Reward for hard work

I've been taking it easy this week of vacation, mostly because it's so horribly hot that I can't bring myself to do much! And also, despite many undone projects, I need the rest after a hectic six weeks of Teen Summer Reading Club. But this morning was a little cooler, and I woke up early for a change, so I decided to tackle the patio. I carried or rolled all the furniture out into the yard, and then I swept out the patio, I hosed it out, I washed it down with soapy water with a scrubber and a mop and rinsed well, and then while it dried, I did the same to all the furniture.

This was all done by 8:30 a.m., so I jumped in the shower (okay, it was more of a gimpy limp to the shower), and then headed for the chiropractor for a much-needed tune-up. Afterwards, I decided I deserved a reward of breakfast out. I headed for a favorite place in Encino, but by this time it was 10 a.m., and there was no parking and a line at the door. So I drove up Ventura Blvd., trying to decide whether to try somewhere else or go home and cook.

There is a semi-new building on Ventura Blvd. east of Hayvenhurst with a bunch of fast food places--Chipotle, Jersey Mike's, and so on--but as I drove past it, I spotted the name "Claudine" and the subheading of "baked goods," a place I had never noticed before, so I grabbed an empty parking place out front and went in to scope it out.

The place is light, bright, and inviting, featuring racks of cake holders, some put to good use and some standing by and looking ornamental. It's an order-at-the-counter kind of place, and then they bring your food to you. They serve a limited breakfast menu (in addition to the baked goods), and promised good café latte, so I settled in and started a sketch of what fell within my sightline while I waited for my order to be delivered to my table.

I finished the sketch after I ate (perfect scrambled eggs, crispy potato wedges, and brioche toast), and when I got home, I went out on my pristine patio and completed it with some watercolor. And now, I'm going to take a nap!

(LePen .05 and watercolor--featuring a favorite, Daniel Smith cobalt turquoise!)