VT (for all of my design-obsessed peeps)

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents EARTHLY DELIGHTS #7 / Day 5 : photoparkerlefton viaathoughtfuleyeblog Peeps, The thought of escaping later next month to the Outer Banks (North Carolina) keeps ...

photoparkerlefton viaathoughtfuleyeblog Peeps, The thought of escaping later next month to the Outer Banks (North Carolina) keeps me from wilting, and falling over (or under) from all the demands of everyday life.  Just the mere thought of miles of sea-shore, undisturbed but for the dance of the winds upon the water, and the waves splashing endlessly upon the golden shores of glistening sand, fills me with peace and calm.    Birds wheeling overhead, and if one is fortunate, wild ponies racing through the dunes is a wondrous sight to behold.  As a child, summer vacations frequently involved a month or two down at the sea-shore in a tiny cottage within stone's throw of the sea.  Save for the early morning visits of the local bread-maker who delivered her wares at about 6 or 7, and late afternoons when the ice-cream cart could be heard approaching by the tiny bells mounted on the push-handle, we were very much undisturbed, that is, my siblings and myself....

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents EARTHLY DELIGHTS #7 / Day 4 : imagesourceunknown Peeps Sometimes you move away, having experienced a change of heart, or mind.  Whether temporary, or at times i...

imagesourceunknown Peeps Sometimes you move away, having experienced a change of heart, or mind.  Whether temporary, or at times indefinitely permanent, we all change, or should strive for change, as, or since, we've now come to realize that this is the only constant in life.  Wallpaper falls in and out of fashion; brass is passed over in favor of brushed nickel, and the formal dining room, formal only in the sense that it is reserved exclusively for the purpose of dining with some degree of ceremony or ritual, is now under attack by developers, architects, and builders who, in keeping with the mode for informality, celebrate and espouse the open layout kitchen/breakfast room where adults perch precariously atop bar-stools at a counter-high island-top, all this in a manner best reserved solely for limber adolescents or the choreographed movements of a seductive dance-troupe in a music-video suitable for late, late night viewing.  Modern is an approach, not an a...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents A WEEKEND TREAT!! : photography,walterhelena Peeps, Tonight's rain which started earlier, perhaps it began yesterday afternoon with a slight drizzle, se...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents EARTHLY DELIGHTS #7 / Day 3 : goodmemory courtesyxystisviaindigenousdialogues Peeps, Sometimes, not all the time, or even frequently, perhaps occasionally, or, fro...

goodmemory courtesyxystisviaindigenousdialogues Peeps, Sometimes, not all the time, or even frequently, perhaps occasionally, or, from time to time, I just want to get away (from it all).  Yes, I wanna, wanna, wanna!! From the phone which never seems to leave my grasp for fear that I'll miss the most important call of my life; or the emails that proliferate like ravenous fleas on a docile fawn.  The messages both text and voice demand a response.  Innumerable apps and programs on most electronic devises promise satisfaction, or affirm one's existence through staying connected, as well as the opportunity to declare one's individuality through the process of selection, a series of decisions which indicates one's status, taste, aspirations, and so forth, not necessarily bound to consumerism but almost wholly so.  Sometimes, not all the time, yet more frequently than I can recollect, I crave simplicity and the freedom that arises from the lack of choice(s).  ...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents EARTHLY DELIGHTS #7 / Day 2 : imagecourtesycoloroutsidethelinesblog Peeps, Today's visual treat suggests heaven on earth.  As did the entirety of the this day whic...

imagecourtesycoloroutsidethelinesblog Peeps, Today's visual treat suggests heaven on earth.  As did the entirety of the this day which flowed smoothly and without incident.  Trivial annoyances fared little against the general upbeat mood which seemed to flow uninterrupted from breakfast and through nap-time at half past five.  Notwithstanding minor thunderstorms predicted for this afternoon-- which luckily failed to materialize, all roads flowed smoothly and even the yappy dog across the street seemed to agree that snoozing through the morning-news shows and ignoring the mail-carrier could hardly be considered a dereliction of duty on a day such as this.  Front-yard gardens everywhere on our street showed signs of rejuvenation after the past weekend's rains.  Dahlias once hidden in the tangled mess of airy fennel bushes and entangled nasturtiums eagerly emerged to greet the benevolent afternoon sun and the energetic song-birds who visit every day have gro...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents EARTHLY DELIGHTS #7 / Day 1... : imagecourtesydesiretoinspireblog Peeps, This is my idea of 'going camping' or 'roughing it.'  While I can understand the allure of pi...

