Down in DUMBO

I've been itching to get to the flea market in DUMBO ever since I read about it in the New York Times. Situated under the Manhattan Bridge on Front Street, this was the last weekend of the indoor market and it was worth the trip. A mix of vintage clothes, mid century antiques, and handcrafted works by local artisans, there was a great selection of reasonably priced goodies for everyone. I had to walk away from an antique pocket book for $30, a handcrafted necklace from Elma Blint for $35, and a handscreened tee for $40; however I did find other items irresistible. I found a couple of great gifts for James for his upcoming birthday and father's day, as well as some fun items for the kids and myself. Jackson got a vintage bow tie, while Liv bought a colored glass cupcake charm. We spent a great deal of time deciding what to buy at Citybitz, a unique combination of glass and photographs on necklaces, mirrors, and business card holders. Meanwhile, I fell in love with TCat Designs-- handmade pillows and charming tees by Tom Toomey. Both would be perfect gifts for the funky kid in your life-- but I actually bought the bird pillow for myself. I also loved the screened camera shirts from Film Monsters-- available for even the youngest photographer in a onesie.
On the way out, we split a chocolate brownie and toasted our successful trip to DUMBO.

Friday Art Break

Art critic John Berger did a very thorough job articulating a theory in The Ways of Seeing as to why women have been the subject of paintings for hundreds of years. Since men are valued for their ability to wield power by taking action, and women are admired for their beauty in order to be acted upon, there is a inclination to objectify women. Though this is an intriguing argument, one cannot help but admire the sublime results of the art generated. Many of you may know this video clip by The Egg Man-- one of the most amazing sequences dedicated to the image of women as seen by artists. Cheers and peace.

Judging Books By Their Covers

Was the advent of the Kindle a death blow to book jackets everywhere? Its anonymous white form, its electronic screen-- every book looks the same. I'm a big fan of dust jackets. I, for one, have purchased more than one book based on its cover. After all, it's an entire industry, establishing the book as a particular genre. FaceOut Books has featured some really well designed book jackets, some of which remind me of 1930's pulp fiction, and others are like Blue Note jazz LP jackets from the fifties. One of the covers featured, the graphic, orange one seen above, is by David High, of High Design, a graphic design firm based in Athens, NY. Take time to check out his site-- you'll be amazed at the variety of styles he's created.
Despite the old adage about judging books based on covers, I confess I've regularly profiled readers on subways, airplanes, and waiting rooms, assessing them based on their reading selection. Is it the English major in me, or is it as Northrop Frye argued in the Educated Imagination, our thoughts are shaped by words, and thus, our reading choices shape our thoughts. By the way, being caught reading Northrop Frye definitely says something about you.
When scanning the memory banks for the best cover of all time, the image that kept popping up was the original cover of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. How many American adolescents have taken the magnifying glass to the nude figures set in the iris' of the eyes? If you have a favorite cover, please do tell-- I promise we won't judge you at all!

Tween Decor

Olivia Bouler is turning ten this year and has informed me that since she is now going to be a 'tween' she wants a room to reflect her new status in the world. Spoken like the daughter of an architect and a blogging maven. Her room, an enormous space, is currently rather bland. It's not sure what it wants to be-- girly? No. Childlike? Sort of. Colorful? Sorely lacking. In search of inspiration, I went on line to get some ideas. Since Olivia is a bird lover, she wanted to do a mural, so I started looking around for some Scandinavian-inspired graphic images. This print by Jane Foster definitely caught my eye as a starting point. Then I found this great pattern from Carolyn Gavin on Print and Pattern's blog. Finally I bought these notecards at Target which may just have enough color variety to give us some options with her bedding. Overall it is a direction Olivia really likes, and she asked if she could get a lamp like my George Nelson Bubble Lamp. I found this pendant lamp at Ikea-- more reasonable in price for the tween set-- and a bean bag chair to enhance the lounge-y atmosphere the room seems to be taking.

Times Square Goes Green

Imagine breaking out the ol' lawnchair and setting up camp in the middle of Broadway and 42nd Street. What was once a ridiculous thought is now becoming a NYC reality. Closing itself off from vehicles yesterday, Times Square became a five-block-long pedestrian mall, with New Yorkers and tourists alike taking advantage of the good weather by laying in the middle of the road, literally. Piazza San Marco it isn't, true, but over time, this pedestrian center could develop into something that we couldn't imagine living without.

Rattling the Canned Ham: A Bon Voyage Party

Leaving for the Dutch Caribbean island Saba for several months, Tom Jusdon's send off 'Hello, Goodbye' party was a smash success. With fab friends in tow, many of whom had never met each other before, Tom opened his home Idlewild and his camper Canned Ham for a sunny Memorial Day BBQ. Thanks to the name tags, our opening question thus became, "And how do you know Tom?" What was evident is that for many of us, beyond knowing Tom, we were creative folks who escaped our busy everyday lives to weekend places in the area. From Allan and Randy in Round Top, to Adam and Gregg in Freehold, Wicki and Zac in Germantown, David and Ralph in Athens, Bill in Cairo, Margo and Greg now in Earlton, and of course us on Potic Mountain Road, all of us agreed that our weekend places proved to be a saving grace, allowing us to unwind and in some ways, appreciate our weekday homes even more. As for the range of friendly people on hand, it also became clear that Tom collects people in the same way he collects careers: with wit and charm. We wish him well on his new adventure. Follow along with one of his two blogs: Rattling the Saba and Canned Ham.

