JULY GATHERING

Ah so! This Friday, July 10, we'll add Asian flavor to our gathering in the form of a potluck, pot sticker, or pot of something or other. Bring some restaurant takee outee, some homee makee, or something from the grocery delee for our Asian feast. I'll provide steamed edamame, chilled green tea, Long Island iced tea, sake, and fortune cookies.

We'll gather at my house at 7:00 PM for dinner. Our movie, either A WALK ON THE MOON or DEVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA SISTERHOOD - whichever I can get my hands on - will be shown at 8:15 PM.

LOOKING AHEAD - Our gatherings are held on the second Friday evening of each month.
AUG 14: The sultry days of summer will find us at the NC Museum of Art outdoor theater watching THE VISITOR. The movie show time is 9:00 PM. Those wishing to have dinner before the movie should meet at 7:00 PM at Tavola Rossa Italian Restaurant, 5300 Homewood Banks Drive in Raleigh.
SEP 11 & 13: This will be an exciting two day event. Attend one or both days. Our movie on Friday will be SECOND HAND LIONS. Does anyone want to host? On Sunday at 1:00 PM we'll tour the Carnivore Preserve Trust http://www.cptigers.org/tour/public.asp in Pittsboro, NC. We'll need to make advance reservations for this activity. This will be a good time to bring family members and friends.

FOR WORTHY CAUSES & OTHER INFO - Scroll past all the postings to the very bottom of this blog.

-Peggy Wolf

RERUN 6/12/09

MOVIE? WHAT MOVIE? At the Wake Forest Art After Hours that takes place on the second Friday of each month, six of us met at the Sunflower Studio to begin taking in as much of this charming historic town as we could cram into one evening. Full of quaint shops, galleries, and inviting restaurants, Louise said it reminded her of many of the little mountain towns and villages in upstate New York, particularly Woodstock.

Live music filtering from several venues set the festive vibe to kick off the summer season while we noshed on fabulous finger foods along the way. The Sunflower Studio and the boutiques in the Cotton Company captured most of our attention. We didn't go home empty handed as most of us found a thing or two we couldn't live without. Dawn helped me with my choice of a necklace made of a polished wooden disk hung from a cotton cord. Geez, do I have simple tastes or what?

Kim got sidetracked by a very cute guy that she knew, but we rounded her up prior to heading to Las Margaritas where some of us, yes, had margaritas, and we all dined on south-of-the-border fare.

Forgoing our usual movie watching activity, with our inquiring and imaginative minds we could have come up with an original of our own after spotting Cheryl's two bandaged knees. She was all mum about it except to say "floor burns." Floor burns? On both knees. I'm sure the movie in our minds would have to be R-rated.

Keep cool, gals, until we return to our chick-flicks on July 10.

-Peggy Wolf

photos by Marcy Collyer
(Top photo: Cheryl, Dawn, Peggy, Louise, Kim )

JUNE GATHERING

Let's welcome summer by donning sundresses and gathering at 6:30 PM on Friday, June 12, at the Sunflower Studio and Art Gallery located in historic downtown Wake Forest just off of South White Street at 214 East Jones Avenue. (www.sunflowerstudiowf.com)

The Possum Road Bluegrass Band will put a stomp in our step as we nosh on light hor d'oeuvres and view the work of resident and student artists and jewelry designers. Bring your checkbook as you're sure to find something you may not be able to live without.

The entire downtown area will be celebrating "Art After Hours" with carriage rides and other venues staying open until 9:00. We'll also want to explore some of the unique shops and pop into the the Cotton Company for their artist's reception and wine tasting. The Storyteller's Bookstore will be doing poetry and authors' readings beginning at 7:30.

If all this isn't enough, we can drive to the other side of town to grab a nightcap or a gourmet pizza at Rocco's where my husband will be playing jazz saxophone or we can head over to the Marque Cinema to get a late night flicks fix.

Remember, your friends are always welcome and I'll look forward to seeing you there. -Peggy Wolf

photo by vintage queen

RERUN 5/8/09

According to this month's movie, he may not be that much into you, but we were definitely into the Raleighwood Cinema. Eight of us ate, drank, and made merry while perched in our private box, suite, or whatever you want to call it. We could have played bumper chairs in our comfy, padded and wheeled seats, but being the ladies that we are, we restrained ourselves.

I suppose I was just lucky or times were different during my single days back in the 1970's, but if a guy took my number and told me he was going to call, he did. I was spared the heartache that the young women in the movie experienced. While the movie had some funny scenes and situations, overall I felt it was painful to watch. I must have been feeling the pain of the characters, but not everyone had my reaction.

