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  • The Eames House

    The Eames House

    The approach, bathed in light

    Lauryn and I swapped one California city for another over Thanksgiving, and headed down to LA to celebrate with her family in a marginally warmer climate. I was delighted to discover that the Eames’ Case Study House No. 8 was in the neighbourhood, so we headed over before the lunch was finished. In the past, the grounds of the house were open for anyone to just romp around. Sadly, no longer – they were advertised as ‘closed for the holidays’. That didn’t stop a pair of intrepid mid-century adventurers though – we jumped the gate and had the place to ourselves, autumnal sun pouring through the trees.

    Situated amid a grove of Eucalyptus trees, and in a thoroughly lived-in state, you could not help yourself imagining living life behind the windows, amid classic pieces of modern furniture (that you designed yourself) and artefacts gathered from a lifetime travelling the world. Rather inspirational.

    A lovely balance of natural and man-made geometry. I could not help but think of my previous trips to Japan; no doubt a lot of influence came from the East.
    Lauryn gets some interior design tips
    “I’ll take it!”

    The back of the house, brightened with some splashes of colour
    Reflecting the surroundings
    The rear elevation
    Intersections
    Rather a nice experience, all in all. It makes me realise that while LA is a suburban hellhole compared to San Francisco, it reaches higher heights with regards architectural quality. This makes little sense to me, given my adopted home city’s reputation for design and innovation.
    Goodbye for now.

    It wasn’t only all about mid-century architecture, we also had a mini tour of the city, taking in the Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed by Frank Gehry. While not situated as tantalisingly as the Bilbao prototype, and with ideas which initially seem derivative, the surfaces sang in the Californian sunshine. Before I had seen it with my own eyes, I was a little sceptical, but it worked better than I expected, and certainly provides a focal point for downtown and the orchestras contained within.

    Sunlight screams out the geometry
    … but it’s in the shadows that the real drama lies.

  • Day of the Dead

    Day of the Dead

    Local characters

    Day of the Dead is the Mexican holiday that brings people together to remember those that have passed away. Rather more celebratory and stylish in nature than our own Halloween, it is a firm fixture on San Francisco’s calendar; particularly in the southern Mission district, traditionally home to San Francisco’s Latino population.

    A procession makes its way through the streets of the neighbourhood, and people go to great lengths to get dressed up, paint their faces and make elaborate shrines; either mobile or immobile. It’s a sight to behold: you can really see where Tim Burton gets his inspiration from for his animated films.

    As I spend time in this city, it’s nice to discover local events that feel really ancient. This is a ‘new’ city with many transient residents, and it made me realise how much I miss the festivals or events that happen in Europe or Asia that have been happening since time immemorial; things like Guy Fawkes night, where it is not even a question if you participate – it’s woven into the fabric of the country.

    I missed Day of the Dead when I was in Mexico by a few weeks, back in 2004, so I was really pleased to see it this time round. Next year I dress up!

    Dancers perform at the four intersections of the route; Mayan culture fusing with western religion before your very eyes.
    Flamboyant dancers.

    An extraordinarily well art-directed event, without any art direction.
    Vantage points

    Some people slightly less entertained – but the event went off peacefully.
    Crowds of people with their own models followed behind.
    Local celebrities
    The destination on the route is in Garfield Park, with the Festival of Altars. People spend the day setting up little shrines to loved ones, family members, or even pets.
  • Russian River

    Russian River

    Fields of gold

    Americans take their weekends very seriously – far more so than us lazy Europeans, who have lengthy holidays allotted to us. One of the local get-aways is to Russian River, an hour or two north of the Bay and nestled in some of the finest hills (and vineyards) in the country. Lauryn and I opted, for our first weekend away, to find a guest house in the charming town of Guerneville. A town that later revealed itself as the destination for outdoorsy gay community of San Francisco; the Rainbow Cattle Company bar name should have given it away! (www.queersteer.com)

    Still, a nice weekend away from the city, spent hiking, drinking and eating good food. I shall no doubt be back.

