Get your ticket for Family Circle Cup Tennis… March 31 through April 8, 2012!

Family Circle Cup Tennis…  [Image 2011]

Well… if you haven’t made your way out to a Family Circle Cup Tennis match yet, now’s your chance… I was on the Family Circle Cup website today and I see that Serena Williams will be playing tonight! Here’s a blip from FamilyCircleCup.com

Serena Williams to Play Tuesday Night!

Session begins at 7:00pm. 
Get your tickets today – great seats are going fast!  Ticketmaster.com

Serena Williams, 2008 Cup Champion, with highligh the Tuesday, April 2nd evening session, beginning at 7:00pm
*Serena will face the winner of the Elena Vesnina / Stephanie Dubois match to be played tomorrow.

We went last year and had a great time, so if you’re looking for something to do, get your tickets now, it’s fun! There is a great tent full of merchandise to purchase as well as vendors set up all over the place. It’s a lot of fun even if you don’t know a lot about tennis!

Visit their website for further details!

Here’s the history on Family Circle Cup tennis… check it out (info from FamilyCircleCup.com) – catch you back here tomorrow!

History – A Shining Star in Women’s Tennis
The early 70′s were a period of uncertainty for women’s tennis but at the same time it was also a time of hope for young women who had dreams of playing professional sports. They wanted their sport to grow and earn the recognition, equality and respect that their male counterparts were enjoying. The sport needed a company who believed in the future of women’s tennis and was willing to take a chance on what many people at the time thought was a long shot. Family Circle magazine stepped up to the challenge and the rest as they say is history, and history in the making it was.

From a historical perspective, few tournaments can compare to the Family Circle Cup. Initially signing on to sponsor the event in 1973, Family Circle magazine holds the record in all of professional tennis as the longest running event sponsored by the same company. Family Circle was the first women’s magazine to fully underwrite a professional women’s sporting event. Since 1973, the Family Circle Cup has been a pioneer in women’s professional sports creating milestones that over the years have directly influenced the popularity of women’s professional tennis. It is a tournament rich in tradition that has been highlighted over the past 39 years with a number of outstanding accomplishments.

In 1973, it was the first women’s tennis event to offer a $100,000 dollars in prize money. As the first Family Circle Cup champion, Rosie Casals received a check for $30,000, which was the largest prize money payout awarded to a woman that year. Even more remarkably, the Family Circle Cup was the first women’s event to be broadcast on network television in 1973. Players who participated in that first tournament still have fond memories of the significance of this occasion. Billie Jean King remarked that the final between Rosie Casals and Nancy Richey was not the best played match due to the nervousness of both players, but every player there that day knew that it was a historic day in women’s sports. Millions of viewers became instant fans, and women’s tennis was well on its way to the heights that the game has reached in present times. Today, the tournament receives four days of coverage on ESPN2, and is also broadcast on Eurosport to over 95 million homes in Europe.

In 2001, the Family Circle Cup made a bold move to secure its success for the future. After 28 years in Hilton Head, the tournament moved to a new home in Charleston, South Carolina. This partnership between the City of Charleston and Family Circle magazine is the first of its kind in women’s tennis. Family Circle magazine is the first title sponsor to partner with city and county municipalities to build a tennis facility of this stature. This state-of-the-art facility not only serves as the home for one of the Premier Events in the WTA, but also provides residents of greater Charleston access to one of the finest tennis facilities in the southeast.

Every spring, the City of Charleston and Daniel Island serves as a backdrop to one of the richest and most traditional events in women’s professional tennis. The Family Circle Cup, a WTA Premier Event, has a roster of past champions that include some of the biggest names in the history of women’s tennis including Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Tracy Austin, Steffi Graf, Gabriela Sabatini, Martina Hingis, Jennifer Capriati, Venus Williams, Justine Henin, Serena Williams, and Caroline Wozniacki.

As one of the hottest tickets in professional sports, the Family Circle Cup is more than just a tennis tournament, it’s a festival with some world-class tennis thrown in. During the week, fans are entertained with a variety of activities aimed at making their week on Daniel Island a memorable one. It’s an action packed nine days filled with high-level tennis and a host of other activities that have been created for all age groups from children to senior citizens.

