Well-Designed Design in Roanoke: A Mellow Evening

It had been a long week, and Friday came well-deserved.  We wanted to relax, have fun, be out, be with family.  Turns out that we designed an evening of design.

Thankfully, Kim knew it was a late night at the Taubman Museum of Art, and E and Kim went to check out exhibits while G finished her nap.  Friday nights at the Taubman=An absolutely outstanding atmosphere of art and fun relaxation, in this case including live music.  We parked in a free-for-Friday-evening garage, took a brisk walk to the museum, and smelled delicious things wafting from the restaurants downtown.  We delighted in the look of the Taubman at night with its lit staircase.  E made me smile so broadly as he enjoyed the live jazz. Check the online schedule--late nights happen about twice a month.

Our main purpose in visiting was to check out Follicular: The Hair Stories of Sonya Clark, an exhibit of hair-related art including unique hair braiding.  E adored the comb sculptures, and strong signage made reflecting on the artist's purpose highly accessible.  Importantly, this exhibit makers for a unique way to reflect during Black History Month.  There are themes of conformity, resistance, change, personal struggle, community, and more, and thanks to the solid curation, these can be explored by even more casual visitors.

We also dashed into a more expansive exhibit of the folk art of Reverend Howard Finster (closed 2.5.17). This exhibit drew you in with its color and made you think about community, arts education, religious notes in art, and more.  

After picking up Justin and G, we headed off to Tanglewood Mall's American Association of University Women's biannual used book sale, a great place to find gently-used academic, travel, and children's books.  Favorite finds this time included a 1970s illustrated children's Bible, classics like Robin Hood adapted to elementary reading levels, and a set of encyclopedia-looking books full of children's stories.  Find out more about the AAUW sale here.  Ignore the worn carpet in the former Dollar Tree and enjoy.

If we haven't told you,  we just enjoy Tanglewood.  It's Roanoke's less-bustling indoor mall.  We expect it to be redeveloped, but for now, go and enjoy lighter crowds, special events, and Roanoke's easier-to-shop, typically-better-stocked JCPenney and Belk locations. Plus, Tanglewood is home to my favorite biannual kids' consignment sale, Back on the Rack, which is next open on March 18.

And then dinner... One of J's Christmas gifts to K was a Mellow Mushroom gift card to help us finally try out Roanoke's new location. We were delighted by the modern, spunky, and cozy atmosphere as well as by the pretzel bites with dipping cheese.   Go Mellow when you have time to relax.   Making your pizza may take 30 minutes, but it is worth it.  There's outdoor dining in season, but this time of the year, enjoy the "living room" fireplace instead.

Alleghany County Gets a Ghost Tour: Haunted Clifton Forge, VA

K grew up doing a little acting in what was then the Stonewall Theatre--and hearing tons of ghost stories from the cast and crew.  Folks talked about entering the theatre for the evening and seemingly interrupting a crowd, hearing the sounds and smelling the perfume of theatre-goers. There were reports of people watching shows in the balcony--people who weren't people.  And one can't forget the reports of a death in the theatre's apartment.  K has told J the stories and has wondered if anyone else remembered them, true or not.  So, when on a recent trip to Clifton Forge, this sign meant we were headed out for a Halterman Evening ghost tour.

Haunted Heritage Tours is a new venture from a new resident of the Alleghany Highlands named Audrey.  She's grown to appreciate the area and has a desire to both tell its history and attract folks to pay attention to the stories and places nestled in the beautiful hills.  Her 90-minute walking tour is well-priced, not gimmicky, and worth your time.  A gracious storyteller, she is receptive to input from locals and incorporates information about her primary-source local history research.  Expect an outdoor tour from Town Hall to C & O/Jack Mason's and back again with outdoor stops for stories and sightseeing.  We were particularly pleased to hear stories of Mary, the former proprietor of what was the Stonewall Theatre and what is now the Historic Masonic Theatre, and of the apartment above what was Zimmerman's menswear store.  This tour is strong on history and safe for kids who enjoy stories of ghosts and odd happenings.

The tour goes on, for now, weekends through October, although you should watch the website for future offerings at other times of the year and for different events.  In our humble opinion, the Highlands have not yet reached peak colors, so this is a great excuse to get Roanokers to drive over this month and take it in, routing through Craig Creek-Richpatch-Roaring Run encouraged to see the great fall colors in Botetourt.  While you are there, visit a great outdoor site like Humpback Bridge, take in a good meal, and, of course, enjoy the ghost tour.  Couples on an adventure, consider Cat and Owl for steak and seafood or Cafe Michel for French food--both can be destination restaurants. Families, try Vic's Family Restaurant.

Beautiful Spiders: An Evening with OVO

Sunday evening, K received a surprise email from the Science Museum of Western Virginia and Center in the Square.  The email offered invited guests--who I'd later learn were principally museum members and volunteers--the opportunity to attend a reception, at no cost excepting parking, celebrating Cirque du Soleil's OVO touring show and its arrival in town on Tuesday.  The insect theme worked for the science museum's connection, and the celebration was held on the Center's lovely rooftop.  What a wonderful way to end a workday!

Needless to say, G and K proudly RSVPed.  This was a low-cost, low-commitment way to introduce G to Cirque, something K felt she'd probably be fascinated by...but might be scared by if the timing was off.  She enjoys dancing and art, but it would be debatable whether or not she'd be awake and interested for a full Cirque show.  G got to attend the "fancy" party, enjoying cookies, crackers and cheese, as well as polite conversation with a new friend.

Then, G adored the main attraction, a brief performance by OVO's contortionist spiders.  She was transfixed and immediately approached them as soon as the photo op opened.  She even wanted to show the performers her pictures.

She took home flyers about the show including pictures of the "spiders' friends."  This settles it--a performance next year is likely in the cards for us.

While there, we saw flyers for a membership promotion from this our home science museum.  The ASTC Passport "add on" is free for the month of September when you purchase a membership with the Science Museum of Western Virginia.  Local parents willing to travel to nearby museums included in passport (translation: reciprocal membership, AKA free) museums like the Museum of Life + Science in Durham and Marbles Children's Museum in Raleigh, this is a great deal.  You do not have to live in Roanoke to join Roanoke's museum, but keep in mind ASTC reciprocity "kicks in" 90 miles from your "home" museum.  ASTC museums include many science centers, some children's museums, and some other nifty places, like the North Carolina Museum of Transportation.  Other places we've been on ASTC Passport?  Danville Science Center, Virginia Museum of Natural History, Virginia Living History, Science Museum of Virginia, and Whitaker Center.  For folks who travel with kids, this is a DEAL for most.  Look at the ASTC list for places that you might be near across the next year!