A Little Weekend Fun

Gentle Friends,  over the weekend we made a trip across the City to visit China Town and I took some snaps...

 ... parking in the Powell Street Garage we walked up to the Dragon Gate entrance to China Town...

... looking down Grant Street ...

.... more Grant Street.... 

... lots of shops and places to buy geegaws and trinkets....

 ... a shot of the Asian Mural on Commercial and Grant.....

... there are lots of SF things to look at and or take home.....

 ... walking out of China Town this is the back side of the Dragon Gate...

 ... we decided to have some lunch and headed here to Cafe de la Presse... a great restaurant down on Union Square...

... a shot of the bar...  I'm not sure what was going on at that other table on the left but look at the girl's expression........

 ... we got sat and ordered some drinks... Rico got his usual coke and I got a Bloody Mary.....

... we both ordered Croque Monsieur's mine I had with fries and ...

 .... Rico had a salad....

UPDATE:  I didn't even think of it when I was writing this Post...... but the reason we didn't have lunch in China Town was we already had plans to go out to dinner with some friends for Chineses in the evening... we went to Alice's... you can click the highlit Alice's and it will take you back to my Post from 2016 about this super restaurant we really like in our neighborhood.

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It was a lovely day, bright and sunny and a fun walk around a part of the City we rarely get to!!  Thanks for stopping by do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

Wrapping up the Week

GR&DF it is a chilly San Francisco Morning here - not like some snowy places where its down right frozen, but for us it is pretty cold. Last night when I was shutting up for the evening I decided I was having a big won-ton soup for lunch today. I usually have soup of some sort at lunch as I really enjoy it, but today it is an absolute must. How's that for another weird tid bit about me!!

I have finally caught up with a majority of the Blog Postings I missed while away - I am thinking I should invest in a laptop apparatus so that when I travel or am away I can check in with everyone. As I read through the posts I just kept feeling I had missed so much of the wonderful Holiday goings on!!

I wanted to mention two more new Blog Buddies out there - Ariadne over in Greece has jumped in with us and has started a lovely Blog - "Ariadne from Greece" - and Jenny from Kentucky also began a great blog - "One Stitch Closer to Nirvana" - stop by and say Hi!!

The comments also held a bit of news for me - I took part in the HOE Ornament Exchange back in November and my partner Lynn B let me know that the piece I sent has never arrived. I sent that sucker out on November 29th...... even with the slow holiday mail and all the weather both here and in the UK I would think it would have gotten there by now. I am thinking it is lost at this point - I need to get my needle a'stitchin quick like a bunny!! Dear Lynn - so sorry for the delay - another one will be out and on the way soon.....

Also in the comments Maggie o mentioned working for the first time on linen - I remember my first experience with linen - I jumped from Aida cloth to a stamped linen kit to a small 25 ct piece of linen project and have never looked back. I love the feel and look of linen, just keep plugging away and it will get easier as time goes on. Kim V asked about the Alpha Birds piece - the designer is Sheepish Designs and is actually three charts stitched as one. The three OOP charts from top to bottom are - Alpha Birds, Alpha Menagerie and Alpha Sheep - the little narrow connecting bands I charted as they do not exist in the charts. Susan asked about the Mary Beale "Sampler Wreath" - yes, I am still sort of stitching on it. I put it aside to stitch up Christmas Rules by Lizzie Kate - at this point the plan is... I will finish up square 4 on "Shores" and then turn my attention to the wreath and get her finished up. I am loving that piece lots and am contemplating how it should finish up.... I love the idea of a stitched wreath like is shown in the picture of the completed work.... but how about a lovely frame????? What to do, what to do....???

I wanted to leave everyone with a snap from SF - yesterday we stopped off in the Mission for some veggies and a sweet treat - (we all need treats!!!!). We parked on a side street next to this wonderfully colourful mural....

I have no idea for what or why this was painted here - but it is big, bold and beautiful. Always something new to see in the city!!

There you go sports fans. Thanks for stopping by, do come again!!

Take care,
edgar

A Stichity Post

GR&DF its Thursday and another day closer to "it" and another day less to get ready for "it." I do love the Christmas Season - not so much the crowds, punching and pushing, the malls, and all the unnecessary bitchiness that seems to permeate "corporate christmas." I love the specials on the tube, the music, the giving with open hearts - basically the nice side of an otherwise overblown beribboned "figgy pudding." The little shopping that I do - I try and do it on line - and love that to pieces!! There are a couple of things I am going to the mall for this evening and then I will avoid that pit of inhumanity like the plague until 2011!!

