Featured Artist… Tibor Nagy!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

“A Voiceless Belfry” by Tibor Nagy

What is not to love about this painting? Look at that exquisite brushwork! Oh, and the fabulous layering that makes his work so interesting. Tibor’s subject matter is so interesting as well, you wonder what it’s like as you walk through that opening, what awaits you as you walk deep inside? VERY intriguing…

“Layers” by Tibor Nagy

“Layers” has been aptly named. LOOK at those fantastic layers. Nothing flat and disinteresting about Tibor’s work.

Tibor has a wonderful website, included on his website are two videos that will blow you away! One is for the first painting “A Voiceless Belfry” the other is for “Country Church II”, click HERE to select which video to watch… I am oh so impressed!

Here is a blip about Tibor from his website:

Why the landscapes are special to me

When I observe the land itself, the first thing that happens is that it evokes 
a feeling or mood in me. A while later I slowly start to explore colors, 
structures and other details in general. And this very first notion is what 
interests me the most; trying to capture the vitality and rich diversity 
of the scenery while concentrating on the emotional context which is crucial for me.

I prefer to work using a “loose style” with many abstract forms, which I love, trying
to find a balance between what is abstract and what is real.

This form of expression is very energetic and often makes me push the envelope
a bit further. At this point I need some courage because beyond this border starts
an unknown territory and since I’m not just relying on the knowledge I’ve gathered
over time anymore, I never know what might surprise me. It’s like being on the edge. 
Sometimes I fall and other times new, unexpected possibilities of expression and 
technique become available to me. This is the way I can improve, being constantly
on the edge, where the process of thinking temporarily stops and spontaneity comes
in instead. If I manage to maintain this fragile balance, a work of art is created.

Experience slowly teaches me that it’s better not to think too much but to trust your
intuition instead. Having the courage to leave the safe but often boring road 
and “stay alive” is what matters to me.

I also make an extra effort to remain constantly open to new possibilities and innovative
ways and, if possible, not to remain at the same stage all the time. In this way I give new creative processes the opportunity
to carry me forward.

Check out his work, it’s amazing! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Monhegan Island… artists everywhere!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, THOUGHTS, TRAVEL1 Comment

I love this photo! It makes me look like I’m an artist, hee hee… If I would have listened to my friend (KD you know who you are) I would be painting now… but instead I’m going to watch and sketch… I need to get my drawing skills perfected before I kill another canvas with a bad drawing! Maybe this winter I will paint? Hmmm. Only time will tell! Whichever path I choose to take I will always love this photo. Art is fabulous in so many ways. You can meet the coolest people through art, whether you paint or you just have heartfelt interest!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Island Inn… Monhegan Island, Maine!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, FOOD, THOUGHTS, TRAVEL3 Comments

How grand does the Island Inn look sitting atop the hill keeping watch over the entire island? Pretty darn grand! I love this place… WE love this place. The people are like family. The rooms are clean and oh so comfortable. The bonus are all the wonderful people you meet, the people that keep you coming back to catch up! There seems to be a small group of us that goes to the island about the same time every year. It’s like a family reunion, ha ha… I think this photo is from 2009… but it shows the parts that I love… Arriving with the Island Inn truck there to help schlep your bags to your room, the Barnacle (on the left), a wonderful place to play cards if its slow, or to have a hot chocolate or coffee and definitely a nice lunch! Trek up the hill to the inn, and then off to your room, how exciting! Ahhh what great memories! When you come to the island it’s an adventure… the art is spectacular and you’re likely to see artists scattered everywhere. The food… extraordinary! The views, the island itself… absolute stunning beauty!

Hey, if you want to visit the Island Inn, check out their website, it’s fabulous! I still dream about the fabulous dinners there, oh boy!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Nancy Rhodes Harper!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist3 Comments

“Sunflowers At The Lake” by Nancy Rhodes Harper

Nancy Rhodes Harper is an artist with a talent for painting people, fun people, quirky cool people… women that you’d like to sit down and talk to because they just seem so interesting! I think this painting is a fabulous deviation for her! I absolutely love this painting, it’s got such nice composition, the sunflowers are so nice and loose yet you know exactly what they are. This is a fabulous painting! Check out Nancy’s website for more paintings, she’s a very talented lady!

Nancy shows her work locally at the Atelier Gallery on King Street, stop in and check it out! She also does paintings for DailyPaintWorks.com, which is a wonderful site, fabulous paintings, if you have the time check it out!

