VT (for all of my design-obsessed peeps)

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: END-OF-THE-SUMMER VISUAL CANDY / Day 3 : imagecourtesyjjjjoundblog Peeps, As a child who grew up in a home without a TV, books became my passport to a world of wonder and fant...

imagecourtesyjjjjoundblog Peeps, As a child who grew up in a home without a TV, books became my passport to a world of wonder and fantasy, excitement and adventure.  I remember that I carefully turned each page, and studied each picture, trying to take it all in, as if through imagination I could transport there, within that image which represented an entire reality, totally unlike my own, at the then present.  My love of the visual, of beauty, of aesthetics, has never died.  Maybe faltered a little, stumbled at times, slipped some, yet it, this appreciation and embrace of visual beauty keeps me hopeful, and trusting in a benevolent grace.  I wanted to share this wonderful picture (which I keep coming back to) with you. Thanks, Shane Today's soundtrack is SCSI-9's SUMMARIATA (Pablo Bolivar Mix) ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvwT5uDoThs )

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: END-OF-THE-SUMMER VISUAL CANDY / Day 2 : imagecourtesyaubreyroadblog viamyparidissi Peeps, As infinity pools go, this is one of the best that I've seen.  There's something ex...

imagecourtesyaubreyroadblog viamyparidissi Peeps, As infinity pools go, this is one of the best that I've seen.  There's something exhilarating about looking out and yonder, wondering where and if, there is an end.  It's also a little scary, like looking up at the endless blue sky, and then considering what if one were to soar up and yonder, further and further without end, through infinity.  Certainly unsettling, isn't it: the thought of floating, unattached, through limitless space until mortality expires, either through external pressures or the lack of breathable oxygen.  In truth, I avoid heights; no mountain climbing, free-falling or bungee-cording, and prefer to visit friends who live in close, or a closer proximity to the earth than the 40th story loft perched precariously at the edge of a cliff, or overlooking some urban landscape where distant spires suggest man's triumph or nature, or at best a mastery at techne under the guise of modernity (or pro...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: END-OF-THE-SUMMER VISUAL CANDY / Day 1 : imagecourtesydesiretoinspireblog Peeps, I've never been one for extended periods of leisure; truth be told, after a week of being of...

imagecourtesydesiretoinspireblog Peeps, I've never been one for extended periods of leisure; truth be told, after a week of being off-line and unconnected from the rest of the digital world, I felt lost.  At times I caught myself wondering about the causes I so fervently support, my FB friends and their insightful posts, as well as the design and fashion blogs whose photos titillate my fanciful dreams.  After a day or two of gardening (at this time of the year nothing more is required than weeding and watering; any plans for fall plantings seem premature when faced with the overall duress caused by this year's drought), I craved interaction, and stimulation of a different sort.  Even the celebrated wit of The New Yorker failed to hold my attention, evidenced by the pile which still sits untouched.  Ah! Nothing is more pleasant, or challenging, than diving back in again, to the thrill of blogging and staying relevant (with the world around (us)).  ...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW GOES DARK (or Blue)!! : photocourtesymarktipple viaflavorpill Peeps, The PEEPSHOW goes dark thru Labor Day.   Hope that you all have a wonderful plans for...

photocourtesymarktipple viaflavorpill Peeps, The PEEPSHOW goes dark thru Labor Day.   Hope that you all have a wonderful plans for the rest of the summer.  Thanks for your continued support and kind comments, and be sure to share this blog-site with your friends.   Sincerely, Shane Today's soundtrack is Totally Fine by JON CRAIG feat. NICOLA S. (On the Beach mix) ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF2w6wXyndo )

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents BITS + PIECES #8 / Day 6 : image,karinarems courtesy79ideasblog Peeps, First, one, then the other, and another, we slowly and steadily departed from our paren...

image,karinarems courtesy79ideasblog Peeps, First, one, then the other, and another, we slowly and steadily departed from our parent's home after high school to walk further on the path of our respective lives.  Sometimes hesitantly, or fearfully, or resentfully, each sibling exited on a certain day, at an unfixed hour.  Not quite a tradition, though certainly customary by the time my turn arrived, all winds blew out towards adventure and adulthood, and in my mind, total freedom.  Some returned, if just for a brief visit at holidays, others would not for reasons to varied to remember, yet certainly discussed in great length at the breakfast table, or whispered about behind closed doors to which I habitually pressed my ear.  I am told that my mother seemed to have lost some of the glow she once had, now living in a silent and child-less house.  I am told that she would swing on our front-porch early in the evenings through nightfall, staring into the dis...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents BITS + PIECES 5 #8 / Day 5 : imagecourtesyvintage&chicblog Peeps, Folks here in America keep getting bigger, and by this I mean over-weight, obese, or fat. ...

