On opening night for Porgy and Bess at the Kennedy Center, Audrey, Karen, Kayla and I had perfect seats about a half dozen rows behind the orchestra pit. Close enough to see the beads of sweat on Porgy after his climatic fight with Crown. Audrey made me swear not to sing along to “Summertime” and anyway, as an amazing soprano was in the lead, I didn’t even dare try. Before the show, we toured the Kennedy Center, checking out the museum exhibit about Kennedy and the arts as well as the great view from the fourth floor terrace. There was also an extensive museum exhibit about Porgy and Bess. ...

For a week of respite from troubled times, we visited the North Fork of Long Island in April. We had some sunny, but breezy and cool days. Spring was just launching. Dramatic clouds and a new 10-stop filter gave me plenty to explore in the watery world of the Peconic Bay.

Entering Lou Lou’s, I was magically transported to the 1940s in glamorous Southern California. This recently remodeled club would be perfect for the Rat Pack. It’s inside the equally stunning Lafayette Hotel. If in San Diego, check it out! We came to celebrate my birthday and to check out Peter Bernstein, a jazz guitarist. He was playing with faculty and students from nearby San Diego State University. ...

During cherry blossoms season, the Tidal Basin draws huge crowds. For something more intimate, we visited Dumbarton Oaks Gardens. Here I explored the macro capabilities of the Fujifilm XF16-80mmF4 zoom lens. The capabilities to blur the background were amazing, and I was happy to get enough photos with sharp focus (which is tricky when shooting very close to things). If you are on a larger screen, I suggest clicking a photo below so you can see it larger. Then you can scroll through all the photos with the arrow keys. ...

Our friends Rob and Jane took us to see one of their favorite bands, Guster, at the Kennedy Center. For this two-night stand, Guster was backed by the National Symphony Orchestra. We had great seats among the Guster fanatics, who were up and dancing whenever possible. It was fun. For the song “Hello Mister Sun,” fans in the audience had rainbow hats. Some danced in front of the the stage. The lead singer put on a hat to join in the spirit. Audrey wanted his jacket. ...