Another wild Saturday night

Getting the bugs worked out of the new studio space.

Decorating tips

A beach painting, a copy of a Vermeer, a model train, and a collection of shot glasses.

Breakfast with a plant

I got a plant yesterday on a whim while stopping by the drugstore looking for sunscreen.  We sat on the patio this morning sipping hot cocoa (actually, he didn't have any).

Long ride up a hill

Went for a long ride today.  Maybe it wasn't that long in miles but it was up a long hill, and I mean a long hill.  I haven't done any long climbs in years so I was dying, but my friend Dio just trucked on up there.  I'd blame it on the bike, but I'm pretty sure it's the rider!  It's gorgeous, though, and once you get up to the top there's a fairly flat road that's closed to traffic and the scenery is beautiful!

A sketch, squashing a much wider panorama onto a page:

And a panorama of part of the scene:

Balancing Act

Late start today, and then I piddled around the house until it was almost lunch time, so I went and got lunch.  When I'm starving I go with what I know, and I adore the French restaurant that's down the road.  "French comfort food" it says, and it is good.  I had the roast chicken with Dijon sauce and fries (french fries aren't bad for you when you're at a French restaurant) and a cup of tea that was quite good: Marco Polo, a "fruity, notorious tea."  Later I did some people watching at a local mini park, where's there a sculpture that seems to be the local equivalent of "Waiting for the Interurban":  It gets decorated for every occasion and is currently sporting valentine hearts.

Cosy warm today - I don't miss the Northwest winters!

Closed for Superbowl

It appears that northern California is closed for the Superbowl.  At least, San Carlos is.  A walk down Laurel street - normally a bustling shopping district - revealed closed shops and packed bars.  Anyone who wasn't closed for the game was either broadcasting the game or thinking that they should have closed.

Earlier this morning I had a lovely sit on the patio with a cup of hot cocoa and sketched the view:

It may not be the Bridge and Bay, but I have trees!  And birds!  And clean air!

I did not make it to the Farmer's Market a few towns away, but I did make it to the REI in this town.  It's a nice store, and they're getting bikes in.  I saw a sexy Cannondale and a nice Marin - I'm going to take a look at the web site and ask them to build a few up for me to test ride.  I need a new distance bike - the mountain bike is a good workout but I want to fly!

A collection of skulls

Do you have to be an artist to appreciate a fireplace mantle that consists of two skulls, a skeleton, a painting of three skulls, some fake fruit and colored pencils?

Starting to take shape

I got Kimberly's painting hung and I've got a start on assembling the oil studio.

Shiki Bistro

Had this fellow staring at me while I waited for my Chicken Katsu.  I like sketching at sushi bars, although I suspect the fish can think of better places to be.

San Carlos sunset

Lovely sunset. I'm still spending my free time unpacking but I'm determined to have at least one day of weekend this weekend!