The Art of Nothing

Taylor the Latte Boy

Here is my new video.  I loved this song when I first heard it on YouTube.  Kristin Chenoweth sings "Taylor the Latte Boy"...you know...Olive from Pushing Daisies.  I shared it with my friend, Lisa while we were spending the weekend together up in Los Angeles for the "Nim's Island" Premiere in March.  I'm sure Lisa got tired of listening to this song over and over again during that wonderful and memorable weekend...when I find a song that I enjoy, I play it all the time and sometimes many times in a row...ask my family...it drives them crazy!!! LOL

I have been wanting to make a video since Gerry's movie "P.S. I Love You" came out Mother's Day on DVD. Lisa surprised me a couple of weeks ago by sending me Kristin's CD and this song was on it. Inspiration woke me up the next morning with exactly how this video was to be made and the rest is right here waiting for you to enjoy!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day...to all of my wonderful friends and family.  I found this poem about mothers and wanted to share it...

Why are you crying, a young boy asked his Mom?

"Because I'm a woman," she told him.

"I don't understand," he said.

His Mom just hugged him and said,
"And you never will, but that's O.K.".......

Later the little boy asked his father,
"Why does Mom seem to cry for no reason?".
"All women cry for no reason," was all his Dad could say......

The little boy grew up and became a man,
still wondering why women cry.

Finally he put in a call to God and when God got back to him, he asked "God, why do women cry so easily?"

GOD answered......

"When I made woman,
I decided she had to be special.
I made her shoulders
strong enough to carry
the weight of the world, yet,
made her arms gentle enough to give comfort...

I gave her the inner strength
to endure childbirth
and the rejection
that many times will come
even from her own children.

I gave her a hardness
that allows her
to keep going and take care
of her family and friends,
even when everyone else gives up, through sickness and fatigue without
complaining....

I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all
circumstances. Even when her child has hurt her badly....

She has the very special power to make a child's boo-boo feel better and
to quell a teenager's anxieties and fears....

I gave her strength to care for her husband, despite faults
and I fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart....

I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but
sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him
unfalteringly....

For all of this hard work,
I also gave her a tear to shed.
It is hers to use
whenever needed and !
it is her only weakness....
When you see her cry,
tell her how much you love her, and all she does for everyone, and even though
she may still cry, you will have made her heart feel good.
She is special!

Mother's Day always brings so many special memories of my mom.  Especially the ones we celebrated before she went to be with the Lord in 2003.  Even though it's almost been five years...I think about her each and every day.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom...I miss you!

Savannah-Last Day

Brea and I decided to start our day a little differently...we had passed J.Christopher's many a time in our meanderings of Savannah...there were always lots of people milling around...we thought it must be a 'local' hang- out.  Well...we were right!  We walked in at 11am and the place was packed...it was a 20 minute wait but no waiting at the counter...why not!?!  We saddled up to the counter and ordered our coffee...the coffee here meets the Simpson criteria...strong...bold...rich and yummy!  LOL!  Brea ordered the BILLY GOAT Omelette...Spinach, portabella mushrooms, roasted red peppers and Goat cheese.  I ordered the BLUEBERRY CRUNCHCAKES...a stack of blueberry pancakes fortified with crunchy granola.  Delicious! 

Don't you just love the internet...you can google anything and come up with a slide show...showing you the dishes we enjoyed!  I can't imagine the advances in technology when Brea is my age!  Anyways...

We sat and talked to the young girls who were sitting next to us.  Both had grown up in Savannah...went away to college and came back to live.  Asked for advise on places to eat...they laughed and said please tell us you haven't gone to Two Sons and a Lady...you know..Paula Deen's place.  We said no we weren't interested...just to let you know they don't take reservations there...lots and lots of gray haired people start lining up at noon to put there name on a list for dinner...Brea and I decided this was not the place for us!  We got a couple of suggestions and talked about the real estate in Savannah...it was fun to get a 'local's' perspective.

