Sunny Florida was a welcome respite from the cold weather we have been having in the South! I came to visit for a gallery show at Syd Entel Galleries and a wine dinner hosted by the gallery and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse, both of which were great nights full of art and entertainment. To take a break from painting, my friends Bill and Jodie invited us over for a true Florida treat - stone crabs!

Paired with some Far Niente cabernet and a little music from my ukulele, it was the perfect lazy afternoon.

Thanks to Bill and Jodie for sending me some great pics for my blog!

What a great trip to see all of my friends in the Cleveland area and at Picadilly's Fine Art! We drank some great wine and I enjoyed sharing a glass with all of the collectors who came out to support me.




One of the highlights of the trip was hanging out on the Lanigan & Malone morning show. It's always a good day when there is wine for breakfast! Thanks to John, Jimmy, Chip and Tracey for inviting me to start the morning with them on Majic 105.7.

To download the podcast, click here and then choose 10.17.08 to hear the interview.

Thank you to all of my new friends in Greensboro who came out to visit me at the Greensboro Country Club. Roberto and Annabell Diaz came out to appreciate my original work "Pouring Into It" and to share some great recipes for Annabell's cuban cooking. I'm looking forward to getting together for some authentic latin specialties!

To celebrate his 2oth anniversary, my friend Roy Yamaguchi hosted an Aloha Kitchen Challenge here in Atlanta which matches culinary students with well known chefs for a five course dinner. I was invited to attend as one of the celebrity judges and had a great night enjoying the creative specialties of the students.


We enjoyed champagne and wine paired with each course as the students showed off their culinary abilities. Although all of the courses were good, student Ellen Anderson and Chef Justin Ward of The Art Institute of Atlanta won over the palates of the judges to win the competition with their Asian Marinated Lamb Loin with Spicy Plum Nam Plah Vinaigrette.


The evening came to a sweet close with Chef Mac Lynch's Kahana Coconut Haupia Mousse and Macadamia Nut Brittle with Kona Coffee Ice Cream that made the perfect end to a great evening.

top photo courtesy of Haigwood Studios

Thank you to all of my good friends and neighbors who came out to support the Second Annual Paint the Town event to benefit St. Jude! Vanessa and I are honored to be a part of such an amazing event. The Melting Pot, Vinings Gallery, Eric Waugh and I all partnered together to create the Paint the Town event featuring great art, food, wine and most importantly, a great cause.


A special thanks goes to my new friend, Alex, who is currently undergoing treatment at St. Jude. Alex donated a beautiful painted crate that she created just for this event and I am excited to be among the first to add her artwork to my personal collection. Keep up the brave fight, Alex, and I look forward to seeing more of your artwork in the future!