Pizza of the Day

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By Thomas Thorspecken

After sketching one of the gorgeous homes in Saratoga Springs I decided to get some food before getting back to KC and Bob’s apartment. I decided to walk the main drag of town and Wheetfield’s (440 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY ) looked inviting. Some folks were seated outside but I got a booth inside.

From my booth I could overlook the main dining area. It was Father’s Day and a family was chatting at several tables that had been pushed together. I imagined that the father was seated on the left. They each had a doggie bag, so I knew that time was tight to get a sketch. I quickly sketched the family and sure enough they all got up to leave before the sketch was complete.

My waiter wished me a happy father’s day. I am not a father and now I know I never will be, but I just responded, “Thank you.” A young couple sat at the bar beside my booth. The woman complimented my sketch but I was concentrating so hard that I didn’t notice her at first. She shouted out a second compliment and I came out of my deep focus to thank her.

I ordered the Pizza of the Day. The ingredients were, Egg, Mushroom, Guanciale Italian cured meat, Boursin Cheese Sauce, Mozzarella and Hot Honey. I ate every single bite. It was so delicious. Oh my god it was the best pizza I have ever had. I specifically wrote the ingredients down, because I hope to recreate this amazing taste for myself.

Albany Airport

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My week of trying to see properties in New York State was disappointing. By the end of the week I felt I had found the perfect studio which was built specifically for a sculptor, but it had multiple offers and was off the market.

Brokers canceled showings or just didn’t show up to the showings they had scheduled. By the end of the week, I was frustrated and furious.

One week is not enough to find a home/studio especially with irresponsible brokers. I am now considering renting a small place in Upstate New York as a home base from which to continue the search. I found a church basement for rent in Kingston, New York, which looks intriguing.

On Zillow, I have found several places which seemed perfect, but the both sold out before I could see them. There is one property in Mount Dora Florida which is still for sale and I love it, but I am committing myself to making the move north to get away from the heat. The central air conditioning unit in the studio I am renting now broke down and I purchased several window AC units but they can not keep up with the endless overwhelming heat. This is fueling my decision to move north. I also want to be within a one or 2 hour train or bus ride from NYC. I feel I have done my time in Florida. It is time to feel the peace of an upstate studio and a weekly or monthly visit to feel the energy of the Big Apple.

In August and September, My life will once again going to be in upheaval.

Welcome to Saratoga Springs

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KC Cali and went for a sketch outing in Saratoga Springs. On the walk through town, KC struck up a conversation with an artist who was selling his work. He suggested we go to Congress Park and sketch the equestrian statue. It is a subject he has been considering doing himself.

We walked to an equestrian statue in Congress Park on the corner of Union and Circular Street. KC decided to sketch inside the park while I used her art stool and sketched this welcome sign.

We had a fun discussion about how I might find her once I finished my sketch. We decided that if I was facing the statue straight on then Twelve o-clock would be straight back from it. Nine o-clock would be straight out from the direction the horse was facing.

I found her at about 11 o-clock as she was sketching  the beautiful Saratoga Springs History Museum. I lay down in the grass as she continued to sketch. It was a perfect day and the soft grass felt so nice. A dad was behind us bouncing his baby on his knee as he sat on the park bench.

Just this one outing convinced me that Upstate New York would be a wonderful place to set up a studio. I just have to adjust to the idea of paying up to $7000 in sate taxes after I buy a place. I want to return to Saratoga Springs at some point when it is racing season. At that time this affluent little hamlet becomes incredibly crowded. The race track has to be an exciting sketch opportunity.

When I was married, I once wanted to go to Belmont Park  with my former wife. We stood in a long line to get train tickets from NYC to the race track in Long Island, and when we got to the front of the line we found out that there was another line for the race trace. My former wife was furious and started arguing. I got caught up in the fury and took out a wax pencil and wrote Belmont Park in bold letters on the bullet proof glass. I wanted to leave my my then former insisted we stay and get the darn tickets. As we waited, a police officer pulled me out of line and took me back to an interrogation room. I of course took it as a sketch opportunity. My then wife was furious but I quietly sketched the officer asking the questions.  They found out that my Belmont Park sign was easily erased and I was let go. We didn’t go to the races that day.

