Chalk Board Thoughts

I know there is absolutely nothing new or innovative about chalk boards, chalk board paint or chalk board painted walls. However I still like the idea - or at least the idea of it if done correctly. I have a small chalk board that hangs by the back door. It is a nice rectangle shape hanging from a little hemp rope. It was a gift from a good friend. I was excited thinking I could write my market list, notes to myself, interesting little bits of smart insight and the like on my new chalk board. However, as I write this post I just realized the verbiage on my chalk board has been there since the chalk board was hung 4 years ago. So, its probably best I did not incorporate a chalk board application in my house. If I ever decide to do so I like some of these ideas. But, of course I would make sure whatever is on my chalk board would be drawings of ancient Greek warriors in compromising sexual positions or the song lyrics of any Sonny & Cher song!

 

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Interesting Neo Classical Rooms

I am a complete believer that rooms which are 'too formal' are also uncomfortable.  I learned the hard way.  When we first moved into our house years ago I treated the rooms very formally - after all it is a old country plantation house with a formal floorplan & classic details.  I've since taken a different view and 100 percent believe in the mix of old/new & formal/casual.  When decorating an old room with classic details, 'too formal' can be uncomfortable & all to often 'too formal' can be boring.  The key is to keep it interesting.  These room do just that.

 

 

 

 

Bank Statement Art

First of all let me say that I am fully aware that my blogging duties have fallen short over the Spring and Summer.  As I've noted before...I've been f&*%ing busy.  However, I'd like to think that I'm going to make a very special effort to do better now that Fall is here.  But, I'm not making any promises!  Now, with that said, I need your help!  The other day I pulled out this box of old paperwork.  Years ago some guy I did not know showed up at my front door bragging about all the pieces of furniture he had bought from a old antique store.  He claimed they were from my house. At first, I though he was trying to sell the furniture back to me and that he was completely crazy. Until, he produced a box of paper work found in one of the pieces of furniture.   He said he had no need for the box of paperwork and offer to give it to me.  I think he really just wanted to see my house.  The box contained mostly old bank statements, canceled checks and other type receipts from the 2nd generation owners.  I'm sure he kept anything of value - including the furniture!  There were a few post cards and letters but mostly financial papers.  I pushed the box in the corner of the attic and forgot about it until two years ago when I needed a name for this blog. 

The box has been sitting on a shelf in my office since.  Not long ago I pulled it back out and thought how much I liked the look of the old statements.  Actually I find them quite interesting and have been wondering what I can do with them.  Most of them are from early in the 1900's to the mid 1930's.  If nothing else, I find the paper alone to be really pretty, albeit a bit fragile. 

I have month after month of bank statements from several different banks spanning several decades.

I guess I have about 200 canceled checks. 

I love this one.  The bank and the town have been crossed out and written over with another town and different bank.  I'm going to try that with some old Citibank checks and see how Wells Fargo likes it!

There's also a full booklet of what I'm assuming are promissory notes - about 100 in all.

This is actually from a REI store in New York.  These are stone lithographs tablets dating back to the 1900's which were unearthed during the store's construction.  One thought I had was to mount my checks and statements on some type of thick board and mount unframed, but the paper is so fragile I think it needs to be under glass.

This is sort of interesting.  They're illustrations randomly attached to the wall with decorative tacks.  But, again not under glass.

Since my pieces consists of generally 3-4 different sizes, I thought about framing them all in the same type frame and filling a wall floor to ceiling.

Or only using like sized pieces and each framed the same and then hanging as a collage.

If I was a better blogger...or had more time I'd search the blog-a-sphere for great ideas.  But, considering I barely have time to pee, I'm seeking out ideas...

Your thoughts?

It's Good to be President...

or at least have a motor cascade!

I have to put my car in the shop this week.  That got me thinking about something I saw a couple of weeks ago while at our New York office. My business partner and I had left our offices headed to meet a client in Soho when all of a sudden we turned onto Broadway near 28^th street and noticed the streets were being blocked. The sidewalks were beginning to fill with people.  We stopped and asked an elderly man who happened to be Ethiopian if he knew what was going on.  He told us Obama was in town.

