Monday, February 14, 2005

Welcome to the "Mark and Tery Show" Edition of my newsletter.

Tennessee Williams said, "All of us are guinea pigs in the laboratory of God.

Humanity is just a work in progress." So too is true with me and with this
newsletter. So, publication dates are random, as will be the content. Basically
I'm starting to do just what I want, when I want to and by golly I'll enjoy it!

For a quick peak at what I was up to before the Feb. 9th Silicon Alley Reunion,
check out the fabulous Mark Jeffrey's website about his new book "The Pocket
and The Pendant" http://www.pocketandpendant.com. Yes, it's me and yes, there
is life under that fanciful hat and swanky coat and fur.

If you haven't read (or gasp! even heard of) Mr. Jeffrey's book "The Pocket and
The Pendant," shame on you! It's a creative and incredibly well written exploration
of time, adventure, dandelion smash and all that! More pictures at: http://public.fotki.com/courtneypersonal/2005/mark_jeffrey_book/

Furthermore, and yes, there is more, here is what a witty and respected author
had to say in her critique of Mr. Jeffrey's book: ;)

"A Thrilling Page-Turner!, February 1, 2005...I have known Mr. Jeffrey since about
1995 and have known him to be an incredibly inventive, creative and dynamic businessman.
I had no idea such vast resources of creativity in the form of a book were within him as
well! Of course, it shouldn't have come as surprise.... I'll use the same adjectives to describe "The Pocket and The Pendant." It is a most wonderful, inventive, creative and..." See
entire review http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A3HP9NJ8N8SHB7/ref=ref=cm_aya_bb_rev/103-2011920-6323846

And, to continue in the tradition of blogged-down blogs blogging.... I have now "blogged"
about Mark and Tery Spataro, who each have blogged about an unparalleled culinary experience. Tery's DAILY EATS (www.dailyeats.com) blogged Mark's and my invention
of amazing 'Popcorn Chowder.' We invented this during dinner at '99 Restaurant' off Highway 28 in Manchester, NH between Mr. Jeffrey's book signings in New Hampshire. Now I'm blogging his and her's blogging. Oh, foggy flogging of blogging references!

NYC TV launched into eight million homes on February 2, 2005. As part of this momentous event they held a parh-tee at the swanky Tribeca Cinemas at 54 Varick Street. This was a
night to celebrate as the NYC TV crew mixed and mingled with their beautiful-and-important-people guests. You can learn, see, do at: nyc.gov/tv

America's Original ArtWalk - by Tery Spataro, http://www.mindarrays.com // www.dailyeats.com. Ms. Tery Spataro's blog, www.DailyEats.com is a delicious dining diary worthy of divulging in. Here is one of her earlier posts...

[Scottsdale, AZ] The evening of January 7th was a wonderfully slightly chilly one, but perfect for a stroll through Scottsdale's finest galleries. Before strolling -- dining. Before dining -- libations at Kazimierz, the wine bar. Whether or not I imbibed, I still couldn't resist a place
with such atmosphere. Kazimierz is more than just a great list of wines, it's a romantic mysterious nook hidden off the beaten track in the Old Town section of Scottsdale. I took
my parents out for the evening, which is always a challenge because of various dietary constraints, and this evening was full of surprises.

After Kazimierz, we dined at Cowboy Ciao. Yes, that's Cowboy Ciao u'all. They don't mess around; the beginning of the menu starts you off right with desserts! You work your way through to another menu with 2,300 wines from various parts of the world. Cowboy Ciao doesn't have Servers -- that just wouldn't be a proper dining experience. They have
Instigators, and instigate is exactly what David Winstein did. This would be my first
experience with an empathic Epicurean of gastronomy. He was blessed with understanding nutrition needs. When it came to the beverage decision my father, the most difficult to please couldn't understand why there wasn't any Budweiser on the menu. David quickly came to
the rescue with a Polish beer, Okacim larger, OK for short. "Not bad" was the comment from my father. When my parents rate something as "not bad" that is their seal of approval for "really good."

Dinner began with Stetson Chopped Salad with smoked salmon and Rock Shrimp Bruschetta. What an amazing mixture of sensuous tastes! To my surprise they gave us the recipe for the salad! As Nancy came by to clear the table she was shocked at how quickly we finished. "Did
you breathe?" she asked. It was so good, why let it linger? Other main entrees were Stuffed Pork Rib Chop with Blue Cheese and Savory Bread Pudding and Slow Roasted Spare Ribs
with Cherry Barbecue Sauce. David matched the Stuffed Pork Rib Chop perfectly with a white burgundy, Rully, Chartron et Trebuchet 2002.

The dinner was very yummy and filling. I'm glad my mother and I split a plate. Dessert was
a delightful Chocolate PotPie with Chili Gelato, and that certainly was the big finish!

After a thoroughly tasty artistic dining experience we truly needed a walk. We started out
by jumping on the Trolley, which dropped us off at Main Street. Our first gallery hop was Chiaroscuro. The pieces were decorative and well defined. I especially liked Paula Roland's work. As we walked along Main Street to the next gallery I noted similarities in the fine art pieces. There is apparently a limit on the risk-taking in art scene in Scottsdale, which accounts for many clinging to old style masters or western genre. They have an understanding of their customer and know what will sell. I met Jeff Dippo at American Fine Art Editions. We had a very clever conversation about Salvador Dali. I enlightened him to a technique Dali used to know when he was entering a dream-state: he would balance a shot glass on his palm and
when the glass fell off his hand and broke on the floor Dali knew he was asleep and would
begin painting. I learned this from my dear friend, Peter Weller. Jeff, in return, tried to persuade me to buy a Dali. "I'll think about that," I thought to myself. As we strolled up
Main Street to Marshall Street, there was music in the air with live bands playing. It was
fun and festive. We made our way to a few more galleries.

Willow Gallery was the more romantic of the galleries; with each piece the flavor was lovely
and beautiful. Subjects were with ballet dancers, nudes, and landscapes rich in color. That wasn't a southwestern accent I heard coming from gallery owner, Shaun Alderman -- it is British. I had a lovely conversation with Shaun regarding Northern England and Pam Riding who lives there.

My overall experience was most enjoyable! I urge you to join me in my adventure in Phoenix. Next writings will consist of meeting local artists, Dr. Joe Dispenza from film "What the Bleep Do We Know", the classic car show, and meeting Mary Lou Quinlan at her book signing in Phoenix. Stay clicked-in for the Best of the Desert. Yes, I have made Phoenix my new home. There are lots of opportunities here and I'll be your guide. http://www.mindarrays.com

Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!

(image courtesy of The Shapes Company. http://www.yellow.co.nz/site/theshapescompany/Shapes%20Index.html)