Cool architecture on Netflix

After Modernism Week we're in an architectural mode so we tuned into this on Netflix and were impressed by the Marina Sands Hotel.  I would love to swim in the "Infinity Pool" that's on top.  The systems this hotel has in place for car parking, food preparation, uniforms,  "butler" service etc. are amazing.   Interesting that the head guy for all the restaurants is a Canadian.

The government of Singapore commissioned this hotel in the hope Singapore would become more of a destination place rather than just a place on the way to somewhere else.  I think they succeeded very well!

Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby
Ep 1:  Marina Sands,  Singapore

And what was also really interesting was the architect, Moshe Sadie, is a Canadian who won the commission to do Habitat 67 for Expo 67 when he was very young...really still a student.  They bought all the lego in Montreal to do models.  Kerry and I went to Expo 67 and we were very impressed with Habitat 67.  Recently one of the units sold for $1.3 million and that's in a city where real estate isn't high especially compared to Vancouver.

These links have some good info on Habitat 67.

https://www.dezeen.com/2014/12/19/moshe-safdie-movie-interview-habitat-67/

https://www.archdaily.com/404803/ad-classics-habitat-67-moshe-safdie

Ah...my beloved freighters....thank you, John!

February 23rd, 2018 — Ships at anchor off Spanish Banks in English Bay.

- photo by John Denniston

The new and the old...

We tried a new Mexican place recently "Loco Charlie's" and while the food was quite good and we could sit outside,  the atmosphere didn't quite do it for us and it's in a mall so we'll stick to our old favourites of Las Casuelas and La Tablita.

At Loco Charlie's

It's Monday so at Bill's today although we are now tending to go every other week.  Our regular server/manager got a laugh out of us "living dangerously" by ordering something different for the other half of our pizza.   We got "Bacon Me Crazy" instead of  "The works".  Of course,  we will also get Baby Z's.  Lots of leftovers.

A perfect way to end Modernism Week...viewing the film on Doncald Wexler "Jouneyman Architect"

We had toured one of his steel houses in a previous Modernism Week and also he made an appearance at a film showing we saw but luckily this was a different film we hadn't seen (we thought that was the case). He talks about his work in the film and he is a most modest unassuming man. I was amused by how he became an architect. He served in WW II and was on the GI Bill which meant he could pursue post secondary education. He took a battery of test to see what profession he was suited to. The result was "Architect" and he had to look it up as he didn't know what it was!

Of course,  we experience his genius everytime we fly in and out of Palm Springs.  I have often said it is the best airport experience in the world....outdoor departure lounges and the wonderful scenery and mountain are all around you.  In the film he mentions the airlines were shocked when he asked them what their needs were.  Usually they are just given a space.

This is a very short cool little film (just over a minute) on the airport:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZlYupUE-0w

From his obit:
"He designed the main terminal of Palm Springs International Airport with its soaring view of the mountains, the Royal Hawaiian Estates development on a Polynesian theme, and Dinah Shore’s home, purchased last year by Leonardo DiCaprio, which could be the ultimate “Mad Men” house with its floor-to-ceiling glass walls, sunken bar and massive stone fireplace.

Thousands of visitors yearly flock to see Wexler’s designs — which also include medical buildings, schools, offices and even a gas station — during Palm Springs’ Midcentury Modern design events.

But not long ago, Wexler’s most revolutionary creation, in the north end of Palm Springs far from celebrity homes, was almost neglected.

It was there in the early 1960s that he planned modestly priced homes with stunning Midcentury Modern features, primarily using steel."

A great result for The Wave house

A historic Palm Desert house with a one-of-a-kind roller coaster roof made of wood was sold at auction Saturday to Los Angeles-based Stayner Architects for $360,000.

Father and son architects, Gilbert and Christian Stayner – and the firm’s principal owners – said they bought the house to restore it, a commitment Palm Desert city leaders and historical society members had hoped from the top bidder.

More from The Desert Sun:
https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/local/palm-desert/2018/02/24/palm-desert-walter-s-white-miles-c-bates-wave-house-auctioned/361157002/

Down to CAMP yesterday

There is always something of interest in CAMP.  We just missed a cooking demonstration but there were some samples left of some wonderfully prepared salmon....yum.

We weren't planning on taking a test drive in an Alfa Romeo but the young people looking after the rides were fun and convincing.  We decided to be driven rather than drive ourselves and we had a nice tour of Las Palmas neighbourhood (and will go back and walk around...some wonderful houses) and were taken to the Elvis Presley Honeymoon House.  We hadn't seen that before so that was fun.

The Elvis Presley House

And after the test drive they gave us these rather cool Smartphone wallets and stand.

Palm Springs is going to get the Aluminaire House and it will be in the new park downtown and it looks like the Forever Marilyn statue will return to join it in the park at the other end.