There was the SCAD Sidewalk Arts Festival in Forsyth Park today...Brea and I went to see all the chalk drawings.  We walked along the sidewalks...there were beautiful works of art that ranged from, what I would say is, quite professional to those who wish they had some talent. 

We were walking around for about 20 minutes when the rains decided to make an appearance.  Everyone was standing around under trees...many of the artists were trying to protect all their hard work...some prevailed...others didn't...it was very sad to see all these images,literally, get washed away.

After the rains stopped...the art festival was basically over...everyone left.  Brea and I walked around the neighborhood...came upon this beautiful house...

In the same neighborhood, I found one of the most beautiful churches I have seen in America...Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.  When I walked in, I was amazed by it's beauty...you don't find many churches that look like the ones in Europe!

 

For our last dinner in Savannah...we went somewhere special.  We had heard that the Olde Pink House's Planters Tavern was haunted.  We heard stories of the lights flashing...wine bottles turning...wine glasses dropping...we didn't see of this unfortnately...the tavern was crowded so we got a table upstairs in the Olde Pink House.

I had the Scored Flounder which was a crispy scored Flounder serve with apricot shallot sauce that was to die for.

Mr James Habersham Jr...the one pictured over the fireplace didn't join us for dinner.  He was the original owner...it's said that his ghost only visits in the winter time.  We ended dinner with freshly made Strawberry Shortcake...we ate it too quickly for a picture.  It was a lovely ending to a wonderful week in Savannah.

Sunday, was spent packing up and a last breakfast at Huey's...last chance for Pain Perdue till next year.  I asked Brea if she would like to return with me next year and her answer was a resounding, "YES!"

Savannah-Day 5

Brea and I ate at Clary's again.  Went to the Telfair Art Museum.  We paid our $8.00 to see the "Bird Girl."  We sat and sketched her while the guard watched us.  As I said before...no pictures may be taken cause they can't make money letting you do that. *wink*   Across the street in their new building, they had a Nikolas Muray exhibit of the pictures he took of Frida Kahlo.

   

Nikolas took beautiful color images of Frida.  I love the colors she dressed in and her jewelry.  I remember my first intro to Frida was walking through the streets in Paris.  There were posters everywhere of this woman with a head of a man with a third eye in the middle of her forehead and a unibrow. 

I asked my artsy friends and they were all knowing of Frida...I had no clue.  Came back home and found out all about her...a wild..artsy woman who lived life on her own terms.  You must see the movie "Frida" with Salma Hayek.  This is visual eye candy...the colors...the clothes...the jewelry. I love eye candy movies!

Nikolas's photos in this exhibit were gorgeous.  I loved being able to see them in person. If you get a chance...do it.

Scott played early in the day.  Brea and I headed back to the Westin to have lunch.  We sat by the pool and read our books.  Scott came back and we drove to Tybee Island.  We stopped and walked the beach.  I love walking along  beaches.  There is something about the water...listening to the sounds of sea gulls...the water rushing in and out that calms my soul.   The beach is long ...flat...the sand is very fine...an occasional clam shell but not much more.  Here is my Breazy posing for the camera.

Brea freaked out seeing this horsecrab...she saids it's proably the ugliest creature God made.  So prehistoric!  It wasn't moving...we didn't know it it was alive or dead...maybe just waiting for the tide to come in and take it back from where it came.

We had to head back to the Westin...it was bible study night...found this last image as we were walking back to the car...I photoshopped it to make it look a little dreamy and lonely...waiting for someone to come and swing...

 

Stay tune for our last day in Savannah...

Savannah-Day 4

Waking up time isn't getting any better...no sense in even trying now to wake up on eastern time...we are going home on Sunday! LOL

We ate at a new place called Clary's.  This is a drug store turn local diner...made popular in the book..."Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil."  It was the local hot spot for breakfast and gossip.  Brea and I decided to try the Clary's Country Omelette described as  Something different, something wonderful!
Warm apples, cinnamon and aged cheddar cheese. Choice of bacon, sausage or ham. Served with buttered grits or breakfast potatoes, toast or our homemade buttermilk biscuits.  It kept it's promise of something wonderful...sounds like an odd combination but it was delicious!  I love southern bisquits!  Oh yes and the coffee here is good but a little to weak and not rich enough for Brea and I.  Yes...we are coffee snobs too! LOL!

