I Still Go Out - Just Not As Much

Well, well, well...

Haven't done this in a while.

I always find it so funny that when there is really a lot of stuff going on to blog about - well, there is never anytime to blog.

A few months ago my friend Drue, who is the gallery directer at Jack Robinson Gallery, and I decided that we were gonna get busy making some things happen around town. So, we both revved up our schedule and have traded off on helping each other with our various projects. She helped me with my showcase at SXSW and was my personal photographer when we went to Lollapalooza and a business trip to NYC. I have been trying to use her as much as possible for different articles I have written and shows i have promoted. We even worked together to set up a side gallery at The Hitone this summer that will feature some of the best performances of the venue. I've revved up my internet presence with three internet radio shows, am still working with Ardent Studios and Records as their new media consultant and have countless other projects on tap. Plus I am currently trying to do some casting for Brad Harris again. My cup runneth over with projects.

Anyway, Drue also had a huge show last week at the gallery when she premiered a collection of Vogue fashion photographs that had not been seen since the 1960's. She added vintage dressed models and two deejays that only played 60's music to the show to make it even more of an event.

Anyway, we had both been working crazy hours when last Wednesday I called her up and told her to drop everything cause we were gonna go down to Circa and do their chocolate and wine tasting. I mean geez - a girl's gotta eat right?

Drue was in, but had a lot to finish up before we went - she finally showed up in the parking lot of Ardent to pick me up about 7:10, which wouldn't have been a big deal - except the tasting started at 7:00. I have been to tastings before - so I didn't think it would be that big of a deal - you just slide in the back and play catch up.

Once we got downtown though, we couldn't find a parking space - so we didn't make it inside the restaurant until 7:30 - and when we walked into the private side room where it was being held - the only seats left were the ones furthest from the door. So, we kind of were very fashionably late - ooops!!! We could have bypassed the whole problem if we had just valeted at the corner of Gayoso and Main.

The sommelier, Randy Caparoso, was totally cool about it though and I didn't feel like I was sneaking into class late. He just came over and explained all of the wines we had missed and made sure we matched up the right chocolates as they had been especially made to match.

We definitely had to play a little catch up - but who can complain about throwing back wine and chocolates?

The restaurant is pretty new. It was opened by John Bragg who I am told has long history of restauranteurship in Memphis. Is that a word? Anyway, he worked at La Tourelle and opened River Oaks - but I've never eaten at either. However, any time I've mentioned his name since last week (cause you know how when you have one story, you tell it over and over and over?) everyone has seemed to have known his name and been impressed.

Two of the chocolates were prepared by John Bragg and three were prepared by guest Chocolatier Carol Whitmore of Blues City Pastry Shop. They were all pretty incredible. Whenever some silly fool couldn't finish theirs I was the first to offer up my services.

In the end, I think Drue was pretty happy that she dropped everything to come out and play for a little bit.

After the tasting Circa offered the group dinner at 25% off - which sounded really really good - but Drue and I both really needed to get back to work. Since the restaurant is currently offering a prix fix during the run of the Lion King, I decided to come back the next night to check out the food. I'll try to post about that and the photography opening tomorrow. For now, it's back to the grindstone.

Posted by Rachel at September 4, 2007 7:10 PM | TrackBack