imagecourtesydesiretoinspireblog Peeps, This is my idea of 'going camping' or 'roughing it.'  While I can understand the allure of pitching a tent beneath the stars, preparing a camp-fire and grilling grub, as well as falling asleep to the rhythm of nature, I'd rather converse over a sumptuous dinner served on old china-plates accompanied by a fruity Mendoza malbec, and then snuggle into a sheeted-bed after a long, hot shower.  Call me a sissy or prissy if you must, but I've done the bivouac thing in the US Army already, and it gets old really fast.  And while I adore the sounds of nocturnal wildlife, trippy or looped lounge grooves and a glass of hot-tea are the best accompaniments to a place of deep, tranquil sleep. Hope you're all having the best weekend ever. Sincerely, Shane PS:  Today's soundtrack is GOLDWILL's Matikal ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jlKVipv0GU )

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents A WEEKEND TREAT!! : photography,walterhelena Peeps, Tonight's rain which started earlier, perhaps it began yesterday afternoon with a slight drizzle, se...

photography,walterhelena Peeps, Tonight's rain which started earlier, perhaps it began yesterday afternoon with a slight drizzle, seemed to quench the thirsty earth, as well as those among us who have become quite parched throughout the previous week, as well as this one.  It has become increasingly difficult to rush from the back garden to that of Lady Emblom's (who is still holidaying in Canada), before the harsh rays of the sun pierces through the late afternoon and well into the evening.  Laurels and boxwoods which once seemed impervious to the drought have turned brown and dry.  Roses and daisies, as well as zinnias and marigolds provide sharp bursts of vivid color in an otherwise drab bed, although on occasion the dahlias burst forth with a startling vengeance almost formidable when compared to their native counterparts.  An abundance of bunny-rabbits have almost decimated the basil plants carefully placed just near the peony bushes and Japanese ferns. ...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: THE PEEPSHOW + TAMERLANE MUSIC presents YURIY OGAL... : imagecourtesjjjjoundblog tonight, the music drops 11pm at Zeba Bar http://soundcloud.com/yuriyogaltsev/tamerlane-july-tribecast-07-17...

imagecourtesjjjjoundblog tonight, the music drops 11pm at Zeba Bar http://soundcloud.com/yuriyogaltsev/tamerlane-july-tribecast-07-17

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: THE PEEPSHOW + TAMERLANE MUSIC presents LATE NIGHT... : imagesourceunknown after night has descended, reach for the Tamerlane Summer Mix http://soundcloud.com/yuriyogaltse...

imagesourceunknown after night has fallen, reach for the Tamerlane Summer Mix http://soundcloud.com/yuriyogaltsev/tamerlane-july-tribecast-07-17 courtesy of Yuriy Ogaltsev

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW celebrates SUMMER LOVE!!! / Day 5 : imagecourtesyadecorpadviacolorsoflifeblog Peeps, Even now--almost a life-time later--I still experience Sunday afternoons almost li...

imagecourtesyadecorpadviacolorsoflifeblog Peeps, Even now--almost a life-time later--I still experience Sunday afternoons almost like I did while growing up in my boyhood home.  Whether lunching alone or with friends, who are really more of an extended/expanded/revised/recreated family, it's fun to just sit and savor the sense of peace and quiet that comes with having gotten through the work-week all in one piece; whether or not huge accomplishments were achieved almost seems pointless when compared to a lifetime's toil, and the fragility of it all.  So much is out of our control, knowing this and living this bit of wisdom are almost polarities, yet not quite.  A trip to the movies, complete with popcorn and maybe a bag of toffee, would tip the scales into pure ecstasy, now as well as it was at 8 or 9 or 10 yrs old, with a group of pals heading up to the balcony seats and the possibilities stretched endlessly and the future was limitless. Only in looking back cou...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW celebrates SUMMER LOVE!!! / Day 4 : imagecourtesydesiretoinspireblog Peeps, Every day I continue to marvel at the wonder of modern technology, especially I-tunes, which ...

