Coffee shops are great places for sketching...and even better if they have an outdoor seating area with umbrellas. The Sayville Bean Coffee House looked good as people were sitting outside having their Sunday morning coffee. There's usually someone sitting in an unusual position like the lady with the tattoos on her leg and thigh.
I was in Sayville last Sunday and liked the view of the outside of the Sayville Bean Coffee House. It looked like a nice spot to grab a cuppa on a Sunday morning.
This branch of "The Shed" is located in Sayville along Main Street. I always look and check if there are people sitting outside when I pass. It is a nice spot, although it must be tough for the wait staff who have to bring everything out from the interior of the restaurant to the tables outside...and the ground slopes. I am one of those people who prefer to sit in an actual chair with a back than at a picnic table.
The NYC Urban Sketchers went to Riverside Park South last Saturday. This is the old gantry that allowed freight cars to roll from barges to the rail yard that used to be here.
I haven't visited Flo's in Blue Point since last year. I stopped by last week on a drizzly day and did this direct watercolor from my mobile studio. Flo's wasn't open, but for some strange reason the umbrellas were up and open. Maybe they were hoping the rain would stop and customers would come by.
The forecast for the day was rain, but it looked like it was clear enough that I could get out someplace local and sketch before that happened. The colorful Ice Palace in Oakdale caught my eye. I didn't trust the weather so I sat in my mobile studio in the auto repair parking lot across the street. It was a good thing I did because it did pour for a few minutes and then rained lightly for a while. I was smart enough to sketch the people when I first got there...just in case they had to leave and seek shelter.lol Once the heavy rain passed there were other people who stopped for ices and sat under the umbrellas. I still haven't tried their ices, and I've sketched there before.
You can see the other sketches I've done of the Ice palace in 2022 here and in 2012 here.
Flo's Luncheonette is a location that the Sketch Club and my plein air group both like to visit. But lately the town of Brookhaven has instituted parking meters along the street and parking fees in the lot...and it isn't inexpensive. The Sketch Club decided that we weren't going there any more and aside from one day that I stopped there with a group for lunch, I haven't been there to sketch. I stopped by recently around lunch time but I guess they aren't getting enough business during the week to make it worth while staying open. I think it is still open on the weekends but I'm sure they will be having their final day soon.
I decided to sketch Flo's even though there weren't any people and the umbrellas weren't open. Since the location was so empty I didn't worry about the parking and just sat next to my car and painted.
I find red umbrellas very hard to resist and these had buckets of sunflowers below them. How could I resist this display at Bayview Market & Farm in Riverhead?
Last week we had quite a few really hot days...and of course the pool was closed. I went to the beach where there was a nice breeze and stayed in the shade of my own umbrella while I sketched a few that were on the beach. This was at Smith Point Beach.
In Oakdale there is a Spanish restaurant called Viva La Vida. I love their colorful colors and the collection of umbrellas in their outside dining area.
My final watercolor for the 30 x 30 Direct Watercolor Challenge was done while sitting on the beach at Robert Moses State Park. I got to include a bit of water, people and umbrellas.
I had an appointment to have my car serviced and planned on waiting for it to be done at Nissan. Knowing I would be there for quite a while I brought along my sketchbook. First I did a pencil sketch of this gentleman, but since I knew I would probably have time for a watercolor too I pulled out my tiny watercolor palette and went to work. Considering it was done on sketch paper, not watercolor paper I think it came out good. So here is my painting #18 for the 30 x 30 Direct Watercolor Challenge.
I was up in Port Jeff the other day and found a parking space right by some umbrellas and colorful flowers. It was meant to be sketched. Done from my mobile studio which had the best view.
Riding through Eastport I found a general store with yellow umbrellas outside. How could I resist?
I was passing La Tavola the other day and had to stop. The red and blue umbrellas were calling.
There is something that attracts me to umbrellas...and how could I pass up these red umbrellas. Here is my Day 23 painting done in Smithtown. This is 5 x 7.
My Inktober Day 16 sketch was done at Fantastic Gardens in Patchogue. I love seeing all the tables filled with plants outside the greenhouses. This was done with a dip pen and sepia ink.
The other day when I was at Olish's Farm in Eastport there was so much color everywhere that I couldn't
leave without doing one of the displays in color.
Luckily the weather on Saturday was beautiful and sunny, so I was able to head to the beach at Smith Point State Park. Although there are no lifeguards on duty any more there are quite a few people that continue to come to the beach like it is still summer, and some of them do go swimming. This group gathered under several umbrellas and seemed to have a great time together.
When I head out on the north fork and think about sketching at a farmstead, Bayview Market in Aquebogue is usually where I end up. Their colorful umbrellas and produce can't be resisted...at least not by me. lol It is a very busy place and the parking lot is crazy, so I usually find a spot I like and sketch from my mobile studio. Then of course I do some shopping!
