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boreothegoldfinch · 3 years

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chapter 10 paragraph xvi

Gyuri left us out in the Sixties, not far at all from the Barbours’. “This is the place?” I said, shaking the rain off Hobie’s umbrella. We were out in front of one of the big limestone townhouses off Fifth—black iron doors, massive lion’s-head knockers. “Yes—it’s his father’s place—his other family are trying to get him out legally but good luck with that, hah.” We were buzzed in, took a cage elevator up to the second floor. I could smell incense, weed, spaghetti sauce cooking. A lanky blonde woman—shortcropped hair and a serene small-eyed face like a camel’s—opened the door. She was dressed like a sort of old-fashioned street urchin or newsboy: houndstooth trousers, ankle boots, dirty thermal shirt, suspenders. Perched on the tip of her nose were a pair of wire-rimmed Ben Franklin glasses. Without saying a word she opened the door to us and walked off, leaving us alone in a dim, grimy, ballroom-sized salon which was like a derelict version of some high-society set from a Fred Astaire movie: high ceilings; crumbling plaster; grand piano; darkened chandelier with half the crystals broken or gone; sweeping Hollywood staircase littered with cigarette butts. Sufi chants droned low in the background: Allāhu Allāhu Allāhu Haqq. Allāhu Allāhu Allāhu Haqq. Someone had drawn on the wall, in charcoal, a series of life-sized nudes ascending the stairs like frames in a film; and there was very little furniture apart from a ratty futon and some chairs and tables that looked scavenged from the street. Empty picture frames on the wall, a ram’s skull. On the television, an animated film flickered and sputtered with epileptic vim, windmilling geometrics intercut with letters and live-action racecar images. Apart from that, and the door where the blonde had disappeared, the only light came from a lamp which threw a sharp white circle on melted candles, computer cables, empty beer bottles and butane cans, oil pastels boxed and loose, many catalogues raisonnés, books in German and English including Nabokov’s Despair and Heidegger’s Being and Time with the cover torn off, sketch books, art books, ashtrays and burnt tinfoil, and a grubby-looking pillow where drowsed a gray tabby cat. Over the door, like a trophy from some Schwarzwald hunting lodge, a rack of antlers cast distorted shadows that spread and branched across the ceiling with a Nordic, wicked, fairy-tale feel. Conversation in the next room. The windows were shrouded with tacked-up bedsheets just thin enough to let in a diffuse violet glow from the street. As I looked around, forms emerged from the dark and transformed with a dream strangeness: for one thing, the makeshift room divider—consisting of a carpet sagging tenement-style from the ceiling on fishing line—was on closer look a tapestry and a good one too, eighteenth century or older, the near twin of an Amiens I’d seen at auction with an estimate of forty thousand pounds. And not all the frames on the wall were empty. Some had paintings in them, and one of them—even in the poor light—looked like a Corot.

I was just about to step over for a look when a man who could have been anywhere between thirty and fifty appeared in the door: worn-looking, rangy, with straight sandy hair combed back from his face, in black punk jeans out at the knee and a grungy British commando sweater with an ill-fitting suit jacket over it. “Hello,” he said to me, quiet British voice with a faint German bite, “you must be Potter,” and then, to Boris: “Glad you turned up. You two should stay and hang out. Candy and Niall are making dinner with Ulrika.” Movement behind the tapestry, at my feet, that made me step back quickly: swaddled shapes on the floor, sleeping bags, a homeless smell. “Thanks, we can’t stay,” said Boris, who had picked up the cat and was scratching it behind the ears. “Have some of that wine though, thanks.” Without a word Horst passed his own glass over to Boris and then called into the next room in German. To me, he said: “You’re a dealer, right?” In the glow of the television his pale pinned gull’s eye shone hard and unblinking. “Right,” I said uneasily; and then: “Uh, thanks.” Another woman—bobhaired and brunette, high black boots, skirt just short enough to show the black cat tattooed on one milky thigh—had appeared with a bottle and two glasses: one for Horst, one for me. “Danke darling,” said Horst. To Boris he said: “You gentlemen want to do up?” “Not right now,” said Boris, who had leaned forward to steal a kiss from the dark-haired woman as she was leaving. “Was wondering though. What do you hear from Sascha?” “Sascha—” Horst sank down on the futon and lit a cigarette. With his ripped jeans and combat boots he was like a scuffed-up version of some below-the-title Hollywood character actor from the 1940s, some minor mitteleuropäischer known for playing tragic violinists and weary, cultivated refugees. “Ireland is where it seems to lead. Good news if you ask me.” “That doesn’t sound right.” “Nor to me, but I’ve talked to people and so far it checks out.” He spoke with all a junkie’s arrhythmic quiet, off-beat, but without the slur. “So—soon we should know more, I hope.” “Friends of Niall’s?” “No. Niall says he never heard of them. But it’s a start.”

The wine was bad: supermarket Syrah. Because I did not want to be anywhere near the bodies on the floor I drifted over to inspect a group of artists’ casts on a beat-up table: a male torso; a draped Venus leaning against a rock; a sandaled foot. In the poor light they looked like the ordinary plaster casts for sale at Pearl Paint—studio pieces for students to sketch from—but when I drew my finger across the top of the foot I felt the suppleness of marble, silky and grainless. “Why would they go to Ireland with it?” Boris was saying restlessly. “What kind of collectors’ market? I thought everyone tries to get pieces out of there, not in.” “Yes, but Sascha thinks he used the picture to clear a debt.” “So the guy has ties there?” “Evidently.” “I find this difficult to believe.” “What, about the ties?” “No, about the debt. This guy—he looks like he was stealing hubcaps off the street six months ago. “ Horst shrugged, faintly: sleepy eyes, seamed forehead. “Who knows. Not sure that’s correct but certainly I’m not willing to trust to luck. Would I let my hand be cut off for it?” he said, lazily tapping an ash on the floor. “No.” Boris frowned into his wine glass. “He was amateur. Believe me. If you saw him yourself you would know.” “Yes but he likes to gamble, Sascha says.” “You don’t think Sascha maybe knows more?” “I think not.” There was a remoteness in his manner, as if he was talking half to himself. “ ‘Wait and see.’ This is what I hear. An unsatisfactory answer. Stinking from the top if you ask me. But as I say, we are not to the bottom of this yet.” “And when does Sascha get back to the city?” The half-light in the room sent me straight back to childhood, Vegas, like the obscure mood of a dream lingering after sleep: haze of cigarette smoke, dirty clothes on the floor, Boris’s face white then blue in the flicker of the screen. “Next week. I’ll give you a ring. You can talk to him yourself then.” “Yes. But I think we should talk to him together.” “Yes. I think so too. We’ll both be smarter, in future… this need not have happened… but in any case,” said Horst, who was scratching his neck slowly, absent-mindedly, “you understand I’m wary of pushing him too hard.” “That is very convenient for Sascha.” “You have suspicions. Tell me.” “I think—” Boris cut his eyes at the doorway. “Yes?” “I think—” Boris lowered his voice—“you are being too easy on him. Yes yes—” putting up his hands—“I know. But—all very convenient for his guy to vanish, not a clue, he knows nothing!” “Well, maybe,” Horst said. He seemed disconnected and partly elsewhere, like an adult in the room with small children. “This is pressing on me—on all of us. I want to get to the bottom of this as much as you. Though for all we know his guy was a cop.” “No,” said Boris resolutely. “He was not. He was not. I know it.” “Well—to be quite frank with you, I do not think so either, there is more to this than we yet know. Still, I’m hopeful.” He’d taken a wooden box from the drafting table and was poking around in it. “Sure you gentlemen wouldn’t like to get into a little something?” I looked away. I would have liked nothing better. I would also have liked to see the Corot except I didn’t want to walk around the bodies on the floor to do it. Across the room, I’d noticed several other paintings propped on the wainscoting: a still life, a couple of small landscapes. “Go look, if you want.” It was Horst. “The Lépine is fake. But the Claesz and the Berchem are for sale if you’re interested.” Boris laughed and reached for one of Horst’s cigarettes. “He’s not in the market.” “No?” said Horst genially. “I can give him a good price on the pair. The seller needs to get rid of them.”

I stepped in to look: still life, candle and half-empty wineglass. “Claesz-Heda?” “No—Pieter. Although—” Horst put the box aside, then stood beside me and lifted the desk lamp on the cord, washing both paintings in a harsh, formal glare—“this bit—” traced mid-air with the curve of a finger—“the reflection of the flame here? and the edge of the table, the drapery? Could almost be Heda on a bad day.” “Beautiful piece.” “Yes. Beautiful of its type.” Up close he smelled unwashed and raunchy, with a strong, dusty import-shop odor like the inside of a Chinese box. “A bit prosaic to the modern taste. The classicizing manner. Much too staged. Still, the Berchem is very good.” “Lot of fake Berchems out there,” I said neutrally. “Yes—” the light from the upheld lamp on the landscape painting was bluish, eerie—“but this is lovely… Italy, 1655‥… the ochres beautiful, no? The Claesz not so good I think, very early, though the provenance is impeccable on both. Would be nice to keep them together… they have never been apart, these two. Father and son. Came down together in an old Dutch family, ended up in Austria after the war. Pieter Claesz…” Horst held the light higher. “Claesz was so uneven, honestly. Wonderful technique, wonderful surface, but something a bit off with this one, don’t you agree? The composition doesn’t hold together. Incoherent somehow. Also—” indicating with the flat of his thumb the too-bright shine coming off the canvas: overly varnished. “I agree. And here—” tracing midair the ugly arc where an over-eager cleaning had scrubbed the paint down to the scumbling. “Yes.” His answering look was amiable and drowsy. “Quite correct. Acetone. Whoever did that should be shot. And yet a mid-level painting like this, in poor condition—even an anonymous work—is worth more than a masterpiece, that’s the irony of it, worth more to me, anyway. Landscapes particularly. Very very easy to sell. Not too much attention from the authorities… difficult to recognize from a description… and still worth maybe a couple hundred thousand. Now, the Fabritius—” long, relaxed pause—“a different calibre altogether. The most remarkable work that’s ever passed through my hands, and I can say that without question.” “Yes, and that is why we would like so much to get it back,” grumbled Boris from the shadows. “Completely extraordinary,” continued Horst serenely. “A still life like this one—” he indicated the Claesz, with a slow wave (black-rimmed fingernails, scarred venous network on the back of his hand)—“well, so insistently a trompe l’oeil. Great technical skill, but overly refined. Obsessive exactitude. There’s a deathlike quality. A very good reason they are called natures mortes, yes? But the Fabritius…��—loose-kneed back-step—“I know the theory of The Goldfinch, I’m well familiar with it, people call it trompe l’oeil and indeed it can strike the eye that way from afar. But I don’t care what the art historians say. True: there are passages worked like a trompe l’oeil… the wall and the perch, gleam of light on brass, and then… the feathered breast, most creaturely. Fluff and down. Soft, soft. Claesz would carry that finish and exactitude down to the death—a painter like van Hoogstraten would carry it even farther, to the last nail of the coffin. But Fabritius… he’s making a pun on the genre… a masterly riposte to the whole idea of trompe l’oeil… because in other passages of the work—the head? the wing?—not creaturely or literal in the slightest, he takes the image apart very deliberately to show us how he painted it. Daubs and patches, very shaped and hand-worked, the neckline especially, a solid piece of paint, very abstract. Which is what makes him a genius less of his time than our own. There’s a doubleness. You see the mark, you see the paint for the paint, and also the living bird.”

