Israel Independence Day Festival

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Terry and I went to the Israel Independence Day Festival in Cranes Roost Park behind the Altamonte Mall. Cranes Roost Boulevard was blocked off and lined with festival tents and food trucks. It was hard to distinguish from any other festival except for the occasional tiny Israeli flag. There was a large kids play area with inflatable jumper rooms, slides, a bungee sling shot and even pony rides. I decided to get a sketch of the face painter. She wore butterfly wings and could bat out a face painting every five to ten minutes. There was often a line of kids and their parents waiting expectantly. The little boy I sketched turned into Spiderman.

Terry and I ordered some Israeli food from one of the tents and we sat in the shade of a tree on a cement wall. A chorus began singing Israeli folk songs and some people in the audience joined in. Artist Bonnie Sprung was there with her mom selling tie died shirts with hand painted designs. Terry bumped into some friends from book club and while I sketched, she finished up a crossword puzzle.

Brad Meltzer

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On the morning we arrived back at the port in Miami, Terry got incredibly sick to her stomach. Passengers started getting off the ship at 7am. I left her lying on the bathroom floor with a pillow, and made my way down to the medical office. No one was there. I then went to the concierge to try and get some medical help. There was a long line of people complaining about this expense or that. When I finally got up to the counter, the concierge informed me that the medical office had just opened. So, I went back down. The nurse gave me a few pills in an envelope and I rushed back to the cabin. Terry took them and sprawled out on the bed. Passengers disembarked in waves based on a letter printed on the room key. We were among the last called. Terry couldn’t get out of bed so I went back down to the concierge to try and get a wheelchair. A porter came to the room with the chair and we were off. We slipped past lines of people waiting to get off. Elaine Pasekoff picked us up curbside and after a short ride, Terry got to lie down again in Elaine’s guest bed.

Elaine is the host of a literary radio program called “The Book Report.”  She interviews authors about their books. The show airs in nine major markets. That evening she was going to Books & Books to see author Brad Meltzer. I joined Elaine and Derek Hewitt on their outing to get a sketch, unfortunately Terry still couldn’t move, although she was regaining strength. Brad was at Books & Books to talk about the book he wrote for his six year old daughter called, “Heroes for my Daughter.”  A few years prior he had written, “Heroes for my Son” and his daughter kept asking, “Where the heck is my book?” Brad pointed out that our American culture seems to only highlight the achievements of sports stars and actor/celebrities. He told us how a middle school teacher encouraged him to write. She told him, “You can really write.” He figured everyone knew how to write but she saw his talent and encouraged him. He sought her out years later to thank her. These were the types of heroes he wanted his children to know about. He was wearing a T-Shirt with Abraham Lincoln on it. The shirt said, “I am Abraham Lincoln.” This line of shirts were designed for kids to emulate real role models.

The room was packed, with people standing in the back of the room. Brad’s wife and children were there, as a matter of fact his six year old daughter did the reading. An audience member asked Brad how to get started writing the first book. Brad equated writing a novel to placing grains of sand in a bottle one at a time. “If you write a page a day, then at some point you will have a book.” Another question came from a comic book fan. Brad has written for the comic book industry for years. The fan wanted to know if there was any comic art that Brad favored above all the rest. Brad did covet some art done by Rags Morales of Batman and Robin crying. Brad went so far as to contact the artist to purchase the original art. Unfortunately it had already been sold to another fan. Years later Brad was signing books at a comics convention. A fan walked up to him and asked him to sign the very same piece of art. He tried to convince the fan to sell it to him but he must have come on too strong. He scared the fan away. Years later however the fan contacted him and sold him the piece.

St. Martin

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I didn’t do much sketching on the islands since time was limited and we were always on the move. When the Celebrity Eclipse docked in Puerto Rico, we hiked from the cruise ship towards Castillo San Filipe del Morro. There was a path, called Paseo del Morro, that followed the shoreline. 20 foot high cliffs covered with foliage were on our right and the rocky shore of San Juan Bay was on our left. Kites were everywhere, their strings winding among the vines, lost in the foliage. A fortress wall was at the top of the cliff. The path lead us to the foot of the fortress but there was no way to get up to it. We had to hike all the way back and find another route through Old San Juan. We eventually did explore the fortification. Cannonball shrapnel was still lodged in the walls from a battle hundreds of years ago.

In St. Martin, we rented a jeep and Terry drove around the whole perimeter of the island.  We drove up to Pic Paradis, the highest point on the island then got lost in the city of St. James. This sketch was done when we stopped at the beach. We sat under an umbrella and a local immediately asked us for $10. Rather than pay, I walked back to the shade under a tree to sketch and Terry went for a walk on the beach. I sketched quickly to try and finish by the time she got back. When the sketch was done, we went to a beachfront bar and ordered Pina Coladas. Terry had things she needed to say. I was speechless. The waves crashed and the gorgeous aqua water sparkled behind the bright yellow umbrellas.

