Refueling A Hybrid

I was reading an article in last week's paper about introverts and extroverts. Seems that research shows an extrovert is charged up by hoopla: hustle and bustle, sights and sounds, new things, challenges. The introvert finds all this draining, and prefers quiet and control to find strength and focus in her life. The author wrote that research shows if we allow people to find their own approaches to fitting in to the world, either personality type can find success and satisfaction. When I was a child, I was quiet around all but best friends. But because I spent a lot of time preferring the company of adults, and studied their more orderly world, I learned several things about myself that I have carried over time to have success in life: you don't have to be Queen of the prom to be Queen of your own life; it's okay, maybe preferential to be different from the gang; persistence pays off; being confident means not being afraid to be alone. I have also come to realize that while people may be generally "intro" or "extro" in their approach to life, I am a fine example of the Hybrid.


Most days and weeks of my life center around a quiet, if busy, home life that allows time each day for artistic pursuits, exercise, reading, and contemplation. And most days this solitude fills me with great satisfaction and the ability to concentrate on the creative life. The part of me that thrives on this is the introvert; the girl who always (and now) hated noise and confusion and needs to be alone to do her best work. But every so often that girl becomes drained of energy and needs a refuel, and when that happens the best way to charge all the batteries is to plug in to the energy of the city: to let loose the extrovert side, see and be seen, revel in big, bigger and biggest.


My guy had not taken a vacation day off in over five months, and with plenty to spare we decided to make the occasion of a concert the excuse to enjoy spring in a more invigorating environment. As regular readers know, my city of choice is the one lying a mere one hour to North and West, embodying all the art, culture and views  a person could require to inspire a creative burst. This is some of what 26 hours in Chicago bought us. (And by the way, this interlude was just days before the NATO summit, as the city made plans to disrupt the lives of normal folks in favor of showing off the riches to the world. What we experienced on two perfect weather days was an extremely quiet and low key downtown with light traffic and little hassle anywhere.)

Wine flights are the thing at Bin 36, part of the Hotel Sax building, adjacent to the famous House of Blues and Marina City.

L'Chaim! I love an empty restaurant at lunch, knowing this place can be totally booked at other times.

Walking Michigan Avenue on the way to Crate and Barrel, I snapped pictures of floral inspiration for my "Flower Crazy" class.

The concert hall (Chicago Theatre) was literally around the corner from our hotel. It's hard to believe I've been a fan of Steve Winwood since junior high and the man is still making such fine music. The audience on the other hand...don't get me started on spectator manners these days.

As always, an amazing view from our hotel. The "corncobs" of Marina City from the other side of the river this time.

Lying in the window seat trying to capture the lightening lighting up the sky around the Trump Tower. No luck.

First thing next morning, a reminder of my kitty, who is home alone. If he could call us he would. Instead we look in on him with a "nanny-cam".

Instead we request a goldfish to keep us company. As far as I am concerned they are all named Fiona after our first one in Portland. (The Monaco there gives them introductory name tags.)

The rooms are very elegant and make you wish you had more more to just laze in bed, but we must be off to get that recharge!

On the way to Blick's, some colorful sights include spider men...

A "green" service...

A remnant of another era in the clocks at the corners of the  former Marshall Field's store.

As Art Institute members we were able to attend preview days (and pre-crowd days) of an amazing exhibit of the life and works of Roy Lichtenstein. The only thing negative to say about it: we were both a bit headache-y after looking at all those dots for over an hour. Lunch in the courtyard restaurant gave us time to recover our perspective.

Since, unfortunately I wasn't able to take any photos of the exhibit to show you, I can only share the similarly dotted table on which I ate a most excellent lunch of huge shrimp on cheese grits. Yes, that is a biscuit, and no, not an optical illusion. Just the tiniest biscuit in history. Good, because I'm watching my calories. 

We decided to leave the building by way of the bridge from the modern wing to Millennium park, with some of the most wonderful views on the lakefront.

Look quick! You can just see the bus turning the corner covered with an ad for the Lichtenstein exhibit.

If you've never been to Chicago, you might think we were somewhere coastal. But no, that is Lake Michigan.

