I was looking at Katy Elliott’s blog last year and noted that she mentioned going to Owls Head, ME and having the best burger ever… YAY! We found a new place to try, and try it we did, almost daily it seems. (Thank you K.E.!). The OWLS HEAD GENERAL STORE is one of those rare places you find that you just fall in love with. Everything is fabulous, the people are HAPPY TO SEE YOU, and they notice when you come back. It’s like returning home to a loving family. I’m not exaggerating either. This place is the ticket. Food Network TV rated their hamburger MAINE’S BEST BURGER. And. It. Was. Oh. My. Gosh! Check them out on Facebook (Owls Head General Store).
Can you tell I’m missing Maine? I’m just running across photos that are my favorites. This one was a day we walked to Marshall Point Lighthouse, then were walking back to the Periwinkle Cottage. It’s a breathtaking view. It almost doesn’t seem real does it? The loud crashing ocean, the beautiful rocky coast, artists set up everywhere frantically painting before the last light has faded. It’s the most amazing place… Just wanted to share it with you! Happy weekend, catch you back here tomorrow!
Cindy Baron is a fantastic artist. She paints in both watercolor and oil. She lets the setting determine which it will be. Her paintings are out of this world good. One of the (many) galleries she is represented by is the Walls Gallerylocated in Wilmington, NC. If you’re in the area, but haven’t been to the Walls Gallery I would hightail it over there…. Otherwise check out her personal website . This painting is entitled ON EVEN GROUND.
Here is a blip from the Walls Gallery website:
Born in South Bend, Indiana, Cindy arrived in East Greenwich, RI in 2001, where she conducts workshops and gives private lessons in both watercolor and oils. In 2000, she became a signature member of the American Watercolor Society.
Her interest in art developed in early childhood. Her background in drawing led her to watercolors and eventually oils. She discovered that one medium enabled her to grow in the other and vice versa. One of the most frequently asked questions she receives is, “How do you choose which medium you want to use?” The answer is “Nature chooses it for me”. “I’m blessed to see landscapes in two mediums.”
“When on location, I can feel the movement a watercolor can give with its easy flowing and entwining colors, like a foggy morning, or a crashing wave. Yet some scenes call for the intensity, depth and lust that only oils can give. Some say you need to concentrate on just one medium, but I believe if you are passionate and daring as you create and see the world through many eyes, your work will naturally evolve.”
Cindy gives a lot of credit to an art teacher she had in school who always said, “There is no such word as can’t”, which she still uses to this day. One of her early interests was portraiture, which she still loves, and when an interesting subject is found she does not hesitate to introduce herself and begin a painting. She uses her studies for many of the classes she teaches. She has traveled extensively and has spent a great deal of time on the East Coast, where the Maine landscape is an etched road map in her mind. She finds it impossible to paint a landscape, unless she has personally experienced the scene…to study and take in the atmosphere, committing to memory what she wants to portray on paper. Her camera, sketchbook and easel are her treasured tools when on location.
Cindy’s paintings reflect the beauty that is found in nature, if you take the time to study the colors around you. She can capture beauty in a blustering storm or the tranquil air of everyday places. Her portraitures relay a story of human life as though they were family or friends. The versatility of her subjects keeps her energized, excited and creative.
She has become a highly sought after instructor, with many prestigious awards in both watercolor and oils. Her work can be found in private and corporate collections around the world, including NIKE and The National Museum of Wildlife.
Cindy has fantastic website of her own, if you aren’t near Wilmington, check it out… http://www.cindybaron.com
This is week six of the foods that should never cross your lips. This information is from Prevention magazine… to read the article in it’s entirety click HERE. My thought was to give you one food a week to try to change to, or at the very least know about… seems like it’ll stick with you better than all at once. At the bottom I’ve included the list of foods we’ve covered this far. This week’s food to avoid… milk with artificial hormones. From the Prevention magazine article:
Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones
Rick North, project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society, gives us the scoop: The problem: Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. “When the government approved rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken down in the human digestive tract,” says North. As it turns out, the casein in milk protects most of it, according to several independent studies. “There’s not 100% proof that this is increasing cancer in humans,” admits North. “However, it’s banned in most industrialized countries.”