The Family Circle Cup, one of the most traditional events in women’s tennis, will continue to cement itself as an annual institution in Charleston, a city that is truly one of America’s most historic treasures.

The Family Circle Cup boasts a prize money purse of $749,160. Over ninety players compete for a piece of that purse each year and battle for one of the most coveted trophies in women’s tennis - when that is at stake, it is all business on the court.

Where most sporting events settle for status quo, the Cup continues to strive for excellence. The future of women’s professional tennis is as bright as ever, and the Family Circle Cup will continue to be its shining star.

A quick and easy butter bean salad, can you say healthy?!

Monza’s butter bean salad with shrimp… To. Die. For. Amazing! Image: Monza

Today I made a wonderful butter bean salad reminiscent of the one that Monza serves here in Charleston. Well, it wasn’t quite butter bean salad since I used fresh Lima beans from Whole Foods, but it was darn close. I’m not sure what their recipe is, but I can tell you we devoured these beans in no time flat, didn’t even give them time to chill! Next time I make these I will make it the night before! If you make it to Monza some time soon I highly suggest their butter bean salad. You can get it with just the olive oil and lemon, or with tuna or shrimp. Tasty!

Monza-ish Butter Bean/Lima Bean Salad – this recipe serves 2-3

1 container of fresh butter or lima beans

3-5 tablespoons olive oil

1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled but not cut

1 wedge of lemon

Salt

Wash the beans, in a medium or large heavy saucepan, add the beans and cover with water (cover with about 2″ water). Bring to a boil, then turn down to medium. Stir occasionally. Cook about 1 hour or until done. Then drain.

In small heavy saucepan, add the olive oil, turn it on medium, add a clove or two of garlic that has been peeled but not minced. Cut a few X marks to let the juices out… add to hot oil, then turn on low until fragrant. After the garlic sits a few minutes in the oil, pull it out and discard or set aside for another use.

Squeeze a wedge of lemon into the slightly cooled oil (be careful, if oil is hot then it’s going to spit), stir briskly or whisk until blended. With the beans in a separate bowl, pour the olive oil mixture over top of the beans. Sprinkle a little salt. Let cool, then pop into the refrigerator (good luck, half were gone before they got to the fridge, and I’m not kidding!).

If by chance they get dry add a little extra olive oil before serving (if you used all the garlic infused olive oil, regular is fine, and if you don’t like garlic, skip that step). I can’t tell you if they’ll get dry since we gobbled them up…

Next time I’m going to try beans in a carton (like FIG brand) if I can find them, or another non BPA brand like Eden… that will quicken this process. I’ll report back if I can find a good brand and if it tastes this incredible! This is going to be tasty with salmon and tzatziki sauce…

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Janis Sanders!

“On an Island” by Janis Sanders

I ran across Janis Sander’s work while checking out the artists at Camden Falls Gallery located in Camden, Maine. Her work is striking. The colors are vibrant, the subject matter is clean-lined and visually appealing. I love how the brights play off the darks. That fabulous green against the darker colors. Great work! Bright grass, dark shadow… I love it! If you’re in the area of Camden, Maine pop in and check out her work!

“Coastline” by Janis Sanders

Here’s a blip about Janis… she is just such a likable person! Blip and images from Camden Falls Gallery:

Expressive Intention

Salt air, salt spray, sweet smell of summer grass, verdant marsh, an old house at the water’s edge, wind in your hair, sun on your face.

These elements draw me outdoors, to the grassy dunes of Truro, the calm marshes of the North Shore, to the rugged cliffs of Maine.

Many of my paintings are done “en plein air”, a method introduced in the mid-1800’s by Boudin and other French artists, and pursued vigorously by the Impressionists, a name coined by an art critic in response to Claude Monet’s work, Impression, Sunrise, 1872.

Each of my works is done as spontaneously as possible, with only minimal blocking in of forms.

I begin each painting with the sky, to me the most important element.

The sky IS light, some days slightly purple, sometimes hazy cream, clear aqua, rosy, peach, celadon; we are immersed in it. Sky is the key to determine the entire atmosphere of the painting, and visually and practically provide the backdrop for the other objects in view.

