

Copyright © 2012-13 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Written content by Katie Mitchell. Photos by Brandy Somers. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
Tag Archives: Katie Mitchell
easel come, easel go: spitzer art center.
light up: spitzer art center.
Recently Brandy and I went to Spitzer Art Center for Howard Zehr’s opening of Pickups: A Valley Love Story.” (If you missed that post, you can get caught up to speed with one quick click.) That evening we were treated to a lovely crowd, lively music by Shenandoah Alley, savory snacks, and refreshing bevs. Not to mention, a whole lot of creativity.
As I moved through that light-filled building, people danced and tapped their feet and rocked their chairs to the twangs and plunks of bluegrass. They sipped sweating glasses and threw their heads back in peals of laughter. They spilled out onto the wide porch and the plush yard and flopped on soft blankets under the big tree. And I thought, what a lovely place to spend some time.

My friend Jewel, who used to teach art at my school, volunteers at the center. Having recently started back to school, I was glad to see her there and have a chance to catch up. Upstairs from the gallery are several artist studios — seven, I think. In fact, two or three of them are currently available for rent. The Pinwheel Collective works out of a studio at Spitzer, as do Barb Gautcher and Pat Augsburger.

Jewel has a studio at the back of the house — a beautiful, bright space colored with sunlight and supplies. Why is it weird to walk through an artist’s studio? Is it just me? It feels like walking into someone’s bedroom… because really, it is a sacred, intimate space, but it’s also a place for working, and I’m always nervous I’ll touch something or knock something down and mess up someone’s work.
I carefully and gratefully explored Jewel’s living, breathing studio. All the furniture mismatched and scuffed. Tubes of paint that have been squeezed to their absolute limits. Brushes that she’s washed a thousand times. The sloped roof and the siding and a wall of windows. So much history, so much potential. Jewel never stopped smiling the whole time she was in there, like she was lit from within.

You can bask in the light there, too, on Saturdays from 10 – 2pm, and on the first Friday of every month starting at 5pm. Or you can rent one of those gorgeous studios and sit in beauty every day. Visit them soon!

Copyright © 2012-13 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Written content by Katie Mitchell. Photos by Brandy Somers. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
rear view: pickups: a valley love story, at spitzer art center.
When I arrived at Spitzer Art Center last Friday, I parked near an interesting-looking pickup truck. An old, classic Chevy — teal, or maybe sea foam green. Its hood was open, and when I peered underneath, I saw a bottle of Crown Royal somehow rigged to the engine.
I thought, “This is gonna be a fun art exhibit.” Yes, you’d expect an art exhibit on First Friday at Spitzer Art Center, but this one sorta changed my expectation of art itself. This was art about art. It was, like, meta art or something. A new level.
On this Friday, you could view photographs from Howard Zehr’s new book Pickups: A Valley Love Story. The photos show pickup trucks with their proud owners. And not only are Mr. Zehr’s photographs beautiful, but the trucks themselves stand as gorgeous, gleaming sculptures of time and memory and grit and spirit.
Mr. Zehr spent numberless hours interviewing truck owners, hearing their stories… of how they came to own their trucks, of harrowing and hilarious experiences with their trucks… of why their trucks mean so much to them, then published it all in his book. And so that sunny evening, the walls of Spitzer shone with images of much-loved trucks and the words of their adoring owners.
Some owners, like Lois Brown, appreciate practicality in a vehicle: “It’s not what I call pretty, but it sure is comfortable,” she says of her brown and beige Ford. Actually, I saw several of those two-tone trucks that night. I probably never noticed before, but they are pretty. I saw photos of trucks for hunting and hauling and just rolling over stuff. Even for selling coffee, like Tom Hayman of Grains of Sense. Some owners use their trucks as other vehicles, like Josh Bacon: “The kids like to pretend it’s a boat and fish off the back.” A practical solution for imaginative youngsters. And Corey Oomps — he loves his truck because “I like horsepower.” Fair enough.
