Today we engaged in two fantastic activities and had a wonderful time during each.
The first was a visit to a friend of Deeny’s. Deeny is a potter who has a wonderful collection of work created over the years as well as pieces collected from other potters. Christine said she loves looking in Deeny’s cupboard because there are so many wonderful plates, cups, bowls and other things to choose from. In her teaching and involvement in the pottery world Deeny has established a great friendship with Slavka Pacherova, another potter. We visited Slavka at her studio which is housed in part of a garage on the property where she and her partner Todd live. Todd is a landscape architect and over the years has created an incredible oasis on their property. So in addition to visiting the studio to see Slavka’s incredible work we got a tour of the garden.
Slavka does beautiful work, so creative and intricate.
Beautiful pots 
Edging on a pot 
More beautiful pots 
Very unique pot with weaving 
Love the birds nest top
In addition to beautiful artistic pots she makes pots for plant hangers. These are really cute because they often have clay frogs hanging from the side of the pots. She had a bunch of the plant pots drying on a table.
Pots drying
These pots become plant hangers.
Pottery plant hander 
Pottery plant hanger
Slavka also creates great garden totems.
Garden totem 
Garden totem 
Love this garden totem with the face
Slavka had some pieces sitting in her kiln ready for firing.
Ready to be fired in the kiln 
Exquisite detail
We so enjoyed seeing Slavka’s studio and some of her beautiful work. She then toured us around her garden which was a paradise. In a relatively small space there were many areas, kind of like different rooms for sitting and enjoying the abundance of nature around.
Garden bench in a serene spot 
Gorgeous wall adornment 
Lovely water feature 
Water lilies 
Big koi 
Garden owl 
Garden statue 
Large garden Buddha
What a joy it was for us to have Slavka share both her work and her fantastic garden. I’m so glad that Deeny has Slavka as friend and sister potter. It is very clear that they have a very special relationship.
On the way home we stopped at the famous Amish market, Detwiler’s Farm Market. We love coming to this market because the produce is always incredible. It is also a classic Amish deli and bakery. I noticed that many of the cheeses were from Pearl Valley Cheese which is a cheese factory very near Newcomerstown, Ohio where my father was born. I have made many visits to Pearl Valley to watch cheese being made and to buy great baby Swiss cheese, so I was thrilled to buy some Pearl Valley cheese.
The second fantastic activity today was dinner and a show. Deeny told us about a jazz club that she wanted to take us to. We didn’t really know what to expect, but we had a fabulous evening. We arrived at the Allegro Bistro, an Italian restaurant and quasi-nightclub. It was really quite a place with all kinds of ornamental lighting, a long bar on one side, dining tables on another side with a small stage in the corner. The place was beautiful in a rather glitzy fashion.
Allegro Bistro lighting 
Ceiling adornment
The bistro was founded by an Italian woman, famous in the area for her bakery and cookie-making, who wanted a venue for live music. The food was fantastic. Christine said the chicken marsala was the best she ever had.
The group performing was the Kitt Moran Quartet. Kitt Moran is quite a famous cabaret singer, being nominated for both an Emmy and a Tony. She was a lovely singer and does the classical American songbook. Her husband, Mike Moran, the keyboardists in the quartet, is a famous piano player and has had a long career in his own right.
Kitt Moran performing
One of the things that happens during the show is that Kitt invites other musicians to come up and perform. There was a great saxophone player, a singer, and a clarinetist who each did a couple of songs. But the most incredible performer to come up on stage was Dick Hyman, introduced as jazz royalty. Even I know the name Dick Hyman. He is a jazz virtuoso on piano. At 94, he sat right down at the keyboard and played an entire set. I was astounded to have been privileged to see and hear Dick Hyman.
At the end of the evening’s set, the bistro’s owner, Nella Valenti, comes up on stage and belts out a couple of songs. She ends with Volare, in which we all participate. Volare was one of Christine’s mother’s favorites so Christine was touched by it.
What we didn’t know is that Deeny is acquainted with Kitt Moran through Kitt’s potter daughter Georgia. Kitt came by our table to greet Deeny and later came by again to chat. Kitt is a lovely, dynamic woman, who in addition to music, is quite an artist who paints, portraits primarily. There’s one of Kit’s paintings on the wall behind her above.
We all loved spending the evening listening to great music and eating great food. What an incredible treat!
Sounds like a great time! Thanks also for the info negotiating the Cancun Airport for out return!
This really was a most magical and enchanting day. From the mystical morning visit to Slavka and Tod’s beautiful oasis to the wonderful jazz, great food, and fabulous company at Allegro Bistro in the evening. Speaking of Jazz Royalty, Kitt’s warmth, charm and friendliness and obvious fondness for Deeny was delightful to observe and share in. She reminded me of England’s Princess Dianna.
I feel so lucky that Linda blogs all our adventures. My memory is not so good any more, not that it was ever that great. But when I read the blog, the memories come flooding back in. And when I click on the pictures and they become full screen size, it is almost as if, I am right there in person again, re-living the feelings and emotions of the moment again. I feel so lucky and blessed in so many ways.
Linda, you are a treasure! It’s so great to be included in your adventures with Christine. I’m glad you’re having a generally great experience. I hope your cold is gone and the rest of your trip goes smoothly. Thanks for the time you take to include us in your trips. -Dave Casler