My self-assigned task for each work, is to convey the ethereal ‘thing’ of light in paint, as the sun casts its breath on the world.

I paint vigorously, expressively, physically, applying paint with a palette knife in blocks/area of color, smoothing/blending minimally to keep the paint fresh and say the essence of the ‘thing’.

I take tremendous joy in the attempt, and the subsequent sharing of the result with you.

Thank you for looking, sharing the experience.

I would say thank Y O U Janis! Thanks for sharing! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Photo: Meggett sunset…

This photo was taken several years ago at a friends house in Meggett, SC… gorgeous don’t you think?? Nothing like a sunset on the water… gorgeous!

Did you remember to set your clock A H E A D one hour before you went to bed last night?? We have S P R U N G   A H E A D… whoopee!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

 

Sartori Espresso BellaVitano cheese, you won’t believe it… espresso rind… to die for!

You see this label? MEMORIZE IT! Run to Whole Foods and grab some of this oh so delicious cheese. It’s called Sartori Espresso BellaVitano  and you will not believe your taste buds… Had this at a friends house (thanks guys!), and ran out the next day to nab some…

Don’t worry about the espresso keeping you up at night… I asked the cheese lady… she laughed at me, ha… go figure! Serve it with light thin wheat crackers. A real treat!  Enjoy!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Artist to watch… Kyle Martin!

Spring Tree Study by artist Kyle Martin

We ran across Kyle Martin, a fabulous artist from Wisconsin, with such a nice loose style, while looking at Daniel Corey’s blog during the Boothbay Regional Art Foundation fundraiser that both artists were involved with back in December. Kyle has a nice blog that you should check out if you get a chance! Here is a short blip from Blue Heron, where you can see Kyle’s work if you’re out and about in Reedsburg, WI:

Kyle is interested in observing and painting the effect of light falling on the landscape. His work is created outdoors, painted en plein air, taking direct inspiration from the subject. By using color to show atmosphere, he will often return to the same location to capture different moods of the same scene. His luminous paintings are created with active brushwork and broken color. Click HERE to see the rest…

I love running across new (to me) artists! Catch you back here tomorrow!

 

 

Artist to watch… ArtBoy68, uh, I mean, Scott Hamilton!

My portrait done by artist Scott Hamilton

I ran across this blog a while back by artist Scott Hamilton (Artboy68), a VERY talented artist from British Columbia. I signed up to be a follower because I was intrigued at what he was doing, 100 portraits in 20 weeks. The blog is aptly titled “100 Portraits“, and I enjoy reading the comments back from people like me who have had their portrait done! I urge you to check out Scott’s blog, he’s very talented indeed! This sketch is 2 3/8 x 2 15/16 and he is sending it to me, what a special surprise. Click HERE for the link to this post…

I’ve met a lot of neat people through WordPress, people like Scott, but no one has done my portrait before, ha ha… THANK YOU Scott! I wish you much success, you are talented indeed… AND just so you know, I already had a draft started so that I could feature you, but I was waiting for you to do a SELF portrait… hint hint… maybe the 100th?

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Med Pasta (shrimp, feta, spinach pasta, artichokes) so good it’ll make your eyes roll back in your head!

"Med Pasta"

My husband and I made THE BEST pasta dish the other night… it came together and it was OUTSTANDING… quick and easy too! We used spinach spaghetti (Whole Foods), you can use fresh spinach pasta, spinach linguine, or I’m sure regular pasta will do just fine… keep in mind there is also the quinoa pasta available… might be tasty? We’ve made this several times and we get between 1/2-3/4# fresh large shrimp. Frozen shrimp will work just fine. Just run them under cold water to thaw. I’ve used both frozen and canned artichokes, both work fine, as long as they’re thawed/drained. The feta and olives add the perfect touch. I made it for the two of us, adapt the recipe below to suite your needs, add anything else that sounds good to you! Hint: I often will buy some of the veggies (red onion and red pepper) at the salad bar or the bulk veggies cut up at Whole Foods if I know I don’t need the entire pepper/onion… Last time I think the red onion/red pepper was sixty five cents!

