Archive for the ‘travel’ Category

Holidaze

Monday, January 3rd, 2011

We did Christmas many times, with many families, with many many many foods. Someone thought this Rudolph was fun for kids.

We hung with llamas and the farm crew and drove a gazillion miles (pushing my odometer past the 100,000 mile mark).

Also spent awesome time in the desert and got some new amazing things that are ripe for the sharing.

Then rounded out it all out by traveling to San Diego to ring in the new year. My head still hurts.

Otherwise, been working on a bunch of fun projects and in the process neglecting the house completely – which resulted in a mess that is unforgivably bad. It’s about time to shake off the holiday haze, unpack the suitcase, scrub down the bio-hazards and get to the getting.

Anyone else feel spent? I sort of feel like I just got out of holiday jail and haven’t adjusted to living on the “outside” yet.

Garden Tour (aka CAT BJ)

Tuesday, October 12th, 2010

If there is a rainbow flower pinwheel and a welcome sign with tiny unreadable type, you must be in for a treat. A Hemet style treat.

Where to begin…

Saturday was incredibly hot and dry and I thought to myself, “Self, why don’t we go check out the local Water Wise Garden Tour and talk to some folks about xeriscaping. That sounds like a sexy good time!” In hindsight, that was probably a pretty crappy idea (and not sexy in the least).

The Garden Tour began with a professional landscaper’s “Asian” inspired home. If I hear Asian Inspired one more time, I swear, flames, flames on the side of my face. I digress. So, there was a koi pond and a path to nowhere, and a gazebo, and a pool that had seen better days, and bamboo to keep it Asian, and little statues, and a slide and fish. I did like the mounding grass…

I feel that Tim Gunn would assess like this: there was a whole lot of look happening here.

Overall it made me pretty uncomfortable and felt sort of schizophrenic in terms of design.

Here is the front yard with a weird huge rock-scape thing. If I was in an artist’s studio, I would possibly say that their work looked over-worked, felt forced and was a bit stiff. I do like the icy green bushy ground cover though…

Through the orchards and over the hills, to rural Hemet I go.

Next stop on the tour was…ummm…an “imposing yet welcoming Santa Fe-style home (with) charming decorative objects”.

Uh oh.

If the penis style mailbox was any sort of clue, I was certainly in for a treat.

Imposing and welcoming!

Charming decorative skull!

Wagon wheels? Pot belly stove? Boy howdy. The ADT sign doesn’t feel as charming though. I think they need a more rustic version.

Don’t fret. They have the required covered wagon and American flag.

They also have a CAT BJ license plate. A prominently displayed CAT BJ license plate. Why? I’m guessing for the charm.

Majestic and inspiring.

I’m thinking Tim Gunn would say that it’s verging on costume and maybe getting a little “themed”. Otherwise, make it work CAT BJ. Nice variety of cacti and succulents…

Number three.

By this point I was losing hope. Another professional landscapers home, oh great. But the driveway wasn’t terrible. Nice Palo Verde and Agave with some Ocotillo. The adobe walls are a bit much, but hey, lets take a look.

OK, the landscaping isn’t that interesting and I’m not sure how a whole bunch of lawn is water wise, but look at that brick and those windows. Certainly the first interesting house I’ve seen.

This was the first landscape that was actually comfortable to walk around in. A number of mature Sycamore trees and Wisteria gave ample shade to help reduce the temperature. I kind of loved the architecture of the place – the textured crumbly brick and the big windows and doors, even that crazy terracotta tile patio. This style home is usually not my cup of tea, but it was the first home in Hemet in a long time that I could actually see myself fixing up and enjoying.

I spoke to some of the guides and they said it was the original farmers house that overlooked a huge grapefruit orchard spread below in the valley. I guess it’s one of the earlier homes built in Hemet (when there was still a lot of farms).

The orchard is long gone, but some of the original architectural details remain. The decorative choices (like all those suns) are a little Santa Fe cheese-ball, but I think with a quick edit and some small adjustments it could be an incredible cottage type rustic rambler.

While I was there I just sort of wanted to sit and hang out. The exterior was actually really welcoming instead that sort of forced faux-welcoming overwrought thing that can happen.

I like the flagstone and the oversize windows. This place had a lot of charm and so much potential.

