12.26.11 Denali

This is Denali, my friend Gail's yellow Lab. I made this painting for Gail for her birthday--December 26th. You may remember Gail from my blog posting on 1.13.11. She's the fighter. She's still fighting and every birthday is a victory. Happy Birthday Gail.

11.24.11 Sarkis and Scott

At Sarkis Cafe on Gross Point Rd. in Evanston, IL. Sarkis owned it when I started going there for breakfasts when I lived in Evanston over 25 years ago. It's an old-style diner with a counter and a few booths. They claim to have the "World's Best Omlettes."With menu items like the Disaster Sausage sandwich and the Bacon Loretta (who was Loretta, anyway?) and cheesy hash browns with bottomless coffee, you won't need to eat again until dinner. Scott Jaffe is the current owner. He's very friendly and is there most all the time its open. He rarely goes on vacation. Sarkis still comes in once in awhile to "help out" and tell stories. This is a one-of-a-kind find.

10.15.11 Angus and Malachai

These two talented musicians were playing at the Baraboo Farmers' Market last weekend.

10.10.11 Gridley

9.26.11 Sharon O'Sullivan at Jackson Hole Airport

We were stuck at the Jackson Hole Airport in Wyoming for four hours waiting for our plane that was diverted to Idaho for mechanical difficulties. Sharon was a good model as she was immobile for awhile, working on her iPad. This is how my Draw from Life blog got started--drawing people in an airport waiting for a flight.

9.20.11 Ron and Sophie

Ron and Sophie, his 10-yr. old English Springer Spaniel. Met them at a farmers' market in La Valle, WI last weekend. Sophie was a rescue dog. I think she rescued Ron.

9.6.2011 Don Herlihy

8.27.11 Kyla Painting a Landscape

Kyla painting a landscape of the millpond in La Valle, Wisconsin.

8.8.11 Desktop

A "detail" shot from my current desktop in the dining room. Our basement got water in the downpour of 7/23/11 (7" of rain in 3 hrs.). So my studio got moved.

7.11.11: Annie

Annie is our 13 yr. old Entlebucher Sennenhund. We got her as a puppy from Wilmette Pet Shop. I was supposed to get an aquarium with tropical fish for my 50th birthday. Got Annie instead. She's stubborn, a very picky eater, cranky and leaves little puddles on the wood floors but, of course, we love her. 

6.14.11 Good Hands Lisa

Today my wife was honored by the Advertising Club Foundation in NYC as the 2011 Ad Person of the Year. She was roasted and toasted by her friends and family at the Union League Club. In addition to being a big shot marketing person, she also loves animals, baking pies and gardening. My drawing was used on a printed piece inserted into a pair of gardening gloves for each of the guests.

6.13.11 Ruth Diane Hosfield at StoryCorps

My mother-in-law at the StoryCorps recording booth in lower Manhattan. My wife, Lisa, interviewed her and my father-in-law for almost an hour. The segments of the recording of their personal stories may be aired on National Public Radio.

6.5.11 Lisa Relaxing

In a rare moment, my wife catches a few rays on the chaise.

5.15.11 Caribou Coffee

I like Caribou Coffee in Winnetka, our home town. It has a nice ambience. Like a north woods lodge. Especially on cold and wet mornings like today. They even have a gas fire place. And, the people who work there are very friendly. They also have a trivia question every day. If you guess the answer, you get ten cents off the price of your drink. Today's is: Who is credited with the invention of scissors? I got it right. Amazing.

5.12.11 Cupcakes

4.27.11 Man Reading at Starbucks

There were more people at Starbucks this afternoon than there were at the library. Maybe the library should get an espresso machine and some cool tunes? Nah.

4.24.11 Buena Vida Cafe and Bakery, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Lisa and I stopped into a little cafe and bakery near the Bellas Artes for coffee and fresh-baked pasteries.

4.22.11 Cafe de Parroquia, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Cafes are great places for people watching and drawing while enjoying a cafe au lait. This one is on the main plaza, overlooking the cathedral and park in the historic district of San Miguel--one of the most charming towns in central Mexico. 

4.21.11 Cafe Europa, Minori, Italy

Found this in my files from a trip to the Amalfi coast in 2005.

It was a watercolor and cooking trip. I did watercolors and Lisa took cooking lessons

from an Italian chef that didn't speak English. She learned how to make gnocchi. I learned that

I really love Italy.

4.16.11 Sparks

4.8.11 Tillie & Chloe

3.29.11 Shortcake

I bought four pounds of strawberries at Costco last weekend. Lisa decided to make strawberry shortcake Sunday afternoon. Gridley thought that was a fine idea.

2.26.11 Bulldogs

2.22.11 Gadhafi

2.20.11 Hopper

2.18.11 Coltrane

2.17.11 O'Keefe

2.16.11 Matisse

1.26.11 Michael's Shoe Repair

Gridley's not a bad dog. He's just a one year old and likes to chew things with appealing smells. And, 'somebody' left her closet door open.

1.25.11 Chicago Weather Forecast

I was listening to the car radio while running some errands today. The weather forecast sounded like a broken record--"today mostly cloudy and cold, tomorrow mostly cloudy and cold," etc., etc. It reminded me how much I hate Chicago winter weather.

1.22.11 "Win Win"

Tom McCarthy ("The Visitor" and "The Station Agent") directs this touching film about the "allegiances and bonds between unlikely characters." Giamatti's character, Mike Flahtery, is an struggling attorney and high school wrestling coash. Ryan plays Flaherty's wife. Set in New Providence, NJ where McCarthy grew up and wrestled on the New Providence team before going off to Yale drama school. Small picture. Great performances. See it.

1.11.11 Christina Taylor Green

John Green holds a photo of his wife and slain daughter, Christina Taylor, nine years young.

1.6.11 Post-Holidays Cartoon

I've often been struck with the remains of holidays cast-off at the curb side. I suppose it's ecologically correct but, somehow, sad. Here's a cartoon I just finished that looks ahead to the next holiday--Valentine's Day.

1.3.11 Fighter