At Clary's they have a beautiful stain glass of the "Bird Girl."  Made famous when it appeared on the cover of the book "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."  She use to be in the Bonaventure Cemetery but with the popularity of the book...Bonventure was being over run by tourists.  Savannah decided to put the Bird Girl in the TelFair Museum of Art.  You have to pay $8.00 to get into the museum to see her and then you can't even take a picture of her.  If you want a picture of her you have to pay $5.00 for a postcard or $25.00 for poster.  I went to the thrift shop and bought the book with it's cover of the Bird Girl for $1.00, a couple of years ago after I had first visited Savannah.  Here she is in all of her former glory.

I have told Brea, for Mother's Day I would love to have a Bird Girl statue for my English Garden.  I'll take pictures when she arrives!

We order a to go lunch from Clary's, we were going to spend the rest of the afternoon at the Laurel Grove Cemetery.  We both ordered grill cheese and ham sandwiches with chips and a large half sweet/ half unsweetened Southern iced tea...they know how to make it!

I love Laurel Grove...it is one of my very favorite cemeteries.  Lots and lots of trees with Spanish Moss hanging from the limbs...the hanging moss adds to the atmoshpere...I love how is sways in the breeze...mausoleums surrounded by rusty old iron fences with ornate gates...many of which have fallen over due to time and the elements...birds are heard singing their songs to anyone who will listen.  The walking boulevards aren't as large as Bonaventure but there are many graves to see with beautiful statues.  Here are my pictures of Laurel Grove...

 

 

Brea and I drove back to the historical district...we sat in Lafayette Square and ate our lunch...watching the SCAD  students film a photo shoot.  I noticed there was a big dust storm coming toward us in the park...the next thing we knew fire engines and police cars surrounded one of the houses off Lafayette Square...the dust turned out to be be smoke from a fire.  It didn't last long.

We walked along the square and took more pictures of the houses...windows...doors...and little garden scenes...

We grabbed a table on the sidewalk of Gryphon's to enjoy our afternoon java break...we couldn't resist a slice of fresh coconut cake with a caramel sauce.  Brea and I relaxed while people watching...I decided to try my hand at drawing...drew a very strange angled St John Episcopal Church.  Click on the St John link and watch a very cool YouTube video of the sites and sounds of Savannah...just filmed in March. 

We headed back to the hotel and waited for Scott to come back.  We had dinner downstairs in the bar.  I have to say, I was very disappointed in the restaurant here at the Westin Savannah their selection is very limited.  Usually Westin's have a good menu with lots of choices...not so here.  There was a fantastic firework show on the Westin property that we watched from our room, overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway.  We watched the Padres lose again...Brea was very depressed.  Stay tune for more Savannah.

Savannah-Day 3

Woke up a little earlier than yesterday...ok...the time change thing still has not kicked in.  We all went to Huey's again...can you tell this is our favorite breakfast place!?! LOL  Dropped Scott back at the hotel...he had a player's meeting to attend to.

It was a cloudy day in Savannah...a good day to go to the Colonial Park Cemetery located in the historical district.  There aren't as many trees here for shade and can get quite hot in the sun.  This cemetery was founded in 1750...there are a few slate type headstones.  Lots of Revoluntionary War heroes buried here but I'm not up on that war's history...so I didn't recognize many names.  There are about 600 headstones still standing..there are over 10,000 bodies buried here.

This grave marker says that this man was 138 years old when he died but the dates show something different...apparently during the Civil War...Union troops were stationed here at the cemetery.  The troops searched for valuables among the graves...it seems they had lots of time on their hands because they also would alter the dates on some of the tombstones...Damn Yankees!

