Saturday Part 2

I met Kedrin at The Met so we could float around and sketch.

Note: I drank the lavender wine after I got home from the Met, although it was so weak it wouldn't have mattered anyhow!)

We looked at archaic animals in Greece.

The lion Daya used to growl at when she was a toddler.

I visited my grave stele.  She holds time for me. We are old friends.

Kedrin understood exactly what I meant by that with no explanation; she also has art pieces she is friends with who do that for her, too.

I made a wish because I always do in this fountain.

I made formal introductions for Kendrin and my Memling.

This one is for Dru.

We were transported back in time through these Canaletto paintings.
The interesting thing is these were possibly considered "crowded"... and to us there are hardly any people! They sure did dress well though.

And then we went to the Islamic wing to sketch.

The lady in my drawing is Kate.  She had cool turquoise glasses and came over to say hi.
She's also a local who floats around the museum a lot.

I used my Derwent tinted charcoal pencils, and we only had time to sketch for maybe a half hour.
It's impossible to get the patterns in that time..... well, it's just impossible period.

Saturday Part 1

Daya went to New Jersey today for an overnight with a friend.
I met her at Penn Station because she had dance in the morning, and I took her dance bag.

Afterwards I went down to the Union Square Greenmarket to hunt down some duck eggs and whatever other fun things I could find.

I did find duck eggs!

I also came home with a shot of apple pie moonshine, a carrot raisin cookie for Daya, pizza popcorn (also for Daya), maple candy, a chive plant, a new spider plant that I hope the cat doesn't find, a super-strange bottle of lavender wine, and fresh mozz.

I was so excited about my fresh mozz but---- it was SOUR!
I thought something was wrong when I unwrapped it- it was too soft, like ricotta.
Although it didn't smell bad, it was so, so sour!  After a bit of a scavenger hunt on Venmo and trying to find the farmer's email, I did and he refunded me. For $10 it should be a nice bit of cheese!!

The Greenmarket at Union Square isn't a buyer beware situation- you have to be doing pretty well to be in there as a vendor. And I understand these things can happen, and I'm glad I got a refund.

I also need to go back and donate old linens for baby goats!

This lavender wine was really, really weird.
But it was also a very pretty color.

The bottle was small and the wine itself is extremely mild.

I drank the whole bottle without knowing if I like it or not.
It's the kind of thing that you think it should remind you of something but it doesn't, and you keep tasting it to decide if you like it or not but you can't decide, but it isn't strong enough to cause an aversion.

Would I drink it again? Yes.
Would I buy it again? No.

Three Days in One

Today was a weird super-long day that seems like it should have been three days but was only one day.
It started normal.  My normal work-from-home routine of waking up right before I have to log on to work, checking and replying to some emails, tea, bowl of matcha, my spin class...

I actually knew today would be a slow work day. Although I'm working on a few things, including a very intense training script, I wrapped everything up on my end and I'm waiting for others at this point.

My manager was stuck in meetings all morning and since I was caught up and it was so nice outside, and I have been feeling a little cobwebby so I decided to walk to the pool and go for a swim.  It was exactly what I needed.  

After a half hour of laps I literally felt like a brand new person.  For me, it's about being in the water.  I have a physical need to be in water, like every day.  I have been like that for as long as I can remember, definitely since high school. That's why I basically live in my bathtub.  And I need the pool, too.  I haven't gone for a swim since maybe January and that's too long.

So anyhow I went into the locker room feeling brand new and wonderful, and there was an elderly lady getting her things together in front of my locker.  I didn't mind waiting and I told her so, and we just started talking.  She's just like me, she needs the water every day. And we got to talking about how it grounds you and resets your electromagnetic field and how we women are way more in-tune.

She was a lovely lady and we were both glad to meet someone else who understood the water in the same way.

***********
Back at home/work, a few small things popped up and I took care of them.  Then my manager said log off early so I did.

Blick sent me a 20% coupon.
So I resumed my Derwent Stalking.

As it turns out, 1 of the 2 sets I was stalking is at Blick!  It isn't the main one I want which I guess is still not in the US but the tinted charcoal pans are in-stock at Blick AND I had a 20% coupon.
So of course I had to go there.

Derwent Stalking 1 of 2, Acquired:

I do not have all the Derwent paint pan sets and I don't want them all, but I love the ones I do have:

*************
But I also wanted to go sketch at The Met and try out my new setup.
You never really know about a new setup until you go out and try it.

I feel like I have fallen into an alternate universe where The Met is friendly to artists.

I'll take it.

Since apparently artists can now set up on small folding chairs to sketch, I got one.
2 actually, to compare which one works best so I need to return one of them.

I also brought my new Derwent pencil case, which I am aware is completely ridiculous but since I can also now wear a backpack in The Met (my, how things have changed!!) I don't mind carrying it around.

My setup works pretty well, even though I failed the metal detector test.
They let me and all my stuff in anyhow. (My, how things have changed!!)

I need to make one tweak which I will try again tomorrow.

Also, My Memling is back!
I am very happy to be reunited with her.

****
On Friday nights there is live orchestra music all over The Met.
It is WONDERFUL.

Death of Socrates still looks imposing...

I really want this Roman flask, I'm sure the museum won't miss it....

I saw the same guy sketching in the sculpture court this week.
I did go say hi on the way out.
He's the one who inspired me to get my new chair.

**********
This sketch took a little over an hour.
She's got a few issues but I don't care. I focused on the things I was there to focus on.
I used my Derwent drawing pencils and they are a LOT softer than when I have been using lately, so it took a little getting used to.

My physical setup took a little getting used to.

I'm going back tomorrow with Kedrin.