I wanted to post about a little lovely gesture of niceness - yesterday the mail brought a wonderful Christmas RAK -

Dear Carol sent me a lovely prezzie - and such a wonderful way to start off the month of giving!! The ornament is the "Woodland Christmas Reindeer Ornament" on 28ct Mocha Cashel stitched using GAST floss. I love me some licorice and tea and what better way to enjoy both at the same time!! Such a thoughtful gift and I do thank you Carol so much for starting off the season so brightly!!

I on the other hand have just started to get my mailed things out today and will finish up over the next few days. I love sending out treats to friends and relatives. But, sometimes it seems that Christmas just sneaks up and there it is and your out of time.

I took some snaps of both the Sampler Wreath progress and my new Christmas start.
Lets show the wreath first....

Its kind of wrinkled, sorry, but you get the idea. The church to the left sort of blends in but there is quite a bit a back stitch there so after that's completed it will show better. Still loving this piece!!

Here is a snap of the little bit of start stitching I got done last night....

It is "Christmas Rules" by Lizzie Kate. I am stitching it on 36ct linen and not the 32ct that is recommended. I just like 36ct better. I am using the recommend WDW floss. The moment I saw this I knew I wanted to get it to stitch. I also know that I am the biggest whiner about designers releasing multiple charts in bits and pieces to complete a project, but sometime you just gotta bite the bullet and suck it up to do something you love!! The sentiment is so great for the season and really for the whole year. What a super place it would be if we all kept Christmas in our hearts year round!!!

Yesterday we had another checkup appointment on Rico's Franken-foot. The Doctor was really nice and had only positive things to say about the way it has healed up. He also has started Rico on some Physical Therapy so that he gets some strength back in the calf muscle and foot. On the way home from the Doctors we stopped off a Popeye's - gotta love that spicy chicken!! Across the street is an old Movie Theatre that has been everything from a Theater to an Evangelical Church to a working artist space. Now it is boarded over awaiting it's next incarnation. On the boards that cover the front doors is a super mural - so great I got a snap...


I love me some Lazar eyed kitty's - gotta kill the bug!! That's one of the nicer things about SF - is all the inspired and interesting mural art. You never get bored.

Rachel asked about a snap in yesterdays post - and the answer is basically no - I had a snap of a tial light that I took, but it fell a little short when I was putting the post together so I went on the Internet and found a picture I liked better - great Cadillac fins are hard to come by!!

There you go sports fans. Thanks again for dropping by and for the kind comments!!!

Take care,
edgar

Crunchy Shrimps, BIG Art and Counting "Carols"

GR&DF thanks for all the great comments yesterday!! I am always ready to step out of the comfort zone and into the unusual when it comes to trying things. With that said, at my advanced age I am sure of some things that I do not like and will not do or try - the list begins with my irrational fear of heights - cant and wont do them - an even as I write that I know in my heart that isn't true - as I can force myself to do some very high things.... two examples come to mind instantly - when I was in Venice and I had a choice of going or not up St Marks Campanile - I chose to go up and was blown away by the gorgeous views of the city and lagoon - I was scared stiff the whole time, but I did it - the second time was when I made myself ascend up into the dome of St Paul's Cathedral in London - in the dome to the whispering gallery - scary as all get out, but once again I made it there and was glad I did. My crazy list goes on to things I will not ever again put in my mouth - bananas, mango's, plantains..are all on that list!!! For the most part I will try new things all the time. I always here my dads voice in my head saying "How do you know you don't like it until you try it???" ..... and I tell myself - you only live this life once - it ain't a dress rehearsal!! So jump in with both feet!!!!!

With that thought lingering - we stopped off in the Mission to pick up some things at the market - I see these every time we stop and I never get a snap....but this time I remembered...

They are with the snacks and spices so I am not too sure if they fall into the snack or the spice arena - but I am sorely tempted to buy some and find out!! I love me some shrimp!! I also got some snaps of a great mural I do not think I have ever shown - It is a pictorial history of Mesoamerica - including a Jaguar Knight from Mexico, an Olmec head, a Nazca hummingbird and a Mayan Lord....

to the left the mural wraps around the corner and continues on the front of the church..


I love that San Francisco has lots of murals, but the Mission seems to have the bulk of them - and here is an advertising mural I like....

I always enjoy a Laundromat with happy washers!! :)
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I got together my copies of "A Christmas Carol".... Here is a snap of them.....

