life without novacaine

Squirreling Away.

2008-10-13T22:56:00.001-07:00

These porcupines are foraging for some food or any Halloween candy that could be scattered about!

Like these porcupines, my sister and I popped over to our local large bookstore this evening to forage for knowledge. I wandered away for a while and then set off to find her again after I had claimed the books I was looking for. Well I found her in the meta-physical section talking to a stranger who happened to be a psychic. At first I thought, "OK mister, say what you want to say and then scram." But after listening to him talk for a while, our conversation became very captivating. He was very open to other people's ways of thinking and not being judgement at all about anyone. He pointed out some good authors to read in that section of the store while at the same time having an ongoing discussion with his "guides" who happened to be hovering to the left of me (they were invisible of course!) I could tell he had so much more to say after our two hour conversation but for some reason felt the need to hold back. Never the less, he was a very interesting person. In fact this past week I have met the most interesting people. People from extremely different lifestyles and ways of thinking from myself but they all happen to be falling onto my path. Really. There is some energy that is drawing in the weirdos. It's great!

Monday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for good books, good coffee and good conversations!

The party of the month!

2008-10-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

Last night my very, very good friends Barron and Tom, hosted an art opening and reception for me and my series of paintings. It was held at the Mission restaurant and was coordinated to be timed with North Park Nights. It was such a great evening and so many of my lovely friends and family were there to support me. I met many new friends who happened to stop by for the festivities in North Park. Seriously great people! It was wonderful and I felt like I was floating on a cloud the entire evening. I sold seven paintings last night and numerous prints. I am dazed and amazed by this. I was hoping to just touch one person with my work and that would have made me a success, to touch many... well that is above and beyond anything I ever expected. My words cannot express the humbling gratitude I feel at this moment.

Z is for Zebra.

2008-10-12T09:08:00.000-07:00

This little zippy Zebra is quite happy to be the caboose on this alphabet train. More room to kick up his hooves!

My alphabet cards series has come to a sad, sad end. It was really fun doing these set of cards, here is a photo of them all in one place. Maybe I'll have to look into doing something with all of these!

A Few Highlights from NYC.

2008-10-10T22:31:00.000-07:00

These are just a few of my favorite things. Oh, and the food. There are THE best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in NYC, WAY better than San Diego. You'd think that we would have gorged on pizza, bagels and saucey foods but no, we ate so well. Very good restaurants!! Here are a few that are at the top of the list:

Gobo
Rice
Candle 79

Today I was thinking, was I really in NYC or did I dream it? The week there seemed to go by at a nice slow pace because when you have a child or two, a week with the only thoughts of what shall I eat today, should I sleep in late, or let's go shopping and then stay out late are all luxuries that seem so decadent. AND it was! But now that I am back, I feel like I blinked and NYC is gone. All that planning and training for my race just up in smoke now. I guess I'll just have to start planning something else!

Y is for Yak.

2008-10-10T21:27:00.000-07:00

There is a rather large yak stifling back a long yawn while standing on a yellow card. That's a lot of Yakin'!

Friday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for the really lovely day San Diego brought right to my doorstep!

Cell phone panic.

2008-10-10T21:13:00.000-07:00

I have a cell phone like almost every single person I know. I wish I didn't though, I dislike my phone very much. It bothers me when I am involved in something and the phone rings. The interruption this phone of mine represents bothers me to no end. However, I do like to have connection with my family and friends so I do keep the phone.
This new law about "hands free driving" had been a welcome change but now I am really having a hard time with the ear piece. My phone doesn't have the regular connection for the head piece so I need to have an adapter and sometimes my adapter shorts out and really it all is a big pain so I just don't use my phone in my car. (Or if I do, I am searching desperately for cops while I have a quick chat.)
People tell me to get a blue tooth ear piece and be done with it but having that wireless device so close to my brain really worries me. I know, seems silly but really there is some cause for concern. AND today I found evidence that my worries are not so out of left field. This article out of the New York Times states that some brain surgeons do not hold their phones to their heads. The concern is having microwave emissions right near the head and with the blue tooth ear piece the concern is having a transmitter in your ear. Thank you NY Times. I am not crazy. Well, maybe just a pinch of crazy but not so looney. I think I'll be using my cell phone even less and moving my worries and concerns along to something else.

Art Opening and Reception.

2008-10-09T19:23:00.001-07:00

For anyone who will be in the San Diego area on Saturday, please come by my art opening, hosted by the multi talented Barron Henzel and Tom Fitzpatrick. Free food, free drinks, live entertainment! I'd love to see you, it'll be a blast!

X is for Xray.

