LOVE... This Book

The cover I judged, bought and loved.

Ok. I confess. I was wandering Barnes & Noble when I stumbled upon the virbantly decorated cover of Ron Currie Jr.'s novel Everything Matters! and at first I thought I'd missed the memo that Jonthan Safron Foer had published a fourth book--as it unquestionably resembles both Everything is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. (If you don't know what I am talking about- get to a bookstore or do whatever you do with that Kindle thing and read them!) And while the novel wasn't what I thought- it ended up being better. Everything Matters! is hands down one of the best, most heartbreaking, original and unforgettable novels I have ever read.

We meet the story's protragonist in Utero where the zygote who will soon join the world as John "Junior" Theibodeau is told by an omniscient voice that a comet will hit the Earth and destroy it when he is 36, but also that it is very important that he lives and decides what matters. What follows is Junior's life up to that inevitable end. And while this premise is entirely dark, the novel isn't. Despite Junior's lapses with what he calls soul-dread and the burdensome truths the Voice imparts upon him throughout his life, she joins him, chiming in with impartial information and advice, the novel thoughtfully explores the human condition with humor, keen observation and a lot of compassion. Not a bad way to explore the interminable question that is- does anything we do actually matter?

The author Ron Currie Jr. looking unassuming--you'd never suspect his literary arsenal

A more recent cover that is also swell.

Like... Platform 5 Architects

A rendering of Infobox, a marketing suite in Liverpool- how cool.

Patrick Mitchell and Peter Allen are the duo behind the truly impressive architecture firm, Platform 5 Architects and although they reside across the pond, I love them so and cross my fingers daily that they’ll land some amazing project stateside—perhaps my future summer home?

Founded in 2006, Platform 5 has rapidly garnered accolades from design publications and quickly added some impressive projects to their growing portfolio. What I like about Mitchell and Allen’s designs are their ability to retain a definite overall aesthetic without becoming cookie-cutter versions of one another. Clean lines, minimal embellishments and elegant concepts are displayed in every project, residential and commercial. I certainly can’t wait to see more from these British gents who in my humble opinion are just getting started!

Mapledene Road, a "crack den" turned modern-meets-period home that's winning all kinds of praise including NLA's Don't Move Improve Award,AJ Small Projects Award, the Grand Designs Award 2009 and was shortlisted for the RIBA Award.

 

Meadowview is a modern dream home situated in rural Bedfordshire, and while I am not sure what that means, from the looks of it, it's pretty darn swell.

A rear view of Meadowview...

From the side, note the seriously clever wood partition-style fence! 

LOVE the interior at Meadowview- clean and a bit playful with pink wall!

To see more great design visit http://www.platform5architects.com/

Loathe... Filmmaker Jafar Panahi's Forced Anti-Film

George Bernard Shaw once said “Without art, the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable.” But what happens when a crude reality makes producing the art you live for impossible? For Jafar Panahi the result is a truly courageous anti-film aptly titled “This Is Not A Film.

The 75 minute "film" which premiered last week at Cannes Film Festival chronicles the heartbreaking aftermath of filmmaker Jafar Panahi’s sentencing of six years in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court for “colluding with the intention to commit crimes against the country’s national security and propaganda against the Islamic Republic”--otherwise known as, planning a fictional film based on the controversial 2009 election that resulted with the rather divisive Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Presidency. While Panahi hasn’t seen the inside of a jail cell yet, struggling through appeals—he has been banned for 20 years from making movies, writing screenplays, traveling abroad and giving interviews.

So, it goes without saying that Panahi’s “This Is Not A Film” is not a film. It also goes without saying that if it were a film, there is no reason in the world why it shouldn’t be allowed to be one. Mysteriously sent in a USB stick to France, inside a cake no less, the project is referred to as an "effort" by Panahi and fellow filmmaker-turned-criminal Mohammad Rasoulof and blank screens appear where credits traditionally roll.

Brave and daring, Panahi’s film reveals the crushing realities of oppression and corruption—at one point Panahi’s lawyer breaks the news that jail-time is eminent—but also the triumph of an artist and his life’s work.

Like... Antoine Watteau

I may be a hopeless romantic but for me spring seems to emit romance. Bare trees are suddenly full and green, cold stale air is newly warm and sweet and of course every block is lined with beautiful blooms that certainly beat the heaping piles of snow that seemed to refuse to melt. So, in honor of spring romance I want to share the work of Antoine Watteau, a man who I am convinced was a fantastic boyfriend to his companion whoever they might have been. Painting the scenes of secret picnics hosted in the clearings of French forests, Watteau is credited with starting the genre fetes galantes, which essentially means he depicted theatrical pastoral scenes. Whimsical and idealistic the paintings leave me starry-eyed and wishing I were one of the fabulously dressed ladies invited on a secret picnic with my friends and a few handsome gentlemen. It should also be noted that Vivienne Westwood was equally enamored with Watteau's work and created a breathtaking number in his honor--naming it the "Watteau" dress. It's so fantastic it now resides in The Victoria and Albert Museum. So with that said, enjoy the dewy, hazy renderings of some truly romantic spring outings.