Category: City Mouse

Greetings from the Best Coast

Greetings from the [Quarantined] Coast! Hoping this finds you safe and well, and staying home to help “flatten the curve” of the virus that is suddenly everywhere at once. Here in Washington we’re sheltering in place—and as fate would have it, today I am celebrating (from home) the release date of my newest book! Greetings… More

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Today’s the day!

Book cover and process images from "The Best Coast" book written & illustrated by Chandler O'Leary, published by Sasquatch Books

Today is the “book birthday” of The Best Coast: A Road Trip Atlas! After nearly three years of work and a solid decade of research, I can’t believe this day is here. I am so excited to share this labor of love with you, and I hope you’ll love it, too. With 99 hand-drawn maps,… More

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The Best Coast

"The Best Coast" book by Chandler O'Leary

While I’ve hinted at this several times on social media, and even shown some snippets of my process along the way, mostly I’ve been sitting on my hands lately, trying my best to keep mum while I wait for time to tick by. And now the waiting is almost over, and it’s time for the… More

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Rec-ommendedLos Angeles, CA

Route 66 sketch by Chandler O'Leary

This post is part of an ongoing series called 66 Fridays, which explores the wonders of old Route 66. Click on the preceding “66 Fridays” link to view all posts in the series, or visit the initial overview post here. This beauty has stood proud over Sunset Boulevard since 1924, once advertising a bowling alley… More

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SODO stumperSeattle, WA

Seattle sketch by Chandler O'Leary

One of my favorite things about Seattle (at least, while they’re still around to love) are the old wooden wharf buildings that still define the SODO neighborhood, among other places. There’s something about all that wooden clapboard and all those clerestory windows that just speak to my soul. This building is particularly intriguing because it… More

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Portland palmsPortland, OR

Palms Motel sketch by Chandler O'Leary

Now, unlike the Wagon Wheel Motel on Route 66, I haven’t stayed here, so can’t vouch for the place as a whole. But its spiffy new paint job and its place on my other favorite historic highway give it a permanent place in my heart, nonetheless.

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Just duckyTacoma, WA

World's Largest Rubber Ducky sketch by Chandler O'Leary

Speaking of nautical things that are here today, gone tomorrow, this big gal was just a brief visitor to my town, but she certainly brightened up an otherwise grey day. It seems that all of Tacoma shared my feelings on this—it was all anyone could talk about that weekend. It wasn’t just her sheer size… More

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Sleeping with the fishesSeattle, WA

Seattle sketch by Chandler O'Leary

When it comes to Seattle, it seems like an increasing number of my sketches and posts are about things that are going away…or already gone. I already can’t keep up with my “wishlist” of sketch destinations—but in the fastest-growing city in the country, my race to draw disappearing things is a constant losing battle. By… More

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Hog wildSan Antonio, TX

Frank's Hog Stand sketch by Chandler O'Leary

San Antonio is home to another defunct barbecue joint—but while I’m sad I can’t buy a pulled-pork sandwich here, I’m more interested in the building itself. That’s because this here pig…is actually a duck! Now if only there were a duck-shaped duck that actually sold barbecued duck…that would be a find.

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Let’s eatPhoenix, AZ

Bill Johnson's Big Apple sketch by Chandler O'Leary

To me, nothing says the Fourth of July like good barbecue. So this week I’ll be focusing on some dern good BBQ—or at least, places where you “used to could” get it. Sadly, Bill Johnson’s, once a Phoenix fixture, closed for good just a few months after I was there. But I’m glad to know… More

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