Welcome to Art After Dark at Studios on the Park , Part 1

Welcome to Art after Dark at Studios on the Park

Studios on the Park in Paso Robles is just what its name implies. It's packed with artist studios and galleries. Most of the artists show up for events like the monthly Art after Dark. During these occasions you'll usually find at least one resident artist in each studio. I had the opportunity to meet some  new resident artists tonight. I hope to be featuring them in subsequent posts.

People Enjoying Art After Dark at Studios on the Park, © B. Radisavljevic

Since I saw enough tonight to fill several blog posts, this will be an overview of the entire event with few details. It will give you the pulse of the event with some of the sights and sounds. In other posts I'll take you into individual studios so you can see the work of many of the artists.

The Paso Robles Art Association Was Having a Party

Paso Robles Art Association Partying, © B. Radisavljevic

They have a gallery in this studio. The party was in full swing when I took this photo about an hour after it had started. As you can see, there aren't too many refreshments left. People are mingling, catching up with each other, and discussing the art. I'll do a post on this party later, and show you the art up close. This event started an hour before the main event.

The Main Event Begins with Music

By the time the event officially begins there is a musician or group ready to entertain those in attendance. Tonight that vocal artist was Swedish Sofia Talvik. I attempted to get a video, but decided not to use it. Instead, you'll hear Sofia live in the background when you see the video below of the Bound Scissors Project. Here's Sofia performing.

Sofia Talvik Performing at Studios on the Park October 7, 2017, © B. Radisavljevic

Sofia has many videos on YouTube that will give you an  idea of her diverse styles.  This is a bit different than what she sang tonight, but I loved the way she did it so I share it here. She is singing Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." You can find the lyrics here if you have trouble understanding them.  Here's the video.

I also loved this audio version of "When It Rains on Chrismas Day." You can listen to it for free.

The Wine

Local wineries donate wine for Art after Dark so that Studios on the Park can sell it and raise money to keep up its work of art education in our community and to keep its art programs accessible for both children and adults. I wish I'd had these kinds of opportunities to experience art when I was young.

People Waiting for their Wine, © B. Radisavljevic

Alta Colina donated the wine for tonight's event. You can see that many art lovers are also wine lovers. There's a lot of pouring going on.

The Bound Scissors Project

The Bound Scissors Project, © B. Radisavljevic

When I saw this, my first reaction was "What in the world is this?" After all, the scissors are useless for cutting anything. Creator Suzanna Scott bound them all tight in fabric and thread.

 So what is this good for? It encourages people to be creative. As people walk by, a sign invites them to rearrange the scissors in some design and then to post the photo to Instagram with the tag #boundscissorsproject. Many people did stop to do some rearranging. Here are some subsequent photos.

Obviously it takes an artist to do this artistically, so I noticed Anne Laddon having a go at it. She's the one with the red sleeves in the video. You will hear Sofia Talvik's voice in the background and experience a bit of what the rest of us heard throughout the evening.

I hope you enjoyed this introduction to my series on tonight's Art after Dark. If you did, please share it. Use can use the image below on Pinterest.

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Paso Robles: A Train Runs through It

The Amtrak Train Stops in Paso Robles

Of course to get to the station, the train needs to pass through the city. While in the city it crosses some busy streets, often during rush hour. In the photo below, it's leaving town going south. I'm not sure why that boxcar is sitting there looking lonely. 

On this October afternoon I decided to chase it south on foot to try to get more of it in the photo. The background around the track isn't very pretty in that direction. Trains often do run through some ugly places. Actually, the view from the train is probably better than the view following the train under all the wires. Most of the wires in this town are above ground and it's really difficult not to get them into photos. This could have been a better picture if I'd been able to run fast enough to capture the train when it got past the wires. 

I'm spontaneous. I got to the parking lot by the station just as the train was leaving. If I'd thought to look at a schedule I might have planned to be in the right place in time to get the photo I really wanted. But, no. I hadn't even expected the train to come through while I was there. I'd come to document the way the street had been modified to accommodate the new parking area. 

Here's the station the train just left. I can't remember ever seeing the depot open, but maybe I just always happen to come after hours. 