Yes, trucks have lots of practical uses, but some owners even feel like their trucks make them better people. Like Matthew “Goosey” Dolemar, who says, “Without the truck, I’d probably just be mean!” And Shannon Pollock has realized that “each thing that’s wrong with it means it’s something else I get to learn.” A kinder, smarter nation… one truck at a time.
Some owners love their trucks for purely sentimental reasons. Richard Randolph’s truck is “a real joy, that it can be as old as it is and still be useful.” And some keep their trucks as a reminder of days long gone, like Bill Goldberg: “It’s one of the last links to my long hair, Grateful Dead, hippie days.”
However, the most touching element that seemed to pervade the entire exhibit was devotion. Everyone’s got that one true truck love. According to Eric Beck, any new truck is just a “rebound” truck — acquired to ease the pain of losing a former truck love. You can literally see the commitment people have for their trucks, some with mismatched parts… evidence of owners desperate to repair and preserve their trucks, whatever it takes. No matter what kind of patchwork quilt it ends up looking like, that truck you fell in love with is still in there, dang it. Nancy Slye possibly relocated here from New York just to use her truck more: “Running around in a pickup in New York — that was not a cool thing to do.” You know it’s serious when you actually move to another state for the one you love.
You can see the exhibit all month at Spitzer Art Center on 33 West just a block or two from downtown. Of course, you don’t get to see all of Mr. Zehr’s photos or read any of his stories (including the one about that Crown Royal truck!) unless you get the book itself. You can find it at Barnes and Noble, or from the publisher, or you can get a signed copy through his web site.
In our next post, we’ll tell you, and show you, a little more about Spitzer Art Center and our visit there. And, of course, several more megabytes of photos. Stay tuned!
Copyright © 2012-13 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Written content by Katie Mitchell. Photos by Brandy Somers. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
cutting edge: ragtime fabrics.
sew happy!: ragtime fabrics.
material world: ragtime fabrics.
When you live on a “fixed income” like I do (and I say “fixed” because as a teacher, you get paid the same exact amount every month, with no opportunity for a bonus or commission or that sort of thing), you have to look for creative ways to get stuff that you didn’t originally account for in your budget. Back-to-school supplies, for instance. It’s not that I forgot that school was starting and that we’d have to get those items… but I didn’t budget for it correctly and man, those things add up! We also had an unexpected bunny illness and a trip to the ER. Who includes “bunny illness” in their budget??
During summer break, I like to make little improvements to the house. This year I built lots and lots of cubbies and shelves and storage units. I painted the kitchen table and chairs. I decided I was tired of the colors in the family room, so I recovered all the big sofa pillows. Ready-made shelves and cubbies are pricey, and so are pillows. Have you shopped for pillows lately? You can blow thirty bucks on ONE decorative pillow. Screw that!
Yes, doing all this takes time and effort, but it’s worth it. And quite frankly, necessary. So recently, I tackled my final project of the summer: curtains. First, I priced ready-made curtains online. To dress the four windows in my family room would have cost about $225. Instead, I went to Ragtime Fabrics and bought plenty of fabric for about forty smacks! Cha-ching!
It was a good time for Brandy and me to go to Ragtime Fabrics because we were out of material — for curtains AND for this blog. My kids were along with us, and they quickly disappeared amid the rows and rows of colorful cloth. And all that fabric helped drown out whatever annoying noise they might have been making.

In talking to the ladies there, I learned that they’ve been in this location — on West Market adjacent to the Artful Dodger — for about 10 years, and as you can see from their Facebook photo albums, they’ve woven many memories. Some of those pictures will have you in stitches!
