Just because I can.

I love food. As long as it doesn't contain pork product, uncooked green peppers or water chestnuts, I'm all about it. And as long as I have been in Asheville, I haven't had a bad meal. Not even a mediocre one, really. It's easy to eat fresh and organic and healthy in this town. The salads are creative and there is an abundance of vegetarian options on most menus. So I just thought I'd randomly share with you a picture of a delicious dining experience I had last weekend. Sunny Point Cafe. Yum. This place is right up the street from me, and there is usually a line out the door. But on the plus side, they serve you hot coffee while you wait outside and it's a fun and friendly joint once you get in. Ok, this wasn't the healthiest of options on the menu, but it sure was tasty!
This was their signature quesadilla with roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, and goat cheese, topped with cilantro crema and chipotle aioli and a side of my fave, sweet potato fries. Sweet potatoes, weird cheese, extra sauce and something fried...I'm in. :o)

Terra Perma update

This posting is a little overdue, but with all that has been going on in my life, I know it’s hard to keep up with me. On December 6th, Terra Perma Art Gallery held an Open House, showcasing the works of Sarah Cail (a freelance photographer) and myself. They put on a delicious, homemade spread and hired a beautiful harpist to play for the afternoon—it was quite a treat!

So first of all, I would like to thank all those who made the trip to come and support me. It was a great day.

Secondly, I regretfully have to mention that Terra Perma will be closing at the end of 2008. Ana, the owner, has her hands full with the gallery AND Sunflower Natural Foods in downtown Laconia, and she will be consolidating the businesses into Sunflower next year with an anticipated opening in the spring. So while the new location will not have the unique charm and wide, open space of Terra Perma, it will be a nice mix of organic goods and earth-friendly wares. Ana has always been a strong supporter of not only the arts, but of the community, and we all wish her the best of luck in her new endeavor. :)

I would like to take this platform to thank Ana and Sue at Terra Perma...your encouragement has inspired me to keep on truckin'.

Terra Perma gallery exhibit

For the second year in a row, earth-friendly Terra Perma Gallery in downtown Laconia has asked me to join them for the holiday season with a 2-month art display. I was warmly welcomed as I went to set up my display of handpainted signs, greeting cards and prints on Saturday, and spread my creations across this beautiful green wall (I don’t think I would have hand-picked a better color!) Terra is such a great place, and if you have the chance to swing on in to do a little holiday shopping, you will not be disappointed. From the gorgeous jewelry to the fair trade goods to the organic threads…everything is not only stunning, but also reasonably priced. And in the upstairs, open gallery space, they hold all sorts of activities— reiki, massage, movement classes, yoga...be sure to check them out!
My show at Terra runs until January 1st; I will be featured in an open house/reception in early December, so I’ll be sure to keep you posted on that. :)

Brrrr.

It’s freaking cold out today. And since I am heading south in ’09, I sold my Blazer (“Sherman”) with 4-wheel drive and bought a fancy new van for my travels. Today I fought the cold and wind to clean out the 5 plus years of memories from Sherman, and (aside from a box full of ancient treasures and an old, petrified hotdog) stumbled upon a pamphlet from the corn maze Larry and I went to at Moulton Farm in Moultonborough, NH. It’s hard to believe this was just last weekend—it was t-shirt weather, and today it is threatening to snow!
But that was sadly the last day trip for Sherman and I did want to post these pics to give a shout-out to Moulton Farm. Aside from an award-winning corn maze, they have everything there from fresh seafood to local, organic produce, to a yummy bakery section. Larry and I rocked a hot cider and an apple-struedel-something-er-other (it was delicious!), while walking through the corn maze…surprisingly a first for me, who grew up in the North Country. But between getting lost (oh yeah, we went all the way back to the beginning), the treats and the laughs, it was a fun time. Though I kept thinking David Bowie was going to appear out of nowhere in tight spandex with a crystal ball, or I’d bump into Hoggle, but maybe next time…
You can't get the full-on redneck experience unless you get your picture taken behind this thing:



A little Blair witch action:

Pesto Party

Last evening in my travels, I happened upon a my friends’ Lorri and HO’s Longhaul Farm in Holderness, NH. They were hosting a Pesto Party, as they do annually, where friends gather ‘round in their newly built (and absolutely gorgeous) Pavillion in the Woods function hall. With the fall night dropping to a near freezing temperature, they harvested the remainder of their basil in the fields, and spent the evening plucking and shucking the sweet crop to make into tubs of delicious pesto. I’ll admit…I’d only planned on stopping in for a quick hello, but once I stepped into the cozy cabin with the crackling fire, and the smell of fresh roasted vegetables and homemade quiche hit my nose, I cracked open a homebrew and joined in on the pesto-making. I wound up making new friends and since Lorri insisted, I helped myself to a plate of dinner and a scoop of some of the best cinnamon apple sauce I have ever tasted.
If you haven’t been to Longhaul Farm, you should catch the tail end of their growing season and check out their adorable country store, located on Route 113 in Holderness. They feature all their unrefined, homegrown produce and sell a wide variety of local and organic goods. You could even take home a tub of their homemade pesto, applesauce or yummy signature quiches…which come highly recommended from yours truly. :)


(Tucker, the farm mascot, looking on)