Fun and Games at Isles Yacht Club

Memorial Day week-end is the official start of summer.  (You could have fooled me--it's felt like summer to me for quite some time now!)   And of course it's a time to honor our troops and veterans.   On Monday, the Isles Yacht Club will have an emotion-filled ceremony acknowledging the hard work and sacrifices of our military.  The week-end, though, is all about fun and games.

My curiosity was piqued when I saw chicken barnyard bingo on the schedule, so I headed over to check it out.  Janie Duke, head of the IYC social committee, was the mistress of events, and she was dressed for the occasion.   A large bingo board was positioned inside a chicken coop, and you could purchase one of the numbers for $5.   A chicken was then placed in the enclosure and participants cheered it on to--how can I say this delicately?--poop on their number.   Admittedly, it sounds rather gross, but it was actually lots of fun.

 Robin Adair was the winner of round one, and took home a $180 pot.  (He also got to clean out the coop for the second round, but that's a small price to pay for all that glory and moolah.)  The chicken that was on duty for the second round was quite recalcitrant, and did not want to do its part for the festivities.  The third chicken had to be put in the coop as well to get things moving, and eventually there was a tie between Skip Mansfield and Jack Ford.  (Try to avoid the visual on that one.)   The third round also went to Skip, so he walked away with a cool $270!   Janie first saw this game on vacation in Belize and, yes, I do believe that there were adult beverages involved.

Next up was the blind dinghy racing.   Skip had invited me to act as his eyes in the event, which is pretty much what it sounds like.  One person is blindfolded and does the rowing.  The other person guides the oarsman around the course.  To make matters even more complicated, we had two buoys to round, and had to do 360 degree turns around each of them before heading to the finish line.

There were two heats of four dinghies each.  I  watched the first group struggle to find their way, and it was pretty amusing.   I had heard that one problem you could encounter was getting stuck between two boats, but I couldn't quite envision what that meant.   After watching for a couple of minutes, it became all too clear how easy it was to get tangled up (and that some fending off was often required!)   You might notice in this picture that the boats are pointed in different directions, and that's not because they were heading to different parts of the course!   The first race finally wrapped up, and I made my way into our boat to see what it was like first hand.

We got off to a strong start, having positioned ourselves (inadvertently) away from the other boats.  The best way to guide the rower is not to yell out which paddle to use (way too confusing when your right is their left) but to tap them on the leg on the side where they should paddle in order to maneuver around the obstacles.   We got to the first buoy ahead of the other boats and made our way around it without too much difficulty.  The problem came when the other boats arrived as we were finishing our circle.  It's tough enough to round a mark in a crowd when you can see what the heck is going on.  When the captains are blindfolded, it's downright impossible (not to mention a bit dangerous with oars flying around).  Eventually, we ended up second in the heat, making it to the finals.  Sadly, we became enmeshed with two other boats more or less at the start of the last race and found ourselves seriously out of position.   The overall winners of the event were Jackie and Bob Whittaker (with Jackie on the oars), and they proudly wore their medals the rest of the afternoon.  

There were lots of other fun things going on over the week-end as well.  There were some mean pool volleyball games and nightly movies by the pool.  There was a pig roast and a bring-your-own-steak BBQ.  There was a variety of musical entertainment.  But most of all, there were a lot of people enjoying some nice comraderie.   Really, who could ask for anything more?  Happy summer!

An Afternoon at the Ringling Estate

Spending an afternoon at the Ringling Estate is like going to a three ring circus.  You just don't know where to look!   There's Ca' d'Zan, the beautiful over-the-top home of John and Mabel Ringling situated on Sarasota Bay.  There's the Museum of Art, with works from Ringling's personal collection in the main museum and special exhibits in the Searing Wing.  And there are the Circus Museums (which include the Tibbals Learning Center).   Last Sunday I spent the afternoon onsite and found myself going back and forth between the Museum of Art and the Circus Museum in order to get the benefit of docent-led tours.  It was quite a varied afternoon!