Saratoga Springs Mansion

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In Saratoga Springs New York I took a morning to hike up North Broadway to see the immense mansions. This beauty caught my eye and I sat at the end of the driveway to sketch.

Across the street was an estate sale so there were lots of cars parked along North Broadway. I noticed one woman carrying a large item back to her car. I could not make out what she had purchased.

While I was sketching a man walked across the driveway towards the front porch steps. I waved when he looked over at me. My stomach tensed since it could be the home owner who might shoo me away before my sketch was complete.

He approached me and asked if I was sketching. I showed him the sketch as it was. Oddly he asked me if anyone was inside. I said I hadn’t noticed anyone.

He then started telling me that the neighbor two houses down the street had died. He wanted to break the news to the owners of this brick beauty. I guess he thought would know where the owners were since I was sketching. Maybe he thought I was commissioned to do the sketch which is of course a very real possibility. As we were talking several other neighbors walked up and he started talking to them. I almost put them in the sketch but decided against it since they would dominate the foreground.

If I lived near Saratoga Springs I would certainly fill several sketchbooks with drawings of that stately mansions. I definitely love sketching architecture although I am more often sketching crowded events.

Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs

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KC Cali took me over to Saratoga Spa State Park in Saratoga Springs, New York. Since summer season had begun there was an admission fee to get into the park.

We parked near a gentle stream where a toddle was wading barefoot in the water while her mother watched. Right near the parking lot there was a fountain that gushed periodically. I tasted the water which tasted salty. Since the 1800s people have been given prescriptions to come to the springs and taste the water. I am hoping my little sip will have added a few years to my artistic practice.

From the stream we hiked up a steep slope to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. There was a chain link fence at the top of the hill but we found our way around it. We only got to the box office and then were blocked by a tall iron fence before we got to the Arts Center.

From there we hiked to the hall of Springs where we set up to sketch. there are supposed to be 4 statues inset into the facade, bu there are only two. Maybe the money ran our before the final two statues were completed. A nude woman represented Earth, and a nude man represented Wind. KC sat on the opposite side of the large lawn sketching the building from the opposite angle.

Bob had remained back at the rental but he hiked the 3 miles or so to meet us at the springs. He sat near KC for a while and then took Frankie, the adorable pup they have, for the long hike back home. Bob is a cancer survivor and he hikes everywhere to continue to build his stamina. Spiders kept jumping from the tree I was under onto the sketch I was working on. In several spots you can see red bloody streaks from there I killed each spider. KC had warned me that there were Giant Joro spiders invading New York State, so I was sure it was these horrible beasts that I was contending with as I sketched. I also didn’t have my usual artist stool and I discovered that I was sitting on an ant trail, so they climbed over me and over my sketch. Since the ants were not giant spiders, I just brushed them off the sketch.

The Importance of Being Earnest

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Thanks to a Facebook posting by Tracy Jane, I discovered a hidden gem of a theater up in my neck of the woods. The Hideaway Performing Arts Center (431 Plaza Drive Eustis Florida) is tucked away in a corner of a strip mall, only a half hour drive from my present art studio.

The theater is now owned by the Quinlan and Lucey families. John Lucey gave me a quick rundown of the theaters history when I arrived. Built in 1968, it was once the Eustis Plaza Theater with a large screen and then the theater was cut in half to allow for two much smaller screens that showed 99 cent movies. It was then converted into a live theater with a stage , but that theater did not survive the pandemic.

Eventually his friend Jim Quinlan jokingly said to John that he could help buy the theater. John had been a tech in the early days at the gorgeous 1935  Mediterranean Revival style Winter Garden Theater which has had to close. Unfortunately when it reopens, it will not feature live theater. John couldn’t get the idea out of his head of owning a theater and he and his wife decided to take the plunge. The place is amazing. You should really seek out the Hideaway.

