HooPlay

This weekend we finished installing our hoops!

Pole Dance

Last thursday was the preview party for SO-IL's PS1 Pole Dance

See Iwan Baan's amazing photos of the space.

Or see my iphone quality photos of the space...

farmshow

PS1 Colors

For a couple of weekends I have been helping install a mock-up for this summer's PS1 installation Pole Dance by SO-IL. It should make for a colorful summer party. See their video below.

SO-IL PS1 Pole Dance from SO-IL on Vimeo.

Kombucha

Today is my first attempt at making Kombucha.

My roommate says it smells like feet.

Baked

PB Krispy Bar, the cross-section of deliciousness from Baked on Van Brunt.

Rex @ Ted

A week ago I attended a lecture @ Cooper Union to see Foreign Office Architects (FOA)'s Alejandro Saera-Polo speak about his office's current work. Although I overall tend to like FOA's work (or atleast some ideas behind it) Saera-Polo's lecture focused on what he felt was an architects position in contemporary culture especially focusing on the current economic climate. His lecture, titled "Cheapness", began with evaluation of today's architectural culture in comparison to the architectural culture of the past. The architectural culture of the past being one focused on the equality of various socio-economic boundaries while the architectural culture of today is one that is to be devoid of politics and focused on economics. Summed up, his lecture focused on the envelope of the building and how an architect can use the skin to create an architectural expression rather than trying to solve a social problem through the form of the building. The projects he focused on were mostly commercial programs so perhaps his argument works in just the realm of commercial architecture. Even though I found this stance slightly depressing, I felt that Saera-Polo's project for a Shopping Center in Istanbul, Turkey goes against some of the statements that he made in his lecture. Although the shopping center follows the programmatic requirements needed to make it economically successful, to say that they weren't attempting to redesign the form of a shopping center is deceitful. The topography of the project rises and dips to create a public space within the surrounding shopping landscape that not only allows the necessary storefront condition but also creates a seemingly successful gathering space for the community.

Soon after this lecture I watched Joshua Prince-Ramus's Ted Talk which continues the discussion of the growing importance of economic constraints in architecture. While Saera-Polo's lecture left me feeling disillusioned, Prince-Ramus's lecture was inspiring with the level of ingenuity and consideration that can still be reached within the economic and programmatic constraints of an established building typology.

If You Build It

A few weekends ago my friends and I found ourselves in/near Boston.

You can find this on Wellesley's Campus.

The Wang Campus Center desgined by Mack Scogin Merrill Elam.

Making More Packing Less

I'm challenging myself to choose 5 foods that I eat/drink that I can make myself to reduce packaging.

The winners are:

Veggie Burgers
Yogurt
Sprouts
Bread
Hummus

Ever since I found out that NYC doesn't recycle plastic containers, like the ones hummus and sprouts come in, I have felt awful about buying them and throwing these packages away. I think that the yogurt will be the biggest challenge.

rawr

If you were to donate or "gift" one of these animals as a present which one would you choose?

First I would scratch the crocodile off the list.

He might as well stop trying now because I'm pretty sure he is on the bottom of most peoples' lists.

The camel might want to join the croc on the rejected list.

I'm pretty sure that the photographer was showing bias as well.

I'm choosing the goat... he looks like a jokester.

I think we could have a good time...

Whoever has a birthday next is getting a goat. Well not really... but there is a goat involved.

to the TEA

After giving up coffee about 6 months ago, I have been drinking a lot of tea. When I was a coffee drinker I felt tea didn't have enough taste to replace my addiction to coffee, but now I find myself really enjoying tea.

Around the same time that I had given up coffee I stopped drinking alcohol (temporarily) and we found ourselves at Sympathy for the Kettle on St Marks place on a Friday night.

This night was one of my favorite Friday nights. I could actually hear the conversation I was having with my friends, I didn't spend much money, and it was very relaxing. Might become a common thing for me.

Travels

I have a credit card that gives me travel points. Last September I went to Germany...

and drank too much beer at Oktoberfest...

and wandered.

I just reached $100 off of travel again. Now I can't stop thinking about where to go next.

Visit The Expat Architect in Brussels?

Iceland, because JustFoster wants to help save their economy?

Prince Edward Island or Quebec, because it's a recession and I should spend less?

Stay in the US? Maine? So close but I've never been there.

BedTime

I wouldn't say that these beds were very comfortable...

but they did make for wonderful people watching.

Banana Choconut

Dessert or Dinner?

Finally made that Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. I choose dessert.

weekend warmer

What are weekends for if not...

...Night time walk across the Manhattan Bridge

...Biking, Exploring, Walking, Ice Cream

...A First of Birthdays

work is for treats

Molten Chocolate Cupcake

f I could eat you again, I would.

GARDENS... made by guerrillas?

If you are going to get in trouble for trespassing it might as well be with a spade in one hand and a sunflower in the other.

Guerrilla Gardening started in New York in the 1970's at a garden between Bowery and Second Ave on Houston now known as the Liz Christy Community Garden. The idea behind guerrilla gardening is to reclaim neglected land by rejuventating it through gardening.

(photo: www.lizchristygarden.org)

(photo: www.lizchristygarden.org)

One of my favorite ideas in guerrilla gardening are seed bombs. These allow a quick sneak attack to occur. Sometimes I imagine a similar result when I throw and apple core into neglected landscapes. Apparently these seed bombs often contain seeds as well as fertilizer which I guess I eat away with my apple cores.

Sometimes even gardeners get in trouble...

Gina Badger has some really interesting studies and installations of nature/landscape interventions and exhibitions. (I found this while searching for seed bomb photos)

SNOW PATTERNS

My office looks onto Trinity Church's cemetery. The grave markers looks like braille from up here, especially when they are surrounded by snow. It's too bad I didn't have a real camera.

PLAYFUL PARIS

While we are reminiscing...

WARMER WEATHER

We are so close to warm weather it's hard to avoid reminiscing about last summer.