The purpose of my visit was to see the Japanese Art Deco exhibit in the Searing Wing.  Alas, I didn't read the fine print and see that the exhibit doesn't open until mid-July.  So I satisfied myself instead with the Lumosity exhibit that featured a variety of artists' works whose art makes special use of light.  The exhibit was a complement to the Asolo Repertory Theater's production of Red, John Logan's play about artist Mark Rothko.  (You might recall that I was gaga--that's the technical term--over Florida Rep's production of the show.)   One of the statements that Rothko makes in the play (in reference to Caravaggio) was, "He illuminates the picture from within.  He gives it inner luminosity.  It lives...."  The work shown here is Judith with the Head of Holofernes and the artist is referred to only as "after Guercino".   It truly is a luminous painting, with light seeming to emanate from Judith's face.  The exhibit was small but contained a wide assortment of works, from Robert Mapplethorpe's photograph Irises to Rembrandt's etching Second Oriental Head to Edward Hopper's watercolor Jeuness House Looking North.  

From there I was off to catch a tour of the Circus Museums.  Needless to say, the mood is quite different there! The last time I visited the Ringling, the Tibbals Learning Center wasn't open, so this was the first time I saw the "banner of freaks" that greeted circus-goers once they purchased their tickets.  There were teasers for the bearded lady and the three-legged man and the fat lady and the Siamese twins and an assortment of other outcasts who made their home with the circus.   I learned that the fat lady was weighed each pay day and that her salary was based on her poundage.  I also learned that the conjoined twins each married and had, respectively, ten and eleven children.   (The logistics for that must have been nearly as complicated as moving the circus across the country!)  The Tibbals Learning Center is best known for its display of the world's largest miniature circus, which is a replica of Ringling's and Barnum & Bailey's Circus from 1919-1938.  Miniatures aren't really my thing, but the detail and craftsmanship are quite remarkable.

Then it was back to the Museum of Art for a tour of the permanent collection.  I ended up being the only person on the tour, which was actually a bit uncomfortable because I'm not overly enthusiastic about the Old Masters whose work is the focus of Ringling's collection.   The centerpiece of the collection is a set of five huge Rubens oil paintings  that served as "cartoons" (full size studies) for his Triumph of the Eucharist series of tapestries.  Obviously, these are important works, but I just don't respond to them.  Here's where having a docent comes in handy.  She pointed out the similarities between Baroque style paintings and the circus.  They're both dramatic and full of color and movement  and light.  She put the series in the context of Martin Luther and the Counter Reformation and the Catholic Church's struggle to retain its followers.  In a time when most people couldn't read or write, art was a powerful means of communicating the Church's message.   Needless to say, having her insights as we walked through the galleries made the tour much more interesting.  (She did lose me, though, when she showed me her favorite work, which was a painting of a lot of dead animals on a table and pretty grotesque. She explained the symbolism of the animals from mythology, with the boar representing masculine power and the swan representing innocence and the dove representing love.  Ultimately, you could tell from the clues that the table showed a wedding feast.  In case you had any questions about what the future held for the to-be-wed couple, the exposed reproductive organs of one of the animals said it all.   Definitely not a painting that I'd want to have in my living room!)

It was a fun and educational afternoon, and I didn't even make it over to Ca' d'Zan.   With so much to see, the Ringling Estate is well worth the $25 admission fee.  I would be remiss, though, if I didn't put in a plug for becoming a member of the Century Club at the Visual Arts Center in Punta Gorda.  One of the benefits of your $100 donation is membership in the North American Reciprocal Museum program, which permits you free entry into 581 museums across the country, including the Ringling Estate and the Dali Museum in St. Pete.  I'll be taking advantage of my membership again in July, when I go back to see the Japanese Art Deco exhibit.  I can't wait!    

Charlotte Technical Center: Career in a Year

My 10-year old nephew just got back from his first overnight field trip--an outing to historic St. Augustine.   His favorite part of the trip was not Castillo de San Marcos or even Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum, but staying up late in the hotel room he shared with three classmates watching the NBA finals.   It gave him a taste of independence and what the future might hold.   This week we took some of our students from the Adult Learning Center on a tour of Charlotte Technical Center where they got their own taste of what the future might hold.  It was an educational and inspiring break from their day-to-day studies.

