Don't Sleep in the Subway, Darling

As Petula Clark put it:

When you're alone and life is making you lonely
You can always go downtown

We'll say that's how I ended up downtown at Gallery A for the opening of Jack Solomon's new show, "Incidental Dramas for the 21st Century."

I'd already interviewed Jack about his early years at VCU and now I had a chance to see his most recent work.

The "Small Talk Series" was his solution to needing a more immediate way to express himself when larger acrylic paintings were demanding more of his time.

Sort of like stopping a 900-page novel to read a short story for the simple satisfaction of finishing.

Walking in, I saw more than a few people I knew, including the artist and his wife.

There was one from my past, another from the French Film Fest and another who connected with me solely because of her name - Mia.

The show traces the artist's recent series of abstracts, mellow dramas (as he calls them), abstracts and composites, all executed through complex paintings with layers of imagery and meaning.

Oh, if I could only afford one of his pieces on paper, I already know the one I'd want.

Making my way around the gallery, I was struck by the intricacies of Jack's work and the whimsy which permeated them all.

You have to admire a man who'd been doing what he loves for 60 years and is still producing intriguing work.

Leaving the show when the musicians playing at it did, my companion and I headed up to Bistro Bobette for some wine and whatever else they had to offer.

Downtown.

The bar was full when we arrived but all kinds of familiar faces showed themselves.

One server I knew from Carytown, another from a chance meeting at Patrick Henry's two years ago, the affable bartender I hadn't seen in months, plus the mustachioed director from many previous visits to Bobette.

He's presently working on "Killing Kennedy" and tonight he had with him the actor playing Lee Harvey Oswald (no doubt a short role), but he paused talking long enough to say hello with a smile.

Since all we wanted was some wine, it was just a matter of waiting for the bar to clear out.

Once it did, we grabbed stools and settled in to listen to the lounge-y satellite radio station providing the mellow groove.

Although we'd already eaten, it was getting close to dessert time and the chef's dessert du jour, a delicacy of ladyfingers with creme anglaise, whipped cream and hazelnuts, proved to be exactly what we needed.

Sometimes you don't know what you need until it presents itself.

Just listen to the rhythm of a gentle bossa nova
You'll be dancing with them, too, before the night is over
Happy again

No finer place, for sure, downtown.