Lois joined us for the first time. She and fellow New Yorker, Louise, staked out a place for our group. It was only after they had ordered drinks and food, that they realized they were in the wrong theatre and were about to see an action thriller flick.

Kim is gaining a reputation as a movie crasher, but to her defense, she walked into the theater without a ticket because she thought I'd already purchased one for her. Lee brought her friend and co-worker, Emma, to hang out with our crazy group. She had a great time and hopes to return. We were all envious of Cheryl who was leaving in a few days to vacation in Hawaii. Although she didn't ask for it, we eagerly gave her advice on how not to turn into a crispy critter on the beach. The sage advice came from Lee who used to live there.

In order to add to our caloric intake after the move, we moseyed en masse to the nearby Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins where our indepth discussion of the film quickly deviated to a deeper discussion of donuts. We found out that Marcy's fav is chocolate glazed which is not to be confused with chocolate iced. Diets schmiets, we satisfied our oral cravings and had a decadent good time.
-Peggy Wolf

MAY GATHERING

The Raleighwood Cinema Grill at 6609 Falls of Neuse Road in north Raleigh will be the site of our gathering on Friday, May 8. The Raleighwood is a movie theater like no other. Seating is at tables in comfortable padded swivel chairs where waitstaff serve casual food, desserts, wine, beer, and soft drinks.

So what movie are we going to see? How about a light and fun romantic comedy like HE"S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU with Ben Affleck and Jennifer Aniston or ALL ABOUT STEVE with Sandra Bullock. The weekly movie-runs open on Fridays and are made public on Wednesdays so I'll send out an email Wednesday afternoon advising you of the movie title and confirming the starting time.

The ticket window opens one hour before the movie and seating is done 30 minutes before showtime to allow for food and drink orders to be taken. Most likely the movie will begin at 7:00 PM so it would be good to be there at 6:00 as some shows do sell out.

I find that the food at the Raleighwood is quite ordinary and quite pricey. So being the cheapskate that I am, I'll probably just drink and snack at the theater and save my money and calories for a treat after the movie at Baskin Robbins/Dunkin Donuts where we can gather to discuss the movie. It's just down from the theater and stays open until 10:30 PM.

Here's a link to check out the theater: http://www.raleighwoodmovies.com
-Peggy Wolf

photo by jennie-o

RERUN 4/10/09

Like last month, it was another dark and stormy night as the Gal Pals gathered at the maze of a construction site called the NC Museum of Art. As we entered the reception area our auditory senses were greeted by musicians playing a grand piano and a slide trombone much too loudly until more people arrived to absorb some of the melodic sound waves. An appetizing array of cheeses and crackers along with wine and beer selections were available to get the party started.

Cheryl called our attention to the most spectacular flower arrangement I'd ever seen. Left at the museum after a corporate event the day before, it was beautifully arranged and beyond huge. Not only was each and every cut flower real, but they were all perfect specimens - peonies, lilacs, tulips, and others I couldn't name. The fragrant arrangement was punctuated with towering calla lilies. Surely it cost at least a bazillion dollars.

A delightful docent gave us a most interesting and passionate presentation on selected works of art. She kept us so entertained with personal stories of the artists and their subjects, that the time passed too quickly. She left us wanting more.

Louise, a feisty little Italian, attracted a good looking and friendly gentleman who stayed by her side a large portion of the evening. Even though she isn't keen on men at this time in her life, just between you and me, I suspect she enjoyed his attention. Shortly before the movie, Dawn welcomed some fun loving women from another meet-up group into our fold and we're hoping they will gather with us again.

Monica Lewinsky may have given pause to cigars and the tam, aka beret, but Howayda rocked it as she arrived looking darling wearing one - the beret, not the cigar! I'm glad I kept mine and following Howayda's style, you're likely to see me wearing one, especially if I'm having a bad hair day.

By the time that Kim arrived the box office posted "Sold Out," but in keeping with our "no gal pal left behind rule" we smuggled her in. The film, A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN, based on the literary classic by the same title is a memoir of Betty Smith. She lived in Chapel Hill when she wrote the book in the early 1940's. Like last month's movie, THE CHILDREN OF HEAVEN, this movie also featured a brother and sister and their parents' struggle with poverty, however, this time in Brooklyn instead of Iran.

In my ongoing effort to bring peace and love to the world one person at a time, I introduced the nice man sitting next to me who happened to be from Israel, to my friends, Howayda and her husband Jihad, who are from Palestine.