    View across the hills to the Korbel wine plantations (ironically, the codename for my final project at Dell – you can’t escape!)
    Said hills. Very purdy.
    Depth of field … I am not finding myself playing with my SLR as much these days … but it is fun when I do.
    Signs of Fall
    The sun, cascading through the trees
    Dawn. Ish.
  • Marin County Civic Center

    Marin County Civic Center

    Circles

    I have been driving past this strange building on the 101 for almost a year now, on the way to mountain biking in Marin, or other outdoorsy activities. I suspected it was a Mosque (unlikely though), a stadium, or perhaps some sort of edifice to Scientology. But I was wrong; in fact, it’s the Marin County Civic Center, and the final commission from Frank Lloyd Wright; at the time aged 90.

    Composed of sets of circles, I am reminded of an enormous Mexican hacienda landed from space, completed with Arabic detailing. I can’t help but imagine that this is what municipal buildings are like in Brazilia and other emergent South American nations. In short, the design left me a bit confused, and slightly put-off by the 2D-like projection of the shapes on the side of the building.

    What was more of a pleasure was peering through the windows to the still-working offices and meeting rooms. Spaces filled with mid-century furniture and desks still unadorned with computers, this place is a bit of a time-warp. While grubby and a bit worn out, I would still love to see the place when properly open to the public.

    Details work well from a medium distance, but seem a little tacked together.
    Lauryn, sneaking past the security cordon to go check out the offices.
    I found the forms more pleasing on the internal structures
    View from one of the landscaped hills that surround the building.
    The quasi-religious spire at the southern end of the complex
    Pleasing details
    Origami folds
    Geometric details
    Circles repeated everywhere

     

  • Pinball Wizard

    Pinball Wizard

    My weekend of pure Americana continued, when we stumbled upon the annual Pinball Expo at the Marin County Civic Center. There was obviously no choice – we had to go.

    Bringing together machines from over fifty years, a one-time charge at the door allowed us to play on machines dating as far back as the 1950s, right up to the present day. It’s astonishing just how little the concept of the machines has changed; a pair (or perhaps a couple more) of flippers, a bunch of balls launched at unlikely, noisy obstacles. More than a few times, I got sucked into a cabinet, attempting to better my score, and I must say that some of the old machines were still a hoot to play. I guess this was the birth of the video game?

    A hall full of machines … it felt like stepping into one of those documentaries along the lines of Air Guitar Nation, or King of Kong. And yes, the people (i.e.: men) were just as fascinating.

     

    Machines followed a huge range of themes, from the frankly racist …
    … to the simply racy.
    A delight of the electric age.
    Reflecting the culture of their day
    Drawing the punters in
    At the back of the hall, and on loan from the local pinball museum (yes, that exists), was a fully-transparent machine. It was fascinating to see all the gears and electro-mechanical parts whizzing away – it’s amazing that they could extract logic from this collection of wires.
    I think I need one of these in my house
    Don’t tell my Dad about pinball machines – he would take over the house!

     

     

  • Saratoga Gap

    Saratoga Gap

    The perks of living in San Francisco and working Cupertino continue to unfold. The amount of quality riding within twenty minutes drive is astounding, and we are often lucky enough to hit it at quite the most beautiful time of day. This one, Saratoga Gap, really took the biscuit – I get to do this after work!

    I am quickly learning that, while the US does not have the extensive, endless path and trail network of the UK (and no doubt the rest of Europe), linking towns, cities and villages past and present, it does have an astonishing array of state, regional and national parks, preserves, wildernesses, forests and coasts. Private properties butted against total wilderness, rather than the UK’s funny mixture of farms, pubs and little lanes. I don’t think it’s better or worse per-se, but it is taking some getting used to, knowing it’s usually impossible to actually go anywhere on the trails; just drive in, enjoy it, and drive home (sometimes stopping for In-n-Out Burger).

    Grinding up
    Marc and Dominic head enjoy the downhill
    The view north
    Ascending at sunset
    The most astonishing scene

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  • Tony & Kat

    Tony & Kat

    Tony, one of my best Greek friends, got married to one of the best ladies I have had the pleasure of meeting, Miss P.

    Naturally, I flew in to make sure she didn’t change her mind, and had an awesome weekend catching up with old Dell friends, and reminding myself what summer is supposed to be like.

