Sometimes just a very simple sketch is enough to keep my eye in. I did this with one with watercolour pencils and a few touches of ink. For me the tea I drink most often is not a traditional cup of British-style tea, but green tea in this glass flask. At the moment we are drinking some lovely Taiwanese oolong green tea…delicious.
Fri-24-Jan-2025
I was thinking of my daughter when I sketched this as she is doing a barista training course and was practicing her latte art when she was visiting us. They day I sketched this I was in Greenbelt 3 to pick up my replacement iPad which had failed for no reason (but which Apple replaced free of charge). After hiking around the malls for a while looking for a sports shop to buy a new bike pump I sat at Starbucks for a quick snack and coffee. I follow some people (like @caobecky) who do lovely sketches of their food and coffee…but I don’t know how they manage it as I can’t wait to tuck in…the food would get cold to start with. Anyway I did manage to sketch my coffee – and did this one fast enough that the coffee was still hot by the time I finished! I always ask for the coffee in a mug…this should be the default option if you are eating in, to avoid dreadful waste.
Thu-23-Jan-2025
I’ve sketched in this spot before – sitting in Seattle’s Best in the Market Market! Mall (see sketch No. 1773 done in July 2021 and No. 2222 done in November 2022…woah that’s a lot of twos). Anyway this day we were at the mall to do our weekly shopping, and had to start off with a coffee to get our energy up. After this we went to the SM Aura mall to look at rice cookers (we decided not to buy one) and while our younger daughter spent her last day in the Philippines with her mates.
Sun-19-Jan-2025
Instead of joining the #UskManila #SketchWalk in Escolta, Manila on 18 January, we decided to go on a short hike – our first of the year. This trek started at the Kaingin hanging bridge in Maragondon, Cavite and finished at the peak where a sign said that the revolutionaries camped there for one week when they were escaping the Spanish forces. According to some, Mt. Buntis is called such, because the mountain is shaped like the pregnant belly of a woman…can’t say I could see that.
Sat-18-Jan-2025
Each year we have to take our car in to get a roadworthiness and emissions test done and have it registered. Luckily there is a handy little place (called M2-PMVIC) just around the corner from where we live and despite the crowds of people, motorbikes and cars there when I arrived, they processed it quite quickly. Also, despite its age, our car passed the test! I sketched this (a mobile clinic of Associated Medical and Clinical Services, I think) while I waited.
Thu-16-Jan-2025
On Wednesday 15 Jan I took our daughter into Quezon City so she could get a tattoo done (her Christmas present from us). I found a cafe to wait in (called Mood Coffee – @mood.coffeeph) and sketched this. They had very nice coffee and the owners were very friendly and kindly filmed me sketching and posted it on instagram! Unfortunately my sketch didn’t capture all the text of their catch phrase painted on the wall…but the title of this does!
Wed-15-Jan-2025
After our #SketchWalk on Sunday 12th, my wife and daughter went to get a massage while I did some shopping. After that we met up for dinner at Wabi Sabi (one of my favourite restaurants) in Makati Central Square (I still think of it as Makati Cinema Square, but I guess there are no cinemas there and the mall looks a little run down these days). While I waited to meet them I had a coffee and a doughnut at “Dunkin” – rebranded from Dunkin Donuts. According to their website they rebranded to “emphasise their beverage offerings, particularly coffee”…trying to compete with Starbucks I guess…personally I think it was a bit pointless.
Sun-12-Jan-2025
I started this sketch when we took our car to the car wash (before having lunch with some friends in Las Pinas). We were late to our meet up because the queue and the washers took forever – in fact I could have done more sketches. I seem to be sketching the backside of cars a lot these days!
Sun-5-Jan-2025
We celebrated Christmas on two days – first on Christmas Eve with a big meal followed by opening presents to each other. Then on Christmas Day we went to a resort and had a get-together with the whole family (my sketches of the venue are coming next). This lovely set of measuring cups was given to me by my daughters partner. I drew them with my new fountain pen (a gorgeous TWSBI Eco with an extra fine nib…. a present from my wife).
Tue-24-Dec-2024