LOOKING AHEAD - Our gatherings are held on the second Friday evening of each month.
May 8: A movie at the Raleighwood dinner theater or at the Blue Ridge 14 depending on what's being shown. More details as we get closer to the date.
June 12: We'll gather at the Sunflower Studio in Wake Forest <www.sunflowerstudiowf.com> where live music and light hors d'oeuvres are served to kick off an exciting art show featuring local artists. Art After Hours runs from 5:00 to 9:00 PM with other galleries, shops, and restaurants on the street participating. In order to get our 'movie fix' we can catch a late show at the Marquee Cinema 12 located in the Wakefield area just west of Wake Forest
July 10: Thanks to Cheryl for her suggestion, we'll do a Chinese potluck night, where each person brings some Asian food (restaurant carry-out, homemade, or from the grocery). We'll gather at someone's home (anyone want to host?) and eat while we watch a movie of the host's choice. (See our list at the bottom of the postings for suggestions. Please let me or Karla know if you have other titles you'd like to add.)

INFO COMING SOON FOR SPONTANEOUS ERUPTION
Impromptu gatherings to catch a bite, take a hike, play a game, see a game, you name it. Stay tuned!

FOR WORTHY CAUSES & OTHER INFO - Scroll past all the postings to the very bottom of this blog. SWOOPS May 9 project will be in Pittsboro in conjunction with Habitat Humanity.
-Peggy Wolf

photo by jovisala47

APRIL GATHERING

Our gathering for Friday, April 10, will be at the NC Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, 27607. We will view A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN, a 1945 film based on Betty Smith's fictionalized memoir. The author of her biography will discuss the film adaptation.

Tickets should be purchased in advance. Stop by the art museum (closed on Mondays) or call the box office, 839-6262, ticket price is $5, discounted to $3.50 for museum members and those age 65 and over. There is an additional $3 fee for telephone orders. The film presentation begins at 8:00 PM, but you are welcome to gather as early as 5:30 for the wine bar ($5 a glass) with cheese and crackers. There is a free tour of the museum at 6:30. Come make an evening of it, if you can, or just come for the movie.

If you haven't been to the art museum lately, you might be surprised to see major construction underway and nearing completion (early construction photo above). Traffic has been rerouted a bit, but parking is still in the same place, just follow the signs.

FOR WORTHY CAUSES & OTHER INFO - Scroll past all the postings to the very bottom of this blog.

LOOKING AHEAD - Our gatherings are held on the second Friday evening of each month.
May 8: A movie at the Raleighwood dinner theatre or at the Blue Ridge 14 depending on what's being shown. More details as we get closer to the date.
June 12: We'll gather at the Sunflower Studio in Wake Forest <www.sunflowerstudiowf.com> where live music and light hors d'oeuvres are served to kick off an exciting art show featuring local artists. Art After Hours runs from 5:00 to 9:00 PM with other galleries, shops, and restaurants on the street participating. In order to get our 'movie fix' we can catch a late show at the Marquee Cinema 12 located in the Wakefield area just west of Wake Forest
July 10: Thanks to Cheryl for her suggestion, we'll do a Chinese potluck night, where each person brings some Asian food (restaurant carry-out, homemade, or from the grocery). We'll gather at someone's home (anyone want to host?) and eat while we watch a movie of the host's choice. (See our list at the bottom of the postings for suggestions. Please let me or Karla know if you have other titles you'd like to add.)

COMING SOON - SPONTANEOUS ERUPTION
Stay tuned! Especially all you Scrabble, board and card game fans. For this I'm going to share everyone's contact info so if you'd rather not have your e-mail address, phone numbers, and home address shared with the other gal pals, let me know at once.
-Peggy Wolf

RERUN 3/13/09

It was a dark and stormy Friday the 13th night, but inside Howayda's beautiful home everything was all cozy and bright. Howayda expanded our cultural experience by treating us to some divine desserts and the chicken dip brought by Sandy was a big hit. Howayda's retired friend, Martha, joined in along with Karla, who recently returned from Austria, Kim, Marcy and I. Near the end of the evening, we allowed Howayda's husband, Jihad, to come in. After all it was their wedding anniversary.