    Austin – I have a big place in my heart for you!

    The Continental Club – essential
    Austin aesthetics
    Agreed!
    Details
    My ride for the weekend … and stayed at the San Jose no less!
    The Moment
    Two of my favourite people
    Victory lap
    I also had the IMMENSE pleasure of meeting Kat’s girls, and saying hello again to Tony’s. What a great bunch of ladies.
    Apparently, I am the biggest joke in the house, which is the nicest thing anyone has said to me. PRINCE PHILIP!
    The coolest Mr and Mrs I know. 10/10!
    For various reasons best left unsaid, I needed a drink.
    Lord of the Dance

     

  • The Color Run – SF 2012

    The Color Run – SF 2012

    Hand joined before the start.

    I got the call last week to join a crew of people on the annual Color Run, held at Candlestick Park … what is that, I hear you say? It’s a fun run, where you get absolutely pelted with paint, every 1000m, ending up in a completely crazy, multi-coloured finale of techno and tacos.

    Why? No moral. No ‘stop-racism’ message built in. Just paint being pelted at you, surrounded by screaming people … a fun day, with some great people.

    Like a washing detergent advert

    Entering the zone!
    Betty looks happy after the blue stage (the best colour in my book)
    High-five!
    Blue on orange
    The after party- and more high-fives
    Slightly less clean hands at the end of the event
    You missed a bit
    The fun part was now travelling home on public transport (thankfully there were several thousand other people doing the same thing). Some of the Chinese tourists on the Muni did look confused!

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  • Palm Springs

    Palm Springs

    It was easy to imagine the Three Amigos strolling through town (and into Starbucks – it was bloody hot!)

    Palm Springs, located just over one hundred miles from LA, is a traditional playground for the stars of Hollywood. Offering seclusion and a balmy winter climate, it became fashionable after the war, and the well-healed commissions allowed architectural modernists to flourish in the desert.

    I was invited by a set of old Glasgow University friends, one of which was getting married at the impossibly cool Parker. Combined with the July 4th weekend, it made for a great get-away for a few days, and a chance to catch up with some of my old mates; plus of course setting up some sofas in LA to crash on when I make the trip down.

    I have never been anywhere quite like it. As if air-lifted from space, lush vegetation, palm trees and swimming pools are set against a backdrop of a brutal, arid landscape. The place is entirely unnatural, and feels very much like being on a film set – I found myself tapping rocks and walls to see if they were fibreglass. I felt a touch guilty, thinking of the madness of spraying water mist into the pedestrian areas, the unimaginable volume of water needed to maintain perfect green golf courses, and the energy requirements to keep everyone happily air-conditioned. It was the polar opposite of attitudes in San Francisco (at least on the surface), but accompany the sun setting against the mountains with margaritas sipped by the pool and I can begin to understand the charm.

    A 26ft high Marilyn Monroe graces main street, naturally.
    Heading up on the gondola (a rotating gondola no less) was a refreshing break from the heat in the valley. Strangely, the trees in the glades up in the cool air secrete an oil that smells much like vanilla. Time for ice cream!
    Joel surveys the scene
    Bouquet
    The trees up there were twisted – literally. Like rope, they had a helical structure I had never seen before. Very interesting, I thought.
    Cressida cools down.
    And this is the result of said heat and sun … but Cressida persevered through, editing the wedding movie.
    The wedding itself was at the impossibly stylish Parker.
    An impossibly stylish hotel, filled with impossibly stylish people.
    Steven and James hit the aisle … congratulations, chaps!
    Job done. Time for drinks!
    Unreal scenes at every turn.
    Mountainous desert at the end of every street.
    The sun sets on a fun long weekend.
    Sunset Strip
  • Tahoe Summer

    Tahoe Summer

    I had a last-minute invite from Maartin & Marieke to join them with their brother Kees in a cabin up in the woods. Just the job to escape the city. A great day of hiking, more than a few beers and hilarious laughter, and the next day a solo ride into the wilderness, somewhere in the hills behind Abe’s family home.

    Flotsam & Jetsam
    A walk in the woods
    The Nederlanders
    Up in them thar hills