Hello everyone, thanks so much for your continued visits. I love that I have a community of readers that comment, say hello, and are involved in this little dialogue of a personal design blog. And thanks so much for continuing to come back even when I take little breaks here and there when work gets a little nutty. I'm still getting used to this freelance life and not necessarily having a set schedule can be a little maddening at times. How do you freelancers do it? Okay... on to Emma and Roger's place.
So here is the rest of that little sneak peek of a visit with my very generous neighbors Emma and Roger and their darling sons Dylan and Archie. (The cutest boy names, right!) As I mentioned before they are up and moving a bit closer to their families on the other side of the pond by splitting the difference and moving to Brooklyn. We just met and as soon as I saw their place which they just remodeled not that long ago I knew I had to jump in there and ask if I could photograph it before it was all in boxes. Typical to most San Francisco homes you would have no idea what was on the other side of the facade which makes it all that more impactful when you walk into this light filled modern space. The design of the space was a collaboration (all design is no?) between Emma and Roger and Bryan Fox at Five-Design. A small husband and wife team that are friends of theirs.
By the way this is a little lesson of learning to say hello to your neighbors since you really have no idea what creative folk live right next door. Something I'm not very good at as I don't want to bother people, you know. I wish we had met a little sooner.
I was smitten with that little reindeer made simply of a tree stump and a couple of nails for Dylan by the guys at Delancy Street Christmas tree lot. But nearly everything was artfully arranged curated, what else would you expect from such a creative couple. Both the boy's seemed excited I was there and wanted to show me around their home, their rooms, their books, and the little plant outside that Archie's holding. It must be ingrained in us to show a guest around, no? It was completely adorable.
The view people, the view... not much to say about that but it is for sure one of the best things about living on this hill. If you look out the 2nd window from the left you can see the bay bridge.
I was drawn to this artist that Emma informed me was an old art school friend from the UK. Michael Gillette.
Below: A fantastic super wall of art. With a couple pieces by Michael Gillette, one of them being used for a Fillmore poster for St. Eienne (only one of my favorite bands) a piece by Emma, one by Charlie Harper, and various other delightful prints and pieces.
One of my favorite aspects of their place is that it's a tri-level experience. You walk in on street level and step up to the kitchen and living room and step down to the bedrooms. Perfectly layed out it allows for maximum light to enter the space and a chance for a double height space after you pass through the entry hall.
Top photo above: The Dylan showing me the boy's books illustrated by Emma's Mum Ewa Wnek Webb, who studied illustration st martins school of art in london in the 60's, and is now an artist in France (More images of her work in the previous post too)
Three photos just above: The Boy's room. Archie show's me around. The artwork on the wall... a valentine from one of Dylan's girlfriends, the carved tree on the shelves was picked up on a road trip of the Pacific Northwest by a couple of guy's on the roadside that made embellished tree carvings. Emma convinced them to leave the embellishments off. Good thinking Emma.
And their sweet little yard. It's rare you get a little green space in the city and Emma and Roger have made the most of it. Thanks, you two for sharing your place with us. And if you all are interested Roger runs a boutique production company Heist Projects thats about to open up shop in Brooklyn New York. Go on over and have a look see.
I have a new visit coming up and it has something to do with this illustrator above in that she's the Mum of this Mum and her family. These sweet little books were illustrated for her grandsons. There is even one about going to visit grandma. Love!
Emma, Ewa's daughter (our neighbor, who is now moving to Brooklyn, boo!) thought I should see them after seeing the banner on halcyon days. What a gem to have such a talented Mum. Thanks so much Emma for sharing them with me.
Update: Ewa Wnek-Webb studied illustration at St. Martin's School of Art in London in the 60's have a look at more of her work here.
I just wanted to say thanks again Jorge. You really outdid yourself this time. The transformation of an art form over the years and through different eyes is breathtaking and again... something you wouldn't normally make the connection to if you were just visiting. A beautiful history lesson once again, in fact if my history lessons were like this growing up perhaps I wouldn't have hated that subject so much. xox K I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.
