Pool Parties, Skiing, VIP suites, Corn Dogs, Vegas Wins and everything in between!!
Picture Above: Taking a break from my usual painting attire ......... and hitting LA!
Picture Below: Having a soak in the Ghost Town - 'Calico'
I have just returned from a 3 week vacation in California with many ideas and inspiration for new paintings. I am planning in the future to create a Californian series of paintings, and the following insight into my trip may give you some clues as to some of the subject matter of new paintigns:
I landed in LA, staying in Hollywood where I discovered it is illegal to cross the roads by not using the pedestrain crossings! Then a long road trip began through the desert venturing to Las Vegas where I used my beginners luck wisely to win 740 dollars from a one time spin on roulette from 20 dollars! Luxor casino, thank you. I soon discovered that the Mini bar of the Mandallay Bay Hotel was not free, far from it, but when I discovered JD & cokes are free in the casinos when you are betting all of my troubles faded away into a blur! I also discovered that everything in america is bigger, even the bath tubs were deeper, I also later discovered in the Log Cabin where we stayed that a 'waste disposal' exists in the kitchen sink plug hole (a spinning blade), I soon realised it is not a good idea to fish things out of the plug hole! On leaving Vegas, we stopped off at Carson City - a smaller older version of Las Vegas which was slightly dated and stuck in a time warp, but I loved it. The locals were fascinated by our english accents and rewared us by buying us our drinks.........which was good as I was on double JD & cokes again! Flew down into the Gran Canyon in a helicopter returning to the cowboy Gran Canyon Ranch where we stayed in log cabins. I drove through Death Valley and through the deserts filled with Joshua Trees where we had a cigar in the desert. Skiing for the first time on actual snow at Big Bear Skii resort was fast and furious so I decided to ditch the second day of skiiing by staying at the cabin and sat in the hot tub overlooking the lake. Other places I saw along the way were San Francisco where we discovered a barman who was playing on the novelty fact that he was 'English' - but he must have been faking it as his accent was far from English! San Diego was also amazing where we spent a night clubbing and stayed at the hard rock hotel VIP suite on grey goose followed by a pool party the following day. Lake Tahoe was a lake, but I cant quite remember what happened there apart from the hire 4X4 was of the same name - 'Tahoe'! Santa Monica and Venice Beach were a highlight - I couldnt believe it - it was like being in the movies. We then travelled back to Hollywood where I invested in some 'tacky' postcards or 'kitch' as the Americans say. A Californian series of paintings will be on their way, vibrant, colourful and surreal reflecting the trip. One day I will return.