Thought I’d say hello before June is over. Hola:)
It has been a great month of good ups in sports and downs with some horrific things fellow humans are capable of.
What a year, already.

A surreal positive feeling that I’d like to focus on, is the incredible NBA championship for the dubs.
I recently did a small presentation at work about infographics and the three-point line. I received great feedback from my fellow colleagues, most of them designers, who admit they turn deaf upon any mention of sports – Not unusual however.
I’m currently doing equal parts of quick turnaround graphics (many of them small infographics) and long-term projects. As a graphic designer, the craft to make visuals that are simple and easy to understand while communicating data and numbers effectively, is a craft of its own.

Anyway, I loved this image below I came across on Grantland when I was doing a bit of research for my presentation. My favorite sources are Grantland, FiveThirtyEight and Edward Tufte, along with various professional and college stat streams.
The image below is called the Curry constellation, and it represents all of Steph Curry’s shots made in his 6-year career so far (should be approx. 4,000+/- per NBA stats). Beautiful.
[ Full Grantland article here: Outsider Artist: Understanding the Beauty of Steph Curry’s Jumper]

Back in April this year, my mom and I took our first mom-daughter trip since 1999, just the two of us.
It was quite meaningful, to say the least. Time does help sooth a bit deep scars with the tide waves that one navigates living with grief.

This was taken in San Antonio’s westside near the Guadalupe Cultural arts center which I participated in a poster contest for fun, earlier this year.

I’ll share a few more pictures of our trip later.
It was my second time in Texas in the last decade as of April and our first time in San Antonio. Our experience was very mellow, and our agenda was to take it easy.

April 3rd × first night in San Antonio, got to watch the dubs at dallas at the 24hr Mi Tierra’s bar.
Few days later, we got to see them in person when the dubs visited the spurs – so cool.

I continue to write and draw as frequently as possible, and try to read whenever I can.
Recently I finished reading: The Medicine of Memory by Alejandro Murguía and Not My Father’s Son by Alan Cumming

+ The title of this post comes from this quote I jotted down a few weeks ago. 

Anyhow, hope you are enjoy the beginning of summer from your corner of the world.
Have a great weekend.
M.

hello friends of the internets.
looking forward to a memorial day weekend of pizza, cafecito, the dubs (nba: golden state warriors for mi fellow non-sports readers) and some beisbol.
books, couch, cat, more coffee and mi mom. it will be mellow great.

last week a flickr group celebrated its 10th anniversary. we gathered at the irish bank which I hadn’t been since a few weeks after turning 21. pretty cool to see long-time flickr friends and all.

that same evening and way before midnight, I took a walk up to north beach and it was very quiet at some corners, and then very lively at the next. every time.

then walked into city lights to finally get my copy of Rad Women A-Z published by city lights themselves.

midnight boom | finally got mi copy de RAD WOMEN × (@ City Lights Bookstore) https://t.co/RTl5nptFAr pic.twitter.com/IQEIwDfzIT

— meli (@meligrosa) May 17, 2015

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have a great weekend.
Meli.

Some evenings is good to order the spicy number
Drink the jasmine tea
Chat over chopsticks
and share the peanut sauce

Some dinners come with a little cookie
some lucky numbers
and some few fortune words

Some workday lunches
in the courtyard
we bring our art boxes
and we draw our pals

Some workday mornings
that dark haired woman appears
in a small place called a cube
with a little spark of a cheer

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/meligrosa/17276609566" title="LUCKY ME: one of mi art directors/y biggest giants fan, got mi this cute beanie by crochet4schools. QUÉ AWESOME <img alt="LUCKY ME: one of mi art directors/y biggest giants fan, got mi this cute beanie by crochet4schools. QUÉ AWESOME

*beanie, gifted by my dark haired woman art director, she bought from crochet4scolars. lucky me, what a beautiful little surpise 🙂

I have some very sad news to share.

I am still processing the loss of a friend’s girlfriend. It was a freak, fucked up accident and it has taken her life. The hit-and run by a stolen car on a Saturday early afternoon in Oakland that took the life of artist Celeste while she was walking to her studio were devastating shocking news.

