yes, springtime is 'nigh.

i have never looked forward to spring as much as i am this year. with below mentioned snow overload, i can't wait for warmer weather and spring clothes/activities. this past weekend was a small taste of how wonderful it will be. ronald came to town and we had a lovely dinner together before the whole crew arrived in rva for a reunion. the weather was incredible and so was the time we got to spend catching up. this included a long walk through carytown, byrd park, and maymont, which i spent many a saturday looking at zoo animals when i was little.

lately, i have been thinking about proenza schouler, whose collections i was introduced to by our fantastic friend erik. [i must admit, until recently, ronald and i totes thought this was a lady, not so]. these two gents interned with two famous American designers and are now doing well as a team. i saw their fall collection last year, and really wanted one of their jackets, which erik of course picked out that i would love. alas, it was not meant to be, because it was $2,995, which just is not in my budget at the moment, but maybe someday....? they did have a line for target, but, that was before i knew about them, and i missed the boat.

fall 2009

when i started looking at the spring/summer 2010, at first, i didnt really like it. but then i realized, ive been sucked into this whole dreary winter black hole, and im just not used to spring colours! they are so bright and cheerful! i dont even know what to do about it. i guess i am not used to it yet, but after consulting with ronald, i realized that yes, it is good, and i need to start liking colour. i do love dark neutrals, which proenza showcased in the fall, but now that it will be brighter outside longer, bright colour must be introduced into spring wardrobes!

the dress, bottom row, middle: i want that.




yellow is bright. and cheerful.

for spring, per fashion week: bright colours, belt the waist, and stick with the classics. [i hope i can handle that.]

enough about fashion. this duo is about to become a pair of travelers! she is going to ecuador, i: utah. we are getting away from our winter weather and gear to experience South America and the Wild West. we will be sure to heavily document our trips. she's going to see the Galapagos Islands, while i will go camping. which, no, im not a camper, but i think i will actually enjoy it in the West [?]. at least i hope so.

lastly, went to a great house tour last night with a friend. modern richmond is a community group that is appreciative of the modern aesthetic and is an exploration of the modern in rva. who knew? i missed the rice house, by richard neutra in september...but, they meet every month and i am excited to see the houses coming up. the eanes + levine house was done by george edward hoppe, jr., known to be richmond's first modernist architect. he did a few projects throughout richmond, but wasnt a trained architect. i feel like all of the good ones were not trained. hoppe was influenced by modern architecture of Germany in the mid-twenties to early-thirties. the eanes+levine was a very nice renovation of this formerly rundown treasure by the river. i was sad we didnt see it in the daylight because im sure the views of the river through those steel windows are just spectacular. looking forward to upcoming events with this group. very exciting indeed!

lovely kitchen with steps up to dining room

that is all for now.

ciao,
larry

so, you can build with what what?

now that ronald has caught you up with our lives, i guess i have to post about something other than that. so, i will tell you about what one of our great friends is doing out in Moab, Utah. i will be going out there to see her in April, but our friend Jodi, is there now until the end of May working with Community Rebuilds. ever the worldsaver, she will be building a strawbale house for a family in need from the foundation up. their start date has been pushed back because of the weather [go figure], but i am excited to see how the strawbale construction techniques work.

go girl!

strawbale construction is obviously a green building method [well, duh, you use straw and mud?] that the interns get to learn about before the build, and then get the hands-on experience while on site as they make it happen! it gets back to natural building techniques. who knew straw was not ULTRA flammable....[not me]. apparently, the walls in this type of construction are actually fairly fire resistant, in comparison with a standard stud wall. unbelievable? yes. because my guess would be, since its straw, it would light up like a christmas tree. au contraire.

isn't it beautiful.

in times like now, sustainability cant just be a fad. i'm so tired of everyone trying to be all "eco". less talking, more action! don't drive a Prius and then flick your cigarette butt out of your window towards my car. that's LITTERING you ID. [sorry, had to let that out.]

but, really, it needs to permeate everything we do, including how we build and design. and groups like Community Rebuilds are making a step in the right direction. and i love that one of our friends is being proactive about it. she would. and will always.



i meant to post this article awhile ago, but i guess i just forgot. so, for people out of work, there is no need to lose hope. there are plenty of things designers can do while out of a job. we designers have such a broad skill set. you just have to get creative, which luckily, is what we do. just put those skillz to use. my personal favourite alternative from the article is the tricked out ice cream truck, though i would have to refrain from getting the "Frank Behry" and opt for the "Mies Vanilla Rohe". i would hope they would have one named after my fave, Scarpa.

too cute!

i am also jelly toast [translation: totes jealous] of the lady who is doing pottery in a converted barn. i have been meaning to find a place in rva to start throwing again. because i miss it very much. there is just nothing like ellen's studio.



oh wait, and one last thing. i love this idea. the best part is the girl suggests digging a hole to plant these seed bombs with a stiletto. can you GET any more fabulous that than? you can save the world in your stilettos. but of course. [thanks jodes!]




ciao,
larry