“Yes, well,” growled Boris, in the dark beyond the spotlight, snapping his cigarette lighter shut, “if no paint, would be nothing to see.” “Precisely.” Horst turned, his face cut by shadow. “It’s a joke, the Fabritius. It has a joke at its heart. And that’s what all the very greatest masters do. Rembrandt. Velázquez. Late Titian. They make jokes. They amuse themselves. They build up the illusion, the trick—but, step closer? it falls apart into brushstrokes. Abstract, unearthly. A different and much deeper sort of beauty altogether. The thing and yet not the thing. I should say that that one tiny painting puts Fabritius in the rank of the greatest painters who ever lived. And with The Goldfinch? He performs his miracle in such a bijou space. Although I admit, I was surprised—” turning to look at me—“when I held it in my hands the first time? The weight of it?” “Yes—” I couldn’t help feeling gratified, obscurely, that he’d noted this detail, oddly important to me, with its own network of childhood dreams and associations, an emotional chord—“the board is thicker than you’d think. There’s a heft to it.” “Heft. Quite. The very word. And the background—much less yellow than when I saw it as a boy. The painting underwent a cleaning—early nineties I believe. Post-conservation, there’s more light.” “Hard to say. I’ve got nothing to compare it to.” “Well,” said Horst. The smoke from Boris’s cigarette, threading in from the dark where he sat, gave the floodlit circle where we stood the midnight feel of a cabaret stage. “I may be wrong. I was a boy of twelve or so when I saw it for the first time.” “Yes, I was about that age when I first saw it too.” “Well,” said Horst, with resignation, scratching an eyebrow—dime-sized bruises on the backs of his hands—“that was the only time my father ever took me with him on a business trip, that time at The Hague. Ice cold boardrooms. Not a leaf stirring. On our afternoon I wanted to go to Drievliet, the fun park, but he took me to the Mauritshuis instead. And—great museum, many great paintings, but the only painting I remember seeing is your finch. A painting that appeals to a child, yes? Der Distelfink. That is how I knew it first, by its German name.”

“Yah, yah, yah,” said Boris from the darkness, in a bored voice. “This is like the education channel on the television.” “Do you deal any modern art at all?” I said, in the silence that followed. “Well—” Horst fixed me with his drained, wintry eye; deal wasn’t quite the correct verb, he seemed amused at my choice of words—“sometimes. Had a Kurt Schwitters not long ago—Stanton Macdonald-Wright—do you know him? Lovely painter. It depends a lot what comes my way. Quite honestly— do you ever deal in paintings at all?” “Very seldom. The art dealers get there before I do.” “That is unfortunate. Portable is what matters in my business. There are a lot of mid-level pieces I could sell on the clean if I had paper that looked good.” Spit of garlic; pans clashing in the kitchen; faint Moroccan-souk drift of urine and incense. On and on flatlining, the Sufi drone, wafting and spiraling around us in the dark, ceaseless chants to the Divine. “Or this Lépine. Quite a good forgery. There’s this fellow—Canadian, quite amusing, you’d like him—does them to order. Pollocks, Modiglianis— happy to introduce you, if you’d like. Not much money in them for me, although there’s a fortune to be made if one of them turned up in just the right estate.” Then, smoothly, in the silence that followed: “Of older works I see a lot of Italian, but my preferences—they incline to the North as you can see. Now—this Berchem is a very fine example for what it is but of course these Italianate landscapes with the broken columns and the simple milkmaids don’t so much suit the modern taste, do they? I much prefer the van Goyen there. Sadly not for sale.” “Van Goyen? I would have sworn that was a Corot.” “From here, yes, you might.” He was pleased at the comparison. “Very similar painters—Vincent himself remarked it—you know that letter? ‘The Corot of the Dutch’? Same tenderness of mist, that openness in fog, do you know what I mean?” “Where—” I’d been about to ask the typical dealer’s question, where did you get it, before catching myself. “Marvelous painter. Very prolific. And this is a particularly beautiful example,” he said, with all a collector’s pride. “Many amusing details up close—tiny hunter, barking dog. Also—quite typical—signed on the stern of the boat. Quite charming. If you don’t mind—” indicating, with a nod, the bodies behind the tapestry. “Go over. You won’t disturb them.” “No, but—” “No—” holding up a hand—“I understand perfectly. Shall I bring it to you?” “Yes, I’d love to see it.”

“I must say, I’ve grown so fond of it, I’ll hate to see it go. He dealt paintings himself, van Goyen. A lot of the Dutch masters did. Jan Steen. Vermeer. Rembrandt. But Jan van Goyen—” he smiled—“was like our friend Boris here. A hand in everything. Paintings, real estate, tulip futures.” Boris, in the dark, made a disgruntled noise at this and seemed about to say something when all of a sudden a scrawny wild-haired boy of maybe twenty-two, with an old fashioned mercury thermometer sticking out of his mouth, came lurching out of the kitchen, shielding his eyes with his hand against the upheld lamp. He was wearing a weird, womanish, chunky knit cardigan that came almost to his knees like a bathrobe; he looked ill and disoriented, his sleeve was up, he was rubbing the inside of his forearm with two fingers and then the next thing I knew his knees went sideways and he’d hit the floor, the thermometer skittering out with a glassy noise on the parquet, unbroken. “What…?” said Boris, stabbing out his cigarette, standing up, the cat darting from his lap into the shadows. Horst—frowning—set the lamp on the floor, light swinging crazily on walls and ceiling. “Ach,” he said fretfully, brushing the hair from his eyes, dropping to his knees to look the young man over. “Get back,” he said in an annoyed voice to the women who had appeared in the door, along with a cold, dark-haired, attentive-looking bruiser and a couple of glassy prep-school boys, no more than sixteen—and then, when they all still stood staring—flicked out a hand. “In the kitchen with you! Ulrika,” he said to the blonde, “halt sie zurück.” The tapestry was stirring; behind it, blanket-wrapped huddles, sleepy voices: eh? was ist los? “Ruhe, schlaft weiter,” called the blonde, before turning to Horst and beginning to speak urgently in rapid-fire German. Yawns; groans; farther back, a bundle sitting up, groggy American whine: “Huh? Klaus? What’d she say?” “Shut up baby and go back schlafen.” Boris had picked up his coat and was shouldering it on. “Potter,” he said and then again, when I did not answer, staring horrified at the floor, where the boy was breathing in gurgles: “Potter.” Catching my arm. “Come on, let’s go.” “Yes, sorry. We’ll have to talk later. Schiesse,” said Horst regretfully, shaking the boy’s limp shoulder, with the tone of a parent making a not-particularly-convincing show of scolding a child. “Dummer Wichser! Dummkopf! How much did he take, Niall?” he said to the bruiser who had reappeared in the door and was looking on with a critical eye. “Fuck if I know,” said the Irishman, with an ominous sideways pop of his head. “Come on, Potter,” said Boris, catching my arm. Horst had his ear to the boy’s chest and the blonde, who had returned, had dropped to her knees beside him and was checking his airway.

As they consulted urgently in German, more noise and movement behind the Amiens, which billowed out suddenly: faded blossoms, a fête champêtre, prodigal nymphs disporting themselves amidst fountain and vine. I was staring at a satyr peeping at them slyly from behind a tree when, unexpectedly —something against my leg—I started back violently as a hand swiped from underneath and clutched my trouser cuff. From the floor, one of the dirty bundles—swollen red face just visible from under the tapestry—inquired of me in a sleepy gallant voice: “He’s a margrave, my dear, did you know that?” I pulled my trouser leg free and stepped back. The boy on the floor was rolling his head a bit and making sounds like he was drowning. “Potter.” Boris had gathered up my coat and was practically stuffing it in my face. “Come on! Let’s go! Ciao,” he called into the kitchen with a lift of his chin (pretty dark head appearing in the doorway, a fluttering hand: bye, Boris! Bye!) as he pushed me ahead of him and ducked behind me out the door. “Ciao, Horst!” he said, making a call me later gesture, hand to ear. “Tschau Boris! Sorry about this! We’ll talk soon! Up,” said Horst, as the Irishman came up and grabbed the boy’s other arm from underneath; together they hoisted him up, feet limp and toes dragging and—amidst hurried activity in the doorway, the two young teenagers scrambling back in alarm—hauled him into the lighted doorway of the next room, where Boris’s brunette was drawing up a syringe of something from a tiny glass bottle.

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memorylang · 3 years

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Easter: Redwoods, Light | #52 | April 2021

I write from Vegas, having returned after spending most of this spring in Reno. Life has been well. I feel adjusted to being back in the States a year. Every so often, objects and settings still remind me of last year’s evacuation from Mongolia. I still have the interest I’d had in trying to improve the lives of those around me. I still plan to return to Mongolia as soon as pandemic conditions permit.

This month’s blog story reminds me of cycles. Attending a virtual Open Mic Night at the conclusion to this month's “Culture of Creativity Workshops” featuring overseas alumni, I felt called to tell our folks there about this very blog story that I hadn't yet finished. A fellow participant suggested my theme of cycles. I'd spoken of how events that happen throughout time, how our feelings come and go. So here it is—My Easter 2O2I tales of cycles, light and renewal!

Back to Vegas

I returned to Vegas tasked by my father to continue to sort my belongings, tend to the yard and help my older brother and his girlfriend clean the kitchen since their recent move back to the house. Early in March, I’d visited the house with my siblings, and I’d intended originally to spend Holy Week here, too. But my college parish had many functions, including a friend’s baptism, Knights’ service events and opportunities for me to continue to help with the recordings of Sunday Proclamations of the Word. Palm Sunday’s and Good Friday’s were special highlights. Anyway, I'd opted to stay in Reno for Lent’s remainder into Easter’s first weeks.

