July 25 2013

Field Trip: The Googleplex

Our nest has been a little less empty this summer because our daughter Sydney came home to roost for ten weeks while she interned in the legal department at Google.  On her last week of work we met her for lunch and a tour of the Googleplex in Mountain View.  Thought I’d share some of the Googly design details that caught my eye while I was there.

First, you should know that the Googleplex is big.  Really big.  Wikipedia says that there are 3.5 million square feet of office space with construction underway for a new 1.1 million square feet addition at Google.  Originally designed for Silicon Graphics, the Googleplex is a cross between a business park and a college campus. To get around the Googleplex, Googlers ride these spiffy bikes.

The bikes are reserved for the 20,000 employees, so after a tasty lunch of pan-roasted trout, garlic fries pizza and lemon olive oil cake at one of the thirty Google cafes we set off on foot to tour the campus.

We passed over a lovely creek to get to the main quad.

And walked past some cheery umbrellas and brightly colored buildings to pick up some refreshing (truly) kale smoothies at yet another cafe.

The quad features an enormous bronze dinosaur sculpture dripping with pink flamingos.

And statues of “Legends of the Sea” like actor Lloyd Bridges (Sea Hunt) and “Her Deepness,” aquatic explorer Sylvia Earle. Clever kitsch everywhere you look.

There are gardens tended by Googlers to supply some of the cafes’ needs as well as to provide places to unwind and get more Googly.

Gardens climb the walls in some of the buildings as well.

The buildings we walked through were open and informal with cozy little cubbies to supplement more traditional conference rooms.

Or if you wanted to have a real live Google hang out outdoors you could pull up an oversized Adirondack to decide the fate of the free world. I’m sure Larry and Sergey do that all the time.

We didn’t climb the interior rock wall or play in the sand volleyball court or shoot a game of pool or slide down the floor-to-floor slides or swim in the endless pools, but we did pop into the GIF photo booth to make a little show before we left.  Here we are at our Googliest.

 

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July 22 2013

Furniture Designer Ted Boerner

San Francisco furniture designer Ted Boerner makes beautiful furniture that wows in both contemporary and classic interiors.  Check out my BANG profile of Boerner from this past weekend to learn more about his background and design process and to see some of his terrific designs. One of my favorite Ted Boerner pieces is the Gardener Chair.  Created for Alta Tingle, owner of Berkeley’s upscale homegoods store The Gardener, this chair is comfortable, handsome and very witty.  Now available in fresh new colors like chalk gray and tangerine orange, the chair still features the original wheelbarrow inspired base.

This would be a great piece to serve as the seed of a new design or to slip into a well-tended interior, don’t you think?

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July 17 2013

Weathering Summer

Forget the flowers in your hair, if you’re coming to San Francisco be sure to bring a sweater.  Especially in the summer.

Because of the summer fog it’s more than coolish here, it’s downright cold.  Which makes this fair-skinned Idaho transplant very happy. I love a rainy winter day the best, but a foggy summer day isn’t far behind. I feel energized in the morning to work on writing projects and when the sun finally shows up mid-afternoon I head outdoors to tend to the garden.

Today I gleaned a little bouquet of midsummer blossoms—a hydrangea that escaped last month’s hot spell, some oregano gone to seed, a fragrant stem of blue sage and the first flush of a pink-tipped penstemon. When the fog rolled in again I headed indoors to read about the gardens created for Queen Elizabeth.  Under a cozy blanket, of course, because it is July in the Bay Area.

How are you weathering summer?

 

 

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July 12 2013

Friday Things Considered: The Feet Photos Edition

For fun the past few months I’ve been taking e-courses from British photographer and blogger Susannah Conway.  Prior to signing up for Susannah’s courses I had no idea that people often photograph their feet.  Susannah says it’s to show where we are in the world—not just our extensive shoe wardrobes or the state of our pedicures.  Through her courses I’ve seen photos of feet in boots, sandals, leopard-spotted driving shoes, tap shoes and barefoot.  I’ve seen shots of them in gardens, on beaches, in bathtubs and hammocks.  I’ve seen them side-by-side with children, lovers, dogs, cats and friends. I now have a series of my own feet shot in exotic locations like my laundry room and front porch.

