Teal Sunshine

Installation - Eva Black

2012-01-31T08:31:00.004-05:00

I apologize for the cardinal sin I am committing by copying another blog post I read, but I cannot not (wow, follow that?) show you this amazing installation from Eva Black. I love that she used all kinds of already owned/recycled paper. I love the varying colors each one contributes. I love the texture she created by her folds. All in all, an amazing piece - I'm inspired to pull out some paper of my own and brush up on my lost origami skills...

All images from Eva Black Design

Let's get Out!

2012-01-28T11:30:00.001-05:00

It's been an incredibly mild winter in DC, and after the torrential downpour of yesterday morning, skies are looking blue and I think it's supposed to just keep getting nicer over the next few days (like low 60s by Thursday, what?!). So I'm off to spend some time outside - walking north to Busboys and Poets to meet Robin and Dave for lunch, then might mosey around the Mall? I am happy to soak up some much needed Vitamin D. :-)

Have a lovely weekend!!

Photograph by Vanessa Paxton, found here.

Ready, Set, Go

2012-01-25T09:14:00.004-05:00

This post is mostly for myself. I've maybe been enjoying being a total lazy bum a bit too much. I.e. staying in some version of sweats or pj's, drinking coffee for far too long (wish mine were as cute as hers). The weather hasn't helped much - it's been cold and rainy/snowy off and on for the last week. But I need to realize we have a while longer of that, so it's not really an excuse (although not seeing the sun for the entire day is seriously depressing, I don't know how the Pacific Northwest does it).

And this is especially fitting for me - at least until I learn how to profit from doing it...

I haven't been entirely terrible. I did go on an interview last week, saw the Crough renovation presentations, even have been working out daily. But, today starts a side job a few other students and I are doing, and in February I'm going to start working on a competition for a new library in Helsinki (oh to go back!!), but that means things are going to start getting busy, and I need to make sure my own stuff is in order (hello portfolio) so that I can start making some life plans.

And on that note, I'm off to run at the Mall (U.S, not shopping), as I think today's the last rain-free day we'll have in DC for a while. Then heading up to Georgetown later to start measuring a house.

Images via here and here.

In My Next Place

2012-01-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

I want to host dinner parties with champagne flutes and fancy cocktails. Oh and the guests can sit on these amazing chairs! A girl can dream...

From Anthropologie.

The Joy of Books

2012-01-10T09:21:00.001-05:00

Found this YouTube video this morning on Colossal and had to share. From my brief stint with creating time lapses, I can tell you it was an extraordinary amount of work to put this together, but the result is SO RAD.

New Neighborhood

2012-01-09T09:31:00.003-05:00

I flew back in to DC yesterday and spent the night at my new place (well, Eric's place, but mine for the next few months). I was welcomed by his two cats, Zoe and Ibi, unpacked my bags, and then realized I had no clue what to do about dinner as I'm now in an entirely new neighborhood of DC (for reference, the green pin is Eddie's house, red is CUA, and the purple one is where I'll be through April). So yes, almost the complete opposite side of the city, and I must admit, I still don't know my way around Eddie's as much as I should. So, in the next few days, in addition to starting to pack/move across town, I'm hoping to wander through my new neighborhood a bit. I do know I'm really close to the Fish Market that's on the waterfront, so it looks like it will be a winter/spring of learning to cook some deliciously fresh seafood. Stay tuned.

LA Scene - Pacific Standard Time

2012-01-07T13:03:00.001-05:00

My last few days in California, and I totally lucked out - amazing weather (seriously, 80 degrees in January?!) and a trip up to Los Angeles to check out some new furniture stores and take in Pacific Standard Time. Hands down my favorite exhibits were at LACMA and the Getty. We hit up LACMA first, and I could not believe I actually had not been there since I lived in the area about 6 years ago - the renovations/new buildings have entirely changed LACMA.

Urban Light installation at LACMA

The exhibit at LACMA - California Design: 1930 - 1965 - had some great furniture, including this groovy coffee table (I'm still searching for inspiration for my own) from Milo Baughman that includes a planter (so Cali ;-)). I forgot the maker, but I also really liked the rope lounge chairs - perfect for an 80 degree lounging-by-the-pool type day.

But my favorite had to be the Eames installation. Of course, you weren't allowed to take pictures, so this was my best "sneak" of their exhibit. The Case Study House No. 8 was recreated at LACMA, and they had meticulously arranged everything inside the same way Charles and Ray had it (furniture, books, plants). Pretty amazing.

Then yesterday we hit up the West Side, and headed over to the Getty. Again, the Pacific Standard Time exhibits were great (some really cool resin sculpture that originated in California - I think around the time surf boards were just starting to be made that way). But with such a perfect day, I think the best views were from outside the Getty.

Alright, I better go enjoy my last day of nice weather before hopping on a plane headed back to DC tomorrow!

LA Bound

2012-01-04T14:38:00.000-05:00

And what better way to end my trip to California than by spending the last few days of it up in Los Angeles? I am so excited to head up there in a little bit. Today is going to be a marathon-girl-fest with Sara. We have about 6 months of catching up to do! And tomorrow and Friday my parents and I are going to immerse ourselves in furniture, art + design: LACMA, MOMA, the Geffen, Getty, and some new (to us) furniture stores on La Brea and Beverly Blvd. I have a feeling it is going to be exhausting squeezing in all of this culture, but I'm excited I get to see as much as I can - definitely inspiration for my future move back to the West Coast. And I'm going to bring my Hasselblad, so hopefully will snap some cool pics as well!

Image from Steven Monteau's photostream

(Too Much) Reflection and A New Year

2012-01-02T12:13:00.001-05:00

This morning I reread my January 2nd entry from last year, and it made me realize what a big year I had in 2011. While part of me thinks it wasn't such a great year (the amount of grief alone I get from my CUA friends for having turned thirty...), I appreciated that I did not just write up a list of resolutions (that I'm sure would have been broken by February anyways), but a list of goals/plans I had for the year. And even though some of them were inevitable, it was still awesome to reread that list and realize what I had undertaken for 2011.

I still can't believe I had the opportunity to go to Nepal. An amazingly eye-opening experience, one of which I will carry in my heart always (and if anyone ever needs a stacked stone wall for their backyard, I'm your gal).

Our daily view from the top of our site.

I was also able to spend most of the summer in California - which I hadn't done in a few years. It definitely made me appreciate being home. I even lived with my brother for a little bit while trying to select a site for my thesis. Living two blocks from the beach isn't so bad...

I got conned into participating in an inter-school charette at the Building Museum. I thought it was going to be one day - it turned into a no-sleep crazy weekend of work which I didn't actually have time for, but to my group's total surprise, we won! It was very unexpected, but also felt great, like maybe I'm not so bad at this design stuff...

I also carved out some time for a trip up to Fallingwater - I had told myself I couldn't graduate and not have made the drive in the Fall to see this FLW building. My friend Ryan and I picked a great weekend to go - it was an amazingly crisp and colorful Sunday, we got on the road early enough to see the sunrise, and both of us were incredibly inspired by the architecture. Minus the car accident I got in in the parking lot, it was a perfect day.

And last but not least... I presented my thesis. I think that's why it may be hard to see 2011 on a positive note - thesis was an incredibly tough undertaking. But at the very least, I made it to the other side, and am happy to say it's over (minus my paper I still need to resubmit...). I think I learned a lot through the process - for me, it's really about the people and their experience in a building that comes first and foremost. I experimented with new collage techniques (thank you UTK experience) and ways of modeling. Some were successful, some were not (I will never be a paper mache expert), but I was constantly trying new things, which to me was really fun in it of itself. Anyways, I still want to post a thesis summary at some point, so this is enough for now.

This smile must be from after the presentation...

So now some thoughts for 2012...

1. I am living in DC through the spring, and then THAT'S IT, I'm heading back to California. I want to take advantage of it while I'm there - explore the places I haven't yet - in DC and nearby, hopefully get some type of part-time/contract job to save some money for my move, use CUA resources to my fullest advantage (i.e. make a ton of the work sample envelopes I designed on the laser cutters and finally make a piece of furniture in the shop). Basically enjoy being a bum, but still be a productive bum.

2. Waking up January 1 in Los Angeles just felt right. While I was so excited to get away a few years ago, I am even more excited now to realize I do feel like L.A. is home. It helps that some of my best girl friends are there, too - cannot wait to be living in close proximity again. So yes, this is my goal - find a job back in L.A. and get settled. No more coast flopping, I'm excited to go home.

3. Keep creativity high on my priority list. Even in my short time home, it's been weird not having a project. Whether it be big or small, I really enjoy being in the midst of something. I need to make sure I make the time for this - it's something I really enjoy. The coffee table project will be good, but I'm also thinking of making a goal to myself to enter at least one competition this year. Kay and I have been saying we'll do something together since our first year of grad school, so hopefully this will finally be the year we actually do it.

Wow this is way too long. But I'm excited for this next year ahead. I predict some big changes and am excited to see what unfolds. Happy New Year, wish everyone lots of love and a great year ahead.

12 Things Happy People Do Differently

2011-12-30T14:04:00.000-05:00

I don't know where this year went, but with only a few hours left in 2011, I've started thinking about some resolutions for 2012. Yes, there will be the usual - exercise more, find time to read, write more often, but I came across this list the other day, and I thought it was a great way to kick off the New Year on the right foot, or on a happy note, or the other millions of positive expressions you know I'm never able to remember correctly. Here's to a New Year!

(original list published here).

