Excitement! Glamor! Miami! New York!

We've been all over the East Coast for the past week... and it shows! We've gotten some very nice press from some very nice people. Care to see? Of course you do!

Trendceteramag covered us here in New York, with a very nice review of Jenny and David's work. It includes spiffy sentences like this one:

Putting the two together, who are in many ways polar opposites, likely forced them to challenge themselves by stepping outside their boundaries. Jenny, with her precise ideas and mastery of form, and David, with his spontaneous approach and infectious personality, together result in a one unified passionate artist.

A review like that, you can't help but enjoy. Head over and check it out!

Then there was our dear friend Hrag Vartanian. He came all the way to Miami to see us, wasn't that nice? He even pretended to blog about many other exciting Miami events so no one would suspect. But don't worry, Hrag, we know you loved us best. It shows in sentences like this:

Always adventurous, Marisa chose to forge a new path away from the traditional art fair booth, and she moved her wares to a hotel suite on the South Beach strip where collectors, critics, and friends of Like the Spice could enjoy private viewings accompanied by wine and informal conversation — it was a lovely experience.

Hrag has a nice little review of the latest pieces from artist Rachel Beach as well, so be sure to take a look.

Finally, back on the homefront, we got a little shout-out from L Magazine. Great to know you stopped by, guys!

Remember, if you haven't yet seen Civil Union, you've only got one more weekend left. Make it count! Come and visit!

You Can't Spell Union Without YOU (At Least We Hope You Can't)

Did you enjoy Civilware, the latest and most delicious of all our Monthly Dinners so far? If you were here, we know you want more of that cake. As of right now, we still have a few slices left, and it's just as good now as it was then. Stop by and have another piece on this beautiful Sunday afternoon! Before we eat it all ourselves!



Even if you weren't able to make it in, we know you were here in your heart. So here's the wrap-up, just for you.



Civilware filled up so completely, we had to get out the extra long table! That made for great conversation between our guests and our artists. We were very pleased welcome some old friends, as well as meet a few new ones! We know for a fact we'll see them again. Once you dine Like the Spice style, you can't help but want to come back.



Despite the fancy glasses and delicious lobster ravioli, the atmosphere stayed rather informal all night long. It was more like a group of intimate friends than a table full of strangers. We know from experience that Jenny and David have that sort of effect on people, but it was still magical to see it happening.



Jenny and David compliment each other in real life just as well as they do on the canvas, so hearing them talk about their work, their ideas, and just plain talking about the inspiration that created a piece makes for a captivating evening. You can perhaps capture a bit of that feeling at home by checking out our very first podcast, where we feature a brief but lovely interview with the two of them. It's worth hearing them together!



These two young artists have a real passion for their field, and share between them a clear and obvious connection. By the end of the meal, it wasn't hard to understand why this show looks so wonderful.



If you couldn't make it in, remember that Civil Union runs until December 13th, so you've still got plenty of time. Jenny and David been getting lots of compliments and plenty of praise, so trust us when we tell you this one is a must see. Be sure to plan a trip to the gallery, maybe even for our NotMiami Party on December 4th?



And remember to keep an eye out for details on next month's dinner with Michelle Hinebrook and Nicki Stager. We're still planning it now, but we'll tell you more soon. Right now, we've got to get back to that cake.

But He Gave It His All, And We're Proud

You might have noticed that poor little Spencer is new to the world of blogging. That's why his post had no title, and no links. But even still, we're proud of him for helping us out in a crisis. Like they say in the world of chess, you've just got to lose your first hundred games as quickly as possible! Or maybe that's just what people have been telling us so we don't feel bad about always losing at chess.

Anyway, just in case you were too busy to cut and paste, we wanted to offer you a brand new link to our Like the Spice Podcast on the iTunes Store. Sign up, and let it come right to you! This time, as you're certainly aware by now, we've got a fantastic interview with Jenny Morgan and David Mramor, the artists responsible for our current show, Civil Union.

But that's not all! There's still time to reserve your place for Civilware, the very latest and potentially greatest of all our regular Monthly Dinners so far. Take a look at the previous dinners, because they've been a lot of fun, so RSVP now!

And get ready, because now that we've cleared the hurdles, we're going to be podcastin' fools. Our next one will be coming very soon, and it'll feature Nicki Stager and Michele Hinenbrook. Watch for details on their upcoming show!

Civil Union Opening: Go Chemistry!

For those who came to last night's much anticipated opening, Civil Union: Jenny Morgan and David Mramor, it was one of our most attended and exciting exhibitions to date! Spilling with guests, opening night was the perfect chemistry of portraiture, collaboration and performance. Jenny and David's pieces are masterworks on the subject of artistic partnership. Rotating canvases, each artist builds and interrupts the subject matter never quite knowing where the piece will evolve after each turn. It is an exercise in catch and release, each artist trusting the other's artistic sensibility and vision.



Friends, family, avid collectors, writers, and a few of Jenny and David's portrait models turned up to support the artists and see their newest series. "Kuan Yin" and "Mystic" were among the most popular and discussed paintings of the night. "Kuan Yin" depicting a woman with a candid stare on a teal background that blends graffiti-like markings and saturated color.



The night went on to included a performance by David as his musical alter-ego Enid Ellen. Enid combines the personae and pomp of drag with Native American mysticism- her songs resembling chants and the spooky callings of a medium channeling the unknown. Already Civil Union is turning up in the press! Check out our write-ups and hot-spot listings with Heart As Arena, L Magazine, Brooklyn Street Art, Saatchi Online, and Brooklyn The Borough, Art Buzz.

Spicecasting.mp3

The rumors are true! Well, at least, we hope people have been spreading rumors. Because we want everyone's attention so we can tell them to start listening to the Like the Spice Podcast!



We'll be the first to admit we're still learning, but we're pretty proud of what we've done. This podcast you'll be getting a fantastic interview with Jenny Morgan and David Mramor about their upcoming show, Civil Union, opening this Friday, November 13th. Listening to them describe how they met, why they work together so well, and the way they first became and have remained friends will really get you in the mood for their opening night. P.S.: you want to be here for that too. 6:30pm - 10:00pm.

Anyway, we're trying really hard to get into the iTunes store. We even said our friends were already inside! But the bouncer just didn't believe us. So, for right now, you can hit our homemade RSS feed and download the podcast manually. Check it out! And then let us know what you thought, okay?

Civil Union: The Heart of Collaboration

Dean Goelz is our current exhibition, and The Beaded Curtain has been receiving rave reviews! It's open until November 8th so you've got plenty of time to come and enjoy. But can we just take a moment to wet your appetite for the future? Because there's something good coming up next...



Our next exhibition features works by Like The Spice regulars Jenny Morgan and David Mramor. It's called Civil Union, and from what we've already seen, it promises a fantastic showing of works that get to the heart of artistic collaboration. Combining photo-realistic portraiture with hybrid abstraction is no easy feat, but Jenny and David are masters of innovation.

And, of course, the hotline's already open for Civilware, our latest installment of the monthly dinner series. Jenny Morgan and David Mramor will be on hand, November 20th, at 8:00pm, and we'll toast their new show and talk with them about their unique process. You should make your reservations right now!

Remember, you've still got time to come enjoy The Beaded Curtain, but plan ahead. November's right around the corner, and this union is one you'll want to witness.