Guest (Com)Poster

I received a great message in my inbox last night and absolutely have to share it. It comes from David Wase, president of Metropolitan Gallery and gardener extraordinaire.

News Release

Arlington, VA 10/02/2009 7:57 p.m.

Another giant step for bacteria! The Wases of 7th St South announce the inception of a new composter at their mini-micro, sub-atomic sized farm in South Arlington. Utilizing the vegetative remains from human sustenance including coffee grounds, vegetables, a modest contribution from the office cellulose shredder and carefully selected organic contributions from garden cuttings, the Wases' expect a biotic enhancement of significant proportions. This action was taken in recognition of the need to reduce biomass contributions to landfills and deal with the heavy and compacted clay-based soil structure of the (extremely) limited tillable area available at the mini micro farm. The compost production equipment is based on a standard trash container modified to accomplish rapid and complete breakdown- (a process that was tried by ex-spouses but never achieved). The resulting "black gold" will be added to the Wase's vegetable gardens to further enhance their nutrient and water-retention capabilities as well as contribute significantly to soil health and guilt-free gardening.

May all our organics RIP (recycle in peace) !

Guess what I just found?

The recipes for each and every course served at the 2009 Inaugural Luncheon! Seafood Stew with Maine lobsters, scallops and shrimp. Duck Breast with Cherry Chutney. Herb Roasted Pheasant with Wild Rice Stuffing. Molasses Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Winter Vegetables. And to finish it up: Cinnamon Apple Sponge Cake a la mode. Yum!

As you may have already read, the luncheon was catered by Design Cuisine, an Arlington, VA catering company owned and operated by Stavros (aka Stevie) Veletsis.

"After a few minutes chatting with Mr. Veletsis, he told me all about Design Cuisine and that pending Barack Obama's final seal of approval they would be catering the Inaugural Luncheon," Rebecca Carter said to gallery owners David and Susan Wase at the Chas Fagan Exhibition at Metropolitan Gallery in November of 2008. The artist on display, Chas Fagan, is well known for his commissioned presidential portrait and sculpture work and signature landscapes (pictured).

When speaking to Susan Wase just before the inauguration, she told me, "David called me over to check out the article in The [Washington] Post confirming Mr. Veletsis would indeed be catering the luncheon. It was exciting news. We are very happy for him."

I was happy to see American birds, Maine lobsters and winter vegetables on the menu. All rather sustainable choices. I definitely encourage you to download the recipes. Find the pdf here.

Eco-cred to Metropolitan Gallery

I am hoping to come up with a word for individuals who exhibit environmentally friendly practices in both their home and personal lives. David Wase, owner and president of Metropolitan Gallery (formerly Claren Court Studio) in nearby Arlington, VA is one of those people. David recently sent me the press release below and given my affinity for fine art and the careful preservation of it through fine framing, I couldn't be happier to read the news. Outside of work, Wase, his wife, Susan, and their two dogs (CJ and Teddy) grow all their own veggies. If you have driven around the Arlington area, you will know that this is no small feat: Land is hard to come by. The Wase's dedicate the majority of their front and back yard to vegetable, fruit, herb and native gardening. I love hearing about folks like this!

Framing and Planet Friendly Resource Use At Metropolitan Gallery in Arlington, VA:
We now have eco-friendly picture frames, made from renewable-resource bamboo. This is a significant development since its use can reduce the pressure on rain-forest environments and South American, Phillipine and other de-forestation susceptible locales. Providing low carbon impact, these frames are finished in natural stains; (they are NOT available in gold or silver or other metallics which require use ot toxic metals and environmentally-unfriendly chemicals in their finishes).

We are trying to source recycled mat board material also, but our primary concern is preservation and safety of all materials used in our framing. Currrently our matting material is made either from purified wood-pulp materials or cotton fiber which is annually renewable. To achieve maximum safety and preservation we have selected proprietary-technology Artcare products made by Nielsen-Bainbridge Corp, a leader in museum preservation technology.

Artcare provides matting and mounting products that are the next generation in museum-quality conservation. They are so advanced, they redefine the field. For the first time in history, conservation framing has moved from the passive protection of the past— which, simply, does no harm—to the active protection of the future: Artcare proactively traps and neutralizes pollutants and acid by-products that damage’ artwork. The patented technology is engineered into the very fibers of Artcare products, and offers a level of conservation for treasured artwork beyond any other mounting or matting product.

Metropolitan Gallery/Claren Court Studio
Arlington, VA

Eric Jacobsen (Did I mention Metro sells awesome original oils?)

www.metrogallery.net