I'm spending a few days in San Jose, California with my brother and his family. I started with a flight delayed by 4 hours due to fog, but thankfully I was able to get my connecting flight rebooked and arrive in California in time to get some supper at a wonderful Cambodian Restaurant Chez Sovan.
We shared a large plate of Fresh Spring Rolls that had a much higher ratio of lettuce and basil than the Vietnamese Spring Rolls I'm used to ... they had been freshly made and the textures were wonderful. Next we shared Tofu Fried Rice, Pork and Green Beans in a Tamarind Sauce and a Chicken Curry Stew.
We started our Saturday at The Island's Creative Escape Store. I've followed them on Facebook for a long time, so it was fun to see the space in person. If you're ever in the area, make sure you take time to stop. They had such a wide and diverse selection of stamps, papers, paints and inks.
It was fun to see Lara's Stamps from The Ink Road on Display.
It was also the first time I had seen the new products by Simon Hurley in person.
And the classroom space made me drool.
Next stop was The Very Rare Affordable Art Fair at JCO's Art Haus ... seriously some of the most fun I've had admiring art in a long time (and I realize in looking at the website, that I only saw about half of the artists). We were greeted at the door by this amazing Cardinal Sculpture.
The right two are by an artist named Amy Smith ... her collage work literally mesmerized me ... and Freda made from Paint Chips was so cool. I actually bought one of the Light Reading pieces (love the name ... a brick painted to look like a book).
There was literally art from floor to ceiling. I could have stayed there for hours.
Next stop was the Los Gatos Meats Smokehouse for lunch. My brother and I shared the The Quad (Pastrami, pulled pork, tri tip, LGM bacon, avocado, pepper jack cheese, spicy chipotle BBQ sauce) with some house made potato salad ... so stinkin' good. The weather was so gorgoeus, we were able to eat in the shade at a nearby park surrounded by so much green ... loved it.
Next stop was Rasputin Records & Books where I took advantage of the 6 books for $10 pricing.
Then my sister-in-law and I spent our evening making some paper collages and watercoloring inspired by the art we can absorbed that morning. I painted an Acorn from my Hedgehog Hollow Kit inspired by the gorgeous succulents my sister-in-law has in her garden.
Today we're off on more adventures.
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