Easter in Reno

Being in Reno for most of this April instead of in Vegas like last year, I enjoyed seeing trees blossom. A highlight of this Easter season has been its many serendipitous moments. This is also noteworthy because I'd listened to the "Tao of Pooh,” which noted spontaneity as among the good spiritual life’s fruits. A spiritual director had told me something similar not long before I'd graduated college.

Days before Easter Sunday itself (U.S. Year 2, Week 5; April 2–8, 2O2I), I enjoyed getting the opportunity to lector at that Mass. It was a small Mass, but I felt glad to be in person for the greatest celebration of the Christian year since all had shut down last year. Later this Easter Octave, I’d gotten to both lector and serve at a family's confirmation Mass. That too felt lovely.

Serendipity hadn’t stopped there! I’d caught up with an ol’ friend at Rancho San Rafael Park not far from the Uni and later biked with another friend at North Valleys Regional. My bike itself I’d bought from a rummage sale the day before on an unexpected adventure in a U-Haul truck to help our student coordinators collect furniture in the morning after they’d asked whoever could help. Thus, that Wednesday night they’d requested help, Thursday morning I’d joined them to Gardnerville and the rectory, and Friday night I was biking with a friend. The last time I recall riding in a U-Haul was over a dozen years ago when I was 11, my family moved from Indiana to Vegas.

My youngest sister has also been encouraging me to practice my licensed driving by borrowing her vehicle to and from our parish. I’d visited so often that staff offered me a key to simplify visits to my "home away from home away from home." I’d felt touched because I could go on walks around our pretty campus without worrying about getting locked out when I was alone. The flexibility gave me peace recently on my U.S. Year 2, Week 8 (April 23–29, 2O2I), when midday I’d needed to drop by my Honors College alma mater’s office to help print a letter I’d written to graduating seniors for our Honors Alumni Task Force.

Also at church, I’d gotten to participate in a few of our Alpha sessions hosted by a diaconate candidate whom I’d interviewed back in 2OI8 on my diocesan public relations internship. I'd heard about Alpha first back in Mongolia from a kind Evangelical Mongol. Anyway, the diaconate candidate, student coordinators and Alpha participants have been great conversation partners.

Beyond these, our pastor had driven me to my first Pfizer vaccine dose, lent me films and advised my reading! On one occasion, he even let me bring Holy Communion to a friend of mine. Such activities have kept me from feeling too distressed amid research writing and revisions. Parish support has made my “happy contentment” quest kinder.

Redwoods National and State Parks

This year’s Easter Octave concluded for me with another trip with my national parks friends (U.S. Year 2, Week 6; April 9–I5, 2O2I). This trip, I’d anticipated especially. As a young lad in Indiana, I’d felt mesmerized by the photos of massively tall California trees noted in our science textbooks. Thus, from an early age, Redwoods imprinted themselves in me.

At these national and state parks, epic scenery of old-growth forests, mountainous hills and valleys beside the coast astounded me. I hadn’t seen the Pacific Ocean since January 2O2O when I’d flown back to Mongolia from Vegas via San Francisco. I felt surprised by how many months had passed since my last overseas adventure.

At the loop completing the Tall Trees Grove trail, I found a special place. My peers had gone ahead while I stayed behind to take photos, record videos and capture audio. I hadn’t expected to find at the trail’s end a creek filled with still other trees—vast ones, like those that I’d seen in subtropical Asia but different.

I basked in these trees. While taking photos, I also discovered my phone has a virtual reality setting. I tried it out, remembering undergrad extra credit VR photography projects. I’d wanted to journal at least something.

“Daniel!” my peers called from some distance down the path. I couldn’t see them, but their voices echoed well enough. I called back something to the effect of, “I’m here!” I still wanted to get a good fill of this park. Here’s what I journaled:

[11:45 a.m.] Redwood, National Park, end of Tall Tree Grove along the creek zone is this phenomenal section of mossy trees with winding branches. Here I discovered my VR. [A woman paused, passing me, “You must be Daniel.”] 19IO–I96O, so many of these trees that used to be across Humboldt, Eureka, Arcata were cut down. The smells… the scents, the mosses, the ferns, the light. Beyond.

Mid-journaling, I paused because a mid-aged woman who was passing by smiled and acknowledged that I must be the "Daniel" she'd overheard about. I smiled yes and reveled in the gorgeousness that surrounded us. She affirmed and mused how this park’s name should be changed like, “Redwoods and Other Trees and Lose-Your-Brother-in-the-Forest National Park.” She added how in the early half of last century, these very types of trees once blanketed far more Northern California, across the very counties through which my friends and I traveled to get here.

I later journaled again after sprinting much of the uphill trail back to my friends. We then saw the “Lady Bird” Johnson trail, then a confluence of the Klamath River and Pacific Ocean (where there were seals!) and finally Trillium Falls. I’d written this about the final hike:

So hypnotic. [...] Dodona’s Grove* vibes from the Trillium hike after the Falls. Whispers from God. Endlessness.

*The Grove of Dodona is a prophetic forest from “The Hidden Oracle,” a book to which I’d listened amid the pandemic by an author I used to read in junior high and high school, Rick Riordan. While I wasn’t a huge fan of where he’d taken “The Heroes of Olympus” series’ finale, I'd often admired his picturesque locales.

My peers and I left the park by 6:45 p.m. The view from the road on which we departed reminded me of the bamboo forest in 安吉 Ānjí near 杭州 Hángzhōu. I’d seen it in 2OI7 during my first summer overseas and have rarely found comparable places.

Of Redwoods, I journaled too of how gleeful I’d felt to have hugged so many trees. A friend had complimented my writing when he mentioned that I don’t need to take so many photos. I added how photos help me remember what to write. I'll probably share my Redwoods photoset in May.

A carpet of moist, fallen leaves along the paved trails had reminded me of a Sunday morning path that my dad would take my siblings and me through for years at Spring Mill State Park in Mitchell, Ind.

Spring Retreat: Recognizing God’s Light

Beyond Redwoods, I'd stayed behind in Reno chiefly to participate in my college parish's Spring Retreat. This spring the student coordinators held it in Gardnerville, the same location where I'd enjoyed it my senior spring. However, I'd had to leave early from it that year. It was my first and only of the eight semesterly retreats from which I'd left early.

That year, I'd left in order to co-emcee the Diocesan Youth Rally 2OI9. To my surprise, the youngest member on this year’s student coordinator team was likely at that same event when she was a high school student. Similarities like these gladdened me.

I felt renewed. This year’s theme, "Light in the Darkness" (Spring 2O2I), reminded me of "Ignite the Light," (Spring 2OI8), the year after my mother died. This time, however, I’d had more years to reflect and feel greater peace. Similarly, I've felt more peace being back in the States even though I'd prefer to be abroad. God’s light shines every day, in every moment of every person. I can see it.

Writing of seeing things, I’d also seen "WandaVision" and "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" while up in Reno. I’d reconnected too with a Disney-loving college friend to get more Disney+ watchlist ideas. I’d seriously enjoyed the “Into the Unknown: Making Frozen II” docuseries. Both she and my college pastor led me to witness iconic performances by Julie Andrews in both "The Sound of Music" and "Mary Poppins."

Justice

April felt refreshing for a more challenging reason as well. Much of the month had featured on many channels coverage from the trial over the killing of George Floyd. I imagined that this would be a trial that my generation remembers for years.

I’d watched live various testimonies and even the closing arguments. Then, on that Tuesday, April 2O, 2O2I, afternoon, our nation heard the verdict—My pastor called it among the fastest traveling news.

I've been on the Social Justice Task Force of the American Psychological Association’s Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality since last summer. Our Task Force had come together in response to the killing of George Floyd and subsequent renewed pushes across our nation for social justice.

Our task force has been meeting every other Tuesday night, after weekly fed Zoom fatigue. Our meeting that Tuesday fell on the night of the guilty verdict. But, this justice felt cathartic only somewhat. More shootings filled the media. Our task was far from over.

Still, I’d another reason to celebrate. That Tuesday marked my last advocacy meeting on behalf of the National Peace Corps Association to offices of Nevada’s lawmakers this March–April. All told, I’d coordinated and met virtually with offices of the U.S. Congresspeople Horsford, Titus and Lee as well as Senator Rosen. And Representative Titus herself attended our meeting! She was very kind. So, I felt relieved to have finished those duties for now.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Next month (May) begins Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. I've decided to tell a #StopAsianHate story. Given America's centuries of racism toward Asians, I don't enjoy the subject. But, I’d had an experience on my Week 5I (Feb. 19–25, 2O2I). It reminded me the importance of continuing to tell stories so that we can promote diversity and inclusion.

I was on one of my Reno walks that cold winter. As usual, I'd pass by the local elementary school. I'd paused to check my phone. The time was while children were at recess. They played opposite a chain-link fence a few yards down a hill from where I stood.

At first, I didn't think that the kids were talking to me. So, I paid them little attention. Then their voices sounded closer, in greater numbers.

I hadn't decided whether to acknowledge the children but decided to finish my walk. My walk brought me along the fence. From my right periphery, I saw a clump of children gathering, following. They certainly addressed me.

I heard what sounded like slurs against Asians that I won't repeat here but also questions that I will repeat here.

The kids asked if I was homeless, whether I'm an orphan, whether I speak English. I reflected on these. I was wearing a big scarf from Mongolia, a hefty hand-me-down winter coat and wide, secondhand jeans, frayed at my ankles. But I hadn't spoken a word to the kids.

Their questions themselves weren't offensive. Yet, the children’s tones reminded me of the mocking ones I'd heard in middle school when boys made fun of me for caring more about good grades than getting girlfriends. (Little did the boys know, girls I liked tended toward good grades.)

Anyway, these kids seemed to have negative implications behind positive responses to their questions. This upset me. After all, homelessness, being an orphan and not knowing English are not inherently bad things. For, often, people do not choose to go without a home, parents or American English. So why might these children ask these degradingly?

I felt perturbed by the realization that these children would find pleasure in mocking people who they suspect are without homes, parents or English skills. Yet, from this, I felt a glimmer of solidarity. I'd heard directed toward me what seemed unkind speech. This may help me relate to Asians who hear slurs, to those without homes, to those without parents and to those perhaps struggling with English.

My parents tend to insist too that I buy new clothes, though. Given our world's rampant consumerism, I find second-hand ones quite fine. "Form follows function." I wish that more folks would appreciate hand-me-downs and thrifting.