2008-10-09T19:18:00.000-07:00

My son came up behind me tonight and said, "Mom, you totally should do an xray for X!" Well, thats exactly what I did. I totally drew an xray for the letter X. Thanks Kai!

I think I may be fighting something from my plane ride. I am so tired, I think I'll be going to bed very soon. I promise to post more about New York tomorrow for those of you who have asked. Thanks for asking!

Thursday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for the opportunity to get up in front of a bunch of people and talk. About myself. Ack!

W is for Whale.

2008-10-08T21:22:00.000-07:00

Alphabet cards are back! It's the towards the end of the alphabet but oh well, it's good to be back. W is always for whale!

Wednesday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for a fabulous trip to NY and a warm welcome home!

Wicked Good!

2008-10-07T19:48:00.000-07:00

Guess where we went tonight! Yes, that's right! We saw Wicked, a play I have been itching to see for several years now and it was showing at the Gershwin Theater. That theater just happened to be right across the street and around the corner from our hotel and this morning as we walked by I said, "Let's just see if there are any tickets." There happened to be TWO left! It was meant to be! What a great show, it was fabulous!!

We also saw Young Frankenstein which I have to say was equally as fabulous. Highly recommend both, especially if you are here in NYC. There is nothing quite like the theaters here!

NYC illo 5,6 & 7

2008-10-07T19:43:00.000-07:00

Tuesday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for a lovely day walking through Central Park, one of the most beautiful places on earth!

Bergdorf Goodman NYC has great music!

2008-10-07T12:51:00.000-07:00

Oh the view from the restaurant from Bergdorf Goodman is to die for but the absolute best thing about that highly flootin' tootin' store is the music selection. WHAT? I KNOW! Whooda thunk? This is what I'm listening to at the present moment and feeling quite jazzy!

Jazz and '80s Part Two The NYC series

Oh, NY I love you so!

2008-10-06T21:08:00.000-07:00

New York City is such a large monstrosity but yet there is something about it that I hold dear to my heart. I have always had a calling to this city and will always gaze fondly upon it. Everyone I have encountered has been rather nice and if they were rude, well there usually is an apparent reason for it. But today, I had someone push me out of the way. Yes, I know! Rude! I was standing on the sidewalk and a large man was walking towards me talking on his cell phone and when he was close enough, he shoved me out of his way. There were no crowds, it was just me standing on an empty sidewalk. He wouldn't even have to take a large step to the side to walk around me. Well, he decided that was too much effort and pushing me was easier. So rude. I should have let him have it, run after him and confront him but I am really trying to let things slide off my back so I just let it go. Maybe he will get bird poop on his shoulder tomorrow for his self-centered rantings today!

My moleskin drawings have been non existent today and yesterday. I am going to get busy tomorrow and take some time out to do some sketches. Maybe I'll try to draw Mr. De Niro when I catch him running in Central Park tomorrow! (Hot tip from a local!) I've got some celebrity stalking to do!

Highlights of NYC.

2008-10-06T20:53:00.001-07:00

Outside of the Today show, they were filming a piece on the children's book Corduroy. I couldn't get too close, nor did I see Matt Lauer or anyone else on that show but I found it highly coincidental that this was going on while I happened to BE in NYC and trying to break into the children's book industry. This was very exciting for me!

While walking through Central Park, I saw this mother and son walking arm and arm and I found it so endearing I just had to take a photo of them. One day I hope to be able to stroll along with my own son, our arms hooked into one another's. Bliss.

The Flatiron building.
The building owes its name to the triangular plot of land upon which it sits, which was called the Flatiron block. Contrary to urban mythology, this name predates the building's construction. It was officially the Fuller Building, but from the beginning it became popularly known as the Flatiron. One of the city's oldest existing skyscrapers (22 stories, 285 feet tall), it was built in 1902, designed by Chicago architect Daniel Burnham in the Beaux-Arts style. The exterior is a rusticated limestone with glazed terra-cotta.
On its own island block, it is circumscribed by 23rd Street, Broadway, Fifth Avenue and 22nd Street, diagonally across Madison Square Park. The area neighboring it is known as the Flatiron District.

A cool metal box outside of a restaurant.

The Manhatten Bridge.

The Brooklyn Bridge.

Sunday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for all the lovely artwork at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Monday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for public transportation!

2 Day Breast Cancer Walk NYC

2008-10-06T20:40:00.000-07:00

Saturday and Sunday finally came and went. I'd been waiting for this weekend for almost a year now and it just wizzed by! There were about 4,500 walkers from all over to do this walk and the starting point took quite a while to get going as you can imagine with all these people. Great group of women (and a few men too!) and inspiring stories from so many people. It was a terrific way to meet strangers and bring a large group of people much closer. We all had something in common and hopefully someday there will be a cure for breast cancer so we won't have to find ways to bond because our lives have been touched by this aweful disease.

