We met Andy and Neal around the corner at Barney Greengrass. We were treated to the usual rude welcome, and seated at a tiny rickety formica table for two. We take satisfaction in knowing that Jerry Seinfeld is treated to the same warm welcome. We had the usual lox, nova, and eggs and whitefish appetizer. It was all good, but there were no fresh bialys, and the fish did not hold a candle to Russ and Daughters. And, so, as Pepe's slides down on the Farklempt list, so does Barney Greengrass. Sic transit gloria pisces.

Then, the four of us went up to 100th Street at West End to Anshe Hesed, where Elie Kaunfer has established K'hilat Hadar, an egalitatarian minyan that has blossomed into a full congregation because of its ruah, its fervor, and its brevity (although not on Simhat Torah!). Here were two to three hundred young people (the average age was probably 26), fluent in Hebrew, at home in a synagogue, knowledgable, intelligent, full of life and fun. Elie, who is now at JTS, studying for the rabbbinate, is drawing away many JTS folks on shabbat who want something more. He is following in the footsteps of others in his family, including Miss Finger, who have been in the forefront of change at JTS. So many in the congregation had roots in Providence: both Kaunfer boys, the Ingalls, Rachel Alexander, and Michael Bohnen and his children. The dancing was intense, the participation full, in inclusiveness complete.

We said goodbye to Neal and Andy and headed back to the hovel, packed up our stuff, and went back to the City Opera to see Puccini's Il trittico. This trio of one-act operas featured Mark Delavan, now New York's hottest baritone, as Michele in Il tabarro. He was dark, menacing, plaintive, honest...superb. Suor Angelica followed, starring Maria Kanyova, who has a Russian name, but is too thin and pretty to be a Russian. She sang gorgeously, with a ppp high C that is to die for. Actually, she does die for it. Here is another nun, struggling with the theme of sin, penance, and death. In terms of complexity and subtlety, Heggie wins. But in musical beauty and Romantic lushness, it's Puccini. It's always Puccini. Musical snobs may mock, but he lives on in the hearts of music lovers year after year.

We had to skip Gianni Schicchi, the third part of the trilogy, to make our train, and here we are, riding back together to Providence in comfort and style. Back to the real world tomorrow.