Eastern Classics in Berkeley

The showroom has a wonderful assortment of Asian furniture and antiques. Everything is beautifully displayed and a pleasure to sketch. Thank you jay for hosting us. – Cathy McAuliffe

A Shade Better

Actually more than a shade better! Great sketching at Sue Johnson Lamps on Solano Avenue in Berkeley. An almost unlimited supply of subjects both in the store and in the workroom. A beautiful and well lit place to sketch. _ Cathy McAuliffe

More Than Lace at Lacis

Lacis in Berkeley is a huge store with an almost unlimited variety of things to sketch. Founded in 1965 it has over 500 bolts of lace, buttons, ribbons, trims and 3,000 books on textiles. It is part grandma's attic, part community hall and part boutique. In the windows are parasols, handkerchiefs, dresses, lacey gloves, doilies, aprons, hats, knickknacks. Inside, lace and silk dresses hang from the high ceiling; a display case by the cash register houses vintage beaded bags; classes are held in such obscure crafts as Victorian corset making. There are shelves and shelves of vintage tablecloths and other linens; lots of jewelry, loads of buttons and ribbons, both vintage and contemporary, and a wall full of beads so you can make your own baubles. Another room houses hundreds of bolts of lace.
— Cathy McAuliffe

Emeryville Public Market

The Market was busy on a winter evening. Many new food options are open. All look good!
— Cathy McAuliffe

Holiday on Fourth Street

It is our holiday tradition to sketch the lights on Fourth Street in Berkeley. It seems that each year there are even more lights! This year's display was fabulous. — Cathy McAuliffe

Fresh, Fresh, Fresh

We are fortunate in Berkeley to have many options for food shopping including not one but two Berkeley Bowl markets. The first Berkeley Bowl opened in 1977 as a small neighborhood market in a converted bowling alley, hence the name Berkeley Bowl. We sketched before the Thanksgiving rush at the second location Berkeley Bowl West. – Cathy McAuliffe

Sake Museum Visit

Takara Sake USA Inc. in Berkeley has been acquiring and preserving a wide array of sake-making artifacts and tools from Japan over the years. You can see  the tools used by Toji (brew masters) and brewery workers from the early 20th century.Wonderful subjects to sketch and a tasting room right next door! – Cathy McAuliffe

Dia de Los Muertos in Oakland

This year's theme at Oakland's Fruitvale neighborhood festival paid respect to Los Ausenttes (The Absent) those who are no longer with us, whether loved ones who have passed away or members of this community who have been displaced due to deportation, gentrification or incarceration. The altares (alters) were displayed throughout the festival including those in the trunks of the beautifully restored cars. —Cathy McAuliffe

Salesforce Transit Center Park

Recently re-opened roof top park in San Francisco. Peaceful garden 5 stories above the street. Views of surrounding buildings from a different perspective. A great "Bus Fountain". And lots of eavesdropping opportunities! – Cathy McAuliffe

Papel Picado at Picante

We spent an evening with papel picado artist Enrique Martinez next door to Picante in Berkeley. His work is both traditional designs and his interpretations, including a Go Bears/Cal banner. You can see him in the evenings and you can view his work inside Picante. —Cathy McAuliffe

Roses in Berkeley

The Berkeley Rose Garden was one of the first Civil Works Progress Projects built under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). It was conceived in 1933 and completed and dedicated for public use in September 1937.The terraced amphitheatre and 220-foot-long redwood pergola were suggested by architect Bernard Maybeck. A block away is Rose Walk Berkeley’s only pedestrian pathway where the buildings were designed to integrate the walk with a planned development. This summer I sketched both landmarks. — Cathy McAuliffe

Oakland or Amsterdam?

Like being back in Amsterdam. Well, almost. Evening sketching at sidewalk tables, beer, fries with mayo, canals. OK, no canals, it’s Oakland after all. But nice time with SF Bay Sketchers.
– Cathy McAuliffe

Club Mallard (not just ducks)

Day-drinking, oh wait, day-sketching at Club Mallard in Albany. Log cabin decor with a side of tropical patio. Bison head above the bar and velvet Elvis on the wall. What’s not to like? – Cathy McAuliffe

Cold Brew

We went pre-holiday sketching July 3rd at Ocean View Brew Works in Albany. What a great place run by charming and very friendly people. (See Vivian's post below about the bartender sharing her sketchbook with us). As it was a typical July evening in our part of the bay area it was quite chilly but the staff set up a heater so we could stay sketching in the patio. Tracy who joined us to sketch pointed out her house and yard in one of my sketches. — Cathy McAuliffe

Perfect Tiny Trees + Blossoms

Beautiful afternoon in Lake Merritt Bonsai Garden.Extra special with some of the trees in full bloom! — Cathy McAuliffe

Springtime in Berkeley

UC Botanical Garden in full bloom. The Azalea is so big and so red/pink that it is probably visible from space! — Cathy McAuliffe

So much color!

Serrahna a fashion boutique in Oakland’s Rockridge district invited us back again to sketch. What a great place! No shortage of colors and textures. They specializing in contemporary and sophisticated fashions sewn from sensational and richly colorful fabrics of India. A sketcher's paradise. — Cathy McAuliffe

The Tropics?

A trip to the tropics. Not quite. It was a trip to cold, rainy Marin. But we found a wide covered porch and lots of foliage at Dominican University so all was well. Except for the part about the big down coats. But we did warm up afterwards with lunch at Flatiron in San Rafael. – Cathy McAuliffe

Picante where everybody knows your name

The bar on a Thursday evening at Picante Mexican Restaurant in Berkeley is a very "Cheers" kind of place. I didn't know everybody's name but Carlos the master-margarita-maker knew and he filled me in. – Cathy McAuliffe

Spice Girl at Oaktown Spice Shop

Had a great time discovering Oaktown Spice Shop across from Lake Merritt in Oakland. An amazing assortment of spices beautifully displayed and fun to draw and to smell! Thanks for having us in to sketch. — Cathy McAuliffe