Here is a blip about Nancy from her website NancyRhodesHarperFineArt.com

About The Artist

 Alabama Daily Painter

Nancy Rhodes Harper grew up in a small town in the Ozark Mountains surrounded by paint and brushes in her fathers sign shop. She started painting at a very early age.  Continuing to study in school Nancy received a BA degree in Art Education from The University of Central Arkansas in 1977. After marriage and her husbands stint  in graduate school, the couple landed in Huntsville, Alabama in 1981. Nancy continued to paint and grow as an artist while working in interior design, sign painting and freelancing as an artist. After raising a son with the support of her husband and family Nancy decided to pursue painting full time.
      Nancy has studied with many of the finest artists in the world today, Quang Ho, Kim English, Ken Auster, Nancy Chaboun, Karin Jurick, Carol Marine, Anne Blair Brown, Elio Camacho and The Cumberland Socity Painters (Dawn Whitelaw-Roger Dale Brown-Michael Shane Neal-Paula Frisbee- Pam Padgett).
       Nancy’s love of portraying people while they go about their daily lives while capturing a small moment in time is what keeps her excited as an artist. Using bold color, lush descriptive brushstrokes and very often whimsy Nancy sets about doing what she loves. Painting everyday! 
      Nancy Rhodes Harper’s work is collected in many states across America as she continues to grow and study on her journey as an artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

What’s for dinner? Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken – quick and delicious!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe2 Comments

Just seeing this salad makes my mouth water… It. Was. That. Good. Super healthy with a high tasty factor built in. Did I mention how quick it is to whip together? An added bonus for sure. Like all salads you can add whatever toppings you like. I kept mine simple. Tomato, Cucumber, Olives, Grilled Chicken and Feta. Period. OHMYGOSH. That hot grilled chicken makes the feta a little soft and to-die-for… There really isn’t a recipe per say, just tossing ingredients together… this is what I did:

Coat the skinless boneless chicken breasts (or whatever parts appeal to you) with olive oil. Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper. Once the grill is hot, toss it on and cook like you normally would. Make sure it’s completely cooked.

Meanwhile, assemble the salads, if you finish before the chicken is done, place them in the fridge and keep them cold…

Place the salad in bowls, this time I used FRESH EXPRESS TRIPLE HEARTS which was really nice, it’s a combination of Romaine, Green Leaf and Butter lettuce.

Cut up a Tomato and a Cucumber and add to the salad. Toss on some Olives and sprinkle (I like copious amounts) of Feta, this is what makes it special!

Drizzle a little olive oil and a little rice wine vinegar (very mild, or another vinegar if you prefer)… add a light sprinkle of Salt and Pepper. You can add a small sprig of fresh Thyme if you like, I didn’t… it truly doesn’t need it!

Once the chicken is done, cut it into bite size pieces and place on top of the salad… you can serve with a baggette if you like. We didn’t and it was plenty of food for dinner!

This salad is so refreshing on a hot day! I hope you enjoy!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Robert Lange!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

“There Are No Words” by Robert Lange

Image: Robert Lange Studios Facebook

It takes the brain a few seconds to realize this is a painting and not a photograph. Amazing isn’t it? This painting entitled “There Are No Words” is by local Charleston, SC artist, Robert Lange. Robert and his wife Megan own Robert Lange Studios, a very nice gallery located in the hustle and bustle of downtown Charleston, SC. Those of you who know me know how much I love Maine. To me it’s a place I cannot get out of my system, same for my husband. The very first time we visited it was actually heartbreaking to leave. What?! We live in one of the coolest cities in America, and we’re heartbroken to return after spending a week on Monhegan Island and some time in Port Clyde and Rockland?! The title of this painting really caught my attention. THERE ARE NO WORDS. Very poetic. That’s just how I feel.

After 12 days in Maine, this was the first painting that Robert did. It’s amazing and I simply cannot wait to see the rest of them!

September 7th was the opening of Charles Williams’ solo show at Robert Lange Studios… stop by and check it out! The show runs through September!

Here’s a blip about Robert from his gallery website:

Born in 1980 in Colorado, Robert Lange began painting at a young age but was recognized as a mathematical prodigy and subsequently followed his gift to college. It wasn’t until his second year at Northeastern University, which he attended on a full math scholarship that he decided to follow his passion for art and transfered to Rhode Island School of Design, where he was again awarded a full scholarship but this time for his painting abilities. He was most influenced by teacher and painter Julia Jacquette, who taught him new perspectives leading him to become professional in 2003. That year he both graduated from RISD and opened his first gallery, Robert Lange Studios, in Charleston SC.

