May 17th, 2010
A Sparkling Spring Night
This is the way to celebrate a Thursday night!
We were fortunate to host Veuve Clicquot and friends at the Cabin for a special Vintage tour with an exquisite multi-course dinner by Rumi’s Kitchen. The weather was perfect for an evening of great fun as we sampled some excellent vintage champagnes paired with Chef Bobby’s Persian delicacies.
Geraud LeClercq and winemaker Pierre Casenave of Veuve Clicquot joined us to share stories about Madame Clicquot and the history behind the famed champagne house. We tried several amazing champagnes but the 85 Rose was my favorite.
Since Pierre was kind enough to share his insights from the palate, I thought I would share some from my palette. . . this is my latest piece inspired by a great night with neighbors and friends.
Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us, especially Karen & Randall Heard of the Marietta Wine Market and our friends at Veuve Clicquot for putting this spectacular event together.
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September 18th, 2009
Dinner Party
In addition to being my right-hand man and best friend for fifteen years, Rob is also my lead singer when we hit the road. For those of you who have stayed to hang out with us after my shows, you know how much fun we have entertaining friends on the ukulele. Happy Birthday, buddy!
Merry is bringing lobster so I’m heading to the kitchen to get started on the lobster rolls – they will be perfect with a ZD chardonnay. I like to check out the recipes on foodandwine.com for inspiration and make some adjustments to suit my taste. This looks like a great recipe to try. If you have any suggestions, send me a note on Facebook and let me know what you think.
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September 15th, 2009
Lake Geneva
I’m just back from the Lake Geneva Wine Festival in Wisconsin and we had a blast. It was a gorgeous weekend to be on the lake and I enjoyed seeing all of my friends who made the trip from Chicago to join me.
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July 23rd, 2009
Weekend in Rhode Island
Rhode Island is so beautiful in the summertime and I was fortunate enough to visit last weekend for a show at Reign Gallery. We had a great time eating, drinking wine, and checking out all of the amazing boats in Newport.
On a quick trip out of town, we visited Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro in Foxboro, Massachusetts to hang out with the Martin Family. They own Tastings and surprised me with a great Chef’s Table Dinner. Everything was fantastic but my favorite was the fried zucchini flowers stuffed with lobster – I can’t wait to try my hand at making it at home for Vanessa and the boys! The wine list has a nicely balanced selection so I recommend stopping in on the way to the next Patriots game.
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May 22nd, 2009
New Orleans Wine and Food Experience
So much great food, so little time! Rob and I got into town just before lunch so we stopped by Napoleon’s for my customary muffaletta and Bloody Mary . . . a great start to the day! Then it was on to the Angela King Gallery for the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience.
After the event, it’s time for a night on the town with friends Gary & Jodi to enjoy an amazing dinner at Bayona on Rue Dauphine. Chef Spicer didn’t disappoint with the Boudin-Stuffed Rabbit Loin and Buttermilk Fried Leg, Smothered Greens, Stone Ground Grits, and Smokey Creole Mustard Sauce. With a glass of the Adelsheim Pinot, it was perfect! Walking down Bourbon Street is always fun for people watching – anyone have a good recommendation for the next time I’m in town?
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May 12th, 2009
Shrimp Burgers with the Family
I’m looking forward to heading up to D.C. tomorrow for the wine dinner at Ranazul, but before I go, I’m planning on spending a relaxing evening with the family. I love to cook in the kitchen with the kids and one of our favorite recipes are my famous shrimp burgers.
We discovered the shrimp burger on a family vacation to St. Helena Island in South Carolina and have since created our own version that is perfect for a casual dinner.
The key to great shrimp burgers is buying the freshest shrimp available. The local farmers market is my choice for the best shrimp but if you don’t live in an area that sells fresh seafood, the frozen shrimp will work as well. The farmers market is a great place to bring the kids, too – it’s always an adventure for the boys when they get to touch the fish and other specialties in the market!
I’ll be making the shrimp burgers with a side of cole slaw and sweet potato fries, so if you are looking for an easy dinner idea, check out my recipe here:
Thomas%20Arvid%27s%20shrimp%20burgers.pdf
And most importantly, don’t forget the wine! I recommend a nice rosé or light chardonnay. To get tips on preparation, check out my cooking demo on View From the Bay.
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May 7th, 2009
The Perfect Getaway in Highlands, NC
I took the family with me up to the Old Edwards Inn in Highlands, NC for a great weekend. It’s a fun place for families and the kids really enjoyed the mineral pool and the 24-hour stocked butler’s pantry. On Friday night, I painted live at Wolfgang’s on Main at a special Shafer wine dinner – Chef Wolfgang blew me away with the coffee encrusted rack of lamb!
As if one amazing dinner wasn’t enough, the Old Edwards Inn signature restaurant, Madison’s, hosted us for a wine dinner featuring Caymus. Only one month on the job and Executive Chef Johannes Klapdohr really impressed me with his culinary creations. If you don’t have any plans for Mother’s Day, I highly recommend making the trip to Highlands, NC .
If you are in town this weekend, I hope you’ll stop in to join me at Vinings Gallery in Atlanta for a glass of wine. I’ll be showing “Cork Envy,” my first Limited Edition Sculpture.
Hope to see you there!
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April 24th, 2009
Pebble Beach
Is there anywhere in the world more beautiful than Pebble Beach? We just got back from a great weekend of drinking some of the best wines in the world at the Pebble Beach Wine & Food event. I was lucky to once again be the Official Artist and enjoyed sharing my work with all who came out to see me. One of my favorite events was the Cristal dinner which featured one of their famous vintages paired with creations by some of the country’s best chefs . . . I learned that champagne really does go with everything!
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March 17th, 2009
The Artist Dinner
Thanks to everyone who came out to The Cabin to support the Artist Dinner benefitting the High Museum of Art!
We enjoyed hosting the event and especially enjoyed the amazing feast created by Chef Jay Swift of 4th and Swift paired with the wines of Hundred Acre. Jayson Woodbridge sent us plenty of great bottles to share and everyone had a great time.
My favorite pairing was the 2004 Ancent Way with the wagyu flatiron steak with braised cheeks, beets, and mushrooms. Chef Jay can cook at my house anyday! I’ll bring the wine . . .
Since the museum’s theme was the Genius Inside, Vanessa and I came up with the idea host the Artist Dinner with a Renaissance Man type of theme . . . I’m always in the studio painting, in the kitchen cooking, or on the porch playing my guitar and ukulele so we decided to share a slice of our life with the guests. My good friend Rob jumped up to sing with me and I think we had everyone on chorus by the end of the night!
Frank Ski and his lovely wife Tanya also came out to support us so I couldn’t help but take a minute to share a glass of wine with my friend . . . here’s to great art, music and wine!
We were having so much fun that I couldn’t let it stop with the ride home . . . I serenaded the girls from the backseat! Our good friends Bill and Jodie drove all the way up from Clearwater to come to the event.
Bill, thanks for the great pictures and we look forward to seeing you and Jodie again soon.It was a great night!
We really appreciate everyone who came out to support
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February 27th, 2009
Unveiling at Monterra by the Sea
This was an exciting weekend for me at Borsini-Burr Galleries newest location at Monterra by the Sea: I unveiled my first sculpture, “Cork Envy,” and had a great time seeing the reaction from my collectors. This is the original that was modeled out of clay then cast in resin. I was still working on painting the exterior while I was at the gallery so there was a lot of work to do, but I enjoyed taking a break to hang out with the friends who came to see my latest work.
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