Summer Evening Concert

Two days in a row I have had quintessential summer experiences, at the tail end of summer. Last night R and I took in a concert. It was the Pacific Symphony playing Gershwin, Bernstein, and, in collaboration with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Duke.
I seldom go to concerts because I never had time before, but now I don't have the money, now that I have the time, R decided to go to this one, and it was wonderful.
Before we could enjoy the music though, we had to make it to our seats, and I was shocked at the mile long trek through the parking lot and up the hill with the picnic basketed hordes. Even elderly people with double canes and walkers shlepped up steep stairs that I, an able bodied person who exercises daily, found daunting, and they did it with a smile. There were few opportunities to buy refreshments, since those in the know brought their own. We didn't, since we don't as a rule like to carry more than we have to and had already had supper.
It was my first time driving into a situation like this parking lot. R seldom drives anymore because his car is close to finished, and he wants me to drive everywhere. I found it daunting negotiating this lawless parking lot, particularly on the way out, where cars zoomed, heedless, across the lot, squeezing into a single lane as we entered the road. Not at my best in night driving anyhow, I found myself having to turn left rather than right and missed two streets that might have allowed me to get home easily. We had to go way out of the way, but finally reached home.
The concert itself was a nice experience though. The well-tuned crickets accompanied soloists as they played the mostly very familiar music. The Ellington orchestra was happy to be here, escaping the brunt of the storm back in New York, and they played their hearts out for us. Families all around us raised flutes of wine and juice and consumed snacks as we sat in the blessedly cool evening air after a hot day, another hot one to come. I am glad we did this.