J.Lo Down on Madre's
ink & watercolour illustration, 7" x 8.75" [18 x 22.5cm]
It's been a long time coming, but we're visiting Pasadena today. Madre's was Jennifer Lopez's Cuban restaurant in the Southern Lake district of Pasadena. If its quaint, shabby chic appearance and mojitos or arroz con pollo appeal to you, you can make your way there with no haste and even less speed, as it's closed. And I mean Closed of the Permanent Variety. I feel for the in-house Cuban cigar maker who may not have found a new job very easily.
Closed it may be, but when I saw Petrea's photo of this recently, I knew I had to draw it and she kindly obliged. Thank you for the inspiration, Petrea! If you need to know more about Madre's for the sake of posterity or because you're a J.Lo stalker ~ err, fan ~ there are plenty of great links at Petrea's place. And if you feel like unscrewing that exterior light fitting and sending it on a slow boat to Australia, the Cuban cigar maker and I know nothing...
Fantastic drawing from Petrea's photo! You did an amazing job with the peeling paint on the brick. This is such an inviting entrance; sure makes me want to have a mojito!
ReplyDeleteI'm chuffed, chuffed, chuffed! (Once for every link!) Oh, Shell, I love this. I'm so honored. You got it perfectly, down to the lone flower growing in front of the steps.
ReplyDeleteCharming piece! Love the way you captured it.
ReplyDeleteKatie ~ that crumbly brickwork was one of the things that especially appealed to me when I first saw Petrea's lovely photo.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Petrea! I'm so glad you love it ~ I tried to leave the flowers on the shrub white, but my paintbrush insisted.
Ms M ~ I wish I could capture that light fitting for real. :)
I love your cheeky sense of humour as well as your painting. Off to Petrea's place now to look at the photo :)
ReplyDeleteOh, if it had looked like this, it would still be open.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Hiker! And I'll bet J.Lo would love your illo too. To me the mystery is not why this place closed, but rather why someone hasn't made off with that light fixture!
ReplyDeleteIf they were my client, I wood have told them that part of her Madre's problem was that it wasn't easily found.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're visiting our town, ShSh. How did you like our French macaron's I got you! And, to sea ewe in person...well, you shoulda been a supermodel!!
Hiker's got that right! You too, Cafe.
ReplyDeleteYou really are twirling on the red carpet with your company this evening, and I like 'Closed of the Permanent Variety' - clarity is so important in these recessionary times.
ReplyDeleteDebs ~ it's always informative and attractive over at Petrea's ~ enjoy!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Hiker ~ I'll start drawing some meals...
Alexa ~ it must be located in a very respectable neighbourhood. :)
Aww, thanks, Cafe! And did you enjoy the lamingtons I smuggled through customs for you?
Petrea :~)
Mise ~ I felt it was important for closure.
I saw the interior on TV. Lots of goodies to swipe! Wonder if they left anything behind? ;-)
ReplyDeleteAnother winning illo, Shell!
Cali ~ nice linen cloths never go astray. :)
ReplyDeleteOh I"m chuffed for Patrea as well! :) Your text always delights me as much as the divine illos.
ReplyDeleteV
Thanks, dear V!
ReplyDeleteI recognized it instantly.
ReplyDeleteNeat!
LL
Lori Lynn, were you ever at Madre's restaurant? From what I saw in photos it looks like it might have been your kind of place.
ReplyDeleteI wonder about that too, Petrea...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lori Lynn!