Today I took advantage of a space between jobs and headed down to San Francisco to draw. I chose the Inner Sunset location for its street cars and eclectic buildings which are great subjects to sketch. But more importantly, I lived there for almost ten years before moving to Healdsburg in 2000 so it has a nostalgic feel to it.

The damp air from the morning’s residual fog and cold, enhanced by an on-shore breeze, kept my skin at attention. Yes, it’s June, but this is San Francisco. I chose to draw Irving St. looking east towards Ninth Ave. because my wife and I had our wedding rehearsal dinner at Villa Romana Italian Restaurant. I have fond memories of that dinner with a gathering of friends and family that rarely get a chance to see one another.

But halfway through my drawing I stopped because the cold was coming right through my jacket. I decided to pack up my gear and warm up in Art’s Cafe across the street. The cafe has counter seating for about twelve along a narrow corridor. I sat myself somewhere in the middle and ordered a short stack of pancakes and coffee.

While waiting for my order to arrive, I browsed the old postcards placed beneath the glass of the counter. That’s when a postcard of the Acropolis in Athens caught my eye. I pulled out a copy of my book, “The Artist on the Road: Impressions of Greece” from my messenger bag and compared a drawing I did of the Acropolis while in Greece. Both vantage points were almost identical. How cool it is that I should sit down in this spot!

After having been warmed with good food and coffee, I grabbed my messenger bag and headed back out into the cold.