Suburban Pioneer

Seen on the corner of 22nd Street and 10th Avenue

2009-11-25T08:42:00.001-05:00

From Jim Ryan, the man who gave us "The Lowlife Scum"

2009-11-16T08:18:00.004-05:00

I've selected my holiday card for 2009 from Inaluxe

2009-11-06T11:10:00.003-05:00

Inaluxe is the etsy store/blog of Australian artist Kristina Sostarko. She's on a tear, painting, stitching and sketching madly after a brief hiatus. I don't see her work everywhere I turn and to me that's a good thing. Visit her and take a look.

Shopping in Essex: Paul Neily Antiques, Ellen Neily Antiques and Andrew Spindler Antiques

2009-11-06T09:43:00.006-05:00

I had some things to tend to in the Ipswich/Essex area the other day and took the opportunity to visit Andrew Spindler Antiques to see his latest incarnation. As always it was inspirational and dramatically different from a few months ago...how does he do it?

While there I purchased these rustic beeswax candles and Mr. Spindler wrapped them with this op-art vintage paper - at $18, these would make the perfect holiday hostess gift, especially with that paper!

Being that it was a sunny day I thought I'd take a stroll around and see what else was cooking and stumbled upon Paul Neily's little back room in his mother's store, Ellen Neily Antiques. My pictures didn't come out as good as I would've liked them to, but just to give you an idea of what's there:

These little tables are custom painted by Paul Neily. He happened to be in the shop while I was there and we had a lengthy conversation on colors. He's a paint whisperer and all around good guy who has some wonderful little mid century pieces at very reasonable prices.

Below is a coffee table custom painted by Paul Neily.

The more traditional look below, also the work of Mr. Neily.

Ellen Neily, Paul's mother, is as pleasant as her son and her American antiques blend well with her son's mid century collection. I tend to gravitate toward the mid century, which is all well and good but the overall affect is beginning to get a bit too DWR-ish. Ellen Neily Antiques is an interesting place to visit and mix it up a bit.

Paddy Whacked: the world of the Irish gangster

2009-05-18T08:48:00.007-04:00

There's an urban legend in Lawrence that claims Jimmy Cagney modeled some of his 1930s screen characters after Lawrence boxer, Andy Callahan. I haven't been able to verify that, but through the course of my research I discovered this excellent book by T.J. English called Paddy Whacked. Sometimes historical non-fiction reads like a novel: smooth, well-written, almost visual - all of which would describe Paddy Whacked. The book tells the story of link between politics and crime and how the Irish immigrant, shut out of decent society by the ruling gentry, exploited and developed that link like no other group.

While reading the book I came across reference to the Brando movie, On the Waterfront and had no idea that the movie was based on newspaper articles. I rented it yesterday and made the 14 yr olds watch it, I swear that generation doesn't have the ability to sit through older movies. No matter how cliche Brando's coulda-been-a-contender, it's still brilliant.

It must be Irish gangster week because the Globe had an article about the upcoming release of the 1973 Boston crime noir The Friends of Eddie Coyle. We rented it from Amazon and enjoyed this dark portrait of a grubby, thuggish city and the sad, two-bit criminals trying to get by. My husband came to Boston for college in 1974 and remembers the city looking much the same as the movie.

Which leads me to an overlooked novel and an overlooked genre, Lawrence-noir. Author and former local crime reporter Andrew Coburn wrote Goldilocks in 1989 about the Lawrence crime world. This book does for Lawrence what Eddie Coyle did for Boston. Here's a brief review from Publisher's Weekly:

Publishers Weekly

Corruption, betrayal, the Mafia and ties that go back to childhood provide the underpinnings of this gloomy but well-written entry from veteran Coburn ( Off Duty ; The Babysitter ). Louise Baker, child of the slums, has worked her way to the top of a Mafia loan operation, meanwhile having married the mentally unstable scion of an old New England family and established herself in a small, affluent town near her birthplace, Lawrence, Mass. She still keeps in touch with, and helps, friends from her youth, and she calls on one of them, lawyer Barney Cole, to find employment for a young man whom she had briefly taken as a lover but now wants to get rid of. He is Henry Witlo (the Goldilocks of the title), a psychotic Vietnam War veteran who now proceeds to terrorize a recently widowed client of Cole's. This subplot moves in tandem with the main plot, chronicling the downfall of Louise and the network of people who owe her favors. The feds are after her, and when they start putting pressure on her associatesCole, his lawyer mistress, the police captain who kills for herit all ends in death and betrayal, with only Cole standing firm to his principles. ( Jan. )

4 Mulhauser Chairs from Plycraft on ebay

2009-05-13T08:59:00.001-04:00

4 of these available, unheard of!

here's the blurb from ebay:

ITEM DESCRIPTION

set of four matching original walnut veneer, bentwood desk chairs designed by george mulhauser for plycraft. these danish modern chairs date to around 1965. incredibly well-crafted and artistic use of walnut veneered bent wood for the backrest, which evolves seamlessly and beautifully into the spiral arms flanking the original black upholstered seat pad. the black enameled metal column base contains applied bent wood which splays into 4 legs. the 20th Century provided us with a great range of modern new furniture designs created by innovative and forward thinking designers like mulhauser, nelson, etc. the chairs were manufactured by plycraft inc., located in lawrence, ma. original manufacturer tag found on the bottom side of the chair. these chairs were removed from an old upper wisconsin roadside motel undergoing demolition. priced for the set of four. measure 27 x 22.5 x 24 inches. Inventory number: UR-2820-09

urbanremainschicago.com

Cherner Chair in Paul Rudd's movie Role Models

2009-05-10T20:17:00.003-04:00

Role Models reviews and trailers don't do it justice, I just rented it this weekend and loved it. The world of LAIRE, Minotaur, Paul Rudd and these chairs made for a wonderful viewing experience.

TokyoTalk: The Mansierre or the 'bro...Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T16:19:00.007-04:00

"One customer said when he wears a bra he feels he can 'reset' his feelings. If something bad happens he puts on a bra and feels he can come back and fight another day," he continued.

From today's Japan Times, I had no idea that brassieres, or binders as they called them in The Trouble with Angels, provided a calming effect. I think I'm going to put two on today and see if I'm sedated. In the meantime, if you can slog through the video below you'll see the Catholic girls searching for the right binder, probably to calm their nerves. This article is courtesy of my husband, who's somewhere in Japan right now, wearing a govt. mandated "personal mask." By the way, I never knew Gypsy Rose Lee had a cameo in the movie, she's the purple-bedecked dance instructor.

2009-05-08T19:00:00.002-04:00

Gael Garcia Bernal, one half of the incredible duo from Y tu mama tambien is outstanding in this parody, which is pretty darned good, of Cheap Trick's I Want You To Want Me. I can't wait to see the new movie, Rudo y Cursi, just for this Cheap Trick rendition.

Norma Kamali, redux

2009-05-07T07:38:00.003-04:00

I graduated from college in 1981 and started working in what would become a string of motley jobs over the next three years. I never had any money and would go to whatever restaurant I fancied on payday, and then subsist on a diet of Planter's peanut blocks and random birthday (other people's) treats. It wasn't a healthy diet, but I was young.

I coveted this skirt but couldn't scrape up the money to buy one, so I decided to make one myself. I had my mother's 1939 Singer sewing machine, bought a pattern and black sweatshirt material and went to work. I hadn't been in front of a sewing machine since HomeEc in junior high (where, and I am not making this up, my teacher's name was Mrs. Housekeeper) and even then I wasn't very good. I made my skirt and in the dark, dank bars and clubs in NYC, no one knew or cared that I was wearing a homemade Kamali.

Some of Norma's wares are now available at Wal-Mart, although for me, along with peanut blocks and bounced checks, the time has past. Enjoy Norma Kamali in today's NYT

Paris fashion show, Spring 2009 from the BeadSnob

2009-05-03T16:32:00.007-04:00

I posted recently about local artist Peter Giannini's gorgeous, crazy vintage button/bead necklaces and came across this hot little blog the other day, The Bead Snob. BS is a bead afficianado from the Philipines who follows the latest in beadworks and has posted some beautiful shots from the Paris runways of models wearing expensive bead bibs. Peter has put together some similar necklaces, but of course, not as expensive. First three pictures are courtesey of bead snob's blog:

Next three shots are Peter's, photographed by a non professional with a point and shoot:

The bottom three are available at Brissonte, 181 Canal Street, Lawrence, MA

Hidden Treasures of Lawrence: The Polish bakery

2009-05-03T08:40:00.013-04:00

When Charlie and I and some of the other guys were coming home from one of the Central Catholic High School basketball games, we would all stop at the Polish bakery on Exchange street. The bread would just be coming out of the oven at that time. We would all get a loaf of bread or a half dozen bulkie rolls. Can you imagine being a kid and just eating a whole loaf of Polish light rye as a treat? It seems funny now. But it was no joke. That bread was so good! It was better than an eclair, or a jelly donut. They had jelly donuts right there, too, but nobody ever got one. Everybody would be walking home on those cold winter nights digging our mitts into the warm doughy, stuffing of a loaf of Polish rye.

excerpt from A Summer with Charlie by Richard Edward Noble...story takes place in Lawrence, 1961

Dear readers, I give you the Sunkist (Polish) Bakery, 93 Exchange Street, Lawrence, MA...open only on Friday afternoons, 2:00 - 4:00pm.

I can't believe it, but the Polish bakery often written about in Lawrence literature still exists and is still in business, Friday's from 2-4pm you can pick up a loaf of good Polish rye bread. I first read about this bakery in the writings of Lawrencian Richard Noble and he insisted the bakery was operational. I drove by (three times, there's no bakery sign outside) this past Friday and saw a sign on the door, Open 2:00 - 4:00, and headed over later that day. I got so excited by the interior of this place I forgot to take any pictures of the bread, but it's good and I'm still eating it.

The Polish baker, at work

The beast, the yeast

I want that fan

I was there around 3pm and the ovens were still hot

The Brave New World Lamp from Moooi

2009-04-30T08:12:00.006-04:00

Today's NYT had some new products from the Milan Furniture Fair and this lamp by Moooi caught my eye...it even caught Fang's eye:
The description of the lamp at Moooi's website is as follows:

The Brave New World Lamp started as a concept piece of random thought-initiated construction. Following the example of old Far Eastern bamboo scaffolding the Brave New World Lamp was developed without a design or plan in place however each piece of wood is carefully notched and pegged together to form an integral part of the overall mechanical structure. The limitations of using small pieces of wood to create a large form allowed the design process to be as responsive as possible. Much like a sculptures’ relationship to their material.

Ah, hello, this isn't random, this is trebuchet-inspired. For over $3000 you get a trebuchet kit, albeit a very nice one in oak with custom designed counter weights.

One thing Fang and I know about are trebuchets. We had an abundance of trebuchets when the kids were little and we used our largest trebuchet to lob water balloons at Boy in the backyard.

Here's our little tabletop model:

We were well equipped when school science fairs rolled around.

Medieval Siege Engine or a Trebuchet:

Alleged "randomly" inspired Moooi designer lamp - you be the judge

New video on the MIT@Lawrence Story Project

2009-04-29T16:05:00.003-04:00

This is so interesting. Lawrence and MIT were founded around the same time and have had a relationship over the years...an evolving relationship. The Lawrence Experiment Station, now known as the William X. Wall Experiment Station, was truly cutting edge when it was built in 1887 with the guidance of worldclass Sanitary Engineers from MIT. The city of Lawrence was the high tech capital after the Civil War. Lawrence High School has sent students to MIT for many years.

Captivated by an alien abduction tale - The Boston Globe

2009-04-24T09:12:00.002-04:00

Here's a fun family activity for the afternoon:

Captivated by an alien abduction tale - The Boston Globe

Posted using ShareThis

A visit to NYC and the New York Arm Wrestling Championship

2009-04-22T09:19:00.011-04:00

I took the kids to NYC for a long weekend. Teenager looked at a few colleges, Young Teenager went to some parties with camp friends and Boy was stuck with me. Boy refused to go to junk stores or flea markets or shoe shops or museums and didn't want to randomly walk the city streets (another favorite of mine) so I had to find something that we could do together. The Auto Show was going on at the Javits Center and as a plus, in the basement they had an Arm Wrestling competition. I want you to know that I tussled with major professional photographers to get these pictures - ESPN, The Daily News, Hunter College. There was drama when the Georgian (country, not the state, this event had an international flavor) grappler was disqualified for moving (?) and his coach had a fit.
I believe this is Gene Camp receiving a lifetime achievement award for building this event over the past 30 plus years.

