jodyrathgeb

  • Home
  • About us
  • Writing
  • Mosaic Gallery
  • Photos: Island-inspired
  • Photos: Places near and far
  • Blog Archive

A Few of My Favorite Things

12/22/2011

1 Comment

 
Picture
    We were tuned to a station playing Christmas music when "A Few of My Favorite Things" from "The Sound of Music" came on. "That's not a Christmas song," said my husband.
    I listened and had to agree with him. Sure, there are a few snowflakes and silver-white winters, but there are whiskers on kittens year-round, raindrops on roses are definitely a spring/summer thing, and even those packages are wrapped in brown paper and strings, not colorful stuff.
    Nevertheless, I am listing a few of my favorite things and people, hoping that the spirit of giving will have you patronizing them all year.
    CREATIVELY SPEAKING
    Lorraine Hoff Meade sells her wonderful mosaic art from her studio at Artworks in Richmond. artworksrichmond.com or mosaiquecreations.com.
    Tootie Ferguson makes those bar lamps that feature lights and shiny stuff in a bottle. Great gifts. CReationsbytootie.etsy.com.
    Jazz vocalist Sharon Rae North adds class to any event. northstarent.net
    Beyond his large pieces of metal wall art, Steven Lloyd makes cool clocks and takes commissions. Car painting, too! stevenlloydmetalart.com
    Helene Ruiz is primarily a surrealist, but she gives her creativity to affordable crafts as well. http://heleneruiz.redbubble.com
    For custom framing, I go to Mary Fender at Frame Nation in Richmond. framenation.net
    IN AND AROUND RVA
    Independent bookstores are superior in every way to the chains. Visit one! fountainbookstore.com, chopsueybooks.com, bookpeoplerichmond.com
    Still one of my favorite places in this city: C'est le Vin art and wine gallery. cestlevin.com
    Support your local farmers! I go to the 17th Street Farmers' Market for much of my produce, but there are others around.
    "Party with a purpose" is the motto of the Parrot Head Club of Richmond. Great people, good causes, lots of fun. PHCoR.com
    This blog would be far too long to mention all my favorite local restaurants. Again, those chains don't come close.
    I love living at the American Tobacco Center. Big factory windows, tall ceilings, original wooden floors and a rooftop pool; what's not to like?
    After enduring the attitude and prices at one of those fancy, upscale salons, I found Donna Christian at Hair Expressions here in the Bottom. I'm happy.
    And as I find my way around in the particular author's hell known as marketing, I have been guided by Katie McDougall, friend and publicist. It's nice to have a pro on board.
    ON NORTH CAICOS
    The island used to have two car rental people. Last I heard, there are now nine. My favorite is Mark McLean. If you're visiting and need to get around, call him.
    There's a spot on the beach where Tom and I used to sit in the shade of a gazebo and read. These days, it has become the Barracuda Beach Bar. A favorite got favorite-ier.
    Finally, there's Lynn Rae McLean, a dear friend who could be an entire blog column herself. Island visitors, however, will want to know mainly that she's the go-to person for that little taste of American life not available elsewhere: New York-style pizzas, Maine-style lobster rolls, baked goods and a coconut cream pie to die for.
    Oh, the list could be much, much longer. But Christmas is around the corner and we all have chores to finish. Anyway, remember that our favorite things are not a seasonal song. Fold them into your life.


1 Comment
LRae
12/26/2011 01:12:36 am

I'm glad you've been folded into my life! Thanks so much.
Out of my 12 banana trees, 5 are now producing. So you'll be eating banana confections in January! The presure to buy a gift has replaced the joy of grateful giving on the Holidays. Thank-you for all your giving to all you know. We'll have banana canepes for the book signing on North Caicos. Oh! Lynn Rae North wants to check out this Sharon Rae North!!!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Author

    This blog by Jody Rathgeb existed, on and off, from 2012 to 2020, changing focus  several times over the years. Its last iteration, with a focus on island living, was also posted on Facebook as Beyond the Parrot Paradise.

Proudly powered by Weebly