Four Days and Counting

It's crunch time around my house and with Christmas just a few days away, I'm still  planning Christmas dinner. The decorations are up, the tree is trimmed, but there are still packages waiting to be wrapped, and last minute details on my list.


This will be my first Christmas in the new house, so I'm enjoying pulling out the old decorations and seeing them in their new home. Most of all I am reminded of "the reason for the season", and just how blessed I am to be sharing the holidays with family and friends. 

From my house to yours- Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year.

Lowcountry Christmas

December is a great time to visit Charleston, S.C. This beautiful lowcountry city is never lovelier than when decked out for the holidays. I wanted to share some of the photos I took while on an early morning walk through the historical district.


In keeping with their tradition, Christmas garlands and wreaths are all natural and no outdoor decorative lighting is allowed. For me it was a welcome change from the glitzy, over-the-top decorations that somehow seem at odds with the idea of "Silent Night, holy night."

Sometimes less really is more

Good Find in Wimberley

If you're craving a getaway weekend but don't exactly relish the thought of airports and the hassles of flying, consider the small artist village of Wimberley. Less than an hour from Austin in the limestone-studded Hill Country, is a little-known bed and breakfast that is the perfect restorative retreat. The Blair House Inn has guest rooms and cottages filled with all the charm and amenities that you would expect from one of the top five B&B's in Texas.

You can relax by the pool, pamper yourself with the spa services, or enjoy the nature trail that is home to twenty seven different species of birds. If you are feeling less sedentary, the nearby Blanco River offers fly-fishing and kayaking.

The Blair House Inn is much more than just a bed and breakfast-it is also a cooking school. Every month the cooking school holds a hands-on class designed to help you master the techniques and preparation of classic sauces, Country French and Nuevo Texas Cuisine, among others. Classes run either two or three days. In June there is the popular "Barbecue Camp" for lovers of all things grilled.

 If you feel like brushing up on your culinary skills, the cooking school has a full schedule of classes taught by Chef Sebastian, an eighth generation Texan who trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.

Not only is the inn known for legendary breakfasts, but picnic baskets and gourmet dinners are an option. 

Catching the sunset seems a perfect way to end the day.

                       

And the Winner is.....

It was a busy week, but Sunday I headed to Houston for the Risotto Festival. After all, who could say no to sampling some of the best Italian food this side of Italy? The festival was at the Houston Design Center, so not only did I get to taste some amazing food, but it was a chance to browse the designer showrooms open for the event.


Fifteen chefs competed with their best risotto dishes-a culinary smackdown that left the appreciative crowd going back for seconds. I never knew there were so many different ways to prepare this Italian comfort food, and there wasn't a loser in the bunch.

And the winner is Chef Scotty Campbell who took top honors for his porcini and black truffle risotto with prime rib

Side dishes like this mushroom and olive tapenade salad with fresh basil tasted as good as they looked, and what Italian meal would be complete without Parmesan cheese. 

The smell of butter and seafood kept people lining up for more.  Chef Jon Buchanan dished up a sweet corn and Gulf shrimp risotto with house-made pancetta. 

Second place went to the lobster and white truffle risotto prepared by David Grossman of Branch Water Tavern. 

The chefs were generous in sharing their secrets to a good risotto. The key seems to be stir, stir, stir. A good risotto should be creamy, but not mushy and should puddle on the plate when served. 

A platter of buffalo mozzarella and cherry tomatoes was just the right antidote for all that decadent dining. As much as I love risotto, it might be a long time before I have it again...Ciao  

Real Men Wear Kilts

I couldn't resist the chance to hear bagpipes being played, and what better place than the yearly Gathering of the Scottish Clans. Just 50 miles north of Austin, the historic town of Salado has been hosting this celebration of all things Scottish since 1961. The weekend schedule of activities includes not only piping and drumming, but a "Bonniest Knees" contest, Highland dancing, a Scottish shortbread competition and the Highland Games.

