Back to Work

This is a new project I have been working on. It is a new house in South Austin. I am pretty excited about it. The client is great and very open- we should break ground in the next couple of months. More progress photos to follow. 

Tis' the Season

The Santa experience this year was better and worse...for some. We went at the right time this year and avoided the mile long line and Santa's lunch break at Chick-Fil-A this year- however in the course of a year Beckham seems to have established an extreme aversion to Mr. Claus and maybe vice-versa too. Vivi did pretty good- we narrowly escaped disaster as she did a face plant right before the picture was taken. I think this has something to do with her somewhat dazed look. All and all a good trip EB, TT and Grammy V all in attendace and an enjoyable lunch at CPK- what more could you ask for these days! 

Penguins..I just dont know about you.

 

 

I'm 15 months old and lookin' good.

Sweet Berry Farms!

We met friends, Greg, Erin and Lauren at Sweet Berry Farms in Marble Falls Tuesday. There were pumpkins galore- I bought a "Fairytale" pumpkin- I must say it is pretty cool. We had lots of fun petting the goats, donkeys and horses and there were baby goats, BABY GOATS!!

The Witnesses, Marty the Skeleton and Vivian

Yesterday the doorbell rang at 9:30 a.m.- Vivian and I were playing and as I am an internet ordering junkie we jumped up hoping it was UPS, FedEx or one of my other delivery friends- much to my dismay it was a little old lady and a middle age woman, "Making friendly house calls"...oy. So with Vivian on my hip i go and open the gate hoping to stop them in their tracks. They start their schpeil about JC, and while I PAIENTLY wait and listen Vivian is belly laughing and pointing at the halloween skeleton I had just hung on the gate- desperately trying to get the ladies to look. As I realize what is happening I find the whole situation... "awkward" and realize our spaceship house with the skeleton had probably been targeted as needing to be saved. Luckily they finished up and left easily- me politely refusing the "Watchtower" phamphlet they were handing out- I need more unwanted paper in my house like I need a hole in the head, off to save other heathens, no luck here!!!

Vivian takes on the MOMA

we were in new york a couple of weeks ago and Vivian got to participate in her first performance art piece. They were marking people's height on the the wall- I didn't get an overall shot of the room- but it looked pretty cool.

Failure and Success

I have been trying desperately this summer to green up the landscaping. I am at about a 15% success rate. Thank the heavens that Lowe's guarantees their plants for one year- I have taken full advantage of this policy and wheeled in carts of sad, emaciated stumps that used to be plants. I did not want to kill them they just died, perhaps I loved them too much- I am positive I am going to be blacklisted at Lowes. Of the probably 25-30 plants I have about 5 that have survived, so far. Pictured is "Ryan Marcus" (named after the brave souls that were invaluable during our calamity of a move) our Mexican White Oak- that I thought was dying- but all the sudden he sprouted a bunch of new leaves. Victory!!!
p.s. we tried to buy a larger tree- but this is what they had and it is too flippin hot to track down a bigger one- so we wait...patiently.

Mr. Yogato!!

Mr.Yogato is coming to the 'hood! It will be in a new development on 11th street- so excited to have good stuff coming. Out with the hookers, drug dealers & bums- in with frozen yogurt!! Hey I'm just glad it is not a pawn shop or check cashing place, we are all stocked up on those. http://www.mryogato.com/menu.php

The World's Most Patient Dog

Baxter being his most patient as Vivian "gently" removed his collar and fervently rattled it at him. He obviously looks thrilled that I am recording this moment for all eternity.

Viv and Lousie Nevelson

We took a trip to the Blanton a couple of weeks ago and Vivian happily posed in front of a partial Louise Nevelson sculpture- it was too big to get the whole thing in frame. We had a delicious roasted veggie pizza at the museum cafe afterward. I won't say that was the best part but it was a really good pizza.

Window Tinting in Progress

After much thought and number crunching- we decided to get the front windows of the house tinted. The afternoon sun was just causing too much heat gain. Looked into solar shades and they are both pricey and obtrusive- so a lightbulb finally went off and eureka "tinting". We got the ceramic tinting which is a newer product and it looks great- no mirror effect and the windows just look a little darker. Two bonuses- we get the windows cleaned on the inside and we get about a $200 rebate from Austin Energy- how cool is that (no pun intended).

Public Service Announcement

THIS is poison ivy. Stay far, far away and as the saying goes- "leaves of 3 let them be". This is in the area that I had the unfortunate brush with last October. It is on our side fence in numerous places and I live in fear of it.

The Park House

This is a house on Hemphill Park that I designed an addition, interior remodel and garage apartment for- it was completed about a year ago but I just made it by for some shots. I have included some before photos as it was a real stinker. Kimberly at the Renner Project did an amazing job.

Desk Chairs

These are the chairs I think I have settled on for the the desk chairs. I am torn between the orange or light blue. Opinions?
p.s. the back wall of the desks is kelly green

table topper

I have struggled with what to put on this table. It needed to be something that could be viewed from all sides, thus the table has stayed empty as I never came across anything that struck me. Then, wa-la- I got this little beauty as a thank you for referring someone to Big Red Sun- a landscape design company- it works perfectly on my little table. I have referred a bagillion people to different contractors, stores, subs, and even other architects- and this is the first "thank you" I have received- a nice acknowledgment- I will keep on referrin'.

Who wants to go for a ride?

I'm Back!!- The New Master Bedroom

I did a little facelift on the master bedroom. While I liked the old setup it was too much maintenance to look good- I just don't have time to iron pillowcases this days. So I went towards ease, utility and something that still looks good. I really like the end result. After a heartstopping brush with some $400 pillows- i made my own, Not the best in the world but i didn't have to spend $800 on 2 pillows and they were what I wanted. Perfecto! (first pic- after, second-before)