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.