The dude with the glasses looked like Elvis Costello, not your typical grappler

Rosin? Sweaty palms are a problem, and will often lead to being strapped onto your opponent

Meet Ron Klemba, one of the top grapplers in his weight class. Ron's the dude with the ponytail and I believe he hails from Connecticut. Ron looks like people I went to high school with...he was fierce.

I didn't get this fella's name but he's an actor and has been on OZ.

Great way to spend a few hours with your son. We then took a stroll across 42 Street...what the hell happened? I know it was a hellhole 30 years ago, what with all that urine smell and XXX movie theaters, but I think I liked it better then. I avoided it like the plague, but when you happened upon the Times Square area you knew you weren't in Kansas anymore. I hate it now. Where's Ratso Rizzo? Travis Bickle?

Good News in the Globe today on the Micky Ward movie

2009-04-22T09:05:00.002-04:00

Today's Globe has an article today stating there's a green light on the Micky Ward movie and that Christian Bale will be playing Eklund to Wahlberg's Ward. Love this picture.

Hot New Necklaces, available exclusively at Brissonte, Lawrence

2009-04-16T17:20:00.014-04:00

Today I visited my good friend, Colleen Perry at Lawrence's exciting gift shop Brissonte, 181 Canal Street and Peter Giannini was in there displaying his new necklaces. Every necklace is different, many use antique buttons and gorgeous pieces of bakelite, and each one has a name. I have been so inspired by these necklaces that I have commissioned one of my own, using some key fobs and charms from Ebay. More on that later, as it's not done yet. Peter's niece, former Lawrence gal/model Cynthia Evers was visiting her uncle and we decided to take advantage of her good looks and post some snaps of her wearing said necklaces.

The mannequins above don't do the necklaces justice, take a look at them on Cynthia:

The artist with his muse and niece, Cynthia Evers,

They come in bracelets, too:

I couldn't resist this picture: Cynthia visited the same tattoo artist as local rock star, Sully Erna, totally unrelated, but isn't it awesome:

Model Cynthia Evers, Colleen Perry of Brissonte and artist Peter Giannini. Peter design work is beautiful, Cynthia made me look like a decent photographer (honestly, I couldn't take a bad picture of her, and that says a lot) and Colleen's store is a little bit of heaven. There's always something new happening at Brissonte.

Riverside Garden...Bucket o' Blood?

2009-04-14T10:07:00.002-04:00

Is this the old Bucket of Blood I've heard so much about? If you look in the left hand side of this picture there's the Riverside Gardens, I believe this is where many a boxing match took place.

I could adopt Zaishus the way Madonna adopts babies

2009-04-06T12:28:00.005-04:00

Zaishus are addicting, once you get one you can envision your entire house tricked out in multiple Zaishu. Don't bother buying art for the wall, buy a Zaishu. For more of these pictures, check out this Zaishu link. Not only are you getting eco/multi-use funiture but you are helping fund charitable works around the globe. Visit the home website for the complete story.

Field Trip: Andrew Spindler's Antiques in Essex MA

2009-03-29T09:23:00.017-04:00

There's a shop in Essex right down the street from Woodman's that I love to visit a few times a year to see what's on display. The pictures here are taken from Andrew Spindler Antiques, the smaller images are from the sold archive and the larger images are available for purchase. I'm not in Spindler's price range but going in to his shop is like walking into a temple of fine design. He manages to mix all types of pieces from all different eras and the result is so pleasing to my eyes. He gets pieces of furniture that look familiar but have some sort of twist that differentiates them from the pack. Very close to a religious experience, visiting this shop. Spindler was profiled in a 2003 Boston Globe article by Jenny Attiyeh and had this to say about his vision:

Spindler, proprietor of Andrew Spindler Antiques in Essex, is also an overseer and patron of the Museum of Fine Arts and a member of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities Council. Erudite, cautious, somewhat professorial, Spindler, 39, is a largely self-taught art historian with a growing following of collectors and designers who admire his unusual sensibilities.

"I'm not some kind of Miss Havisham stuck in the past, who's only interested in the old," he says, laughing. "I'm interested in design, period. I'm the first to be drawn to a beautiful label on a supermarket shelf, or a bottle of wine, or hardware, or bathroom fixtures, or headlights on a car."

Spindler favors what he calls "crusty" and "gutsy" objects that can transcend the time in which they were made, objects that cross boundaries both esthetically and visually. Abhorring ostentation, anything overly ornate, he prefers robust, honest objects that reflect their true function

I always come away learning about something new (to me) that I find exciting. Below is a plate designed by Eric Ravilious for Wedgwood from the mid century:

I put Spindler in the category of a curator and he has put together an amazing museum (a museum where you can buy things...who doesn't like that!). Read about him on his website.

This last trip I learned about Folly Cove Designs, a guild of designers from the Gloucester/Cape Ann area who were active from 1941 through 1969. They designed beautiful hand crafted fabrics that were used in clothing and home decor. The designs were printed onto fabrics and papers using hand carved linoleum blocks and (sometimes) an Acorn Press. My next field trip will be to the Cape Ann Museum where they have some of these items on display. Spindler carries some framed pieces for sale.

Idolos del Extrarradio - kinda retro, kinda new

2009-03-28T13:03:00.003-04:00

Visit them on their myspace page, Idolos Del Extrarradio.

I can't speak a word of Spanish, but I dig the lead singer's penchant for displaying his tattooed bone rack. He looks like he exists on a diet of smokes, contraband, sugary soft drinks and assorted bar garnishes.

Latin New Wave...I can't get enough

2009-03-27T08:33:00.002-04:00

Unfortunately, I don't speak a word of Spanish, but check out this blog where I found this song: Colunmnabeat

What did I do before YouTube? Nuevo Ola Portoricensis

2009-03-23T20:58:00.005-04:00

I just discovered, thanks to YouTube, Lucecita Benitez and this Puerto Rican Pop compilation is the only online place I could find her version of Dusty Springfield's I Only Want To Be With You...but listen to the other covers, this is fabulous!

Female Wrestling in the Merrimack Valley

2009-03-14T22:55:00.005-04:00

I'm hoping someone might know if this is Massachusetts wrestler Betty Boucher? Does anyone out there know for sure?

I think the suit would put this picture somewhere in the early 1950s and I think Betty might've been later than that...anyone know?

Good News/Bad News about Lawrence in the Natl. Press

2009-03-08T08:45:00.007-04:00

The Press Giveth and the Press Taketh Away:

Upbeat article in the Boston Globe this past Thursday about the Union Crossing Project down in the Canal Street area...it's still happening, still receiving funding and it will help Lawrence for years to come.

From Thursday's article:

As if to defy the recession, a nonprofit development corporation is pressing ahead with its multimillion-dollar project to transform two of Lawrence's old textile mills into a mixed-use development that includes affordable housing.

it follows:

The $70 million development holds much promise for Lawrence's future as the city rebuilds, officials say.

"It's a critical project from an economic development standpoint, as well as a community development project," said Lawrence's chief economic development director, Tom Schiavone. "Lawrence is going through a really unique renaissance."

Yesterday's Wall Street Journal had the usual-we-need-a-down-on-its-heels-place for an even scarier than usual article on unemployment...let's go to Lawrence. I'm not saying it isn't true and I'm not saying it isn't very bad, but why does it always have to be Lawrence?

here's a bit of the article:

MARCH 7, 2009
Rate Passes 13% in Lawrence, Mass. -- and It's a Painful Sight
By KELLY EVANS

LAWRENCE, Mass. -- The people seeking help at this mill-turned-jobs-center offer a glimpse into the world of double-digit unemployment.

Neal Trubowitz, 59 years old, has a Ph.D. in anthropology but no job. Angel Berrios, 29, was a debt collector of student loans -- until he got laid off in October. Samuel Maisonet, 43, is a carpenter struggling to pay his mortgage and support four children.

The U.S. recession has spread its pain to all ages, races, regions and job sectors. In February, the national unemployment rate hit 8.1% and is predicted to hit 10% this year or next.

This fading industrial city, located about 25 miles northwest of Boston, has already crossed the 10% threshold, and unemployment now tops 13%. The town's potholed roads, its homes with foreclosure notices fluttering from porches and the abandoned storefronts downtown, all illustrate the grim numbers.

"The downturn came quickly and took most of us by surprise," said Tom Schiavone, the city's economic development director.

Not so long ago, Lawrence was experiencing what he and other locals described as a renaissance as the economy boomed: a new $110 million high school, three new grade schools and a renovated city hall.

Sal Lupoli, a pizza restaurateur-turned-developer from New Hampshire, purchased and refurbished several abandoned and decrepit mills along the Merrimack River, leasing out nearly 1.4 million square feet of space to some 200 companies employing 2,000 workers.

But Lawrence also got swept up in the housing boom. A concentration of immigrants and a high proportion of renters made the city a target for predatory lenders. "The opportunity to refinance and take cash out or use these properties for investment created hysteria and led to a lot of abuse," said Juan Bonilla, director of homeownership education at Lawrence Community Works.

Foreclosures began in 2005, he said, in a growing wave that has led to scores of vacant properties that invite vandalism and further erode property values.

Mr. Bonilla now worries rising unemployment will compound the problem. "We can't afford to lose any more homeowners here," he said.

Residents like Mr. Maisonet are trying to hold on. The Puerto Rican carpenter had earned a steady income at $30 an hour until the housing boom went bust. Mr. Maisonet bought a timeshare in Orlando for $38,000 and a duplex in the city for $290,000. A year and a half ago, his wife lost her job at a gas station.

In November, Mr. Maisonet lost his job and now collects unemployment of about $2,000 a month, roughly the same amount he pays on the mortgage of his home, now worth about half of what he paid. His savings, once $14,000, have dwindled to about $1,800.

Last week, increasingly sharp stomach pains sent Mr. Maisonet to the hospital emergency room, where he found out he has diverticulitis, a disease of the colon. The doctors told him he needs surgery, but he no longer has health insurance.

Such circumstances brought him to the ValleyWorks Career Center on Thursday. "The doctors tell me to relax, try not to worry. How can I do that?" he said.

The nation's woes are magnified here. Nearly three-quarters of the population is Latino, a group whose unemployment rate nationwide jumped to 10.9% last month. Whites, by comparison, have an unemployment rate of 7.3%.

Lawrence also has a young and undereducated population, affected disproportionately by the 21.6% unemployment rate among teenagers. Nationwide, the jobless rate for those with a bachelor's degree or higher is 4.1%, while those with less than a high-school diploma face 12.6% unemployment.

"Everybody here hopes the stimulus bill will put people back to work," said VCC director Arthur Chilingirian. "We've had layoffs in the past, but now companies are just totally closing their doors."

Another resident, Frederick Aquino, 29, is considering a career switch. Mr. Aquino lost his job as a delivery driver five days before Christmas. He's looking to find a one-year training program to get into the medical field, maybe as an X-ray technician. "I'm doing it for the job security; hospitals are less likely to lay people off," he said. Indeed, health care has been the only sector, besides the government and education, currently adding jobs.

Yet those in the health-care industry say they're already saturated with résumés. Joan Stygles Hull, president and chief executive of Home Health Foundation, which provides hospice care, has 750 employees and is still hiring. But increasingly, she said, even "a nurse with two years' experience isn't working right away."

Write to Kelly Evans at kelly.evans@wsj.com

Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page A2

George C. Mulhauser, designer extraordinaire

2009-03-02T11:06:00.015-05:00

George C. Mulhauser

I have always seen the Mulhauser name attached to some Plycraft pieces and didn't know anything (due to poor research on my part) about George Mulhauser...indeed he was a very talented designer who loved making people's lives better through design. His son, Paul, wrote a lovely tribute in this Pratt alum magazine:

To his credit George never assumed the ‘Mr. Chair’ name. His satisfaction was in the work rather than the pursuit of personal recognition. His thrill came from every next creation. His work ethic was contagious... for his work was his play... the two becoming intertwined and synonymous. Working out of his home, this infectious ethic was inevitably influencial, as it was assimilated by a next generation of entraprenurial siblings. All of whom would enter creative fields.

