Sounds Good

The wine and cheese estate sale
It doesn’t take much prodding to get an adventure-seeking bargain hunter to a sale. Estate Sales by Vivian has a huge e-mail following. Vivian Duplant and her web master, Michael Mathews, post photos of the goodies shoppers will find inside homes, so hunters have a few days to plan. If there’s a lot of blue glass or any other sort of collectible, the photos will give the scoop.
When I saw a notice for a Nederland sale where one could meet artist Cal Gaspard and sample wine and cheese, I was so there. I think I made some new friends and hope someone went home with Gaspard’s bluebonnet paintings. I got a scarf and a cream pitcher from the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans, where my parents spent their honeymoon. My bill for an hour of fun: $3.
Mathews owns The Tattered Suitcase resale shop at 2590 Calder Avenue at Tenth Street in Beaumont, and says he sometimes offers Thursday wine parties at his shop of “well-traveled finds.
He said he loves all things old and feels like I do about kitchen bowls and such found at estate sales. We both imagine how many dishes have filled the classic patterns and how many Thanksgiving tables platters have seen over the years.


What a bummer
I loved the community support Bum Phillips got when a street that spans Nederland and Port Neches was named in his honor. Local love was evident. I’m surprised to hear that someone apparently loves Bum so much, he or she had to snatch one of those road signs.
The ceremony in Nederland was on the parking lot near Bruce’s Market Basket. I ran inside later that day to confirm what I suspected. “Bum’s Favorite” Blue Ribbon Sausage, with his image on the package, was for sale in the store while the celebrity coach was just outside.

Tough women
Linda Guillory says she’s one urban cowgirl who is back in the saddle again after her breast cancer diagnosis a while back. She used black and pink bandanas to create “A Cowgirl’s Dream Bra,” her contribution to “Bra-Vo! Applause for the Cause, a Julie Rogers “Gift of Life” project. Gladys Wilson-Hollins created a pink floral called “Pearls of Love and Flowers.” Other creative supporters went “tough as nails,” gave nods to Mardi Gras or a favorite sports team and thanked family in their bra art. Visit giftoflifebmt.org for more information on this inspirational collection.

ddoiron@panews.com