Just back from a very last minute fancy evening out! I got to go to the Persad Center Art for AIDS auction as Jennie's guest. Well, both of us were guests of Sharon Spell, who was the emcee for the verbal auction. It was really great.
The event was held in the Carnegie museum, so we got to look at art and eat some delicious food from local restaurants in the hall of architecture. Sweet! We went in there and I saw an item that would have been the best ever wedding present for my sister and her gal....an oil on canvas painting called "The Power of Mercury". It was a beautifully rendered portrait of Freddie in all his glory on stage. I bid $100 and was the high bidder for most of the night, but when I went back through at the end it was up to $180. Drat.
Anyway, I got to have a sampler plate from Abay Ethiopian restaurant, which was extra awesome because I was THISCLOSE to having lunch there today, and decided not to at the last moment. So it was good to get the ethiopian goodness after all. Beets AND kale AND lentils. Good stuff! I also sampled a sweet and sour beef brisket sandwich from Shallot catering. Shallot catering doesn't seem to have a website, which sucks because I really liked his food and his presentation and his gorgeous vellum business card. I'd like to find out more what he is about. We wandered on down to the ballroom where I got to sample the wares of Le Pommier(a country porc pate and salmon mousse on toast) and Gypsy Cafe and Palomino. I think it was Palomio that was sporting the BOMB crab and artichoke dip. It was very nicely crabby. Gypsy cafe had some spicy meatballs and nice fresh moz and cherry tomato skewers. It made me think I REALLY need to get this gig for next year. It's a lot of food to donate, but people were picking up business cards left and right. I get the feeling that alot of the people who were there are very serious about giving their money to businesses that support the community. And I want to be in on that!
Wow, I haven't listened to the Jayhawks in a while. It's like a cool river flowing right over me.....
The verbal auction was very entertaining. The auctioneer was fantastic and really did a great job getting people to bid. "It's your opportunity to donate!" he'd say, and people would respond. The couple of pieces that ended up going for $900-$2000 really made my heart sing. It's not often that you get to see people really putting their money where their mouth is like that. Sure they were getting amazing pieces of art in return, but it was pretty clear that in most cases it was just as much about donating the money to an important cause.
After the verbal auction we went in search of the desserts and finally found them in the museum cafe. I had a piece of the most sugary sweet cake I could possibly imagine at the moment. It physically HURT to eat it. I'm not saying it was BAD, but man, it made me grind my teeth! I got a cup of coffee and headed out to the busstop. A really nice and unexpected way to spend the evening.
Of course, now I need to do ALL the housework tomorrow. But that's fine.
Today I went on my Monday walk to the library and the labyrinth. At the library I got A Cook's Tour by Bourdain (I'm almost finished with Kitchen Confidential) and what looks to be a really good book on the business side of catering business. It has all sorts of useful looking charts and graphs. I can't wait to study it. I also renewed The Motorcycle Diaries because I didn't manage to watch it last week. So I have a second chance.
The labyrinth was really good...this week there was another person who came when I was almost done, so we passed each other. It was interesting to be there with another person, in a good way. I am looking forward to the summer when they put it out in the courtyard and maybe I can meet some more people who are into labyrinth walking. Still no candles or music, which I think would make it even nicer. But this week they did have the informational signs up, so maybe it's one thing at a time.
After the labyrinth I went to WALGREENS for some personal items. Deodorant and haircolor and dryer sheets and whatnot. I have such fond memories of Walgreens from Alburquerque, but I think that has more to do with the fact that in Alburquerque I could buy beer and wine in the Walgreens than anything else. I got some good deals on the items I bought today though.
Then I stopped in to Whole Foods for lunch. It was my first time eating off the hot bar. I got some cuban pork, a corn and cilantro fritter, some really delicious sauteed squash, and some african rice that had WAY too much allspice in it. I can be pretty heavy handed with the allspice sometimes, but this was out of control. I ate it anyway. I also got a big ole bottle of Bolthouse VEDGE juice, my new favorite thing. Especially since I like to pretend that it is called BATHhouse juice. I am easily amused, you see.