With the Modern Wing of the Art Institute behind me, I am enjoying a rest in the amazing prairie-like Lurie Gardens.

Under the "dome" of the Millennium Park band shell (designed by Frank Gehry), another view of my wonderful guy wearing my art.

And so ended a short but tasty tour of some of our favorite spots along the refueling trail. Enough to satisfy for a little while at least. But with all the painting and stitching I've been doing lately, I'm bound to run low soon. At least I know where they keep the juice.

Smokey Mountain High

I've recently decided I need a vacation. And you might say, "Cheryl, didn't you just get back from some travel?" Well, yes, but that's the very one I have had no time to process and share with you yet. I've been so busy with life's have-to's, I haven't even done much art since I returned. Even the "Silly" drawing club I paid for and joined hasn't seen me since the first week of the month. The "Sun, Moon, Stars" Whispering is going on without me, as are the Strathmore Visual Journaling lessons with Roz Stendahl. I have been seriously AWOL. Of course I haven't been doing nothing. Not possible with us A-types.


I'm scouring the house for things to sell at a yard sale this weekend, filling out paperwork for passport renewals, planning the next trip, working in the yard between rain events, getting back to a daily hour of exercise, trying to relearn basic embroidery stitches. In other words, I have way too many passions in my life for any one to have permanent priority (and that includes my new love, drawing.) So for a while I've given myself permission to put down the whip and leave my life to go where it will. I know for a fact it will return to drawing very shortly.


Where to begin telling you about Asheville? Let's just say there are certain requirements the man and I have for what makes us love a place, whether it be for a few days or the rest of our lives. They would be many and complex, but start with this list: approachable art, a sense of history with an ongoing story, food that entices and excites, beautiful (and interesting) views, safe and clean public places, and a soupcon of eccentricity to keep you just a tad off balance, and wanting more. Of course, having all this also means you will find a community of the kind of interesting people who would create such a town.


We were only there for three days this time, but the detailed telling could take as long. Therefore, to keep it brief, I share these annotated photos, bits and pieces to wet your appetite. Check out some of the links for a fuller picture. And whatever plans you are making for your summer, either near or far from home, I wish you a grand vacation from your ordinary.

Asheville, Old and New

The porch of the Thomas Wolfe Memorial, Old Kentucky Home, is just a across a small quiet street from the Renaissance Hotel (our favorite place to stay), the type of odd juxtaposition of country and city found all around Asheville.

Historic architecture abuts a modern public park in the center of town.

Classic and modern blend in this lovely walkway adjacent the government center.

 Town with a View

Capturing (in a handmade watercolor journal) bits and pieces of the atmosphere from the club lounge at our favorite place to stay in Asheville, the Renaissance downtown. Walking distance to almost everything you see in these photos.

Set among some gorgeous mountain views on all sides, the town itself is a very hilly walk, reminiscent of a little San Fran or even Portland.

Destination Attractions

The view from the club lounge was to this amazing structure on the North hills of town, the historic Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa.

You cannot visit Asheville without taking a walk through history at the largest privately owned home in the country, the Vanderbilt estate, Biltmore House, set on the South end of town. Be prepared for a hefty entrance fee.

Street Art
This is only the tiniest sampling because it is EVERYWHERE, both civic, commercial, and private.

The peaceful inviting courtyard of a Thai restaurant.

Details of tile work at the Roger McGuire Green Amphitheater.

Wall mural outside an Italian restaurant.

Public Spaces

Empty stalls await sellers and buyers.

Sunning ourselves and sketching in the center of Pack Park complex to the tinkly musical mix of  workers at lunch, tourists at play, and water fountains and falls.

Whimsy
Some of it is in the buildings and the art, but much is in the constant street performance, intentional and not, of some of the more eccentric residents and artists. Sorry I have no picture, but I promise this is the truth: a bearded young man in full nun's habit riding a sort of double decker bike through downtown traffic at rush hour!

Bold colors are not unexpected.

Alley entrances to homes graced with collage art.

We didn't get a chance to imbibe at this punnily named bar but we did indulge in sampling oils and vinegars at Olive and Kickin'.

Food
More choices than you could sample in an entire summer in town. For two nights we gave up "regular" food to indulge our dessert fantasies. 

