Art and Acacia

This new Gallery 5 After 5 series has the potential to become one of my favorite monthly events. It's got everything I like and still allows for an evening afterwards.

The first hour is music with mingling and drinking and the second is a lecture. I enjoyed talking to a girl on her first visit to G5, who'd broken up with her boyfriend of six years and was still getting the hang of going out alone. I did what I could to start her on the path to flying solo successfully (sadly, my specialty).

Tonight's talk was by sculptor Paul diPasquale, whom I'd first met 15 years ago on a community art project. When I brought it up, he remembered the project like it was yesterday. Amazing.

His talk focused on three of his works: Connecticut, the Indian, Arthur Ashe and Neptune in Virginia Beach, as well as his belief that public art should come from passion and not paid complacency.

I couldn't have been more surprised to learn that Connecticut had originally been designed for a building at the intersection of Connecticut and Woodley Avenues in D.C., a short walk from my home in DuPont Circle. I recognized the building at once and it would have certainly been a great location for the brave.

Except that the bed-ridden 90-year old owner of the building didn't want "a god-damn Indian" on his building. Luckily local modern art patron Sydney Lewis came to the rescue, leasing Connecticut for $1500 a month for two years and placing it atop Best Products here in Richmond.

The Arthur Ashe story was just as interesting because the sculptor contacted Ashe about doing a likeness of him only to have Ashe die within weeks. Luckily he'd already stated his requirements for the statue: books, children, him dressed in a warm-up suit, shoelaces untied and without the focus on Ashe.

Since a 1927 ordinance had already decreed that the next statue on Monument Avenue would be at Roseneath, and di Pasquale had obtained the tennis star's permission and preferences, it became so. It was the city that decided that Ashe would face west, welcoming people into the city.

The massive Neptune sculpture in Virginia Beach was a result of the Ashe commission and diPasquale joked that, "I like to think of it as a self-portrait." I have to love an artist with a sense of humor.

Talking to him after the talk, I found him to be charming and still enthusiastic about making art whether for public or private consumption. "Don't give up," was the only advice he'd offer. I wasn't considering it.

After such a satisfying start, I decided on Acacia for dinner and was surprised to find an empty bar (although not surprised at a full restaurant). I began with a glass of the South African Man Chenin Blanc and conversation with bartender Arthur about the state of the cocktail and speakeasy world, since we'd both recently read articles on those very topics.

One thing I love about Acacia's menu is the array of small plates and after a superb apple, mixed lettuce, cashew, golden raisin and bleu cheese salad, eagerly tore into the local rabbit rillettes with house made Saltines.

Nothing but the Pfaffl Gruner Vetliner could have made the rabbit rillettes any better than they were, and that I had. The delicate Saltines were the ideal vehicle for the spicy and perfectly rich rillettes, especially when topped with the tomato compote. I might add that the cost of this dish was $4, less than a combo at a fast food joint.

Arthur, as always, was the perfect host, chatty when I wanted to talk and discreet otherwise. We talked about the failings of the ABC (what happened to el Tesoro anyway?), the requirements for what we consider good tequila (let's not try to appeal to the lowest common denominator) and his impressions after finally seeing No BS Brass Band for the first time (wowed).

And I'm sure it was great, because No BS is great, but local rabbit rilletes for $4? That's freaking awesome.

Certainly right up there with hearing a passionate sculptor talk about taking risks to do the work he loves. Passion, risks and rabbit; now that's an evening that speaks to me.