I vaguely remember thinking, as I pushed open the door, “I hope I find something I like in here…” But that thought quickly frayed and I had a new worry: how would I ever choose?? They have (literally, I’m sure) tons and tons of fabrics and material for any project you can conjure. You’ll find the usuals: cotton, twill, broadcloth, silk. They sell sturdy, hardy fabrics like corduroy and denim, canvas and burlap. Or maybe you’re after something gauzy and light and fluffier, like taffeta or lamé or muslin. And I spent a great deal of time petting the snuggly fabrics like wool, flannel, fleece, velvet, and thinking about snow days and Christmas. They even have leather and fur! Cal really liked that:
They also sell EVERYTHING else you need for your project, be it a machine or buttons, feathers or stuffing, thread or even a Muppets patch.
After far too long poring over hundreds of fabrics that I loved equally, my kids’ behavior was starting to unravel. Kids are great at forcing you to decide quickly. As they bolted hither and thither through the store, I gathered up two fabrics — one purple, one gray — and headed to the front. The employee gently cut several yards for me, I thanked her, and we left.


I left with more ideas than I have time for. Of course, you can’t be that close to the Dodger without stopping for a beverage. So we did. But fast, because I wanted to get home to my project!
Ragtime Fabrics also offers classes, lessons, and clubs, which you can find on their calendar. Whatever crafty idea you’ve got up your sleeve, even if it doesn’t involve sewing, you should swing by this place because, chances are, for a very reasonable price, they have that little rare craft item you’re looking for. And that’s no fabrication. Oh golly.
Copyright © 2012-13 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Written content by Katie Mitchell. Photos by Brandy Somers. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
labor (day) of love.
Happy Labor Day! A day that celebrates the achievements of the American worker… a day to (hopefully!) stay home from work… and a day to hurry up and wear all your white clothes because tomorrow it’ll be too late (fashionably, at least).
It’s also a day to rest up, because next weekend, you’re gonna be SLAMMED. The Burg is jam packed with awesome events, including First Friday, The Rocktown Wine and Dine Festival (I’m praying for lots of bacon that day), the 31st Annual Century Ride at Hillandale Park, and a Rocktown Rollers bout.
Here are all the details of our lovely city’s happynings! Love to you all, and have a great week!
oh, brother: three brothers brewing co.
welcome back!
The students are here! The students are here! And once again, I FORGOT that when I went grocery shopping. However… I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to get in and out of my local grocery store without a long wait and a big headache. So, welcome back, students! Hope you have a great semester and enjoy all that Harrisonburg has to offer! Here are this week’s Happynings!
unibro: three brothers brewing co.
family guys: three brothers brewing co.
It started awkwardly, as it sometimes does. Like the nerds we are, Brandy and I got to Three Brothers Brewing Co. before they opened. In our defense, we’d started back to work that week and were just a wee bit anxious to get in there and finally see Harrisonburg’s new brewery and taproom. Adding to the awkwardness, Brandy’s car door make a strange sound as she opened it, sending the kids into spasms of giggles as the sound reverberated across the parking lot. To make matters MORE awkward, my coffee thermos had leaked all over the passenger seat, and when Brandy decided to get in my car so we could chat while we waited, she sat right in it. And because I always have a large quantity of cardboard in the back of my car (?), I made her a cardboard blotter to sit on. Thank goodness the time to go in came quickly. We were getting less presentable by the minute.
We met Jason behind the bar, one of the three brothers. Adam, Jason, and Tyler own and operate the facility, and Adam’s wife was our bartender. She and Jason graciously served and described several samples to us. I asked about food… and at first I was a little surprised when Jason said they don’t have a food menu. BUT, get this — as a brewery, they operate on “vineyard rules.” Customers can bring in any food they want! You can order food and have it delivered there! You can pack your own picnic! You can come in with a giant tub of cheese puffs if you want! The possibilities are endless. For some reason, this completely blew my mind. It’s a new level of freedom for me. I’m thinking about just rolling a mini-fridge and a hot plate in there and pitching a tent.