Express gratitude. – When you appreciate what you have, what you have appreciates in value. Kinda cool right? So basically, being grateful for the goodness that is already evident in your life will bring you a deeper sense of happiness. And that’s without having to go out and buy anything. It makes sense. We’re gonna have a hard time ever being happy if we aren’t thankful for what we already have.
Cultivate optimism. – Winners have the ability to manufacture their own optimism. No matter what the situation, the successful diva is the chick who will always find a way to put an optimistic spin on it. She knows failure only as an opportunity to grow and learn a new lesson from life. People who think optimistically see the world as a place packed with endless opportunities, especially in trying times.
Avoid over-thinking and social comparison. – Comparing yourself to someone else can be poisonous. If we’re somehow ‘better’ than the person that we’re comparing ourselves to, it gives us an unhealthy sense ofsuperiority. Our ego inflates – KABOOM – our inner Kanye West comes out! If we’re ‘worse’ than the person that we’re comparing ourselves to, we usually discredit the hard work that we’ve done and dismiss all the progress that we’ve made. What I’ve found is that the majority of the time this type of social comparison doesn’t stem from a healthy place. If you feel called to compare yourself to something, compare yourself to an earlier version of yourself.
Practice acts of kindness. – Performing an act of kindness releases serotonin in your brain. (Serotonin is a substance that has TREMENDOUS health benefits, including making us feel more blissful.) Selflessly helping someone is a super powerful way to feel good inside. What’s even cooler about this kindness kick is that not only will you feel better, but so will people watching the act of kindness. How extraordinary is that? Bystanders will be blessed with a release of serotonin just by watching what’s going on. A side note is that the job of most anti-depressants is to release more serotonin. Move over Pfizer, kindness is kicking ass and taking names.
Nurture social relationships. – The happiest people on the planet are the ones who have deep, meaningful relationships. Did you know studies show that people’s mortality rates are DOUBLED when they’re lonely? WHOA! There’s a warm fuzzy feeling that comes from having an active circle of good friends who you can share your experiences with. We feel connected and a part of something more meaningful than our lonesome existence.
Develop strategies for coping. – How you respond to the ‘craptastic’ moments is what shapes your character. Sometimes crap happens – it’s inevitable. Forrest Gump knows the deal. It can be hard to come up with creative solutions in the moment when manure is making its way up toward the fan. It helps to have healthy strategies for coping pre-rehearsed, on-call, and in your arsenal at your disposal.
Learn to forgive. – Harboring feelings of hatred is horrible for your well-being. You see, your mind doesn’t know the difference between past and present emotion. When you ‘hate’ someone, and you’re continuously thinking about it, those negative emotions are eating away at your immune system. You put yourself in a state of suckerism (technical term) and it stays with you throughout your day.
Increase flow experiences. – Flow is a state in which it feels like time stands still. It’s when you’re so focused on what you’re doing that you become one with the task. Action and awareness are merged. You’re not hungry, sleepy, or emotional. You’re just completely engaged in the activity that you’re doing. Nothing is distracting you or competing for your focus.
Savor life’s joys. – Deep happiness cannot exist without slowing down to enjoy the joy. It’s easy in a world of wild stimuli and omnipresent movement to forget to embrace life’s enjoyable experiences. When we neglect to appreciate, we rob the moment of its magic. It’s the simple things in life that can be the most rewarding if we remember to fully experience them.
Commit to your goals. – Being wholeheartedly dedicated to doing something comes fully-equipped with an ineffable force. Magical things start happening when we commit ourselves to doing whatever it takes to get somewhere. When you’re fully committed to doing something, you have no choice but to do that thing. Counter-intuitively, having no option – where you can’t change your mind – subconsciously makes humans happier because they know part of their purpose.
Practice spirituality. – When we practice spirituality or religion, we recognize that life is bigger than us. We surrender the silly idea that we are the mightiest thing ever. It enables us to connect to the source of all creation and embrace a connectedness with everything that exists. Some of the most accomplished people I know feel that they’re here doing work they’re “called to do.”
Take care of your body. – Taking care of your body is crucial to being the happiest person you can be. If you don’t have your physical energy in good shape, then your mental energy (your focus), your emotional energy (your feelings), and your spiritual energy (your purpose) will all be negatively affected. Did you know that studies conducted on people who were clinically depressed showed that consistent exercise raises happiness levels just as much as Zoloft? Not only that, but here’s the double whammy… Six months later, the people who participated in exercise were less likely to relapse because they had a higher sense of self-accomplishment and self-worth.

'Tis the Season to Indulge in Movies

2011-12-27T11:24:00.002-05:00

Since I've been living inside a singular building the last two and a half years, I can probably count on one hand the movies I've seen. Which is crazy considering what a film fanatic I used to be. But what's better than curling up to a movie during the holidays? Somehow my family's pseudo-tradition of seeing a movie on Christmas turned into watching Independence Day on HBO Christmas Eve (I swear there was a huge lack of Christmas movies on TV this year - we couldn't even find the dreaded 'A Christmas Story'). But my mom and I also indulged in 'Love Actually' the next day (we hadn't seen it in years, but such a great holiday feel-good chic flic). And to keep the movies going, yesterday we joined a good sampling of Casciari's and went out to see 'My Week with Marilyn.' The movie was good. Michelle Williams was amazing. And it made us sad to get this glimpse of such a troubled life. Anyways, worth seeing for sure. Now I wonder what movie's next on my list?

In the Spirit

2011-12-21T12:11:00.002-05:00

Alright, I am beginning to come out of the cocoon of thesis. (and will eventually try to post some images of my project as well). I was welcomed home yesterday by 68 degree weather in Long Beach, and I am looking forward to the next three weeks of being home, seeing friends, spending time with my family, and trying to figure out what my new plan for life is (we'll see how far I get on that front). In the meantime, I'm going to be the family elf, running errands, shopping, wrapping...

I came across this image this morning, and thought what a great use of lights! (Also may have given me the traveling itch!).

Photo from Taylor Dundee's Flickr page

Fallingwater (for my mom)

2011-11-06T09:48:00.000-05:00

I should be dashing off to school as stop/go for thesis is in 3 days (Agh!@##$%*&^), but yesterday I talked to my mom and she said she keeps looking here to make sure I'm still alive, and I haven't posted anything in a long time. So, a little overdue, but here are a couple photos from my trip up to Fallingwater with my friend Ryan from a few weeks ago. We picked the perfect Sunday morning to get up really early (like in the 5am hour), and drive up to Pennsylvania. It was a gorgeous drive with all of the leaves changing, and it really made me think in another lifetime I'll be some great outdoorsy woodslady, or something like that... We had one of the first tours of the day, then walked around for a while with my Hasselblad and eventually to some rapids nearby. Unfortunately I got rear-ended in the parking lot, but even that couldn't ruin a perfect fall day to see some really inspiring architecture.

Alright, now back to thesis... I'll return in a few days, hopefully with the knowledge that I'm graduating in a month!

Fall Leaves

From the Entry Bridge

The Classic Shot - bummed mine is a little overexposed

Structual guidance from FLW for my thesis

Ryan's portrait of me - turned out much better than mine of him.

Warming up to Red

2011-09-10T09:53:00.001-04:00

Anyone who has spent any time at all with me knows I hate the color red. And by any time, I mean within the first minutes of meeting me. I know, a little weird, and I couldn't tell you exactly why, but I've just really never liked the color. Maybe with the exception of a Christmas-themed ensemble, red has never even entered my wardrobe. So I'm going to go out on a limb here by saying there are two red things I want for fall: lipstick and shoes. Okay, not too daring, but hey, after 30 years of despising a color, the fact that I might actually decorate some part of my body with it is a pretty big deal. My inspirations:

Both images found on Pinterest

Light Love

2011-08-29T22:47:00.003-04:00

Hello, I'm back. Sorry to have disappeared for a bit, but jet-setting from coast to coast, trying to spend as much time with long-lost friends and family, and oh yeah, trying to do some thesis preparation this summer left me a little m.i.a. But as today was my (last!) first day of school, I am ready to get back in the swing of things and show up here on my blog as well. So without further ado...

I have to post about the amazing lighting design studio I discovered over the weekend: Lindsey Adelman Studio. Maybe I'm like a gazillion years late on this discovery (as well as Missoni for Target - counting down for that one, too), but going through the studio's website over the weekend, and realizing I was saving almost every image into my inspiration folder made me realize it was not just like, it was love. This was proven further when I realized she has a DIY version with directions to download on the website as well. The Brick House made one, and I am definitely bookmarking the project for my next apartment. The interiors styling doesn't hurt either...

All images from Lindsey Adelman Studio

Happy Anniversary

2011-08-11T11:33:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to take the time to wish my parents a Happy Anniversary today. They're celebrating 38 years together (crazy kids met freshman year of college and were married upon graduation). My brother Eric and I are lucky to have them both in our lives - they are incredibly loving, caring, and supportive. Hope you have a great anniversary Mom and Dad!

Surfer Chic Beach House

2011-08-09T12:59:00.006-04:00

I have said on several occasions that I want my next apartment to be painted all white. For those friends who have heard this, they look at me like I'm crazy as I obviously love color. So I was delighted to turn to this spread in September's House Beautiful magazine. Designed by Mona Ross Berman, this sixties-inspired beach house shows just how much you can do with color in an all-white space. The only thing I didn't like about the beach house was its location on the wrong coast (New Jersey). I'll take one of these in California, please!

The house's color palette came from the dining room tabletop: orange, yellow, turquoise, and white.

Eames chairs, the AMAZING table, and a Jere sculpture set the scene.

You've got to love the yellow Moroccan poufs!

The white wall-exception: powder room with wallpaper by Studio Printworks. Love!

Last but not least (and possibly my favorite), the master bedroom in shades of orange and pink. Loving the Missoni-inspired floor and the headboard upholstered in a Raoul Textiles fabric.

All images from House Beautiful

First Time Lapse Test

2011-08-08T12:49:00.004-04:00

I am so excited to post my first time lapse test my brother and dad helped me with over the weekend. We set up Eric's camera on the D Street steps in Encinitas, and with the help of the intervalometer I bought, it actually wasn't too difficult a process. So now I just have to pick out what shots of my site I want to take (which should be fun as I still am on the fence a bit about that) and get ready to sit on the beach for several hours. I can't wait to capture sunrise and sunset, too - well besides the getting up when it's still dark outside part. And when I'm done shooting the stills, I'm hoping to insert some surf video into the project as well - I have an ambitious week ahead of me, that's for sure!

Well, can't figure out how to upload to Blogger with higher resolution, so view it small and not full screen, but it gets the point across...

