Corky and some miscellaneous 10-26-13

I have always been fond of yoghurt (however you choose to spell it), but not sweetened, non-fat yoghurt. A few months ago I tried a brand that is new to me - NOOSA, which claims to be an Aussie version, but made in Colorado. I gotta tell you, it is delicious, though fattening. However, it is so rich and tasty that about a half a cup is satisfying. Mango is my favorite, although peach or raspberry are very tasty also. It is dessert!

 

Corky was at Camp Del for four nights this week and went home this evening.
He has this fancy crate that he sometimes likes to be in, so I hauled it to my house for him because he is getting very old and decrepit.  He needs a "hidey-hole" these days.
 

But once he hopped in he couldn't figure out how to get out and had to give me a bark to tell me he needed help.  A little senility has set in.
 

I got him turned around, but not before I had taken a few pictures, including his cute little tail.
 

Of all the computer gremlins that have visited my laptop, this is the strangest.  Did you know your computer could turn it's screen info upside down?  I had turned aside to write some notes and when I turned back this had happened.  I signed off, turned off and back on, but it was still upside down.  I had to call someone who knows more about computers than I to find out what to do.  They had never heard of such a thing, but knew how to look in the hidden depths of computer information, figure it out, and tell me how to change it back to right side up.  Computers are amazing and wonderful, but they could sometimes drive a body right over the edge.

Friday Fanny 10-25-13

This lady was in the FedEx facility with her baby.  I was there with Corky in his stroller.
 

 
This is very fancy, but seems like it would be hard to sit on for very long.

Dinner at Solare Restaurant 10-24-13

I spent Saturday night in San Diego because it was too late and I was too tired to drive home to Orange County.  After the Sip, Savor, Stroll + Chocolate fund raiser at Visions Art Museum some of us went to Solare (at the other end of the block) for dinner. I hadn't been there for quite a while and the management has changed. The menu isn't terribly different, just different enough to make it hard to decide.


I rarely eat pizza because it is so salty, but decided to try the Gorgonzola/pear pizza, one of my favorites at California Pizza Kitchen.  This was larger than I expected and I had to have a doggy box.  I put it in my little cooler to bring it home and ended up have another dinner and a breakfast from the same pizza.  It was good, but not as good as CPK!
 

Another diner ordered the veggie pizza and we exchanged bites.  Next time I order pizza I'll have the veggie. 
 

Beth and I shared a dessert - wish I could remember the name, but it is Italian and I can't pronounce it anyway.  It is layers of pastry with marscapone and whipped cream and berries.  Delicious, but difficult to eat because the layers just crumble when I cut into them.  I would, however, do it again!
 

The diner on my right ordered gelato which came with a little pitcher of sauce.  I had never met the guy before so I decided not to be gauche and ask for a bite.  Sure looked good though.

I have eaten twice at the newest restaurant in the Liberty Station complex - The Fig Tree Cafe is near our favorite sushi place, Ikiru, and has only been open about four weeks.  They seem to specialize in breakfast dishes and offer a nice variety.  For breakfast on Sunday I had the stuffed French Toast which was heavenly - only too much for me to eat.  It would be about right if shared with someone.  For lunch on Tuesday the roasted turkey with avocado, tomato, etc.  I was very hungry because I hadn't eaten breakfast, so I devoured every bite.   Next time I eat at the Fig Tree Cafe I will take some photos. 

Wordless Wednesday 10-23-13

Big day for TCQC 10-22-13

Sorry, I am too tired to finish this post tonight. Check tomorrow afternoon for all the text.

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10-23-13 Noon - I'm BAAAACK! And Corky is also - he'll be at Camp Del until Saturday. Text for pictures has been added. Del

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I was in San Diego again today, this time with my friend Liz Williams along. We delivered the quilts to VAM for the exhibit "New Acquisitions from the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection". These are quilts I have purchased since the previous exhibit at VAM in the summer of 2007. They were not necessarily made after 2007, but purchased after that date.

