Street Art

One of the interesting murals I saw on my hike yesterday.

Branding Mexico Style

We scouted one of the big soccer stadiums this morning. The Cruz Azul is sponsored by Coke which I guess means that they have rights to the surrounding streets as well. The manhole covers artfully display the "Pause That Refreshes".

Going Dutch

The new dutch door arrived today. I had forgotten that we ordered it with a cross buck bottom. Slightly frosted top so we don't need a curtain. I think it's going to look nice once we paint it and hang it....... then our doors will be complete.

Quadrant Quest

Ever since it was decided we would get a dutch door for the kitchen, I've been looking for a suitable quadrant to connect the top and bottom halves. The search finished this morning in Soho at E R Butler Architectural Hardware. Big, Italian and brassy, it was pricey but it's perfect. The door comes on thursday so this came none to soon.

Festival of New Lights

The New Museum on the Bowery sponsored the Festival of New Ideas last week. On final night called Flash:Light, I joined the Lecce family and MR to walk around the streets of Soho enjoying some new ideas. Mini lights shows and installations, projections and interactive exhibits filled the chic streets. The highlight was a 3D video show of heaven and earth at the St. Patrick's Old Cathedral. A 2D version can be experienced here

Afghani Rug

I returned to Brooklyn last week to find a rug that MR had recently brought back from a job in Afghanistan. Perfect colors for me. Gorgeous.

The Tourists

El and I spent the day with her nieces showing them around NYC on their first trip to the city. Starting with breakfast on the highline, then a ride on the Staten Island ferry, a street cart hot dog and their first subway ride, we lunched on dimsum in Chinatown and the girls got pedicures on Lafayette st.
The one odd thing was the armed escort the Ferry gets from the coast guard. A bit unsettling......

Capital M for Melodrama

I went to go see "War Horse" yesterday at Lincoln Center. Everyone in London was raving about it 2 years ago when I was there last. I was unable to get tickets then so was glad to know it's made it's US debut this spring in NYC. The life sized animal puppets are naturally captivating from the beginning and I quickly found myself not looking at or minding the puppeteers. The Story is WWl and a boy and his horse as they go off to war from Devonshire. The second act gets a little creaky but the emotional twists and turns keep the pace of the play galloping forward. Lots of tears and lots of laughs as the audience heart strings are masterfully played. War Horse moves from NYC to Toronto and then Los Angeles next year. Spielberg's live action version will hit movie theaters in December

War Horse

Cremone

Luis V came by last week and installed the new french doors and hardware. We put an Italian cremone on the passive side nd an Argentine mortice lock with antique handle/knob on the active door. Looking good and all I have to do now is finish painting.

Weekend Dog

Saab Club

Today we hooked up with WL's Saab club down in Malibu. We gathered at the ocean's edge to look at each other's Saab's. With WL's 1978 Saab 99 the highlight. Luckily there were some other spouses and non Saab personnel. We snaked up Malibu Canyon and had an excellent lunch at Old Place Cornell. The table talk strayed from calipers and compression ratios into just plain ol' chatting. The food and company were excellent although I was bummed that a promised Saab Sonett did not show.

30 Minutes Posters

First the trailer and now some posters and a website

Mount Washington Hotel

Franny and I recently ventured up to the top San Rafael St. to view the old Mount Washington Hotel. Built in 1910 by the same folks who constructed the Chinese theater, the luxury hotel cost $40k to build. Since 1925, it's been the world headquarters of the Self-Realization Fellowship. They have kept the original building and tennis court while adding many peaceful gardens. And while the days of ladies paying 10 cents to take the funicular up the mount for afternoon tea atop the world are over, there is a sense of history that permeates the grounds. And a killer view of downtown.
More history here