January 2016 Sketchcrawl-Starbucks and Melrose Market

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1/24/16 Sunday's sketches from USKSeattle Sketchcrawl -- I sketched here with USKSeattle in February, 2015

Last time, I spent the day outdoors. This time, I decided to come inside more often.

I started out on the corner across the street from Starbucks Roastery, drawing the logo sign on the roof corner, (if you zoom in, top right, you can see Gail siting her sketch) then I followed the bronze coffee beans embedded in the sidewalk in front of Starbucks' front door.

A trail of bronze coffee beans and a rain-soaked leaf pointed the way downhill to Melrose Market

I ended up half a block down the street at the Melrose Market. What a wonderful place! From the main corridor, you can get an overview of the entire marketplace, but it was fascinating to watch the busy chefs at work in the kitchen at Sitka & Spruce. A beautiful tray of fresh baked scones loomed tantalizingly on the butcher block counter, tiny flowers were placed at the chef's table. I realized my sketches were mostly brown and grey, so I was happy to find a red chair with two fresh baguettes sitting in it and the red door at the end of the hallway.

A pair of sketchers, an "evergreen" sticker, a red door, and pussy willows in a vase atop an old oak barrel.

Harris was kind enough to let me get this shot with her cell phone camera. Thanks, H!

I counted 36 sketchers on the sidewalk outside the Melrose Market sharing their "catch of the day", but I know several who were not able to stay the entire session. I'm sure Jane will soon post up one of the group photos she got in front of Starbucks.

Sketchcrawl from Starbucks Roastery

It was great getting back into it from a long hiatus.  I haven't been to a sketch crawl since the August, so it was nice seeing everyone on Sunday.  It was a great turnout!
The Roastery was pretty overwhelming with a lot of stuff to sketch and a lot of people.  I found   a nice place to sit by the window and sketch, getting an over view of the interior space by the coffee bar.

I tried to watercolor on site but the Noodlers Ink needed more time to set on the paper.  I just decided to sketch in ink the rest of the time and wandered outside to sketch the signage on  Melrose St.  and then found the entrance to Melrose Market.  It is hard to find because it looks as if you are entering a private restaurant but is really just one of the establishments in the Market.  I feel that we just scratched the surface of places to sketch in the area.  This is definitely a great place to hang out if you can find parking.

Inside Starbucks Reserve Roastery

Melrose Market

Melrose St.

Roastery Redux Plus Melrose Market

2/22/15 Starbucks Reserve Roastery

After biting off way more of a composition than I could chew the last time I sketched at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery, today I took a smaller view. This time I think I managed to both chew and swallow – though barely.

In any case, it was an especially fun gathering of Urban Sketchers Seattle this morning with a huge turnout – at least 40 were counted! Sketchers were scattered all over the Roastery as well as on surrounding sidewalks. I didn’t have quite the fortitude to sketch outdoors like some brave souls, but I admire those who did.

After my sketch at the Roastery, I walked down the street to Melrose Market, a small collection of cafés and retail shops housed in a cool old building. It, too, was filled with sketchers! I climbed the stairs to the upper level, and when I looked down over a railing, I got a bird’s-eye view of Bob sketching.

2/22/15 Bob sketching at Melrose Market