snowedoutsnowedupsnow AH!

They are calling for 8 inches minimum at my house.  And 6-12 at my other house in Richmond which I was supposed to lazily layover at before the big drive north. Now it looks as if I will be high tailing it over to the library, grabbing the first epic on CD, filling up the tank, flinging Charlie out the window as I pass by Gland and heading to the city through the night.  Perhaps Mew will let me update from there but if not, happy holiday stuffs and goings. Tata til NYE when I’ll have a great trip to recap, Mew to abuse in the telling, and Mary Virginia outtakes galore.

bootyboots

Let’s start off the day with a charming stone wall, a circus dog, and three pairs of boots on three Currie girls.  The Mom-monster, the sister, and I had a little session with the wonderful Meredith Montague last week to correct the nearly six year sin of no family photographs. I swear we’ve spent time together. Mostly happy time at that.  But without the film, no one will believe us.

We’re excited to see all the shots.  Perhaps more excited to hold a roasting session, because, you see, the only one of us who takes a good picture is my sister.  That means that there will be buckets of pics with mum or me with a winking eye, frozen smile, or mid-cackle gaping mouth. Not to belittle Mere at all. If anyone can make us look normal, she can.  I’ll share the bloopers here though, get EXCITED.

___________________

Today’s famiy anecdote: On Wednesday night, I went home to deliver Christmas ornaments made last weekend and to hang. Because I like hanging on my mum’s couch. It’s a meringue of a piece of furniture. Anyhow, sister was nice enough to fetch dinner from the all worshipped Ukrops. Including my favorite, kind-of-disgusting snack from high school: banana pudding and red grapes. She couldn’t find it on the salad bar, where is usually lives and waits for my return, so she got a massive container of it bedecked with nilla wafers and whipped cream. SCORE. There was no way I was going to eat it all so I left a third for mum and a third for sister. We were watching a murder show – that’s what we call all crime TV, normal right? – when we looked over to see that mum had finished the whole damn thing. All of it. In her belly. Gone-buh-bye. Sarah jutted out her bottom lip, crossed her arms, and glared at us both saying, “NOBODY LOVES ME, EVERYONE EATS MY PUDDING!” It’s probably not funny to you, or anyone outside of that room, but the mom-monster and me lots our gobbits over it. Thanks sister, your hyperbole never fails. Squeezies to you.

balls’o'glass

How’s about being dolls and reading about the blowings-on this past weekend?

smooches.

todaytonighttomorrow

Today…Chima is at work. Manning the sniffing of all the crannies duty while we prep for

Tonight…is the second First Fridays opening for our exhibition featuring Sandeep Mukherjee and Hilary Wilder. Milan Indian Cuisine is catering (shrill squeals of delight) with wine provided by the lovely Gabriele Rausse.  Please make sure to pop in if you haven’t see this go’round at your friendly SSG.

Which brings us to tomorrow’s….ornament workshop! The crew will be at McGuffey Art Center all weekend with Charles Hall helping our friends and members blow their own glass ball ornaments.  There is still room if anyone is interested! Instant cheer factor and de facto gift. POW. You’re welcome. Call 434-977-7284.

Flying off to check off the list, once twice & thrice. Hope to see your faces soon to now!

on art and the job…

Today has been grand. Just grand. Especially so in high contrast to the moody-blues bordering on frighteningly ominous cloudscape outside. Seriously, it’s pitch, coal black at 4pm. Back to the brighter side….

• Re-organizing funds this morning, I realized that my monthly goal was exceeded. Plus one.
• The gallery received a large grant that will absolutely relieve some of the financial stress in planning next year’s season and initiatives. Plus two.
• Confirmation of NYC trip and found some non-crippling tickets to Mexico City to see the newlyweds. Plus three.
• Ornament Workshop is going to be a great time. If you haven’t signed up – or don’t know about it – drop me a line. You get to blow your very own Christmas ornament. Your very own! I can’t even stand it. Plus four.
• Health issues are steadying. Plus five.
• A new show is going up at South Street Brewery with works by Meg West. I so enjoyed having Rachel Kerwin as my first artist and hope our impromptu dance parties extend past her show. If you know any interesting makers-of-the-art please be in touch! Plus six.
  
• Our director is heading to Art Basel on Wednesday and is sure to cast the nets ensuring a crazy spectacular 37th season line-up. If only we were for profit…I’d be on that plane too. Le sigh but, yes, plus seven.
• The Currie-Jones ladies photo shoot, long awaited, is on for tomorrow morning. If you see three awkward folks in matching galoshes meandering about Greenwood, it’s just us. Getting our photo made.  Plus eight.
• Holiday spirit has overtaken my shrunken, rain soaked heart. I’m in it to win it now. Expect a pithy charcoal representing some facet of your sparkling personality under the tree. Plus nine.
• First Fridays take II. We’ll get to see folks enjoy the works of Sandeep Mukerherjee and Hilary Wilder again on Friday. Stop in, food by Milan this go-round. Numyum. Plus ten.