The solution: Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These phrases indicate rBGH-free products.
Budget tip: Try Wal-Mart’s Great Value label, which does not use rBGH.
This is one I am faithful about. I usually buy Horizon or if I’m at Whole Foods I’ll buy their brand. Will also try Trader Joe’s with no hormones… we drink 1%, we used to drink skim (regular with hormones/antibiotics all that stuff) and it had a blue’ish tint… WHY would that be? 1% seemed to be better. Interestingly enough when I had the no hormone/antibiotic added skim milk it WAS. NOT. BLUE. Therefore. I won’t drink “regular” milk… it’s not worth it to me. My opinion, but one I believe in.
So… to recap the past weeks:
1. Canned tomatoes
2. Corn-fed beef
3. Microwave popcorn
4. Non-organic potatoes
5. Farmed Salmon
6. Milk produced with artificial hormones
Next week will wrap up this segment! So add NO ADDED HORMONE milk to your grocery list and I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!
You know sometimes how healthy, light fare just doesn’t sound very fair? That’s when you should make something like this. It’s still healthy, especially if you leave out the carbs (i.e. mashed potatoes swimming in butter). If you have a drawer full of apples that haven’t been eaten and are on their way to retirement this is a great recipe… It’s so tasty… From Cooking Light Magazine… Click HERE if you would like to be taken to the MyRecipes.com website to make it quick to print… and on to the recipe…!
1. To prepare applesauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add apples to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1/2 cup water, sugar, juice, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to pan; cook 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook 25 minutes or until apples are tender. Mash gently with the back of a spoon.
2. To prepare pork, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle pork evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; dredge pork in flour. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pork to pan; cook 5 minutes or until golden. Turn pork over; cook 3 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with applesauce.
There is a fabulous artist that I found on North Water Gallery’s website. I haven’t been to that gallery… yet. North Water Gallery is located in Edgartown, MA. I love this artist’s style, a bit like Charles Sovek, and I thought the world of that man! (Let me just note that I wrote that BEFORE I read the “blip about the artist” whoa!). This is artist JACK GOLDSMITH. I love how he says he refuses to labor over a painting! I wholeheartedly agree. The best paintings (to me) are the ones that happen quick and loosely. That is exactly what I love about his paintings! I found a blip about him in Cape Code Life:
Jack Goldsmith boils his words down to their essence. He credits his polished verbal skills to his 40 years of art direction and design in Manhattan. What he doesn’t take credit for is how he gets to the heart of the matter of ethereal subjects in spot-on fashion, whether he is expressing them in words or acrylics.
“Once I come upon an image I want to paint, I like to attack it and do it quickly,” Goldsmith says. “I refuse to labor over a painting.”
Goldsmith’s canvases are vibrant glimpses of life in all its nuances of light, color, and feel. Perhaps owing to his early career in art direction, the Osterville resident speaks frequently of “staging” his art. The Kite Flyers features one of his favorite subjects, Cape Cod’s ocean edge. “I like to paint children on the beach,” he says. “I also like to paint the beach with nobody around. It all becomes kind of a stage.” All of his pieces, including his still lifes, are arranged almost like choreography, to render a very natural experience.
Goldsmith was trained in the 1940s at the Syracuse University School of Fine Arts and the Rochester Institute of Technology School of Art and Design, before starting his career in art direction and teaching at Parsons School of Design in Manhattan. As Goldsmith succinctly says, “My life has always been holding a pencil or a brush.”
Finally, he came home to a life of fine art when he and his wife moved to Osterville in 1993, drawn by good friends and the Cape’s renowned light. Among his influences are the 19th-century Spanish painter Joaquin Sorolla and the late Cape Cod artist Charles Sovek, as well as members of the French Impressionist School.
Although his paintings are filled with highlights, shadows, and other subtleties, for Goldsmith it all goes back to first blocking the painting with brush on canvas. “It’s the most crucial part of the painting for me,” he says. “If you don’t design it well, you’ll struggle.”
I am a fan. What else can I say! Check them out by website or a visit! Catch you back here tomorrow!