He first specialized in realist painting, particularly of people, emphasizing narrative moments. In 2010 he opened his second gallery, RLS Gallery and his work became more surreal, following into the category of hyper-realism or surrealism. His most notable bodies of work Measure (2009) and Go (2010) were nationally recognized and internationally collected. Lange has been featured in numerous magazines, including the cover of American Art Collector and Art Magazine, and in New American Paintings.

“Robert’s depiction of a heightened suburbia distances his work from the political commitment and social self-importance of most contemporary postmodern painters. Someplace between Charleston’s cobblestone streets and New York’s stark concrete living rooms, is the work of Robert Lange.” – City Paper 2008

 Catch you back here tomorrow!

Charleston Restaurant… Hot Tip: Zia Taqueria!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, THOUGHTSLeave a comment

ZIA

Have you been to Zia Taqueria, on Maybank Highway, right next to the Terrace Theater (James Island) in Charleston? They have outstanding food in a relaxed atmosphere. When possible we usually eat outside, it’s so nice! On Monday’s they feature fish tacos (grilled or baja – pictured above) for only $2.50. They are TASTY! You also get a basket of chips and some to-die-for-salsa at your table. It makes for a nice relaxing day! Here’s a link to their MENU so you too can dream!

Tasty, right? I’m not even a big fish lover, but owie! THESE are good! It’s that “special sauce” that does make you drink your required amount of water for the day, an added benefit, ha ha…

On a more somber note… it’s 9/11… a day in our history when so many lost their lives September 11, 2001. Please take a moment to reflect, to think of those who’s lives were lost in such a horrible way, as well as for all those who lost their loved ones. Keep all who fought to help to save, to rebuild and to keep our country safe in the midst of such terror in your thoughts and prayers. For more, this is a great website 911Memorial.org

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Randy Sexton!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist4 Comments

“Toot’s” by Randy Sexton

“Toot’s” is a fabulous painting! Look at those brushstrokes… the layering of color, especially in the steps, it’s spectacular! Isn’t it amazing how a small brushstroke going a different way really makes the subject look like what it is? For instance the different  building materials used in this structure… you can tell they’re different not only by the different colors but the way the stroke was put on the canvas with the brush. Such wonderful looseness all the while keeping the coolest details. I love Randy’s work. It’s mesmerizing how an artist can be so diverse. Below is a painting I saw that was posted on his Facebook page… it caught my attention. It’s nothing but a dish rack with dishes but LOOK how fabulous it is!?!

“Lemon Press and the Spotfrees” by Randy Sexton – Image: Randy Sexton Facebook

Excerpt from Facebook: “This piece, “Lemon Press and the Spotfrees”, will be included in the upcoming Still Life and Trompe L’Oeil exhibit at the John Pence Gallery in San Francisco, 9/7 – 10/6.”

Here’s a blip about Randy from his website:

The Artist’s point of view:
“My concerns as an artist have always been rather straight forward. The discipline of direct painting, both in the plein air experience and in the studio, has helped me to develop a loose handling of paint that speaks as much about the paint itself as it does any given subject matter. I try to combine traditional methods of painting with a “sense of myself living in the present”. My paintings are a direct response from the world around me as I strive to be “in the moment” while I work. Nature has proven to be the most demanding and inspiring teacher…so I work from life, as often as possible and try to remain open to new ideas and new approaches.

Each painting is a simple sentence in an ongoing story that will take a lifetime to unfold. The tale is a compilation of images that reflect the magic of life itself and the mysteries of light, color, and shape as I respond to the world around me. Painting has enabled me to be more observant and appreciative of the beauty and richness in everyday life”.

Background:
California based artist, Randall Sexton, is nationally known for the use of color and expressive brushwork in his oil paintings of “everyday” scenes. Raised in rural Connecticut, Sexton moved to San Francisco, CA in 1980 after completing a BFA from the University of CT, Storrs.

The Bay area has proven to be home, where he has earned a great reputation for being an educator as well as a fine artist. He taught classes in drawing, painting, and composition at the San Francisco Academy of Art until 2005.