Here's to My Last Lazy Weekend

2011-08-06T12:43:00.003-04:00

Pehmeä pesä, paras ja kaunein. Paikka johon unohtua.

A soft nest, is pretty and the best. A place you want to be.

Translation: Viena Pentikäinen

Found at RTIF

Source Unknown

Looks like a nice place to laze the day away...

My Marimekko Faves

2011-08-03T14:20:00.004-04:00

So you may realize I'm a little obsessed with Finland. What can I say, those Finns know good design. I am so excited that Crate and Barrel has broadened their range of Marimekko products as well - finally we're getting a good taste of the company in the U.S. I had been dreaming of these guys last summer, but knew I wouldn't be able to bring home a whole new collection of kitchenware. But now, I may just have to purchase some of these for my soon-to-be-post-grad-place (wherever that may be)...

All images from Crate and Barrel

Time Lapse Inspiration

2011-08-01T23:21:00.003-04:00

Eddie gave me a tutorial tonight on iMovie so I can start attempting to put together my time lapse idea for thesis. Of course this led to online searching for examples of what I'm hoping to create, and I came across this video. Definitely way out of my league, but super cool!

Rewind to 504

2011-07-25T11:30:00.005-04:00

I was browsing A+R this morning and had to post this gift. It makes me want to retake 504 (summer bootcamp that kicked off architecture school). We had to make a cube with various stipulations, and for most of us it turned into this weekend-long assignment as our first rounds weren't perfect enough. Would have loved to take the weekend off and shown up with this Monday morning instead...

Where East Meets West [Elm]

2011-07-23T12:31:00.005-04:00

I think so much of my design aesthetic has been influenced by my various travel opportunities. While Italy and now Finland hold a special place in my heart, I have to admit that the bright colors, patterns, and textiles of the East really bring a smile to my face. So I was really excited to see the new West Elm catalogue - you know the "global trend" has really trickled down to the masses when a company like West Elm is carrying this stuff. And since another trip is not in the cards for me right now, I guess I'll just have to keep perusing the catalogue to feel inspired.

I put these two collages together for fun - the first are all photographs I've taken traveling in Morocco and Nepal. Below is my compilation of all my favorites from the new catalogue.

Organizing Life

2011-07-20T12:23:00.005-04:00

I'm going to admit I just started my first self-help book. Gulp. Well, not sure if it exactly qualifies, but I'm reading Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project. I think I am okay with it as A. it is/was a #1 New York Times Best Seller and B. my mom had bought it, so it was just lying around the house, waiting to be read. Regardless, I just started - 12 month-long projects the author devotes to different categories trying to boost her happiness.

January was all about having more energy, and one of the items that resonated with me was the idea to unclutter your life - both visual clutter and mental clutter. While I'll spare the details of the latter (and maintain some privacy), I really liked the idea of being more organized. Not leaving things around with the idea "I'll do it later." Not that I could qualify for Hoarders or anything, but I do admit to having a lot of stuff. I'm my mother's daughter, what can I say? And even though my flip-flopping coasts has made me pair down in many ways, I'm still thinking I could go through my stuff - both in California and DC - and figure out what I really need to hold on to.

With that said, I found this art project which I found inspiring for my goal to pair down, declutter, and organize my life. What would I keep if this camper was all the space I had for my worldly possessions? Not that I'll be that successful (or extreme), but it gets me thinking about what is essential and what is superfluous. Or if I did buy something new, I'd have to give up something old. Off to my closet...

Camper Bike art project found here

My Thoughts Exactly

2011-07-19T22:24:00.005-04:00

I came across this photograph today on an Apartment Therapy house tour (which also happened to take place in my first neighborhood in L.A: Miracle Mile - which I still love). The Post-It sentiment rings so true, and gets me thinking I might just have a little too much texting going on in my life...

New Show Review & Pool Time

2011-07-18T13:22:00.008-04:00

Home by Novogratz is a new show on HGTV that I taped over the weekend. When it was first being advertised, I wondered, who are these people? Should I know who Cortney and Robert Novogratz are? (Am I that in the dark in the design world...)

But I have to say, I enjoyed the premiere. I was impressed first and foremost that they are married with seven (!) kids, and run their business from home. Their first project was for two sisters who bought a beach house and basically wanted something "girly surfer bohemian." I'm not sure how bohemian I felt it was, but I think they had a lot of good ideas, and what I liked most about it was Cortney's hosting - she made the design really feel accessible, and it wasn't over the top expensive (which I assumed it might be as they live in New York - and most of the other HGTV shows out of New York have designers that come across very snooty and high brow - at least to me). I just grabbed these images off HGTV's website, and am bummed they didn't have a better kitchen shot - they put in really cute, vintage-inspired appliances (blue fridge, pink stove).

I loved the striped stairs (although it looked very tedious to do), and the wallpaper: although girly from afar, was rather risque patterned and quirky (busty amazon-type woman in various scenes, not your average toile).

Anyways, not surprising I liked a lot of the girliness of this house - the inspiration was Betsey Johnson, and I have always loved her home style:

I am curious to see how the show unfolds, but for now, it's definitely on my short list of new shows on HGTV with potential. But I've gotta run, Sara came down to Orange County, and we have a big day of lounging by the pool together ahead of us. Maybe with a cocktail and some guacamole...

My Little Papel Picado Project

2011-07-16T15:29:00.005-04:00

I've been busy these last few days with a little graphic design project I've been working on for Robin's wedding. Oh yeah, I used to dabble in this stuff before grad school when I had free time (when I say dabble, I actually mean sometimes being paid for it - oh I miss those days). Anyways, Robin wanted something fun for the written portion of her wedding - the menus, programs, etc, and she and Dave introduced me to the Mexican art of Papel Picado. I didn't do too much research into how it came about, but think of paper snowflakes - except much more elaborate and turned into banners, flags, you name it, for celebratory events.

It is an amazingly delicate craft, and I found a lot of inspiration online - from using the traditional banners at weddings, to using the motif for invitations. I'm not quite done yet, but the last image is kind of a logo I'm working on - it's been fun. Now off to find a printer...

Image found here

This one here

And... my work in progress. The papel picado is actually shades of the bridesmaids' dress color, too - so pretty.

Smores!

2011-07-14T11:04:00.003-04:00

Ever since my trip to Nepal, I've been craving random baked goods (thanks to my friend Kevin whom every day pretty much would come up with a new dessert he "needed" once he returned home - fruit pies, lemon bars, brownies - you name it, he craved it). Well my one contribution was wanting Smores - maybe because we were building a fire pit as part of our project? Regardless, the thought of Smores transported me back to childhood - not that I was a big camper, but I do remember making them during my brief stint in Brownies (and apparently the Girl Scouts actually invented Smores - common knowledge? I didn't know that...)

Anyways, we finally made some last week down at my brother's - kind of the lazy way as we didn't even start a fire in the backyard fire pit but instead used the stove top. I was thinking my craving was sated, until I ran across this recipe for "Grown-up" Smores. Both cracker and marshmallow home-made? Yes please. Guess I'll have to try these out too. :-)

Yum!

Both images from Fresh New England

Site Searching

2011-07-08T12:15:00.003-04:00

Yesterday my brother Eric and his girlfriend guided me down the San Diego coast looking for potential thesis sites. We started in Encinitas, and headed south through Del Mar, Torrey Pines and La Jolla. We stopped at some of the big surf areas, and I was able to convince them we should stop at the Salk Institute (neither had ever been). We had lunch in La Jolla, Eric pointed out where our parents lived in college (both went to UCSD), and he took me by my grandparents' old house - which to our surprise is still boarded up and deserted. It was a beautiful day in San Diego, and I have to admit, it just didn't feel like that much "work" to scout the coast for a site.

I ♥ Finnish Design

2011-07-06T12:21:00.005-04:00

I think it is safe to say that everyone who spent last summer in Finland in our program is nostalgic about it this summer - all of us keep posting about memories or reunion ideas, places we want to go back to - and now I'm realizing there is so much more to see. I discovered the firm of Lassila Hirvilammi this morning, and after my obsession with the churches we saw while abroad, I'm definitely wanting to return to Jyväskylä to see this one:

Kuokkala Church, completed 2010

I just think no one quite does it for me like the Finns...

Home + Architecture

2011-07-05T17:09:00.003-04:00

After spending an amazing few weeks in Nepal, I returned to the hot/humid weather that defines summer in DC and thought to myself, "you're crazy, go home!" - which is exactly what I decided to do for the month of July. A last minute flight and a few days later, I'm settling in to the California lifestyle, which so far has consisted of moving in with my brother in Encinitas, reading a book for pleasure (crazy I know!), going to the beach, and a daily run or bike ride. Not too rough...

I am also really glad I took a definitive break from school, because now that I'm back in California and feeling refreshed, thesis is actually starting to become something I'm excited about. I haven't officially begun looking for a site yet, but over the weekend I walked along the coast for a while, and the ideas definitely started forming.

In addition to the bumming around SoCal for the month, I'm also excited to find out there are some cool exhibits, etc. happening this summer while I'm home. Somehow I usually miss things I'm interested in being on the wrong coast at the time (like Dwell on Design that was the weekend before I decided to come home). However, just got an email from LA Forum, and I'm really looking forward to the

Lewis.Tsuramaki.Lewis exhibit at the end of the month - 4 Projects: 4 Scales. The firm is out of New York, and our CBDS undergrad group permanently carried around their book last semester which I came to know and love. Excited to see some of their work first-hand.

A Handcrafted Wedding

2011-06-25T09:56:00.004-04:00

As I'm getting to "that age" and it seems like everyone around me is getting married, I can't help but think about what I envision for myself. Robin will attest to my desire for this whole DIY forest idea I have, which is pretty comical considering I am not exactly camping in my free time... Anyways, I ran across this wedding at Style Me Pretty, and absolutely adored all of the decorations (and handmade bouquets and details). I'm sure it adds a layer of stress to planning, but I love the layering of such personal touches (and the bright happy colors).