Chocolate heaven, no jokin'!

Chocolate heaven has a dark chocolate couch.

In chocolate heaven you can also order wine and beer to increase the pleasure of the cacao high.

Stupefied by Highland Mocha Stout Cake, or was it the Spicy Nibby Brownies (with cayenne and cinnamon), or the Lavender Creme Brulee?

"Peace, Love, and Noodles."  If you have to eat a real meal, you might as well do it where there's a party going on. 

Best ever fortunes!

Is this woman enjoying herself? You bet!

Bright Lights, Big City: Part I

For much of my life I have had the grave misfortune of living in my parents' American dream: the clean tidy life of the the suburb. In high school I vowed to never return to the "little boxes on the hillside, little boxes made of ticky tacky." (This a folk song of the 60's I used to play on my folky wannabe guitar.) Unfortunately life played me a dirty trick, and that's exactly where I have been for the majority of my years. (But we'll rant on that another day.)


My point here is that whenever I get the chance, I reenergize with a trip to one extreme or the other--pristine country or the lights and crazy energy of the big city. I happen to live on the edge of farm country Indiana, but only an hour door to door with downtown Chicago, and that is where my siggy, Dave, and I spent a fine holiday weekend sucking in so much city energy we can live off the power of it for the rest of the month.


Our long weekend was based on a yearly work-related party that gives us an excuse to have to be in the heart of Mich Ave the first weekend of December. But the real fun has nothing to do with a stuffy dinner dance in a crazy commercial hotel. Really it's all about reconnecting with art and architecture, shopping beyond the mall, and bundling up and walking everywhere until we can't walk another step.

Nothing like a mug of hot wine to cozy up the out of doors

Fortunately our time in town coincided with some wonderful events. Arriving late morning on Friday, we checked in to our boutique hotel, a place that affords some personal attention and lovely extras (like a complementary wine hour), and headed off to stop No.1, the Christkindlemart. This is an open air German market (run by native Germans) where the main activity, if you are not buying carved wood tsotchkes and glass ornaments, is a lunch like this: hot melting chocolate soft pretzel for appetizer, steaming potato pancakes with apple sauce and sour cream, washed down with mugs of hot spiced wine. Barely noon, and all of Daley Plaza filled with calorie sated, tipsy international and American tourists, and workers on their lunch breaks (hopefully not drinking).

Beautiful paper lanterns help warm the spirit

Next stop, art supply heaven (for a girl from the land of Michael's), Blicks in person: ruling pen, black Procion dye, absorbent ground, jewelry pliers, a water brush with a tiny tip. Happy Hanukkah to me! The Chicago Architecture Foundation, which runs some fine boat tours in season, has a fabulous gift shop of all things architecture. Kept us busy looking for quite a while, but left with wallet unscathed, and just a coloring book of the designs of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

The famous lions of The Art Institute don't need funny hats to stay warm

Ahhh, the Art Institute, a formidable presence. You could spend days there exploring all the nooks and crannies, special exhibits and activities, but as a member, I feel no need to do more than say "Hi" to my faves: the Thorne miniature rooms decorated for the holidays, the magnificently restored and reinstalled Chagall's America Windows. We'd yet to see the new Modern Wing, and while less than impressed with the gallery offerings, sat upstairs in the lounge as the sun descended, soaking in caffeine and modern lines.

The Chicago faces of Millenium Park face off. These are actually a pair of   water spitting fountains in  the summer, which delight the children who play in the catch basin.

Cloud Gate (know as "The Bean") reflects the Michigan Avenue skyline

Heading North along Michigan Avenue just after sunset.

My handsome man overlooking the ice rink.

The walk back to the hotel necessarily deserved a detour through Millennium Park, which we rarely see in its nighttime glory.  For dinner, we finally crossed the river to eat at Bin 36, a lovely wine centric restaurant nestled behind the famous condo towers of Marina City, the House of Blues and the Hotel Sax. We sampled wine flights (Chianti and Beyond), shared some heavenly bison fillet on polenta, and finished with a cheese flight (Cows Through the Ages.)

The final scene, well that would be me in the hotel window seat, and my skyline sketch.  A perfect end to an amazing Day I.