A little robin on the grass in the cemetery.  I just love watching birds.

I love reading the old epitaphs...especially the ones that tell about the person who is buried there.  They always make me wonder...what was their story and lives about?  I found one gravestone that had the following epitaph:

Sacred

To the memory of

Rosannah Millen

Wife of John Millen

Who departed this Life the 24th of Febry

AD. 1810

In the 58th Year of her Age.

The nist (?) is blessed.

She lived by faith. She slept in Jesus.

And shall awake with joy at the resurrection

Of the just to inherit glory.

This Stone tells where reposes the remains of

John Millen

Who departed this Life 28th Oct. 1811

Aged 54 years

The following lines are expressive of his Sufferings

& Expectations---

Afflictions weight I long had borne

And try’ed the healing art in vain

Till mercy whisper’d cease to mourn

And death released me from my pain

Death came by sin, but even death is made

Away from pain through Christ our living head.

These people were in their 20's during the signing of the Declaration of Independence. What an exciting time to be alive in a new country.  What did John do? Did John love Rosannah so much that he couldn't stand to be without her and ended his life by his own hand.  So many people and so many stories.

  Another one of my favorites at cemeteries...seeing how a tree that was probably planted either at the burial or after, affects the area around it.  I'm sure this tree was planted to provide some shade for the deceased but who would think that the roots would grow to be so big and disturb the area around the grave.

 

After exploring the Colonial Park Cemetery, we wanted to visit the Weeds Sorrell House.  This is suppose to be the most haunted house in Savannah.  It was a bit disappointing...I guess after the Mercer Williams House, we expected more.  The stories about the house are interesting but the interior is far from being done...I'm sorry...chandeliars from Home Depot just don't go with a restored house.  They also had a ghost tour at night that Brea and I were interested in but after the guide took us in for a sneak peek of the Voodoo Room...it appeared a bit cheesy...we decided to forgo that tour.

Tea time at the Gryphon...told you...Brea and I would be back to enjoy that.  It was delicious.  We had the Temple of Heaven tea. It was...dare I say...heaven! LOL.

 

Walked around the area and took pictures. Here is a green tower I found...I have no idea what's it's name is but I like it.  It was time to put our feet up and get our afternoon pick me up...went back to our favorite afternoon coffee place...Cafe Ambrosia.  We sat and read.  I started "Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil."  This is the perfect book to read while on a vacation in Savannah.  An outsider's look at Savannah...while in the middle of a murder mystery.  Describes lots of the houses in town and interesting characters.   Definitely, gives you a feel for the town.  Can't wait to rent the movie which was filmed in and around Savannah.

We returned to our room to pick Scott up for dinner.  We decided to take the ferry over to River Street from the Westin and eat at the Olympia Cafe.

Brea and I were hungry for Greek food...we haven't eaten any since our trip to Greece last September.  Scott and I had eaten here in 2006.  It was good but now that we have been spoiled by the real thing...it was a bit disappointing.  The Greek Village Salad was excellent along with the octopus...tho the octopus was marinated and cold...it had a nice flavor.  We had freshly grilled octopus in Santorini which was out of this world.  We order the souvlaki...unfortunately...it was disappointing...dry and no flavor.  If you are ever in Athens go to the Plaka and eat at "Thanassis."  Ok...I admit it...Brea and I are Greek Food Snobs!

We cruised back on the ferry to our room to watch the Padres lose...again in extra innings.  Before Scott and I left to come out on this trip we went to Petco to watch the Padres lose to Rockies in 22 innings...we got home at 12:30am!  I think it may be a long season for our beloved Padres!  We have a rule in our family...if you go to see a baseball game you have to stay till the very end.  Our record was a game in Atlanta that lasted 17 innings in the mid 1990's and it was freezing cold!  Thank goodness it was a perfect San Diego night!  Don't you just love baseball's no tie rule! 

Savannah-Day 2

We woke up late again...those darn old comfy beds!  Too late for Pain Perdue at Huey's.  We had to settle for beignets. 

