Sunday, May 25, 2008

Alla Prima

Last night, Joey and Aaron came over to the West Side and walked with us up into Columbus Avenue until we saw an outdoor table for four, set and ready for us, at the Cafe Rhonda.

We gossiped about you. And you. And you too. I don't think we left anyone out.

Alone at a table two feet from my elbow was a man sketching on the plain paper beneath his setting. I made no effort to disguise my inspection of his work. We spoke briefly about working quickly and in public. As he got up to leave, he tore off a large section of it and handed it to me, saying "that's you on the right".

@ cafe rhonda

12 comments:

Gavin said...

And I thought my ears were ringing from my tinnitus!

M. Knoester said...

I knew you were talking about me! I could feel my ears burn.

Anonymous said...

I think we have all discussed one another. Human nature as we compare and contrast, take notes, appropriate or censure, build up or chastise, seeking to define ourselves or grow and evolve. Sounds like you had an interesting afternoon.

Cooper said...

I love it when the perfect table invites you to sit.

M.W. Nolden said...

It's really nice to hear that people still sketch like that in public places ~ or for that matter still sketch at all. Oh I know it's still done but it just seems (in light of the whole Duchampian/Post Modern aesthetic & mindset) so... Well, "old school", which I find a pity. Made me think of those drawings from the Moulin Rouge by Toulouse-Lauterc that so perfectly captured the zeitgeist of Paris at the end of the nineteenth century. It's all the digital snapshot now. Well, I suppose that was then & this is now.

Mike said...

We gossiped about you. And you. And you too. I don't think we left anyone out.

Oh dear.

Homer said...

How was the food?

Scott Plunkett said...

I was up in that neck of the woods last night for a splurge dinner at Ouest. And we had a "perfect table" moment too. Well... we had a reservation, but didn't like the table we were sat at, and saw one tucked away in a quiet little corner at the top of the stairs. It was perfect. And our waiter Matt was very cute. :)

tankmontreal said...

Okay, as long as the Montreal diaries didn't come up.

cb said...

That's a pretty cool little gift.

Stash said...

I'm oblivious to comments made in my general direction.

Something about hamsters and elderberries, eh wot?

Anonymous said...

heh. I was worried it was me, but I see it was all these other folks. whew.