Admissions director Barb McCaulkin started us off with some basic facts.  There was a lot of good news for our students.  We learned that 80% of the jobs in Charlotte County do not require a four year degree and that CTC works with businesses in our community to focus its programs on the areas where there are jobs.   We also learned that most of CTC's courses require only one year of school (hence the "career in a year" motto) and that the cost is generally "only" $3,000-$4,000.  CTC also has a job placement specialist who works with students to build  professional resumes and polish up their interviewing skills.  So far, so good.  Then we were hit with the bad news.  Pursuant to a change in federal law, prospective students must have a high school diploma or a GED AND test at required levels in math, reading, and language in order to gain admission to technical school programs.  This is a huge change and a setback for many of our students who have been working hard to bring their skills to the required testing levels.  But rest assured that starting in 2013, all grads of CTC--from cosmetologists to auto mechanics to website designers to chefs--will have a high school diploma.

Then we were off to check in on some of the programs. CTC's programs  are taught at a practical level, with lots of hands-on experience. Most of the programs offer services to the community at a reduced rate.   Students in the dental assistant program work on dummies and then "graduate" to working on each other and local elementary school students.  (We were reminded that dental hygienists don't do any drilling!)

The cosmetology students offer an entire range of services that I will definitely check out when school gets back in session in the fall.  Facials are only $20 and manicures are $8 (rivaling the prices at Korean nail salons in New York!)    I am also planning an outing in the fall to Papa G's, CTC's onsite restaurant for its culinary arts students.   Papa G's is open daily for lunch and on Thursday evenings.  On the day we were there, duck was on the menu, and Barb told us that she'd had a delicious lobster roll one day and that their oxtail was to die for.   All for $5!

Given the demographics in Charlotte County, there is a significant demand for people in medical professions.  CTC offers a variety of nursing programs, from certified nurse assistant to phlebotomy to practical nursing.  For students who aren't into blood and guts, there's a program for medical administrative specialists (basically data entry).  Barb shared a little tip on the best song to have in your head if you are administering chest compression CPR--"Staying Alive"!   The beat is perfect, and the mantra doesn't hurt either.

One of our last stops was the graphic design program, and I wanted to sign up on the spot.   (I think I will settle for a program at the Visual Arts Center instead since I probably won't end up making a career of it--lol.  There was a 49 year old woman there, though, who was starting a second career and she was quite pumped up!)  These students get to work all day with Photoshop and other computer programs to create lots of fun products, from posters to brochures to programs.   The posters for the NYC Marathon of course caught my eye.  Which one do you think would draw the most people in?

At the end of the day, our students had a better idea of what the next step might be after they graduate from our program.  It was a great way to show them in concrete terms where their hard work can lead.  And it was great for me and the other instructors to learn more about the programs as well so that we can better guide our students.  

The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill

Last summer in Nova Scotia I was at a dinner party and the conversation turned to books.  A friend asked if I'd read The Book of Negroes.  I was a bit taken aback at the political incorrectness of the title.  It turns out that publishers in the United States, Australia and New Zealand were as well, as the book was released in those countries under the alternative title of Someone Knows My Name.   Whichever title you prefer, it's a great read.

The novel tells the story of Aminato Diallo, a former slave who finds herself in London working with abolitionists to outlaw the African slave trade.  She tells the reader, "At times I still panic when surrounded by big white men with a purpose.  When they swell around me to ask questions, I remember the hot iron smoking above my breast."  This, of course, is a reference to when she was branded like an animal by the men who stole her from her life in Africa and shipped her to America to be sold to the highest bidder.

Aminato (known as Meena) was only 11 years old when she was kidnapped, but she already had special skills that made her valuable and enabled her to survive.  Her mother was a midwife and had taught Meena how to "catch babies."   Her father was a Muslim jeweler who (reluctantly) had taught his daughter how to read and write in Arabic.  Her parents had different native languages, and Meena could speak both.  Meena's abilities were put to use by the toubabu (white men) during the horrific voyage from Africa to the United States.  Meena survived by sheer determination, telling herself that she needed to live to become a djeli (a storyteller).