There are no words. Writing and sharing with others has helped a little bit heal in various ways in the past. It is a continuing work in progress.

Below is a picture of Celeste I took about year 1/2 ago when we celebrated Brian’s birthday at the ballpark.
I will always remember her awesome smiles, beautiful presence, kindness and that sincere and light air to herself that was contagious. A very peaceful approach to everything.

She was a fellow CCA [Formerly CCAC when we attended] student, and we took a class together many years ago. She had become an established, awesome jewelry designer.
Our thoughts and our support are with Brian during difficult time.

Life is brutal, and precious. and a mysterious ride.
Meli.

× | SFChronicle: Artist killed in Oakland hit-run remembered as ‘beautiful soul’

This past Wednesday, alongside lots of women, I attended an author talk: Girl in a Band by Kim Gordon w/ Carrie Brownstein at the Jewish Community Center here in San Francisco. I am such a space cadet for buying tickets and forgetting, only to remember once they sell out, that I made the effort to get them last November.

I sketched them both, it was a bit too dark so I didn’t want to force my eyes too much, but did capture somewhat a few lines and quotes. Kim’s energy is just like her art and music – short words, direct description and that punk attitude of well, and so what, that carries through no matter the stage of life. She is 61 and I can’t wait to finish the book soon.

Her glittery boots, such rock star. you can see her wearing them here: LINK

Carrie Brownstein was a great mix of fun and sharp humor in interviewing her, their camaraderie they have is palpable. They both had matching red lipstick. Too cool.

The JCC is great for lectures, the tickets are by row and number and all is pretty organized. Before the lecture started, they played a slideshow of upcoming events but was glad to snap this one right spot-on before the lecture started:

They sad no pictures, but I’m sure many of us did quietly. I took just a quick sneaky one without raising my phone and its annoying glare for people behind you to see. Not bad for taken from the belly, but needed a quick reference point to finish my drawing later that evening. Guilty.

Green Apples had a pop-up booth in which they sold her book, then the author signing happen next to it. After the lecture I had to use the ladies room, and because this place was filled with rad women, one guided the last ones in the long line, to the additional stalls in the second floor. Nice view!

Swoon.

Outside this cool 90’s specialized bike made me smile.

The JCC is at Presidio and California. The event’s video will probably be up-loaded later this month, but you can check out past lecture videos and information jccsf.org/arts-ideas

× M.

Last week Diana and I attended Armistead Maupin’s talk at Kepler’s Books and Magazines down in Menlo Park.

If you are familiar with his work and narrative style, Armistead is just as effervescent as he is in print (and characters!) with rather timeless and fun engagement to anyone listening. Diana and I were some of the youngest in the audience of enthusiastic readers from all walks of life.

At the end of the author talk, we lined up to get his book signed the last Tales of the City installment “The Days of Anna Madrigal” I asked him if he’d be so kind to also sign the sketch I’ve done of him through the lecture, he LOVED it — I was over the moon.

He looked through back entries of my journal, and said, “Oh maybe I shouldn’t” I, being equally curious completely understand. I quickly said “Oh, no” wanting to say “Oh, no problem” I was just so excited to meet him 🙂

The author talk was alongside NYT columnist and SF resident Scott James and their conversation was easy to hear and follow. I hadn’t been to Kepler’s in ages and didn’t know their new management had such a great author series. Worth a quick trip down to Menlo Park, a Caltrain ride away (They are right next to the Menlo Park stop).
On our way out, Diana and I met the manager of Kepler’s and he asked how our evening was. It was so well organized, I was so impressed and pleased. We’ll definitely be back!

It was a complete delight to finally meet Mr. Maupin, and listen to him read us a sneak peek of his memoir, was just so touching. Thank you.

—
× Some pictures from the event:





Arrived a bit early. There were approx 250 of us in the audience, seated comfortably!

Here is Maupin from where I sat, alongside Scott James, while I sketched.

Thanks Diana for coming along 🙂
M.

Spotted: sweet poster in Marin earlier today of the (1972) Unione Sportiva Lucca, the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.