It is very exciting to see so many of the TCQC quilts on the wall at once - I can only hang about six at one time in my house, and not all in the same room. The exhibit is curated by Beth Smith, Director of Visions Art Museum: Contemporary Quilts and Textiles. It has been interesting to see which quilts she selected out of the 100 or so that I submitted and to hear her reasons why. Some of the quilts are included because I especially wanted them to be seen.

 

 This will be the view from the gallery entrance - minus the tables holding the quilts that are yet to be hung. The hanging process will take about two days, so the installation committee will be back tomorrow to complete the job. On the far left is "Desert Sands" by Dena Dale Crain of Lake Baringo, Kenya, Africa. The small quilt in the center is "Quenching Rain" by Melody Johnson of Palmer, Tennessee. The large quilt to the right is "Not Even Solomon" by Ruth de Vos of Perth, Western Australia.

 

 

Up on the scaffold are Installation bosses Kay Laboda and Kris Herman, and helping line things up is volunteer Ann Pitzer. They are hanging "Structured Chaos #14" by Beth Carney of Yonkers, NY. To the left is "Strip Tease #1" by Mary Leakey of San Juan Bautista, CA.

Ann Pitzer, volunteer, and Debbie Tatz, intern from the museum studies program at Mesa College, hang the triptych "Cowville" by Lisa A. Yoder of San Diego, CA.

 

Museum director Beth Smith stands in the main section of the gallery.  The scaffold is needed to hang these large pieces and adjust them so they are level.  Quilts for the other two walls are on the table.  On the left is “Not Even Solomon”  by Ruth de Vos of Perth, Western Australia.  Behind Beth is “Balance #19” by Ann Johnston of Portland, OR, and to the right is “Cataclysm” by Judith Content of Palo Alto, CA. 

 

 

Here are all eight of the Ruth McDowell quilts that will be hung together in one "room" of the gallery. Laying face down to protect the front of the quilt and the labels are more easily found and read. The latest acquisition is a 2001 Ruth quilt that recently came up in an estate sale and I was the lucky buyer. I have never seen it hanging and I hoped they would hang it before I left today, but no luck there. It is a very wide quilt, as you can see from the hanging slat on the table - 100". I can hardly wait to see it on the wall.

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A Chocolate Quilt from Judy Warren-Tippets 10-20-13

Visions Art Museum held their annual fundraiser last evening and it was a great time.  There were  silver colored raffle baskets with wine, restaurant gift certificates, sewing supplies, fabric, mugs, coffee, tea, and CHOCOLATE!  Every basket contained chocolate - bars, bonbons, designer, covered nuts, cookies, just about every form you can think of.  Wine and sparkling water were served along with munchies, including some of the best cookies I have ever eaten.  I will pursue the source and obtain a recipe if possible.
 
Also offered were twenty-four small chocolate themed quilts made by members of the museum.  The artists were disappointed that there was not much bidding.  Although all the quilts were sold they did not bring in the funds we expected.  Was it that the quilts didn't appeal?  Was it a "non-quilt" crowd? (to support a quilt museum?)  The starting prices were around $100 - $150.  I bought four at those low prices - including my own!  I couldn't bear to see it go for peanuts and I know someone who will love to have it.  The one below, made by Judy Warren-Tippets, is ideal for her grandgirl so Judy asked if she could buy it back.  Good idea - the quilt is connected to memories from her childhood which her little grandgirl will hopefully appreciate as she grows up - and beyond.   I am flattered that Judy feels comfortable in our friendship to ask, and I am happy that the quilt will have a loving home.


"After the Recital"  Judy Warren-Tippets 2013
Pieced, appliqued, fused, embellished.  Machine quilted.
 

The spoon is from a photo printed on fabric, cut out and fused.
 

Here is the menu.

 
This chocolate topping is made with a glossy brown material (maybe vinyl), cut out and glued to the background.  The whipped cream and the cherry are both cut from felt.
 

Oh, dear, Judy has not been intimidated by my preaching about adequate labels.  No contact for the artist - how could anyone interested in her work locate her?  Not even a town, much less an e-address or snail mail address.  JUDY, Judy, judy, don't let an opportunity for promoting your work pass by.
 

Does this mean that Picasa is refusing to show their own logo?  Weird, eh?