We viewed, CHILDREN OF HEAVEN, an award winning movie filmed in Iran that touched upon fundamental values. It was a simple and beautifully presented story of a young brother and sister, their devotion to each other and how in understanding of their parents' situation, on their own worked together to solve a problem. The film gave us insight into the contrasting lives of the poor and the rich in another culture. What was shown as the Tehran 'slums' appeared poor, but clean and orderly, not at all what Americans vision when we hear the word applied in our country. The pacing of the movie was a bit slower than American flicks and the ending not exactly in line with the old Disney movies, which in my opinion made it even more interesting. Thanks to Howayda for making this experience available. Good friends, good food, and a good movie - no surprise here that a good time was had by all.
-Peggy Wolf

MARCH GATHERING

On March 13, at 7:00 pm, we'll be snacking out at Howayda's home while watching CHILDREN OF HEAVEN, a delightful story about a pair of shoes. In 1998 it was nominated for an academy award for best foreign language film. If a copy of this movie can't be located, we'll watch a different one from our list. Howayda will be treating us to some of her traditional desserts, in addition to chips and nuts. Incidentally, March 13 is Howayda's twenty-first wedding anniversary. We owe her patient husband a word of thanks for delaying their celebration by one day.

What can you bring? Your sweet self, a friend if you like, and any snack food that you'd like to share and business clothing that you no longer need (see below). RSVP to Howayda by email, phone, or through comments here.

Sandy C. made me aware of another women's organization that I encourage you to support. DRESS FOR SUCCESS promotes economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire and career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. We can help by donating our clean, nearly new-looking business apparel (sizes xs, s, and xl are most needed at this time): suits, blouses, skirts, blazers, shoes, and accessories. So rummage through your closet and bring whatever you care to donate to one of our gatherings and we'll get it to the organization or donate directly to the Triangle chapter, www.dressforsuccess.org/.

LOOKING AHEAD -
April 10: Tickets for our April event are $5 (museum members and those age 65 and over pay only $3.50). They can be purchased by stopping by or calling the NC Museum of Art, 839-6262 (ask for the box office). If ordering my phone there is an additional $3.00 convenience fee. The art museum is closed on Mondays. Tickets do sell out, so don't procrastinate. We'll see A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN, a 1945 film based on Betty Smith's fictionalized memoir. The author of her biography will discuss the film adaptation. The movie begins at 8:00 pm, preceded by live music and the lobby wine bar beginning at 5:30 pm. A free guided museum tour begins at 6:30 pm.
May 8: We'll gather for a movie at the Raleighwood dinner theatre or at the Blue Ridge 14 where cheap seats rule.
-Peggy Wolf

photo by Hamed Saber

RERUN 2/13/09

I'm not sure what I expected, especially since SEX is right there in bold letters on the DVD cover of SEX AND THE CITY. No one would ever call me a prude, but for someone who's seen only boy-and-dog and car-chase movies for the past 20 years, I was surprised by how little, if anything, was left to the imagination in this popular film. It was a truly enjoyable flick that featured fashion, fun, and relationships, interwoven with truths, humor, and fantasy.

“But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous.” I don't remember this quote from the movie, so it may have come from one of the TV episodes, but I'm posting it here because of it's pertinence.

Dawn, who endured my cats' dander, and her friend Mary Frances who drove in from Durham, along with Cheryl, Marcy, Kim, Lee, Sandy C., and I supped on soup before we hunkered down for the movie. We took a pause midway so Cheryl could share her chocolate martini kit, a Christmas gift, with us. What's not to like about a chilled martini glass double dipped, first in chocolate syrup, then in cinnamon and filled with a yummy chocolate concoction and topped with whipped cream and a sprinkling of chocolate shavings? Deliciously decadent!

Unbeknownst to Lee, or anyone else, the day before we gathered I finished writing a chapter in my novel, SOLO FLIGHT, that mentions nonpareils and a mouse. So what does Lee bring? Nonpareils! I remained on the outlook for a mouse the rest of the evening.

Due to some miscommunication with Cheryl, I was the only one wearing "outrageous fashion." But it wasn't only the fashion that was outrageous, Sandy introduced us to a local organiztion called SWOOP (Strong Women Organizing Outrageous Projects). SWOOP fills three purposes. 1) To help persons in need: elderly, low-income, disabled, or simply overwhelmed. 2) To better ourselves in body, mind, and spirit, by bettering the lot of others. 3) To build community among women by providing opportunities for networking and fun. Check it out at http://www.swoop4u.org/public and sign-up online if you care to volunteer on the second Saturday of a month a few times a year. In addition to helping persons in need, you may also learn a new skill and make more friends to love the you that you love and maybe even the you that you don't love so much.
-Peggy Wolf

FEBRUARY GATHERING

On Friday, February 13, come to my home in the country to see SEX IN THE CITY. We'll gather for chatting and cocktails (cosmopolitans of course), between 6:30 and 7:00 pm, followed by a souper supper of crab bisque and corn chowder. I hope to get the show underway by 7:30 as it runs 2 1/2 hours. Dessert will be cream drinks served toward the end of the movie.