I am pleased as punch to spread the word about the old Dip Net restaurant that used to be in Port Clyde (not the one that Linda Bean bought and kept the name, but the original Dip Net) – It’s baaayaaaack as Jack Nicholson would say and it’s name is THE SLIPWAY – it’s located at 24 Town Landing, in the former Harborview Restaurant in Thomaston, ME. We had many memorable meals at the old restaurant and are looking so forward to visiting THE SLIPWAY for memorable meals in the future!! They also have a Facebook page, so check them out!
A blip from their website (you know how I like to include ‘blips’ from everything…)
We are right on the harbor with a 120′ dock, plenty of outdoor seating and a menu pretty similar to the great food we’ve provided for years in Port Clyde and Camden. Chef/Owner is Scott Yakovenko ran the Dip Net Restaurant in Port Clyde for eight years.
If you’re in the area go visit! If not, click to visit their Facebook page !
Isn’t this a sight to behold? Behind our house we have something that’s called the WEST ASHLEY GREENWAY… its roughly 10 miles long and is used as a hiking/biking trail. We are fortunate to have such beautiful views!
We happened upon this unique little shop years ago while in Port Clyde, Maine. STONEFISH is located in the village right next door to the ice cream shop, and EVERYBODY knows where that’s at! It’s a small space that is filled with the most wonderful things. Clothes, trinkets, antiques, unique art object, you name it, if it’s unique and classy Anne has it in her shop! If you happen to be in Port Clyde please stop in and say hello! You will find special things you will treasure forever! We have!
Updated 2025: Sadly, Stonefish is no longer open. The owner, Ann, passed away years ago – she will be missed!
Artist’s books are becoming more popular in gallery after gallery that I visit. What better way to get your collection of paintings out to people who admire your work? Hey, if your wall space is limited, just remember you can pile a coffee table high with books, AND they look equally as good stacked on the floor! The painting on the cover is entitled ELECTRIC COMPANY and it’s one of my favorites! It’s the reds that do it for me, it’s vivid and sharp. I love it! If you’re in San Francisco pop into the Thomas Reynolds Galleryand take a peek at Ken’s work! If you’re interested in a book, click HERE, the book is $35 and is signed by the artist.
Here’s a blip from the book:
‘A Turning Point in My Life’
ONE DAY I WAS INVITED to go out with a few friends and paint on location at a local beach. Using an old easel and a few tubes of oil paint left over from college painting classes, I set up and started painting what I saw. The experience was a turning point in my life. Here was the bare bones of art — no process and minimal equipment, just a burst of passion and paint, with immediate results and gratification. It just happened and it was beautiful.A year and probably 200 paintings later, I was ready to get feedback from people other than my friends. I looked north to San Francisco. For me, San Francisco has always been a kind of Disneyland for adults. My first adventure there was in 1967 during the Summer of Love. There’s still a Jefferson Airplane poster on the wall in my studio. So during another trip to the happiest place on earth, I thought I would stop at a few galleries with some transparencies and see if I could get some response from the big guys. I didn’t ask to exhibit; I just wanted their opinions of my work. Surprisingly enough, most took the time to look and I got consistently positive responses.The last stop on this spontaneous gallery tour was the Thomas Reynolds Gallery, in a classic Victorian flat a few steps from Fillmore Street, a series of small rooms showing mostly small paintings, each one hanging with room to breathe. I presented my slides — and the owner wanted to see more. It was at that moment I realized that a good gallery was really interested in my work. A few weeks later we scheduled my first show. My original vision was to paint landscapes of Northern California — trees, rocks, ocean and hills, but no city. That first show sold out. So did the second and third. It was the mid-90’s at the height of the plein air painting renaissance and I was right in the middle of it all, painting many of the small towns along the California coast. I won top prizes at the plein air events that were cropping up, and the surfer-turned-painter story was picked up by several art magazines.
Then came another moment that again changed my direction as a painter. I was driving in San Francisco on California Street late in the afternoon heading into the belly of the city — a straight shot downhill punctuated by intersections and cross traffic with red taillights glued loosely together at the bottom. I stopped at a red light and just stared for a moment at this incredible concrete grand canyon. I grabbed my camera and started taking pictures, circling the block and hoping to hit every red light. Everywhere I looked was a painting. Artists are always looking for the moment that is the catalyst for the next painting — that flicker of gold. I had found the mother lode.
