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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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!

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!