San Diego May 2015 - Day 4

Friday May 8

Going home today, catching a train at noon. But I got a little sewing done before leaving the hotel.

Block created some time ago. I decided to try to make a few more that were similar.

Right - pieced strips leftover from a previous retreat, good starting points

Bottom - new strip set, pretty similar

Strip set cut. See, no markings on the ruler. Just aim and cut, no measuring necessary for these techniques.

Two new lower strips, cousins to the top strip

Bottom left - new strip made in the same fashion

Right - the new block will be similar to the older block on the left

Collection of strips to make new blocks

Here are the pieces I made during the retreat. The blocks on the right remind me of some of the works of the artist Piet Mondrian.

I have a fascination for seagulls. These gathering of gulls reminds me of old men who meet and shoot the breeze.

Packed up to go. Sewing machine, tools, fabric, clothes, etc., all fit into the suitcase and shopping bag.

It's raining, I have to catch a bus, and I don't have an umbrella. Sigh.

Downtown San Diego. Checked my bag at the train station, then walked a block to Matisse Bistro, a French cafe in America Plaza Trolley Station. It's been a tradition to eat here on my last morning before leaving San Diego. French food, French decor and most of the staff speak French. What a lovely way for this Francophile to end a trip.

Inside the cafe

French toast (made from croissants) with strawberries, and a cafe au lait. Delicious.

Almost time to head back to the train station and the rain is really coming down.

Santa Fe Train Depot, in service for 100 years.

If you choose your seat carefully on the Pacific Surfliner, you can see views like this. Gorgeous!

Waiting Room at Union Station, Los Angeles. You've probably seen this room in movies, television and commercials.

Bus ride to Bakersfield, then back on the train to my home town. I had a wonderful trip. I don't know when I'll go back to San Diego, but hopefully it won't be too long,.It's a great place to visit.

Debbie

San Diego May 2015 - Day 3

Thursday May 7

Since this was a quilting trip, I got some sewing done in the morning.

Working in Think Outside the Block, I chose navy and butterscotch fabrics, each roughly the size of a fat quarter

Strip inserted

Horizontal cut, flipped the bottom half, inserted a gold strip between the halves

Repeated with a vertical cut this time, inserting a turquoise strip

Another vertical cut

Flipped the small piece

Red insert

Laid over the gold piece. I'm okay that the navy piece is a little smaller than the butterscotch.

Time for today's outing, a bus trip to Quilt Visions Art Museum, to see a gallery of art quilts. I'd been there on a previous trip and really enjoyed it.

Seen in the hotel parking lot. Funny.

Two buses later, I arrived at Liberty Station, former Naval Training Center, where the quilt gallery is.

Pretty rose garden

Anchor, appropriate for a naval area

Quilt Visions

Con Pane, a bakery/cafe kitty corner from Quilt Visions. I'd eaten here on my last trip, enjoyed it, and looked forward to eating here again.

My view on the patio

It was lunchtime when I arrived but I hadn't eaten breakfast yet. While I was in line to order, I kept going back and forth between breakfast and lunch. Breakfast won out. Cinnamon roll with raisins, plus cafe au lait. Delicious!

Another view of Quilt Visions

Inside were dozens of terrific art quilts. There was no photography allowed, but I made notes on the brochure that had photographs of the quilts. Perhaps I will try a few ideas in future quilts.

Chi Chocolat, across the street from Quilt Visions. For you chocolate lovers.

Windows along one of the walls of Quilt Visions. Perhaps the windows were used for mail call or handing out paychecks.

Waiting for the second bus to take me back to Ocean Beach. Looks like rain, which I was not prepared for.

Hodad's, burger place in Ocean Beach, close to the hotel. My daughter Lisa and I ate here a few years ago when I visited her in San Diego. (She lives in Oregon now.) Little did I know that I would stay just down the street a few years later.

Nati's, where I ate on the first night

Seams to Me, near Nati's. It had to be sewing related. It was closed, but I asked next door and found out it was a tailoring shop.

Another beautiful mural in Ocean Beach

This VW van is parked permanently, covered with stickers.

Back at the hotel I did some more sewing. Trying out other backgrounds because the butterscotch seemed a little dreary compared to the navy piece.

I chose the bright yellow.

Layered the pieced navy unit over the yellow, made several vertical slices through both layers. Then I alternated navy pieced slices with plain yellow slices.

One set sewn together

Headed to dinner. Along the way, Dharma Center, for fellow Lost fans.

Hodad's for dinner. Hodad: a nonsurfer who spends time at beaches masquerading as a surfer. Thanks for the definition.

As I'm sure I did on my first visit, I ordered the Guido Burger, inspired by Food Network host Guy Fieri. Hodad's was featured on Guy's show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

There were no booths available, and I couldn't get comfortable at the surfboard tables. So I chose to eat at the open window bar that faces the street.

Guido Burger, fries and strawberry milkshake. Yum.

Bougainvillea, cherry pink - gorgeous!

After dinner I went to the beach to see the sunset. Ocean Beach Pier is in the distance.

Lifeguard hut - possible inspiration for a quilt

After this the sun disappeared behind clouds and I didn't get to see it actually dip into the ocean.

After dinner I continued sewing. Both units sewn together.

Next I laid the units one on the other.

Horizontal cuts were made through both layers, then the cut strips were swapped out between the units.

One completed set

Both completed sets

Once I finished the sets I was done sewing for the evening.

Debbie