These were not your Disneyland New Orleans Square Beignets but the real deal served with warm praline sauce....warm...chewy beignets with the best cup of coffee in town.  We also split an order of Eggs Benedict.  Another yummy breakfast!

We drove back to the Bonaventure to finish our tour there.  Here are more images...

The above image is that of Gracie Watson (1883-1889). A little girl who died of pneumonia.  People leave little presents for her...shiny pennies and gifts at Christmas time.  The day before there were lots of shiny pennies and the next day they were all gone...who takes the money and what do they do with it?  Curious minds want to know.  Brea & I sat and drew some pictures of Gracie and the angel that is right next door to her.  It was very peaceful to listen to the wind through the trees and all the birds.

The dog's grave was in the Catholic Cemetery, which we drove by on the way back into town.  This is the first time I have seen a statue of a dog buried next his master.  "Prince-He loved his master."  How bittersweet.

I found an epitaph that I really enjoyed:

"There is no death!

What seems so is transition;

This life of mortal breath is but a

suburb of the life elysian,

whose portal we call death.

Back to town for a late lunch at the Soho South Cafe.  A very funky, artsy interior.  We had what I would classify the absolute BEST crab cake sandwich...sorry to say even better than the ones I've had in Maryland.  All lumb meat crab...juicey and full of flavor.  Brea and I enjoyed it with a delicious salad that included boursin cheese, apples and pecans.  We walked around the neighborhood and ended up at the Gallery Espresso for our afternoon pick me up and an hour of "feet up" reading.  This is a popular place in Savannah...eclectic interior with lots of funky comfy chairs...but not the best coffee in town.  I like my coffee strong and they don't even make their iced latte's fresh...they use coffee that has already been made...very sad.  Ask for a it to go or they'll give it to you in a big plastic cup that had chippy edges...yuck.  We did enjoy sitting...reading...relaxing.

Went back to the hotel to pick up Scott for dinner.  We dined at the Six Pence Pub.  Very English...lots of international beers.  Scott and Brea are into the mirco brews...I like popular brands like Stella Artois.  The food here is fab!  Yummy Shepherd's Pie.  Scott and Brea had the meat loaf with mac & cheese...very delicious.  Of course, they both mentioned that they haven't had my meat loaf in years!  It's a sad thing that I just don't cook as often as I use to.  We tried the Bread Pudding...not my favorite...lately we have been to places where they serve it with whipped cream...yuck.  I guess I was brought up with bread pudding and lemon sauce...my mom's delicious recipe.  So whip cream is out of the question but Brea and Scott have vetoed my vote...they like it that way.  LOL!!!

Stay tune for more Savannah!

 

Savannah

Savannah...a beautiful city located on the U.S. Intracoastal Waterway in Georgia.  My favorite traveling companion, Brea, joined me on this trip.  It is such a joy to be able to share this adventure with someone who enjoys the same things I do.  Brea and I both love art, history, walking through cemeteries, good food and a good cup of coffee...we had our fill last week.  We are just very thankful that Scott's job allows us to see and explore many interesting cities!  Thanks, honey! MWAH!

We flew into Savannah late Sunday night...after getting the rental car, we went in search of a place to eat.  We were starving but it's a Sunday night in the South...things close early except Waffle House!  I never wanted to eat at a Waffle House when the kids were growing up as Brea reminded me, "Mom always said everything is sticky there!"  Well there we sat and had a meal that hit the spot and guess what nothing was sticky! LOL.

We drove to the Westin which sits on the opposite side of the intracoastal waterway directly across from Savannah.  It's a beautiful hotel with a gorgeous view of the city as you can see from the picture above.  We fell asleep in those extra comfy beds...ahhhhh...and had a good night's rest.  I must say the bed was too comfy...it was very hard to wake up the next morning...my only bug-a-boo of traveling is going east and the time change.  By the time we got up and ready for the day it was 11:00 am. 

Oh my!