Initially these feet photos seemed like something a tween would snap between Twilight videos, but with time they’re working their charms on me. I look less at the shape of the feet or the color of the nail polish and more at the soul attached to these soles. Where are they walking? Who are they walking with? Why are they there then? Like the toe-to-tentacle shot of my sandaled foot after a friend’s birthday lunch or the poolside portrait of my Big Apple Red nails next to my husband’s birthmarked foot on our 33rd anniversary, there’s often more than tootsies to tout in these images. Do you ever snap photos of your feet to capture a place and time in your life?

When I wasn’t pointing a camera at my feet this week, I discovered a few other things to kick up my heels about, like:

1.The flippered mermaids in this charming video.

2. Jill Lepore’s wonderful teaser for her new book on Benjamin Franklin’s sister Jane.

3. Quilted Petticoats.

4. Screened-in Sleep Porches.

5. The perfect summer tea towel.

6. Musings on hosting houseguests by David Sedaris.

Happy Weekend!

 

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July 10 2013

Move over Peony, it’s Dahlia’s Turn to Shine

“People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us.”
― Iris Murdoch

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July 03 2013

Why I Love Travel

Will tomorrow find you lighting sparklers in your childhood backyard or someplace entirely new? Maybe you’re staying put for the 4th but packing your bags for later in the summer.  Lucky you!  Despite the hassles of modern travel, there’s still nothing like Getting Away From It All to shake things up for the better. Here are five reasons—illustrated by my recent trip to our nation’s capital—why I love getting out of town.

1. To revisit the past.  When I was 21 I spent a summer in D.C. working as an intern at the State Department and living near Dupont Circle. Then it was an area in transition, today it’s an upscale neighborhood just blocks from where we were staying. While my husband attended some business meetings, I spent a day revisiting old haunts and recalling what it was like to be young and naive in a big city.  Here are two of the places that were revelations then and now–

Kramer Books was one of the first independent bookstores I ever lived near and I loved prowling the aisles for new and used books.  I also tasted my first rum raisin ice cream back in the Afterwords Cafe—exotic stuff for this farm girl.

 The Phillips Collection was just around the corner and it was the perfect introduction to someone unfamiliar with museums and art collections.  I’ve since visited many bigger, splashier museums, but this small gem feels like “my” museum. On the day I revisited last month a kind stranger gave me one of his free guest passes so I could pop into the sumptuous Braque exhibit a day early—confirming that the Phillips Collection and its patrons are as exceptional as I remember.

 2. To stay flexible. Invariably things go wrong on a trip. No matter how much I plan in advance or how experienced I am at packing, something will go awry. Thank goodness. Some of my best memories come from missteps or surprises along the way. I’ve learned to plan less and roll with the mood/weather/company of the day more.

 3. To experience something familiar in an unfamiliar setting. Here I am doing my best Esther Williams impression–in the rain!

4. To discover new-to-me things. Like the exquisite mosaics at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle (where JFK’s funeral was held.)

 Or the peaceful decor at Zaytinya (try the Baklava soda if you go.)

 Or the  charming townhouse setting for Looped Yarn Works (new needlework project = favorite souvenir.)

And several museums like the Newseum (here I am checking out the news from home.)

And the National Portrait Gallery (the video screens in my native Idaho–in this large work by Nam June Paik–show bags of potatoes.)

5. To connect the dots. When I’m on the road I’m better able to spot the meaningful patterns in my life and the unexpected juxtapositions elsewhere. Like the shot of these everyday Syrians under siege as I sipped my herbal tea in preparation for another day of peace and (relative) prosperity.

There’s nothing like Getting Away from It All to put It All in perspective. Don’t you think?

 

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July 01 2013

Bathing Beauty

While in D.C. recently I swung by the Newseum and saw plenty of memorable images, but the one I’m recalling on this warm summer day comes from old footage of the JFK clan cavorting in a pool. Surprisingly, Jackie frolics in a petaled bathing cap much like the one I saw my mother wear in the ’60s.  Even as a child I thought that putting plastic daisies on your head in order to keep your “do” done was silly, but that footage showed me that my very stylish mother was just keeping up with the Kennedys.

I couldn’t find a still image of Jackie in her petaled cap, but it looked something like this:

The 60's

I did find this charming image of her in her fringed toque. Oh, Jackie.

