On this day we did a long walk over Malling downs and through the nature reserve there, outside Lewes. It turned out to be one of the hottest days of the week. Not a cloud in the sky and two trees to shade under, one frequently used by a cow. We stopped at one of the first cafes we found when we got into town, with a nice space to cool down.
Wed-29-Jul-2026
After roasting in the sun for the last sketch Reuel and I (on the advice of a fellow sketcher) went to this cafe to cool down. It’s pretty fancy but we had a nice coffee and a massive chunk of cheesecake. The building was built in 1922, designed by G. H. Hayward and use to house the Hong Kong and Shanghai bank (and even the British Embassy). From what I could find online the recent restoration focussed on retaining the facade, iron work and windows etc. but put in a modern interior.
Sat-30-May-2026
On this day I drove my wife into Makati for an evening meeting and waited for her in the Bad Cafe (“Bad” stands for Brian and Dianne – the owners I guess). I sketched outside this cafe in October 2022 with Urban Sketchers Manila (see sketch No. 67-2210).
Sat-21-Mar-2026