Furthermore. The place is ridickers beautiful. And huge. You can sit out on the patio at a cute little table, there’s no shortage of stools at the lengthy bar, and they even have a nice, cushy lounge area with leather seating. Decadent. The rich tones of the wooden wall above the bar, the rustic lighting, the aqua sea foam green tiles in what used to be the old Coca Cola plant, the spacious taproom, and the gleaming metal equipment create an elegant blend of vintage and modern, warm and cool.

They offer 5-sample flights for $8, or you can get a full-size draft, or you can buy a growler and have it filled. They also distribute their beer for purchase at various locations all over town. We sampled several beers, including their Pilsner, the American Amber, the Tri Brathair (this one would be enough for me for dessert), the Hoptimization, and the Admiral (super hoppy and bold). Brandy is partial to the Belgians, so she really liked the Belgian Dubbel and the Belgian Blonde, and my favorites were the Virginia Dark Ale, which has a smooth milky texture, and the Great Outdoors, a pale ale not quite so bitey as an IPA, and it tasted a little buttery to me.

I have to say, since I’ve lived here, Harrisonburg has had a beer-splosion of sorts. You can find almost any beer you want in this town, whether it’s at a restaurant or a festival, a wine shop or even a convenience store. And now we have this awesome hometown brewery to enjoy. It’s no wonder we’re about to be named Best Beer Town. (Have you voted yet? Good grief, do it!!)
Hopefully we’ve convinced you to go visit the Three Brothers as soon as you can. Their normal hours are Thursday – Saturday, 4 – 9pm. From time to time they feature live music and stay open a little later. And if you’re not sure where they’re located, it’s easy. They’re at 800 North Main. Just head north like you’re going to the Little Grill, and go a little further, and it’s on the right side of the street. Here’s to good beer!
Copyright © 2012-13 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Written content by Katie Mitchell. Photos by Brandy Somers. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
getting busy.
Last week went by in a blur… late nights, early mornings, too much junky food, not enough coffee. And this week, Harrisonburg’s population’s going to explode as JMU and EMU students return. (Bridgewater students… probably NEXT week.) When school starts, there’s a new energy in town… summer is ending, fall is approaching, crisp mornings and evenings, bright blue, cloudless skies, football season, Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner. And while I’m bummed that my time at home with the kiddos is over, it’s an exciting time for each of us. Bree enters her last year as an elementary school student, I’m teaching a new class this year, and Cal… well, he’s always excited about everything.
May this be an exciting week for you all! Here’s what’s happyning in the burg this week!
until we meat again: cuban burger.
roll play: cuban burger.
gone cuba diving: cuban burger!
Somehow this summer I just didn’t get enough “Brandy time.” Maybe we really hadn’t seen each other in a while, or maybe it just felt that way because summer FLEW by, but here we were, the last weekend before returning to work, and we felt compelled to squeeze in a quick dinner before life turned upside down again.
Don’t get me wrong, we had some great times in the burg this summer. Dinner at the Chop House, canoeing, Valley Fourth, Grilled Cheese Mania, Ten Thousand Villages, the Cupcake Company… but we had some misses, too. I missed Art Lotto (dammit!!) because I was at the beach (yay!!), she had some weddings and little trips out of town, and for a few weeks we just barely saw each other at all. I was soooo excited to finally sit down with her again (and a plate of food) and catch up! And Cuban Burger was calling our names.
Michael and I met Brandy, Ben, Blake and Ella there and they quickly accommodated our party of six. The place looks great. If you haven’t been in yet, they occupy what was Wine on Water (and Cuban Burger operated out of there in the beginning) and the All Things Virginia shop. The bar is located on the Wine on Water half, and the dining room extends into the Virginia shop half. Once we arrived, people filled all the tables and we watched with drooling eyes as plate after plate of sumptuous food passed us. A large mural of Cuba covers one rustic brick wall, and Zac Nafziger’s stained glass glimmers in front of a light fixture. Everything is neat and clean, yet warm.
