Saturday well spent

I spent my Saturday in Berkeley at the Chocolate and Chalk festival. You could get a free piece of sidewalk to decorate, with chances of winning some money. Or, if you're driven by your stomach, like Starla and I, you'll buy tickets for chocolate tastings, and bother the local business people with your ticket redeeming.
We tasted lots of chocolate. My best guess at the count was mousse, gelato, chocolate bars, a vegan ginger choc. chip cookie, a chocolate covered garlic cluster for Starla and RJ, and this enormous cupcake for brother Jordan:
Isn't family fun? Anyway, we ate too much, enjoyed the artwork. A good time was had by all:

(Especially the 10-month-olds.)


Here are some pics of the sidewalk art. Warning: It's a long post. Sorry, but I couldn't resist posting any of these. They were just so lovely. Some of my favorites didn't even make the cut, since I couldn't get the pictures to do them justice.

Even frogs love cupcakes!

My next vacation destinaton. Maybe if I think real hard, I can jump in there like Mary Poppins.




Cutest Snake in the grass I ever saw--->




This was so detailed and amazing! Chocolate brings everyone together.

I love this one. It's a little dude with a piano underground. I like to think the girl hears him and they fall madly in love. But hopefully they move in to her house, eh?




















The couple in the lotus were just a small 12x12 part of this huge sidewalk statement for the peace walk that happened on Sunday. I just thought they were so lovely.

Who doesn't love the Lorax, eh? All my old school Camp A friends remember Lorax theme week!

These birds had tails that swooped out of the square. The title was "Peace Birds"

Someone wants to go to the movies.

Okay, this next one I have to set you up for. It was amazing. The woman had it stretched out about 8 feet or so, and it was amazingly detailed. The place where the water comes out of the sidewalk looked almost real. Plus, she had some animals in it that were so fantastic. I took close-ups that you'll see under the big one.

























A surly lion.

A few political statements were made. I thought this was very nice:


And we have a winner for Obama's new campaign poster:


There were angry (asian?) guys running out of a store:









And very happy Amish guys having a conversation.




The mars landing was captured by a nice little family. We got the whole story from their 3-4 year old son. He was very excited about all the details.









































There was war:




And peace:




And broccoli.














This was a scene from a children's book. In case you can't read it, it says " And they dreamed of a a green cat dancing with a pink dog til' they dissapeared in a soft grey fog." Cute.

Tough guys:
(If you don't know that's Mr. T, you're too young to be reading my blog. Go myspace or something.)



The guy who drew that one was WAY in his own world. I think he had a good time.


Betty Page was awesome! I almost didn't get a picture of her, because some french dude was in my way. Persistently in my way. If I didn't know better, I'd think it was on purpose.


I call this dude the 'God of Chocolate.' Very cool


And then this guy ate all the chocolate and we had to go home. With stuffed bellies. We couldn't even eat dinner. It was terrible in that great way that only a full stomach can be.
Next year, we decided to enter the art contest. It looked like so much fun.