Vesuvio part 6

Had a little time today, so back to the Studio to continue on the new block. A few things since then- I resketched a few figures in the sketchbook, from photos I had of people.  Also, consulted someone with knowledge of the famous salad at Vesuvio, my brother, who I saw at his house over the weekend.  Not only did he have the answer to my question about the salad bowl, but he even had a photo to show me- it looks like others are making the rounds these days, but so far none looking like mine.  So when I got to the Studio today (fairly empty building on this gray and miserable rainy day) I used pencil to fix a few things, add a few things, etc.

I started by redrawing the two figures on the far left, taken from a Belmar photo I had, then I fixed up some tables and chairs on that side of the room that I hadn't gotten to yet.  Put a salad bowl and plate on the table in the middle, as intended from the beginning.  Also started blocking in images in the framed artwork on the walls, based on the ones that were there and appear in my room photos.  Hard to see exact details in the photos, but it shouldn't matter- these will be vague things in the background. Still have to figure out a few things regarding the woman standing in the upper left.  Could be a waitress, could be a diner, and what she's holding I haven't decided yet.  Need to think about it.  

Had the place to myself today, which meant music to work to, and since today is Mardi Gras, it called for something festive.  Of things I keep there, I went with a live album from Bob Marley and the Wailers, Babylon By Bus, recorded in various places in Europe in the late 70's.  First heard it on vinyl, a double album lent to me by my cousin Todd, but I decided it was worth owning and picked up a copy on disc eventually.  Certainly sounds like a party is going on.

However, a saved the best music until I got home.  In honor of Mardi Gras, last night I cooked up a big pot of jambalaya.  There used to be a nice little cajun restaurant in the town I lived in, but they closed years ago, so I had to learn to make a few things myself, the simplest being jambalaya.  Did a little research and found that there is no authoritative recipe out there, or rule as to what it is, just that it's a rice dish and must include pork (jambe is the French word for ham, which I learned in high school) and is generally spicy.  Which gave me some freedom.  Combines aspects of a caribbean pork/chicken rice recipe from the group home I used to work at, memories of the local cajun place, ideas from the research, and I developed something I can live with.  Everything needed is sold in local supermarkets.   The problem is that the recipe I developed makes enough for three meals, but various Lenten regulations require two days without meat this week, so I had to cook it last night, enjoyed it again tonight for Mardi Gras, and I'll finish it off on Thursday.  Gave it a sprinkling of cayenne pepper before reheating in the microwave, and washed it down with a cold beer I found on my fridge.  (some use the day as an excuse to overindulge in alcohol, but it's Fat Tuesday, not Drunk Tuesday, and at Studio Arrabbiata we celebrate all things spicy, so that's where my interest lies)  Several years ago I made a cd of assorted cajun and zydeco music for a friend who had an appreciation, all things I had on cd, and I liked the results enough that I made a second copy for myself before I gave it to her.  Listened to that tonight as I enjoyed my spicy rice dish.

Not exactly the same as being in that little cajun restaurant, but not too different from it either.