Meena finds herself on a plantation where she lives with Georgia, an American-born slave.  Meena's facility with languages again comes in handy as she learns both English (the language of the slave traders) and Gullah (the language of the slaves used in day-to-day conversation and in the communications system up and down the coast known as the "fishnet").  Meena struggles to understand her new life, wondering, "Does he [the plantation owner] own me at all times, or only when I am working for him?  Does he own me when I sleep?  When I dream?"   The years pass, and Meena is sold by the plantation owner to Solomon Lindo, a Jew who feels that he can relate to the slaves because he, too, is an outsider.  Meena's world does change for the better, as helping Lindo with the books for his indigo business is a step up from working in the fields with the threat of a whip over her, but she still yearns for freedom and to return to her home.  Eventually Meena escapes from the bondage of slavery, but her life is still a daily struggle for survival.

Meena's story takes us from Africa to the United States to Nova Scotia (that was a surprising connection!) back to Africa and finally to England.  The title of the book comes from Meena's work with the British when she is hired to maintain a list of Negroes who have proven themselves eligible to accept the British offer to be moved to Nova Scotia where they could live free.   In this "book of Negroes," Meena writes how the people obtained their freedom, how old they were, and where they were born.  Meena loved the opportunity to create a record of these people, envisioning how someone later might find a reference to a relative in this book, much like finding a reference to a relative who came through Ellis Island.

The Book of Negroes is a narrative-driven page turner.  Meena turns out to be quite a compelling djeli.  To me, it wasn't only the tale of an incredible woman, but a story about the importance and power of literacy.   It's not your typical summer beach read, but I'm betting that if you pick it up, you won't want to put it down until you've come to the end of the story.  

Florida Weekly's "Best Of Southwest Florida" 2012

What's the sense of having a blog if I can't blow my own horn a little bit???   I was thrilled when I received an e-mail a couple of months ago asking if I wanted to do some freelance work for Florida Weekly's "Best of Southwest Florida" 2012 edition.   I knew that Kathy Grey, editor of the Punta Gorda/Port Charlotte edition of the paper, looks at this blog, but I still thought the e-mail might have been sent to me in error.  The e-mail also included an invitation to attend a brainstorming session in Fort Myers to talk about the edition.    It sounded like fun to meet some real writers and learn more about the process of putting together a paper, so off I went.   The writers were very friendly, and it was fun to see their camaraderie and listen to their give-and-take.   I was feeling a bit self-conscious but generally okay about being there when Kathy arrived and responded to my greeting with, "Oh, did I invite you to this meeting???"    (She made a quick recovery but I still felt quite a bit like a balloon at the moment that it is pricked with a pin.)   I persevered, though, and ended up having 12 submissions published in the edition, which came out last week.  Here are a couple of my favorites:

Best Billboard Juxtaposition

Drivers truckin’ on down the highway are constantly deluged with billboards advertising fast food restaurants and economy hotels.   In Charlotte County advertisers like to give travelers an opportunity for other experiences during their journeys.    Heading north on I-75 you can see this unusual juxtaposition of services provided by local businesses.   The use of the word “no” in both billboards creates a nice sense of unity between these potentially contrary messages. 

 

Best Wardrobe

>>Bal Harbor Buddha

In 2002 Doug and Kris Shadle came upon a statue of Buddha and decided that he would fit perfectly in the alcove in the front of their home.  Buddha looked so happy there that the Shandles decided he would enjoy dressing up to participate in holidays and Punta Gorda goings-on.  A tradition had begun.  After Hurricane Charley, people stopped by to make sure that Buddha had survived the storm.  Buddha now has a good number of followers who drive by to check out his attire, sometimes making a stop to leave him flowers, cards, and the occasional chocolate treat.   If you check out the steamer trunk with Buddha’s clothing choices, you’ll have no doubt that he has one of the best wardrobes in Charlotte County. 

Best Place to Pick Up a Couple of Oars
>>War on the Peace Dragon Boat Festival

Back in 2008, US News & World Report named Punta Gorda one of the top ten healthy places to retire.  The article cited the Charlotte Harbor Paddlers as one example, calling them a “fit-crazy group of mostly seniors who…compete in frenetic, muscle-powered dashes in something called a dragon boat.”   Thanks to the Draggin’ Dragons (the CH Paddlers’ highly inaccurate name), the War on the Peace Dragon Boat Festival has been added to the long-list of annual events in Punta Gorda.  Members of the Draggin’ Dragons organize the Festival, coach the 20 person teams and serve as steerspeople for the boats during the 350 meter races.  Whether you’re paddling or cheering your favorite team on, you can feel that fiery burn as the boats make their final push to cross the finish line.   