The bride's a fashion designer and blogger too, at A Beautiful Mess, and I couldn't resist the video Goodwin Films made for her special day as well:

Elsie & Jeremy | May 15th 2011 from Goodwin Films on Vimeo.

For my Dad

2011-06-23T08:24:00.004-04:00

Found this cartoon and couldn't resist...

Image via Core77

Homecoming

2011-06-20T09:43:00.005-04:00

So I disappeared for a while. Not surprising as the end of the semester kicked my butt just a little bit, but my extended absence was also due to my being in Nepal for the last few weeks. I am slowly getting acclimated back in DC - although probably just for long enough to plan my summer in California. I may need to rethink my blog's title at some point...

Anyways, I am not going into the details of Nepal today. I am awaiting picking up my film this afternoon - almost 20 rolls shot on my Hasselblad - which I am so excited to pick up. Hopefully I was able to capture some of the extraordinary experience I had there. Very early on (when my roommate Carrie and I found out we had to share basically a twin bed for a week), we joked Nepal was going to be a "character-building" experience. Little did I know how that joke would translate into the summary of my trip. A small glimpse into a world so different than my own, shared with such generous people who lived so simply and yet so happily. It definitely left me reflecting on the way I live and what's important in my own life.

For now, here's a few images of the trip - Kathmandu, Namje-Thumki, and the site...

This Sums it Up

2011-05-11T14:03:00.006-04:00

From The New Yorker - found via A Cup of Jo

Cali Bound

2011-05-07T07:04:00.003-04:00

Just wrapped up school and heading home in a few hours - so excited to get some California in my system.

I ran across these online yesterday, and was thinking thesis inspiration? Haha, just kidding, but super cute model.

The World Made of Cardboard

Built In

2011-04-12T09:08:00.003-04:00

This may be the coolest piece of built in furniture I've ever seen. It's from the Martin House by ALT arquitectura (found on ArchDaily).

3 More Weeks

2011-04-10T11:23:00.003-04:00

I am counting down the next few weeks to be over - this has unquestionably been my toughest semester in grad school. I fell upon this quote this morning from Chuck Close, and it seemed all too appropriate for how I need to attack thesis in the next few weeks:

“The advice I like to give young artists, or really anybody who’ll listen to me, is not to wait around for inspiration. Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work. If you wait around for the clouds to part and a bolt of lightning to strike you in the brain, you are not going to make an awful lot of work. All the best ideas come out of the process; they come out of the work itself. Things occur to you. If you’re sitting around trying to dream up a great art idea, you can sit there a long time before anything happens. But if you just get to work, something will occur to you and something else will occur to you and somthing else that you reject will push you in another direction. Inspiration is absolutely unnecessary and somehow deceptive. You feel like you need this great idea before you can get down to work, and I find that’s almost never the case.”

- Chuck Close

On that note, guess I should get to it...

Purple + Pink

2011-03-27T09:00:00.004-04:00

The advantage of being a single lady is that I can indulge any more feminine schemes without compromise. Like this dining room found at Amber Interior Design's Blog:

Loving the purple pillows (my mom would be so proud) and the rug. Okay, okay, also the Eames Chairs, pendant and table.

I'll take this Bachelor (Pad)

2011-03-23T23:18:00.003-04:00

I need to go to sleep, but drooling over this home in Brooklyn. Found via DesiretoInspire.

Spring is finally here

2011-03-22T19:12:00.003-04:00

I've been hibernating again - well at least from posting - this semester has been incredibly tough with very little relief. Anyways, our group got through our 75% review yesterday with mostly positive comments and now I just have a thesis mid-review to get through Friday. See? Never-ending. But, I also realized we have 6 weeks left of school, so the end is in sight (in a completely exciting yet terrifying way). Luckily, the weather is finally warming up, which I realize does really affect my mood - guess I truly was spoiled with years of California warmth. I think my brother actually provided me with some serenity today as well:

That was my zen moment for the day, guess I better get back to working on my thesis paper...

I ♥ Sarah Richardson

2011-03-12T09:30:00.004-05:00

Okay, so most of you know I'm an HGTV addict. What can I say, I love me some home renovation shows. Well, as my roommates and family could attest to, I often times sit there criticizing what the designers did and how I would have done it differently. However, I am obsessed with Sarah Richardson. If only HGTV would air more of her - for some reason her Canadian show is not aired simultaneously here. So I've had to do some online digging to get my fill, and of course, it's only strengthened my addiction. Here's a glimpse of what she did recently for an Interior Design Show (I think it was in New York?).

Surprise, surprise, I love her blue room. Actually, I'm really liking the wall art - looks like a great DIY project.

Okay this one is for the Finland shout-out (the pillow is their flag)

And, of course, my close second favorite color is yellow, so I love this sunny bedroom. I also love the dress which I recognize from Anthro - great taste in clothing as well ;-).

All images from Sarah Richardson Design

Add it to the List

2011-03-10T09:57:00.005-05:00

When I find some free time...

I'm amazed at this transformation - from fence to bench. The Eames bases aren't too shabby either, but it's nice to see such a beautiful piece made from reclaimed materials.

All images from The Brick House

Style Quiz

2011-03-08T10:04:00.002-05:00

After dubbing my aunt "Earthy Textural" yesterday, I came across this Style Quiz thanks to YHL. After selecting images that I "preferred" from others, from various room images - bedroom, kitchen, etc, to what hat I'd want to wear - my result? Unpretentious Bon Vivant - the explanation:

An intimate home of modest proportions. The living room envelops your kitchen in hip cool. A button down bedroom belies it's comfort. Art that definitely does not match the sofa. Thematic table accessories set the mood. A lithe and agreeable cab - no meal required. Pre-war, upper east side attitude. A den of discussion for artists and intellectuals.

And, the best part, the celebrity suspects for my type? Cary Grant and Coco Chanel. Who knew I was that sophisticated?

Wood Inspired

2011-03-07T10:43:00.005-05:00

My aunt Cheryl recently purchased a new house, and now that she has successfully replaced almost every light in it (chandeliers, sconces, you name it), she's eager to start planning the bigger projects - namely the bathroom renovations she wants to do (2 full baths + 1 powder room). After browsing with her yesterday at various home stores, killing time before we saw a movie, I decided to dub her style "Earthy Textural." She definitely resonates with warm wood tones, layering of different textures, maybe even a bit eclectic in taste (at least in my opinion). It should be fun designing these bathrooms with her, especially as she leans to the more traditional, and as most of you know, I grew up in the "big white box" as my brother used to call it. Although, Cheryl made me promise not to start working on it until I wrote my paper, so I guess I better get going. In the meantime, these images were inspiring the warm feeling I think we'll be heading in...

Sunday Brunch

2011-03-06T09:35:00.003-05:00

Day two of my WOF (weekend of freedom :-)). Off to brunch with my aunt Cheryl, then maybe catch a movie later today since it's supposed to be raining until tonight. Sounds like a perfect lazy-day Sunday to me!

Image from RTIF

Happy Weekend!

2011-03-05T08:33:00.002-05:00

I was happy to set my alarm this morning to start off my school-free-filled weekend with Robin. We're off to Hitched in Georgetown to look for bridesmaid dresses, then this afternoon I finally get to see her dress and talk flowers, parties and planning. Hope you all have a great weekend as well!

Window Shopping

2011-03-03T12:10:00.003-05:00

Alright, I'll be honest, online shopping, but hopefully once Spring Break starts next week, I'll have time to do the real thing... I am going through project withdrawal. Not that I have the time, but when I lived in Santa Monica or in Venice with Panpan, I was always in the midst of some home improvement project - whether it was painting or (attempted) gardening, or other small DIY projects. This morning I saw this sofa on Miss Pixies' website (my favorite DC store with a very eclectic collection of repurposed/vintage finds) and was really wishing I could sweep it up and reupholster it. Then somehow magically bring it with me to a new apartment I will occupy post-grad school:

It's for sale for $300 which is a total steal, and would look amazing in the blue velvet I've been dreaming of. Ahh, someday...

Missing Magazines

2011-02-26T08:42:00.006-05:00

It's been another hectic week with school, and unfortunately, it looks like my weekend will be about the same. Although, plans to see Biutiful tonight with friends is motivating me to be productive today. Saturday mornings are my luxury, though. It has become ritual to lounge around in my pj's until a little too late, drink lots of coffee, and pour over some online inspiration. I miss the days of magazines though. I think now that Margaret Russell has gone over to Architectural Digest, it might be worth another look (I've read online the revamped mag is pretty good). Although, my morning's school project will probably fill the void - I am going to make "sensory boards" - the old way, too, by photocopying odds and ends and pinning them up, not designing a board in InDesign. The prospect of it makes me feel a little nostalgic for my Design360 days. But, I'm hoping like those boards, it inspires some thesis direction - because I feel a little lost right now.

My other quick note is that I've realized it's not the cold that bugs me here (it has actually not been that bad minus a little snow one night this week). It is the fact I don't get to see the sun as often as I should - you know, to get enough Vitamin D. Yesterday the sun peaked out for a while in the morning and it felt wonderful. Here's hoping a few more sun-drenched days are on their way, like this one below.

Image via At Home At Home.

Collecting Stories

2011-02-18T00:17:00.003-05:00

This week has been crazy busy as we have a 50% Design Development presentation Monday for CBDS. Even though that's been taking up a lot of my physical time, my mind keeps wandering back to thesis. (As it should be, the 80% draft document is due shortly after spring break is over!) I sent out an unofficial survey to friends, classmates, and family asking about spaces that have made either a positive or negative impression on them. I do not want to publish any of the results yet, as I don't want to influence what others may still write, but I am really enjoying compiling the responses. Definitely varied but rich with detail and personal narrative. I feel with each response I read, I am invited to connect with the writer a little bit more. Thanks to all who have responded so far; I can't wait to read more.

Photo courtesy of Eric Warner (I'm hoping he doesn't mind).

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T07:47:00.005-05:00

Wishing all my friends and family lots of love and happiness. May cupid's arrow find your hearts today.

