Here’s a new, fun little project I did. It is the child’s menu from a local restaurant here in Monterey, the Sandbar & Grill. It is fabulous, by the way.
As I was working on it, on my computer, I was thinking back to one of my first graphic design projects, many, many years ago. More years ago than I am willing to acknowledge, come to think of it. I like to think of myself as 50 and holding (tight). I’d go for younger but though I can deal with amused titters, I am loathe to encourage downright guffaws. But I digress.
I was asked back then to do a menu for an Italian restaurant. It was a full sheet, one page menu. Then, you had to write is all out by hand and I did, all in calligraphy.
Along with the menu items, I did a few line drawings to go along with them. I was happy with the outcome and it was approved by the owners and went to press. Now this was back before computers, and I went to work in a covered wagon. Well, almost. But, there was no editing then, everything in pen and ink. And errors had to be corrected with Whiteout. Have your parents explain what that is.
The menus came back from the printers and they turned out beautifully. I was so pleased with it. That was until I really looked at it. To my horror I saw I had a spelling mistake. Now, this was not just any mistake either. I spelled spagetti wrong. That’s right. Spagetti. Not spaghetti.
I am not sure if they never noticed it but it was never brought up to me. Maybe out of kindness they just kept shtum. But how embarrassing. Still, it looked quite good.
So this menu really took me back, thinking about how I’d done that menu compared to the child’s menu. This was definitely easier with my spell checker built right in. I did have one item at $6.96, instead of $6.95. If you don’t have a spell checker, it does help to have a husband with a sharp eye.