This pencil cactus was as old as I am. I’m kind of in love with pencil cactus right now.

Last one. I knew it might be a mess when I saw the words “small” and “mobile home” in the tour literature.

It did not disappoint, or it did disappoint. I don’t know, pick one.

I wish they could have picked a better marker than those stupid pinwheels. Look at all that space on your sign, USE BIGGER TYPE and less clip art. I am driving by with your crappy map and I can barely see your poorly designed signs (these were also the street signs leading the way and impossible to see).

I walked in the back yard and saw sad dusty plants with hoses thrown everywhere, PVC piping over empty cinder block beds and then just sort of died on the inside. People are coming for a tour! Put away your hoses.

Why did I drive over here.

Ah yes. A dry riverbed.

I am not into the dry riverbed landscape motif. I just don’t get it, it always looks silly to me. You are in an urban environment crowded by other homes, not nestled next to a forest or open landscape with an actual creek. Your fake riverbed does not fool me, it goes nowhere and does nothing. It is weird and forced and awkward.

OK.

I’m done crapping on my town and neighbors very noble attempts to showcase water wise landscaping solutions to inspire folks to tear up their lawns and use drought tolerant desert friendly plants. I think its a great idea, I just think the execution was lacking. I’m acutely aware that I’m a snob and a jerk, but I really wanted to be inspired and learn about some new plants or at least check out some innovative ideas while spending a large chunk of my Saturday in the searing heat. The whole tour just wasn’t very visitor oriented. I usually walked around lost and the volunteers ran out of all the plant lists and paperwork so no one knew anything or could answer questions. I applaud people for trying to beautify their homes and inspire others since so many exteriors in this town are in such terrible shape (including my own landscaping – trust me – I know), but come on, all of these were “professional” landscapers homes. Really?? I feel pretty underwhelmed…

I did get one good thing out of it, besides the thrill of real estate voyeurism. Whenever I need to turn that frown upside down, I’ll just remember the elegance of CAT BJ.

Palm Springs Stalking

Tuesday, October 5th, 2010

The past few days have been jam-packed. Work work, friends, work, thunderstorms, work…ugh. I’m exhausted.

I met up with Bianca and friends at their campsite in Joshua Tree to check out this music thing at Pappy and Harriet’s and celebrate Bee’s birthday. It was awesomely fun even though felt totally out of place at the Manimal event.

In the morning I headed back out to Palm Springs to meet with a new client about a very cool house – which I can’t wait to show you guys – it rained off and on, was 100 + degrees and like 100 percent humidity so things were a sticky mess. While I was leaving and getting ready to meet up with Bee and the crew I took some inspiration photos of exteriors around town. Driving around slowly and shooting out my car window always makes me feel like a super creep.

I love this entrance. I bet you guys have seen it before – looks like one of the agaves bit the dust.

I actually got out of my car for this one. Sothebys was having an open house and I desperately wanted to go in and check it out. I felt a little weird since NO ONE was around and then got a text to head out and meet the kids at The Ace.

Stormy all day. By stormy I mean really sunny with sudden torrential downpours. It was frustrating weather.

I was needing some inspiration for a fire pit set up I’m thinking about and saw this fresh addition at The Ace. Love the shallow pan with the tri-legged stand.

Here is the surrounding rock circle and pool with a lush lawn that was not for walking on.

After doing a quick walk-a-bout around the hotel property we headed out for some shopping. I bought nothing but did see…

A DOUBLE RAINBOW!

Which led back to The Ace where I got something really cool.

After months of waiting I finally got a terrarium! The last time Bianca came out we found this weird plastic container thing the said “Morgan” on the bottom which she promised to make into a terrarium and give back to me. I love it, it has a nude couple on a lounger and an air plant. It’s perfect!

Here is me receiving my gift as shot by Bee’s long time lover – Eric. Does it gross you out when I say lover? It grosses me out. Now that is how I am referring to all significant others for extra awkwardness. Oh, and because I’m on my completely weird incognito fetish kick, Biancer decided to block out my identity with hearts. That’ll do B. That’ll do.

Bianca has an etsy shop Terri Planty were she sells her planted creations and a blog about the process of making them. I need to find a spot for my new baby.