This film is a follow-up to the TV show that aired from 1998-2004 and continues to permeate popular culture. Even though I haven't seen even a single episode, Kim assures me that I'm going to love it. From what I've heard of it, I think I lived it in a previous lifetime, like during the 1970's.

What can you bring? You, and a friend if you like, a big appetite for fun and food, and pony up five bucks to help cover the cost. Let me know if you own a copy of the film that you can bring otherwise I'll rent it.

Please RSVP by commenting on this blog or by emailing me directly.

LOOKING AHEAD - March 13: undecided - any ideas? April 10: NC Museum of Art from the Winter Film Series, A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN. 1945 film based on Betty Smith's fictionalized memoir. The author of her biography will discuss the film adaptation. We'll need to buy tickets in advance as they sell out quickly. More details later. Thanks to Louise for making me aware of this museum program.
-Peggy Wolf

photo by maggiejumps

RERUN 1/23/09

Seven of us kicked off our first Gal Pal Gathering at my home on Friday, January 23. The salad bar held almost every salad ingredient known to women. We stuffed ourselves before the movie while getting to know each other and nibbled on Cheryl’s homemade cookies while watching AWAY FROM HER. We can thank Barbara for supplying the DVD and her home-canned pickled beets. Howayda treated us to her delicious homemade humus and Louise introduced rice crackers to some who had never tasted them. We almost had to send out a search party for Karla, but after an extensive tour of Rolesville and beyond, she got here just in time for the flick. Sandy C. and Louise, both NY transplants, found they knew places in common from "back home." Another small-world proof is that Sandy's parents live just down the road from me.

Since the subject of the award winning film, AWAY FROM HER, is Alzheimer's disease, as you can expect, it was not a barrel of laughs. This heavy topic was seen through the relationship of a couple married almost fifty-years and how they coped. At age 65, Julie Christie's beauty and acting abilities haven't faded.

Louise, who works with Alzheimer's patients, informed us of changes in the approach to patient care since this movie was made in 2006. Due to Cheryl's keen observation we "got" some things we might have otherwise missed in the film. After preparing a salad "doggy bag," everyone headed out into the night to find their way home.
-Peggy Wolf

GAL PAL KICK-OFF

January 21, 2009

Our first Gal Pal Gathering will be at 7:00 PM on Friday, January 23, at my house. We'll do a salad bar and watch the 2006 movie AWAY FROM HER starring Julie Christie.

If you can't make this one, plan to come to the next gathering on Friday, February 13.
-Peggy Wolf

photo by mikebaird

GAL PAL INAUGURAL

January 20, 2009 - - from Peggy Wolf

Some of us gals from the Triangle Area talked for too long about getting together on a regular basis to see chick-flicks and do other fun stuff. I'm taking the initiative and doing something about it right here and now.

How about gathering for movies-in (my home or yours with dinner or simply popcorn and drinks or cookies and cocoa) and movies-out (Raleighwood with a pitcher of beer and a boatload of popcorn, the cheap seats at the Blue Ridge 14, outdoor movies on the lawn of the art museum, or maybe an opening night of a first-run flick)? It's up to you.

With the exception of this month, let’s claim the second Friday of each month as our Gal Pal night, with flexibility of course. While I'd like to keep the focus on chick-flicks, I can also see us networking and making new friends while seeing a play, going to an art gallery opening, visiting the big cats in Pittsboro, taking a cruise, having speakers share their wisdom, doing a beach weekend, having a board game or card game night, hiking Pilot Mountain, climbing the Alps, okay so the sky's the limit, but maybe not that high.

We could adopt a cause or do a benefit (my favorite is Wake Teen Medical Services annual shoe auction and benefit luncheon in September), and just to stir things up a bit, we could have an annual Testosterone Night by bringing husbands, male friends, or blind dates to the SPCA fur ball in the fall.

I have big plans for us, but most of all it's all about us girls just wanting to have fun. If doing something like this interests you and you think you can fit it into your busy schedule from time to time, we'd love to have you join us.

Our inaugural roster is below. This list is open and ongoing so feel free to bring any friend that registers high on the estrogen scale (present or past). I know we won't all be able to participate all the time, but come when you can to what moves you. If you don't feel these gatherings will fit into your life at this time, let me know so I can remove you from our roster, but do know that you'll be missed.

PRESENT GAL PALS: Barbara, Cheryl, Cyndy, Dawn, Howayda, Karla, Kim, Lee, Lois, Louise, Lynn, Marcy, Peggy, Perri, Sandy A, Sandy C, Sharon, Susan, Suzanne

photo by freeparking