Nuance

Curiously, as I continued past this chain-link fence, a somewhat pudgy boy of color asked with a wide grin for money for Taco Bell. Truthfully, I didn't have money on me. I calmly answered the questions, not pausing from my walk. I guessed the kids dismissed the homeless guess/joke. I noticed thankfully that they wore face masks. We’re still in a pandemic, after all.

The boy's questions made me wonder about his family life. True, he could have been joking. But I remembered, many of the boys who'd picked on me in middle school had been living in a neighborhood that many people called not a “good” part of town.

In light of the visibility that Black Lives Matter has had in the past year, I've tried to grow more aware of how cruel predominantly White societies can be toward Black, indigenous and other peoples of color. I recalled learning when I was little that, often those who bully had been bullied themselves. Sociology interests me.

Thus, when these playground children said potentially questionable things to me, I wasn't sure whether to intervene about the slurs or micro-aggressions or what I'd say.

As I neared the fence’s edge to complete my pass by the school, I overheard a girl's or maybe a woman's voice call the kids to stop wasting their free time. I'm glad that someone spoke up. Compassion is the answer, especially in light of hurtful things.

I’m still unsure whether my general silence was helpful or problematic. But the experience caused me to think. For, children learn fast. Innocence is invaluable. My generation's problems and those of that above ours replicate in youths the longer we fail to act.

I’m glad that folks are speaking up these days in hopes to #StopAsianHate. Social justice mustn't sleep.

Language Six

On April 2O2I’s last day, I hit my 365-day streak on Duolingo!

Over the past year, I’d focused on Latin, Spanish and Chinese. Having finished every lesson and level Duolingo had for Latin, I started dabbling in German. While I’ve no intention to extensively pursue German (yet, at least), I’ve enjoyed how its lessons help me see from where many non-Latin roots reach English.

I’ve been dipping into my Germanic heritage on Dad’s side again lately. This began about when I’d seen “The Sound of Music” then reconnected with my distant relative who’s researched more of our shared Austrian and Volga German forefathers and mothers. Turns out that my relative had personally written to and received a postcard from the real Maria von Trapp!

I've grown to like more German language. "The Sound of Music" and how Spotify has Disney soundtracks in German help. Besides listening to vocalists like Namika, I’ve also gotten into LEA, Manuel Straube, Julia Scheeser and even Willemijn Verkaik! This is probably just a phase, but it’s certainly fun.

Every language I’ve sought to learn has at least one Spotify playlist. For recent films I’ve seen, like "Mary Poppins" and "Mary Poppins Returns," I’ve cherry-picked tracks in German, Spanish and English. Though I don’t catch most words, I like to consider translators’ decision-making.

Summer Fun

I get my second Pfizer dose on Cinco de Mayo. By then, I hope to have channeled my Julie Andrews-inspired service of making things better than how I've found them. Later that vaccine week, on Mother’s Day, I’ll return to Reno with Tita and Papa.

May 14 will celebrate the Baccalaureate Mass of lovely student coordinators and friends from undergrad. Then comes the 2Ist birthday of my youngest sister and will also mark when I’m fully inoculated, May 19! Pentecost comes May 23. Then will be May 3O, the wedding of two of my undergrad coworkers, including a fraternity brother. We'll have a mini staff and fraternal reunion!

After that, I look forward most to a Seattle trip at my 24th birthday. National parks friends and I are flying up to see Olympic National Park. It’ll be my first time to see further into the Pacific Northwest than Ashland, Ore. My younger (not youngest) sister got a job in Seattle, so I’ll be surfing her couch for part of my visit. Super stoked to reconnect with friends from high school, college and Peace Corps in the city! Even my married friends with whom I'd spent New Year's Eve the past couple years plan to visit me there.

This April my siblings and I reviewed our first scholarship applications for a Foundation that we’d founded to honor our late mother, who was Chinese. So, with next month and the fourth anniversary of her passing, I’ll share Foundation experiences, I think. Along with those, graduations and celebrations await!

You can read more from me here at DanielLang.me :)

#Peace Corps #Mongolia #redwoods #WithMe #Easter #memoir #story #Catholic #God #memoryLang #USA #Coronavirus #COVID-19 #Nevada #California #travel #spring #church #UNR #StopAsianHate

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prolinekitchens · 2 years

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Essential Tips to be Followed to Have Perfect Farmhouse Kitchen Cabinet Store NJ

Most of us prefer to have our kitchen in farm hose style. This farmhouse style is not certainly having a moment. Thanks to the Proline kitchens, the simple kitchen cabinet styles have recently gone mainstream, and now it has morphed into their specific category.

Nowadays, Kitchen Cabinets Sales are increasing day by day, and now we have to come down to the question- What is Farm style kitchen? It’s the most commonly asked question. The answer differs depending upon who you ask.

The beauty of the farmhouse style, as compared to more aesthetic styles like mid-century modern or art deco, is encompassing a large number of aesthetic customers towards the Kitchen Cabinet Store NJ.

Farmhouse Style is nothing but making a space of your own. We will help you with some more specific tips to achieve that farmhouse-style look, and we have got you covered.

Clean Lines

In farmhouse style, there is the use of the clean simple lines in both architecture and décor. And the Cabinet and Countertop Stores Near Me are the perfect example. The front part of the classic farmhouse cabinet is a shaker because of the clean line and easy construction.

For a farming family to work on the farm is enough work, so when it comes to building furniture, door frames, or cabinets, they try to keep the thing basic. They don’t prefer any fancy finishes, and they, don’t do much trim work. They just prefer functionality that has carried through into the farmhouse décor of today.

Embrace Simplicity

The true farmhouse style is based on simplicity which goes back to the economic status of farmhouses throughout the years. The farmhouse and homesteads used are what they had, and the single item which they had a purpose.

In this farmhouse style there is only the need for plenty of galvanized and enamelware touches because those were essential materials on a working farm. There goes a simple thumb rule- Think simple, less cutter, more pieces that serve double duty, functionality.

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virtualfunblizzard · 3 years

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Get the best Sofas at online auctions

Sofas are available in different styles, sizes and price ranges. If you want to buy a new sofa but do not have much knowledge on sofas then you can choose a ready made one from the a variety of ready made Sofas online Auctions. You may get one of the best deals with a Sofas for sale at an affordable price. Type Mid Century Sofas for Sale at auction or Modern sofas for sale at Auctions Near Me. It is possible for you to get a high quality sofa at a cost effective price.

There are several qualities that should be taken into consideration while buying a Sofas for sale from home Auctions. The foremost thing that one needs to do is to check out the quality of the Sofas for sale. While buying a Sofas, you should check out whether the seat should be firm or soft, low or high. It should fit in your home easily. The color and the upholstery of the sofa should match with the colors and theme of the other furniture in the home.

Before you start bidding at the online auction of Sofas you should check out all the qualities of the Sofas. You should analyze each and every aspect of the Sofas. Check out the upholstery, the frame, the cushions and the fabrics used in the Sofas. One should also determine the budget and the size of the sofas.

You can also check out the price of the Sofas from various online stores. While getting the deal of Sofas for home through online you will get more discounts. So it will be a beneficial option for you can save your time and money at the same time.

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jeremystrele · 4 years

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THIS Is How You Renovate An Architect-Designed, Mid-Century Home!

Homes

by Lucy Feagins, Editor

Original George Nelson saucer. Poolside Gossip print by Slim Aarons. Mirror and table from West Elm. Oak Bok chairs from Ethnicraft. Original parker sideboard from Tangerine and Teal. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Poolside Gossip print by Slim Aarons. Wood burning fireplace by Abbey Fireplaces. Original George Nelson saucer. Rug from West Elm. Ceiling fan from Big Ass Fan. Sofa from King Furniture. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Happy Days painting by Elizabeth Sullivan. Original MCM chairs restored by Tangerine and Teal. Rug from West Elm. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Amelia Hesketh at home. Poolside Gossip print by Slim Aarons. Mirror and table from West Elm. Oak Bok chair from Ethnicraft. Original parker sideboard by Tangerine and Teal. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Mirror and table from West Elm. Oak Bok chair from Ethnicraft. Original parker sideboard by Tangerine and Teal. Original George Nelson saucer. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Wood fire from Abbey Fireplaces. Poolside Gossip print by Slim Aarons. Cedar wood panelling. Macrame plant hanger made be Amelia. Original MCM chairs restored by Tangerine and Teal. ‘Puzzle’ tiles from Mutina. Engineered wood flooring in Invisible Oil from Woodcut. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Original George Nelson saucer. Table from West Elm. Oak Bok chair from Ethnicraft. Poolside Gossip print by Slim Aarons. Engineered wood flooring in Invisible oil from Woodcut. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Cedar panelling clads the interiors. A fiddle leaf fig and philodendron xanadu in the corner. A drum bought in Egypt. A restored original balustrade restored by Amelia and Oliver. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Beams painted in Dulux Mission Brown. Poster hanging on the left is the original plans of the house. Painting on the right is Happy Days by Elizabeth Sullivan. Sofa from King Furniture. Chair restored by Tangerine and Teal. Coffee table from Noguchi. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Looking from the kitchen into the courtyard. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Frandsen Hitchcock chandelier from Design Stuff. Stacked gloss, rustic green splashback tiles from DiLorenzo. Wood veneer is Rift cut American Oak. Bar stools from KMart. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Stacked gloss, rustic green splashback tiles from DiLorenzo. Wood veneer is Rift cut American Oak. Bar stools from Kmart. Walls painted with Dulux Lexicon Quarter. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Bed from Life Interiors. Original Parker side table and Beresford dresser from Tangerine and Teal. ‘Mantis’ bedside sconce from Lights Lights Lights. ‘Tempt’ carpet from Supertuft. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Elara Pendant light from Urban Lighting. ‘Jazz Arch’ mirror cabinets from Timberline. Mier tapware. Custom made vanity. Teal Mosaic tiles from Academy Tiles. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Parlour Sphere Pendant from LightCo. ‘Pavlova’ terrazzo floor tile from Fibonacci Stone. White square mosaic wall tile from Academy Tiles. Custom-made vanity. Timberline cabinet. Meir tapware. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Scion Priya Blush Wall paper from Natty and Polly. Desenio print. Sideboard from RJ Living. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Left: Parlour Sphere Pendant from LightCo. White square mosaic wall tile from Academy Tiles. Custom-made vanity. Timberline cabinet. Meir tapware. Right: ‘Skate or Die’ wallpaper from Milton and King. Print from Desenio. Ikea bedlinen. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Front door panelled with cedar. Puzzle tile from Mutina. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.

Interior designer Amelia Hesketh, founder of Frank Designs, recalls inspecting this mid-century house for sale in Lindfield (on Sydney’s Upper North Shore) seven years ago. ‘It was obvious that most people saw it as a knockdown and rebuild (as happens far too often with these houses), but we could only see potential,’ she says.

