stopped by for a quick dinner at the Georgian Cheese Boat (nearby). The dinner was excellent and the freshly made Acharuli Kachapuri was excellent.
"Dear San Francisco" started a bit after 18:10 and we ordered some Earl Grey tea and Tiramisu while watching the various stunts.
Here is a sample YouTube video from the show:
While it's not at the level of Cirque du Soleil, it was not a bad show and kept us entertained.
Dear San Francisco Review
Highlights
The acrobats (from Cirque du Soleil) are talented and performed some exciting stunts
Lowlights
The show lacked a coherent story
The guitar/banjo playing was amateurish (one player played just one guitar string).
Inna purchased two tickets to The World Ballet Company's The Great Gatsby Ballet at the Heritage Theater in Campbell, CA.
The dancers were excellent but I am not a big fan of ballet in general. I think some dialogue would have been helpful to move the story forward and explain the relationships between all the main characters. The set design was excellent and really helped to showcase the roaring 1920s. The costumes were beautiful but did not always match the 1920s flapper dresses.
A brief Synopsys of the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald from Perplexity.ai:
The Great Gatsby, set in the summer of 1922, tells the story of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaire, and his obsessive pursuit of his former love, Daisy Buchanan. The novel is narrated by Nick Carraway, who moves to New York to work as a bond salesman and rents a house next to Gatsby's lavish mansion in West Egg, Long Island.
Nick reconnects with his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom Buchanan, who live across the bay in East Egg. He learns that Tom is having an affair with Myrtle Wilson, the wife of a garage owner. Gatsby, known for his extravagant parties, befriends Nick and enlists his help to reunite with Daisy, whom he loved years before going to war.
Gatsby and Daisy rekindle their relationship, leading to tensions with Tom. During a confrontation in New York City, Tom reveals that Gatsby's wealth comes from illegal activities. Daisy, torn between the two men, ultimately chooses Tom.
The story climaxes when Daisy, driving Gatsby's car, accidentally kills Myrtle Wilson. Gatsby takes the blame to protect Daisy. Myrtle's husband George, believing Gatsby to be both the driver and Myrtle's lover, shoots Gatsby and then himself.
The novel concludes with Gatsby's sparsely attended funeral, highlighting the hollowness of the wealthy society he sought to join. Through this tragic tale, Fitzgerald critiques the American Dream and the excesses of the Roaring Twenties.
Step into the jazzy world of the Roaring Twenties with this new production of the World Ballet Company. See the glitz, glamor, and tragic romance of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless novel LIVE on stage, featuring a multinational cast of 40 professional ballet dancers, an all-star creative team, lustrous hand-crafted costumes, and lavish, groundbreaking sets. The original score evokes the energy and atmosphere of the 1920s.
In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald explores several moral laws and critiques the ethical decay of 1920s society. The novel highlights the following key moral themes:
Corruption of the American Dream Fitzgerald critiques the transformation of the American Dream from a pursuit of hard work and integrity into a shallow chase for wealth and status. Gatsby's wealth, acquired through illegal means, symbolizes the corruption of this dream. His failure to achieve true happiness or acceptance underscores the futility of materialism over genuine values like love and honesty.
Immorality and Carelessness The characters exhibit infidelity, dishonesty, greed, and recklessness. Tom's abusive nature, Daisy's selfishness, Myrtle's infidelity, and Jordan's dishonesty reveal a lack of accountability and moral integrity. Their actions often lead to tragic consequences, such as Myrtle's death, yet they avoid responsibility by retreating into their wealth and privilege.
The Pursuit of Wealth at Any Cost Gatsby’s illegal activities to amass wealth reflect the moral compromises people make to climb the social ladder. This is mirrored by other characters who prioritize material gain over ethical behavior, such as Myrtle's affair with Tom to escape her lower-class life.
Hollowness of Relationships The novel critiques relationships driven by convenience or status rather than genuine love. Daisy’s choice to remain with Tom despite his infidelity reflects her prioritization of security over emotional connection. Similarly, Gatsby’s idealized love for Daisy is rooted in her status as a symbol of success rather than true intimacy.
Through these themes, The Great Gatsby exposes the moral failings of a society obsessed with wealth and status while neglecting virtues like honesty, accountability, and compassion.
Score: Anna Drubich
Choreography: Ilya Jivoy
Set Design: Sergey Novikov
Great Gatsby Review
Highlights
The dancing was excellent and helped to move the story forward
The set design was exceptional
The costumes were excellent (though not matching 1920's
Lowlights
Without dialogue, dancing alone was insufficient to describe the nuisance of the story
There was no orchestra. A live orchestra would have sounded better
In my first 2025 USTA 40+ 3.0 match of the season, Jeff Essner and I defeated William Phelps and Eric Grisesshaberby with a score of:
Set 1: 6-1
Set 2: 6-3
When we arrived at Bay Club Courtside, it was difficult to find parking and to find an open practice court. The club had multiple tennis matches and pickleball matches.
Here is what our team captain wrote:
Hi Team,
We swept! all lines have won against Courtside! We got 5 points added to our balance and are now in 3rd/4th Place.
D1 - Shobir and Eugene have placed very well on their first match together - They did not drop a set - 6-3;6-3 D2 - Jeff and Boris also got a great win, and did not drop a set. 6-1;6-3 D3 - Miguel and Greg (Thanks again!) played very well together - they had split sets, but won 10-4 on the tiebreaker - Well done guys! 6-3;2-6;1-0 (10-4) S1 - Eyal won his second singles game without dropping a set; 6-3;6-1
Inna purchased tickets to see Stella Heath singing a tribute concert to Ella Fitzgerald called "Stella Swings Ella".
Saturday, February 1st, 1-2pm - Stella Heath Sextet at Healdsburg Jazz Winterfest - "Stella Swings Ella" SOLD OUT
STELLA HEATH SEXTET "Stella Swings Ella" St. Pauls Episcopal Church 1-2pm; pre-curtain talk at noon
Setlist
Downtown Strutters Ball
Moon Ray
They All Laughed
How High the Moon
Tenderly
All of You
Let's Call the Whole Thing Off
Day Dream
Making Believe
When I Get Low I Get High
Goodnight My Love
It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing
Stella Heath explained some of the famous songs that Ella Fitzgerald had made famous. Stella has a great voice and sounds quite close to Ella. I wished she had chosen less obscure songs.
I enjoyed the concert but it was a bit short. The standout songs included:
Let's Call the Whole Thing Off
When I Get Low I Get High
It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing
I was hoping that Stella would have sung some of these famous standards:
Ella's Most Popular Songs:
Dream a Little Dream of Me
A-Tisket, A-Tasket
Mack the Knife
Summertime
Cheek to Cheek
Someone to Watch Over Me
Misty
The Lady is a Tramp
I've Got You Under My Skin
Here is a video of Ella Fitzgerald singing "It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing" with Duke Ellington on piano.
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