First, we caught up on all the news. This just in: Brandy’s dryer shorted out. “How shocking,” Michael chirped, followed by about eight more electrical puns, like “switch” and “short” and “wired.” Finally he put a “plug” in it. Ha. Thankfully Brandy’s house and clothes are all fine. Then we talked about Art Lotto. I’d gone into the Dodger when I returned from the beach to see the portraits. Amazing. They’re still up, if you haven’t seen them yet, and you can see photos of the event at the Art Lotto site. Talking about all that talent led us to Rachel Herr, who was featured in a recent issue of Edible magazine!! (Go to the link, click on the cover with the multi-colored pepper on it, and you can see the article on page 30.) Yay, Rachel! Brandy and I both noted her ability to just “know” when two (or ten) seemingly opposing ingredients will work together. Rachel’s a MacGyver in the kitchen, plain and simple. And Brandy has a bit of this instinct, too. When baking Ben’s birthday cake recently, she realized she was out of vegetable oil, but what did she have handy? Fresh bacon grease. Worked out fine. Put that in your recipe file, people.
The food arrived and we dove in. Michael and I both ordered the Buenos Dias… a burger containing beef and pork, topped with bacon (!), a fried egg (!!), CHEESE, and little matchstick fries. I pretty much ingested my three-meals-a-day in one sitting. I like efficiency. Thankfully the server cleared our empty plates before we licked them.
Blake got the Original burger, and declared it was “the best burger I’ve ever eaten.” Brandy and Ben shared the El Jefe, a burger topped with assorted meat. Brandy quickly admitted that sharing was a mistake, and one she won’t make again. The food, all of it — the burgers, the rice, the fries, the bacon-garnished grits — was unbelievably delicious. Flavorful, cooked to perfection, succulent, and whatever other synonym you can think of. I remember thinking that if I worked within walking distance of that place, I’d have a real problem on my hands, and I felt grateful yet devastated that I don’t. Still, I find myself thinking of when I can get in there again. Lord, that food was good.
The server asked if I wanted another Sol. Hmmmm… two souls. Wouldn’t that be convenient. That’s when, on the recommendation of our server, Brandy ordered a Caipirinha. It’s the national cocktail of Brazil, containing sugarcane liquor, sugar, and lime. All he had to do was say “mushed up” and Brandy was sold. It, too, was delicious. They have a full bar and offer lots of specialty drinks, and personally, I was comforted by their ample beer selection. And not that it matters all too much, because I’d probably pay $50 for another Buenos Dias right now, but it’s all very affordable.
Cuban Burger, we are so glad you’re back. We needed you. You can find Cuban Burger on West Water Street (next to Beyond). Go hungry!
Copyright © 2012-13 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Written content by Katie Mitchell. Photos by Brandy Somers. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows.
You remember that song? It’s one I sing to my kids frequently… at the first sign of whining or fighting… and sometimes it actually makes them stop.
It’s the week before school starts, and all through the city and county, siblings are bickering like crazy. The other day my kids fought over whether someone said “potty” or “party” for, like, an hour. Well, maybe not that long, but it felt like it, and I actually had to separate them. Of course, once they’re back in school they will miss each other. I remember last year, when Cal started kindergarten, he said something like, “Mom, sometimes during the day I don’t see Bree, and then I think I must be lost.”
May the week bring you sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows, and lots of good eats during Taste of Downtown, starting tomorrow. Check out all the week’s events right here, at our Happynings page. See you out and about!
world of good: ten thousand villages.
universal language: ten thousand villages.
When I said to the kids, “Let’s go to Ten Thousand Villages today,” Cal’s brain churned behind his glassy blue eyes, and then he said, “I’m not sure we have time for all that.”
haha. I get it. I played along.
“Really? How long do you think it would take to visit ten thousand villages?”
“Oh, probably about twenty years.”
Then Bree-the-math-whiz chimed in: “Cal — that’s five hundred villages a year. That’s more than one a day. Unless the villages are really close together, you’d never visit ten thousand in twenty years.”