imagecourtesyvintage&chicblog Peeps, Folks here in America keep getting bigger, and by this I mean over-weight, obese, or fat.  It's been confirmed that 20% of all Americans are seriously over-weight, and in fact leading unhealthy lives with the risk of serious health complications due to carrying both excess weight as well as indulging in foods that are clearly harmful to the body, such as tidbits and niceties laden with salt, refined sugars, preservatives, additives, supplements, dyes, and various unidentified products that should best be left miles away from the kitchen counter.  Even with the advent of spas and gyms and cross-training centers located on almost every corner of the urban landscape, waistlines continue to expand, cholesterol counts climb upwards, arteries clog, and motorized-carts for the walking-impaired now traverse every avenue and passageway.  Big Business(es) certainly plays a role in the seduction of the senses by producing larger ...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents BITS + PIECES #8 / Day 4 : courtesyofjjjjoundblog Peeps, My friend D once accused me of liking only sad movies, to which I protested.  Lately two movies k...

courtesyofjjjjoundblog Peeps, My friend D once accused me of liking only sad movies, to which I protested.  Lately two movies keep playing in my head and at times during the day I revisit them and continue to be moved.  I prefer movies that illustrate the complexities of our existence, the flawed relationships that captivate us spellbound through years and years; I love the ones that move me to look beyond myself as I experience the broad range of emotions that reiterates:  yes, I am alive, I have worth, I too feel, I am no different from millions of others, yet somehow unique, I too have a story, a voice (and not unlike the characters moving across the screen in a fabricated reality, yet still a reality) I want it heard, and seen, and this is what I believes drives artistry, and artists, and ART. Last night I ventured out after the quick down-pour that surprised area residents at about 730 pm.  Then a mad dash to the theatre in order to secure adjoini...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents BITS + PIECES #8 / Day 3 : photobynormanmcgrath courtesyinhabitatviaflavorwire Peeps, It takes a lot of courage to just keep pushing forward in spite of inner...

photobynormanmcgrath courtesyinhabitatviaflavorwire Peeps, It takes a lot of courage to just keep pushing forward in spite of inner-turmoil, numerous obstacles, major (and minor) delays, apathy on the part of others, flat-out refusals, and everything else that comes along, or in front of, an individual when he or she decides to set forth onto achieving a goal.  Maybe it's just losing weight or tackling the neglected basement, perhaps it's starting a small business or going back to school, any of these endeavors must be sustained after the initial burst of energy and enthusiasm by tiny little steps of determination; a little push forward and then another, and another.  Some are fortunate and have a cheering squad at the ready, or close friends who offer support, and others turn inward to tap into never realized strengths.  For anyone who has ever created/ achieved/surmounted/triumphed/moved beyond the ordinary/mundane/average while clearly realizing the ...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents BITS + PIECES #8 / Day 2 : imagecourtesindigenousdialogues Peeps, While I must admit that my own childhood was in no way picture-perfect, and in fact painfu...

imagecourtesyindigenousdialogues Peeps, While I must admit that my own childhood was in no way picture-perfect, and in fact painfully far from, thankfully my parents, and perhaps the cultural mores of that time, seemed to encourage self-reliance and independence. Besides graduating from little-boy 'shorties' to big-boy long-pants at a now forgotten age, the transition from tween to teen was marked by (finally!) getting an adult bicycle on which boys attending my small high-school located near the sea would commute back and forth each morning and evening, and for those who lived relatively close, at the lunch break at 1130 am.  It never occurred to me that some kids would prefer to remain untouched and unmoved by the world without, all this in the closeted comfort of the back seat while being shuttled by Mom (or Dad or the over-taxed Nanny).  Too often, much too frequently to my way of thinking, I meet teenagers who can't seem to fathom that learning a bike route,...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents BITS + PIECES #8 / Day 1 : imagecourtesydesiretoinspireblog Peeps, I've reached a cross-road of sorts, which is: either talking the talk and walking the walk, ...

imagecourtesydesiretoinspireblog Peeps, I've reached a cross-road of sorts, which is: either talking the talk and walking the walk, or shutting up for good.  Would I, could I, continue to espouse environmental awareness and respect for Mother Nature while continuing to lug home cellophaned cartons of plastic bottles filled with water trucked from near or far, of which an alarming percentage will continue to clog land-fills in spite of the assurances of manufacturers, suppliers, and merchants.  I'm not sure when I succumbed to the covert, as well as overt, tactics by Madison Avenue which insists that the tap water provided by many municipalities was unfit for consumption, and the one's continued good health depended on  'pure and unfiltered' water smartly packaged for easy access, and well within the reach of anyone's budget.  The cost of production, packaging, storage, and transport still pales in comparison to the profits garnered by Big Business(es) as...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents COOL (eye)CANDY #3 / Day 5... : imagecourtesyjjjjoundblog Peeps, It seems that when you're with the one you love, nothing else (but the moment) matters . ....