Tile panels have been used in Portugal for the last five centuries as an artistic expression. Thanks to our Portuguese heritage, they were used in Brazil not only for their obvious qualities protecting buildings from intense rains and insulating interiors from the heat, but for their beauty. You can see what I mean when you walk inside the 18th C. Igreja da Gloria, with its panels created between 1735 and 1740 by Mestre Valentim de Almeida.
The Brazilian architects and artists who were creating something new in the middle of the 20th C. were smart enough to give an old artform a new look and incorporate them in their new buildings. The demand was so big for a time that Paulo Rossi Osir created a company, Osirarte, just to manufacture them.
But stop being so didactic. Sorry, I just love this thing. So let me show something nice: the panels Roberto Burle Marx created for what is now the Instituto Moreira Salles, designed by the architect Olavo Redig de Campos
And after that, a favorite of mine. Anisio Medeiros was my drawing teacher at Architecture School in Rio de Janeiro. He was also a famous art director in films, and I would rather chat with him than draw, I am afraid to say. I dropped out to work in the theatre and in films. He did these panels in 1959 for the monument dedicated to the dead in World War II.
And last for today, a real treasure. The Palacio Capanema is a landmark modernistic building finished in 1943, designed by the cream of the crop of Brazilian architects (including a young Niemeyer) in collaboration with Le Corbusier himself. The main panels were designed by the painter Candido Portinari and the lateral ones by Paulo Rossi Osir. The building is being restored and is a candidate to become a Unesco World Heritage Site.
*All photos and content by Jorge Soares.
A couple of photos of something in progress I'm pretty excited about. If I have the chance this weekend I'll fill you in on the rest.
On my last trip to Los Angeles I finally got a chance to stop in IKO IKO. And while I loved all the beautifully handmade items that were housed in the shop, I was particularly intrigued by the building that housed the shop. There were a few examples in the area directly next door and across the street. I couldn't help but feel transported to a time when the residences on Bunker Hill still existed almost like I had just stepped into John Fanté's Ask the Dust. I'm not sure who lives there as I didn't see anyone coming or going but they just seem magical to me.
This made me giggle, so true dear Archie, so true. It's by Archie Scott Gobber (head over and find many more good-looking letters, words & phrases. Dare I say Ruscha-esque) I found it over on paper weight, a blog I've been enjoying. Here are a couple others I've enjoyed perusing as of late.
paper weight
amourette
+
ok... back to work for me. xo enjoy your Monday.
We are incredibly lucky culinarily (yes, I made that word up) speaking here in the Bay Area. Not only are we so very close to the worlds most forward thinking organic produce farmers and inventive chef's and restaurants but we benefit from their smaller artisanal counterparts.
We currently have three amazingly delicious ice-cream shops in San Francisco alone. My au courant favorite being Mr. & Mrs. Miscellaneous because not only is their ice cream everything you want it to be and everything you don't but they have delightfully thought of all the details too. Gorgeous open space, darling packaging, lovely and discreet signage, old milk bottles filled with water to take to your tables, and gorgeous letter pressed cards for shoving in your pockets.
I get really excited when owners take the time and energy to take the same care and attention to their design and presentation as they do with their fare. It shows their commitment to bringing you the best of who they are each and every day.
Ian Flores and Annabelle Topacio (aka Mr. & Mrs.) are located at...
699 22nd St at 3rd Street in the Dogpatch, San Francisco
Hours:
Tue-Sat 11:30 am - 6 pm
Sun 11:30 am - 5 pm
(415) 970-0750
The Mister and I and a couple of friends went to go see Bill Cunningham, New York this past friday. It was the film's premiere in San Francisco and the Director and Producer (Richard Press and Philip Gefter) were there to answer questions after the showing. Someone, in the crowd, asked what they were working on next and Richard spoke of a film he's working on regarding the Farnsworth House and the tumultuous relationship Mies Van Der Rohe had with Dr. Edith Farnsworth. I immediately jumped and knew that if that film was anything like the one I just watched I would be on the edge of my seat.
