Hey Good Looking – What’cha Got Cooking?

So Brandon opened his mouth a couple of weeks ago.

Of course, you probably follow me on Twitter so it’s quite possible that you already know that I do this often.  And more often than not, a foot (or two) may or may not need to be inserted into said mouth. Shoes don’t taste all that well (even my Louis Vs with the little floral pattern in the leather).

The story goes that a couple weeks back, I spent a little time chatting on one of the most awesomest chats on Twitter, the #KBTribeChat (Wednesdays at 11am PST).  This particular chat was just before the Kitchen and Bath Show in Chicago.  I casually mentioned wanting to cook in someone’s kitchen for the show.  Nick Lovelady out in Alabama (check out his blog…) chimed in as well.

Turns out, someone was listening.  Actually a big someone.  Ok, it was two big someones. You might know them as Capital Cooking (of super cool range fame) and American Standard Brands (do I even have to tell you who they are?). Little did either of us know that they’d be putting together a great kitchen at this year’s Dwell on Design. 

Do you see the feet appearing?

Several messages later and Nick and I are committed to going head to head.  Mano e Mano.  Designer to Designer.  Blog to blog.  We’re going all West Side Story where I’m heading the Jets and he’s part of the Sharks.

Snap. Snap. Snap.

But guess what…. That’s right.  There’s more. Nick and I are looking for sous chefs.  Are you going to Dwell this year?  Want to spend a little time in the kitchen?  I heard rumors of a prize.

So if you’re interested and you want to come cook for me (and maybe tweet a little in the process, send a message over to Leanne@flyingcamel.com and let her know.

Come don a chefs hat with me on June 22nd!

Palm Springs Modern – Take a Dip in The Pool!

Welcome to the weekend!

Yes, we’ve all been waiting for it to come around for the last five days.  If you’re like me, you were Tweeting drink recipes on Monday hoping, wishing that it would make that beautiful glorious day  we call Saturday (or Friday at 5 pm) show it’s shining face that much quicker. AND…. if you’re in the United States like me, you’re relishing in having an extra day.  What president were we celebrating on Monday?  Benjamin Franklin?

Anyway, I’m very excited today because Steve and I are making our annual pilgrimage to the mecca of California modernist design.  Palm Springs is one of my favorite Southern California hot spots.  Not just because of the awesome lemonade they serve at The Parker (I can’t tell you how many of those I’ve had… in the same day) or because there are always great little boutiques along the main drag that are a designer’s wet dream (there is probably more vintage Knoll there anywhere), but because of all the modernist architecture.

Wexler.  Kaufman. Lautner. The names read like a who’s who of architectural royalty.  Sure there are great examples of their designs in not-very-far-away Los Angeles but Palm Springs was their playground.  Palm Springs was the place they could let down their proverbial hair and put their pencil to vellum.  Not to mention, if you, as a homeowner, built anything other than a modernist you were just not cool.  Like so not cool that Sinatra would probably bar you from coming to whatever lounge he was singing at that night.

And no one likes to piss off Sinatra.

Ok ok… enough with me rambling on and on.  Because I’m ready to get in the car and head out I’m just going to leave you with a few photos.  But not just any photos.  Pool Photos!  For those in East – remember, just a few more months of snow.  For those here in the west – meet you poolside!

A 1960′s Donald Wexler Gem

A Butterfly Alexander by William Krisel for the George Alexander Construction Company

Richard Neutra’s Kaufman House.

John Lautner’s Elrod House

Ready for Summer aren’t you?

Images via: LA Times, Treehugger, Crasstalk, Chicago Magazine, Palm Springs Real Estate Blog

 

 

Can I Carry Your Luggage to Paris? The Louis Vuitton – Marc Jacobs Exposition

So listen, I don’t normally beg or plead or get on my knees to get something I want.  Typically in the past I’ve presented a PowerPoint presentation listing the normally acceptable reasons as to why I should receive.  And then someone turns me down (usually Steve) and I have to go out and buy it myself. I don’t remember this being how marriage was supposed to work.

Does someone have the manual I can borrow?  What, you didn’t get one either? Well now we’re all screwed.

Anyway, like any other night after what was a ball busting yoga class, a great dinner and a piece of cake with a friend (seriously not all at the same time….) I found myself perusing Twitter, Google, Facebook, and Pinterest at the same time. This is typical of me.  I don’t think my computer is multi-tasking if there aren’t at least four tabs on my Firefox window.  Bonus points if there are two windows, both of which have completely illegible tabs because there are so many.  Serious bonus points if some of them have been there for three weeks.  Off track much? So Twitter (via my super friend Cassie with the awesome Parisian rental company CobbleStay) posted a little gem of the week which has led to my new want. No.  Wait. Need. Yes… it’s a need.

I don’t mean need like oxygen (because frankly who needs that) or water (because mine’s Evian) but one of those I’m going to die if I don’t get to do this so please let me do it but can someone else pay for it type of needs.  You people know what I mean so don’t judge.

As it would turn out, Les Art Décoratifs, a pretty damn cool museum in Paris, is hosting a little exposition that I like to equate to sex on the beach with twins. Twins you say?  Yes. Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacob.  Sure one’s been dead for quite some time (what… too soon?) and the other is gayer than a three dollar bill at a shoe sale (I’m gay too so get your panties out of a bunch).  But together… they channel Godliness and create some of the most interesting iterations of luxury the handbag world has seen in this generation.  Women – you know what I mean.  You b****es are lucky that it isn’t frowned upon for a guy to carry one because I’d have two. Suck on that.

I won’t bore you with details but the short is that for a few months LAD will be hosting a little grouping… from a trunk hand made by the Semi-God himself (one monsieur Vuitton) to some creations that will probably make most people believe that Marc Jacobs wasn’t sharing the good stuff with his buddies. LAD claims that the exposition will be an “analysis rather than a retrospective”.  Whatever… What I do know is that they’re setting up a LV pop up not far from the show so once you’re done drooling on the museum pieces you can head over and drool on the bags for sale.

I saw your ear perk on that note.

So….. Going to Paris?  Need help with your luggage? Babysitter? Shoe shiner? Assistant?  Scratch babysitter (even I have standards).  Let me know, I’m your man.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Louis Vuitton – Marc Jacob

March 9th through September 16th, 2012

Les Arts Décoratifs – Mode et textile
107 rue de Rivoli
75001 Paris

www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr

Images via In LVoe with Louis Vuitton, Pursuitist,  Les Arts Décoratifs

D.Coop was not compensated for this post.