Also, I found this regarding Mulhauser's coconut chair on a bio of George Nelson:

George Nelson realized early on that successful people always get help from the best in their field. George Nelson Associates, Inc. had a lot of design talent during it's glory days. Designers who worked for the office included Irving Harper (more about this genius below), George Mulhauser (very much believed to be the designer of the Coconut Chair), Robert Brownjohn (worked to create movie sets including James Bond's Goldfinger), Gordon Chadwick, Bill Renwick, Suzanne Sekey, Ernest Farmer, Tobias O'Mara, George Tscherney (responsible for Herman Miller advertisements), Lance Wyman, John Pile.

Mulhauser's coconut chair

I found these while searching for Mulhauser online:

I love this crazy rocker! Has anyone ever seen the likes of this chair before?

Look at the similarities between the curlicue-design above by Mulhauser and the chair below, currently listed on Ebay:

2009-02-27T07:36:00.004-05:00

Above photo is from NYC based store/online vendor Tiny Living, purveyors of useful things for small spaces. For our future, smaller living spaces.
Author and Urban Studies guru Richard Florida was on NPR recently, discussing his latest article in the Atlantic Monthly on how this recession will alter our national landscape and how we live. According to Florida, we will have mega-regions, with hub cities that "metabolize" ideas and energy that can be turned into money-making ventures.

Suburbanization—and the sprawling growth it propelled—made sense for a time. The cities of the early and mid-20th century were dirty, sooty, smelly, and crowded, and commuting from the first, close-in suburbs was fast and easy. And as manufacturing became more technologically stable and product lines matured during the postwar boom, suburban growth dovetailed nicely with the pattern of industrial growth.

And further to the point:

But that was then; the economy is different now. It no longer revolves around simply making and moving things. Instead, it depends on generating and transporting ideas. The places that thrive today are those with the highest velocity of ideas, the highest density of talented and creative people, the highest rate of metabolism. Velocity and density are not words that many people use when describing the suburbs. The economy is driven by key urban areas; a different geography is required.

NPR discusses, in response to Florida's visit, discusses the future of renting vs. owning a home. Here's Florida on home ownership:

"Renting may make sense not just for people who can't afford to buy a house, but for people whose careers require flexibility — and for an economy that's built on our flexibility, single family-owned housing may be a bit inflexible," he says.

I know a lot of professionals who are now commuting great distances because they can't sell their houses...and they're the lucky ones who managed to find new jobs after being laid off. Owning a home certainly has advantages, but it's also an albatross and at times, a hindrance.

Bargain Bonanza at Manchester's Fabric Fix

2009-02-26T08:11:00.006-05:00

Right before I dropped my camera, I visited a little store in Manchester, NH called the Fabric Fix and took some pictures of their offerings. Got my new camera last night and loaded the memory chip and here they are.

In addition to the bolts of fabric in the front room, they have boxes of these ... not really sure if they're ribbons, the ladies there (who were very funny) said they believe they're spools of labels that manufacturers printed designs on...whatever they are, they're dirt cheap and inspire crafty-creations.

This is the last Mickey Rourke post, I promise

2009-02-23T22:20:00.002-05:00

Mickey Rourke vs. Darrell Miller, Tokyo, Japan, June 23, 1992...he won

I can't believe I didn't check the bible of boxing records, BoxRec on Mickey Rourke today, but they have quite a bio on Mickey's boxing career. What's with Mickey's nasty stepfather? Couldn't say a nice word about the kid or the man...no wonder Mickey's best friend is/was a dog. His ring name was El Marielito.

Mickey wrote and starred in a movie about a boxer in 1988, Homeboy:

...speaking of Eric Robert...

2009-02-23T16:16:00.001-05:00

Mickey Rourke, in his many recent acceptance speeches for awards other than the Oscar, has called Hollywood to task for not taking advantage of the many talents of fellow banished crazy-man Eric Roberts.

My favorite Eric Roberts character was from a movie based on a James Lee Burke novel, featuring Burke's detective Dave Robicheaux. The movie was called Heaven's Prisoner and Eric played a local crime boss called Bubba Rocque. This is the only clip I could find, and you'll have to watch carefully as Robert's is only in it briefly...he's the dude with all the cornrows.

I saw this in the theater when it first came out, and years later I remember seeing it on one of those funny "movie" shows where the hosts cook dinner and talk about the movie. This one guy summed it up nicely when he said "you can just picture Eric Roberts locking himself in a shed for days on end till he got that voice down." So true, so true.

Dorothy, you are my queen...(Star 80)

I'm not ashamed to say it, I love Mickey Rourke

2009-02-23T13:46:00.006-05:00

Always have...ever since I saw Body Heat and he stole the movie as the con/pyromaniac.

And who can forget Mickey as Hank Chinaski in Barfly:

Don't love all the plastic surgery, but I can deal.

Read this blog/article on Mickey's preparation for his role in the Wrestler: Mas o Menos

Mickey last night at the Oscars...crazy kool

Check out his acceptance speech earlier this month at the Spirit Awards - the alleged reason he didn't get the Oscar:

I didn't know Mickey played Marv in Sin City!

Golden Gloves in today's Boston Globe

2009-02-22T11:10:00.001-05:00

To all of you who have never been to a fight before, go at least once to an amateur boxing event such as the Golden Gloves in Lowell. We are so lucky to have this in our backyard.

Some older Rocky Club announcements

2009-02-20T11:51:00.006-05:00

Giuseppe who posted on January, 2009, here are some clippings for you on the Rocky Club, just some club announcements I thought you might enjoy. I will go through my folders and see what else I can turn up. The Tribune is not searchable online, so you're at the mercy of what other people have collected and the random chance of finding it on microfilm.

I will, next time I'm at the library, look for the August 1968 article from the Tribune on the Rocky club, I'd love to see an unobstructed picture of the first clipping.

These early clippings are courtesy of the Lawrence History Center, formerly known as The Immigrant Archives on Essex Street in Lawrence.

For those readers who may want to experience a bit of old Lawrence, check out the Rocky Club which is over on Trinity Place. This is not the original Rocky Club which was torn down for urban renewal, but the new Rocky Club.

In honor of the Lowell Golden Gloves...

2009-02-18T08:20:00.008-05:00

The above picture is by Scott Dalton in this month's National Geographic: Boxing keeps boys busy in coastal Colombia-and success in the sport can offer a way out of poverty for a lucky few.

The below are from the 1948 Golden Gloves, scratchy old pictures from the Lowell Sun, which in their original form were masterpieces. Sorry for the poor quality.

Rocky Marciano, with the old spelling, standing, second from your left

Rocky in action

Lawrencian Bill Canty in the wild trunks, landing a right on the chin of Edward Luiz...he won that night, February 9, 1948 with a 3rd round TKO.

Plycraft/Cherner Love

2009-02-17T13:44:00.007-05:00

I believe the first three pictures were from Desire to Inspire, the last one from ShelterInteriorDesign.

Rare Plycraft on Ebay

2009-02-17T10:31:00.003-05:00

This chair is currently listed on Ebay for a starting price of $499 - item # 270343988106

One of these chairs sold last year at a CA auction for $1800

An alternative to mounted sconces

2009-02-16T10:58:00.003-05:00

My house is chock full of Sunnex reading lamps, each family member has their very own bedside Sunnex reading lamp and there's a floor standing one in the living room. I first saw this many years ago in the Levenger catalog and became intrigued when I discovered they had a local distributor in Natick. Sunnex is a manufacture of precision lighting instruments most often used in medical and industrial applications. There is no better reading light for aging eyes and I have grown to appreciate their sleek, industrial design.

I am thinking using a pair of Sunnex lamps for sconces like the ones pictured above, not an inexpensive alternative but very cool looking.

While researching Lawrence baseball/boxing, I found Lawrence football

2009-02-16T10:49:00.003-05:00

Even a non-fan like myself knows that football was very big in Lawrence during the late 1950s-early 1960s...but I had no idea it was huge as early as the 1920s. I was researching unrelated sports when I came across this Lowell Sun article dated November 24, 1931...check out the roster and look at the colleges/prep schools these guys went to! The top players from both town were top draft picks for the Ivies.

Something else I have learned: great athletes from these towns often played multiple sports. Johnny Broaca, the Yankees draft pick, boxed and played football and (unrelated to this article) Andy Callahan, top NE boxer in his day, played baseball before focusing on boxing.

Lighting for less with Luxo lamps...or, Luxo Love

2009-02-15T12:57:00.011-05:00

I have a small, awkward little room that, after living in this house for 20 years, I am finally getting around to furnishing. The room is a small square (sorta square, 16ft X 13ft), has a slider on one side, an entrance on the opposite wall, a fire place flanked by bookcases and one blank wall. I am looking for two petite lounge chairs to go on either side of the fireplace. My workspace is on the one blank wall. Because this room has a closed off roof with no access, we've been unable to put in ceiling lights, and for a variety of reasons to tedious to relay here, we don't want to open/cut into the walls. My solution has been to clamp on a whole bunch o' Luxo lamps from Charette in Woburn. My Luxo's are not the same as the one used in the Pixar promos, but they're still rather cool and can take a 100W bulb.

Here's the Luxo LS1A(mine are black):

For your perusal, images of some Luxo and other similar lamps, used in a variety of poses and places. Borrowed from the following blogs: Apartment Therapy, Desire to Inspire, Shelter Interior Design, and Remodelista...beautiful blogs, really.

(the above is hard to see, red swing-arm over on the right)

(this was inspiring)

(The Great One from Luxo)

Luxo Chandelier

Eddie's New & Used in Somerville...have any MV locals ever been there?

2009-02-15T12:41:00.006-05:00

Pictures from Apartment Therapy post, 2008

I need two matching chairs for a rather small space. I am hoping to find something I can buy used and have refinished, but I'm not ruling out buying something new. Something somewhat modern but with wooden, exposed legs, not chrome and (horrors) no skirting around the bottom. I checked the usual places online: Modhaus, Reside, and A2Z Modern...and I came across Eddie's in Yelp and am wondering why I've never heard of it before.

There's a fella on South Union in Lawrence who's been spray-painting furniture for awhile, am wondering if Eddie's looks like his place. (near the closed Dairy Queen, there's a guy who's been tricking stuff out, not back looking, worth a visit if you're already in the neighborhood.)

Any one have any experience at Eddie's?

Happy(belated)Chinese New Year!

2009-02-11T08:35:00.006-05:00

My husband just received these Chinese zodiac figures as a gift...they have little bells in them. Happy New Year,

Guest appearance by husband's Reverend Rumblefish 5L in right hand corner...

The aroma of coffee without the caffeine

2009-02-09T15:25:00.011-05:00

I bought this coffee candle at Botanica La Altagracia on 222 Essex Street today...the storefront is pictured below. There was so much to choose from but I figured I'd ask for anything that can help with prosperity. There are candles to break up two people, love candles, luck candles and a variety of empowering incense.

Above are statues dedicated to Jose Gregorio Hernandez, who is considered a saint in Venezuela but still one miracle short, according to the Vatican. Much of my reading on saints was done before I was 10, and it was an earlier addition of this book:

...I seem to remember at the time there were only 52 saints covered in the book, but that was a very long time ago. Since Hernandez is still in the process, he wouldn't have been covered in a book like this.

Located in the Sweeney Building, 222 Essex Street, Lawrence.

Because we can all use a little help...

In Sunday's Boston Globe: Lawrence, in the news...

2009-02-09T08:33:00.008-05:00

Lawrence is in the news for a program devised by 2 LHS students, "Yard and Storefront of the Month" ...in an effort to make the city more beautiful, encourage people to put some effort into maintaining their property and hopefully, give people something nice to look at.

Check out the Boston Globe article here, and I can't but help think that this ties in to yesterday's article about the "broken window" theory, and how Lowell has found success implementing certain aspects of said theory. Keeping up the appearance of a place matters.

