• Illustration and Design
  • Comics
  • Paintings
  • How Sweet It Is
  • Mexico City
  • Motel Signs
  • Blog
  • About
  • Menu

Courtney Zell

Courtney Zell Art + Illustration
  • Illustration and Design
  • Comics
  • Paintings
  • How Sweet It Is
  • Mexico City
  • Motel Signs
  • Blog
  • About
 Los Rios Cottage, watercolor and India ink.

Los Rios Cottage, watercolor and India ink.

Los Rios Historic District, San Juan Capisrano

June 07, 2016 in Travel, Painting, Art

San Juan Capistrano was one of my favorite weekend trips when I was a kid in Orange County. My aunt was a docent at the Mission and my sister and I spent many Saturday mornings fattening up the pigeons with bird seed, watching volunteers demonstrate tortilla making or wandering in and out of cool dark adobe buildings. It wasn't until I began visiting my sister when she moved to South County that I discovered the Los Rios Historic District tucked behind the Capistrano train depot, and it happens to be OC's oldest neighborhood!

The old cottages house cafes and garden shops which create a steady stream of tourist foot traffic, but there is also a sense of sleepy, orange blossom Old California crouching just behind the clockwork arrivals and departures of the Pacific Surfliner.

Some favorite San Juan Capistrano spots:

Seriously good scones and coffee at Hidden House Coffee, 31791 Los Rios Street

Hanging out with the day drinkers at Swallows Inn, 31786 Camino Capistrano

Las Catrinas for Mexican crafts and aspirational garden decor, 31742 Los Rios St

Shrimp tacos and a beer at the Mission Grill, 31721 Camino Capistrano

The gardens at Mission San Juan Capistrano, cant' miss it.

 

 Blue Los Rios Cottage, watercolor. This painting will soon be available in the shop!

Blue Los Rios Cottage, watercolor. This painting will soon be available in the shop!

Tags: watercolor, painting, Art, california, sketchbook, urban sketchers, paint, orange county, southern california, san juan capistrano, los rios historic district, california travel, travel, national registry of historic sites, old california
Prev / Next

Hi!

Thanks for stopping by. I'm Courtney and I'm so happy to share some of my artwork and ramblings with you.  If you like my work, visit this site's shop or my Artfinder page. And if you have any custom illustration needs please drop me a line at courtneyzell at gmail dot com.

 The artist enjoying a glass of wine

The artist enjoying a glass of wine