Textiles from the Caucasus - Georgian Fabrics

It was early Tuesday morning in Tbilisi; the day we had carved out to do some shopping before it got too hot. One of my fellow travelers was adamant about hitting the market for locals to source some fabric for her wedding gown business and atelier. This corner of the city was definitely not on the radar of most who come here to tour the area. Gyorgi, our trusty driver and local guide for our week in the Caucasus suggested the place. It was a dusty open lot with some ramshackle buildings where one might find authentic Georgian textiles (or just about anything). I'm pretty sure he didn't know much about lace, and the word or concept didn't really translate to this part of the world.

The place was enormous, and we made a beeline to a remote corner in the back of the expansive lot to the fabric section. The first stop wasn't exactly what we had in mind. But across the way, the bazaar-like maze of stalls selling fabric in all shades was precisely what we dreamt of finding.

The Americans were here.....we were loud and excited. A sotto voce buzz started to travel through the line of shop owners. The more we looked, the more we wanted. Was it us who was on display or was it the fabric we were hunting? Older shopkeepers wrangled up their sleepy grandsons away from their cell phones to try to help understand our foreign chatter and make the sale. The designs were colorful and unique. And it was all so inexpensive! As we walked, creative projects were multiplying in our heads just so we could walk away with shopping bags full of these incredible brocades.

Our fellow traveler disappeared with Gyorgi in order to fulfill her mission. She returned with bags of stunning lace curtain fabric that would make any bride swoon. She was inspired to cut out the patterns or use the 8+ foot fabric for lengthy and dramatic trains, veils, or other ethnic head coverings we saw in our travels through the ancient byways and depicted in the Georgian folk museums and restaurants.

In the end, we all came away with something. Some more than others. (Guilty!) And oh, the pillows we could create once we returned home, an authentic souvenir that would last and be part of daily life. Of course, our dear driver insisted on carrying everything for us, and the back of our minivan was once again loaded down with the day's treasures. Yesterday, it just happened to be cases of Georgian wine.

Diaphanous and Delicate Jellyfish

Mesmerizing, floating, and incredibly varied jellies swim at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Balancing Beach Art

Last week, I took a mini-vacation to San Francisco then a friend graciously drove me to Monterey for a family wedding. We stayed in Cannery Row for the night, and stumbled across these sculptural balancing rock formations (known as rock cairns) on the beach just in front of our seaside lodging. Are they art? Or are they some form of meditations? The guy who made them was out there day and night hoping to catch some tips from enamored tourists like us.

Summer Weekend in the Chesapeake

Last weekend, I took a break with the family and went on a summer road trip to Virginia. We did some crabbing and fishing on their beautiful, green private inlet. We later enjoyed a big clambake with oysters grown on their property and the crabs we caught along with homegrown tomatoes and corn. This is a summer tradition a city girl could get used to!

Culture-Hunting in Vegas

I recently went to Las Vegas for the first time for a brief escape from reality. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I heard from many sources that it's a crazy, over-the-top sort of place. When I arrived, I saw many countries simultaneously in linear fashion. It wasn't fathomable to see Siam, Egypt, and New York all nestled on the famous Strip practically side by side. And yet, in Vegas, I suppose anything is possible. It's a place for bachelorettes, spring-breakers, gawkers, big-spenders, heavy drinkers, those who are down and out, those who are holding onto big hopes, and those who are holding onto wild dreams as well. Sure. But art and culture? 

Then I remembered there was a fairly large Dale Chihuly piece in the main lobby at one of them. Oh yes, that would be the Bellagio. It was a must-see for any art lover. And it was fantastic! Colored pools of glass swirl above your head like thousands of jellyfish. It was larger than life; practically the size of a 2 lane regulation-size swimming pool. Impressive. 

Later that evening, I enjoyed a glass of wine under the watchful eyes of about fifteen Picassos as I overlooked the choreographed fountain show on the main drag. What a combination. And what a spectacle! I was lured even further into the Wynn art collection by a video ad for a recent acquisition at his other property, the elegantly styled Wynn Hotel. It was a Jeff Koons piece entitled simply, "Tulips". I asked a couple of staff members who were strolling through the endless aisles of slot machines about where this piece was located. They chuckled a little, telling me that those tulips cost millions of dollars, I better go see them and make sure I enjoy them! In New York Magazine, I recently read that this work of art cost $33.7M to be exact. Vegas is a crazy place indeed.

Feeling Beachy - A Singular View With A Spectrum of Color