I may have mentioned once or twice how much I value the information that comes from inside the Prevention magazine pages? Chock full of information to help you live a long healthy life. This is a fantastic article (click HERE for link to full article) about what foods you really shouldn’t eat (or at least TRY not to) and WHY… Today… the 5th… FARMED SALMON… here’s the blip from Prevention Magazine:
Farmed Salmon
David Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany and publisher of a major study in the journal Science on contamination in fish, gives us the scoop:
The problem: Nature didn’t intend for salmon to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT. According to Carpenter, the most contaminated fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found on American menus. “You could eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk of cancer,” says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish contamination study got broad media attention. “It’s that bad.” Preliminary science has also linked DDT to diabetes and obesity, but some nutritionists believe the benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks. There is also concern about the high level of antibiotics and pesticides used to treat these fish. When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed with the same drugs and chemicals.
The solution: Switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon. If the package says fresh Atlantic, it’s farmed. There are no commercial fisheries left for wild Atlantic salmon.
Budget tip: Canned salmon, almost exclusively from wild catch, can be found for as little as $3 a can.
Now to recap the past weeks (or click on the HEALTH tab to scroll through)
1. Canned tomatoes
2. Corn-fed beef
3. Microwave popcorn (sorry dad)!
4. Non-organic potatoes
5. Farmed Salmon
Two to go… wonder what they’ll be? Hint… if you just can’t wait you can click to read the full article! Catch you back here tomorrow!
Well, Trader Joe’s has finally arrived in Charleston, SC! We made it there the first day and it was CRAZY. We didn’t make it there early, it wasn’t until Fred got off work that we shot over to see what the hoopla was about… it was busy beyond belief but we got some good stuff and were excited about the prospect of yet another grocery store in the area. Trader Joe’s isn’t just a shopping trip, it’s an adventure, ha ha… there is a following for Trader Joe’s that is rather unique. Prices are low, quality so far appears to be very good. They don’t have the large selection of products like Whole Foods does, think of them more like a ’boutique grocery store’. Trader Joe’s rotates what they carry, so you may find something you love and if it’s a limited supply item or if it isn’t a big seller then you may not see it in the upcoming weeks. A new concept, always some new items to try. Keeps things exciting! Of course there are the Trader Joe’s brand products and I would assume that those stick around, we’ve tried many and all are fabulous, coffee, olive oil, bavarian chocolate covered almonds, popcorn air popped with olive oil, low fat cheese doodles (hee hee), pitted kalamata olives, organic oatmeal with flax and the HAVARTI CHEESE (ooooh so good) just to name a few! CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP! Woohoo! If you’re near a Trader Joe’s but haven’t been in a while check them out!
Tollef Runquist is an exquisite artist represented by the Dowling Walsh Gallery in Rockland, Maine. His bright, contemporary style is refreshing. This painting is entitled LOOK 30 x 48. LOVE. IT! LOVE the bright pop of red against the great blue water… wow! If you’re in the Rockland, ME area I encourage you to stop by the Dowling Walsh Gallery (then pop over to Atlantic Bakery for a chocolate croissant, or they’re mushroom soup, or a cookie, or… or… or…. OR pop across the street to the Farnsworth Museum!), it’ll definitely be worth your time. They represent some FANTASTIC artists!
Painting is for me an undertaking of appreciation and inquiry. It is a means by which to engage the beauty and mystery of visual experience in an ongoing dialogue. This is a widening puzzle; as I partake in this conversation it continually refreshes itself, revealing unexpected angles and new understanding. I feel no particular loyalty to realism or my own past work. I set to draw out a particular vision as long as my experience with it is visceral, attentive and useful. I try to encapsulate the fullness of my experience of a moment; weight and stillness, burning edges, massive, calm. These move me towards a particular subject, I try to paint and honor them, and then move on.
Some visual artists who have affected me deeply have been Richard Deibenkorn, Monet, De Kooning, Gauguin, Bonnard, Rothko, Sargent, Gordon Grant, Gerhart Richter, Hopper, Homer, Klimt and Egon Scheile among others. I have been drawing and painting as long as I can remember. I received a B.A. in studio Art from Dickinson college in 2002 and have since been continuing my education through creation.
