Some Enchanted Italian Evening

Here artist David Grath and his wife Pamela arrive at their beautiful Italian villa—no, thank heaven, it was Circa Estate Winery in Leelanau County! The wine was as good as Italy, and we did not have to speak Italian, though David is convinced that if you wave your hands around enough, the message gets through regardless of the words.


What would an evening in Italy be without music? Patrick Ivory provided that element.


Here it is, the perfect Italian marriage: art and wine, providing the gratification of discerning senses.


What do you see in this painting? I see rich, vibrant color and the mysterious depth of an old Italian masterwork.


These three small paintings form a perfect grouping above the fireplace. I kept going back to look at them again and again.


Early in the evening, before the crowd was too dense, David Grath had a chance to visit with David Bell, the man responsible for growing grapes on the Circa Estate.


The animation of the artist and his conversation partner here made a clear focus out of the question, but sometimes I find that the blur of movement seems truer to the moment, anyway.


Everywhere you look, everything at Circa is beautiful. For the reception, this definitely included the refreshment table.


The mirror! I love the mirror! Whatever it captures looks perfectly composed within that dark frame.


Leelanau cherry grower Paul Scott confers here with vintner Margaret Bell. Which wine is Paul drinking?


Colleen and Kate were clearly enjoying the atmosphere, and over Kate's shoulder I spy artists Woodruff Palmer and Bonnie Marris.


Okay, here it is. The important character in this crowd shot is the glass of wine in the foreground. Looks like Requisite, my choice of the evening, too. Delicious!


Here is David with Edible Grande Traverse editor Barb Tholin, her husband Charlie hiding behind her. We were delighted that Charlie and Barb made the trip from their peninsula, Old Mission, to ours for the evening.


Of course Charlie Wunsch wasn't really hiding; I just didn't get him in that last shot. But as he is the publisher of Edible Grande Traverse, I had to get him out front for a little well-deserved attention.

Since I always take more candid shots than posed, it wasn't until this morning that I realized I had no pictures of our dear friends and overnight houseguests from Hastings, Michigan, who came all the way up yesterday for David's show, bringing garden bounty that will feed us throughout the coming week. Could vegetables in Italy be any more beautiful than these? Could an evening in Italy be any more delightful than the one we enjoyed here in Leelanau County? Truly, I think not!



There are many more of David's paintings to be seen in the show that will be on exhibit at Circa through the month of October, and the weather is gorgeous again today, with more of the same coming tomorrow. Make the trip, the Italian Leelanau tour! You won't be sorry.

Usual Suspects From Three Townships Gather

Sunday was a beautiful day for a drive down to Empire, taking in the sights of Sleeping Bear Dunes. Late afternoon was a beautiful time to meet friends at Circa Estate Winery for a show of paintings by Gina Erb, Helen Sica, Kathie Snedeker and Trudy Underhill. It was a great crowd, with Leland, Northport and Suttons Bay people all coming together.

Vintner Margaret Bell and grower David Bell were kept busy pouring and selling wine.


I love the big mirror behind the bar, a way to see people’s faces rather than only their backs.


People looked at paintings, too. I did myself, more than you would think from these photographs. Why not more pictures, pictures of paintings? Well, a man I know, currently taking a photography class in Traverse City, saw my camera and wanted to tell me how to take pictures, which rather put me off the project. Can anyone tell me—sorry, guys!—what is it with men? Why does a man so often (not always but oh, so often) see a woman and immediately assume she’s been waiting for a lesson from him in whatever it is she’s doing? Enough said?

Back to the grape theme, here's a tendril from the wild variety growing in the backyard of my Kalamazoo friends Laurie and Godfrey. This photograph was taken on Earth Day 2010.