 

I swim in sleek lycra or silicone helmets that are no more flattering than the festooned bathing caps of the past. Seeing the queen of Camelot in her aquatic garden bonnet made me think that a little froufrou on top could actually be an attractive option, if I dared.  Alas, I have no modern Jackie O to lead the way.

Photos from Vogue, Froot Loops, and Jaques Lowe Photography

 

 

 

 

 

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June 28 2013

Friday Things Considered: The Independence Day Edition

Though I was raised in the ruby red heart of the Rocky Mountain West, I live in midnight blue territory. With friends and family on both sides of the political spectrum, my own leanings tend to a more moderate shade of rosy periwinkle. But I was genuinely happy about how the Supreme Court decisions played out this week and tickled pink by Senator Wendy Davis’s fuschia-sneakered filibuster.  Inclusion, respect and female empowerment are all principles my red state community taught me to value. You can travel far from either coast and still find intelligent, kind people who are trying to make sense of things through the lenses of their own experience. I hope my bluest neighbors and friends keep that in mind when they decry opinions in various shades of scarlet. My true-blue Republican parents taught me that everyone should feel welcome at the God Bless America parade.

Oh look--a 4th of July bouquet from my very own garden!

Here are some other things worth celebrating this week:

1. Moms playing video games.

2. Defense of my college (English) major.

3. Wendy and the Boys.

4. Yankee Doodle Dandy decor.

5. Simple flag decorations for drink straws.

Oh, and remember that Google Reader goes away this weekend (sigh.) Personally, I’ve switched over to Feedly and the process was painless and free.  My husband is going with Feedbin based on this article.  Clearly we value diversity in our household. I hope you’ll keep reading wherever you land.

 Happy 4th Y’all!

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June 27 2013

Marco? Polo!

“Summer afternoon. . .the two most beautiful words in the English language.” (Henry James) 

 

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June 21 2013

Friday Things Considered: The Birthday Edition

Over a brilliant potato pizza birthday lunch at Forge, my friend tells me that we’re celebrating my Speed Limit Birthday.  Later on I google the expression and see that there is no end to tacky “speed limit birthday” paraphernalia with a big old 55 on it.

Silly road sign cake toppers aside, 55 feels significant. I couldn’t be happier about so many things in my life right now and yet I feel an urgency to complete the things still left undone. There’s no denying that time waits for no one.  Including dawdlers like me.

That said, this week I’ve “limited” future planning and paused to acknowledge three things that I love about being this age.

1. A mature sense of self.  I can admit that I don’t like to “go fast.”  That I prefer French’s mustard to Dijon.  That I will likely never get rap–or a lot of classical music–but it’s ok if others do. That I want to rent the audio guides when I go to art museums even it costs a little more and seems exceptionally nerdy.  That I’m hard-wired to love color and textiles and plants but I’ll never develop a sense of direction. Thank goodness I was born in the era of GPS.

2. An increased pleasure in small things. My mother-in-law once said about her mother–”she’s had all the big chips in the bag and now she’s down to the crumbs.” I’ve had a lot of big chips–a happy marriage, three terrific kids, two wonderful son-in-laws, a close relationship with my siblings, parents and in-laws, great friends, career success, a rich spiritual and intellectual life.  I don’t think all the big chips are gone, but as my steady stream of Instagram photos attests, I’m savoring some of the smaller crumbs now.

3. More me time.  I have more time to myself now than I’ve had in 30 years. Do I miss the hubbub of young kids/young adults around?  Sure.  But I also love sleeping in, working late and going about my day pretty much the way I choose. I’m living the Mr. Roger’s theme song: It’s A Beautiful Day In This Neighborhood. Pretty much every day.

So  for my birthday week I’ve taken it easy and enjoyed the count-your-blessings side of 55.  Next week I’ll get back to work on what’s left to do.

Here are a few things that caught my eye this week when I wasn’t celebrating me:

1. Stephen Colbert’s touching tribute to his mother Lorna.

2.  Ruth Reichl’s recipe for smashed potatoes.

3.  A subscription service for letter-press notecards.

4. Toy Animal Corn Cob Holders.

5. And finally, the annual Garfield the Cat Birthday comic strip.  Garfield, Wallis Simpson, Paula Abdul and I all share a birthday.  Illustrious company indeed.

Happy Summer Solstice!

 

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Kathryn Pritchett

writes about Things Elemental — where we find shelter, why we connect, what sustains us and how we strut our stuff.

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