Saturday Rambles & Brambles

Random posts today, ride with it.

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Among the workload I've juggled since last fall is serving on the new board of directors for the Common Ground Restaurant in Brattleboro, VT. With Marge's and my pending move to Windsor, I'm stepping away from that task at last, but happily can do so knowing (a) the Common Ground has reopened for business, and (b) based on the comments I've heard and the email exchanges among board members, workers and interested parties, it's debut week(s) have been quite successful. The "First Friday" for November opening celebration last night (champagne all around!) reportedly went really well, and that's music to my ears.

There's a lot left to do and much work ahead, but it's nice to step away knowing we, the board, working in conjunction with the dedicated officers (now managers), succeeded in reviving one of Brattleboro's venerable 30+ year institutions: a worker-owned cooperative restaurant, serving the best in alternative & organic dining.

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Among the "First Friday" events last night Marge and Dan and I did manage to take in was my daughter Maia's art exhibition at the Weathervane on Elliott Street, which was great and grand all around, too. Maia's work has developed dramatically, and the show she's hung offers a look at her paintings, photographs and computer graphics from her high school years to present. A brand-new (finished this week) oil pastel/colored pencil piece featuring the Mock Turtle (of Alice in Wonderland) is a real beaut, but all the images are resonant and haunting and sticking with me. Congrats, Maia!

Maia's art will be up at the Weathervane all this month, so if you're in or about Brattleboro after 5 PM any night, stop in and check it all out. Be sure to leave comments in the comment book, too, and enjoy the Weathervane food, drink and vibe while you're at it.

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We also popped in at the Tea Lounge (on Main Street, across from the Latchis Theater, downstairs from Caper's) for the Trees & Hills exhibition -- Dan's and my art wasn't there (it's traveling with Colin, or malingering in his apartment as he travels), but there was still some choice art from the new Trees & Hills and Friends mini-comic in view. Dan Barlow was there, along with Michelle and Zach (howdy!), and it was fun seeing a comics event as part of the "First Friday" gallery scene.

As my grade school bud Jay Harvey used to quip, "Mighty oafs from tiny acorns grow..."

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Damn it, though, I think I lost the minicomic Zach gave me (signed to me) at the Tea Lounge. I must have left it behind during one of our restaurant encounters. Marge, Dan and I were seated and ignored at two restaurants, and were frankly starving by the time we were finally dining at The India Palace. Anyhoot, somewhere among the craving and frustrations, I accidently lost the comic Zach blessed me with. I'm calling all three eateries today, and hopeful, but -- well, sorry, Zach. I really want to read your comic!