Ice Sculptor

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On the deck of the Celebrity Eclipse, near the pool, an ice sculptor demonstrated his techniques. The activities coordinator had a microphone and she kept the crowd guessing as to what he was sculpting.  Large chunks crashed to the deck and then he chipped away, refining the shapes. I never caught the sculptors name but he was from the Philippines. Another crew member had a squeegee and he collected the pile of shavings and chips. Children were discouraged from taking any of the ice chips since there was salt in it.  The first sculpture, completed in less than 15 minutes was of a parrot. The second sculpture I believe, ended up being a turtle riding a wave.

Within half an hour, the sculptures were done. Parents posed their children next to the new creations and then the kids grabbed large chunks of ice and ran to the pool or hot tub. The parents were too relaxed to care.

Avengers ASSemble

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I went to a rehearsal for “Avengers ASSemble.” This will be a burlesque show put on by Skill Focus: Burlesque, themed after the recent blockbuster hit.” The cast, featuring, Ruby Darling , Rosita Sparkles, Cherry Bob-omb,, Syber Digit, Shy LaBuff , Nekkid RoboJoe and Stephen Focking were going to assemble at Theater Downtown (2113 North Orange Avenue.) When I arrived at 9pm, Ashley Small, the Skill Focus stage manager, was the only person in the theater’s lounge. She looked like she was in charge, so I asked her if I was in the right place. The room was a furnace, partly because I had just walked several blocks from Ethos Kitchen.  She informed me that the cast had a multilevel stage to work with and that tonight would be an undress rehearsal of sorts.

Cherry Bob-omb went into the theater, and I decided to follow and check out the stage. The theater itself was thankfully cool. I immediately found a seat and started sketching the complex set with it’s multitude of levels. The cast assembled all at once and they quickly got into costumes. Syber Digit was the first out of the dressing room and she had on an awesome Thor outfit, complete with a large hammer. She relaxed on the set and I was exited to sketch my namesake. Ruby came out in her black wig and a stunning red and gold, Iron Man themed outfit. She asked the cast at hand to pose with her and I sketched frantically. I was self conscious about how much time I was taking, so my hands flew.

Stephen Focking had a vintage WWII helmet painted blue with the letter A inscribed on it. He found a  large Tupperware lid in the dressing room and he used it as his Captain America shield. Each performer in turn went through their strip tease. Each item of clothing was telegraphed and the gyrations accentuated. This troupe has a wonderful way of taking an age old tradition and making it fun and playful. You will scream, holler and cheer as they shake it down Marvel style! The performance will be at Theater Downtown on Saturday May 12th. Doors open at 10pm and the show starts at 11pm. Tickets are $10 at the door or in advance.  There will be an after party in the lobby with the cast.

Eclipse Theater

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On the Celebrity Eclipse, I took the glass elevator down to deck five. Dropping down I watched the library slip by and I watched people in the opposite elevator as they rose up. I walked down a long hallway past flashy boutiques, the Molecular Bar and the flashing lights of the Fortunes Casino. Terry was in our cabin reading, while I made my way to the Eclipse Theater to see an Iron Chef style cook off. I sat in the nose bleed section of the upper level to try and capture some sense of the enormous space.

The chipper activities coordinator announced the contestants. Two passengers had been picked to compete against each other with the help of some of the ships chefs. I believe they only had 15 minutes to prepare their dish using the raw produce available on the back tables. The female contestant talked smack by saying her opponent wasn’t even working his pans over the burners. She had a point, the crew chef was helping out quite a bit.

When it came time for the judging, an oval platform rose up with three passenger judges. One judge was from France and she said that the female contestants dish reminded her of her childhood. The male contestants dish however had too much spice. Every judge actually didn’t like the male contestants dish. They didn’t hold back their criticisms. The female contestant won.

I was still working on the sketch as everyone rushed out of the theater. It seems that these cruise ship activities are designed for audiences with short attention spans. A tech came out of the sound booth and approached me. He told me I would have to leave the theater. I can’t believe it. This was the second time I had been interrupted while trying to finish a sketch on the cruise. I asked why. He said they had to rehearse that evenings performance. I asked if I could do another sketch of the rehearsal. No, he had rules to follow and I left fuming. I don’t like being herded around like cattle. The final color washes were added in the cabin. We never returned to the theater to see the show.

Hot Glass Show

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On the top deck of the Celebrity Eclipse, next to a grass lawn and between the two huge smoke stacks sat a glass blower’s studio. The Corning Museum of Glass partnered with the cruise line to bring this working glass blowing studio to the high seas. Several ovens were burning brightly to heat the glass on metal rods. Three glass artisans were at work creating an octopus from a child’s drawing. Children on board the ship had entered a competition to see who’s sketch would become a glass menagerie.  Bob Swederball and Dan Alexander worked as a team while Tom narrated the process for a crowd of passengers on bleachers. Bob sat at the work bench forming the body of the creature while Dan heated some glass that would be used for tentacles.

