As a late birthday present, Sarah and I took my mom to Tanglewood to see the Boston Pops perform "Dancing Under the Stars" last Saturday. We were fortunate to have beautiful weather (I learned after buying the lawn tickets that it's best to wait until the day of the performance, as they don't sell out), and the music was marvelous, of course.
Although I was envisioning a major excursion, the trip turned out to be a breeze. Tanglewood is a scenic, simple, hour-long drive from our house. We arrived around 6:00 p.m., parked easily, and made the relatively short walk to the lawn with our rolling cooler, which carried everything we needed, including our bungee-corded lawn chairs.
We enjoyed a yummy picnic dinner that fell somewhere midway in the spectrum of fare enjoyed by those around us. There was everything from Subway sandwiches and take-out pizza to folding tables draped with fine linens and filled with candles, wine, and delicacies. Think tailgating without the cars.
The performance started at 8:00, just as it got dark, and we watched on the large projection screens, since the stage was just out of sight. The lawn was certainly the way to go, as it allowed Sarah to move around (although she was annoyed that I wouldn't let her put on a gymnastics show for the crowd). I think it was also more comfortable for Mom and me than being squeezed into fixed seats next to strangers.
The music was lots of fun, and the vocalists, Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. and Alexis Cole, outstanding. We sang along to Let's Call the Whole Thing Off, Unforgettable, Uptown Girl, Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy, Copacabana, Something Stupid, My Girl...I even got Sarah to dance with me (sort of) to Ain't Too Proud to Beg and Your Mama Don't Dance.
Now that I know how easy it is to attend, I think we should go at least once a summer, and bring Don along (he was in Minnesota fishing this time).
Yes, take me along next year! I can still dance.
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