Walking around Loyola's Water Tower Campus

I was in Chicago a couple of weeks ago. For me it was like coming home because I lived and worked in Chicago for 10 years after college. I stayed at the Allerton Hotel right near the historic Water Tower. Which is also near Loyola University Chicago's downtown Water Tower Campus where I worked and got my MBA. A block away was another famous building where I worked, The John Hancock Building.

It was fun to wander around the neighborhood, see what is new, what hasn't changed and just remember...enjoy! Did I say 'I love Chicago!'

Baby DJ's first "Author poses"

First, what IS an "Author pose"? You know it--it's that portrait of the book's author inside the back dust cover. The one that just tells you so much about the person who wrote that amazing novel...you can just see it in their pose, expression, the serious off camera stare, that says, 'yes, indeed, I am the author'...I had a cat that inspired this game. He could do an amazing aloof "Author pose" for hours.

Anyway, it is a silly little game that I play with old friends and new. I always have my camera with me -- surprise. And usually, while enjoying a nice dinner or casual cocktail, talk of books leads to one of my favorite questions...'what would your author pose look like?' Then we shoot. Baby DJ is a natural, don't you think?

Meet Key West Artist & Writer, Sherry Sweet T

The thing I love most about Key West is the people. When I go out for a walk (with my camera) you just never know who you might meet and connect with. My daughter and I went out for Sunday brunch. On our way to Turtle Kraals we stopped at a little ‘art shack’ at 804 ½ Caroline St. (next to Pepe’s) and met the owner and artist, Sherry Sweet Tewell.

I had seen some of Sherry’s beautiful hand-painted linen towels at a different time and place in Key West. The bright tropical images on the textiles had caught my eye. I had also seen her cool book about the adventures of Cosmo, the houseboat cat, in several different places. I never put the two together, didn’t know they were one and the same artist!

Anyway, my daughter was shopping for something special to spend her lemonade stand money on…so Sherry gave us the full treatment and talked with us about her Cosmo story and her art. Fun stop! Beautiful art and beautiful artist!

Stop by and say ‘hi’ to Sherry at 804 1/2 Caroline St. when you’re in KW or visit her website at http://www.sherrysweettewell.com/ . If you are lucky, maybe Cosmo will be running the store...

Cheers!
Michele Marie