Large air ducts blew cool air which was used to cool the glass on occasion. The molten glass glowed orange as they worked. One oven had multiple doors allowing for larger openings as the glass was formed. There was a four foot high glass wall around the working studio to make sure passengers didn’t get burned and the reflections made it a challenge to sketch at times. The octopus was created in a matter of about an hour. With a gentle tap, the glass sculpture was broken free of its iron rod. Once it was finished, all the children in the bleachers filed out and the craftsmen then started to create an ornate vase by folding the glass and twisting several different colors together. The three craftsmen all came from fine arts colleges where they first started molding glass. Their fine artwork used glass in unique ways. Not a bad gig for a working artist.

Eclipse Southside Band

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Anytime the Celebrity Eclipse left port, there was a party on deck. The dance floor doubled as a fountain with a small stream of water shooting up from each floor panel. The streams were illuminated from below as well making a colorful display at night. The stage and fountain both looked out over the pool. Terry always wanted to be on deck when we departed. This group, called The Southside Band, from the Philippines was performing covers of pop tunes just about anywhere we went on board. Sand bags held the music stands in place and once a musicians music was swept away by a strong wind. A passenger helped him grab it before it blew overboard.

Every day there was a four page pamphlet that outlined the activities for that day on the ship. Every minute of every day at sea there were activities. There were fitness classes, seminars, dance classes, Texas Hold’em Poker Tournaments and movie screenings. They actually had a screening of “Contagion” in the movie theater on board. That movie is about a virus that was spread do to contact with some infected food. That virus spread causing world wide panic. Anytime we entered the dining hall, crew members insisted that we use a hand sanitizer lotion. Perhaps the virus was on board.What genius decided to run that movie? Did they screen “Titanic” or “The Poseidon Adventure” as well?  One of the Canadians at dinner confirmed that they did indeed screen “The Poseidon Adventure.”  There was a huge central chandelier in the dining hall and I kept wondering how it might shatter when a passenger fell head over heals into it. Terry and I went to the movie theater just once, to see a much tamer movie called “Mr Popper’s Penguins.” It was a light hearted way to kill two hours.

Terry took a line dance class while I sketched. Later that evening I saw her on TV dancing along with a dozen or so other passengers. This sort of voyeuristic video surveillance seemed like a good idea. I studied her every move as I relaxed in our cabin.

Saint Kitts

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When the Celebrity Eclipse pulled into port at Saint Kitts, we were still asleep. We had a quick breakfast and then gladly set foot on solid land. We decided to hire a driver. There was a crowd of men busy corralling tourists for rides. Clement Williams was our driver for the day. I sketched quickly as we drove over bumpy roads. Clement talked non-stop as we started off. He spoke of the slave trade in the public square. Terry just wanted to get to the Brimstone Fortress so she had to interrupt his monologue to let him know we just wanted a lift to the fort.

He was happy to just drive. The steering wheel was on the opposite side and everyone drove on the wrong side of the road so we were happy that he was behind the wheel of the Hiace family van. Clement had been a school teacher for years but now he made his living driving. A billboard showed a volleyball team. Everyone on the island was proud that Saint Kitts had a  volleyball team that would compete in the next Olympic games.

Getting to the fortress involved driving up narrow one lane roads. The entrance was very narrow, cutting through a thick black volcanic rock wall. Four cannons surrounded the entrance making it even narrower. Clement inched the vehicle through the entry slowly.  I asked how many time he drove through that narrow space and he laughed and said “Thousands of times by now.” The Brimstone fortress has incredible panoramic views of the island’s coastline. It is 800 feet above sea level. A worker was cutting a vast hillside of wild grass with a weed eater. We wandered the abandoned fort where 130 cannons once defended the island.

On the drive back we stopped to see  the Romney Manor  which is an old plantation estate that houses the Caribelle Batik works. Inside the plantation a woman explained how the tie died batik fabrics were created using wax to isolate where colors would stain the fabrics. I was hoping to see a factory setting with dozens of workers but for the most part the place was just a tourist store. Outside there was a lush tropical garden and a 350-year-old Saman tree.

Eclipse Pool

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While my wife, Terry, was working on crossword puzzles and reading in our stateroom, I went on deck to sketch the main pool. There was another indoor pool as well near the workout rooms. I stood on a walkway between the outdoor bar and a burger stand. I starred off in the shade but the boat must have shifted it’s course because I soon was in the full sun. The pool had four jacuzzis. Two of the jacuzzis were almost always filled with children. There was a stage at the foot of the shallow end of the pool and there was often live music.

In the lounge chairs, passengers fingered their iPads, read actual paper books and soaked up the sun. Terry and I talked about getting in a jacuzzi, but we never got around to it. A mom snapped photos of her kids in the jacuzzi. A woman in a hijab stood at the edge of the pool but she never got in the water. I noticed her later in a lounge chair with only the oval of her face exposed to the sun.

In the evenings, Terry and I would take walks on deck, doing full laps around the perimeter of the ship. The Celebrity Eclipse was 1,033 feet long and 121 feet wide. There were 2850 guests on board. In the evening, the pool and jacuzzis were closed. Nets were secured over the waters surface to keep people out. I never noticed a life guard but some crew member must have been watching.