Espresso Roma Berkeley

I picked up my new chartreuse glasses at the optician’s yesterday, but when I put them on I felt a bit off-balance. I have a difficult prescription with lots of astigmatism and even a tiny error in the lens can really affect my vision. I decided to go next door to Espresso Roma before leaving the Elmwood district and try drawing a bit to test them out. I had a little trouble reading the menu on the wall when I ordered my latte and felt clumsy walking to the table and getting out my drawing stuff.

These guys sat there a long time drinking vino and resolving the fighting between Israel and Lebanon. Drawing seemed harder–it literally felt like I couldn’t see straight, I had to tilt my head to line things up. Fortunately these guys didn’t notice that I was repeatedly staring at them, trying to focus my eyes.

Instead of taking the glasses back to the optical shop, I decided to go home, wishfully thinking maybe they just took getting used to. My vision wasn’t any better today so I had my eye doctor check them out. Sure enough, they weren’t made right and need to go back to the lab, which means I have to drive all the way back to the optician’s. Grrrrrrr.

Even though I go through this almost every time I get new glasses, I always remember how lucky I am to have access to medical care and that I can (eventually) get exactly the right prescription.

Lamy pen, Noodlers ink and watercolor in WC Moleskine. Confession: I erased a couple ink lines in Photoshop before uploading. (My faulty vision gave the middle guy what looked like a giant feather coming out of his forehead from when I first started drawing him. He’s recovering nicely from his featherectomy.)