Jackson Pollock’s studio and house in East Hampton

by Jamie Rhein on

When I was finding out details about Cody, Wyoming for my post on Cody Cowboy Village, I found out that Jackson Pollack was born in Cody Wyoming in 1912 and yesterday (January 28) was his birthday. Jackson Pollock is one of those artists whose work I admire tremendously, but don’t know exactly why.

One of the things I remember about my first trip to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City is Jackson Pollock’s paintings. A long time ago I took the Foreign Service exam just to see what would happen and found out that there are some things I just don’t know. What I did know, was Jackson Pollock’s picture. There was a photograph of him painting and I recognized him immediately.

To celebrate his birthday, I looked into what mark he made on the world besides his art that you can see in museums. I did think about making a list of museums where you can see his work, but instead am happy to report that his former studio and house is now a museum and study center in East Hampton, New York. The house built in 1879 belonged to a fisherman’s family. Now it’s the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center and is where Pollock did most of his work from 1946 until his death. Visiting here is one way to soak in the atmosphere and belongings of a person who is certainly one of abstract art’s most energetic contributors. The house is open seasonally. Visits begin again May 1.

By the way, East Hampton is also a gorgeous, trendy place to spend some time, but bring money.

Winery Tours: From the Not so Cheap to the Cheap to the Cheaper

by Jamie Rhein on

Here’s a mini companion to my earlier post on cheap beer via brewery tours. While brewery tours make me want to take up accordion playing or something, winery tours make me think of fine art. There is a sensuous quality about wineries–an elegance if you will. Like brewery tours, winery tours are a great way to imbibe without spending a lot of money.

When a friend of mine lived near San Francisco we made a trip to Napa Valley on one of my visits. We hit one winery after another. I love the buffet quality of a counter with wine bottles lined up and a server at the ready to take you on a tour ranging from sweetness to musky dry.

Winery tours and tasting fees vary, but so does the extent of what money will buy you as well. For example, the Benziger Family Winery has a Biodynamic Vineyard Wine Tour for $10. Quite a deal of you think about how a tour is a lesson in sustainable agriculture.

Other wineries may charge you for a wine glass that you get to keep like Twomey Wine Cellars. At this winery, for $5 you get a glass and tastes of several wines.

Because the wineries vary in what they charge for tasting and the how to book a tour protocol, check beforehand. The Web site Napa Valley Vintners has a page that lists the wineries with tours and tasting, plus links to each winery’s Web site. There’s also a map of Napa Valley to help you plan your tour.

I’ve also wine tasted in Upstate New York and at a winery near Sag Harbor on Long Island. Whenever you see a winery sign, chances are you can have an impromptu wine tasting. My impromptu tastings have been free, except I always buy a bottle to take home.

Bistro Cassis Restaurant

by Adrienne Wilson on

It is going to sound real sad when I make this confession, but I don’t think I’ve ever eaten at a French restaurant up until now. Gasp! I know. Surely I’ve had French fries, French breads, and oh, French toast and crepes, but nothing real fancy if you catch my drift. Can’t quite explain why I’d never tried more of it before, but I’ll make a guess in that I was probably too busy eating Thai, Indian or other super spicy cuisines. However, that is not the point right now. The point is I ate fancy French food at Bistro Cassis out in Long Island, NY and dug it!

My companion for the evening had her mind wrapped around eating steak tartar and as fond of red meat as I may be, I left her to eat the whole serving on her own. She did share the escargot, which was absolutely delish! It was my first time sampling the edible snail and I’ll be taste-testing this item more often in future French dining destinations. While it’s slipped my mind what she ended up eating for the main course, I remember very well what I devoured: Black fish (which is actually a white fish) with an assortment of vegetables. The vegetables included pieces of sunflower stem if I’m not mistaken. In summary the food was scrumptious and I would certainly visit again.

In regards to the atmosphere, the restaurant is medium in size and fairly intimate. The only thing that bothered both me and my companion was the first server, who just seemed a bit over-the-top in telling us the specials for the evening. He came off a bit creepy, but nice otherwise.

Bistro Cassis is located at 55 B Wall Street, Huntington, NY 11748. Ph. 631.421.4122.