New This Week Mid January 2017

Sunday dinner. Baked tilapia with lemon, onions and dill with balsamic glazed roasted carrots.

Shrimp in creamy tomato sauce over cheesy polenta.

Gnocchi with pesto cream sauce. First go for both. A little clumsy. Needs fresh herbs to top.

Breakfast. Greek yogurt with honey, granola and clementines.

Dance / Magic in Northwest Arkansas

It's been a dark week. Impending doom of an ice storm that mostly resulted in four days of darkness, rain, and fog. And a dark week coming up, considering the inauguration, although today is finally sunny (thank you, heavens). So during some of the dark weekend, Lance and I visited Crystal Bridges to catch the last gasp of a temporary exhibit called The Art of American Dance. Lovely, thoughtful, edgy show.  Native American dance, ballet, tap, all American forms of social and solo dance. Video to demonstrate with contemporary masters, and several paintings and sculptures depicting dance and movement.

a study by Thomas Eakins

Trying to embody the confidence of this Robert Henri dancer.

Isamu Noguchi

Trying to show my mesmerization with Nick Cave's Sound Suit.

Responsive video wall. You move and the projection tracks your movement. Gorgeous.

In another part of the museum: Shaking Hands and Kissing Babies: The Road to the White House. First time near this iconic Shepard Fairey print.

New Sol Lewitt wall drawing you can see across the water from the restaurant.

Through the Big Red Lens by Frederick Eversley. Rose colored glasses. Need them this week. It's all about perception.

On the way home we detoured off the highway to this chapel. I've been by this exit dozens of time, but had never stopped. Beautiful surprise. We were the only ones there. Special, quiet time.

Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel in Bella Vista

Interior

Ceiling

Club 1201 Brunch, Reconstituted

So I had a lovely time for Sunday brunch with the Great Gals, a regular group of professors, academics, simply brilliant and sociable women. Great minds, eh? Today we met at Club 1201 in Joplin. We had a large group of 12, and they serviced us well. Pretty fantastic bloody mary and mimosa bar. I had some moscato, my latest fave. I got so hungry though, I stole a biscuit and some apricot preserves from the 'biscuit bar" and shared with a friend. Bread is not my best friend, so by the time my order came I just picked at it. Monte cristo sliders. Ham and cheese between marbled cinnamon bread with parmesan potatoes. The sliders were bigger than what I've seen as sliders, and not as large as an actual sandwich. Either way, too much for me. And the disappointment was that everything was SOGGY. Including the potatoes, just not crispy remotely. 

So I took home my leftovers. Immediately made a white chicken chili for weekday work meals, and tried making a balsamic reduction for the first time. Success! So easy! Balsamic vinegar and brown sugar boiled and simmer. Brilliant. I will use this FOREVER on ANYTHING: fruit, eggs, meats, ice cream Come ON! Then I was hungry again, so 'reconstituted' my leftovers by ditching the bread and crisping the rest in the broiler. Then topping some caramelized onions and drizzled the balsamic reduction over all. Better than brunch!