Pipers strolled the grounds warming up for the judges who consider

the timing, tuning, expression and execution of the bagpipes. The

Peobaireachd is the classic music of the great Highlanders.

 

The "Sheaf Toss" requires a 16 pound block to be tossed over the bar.
The bar represents a bale of hay.

          Pipers of all ages from Central Texas perform and compete during the weekend.

The tartan has become the symbol of the Scottish people.

Tartan patterns are called "sett". The variety of tartans

has never stopped growing, and almost every surname

from the British Isles has been associated with a Clan

and their tartan.

A bit of Scottish humor- A Scots boy came home from school and told his mother he had been given a part in the school play."Wonderful," says the mother. "What part is it?" The boy says, "I play the part of the Scottish husband." The mother scowls and says, "Go back and tell your teacher you want a speaking part."

                                                

One Man's Trash.....

Hello, and  yes, you are on the right page.  I am trying out some different blog formats and inevitably there will be some kinks as I navigate my way through these changes.  Unfortunately, I do not have control over every design aspect, so please bear with me as things evolve. 


If you haven't already seen the current El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You About Africa exhibition at the Blanton Museum, then you are in for a treat. The exhibit, a retrospective of the artist's work over the past forty years, is on loan from the Museum for African Art in New York City. It is traveling across the country and The Blanton is the only venue in the Southwest to have this exhibit.

El Anatsui does not dictate the exact way each piece is hung, so the overall configuration can vary with each exhibit

El Anatsui is a West African artist whose luminous work is made of liquor bottle caps,

aluminum cans and found metal objects. He transforms discarded metal into stunning monumental free-standing tapestries. 

Born in Ghana, he now lives in Nigeria where he is a professor of sculpture at the University of Nigeria.

A close up of the intricate work in these metal sculptures

The man standing in front of this piece gives an idea of the large scale
of El Anatsui's work

On close inspection, you can see some of the brand names on the flattened
metal pieces

Before the 1970's, Anatsui worked with wood and ceramics. Included in the exhibit are some of his chain saw sculptures that evoke the changing African culture and experience during colonialism.

* Remember, museum admission is free on Thursdays, and parking is validated.    

Fire and Sand

The first time saw Dale Chihuly's work was at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.  Odd that I would discover this Tacoma native so far from home.  Seeing his spectacular chandelier suspended from several stories above the grand entrance room, took my breath away. There are now more than 200 museums around the world that include Chihuly's glass art among their collections.


I could go on and on about the amazing creations of this sometimes controversial artist, but I would rather you see for yourself, the beauty and genius of his work.

The V & A installation 2001, London

Part of Chihuly's artistry lies in the way he is able to capture the feeling of movement in his glass.

2005 exhibition in Kew Gardens, London

Chandelier suspended from a glass gabled roof

                                        

                                        "Chihuly Bridge of Glass" 

 Pedestrians walk below this 500 foot overpass that connects dowtown Tacoma

with the Museum of Glass. Over two thousand glass objects are suspended above the glass ceiling, creating a sensation of underwater brilliance. The Austin-based architectural firm, Andersson-Wise collaborated with Chihuly on the development of the concrete and steel bridge that serves as a backdrop and frame for the artist's work.

I've included a short video made by Dale Chihuly.  Please click
below to view. 

  

Chihuly video

Images of Autumn

Fall is my favorite time of the year. The color of pumpkins, cooler temperatures and the anticipation of the upcoming holidays fill the air. Once again, I can hear the Friday night sounds of high school bands playing at the nearby football field.
I haven't spotted any fall color, except for a few leaves on a Japanese maple, so I have added one picture that I took while in Asheville, N.C.  It wasn't the peak of the season, but I'm sure you can tell which of these pictures is not like the others.

Every year the front lawn at Tarrytown United Methodist turns bright orange for the annual pumpkin sale. I think it must be the biggest pumpkin patch in town.

                               

                     


          

These are better than any candy apples I remember