Thankfully, the interior designer and her husband Oliver Hesketh were able to buy the property, becoming only the second owners in its history. They share the home with their three children, Will (11), Ruby (9), and Poppy (7).

The house was built in 1969 and designed by architect Bill Baker, (the same architect as Tim Ross’ house!) ‘Bill flew in the air force during WWII and was influenced by the American architecture. When he returned he enrolled in architecture school, then worked as an architect and a Qantas pilot,’ says Amelia.

The house was in near original state at the time of purchasing, complete with the architectural plans found in the back of a desk drawer! While the couple loved its mid-century features, the property was run down and was soon in need of an update. ‘All the original cedar wall panelling was falling off… Bathroom tiles were coming away, and the floor joists in the girl’s bedroom were rotten from the roof leaking into the wall cavity,’ says Amelia. ‘They used to jump on the floor and use it like a trampoline!

Energy efficiency was also an issue that needed addressing. ‘The house didn’t have an ounce of insulation, and all the windows were pane glass, with the frames having been eaten away by termites,’ Amelia says. ‘One night, while lying in bed, our master bedroom window fell out onto the neighbour’s property!’

Structurally, only one internal wall between the kitchen and living space was removed in the eventual renovation, but numerous other updates were made. ‘All other internal wall paneling was taken down, the framing checked for termite damage, then all put back together as we found it – but with insulation,’ Amelia says. ‘We replaced all the cedar wall panelling, and actually added more as I love it so much, it brings so much warmth to the house.’

All the original joinery was reused and refurbished, as required, throughout this process. ‘We did not throw one piece out, which I am very proud of,’ Amelia says. They built it to last back then, and it is all so functional.’ Amelia also notes the huge contribution of her ‘absolutely brilliant builder’, Jacob Vorias from Vorcon Constructions.

In terms of colour, Amelia was careful not to whitewash the home, instead introducing shades similar to the original scheme. ‘I couldn’t tell you how many people tried to talk me into painting over the mission brown!’ she says. ‘There was no way I was going to get rid of the mission brown – it’s part of the era. As a designer I had to make it work and I think I was successful in doing this. Everyone now loves them.’

Amelia’s carpet and tile selections also share this mid-century flavour, encompassing terrazzo and geometric patterns, blue mosaics, green kit kats and green carpet in the main bedroom. ‘It was always going to be green carpet, and there are no regrets,’ Amelia says.

Tying everything together is Dulux Lexicon Quarter used throughout the house, and the original brown, touched up with – you guessed it – Dulux Mission Brown!

Not only does the architecture of this property feel like a step back in time, so does the neighbourhood. The couple were initially hesitant to move to the North Shore after years in Sydney’s inner-west, but quickly grew to love the lifestyle this has afforded their children. ‘The house is in a cul-de-sac, so our kids have a real 1980s childhood… Out on the street on their bikes, and running from house to house visiting friends,’ Amelia says. ‘We now love leafy Lindfield. All our friends south of the bridge said they’d never visit us. They all do!’

Special thanks to our new Sydney team, photographer Jacqui Turk and stylist Jono Fleming, for capturing this very special mid-century gem!

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thehistoryvintageantiques · 3 months

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Ingmar Relling Siesta chair (Copy)

Item Number : #74

Low-back Siesta Chair

Ingmar Relling

for Westnofa Furniture, Norway 1970s.

Beautifully reupholstered.

The Siesta chair, designed by Norwegian designer Ingmar Relling in 1965, is a timeless and iconic piece of furniture known for its sleek and minimalist design. With its curvy beech frame and comfortable canvas sling upholstered with a new, soft and supple leather cushion.

The Siesta chair is not only aesthetically pleasing but also ergonomically sound. Its simple yet elegant form has made it a staple in our homes, offices, and public spaces for decades.

Ingmar Relling's creation continues to be celebrated for its Scandinavian design principles that combine form, function, and comfort effortlessly.

These are the most comfortable of all the Scandinavian vintage lounge chairs.

86H x 62W x 84L cm

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homeatlast01 · 11 months

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xeford2020 · 4 years

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“The Larkin Idea”

Trade Card for the Larkin Soap Company, 1900 / THF224516 As part of the William Davidson Foundation Initiative for Entrepreneurship, we had the opportunity to delve into the history of the Larkin Company. What began as a small soap manufacturing business in 1875 became one of the nation’s leading mail-order businesses by 1900. This post highlights the Larkin Company’s rise to popularity under the multi-faceted, ingenious marketing strategy known as “The Larkin Idea." While the Larkin Company sold its products throughout the country, the company had special appeal for rural customers, offering a broader range of product choices than stores in nearby villages and towns. The company would eventually develop a distribution system, contracting with local deliverymen to deliver Larkin products right to customers’ doorsteps – rather than customers having to pick them up in town. In the early 21st century, people today welcome this same opportunity for conveniently delivered goods!

Trade Card for “Boraxine” Soap, J.D. Larkin & Co., 1882 / THF296340 In 1875, having worked in the soap business for more than a decade, John D. Larkin created his own soap company in Buffalo, New York, called J.D. Larkin, Manufacturer of Plain and Fancy Soaps. This would later become known as the Larkin Company. The first product, made for laundry use, was a yellow bar known as Sweet Home Soap. Boraxine, a flaked laundry soap, quickly followed, and continued to be a signature item in product lists throughout the company’s history.

Boraxine Soap Powder, 1925-1940 / THF155045 The first salesman for the company was Larkin’s brother-in-law, Elbert Hubbard. Hubbard was a skilled promoter and successful salesman, devising advertising strategies and boosting sales. In 1878, Hubbard was made a partner in the business, resulting in the company’s name change to J.D. Larkin & Company. With this partnership, Larkin oversaw the manufacturing of the products and Hubbard was placed in charge of advertising and promotion. One of the first strategies Hubbard adopted was offering a chromolithograph (color print) as a premium, or free giveaway, in each box of Boraxine. By 1883 – after additional products were added to Larkin’s line – Hubbard began offering finer premiums, such as a Japanese silk handkerchief in each box of “Elite” Toilet Soap.

Back of a Trade Card for J.D. Larkin & Co.’s “Elite” Toilet Soap, 1882 / THF296327 After years of “slinging soap,” Hubbard noted that direct sales to housewives were more profitable than selling to local merchants. The company was doing quite well – having distributors in every state east of the Rocky Mountains in its first decade – but Larkin and Hubbard believed that the company had even greater potential. In order to maximize profits, the company decided to eliminate all middlemen (including the sales force), thus entering the mail-order industry. The mail-order business was not new – Montgomery Ward & Company had made this popular a decade earlier. But in 1885, Hubbard developed a plan, called “The Larkin Idea,” that offered giveaways with the purchase of particular items from the company’s mail-order catalogs.

Page advertising Rugs as Larkin Premiums, in Larkin Company Trade Catalog, “The Larkin Plan: Factory-to-Family,” Fall and Winter 1917-1918 / THF298153 “The Larkin Idea” was simple: In cutting out all middlemen and selling Larkin products directly to housewives, the money that would have gone to the payroll of the middlemen would instead be used to create desirable premiums that would be given to customers with the purchase of Larkin products. This idea was encapsulated by the slogan, “Factory-to-Family,” and the tagline of “The Larkin Idea” became, “Save All Cost Which Adds No Value.”

Larkin Company Trade Catalog, “The Larkin Factory-To-Family Plan,” Spring and Summer, 1915 / THF297907 The first iteration of “The Larkin Idea” came in 1886 with the introduction of a Combination Box. By this time, the company was offering nine different soap products. At first, the Combination Box sold for $6, but a few years later, a $10 option emerged, offering enough products to last a family the entire year. The $10 Combination Boxes quickly gained popularity as customers could receive 142 products – 100 of those being Sweet Home Soap – and a free premium worth $10. Larkin also introduced a 30-day policy in which customers had 30 days to try a product before paying for it. This gave peace of mind to customers who wanted to try a product, risk-free, and also developed trust between the company and consumer. The public embraced “The Larkin Idea” with enthusiasm, ordering nearly 91,000 Combination Boxes a year!

Advertisement for Larkin Premiums, “A Practical Plan of Saving: The Larkin Idea Factory-to-Family Dealing,” 1906. / THF298080 By 1892, the company changed its name once more, to Larkin Soap Manufacturing Company. As the popularity of the Combination Boxes grew, Larkin sought to expand its product and premium offerings. In 1897, Larkin offered 16 products – including 14 different soaps, a cold cream, and tooth powder – and that number increased every year. This led to the company eventually dropping “soap” from its name to become the Larkin Company in 1904.

Did You Know?After leaving the Larkin Company, Elbert Hubbard would go on to found the Roycroft community of East Aurora, New York, in the mid-1890s. At the Roycroft community, hundreds of artisans came to live and work as part of an Arts and Crafts utopian community. The Arts and Crafts movement encouraged quality craftsmanship of handcrafted works of simple form as a reaction to poorly made factory produced goods. With his marketing prowess and passion, Hubbard led the Roycrofters to become one of the most successful communities of the Arts and Crafts movement in America. Explore more on the Arts and Crafts movement on our blog and in this Expert Set.

With the success of the Combination Box and the increasing number of customers nationwide, the company introduced another facet of “The Larkin Idea,” which would prove to be invaluable: Larkin Clubs. Women across the country were encouraged to become Larkin Secretaries, and as such they would gather friends and family to purchase products together. A Club-of-Ten was encouraged to have all members buy $1 worth of products each month, and a different member of the club would receive a premium of their choice every month.

Advertisement for a Larkin Club-of-Ten in the Trade Catalog, “A Practical Plan of Saving: The Larkin Idea Factory-to-Family Dealing,” 1906. / THF298079

This Larkin Company infant swing/bed, was given to a woman by her sister, who sold Larkin products. (Gift of Ellen J. Adams) / THF174549 Women found a sense of pride in their participation in the clubs and enjoyed the social aspect of monthly meetings. At its peak, there were 90,000 Larkin Secretaries around the country. The Larkin Clubs were such a tremendous promotional force that the company stopped selling Combination Boxes in order to focus on its ever-increasing product and premium offerings. By 1905, the company began offering teas, spices, and additional foodstuffs among its products. Five years later, the company had added paints and varnishes, as well as rugs, clothing, and other textiles to its product line – along with 1,700 premiums to choose from, ranging from children’s toys to clothing to furniture. In 1915, the catalog featured 700 Larkin products spread over 33 pages, and offered 131 pages of premiums. One of the company’s advertising campaigns involved the idea that customers could furnish their entire house with Larkin products. This catalog for Larkin Wallpaper is an example of this idea in action.