He now leads private workshops- both nationally and abroad. In the fall of 2008, he led a group of Plein air painters on a trip to Tuscany, Italy through a program hosted by the Sedona Art Center in Arizona. Acknowledged by jurors and artists alike, Randall has garnered national awards for his paintings. Most notably, in 2008, Randy was honored with the coveted “Artists’ Choice Award” in Laguna Beach at the 10th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Event held at the Laguna Museum Of Art. He also won the same award in Telluride, CO (Sheridan Plein Air Festival) and in Napa, CA (Napa Valley Land Trust Art Festival), both in 2008. . He received the same award in 2006 in Sedona, AZ and Maui, HI at their respective painting festivals. He received Jurors Choice- “Best of Show” in “Northern Views a biennial landscape show hosted by the Napa Valley Museum, and in the Maui Plein Air Festival of 2006.

He has been featured in various national journals including: “American Artist”-August 2000, “Southwest Art”-July 2003, “Plein Air” (currently- “Fine Art Connoisseur”)-November 2004, and “Workshop”-December 2006 He has been a member of the California Art Club, The Laguna Beach Plein Air Painters Association, “The Outsiders”, a group of artists loosely connected to “The Society of Six” and The Baywood Artists Group committed to working on environmentally sensitive projects.

Although his career has enabled him to travel and paint in faraway places, most days Sexton can be found at work in his studio in historic downtown Crockett. His new workplace has provided fresh insights into his process…one that keeps him “in the moment”. In his words, “Painting is an adventure. Each work is a simple sentence in an ongoing story that will take a lifetime to unfold.”

Fabulous work! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Charleston Photo: Mepkin Abbey…

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME4 Comments

Grand Old Oak at Mepkin Abbey, Moncks Corner, SC

From the Mepkin Abbey website:

Mepkin Abbey is a community of Roman Catholic monks established in 1949 on the site of the historic Mepkin Plantation located on the Cooper River, north of Charleston, South Carolina. Founded by the monks of Gethsemani in Kentucky, the brothers of Mepkin belong to the worldwide Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance popularly known as Trappist. Following The Rule of St. Benedict, the monks at Mepkin Abbey devote their lives to prayer, spiritual study, work and hospitality.

Mepkin Abbey is located in Moncks Corner, SC. If you’ve never been and you’re in the Charleston area, it’s a place you will definitely want to put on your list to visit. The beauty is unimaginable,  like stepping back in time. Their grounds are stunning! Check out their website it’s full of all kinds of great information, gorgeous photos, online store, map, hours, more information about the abbey and the monks  and so much more. The gift shop there is fabulous and you will most likely leave with an armload of unique gifts. It’s a very special place. They are building a retreat center that is out of this world! Check it out if you get a chance!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

I promise… the fish were safe!

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME4 Comments

This past winter we were fish sitting for some friends… two bowls, two fish… one dog. Hmmm. Charlie didn’t bother with them until it was time to feed them. He LOVED the smell of their food. Actually I think he probably wanted to roll around in it… So I kept them safe… out of the way. Then I walked in the room and I see this… Charlie just sitting… waiting… wish I could remember if maybe it was dinner time for the little fishy’s… hmmm… too funny.

If you turn your head you would see this… Charlie trying his best to sniff them… I think he really missed them when they were gone, or maybe it was just the food ;)

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Steve Kennedy!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments

“Evening, The Bradford House” by Steve Kennedy – Image: AddisonArtGallery

Dusk. Lamps on in a house at dark. Dramatic shadows at nighttime. The wonderful deep dark blue in the sky. Lights on the house. All elements of a great nocturnal painting. This painting by artist Steve Kennedy is a great example of just that. I love his explanation of this painting (from Addison Art Gallery):

“What makes this painting of the Bradford House unique is that it was painted entirely ‘plein air’ — that is, outside, at night, directly from life. The first night a street light was utilized as light source. Before the second night’s painting session I decided a bedside night reader LED lamp would very helpful! And indeed it was. Some nights the fog would roll in while I was painting, giving the buildings an eerie glow. And water could be poured out of my palette by the end of the evening.”

I think it’s interesting hearing the story about a painting, makes it much more interesting if you’re the buyer! Here’s a blip about Steve from the Addison Art Gallery website:

In the mid 1970s, at the urging of a school instructor, Steve Kennedy began painting in the “plein air” tradition. A graduate of Paier College of Art (New Haven, CT), Kennedy moved to Cape Cod in 1981 and began focusing more on the traditional “plein air” manner of painting, working outdoors in all four seasons. He refers to his style as “painterly realism” because he works in a loose yet representational way.

