Florence Day 2.5: Duomo

• Something I wish I had an image of that I loved immensely but sadly could not bring out my camera to sneak a photograph. Clearly one of my favorite Florence locations. Oh the ego to be buried in a place like this!

• I also spent a whole lot of time here (another unable to photograph locale) where Galileo was denounced after declaring the earth was round.

• Fortunately I was able to photograph the Duomo. I waited in this line listening to a vapid high school conversation (oh for my i-pod) for over an hour.



The stairs were torturous due to the fact that it was claustrophobic and hot as hell especially when some people got off track and ended up going down the same way they came up. We ascended in between the interior and exterior dome for what seemed like 30 minutes (this image is close to the top):



Once exiting the stairs (clearly not handicapped accessible), the breeze and view were marvelous. Holding on with the death grip looking down toward the Baptistry:



Two views from the top of: Santa Croce and north toward the Academy respectively:





Trying for a crowdless photograph of the exterior of the Duomo after exiting (one of my favorite buildings in Europe):



The obligatory Baptistry Door photograph which was indeed beautiful:

More Swimming Pools from Arch Daily

"Every single..." swimming pool began earlier this summer from all the pools posted on ArchDaily. Here are all the ones since 1st June 2011.


(Coolest name ever for a house: House of the Flight of the Birds), Portugal, 1 June


Calvia, Spain, 1 June


Barcelona, 2 June


Moab, Utah, 3 June


East Hampton, 3rd June


East Hampton #2 (because I couldn't decide between the two), 3 June


Istanbul, 10 June


Poland, 15 June


Portugal, 16th June


Morocco, 16 June


Bangkok, 23 June


Piemonte, Italy, 2 July


Long Island, NY, 11 July

What I've gathered from all of this is that Spain and Portugal have a lot of private swimming pools worthy of trespassing! I think I will go with House of the Flight of the Birds as the winner though I would have taken pains to remove the hose from the pool for a major architectural photoshoot. East Hampton is a close second.

Swimming Pools on My Mind

This has to be one of the most glorious swimming pools in Venice Beach, California.



From 9th June ArchDaily

Breakfast at the Madonna Inn, San Luis Obispo

The definition of "over the top" applies to the Madonna Inn where the Highland Family and I went out for breakfast yesterday. This is my second visit. The first time I wandered into the infamous men's bathroom and purchased many postcards. Room 137 - The Caveman Room (image from their website - check out all the themed rooms) is a great example of what is behind these doors.



Large rocks and pink are key features. The fireplace resembles a smaller version of Grove Park Inn.



From the outside, the chimneys look like they weigh 4 tons.



Everything is so well constructed and straight out of 1950s Disneyland. This is where all the themed rooms can be found:



The entryway near the banquet hall:



Heavy breakfast goblets with Allegra's sippy cup.



The desserts are amazing and equally fitting to their surroundings. Oh to buy this and push my hand through it.

Swimming Pools from ArchDaily

I have been following the ArchDaily blog for a year or two though I usually whip through most of the entries because I'm looking for houses with swimming pools & I'm not interested in architectural renderings or plans. Since April, I've collected every pool shown on the blog. Yes, this is the ideal paradise but we take what we can get with the inflatable version on a art professor's salary.


16 April 2011 Entry, Minas Gerais, Brazil


19 April 2011 Entry, Castellon, Spain (reminding me a little of the pool in this film)


26 April Entry, Spain


30 April 2011 Entry, Germany


3 May 2011 Entry, Paradise City, Arizona


4 May 2011 Entry, Scottsdale, Arizona


5 May 2011 Entry, Israel


9 May 2011 Entry, Desert Hot Springs, CA


23 May 2011 Entry, Victoria, Australia


25 May 2011 Entry, Paradise Valley, Arizona


26 May 2011 Entry, Thailand

Things I Have Fallen in Love With Lately....

The Container Guest House: in San Antonio:





My quest for furniture continues with finding things I can't afford or need like this Junktion chair:




This photo essay from the New Yorker about the road trip. Click on the link it will make you wish for summer NOW. From the website: “This image is from a month-long backpacking trip I did in Argentina four years ago,” Golfer told me. “While driving through the winding roads of the northern desert province of Salta with my friend Mark, we came across a pair of wild horses. One galloped away immediately, but the other one lingered in the middle of the road, staring at us. I leaned out the window with the closest camera I could find, a toy point-and-shoot, and took this picture.”


Adam Golfer, Wild Horse (Salta), Argentina, 2007

Falling Water

I've been dreaming of Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water recently. I can't pinpoint why other than wondering what it would look like in the spring instead of early fall (it was October when I last saw it in 2008). This 60º weather makes summer look like it's just around the corner. I need another verb for 2011. I spent last year "floating" objects and the previous year "burying" them. What's it going to be this year? I'm thinking....


Falling Water from the parking lot, October 2008


Guest house swimming pool, Falling Water, October 2008

Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC

My first thought was "Disneyland" but quickly changed my mind once inside the Grove Park Inn (instead the Timberline Lodge - hello The Shining - on top of Mt. Hood was its replacement). I think I may have changed my mind again when I remembered it is home to the National Gingerbread House Competition. Here's a miniature of the building located in the Atrium. It's most recent famous guest who signed a basketball in the lobby? Barack Obama.



View of the inn through the rainy window.



Man in the largest fireplace ever. I could have walked right into this without bending over. Ogre's Castle was the next comparison.



Unfortunately, the pool of the entire trip was accessible only to the Spa paying members at the inn. Grotto? The Cave Man Room at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo? I wish this photo was mine but alas, it's from their website.



Morbid geographical fact learned today: We were within .25 miles of the institution where Zelda Fitzgerald burned to death.