Winter on the Road

This winter we have done more traveling than I can wrap my head around. I guess we could start back at Thanksgiving to total up the miles...

Thanksgiving in Brevard = 250 round trip (RT)

Mom's surgery (flying) = 900 miles RT

Christmas (Athens/Brevard/Greenville/Edenton/Greenville/Athens) = 1079 RT

Chapel Hill Pratt family dinner = 674 RT

Charlotte Graham performance = 396 RT

That is a grand total of 3299 miles... Wow!

Now to catch you up on the final two adventures.

Chapel Hill Pratt Family Dinner:

Allen's brother Aaron is learning first hand about culinary arts at Il Palio, an Italian restaurant in Chapel Hill, NC. As his Christmas present to the family, he wanted to cook for all of us. Little did we know what was in store. He surprised us with 7 amazing courses.

1. sweet potato jalapeño bisque
2. winter caprese
3. scallops with microgreens, red and golden beets, and blood orange
4. jalapeños rellenas
5. duck with asparagus risotto
6. carnitas pork with carrot gnocchi
7. tiramisu
   ((Special thanks to Amanda for the course titles))

We enjoyed good wine, good food, and great company. It was a wonderful evening!

Charlotte Graham Performance:

My early birthday present from my Mom was a trip to Charlotte to see the Martha Graham Dance Company perform. I studied the Graham technique throughout undergrad and had the chance to perform one of her masterworks during that time as well. Needless to say, Martha Graham is a huge inspiration to me so I jumped at the chance to see her works performed live. 

The show was presented in a non-dancer, user friendly arrangement. Act one walked the audience through her life starting with her beginnings with the Denishawn Company. It gave a glimpse into her 1930's with Lamentation which will bring anyone to tears. Then the audience was in for a real treat. My former professor, Kim Jones, reanimated a lost Graham work called "Imperial Gesture". There is no video of the original dance - only pictures, critic reviews, and personal account interviews. I must admit, I have no idea how one even begins to reanimate a lost dance, but Professor Jones did an amazing job. I am so proud and excited for her. Later in the act, I was able to see my fellow undergrad classmates perform alongside the company in the restaged work "Panorama". Again, I was excited and proud to see them perform so beautifully. But it made me realize just how much I miss dancing, miss being on stage, and miss the dance scene in Charlotte. I had no idea just how spoiled I was. The second act was the entire ballet of Graham's Appalachian Spring. It's one of her most famous works for a reason... beautiful!

I am so thankful that I was able to enjoy this experience. It was an amazing weekend spent with loved ones, yet we failed to take pictures (as usual). Is it too late to add "take more pictures" to my 2013 resolutions list? 

Winter may not be over until mid March, but as of right now, I have no travel plans schedule for the rest of the season. Looking forward to spending time at home over the next few weeks!