Page showing a variety of Larkin products from the Trade Catalog, “The Larkin Home-Helper,” circa 1910 / THF297831

Larkin Premiums advertised in the publication, “My Larkin Clubs Earned These for Me,” circa 1912 / THF298076

Page from Larkin Company Trade Catalog, “The World’s Greatest Premium Values,” Fall and Winter 1930. The catalog from 1930 included one of the more unusual premiums Larkin offered - Hartz Mountain Canaries (guaranteed to sing) or a pair of mated Love Birds. Click here to view the 1930 catalog! / THF298067 As “The Larkin Idea” continued to gain popularity, the Larkin Company sought to bring those companies that produced the premiums under the Larkin umbrella. At its height, Larkin had over 30 subsidiary companies, and had furnished seed money to establish such businesses as the Barcolo Manufacturing Company, to produce furniture, and Buffalo Pottery to produce pottery and kitchenware. Since 1896, the company had begun expanding its manufacturing complex. This process continued through 1912, with 21 new structures built to accommodate the rapidly growing product and premiums list.

Deldare Candlestick, produced by Buffalo Pottery, 1911 / THF176916

Page from Larkin Trade Catalog, “Product and Premium List,” January 1908. The Larkin Administration Building, completed in 1906 in Buffalo, was designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. / THF297783 Beginning in 1905, the company established branches and warehouses – first in Cleveland, and then in Boston, Chicago, New York City, Peoria and Philadelphia. With this expansion, Larkin was able to better serve its customers across the country. Despite experiencing significant growth, by 1918 the company found it had a surplus of food products far exceeding demand. Unable to move the product fast enough through mail order or the Secretary system, Larkin created retail establishments called “Larkin Economy Stores” as a way to sell these products. By 1922, there were 103 stores in Buffalo and northwestern New York, as well as others near the additional branches.

Back cover from Larkin Company Trade Catalog, “Product and Premium List,” January 1908 / THF297811 “The Larkin Idea” had taken the company to significant heights. By the mid-1920s, however, the company was beginning to falter for a number of reasons. National chains like A&P grocery stores and Woolworth’s presented stiff competition. Automobiles made going shopping easier, causing mail-order businesses to become less popular. Perhaps the greatest influence in Larkin’s demise was World War I, which had brought many Larkin Secretaries out of their homes and into the workforce, weakening the Larkin sales structure. The crippling economy during the Great Depression also impacted the company. Between 1924 and 1926, all of the company’s top leadership either retired or passed away, including Larkin himself. Having failed to pass along knowledge and nurture younger leadership, the company was left with little expertise, leading to the company’s gradual closing.

Cover for Larkin Company Trade Catalog, “The Larkin Plan, Factory-To-Family,” Fall & Winter, 1917-1918 / THF298101 In 1939, the decision was made to stop manufacturing soap products, and two years later the manufacture of all products and premiums ceased as well. With an abundance of remaining inventory of both products and premiums, the Larkin Company was still able to fill orders until 1962. What had started as a small soap manufacturing company became prominent enough to hold its own despite the tremendous popularity of mass-marketers, like Sears, Roebuck and Company, and Montgomery Ward & Company. Through innovative marketing strategies and an entrepreneurial spirit, the Larkin Company experienced significant growth in a short period of time, finding its way into households across America. Samantha Johnson is Project Curator for the William Davidson Foundation Initiative for Entrepreneurship at The Henry Ford. Special thanks to Jeanine Head Miller, Curator of Domestic Life at The Henry Ford, for sharing her knowledge and for reviewing this content.

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mycrawfordcountyancestors · 7 years

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Week 8 Heirloom

This week’s 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks prompt is Heirloom. I don’t have a lot of heirlooms. I don’t care for too many things that have to be dusted and I’m not overly sentimental about “stuff.” That’s not to say I don’t have anything handed down from past generations-I’ve just tried to keep it to a minimum. One dish from a set that belonged to my grandmother is fine; I don’t need the entire set!

My maternal grandmother Dorothy Opal (Marbry) Bashears moved out of her home in Robinson in the mid-1970s where she’d lived for 20 or so years. By this point, my grandfather (Clarence Scott Bashears) had had some health scares and they decided to move into an apartment in Champaign to be close to their only child, my mother. I was a teen at the time, and remember helping them move into the apartment. I was not involved in packing up the house in Robinson, nor do I know how or when all her “stuff” got into my parents’ basement. (After my grandfather’s death, my grandmother moved back to an apartment in Robinson, then later a nursing home.)

My parents’ basement only functioned as a place to store stuff. The sump pump had failed a number of times and the basement was dark and damp and disorganized. In 2002 or so my dad rented a dumpster and my brother and I, our spouses, and our parents, spent a weekend going through the stuff. Out went the broken furniture, the mildewed books, the games with missing pieces. I was amazed at the things we found down there. I was really into selling things on eBay at that time and took many of the items home with me to sell online. There were turn of the century serving dishes, silver-plate spoons, stoneware crocks, (embarrassing) Black Americana items, vintage Pyrex pieces, vases, goblets, commemorative plates, etc. Some of these items belonged to my parents or grandparents and others had belonged to my great-grandmother Bertha Elizabeth (Hill) Marbry. At least this is what my mom thought--she didn’t recognize most of the things. They were wrapped in newspapers from the 1970s so most likely were packed up when my grandparents moved to Champaign. To make a long story shorter, we (my husband, daughters, and I, my brother’s family, and my parents) had a nice family vacation in Florida, thanks in part to the sale resulting from the basement purge. My grandmother liked to travel so we thought she’d approve.

Anyway, there were a couple of pieces I saved. Not because they have monetary value, nor because I have fond memories of them. In fact, I don’t recall ever seeing them before! I think it’s because they’re so ugly they’re beautiful. Behold the Weller Cornucopias!

These little babies measure about 6 inches tall, the base is about 3½ by 4½ inches and the opening at the top is roughly 3 by 4 inches. And what are they? Are they vases? Just decorations? I have no idea.

Weller Pottery started in 1872 near Zanesville, Ohio. These pieces, in the Wild Rose pattern, date from the mid-1930s. Part of the reason I like them is because my grandmother wrote her name on the bottom of both pieces. She also wrote (presumably) the date she received them--January 20, 1943--her 32nd birthday.

In my house the cornucopias sit separately on little knick-knack shelves that are built on to a kitchen cabinet. When I walk by them I think of my dear grandmother.

My mom and grandmother--Dorothy Elizabeth (Bashears) Wiseman and Dorothy Opal (Marbry) Bashears, c. 1944. I love their matching dresses, undoubtedly sewn by my grandmother!

#52ancestors #crawfordcounty #crawford county #illinois #genealogy #heirloom #Marbry #Bashears #Weller #WellerPottery #Weller Pottery

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pullcarol0-blog · 5 years

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10 Cheap Home Decor Stores (That Aren’t IKEA)

Pretty much all of us here at TFD are extremely into budget home decor. I’ve written about my various DIY projects that helped me turn a new apartment into a home (which I still love a year later!). Chelsea has a wonderful eye for making her home feel both sophisticated and inviting (definitely check out her recent dining nook and kitchen makeovers on Instagram). None of us are experts, but we are all very into finding ways to make our homes feel cozy and “finished,” without breaking the bank.

I know a lot of my friends are the same way, too. But we also all seem to encounter the same problem: ending up with the same exact pieces of furniture and decor as every other person we know. And, yep, most of it comes from IKEA. Now, I love my trusty square-shaped extendable dining table, and it has served me well for five years. But I can name at least four other people I know well who have (or used to have) the same exact one, even though it’s not the only dining table to exist.

None of this is to shame IKEA. I love perusing those little “living in 450 square feet” setups and then snacking on Swedish meatballs as much as the next person, and no one should feel bad about shopping there. But I also know that it sometimes feels like the default for early twenty-somethings who just need to put something in their first real apartment. I’m just here to gently point out that it’s not the only option. If you desperately need to furnish that first apartment, or you’re simply looking for a little home refresh this spring, here are several home decor stores you should check out. (One caveat: I’m not including thrift stores on this list, but you should definitely check out your local thrift stores for budget-friendly decor and affordable furniture! Same with Craigslist and Facebook marketplace finds. Definitely worth checking out if they are an option for you, though!)

1. Cost Plus World Market

I love World Market. We’ve bought several things there, from a large wicker blanket basket to a pink-and-gray rug made from recycled plastic bottles. I even managed to find a mid-century style leather chair for $450 full price (which is a bargain, as most leather chairs go for at least twice that). It now mostly belongs to the cat, but it has remained in great shape for over a year, and I don’t anticipate any issues. This store is especially good for quality shelving, rugs with actual personality, and a wonderful selection of charming bar carts. Always keep an eye out for their sales — they happen pretty frequently!

2. Joss & Main

We want to replace our futon (which is fine, it’s just a light color and that ended up being a mistake for us) with a sofa, and I’m definitely going to look here when the time comes. The site is really well set up — they organize by room and style, so if you’re looking for living room furniture with a modern feel, you can find what you’re looking for easily. Also, a cursory glance shows me that they have a wide selection of full-size sofas (with good reviews!) for $500 and under.

3. Hayneedle

Everything on Hayneedle definitely seems to fall into the trendy/Pinterest-y category, but certainly not in a bad way. Their gallery page is super useful — it shows you finished room photos so you can get an idea of how an item will actually work in your space. I got my desk from this site — it is white with spacious drawers, and they had a better price than anywhere else I was looking at the time.

4. MUJI

Less selection here, but an amazing place to look if you are overwhelmed by consumer decisions! MUJI is a Japanese store that sells everything from clothing to stationery to furniture. They focus on the quality of items over the quantity of them, so you know everything you get will last a good long time. Also, everything is super fairly priced! And while there are fewer choices, that doesn’t mean their stuff is boring — it’s all beautifully designed.

5. Wayfair

I’m sure everyone here knows about Wayfair at this point, but I can’t *not* include it in this list. Wayfair is where we’ve gotten the majority of the stuff in our apartment. As I’m typing this, I can see my couch, the coffee table, the TV table, and the office chair I’m sitting on — all of which came from Wayfair. They pretty much have the widest selection and the best sales. However, their site is also a bit overwhelming, so I’d have an idea of what you’re looking for before you go perusing!

6. Target

Target has a shocking (to me) selection of insanely cute, relatively cheap home decor pieces. I highly recommend checking out their lighting in particular. We’ve gotten literally all of our lamps here — two cute (but different!) brass floor ones, and one light pink table lamp with a floral embroidery shade, which may be my most favorite thing I own. Their Project 62 line has some particularly awesome items.

