I Can Be Green and Drink Later

Read my blog long enough and you might presume that I spend all my time out eating, drinking and carousing.

Actually, I'm a big geek and I prefer to spend my evenings being intellectually stimulated by the kinds of events (poetry readings, documentary screenings, author readings, gallery talks and, god knows, enough music shows to deafen a lesser pair of ears) that bore the pants off most people...and then go out eating or drinking or carousing. Just so you know.

Tonight, for instance, I attended the opening of the new exhibit, "The Green House: New Directions in Sustainable Architecture and Design" at the Virgina Center for Architecture. It was really a most compelling exhibit, despite the dry title.

While it was impossible to imagine any of the houses pictured being built in Richmond, the advancements in green technology and energy systems were all within the range of achievable goals for new buildings and renovations, even in Rchmond.

My favorite was probably the 1500 square foot house in the Bahamas, which also boasted an additional 1500 square feet of terraces and outdoor room space and had the most unique shutters for battening down when hurricanes blow through.

Saw a wine-loving couple I know and got some insider building info from a guy I had to presume was an architect and knew what he was talking about. The exhibit is up through November, in case I've made it sound enticing enough to check out.

And, just for the record, sometimes instead of going out to eat, drink and be merry, I just invite friends over and we do it within the confines of my excellent apartment (Melissa's favorite term for my home).

The beauty of living in Jackson Ward is that no matter how late you play music or how many people are laughing loudly late (geeks love alliteration) into the night, no one complains.

Okay, now I'm going out.