My sister didn't do the walk but she was able to walk a little bit of the way with me. It was nice to have someone there I knew!

Day Four in the Big Apple!

2008-10-04T14:44:00.001-07:00

This illustration is my view looking out the window in an Upper East side post war apartment. The apartment belongs to my sister's sister-in-law, who is a literary agent. This neighborhood is awesome! I am a little tired today because it was the day of my marathon walk. I'll be posting photos a little later after I hunt down some raw food for dinner tonight!

Saturday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for another glorious day of life in a new city to explore! Life is darn good!

My celebrity sighting!

2008-10-03T15:11:00.000-07:00

Today I met up with the truly and wickedly talented illustrator, Jannie Ho, also known as Chicken Girl in various circles. She so graciously met me and my sister in Union Square and we discussed illustration, web design, graphic design, and life in general over tea and juice at Whole Foods. She was so very nice and it was great to meet someone so talented and yet so humble. Please visit her website if you haven't already, you'll be so happy you did!

The city life is grand.

2008-10-03T15:03:00.000-07:00

Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center. Magnificent!

Days Two and Three in NYC!

2008-10-03T15:00:00.000-07:00

Oooo, stayed up really late seeing "Young Frankenstein" at the Hilton theatre so I didn't get to make my post yesterday, so here are my catch up posts. These are my moleskin drawings of city scenes here in NYC.

Friday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful I am on a vacation here in NYC!

Day One in NYC.

2008-10-01T19:48:00.001-07:00

After landing, we were escorted to a waiting black car with dark tinted windows. It seemed so very chic and Hollywood until we got into the city and realized we should have taken the YELLOW taxi because it would have been half the price. Oh well, welcome to the Big Apple Ladies!!

On the way to a vegetarian restaurant, we passed this church.

At the restaurant, we dined on sweet potato, black bean, polenta pie and a macrobiotic salad. Very tasty although the photos don't appear to be too appetizing.

Then we skipped on over to the famous Serendipity for a late night treat and ran into some friends.

Good night NY, see you bright and early in the morning!

NYC illo #1

2008-10-01T19:43:00.000-07:00

Alright. My first page in my moleskin . . . hmmmmm. Let's hope today was an off day and tomorrow is better. The plane didn't offer too much inspiration. I know the photo isn't too clear but my drawing is of the seat in front of me and my book, the NY Times and my IPod. There is a scary foot over in the right hand corner from some lady who sat across from me and slammed me with her luggage.

Wednesday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful to be in New York City!!!!!

Leavin' on a jet plane!

2008-09-30T21:48:00.000-07:00

Very early tomorrow I leave for NYC. My bags are packed (I can't believe I am not scrambling at the last minute like usual!) and I am ready to go. All my work has been tied up into a neat little package, sealed and delivered, my household is ready to be down one soldier and everything else is, well, just put on hold. A whole week in that lovely city, meeting fellow illustrators, walking the city, photographing culture, eating great food . . . it's along time coming!
Anyway, I am having to postpone my Alphabet Cards because I am taking my laptop that doesn't have any design programs. I am waiting for Adobe CS4 to come out and then I'll be locked and loaded but for now it's just email and the net. So that brings me around to the dilemma of my daily illustrations. Well, I have me a brand new moleskin and a digital camera and we'll just see what kind of illustrations I can do with that. An experiment of sorts. All my posts until I come back will be me, my black ink pen and my moleskin. And photos of course. Stay tuned, things could get interesting around here.

Tuesday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful to be really prepared for my trip. I've never been before and it's a great feeling!

V is for Violin!

2008-09-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

Sweet violin vascilates between wanting to be free from a tight grasp and just sticking around to play great music. Oh, what's a violin to do?

U is for Umbrella.

2008-09-29T22:21:00.000-07:00

Expect clouds among the showers this afternoon!

One more day of WORK, WORK, WORK and then I am off to NYC! Yipee! I am hopefully going to meet the fabulously talented Jannie Ho and Melanie Hope Greenberg, whom I met at the SCBWI conference this past August, while I am in NYC. Hooray, new friends!

Monday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for a lot of cross offs on my list!

Fruits of Our Labor.

2008-09-28T21:10:00.000-07:00

We have had this little lemon tree for about, oh I don't know, 10 years and it still has yet to produce some stellar fruit. My son went "fruit picking" the other day and this is what his bounty consisted of... (yup, that's a quarter you see!)