imagecourtesydesiretoinspireblog Peeps, Every day I continue to marvel at the wonder of modern technology, especially I-tunes, which allows the listener to enjoy music, shows, interviews, and news broadcast from virtually anywhere in the world.  It's Saturday night and I'm sitting contentedly at my little desk; with a quick click of the mouse I'm able to travel through distant regions and cities where prolific DJ's offer wonderful mixes of electronica, disco, and house music; at times I bask in nostalgia while visiting more obscure stations devoted to folk, regional, or heritage songs and rhythms.  During the recent heat-wave I had great fun on a friend's I-phone, especially the app that listed the weather conditions of the hemisphere's most northern cities, all this in sharp contrast to the burning inferno we struggled through, and may live to tell our offspring depending on what the months of August and September brings.  I want to take this opportunity...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW celebrates SUMMER LOVE!!! / Day 3 : imagecourtesyblowkissesnotboysviacolorsoflife Peeps, If I could do it all over again, or at least this part of it, and by that I mea...

imagecourtesyblowkissesnotboysviacolorsoflife Peeps, If I could do it all over again, or at least this part of it, and by that I mean the time that I went to California and rented a car and drove from Los Angeles to Ojai.  I thought that I would move there, meaning out West, and start fresh and it would all be better in that bit of paradise that slumbered under clear blue skies occasionally dotted by puffy white clouds drifting lazily towards the green curves of low hills which at times appeared almost to spill forward into a hazy infinity.  On the drive back to LAX where I planned to catch the earliest flight back East, I erroneously exited onto a unmarked road which quickly turned from paved asphalt to rock and shake, to a dusty dirt road, unlit and unmarked.  On the side of the road crouched a young Hispanic girl, partially wrapped in a  shawl, who stuck up her thumb at my approach, undoubtedly hoping for a ride.  I did not stop to give her a lift, pe...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents LATE NIGHT CANDY!! : imagesourceunknown  tonight, tamerlane music  celebrates 'the tribe'   Yuriy Ogaltsev presents The Tribal Mix ( http://soundclo...

imagesourceunknown  tonight, tamerlane music  celebrates 'the tribe'   Yuriy Ogaltsev presents The Tribal Mix ( http://soundcloud.com/yuriyogaltsev/tamerlane-summer-podcast-07-08 )                          

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW celebrates SUMMER LOVE !!! / Day 2 : imagecourtesyalife'sdesign Peeps, While going through the slow, methodical cleansing that accompanies the process of editing, as once...

imagecourtesyalife'sdesign Peeps, While going through the slow, methodical cleansing that accompanies the process of editing, as once cherished objects are carefully set in designated piles to be taken to the post-office, dropped off at the consignment shop, or placed in the receptive hands of the new owners, I can't help but reflect on the passage of time, and the difference between the then, and the now.  The acquisitiveness of my 30's has been tempered by the realization that what matters most are life's experiences, and the love that has been shared--both given and received--along the way.  Hopefully, now that I'm in my 40's, I've gotten kindler, gentler, and more giving of my time, emotions, and affections.  With the advent of my 50's in a year or two (or three), I feel strongly that it's only getting better, and the last half century was all a practice session for the next one.  Best wishes in all of your endeavors. Sincerely, Shane...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW celebrates SUMMER LOVE!!! / Day 1 : photocourtesymartynthompson Peeps, There is some small satisfaction in knowing that within a matter of weeks, the month of Augus...