The Future of the Car

There’s been a lot of talk about the auto industry this week. As GM sits on the verge of bankruptcy, President Obama set proper guidelines for more fuel efficiency—goals that should have been set long ago. Introducing more efficient engines (turbo, diesel, hybrid) as well as lighter, more aerodynamic vehicles, we will begin to help lower our addiction to oil.
Even beyond fuel consumption, emissions needed more stringent standards in order to protect our environment. By setting a national standard, we are making a statement to the world about putting our money where our mouth is.
On the opposite end of the automotive spectrum, this weekend is the Formula One Grand Prix in Monaco. I know it’s hard to believe that a motor sport which consumes enormous amounts of resources could actually offer a vision into the future; however this year the sport is testing several new fuel efficiency systems. Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) allow the car’s movement to recharge and boost engine output with an electronic system. A handful of teams, including Ferrari, are working with the KERS system, trying to improve its reliability. The other development is the “double diffuser,” a way to improve the aerodynamics of the car. Brawn GP, owned by famed car designer Ross Brawn, designed a diffuser that has propelled the car to the top of the grid, proving that an aerodynamic system on a car can have a great impact in its performance.
Of course, investments in mass transit, high speed rail systems, and urban planning are ways we can decrease our reliance on the car altogether. Sprawling development sends everyone into their cars to go anywhere. By clustering mixed use spaces, the car is in its most fuel efficient state: parked.

Two Summer Shows

While looking for images of Claes Oldenburg's work, I found this picture of Soft Shuttlecock when it was installed inside the Guggenheim. Although Oldenburg's show this summer is actually at the Whitney, it makes sense to use this picture to highlight Frank Lloyd Wright's summer show at the Guggenheim. The show, which compiled Wright's drawings and models, runs until August 23rd. Wright, who died six months before the museum opened, has been criticized for creating a museum that overwhelms the actual art; however as seen in the Oldenburg image, the space is incredible when paired with sculpture. For example, the Cai Guo-Qiang show I Want to Believe in 2008 used the interior space in breathtaking ways. His dynamic, large scale sculptures suited the fluidity of the building's lines. I am anxious to get to the show so I can see how Wright's own work suits the museum space he created.

Life's a Banquet . . .

. . . and most poor suckers are starving to death. --- Mame Dennis

The 1958 film Auntie Mame, based on a memoir by Patrick Dennis, is about his life with Mame Dennis, his eccentric aunt on Beekman Place in New York City. The screenplay, written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee (who had written Inherit the Wind about the Scopes trial) is wickedly funny, requiring rapt attention in order to catch the wit and nuance of the dialogue.
The film also showcases one of the best apartments in cinematic history. Ok I may be overstating it, but as Auntie Mame goes through her different incantations, her decor is completely transformed from an Asian palace, to a cool blue cubist dream, to an English library, and ultimately to mid-century modern. The symiotic relationship between the flamboyant main character and her surroundings adds a new dimension to an already fascinating character sketch. It's absolutely worth the rent.

100

"I'm very much a word person, so that's why typography for me is the obvious extension. It just makes my words visible"
-- Erik Spiekermann
I'm celebrating 100 entries with a tribute to text. With degrees in Art History and English Literature, I love when they are married through illuminated manuscripts, initial capitals, or even the perfect font. Edward Gorey, one of my favorite illustrators, has produced several alphabet books, not only creating ghoulish illustrations but his own handlettered font. Alphahouses, an alphabet book I wrote and illustrated, used alphabetic creatures entwined in their homes, each of which welcoming the reader with his own brand of hospitality.
There's a lot to be said for the perfect font. There are times when only an old-fashioned typewriter will do, while at other points, you know you need sans serif--- STAT! When Bouler Design Group first started, our graphic designer Maureen Mooney introduced us to the latest fonts around. We fell in love with Gill Sans and Futura Bold-- both very modern fonts which made a visual statement. For those who love fonts, I'm including a few sites to peruse: ilovetypography.com, welovetypography.com, and my fonts.
It's no coincidence that the look of the typesetting has a huge influence on the overall impact on the text's meaning.

Growing Up

Vertical gardening is truly a fascinating wall treatment. From strictly an aesthetic perspective, it brings a beautiful color and texture to architecture, both in exteriors and interiors. A vibrant burst of nature, especially set in a modern context, softens the coldness of those very clean lines, not to mention the salubrious effects of having all the greenery in your airspace. This week, Patrick Blanc is featured in the New York Times travel supplement, his green bridge project cited as one of the twenty-nine places which will blow your mind. Another unique way of using vertical gardening comes from Peak Energy, whose illustration for an edible house is featured here. Not only does the garden provide a wall which decreases heat gain inside the home, residents can have fresh fruits and vegetables from their yard even in a densely packed urban fabric. Interested? Consider checking out Greenworks, whose vertical gardens come in modular units complete with a self-watering system and a strategic placement of plants.

