Good Reads?

Eureka Street: A Novel of Ireland Like No Other by Robert McLiam-Wilson

For the longest time.. this was my favorite book... it's a quirky story.. but there are so many lines in there that I could just read over and over...

Food Network !

I had a little adventure yesterday.....

I went to NYC to the Food Network studios in Chelsea to be in the studio audience for the taping of a pilot show.

You know Guy Fieri from his shows on the Food Network ...

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_dv

They are taping pilots of a new show of his called Off The Hook ... it was really a fun day.

Stay tuned.. if they pick up the show.. I'll let you know when it airs.. and you may be able to see me in the audience ?!

Mason Community Members Show Their Stuff at Artomatic

Check out this nice article by the Mason Gazette

http://gazette.gmu.edu/articles/12069/

June 4, 2008

A number of Mason faculty, staff and students are participating in this year's Artomatic, "a month-long multimedia arts event that draws together visual artists, musicians and performers and brings their work to the community without charge," according to its web site.

This year's program, which opened May 9 and runs until June 15, comprises 1,000 artists occupying 10 floors of the Capital Plaza I building, 1200 First Street, NE, in Washington, D.C. According to the Artomatic web site, the event began in 1999 with about 350 artists.

Physics professors Ernest Barreto and Paul So are back at Artomatic after participating for the first time last year. Barreto is showing four photographs of buildings on the 12th floor, while So is displaying a series of acrylic paintings on the sixth floor.

Karl Zhang, assistant professor of Chinese in the department of Modern and Classical Languages, read aloud a selection of Chinese poems in his native language and English translations at Artomatic on May 29.

The poems were part of a translation project called Time Shadows cosponsored by the Goethe Institute and the Chinatown Chinese Culture Center in Washington, D.C. Time Shadows celebrates German, Chinese and American cultures, each of which has contributed to the rich cultural history in Chinatown. The poems, which were written over a period of 1,200 years, reflect the experiences of Chinese and German immigrants downtown during the 19th and 20th centuries. Since February, sets of poems from these three cultures have appeared in storefront windows and on Chinatown buses.

Amanda Martin's photographs are displayed on the left side of a space she shares at Artomatic with her friend, Tina Duryea. Photo courtesy of Amanda Martin

Amanda Martin, assistant to Sara Cobb, director of the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR), is a nature and landscape photographer whose photos were used in a brochure about Point of View, the ICAR research and conference center under development.

Martin says, "I have always enjoyed taking pictures. My boss' encouragement and that of my friends and family motivated me to display my work at Artomatic this year." Martin's photographs are displayed on the 11th floor at Artomatic near the West Elm lounge.

Creative Services photographer Evan Cantwell is exhibiting his photographs for the first time at Artomatic. His display is on the fourth floor. Cantwell said he joined this year to "show some work and be part of the experience."

As part of their participation, artists are required to donate some time to helping run the program. Cantwell was assigned to help artists set up their spaces and was impressed to "see it come alive" as the empty floors were partitioned and filled with art.

Jim Greif, a public relations manager in University Relations by day, plays drums with several bands in his free time. He played with a rock group, My Friend Autumn, and an Irish band, O'Tasty, during Artomatic's opening weekend.

Greif has participated in Artomatic several times before with different bands. For his volunteer duty, Greif was assigned to the bar area, and said the experience "was great for networking. It's neat that that many local artists of all kinds get together."

Amanda Novcic, who graduated in May with a BA in Art History and a minor in arts administration, has been working with Artomatic on the programming side, booking the musical acts and organizing a fashion show.

Novcic was familiar with Artomatic from being a volunteer in previous years, but she joined the nonprofit group in February as part of an internship for her arts administration program. She was able to co-manage a smaller event sponsored by Artomatic, a glass exhibit, earlier this year.

Like Greif, she found the networking aspect of Artomatic valuable.

"I expect to use my contacts after the event closes," she says. "I'd like to be an artist representative, and lots of contacts [from Artomatic] are interested in my services."

Artomatic is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 10 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 2 a.m.; and Sundays from noon to 10 p.m.

We made the DCist !

Check it out! Tina and I made the "Photo of the Day" in the DCist...OK well WE didn't.. but our spaces and art at Artomatic did.....


http://dcist.com/2008/05/12/photo_of_the_da_245.php


Photo of the Day: May 12, 2008



If you sat at home all weekend, you're likely the only one in the Metro region who did. Between Artomatic's opening weekend, National Cathedral's Lighting to Unite event, or six hour roundtrip drives to Nissan Pavilion, you got our Flickr pool jampacked with the weekend's goings-on. We decided not to torture some of you with this great shot of Johnny Greenwood, especially after we saw this lovely photo by Aardvark_For_Freedom of a lady taking her time to check out a couple Artomatic booths. We've been hearing good things about this year's show so far, so be sure to set some time aside for a couple trips to cover the entire exhibition.

Our site on the 11th floor at Artomatic ! we are ready......

monkey, monkey, monkey, monkey, you!

We saw my favorite comedian last night! woo hoo! Eddie is brilliant as ever...