Saturday morning is the happiest time of the week for me. In two words: flea market. But not only that, the weekly flea market is located in one of my favorite parts of town, and there is much to explore. And to bring home, if I can. The opalines from the fifties did find their way to my house. (kw: I think we can all appreciate a good flea especially since last weekend was the Alameda flea up here)
Last week it was time to get some of my favorite soap and browse for other stuff, so I crossed Arco do Teles, an 18th C. landmark. This was a derelict neighborhood not too long ago, but now is booming
First stop: Ms. Divine. OK, a bit sissy maybe, but I like to think I don´t care for these things. And what a fantastic spiral staircase. I got the pitanga spray to minimize the musty old book smell in my tiny living/dining/library room. It now smells of musty old books on a bed of pitangas. I am happy anyway, pitanga is a rustic fruit hard to find for sale and reminds me of my childhood backyards. (kw: We all dream of a spiral stair case like this no? And speaking of tropical fruits... I can't help but remember my own childhood in Miami.)
Now on to Granado, founded 1870, to get some bath soap. Got me the usual package of tropical fruits soaps. Is that sissy again? Oh well. I must try the Rum Tonic by Malin+Goetz recommended by One Pound Inspirations (you know babe)
Got hungry, dashed to Brasserie Rosario to buy some olive bread. Did you see the walls? Most of the buildings here are from the era when construction was done with stones and mortar made with whale oil.
Before going home, a quick peek at Galeria Paulo Fernandes, always a pleasure.
This area is called "Culture Corridor" for good reasons, besides several art galleries there are four excellent art centers around. All free. Yeah, very good and no charge. Paço Imperial, Centro Cultural Correios, and Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil
(kw: p.s. Yes, I know I was late again (please forgive me, you still have the lovely Rio for your weekend reading) but I will be oh so happy when I have a normal schedule I can depend on. Also I experiemented with the photos Jorge gave me this time layout wise. Do you like? I haven't really done this type of thing for 7 years but thought it might be fun to switch it up this time around)
* All photos and content by Jorge Soares
It's always nice to take a step out of your everyday routine so when CCS Architecture invited me to go on a tour of Alice Water's Edible School Yard, I jumped at the chance. Besides, good design comes from life experience not just from that shiny, glowing screen you stare at all day. Not to mention, this is definitely a cause worth fighting for. Every kid should have decent knowledge of food, where it comes from, how to prepare it, and the ability to share it with loved ones. Unfortunately the mandated family dinner is becoming less and less of an occurrence something I groaned about having to do as a kid that I now cherish and implement in my small family.
The indoor classroom is where the kids learn how to prepare foods from the garden just on the other side of the door with real tools and a guiding hand. They do this in groups that cook together and then eat together. Setting the table and adorning it is also part of the ritual as is learning to have a conversation amongst friends. And if they are having trouble getting the conversation started there are little conversation cards with starter questions on the table. Not a bad idea, no? I think I'll have to implement that one at home, it could be quite fun.
The outdoor classroom. Curriculum in the outdoor classroom and the kitchen are tied into what the kids are learning in say, science that week or history class. It's not just an additional elective tacked on to their current schedule it's integral to the lessons they are already learning. So Smart!
Some Very healthy chickens their night time home.
All plants are grown from seed in the greenhouse.
And finally, the tools are all numbered and color coded for easy use and storage. All the signs in the garden are created and painted by the kids too really making it feel like their garden not just one that they work in. Thanks to The Edible School Yard for the tour and CCS Architecture for the invite.
Some other things you might want to know
Unless otherwise noted, all work © Kelly Waters.
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I try my best to always link back to designers, artists, photographers, chefs, architects, funny people, Misters, supermodels, textile dj industrialists or whomever catches my eye and I end up posting about here but if for some reason you aren't happy with the recognition please say so and I will banish you, um er, remove the post immediately.
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