San Fran - More Sketches

6:30 AM

After cruising around Chinatown on foot, we decided to catch a cable car and head over to the docks to look around. We landed at Fisherman's Wharf.

Watercolor and pen
Is it touristy? Yes!

Is it fun? Yes! In a touristy kind of way.
Dancin' Crab, Clock Tower at the Ferry Building
and the Souvenir of Choice
Watercolor and Ink
And once you've been, you've been. There's no real reason to go back unless you're 12 years old and want to play in the arcade.

The dancing crab is a sculpture out in the very front of the wharf that's about 12 feet tall, pedestal and all. Behind the crab is the clock tower at the Ferry Building. I believe the ferry goes to Sausalito, but we didn't go so I could be wrong.

The little plush toy seem to be the souvenir of choice and he was awfully cute! If I'd had more room in my luggage.....anyway, I saw several being toted around under the arms of small children.

There was a Ghirardelli's Chocolate place in there....and a sourdough bread restaurant!
Boudin Sourdough Restaurant
Yum!
Watercolor and Ink
There may be better sourdough bread places in San Francisco, but I gotta tell you, Boudin's was good! We were cold and tired. The rustic tomato soup with cheese and croutons in a bread bowl couldn't have tasted any better. I also purchased a "lunchbox" loaf so we could have sourdough bread toasted for breakfast!

We wandered over to see if there were any sea lions (this link is a live cam to look at the sea lions! You can choose the sea lions, Alcatraz or the Golden Gate Bridge) out of the water....judging by the crowd and the laughter, we knew we were in luck....
Pier 39 Sea Lions
Watercolor and Ink
...and this may be a good enough reason to go back—to sketch and paint these curmudgeonly like creatures! Grumpy, rude, cantankerous they may be, they're still quite entertaining to watch! They were also much harder to draw than I expected them to be!

The flag does not actually fly in this area....artistic license in play.

Finished up our day by eating a pizza in a small restaurant not far from our cottage. Had my first glass of Prosecco wine. Not bad, it took the edge off, but I still like riesling better. We went around to the market and purchased a bunch of daffodils for the cottage, some chocolate for KJ and coffees for both of us before heading up the hill for the evening.

And last but not least, a very short video starring none other than the grumpy, barkin' boys from the sketch above.

(You'll be able to hear quite a bit of wind noise as the wind was howling that day.)


You Might Also Like

18 Creative Thought(s)

  1. You needed to go further down the street to the Hyde Street Pier where you would have seen lots of tall ships and gotten some marine history and beauty. Not "touristy" at all although tourists do go there, but historical and wonderful and majestic sails! next time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Actually, we did get there on our last day and enjoyed it very much! It was even free National Park Entrance day, not that I mind donating to the National Parks.

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. It was fun, Cheryl! I think this was one of our biggest walking days, but I forget the actual step count.

      Delete
  3. What fun! Your sketching is terrific.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Even though I enjoyed the day itself, looking back on it through your words and sketches makes me feel an especially warm glow. This was one of those trips that grows even better in memory!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's because your feet and legs aren't killing you! ;•)

      Delete
  5. I just love your paintings! And you do such nice signs/flags. This sounds like it was a wonderful trip.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh wow, Laure! That is going to be a beautiful imaginary trip, I'm sure! Your sea lions sketch looks gorgeous, and the video was fun.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I think the class is going to be a lot of fun! Thanks for the kind comments on the sea lions...they were much tougher than I expected!

      Delete
  7. Laurie,
    Your San Francisco journal is going to be wonderful. I love all your sketches and information about the trip. I notice that you are using a bound journal this time and it seems bigger. How did you like that? I still am using one like I did in NOLA that I can move the pages around in. Not brave enough to try a bound book. Thanks for sharing your trip. Kay

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Kay! Yes, this journal is the one that Curly Girl gave me in NOLA. I intend to do a post about journals in the near future. As for this one, it's about 8 x 5.5 inches closed or 8 x 11 open to a full spread.

      I have to say I rather like working across the center seam more than I expected to. I am encouraged to do more full page/double page spreads with this type of journal.

      I will also say that there is something....freeing(?)....about committing to working in a bound book. It's like working in pen rather than pencil...there is no "erasing." Well, actually there is, it's just in the form of covering up with paint or paper.

      But if you elect to let the mistakes stand and just go with it, it is very freeing and it allows for way more creativity!

      Delete
  8. You've beautifully captured one of my favorite cities! A must see and do is Forbes Island restaurant right off Pier 39. It's a fabulous place with good food and a great story!

    ReplyDelete
  9. ...I love all of your illustrations. The sourdough especially. You need to illustrate a cookbook. You make the food look so good!!! It has a really happy feel to it too.

    (...hehehe....loved heard the Sea Lions!!)

    ReplyDelete
  10. The sea lions may have been more difficult than you expected but they sure came out great! The breads look great too!

    ReplyDelete
  11. All your pages look so wonderful.. I loved yoru sea lions a lot.. all that brown and blue!

    ReplyDelete

Let's talk!

Like us on Facebook

Flickr Images

Subscribe