Details:  www.puntagordachamber.com

I'm already compiling ideas for next year's edition!  It's just another great excuse to get out there and check out all the fun that Southwest Florida has to offer.  

 

Florida Repertory Theater Presents The Mystery of Irma Vep

We all know the quote from the movie Forrest Gump:  "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get."  That's basically how I like my theater.  I make my choice of what to get tickets  to see based on the enticing outer shell, whether it's the playwright or an actor or the tantalizing blurb describing the play.   I want the gooey interior to be a surprise, though (hopefully a delicious one rather than one that you want to spit out), so I generally don't read any reviews of a show before I see it.  

In the case of  The Mystery of Irma Vep:  A Penny Dreadful, the exterior shell that got me into the theater was the blurb about the show:  "a hilarious spoof that is three parts The 39 Steps and one part Jane Eyre."   (In case you're wondering, as we were, a "penny dreadful" is a type of sensationalized British serial fiction from the 19th century.)   I saw a production of The 39 Steps on Broadway and it was one of the most clever and entertaining shows I'd seen in a long time.  If  Irma Vep was cut out of the same cloth, I didn't want to miss it.  So off I went to the show last Saturday with the ever-so-eager Bruce, Dorrit, and a group of PGICA Floridians (who go to Florida Rep en masse at the group rate of $19 per ticket--it's worth the price of membership!)     

When you enter the lobby of Florida Rep, the tone is quickly set for the production you are about to see.  On occasion there are characters on hand to mingle with the theatergoers.   More often, though, you get the flavor from the loop that's running on the small screen TVs.  Sometimes it's a clip from a scene in the show.  On Saturday, though, there were clips from Wuthering Heights and from a movie featuring a werewolf.  Hmm.   As the lights went down, horror music started playing and with a crash of thunder we were introduced to Jane Twisden, the maid of the manor, played by Mark Chambers, and Nicodemus Underwood, a stablehand (for lack of a better word) played by Brad DePlanche.

I can't really tell you much about the play itself as I had some trouble following the plot line.  There were werewolves and vampires and mummies.  There were moors and heaths (that's the Jane Eyre part) and pyramids and a sarcophagus.  Having now read a review of the show, there were apparently lots of references to Rebecca and other Hitchcock movies (that's the 39 Steps part) that I generally missed.   What I didn't miss, though, was the fact that Chambers and DePlanche played all eight roles in the show, and had a great time doing so.  It was fun and funny to watch the quick transitions, particularly as DePlanche  transformed himself from Nicodemus to Lady Enid and back within the course of a couple of minutes.   (Interestingly, in order to obtains rights to put on the play, you have to agree that the roles will be played by actors of the same sex.  Cross-dressing is de rigeure in this show.)

The play was pure camp, with a fair amount of sophomoric humor thrown in for good measure.  It reminded me of Charles Busch plays from the 1980s such as The Lady in Question and Psycho Beach Party.  (In fact, Irma Vep was first produced at playwright Charles Ludlam's Ridiculous Theatrical Company off-off-Broadway in 1984, so this show was a contemporary of Busch's shows.)

At the end of the day, I found the gooey interior of Irma Vep distinctly average.  I didn't want to spit it out but I wouldn't choose this chocolate in the future either.   It did, however, put me in the mood to check out the drag queen bingo in Port Charlotte that I just read about in the "Best of Southwest Florida" edition of Florida Weekly.  Maybe I'll see you there!

Artists' Studio Tour Sponsored by Lee County Alliance for the Arts

The thought of picking up a paint brush with the intention of creating a work of art strikes fear in my heart.   My friend Michelle teaches art classes, and she literally starts her first class with a tutorial on how to hold a brush.  (From talking with her, the analogy that I make is to holding a golf club.  Golf instructors always say, "Pretend it's a little bird."   In my case, the bird is often throttled, so I can only imagine what would happen to a bird the size of a paint brush!)  This is a long-winded way of saying that I have the utmost respect for artists, whether or not what they create is something that I would want to live with on a daily basis.  So when I read about the artist studio tour sponsored by the Alliance for the Arts, I persuaded Dorrit to join me for a glimpse into the creative process.