Get it on a postcard from Zazzle. This is more of an overview and shows you a bit of Velta Circle on the right. The buses circle around it. This photo was taken on a winter day. 

Postcard: Paso Robles Train Station in Winter Postcard

The Train Is Arriving on Its Way North

This train is about to stop at the depot to drop off and pick up passengers.

Amtrak Train Headed Toward Train Station, © B. Radisavljevic

Take a peak inside while the door is open.

A Peak Inside the Train, © B. Radisavljevic

Here are the passengers about to get on.

Passengers Preparing to Board Train in Paso Robles, © B. Radisavljevic

The Train Crosses Busy Paso Robles Steets

Here's one crossing 10th Street now, headed south toward the station.

Cars Waiting for Train to Pass, © B. Radisavljevic

Finally, it got across. The drivers can resume their way across town. Well, they can as soon as that gate goes back up.

The Last Car Is Crossing at 10th Street, © B. Radisavljevic

Let's watch it head the two blocks toward the station.

The Train Is Almost to the Paso Robles Station, Getting Ready to Stop. © B. Radisavljevic

Now let's watch it leave the station on its way north.

The Train Is about to Head North from the Depot, © B. Radisavljevic

This photo used on these products was taken in autumn. Use one to tag your luggage when you pack for your train trip. Or get this deck of cards to play with while you wait for the train to arrive or when you travel through those ugly parts of town or after dark.

Paso Robles Train Station in Autumn Playing CardsPaso Robles Train Station in Autumn Luggage Tag

Here's a poster with a different orientation from a photo taken on a dreary winter day.

Poster: Train Leaving Paso Robles Station in Winte Poster

Now the train is gone, the gate is up, and you can proceed to whatever you need to do next.

If you enjoyed this, please consider pinning this photo on one of your Pinterest boards. 

Are you a train aficionado? Do you like to watch them? Do you ride them? Or do you consider them an annoyance when they stop traffic or wake you up at night as they pass through near your home?  Would you like to know more about trains and train travel? Here's some help from Amazon.

 All Aboard: The Complete North American Train Travel Guide Train: The Definitive Visual History (Dk Smithsonian) The Great Railroad Revolution: The History of Trains in America

Watch a Forklift Reacher Truck
Load a Lumber Truck.  

You might also enjoy a previous post I wrote after visiting the freight area where a train had left a lot of lumber. I stumbled onto the scene just as a forklift was loading the lumber trucks and I got a video and some photos. Watch a Forklift Reacher Truck Load a Lumber Truck.  This photo is not in that post. I created it for this link.

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Peace After a Stressful Day

"All's Well That Ends Well," as the Bard Said

My day began with stress but ended in peace. I find that when I'm stressed, nature soothes me. Sometimes just walking the two blocks to my mailbox at dusk will calm me down. Sometimes just looking at a sunset works. Or seeing a gorgeous sky framed by trees.

So what stressed me out today?

For the two days before today my cable connection that controls the television, the landline and the internet was faulty. My connection would drop while I was trying to send an email, comment on a post, or save a post in progress. You know how annoying that can be, especially during a blogging challenge when I need to get so much done online quickly. Although I don't watch much TV, for the little time I did the sound and picture became distorted every few seconds.

When I went to call Charter to report the problem, my phone (Charter powered, of course) wouldn't work properly.  The person that answered couldn't hear me. I had to pull out my rarely used cell phone to get through. That was Tuesday. The earliest a technician could come out was today between 1 and 2 pm. They said they would call to confirm and cancel if no one answered. So I kept my cell phone on and took it to my bedroom last night. I usually keep it in my purse, turned off.

Also last night before bed I discovered my primary website was offline. It's never been offline before.  I couldn't get it up and I couldn't get into my administrative panel. I didn't want to try calling tech support on my little mobile flip phone because I don't know how to put it on speaker phone -- a must for tech support calls. I couldn't rely on the landline to work. I hadn't been able to post my blog last night, either.