I did not know Barry was in NYC.  He didn’t inform me of his trip.  And, I do get weekly emails from him - if not daily.  However, generally those are just asking for money! 

 

The man told us O should be passing by for an event at the Hotel across the street in about 20 minutes. It was 2:00 & 95 degrees.

 

I’ve never seen Obama in person and being a supporter and a political animal, normally I would have hung around.  But, considering we had no other real reason to spend time in the area of 28^th street & Broadway we decided to continue on our way.   Also, we had a paying client waiting.  Note to tourist, if you’re in town and need to find a place that sells 100% human hair visit Broadway and 28^th.  We told the Ethiopian man to wave for us and if he had a chance to say hello, tell O we said hi, and then we headed to the subway.  A minute later as we made our way down the subway steps the Ethiopian man walked up behind us and asked what TV show we were on. Which we still don’t understand why.  Only in New York.

After our meeting with Bad Client and later an early afternoon glasses of wine at Balthazar, I headed back to the hotel.  It was 5:00.  When I got off the N at 23 & B’way the streets were barricaded and mobbed with people and police. I realized 3 hours later Barry still had not shown. I wondered if the old Ethiopian man was still waiting 5 blocks up the street in this heat?

Having nothing else to do (except return calls to people I really didn’t want to speak with) I found a good vantage point along the barricade next to a nice English couple.  They may have been from Milwaukee I'm not sure. We only had a couple of brief verbal exchanges and their accent could have gone either way!

 

I was wearing a sporty Armani brown blazer, white shirt dress shirt, new jeans, really cool pumas, and vintage raybans. Since I was standing at the curve in the road I knew O should have been able to see me clearly.  I assumed the motorcade would screech to a stop and at least he would roll down the window and comment on my style and fashion sense. His taste runs a bit conservative for me, but I don't think he has much choice.  I guess the leader of the free world has to dress as most people expect he should dress.   

After about 30 minutes sure enough O passed by. Now I've always thought Obama, Michele and I would be close friends given the opportunity.  I would be invited to White House dinner parties where after a couple of drinks I would ask if there really were aliens at Roswell or we’d talk about what a dick Mitch McConnell really is! So, I’ve always believed if O and I ran into each other we’ve both make an effort to chat each other up. 

Interestingly enough there were two presidential limousines.  Both cars were adorned with flags and tinted windows.  Even though they moved at a fast pace and with the tinted windows I still could see the first car carried a silver headed man (not Joe VP) and an undistinguishable woman.  In the second, sure enough there he was.  I could easily make him out. 

He didn't stop.  They didn't even slow down.  In fact I could see he was looking forward and didn't even pay me any attention.  Maybe he was busy thinking about his upcoming event.

BTW...I'm now thinking seriously about adding flags to the front of my car.  I know how to accessorize!

There must have been 75 vehicles from start to finish. I couldn’t take pictures of all of them. First of all who cares and how many photos of black SUVs and motorcycles does one need?  Due to an earlier Angry Birds situation while flying to NYC, I was having to turn my phone on and off to save battery life, so I got only one snap and as you can see I did not get him in the pic...but trust me he was there.  

I’ve seen a couple of Presidents at rallies – IE Regan when I was in college, and once at about midnight C drug me to the Atlanta airport when Bush 41 was in town – primarily to see Air Force One up close, which is quite fabulous. 

But, this was my first full on motorcade.  The only thing I’ve seen that even comes close is when Martha Stewart’s caravan hits the NYC streets or once when traffic was blocked forever near my apartment when Moammar Gadhafi showed up at the UN.  The president’s motorcade is far better!  I may not have got my shout out, but it was still worth the wait. 

It was better than the 'end of seaon sale' at Barney's!

Maybe...

 

 

My favorite thing this week

I admit I'm a foodie.
But, I don't go over board and try and keep it simple.

Here a good reason why...

I love this - PFB