Oh, Barbra!

So after a lovely Saturday afternoon spent on the couch, watching the Gators stink (I actually pulled for them against Alabama), Wifey returned from visiting her Mom and getting her nails done, and off we went in her Lexus SUV to Sunrise.  The Lexus is a big part of the story...

We literally flew up there -- my house to the arena in about 40 minutes.  No traffic at all.  And my friend Stuart's Dad had told me the place has a "Lexus Lot"  - any Lexus gets to park, for free, right next to the arena!  We cruised past the far away lots, which cost $30, and were directed to a real VIP area.  I was thrilled.  Finally -- something good for the rich, white man!

Apparently the Arscht Center Downtown has a similar marketing thing.  I may have to go see "Book of Mormon" for the third time, just for that excellent perk...

We got into line (the minor league-run arena only opens one hour before an event) and Wifey noticed something great -- we were the YOUNGEST people there!  Miami long ago stopped being a city for old men -- except for pockets, like Aventura -- whenever we go out, to Brickell, or Wynwood, or Midtown, where D1 and Joey live -- we're the oldest people there.  We rarely go to South Beach -- and Joe's has some old timers -- but it's worse there -- all younguns, being all young and stuff.

Not last night.  We glided up the parking lot steps, while hip replaced folks struggled.  And when many of these people were told their purses were too big (they called them pocketbooks), well, they acted as if their Social Security checks had been cut off.  So we chuckled, self satisfied.

We were to meet Geoff and Renee, but they called, stuck in awful traffic.  There had been some sort of explosion on 595, so everyone coming from East Broward sat for hours in traffic.  It was so bad that they announced the show would be delayed an hours, to allow these folks to make it.  We only traded texts with Geoff -- they DID make it, but not in time for pre concert drinks with us.

Instead, Wifey and I got cocktails  -- ok -- I got some and she got water -- and we walked outside to a patio area, where we ran into Danny and Kim -- Dr. Barry's colleague at the U.  They live in Pinecrest, too, and this was their first trip to the Sunrise arena.  They just returned from Africa, and told tales of their adventure -- Wifey wants to go.  I do not.  I'm thrilled I found a really good deli in Hialeah -- that's sufficiently exotic for me.

We made our way to the seats, which were excellent.  We were at exact stage height -- across from it.  Barbra was not close, but well within sight.

She came out, elegantly, of course, and opened with "Mem'ries."  Her voice was terrific -- a bit more deep and throaty than when she was young.  And she is NOT at all too skinny -- like many older celebrities trying to fight Father Time.  She was positively, well, zaftig.

She sang as if we were all in a nightclub in Midtown Manhattan -- intimate, charming.  The show stopper was, of course, "People."  Unfortunately, the idiot ushers took that opportunity to scold audience members about taking cell phone photos.  And, since the offenders were of a certain age, the song was interrupted by NY accented "What????  It is my RIGHT to take photos!  I paid over $300 dollars for this seat!!!!"  The Carribbean accented usher wouldn't back down.  I thought the scene would evolve, or devolve, into a comical arrest of a Linda Richman  lookalike and sound alike.  Fortunately, we only lost a few moments of the song...

Barbra pointed out that Chanukah and Xmas coincide this year -- only 4th time in 100 years.  So she sand a jazzy "Jingle Bells," which she said she last sang 50 years ago.

She told us her show in Miami, in two nights, would be filmed.  I have a feeling the crowd there will be far younger and gayer and more hipster-filled.  I imagine many of the people who attended last night would protest "What??? Miami!  The traffic is TERRIBLE, and NO ONE SPEAKS ENGLISH!"

But for Wifey and me, a night in oldster land was a nice change.

Wifey really appreciated her show.  And today -- the fun continues -- she and 7 friends are going to a musical in the Gables -- some show about Elvis and Carl Perkins meeting in Memphis.  I may drive down to the Redlands -- seeking but rarely buying koi and cichlids.

Either way, ain't no one going to rain on our parades...