Even my little brother suffered phone frustration.
From family photo collection

Last night Charter called my cell phone and the landline simultaneously and I confirmed the appointment. Today at the proper time both phones rang at the same time again. I answered the cell and the person on the other end's voice was so distorted I couldn't understand a word and he couldn't seem to hear me. Then the line went dead. My husband answered the landline and talked to the human to confirm the appointment time. 2:00 came and went. At 2:30 I got really tense.

I called Charter again, but their call volume was too high and they weren't taking anymore calls for a while. The connection had appeared to be working better, so I went to their website and waited half an hour for a chat rep to come on line. He told me first that the appointment had been canceled because it hadn't been confirmed. Not true. Then he said he no longer detected a problem with the connection. I thought maybe they had resolved it since I hadn't had problems in the morning or afternoon. I was still quite unhappy that no one notified me of the cancellation or of the fact they thought the problem was resolved. I expressed my dissatisfaction in the handy survey I had to fill out after the chat session ended.

Resolving My Website Issue

Fortunately, I was able to get my website issue solved quickly. After bracing myself for a long tech support session and fortifying myself with pizza to quell my hunger pains, I call my wonderful web host at Siteground. They had my site back up in seconds. They told me the problem was a faulty update for the Heartbeat plug-in, they changed the file name, and the website came up immediately. I love their tech support people.

So What Now?

My website is back up, and that was the biggest issue for my business. After I began writing this post, though, I noticed my internet connection cutting in and out again. I tried to watch TV while I ate my pizza, and the people on the screen turned into monsters every few seconds and their voices sounded like they had a bad cell phone connection. Since my internet and phone had worked earlier, I thought maybe our ancient television was telling us to replace it. But then when the internet went haywire again, I knew maybe Charter hadn't solved my problem after all or I had a new problem. I'm not looking forward to getting back to them tomorrow. Meanwhile, I lost my connection several times while writing this post.

The trees in the photo above have seen their share of stress and though gravely wounded have so far survived. I'm thankful my three-day physical headache had vanished by the time I woke up this morning. It left me better able to face this  stressful day without breaking. Perhaps when I wake up tomorrow, my Charter headache will have disappeared. But I'm not counting on it. I'll take it one day at a time.

Has anything stressed you out lately?

This post is for Day 6 in the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

Photos of Central Downtown Paso Robles at Dusk

I Love Downtown Paso Robles at Dusk

The sun is no longer bright and the signs of the businesses around the park are beginning to light up. People walk in the park because in summer and early autumn it's cooler than in the daytime. On this October 1 walk, even the moon was making an appearance. Below is a popular attraction, the Park Cinemas Theater.

Park Cinemas Theater, Paso Robles, © B. Radisavljevic

Here's a slightly different view available as both poster and postcard from Zazzle.

Poster: Park Cinemas Downtown Paso Robles, CA PosterPostcard, Park-Cinemas, Paso Robles, CA Postcard

Parking in Downtown Paso Robles Around the Park

Good luck with that. The more popular Paso Robles becomes, the harder it is to find a parking place with a block or two of the park. At night on weekends it's almost impossible. Very few businesses supply parking, so most parking is on the street. I circled the park twice and even contemplated parking at the library and walking three blocks to get to Studios on the Park Saturday night. I finally found a place two blocks away on Park and 11th Street in a handicapped space (Yes, I have a placard) beside the park. As I walked toward my destination, I saw others still looking for a parking place.

Parking is scarce in Paso Robles on Saturday night, © B. Radisavljevic

An Old-Fashioned Sweet Shop

Got a sweet tooth you want to indulge while strolling around downtown? Try Powell's. Last time I looked it had all the candy bars and sweet treats the stores used to carry but are hard to find in stores now. I thought they'd stopped making them until I visited the Powell's SLO Sweets Candy Store.  Evidently the name is in transition. You'll find the store on the corner of 11th Street and Pine. It's in an historic building that used to house the Municipal Bathhouse around 1905.  Do you see the moon lurking behind the palm tree?

The Candy Store, © B. Radisavljevic

Pine Street at Dusk

There isn't room in this post to show you all the buildings on Pine Street between 11th and 12th across from the city park. I will show you these. As you cross Pine Street on 11th, you will be in front of the Park Cinemas. (Top photo) Walk west toward Studios on the Park and these are some businesses you will pass.