Personally, I would love to see some of the empty storefronts on Essex Street put to use, maybe with some art, revolving photography exhibits, pictures of the fabrics that came out of the mills, pictures of furniture that came out of Plycraft for 40 years, "then and now" on restaurants in Lawrence...I could easily go on. Great job on behalf of the 2 LHS interns and the city's Community Development Dept. for coming up with the program. I hope to see some of the winners in the Eagle Tribune. In the meantime, I am going to mine some old pictures I took last summer of some Tower Hill homes in Lawrence:

Industrial Toile Fabric from Timorous Beasties

2009-02-08T13:43:00.006-05:00

There's a Irish blog called Homebug that highlights interesting design happenings "over there." Saw this today and can't help but think how wonderful this would look with images of Lawrence:

The above is Glasgow Toile from Timorous Beasties. A meter of this fabric will run ya a hefty $105, but think about the conversations this would generate.

Picture a Cherner/Plycraft chair tricked out in this print!

Broken Window Effect...I'd love to know Chief Romero's position

2009-02-08T09:02:00.006-05:00

My sister was with the NYPD before and during the Guiliani administration. She started in the early 1980s, a time when NYC really looked a mess. So it was with great interest she discussed the then new, radical theory of "broken windows" - the theory that a chaotic, disorderly environment sets everything up for a great, big decline in civil behavior. (In case you didn't know, the program was successfully implemented by Chief William Bratton, a Boston guy, who became a media darling, receiving many public accolades...which, urban legend has it, Guiliani couldn't handle and Bratton was forced out.) She told me how the police began enforcing what had been un-enforceable before: public urination and open drinking on the streets. The theory's success, at least in regard to NYC, has always been controversial as many credited the drop in crime with a shift in demographics: the population got older and less criminally-inclined. NYC did become a bit tamer over the years (sometimes I think too tame...and bland, but it's nice not to worry about being mugged) and the theory has been hotly debated. Flash forward to Nov. 2008 and Science Magazine released a study proving the theory works.

Today in the Boston Globe there is an article talking about the success of certain aspects of the "broken window" theory: Cleaning up the physical environment was very effective; misdemeanor arrests less so, and boosting social services had no apparent impact.

Chief Romero is an alum of NYPD and was there during those critical years. I know in the past the Tribune has done articles discussing the success of COMPSTAT in Lawrence, but I'd love to see a Tribune article talking about Lawrence's take on "broken windows." Maybe they already have, but howz about an update?

Do you hear me, Eagle Tribune?

Big Band Urban Folktales...NPR's interview with Bobby Sanabria

2009-02-08T07:48:00.002-05:00

I was listening to NPR in the car and scribbled down the name of the person being interviewed so I could read about it later. Bobby Sanabria is a Latin percussionist, composer, bandleader and former Berklee college student. In 1975, he was one of the few Puerto Ricans attending the school, now those from Latin America dominate the jazz program.

Says Bobby Sanabria:

"The principal thing that we inherited from West Africa," Sanabria says, "is this concept of many rhythms happening simultaneously [by] many musicians — polyrhythms. That initiates also what we call polymeters: many meters at the same time. We inherited that from West Africa, and it's been transferred to all of the music that we listen to today, from rock 'n' roll, funk, hip-hop, jazz."

and more interesting to me, he had this to say about Desi Arnaz:

"Desi Arnaz kind of gets short shrift sometimes, especially in the Hispanic community, because he's looked at only as an entertainer," Sanabria says. "But he was very much in touch with his Afro-Cuban roots, in terms of the culture. When you hear the song 'Babalu Aye,' mainstream America was probably laughing it up, going 'Babalu!' Little did they know that they were being exposed to this incredibly deep West African culture we inherited in the Caribbean."

Miguelito Valdes, a contemporary of Desi Arnaz:

The Desi Arnaz/Ricky Ricardo version:

Check out designer, artist and fellow blogger, Ellice St. Laurent of Stella Interiors

2009-02-06T08:48:00.007-05:00

There is a very talented neighbor up north, Manchester-based designer Ellice St. Laurent of Stella Interiors, and there is very little Ellice can't do! Ellice is an artist who happens to design and I speak from experience, she knows her away around paint. She also shares my love of rehabbing and repurposing vintage pieces (only she can actually do them herself) and the pictured cabinet is just one of her many offerings. Check out her blog for her local shopping tips and ideas and visit her website for a list of services available.

this little cabinet would brighten up a dull winter day

Ellice recently visited a shop in Rye, NH called Christine & Co and she's posted pictures and store info. The picture below is from her visit, check out her blog for more.

From Christine & Co., Rye, NH

My camera's still broken, but check out these 1970s Lawrence pictures by photographer George Cannon

2009-02-04T07:46:00.004-05:00

Photographer George Cannon was nice enough to let me post a few of his Lawrence pictures from the 1970s.

George had this (and much more) to say about his trip to Lawrence: I love the feel of the aging mill town, the ethnicity and culture apparent in the stores and the neighborhoods. The backbone of blue collar America. The descendant families of migrants from Europe and the more recent influx from Latin America and the Caribbean.

Go to his blog for the full trip report, it's beautiful. Also, check out his website at GeorgeCannonPhotography.com for more of his work.

Lowell Golden Gloves...you have to go at least once

2009-01-29T09:24:00.008-05:00

I have one thing that always helps me get through the darkest winter months: my love for oranges. When the nights start getting longer in the fall one of the only things that keeps my spirits up is the availability of really good eatin' oranges...not the nasty ones they sell in the summer. Well, I have a new thing to help me through the winter: Golden Gloves in Lowell. If you ever want inexpensive, live-entertainment steeped in history, you have to go to the Lowell Memorial Auditorium on a Tuesday night. The venue, featured in the above picture minus layers of ice and snow, is gorgeous and hearkens back to the days when women work furs to the bouts. There's a lot of drama and excitement at the Gloves. The audience is a lively mix of fans, ring veterans coming back to see old friends, Lowell Sun gals selling the 50/50 raffle tix and the assorted personnel required to put on such an event. Always something to see...and a great way to take your mind off your woes! For three hours you think of only what's happening in front of you.

Pictured above is the New England 1949 Golden Gloves team. In the lower left hand corner is 17 yr old Lawrencian Paul Despres, and in the upper right hand corner is Peter Fuller, son of onetime governor of Massachusetts, Alvin Fuller. Peter spent time training in Lawrence, by the way.

Fans and former Golden Gloves winners(from Lawrence): Louie Pacheco, 1986 GG NE winner, and Peter Dugan, 1958 GG NE winner.

There's a documentary in the works on the history of the Golden Gloves, go to this website and read more about it:

Road to the Golden Gloves

And below, an article from the Lowell Sun about the documentary:

Lawrence's country music

2009-01-28T09:21:00.006-05:00

About 5 years ago I stumbled upon an amazingly well-researched exhibit at the Musee de la Civilisation in Quebec City called Cowboy at Heart. Our 2-day visit to Quebec City was combined with our annual pilgrimage to a Suzuki music camp in the Mt. Orford area. Going to a Suzuki music camp for a summer vacation is a bit like joining a cult, going for 7 years in a row means you've really drunk the Kool-Aid...but no matter. We stumbled upon this wonderful exhibit that included a vast section on Canadian roots music, outlining in detail the differences between Canadian Country music and Canadian C&W music...differences which now elude me but they were spelled out there.

Fast forward to last summer when I came across pictures of country music acts that were a part of Lawrence's WLAW morning show, many with French Canadian heritage. A few days ago I came across the website of master dobro player and former Lawrencian Roger Williams and have been enjoying these family pictures from his early days in Lawrence. Roger Williams is considered one of the top dobro players, dobro is now a brand name used to describe a type of resonator guitar. The dobro sound features big in mid-century Hawaiian music, western swing and of course, Bluegrass. Roger's formative years in Lawrence were spent in the bosom of a very large and very musical family.

I emailed Roger Williams to ask about some of my favorite pictures from his photo gallery and he had this to say:

The first photo shows my mother (far right) at age fifteen along with 'Tex' and 'Sally'. I never met those people so I'm not able to share any info about them. I can tell you that the year must have been around 1938, and they are on Springfield Street (South Lawrence) with the camera facing east. Apparently there was a country music boon around that time period and on into the sixties. I remember that my father, as well as some other relatives (I come from a very musical - and large - family) were playing country music in local taverns in a few locations in Lawrence. I remember my mother telling me about getting up in the wee hours of the morning to perform on local radio. She had stopped by the time I can remember being very young, and by then it was apparently starting to fade a bit due to the birth and popularity of rock 'n roll.

The 'kitchen' picture was indeed taken in Lawrence when we were living on Holt Street, just off Water Street in the western part of the town. It was 1964 and I had just started at Lawrence High. I paid for that instrument I'm holding (a Dobro) with paper route money I earned from delivering the Lawrence Eagle Tribune - just a little bit of history there.

Roger Williams and Amy Gallatin played at Bread & Roses a few years back and I am so sorry that I missed them, but I will visit Roger's performance calendar on his website and hope to see him soon.

The chair of the decade

2009-01-25T12:49:00.002-05:00

I believe these images are from DesiretoInspire. The photographer is Australian Amanda McLauchlan. These chairs are still so beautiful to me. Don't they remind you of this?

I broke my camera...and the dog ate my homework

2009-01-25T12:34:00.008-05:00

It has been quite some time between posts here...a combination of things have led to less blogging - bad mood and preoccupation over our car-wreck of an economy, social/family obligations and I broke my camera last week, dropped it while taking pictures. So, rather than display my little snapshots, I thought I'd share with you the most beautiful photographs by Tom Meade, which appeared in the October 11, 1973 issue of the Lawrence Journal. The article was about the changing ethnic make up of the stores on Newbury Street in Lawrence. I would love to see a "then and now" on the people in these pictures.

The past 50 years in Lawrence appear to be very under-represented in terms of historical research and perspective...it's almost as if time stopped in 1958.

Art work by Inaluxe, Australian artist...would love to see her as a "100" Converse Red artist

2009-01-14T22:20:00.007-05:00

Behold the world of Inaluxe:

A few years ago I needed throw pillows and wanted something different from what was locally available. I discovered Etsy around that time, the online source for all that is homemade and found Inaluxe, and I'm sorry I only know the artist as Kristina, but I still love these pillows (or cushions, as they call them down under).

Inaluxe disappeared for awhile, but is back now and I thought I'd post some of my favorites from her portfolio. She no longer sells her cloth goods online and I am so grateful for my pillows. They are hand embroidered on vintage bark cloth.

This is my attempt to show the lovely hand-stitched detail:

More prints from Kristina's portfolio:

I don't know if any of you follow the selection of hi-tops available at Converse, but it's extensive...I would love to see an Aussie-influenced Converse and I think the pods in either the first or third print of hers would make a great pattern.

Check out all the artist-designed Converse. (Sorry, I can't get the link to work, when you get into Converse, look for "Design Your Own" and then click on "Converse Red" to look at the shoes.) Here's a personal favorite from artist Camilla Engman, Little Red Riding Hood.

Here's a chair that could cure a mild case of SAD

2009-01-14T21:43:00.003-05:00

I found this website, the portfolio of a Turkish (student!!!) designer working out of Italy, Onur Mustak Cobanli. His designs are bold, I see that he has a Converse-style shoe on his OMC2 website, wonder if I can buy a pair of his hi-tops. This gloomy, cold weather is getting to me, no amount of macaroons can compensate for the lack o' sunlight. But this chair would most certainly help. Cherner-influenced design and I'm loving it.

Credit goes to great blog Design-Milk for the post on OMC2.

Haven't had an original thought in weeks but am enjoying the work of Michele Bosak

2009-01-13T08:47:00.006-05:00

Work entitled: cherner swivel chair

drafting desk lamp

atomic shot glasses

Work from Michele Bosak's website:

the space between us

mfa thesis work 2008.

these drawings are based on a selection of objects i thrifted, freecycled and purchased on ebay and craigslist. many of my possessions were stored at my house in michigan while attending graduate school in a tiny studio apartment in illinois. my living space did not offer much room for entertaining which seemed to only feed my compulsion for amassing households items that i could not use. these objects became a mere substitution and evoked a sense of longing and hope for social connections.