In the top left - 2001 - "ACC" adapted by Stephen Krensky, pictures by Dean Morrissey, beneath that is a children's version 1991 - Illustrated by Marie DeJohn, In the upper middle with the spine up is a- 1985 - "Treasury of Dickens" with three of my favorite stories, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations and ACC, printed in Great Britain. Beneath that is a Barnes a Noble PPB - 2000 - of Dickens Christmas Stories (many people are surprised to find out that Dickens wrote other Christmas stories) At the top again the red and green cloth bound version- 1901 - ACC, below that is a nice facsimile of "Old Christmas" by Washington Irving, moving down to the red bound with green spine - 1937 - ACC, next down is - 1994 - "Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol", back to the top right the Blue Dust Jacket - 1993 - ACC - is a great version - an exact facsimile edition of the autographed manuscript from the Pierpont Morgan Library, moving down - 2006 - ACC, Illustrated by PJ Lynch on top of this edition is an ACC that was privately printed by Ball Brothers Company in Muncie Indiana - I would guess in the late 30's early 40's. This does not include all the Christmas books I have, that's a whole other pile of books!!
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I have been stitching away on an exchange so no snaps of that , yet.

Thanks again for stopping by and wading through all by babble!! Do stop by again.

Take care,
edgar

Shopping in the Mission

GR&DF welcome to BSS on this bright, sunny and no rain Thursday. We are supposed to have a deluge tomorrow so we shall enjoy the nice day today.

Yesterday on the way home we stopped in the Mission to shop a bit - our first stop is always at our favorite panaderia La Victoria...

We often stop here when the mood strikes us for a delicious bite of pastry.
Of course I had to get some snaps.....

The way this works is sort of self service - you just grab a tray and some tongs from the counter and pick and choose from the cases of goodies...



....these cookies where just lovely and sprinkled packed into this glass jar..



....and there where more beautiful cookies...



We also stopped at the fruit stand that is across the street...

I know that the people in the store thought I was nuts with my camera but look how nicely everything looks...


Have a Mango...



Then there where these great nopales, but we couldn't figure out what these extra prickly things next to them might be - fruit??


The mission is full of brightly painted and muralled buildings here are a couple...


...and here...

That was our little visit to the Mission - I hope you enjoyed the snaps!!

Last night was more Easter stitching - it is coming along fine and I am so happy I changed to this new piece - I hope my partner likes it!!

The films where great and it was a super beginning showcaseing the Star of the month on TCM - Ginger Rogers.

Here is a coloured still with Fred and Ginger from "Swing Time" - 1936.

There you sports fans. Thank you for stopping by and for the kind comments!!

Take care,
edgar

Wrapping up the Week

GR&DF - TGiF (Remember that Movie??) I just can not wait for this week to end and have a couple of me days! Most weeks just run on into the next and the seasons turn.... but..... I was and am ready for this weekend to start.

Don't forget that today is the last day to throw in for the JCS Drawing/Giveaway. I will toss all the names into the "Bowl of Destiny"... have the Chihuahua's dance around a bit and then have Rico draw the winning name - you know the usual shtick - then on Monday announce the winner. The post to comment on is HERE. This issue has this sampler chart in it....

This is my version/conversion on meadowlark by BOAF - I really enjoyed stitching this piece.


Last night the flickers were two of the "Histo-tainment" variety. First up would be "Warrior Queen" - 2003 - starring Alex Kingston, Emily Blunt and Gary Lewis. This version of the Boudica story was entertaining first and foremost - and historically correct secondly - as a TV movie should be. They got the basic story right and then embroidered upon that. In a nutshell - Boudica was the Heroic Celtic Queen of the Iceni and fought against Roman occupation of her lands in east Anglia. The second film was "Follow the River" - 1995 - starring Sheryl Lee, Ellen Burstyn and Eric Schweig. I enjoyed this film also but have come to find that the story is from a book and that this movie version is not very accurate. I have not read the book, but will find a copy and read it for myself. Until then I thought the movie was really pretty good. The story is set in 1750 in a small settlement in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The settlement is raided by the Shawnee settlers are killed and captives taken. They are then marched for many days back to lower Ohio as slaves/captives. FtR is the story of one of these captives and her determination not to give up and to get back home. Both of these movies are short at about 90 mins each so everything moves along quite briskly without much to bog them down.

Here are some final Mural shots from Clarion Alley -



There you go sports fans - Thanks for stopping by and for your very kind comments!!

Take care,
edgar

A Little Stitching, a Couple of Flicks more Murals and a Drawing

GR&DF what nice comments about everything!!! Yes, the home is pretty incredible - and the history that surrounds it..... first built as a single family home, in the 30's it was broken into a warren of apartments and stayed that way for decades - then brought back to a single home - while always retaining many of the original bits. Nanaknit asked if it was one of the famous Painted Ladies that are on Alamo Square - it is not one of them, but sits a block or so down from them and predates them by about 10 years.