I ought to get some sleep. I have a lot of housework ahead of me tomorrow!
The event was held in the Carnegie museum, so we got to look at art and eat some delicious food from local restaurants in the hall of architecture. Sweet! We went in there and I saw an item that would have been the best ever wedding present for my sister and her gal....an oil on canvas painting called "The Power of Mercury". It was a beautifully rendered portrait of Freddie in all his glory on stage. I bid $100 and was the high bidder for most of the night, but when I went back through at the end it was up to $180. Drat.
Anyway, I got to have a sampler plate from Abay Ethiopian restaurant, which was extra awesome because I was THISCLOSE to having lunch there today, and decided not to at the last moment. So it was good to get the ethiopian goodness after all. Beets AND kale AND lentils. Good stuff! I also sampled a sweet and sour beef brisket sandwich from Shallot catering. Shallot catering doesn't seem to have a website, which sucks because I really liked his food and his presentation and his gorgeous vellum business card. I'd like to find out more what he is about. We wandered on down to the ballroom where I got to sample the wares of Le Pommier(a country porc pate and salmon mousse on toast) and Gypsy Cafe and Palomino. I think it was Palomio that was sporting the BOMB crab and artichoke dip. It was very nicely crabby. Gypsy cafe had some spicy meatballs and nice fresh moz and cherry tomato skewers. It made me think I REALLY need to get this gig for next year. It's a lot of food to donate, but people were picking up business cards left and right. I get the feeling that alot of the people who were there are very serious about giving their money to businesses that support the community. And I want to be in on that!
Wow, I haven't listened to the Jayhawks in a while. It's like a cool river flowing right over me.....
The verbal auction was very entertaining. The auctioneer was fantastic and really did a great job getting people to bid. "It's your opportunity to donate!" he'd say, and people would respond. The couple of pieces that ended up going for $900-$2000 really made my heart sing. It's not often that you get to see people really putting their money where their mouth is like that. Sure they were getting amazing pieces of art in return, but it was pretty clear that in most cases it was just as much about donating the money to an important cause.
After the verbal auction we went in search of the desserts and finally found them in the museum cafe. I had a piece of the most sugary sweet cake I could possibly imagine at the moment. It physically HURT to eat it. I'm not saying it was BAD, but man, it made me grind my teeth! I got a cup of coffee and headed out to the busstop. A really nice and unexpected way to spend the evening.
Of course, now I need to do ALL the housework tomorrow. But that's fine.
Today I went on my Monday walk to the library and the labyrinth. At the library I got A Cook's Tour by Bourdain (I'm almost finished with Kitchen Confidential) and what looks to be a really good book on the business side of catering business. It has all sorts of useful looking charts and graphs. I can't wait to study it. I also renewed The Motorcycle Diaries because I didn't manage to watch it last week. So I have a second chance.
The labyrinth was really good...this week there was another person who came when I was almost done, so we passed each other. It was interesting to be there with another person, in a good way. I am looking forward to the summer when they put it out in the courtyard and maybe I can meet some more people who are into labyrinth walking. Still no candles or music, which I think would make it even nicer. But this week they did have the informational signs up, so maybe it's one thing at a time.
After the labyrinth I went to WALGREENS for some personal items. Deodorant and haircolor and dryer sheets and whatnot. I have such fond memories of Walgreens from Alburquerque, but I think that has more to do with the fact that in Alburquerque I could buy beer and wine in the Walgreens than anything else. I got some good deals on the items I bought today though.
Then I stopped in to Whole Foods for lunch. It was my first time eating off the hot bar. I got some cuban pork, a corn and cilantro fritter, some really delicious sauteed squash, and some african rice that had WAY too much allspice in it. I can be pretty heavy handed with the allspice sometimes, but this was out of control. I ate it anyway. I also got a big ole bottle of Bolthouse VEDGE juice, my new favorite thing. Especially since I like to pretend that it is called BATHhouse juice. I am easily amused, you see.
I ought to get some sleep. I have a lot of housework ahead of me tomorrow!
posted by sheryl at 11:15 PM
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