Modernism Week Wrap up Part 2: Brise Soleil? Did someone say Brise Soleil??

The Desert Sun did an 11-Part mini web series titled "Modern Love" on Mid-Century Architecture for Modernism Week, and asked me to participate. I ended up doing four of these really fun, stylish, super short 00:59 (!) second videos.

Here is one where I discuss Brise Soleil  (Broken Sun)  the "fragmented" walls that are an architectural detail, but also provide functionality.

Example of Brise Soleil

Me in mid-desciption. Glad my jacket + shirt work, but in this screen grab, it looks like I have a little black eye! 

Bravo to Marilyn Chung who did the videos - they're stylish, informative, short, to the point, have fun music, and I had a great time doing them! And a big thank you to Lyn Lieu for the great write up!

The Silver Suitcase™ is going to be in a Book + Featured in the Modernism Week Vintage Trailer Show!

The Silver Suitcase™ has been very busy!

Since I swung open the door last August to reveal the renovation of an old Airstream that I made into my new home, The Silver Suitcase™ has garnered a lot of attention.

Whether it’s friends or clients asking for a tour, or receiving calls from as far away as the UK asking me how I did it, why I did it, and what is it like living in this 250 square feet silver tube?

And so, the curiosity continues. Nancy Baron, a noted documentarian came to photograph the Silver Suitcase™ in all its glory for her new coffee table book aptly titled: “The Good Life, Palm Springs”

Here’s a pic I took of Nancy in action at the Silver Suitcase™

(The book should be out next month, and will make an announcement of course!)

And if you are in Palm Springs this weekend, the Silver Suitcase™ will be featured in the Modernism Week Vintage Trailer Show at the Hilton Hotel parking lot on Tahquitz Canyon

Do come by to say Hello, I would love to show you around!

Details for Palm Springs Vintage Trailer Show here

Address of Trailer show below: 

Hilton Hotel Parking Lot

400 East Tahquitz Canyon

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760-320-6868

Sat  Feb 22   10-4

Sun Feb 23  10-3

POTUS is celebrating Modernism Week, Too!

Yesterday was a huge day here in Palm Springs. We had Valentine's Day, Obama arriving for the long weekend, and Modernism Week launched.

To say yesterday Palm Springs was buzzing is an understatement. The whole town felt like it had been chugging Red Bull non-stop.

So Welcome, to all the Love Birds who are spending a long romantic weekend, Welcome to all Modernists, and Welcome President Obama!

President Obama arrives at Palm Springs Airport
Photo Courtesy of Desert Sun

We love our President for  being Chief Modernist and maintaining all things modernism even while conducting business, and we thank him for that.

Photo Courtesy Sunnylands.org

President Obama is staying at  the quintessential modern estate, Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage which was designed by A.Quincy Jones in 1966 for Walter + Lenore Annenberg.

Photo Courtesy Sunnylands.org

The home was beautifully decorated by the late great Billy Haines. There is no one that can compare to Mr William Haines. No one. That said, his legacy continues in furniture design, and can be purchased here or you can try for one of the originals here.

If you get a moment, do take a tour of Sunnylands. Tickets can be had here

Wexler Harrison Alexander Steel House, Palm Springs

Every once in awhile I run into a very special home- this Wexler-Harrison-designed and Alexander built folded-plate roof steel house is one of them.  These were built between 1960-62.  It's had some modifications over the years- carport enclosed, and a new carport added to front, the original board-and-batten entry is now inside the house, but you can still see the lines- great spider legs are still hidden in plain sight, along with original bath vanities.  A wonderful rhomboid pool was recently renovated.  There is a floating glass wall that separates the living space from the master bedroom.  This is a true jetset house.  It will be available for sale at $629,000.  Hopefully, a preservationist will snatch up this class one historic site and restore it to what it once was.

Post Palm Springs Modernism Week: Dwell Magazine Dinner

As part of Palm Springs Modernism Week's celebrations, Dwell magazine contacted The Paul Kaplan Group to arrange a dinner party at six separate architectural homes.  The dinner party was underwritten by Lincoln Motor Company, and was catered by Workshop Bar + Restaurant in Palm Springs.  60 attendees were invited, among them architectural aficionado Moby.  I was a guest at the home of Liz and Frank Malinka, where we dined after cocktails at the Fontinell, the former Max Factor family compound.  The Malinkas own a 1963 Charles DuBois-designed Alexander in Vista Las Palmas.