I love that last sentence, how these objects became a "substitution" for missing social connections. I spoke with a serious hoarder, my sister, who had filled her apartment with votives and vases galore from Pottery Barn, Ikea and other such places. She bought the items in quantity because she wanted the lifestyle they represented.

Gawd, winter can be a bummer.

(Michele Bosak's website was found at a blog called Visualingual)

Getting a quick fabric-fix at DecoFabrics in Lawrence

2009-01-08T09:17:00.004-05:00

My good friend and fellow fabric-junkie, Colleen Perry of Brissonte, has been after me for months now to go visit a newish fabric store in Lawrence called DecoFabrics. I finally got in there this week and spent some time touching cloth, the true sign of an addict. I met the owner, Yolanda Taveras-Jaime and she gave me some great secondhand furniture leads - stuff I'd never heard of before. This is not a huge fabric superstore, but a carefully culled collection of quality fabrics at very reasonable prices. The shop is on the second floor in a building not far from the famous Lawrence landmark, Mr. Tux. Good parking and beautiful sunlit rooms, the better to see the shimmer of silks and fine-wovens. Also, perhaps one of the best panoramic views of the city of Lawrence out her multiple windows...church spires, smokestacks and grand old mill buildings. I've seen great views: from up on Prospect Hill, the Tower Hill reservoir, Rt. 114 in front of the Tribune in No.Andover, and the Washington Mills Lofts facing north...this ranks right up there.

DecoFabrics is about 3 blocks north of the AAA in Lawrence, the official address is 65 Merrimack Street, Lawrence. Phone: 978-688-8008. DecoFabrics@verizon.net

Here's more from DecoFabrics:

Came across this while looking for a picture of Mayor Buckley

2009-01-03T10:05:00.005-05:00

I was looking for an image of Mayor Buckley last night and found this book, Lawrence Police Department: Heroes Wear Blue by Ronald J. DeSantis. You can look at some of the book's pictures online.

I wonder if Ted visited Gilligan's ...

Fisichelli's Macaroons ... can't get enough

2009-01-02T09:26:00.006-05:00

My latest discovery, and I know you Lawrencians are rolling your eyes over this one, Fisichelli's coconut macaroons. Why it took me twenty years to find my way over here, I don't know. Still made by hand, squeezed out of a bag, these macaroons are a true labor of love.

Located on 55 Union Street in Lawrence, I have never had a problem getting parking right in front, making it easy to run in and grab a one pound box of macaroons. The bigger problem is not eating all of them on the spot.

And, for those of you out-of-towners, they ship. Phone number 978-682-7774 or www.Fisichellis.com.

The Lawrence Journal circa 1973

2008-12-31T11:08:00.010-05:00

Well-known local Andover storyteller, Susan Lenoe, photograph by Richard Graber

Liza Minelli, captured by Lawrence Journal photographer, Dana Cahoon, discussing her false eyelashes versus those belonging to Cher.

Carl Velecca, a letter he wrote from prison about the offensive nature of the Watergate criminals.

Through the course of some amateur research on Lawrence at mid century I have come across a gem of a publication, The Lawrence Journal. I'm not really sure about the genesis of the Journal, but I gather that it was the created through the joint efforts of writers Andrew Coburn and Jack Wark. The reporters wrote about current events and it appears they had some freedom to expound on the Buckley political machine. The photography, whether by a Dana Cahoon or Andover legend Richard Graber, is captivating.

What interests me most about The Lawrence Journal is that it is the perfect snapshot of a city in transition. The old guard was slowly being replaced by new immigrants and this paper beautifully celebrates both groups. The personal interest stories are what first brought my attention to the paper as this is where Andrew Coburn's Gilligan's and Fallon's World first appeared.

Wanna rebuild a city? Make it fun...from today's Boston Globe

2008-12-28T08:28:00.008-05:00

(That's Malden Mills in the background...taken from proposed bike trail)

Excellent article in Sunday's Boston Globe about how certain American cities rebounded in the 1990s by making life for inhabitants more fun. Lawrence, Lowell and Haverhill all share the Merrimack River, a logical source for fun or at the very least, scenic vistas. Here's a snippet from the article:

Social scientists had long studied the growth of cities, but in the 1990s they started to notice something puzzling: Cities like Seattle and Austin were booming as new-economy hubs for no apparent reason other than the fact that the people responsible for the greatest innovations in high technology had chosen to live in places that were bike-friendly, had good music scenes, and allowed them to show up to business lunches in jeans.

I am enclosing for you perusal some pictures for a proposed bike/walk trail from Methuen to Lawrence and you can read more about it at MethuenRailTrail.org. Joyce Godsey has been spearheading a valiant effort to get an old rail bed converted to a bike path and I salute her. These pictures were taken this summer by Joyce and you can see more via her blog.

Fallon's World, a short story by Andrew Coburn

2008-12-23T13:33:00.048-05:00

(Picture totally unrelated to blog posting, but it's a great picture of Lawrence, no? Picture comes from Keith's blog at Retroplanet)

I came across this short story by Andrew Coburn last night, Fallon's World and I think Lawrence is so lucky to be celebrated by Mr. Coburn. I wrote about Andrew Coburn here back in the summer when I was reading his novel about Lawrence, Goldilocks and his other short story about Gilligan's, a famous bar in Lawrence.

I have only read one of his novels so far, Goldilocks, and I have to say it was very dark, very gloomy, however accurate. But equally as real are his short snapshots of a different time in Lawrence...I so love this new-to-me one called Fallon's World. This story proves that even a seasoned career crime reporter such as Coburn has a sentimental heart.

Doing Christmas on your own terms

2008-12-15T20:12:00.014-05:00

Christmas can be a very overwhelming. Multiple layers of over-consumption, bad music, the advent of airblown lawn-decor - all of this can leave one feeling alienated and alone. During the early days at the helm of my family, I figured if I'm going to get any pleasure from this holiday, I'm doing it my way. Making Christmas mine was the key to enjoying, no, make that surviving this time of year. Putting Christmas In Jail on the turntable is guaranteed to get everyone in the mood for a little holiday cheer. Another good choice, the Stax collection It's Christmas Time Again.

My best-friend-growing-up's mother was kind enough to give me their old silver tree about 20 years ago. Initially I felt guilty, depriving my children of the scent of a real tree but they seem to enjoy the annual assemblage of the dusty old aluminum tree. Be careful with the vintage color wheels, they melt and are fire hazards.

Nothing says Christmas like a Darth Vader Christopher Radko ornament. I'm not a Star Wars fan, but I kinda have a soft spot for this ornament.
Below is one of my favorite ornaments. It's a bunch of broken hardware from Mo Krinsky's junk yard, cleaned and strung together with ribbon. A good friend put it together for me, right after they tore Krinsky's down. Krinky's junkyard was smack dab in the middle of downtown Andover. Right before Mo Krinsky passed away we had a family Christmas picture taken there, the twins were babies and we propped them up on old radiators.

Shell shops in Florida are happy to sell gaudily painted starfish or shellaced blowfish as Christmas ornaments.
Unlike the many mid century modernistas who blog about all-things-decor, I do not share a deep love of Mr. Charley Harper. Many of his prints are just too cutsie for me, (think Precious Moments for a different demographic) but I think this cardinal ornament represents the best of Harper-style:

Every year I read the kids these two Christmas books. They're corny and I always cry.

When Ivy finally hooks up with Holly on Christmas morning I am sobbing and heaving. Here's a reader's review (Erika Sorocco) from Amazon:

THE STORY OF IVY & HOLLY is possibly one of the most touching children's tales I have read during the Christmas holidays. Yet it seems like something I have read before; and, judging by the fact that it has been a tale told for years, I probably have. Rumer Godden has created a wonderful holiday tale that stands the test of time. The beautiful flow of words found within this book have the power to warm anyone's heart, while the classic illustrations by Barbara Cooney bring the story, and the characters to life. Ivy is an irresistible character, whose faith in a family is remarkable, while the way that she cares for herself gives her an air of maturity. Her love for Holly, the holiday doll in the window of Mr. Blossom's toy shop, really makes the reader see just how much a toy can be cherished by someone who has so little. Godden has done a marvelous job of making each character of the tale hold their own, and bring an unlikely magic to the story; interacting wonderfully with one another, and putting a smile on the lips of everyone who reads this enchanting story. A charming holiday tale to be cherished for years to come.

Erika Sorocco

Another favorite:
A review on Amazon:

A charming, old-fashioned story of poverty's hardships dispelled in time for Christmas, set in Britain soon after WW II. Tilly and her widowed mother share a rundown apartment, supported by the mother's sewing. When her mother falls ill, Tilly cares for her with the help of a kind doctor; then, when a leaky roof ruins an unfinished wedding dress of expensive satin, she bravely elects to confide in the bride-to be, though she has previously felt uncomfortable in the well-to-do Kendalls' home. Miss Kendall and her family respond generously, not only providing a hamper of goodies and funds for new satin but also insisting that the stingy landlord make much-needed repairs. Meanwhile, Tilly's friend downstairs - a nice old lady who has trunks full of treasures from better times - has given her some treasured ornaments that help make Christmas complete. The sentimentality here is effectively tempered by the brisk, economical telling. Littlewood adds frequent crosshatched vignettes, in the manner of Ardizzone, plus a dozen sweetly evocative full-page paintings. Without the verve of Rumer Godden's stories, but with similar appeal: a pleasing holiday heartwarmer. (Kirkus Reviews)

One thing I'm missing and I will continue to hunt for: Several years ago, the then-editor of the Lawrence Eagle Tribune, Dan Warner, wrote an essay on why it's important to remember children in need this time of year. I don't want to ruin it for you, I will try my best to find it but since the Trib isn't indexed online and the collective memory of the place is long gone, it may take awhile. Mr. Warner, a tough and crusty ol' newsman from what I've heard, was an orphan and never forgot the pain of "want" as a poor child. He wrote this incredibly touching remembrance of disappointment and asked every reader to think of some poor child who doesn't "have" this time of year. It certainly galvanized me into giving and I think they should consider re-printing it every year.

More "buy local" this holiday season: Bella Beads and Shaban the Tailor

2008-12-11T06:43:00.015-05:00

Bella Beads, 89 Main Street in Olde Andover Village surprised me yesterday. I had twenty minutes to kill between an appointment and after school pick up and wandered in the store. I was given a directive by Teenager to look for long, inexpensive silver-type chains which could be used for the display of charms...not only did I find Bella Beads had them, they had a "customizable" selection at a variety of price points. I was done in no time. While there, I browsed the selection of shiny-pretty bling:

The owner told me a hot seller this holiday season are the Martini earrings, priced at a reasonable $35, however,

This was my favorite, a necklace that can be personalized by length and imprinted charm-tags. The one above has names of children, but the proprietor told me that she's even done a Shakespearean verse on a larger tag for one customer. Your imagination is your limit.

Some other pretty available from Bella Beads:

You may know Shaban's in Andover as a place to get clothing expertly altered, or as a place to buy a special outfit, but by the cash register Shaban always keeps a stack of lively Turkish scarves with hand embroidered trim. My pictures don't do them justice, and at $25 to $35 each (depending on the intricacy of embroidery), they make a great gift.

Shaban's is across the street from the CVS parking lot at 28 Chestnut Street, Andover. I had to buy a dress for a black tie function and I ended up ordering the wrong size online. The dress was fully lined and had a lot of business around the hem, a nightmare of a job...Shaban spent the better part of a day on the dress and it fits perfectly.

I know the malls are giving stuff away, but with out-of-control stampedes and falling roofs (Atrium at Chestnut Hill), staying local this holiday season is a comfort.

New-to-blog pictures of Edwin "Lightening" Santana after the fight with Orlando Canizales

2008-12-10T21:39:00.004-05:00

Edwin Santana, pumped after a great fight with Orlando Canizales, that's Mel Peabody in the background. Tropicana Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, July 25, 1997

From a Cyber Boxing Zone article by JD Vena:

In his next fight against former bantamweight king, Orlando Canizales, Santana proved to everyone but the three ringside judges that he could become world champion dropping a disputed decision. The obstacle however, wasn't enough to sideswipe Santana's drive.