“Well, I don’t know how long it will take, but I didn’t pack a suitcase!”
“Me neither!”
Oh, brother. “Kids. Ten Thousand Villages is a store downtown. We’ve been in there before. It’s across from the library. That’s where we’re going. Sheesh!”
We met Brandy, Blake, and Ella there. It’s a little store, but it contains the whole world. I feel rich every time I step in there. Not in an American–capitalist–first-world way, but in an “I’m-connected-to-the-universe” way. That someone on another continent created something by hand that I, halfway around the world in a different culture and social system and economic reality, can also relate to and appreciate is pretty cool. That’s what art does; it transmits humanity. It’s a language everyone understands. Ten Thousand Villages has been cultivating this idea in Harrisonburg for twenty years. Yep — it’s their twentieth anniversary!
The brainchild of Wendy Lederach and Cleta Gingerich, what’s now known as Ten Thousand Villages began as International Impressions in September of 1993. It was located in Town Centre behind the mall, some of you might remember. The store moved to the Shenandoah Farmer’s Market and then the Dayton Farmer’s Market before changing its name to Ten Thousand Villages, and it’s been in its downtown location since 2011. Ten Thousand Villages is a global operation with hundreds of retail locations. They’ve been around for more than sixty years and sell fair trade products from about forty countries. It’s a way for the unemployed or under-employed folks in those nations to make a fair living.
The Harrisonburg location has one executive director, three part-time employees, and several volunteers who work hard to keep overhead low and more money flowing back to the artisans who produce the merchandise sold in the store. They host Community Shopping days where a portion of their sales go directly to a selected charity. The organization has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute and Forbes Magazine for the sixth consecutive year, and was voted Best Downtown Shop (twice) and Best Shop That Sells Handcrafted Art (three times) by readers of the DNR! And it’s no surprise… it’s the ULTIMATE gift shop. You can find a gift for anyone in that place, and the money you spend is a gift to others. To test this theory, we asked each of the four kids with us to choose something they themselves would love to receive as a gift, and it took a good hour for everyone to decide on something. Here were their choices:
Blake: picture frame and box made of upcycled computer parts
Bree: this drum, or any of them, really
Personally, I want the recycled Coke can giraffes. And Brandy’s favorite was this cute birdie keychain!
In addition to those awesome finds, the store carries coffee, teas, chocolate, olive oil, dried fruits, international sounds through Putumayo music, children’s clothes and toys made of organic cotton and hand knotted Oriental rugs. The handicrafts include ceramic pottery, kitchenware, planters, textiles like tablecloths and sari throws, musical instruments, games, home décor, large selection of jewelry and personal accessories, natural soaps and shea butter, Alpaca winter wear, paper goods and stationery, and lots more. I mean LOTS.

So, if you have someone to buy a gift for soon (including yourself), write yourself a little note to skip the generic stores and indulge in something unique and authentic that will make a lasting impression on the gift recipient AND the artist who made it. You’ll feel a whole lot richer.
Copyright © 2012-13 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Written content by Katie Mitchell. Photos by Brandy Somers. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
bittersweet.
I just got back from a week at the beach with the kiddos. We go every summer. We look forward to it for months, then love it while we’re there, and then mourn it as we drive away. But, there comes a time in every vacation where I long for the comforts of home… my own bed, my own shower, climate control, my city, my neighborhood, a cup of coffee from Shank’s, a chili dog from Jess’, a stroll through the market, crisp mountain air. And all that feels soooo good, but then… I start to miss the sound of the ocean when I wake up, sticky-salty hair, the kids shrieking and jumping into waves, their little upturned faces grimacing as I put more sunscreen on them, sand in my mouth, between my toes, and everywhere in between. Well, until next summer…
Harrisonburg is a fine place to come home to. And here are lots of things to keep us busy and entertained this week! Enjoy! Summer’s ending soon.










































