When artist and food illustrator Anna Takahashi was young, her doctors discovered she suffered from a kidney condition called nephrotic syndrome. By way of treatment, Anna had to basically abstain from salt for one year. In her hospital bed, and throughout that year, she drew images of the foods she craved: snacks, pasta, pizza, etc. In the process, she fell in love with food illustration, and today, that is her bread and (salted) butter, so to speak. Anna and I have worked on multiple projects together, like when I edited Edible San Luis Obispo Magazine and hired her to do illustrations, when she designed the packaging for Etto Pasta and I wrote the copy, and when the two of us dreamt up a wacky wallpaper and textile pattern that pays homage to the city of San Luis Obispo. (Look in the show notes to discover how you can get your hands on that hot little commodity.) I was really lucky to talk with Anna in person, because she leads a very international life, with hubs in Japan, where her family lives, California, where she spent much of her adult life, and Italy, where her husband is from. We chatted about her travels, creative inspiration, and more in the dining room on the second floor of Mee Heng Low noodle house in historic San Luis Obispo Chinatown.
Website: annatakahashi.com
Instagram: @anna_eats_colors
SLO Toile: wallpaper and home goods for purchase
McConnell’s Ice Creams, Michael Palmer, Santa Barbara, CA
Topa Topa Brewing Company, Jack Dyer, Ventura
Life coach + SLO County Farm Bureau, Kiah Twisselman Burchett + Brent Burchett, Carissa Plains
The Range owners Jeff, Lindsay, + Jade Jackson, Santa Margarita
Beth Vukmanic, Program Director + fitness influencer, Vineyard Team/SIP Certified + Bethercize, San Luis Obispo, CA
Jill Hammond + Joey Baxter, owners, Farm & Harvest + The Howdy, Los Osos, CA
Messermeister Premium Kitchen Knives, Chelcea Dressler-Crowley + Kirsten Dressler-Wilson, vice presidents, Ojai
Corazón 805 Tacos, Pedro Arias Lopez and Crescencio Villar, San Luis Obispo, CA
Dr. Stephen Lloyd-Moffet, author, The Spirit of Wine, San Luis Obispo, CA
Libbie Agran, founder, Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County, San Luis Obispo,CA
Benny’s Pizza, Ben Arrona, San Luis Obispo
Winemaker Samra Morris, Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards, Buellton, California
Heather Daenitz, founder and podcaster, Craft & Cluster, Orcutt, California
Stephy Terrizzi, viticulturist, Giornata Wines, Paso Robles, California
Robin Puricelli, sommelier and winemaker, Locura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, California
Sonja Magdevski, winemaker and owner, Casa Dumetz, Clementine Carter, The Feminist Party Wines, Los Alamos, California
Alondra Torres, vineyard management supervisor, Coastal Vineyard Services, Santa Maria, California
R.H. Drexel, wine writer and publicist, Atascadero, California
Sharde Shepherd, cellarmaster, Santa Barbara County, California
Riley Roddick, winemaker and owner, Hubba Wines, Paso Robles, California
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