The Importance of Being Earnest written by Oscar Wilde satirizes the hypocrisy and superficiality of British society. Superficial appearances are considered more important that true character. This is even more true in the social media age. Two high society bachelors, John Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff (Kyle Meehan, Brandon Boruch) were best friends but Algeron became possessive when his friend became obsessed with the beautiful Gwendolen (Lacy T. Patton). While the two bachelors argued, the servant, Lane (Steven Bechncke) would sneak a nip of the fine vintage wine. The acting was purposefully histrionic to add to the comedic flair of each scene. I felt like I had slipped back in time seeing a play staged in the 1920.

Since Gwendolen had such a preference for the name Earnest, John Worthing decided to let her believe that Earnest was his name. He would do anything to win her love. John had a ward which was the young and refined Cesily (Kayla Meyer). Algernon fell madly in love with her under the guise of also being Earnest. These changed identities and white lies ultimately lead to confusion and dire embarrassing consequences. One of the most comical scenes in the play came when Gwendolen and Cecily faced off over tea and cakes with them both thinking they were engaged to Earnest. Gwendolen tried to act refined but her fangs came out and and the sweet sleek Cecily held her own, but she initiated a food fight to great comic effect. Secrets and lies are not the bedrock for a strong relationship, but love finds a way.

There are only 2 performances left, get your tickets today.

Cupcake House, Saratoga Springs

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I was staying with KC and Bob in their Saratoga Springs apartment while I looked for homes in New York State. KC suggested a home that she called the Wedding Cake House. Since I have PTSD war time stress reactions from my own wedding, I jokes and called it the Cupcake House.

When I got to the house, I looked around for a spot to sketch from. Conveniently there was a cement bench on the far corner of the intersection with a perfect view.

The roof of the tower of the home does indeed resemble a cupcake that has been turned upside down and shoved in the tower tube. There is so much decorative filigree that it could have taken hours to draw accurately, but I simplified the details and took short cuts.

I thought there was another house next to the Cupcake House but it is the same home attached in a U shape. There is also a carriage house which has been renovated and that is the size of studio homes I have been looking at.

This neighborhood is so opulent and beautiful. People al seemed friendly. An old man walked by holding his shopping bag, probably full of a few groceries from downtown.

Exploring Saratoga Springs convinced me that I need to move to upstate New York. I am not searching for such opulence but instead a quiet hamlet removed from the rush and hustle of NYC while being less than a 2 hour bus or train ride from the city. I have done my time in Florida and it is time to return to the North East which is where I grew up.

While growing up in New Jersey, there were snow storms large enough where I could create a big igloo by hollowing out a mountain of snow. Today such large storms are more rare, or so I hope. In Florida I am living in a home without central air conditioning. That has fueled my desire to move to a cooler northern climate. In my old age, I start sweating even if I think about how hot it might be outside.

Sketching each day in Saratoga Springs the weather was perfect. By the time I get there it should be fall and I am a bit apprehensive about living through a winter.

Brook Trail, Greenwood NY

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From the Greenwood Lake Episcopal Church I thought I could walk over to see an open house at a home worth almost $700,00. It was above my budget but I was meeting a broker there to show me the home I desperately wanted to see. On Google Maps it looked like it would be about a 1/4 mile hike.I started walking inn that direction rather than hiking back to my rental car.

A road winds all along the edge of the lake. As I hiked out of downtown I realized that any sidewalks disappeared. I had to hike on the shoulder of the road.

The road hooked left and there was a deadly blind spot where cars ripped into town at high speeds. Hedges forced me onto the road itself. I decided to take the chance and tun across the road to navigate the blind curve.

After that curve the rocks and high hillsides made the trek even more treacherous. I decided it was crazy to continue. I turned around and hiked back into town an then back to my rental car. Greenwood Lake is clearly not a walker friendly town.