Image via Design*Sponge

Designing through Metaphor

2011-02-12T10:26:00.004-05:00

Yesterday's CBDS feedback completely opened our eyes to new possibilities with our building. It's incredible what the shifting of a few blocks of wood can do to push something in an entirely different direction. One of the comments we got was to look at Steven Holl's MIT dorm for its use of subtractive form. And, of course when I went to his website, I was sucked in to the amazingness which is Steven Holl for an entirely different reason. As I was looking through his master plan for MIT and the dormitory photographs, I read one of the press clippings that commented on how Holl tends to develop mythical or metaphorical reference that guides him through the design process. I certainly was seduced by his metaphor of a sponge (porosity) connecting campus housing:

And also for the dorm itself as a series of lungs that allow light and air to pass through the building:

All images from Steven Holl Architects.

Thesisizing

2011-02-08T23:46:00.005-05:00

Research is just beginning, but I love how the wold all comes together and makes sense. As in, everything happens for a reason? In 2007 I was in San Francisco for a long weekend for work, and I went to the SFMOMA and saw Olafur Elliasson's first U.S. exhibit. It left a big impression on me, and now that I'm beginning to research perception and multi-sensory experiences, his work perfectly demonstrates the experiential qualities I'm hoping to evoke. Kind of vague in this post, but I'm super excited to see where this takes me. Now I just have to start my abstract...

Image of Olafur Eliasson's TheWeather Project (2003) at the Tate Modern in London.

A Cozy Saturday Morning

2011-02-05T14:11:00.003-05:00

I woke up to my new neighbor Mike calling to invite me over for homemade banana-cornmeal pancakes. Not a bad way to start off the weekend. It's oddly cold yet raining here in DC today, so I settled in to a nice pair of sweats, have been perusing the blog world this morning over a pot of coffee, and am successfully ignoring the mountain of books I have sitting next to me. Thesis research awaits, I guess...

I stumbled upon Aaron Straup Cope's 20x200 images this morning, and what can I say, but love! He (at Stamen Design) has been working on an experimental map project. The prettymaps is code-named “Isola” after the Finnish textile designer Maija Isola - how appropriate for me to find something with a Finnish tie. Below is an image of Los Angeles, while NYC, Paris and San Francisco are also available from 20x200. And his interactive website is found here.

Guess I better start cracking open those books. Enjoy your weekend everyone!

I couldn't resist

2011-02-03T08:53:00.004-05:00

Even without a special Valentine, I still think this is just adorable:

Found via Design*Sponge

Wintry Mix

2011-02-02T21:02:00.004-05:00

If I can't beat the winter blues, I may as well enjoy them... Amazing collection of Iceland imagery from photographer Kevin Cooley:

Hibernation

2011-02-01T11:24:00.004-05:00

You know it's going to be a long week when you're ready for the weekend and it's only Tuesday. I just want to curl up in this bed, pull the drapes around me and sleep through the storm that looks fast approaching. Or maybe I should do a quick dance to the snow gods to get classes canceled?

Image from Marie Claire Maison

Just a quick thought

2011-01-28T00:53:00.002-05:00

Image via Raina Kattelson

Light and Shadow

2011-01-23T15:32:00.003-05:00

Continuing my desire for some sunshine (it's freezing right now in DC!), and in the midst of trying to start thinking about thesis research, I'm thinking about the play of light and shadow. Most of my friends at school know about my obsession with lighting (thanks Aalto), but I also love the play of shadow created by manipulating form - and here's a pretty amazing example from a temporary "hotel" on the coast of Finland (what can I say, my summer there has stuck with me).

This rug is also pretty reminiscent of the one designed for my parents' house...

All images from ArchDaily

Today I'm loving...

2011-01-20T11:03:00.002-05:00

Alright, maybe I need to break out of my color comfort zone, but it's hard to when I keep coming across perfection.

Found via Emily Henderson

In Need of a Little Sunshine

2011-01-19T00:13:00.004-05:00

I know it's only January, but I'm already sick of this cold weather. You can take the girl out of California but you can't take California... Anyways, dreaming of basking in the warm, sunny glow of home - a Sunday at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market and an afternoon nap on the beach?

From Domino Magazine

I may have met The One

2011-01-17T11:33:00.004-05:00

I have been in love for far too long with a chandelier that is way out of my league. Alas, $5,800 for an Emil Stejnar chandelier does not fit into my grad school budget. Ah, but a girl can dream...

Someday, someday...

So for now, the closest thing I could find in my price range (i.e. ridiculously cheap) was the Maskros pendant from IKEA, problem was it was like 30" in diameter and way too big for my bedroom:

(Yeah some people for scale would have helped, but trust me it is huge in person.)

So imagine my surprise when I was searching online (thanks to my Aunt Cheryl who is hunting for lighting for her new house and now has me addicted, too), and saw that new for 2011 is a smaller version of the Maskros! It is still a little big (almost 20"), but I think it just might work. And hey, it's $5750 less than the Emil Stejnar one - what a steal! Now I just need to drop by IKEA in all my free time and find a way to install it.

CBDS

2011-01-16T20:23:00.003-05:00

I'm a week deep into school and not only my last spring semester, but also my last design studio at Catholic (wow, thesis in the fall, still cannot believe how quickly time flew by). Studio this semester is supposedly the "capstone" of my education - the comprehensive building design studio (CBDS) group project that everyone dreads. Seriously, some legendary horror stories. Rumor had it we were going to have a Solar Decathlon project, but apparently that was just not enough, so now we're doing a net zero master plan in Southeast DC. Oh yeah, and my group also lucked out and drew scenario three, which as far as I can tell doubles the amount of work this semester as we have to design scenario 1 (21 townhomes) and scenario 2 (10 single residency occupances + communal area), all the way through construction documents...

Anyways, I thought for some humor I'd post images of what we're working with. A DC councilman came to introduce the project to us. It's pretty ironic that the new master plan calls for an entirely sustainable strategy and yet they have to tear down a minimum of 15 buildings on the site to clear the area (this is a real project that has had some financial problems but is slated to continue when the economy picks back up). The only building that is staying is the St. Coletta School by Michael Graves, which is adjacent to the block we're on (aren't we so lucky??). The site visit was fun in the snow last week, too, especially wandering around the STD, TB, and detox clinics that are on the site...

Michael Graves' St. Coletta School - our next door neighbor

Can't wait to spend some time here ;-).

It's off to Mop I go

2011-01-15T10:16:00.002-05:00

Well, not exactly, but our house decided to have a group Spring Clean and organize day (I know we're in the dead of winter, but feeling motivated), so I better get my blue heels and apron on and get to work. Hope you all have a great three day weekend!

Inlay Inspiration

2011-01-13T09:40:00.003-05:00

As I begin a new semester working in the wood shop, I've basically been told I need to learn to use the CNC machine at our school (will probably be a good idea when thesis rolls around, so I'm not complaining). I think I'm going to make a coffee table for the house, since our living room is currently the land of college furniture. I think the shape is going to be pretty simple, but I was thinking I'd use the CNC for the top - to inlay a pattern or design in it. Right now I'm thinking a combination of Walnut and plywood, but I'm also whirling around a bunch of different ideas for what I'd want the inlay pattern to be. I'm really digging all of these guys below...

All images from Iannone Design, a company that uses all reclaimed, sustainable or FSC wood - amazing pieces that are eco-friendly too.

Monday Morning Blues

2011-01-10T07:53:00.003-05:00

Look 7 am, I want to like you. In fact I want to like you so much I'm willing to see you daily (well, maybe not on the weekends), but in exchange you can't be dark and dreary. We're not up in the arctic circle you know. Guess I'm feeling a little blue about starting school (and come on, you know it's my favorite color), so here are some blue rooms I'd rather be sleeping in right now...

Want to source these images but I've been hanging on to them forever - I think the first two were from Domino, and the last might be an Elle Decor (non-US version?).

Leaving on a Jet Plane

2011-01-07T09:23:00.004-05:00

Getting ready for my flight - in less than 8 hours I'll be back in DC - and having to brave the cold again. At least classes don't start until Monday - here's to one final weekend of freedom!

Cute illustration found on etsy here

My brother is rad

2011-01-07T01:37:00.002-05:00

My inspiration today comes from the most talented photographer I know, my brother Eric. Tuesday he showed me an album he shot of a friend's wedding (someday when I get married I think I'm going to need him to shoot my entire wedding in film) and tonight I noticed he posted some new photos on his blog he shot while hiking with his friends recently. I can't wait to get back to DC and continue using my new camera, feeling so inspired!

Eric and Bella.

Blue Velvet

2011-01-06T01:48:00.006-05:00

After spending last night down in Encinitas with my brother, I made a detour to my friend Catie's new condo, helping her move some of her heavier furniture and talking about future plans for the new place. When I left her house this afternoon and drove back up to Orange County, I found myself daydreaming of my new apartment/condo/house - you know, the one with the perfect location in a mystery city, with amazing natural light, hardwood floors, lots of closets, and my very own outdoor space? While all that may just be fantasy now, I do know it is likely a blue velvet sofa will find its place into my living room. I've been collecting images of them for way too long...

From a vintage Domino Magazine

Internet?

Emily Henderson's adorable living room (now I just need to get my hands on a flag of Finland).

Heading South

2011-01-04T13:54:00.004-05:00

After spending all morning working on my new blog logo (see above!), I am going to make this quick as I need to run a bunch of errands before heading down to Encinitas to hang out with my brother, Eric. The weather should be nice, I'm packing my camera, and a night's stay at the beach sounds like a great way to end my SoCal trip home - 3 weeks are flying by way too quickly!

Here's one of the photos I took up north over Christmas with my new Hasselblad - hopefully I'll have some more great weather today and tomorrow down south.

Reappearing in 2011

2011-01-02T17:24:00.004-05:00

I hate to jump on the New Year's Resolution bandwagon, but somehow fall 2010 flew by and all of a sudden it was Christmas and I hadn't made a peep on my blog. Then Friday I turned the Big 3-0, woke up magically transformed into to a sophisticated, graceful and driven woman, and found myself ready to make some resolutions for the new year. Some of them may be more like plans, but as I've started thinking about 2011, I realize it's going to be a busy and incredibly life-changing year.

