FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT. The famous architect, who combined design with physics to create buildings that often times looked impossible, had a terrible problem with roofs. His seemed to leak, and were frequently next to impossible to correct.
In the early 1930s, he invited a group of young musicians to come live and study in his home in Wisconsin. The Erector Set-style music stands that the quartets used annoyed him, so he designed a special four-sided stand made from wood, and topped it with a lighted canapé.
Wright was very proud of his invention. He built and sold about six of them. The problem was they were impossible to use. The lights didn't shine on the music, and there wasn't space to turn the music pages.
No one wanted to tell Mr. Wright, so they would be hauled out of storage when he was to be in the audience.
WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT? Norm Miller is chairman of Interstate Batteries. We've been friends for a long time. He called a few afternoons ago to check on Patty and me, then the next day I got a copy of a booklet he'd just written. It's a total testimony to "the verb love" and what it means to us and God.
I think Norm would be glad for you to have a complimentary copy. Email Norm at Godslove@ibsa.com, tell him we're friends and that you'd like a copy of "What's Love Got to Do with It?" You'll be amazed at his story and how similar it will be to yours.
MY LAST SUPPER. Chefs have a "late night over cocktails" tradition. They discuss what they would like to have as their last meal before they transcend their earthly surrounds to be with YAHWEY.
Photographer Melanie Dunea has interviewed and photographed some fifty of the famous chefs about their chosen last supper, and come up with a coffee table book. Lots of them include foie gras and caviar, and then there's Laurent Tourondel who wants a tuna BLT sandwich from a place called the Fish Shack.
THE VILLAGE. Beginning about thirty years ago, 337 acres of land right in the middle, so to speak, of Dallas were cleared and fourteen apartment projects were built to house 10,000 residents. They set aside twenty-one acres for a green belt and built a six mile jogging trail among the heavily landscaped surrounds.
While other developers built projects to have a short functional lifespan, The Village's idea was to create a community that would last a lifetime. The Village is as popular with residents today as it was the day it got its first tenants. Entrance to the Village is at Skillman and Southwestern Boulevard. It's a worthy study for how to do it right. New land planners, apartment developers, and city planning commission experts should take notice.
JOAN MIRANTZ. While Realtor Joan Mirantz lives way up in Pembroke, New Hampshire, a full 1,717 miles from Patty's and my front door, Miss Joan and I have become fast friends as a result of our Active Rain blogs.
The other day she sent me her newsletter. It is the most interesting concept. It's a newsletter and a 3-fold brochure combined. And it's printed on heavy coated stock. Maybe you'd like to see one. jbmirantz@comcast.net.
MARVIN STAMM. When I first knew him in 1960, he was called Marv Stamm. But don't let that throw you. He was then and is now one of the world's greatest jazz trumpeters. If you are a jazz enthusiast, you will want to buy Marvin's latest two-disc package titled "Alone Together." It's a DVD and a CD, and is from a concert Marvin did in Beverly Hills with his quartet of Bill Mays, Rufus Reid and Ed Soph
It's now available on Marvin's web site on the CDs page. If memory serves me, it's less than twenty bucks. By the way, although Marvin lives way up in New York, he frequently plays Dallas, probably more than anything to massage his nostalgia. He was educated at University of North Texas and left there to play in Stan Kenton's orchestra.
THE OLD TESTAMENT. Patty and I have been studying the Old Testament under Bible scholar, the Reverend George Luck. This is truly a fascinating journey that you should consider taking from a scholar near you, irrespective of your religion.
I also recommend the Bible study DVD courses offered by the Teaching Company. They are all full-courses taught by well-respected college professors. The one on the Old Testament is taught by Amy-Jill Levine, Ph.D., of Vanderbilt and Duke Universities. http://www.teach12.com/.
CUTE, FEMININE LADY REALTOR WEB SITE. I just accidentally came on the cutest web site. If you're a lady Realtor, look at this one of Lois Coleman's http://www.loiscoleman.com/about.htm.
COLOGNE FOR MEN. Prada Ambou Pour Homme and Tom Ford Black Orchid. Both available at Neiman-Marcus -- stores, on-line or catalog.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! GOD Blesses!
Pen and ink drawing of Bill in the Park by artist Carlotta Barker.
Miss Carole,
Thanks for being a fan of this series, especially since I'm one of YOUR biggest fans! Mr. Wright was, no doubt, a genius. My favorite story, though concerns his being commissioned by Dallas' Neiman-Marcus' Stanley Marcus to design a new home for him.
Mr. Wright arrived in Dallas when the weather was lovely, and refused to accept that the house would need air conditioning. He designed it to have big sleeping porches and full floor to ceiling windows. No amount of talk from Mr. Marcus would convince him to alter the plans. So Mr. Marcus fired him.
Mr. Marcus, by the way, always the wit, put in a street for his new home and others. He got to name it. The name is Nonesuch Road.
Bill
Bill...Thanks so much for the mention...it's been Googled already!I'm glad you liked the news letter!
We have a Wright house here in Manchester NH (about 20 min. from my house) I've been able to tour it and I love his simplistic and functional design....he was definately a minimalist!
Jason
Thanks for visiting and for your comments. No doubt Mr. Wright was an anomaly, an important one at that,
Billycherry