Another blip from the Dowling Walsh website:
Tollef Runquist will have a solo exhibition at Dowling Walsh Gallery from Friday, September 2nd through Sunday, September 25th with an opening reception on Friday, September 2nd from 5 to 8 p.m.
Tollef Runquist has been featured in Maine Home and Design Magazine’s April 2011 Issue. Click the link below to view the feature:
OHMYGOSH. Does this ever look good! Perfect if you’re trying to skip meat one day a week. Have you noticed the latest trend where eggs are appearing on top of all kinds of dishes, salads, pasta, etc… very different indeed! I think it’s worth trying for sure! It’s not a light recipe, but great for a special occasion! To get directly to the recipe on Giada’s website click HERE). I pulled this recipe up on the Food Network’s website as well, I wanted to see what kind of reviews it received… EXCELLENT! All comments were out of this world good… Gotta love Giada AND the view out of her kitchen window! (Those who have watched her show know exactly what I mean!)…
From the book GIADA’S KITCHEN: If you’re looking for a low-fat dish, move on. My brother and sister and I craved this dish so often as kids that we finally learned to make it ourselves – it is actually one of the first dishes I ever made for myself. These days I consider it special occasion food, not everyday fare, and it’s especially good for Sunday brunch. Add champagne and a fruit salad and you’re done. The Basil Aioli keeps for up to a week in the fridge and it works as a dip for veggies, on eggs, or as a sandwich spread, too.
giada’s carbonara
ingredients
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Giada’s Carbonara
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed, rubber band left on
1 pound linguini
1 cup Basil Aioli
1 cup shaved pecorino, about 4 ounces
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
4 to 6 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Basil Aioli
1 garlic clove , minced
2 large egg yolks (see Note)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
instructions
Giada’s Carbonara
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus bundle and cook for 3 minutes Use tongs to transfer the asparagus to a bowl of ice water and let sit until cool, about 5 minutes. Drain the asparagus, remove the rubber band, and cut into 1-inch pieces. Meanwhile, add the pasta to the same pot of salted water used to cook the asparagus and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl. Add the basil aioli, asparagus, shaved cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and turn out onto a serving platter. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggs, sprinkle with salt and pepper, fry to your liking. Place the eggs on top of the pasta and serve immediately.
Basil Aioli
Combine the garlic, egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice, basil, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a food processor and run the machine to mix. With the machine running slowly drizzle in the vegetable and olive oil. Basil Aioli can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
There are some dangers associated with eating raw eggs, especially for those with compromised immune systems. To reduce the risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness, use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells
I know I’ve bought PASTURIZED eggs for a recipe long ago, I’m going to check to see if they’re still available… but if not, I’m throwing caution to the wind, ha ha… getting risky in my old age… I’ve GOT to give this recipe a try!
A peak out of Giada’s window… the ocean… that would be sweet! Although I probably wouldn’t get a lot of cooking done, ha ha…
Well it’s been nice touring with you… this is my favorite house on Sullivan’s Island, not that I’ve been in many houses on S.I. but once you’re in this one there just can’t be a comparison. CAN’T. BE. I’ve mentioned in previous posts that this project was done by Gray Wade, LLC. Contact information is at the bottom of this page. In closing I would just like to showcase a few of the design ideas that I really loved. That’s ME, personally… certainly no expert, well, hmmm, I take that back. Fred and I have exquisite taste, hee hee… seriously, we both love design. It’s what we do in our off time. Our walls have been umpteen colors over the 16 years that we’ve lived here. Our dining room has been in three different rooms, basically every room has changed except for the kitchen and bathrooms. We have serious fun doing it, and we love it with each change. If you need something different but a new house isn’t in the budget, or if you just love where you live (we do!) changing things around can make all the difference… that includes paintings!
Enjoy the rest of the tour!
Antique claw foot bathtub in guest bath
Beautiful ceiling in the original portion of the cottage
View from mirror in master bedroom
Family picture wall at back entrance
Shutters make a strong statement…
I’ve enjoyed your company on this visit, catch you back here tomorrow!
ARTFOODHOME.COM 