Pass the cranberry...

It might be a little early for an American Thanksgiving, but who cares!

Started as a tradition while a Resident Artist at AVA, Angela Meade had thrown a Thanksgiving dinner at her abode for all her friends at AVA. We missed it last year while she was living in New York City, but since she has moved back to Philadelphia with her friend John Myers we all get to do Thanksgiving together again!

Angela is no slouch when it comes to cooking, she’s adventurous and also has a way with baking. If you ever had one of her Mystery Bars for dessert, you know what I mean. She had some help in the kitchen with post-cook preparations from alumus Luis Ledesma and AVA staffer José Meléndez.

This was a fun gathering of Resident Artists, music and admin staff, alumni and AVA lovers. Miss Meade did most of the cooking but everyone came bearing gifts from wine and pottery to bacon bourbon chocolate chip cookies. I was lucky to snag a bit of Angela's seven-pound-mac-and-cheese to take home with me, along with two mystery bars. The rest of the desserts were ‘donated’ to AVA on Monday (and, yes, they were all gone by the end of the day.)

 I asked Angela how the heck did she have time to do all of this and get ready for a sold out concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC on November 10th, as well as singing a new role in Beatrice di Tenda by Bellini with The Collegiate Chorale at in New York City on December 5th …and she just giggled.

Spills happen, and this time we had a diva here to help clean up. Recent grad Michelle Johnson had no problems offering her services in helping out after a great meal.

When giving my thanks on this holiday, I am so grateful to have such wonderful friends from the AVA family in Philadelphia!