Buying art can be expensive at times. In trying to up my charm quotient and keep my wallet under control, I’ve taken to buying delightful pieces of ephemera. I had just learned the word, ephemera, a few years ago when my sister-in-law (an industrial designer) started collecting four-color book plates, sheet music, vintage photographs, and the like, then selling them on Etsy for 10 to 15 times the amount she bought them for. (Etsy.com is like Ebay for creative types.)

The dictionary defines ephemera as “items designed to be useful or important for only a short time, especially pamphlets, notices, tickets, etc.”
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Painting by Elie Bou Zeidan

I stopped at La Parisienne Fine Chocolates on North Main Street in Cornelius on Christmas Eve. It’s in a row of shops down the way from Weight Watchers – a seeming contradiction in retail planning. Nonetheless, I needed a last-minute gift. I brought my daughter, who in her charming, Pavlovian way salivates at Lindt commercials on TV. I knew I was doomed to step up for a treat for her, too.

When I entered the shop, I found a fine combination of French charm (Toile curtains) and Southern simplicity (sturdy wood tables where you can set up a laptop). There was a single display cabinet full of fine chocolates, a small but costly espresso maker and a small selection of pastries. The chocolates were exquisite. Glossy and colorful, in interesting shapes and sizes. Read the full story

As a wife and mother it inevitably falls on my head to purchase holiday gifts. Since in our house we celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas, it’s double duty. It’s not that I don’t love buying just the right thing for the right person and seeing the joy on their faces as they tear into their gifts. I do! It’s just the enormity of it all. The cooking, cleaning, shopping, decorating and wrapping is exhausting. Sometimes I wish there was a magic elf (a magic dreidel?) to do my preparation and I could just show up relaxed in my nice cocktail dress, freshly showered, smelling of the nice cologne that my daughter just bought me (hint-hint). So, in honor of that wish – I have found a few items for a short list to hand over to Dad, that he can purchase locally and the merchants will be happy to wrap up for the holidays. Read the full story

I’ve needed a long weekend to myself for quite sometime. Charleston has always been a favorite city for two good reasons: art and food. There are so many great galleries I can’t count and the restaurants are some of the best in the country. Since I’ve left the hubby and kid at home I tend to linger longer at the sights. Here are some pictures of what I have been seeing along the way.

See Lisa’s gallery below.

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A colorful sculpture by Kevin Cole.

Last week, I attended a charity event at The Gantt Center for African-American Arts & Culture in Charlotte. This “Lunch With A Legend” starred Mr. Gantt, Charlotte’s first African-American mayor. It was hosted in the rooftop atrium of the architecturally significant building that he lent his name to. The room’s view and ambiance was perfect for the small gathering of about 50 people and let us get to know Mr. Gantt in a more intimate atmosphere. I was impressed by his charm, warmth and political adeptness. I received a great history lesson on Charlotte politics and social issues.

After the event I walked two of the new museum’s galleries, where you’ll find everything from mixed-media to photography. But it was the work of Kevin Cole that caught my eye. Mr. Cole’s sculpture was bright, colorful and peaceful in its own way. Read the full story

In the early 80′s I took a “break” from college. Much to my mother’s displeasure and my delight, I moved to Chicago. There, I rented a bleak basement studio and worked at Marshall Field’s during the day. In the evening and off hours, I pursued my creative interests (What they were exactly, I’m still not sure?) and did the requisite partying that a 20 year old does. It was all quite independent, fearless and stupid. I lacked any specific direction, I only knew that I was getting to know myself and explore possibilities. I guess I was trying to grow up. Read the full story