Crossed phalanges that this good tide keeps rolling. You’ll hear about it one way or another though, lucky you. Huzzah for good footing, able momentum, and a purpose/end that I really blue&true believe in.

 

 

 

belly roar

When a belly laugh seems lazy, lacking in vigor, and merely fleeting you find yourself in need of an upgrade…to a belly roar.

Today and tomorrow, I’m helming the gallery solo while the collies enjoy their favorite holiday. No, it really is their favorite, so like a good little martyr I raised my slightly reluctant hand. Ironically, right now, right this very second, I am waiting to meet a new volunteer…named…Amanda Jones. Worlds colliding. The morning has been marked by secret, overly-egotistical wonderings about single white female scenarios where some misinformed ladyperson actually wants to take over my life and glamorous non-profit career. And like the belly laugh to belly roar chasm this is where daydream transitions to day neurosis. End scene.

Back to the laughing. I stumbled on this little gem earlier and had a good coffee out the nose swear/laugh/roar fest all to myself.  Without further adieu, I give you dirtydancefloorfool- shimmyshaking-facialexpressionparade- owningeverysecondofit Katie Couric .

Do it girl.

tgives and gives and gives

My kitchen and I have been dysfunctionally co-existing of late.  Co-existing only by token that my bed and my sink are seven feet apart. For trues.* Returns to the loft have grown later and later and meal prep has correspondingly become simpler and, well, pathetic.  Blog confession: I’ve been eating a lot of sweet potatoes lately. They take 15 minutes in the oven. Paired wih a little zucch-squash-onion sautee, it’s a meal. At least in this insta-grat, no time phase. Dessert has also been on autopilot other than the spicemonster experiment.  Did you know that Raisnets make mini-boxes with a dark chocolate choice? I did. And I ate that knowledge. Again and again.  This self indulgent explanation is merely the backdrop to my true holiday hope that Thanksgiving, and the need to prepare real live food for my orphan-tgives-rounds, will kickstart my culinary ambition.

SO…here’s what I’m making for Thursday:

Green beans almondine
Spiced Carrots
Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Traditional Milk Chocolate Bark

None require crazy recipes save the cookies which are vegan.  The bark is a Currie fav, all you do is mix 1 cup butter with 1 cup brown or regular sugar (your choice) with 1 tbsp vanilla in a sauce pan until melded and then pour over a cookie sheet lined with saltines.  Sprinkle a bag of chocochips over the cracker base and smooth melting chippers until they blanket the saltines evenly. Freeze for 1-2 hours and then break apart into small pieces and house in a tacky holiday tin. Tacky holiday tin is mandatory, bark will taste like crap otherwise. For trues.

Culinary kickstart also needs to start because I have a back log of recipes from Runner’s World, CLight, and one million baking blogs. So cross your fingers for me but more importantly, tell me what you’re making. Food voyeurism, delish. Happy Tgives!

*overheard a pint sizer at the movies say that “for real” is done, dead, out and “for trues” is here to stay. fyi, yer welcome.

recently pictured

Patrick waiting for his bride, classic frog smile

Hand holdery

Mr. & Mrs. Rucker, mexico bound

the EScott and the Hillbot

and this was just the tip of the sweet moves iceberg

typical

Richmond Half Marathon with Moogs,
both did well despite having to run through clouds

Celebrating 27 and 28 with Miss Lyd aka bday twin

Pitterpat, also a bday gal

So to recap…a wedding, a race, and a birthday. November, you’re alright.

ponytail mustachio, website, and spice monsters

Explanations in order…

Ponytail Mustachio
Cut my hair off today.  The ponytail could easily be turned into a prop mustache, did someone say bar trick?  There was a serious need for a  switch up from 5 years of waterfall locks and the top knot pile. No more calling me Pebbles, Pops. Pic  to follow if you say pretty please.

Website
The lovely Karey Helms has all but completed SSG’s site redesign. Lookylook. Gotta love the stencil!

Spice Monsters
My first original cookie recipe based on 2+ years of this vegan business…they came out great and I will share the recipe with you as soon as I get a pic of the plate. Think gingersnap though softer and with dark chocolate chunks. Mmmmdelish yes please I’ll have the whole batch thank you.

…Also a cute pic of Lydia and I’s bday bash is en route. Lots of promises I truly do intend to keep. If I don’t I’ll owe you some monsters. Mmmmonsters.

cville on the theoretical-architecture-map

Former UVA professors Nataly Gettegno and Jason Johnson are featured on the front page of Architecural Record’s home page. And the Riverview developments – though heroically portrayed when in reality the costs and gentrification issues sully the original intent – were featured in Dwell in September. Cville, yep here we are being all progressive like. Though Gettegno and Johnson have relocated to Cali, it is pretty cool to play the I-know-them-card here. Good on you UVA. Read on…