7. Overstock

My mom, a true home decorating queen, has directed me to Overstock many times over the years, and for good reason — they have a ton of stuff, and it’s all marked down. I’ve heard a lot of great things about their mattress selection! They have clothing items and other stuff in addition to furniture and home decor as well.

8. Rugs USA

Another mom recommendation! A painful truth of adulthood is that a lot of things are way more expensive than you’d actually think they would be. This pretty much goes for all rugs. My mom actually found a huge, beautiful pink-patterned area rug for like $200 on this site, and it covers her entire (large) master bedroom floor. Definitely check it out for your cozy flooring needs.

9. Michael’s

I realize this is a craft store, not a home decor store necessarily. But! This is the only place (other than thrift stores) that I buy picture frames, because a) they are almost always on sale, and b) they always, always have coupons available. (Just check the website/your location before you go!)

10. Flying Tiger (New York & Boston in the U.S.)

Unfortunately, Flying Tiger does not have an online shop. And as of now, they have hundreds of stores worldwide, but the only U.S.-based ones are in New York and Boston. However! This store is absolutely filled with quirky, adorable home items (think knick-knacks and kitchenware, not large furniture). It is the perfect place to find interesting homewares for seriously cheap — I got a vase with a drawing of a man’s face for $5, and a bottle-green glass fruit bowl for $4. Definitely keep your ear to the ground for a store opening in your city, as they are expanding rapidly, or pay them a visit if you’re near NYC or Boston. I love this store so much!

*****

Any awesome, cheap home decor stores I missed? Let me know in the comments!

Holly is the Executive Editor of TheFinancialDiet.com. Follow her on Twitter here, or send her your ideas at [email protected]!

Image via Unsplash

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Source: https://thefinancialdiet.com/10-cheap-home-decor-stores-that-arent-ikea/

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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prosejudo56-blog · 5 years

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A Passionate Home Cook's Bright Mid-Century Modern Home

Welcome to My Life at Home, where we slow down for just a minute to share a glimpse into the lives of food lovers we'd love to get to know better. Kick off your shoes and get comfy!

When I first met Kevin Masse, I knew immediately he was my type of people. Seatmates at a dinner, we chatted each other's ears off all evening. Our shared love of good home cooking, mid-century modern design, and sweet furry pups had us reach near-BFF status by meal's end. As the head of integrated marketing and brand partnerships for Bake From Scratch magazine, Kevin has an unsurprisingly appetizing Instagram feed, but I quickly discovered this marketer-by-day was chock-full of talents that extend beyond the kitchen.

Turns out this self-professed "serial home cook" is a downright modern-day Renaissance man. Sure, he can whip up beautiful, impressive (but always doable) meals, but he's also a veteran marathon runner (10! PLUS an "ultra marathon"—that's 37.2 miles, people), a classically trained pianist, a yoga teacher-in-training, and a budding philanthropist.

(Catches breath.)

Most importantly, Kevin couldn't be a kinder, more down-to-earth person. Come join me in getting to know this devoted dog dad a little better...

HANA ASBRINK: Hi Kevin, please tell us about yourself.

KEVIN MASSE: I am, first and foremost, a marketer by profession. I spent more than 10 years working in brand strategy in New York City before going into the world of start-ups and working for a growing food media company, where I was in charge of community engagement. This year, however, I decided to leave my job behind and spend time exploring ways to bring purpose into my life. So far, it has been an incredible experience.

I started volunteering with an organization called Healing Meals Community Project, which delivers organic meals to families facing health crises. The meals are cooked by high school students during an after school program, with adult mentors in the kitchen. I have been mentoring these high schoolers for the past few months now, and I can honestly say, nothing has been more nourishing for my soul than being in the kitchen with these kids.

I have also spent much of the time this year in the kitchen, focusing on creating new recipes and learning more about bread baking. The next chapter that I am embarking on is yoga teacher training. This year, my husband and I committed to doing a 40-day yoga challenge through a local studio called The Yoga Shop. I have seen so much of my life transformed that I am now enrolled in a teacher training program that starts this month. What I love is that yoga and food are very intertwined. They both require practice, commitment, and time; and both nourish the soul and make you feel whole.

HA: How long have you lived in your current home? What do you like most about it?

KM: We bought our home almost three years ago. We wanted our dogs to have a backyard and we were ready for more space. We saw the house the day it went on the market and had an offer in just hours after. We love that it's just the right size for us (about 1,800 square feet), which is much bigger than any of our old New York City apartments. It also has an open floor plan, which is something that's harder to come by in older homes.

The entire house (kitchen included) was remodeled before we moved in, which was a huge plus because we loved the finishes they put in: white cabinets, quartz marble counters, marble backsplash. We also loved that the house is on one floor, which means we can look forward to growing older together here.

Kevin's kitchen is part of the home's open floor plan. Photo by Kevin Masse

HA: Tell us more about your cutie pups. How did they come into your lives and how do they make themselves at home?

KM: Our dogs are our children. We got our first dog, Huxley, a Brussels Griffon, when we lived in Manhattan and he quickly stole our hearts. To say that he changed our lives is an understatement. He loved living in the big city and had so many friends at the Washington Square Dog Park. He was (and still is) a social butterfly.

When we moved to Connecticut, we got him a brother—a legitimate brother, actually. Orwell, our second Brussels Griffon, is Huxley's half-brother (they share the same father). They love each other so much. They have run of the entire house when we are home and have beds in pretty much every room. They love being right next to us when we are on the couch, but also just lounging on their own in different parts of the house. When I am working, 9 out of 10 times, they are in the living room or bedroom, either in their beds or hanging out in their crates.

We'll be right here, 'kthanks. Photo by Kevin Masse

HA: Describe your decorating style. What are you influenced by?

KM: We are very mid-century and minimalist in our style. Both my husband and I appreciate the clean lines and proportions of mid-century furniture, and we were fortunate enough to purchase an original dining set from my grandparents' neighbor right before we moved to Connecticut. What I love about the pieces is that they are not only beautiful to look at, but also really ingenious in their design functionality. Our table sits at 48-inches round, but expands to more than 10 feet, which means we can have great dinner parties without having to occupy a gigantic dining room.

I would say our home is influenced heavily by our personal tastes, rather than any one particular designer. I’ve really focused on trying to find pieces for our home that we will have forever, and not just pieces that will get thrown away with the changing tides of decorative taste. I love the history that comes with the furniture and pieces we have started to collect. Each one brings a different story, but collectively, they tell the story of who we are and our home that we are making together.

Bright pops of color in the mid-century modern arm chair cushion pillows. Photo by Kevin Masse

HA: Where do you like to shop for your home?

KM: Here are just a few of my favorites:

Inspirational online sites: I love Horne, which is an online retailer that sells everything from furniture to lighting to kitchenware. It's great for inspiration. I could also spend hours on Etsy looking at different things, and often, can find amazing pieces for a fraction of the cost.

Kitchenware: I truly love going to Food52's Shop as I think they've done a really fantastic job finding products that help real home cooks without relying on the fluff of gimmicky tools. I know that if Food52 sells the product, it has likely been well-used in their test kitchens.

Lighting: Rejuvenation has incredible lighting and I love the mix of styles. They also have great sales so you can usually find what you are looking for at a pretty reasonable price.

Furniture: I love Blu Dot and have a lot of the furniture in my office. The styles are exactly what we love and the quality is really great, which is important to us.

Brick and mortar shops: Mud Australia is one of my favorite stores to visit. I have been collecting pieces over the years and love going into the shops any chance I can get. I love the aesthetic of the stores, and even purchased a Vitsoe Shelving System for my home, based on how much I loved them in the Mud Australia shops.

Vitsoe shelving on display in the office, along with Huxley and Orwell. Photo by Julie Bidwell

HA: Something you hate-to-love or love-to-hate about your home?

KM: Our house has popcorn ceilings and I really wanted to have them all removed before we moved in, but it never happened. I have grown to not notice them, but still really want to have it all removed and redone. It is a VERY expensive project and all of the rooms have them!

HA: Do you have a favorite corner or nook of your home?

KM: The one project we undertook a few months after moving in was the removal of a broom closet at the end of our kitchen. When we moved into the house, it came to my attention that our cabinets were mounted at 16 inches above the counter, rather than the standard 18 inches, which meant many of our countertop appliances, including our coffee maker, did not fit under the cabinets.

That became the impetus to take out the closet and in doing so, it turned out that the closet was exactly the width of a built-in wine refrigerator. We converted the closet to become our bar/coffee station, and it was one of the best things we’ve done. Now we have a place to pour our coffee in the morning and mix our cocktails in the evening, genuinely multipurpose.

We are so here for this clever coffee/bar nook. Photo by Kevin Masse

I also really love our dining room. Of course, there is the furniture, which makes me happy every time I see it, but we recently hung wallpaper from Hygge and West and it has made all the difference in the world. The birds add just the right focal point to the heart of our home.

An accent wall anchors the dining area. Photo by Kevin Masse

HA: If your walls could talk, what would they say?

KM: “Who’s Alexa and why are you always talking to her?”

HA: How often are you cooking? Is your husband Michael a cook?

KM: On most weeknights, you will find me in the kitchen. The kitchen is where I spend most of my time and I could not be happier about it. I do some form of cooking every day of the week; I cook dinner for us about six nights a week. We’ve been trying to limit our dining out in the new year and focus more on being home at night with the dogs. We’ve also been going through a really rigorous yoga program, which has really driven us to focus on being more thoughtful with our food choices. While Michael does not normally cook, he did make a really fantastic quiche back in January.

HA: Are you guys entertaining often?

KM: We entertain at least once a week. My favorite way to entertain is low fuss and low stress. I love inviting friends over last minute when I realize I have enough to feed more than the two of us at home. I like to cook for our guests just as I would for us on a typical weeknight. I think when the food is unfussy and honest, it creates the best experience for those you have over. I think if people want fancy or fussy, they'll just go out to a restaurant. I want people to feel like they are home when they are here.

Hi Kevin, we'll be right right over.

HA: Do you have a signature drink or dinner party fare?

KM: I love roasting chickens for dinner parties, especially during the cold winter months. People are often intimidated by roasting whole chickens, but with just a little pre-planning and a good dry brine, you can create an incredible and easy dinner party that guests just go crazy for. I love spatchcocking the birds and two chickens will usually feed six people. Roast some vegetables to go with it and you’ll have a really happy crowd.

HA: What is your ultimate comfort food?