Meatpacking District

The Meatpacking District in NYC reminds me of SoHo twenty years ago. What was once an industrial outskirts has become one of the hottest addresses, especially its nightlife. The neighborhood has many great bars, lounges, restaurants, and clubs including Cielo, apt, Lotus, and the rooftop lounge at Hotel Gansvoort, seen here. Now that the good weather has finally arrived, the neighborhood is getting lots of daytime hipster traffic as well. Jazz trumpet player Jesse Neuman took me around his old haunts, having lived on 14th and 9th when a student at NYU, and is seen here lounging in an outdoor patio set up in the cobblestone crossroads of 13th Street and 9th Ave. The last pic, a new condominium development on 14th and 8th, is touting its green technologies as an enticing sales pitch. All this growth takes place in the shadows of NYC's inability to protect its historical buildings. The West Village, for instance, is razing some of its traditional buildings on Bleeker Street, a street that is as iconic to New York as the Left Bank is to Paris. My fear is that as each neighborhood gets 'hot', it abandons the very essence of itself, taking on a homogenized architecture in the name of progress. The damage is often permanent. One need look no further than the abysmal Penn Station, which was once a fantastic representation of a turn of the century railroad station, and was demolished to make way for a bleak 1970s excuse of a building. Let's hope the Meatpacking District develops while maintaining its industrial edginess.

Inked Up at the Tattoo Convention

I spent today at the annual NYC Tattoo Convention at Roseland Ballroom. My great friend Adriane Errera, owner and designer of Lucky Girl Handbags has a booth of her latest handbags and leather accessories inspired by tattoo flash art. Each bag is handmade and an exquisite piece of art in itself.
As for the rest of the show, it was packed with people of all ages and sizes sporting some fantastic body art. The tattoo booths were buzzing as artists worked on clients, some of whom have been on waiting lists for almost a year. The designs were diverse-- from traditional 'sailor' tattoos, to portraiture, to intricate tribal patterns-- but all showcased the unique experience of an artist working with the client. As far as NYC events go, the tattoo convention definitely has a flavor all its own.

London On Foot

My parents just got back from London and forwarded some of their pics my way. The images reminded me of how some of the best places in the world evolved over time, modifying themselves to fit each age. The sensibility of a place which developed when people traveled primarily by foot or horse, for instance, offers a completely different scale than cities built after the advent of the car. Once the car's needs dictated urban planning, it's easy to see how challenging it became to negotiate those modern cities on foot. And don't even ask about trying to get from one end of the Las Vegas strip to another.
Lately, however, there is a push to consider a more pedestrian landscape. In Vauban, a German suburb, there has been a shift in thinking. Cars are no longer the linchpin of the suburban streetscape, instead relegated to parking spots on the outer perimeter of the development. People living there readily surrendered their cars in exchange for the quiet streets where children feel safe to ride a bike without fear of meeting up with a car. Even in pedestrian-friendly places like Manhattan, speeding taxis and gridlock traffic make navigating the streets on a bicycle something only the intrepid would undertake.
Being on foot is also often the best way to experience a place. Zooming past our surroundings at top speeds definitely inhibits exploration. Would we even think to stop at a street fair or pop into a store if we saw it at fifty miles an hour? Would we even notice what we've missed? Sometimes the most progressive way to do things is in fact one of the oldest ways to do things-- one step at a time.

Lighting Strikes Twice

One of the easiest ways to make a decor eclectic is to mismatch the light fixtures. A modern piece looks great amidst the antiques, as does a crystal chandelier juxtaposed against modern furniture. In terms of modern fixtures, I found these versatile pendant lights from American Glass Light. I love that they seem to be the masculine and feminine counterparts to each other-- while both maintaining a streamline quality. No matter the style, I am a big fan of installing a dimmer switch, which offers different lighting options based on your needs.

Mose T: An American Artist

About twenty-five years ago, James purchased a painting from American folk artist Mose T (Moses Toliver, 1920-2006) from the artist's front porch in Montgomery, Alabama. Since then we started collecting Mose T's graphically interesting images crafted out of house paint on scraps of plywood. Left crippled from an accident at his factory job in the 1970's, Mose T was given a set of paints to occupy himself. It turned out to be a blessing of sorts. A prolific artist, Mose T's work is now in the Smithsonian collection and can still be purchased through his gallery Marcia Weber Art Objects.
Seen here are a few of our pieces. The top one, a self portrait, is the oldest. Notice how he depicts the body, emphasizing Mose T's limited mobility. The Blue Watermelon, a later piece, is my favorite. When I asked him why he painted the watermelon blue, I anticipated all sorts of aesthetic and meaningful reasons. Instead, Mose T said, "I ran out of red." Simple enough.