This is a mockup of the space it will take...not very big.

More info at:
http://www.aluminaire.org

It's always fun to see the merchandise they have in CAMP.

Then to our wonderful French bakery for a demi baguette....we got a cheese one but they have plain and also other flavours.  It was delicious.

We wandered around a bit and went into the new West Elm store and couldn't resist these cool glasses...not a bad price at $3.50 each.  Our Lismore Speyside Single Malt ($16.95 at Trader Joe's) went well in them.

 It was a day for scotch as it's in the 60's but still sunny and we haven't missed our morning swims.  The young woman who drove us on the test drive is from New York and it's warmer there.  I also read it's going down to freezing in the south of France...crazy weather!

The real bonus is we can stll have our fireplace on in the evenings...that's a treat.  Well,  it does get to be 70 F today and 71 F tomorrow but then in the 60's again and possibly even a shower one day.  I'll believe that when I see it although rain is always welcome now.

Movie time

We watched this movie the other day as we are taking an online course from Harvard University on Emily Dickinson.  It is amazing how many free onlline courses are offered by various universities.

TV UNAM has had some very good movies lately.  We especially enjoyed Network and Ground Hog Day.  It's amazing how forward thinking the ideas in Network are and relevant to today.  Ground Hog Day has become a top rated movie over time and I can see why.  It's kind of a Scrooge redemption story....very clever.

From a BBC article in 2016:

But the scary thing about re-watching Network today is that even its wildest flights of fancy no longer seem outrageous at all. The film was so accurate in its predictions that its most far-fetched satirical conceits have become so familiar as to be almost quaint.

And we also saw a movie in a real movie theatre on the big screen....15:17 To Paris.  Although it hasn't got good reviews we were intrigued by the idea of the real heroes being cast in the roles.  We felt they did very well in their acting roles.  The real probelm with the movie was too much emphasis on childhood and school days

Sardinia

We met a woman at the pool yesterday who was visiting her mother here.  She now lives in Sardinia after meeting an Italian while on holiday in Argentina, married him,  and she now lives in Sardinia.  I'm not quite sure what town she lives in but I was rather curious about this part of Italy and Google brought up this recent article on CNN.

It sounds like a very imaginative idea and I wish them well!

(CNN) — Ever dreamed of owning a home in a pretty village in Italy? The news you've been waiting for has finally arrived.

You can now buy one for just over a dollar. 

Ollolai, a destination in the mountain region of Barbagia on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, is selling hundreds of abandoned homes for just €1 ($1.2). It's not the first Italian town to try the gimmick, but it seems to be the first to live up to the promise. It's also got the beauty and history needed to draw people in.

The real estate bonanza comes with a catch, though. The 200 stone-built dwellings up for grabs are in poor condition and buyers must commit to a refurbishment within three years, which will likely cost about $25,000. 

Behind the sell-off is a plan to rejuvenate a community at risk of becoming a ghost town. In the past half century, Ollolai's population has shrunk from 2,250 to 1,300, with only a handful of babies born each year.

"We boast prehistoric origins," says Efisio Arbau, Ollolai's mayor. "My crusade is to rescue our unique traditions from falling into oblivion. Pride in our past is our strength. We've always been tough people and won't allow our town to die."

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/ollolai-italy-one-euro-homes/index.html

Walter S. White exhibit

This was very interesting and also to learn more about the "Wave" house that he designed that will be auctioned off this week.  This was put on by the Historical Society of Palm Desert and a docent at the exhibit gave us a very informed tour.

This is an artist's rendition of what the house originally looked like.  It has heritage status now and needs major renovations.  The city of Palm Desert is kicking in $50,000 but it will cost a lot more than that.  It will be interesting to see what it sells for and also to see the renovated house.

We were also interested to see the lawn bowling area they have at this Senior's Centre where the display was.  There seem to be around 5 pitches and it's in very nice shape.

Itty Bitty Book Review: The Photograph

"The Photograph" by Penelope Lively

I picked up this like new hardback for 50 cents at a library booksale.   I had sort of forgotten Penelope Lively.  I did read that one that won The Booker, Moon Tiger, and some others.  This was excellent and the climax and ending were really quite brilliantly written....and I didn't see it coming.

Richard is in Kharkiv, Ukraine

He says the city isn't as nice as Kiev where he was last year andthat taxis are hard to get.  Perhaps they need Uber...

He will have a 24 hour layover in Warsaw and has booked a nice hotel so that should be fun for him.

Interesting times for him.  i hope he'll send me some photos....hint, hint...

Change in the weather...

...but we still got our swim in the sunshine although it was a bit breezy,  then off the another free Modernism event.

Classic cars in front of the PS Convention Center.  Wow...there were some real beauties.