Orlando Canizales, taking it pretty hard from Edwin Santana

Gogo Deslys (Pt.2): Lady Wrestler, former starlet/singer...and law student

2008-12-08T16:04:00.010-05:00

Sometimes, doncha just wanna know someone's story? I recently posted on a visiting wrestler to the Lawrence area in 1950, Gogo Deslys. At the time of my earlier post, I'd found a picture of a young woman called Gogo Deslys on ebay and was waiting to see if the resemblance was strong. Well, I just got my State Express/Ardath cigarette card (I'm guessing from 1930s, I'm still checking) from a winning bid on ebay and sure enough, young Gogo's bio on the card states that she's French Canadian, so our Gogo the wrestler, circa 1950, was once Gogo the ingenue...and former USC law student????

From the back of Gogo's card:

This following pictures are from the Lowell Sun dated February 26, 1950:

Gogo is listed as being from Montreal

Gogo is in the black

I guess it got pretty ugly before she won

I like to think Gogo had a lot of fun with her wrestling career, it certainly provided a level of freedom that, as an entertainer, I imagine she'd grown use to having. I certainly would enjoy having a beer with her, hearing stories of her life on the road...even if that road led to Billerica.

Lawrence Boxing, Live, Friday, December 12th

2008-12-08T10:52:00.012-05:00

It's local, it's live and in Lawrence, upholding a tradition of pugilism that spans 100 years. There will be boxing this coming Friday night in Lawtown...just a few photos from the archives:

From left to right: Mel Peabody, heart and soul of the Lawrence Boxing Club, world class boxing trainer (also trained female wrestler Chyna as a boxer...who knew?), Steve Smoger, famous referee, and Edwin "Lightening" Santana, world famous Lawrence featherweight. Sorry, but I don't know who the gentleman in the back is...

Just some local boys from Lawrence during their boxing heydays.

Below is Mel Peabody inside the Lawrence Boxing Club on Haverhill Street, Lawrence, MA. I meant no disrespect in bringing up the Chyna reference, Mel is a very well known and highly respected trainer and Lawrence is so very lucky to have him. He cares about his fighters, I've even seen him ask about their homework. I mentioned his name to a prominent boxing historian and I swear there was a hush.

My visit to ABC in NYC

2008-12-08T09:00:00.015-05:00

(special note to Creative Upholstery in Lawrence: Let's talk about these chairs!)

Went to NYC for the weekend and had Saturday free. I haven't stepped foot in ABC Carpet and Home on over 20 years but I've seen lots of references to their multi-level emporium over the years. Sparkly, shiny, pricey...and friendly. I didn't take pictures of the huge selection of Cisco Brothers sofas and chairs, but trust that ABC carries the full line, probably the only place to do so on the east coast. Cisco produces "sustainable" and "green" furniture which can be customized down to the inch, a huge advantage in a place like NYC where every inch counts. I first heard about Cisco through Rachel Hazelton in Middleton, MA...My house was built in the 1960s and much of the new upholstered goods are too big for my smaller rooms. I have used the assistance of designers ever so sparingly, I'm just not that flush, but here was a case where I ended up saving money by going with a designer. Ms. Hazelton gave me a range of other fabrics to choose from as I wasn't really thrilled with the Cisco selection and she apparently gave me a great price for my two sofas...I didn't realize how great till I spoke with the designers at the Cisco section at ABC. So, kudos to Rachel Hazelton for offering a cutting-edge product to the greater Middleton populace at competitive pricing.

Check out this simple chair tricked out in a bold, tribal print

The rest of the pictures are showing the bold use of acrylic (more glamorously referred to as Lucite) furniture...Merrimack Valley has its own purveyor of acrylic furniture, the former Lawrence-based Akko line is now made in Dorchester and is rep'ed out of New Hamshire: Acrylic Decor

Mixing of acrylic with traditional

Baby ghost chair...also known as the LouLou chair

Vintage acrylic furniture at ABC...I visited a charity shop over on 17th Street and they had a few vintage acrylic coffee tables for prices in the low hundreds, and their overall condition was very good.

The Mademoiselle chair by Phillippe Starck...if I could, I would

Other than a few carefully chosen pieces of upholstery, most of my stuff comes from charity or junk stores. Vintage stores are good sources too, but are a level above in terms of pricing. One other tip I've learned recently: a lot of area upholsterers have pieces that clients have left behind, worthy of refinishing.

Andy Callahan and John Garfield: Separated at Birth

2008-12-04T08:35:00.005-05:00

Andy Callahan, Lawrence fighter and winner of N.E. lightweight, Welterweight and Middleweight title. Never tired and never backed down. Died a war hero in Italy, 1943 at age 33.

John Garfield, Hollywood actor. Tough guy, grew up on the lower eastside of Manhattan. Did his own boxing scenes in movie Body and Soul. Refused to name names during an interrogation by the House Un-American Activities Committee (Hollywood Witch Hunt), career tanked and died at age 39 of coronary thrombosis.

Video Montage of Garfield's movies, with fight scenes from Body and Soul

I'm surely not the first to notice the likeness between John Garfield and our very own Andy Callahan...Andy was a celebrity in Lawrence, a home grown hero.

Being asked to take a dive, Body and Soul

Read more about Garfield at : Sunset Gun, John Garfield Website, and the EditorsGuild.

Garfield doing his own fighting in Body and Soul

By the way, Sunset Gun, I'm adding it to my list of blogs that I read. Check it out.

Buy local and support our merchants

2008-12-03T16:39:00.008-05:00

Night & Day, Andover, MA

I buy clothing only when I absolutely have to as I am much more interested in dressing my house. An upcoming event has forced me to pull myself together...something which takes a lot longer than it use to...it's more about what you don't see these days.

Front of Night & Day, advisers to the fashion-challenged

I'm challenged when it comes to knowing how to dress for very formal events. Usually it's my husband's job that requires me to slap on more than Oil of Olay and I'm not ashamed to admit it, I need help. I have grown to depend on the women of Night & Day in Andover to tell me which shoes I can wear, pantyhose? or not, how much (costume) bling, if any, should I wear? Merit and her staff have shown great patience in answering all my questions, questions that quite honestly, at this age, I should really know how to answer.

I write about this not to tell you about my dysfunction, but to tell you all to support your small local merchants this year. The personal service provided by stores such as Night & Day is irreplaceable.

I also write to show you this awesome dress I bought there, unrelated to the upcoming event but since it made me look 26 again, I bought it. I'm thinking of going back and getting it in black. From Papillon Blanc of Montreal, and the video on their website reeks of "Diary of a Mad Housewife" - so true, so true.

Thank you, Merit.

Van Otis Truffles...local gift of choice

2008-12-03T15:06:00.010-05:00

This unassuming building located at 468 Andover Street, Lawrence, MA produces some amazing Swiss truffles. Van Otis has been in the candy business for over 35 years and this is the only location where you can buy their truffles. They do quite a business shipping worldwide as well. I buy several boxes around this time of year just to keep on hand in case we're caught off guard by a stealth gift-giver. I always try to buy local and this is a gift I'm proud to give.

They make nut-free and diabetic truffles, too.

The parking lot is small and it can get very busy in the afternoons. I linked to their website above so you can contact them for mail order. I am also including a little blurb from Chowhound that talks about their truffles.

Two things I learned today while visiting the shop: they don't advertise, strictly word-of-mouth, which is why it took me several years to find out about them. They are not affiliated with the Van Otis candy makers in Manchester, NH, although there may be a distant ancestral connection.

Gogo Deslys: Lady Wrestler...former starlet?

2008-12-02T08:56:00.010-05:00

Pictured above, young Gogo Deslys as a starlet on an Ardath cigarette card

Merrimack Valley was transfixed by girl on girl wrestling during the winter of 1950, so much so that the Lowell Sun ran a two page pictorial on one of the shows. The main event was between Californian Ann Silver and Gogo Deslys (Gogo in the dark suit) from Montreal. Apparently, the gals were able to put their differences aside briefly to show the ref out of the ring.

Here's Gogo, flexing before the 1950 match:

I found the first picture, an Adarth cigarette card from England showing a certain starlet bearing the same name as our wrestler, my guess by the hairdo would put this sometime in the 1930s...do you think it's our Gogo? and if so, I want her life story!

Latest find at thrift store, cork lamp for two bucks

2008-12-01T20:44:00.005-05:00

I have been wanting a cork lamp ever since I saw one on an Apartment Therapy post, so I was thrilled when I saw this one at the Lazarus House thrift store, also known as St. Martin's, on Essex Street in Lawrence. Then I went an matched the shade too closely to the wall color, but no matter...

Today I just saw this pair on Ebay, I love the mix of chrome and cork...

Check out the ebay item number 180310879552 ...one bid so far, started at a reasonable $9.99.

Sunday Boston Globe article on preserving our industrial past

2008-11-30T09:48:00.007-05:00

Decorative anchor plates from 181 Canal Street, Lawrence, MA

When our ancestors built infrastructure, they built it as architecture. Sometimes great architecture. (from Boston Globe article on Chestnut Hill pumping stations, November 16, 2008)

Robert Campbell wrote these words, the architecture critic for the Boston Globe. I saw his Globe article last Sunday on saving the North Easton Shovel Works, and suddenly I want to get everything the man has ever written. Not only is he passionate about properly preserving what matters, his writing is fun to read. The words he says about North Easton below could be applied to any mill complex in Lawrence:

I don't want to be misunderstood. The last thing I would like to see in North Easton is a "Shovel Works Theme Park," with tours and actors in costumes. That's not preservation, it's theater. Instead, the buildings need to be put back to work. There's nothing wrong with developing them into housing. But that should be done with respect for the buildings and the memories they embody.

New England, after all, is the heartland of successfully converted industrial architecture. Think of our mill towns like Lowell or North Adams, or tiny Harrisville in New Hampshire.

The preservation ideal, I think, is that we become gradually aware of the past as we explore the present. History shouldn't be shoved in our faces. In the words of MIT author Kevin Lynch, in his great book "What Time is this Place?," the past as seen from the present should be "like a fish in dark water" visible when you look for it, but not pulled up flopping in your lap.

Today, architectural preservation makes more sense than ever before, because of the need to conserve energy. Dick Moe, the president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, puts the case well.

He argues that the greenest building is not the new one, artfully accessorized with a planted roof or solar panels. The greenest building is the one that's already built. The energy it took to build it remains embodied in it. That energy will be wasted if it is demolished. And new energy will be expended in the demolition, and in the construction of any replacement.

These are from a previous SP post, the Emmons Factory where they produced wooden loom binders for the larger mill complexes in Lawrence. This is a factory, it looks like a church, or part of Yale. A mill isn't infrastructure, but there was a great sense of pride that went into these buildings, something we just don't see anymore, especially on this scale.

I believe this building is now part of the Essex County Juvenile Court

Plymold on Ebay, own a piece of Lawrence history

2008-11-29T07:44:00.011-05:00

You know what I really love about these Plymold pieces, the attention to detail. It's why I like to buy vintage clothing: the lining of a coat, the beautiful hand stitching around the seams...the inside of these early Goldman pieces remind me of that. Check out the drawers! Gary is listing this desk on Ebay and available by phone for any and all questions. Call Gary: (541) 345 6084

Check it out on Ebay, only one day left.

The above desk was sold at an online auction (check out ebay number 200268859425 for auction info) for over $3000. Also, keep in mind this was photographed by a professional. All of a sudden, $850 looks pretty good.

From the Lawrence Evening Tribune, July 2, 1945

Hey, check this out...around the same time that Gary's desk was being made, the backbone of Plymold, the office staff, was being assembled as well.

Part Ann Margret, Part Inger Stevens...Sings like Wanda Jackson

2008-11-27T19:59:00.007-05:00

While looking for a local Rockabilly band last night, I came across this Danish band, Duck and Cover. Check out the lead singer, Miss Joann, she's magnificent! They're just playing around backstage, listen to her voice.

Check out Duck and Cover's MySpace

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-26T08:55:00.002-05:00

Enjoy this most wonderful holiday, I know I will!

SP

Industrial Chic...vintage metal furniture

2008-11-24T08:26:00.017-05:00

My chair, purchased for $5 at St. Martin's Thrift Store (Lazarus House) on Essex St., Lawrence, MA. Refinished and reupholstered by Shaun at Reworks.Biz for about $175 (can't find actual receipt). I supplied the taupe mohair fabric myself. Not sure if I like the piping, but that was done at my behest. Picture taken by me with a point and shoot.

