Palm Beach Polo

I spent Valentines afternoon glimpsing into the seemingly exclusive lifestyle of Palm Beach’s International Polo Club. The hierarchy is readily apparent and somewhat archaic, but in the most charming way possible. Stepping onto the grass-gilded front row, I witnessed my first Polo match, and while it validated every stereotype I could have imagined, I had a great time. For those whose expertise in the rules of Polo (the terrestrial kind, not Marco...) is limited, well so is my knowledge of the game so if you are curious, http://www.internationalpoloclub.com/polo/polo-101/ gives an accurate description. But even if you are ignorant of the rules, the experience is worthwhile. The affair begins with a brief trolley-car ride to the less extravagant side of the field. After sitting through three chukkers (one polo match consists of six chukkers), and the boisterous antics of a seemingly tipsy announcer, half time ensues, during which champagne and ice cream are served to adults and children respectively. And, as per tradition, spectators scatter across the field stomping on portions of the grass uprooted by horse hoofs to ‘reset’ the lawn- in high-heeled boots and all. Obviously a “Pretty Woman” reference or two slipped as the task was completed. But as the ‘Palm-Beachers’, clad in over-sized sunglasses and neon-green bow-ties, returned to their seats, the match resumed, and then ended in an overall victory for the team Lucchese, earning the Ylvisaker Cup. Eagerly I anticipate returning in April at the end of the winter season, but until then I plan on brushing up on the rules of the game.

John Mayer's Battle Studies tour 2.4.10

John Mayer delivered an outstanding performance last night, which featured a combination of hits off of “Battle Studies” as well as favorites from his previous albums. Emerging from behind a curtain-screen surrounding the stage, on which red and black images of Mayer’s silhouette were projected, the concert began with “Heartbreak Warfare”.
Mayer’s concerts exude charisma, as the singer is able to connect with his audience, even in a crowded arena. During “Vultures”, Mayer stepped aside from the mic and allowed the audience to chant the chorus. Prior to playing “Perfectly Lonely” he asks, “Any single people here...Any happily single people? Few in number, strong in voice.” And before playing “Edge of Desire”: “From 10 o’clock to about 2 o’clock. It’s a crazy time and this song was born of that time.”
But it was after “Half of my Heart” that the singer revealed his quirky personality by playing a portion of “Dreams” by Stevie Nicks. “I imagine this would be the response to this song”, Mayer claimed.
He ended the set with “Gravity”, which featured an incredible guitar riff, and rapped up the evening with two encores, “Who Says” and “Friends, Lovers, or Nothing”. The first encore made the biggest impression. The curtain-screen was redrawn and the song’s music video was projected dramatically on three angles around the stage. My only complaint was waiting impatiently for his performance to begin. While opening band Michael Franti and Spearhead finished their set at 9, Mayer did not begin until about 9:45. Though his performance and quality set-list made up for the delay, the suspense was widely felt throughout the arena. But overall, Mayer’s performance proves that he is extremely talented and is truly ‘bigger than his body’.