So, in 2011, I am going to:
1. Graduate Grad school - wow how time flew by. Now I just need to come up with a thesis in the next few months to make that happen, but no big deal (I hope some sarcasm can be sensed in that statement).
2. Taking advantage of my last school travel opportunity - I am taking "Spirit of Place" this spring, and the class designs and builds a project every summer. This summer I'm going to Nepal. Un-frickin-believable. I can't even imagine the impact that is going to have on me - both as an architectural and cultural experience.
3. Find a job - or start looking for one at least. I don't think my dream-job (who am I kidding in this economy, any job!) is going to fall on my lap, or knock on my door, so I need to start the hunt sooner rather than later. Hoping this job could be in San Francisco (wow, big life change again), but I need to keep my mind open to various possibilities...

And for more of the resolutions...
4. Take more time for myself - whether that entails going to the gym, reading a book, going out with friends. Basically, spend more time outside of Crough.
5. Take more photographs. Looking through all of my brother's photography is so inspiring - I really need to make it more of a priority. Especially now that I have a really amazing camera.
6. You knew it was coming - blog more! My goal for 2011 is to write 4 times per week. Even if it's just a quick entry on what I did that day, or something I saw that inspired me. (Phewf, one down, only three more to go this week!)

And to start 2011 with a little bit of design inspiration... This Loft in San Francisco was designed by Edmonds + Lee. I found it through Desire to Inspire, but it was also published in a fall edition of Dwell Magazine. Love the rustic-wood ceiling juxtaposed with the industrial insertions (and oh those Tom Dixon pendants!).

Hotel Update

2010-09-06T21:10:00.002-04:00

As most of you know, before starting graduate school at Catholic, I worked for Design360 Unlimited in Los Angeles for a few years. Most of my time there was spent working on the Rosewood San Miguel de Allende, a new hotel in the artist town of San Miguel, located north of Mexico City. After putting so much time into this project, I can honestly say I'm still disappointed knowing I was not able to be there to see this project through construction (although crazy how fast time flies, I'm half-way done with my masters degree and the hotel still is not finished). Along with the help of other D360 staff, I put together the entire (interior) construction document package for the hotel - from guestrooms to public areas. I was really excited when I discovered Rosewood posted photographs from the model room on their website - it looks really incredible. I cannot wait to see the public areas unfold. I know when the hotel is finished (2011?), I'll be making a trip down to San Miguel - the project still holds a really special place in my heart.

All photos from http://rosewoodsanmiguel.com/en/gallery.cfm. Hopefully I won't get into trouble for posting them! Kristin Korven from Design360 is responsible for all FF&E.

Projects Underway...

2010-09-06T20:26:00.003-04:00

And I'm not referring to school! I have a laundry list of things I'd like to do for my room at Eddie's (and a few things for our house in general), so I'm hoping by committing them here I'll actually get some of them accomplished in the next few weeks.

First thing on the list that I did this weekend: paint my closet doors. Not terribly exciting, but I needed to since last summer and I finally got around to it. Just white, semi-gloss, clean. The painting in my room is finally complete. I want to use a leftover piece of watercolor paper I have from last semester and paint something for above my dresser, and make a shadow-box type frame for it. Additionally, I'm going to make some planter boxes for our backyard to hopefully grow some plants/herbs and soften up all the hardscape (alright, let's be honest, hide the chain link fence), and finally a shelf for my desk. Since I have to work in the wood shop for 10 hours a week, I really feel like I have no excuses to not get these things done. So, stay tuned for pics - as I move down the list, I'll be sure to post my progress!

School!

2010-08-30T08:14:00.003-04:00

Oh the anticipation of the first day of school - even now - and I'm pretty old. Seeing familiar faces, meeting new ones, living at Starbucks, and oh yeah, the actual school part. Here's to my second year of architecture school - how time flies.

Image via Flickr

Back in DC

2010-08-29T11:54:00.001-04:00

After a summer spent traipsing through Scandinavia, and a brief stint in SoCal, I'm back in DC. After having dinner with my aunt Cheryl on Thursday night, I drove back into the city and man, did it feel weird. I still don't feel like DC is "home" (which I'm sure would make my parents ecstatic), which is probably aided by my still total reliance on using my GPS whenever I wander roughly outside the 3 mile range of Eddie's house. But rumor has it that 2nd year M.Arch students don't have it quite as rough as first year, so maybe I'll finally have some time to really start living here.

It is nice having a weekend to ease back into being here before starting school. Yesterday Eddie and I went to Monroe Elementary where they were having the 3rd (?) annual Columbia Heights Day Festival. I had a delicious peach and ginger popsicle from Petworth Pops, pet a camel, saw some great performances, and found out DC has its own Shorts Film Festival starting mid-September at the E Street threatres, which I'm really excited about. Should be a good start to another fall in Washington.

Soaking up some sun

2010-08-21T19:58:00.003-04:00

Apparently it was an unusually cold, overcast summer in California. Well, I evidently brought the heat back with me from Finland, because it's been gorgeous (if not a tad bit too hot) here my first week here in SoCal. I'm easing back into Pacific Standard Time (I really hope this going to bed at 9:30 and waking up at 6 am is a jet-lag thing, not an I'm-getting-old thing), and enjoying what's left of the summer. Thursday I went to Newport Beach with almost all of the Casciari girls - it definitely reminded me of our annual summer beach house rentals on 64th Street. By the time I got there, they of course had already befriended half the population, so we ended up playing a few games of volleyball, which was really fun as I haven't played in ages (and oh was I paying for it the next day).

Sara drove down to 12805 today, and we spent the afternoon lounging by the pool, catching up and eating guacamole (which at this point is becoming our ritual). It was so great to see her, even if for not long enough. Although, we're already scheming a potential trip for me to visit her in New York, her come to DC in the spring, and (my favorite:) where I should plan to throw a huge party for my BIG 3 - 0. We're thinking weekend destination, maybe somewhere tropical...

So now, the final chapter to my beaching, I'm headed down to Encinitas with my Dad, to see the beach shack, now complete after months of renovation. I haven't seen it at all but for pictures my family emailed me while abroad, so I have to admit, I'm pretty excited. And, of course it will really be great to spend time with my family, and even, gasp, my younger brother, whom I definitely do not see enough. I'm hoping he'll give me a photography lesson while I'm down there, or maybe even take me out on a board.

Beach house almost finished - so glad I talked my parents into the pop of teal!

An end to Finland

2010-08-19T13:33:00.008-04:00

I've experienced so much this summer, and looking back on my blog, I feel I have captured so little. I guess that's what happens when you squeeze an entire semester into 3 months, a 6-credit studio course into 3 weeks. But the experience did not feel compressed. What I have failed to do is write about the places I have seen. We did a day trip to Tallinn, Estonia - some of the craziest pairings I've seen of old and contemporary architecture. I squeezed in a weekend trip to Stockholm - a city I know I have to return to someday, as I feel I just glimpsed its potential. I could have spent the weekend alone at Woodland Cemetery. As the Finland Summer Architecture Institute came to an end, the 3 Catholic guys and I stopped in London for a few days to end our summer trip. I started the summer having no interest in staying in London, thinking I'd take the Chunnel to Paris, or fly to Ireland. With finances ridiculously low, I decided to stay, and what I discovered was a city I could be tempted to live in - even after just three days there.

I realize I will never be able to "catch up" here with what Finland was about, and since I'm no Austen, I'm sure I would never be able to really do it justice either. But I have definitely taken a part of Finland home with me. The culture, the landscape, the architecture, the spirit of place. Surprisingly, I am feeling rejuvenated and even inspired to start my next semester of grad school. I am looking forward to the challenge and discovery this new year holds for me.

So, I'm going to try to make a resolution. I want to write more often on this blog. It is probably just for me, because I swear even my family doesn't read this any more. But I hope to continue to write here. Document what inspires me, what I am thinking - whether design-related or not. I think our summer studio left that impression on me. Maybe this is my version of a scriptorium - my way of committing pen to paper - well, you know what I mean...

And since I'm referencing my final project, below are my final boards.

To Amsterdam and Back Again

2010-07-18T05:00:00.001-04:00

I can't believe how fast our summer free travel period went. I had this past week off, and I met up with Anna Kleinsorge (my friend and fellow teammate from Georgetown) in Amsterdam. It was an amazing time to be there, as the Netherlands played in the World Cup Finals, and the excitement was tangible throughout the city - I've never seen so much orange in my life! Anna and I partook in the soccer events, as well as hit up several museums, rented dutch bicycles, and generally just ate our way through the canals. It was a really great break from school.

I flew back to Helsinki Wednesday night and have returned to a heatwave. After dripping with sweat non-stop for two nights in a row (because of course Finland doesn't have air-conditioning), I went to the front desk to ask about a possible room change, since my room faced the sun all day and our window was "broken" (i.e. it wouldn't open all the way). My new room is quite an improvement - one of only a few in the entire complex with a balcony, and a nice view of the water. I'm already living out there.

Tomorrow I return to school for an intensive 3 1/2 week studio project, which I know very little about, just hints here and there. It supposedly is going to be very writing intensive, and more of a collage-type project, so it will be interesting to have the details filled in tomorrow. Somehow in the midst of this, as well, a few of my classmates and I are going to try to squeeze in a trip to Stockholm, which I'm really looking forward to doing. Alright, better get going so I can enjoy my last day of freedom!

Anna and I at Museumplein for the World Cup Finals, sporting our orange pride and fitting right in.

View from my balcony to the water (as requested by my Dad)

Mmm, Basil Ice Cream

2010-07-03T12:10:00.005-04:00

Yesterday we finished the first portion of my summer program - "Documentation and Representation." The group worked fiercely these last few days to get everything finished, and somehow we managed to pull it all together for the presentation.

After some much needed sleep last night, and several loads of neglected laundry this morning, Kay and I ventured around town. I dragged him to see Aalto's House of Culture (as I have to write a paper on it tomorrow), but since it was so nice outside we decided to leisurely walk back to the city centre. Today was probably the best weather we've had this summer in Helsinki, and it was apparent the Finns felt the same as they were out in droves. We stumbled upon several groups - out celebrating various events but all soaking up the sun. It's already tempting me to procrastinate some more with aforementioned paper and go to a park tomorrow and get some sun...

