Rise Above the Madness

At Salesforce Park in Downtown San Francisco

I am very lucky to work across the street from a rooftop garden/park that is three blocks long. The mix of plants against the high rises is remarkable. And it is so serene. Nice to rise above the madness for awhile. (Pun intended :-) 
-- Vivian Aldridge 

Crows Amid the Deco at Rincon Center

Rincon Center, located on Mission Street in San Francisco is quite mysterious in the morning.
If you walk by, you will see crows thick as thieves in the trees along the street, and my oh my...do they raise a ruckus.  Later in the day however, they all leave and one can walk into the lobby to enjoy the old post office whose interior has been refurbished to its original deco beauty. Not only that, but you can also enjoy 27 WPA murals by Anton Refregier. --- Vivian Aldridge

Steamy Stuff at the Autodesk Gallery

Sketched a few of the items on display at the Autodesk Gallery in downtown San Francisco. This gallery showcases the creative process and shows how people are using new technology to imagine and design innovated products.

While we there the customer engagement rep took great interest in us an exclaimed, "In the three years that I have been working here I have never seen artists come in here to sketch."  She was delighted! I told her the best things happen when art meets science.

--Vivian Aldridge

What is Behind the Window?

If you visit One Kearny in San Francisco you can ride the elevator to the 11th floor M-F until 5 PM  and enjoy a rooftop terrace that is open to the public. I just love this roof but I wonder what is behind the shade in the window. I heard a rumor there was a gym but I would prefer to think there is an attic full of relics from the past, and maybe a strange person or two.;-) -- Vivian Aldridge

Peace of Mind at a One Hundred Year Old Book Club

If you have a love of real paper books you might consider visiting the California Book Club of California. It is the most peaceful place in all of downtown San Francisco. -- Vivian Aldridge

Downtown San Francisco

San Francisco, pen and ink and watercolor, 18x12in.

It was a cold and windy afternoon in downtown San Francisco. I spent two hours walking and sketching before going to the SFMOMA for the Thursday late opening day.

Downtown San Francisco, Grant and Market

Another drawing afternoon in San Francisco. Sunny but a lot colder than last week. I couldn't see what did the advertising say and I wrote the four noble truths from the Dalai Lama book I had in my bag.