While smaller paintings are typically completed in one session, for larger works Kennedy may return to the same site several times because of the constantly changing light and weather conditions. Kennedy enjoys the challenge of painting outdoors year round; intense heat and sun in the summer, snow, wind and bitter cold in the winter. He utilizes sunlight to strengthen form and create a mood, and his use of color complements the graphic patterns of light and shadow found in his paintings. He’s drawn inspiration from the rooftops of Provincetown, the harbor and streets of Gloucester, the catboats of Wellfleet, and views around cities like New Bedford and Portland, Maine.

“One of my goals is to capture the luminosity of Cape light by working early in the morning or late in the day when color and drama are at their height”, he says. In addition to capturing the light, another objective Kennedy has is balancing loose brushwork against the craft of drawing, especially as it concerns architecture and boats. Subjects are chosen carefully, with favoritism towards older more time worn themes — sometimes with a contrast of something new against it for a sense of realism. Kennedy’s typical emphasis is on street and maritime subjects. In this world of constant change, older things that somehow ‘seem more comforting’ appeal to him. He is especially drawn to places where land and water meet; he considers these areas ‘places of power.’ Influences include the work of Edward Hopper, Frederick J. Mulhaupt, John Carlson and photographer David Plowden.

Steve and his wife, Lucy, have lived on Cape Cod for over 30 years. Kennedy’s work has won numerous awards, and is in many public and private collections including the permanent collection of the Cahoon Museum of American Art, New Haven Paint and Clay Club, Cape Cod Museum of Art, Albany Institute of History and Art, Seamen’s Bank, Wequassett Inn, and the Key Bank and People’s Heritage Bank (former names, both in Maine).

Though he’s committed to plein air painting, Kennedy also works in his studio. Indoor paintings are done from photographs, sketches and field notes. The studio affords him the opportunity to capture fleeting effects of light not easily painted on location.

He has taught painting in Provincetown for many years and is a member of the North Shore Arts Association, Cape Cod Plein Air Painters and Creative Arts Center.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Coffee Shops… as American as apple pie!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, THOUGHTS, TRAVELLeave a comment

Logo for FUEL AMERICA

Places to stop in for a cup of coffee, a snack, some company… to visit or to sit quietly and read a book. I cherish places like this… and I’d like to hear about your favorites… here are a few of mine sprinkled in a few different states…

FUEL AMERICA – Chestnut Hill Ave, Brighton, MA.

Fuel America has left no stone unturned… This cleverly designed coffee house in Brighton, MASS is just what America needs… It is the perfect combination of great coffee, delicious food and healthy options?  Their marketing plan…brilliant!

From the tags on the merchandise to the menu board, everything has that retro hard working American feel to it… The classy chairs with chrome, the bookcase that soon will be full of books, the wood on the walls and most importantly… Good coffee AND good food together in one place, now THAT my friends is a rare combination. Combine that with the fact that they have healthier options and you have the PERFECT place!

One of the owners, Jeff Bonasia, a very talented artist and marketing professional took a year off from painting and along with his partners has opened FUEL AMERICA.

This place is tops on my list to visit one day. We met Jeff Bonasia, the managing partner years ago while vacationing in Maine. Jeff was part of a group of very cool artists renting a cottage down the street from ours. It was quite a treat to see their paintings! Hard workers every single one of them.

How lucky the people of Brighton, Mass are! Check out their website (link above) or their Facebook Page!

THE GROVE – Filmore Street, San Francisco, CA

The Grove on Fillmore Street in San Francisco… oooh, haven’t been there in years, but it is firmly etched in my mind. Fabulous homemade granola/bananas/yogurt, soups and salads, a roll-your-eyes-in-the-back-of-your-head macaroni and cheese, a beautiful (yes! beautiful!) chicken pot pie, delicious coffee and TO DIE FOR fruit pies… They don’t have a website that I can find, but I did see a menu on MenuPages.com. We didn’t stay anywhere near this place, yet we made the trek day after day, because the food just couldn’t be beat! The place has atmosphere, and a ton of it! Transit: Filmore St & Pine St

ROCK CITY COFFEE – Rockland, ME
This was a cool coffee shop in Rockland, Maine. What I loved about it was the fact that it was a coffee shop and a second hand book store all in one, so you could read and buy books while drinking your coffee. I will have to check it out this year when we visit… they’ve moved next door and a former employee bought the book portion of the business. It will be a bit different… I will report back! I’m sure it will be good, it was sooo good before!
ZOOT COFFEE – Camden, ME
This is a very neat coffee shop located in Camden, Maine. I remember sitting on a bench outside drinking a fabulous latte! It’s nice they use organic fruit, etc… check them out! Zoot really makes an effort to be part of the neighborhood, not just a bystander in the community.
Catch you back here tomorrow… In the meantime REFUEL… Hee…