photocourtesymartynthompson Peeps, There is some small satisfaction in knowing that within a matter of weeks, the month of August will be here and city-dwellers will decamp to the seaside in droves; shopkeepers will shutter their windows and lock the doors; magically, ample parking-spaces will appear next to one's favorite eatery.  For those who plan to remain floating at the end of the pool or tucked away in the cool of the garden, quick trips to the library and grocery-store will suffice to reassure everyone that civilization has not ended, afternoon naps are essential to one's sense of well-being, and sometimes nice people do finish first. Please remember that if you have a bounty of extra vegetables and fruit from the garden, share with a neighbour or call the local food-bank which will be happy to arrange for a pickup. Thanks, Shane PS:  Today's soundtrack is TIGERSKINS' Peter's Secret Weapon ( http://www.youhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW celebrates CHICAGO : imagecourtesyberlin,chicago Peeps, This past weekend I had the good fortune of visiting the Windy City, and in the aftermath of a mar...

imagecourtesyberlin,chicago Peeps, This past weekend I had the good fortune of visiting the Windy City, and in the aftermath of a marathon spree through the innumerable charms and attractions of this wonderful city,  I must admit to still basking in the afterglow of what I hope will become an annual or bi-annual event.  Boystown, a neighborhood located in the Lakeview section and just a short ride to the Botanical Garden and North Shore Beach, was filled with hookah joints, taco eateries, loads of sushi and Japanese restaurants, as well as small clothing boutiques and independent record shops where elusive early Chicago-house tracks could be readily obtained (at reasonable prices).  Residents of this area love their piercings and body-art (tattoos), as well as outdoor cafes, beer-pubs, creperies, and the world-renown Chicago-style pizza and Polish sausages, happily available until 3 in the morning.  Everyone was friendly and all seemed intent on making the mos...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents LATE NIGHT CANDY!! : photostevenmiesel and the more he gives,  the more we want . . .  http://soundcloud.com/yuriyogaltsev/tamerlane-summer-...

photostevenmiesel and the more he gives,  the more we want . . .  http://soundcloud.com/yuriyogaltsev/tamerlane-summer-podcast-07-08 TAMERLANE SUMMER MIX presented by YURIY OGALTSEV

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents WEEKEND VISUAL TREAT!!! : imagecourtes79ideasviadesiretoinspireblog Peeps, All I could think about these past days was escaping indoors from the oppressive hea...

imagecourtes79ideasviadesiretoinspireblog Peeps, All I could think about these past days was escaping indoors from the oppressive heat that seems to have enveloped our area.  From early morning to late evening, whether working or lounging near the pool, I couldn't help but visualize lush green fields of wildflowers, cool skies dotted with heavy clouds, or endless rains falling upon my parched skin.  It's probably going to be a long time before my idealized version of paradise occurs, at least a month or two, and so I'll have to just grin and bear it until fall arrives or the heat-wave brakes.  Marathon viewing sessions of Masterpiece Theater and Downton Abbey will certainly keep me pleasantly distracted, as well as the ongoing project of still more editing (of personal possessions).  As each item is carefully wrapped and presented lovingly to its new owner, or steward, as we've all come to realize in this walk of life from birth to death, I feel a certain li...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents HARD (eye)CANDY / Day 3 : grinder,marchelduchamp viaflavorpill Peeps, In a blink of an eye, or, more accurately, with a little flicker it was all gone from...

grinder,marchelduchamp viaflavorpill Peeps, In a blink of an eye, or, more accurately, with a little flicker it was all gone from sight.  For the storm howling outside my window, and the rains whipping across the garden-shed followed by the boom of lighting in the night sky had succeeded in bringing the nation's capitol (and many areas of the mid-atlantic) to its knees, and in this position we thus remained.  The realization that electrical power had been disrupted (without prior warning) and the inability to keep reading my late-night novel entitled Dreams of My Russian Summer paled in comparison to the harsher realities which were experienced in the days following; food-shops closed within a walking radius, and long queues at the gas-stations where confusion reigned under the 95 degree heat of the afternoon sun.  A scarcity of bagged-ice or drinking water was experienced by many, as well as hours-long delay in transportation because of fallen trees, dark sig...