Artomatic

Tina and I went to the Artomatic building Saturday to get our sites picked out. Here's the
building where Artomatic will be held.

















Here is Tina and her spot...



and me and my spot.. right next to hers.....
It's pretty cool.. it's going to be a fun time.

Artomatic 2008

I'm going to have a space to display and sell photos this year at Artomatic 2008.

Artomatic runs from May 9 - June 15. Check it out !

http://www.artomatic.org/

hOppy Easter

I made a few easter bunnie cupcakes for a party today.. I think they turned out pretty cute.

yum.. bunnies

Happy 1st Birthday

Ah first birthdays.... I made cakes and pies for Pearls 1st birthday... I think she liked it.!

White cake with blueberry filling for the birthday girl and chocolate peanut butter pie for the 'grown ups'.

Gallery Girls Premier

Saturday was the inaugural outing of the "Gallery Girls", the hottest new club in the DC Metro area. OK, so there were only three of us going to a gallery and lunch.... but we hope that it grows into something more.
Saturday we went to the Smithsonian American Art Museum to see the "Color as Field:American Painting, 1950-1975" exhibit. The idea is to see a different exhibit once a month or so.

We saw works by Helen Frankenthaller, Morris Lewis, Rothko, and others. It was a really good show.


I'm looking forward to our adventures next month.

Virginia February

Florida in January

Arizona in December

First Snow

I was lucky enough to be outside today to catch the first snowfall of the season. The snow fell in those amazing cotton balls from the sky.. it was really something.

Here are a few pictures from today.

Ox's trip to Pennyfield Locke

20th Annual Fannie Mae Walk for the Homeless

Today I ventured out with the rest of the Martin clan for the Fannie Mae Walk for the Homeless. It was chilly out there... but not as cold as last year. We had a special new walker with us.... baby Pearl. OK.. she wasn't really 'walking' .. mostly strolling along.. it was great to have her with us.

http://www.helpthehomelessdc.org/site/c.plI4IcNWJyE/b.2699643/k.D6AC/Welcome_to_the_National_Help_the_Homeless_Web_Site.htm

Dane Cook

Saw Dane Cook at the Verizon Center tonight .... too fun.

http://www.danecook.com/

Fall

Wedding Bells

Hansel and Gretel

Sunday we went out to see our friends daughter in her Opera debut of Hansel and Gretel.

Hansel and Gretel

Sunday, October 14, 2007 at 2:00pm

Saturday, October 20, 2007 at 4:00pm and 7:00pm

Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre

125 S. Old Glebe Road, Arlington

OTNV is proud to bring to the stage Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel as the 2007 family opera, featuring glorious music in a new adaptation of the classic tale in which everyone lives happily ever after--even the witch! The production will be directed by Joe Banno and features Elaine Dalbo (Hansel), Katherine Osborne (Gretel), Sarah Philippa (Mother/Witch), Wade Thomas (Father), and Kathy Hankins (Sandman/Fairy). Sung in English.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, $6 for children 14 and under, and $5 per child for groups of 10 or more children.

Marathon Training

The official start of my 'marathon training' was Monday September 24. When I'm running I like to catalogue the things I've seen. I guess it's something to keep my mind off what my body is trying to do.

So far this week I've seen.

2 chipmunks, a few cardinals, some really pretty wild flowers.. that's about it for 'nature'.

I do see some of the same people on my stretch of the trail all the time.. like..

-super fast speed walking, headphones wearing guy
-the lady in lavender
-dread lock dude on his bike
-creepy stalker bike riding dude with his hat on
-the jogging couple
-the rollerblading couple.. look out.. one of them is unsteady
-the speed walking group of ladies
-and the dog walkers....

I'll see you all on Saturday out there on the trail!

James River State Park

Matt and I went camping this weekend at James River State park in Virginia. OK, it wasn't REAL camping.. we stayed in this awesome cabin!

It's a pretty cool park.

We did some kayaking (really sinking and floating) down the river and had a great time playing Taboo.. with our friends.

http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/jam.shtml

Our American King

My father-in-law (well, soon to be) has a new book, Our American King will be released on September 11, 2007.

Check out a book signing event;

September 13, 7 P.M. David Lozell Martin reads from and signs his new post-apocalyptic novel, Our American King, at Olsson's Books-Dupont, 202-785-1133.

September 22, 4 P.M. David Lozell Martin reads from and signs his new novel, Our American King, at Busboys & Poets, 14th Street NW, 202-387-7638.

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Follow this link to the Washington Post Review: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/02/AR2007090201329.html

Arlington County Fair

This year I entered some cookies in the Arlington County Fair. I'm proud to say that my Chocolate Chip cookies received an honorable mention and my Sugar Cookies won second place in the 'fair theme' category.

The Arlington County Fair theme this year was, "Arlington, A Community of Neighbors", my sugar cookies were named 'A borrowed cup of sugar' cookies. I'm sure they won for the name.. not the taste.

The fair was a lot of fun. It's always great to get out see your friends and eat some fair food!

http://www.arlingtoncountyfair.org/