Carmen's Birthday Shindig

December 29, 2012

December 21, 2012, was an important day. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. Mayan apocalypse. Doomsday of all doomsdays. The End of the World. But it was also the 30th birthday of my best friend, partner in crime, confidant, and sidekick, Carmen.

It’s a challenge living so far away from a great friend like Carmen, but fortunately, I was in Alabama for her big day. We celebrated in style with a 1920s themed “Murder at the Juice Joint” Murder Mystery Party. I'm blessed beyond measure to have a friend like Carmen in my life.

Happy birthday, Carmen!

Carmen (left) and me (right) in the third grade.  Notice the pink glasses and poodle bangs - all the rage in the 1990s. — Carmen (left) and me (right) in the third grade. Notice the pink glasses and poodle bangs - all the rage in the 1990s.

Carmen and me at her 30th birthday bash.  There were no pink glasses or poodle bangs in sight. — Carmen and me at her 30th birthday bash. There were no pink glasses or poodle bangs in sight.

Believe it or not, but we're actually a pretty normal bunch.

Here's a GIF of one of the evening's more memorable moments.  The camera captured a normal group shot, then I tried to show off my trademark cheerleader heel stretch, then subsequently fell backwards out of frame, which was followed by the next… — Here's a GIF of one of the evening's more memorable moments. The camera captured a normal group shot, then I tried to show off my trademark cheerleader heel stretch, then subsequently fell backwards out of frame, which was followed by the next shot capturing everyone else's surprised expressions. EPIC.

Merry Christmas, Y’all!

December 25, 2012

Unlike Alaska, there’s rarely snow on the ground in Alabama for Christmas. It still feels like Christmas though. One of my favorite festivities in Huntsville this time of year is the Midnight Candlelight Service on Christmas Eve at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church.

A stirring rendition of "Silent Night" began the ceremony and was followed by joyous hymns, a terrific sermon from my favorite pastor, Pastor Dennis Fakes, and then a quiet and peaceful communion was the cherry on top.

But by far my favorite moment of the evening was the lighting of the candles. At the beginning of the service, each visitor was given a small handheld candle when entering the church, and at the end of the service, as “Silent Night, Holy Night!” played, the lights were dimmed, all candles lit, and a remarkable peace transformed the church. The congregation left the Sanctuary in silence and darkness, departing to the Christmas Day to celebrate the Christ child.

Thanks, St. Mark's Lutheran Church, for an outstanding celebration of our Lord and Savior's birth!

St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

Festive decor in one of the most gorgeous churches in Huntsville.

Mom and I at the Midnight Candlelight Service.

At the Guvnah's House

December 17, 2012

(blogging to you today from Atlanta, Georgia)

Alaska Governor Sean Parnell and First Lady, Sandy, continued an Alaska tradition on December 11 with opening the Governor’s Mansion to visitors for a festive holiday celebration. The annual open house welcomed more than 3,200 visitors to savor the holiday spirit and enjoy an assortment of cookies, nuts, fruit, and oodles of delectable fudge.

This is one of my favorite events in Juneau and a big reason I enjoy living in the capital city of Alaska. The proximity to state officials is remarkable, and I appreciate this sizable event gives Alaskans the chance to hob-nob with the Governor, First Lady, Lieutenant Governor, and Cabinet members. It is also a neat occasion to see the inside of the home of Alaska’s top public servant. Exploring the impeccably decorated interior and exterior really puts me in the Christmas spirit.

According to the Juneau Empire, this event has been held since 1913, with the exception of a two year hiatus during World War II. I first attended the Governor’s Holiday Open House in 2010, and it has become an annual tradition for me and my friends. It is delightful to stand outside the mansion and socialize with my Juneau neighbors in freezing weather. Being served hot cider and homemade treats by the Governor’s Cabinet members makes the low temperatures, snow, and ice more tolerable.

This year’s event also included 24,000 cookies and 200 pounds of fudge, all locally made. It was charming to see kiddos and adults alike, exiting the home of the Governor while hoarding plates and piles of sweet treats as they trudge back to their homes.

If you’re planning a visit to Alaska in early December, try to schedule a stop in Juneau during the Governor’s Open House. You won’t be disappointed. And you might, just might, get to shake hands with the Guvnah.

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DefSemiH… — A rare blue-skies Juneau day, overlooking the Federal Building (left) and the Governor’s Mansion (right).

December 2012 First Friday Gallery Walk

December 8, 2012

By Lower 48 standards, Juneau is a small town. With just over 32,000 people, it’s easy for folks to stereotype this town as a boring little place with not much to do. I don’t believe this is an accurate description, and it certainly wasn’t the case for the first Friday of this month!

A long-established monthly event in Juneau is the First Friday Gallery Walk, during which galleries and shops all over Juneau open new shows and host fun receptions throughout the evening.

Since I hadn’t been to a First Friday event in a while, I was overly ambitious in mapping out the must-see spots. What I didn’t plan for were the crowds. Oh my heavens, the crowds! So many throngs of people up and down the streets, it felt like a small cruise ship was in town. Except these folks weren’t brandishing honkin’ lenses (for the most part) and oohing and awing about eagles overhead. These were locals, the real deal. And what was even more exciting was running into friends everywhere you turned. This is the charm of life in Southeast Alaska. This is what I love about “small-town” Juneau.

Here are some of my favorite moments from this month’s First Friday:

Notable fiber artist and friend, Fabienne Peter-Contesse, featured her art quilts and other creations at Changing Tides on South Franklin Street in the Senate Building. Keep in mind, this is not your great-grandmomma’s quilting projects.

Impeccably designed and superbly orchestrated, these works of art are exactly that: legitimate pieces of ART. I was also impressed to find unique items I can use on a daily basis: iPad cases!

To view more from this wickedly talented artist, check out Fabienne’s blog, The Conceptual Quilt.

Fabienne Peter-Contesse with her stunning water and ice-themed creations in the background.

The artist and one of her hand-stitched iPad cases.

From left: myself, Fabienne, Michelle, and Debbie during Fabienne's art gallery debut.

Another fun stop during First Friday – and frankly any day of the week for that matter – is Shoefly, the charming little shoe boutique on Seward Street for folks that love shoes beyond reason. Shoefly even had complimentary shoe-shaped cookies by Chef Stef, and they hosted the Juneau Rollergirls as they sold their 2013 calendars and modeled Shoefly shoes. Love this place!

Window shopping takes a whole new meaning at Art Sutch Photography on Seward Street where you can usually find a massive pooch perched in the storefront window. I suspect Luna is the most photographed dog in Juneau. But aside from the Tibetan Mastiff, the real draw Friday night was freelance photographer Chris Miller's impressive gallery display. I especially enjoyed his Alaska maritime photos –a la "Deadliest Catch" and very striking.

I didn’t snap shots of Chris’ photos since it just wouldn’t do it justice, but you can check out his outstanding Alaska-themed work here: http://www.csmphotos.com/ and http://csmphotos.wordpress.com/.