December 23rd, 2008

Happy Holidays

May the joys of a full glass shared in the company of good friends light up your holiday season.

Merry Christmas
from our family to yours,
Thomas, Vanessa, Jimmy
and Christopher Arvid

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December 8th, 2008

Hometown Show

Thank you to everyone who came out to join me for my last show of the year at the Vinings Gallery in my hometown. I had a great time sharing wine and conversation with all of the wonderful people who came out to see me.

On Friday night, everyone brought a favorite bottle to share so I really enjoyed sampling all of the new wine. I’m already looking forward to next year!

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November 10th, 2008

Stone crabs in Safety Harbor

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!

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November 9th, 2008

Tasting with the wine club

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October 30th, 2008

The Ultimate Destination in St. Augustine

We really enjoy entertaining on the boat because the atmosphere is casual and laid back. Vanessa makes her famous Bloody Caesar to pair with an easy lunch of shrimp burgers with cole slaw and sweet potatoes. It’s the perfect start to a great weekend!

The highlight of our trip was definitely the evening spent aboard the Schooner Freedom for the “Ultimate Destination” sunset cruise. Inspired by the painting I created at the Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival, Chef Michael and his wife Christine opened up their cellar to share all of the wines featured in “Ultimate Destination” with a group of thirty lucky guests who joined us for the cruise. Galleria del Mar hosted a Dom Perignon reception at the gallery before departure which set the tone for an amazing evening of great wine and even better company.

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October 20th, 2008

Cleveland Rocks

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.

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October 20th, 2008

Oregon wine country

Although I always look forward to visiting Portland to see all of my friends and collectors at Shaffer Fine Art, this was my first visit to Oregon wine country. I took a day with my good friends Aaron and Renee Meyer and Gail Shaffer to take a trip outside the city for some new inspiration.

We had a great day in Newberg where we stopped in to taste at Beaux Freres, Ken Wright Cellars, and Anderson Family. Mike and his staff were in the middle of harvest at Beax Freres so we really appreciate the time he took to give us a tour.

We were lucky to catch them at lunch so we enjoyed the opportunity to meet everyone at lunch and to share some wine around the table.

After lunch, we took our visit up the mountain to meet Ken Wright at his vineyard. Ken is a wealth of knowledge about the different microclimates in the area, and we all gained a better appreciation for the science and farming techniques that winemakers use to produce the best wines in the world. We stopped in at The Depot afterwards to enjoy the fruits of his labor and I can definitely say that his knowledge is paying off – the pinot is amazing!

We couldn’t miss taking a trip to Anderson Family Vineyard where Cliff and Allison graciously hosted a tasting for us at their hilltop home. The view is stunning and we enjoyed tasting the pinot and chardonnay that Cliff and Allison produce as well as other neighboring wineries that use Anderson Family Vineyard grapes.

With so many great wines, we had to end the day in style. We dined at The Painted Lady and enjoyed the special tasting menu put together by Chef Allen.

photography by Pisarello Photography

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October 2nd, 2008

A visit to Greensboro

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!

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September 26th, 2008

Roy’s Aloha Kitchen Challenge

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

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September 24th, 2008

Paint the Town

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!

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