imagecourtesyjjjjoundblog Peeps, It seems that when you're with the one you love, nothing else (but the moment) matters . . . Enjoy, Shane PS: Today's soundtrack is MERGE OF EQUALS' You Can Make Me Smile ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1m13qI8BwE )

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents COOL (eye)CANDY #3 / Day 4... : imagecourtesyvintage&chicblog Peeps, I've never been more grateful for the end of the work-week, and the beginning of what promises t...

imagecourtesyvintage&chicblog Peeps, I've never been more grateful for the end of the work-week, and the beginning of what promises to be a wonderful weekend.  Imagine my surprise and delight at finding the latest issues of both House Beautiful and Elle Decor sitting in the mail-basket.  A quick peek through my two favorite shelter magazines revealed wonderful interiors by some of the country's best designers (artfully presented by the editorial staff who seemed to have pulled out all the stops this time around).  All this pleasure coupled with the spectacle of the Olympic Games in London, a still unwatched DVR of Downton Abbey, and the promise of thunderstorms late tonight may send me into rapture (or something like that).  It seems to me that since we can't avoid death, the next best thing is living fully, and that's what I intend to do (from now on)  . . . Sincerely, Shane  PS:  Today's soundtrack is FRANCE JOLI's Come To Me (http:...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents COOL (eye)CANDY #3 / Day 3... : photocourtesyremodelista viadesiretoinspireblog Peeps, Nothing delights me more than an afternoon nap while the rain falls outsi...

photocourtesyremodelista viadesiretoinspireblog Peeps, Nothing delights me more than an afternoon nap while the rain falls outside the window, or gently hits the roof.  At seven or eight, suddenly, oh so suddenly and waiting any warning, at the beginning of the summer break my twin-brother and I were reintroduced to the then ordeal of quiet-time which seemed to drag endlessly.  In reality, some wise soul had correctly advised that the best way, to avoid over-stimulation and the naughty behaviors that followed, was to set aside an hour for reading or napping before antics and games could resume.  Keeping soda-drinks and sweets off the daily menu certainly helped in keeping already over-active minds from imploding, as did the absence of a television-set.  I'm not sure that if I were raising a child today, I would insist on such a strict regimen. Yet compared to the whirlwind of play-dates, after-school activities, sports-camps, and innumerable Game-boy sele...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents COOL (eye)CANDY #3 / Day 2... : photo,ashleycurry courtesyemmasblog Peeps, Not unlike many of you, my first apartment as a grown-up had only a futon and a reading ...

photo,ashleycurry courtesyemmasblog Peeps, Not unlike many of you, my first apartment as a grown-up had only a futon and a reading lamp in the bedroom.  Still, having a separate bedroom was a step-up from a one-room studio where couches doubled as beds, or beds served the same purpose as couches, although the selection of pillows or cushions varied as the occasion arose and alerted any all-night reveler as to one's intention.  Some will remember that in the early days in Washington (DC), prior to IKEA and THE DOOR STORE, there were very few shops offering furniture pieces that could be assembled at home.  It seemed to me that one simply bought less; waited for moving sales at which reproduction pieces once cleverly displayed at Woodies or The Hecht Co (but still beyond the budget of a lowly civil-servant) could be had by the early-bird shopper; or taxied over to the CONRAN Store in Georgetown to just look and dream of the design masterpiece that could be created ...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: The PEEPSHOW presents COOL (eye)CANDY #3 / Day 1... : imagecourtesydesiretoinspireblog Peeps, I've been doing my best to avoid the headline news concerning the upcoming election, as well a...

imagecourtesydesiretoinspireblog Peeps, I've been doing my best to avoid the headline news concerning the upcoming election, as well as the varied stump speeches and television ads by the political candidates.  At least through the upcoming month, I plan to switch radio stations, perhaps listening only to classical music (on 90.9 FM), or if I can, surrender to the hypnotic (and varied) music programs of WRNR (103.1 FM) which broadcasts from Annapolis, MD, and can be heard as one approaches the (Chesapeake) Bay.  My co-workers complain that too much NPR affects my mood, perhaps setting a more sombre note to the day, and I'm sure that there is a certain truth to this.  Kudos to the dedicated staff at public radio who strive to provide unbiased and informed news-content (day after day)!!  Yet, as we are all aware, dire consequences around the world result from the hasty decisions made by unethical 'decidors' under less than transparent circumstances (here at home)...