Red Scooter and Good Times (hidden behind tree) © B. Radisavljevic 

The Red Scooter is a deli open for breakfast and lunch. I've never tried it. After checking out their menu, I just may try it soon.  I've had lunch several times at the Good Times Cafe and been satisfied. It resembles a fifties burger hang-out. Or you could eat at the Paso Robles Inn across from the park on Spring Street for a more formal atmosphere. The food there is delicious. If you walk around the streets surrounding the park you'll find almost any kind of food you desire being served at one of the many restaurants on 11th Street, Pine Street, and 12th Street.

Walk a bit further on Pine Street past Good Times Cafe and you'll be in front of Pappy McGregor's Irish Pub. If you eat there you can choose sidewalk dining or eat inside. I've haven't eaten there since it was the Crooked Kilt years ago. It's only a few yards more from there to Studios on the Park -- my destination for the evening. I was not looking for food, but for a feast of art for my eyes.

Pappy McGregor's and Studios on the Park on Pine Street, © B. Radisavljevic

Souvenirs from Downtown Paso Robles

Clock Tower Downtown Paso Robles Postage




These are some other scenes you will find downtown very near the park. At Zazzle you will find even more Paso Robles designs. There are also more  product options for these designs. 

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Poster: Sidewalk Dining in Paso Robles, California PosterClock Tower Downtown Paso Robles PostcardPostcard: Superior Court, Paso Robles, California Postcard

The Paso Robles City Park at Dusk

Since the park covers two city blocks in the center of downtown, I will not even attempt to get all of it in this post. Its most famous landmark is the historic Carnegie Library, now the home of the Paso Robles Historical Society. Did you see the statue of Paderewski in front of it? Paderewski loved Paso Robles. We outgrew the original library and build a new one. Tour the new library here. It's across the street from the park and shares a building with the City of Paso Robles City Hall.

Historic Carnegie Library in City Park, © B. Radisavljevic 

The other structure most Paso Robles locals think of in connection with City Park is the bandstand. It's used for special events and for the summer concerts in the park. It's also where some teens hang out in the afternoon. I'll devote an entire post to it soon. But to close this post I'll just give you one shot of it. See how tall the trees are in comparison? To the left is a glimpse of our brand new playground. We will also devote a future post to that.

If you don't live in Paso Robles, what first impression do you get of it from these photos of our downtown?


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Photos of Paso Robles Inn at Dusk

The Paso Robles Inn and Coffee Shop Are Local Landmarks

The Paso Robles Inn buildings are located on Spring Street across from City Park. They are difficult buildings to photograph as a unit without any parked cars or traffic getting in the way. 

The Coffee Shop is the most distinctive because of its shape. (See final photo at end of post.) The Steakhouse is popular with locals and tourists alike because of its delicious food. We like to eat there on special occasions. Many locals hang out in the Cattleman's Lounge upstairs above the Steak House.

 The Paso Robles Inn is often displays its NO VACANCY sign as it did on this busy Saturday night at dusk. That's the red sign at the right.

Paso Robles Inn and Steakhous at Dusk, © B. Radisavljevic

Do You See Clarabelle Cow?

She's at the right side of the photo near the entrance to the inn lobby. She's been there since the Cow Parade ended last May. They auctioned off all the donated cows and Clarabelle Cow is now at the Paso Robles Inn as long as they both shall last. See the details and professional photos of Clarabelle and how she was created.

Clarabelle Cow in Front of Paso Robles Inn Near Entrance, © B. Radisavljevic

Here's my not-so-professional photo of Clarabelle in the middle of February 2017 after she'd been out in the rain a bit. It looks as though she's outgrowing her wine barrel coat. How can that happen? I guess she ate too many of those grapes.

Clarabelle Cow in Front of Paso Robles Inn

See the iconic Paso Robles Inn Coffee Shop below.

If you enjoyed these photos, why not pin this on Pinterest?

This post is for Day 4 in the Ultimate Blog Challenge It's not too late to join.

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