MED PASTA – serves 2

Spinach Spaghetti (or any pasta, spinach is especially good in this recipe)

Olive oil for sautéing

1/2- 3/4 lb. shrimp (I bought fresh, large, deveined shrimp)

Red pepper (about 1/4 of a pepper)

1/4 onion

1/4 red onion

Artichokes, chopped small (I used either one can, or about 8-9 frozen and thawed artichokes) – drain in either case…

Feta (a few spoonfuls for each plate)

Kalamata Olives (a spoonful for each plate)

S&P

Splash of white wine or pasta water

I used what looks like a stir fry pan, I heated some olive oil, once hot I added the shrimp and cooked until pink and they were done. Right before they were done I used a microplane and grated a few cloves of garlic. Holy cow does that ever smell good! Then put this mixture in a bowl for a few minutes…

Add a little more olive oil to your pan, then when hot, sauté the onions and red pepper. When getting translucent add the artichokes and cook for a minute or two (until hot), add the shrimp back in. Now I have brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan (yippee), time to deglaze the pan. I used a little white wine (pinot grigio), but you can use water, broth, etc. Literally a few tablespoons, just enough to be able to stir the brown goodness stuck to the bottom of the pan and turn it into heavenly taste for the pasta dish… Add the cooked and drained spinach pasta to the veggies. Toss to coat, add more olive oil if necessary. Using tongs (to pick up all the little veggie pieces) put some of this fabulous dinner on a plate (we use a low soup bowl that works perfectly as a small pasta bowl). Sprinkle feta and olives on top. Grind a little pepper and a wee bit of sea salt.

Your eyes just rolled back in your head didn’t they? Too good! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Another Santa trip! 1967!

Barbara and Bridget with Santa, 1967!

I can’t believe I remember this photo like I did the one a year earlier! I remember it because I was mad. I dressed up for Santa. We had our little skirts with matching shirts on, but because of the cold Michigan snow, we had to wear our leggings (really mom???? ha ha), then I wanted to take mine off first, but it was my turn to hop up on Santa’s lap, and since Santa “knows when you’ve been good or bad” I decided to go with it. I felt a need to explain “the look”! Can’t you just see the excitement in Bridget’s face? The way she’s got her hands clasped together tightly? PRECIOUS. Santa is awesome!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Artist to watch… Elizabeth Pollie!

Image: ElizabethPollie.com

I try my best to select a painting that is for sale instead of one that is already sold, but I just think this is the sweetest painting. This is done by artist Elizabeth Pollie of Harbor Springs, MI. After reading about her, and the different locations that she paints, I was so pleased to see that she paints scenes of Mackinac Island, Michigan! I had vacationed on Mackinac Island this year, and this painting is reminiscent of that trip… This looks like the horses on Mackinac Island. I love the flag in the distance, the light in the horses mane. Excellent. Not typical at all. I often wonder why there aren’t more galleries on Mackinac Island. Why aren’t there artists with easels set up everywhere like on Monhegan Island, Maine? It baffles me. I think it would be an awesome adventure (once my husband retires) to pack up, buy a place on the island and open a gallery. Invite our artist friends to paint on the island and show their work… whoa! Who could pass that up!? I love to dream!

Here’s a blip about Elizabeth from her WEBSITE:

Elizabeth Pollie’s exposure to the arts came at an early age. Taken to museums, enrolled in classes by her parents and influenced by her father’s love and practice of art and architecture, she was always clear about her path in life. “Working within the field of visual arts never seemed like a choice, but rather a place of true belonging”. She enrolled in college art classes while still in high school and went on to receive an education at a formal Art School. She earned her B.F.A. at The College For Creative Studies where she later taught.

Harboring a deep love of travel and art history, Elizabeth has combined her travels with her painting practice. The images that she creates are imbued with a sense of poetry, mood and depth.

The artist paints full time and teaches from her studio, West Wind Atelier in Harbor Springs, Mi.  Her paintings reside in both public and private collections here and abroad and have received much national recognition.

Elizabeth has found a deep sense of place within the rekindled practice of representational painting in America.  Of this movement Pollie reflects, “ It is celebration, an homage and in many ways a joyous homecoming. I am pleased to be a part of it.

Check out Elizabeth’s website! Catch you back here tomorrow!