Popcorn cart.

Chicagoans eat their popcorn in style!

The back of the Old State Capitol

It was 5 or 6 pm, the building was glowing under the evening sunlight. I sat down to sketch it. Little I knew I was sketching the back of the building until Bob told me they were offering free tours inside the building, we went  through the back door  to catch the last tour, we missed only the explanation of one of the rooms, very interesting tour. At the end, we left the building through the front door and to my surprise the front of the building looked just exactly like the back of the building I was just sketching minutes ago. I continued my sketch and finished the back of the old state capitol. I was in the very same building where Abraham Lincoln was many times..... powerful feeling! 

The Rippon-Kinsella House

Bob and I visited Springfield, IL.The land of Lincoln. This is the view from our room in the Rippon-Kinsella House B&B. This old and beautiful house is full of well preserved old furniture, crystal dinnerware, silverware, it reminds me of my aunt grand mother's house. The bedroom was a little dark, the only thing real bright were the windows, that's how this image captured my attention. The owner of this place, Roger, is a man who's being living 9 years in this house and 37 years with his partner, soon to be married. Many of the things belonged to his grandmother. I noticed the silverware was made in 1841. He claimed to be a good cook. Soon he proved himself because breakfast was delicious, well presented and well seasoned. This man turn out to be a great conversationalist, funny, with a great attitude. I always wanted to have a gay friend, which I don't have. They are funny, pragmatic and are not afraid to tell you the truth. It's always nice to meet  interesting people, they are the salt and pepper of my journeys.

Artisan Beers of Missouri

Nothing like COLD beer after an exciting day in Excelsior Springs. There are so many artisan beers and wines made in Missouri. Oh well...is getting hot.... Cheers!

Superior Pagoda Well

I didn't know about this town until I went to visit a fellow artist whose work I really like, Cathy Johnson, check her artwork  here. Then I realized that this town has quite a history for having 20 separate mineral springs with four different varieties of water. Locals used to sell spring water to drink directly bottled from the springs and usually constructed pagodas around it. Many people came from all the United States to receive treatments for weeks and therefore ended up being expensive treatments if you consider that you have to stay in hotels. This boom decline in the 1960's when people found out other alternative treatments that were more affordable and effective. Today there's only the romantic past left as well as an original and well preserved well called Superior Pagoda, which reminds the locals and tourists what this city once was.

The Dana-Thomas House

One or the best preserved house of Frank Lloyd Wright Houses. He's my new hero. He was a visionary genius and control freak, just like me, ahead of his time. This side of the house is actually the front of the house, however it has no front door. He wanted the people to look for the door and doing so they could please their eyes by looking at the architecture of the house. How is that for an ego. That reminds me the tomb of Napoleon, where he asked for the tomb to be design in certain way so you bow in order to see the tomb. Genius' ego. That hasn't change along history ....and will not change.