The highlight of my day, however, had to be the basil ice cream I had this afternoon. A-MAZ-ING! Not quite sweet or dessert tasting, but with nuts (almonds?) and more savory, probably one of the most unique and delicious ice creams I've ever had. I guess it shouldn't be too surprising as Finland is Europe's biggest consumer of ice cream - on average the annual consumption is 13.7 liters per person (I stumbled upon this fact one day as my classmates and I were debating the origin of ice cream, and I of course needed to Wikipedia it...).

The first group we encountered - complete with trance music, and dancers (maybe on something...)

Pride Parade Celebration

Aleksenterinkatu (main shopping street)

I keep forgetting tomorrow is the 4th of July - I wonder how big the U.S. population is here in Helsinki, and if there will be anything going on? We sure don't seem to run into Americans very often (although, I did hear excerpts of a few seemingly American conversations at last week's Arcade Fire concert in Senate Square). Happy 4th to everyone at home! Hope you're enjoying your summers!

Midsummer's Eve

2010-06-26T03:01:00.003-04:00

The height of the Finnish summer is the holiday of Midsummer - appropriate that a country that spends half the year in darkness would want to celebrate the longest day of the year. Last night we partook in the annual festivities on Seurasaari Island, despite the pouring rain (that apparently is also basically tradition at this point).

We wandered amongst the crowd, eyeing vendors that had set up their shops - blacksmiths, woodworkers - and tons of kids who played tug-of-war, walked on stilts, and watched a puppet show in an open field. The main events surround a newlywed couple, chosen annually to be married that day on the island, who perform the Midsummer bridal waltz, and light the main bonfire on the shore later that night. Despite not understanding a word that was spoken or sung, the celebration was special. Hope for a new year filled with love and happiness, togetherness of family. It definitely made me miss my family thousands of miles away.

Yum!

Trying to capture part of the crowd along the shore - waiting for the main bonfire to be lit.

Winding down around 11.

Temppeliaukio Kirkko

2010-06-20T14:42:00.003-04:00

I have quickly come to cherish my weekends here in Helsinki. A time to unwind from the week, sleep in, and explore new areas of the city. Trying to keep my last semester's resolution of Saturday = Funday (which is important as I am in Funland, or so my brother calls it), every Saturday I make an effort to see something new.

Yesterday's cold and rain kept me inside most of the day, but late in the afternoon, Kelley, Amanda and I went to Temppeliaukio Kirkko (The Rock Church), which is a short few blocks from our hostel. When we arrived we found out there was a wedding in progress, and the church would only be open for a few minutes in between events. A hoard of visitors pushed their way in as soon as was allowable, and I quickly followed suite - pushing my way in to glimpse the highly anticipated space. Although our time inside was brief, I was captivated by the various textures inside the church: rock, copper, wood, and glass, underlined by the various forms of light within the space, not wanting to leave as we were virtually kicked out no more than 10 minutes later for the day's next event.

Looking up toward the copper ceiling.

Candlelight flickering along the rock wall.

We Whatever (Smile?) in the Face of Adversity

2010-06-10T16:43:00.003-04:00

The group of us left campus today around 6 to get our much anticipated bikes. The ride from Domus (our summer hostel) to school is about six miles, so we all decided to get bikes to take a scenic route along the water - most of us, I think, were envisioning a sort of Von Trapp family scenario, minus the matching drapery uniform (because we sure do sing). Used bikes had been reserved for us, so after much testing and debate, we left the shop in a herd, eager to map out our bike route home.

After triumphantly haggling down my bike's price, about ten minutes from the (now closed) shop, my back tire literally exploded. As bikes are not allowed on buses, Kristin offered to walk with me home. So, we naively trotted along, no biggie.

I should have guessed it was a long walk when we stopped at a dog park to ask a gentlemen directions, and he commented, "Why do you want to go to Helsinki?!" My response, "because we live there," followed by him bewildered and telling us it was 10 kilometers away. Well, turns out, we were more like 10 miles away, and spent the next 3+ hours walking home. Thank goodness the weather was really nice today, there were a lot of interesting buildings to look at, and Kristin decided to keep me company. All in the name of not abandoning my great deal.

Definitely looking forward to the weekend...

Blissfully ignorant about an hour into our walk.

The Poetry of Space

2010-06-07T15:50:00.005-04:00

After traveling through "the woods" since May 26th, we finally returned to Helsinki last week and were gifted our first free weekend to settle in and do some much needed laundry. Saturday afternoon, several of the graduate students walked to the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, designed by Steven Holl. After spending last semester reading a lot of Steven Holl's ideas on Phenomenology, I was anxious to experience a work of his. The experience greatly surpassed my expectations. While I have never thought myself to be a great writer, even the best, I think, would lack sufficient words to describe the poetry of space in Kiasma. Light, shadow, texture, color, materiality, undulating forms and movement - a place I will no doubt return to many times while in Helsinki.

Skateboarder paradise near the cafe entrance.

Entry Hall from second floor.

A stunning exhibit by Denise Grunstein.

Textured concrete made by wood forms - a nod to Finnish culture.

Rear auditorium wall wrapped in cerulean velvet panels, asking to be touched.

Arrival

2010-05-29T13:01:00.009-04:00

Sean, Mike, Kay and I arrived in Helsinki Tuesday night to join a group of 12 students from UT. After feeling mildly lost, we finally found Scott Wall (the program's head), who promptly gave us a map of the city, and instructed us to find our way to the hostel. After a long day of traveling, it was nice to finally arrive and meet the group - after dinner we had a "scavenger hunt" to orient ourselves in Helsinki. Our group of course got lost, but it was fun - you'd never know it was so late as at midnight it still looked like a typical night at 8pm. The Finns were out in abundance as well, enjoying the light they missed through the dark winter.

Wednesday morning we had a short orientation to the Otaniemi Campus (where we'll have class for the summer), which is a beautiful campus with amazing facilities. The wood shop alone would make the best carpenter salivate, and the shop itself has a sauna on the ground floor (sauna is that important to the Finnish culture). Then we left for Kiljava, an hour's bus ride away, to become better acquainted with each other and start learning the traditional Finnish measurement skills to document our summer project. The past few days have consisted of good food, company, a lot of dimensioning and drawing, and Jari Jetsonen teaching us important Finnish phrases - from the words "thank you" and "sweat" to "greetings from my ass" (apparently what you'd say if someone's work was not good). It's been a lot of fun - probably not entirely reflective of the work load to come, but fun nonetheless.

We left Kiljava this morning, and are now several hours and bus rides away in Kauttua, where we will be for 4 - 5 days, documenting a terraced house Alvar Aalto designed. We just arrived a few hours ago, and everyone rushed straight away to their rooms, as we finally have internet access again. We are just getting started making dinner together, then will relax before starting the big group project tomorrow morning.

The group - outside the SAFA (Society of Finnish Architects) - our first stop in Kiljava.

Our house in Kiljava - photo taken around 10 pm.

Early drawings at the old sauna to practice measuring/group documentation.

Sauna time before dinner - cooling off in the lake.

My favorite house in Kiljava - of course it's the one with the yellow door.

Experiences of Water

2010-05-19T01:37:00.004-04:00

With the first year of school under my belt, I wanted to post my final project for the 502 studio. The first half the semester we did an urban design project (mixed use commercial/residential building on 14th and W Streets NW), and while I liked the project, our second project for the semester really resonated with me. We were given two potential sites on the Potomac River in DC, and were to design a boathouse. One of the sites was just west of the Key Bridge, an urban, compact area with a fast change of grade. I, however, landed the other site, west of Georgetown, with a gradual sloping terrain and more remote location.

This semester for my theory class, I did a ton of research on phenomenology and architecture, which snowballed into a great interest in perception. In fact, over Easter, I went to the Hirshhorn, and saw an exhibit of Josef Albers and Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, and was really inspired by their pure geometric forms and how they manipulated perception of said forms, which eventually would influence my decision to use multiple buildings of simple forms.

My concept began with the movement of water, fast versus slow, which translated itself into active versus restful programmatic areas. Using water to indicate path, my project explored circulation, and crossing thresholds into various levels of rest. The visitor to the boathouse would "enter" through the information center, and have different options along the path: either head straight down to the boathouse along the main path (the "fast" movement), or cross a water channel at various points along the way to experience the dwelling units, spa, community room or cafe (the "slow" experiences).

I spent much of my time working on the dwelling units. From crossing the threshold on the path, one would take a bridge along a pool that all of the units floated on. This larger body of water mimicked the canal and Potomac, indicating a slower, more restful zone of the project. Upon entry into a dwelling unit, the viewer would experience a linear continuation of water which raked down the sloping terrain. This experience of water was underlined by the rain shower created on axis with this flow of water - reiterating the idea of water and path.

My first experience with water color paper and water colors - a lot of fun, but a lot of work. Here is my site plan and a section of the site.

Plan of project. Entry is on the right, and as the visitor walks down the path, experiences the dwelling units, spa, and finally the community room and cafe walking towards the dock.

Various programmatic areas blown up drawn in plan, section, and perspective.

32nd scale massing model of the buildings and how they related to the site.

Quarter scale dwelling unit from river side. Channel of water was to flow from pool down terrain.

Dwelling unit from entry side along bridge.

Interior of dwelling unit. Rain shower was between skylights, along the path of the water channel down the site.

Girls with Glasses

2010-04-17T08:55:00.004-04:00

So my posts have been dwindling as the semester winds down - three more weeks to go! As much as I'm ready for it to be over, I have a mountain of work to get done in that time, so it's a little stressful as well. But the exciting part getting me through is I'll be done with my first year of grad school AND then be off to Finland for the summer - that's some pretty serious motivation.

I ran across this last night while perusing my usual blogs, and I had to post about it, as a fellow girl with glasses. Not exactly sure what the show is going to consist of, but I loved the theme song and accompanying animation. Reason still to be taking more photos...