Breakfast was enjoyed at Huey's on River Street.  The best Pain Perdue...that's french toast...for those of you who don't parle francais...with pecan butter and the best cup of  joe in the state of Georgia...rich Columbian but we want to know if they added chicory too?  We never asked...just enjoyed.  I could eat this everyday and we almost did.  But remember you have to be at Huey's before 11:30am...that is when they stop serving the Pain Perdue.  Yum!

Drove Scott to the golf course and dropped him off to practice.  Brea and I were ready to start our visit to lovely Savannah.  I love the way this city is set up.  The whole historical district has at least 22 garden square parks and all the houses are built around them.  These parks have huge shady trees and lots of benches to sit and enjoy life as it passes by. Many movies were filmed here...remember Forest Gump sitting on the bench?  It was filmed in Savannah...so now you have an idea of what I mean.  We drove to Monterey Square and parked........we were off to see the Mercer Williams House.    Yes, the famous house from the book "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."  Brea was reading the book and wanted to visit the house where Jim Williams shot his lover. 

 

It is a beautiful house that was built by the great great grandfather of Johnny Mercer and restored to all of it's glory by Jim Williams.  The interior is exquisite...there is a spirial staircase and a gorgeous circular stain glass ceiling above the staircase.  There were many beautiful antiques that Williams collected.  We toured the house with a guide...it was excellent and well worth it but I saw the guide tense up a bit when Brea asked where the bullet hole in the floor of the study was from the shooting.  The guide said she had never seen a bullet hole and the guy who wrote the book didn't give factual facts...uh huh!

We walked around and took pictures of the neighborhood...streets with big shady trees with Spanish Moss hanging from everything...lots of old doors and stairs...lovely houses old and new...restored and some as is...very quaint. Every corner something new to see.  Everyone loves their little gardens.  I found these flowers that looked like the shape of hearts...but I did a little photoshopping the white hearts became pink hearts!

Brea and I were hungry...we came upon a place called Gryphon at the corner of Bull and Charlton.  Walked in and it was a renovated old drug store...a huge counter with banks of old drawers that stored everything.  I was wishing I could put them in my studio!   We sat and order two of the most delicious sandwiches...Brea had a black ham and brie with sliced apples and honey mustard.  I ordered the Moroccan Pita...chicken with Moroccan spices, pine nuts, raisins and rice pilaf was to die for.  We also found out they had afternoon tea and you know what that means...we'd be back!

Our next stop was the Bonaventure Cemetery.

This Victorian Cemetery was once a plantation.  It was turned into a cemetery shortly before the Civil War.  Bonventure is typical of the Victorian times when death was romanticized and even referred to as sleep.  People would come to the cemetery for Sunday strolls and family picnics.  Visits to cemeteries were no longer dreaded events.  I just love walking along the lanes of moss cover trees and the beautiful statuary of angels.  The gentle breeze makes the moss seem alive as it moves overhead.  It's very quiet and peace here.

Here are some of my images of Bonventure.

We got chased out of Bonventure at 5 pm.  We drove into the city and stopped at my favorite local coffee place...Cafe Ambrosia...they have coffee that my Dad would say "could raise the dead!"  Nice and strong.  It was a warm day so Brea and I treated ourselves to iced lattes...good choice for sitting and reading our books for a good hour before we had to pick up Scott.  Brea was finishing up "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" and I was at the end of "Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follet.  This is a 900 plus page turner...I have never read a book that was a constant roller coaster...one that you were always wondering what was going to happen next!  Check it out.  Italian dinner and a trip to Barnes & Noble rounded out the day.  Stay tune for our next day's adventure in Savannah!

Nim's Island

This is Gerry's new movie. It is going to open on April 4th...along with Gerry is Abigail Breslin and Jodie Foster. Looks like a fun kids movie. Check out the preview!

march madness

It's not the March Madness everyone knows...this one is self infected.  It seems that life has been a whirlwind since decompressing in Hawaii...but it wasn't unexpected...more self imposed.