The view from Vue

My nightly drawing routine is really working! All of a sudden I have all these drawings and I am way behind discussing them.

On Friday I did not get out on my bike -- but I did get out. And yes, in answer to the obvious question, I did remember it was Leonard Pennario's birthday, July 9. I have been working hard on that book, in between doing my drawings. After a number of years it is coming together.

Back to Friday. I toted a sketchbook because I thought, I have to get in a sketch somewhere. And I did! I sketched the view from Vue, the bar at the top of the Curtiss Hotel.

That is a snapshot at left of me working on my composition. This one tangle of buildings appealed to me because it included the Rand Building, with its mighty, magnificent antenna. I planned the picture a little more carefully than I usually do because I wanted to make sure I could fit that antenna on the page in all its glory.

As I drew I sipped a vodka and soda -- my go-to Keto drink -- and I thought back on the one time I was lucky enough to get a temp job in the Rand Building. And up at the top, too! It was for an engineering place called Hatch and Associates. Their secretary was on maternity leave and I took her place. I was typing engineers' papers.

I enjoyed that temp job. There were many I did not enjoy but I liked that one. There was one engineer from South Africa that I remember the other secretaries were afraid of because he was grumpy and fussy. I decided to make that engineer love me and sure enough, he did. While I was there I was the only one who typed his papers.

Everyone should temp at least once in his or her life. There is no experience like it, becoming part of an office for this limited little time. You get to be like Mary Poppins, gone when the wind changes. Poof. Goodbye, Mary! You must get someone else to type your papers now, fussy South African engineer! I think his name was Paul. Everything is stocked away in my head somewhere.

I do remember the view was beautiful from the top of the Rand Building. I wish I had been drawing back then, is all I can think.

Imagine the souvenirs I would have!

Summer in the city

As I write this, thunder is booming outside and rain is pouring down. The cat is in the window, fascinated.

We have been having this wonderful summer of weather and this sudden storm bears it out. It is like Camelot. The rain can never come till after sundown.

This evening I got on a bike and went to our historic Buffalo tavern, Ulrich's. I sketched Ulrich's from across the street. I had only about an hour before it began to get dark and I got back on the bike and pedaled home. Before I left I took the picture up above, just for reference. Tomorrow I will post my sketch. It is awesome! Well, I was happy with it, I will say that.

While I was drawing I was thinking: Grover Cleveland drank in that tavern! Odds are my great-grandfather drank in that tavern!

Did my great-grandfather know Grover Cleveland? That is a question to ponder.

When I was nearing my house it was the most amazing thing. There were people everywhere. Kids were swinging on the swings across the street from my house. Couples were walking with baby carriages. People were walking their dogs. All along the street you saw people on the sidewalks, people on their porches.

The city was alive!

It is like this all summer but especially in the last days of summer. The motorcycles too are roaring down the streets. Writing that, I am all of a sudden affectionate toward them. Everyone feels the summer is leaving.

We must enjoy it while we can!