Stretchy potato and tattoos

Here is my biggest culinary tip for visiting Paris - order Aligot. Pronounced "ah-lee-go" it is a specialty from the Auvergne region of France and is in fact stretchy cheesy potato. We had it at L'Ambassade d'Auvergne where the waiter brings it to the table, still in its copper saucepan, and beats it and stretches it quite flamboyantly. I believe this is to prove that they have in fact used the "right" cheese because we all know any cheesy potato we make at home wouldn't stretch like that.
Our visit to L'Ambassade d'Auvergne was a triumph on another level too. I had phoned to make the reservation quickly asking "parlez vous anglais" only to be told "non"! I proceeded to speak however, eternally grateful that the French for reservation is, well, reservation. I booked for 2 people on a specific day, date and time, I managed to spell my name in French and when we arrived on the arranged day and time, they were expecting us!

Back to my real life here in Coffs Harbour now. Yes, I've been committed to painting every day and yes, I've not been doing too well on that these last few days. I said I'd be honest. I do, however, have a good excuse but do good excuses cut it with these type of commitments? What I have been doing is writing an application for a residency. Doing this has been a big step forward in my commitment to my work actually and it certainly has been a huge learning curve. It was a lot of work and a lot of hard thinking. Translating that thinking into a cohesive project description was practically painful! But it is done and I am very proud of myself for having done it and submitted it on time. I'm not unrealistic enough to think that I stand much of a chance of being accepted, but I do know that my chances are better now that I've actually applied!

So today I will return to they physical act of painting every day and I am looking forward to it. I'm really enjoying the works on paper I've been making. This one is titled "Body of Work" and is a bit bigger than the other ones I've shown you here before (200mm x 200mm). It references my long interest in tattoos in my painting. I like the combination of the old travel guide plan collaged with the henna pattern inspired pencil and think they work really well together.

She's available in my Etsy shop now.