NANO Challenge October 2013 &14

10/4 Setting & Bonus

Setting: Summit Hill, St. Paul, MN 2013
Include the St. Paul Cathedral, restrauants in the area and West 7th Street.
The art gallary would face NW toward the hill and the Cathedral.
Theanne's house would be further East and slightly south a few streets in the upper, old money homes.

I lived there for 30+ years in the east suburb of St. Paul so I know the streets and places. I will have a google map of the area for street names in the Summit Hill area. I will use the Summit house as the house (maybe) as I was there for my wedding recptn but maybe not. Use a house not on Summit Ave but one of the nice older houses with good character.


Art Gallery will be made up but on an existing street in DT St. Paul
The house address is on Goodrich Ave St. Paul, MN
I will have to find a houseplan I like. I love those old Styled homes there.
Front porch screened in wrought iron fence on top a brick wall surronds the grounds with a small sliding gate at the driveway that ends at a large stable converted to a garage to the left of the house. A portico covers the driveway to the side entrance that wraps to the front of the two story with a converted attic. Large windows allow view into living rooms, a parlor and the dinning room overlooks the front porch.
To the right is a stone path through a vine covered gate leading to the side yard and then to the back. The side yard is a garden with a fountain, concrete and and iron benches with well tended flowers and herbs.
The path continues to the back yard with healthy lawn lined with ornaments that move, glow, capture light and tease the eyes. A small gazebo fills one corner. A deck on the back of the house ratan and metal furniture with an outdoor kitchen. Rafters supported by posts. From the posts are hanging plants and lights.

Bonus
Quinton unlocked the front door of the small art gallary. With only a thousand square feet on the ground level he had most of the paintings he owned, displayed. A small mezzanine with metal stairs held the rest of his inventory along with boxes of art work and shelving filled the remainder of the small space.
He flicked on the lights and turned the ornately lettered "CLOSED" sign to "OPEN" The cool morning air of late spring would quickly turn muggy when the sun rose. April could be either very wet and warm or dry and warm. Then there could be a surprise snow storm, it had been known to happen.
He arranged his office or greeting area along the south side of the room. A beautiful Karistan rug on the painted cement floor served as the dementions of the space, creating the feel of almost intimacy. His antique reproduction desk and two french replica chairs faced it. Behind him and backed by a freestanding divider, a table with an small espresso maker and single cup coffee maker sat ready or any action that might be needed. An under counter refrigerator stood disguised as a cabinet against the wall. The upper door being a shelving for his catalogs and reference material.
His only view other than the stores that lined the street opposite his was the upper portion of the St. Paul Catholic Cathedral. At times often confused with the Minnesota capitol building which was directly across I-94 freeway and on a lower elevation. Both brightly lit at night the green copper top of the Cathedral shone in direct contrast to the bright gold dome of the capitol building with it galloping horses in high relief.
Quinton noted the coffee maker had heated the water for his morning brew. Noisy for heating the milk, he used the pod coffee maker for guests unless they preferred a crafted brew. In St. Paul most people brought their green or brown logo cups with them.
He set the mug on his desk and pressed the button for his messages.
"Hello?" A young woman's hesitant voice broke the silence. "I'm Theanne Jaconelli. I'm trying to find out something about an artist by the name of Aramis Jacobe or something that might look like that. I don't find much about him on the internet and I'm wondering if he did many paintings and if they are worth anything today?" she left her name and phone number.
It was the only message in the mail box. He sat down and booted the computer. He wasn't familiar with this artist, if it was an artist. He'd do a little checking for her. He wouldn't waste his time on this. He was far too busy to run research for some kid doing a school project.
As he read the little bit of history attached to one Aramis Jacobe hid interest peaked a little. He opened the cabinet and lifted a few of the heavy tomes on to the board that slid out between the upper cabinet and the lower area that housed the frig.
Historically, Aramis Jacobe worked with both Michael Angelo and Leonardo Di Vinci at one time. Futher on a note was made that Aramis was a protestant. One of the rebellious group fighting the tirany of the Catholic church. Quinton was intrigued and sat back at his desk now surounded by art and some history books.
When he exahusted his reference library he pressed the speed dial to the St.Paul Library reference section and asked Mandy to see what she could find on Aramis Jacobe.
"Why all the sudden interest in this obscure artist?" Her curiosity evident in her voice.
"Why? Was someone else asking about him?"
"Yes, a Theanne Jaconelli. Do you know her?"
"No, Mandy but she left me a voicemail asking what I knew about him too. She also asked if his paintings would be worth anything. I wonder if she has one? If so, my guess it would be worth a lot of money to the right people, especially since he is linked with two of the greatest artists."
"This has me curious too. I'll see what I can find and let you know Quinton."
He placed another call, this time to a prominent art gallary in New York. "This is Quinton Grady from St. Paul< MN, is Mr. Tanner in?"
After a long seranade of some alternative on hold music he was connected to Stephen Tanner's voice mail box. He left a similar message for Stephen.
She had asked if his paintings were worth anything? Did she have one? His hand picked up the