KM: Pizza is my ultimate comfort food and I love making it at home. I have really gotten into sourdough and have been making pizza with a sourdough crust. I bake it at 550°F on my baking steel and get restaurant-quality results with minimal effort. I also love that pizza is easy enough to make on a weeknight, and if I don’t have time to make the dough, I go with store-bought and let it rest before working with it; it works like a charm every time.

Pizza and roast chicken (spatchcocked or whole) make the world a better place. Photo by Kevin Masse

HA: What do you always keep in your fridge?

KM: Each week, I take out a few jars of homemade stock that I keep in the fridge. I use these during the week to add depth to recipes without having to take all day to cook something. Stock is so much easier than what most people think. I freeze all the ends of my vegetables when I am prepping (onions, carrots, celery, herbs) and also freeze chicken carcasses.

I also amp up my cooking with good condiments like harissa, tomato paste, and crushed Calabrian chili peppers. I also lean heavily on things like Greek yogurt, buttermilk, parsley, and cilantro. (Tip: I keep my cilantro and parsley, washed, in Ball jars in the fridge and they can keep for anywhere up to two weeks!) These key ingredients function as the backbone of my cooking.

Open sesame! Photo by Kevin Masse

HA: What are your top three kitchen tools?

KM: The ones I turn to again and again:

Huge cutting board: I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a big, heavy, top-quality cutting board. It allows you to prep a lot of things at once and not have to work on a teeny tiny space. My cutting board weighs approximately 15 pounds and sits on my counter all the time.

Chef's knife: My Miyabi chef's knife is a powerful and beautiful piece of equipment to work with and makes prep a breeze. I sharpen it myself with a wet stone and can work with it for hours without feeling fatigued.

Enameled cast-iron Dutch oven: I have a small collection of Dutch ovens in various sizes and these get used almost daily in my kitchen. I cook on induction, which has been a game changer for me and I love that cast iron works on such a modern technology. The Dutch ovens are incredible because they heat really evenly, retain the heat very well, and can go from stovetop to oven to table all in one shot.

HA: What is your favorite way to unwind after a long week?

KM: Baking bread is my favorite way to relax after a long week. I love the methodical, slow nature of the process and knowing that with only a few ingredients, you can get something so incredible and rewarding. Not to mention, it makes the house smell really incredible while they're in the oven.

Look at those ears. Photo by Kevin Masse

HA: What's on your playlist right now?

KM: “Hey Alexa, play Brahms on Spotify.” I love all different kinds of music, but 90 percent of the time I am listening to classical. I love the Romantic composers: Brahms, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, etc. I love that each time I hear a classical piece, no matter how many times I've heard it before, I can pick out something new, like a new line or note that I did not notice before.

I was classically trained on the piano for nearly 20 years and I think this has had a big influence on my musical tastes. However, I do love all types of music and have a real soft spot for Neko Case, Lana Del Rey, Florence and the Machine, and Mumford & Sons—music that feels like music, if that makes sense.

HA: Do you have a favorite Food52 recipe?

KM: The Genius Nekisia Davis Olive Oil and Maple Granola Granola, hands down. I have made this recipe with some variations for years now and each and every time I make it, it comes out incredible. It hits on all the right notes for me: sweet (but not overly so), crunchy, and salty. I have to be careful not to eat too much of it!

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Another Genius Granola Recipe

What do you love most about Kevin's home? Let us know below!

Source: https://food52.com/blog/23889-my-life-at-home-kevin-masse

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virtualfunblizzard · 3 years

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What Are The Best Types of Desks For Home Décor?

A home office or computer desk can be very stylish and add to the look of a room, but you have to determine what will work best in your décor. Mid century desks are usually made of wood with drawers that hang from below. A few drawers are fine for everyday use, but if you are going to use the desk as a workspace then you may want to invest in a modern desk with more surface area for your documents and papers.

You can find traditional Desks at many furniture retailers, department stores, home improvement centers, and even furniture stores that specialize in home furnishing and decoration. Many large office supply retailers carry a large selection of desks as well. A quick search on the internet can turn up a large list of online Desks dealers. Just type "Modern Desks for Sale " or " Mid Century Desks for Sale " on your browser and you will get the list. You can also buy desks from an Auction if you want the most unique desk, type "Modern desk auctions " or " Desks Auctions Near me " to get the list of auction houses.

If you have an idea of what sort of desks you are looking for, your search is not over. You also need to consider the amount of space you have available for a desk and what kind of Desks you want. Mid century modern desks come in a wide range of styles and sizes, including small corner Desks. Some desks are actually small corner desks that convert into a L-shaped desk when needed. There are some stunning designs available for the best types of desks for home décor.

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samuelmmarcus · 5 years

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Timeless Kitchen Renovation

Hello, everyone! I hope everything is wonderful with you and that you’re feeling healthy and really happy, because I certainly am for having you here on Home Bunch! Thank you so much for your presence, for your loyalty and for all of the great vibes you always bring to this space. I am truly grateful of that.

Talking about “great energy” and “great mood”, you simply cannot feel any different when seeing a space designed by Erika Gervin of South Harlow Interiors (previously featured here & here). I am very fortunate to be sharing her recent projects. Here, she explains more details about this kitchen renovation:

“This home was an old home with a completely different configuration when the client purchased. We actually relocated the kitchen entirely – putting it on one end of the house, rather than the center, to 1) open up the floorplan and space, 2) to bring light into the kitchen and 3) design their dream kitchen.

We designed this space with a very soft color palette in mind. Since the house itself is a modest size, we really wanted to keep it light and bright. However, rather than white, we wanted to create a soft timeless look with muted tones and textures. The goal was to add some traditional elements in the design as the Client really loves a traditional home, while elevating it through thoughtful details. The paint color on the cabinet surround is “Crushed Ice by Sherwin Williams” and “Foggy Day by Sherwin Williams” on the island. The pantry is natural oak in a reeded design with a clear glaze.”

Keep reading to know more details and make sure to pin your favorite kitchen photos!

Timeless Kitchen Renovation

This newly renovated kitchen is filled with inspiration and a color scheme that you certainly should keep in mind if you’re planning on renovating your kitchen in the near future.

Kitchen Cabinetry

Kitchen cabinetry is painted, shaker-style.

Kitchen Lighting: Visual Comfort – Other Beautiful Lighting: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here & here.

Pantry

“So many things to consider when designing and building your dream kitchen. Cabinets, countertops, backsplash, plumbing, lighting, hardware, etc … but this Reeded Oak cabinet totally stole the show and is the perfect complement to its otherwise soft clean surroundings.” – Erika Gervin of South Harlow Interiors.

The pantry is a beautiful Reeded Natural Oak with a clear glaze finish.

Refrigerator Pulls: Emtek.

Walls – “Sherwin Williams Snowbound”.

Trim – “Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray”.

Cabinet Paint Color

Cabinets – “Sherwin Williams SW 7647 Crushed Ice”.

Cabinet Hardware: Emtek Transitional Heritage Knobs & Emtek Westwood Pulls in Satin Brass.

Kitchen Shelves

One of my favorite angles of this kitchen! The shelves are custom and made out of Oak.

Similar Shelves: here.

Appliances: KitchenAid.

Countertop

Countertops are Quartz Lincoln White in Velvet finish by Daltile. The velvet finish is great compliment to the glossy multi-toned backsplash.

Kitchen Faucet

Kitchen Faucet: Rohl country kitchen bridge faucet in polished nickel.

Kitchen sink: here, here, here & here – similar.

Similar Sink Lighting: here – Others: here & here.

Counterstools

Counterstools are from Serena & Lily.

Kitchen Island

Island Paint Color: “Foggy Day SW 6235 by Sherwin Williams”.

Kitchen Island Dimensions: 5′ x 6’5″

Kitchen Essentials:

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Backsplash

Backsplash: Walker Zanger Cafe Collection in London Fog color – Other Grey Tiles: here, here, here, here, here, here & here.

“This wall was the living room before we got our hands on it. Where the hood is now – there was a fireplace, and not a single window. What a makeover!” – Erika Gervin of South Harlow Interiors.

Pot filler is by Rohl.

Meet the Designer!

Erika Gervin of South Harlow Interiors is a very talented interior designer from La Jolla, California, and it’s always a real pleasure to share her inspiring projects on Home Bunch!

Many thanks to the designer for sharing the details above!

Interiors: South Harlow Interiors (Instagram)

Photography: Samantha Goh Photography.

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Best Sales of the Month:

Thank you for shopping through Home Bunch. For your shopping convenience, this post may contain affiliate links to retailers where you can purchase the products (or similar) featured. I make a small commission if you use these links to make your purchase, at no extra cost to you, so thank you for your support. I would be happy to assist you if you have any questions or are looking for something in particular. Feel free to contact me and always make sure to check dimensions before ordering. Happy shopping!

Wayfair: Up to 75% OFF on Furniture and Decor!!!

Serena & Lily: Enjoy 20% OFF Everything with Code: GUESTPREP

Joss & Main: Up to 75% off Sale!

Pottery Barn: Early Black Friday Sale – Up to 70% Off.

One Kings Lane: Buy More Save More Sale.

West Elm: 20% Off your entire purchase + free shipping. Use code: FRIENDS

Anthropologie: 20% off on Everything + Free Shipping!

Nordstrom: Sale – Incredible Prices!!!

Posts of the Week:

California Home Interior Design.

New California Mid-century Modern.

Modern English Country Home Design.

California Modern Farmhouse for Sale.

French Country Style Home Design.

Builder’s Home.

New Year, New Kitchen!

Beautiful Homes of Instagram: Interior Design.

2020 Kitchen Design Ideas.

Home Renovation Ideas.

Coastal California-inspired Interior Design.

Beautiful Homes of Instagram: Modern Farmhouse.

Black & White Modern Farmhouse.

2019 New Year Home Tour.

Neutral Home.

Southern-inspired Modern Farmhouse.

Coastal Farmhouse Home Decor.

Beautiful Homes of Instagram: Charlotte, NC.

New-Construction Home Ideas.

Small Lot Modern Farmhouse.

Florida Beach Cottage.

Dark Cedar Shaker Exterior.

Beautiful Homes of Instagram: Coastal Farmhouse Design.

Grey Kitchen Paint Colors.

Follow me on Instagram: @HomeBunch

You can follow my pins here: Pinterest/HomeBunch

See more Inspiring Interior Design Ideas in my Archives.

“Dear God,

If I am wrong, right me. If I am lost, guide me. If I start to give-up, keep me going.

Lead me in Light and Love”.

Have a wonderful day, my friends and we’ll talk again tomorrow.”

with Love,

Luciane from HomeBunch.com

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