I recently returned from spending most of the summer in the South of France. Namely, the exquisite and utterly incomparable region of Provence.

My days were spent frolicking through endless fields of lavender, wandering aimlessly through art museums and slipping into azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Evenings were passed cheersing aperitifs and tasting heavenly Provencal cuisine at hole-in-the wall bistros. Warm, salty-aired, starry nights fell while we sat at the table, finishing off copious amounts of world class wine (oh god, that wine!) and prattling on with locals about whatever came to mind until the morning crickets began to chirp. All in traditional French fashion, of course.

Needless to say, ever since returning to Tucson I have had a little trouble filling the hole in my heart that living in Provence has left me with.

However, I may have found just thing to indulge my culture cravings.

Linguistics professor Adrienne Lehrer, author of Wine and Conversation, will be hosting an event this Saturday at the Raices Taller Art Gallery that is reminiscent of how I spent of most of my nights while traveling along the French Rivera: Drinking wine and talking about it. As a keynote lecturer for an international conference on the language of food and wine, she'll be there to sip and chat about the wine you're drinking.

As part of the evening, professional dancers Kimi Eisele and Katie Rutterer will take the stage to put on original performances and Professor of Philosophy Keith Lehrer will be around to talk art, dance and the etheric self (if talking wine is, for some odd reason, not your thing).

Art, Wine and Dance is from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept 21.

Admission is free but donations are gladly accepted.

Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop
218 E. Sixth St.
(1/2 block east of Sixth St and Sixth Ave.)
Tucson, AZ 85705
(520) 881-5335