I have been stitching along on AlphaBlocks and AEoL RR - up first would be my finished section on the RR -


This is Margaret's and it is really coming along beautifully - The floss that she chose is a gorgeous red over dyed by Threadworx. Ready for the mail next week.

Here is a snap of the small progress on the Alphblocks -

As you can see I have finished most of the rose bud things and most of the black blocks on the fourth line - not too exciting, but necessary. Even though I am still really liking this piece I am looking ahead to the Sheepish Designs sampler start........ How crazy is that!! I need to get a grip - as I still have to do the fill on the open blocks here. I guess that's what keeps us stitching away - the next project!

There have been many flicks over the Holidays - I did want to mention a few. First up would have to be "Evelyn Prentice" - 1934 - starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. A top rate film with the stars not play Nic and Nora Charles. The plot revolves around neglected rich wife and a murder. Everything about the film is good, costumes, photography, acting, dialogue. If you like William and Myrna (and who doesn't) then this is a film you should enjoy. Second up would be "Love Nest" - 1951 - starring June Haver, William Lundigan and a small part played by Marilyn Monroe. A cute if predictable film - returning Army Vet finds his wife has bought a dilapidated Apartment Building - and then an old Army buddy - Marilyn Monroe - moves in. The third film is "Strangers When we Meet" - 1960 - starring Kirk Douglas, Kim Novak, Ernie Kovacs, Barbara Rush and Walter Matthau. Infidelity in the suburbs - or sacrificing everything for love. An interesting film with some pretty good acting. I think one of the best things about this film are the cars that are shown - not as any plot vehicle but just in the outside scenes - really spectacular!! A little sappy a times but I kind of enjoyed this film.

Here are a couple more Clarion Street mural shots -



I was thinking over the Holiday that I have way too many things to stitch - in fact I probably have double SABLE - and why am I hanging on to charts and things I have already stitched???? With that in mind I also thought there may be some out there that missed the JCS Issue with the TiTD Sampler Chart. I thought it might be nice to have a small drawing for the JCS Magazine. -

This is a snap of my finished sampler in its old frame and the JCS Issue - so if you would like this copy of JCS to make your own TiTD Sampler - just leave a comment on this post before this Friday 1/8. I will have Rico draw a name over the weekend and announce the winner on Monday. Be sure to say in your comment you want to be entered in the drawing so I know not to leave you out. Good Luck!!

There you go sports fans! Thanks for stopping by and for your kind comments!!!

Take Care,
edgar

The Kindness of Strangers and a Couple of Christmas Snaperoos

GR&DF you stitching folks out there are just beyond generous!!! I was overwhelmed by the kind emails and comments about my psycho obsession about the "Alpha" charts. I went from having nada to many offers of loans and gifts. You're the best and you know it!!!!!! I think I have worked it all out now and so very soon you will see me stitching that sucker up!

I was going to do a giveaway today but it will have to wait until tomorrow as I couldn't find what I was looking for - oh well - my dis-organization in action again!!

Over the long weekend - and no computer - we did some fun things. Don't get me wrong the computer was working it is just that I sit in front of one all week and so I tend to avoid them like the plague on my days off.

New Years Eve was a very low key - got to bed by 10:30 pm then get rocked out of a dead sleep by the huge firework explosions at midnight. Oh well - I am just getting to old to get out in all that mess. I heard there was a 1/4 million folks in the city that night so it was just as well that I stayed in - crowds like that and me are a no go!! On Friday we attended an annual New Years Day afternoon get together. Friends of ours bought a "new" home this year and it was so nice to see not only their "new" house but the Christmas stuff left up. Here is how the front looks as you walk up....

The house is just off of Alamo square ( a huge tourist destination in SF) so there are lots of people from out of town and locals walking about. I was amazed at how many stopped and gave the tree and house a look. Talk about living in a fish bowl. Here is a snap of the tree from the inside....


Even though the tree is a bit dry after being up for so long it was till beautiful - at about 12 1/2 feet it really filled out the window bay quite well.

Saturday there were no Estate or Garage sales - so we hit a bunch of the thrift and second hand stores. I picked up a few books but nothing exciting. We did stop down at Community Thrift on Valencia. Near the shop there is a street called Clarion that is known for the some really outrageous and beautiful murals that are painted on every wall up and down the street. Of course I took some snaps and thought I would share them with you this week.
Here are a couple for today -


and here is one on the end by the street sign -

There are many murals all over the city and you can even take a Mural tour - but I think that Clarion Street is one of the few completely covered streets.

That about wraps it up for today. Thank you for stopping by do come again!!

Take care,
edgar