Work by HS Artist Rachel Engelbrecht

We collected our maps for the tour at the Arts Alliance, where we had the chance to view their "Future of Art" exhibit featuring the works of Lee County high school students.  There were submissions in a variety of categories, including computer graphics, sculpture, and photography.  Our favorite work was the painting of zebra skin pumps by Rachel Engelbrecht.  (The work was untitled but I have a suggestion that I won't mention here because my blog is "G" rated!)    We then headed across the Alliance parking lot to the beautiful Edwards Building where we saw, among other things, handbags created by a high school art teacher using recycled coffee filters.  (The bags were inspired by a smart aleck student who brought used coffee filters to class in response to her suggestion that you can find inspiration in the every day world.)  

Hammel's Nobody

The day featured works by a wide variety of artists.  Sculptor David Hammel showed visitors the art of throwing a pot on a wheel while talking about his craft.   His raku candy jars with painted labels from  Butterfingers, Almond Joy, Reese's, and the now famous Skittles were lots of fun.  I liked the jar he made for himself the best, though, with wrappers from "Butt Bigger," "Almost Joy," and "Recess".   As you can see from his other work, David has a sense of humor.

Pat Dunn 

When we walked through artist Pat Dunn's front door, all I could say was "Wow!"  Her home is chock filled with her impressionist work, and I wasn't surprised to hear that Pat has been to Giverny (Monet's home) five times.  Pat recently had a show entitled "Journey to an Exhibition" which included a number of paintings of museum-goers taking in the work of the masters.  It's all part of the process!   If you picked up the April copy of "Happenings" magazine (with its amazing calendar of--yes--what's happening in Southwest Florida's Arts and Entertainment scene), you will have seen one of Pat's paintings on the cover.  

Roberts' Mermaid with Junonia

My absolute favorite artist of the day was Myra Roberts.  Her work "conveys the mood and style of the 1920s to 1950s," and I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite though I particularly loved her take-offs on vintage road maps.  When we were reading Roberts' bio, we learned that she is going to have an exhibit at the Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida this Fall.  I couldn't quite reconcile the whimsy of her work with the seriousness of a Holocaust museum, but it turns out that Roberts has created a series of paintings featuring Anne Frank that are going to be on display there.    We also learned that artist Robert Rauschenberg purchased a painting that Roberts did of Audrey Hepburn, saying that he knew Hepburn and that the work truly captured her spirit.   Like Rauschenberg, I think I'm going to have to buy one of her works, but I suspect it won't be one of her original oil paintings, which go for $10,000.  

Detail from Jansens'
Creeping Obstacles in Kansas

The day ended with a "WineD Down Reception" at Unit A, the gallery featuring the work of urban expressionist Marcus Jansen.   Artists draw upon their life experience when creating their work, and Jansen's experience as a soldier in the Gulf War provides a context for his paintings, which are filled with chaos and destruction.  Jansen's work can be found in museums around the world, and he was one of 18 artists selected in 2011 by Absolut Vodka for the "Absolut Blank Next Generation of Artists" campaign.   I can't say that I like his art, but I somehow suspect that that's not really his intention.  Jansen participated in a Q&A at the reception, and I asked about his inclusion of Dorothy in a number of his paintings.  In 2006, he was commissioned by Warner Brothers to create an interpretation of the 1939 movie "The Wizard of Oz."  As research for his work, he read both L. Frank Baum's book "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" and reviews of the book highlighting its potential to be seen as political commentary.  People differ on their views as to Baum's intention, but there's no doubt that the book was written in a period of political change, and this seems to be what Dorothy represents in Jansen's work.  (If you're interested in reading  more about the Wizard of Oz as political commentary, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_interpretations_of_The_Wonderful_Wizard_of_Oz.)  

All in all, it was quite a fun way to spend the day.  Once again, I came away from my outing with an appreciation for how much talent there is in Southwest Florida.  The event was advertised as the "First Annual Artists' Studio Tour."   If you have any interest in the visual arts, I encourage you to attend next year's event.  I'll see you there!