From NYC purveyor of industrial chic, supplier of chairs to Martha Stewart and Ralph Lauren, and inspiration for Suburban Pioneer: Sonrisa Furniture ...pricey, but beautifully done. And professionally photographed.

Lately I've been seeing a lot of vintage metal being salvaged for use in the home. Some pieces are kept in their original state, providing a vintage "patina"...some are being shined up and refinished. I put my local attempt at jumping on the bandwagon above. Following are some other examples that have caught my eye:

From IndustrialChic, online sellers of vintage metal...some reasonable pricing here.

Reconstructed from and for the Washington Mills Lofts, Lawrence, MA

Lamps from Reworks.Biz

Made for and by graphic design studio, Oat, in Sommerville, MA. As seen in Apartment Therapy

Check out this great table from Conran's

The Digamma armchair from Santa & Cole, very high end, very beautiful...everything they do is beautiful.

From MotoArt, guys who like to cut up airplanes and make furniture

Eames Chair in Acrylic...What an Idea for the Cherner Chair!

2008-11-22T09:15:00.008-05:00

Aaron Thomas, acrylic artisan from San Clemente, CA makes an Eames chair in acrylic...

I wish the Cherner Chair people would engage his services for the chair below in acrylic. I would buy it in a heartbeat, full price and all...the visual punch of this delicate little beauty in shiny acrylic would be almost too much to bear, but I'd manage.

Hip, Urban and Cool in Lawrence

2008-11-21T08:44:00.018-05:00

I had cause to revisit the Washington Mills Lofts in Lawrence the other day and I figured out what appeals to me so much about the building and the area: it reminds me of my favorite area in Cambridge, the neighborhood between MIT and Central Sqaure. My kids had swim meets at the MIT pool, meets that would span three days with multiple sessions...in the middle of February and blizzards. So we would book rooms at Hotel@MIT and live it up. Amenities-wise, I would put the hotel on par with a well run Marriott or Hilton, but design-wise, I have found no comparison till seeing Washington Mills.

The northern reach of MIT is a wonderful combination of business/academia/urban grit & decay/residential. Prior to this market meltdown there was a distant hope that my husband and I could leave the suburbs and settle there once the kids finished high school.

Why WM reminds me of the Hotel@MIT (now known as the Le Meridien, Cambridge): Simple, well-executed design keeping with a theme pertinent to the location. This blog, Weburbanist says it best in its post on "strange themed hotels:"

Le Meridien Cambridge [MA, United States] This hotel, better known as the Hotel@MIT, is a technology and physics themed hotel designed around the major fields of study at the nearby tech school. Pictures of famous physicists in the bedrooms, bedspreads designed with mathematical equations and robots serving as sculptural art in the lobby are all symbols that lend themselves well to the overall theme of the hotel.

the hotel lobby

The bedspreads have equation-patterns on them and the hallways are full of great black and white photos of mid century academics at work. See the pix above and below for the hotel:

I never saw the pool, but check out the bedspread!

Another cool place in the area, taking advantage of the geek-cool vibe, The Miracle of Science Bar and Grill. My husband tells me the restaurant use to be a garage and in the summer they open one of side doors and the place gets hopping. Great food, great atmosphere, lab-table tops, lab bench stools and check out the menu:

The menu at the Miracle of Science Bar and Grill

Here's the open garage door on a summer afternoon

So, Washington Mills is a great start, saving the shell of the mill, windows and internal wooden supports and keeping the milltown theme intact without overdoing it. I especially love the black and white photos they have on the lobby wall of the construction workers from the renovation:

I would love to see more pictures, let's say more recent ones than the usual - I know Lawrence is a mill city but the mill pictures from the late 1800s/early 1900s are overdone. I like it when pictures include people that could potentially still be alive. ( There must be a Feng Shui directive on that.) How about a series of covers from the old mill employee magazines of the 1940s? (or boxers)

or some great shots of mid century eateries such as this:

(photo from a blog at Retroplanet)

So, although Canal Street in Lawrence isn't (yet) bustling with a 24 hour Star Market or great little restaurants like my Cambridge haunt, it does have an architectural gem in its presence...and that is a HUGE beginning!

Just an observation, the youtube above really doesn't do the place justice! There are young, attractive people living and working in the building, no where in this video do you feel the vibe that's there. And maybe ditch the announcer mentioning that Lawrence is incredibly depressed, it has a JoeBiden/SNL/Scranton-is-a-hellhole tone.

Finally, click here to read about the Preservation Award the building has received.

Snapshots from NYC

2008-11-18T09:27:00.004-05:00

Took Boy to NYC to visit camp friends this weekend and here's a truck I was illegally parked behind on the northwest corner of 14th and 1st Avenue. I had my sister buy him the "recession special" at the Papaya Dog, pictured below:

Not much time to run around, in fact I spent all of my time helping my sister clean out her front closet. My sister is a recovered hoarder...I would say she's gone from a level 3 to a level 1 and has maintained that level for over a year now. About a year ago I went down and spent a weekend helping her purge and she's been slowly making progress on her own. Her apartment is very relaxing and clean these days, (still too much stuff, but one can move freely and the rooms are now used for their intended purposes) it was wonderful to be able to eat at the table, sleep in the bed, relax in the living room. Regular visits by a cleaner help keep her on track. The frenzied shopping for lifestyle accouterments has ended. Her front walk in closet is still an homage to PotteryBarn/Ikea and she has a lifetime supply of tea lights, but progress has been made. So strange, she bought the same things over and over again: votive candles/holders, holiday lights for every holiday, and multiple crossword puzzle dictionaries. We spoke about how the hoarding happened this weekend and she said she got caught up seeking a lifestyle through shopping. I wonder if the recession will help with moderate hoarding?

In the meantime, excellent Boston Globe Magazine article this weekend on how this economic setback will be different than the Great Depression of the 1930s:

Depression 2009: What would it look like?

By Drake Bennett

In many ways, though, today's depression would not look like the last one because it would not look like much at all. As Warren wrote in an e-mail, "The New Depression would be largely invisible because people would experience loss privately, not publicly." In the public imagination, the Depression was a galvanizing time, the crucible in which the Greatest Generation came of age and came together. That is, at best, only partly true. Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam has found that, for many, the Depression was isolating: Kiwanis clubs, PTAs, and other social groups lost around half their members from 1930 to 1935. And other studies on economic hardship suggest that it tends to sap people's civic engagement, often permanently. "When people become unemployed in the Great Depression, they hunker down, they pull in from everybody." Putnam says. That effect, Putnam believes, would only be more pronounced today. The Depression was, famously, a boom time for movies - people flocked to cheap double features to escape the dreariness of their everyday poverty. Today, however, movies are no longer cheap. Nor is a day at the ballpark. Much of a modern depression would unfold in the domestic sphere: people driving less, shopping less, and eating in their houses more. They would watch television at home; unemployed parents would watch over their own kids instead of taking them to day care. With online banking, it would even be possible to have a bank run in which no one leaves the comfort of their home.

Here's the article:

Depression 2009: What would it look like?

Machine Age finds from Reworks

2008-11-17T18:11:00.012-05:00

Shaun Guinan at Reworks and I email every once in awhile to keep each other up to date on what's happening in his corner of the vintage biz. Shaun has the capability of giving auto body-caliber paint jobs to the old metal office chairs I like to pick up. He also appreciates the patina of the original. Here's an older pictures of Shaun's fans that he sent me last summer:

and here's one of the chairs he refinished for me, I kept the original upholstery:

I asked Shaun for some updates on what he's been working for fun and here's what he sent me:

"Here is some of my lamp inventory. The O. C White one is listed on my site, the others just need new wiring." "O. C. White lamps are hot.
If you find a sleeper in your travels, buy it! The last 2 pictures are bolt down type machine lamps, that I converted to desk lamps with the added bases."

The World is Awash in Zaishu

2008-11-12T08:17:00.004-05:00

Meet the Zaishu,

I want to say it was two years ago that I ordered my Zaishu from Australia. I had seen a picture of it on one of the home design blogs I was visiting and had to have one. A Zaishu is a small seat/bench made of five interlocking pieces of plywood, shipped flat and assembled in your home. Zaishu is a Japanese word for "seat without legs." (read about the History of the Zaishu) The brains behind this endeavor, Matthew Butler and Helen Punton, use the Zaishu as a blank slate and go into various developing communities or artists' lofts and have unique Zaishu made up, usually batches of about 300 are run off.

At the time I purchased my Zaishu, there was no mechanism to buy direct online and I could only find them in the US at a California gallery called Reform School. The design I wanted wasn't stateside, so I had to call Matt and place my order over the phone, which was actually a lot of fun because I got to talk to him about what a genius idea he had brought to life. At the time he was producing a run of Zaishu from India and I gave him a few names of places in Boston I thought might be interested in adding his product. I never spoke with him again, but today I got a wonderful email showing me Zaishu in the News and it appears he's been very busy. Zaishu.com

Here's the Zaishu I ordered almost two years ago

The Zaishu I ordered for my living room was by a textile designer, Julie Paterson,(ClothFabric.com) and it was called Looking For Water. I was able to contact Julie's atelier in Australia and had throw pillows, or as they call them over there, cushions, made up to compliment my Zaishu. It truly was an international design experience borne out of the Internet...very democratic if you ask me.

ClothFabric's "Looking For Water"

SP's living room tricked out in Zaishu/pillows by Julie Paterson, ClothFabric, Sydney, Australia

I want this room

2008-11-09T17:44:00.003-05:00

From today's NYT, the apartment of Ada Louise Huxtable, former architectural critic for the NYT. So calm, so soothing.

A few interesting thoughts from the article:

On the "green" appeal of city living:

Huxtable: We’ve seen a reversal. Years ago there was white flight to the suburbs, the inner cities were crime-ridden, there was a lot of poverty. We still have poverty, but people started moving back to the cities.

Lopate: There’s also been a shift in attitude regarding density.

Huxtable: Yes, urban renewal tried to get rid of density. It was viewed as concentrating poverty and disease. Now there’s the awareness that density is more energy-efficient and less destructive of the environment than urban sprawl.

And, on advocating the thoughtful integration/preservation of the old with the new:

Lopate: For instance, in the South Street Seaport they tried to preserve all those lovely old structures, but they cleaned them up a bit too much, whereas the little brick buildings just to the north kept a funkier character.

Huxtable: They’re real. I remember too much, and I know what a fiasco that South Street Seaport plan turned out. I remember when they actually tore down the most important part of the seaport, Peck Slip, which had the oldest and most wonderful buildings. And those were demolished to make way for some Con Edison industrial addition.

Then they decided the heart of the seaport was Schermerhorn Row. Then they brought in the Rouse corporation to tie the place together with a shopping center. And Rouse said you have to have so many contiguous feet of shopping or it doesn’t work. So that meant that things had to be moved, torn down, adjusted, and look what we ended up with. I am exceptionally grateful for every inch that got saved. My basic preservation philosophy is: Change it but don’t destroy it.

Lopate: Jane Jacobs always advocated a respect for the piecemeal. So can’t we plan for the piecemeal?

Huxtable: It’s very tough. You know one example of planning, maybe not for the piecemeal but for context and character, is Times Square. The first plan was for four huge towers by Philip Johnson; thank God they never happened. But even in their later form, the idea was to move the lawyers and the finance firms in there.

link to the full article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/nyregion/thecity/09huxt.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Girl In The Italian Bakery, slide show

2008-11-09T13:33:00.017-05:00

The Girl In The Italian Bakery was presented by author Ken Tingle at the Lawrence Public Library yesterday, followed by a lively question and answer session. Louise Sandberg had put together a wonderful little slide show that I managed to borrow from her for the blog. This is for all you Lawrencians living far from home...I hope you enjoy,

"In the morning, I made the short walk to my school, The John Breen Elementary School, in the cool spring air."

