An Ode to Contemporary Automotive Culture

And this was from Feb 15, 2011!  geez!  




Parking garages are often an afterthought for design. I am not talking about the flow of traffic, but the garish concrete structures that line many urban streets. The only famous parking structure/mixed use building that sticks out in my mind as unique is Marina City in Chicago (I like to call these buildings the corn cobs) and I don’t necessarily mean unique in a positive way.

What an intriguing design puzzle! How to design functional parking space thinking of the structure and voids with a design mind. My favorite parking structure in Charlotte happens to be located at the airport. I openly admit that I pay the $2 extra per day to park in the daily West parking garage at the Charlotte Douglas airport as opposed to parking my beloved Honda in a measly long term ocean of cars.

Charlotte/Douglas International Airport- West Parking Deck LS3P Associates & The Wilson Group



There are many creepy thoughts that seep into the mind when thinking about enclosed dimly lit parking spaces. Until recently the typical events (besides parking) that are held in the murky depths of parking garages are skateboarding get togethers. What about But a in a parking garage? Yes that is correct, weddings and yoga classes, wine tastings, bar mitzvahs, designer shops, dinner parties, etc. This parking structure even has its own website with an intriguing introduction and play on solid vs. void. Talk about designer parking! 111lincolnroad.com

1111 Lincoln Road, Miami Florida. Developer William Wennett Architects: Herzo & de Meuron

Developer and owner, Robert Wennett, is primarily a contemporary art collector. Zoning regulations pushed him into building a parking structure, but he was not going to settle for anything less than a civic space where he could exhibit some of his collection. He interviewed some of the top architects in the world before choosing renowned Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron stating that he envisioned “some thing light and airy similar to the grand hall of a train station.”

The garage contains a grand central staircase, a glass cube that contains a designer clothing store, art exhibit space, and a double height top floor.

The top floor is an especially high parking level that doubles as a 25,000 square foot event space. This space is truly fit for the Jetson’s and equipped and ready for rock and roll with 360 degrees of views, catering, and audio visual equipment.

On a basic functional level the 1111 Lincoln is not for everyone, as its hourly rate is 4 times that of other local garages, but is definitely an ode to Miami’s high end car culture

If you want to show off your Rolls Royce, Aston Martin, Ferrari, or get hitched in an unconventional spot this is the display case for you!

You can tell a lot about a person by their shoes.....

All Caps

Finsk

Jeffery Campbell

Dolce Vita

So I started this post August 3, 2011.  I cannot believe I never published it!  Maybe it was too difficult to choose what shoes to highlight.  I am a firm believer in "there is no such thing as too many shoes"  So here goes.... 

8/3/2011
I have always prided myself in the fact that I appreciate both fashion and getting down and dirty with an oldschool sweatshirt. I like clothes and fashion in general, but my one vice or fetish is shoes. I am the girl that remembers the movie The Notebook because of all of the fabulous shoes sported by Rachel McAdams.

The sky really is the limit with shoes from the funky outrageous designs of Alexander McQueen  worn by Christina Aguilera to some of the classics by Christian Louboutin to architectural motifs of Rem Koolhaus
seen in United Nude.  Not only do these shoes make an outfit but are the star of any wardrobe!

Alexander McQueen

Rem Koolhaus - United Nude

 1/10/2012
Some other faves....

Sam Edelman

Monolo Blahnik

Miu Miu 2008

Miu Miu 2012

Christian Louboutin 2012

for more check out www.solestruck.com

Eco - chic

New Eco Index Will Offer Energy Star-Like Rating For Clothes

inhabitat.com

Why do I love Nordstrom....Let me count the ways

Thank you to a retailer who appreciates the holidays and refuses to commercialize and trivialize traditional holidays until they are non existent.

Elan Vital

Élan vital, coined by French philosopher Henri Bergson in his 1907 book Creative Evolution, was translated in the English edition as "vital impetus", but is usually translated by his detractors as "vital force". It is a hypothetical explanation for evolution and development of organisms, which Bergson linked closely with consciousness.
It was believed by others that this essence (élan vital) could be harvested and embedded into an inanimate substance and activated with electricity, perhaps taking literally another of Bergson's metaphorical descriptions, the "current of life".

gotta love Wikipedia!

Vino, wein, vin Wine In any other language is just as sweet……. Or dry.

I can’t say that I have visited many vineyards or taken the infamous Napa Valley tour, but I have tasted wines of many varietals some from the grocery store and some that I will probably never have the financial capability to purchase. I am a firm believer that there is a perfect wine for ever food and every occasion and want to share a little of what brings me joy during these somewhat dreary winter months.

Growing up in an Italian family, wine has be an integral part of family meals for as long as I can remember. Not until recently, however, did I understand just how big the wine industry truly is or how well wine pairs with my two all time favorite foods…Chocolate and Cheese! I am always looking for recommendations on everything from wine to movies, so I am passing some of my vini preferiti to you.

Big Reds
California

Starting with the ever popular Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab’s will generally be full bodied with bold notes of chocolate, tobacco and currant. My favorite Cabernet Sauvignon right now is the 2007 Burly from Napa Valley California.

Burly delivers a well balanced fruit in the front and silky oak and cocoa in the back. (laymans terms: fruity and smooth not too spicy or dry) Suggested retail is $60.00/ bottle and is said to age well for up to 5 years.

On the spicier side of Cabernet Sauvignons you will find 2006 Silver Oak Alexander Valley out of Sonoma County.

Silver Oak Alexander delivers a rich aromatic attack to the pallet with a full body and a long spicy finish. (layman terms: BIG flavor and rather spicy and heavy) Suggested retail is $70.00/ bottle and will drink well through 2026.

Australia

Moving down under, Australia is known for its Shiraz. Shiraz wines tend to have a more earthy flavor with bold notes of pepper, blackberry, tobacco, and smoke. The two Shiraz that I have fallen in love with both happen to be from McLaren Vale.

The first is MollyDooker (Aussie for left hander) Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz with a burnt spicy nose and rich dense fruit flavors of plum and ripe berries.(Layman Terms: fruity, spicy and bold) Suggested retail is $49/ bottle and is best when drank in the next two years paired with sausage, curries and roasts. All MollyDooker wines contain nitrogen and it is suggested to do the “MollyDooker Shake” rather than decanting the wines. http://www.mollydooker.com/

Another Shiraz from McLaren Vale that both my mouth and my pocket love is Gotham Langhorne Creek Shiraz. Do not be scared of the screw top, cork is overrated these days. Gotham is not as peppery as some but more of a jammy fruit bomb with a small peppery finish. (Laymen terms: FRUITY and some light spice) It retails for under $20/ bottle.
Crisp Whites-
California

Chardonnay is one of the drier of the white wines. As a whole, white wines tend to be sweeter and crisper than reds. Chardonnay is known for having bold flavors of butter, apple, vanilla, melon, and occasionally oak. Flora Springs Chardonnay Barrel Fermented blends a bright taste of fruit with silky butter creaminess for a refreshing and balanced flavor for $30/ bottle. (Laymen terms: not too dry not too fruity) To nix the oak flavors try the Flora Springs napa valley Chardonnay for $21/ bottle.

If you are more apt to purchase wine a the grocery store like me, don’t fret, I have some recommendations that can be found at your local grocer! Ghost Pines 2006 Merlot from Napa and Sonoma Counties is a nice bright red with plum and black cherry sold for between $15-20/ bottle. Ravenswood Vinters Blend Zinfandel is another great taste with lots of berries and spicy oak and sells for $10/ bottle.

Fernau & Hartman, Avis Compound Granary MT