The home was gorgeous and built for entertaining. From the living room which I would use as a studio the 3 large windows overlooked the lake. There were smaller homes across the street with viscous barking dogs, but the high vantage point allowed an unobstructed view. The owner had done so many renovations to the home. The front “lawn” must be a nightmare to take care of since it on such a steep slope. Luckily it had natural tall grasses and was covered with stone and some mulch.

After I finished this sketch, it started to rain, so I ran up the steep driveway and went inside. I had a hour to sit and talk to Zelma Rivera about properties in the area. She was the one broker on my trip who I felt comfortable with. Greenwood lake seems to have absolute mansions and then tiny homes. I have not seen a place that feels just right for a studio space yet. The big advantage of this little town is the one hour bus ride into New York City.

Now that America has gone to war with Iran, I am seeing American flags everywhere I sketch.

 

Church of the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church

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When the real estate broker didn’t show up to the home I was considering buying in Greenwood Lake, New York, I walked through the little downtown area and decided to sketch the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd.

At first I sat on a stone wall but when it came time to add watercolor washes, I sat inside the churchyard and used the stone wall to lean against. Street side of the wall were four porto potties. They must have been left over from some street fair.

As the sketch neared completion, I stated making more phone calls to try and arrange to see the home I wanted to see. I refused to work with the broker who had given me the run around and didn’t communicate.

I was given a new broker to work with whose name was Zilma Rivera. She was having an pen house at a very expensive home up on a hill  that overlooked the lake. I am hoping Zilma will continue to help me as I continue my search. I will need to be local to the lower New York State area to continue the search, so I plan to find a rental in this area while I search.

At that property we had a nice relaxed talk since no one showed up to the open house other than me. Surprisingly she let me know that home prices were slowly dropping, which is great for me.

The Saratoga Springs Studio

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KC and Bob moved to Saratoga Springs two months ago. KCs sister scouted out the rental property before hand by walking through and shooting a detailed video. The place is beautiful with old wooden floors and four huge skylights in the upstairs studio area.

KC is an oil painter and she set up her large easel across from the skylights and she illuminates the ceiling with bright LED lights set up in movie style lights with shutters.

While I was doing this sketch she was taking care of all the tasks that come after a move to let businesses know the new address. Frankie their adorable English Terrier rested on the floor. I can only dream about finding a studio as gorgeous as this.

After a crazy week of looking at New York homes, I now realize that I will have to find a rental like this as a home base and keep looking for the perfect studio. to buy

One of the doors at the back of the studio leads to an outdoor patio, which was a great spot for dinner and watching the sunset. From the patio, Frankie, the terrier has a view overlooking the next door lot. She tensed up and locks on anytime she sees a rabbit. One time, she broke free from her leash and she darted down the wooden steps to chase the rabbit. By the time she got to the ground the rabbit was gone. The next door neighbor however is the wicked witch of the west and she complains any time someone steps foot on her property including the puppy. She should really live way off in the woods, where the next neighbor is a mile away. She is a yoga instructor, but evil.

Except for rain the day I arrived, and rain the day I left, the weather in Saratoga Springs was beautiful. The grass was soft to the touch and there was always a cool breeze. The homes were beautiful and the people I met while sketching were friendly. The only reason I would not consider living there is that it is north of Albany and therefor much too far from New York City. KC gave me a book to keep track of all the properties I would be seeing during the week. She was shocked that I was just carrying around a few scraps of paper with notes. She wrote on the back page the things I should consider as I looked at properties

  1. In budget.
  2. Within an hour if possible from NYC.
  3. Reasonable size. About 1,000 to 2,000 square feet.
  4. Place should be in reasonable/good condition.
  5. Decent neighborhood.

Several met all the criteria, but one had asbestos and the other sold before I could look at it. That last property was built for sculptor Dudley Pratt and I honestly think I would have made an offer has I seen it in person. Realtors simply didn’t show up and were quite frankly rude and unhelpful. My hope is that I can find one honest buyers realtor who truly has my interests at heart. That I understand now, is a rare breed in the New York metro area. Sigh.