"It was an enormous pool that a hundred people could use at the same time. At the deep end there were two diving boards: one the regular height of about three feet, and another for the brave that was a good ten feet tall." P. 32

“The Stadium Project was it own little isolated world, many little gray or yellow buildings with eight apartments each, spread out and expansive over a large area.” P. 12

“A new game became popular that summer. It was something created on the spur of the moment out of complete boredom. We were standing on the grassy hill in front of my house with a Nerf football and unable to agree on two teams. Then someone tossed the football straight up and Andy caught it. Suddenly, the entire crowd of us was chasing him, his eyes wide with fear…he lay in the grass laughing…We called this game “Muckle.” The object was to get the ball and make it to the end of the field without being tackled.” P. 78

“We got into everything. We had…climbed a conveyor belt into an abandoned cement factory, and once inside turned the power on and started up all the machinery. The belts were all turning on their tracks, and from the control room we made the large steel garage doors go up and down. We left just in time, could see the police arriving as we ran down the railroad tracks, completely unaware of things like consequences and punishment.” P. 109

"For a little while things were looking up. The apartment we moved to on Bailey Street was our nicest yet, with some decent furniture, and a cute Polish girl living on the third floor.” p.106

“There was a dirt alley behind the apartments that ran the entire length of Bailey and Abbot Streets, passing directly behind the two roads, and you could look into everyone’s backyard while walking down it.” P. 106

"There were three garages to the side of our tenement, each one belonging to each apartment, and my mother had put a padlock on ours and was secretive about what was inside."

"Then one day my mother informed us that she had been taking driving lessons, and opened the door to show us a used Dodge Coronet. “What do you think?” she asked, showing off her car proudly." P.106

“We had an apartment above a Chinese restaurant and a smoky old barroom. I was never so embarrassed in my life…The front was on a busy road and I absolutely never used the door out of fear someone would see me entering this dilapidated building, instead using the dark stairway at the back of the building…Directly below us was the smoky old barroom filled with old depressed men. There was a small hole in the floor of Gary’s closet and if you peeped through you could see the top of someone’s head seated at the bar.” P. 108

“I put my bag over my shoulder and started up the incline of Woodland Street and stopped in the driveway of her apartment complex. …I looked up and saw a light on in the kitchen. I was happy that she was home.” P. 144

“I would be a freshman in high school and Lawrence High seemed enormous to me; thousands of kids from every part of the city and the building looked vast and intimidating.” P. 171

“I didn’t care if it was longer, I took that route home every day after that and looked hopefully in the window of Pappy’s Bakery, looking for my angel.” P. 174

“It was a good place to work. There was always a light heartedness amongst the busboys as we cleaned and set the tables, jokes made as we passed each other with heavy trays on our shoulders.” P.178

“…I pull over at the park at the top of the hill. I stand at the edge and look over the familiar silhouette of the city I love; the clock tower, the bridges crossing the Merrimac and all the mills stretching for miles on its banks, the buildings downtown and the tall brick tower on Tower Hill.” P. 235

An Amazing Election, a few quotes

2008-11-05T09:11:00.001-05:00

A few passages I pulled from a variety of articles in today's NYT:

Bush & Co. did not believe that government could be an instrument of the common good. They neutered their cabinet secretaries and appointed hacks to big jobs. For them, pursuit of the common good was all about pursuit of individual self-interest.

“It would be difficult for an African-American to be elected president in this country,” said Cornell Belcher, a pollster who worked for Mr. Obama’s campaign and studies racial voting patterns. “However, it is not difficult for an extraordinary individual who happens to be African-American to be elected president.”

From the editorial page of today's WSJ:

Many Republicans will want to believe they are the victims of a financial ambush that they could do nothing about. But the panic actually began in late 2007 and its roots go back to the causes of the housing bubble. Republicans -- specifically, Mr. Bush's Federal Reserve nominees and Treasury Secretaries -- forgot about the value of money. They failed as stewards of the dollar, unleashing a credit mania and panic that collided in colossal bad timing with a Presidential campaign.

And last of all, I thought Obama would win after reading conservative columnist and former Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan's October 31st commentary...here's an excerpt:

The case for Barack Obama, in broad strokes:

He has within him the possibility to change the direction and tone of American foreign policy, which need changing; his rise will serve as a practical rebuke to the past five years, which need rebuking; his victory would provide a fresh start in a nation in which a fresh start would come as a national relief. He climbed steep stairs, born off the continent with no father to guide, a dreamy, abandoning mother, mixed race, no connections. He rose with guts and gifts. He is steady, calm, and, in terms of the execution of his political ascent, still the primary and almost only area in which his executive abilities can be discerned, he shows good judgment in terms of whom to hire and consult, what steps to take and moves to make. We witnessed from him this year something unique in American politics: He took down a political machine without raising his voice.

A great moment: When the press was hitting hard on the pregnancy of Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter, he did not respond with a politically shrewd "I have no comment," or "We shouldn't judge." Instead he said, "My mother had me when she was 18," which shamed the press and others into silence. He showed grace when he didn't have to.

There is something else. On Feb. 5, Super Tuesday, Mr. Obama won the Alabama primary with 56% to Hillary Clinton's 42%. That evening, a friend watched the victory speech on TV in his suburban den. His 10-year-old daughter walked in, saw on the screen "Obama Wins" and "Alabama." She said, "Daddy, we saw a documentary on Martin Luther King Day in school." She said, "That's where they used the hoses." Suddenly my friend saw it new. Birmingham, 1963, and the water hoses used against the civil rights demonstrators. And now look, the black man thanking Alabama for his victory.

This means nothing? This means a great deal.

For those of you who are sad today because your candidate lost, your party is in disarray and you're scared for the future: I've been there, for a long time. Life will go on. You'll be okay.

For the rest of us, enjoy the day!

NYT Design Magazine, Plycraft/Cherner chair featured, yet again

2008-11-02T09:30:00.002-05:00

Man, that Cherner/Rockwell chair is everywhere, 2008 will go down as it's year. Just spotted these in the fall NYT magazine:

Merrimack Valley Lady Wrestlers

2008-10-31T21:01:00.003-04:00

Undated pictures of female wrestlers, found in Lawrence boxing scrapbook
More fistic fun to report on...I hit the motherload today with an intact scrapbook. I haven't sifted through the boxing info but it pretty much covers what was going on in Lawrence during the 1940s, which were the dark days of boxing. I guess the Great Depression took the wind out of boxing, Joe Louis brought it back for awhile, WWII hit and the decline excelerated until Rocky Marciano came on the scene in the early 1950s.

I've been getting the little stories that flesh out the stats that I'm pulling from the papers. There are many boxers who went on to lead happy, healthy lives. They had families, they participated in the many civic opportunites that were available and they were able to put their days in the ring in proper perspective. But the trifecta of booze, anger-management issues and over-inflated egos seemed to overwelm large numbers of practioners of the sweet science. These guys, at least in the early part of the 20th century, they were the rock stars of their day. And they behaved like rock stars. Andy Callahan, the greatest boxer to come out of Lawrence, use to enjoy walking into bars and lifting chairs over his head and watching everyone dive for the floor, then laugh "Naw, only kidding" Somewhat of a fighting savant, he would often eschew training right before a fight and go out partying with buddies and then go on to win. The say he was blessed with unexplainable stamina.

Andy Callahan
He was blase about who he was fighting, one boxer was the same as the next as far as AC was concerned. Big names didn't freak him out. Andy was really cool.

One thing that's missing from my many conversations and primary news sources, where were all the groupies?

The Uncertainty is Killing Me

2008-10-29T08:31:00.007-04:00

The great economic unknown that's out there right now has rendered me speechless. I vacillate between what is a healthy distraction from today's (and tomorrow's) woes and what appears inane and frivolous. So, it's been easier not to post. For the first time I looked at the price of these Clorox wipes I buy and was shocked, $4.99!!! I think I bought them at Butcher Boy!!! Who actually buys household cleaning products at Butcher Boy? Not me, anymore.

The lines at DeMoulas are way longer than I remember. I spoke with a friend who tells me she's been air drying her bedding rather than using the dryer and turning lights off when leaving a room. Okay, enough....

What I've learned about where I live since doing a blog:

Plycraft

There are legions of Plycraft fans out there, across the globe, and yet Lawrence barely has any trace of Paul Goldman. Many people (mainly under the age of 60) aren't aware that the Rockwell/Cherner chair was made locally.

Paul Goldman was a complex character. The rank and file may not have enjoyed working for him, but the few I spoken with who worked "with" him enjoyed their time at Plycraft. He worked very well with women and showed them a great deal of professional respect. There is a "circling of the wagons" around the memory of Paul Goldman that I find touching...

A few things about Goldman the man: He was a fine amateur athlete and enjoyed skiing. He married a great woman that everyone loved and admired, including Paul.

Goldman, the businessman: Paul was at his best designing or re-engineering an existing design and making it better. His interest in the business side of things was limited.

When I think of Paul Goldman, I think of this chair, kind of crazy cool...and I wish I bought six when I had the chance!

The Amalfi

Boxing in Lawrence

It's not what Lawrence has meant to the world of boxing, it's what boxing has meant to the city of Lawrence. Because Lawrence is a geographically small city I can find people who boxed or descendants of boxers with very little effort. And, most people welcome the call. Lawrence produced Andy Callahan, a nationally known boxing sensation as well as Steve Kennedy, Tommy Cocoran and Arthur Flynn, but there were also other good, solid boxers who have been forgotten. Many went on to fight careers outside of New England before moving back: Gentleman Tommy Sullivan, Mike Sarkis or Sarco, Pat Kelly, Jimmy Mattos, Mike Castle, to name a few.

Official Golden Gloves, circa 1965 from the Peter Dugan Collection

Talking about boxing puts a smile on people's faces, that's one of the reasons why it's so much fun.

I could go on and on, and I will, later.

Some recent pictures from a visit to Lawrence-based purveyor of find goods, Brissonte

2008-10-22T10:15:00.007-04:00

The above shows that Brissonte is going "batty" for Halloween!

Brissonte has added an incredible range of inventory and they have the studio attached, which is a beehive of creativity...between mother Colleen's sewing machine and daughter Erin's paintbrushes, there is always something new and exciting going on. This is my favorite part of the Brissonte complex as it is always bubbling with possiblity.

Just a few of their vintage offerings, and, I might add, at very attractive prices!

What this picture neglects to show is that this entire wall is covered in gorgeous green glassware.

Brissonte, 181 Canal Street, Lawrence, MA

Maharam fabrics available for window treatments from TheShadeStore.com

2008-10-21T14:25:00.003-04:00

I have ordered roller shades from this online vendor in the past. My experience with them was very good and I love their range of fabrics. I just got an email that they've added Maharam textiles and I'm smitten.

TheShadeStore.com

Billy Bell, the Heart and Soul of Lawrence Boxing: The early years

2008-10-21T09:32:00.008-04:00

Tommy "Young Kloby" Cocoran, third from left, standing next to Lawrence boxing impresario, Billy Bell after winning the Shevlin match on August 23, 1919

I have been largely absent from this blog lately, besieged by home repairs that won't quit and spending more time than I should trying to put together a mental picture of the history of boxing in Lawrence. I've gotten no further than the 1950s and I've got some big gaps at the turn of the century (the 1900s, that century) and I have to get over the fact that I may never put together a definitive history. But this latest find has been very exciting. Billy Bell, well known Lawrence boxing promoter and manager, was The Unity Cycle Club, the nexus of the hot Lawrence boxing scene. From what I've read, it was his club. My enduring fantasy is that I will walk into someone's house and they'll have a box of old UCC brochures, posters, etc. Boxers from Lawrence met up some major national talent through the UCC: Sam Langford, Billy Mellody, Billy Papke as well as local talent with names like "Kid Pantz." Billy Bell put Lawrence on the national map from the early 1900s through the early 1920s.

Bell also had a tavern known as the Metropole Cafe on the corner of Hampshire and Lawrence Streets. Below is a picture of Bell, standing behind the bar on the far left and that his son, Art, standing on the far right.

I picked up this humorous story from the Lowell Sun dated August 30, 1919 after the Young Kloby - Shevlin bout. The fiche wasn't very clear but the gist of the article is that Kloby had to borrow 500 chairs from the city for the bout because Lawrence was not about to give Billy Bell any of it's chair ever again since after the previous fight he returned them "as a composite pile of kindling wood."