Hunting in San Antonio with Joan, Sketch, Photos

The past couple of days were fun.  My blog/sketching friend, Joan Tavolott, from New York traveled to San Antonio.  We decided to get together to meet in person after 10 years of blog talking.  It was a super time.  We met on the Scavenger Hunts. 

You may remember Joan, too, from previous posts.  Joan sketches daily and many times out an about.  She is in the Urban Sketchers and other sketching and watercolor groups.  She definitely gets in practice and almost daily blogs. She joins in groups like the Inktober bunch.   Look at her lovely watercolors and sketches and other blogs she does here :  http://watercolorsbyjoan2.blogspot.com/

I sketched in the travel sketchbook with a Micron 01 and then added some colored pencil this morning so it would make more sense.  I went for too much detail and it looked like lines and hatching.  Nothing new!

Joan and I agreed to meet at the little church in La Villita in San Antonio.  (Link to page with La Villita and Market Square http://www.getcreativesanantonio.com/Explore-San-Antonio/La-Villita  I went a bit early to find parking.

Scavenger Hunt 472 http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1415346

Number 1, plein air - at La Villita in San Antonio with Joan

Our sketching view was to the back of the altars.

Joan as she recognized me.

The Church and some of the altars.

They were getting ready for a Sunday service.

There weren't many visitors at 11:00 a.m.  Most stores open at that time.

Artist friend, Susan Carlin's old studio/gallery.  She now has her own wonderful Studio with classrooms and vacation rentals.  Look at http://www.whistlestopcorner.com/

There wasn't enough time to visit her new place.  She just hosted a workshop by Carol Marine.  http://carolmarine.blogspot.com/

A happy window.

The altars were for All Souls Day, which is really on November 1, but the folks started celebrating on Saturday.  Many used candy and other food.  The bees really were happy with the open sugar candy.

Joan and I at La Villita

Joan and I walked over to Market Square for lunch at Mi Tierra, a standard tradition for so many people.  We had a 45 minute wait.   Looks like we were in a crowd, eh?  They had so many decorations and the waitresses all wear Mexican dresses.  No other photos, where was my mind?

Back to La Villita for browsing the stands.  The white pumpkins decorated with a marker were fun to see. 

We watched the colorful parade with everyone dressed in such interesting costumes.  Many of the visitors had their faces painted or masks on.  The gal on the right in my sketch had the white skull face.

 There were a lot more folks around as we were leaving.  Good thing we went early.

Gene and I went down on Saturday evening and had dinner at a Longhorn Steakhouse.  It was good.  We watched the Texas Longhorns football, they beat Baylor!  Hook 'em Horns!  We also watched part of the World Series.  We are all rooting for David's favorite team, the Chicago Cubs.  I so hope they can win.

Gene visited with his "old" friend Fred.  They worked together in Peru.  It was good to see him, too.

Great to be with friends.  Enough rambling.....  More another time!