Charleston Restaurant Week September 5- 16, 2012!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOODLeave a comment

Charleston Restaurant Week is here! Beginning today (September 5, 2012) through September 16, 2012 find out what all the hoopla is about! This is a time that both visitors and locals look forward to.  A chance to dine at the fabulous restaurants in Charleston while getting a deal at the same time! Those of us who live in Charleston, SC are so fortunate to have the cream of the crop, the top notch, the very, very best restaurants all around us! NOW is your chance to visit them! Charleston Restaurant Association has a great website. The link shows the list of participating restaurants (there are many!), along with their menu and their website. Click HERE to check it out!

Hey, if you go, let me know how you enjoyed it! Do you live here, or did you make vacation plans around restaurant week? I’m telling you now is the time to get out and visit area restaurants. That’s what Fred and I did when he took off for a staycation… it was fabulous. We went to restaurants we don’t normally frequent, and we had the best time! These restaurants have some mouth watering options… and it all starts TODAY! Check out that above link!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

MONZA… quite possibly the best pizza on earth?

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD2 Comments

Have you been to Monza? Located in Charleston, SC it’s quite possibly the best pizza you’ll ever taste! Here’s a general blip about their pizza from their website:

Hundreds of thousands have been making the pilgrimage to Monza since 1922. They go to witness greatness and glory. Sometimes horror. Sitting in the stands, some hanging in trees, they watch Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Lotus run wild along 6.25 miles of sexy twists and turns. Monza is an Italian super speedway forever etched in racing history. Catapulting drivers into heroes. From La Pista Magica – the magic track – comes our Neapolitan style pizza. 

Our dough is made using imported San Felice wheat flour, natural Neapolitan yeast, filtered and pH balanced water then kneaded with a mixer imported from Naples. Our pizza is baked in a wood fired oven at 1000 degrees resulting in a thin crispy crust, topped with fiore di latte mozzarella, and fresh local and regional ingredients whenever possible. Rev it up for Monza.

 That crust they speak of… pure heaven in your mouth. It’s thin, but not like most thin/cardboard pizza. This is so good you just won’t believe it. Everything was exquisite. The mozzarella, the crust, the fresh sauce, oh boy, did we have a great lunch! We love their butter beans. A weird thing to love, but their butter beans taste like nothing you’ve ever tasted. They’re in a word… lovely! After the beans we had pizza… the first one was VON TRIPS it has house made Italian Sausage and seasonal greens. When I asked the waitress about the seasonal greens, she said that day it was kale… they sauté the kale and put it on top of the pizza and bake it. Kale is a nutritional powerhouse… whoa, that turns this into a super healthy food, kinda… Let me say, there was the perfect amount of italian sausage on the pizza, not smothered with it, just a little here and there, it added the perfect flavor without a ton of fat. The second pizza was the Materassi, with the fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil… we split both and came home with enough for lunch! They have great music playing, which adds to the ambiance. The space itself is very cool, someone spent time figuring it out and making it really quite nice. I love the orange glass tiles on the wall. If you’re in the area, I highly suggest you stop by… Here’s a link to their MENU!

Hope to see you there!

Location: 451 King Street, Charleston, SC

843.720-8787 | info@monzapizza.com

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm

Friday & Saturday 11am-11pm

Catch you back here tomorrow!

The Making of a Fresco Showing the Building of a City, 1931 – Diego Rivera

On By Barbara StroudIn ART2 Comments

“The Making of a Fresco Showing the Building of a City” by Diego Rivera, 1931

Photo: David Wakely (Image: MuralsandMosaics.org)

What better way to celebrate Labor Day and include art? Diego Rivera the famous fresco artist who’s work is seen all over the world created this fresco in 1931. It’s at the San Francisco Art Institute. This fresco was a gift of William Gerstle. What a fabulous gift! I’ve seen Diego Rivera’s work at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA). It’s unbelievable… anyone who grew up in Michigan, or ever went to the DIA will remember, I do think it’s quite impossible to forget!

Check out a blip about “The Making of a Fresco Showing the Building of a City” by reading more from MuralsandMosaics.org, it’s quite fascinating!

Have a great Labor Day, catch you back here tomorrow!