I Am A Girl - The Girls With Glasses Theme Song from The Girls With Glasses on Vimeo.

Film Inspiration

2010-03-26T23:11:00.005-04:00

Eric (my brother) posted some film he shot lately, and it's definitely inspiring me to keep using my Holga (and finally get my finished rolls developed)...

In the Pink

2010-02-13T10:35:00.004-05:00

My good friends know I spend, well, an excessive amount of time reading design blogs. I like to think it's just part of my morning ritual and inspiration for the day. One of my favorites, Coco+Kelley, had a Valentine's day post for single girls, invoking them to embrace their singlehood and decorate with pink while they still could. While I always tend to hover toward my favorite palette of "any shade of blue", I realized going through my saved images, that I have a lot of love for pink as well. Hmm, inspiration for my next apartment?

Oh, how I would love this front door (and house, too).

Work of Moises Esquenazi, via Desire to Inspire

Betsey Johnson's old New York apartment dining room. Can I have that chandelier, too?

My dream closet! - can't remember where I pulled this from.

Photographer Brandon Barre via Desire to Inspire

Vignette from Kelly Wearstler

Heart Art

2010-02-10T19:06:00.005-05:00

Call me the eternal optimist, but even though I'm going to spend Valentine's Day solo, I still find all the paraphernalia that comes along with it adorable (my mom also is a great stand-in for the holiday, which I'll admit, I love). DPA sent me some holiday-related art today, and I couldn't help but smile - loving all the hearts! I would even go as far as saying for the next few days, I might not even hate the color red :).

In the holiday spirit, I watched "New York I Love You" last night, and really enjoyed it. Plus, the residents of the Blue House made a Valentine's Day cake (pink frosting, heart sprinkles and all) - guess we're really becoming domestic as we're cooped up waiting for this Blizzard to end.

Snowpacaplyse/Snowmageddon hits D.C.

2010-02-06T14:33:00.003-05:00

Ahh, the snow is beginning to pile up... apparently we're in for the worst storm DC has seen in the last decade or so. Luckily, I was prepared this time - moved my car to Catholic's garage, and managed to endure the craziness that was Giant Grocery yesterday (seriously, people panicking because there wasn't enough water, and lines that extended down the food aisles).

So, I'm spending the day at home, curled up, catching up on some homework (or pretending to at least). My big adventure for the day was finally tackling the French Press I bought last semester, and was proud of the pot I brewed this morning.

The snow is supposed to stop late tonight, and I'm going to venture out at some point. Eric got me an Holga camera for my birthday, and I'm excited to (finally) start shooting some film again.

Looking out my bedroom window - at 9 this morning - with another 12 hours of snow predicted.

The Third & The Seventh

2010-01-11T00:23:00.003-05:00

I should probably be asleep getting a good night's rest before I'm back to school tomorrow, but my brother sent me this architectural video today, which I really enjoyed (and felt like a cool and/or nerdy architecture student as I identified all the buildings ;) ):

The Third & The Seventh from Alex Roman on Vimeo

Now, I have no intention of creating films this semester, but it definitely inspired me to get out my camera and start shooting again.

Am I crazy or what?

2010-01-06T13:07:00.005-05:00

I've had a nice, relaxing time while at home the last few weeks. And, while one of my New Year's resolutions is to make the best out of (seemingly) negative situations, I do have to point out the craziness of my life's change of scenery. I have given up this:

Sunset last night in Venice

For this:

Snowstorm I witnessed at the end of December in DC

I am definitely not mentally prepared to head back into cold weather. Although, if anything my decision to head back to DC has made me more appreciative of my California roots - which I am sure to my parents' utter happiness, I plan to return to when I finish school.

My other big resolution is to really try to strike a better balance between school and life (since I had none of the latter last semester), so stay tuned, I am finally going to start having some DC adventures to blog about - through the snow and all! Off to go enjoy my last few days in California!

See this Film!

2009-11-19T09:30:00.003-05:00

As the semester is winding down, I've become more of a procrastinator, making time for more and more non-school related things lately. Tuesday night I went to see Visual Acoustics at the Landmark, and all I can say is if you have any interest in photography, Californian architecture, or old men that are total characters, you have to see this film. So inspiring and a great reflection of Schulman's work.

A Day at the Zoo

2009-11-12T10:01:00.003-05:00

Well, it was a school-related trip, but last Saturday Ben, Erik, Kay and I made our way to the Zoo. It happened to be a beautiful fall day and we wandered around for a while, so it almost felt like we were there for pleasure. Either way, it was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Highlights of the zoo included Ben showing us the Pandas, and his favorite friend "Rosie" (who happens to be a huge octopus). I think my favorite were the jellyfish, although in the great apes building, parents were snickering, filming, and/or shielding their children's eyes as two chimpanzees "got their groove on" for several minutes - too funny. Grossest part had to be an arachnid habitat, that was not enclosed at all (with Ben telling us the spider's often get loose!). We are planning a group outing to see A Christmas Carol after Thanksgiving, so I'm glad I'm at least getting to do some stuff in D.C. (finally!).

Erik, Kay and I, studious as always...

The leaves have changed...

2009-10-30T18:52:00.004-04:00

Somehow it's almost November, and although I keep thinking fall has just begun, the last few days I've realized it's almost over as the trees are starting to lose their leaves entirely now. I don't think I'm yet ready for winter here (so thankfully I'll be home for a few weeks at Christmas), especially since I can't seem to kick getting sick over and over again this semester - I seriously think my body doesn't like change of seasons.

My studio class was cancelled today, so I went over to the Jefferson Memorial (which pathetically, I never had seen more than passing by in a paddle boat while at Georgetown). I have to write a paper about it for my history class for next week, so I took my time taking in what's left of the leaves this afternoon - which was pretty nice since it wasn't very crowded.

Solar Decathlon

2009-10-22T10:30:00.003-04:00

I, along with a small group of architecture students braved the rain and cold last Saturday to hit the Mall to see the Solar Decathlon. The competition consists of twenty teams building solar powered houses that are on display on the Mall for about two weeks. There are different categories of judging, including architectural design as well as comfort level (a temperature scale, which turned out to be pretty important since it was so cold). I had heard about the competition before, but had never been. And, despite it being freezing outside, had a really good time - well, at least seeing the houses...

Winner - team Germany - their entire facade was covered in solar-paneled "shingles". The inside was neat too, with a bed that pulled out/tucked away into the stairs.

Team California came in third. I really liked this house, and could definitely see it fitting in to a street in Venice.

Framing the Masters

2009-10-14T01:46:00.004-04:00

I had my second studio project due last Friday, and I actually got around to photographing it as well, so I thought I'd post a bit about what I've been up to the last few weeks (now Eric, I realize you would have shot this much better, so I might need some tips for future photo shoots).

My first project for studio this semester was to do A TON of research on a contemporary building and diagram the hell out of it. I was assigned Giuseppe Terragni's Casa del Fascio built in 1936 in Como, Italy, and despite all of the politics surrounding a building designed to house the Fascist Party, I actually really enjoyed researching the building.

Front facade of Casa del Fascio

Terragni employed traditional building principles - a grid system, a courtyard parti, but what I realized was for him it was really all about playing a game of facades. Each of his 4 building facades were different, and yet elements of each facade rotated around the building. In addition, he left it ambiguous as to the interpretation of solid vs. frame - in each facade there could be dual readings of the varying elements.

From there we went into Assignment 2, titled "Framing the Masters." Given a site of a certain size and with predetermined masses, heights, and walls, we were to take elements of our Master and interpret them for an art gallery space. Continuing with the idea of playing with facades, I treated both of the existing walls as windows into the architecture, playing with layers of frame and inside/outside perceptions as the visitor entered and engaged my site. All in all, it went pretty well with the judges' panel last Friday (although, I also drew the last presentation spot, so being the 13th person to go in front of them, who knows, maybe they were just tired and counting down for the weekend ;)). Here's a peak at my project:

Entry from the southeast corner of the site, down a set of stairs (I apparently just can't escape making stairs since 504 this summer).

Northeast view of gallery.

A little bit closer - I've become the "laser girl" for the M.Arch III class, as this project definitely honed my skills on the laser cutting machine, and I have since taught most of my classmates how to use it.

Ms. Marines goes to Washington

2009-10-10T11:09:00.003-04:00

Yay, the weekend is finally here and Karen's in town visiting! We had a really nice dinner last night at Cashion's Eat Place in Adam's Morgan, followed by a night of dancing with a bunch of Europeans we met.

The weather changed from hot and humid literally overnight to cold and a bit rainy, but we're going to brave it today to shop around Georgetown, then plan to head over to Alexandria for their Ghost and Graveyard tour later on tonight.

A bit sweaty, but having a great time

U2!

2009-09-30T23:46:00.002-04:00

Well, no surprise I've been delinquent again. Sadly, I still haven't seen much of DC since pretty much all I do is school work, but after spending another weekend really sick and in bed, I rallied last night to go see U2 at the FedEx field in Maryland (home to the Redskins).

I am kind of becoming a concert regular, as this is my third time seeing them, but as per usual, they didn't fail to impress - such a great lineup, featuring great range of their entire catalogue (and poor Eddie, Lindsay and Anne who had to listened to me "sing" every line...). I have to add, I have a new-found appreciation for The Edge after seeing the documentary It Might Get Loud this past summer with him, Jimmy Page and Jack White - if I ever find some free time, I'd really like to take up the guitar. Muse opened the concert as well, so it was all in all an awesome night. If only I didn't have that ridiculous history exam today...

Some eighty-thousand people, Anne and I trying to keep warm before they took the stage.

360 degree stage, which although I wasn't able to capture it, had an amazing screen installation that actually extended all the way down to just hovering over the band.

One More Thing...

2009-09-14T00:13:00.005-04:00

I got a bike! It's a vintage Schwinn Traveler and fixed up really well. I just need to pick up a lock this week, and I'll be using it as my main transportation to school (well, until the snow starts falling).

I also think I might have to get this adorable basket from Design House Stockholm: