Here are a few libraries from around the world:

Carnegie Public Library, Hokitika, New Zealand.

K.B. Center Library, Gorizia, Italy.

Ballard Library, Seattle, WA.

Waynoka Public Library, Waynoka, OK.

Carnegie Library, Dawson, GA.

Geisel Library, UC San Diego.

Downtown Seattle Library, Seattle, WA.

Images: TeAra.govt.nz, architecture-page.com, dexigner.com, waynokapl.okpls.org, tchps.org, libraries.ucsd.edu, faculty.washington.edu

Michael Lin installation at Vancouver Art Gallery.  Image: Vancouver Art Gallery.

Carnaby Street entrance of Liberty.  Image: Liberty of London.

Nuit Blanche event in Toronto, 2007.  Image: I Heart Sensible Shoes.

Series of printed shacks by Samuel Francois.  Image via Aesthetics of Joy via Oh Joy!

Ooh, all of my prep fantasies coming true! Image: DNTX.

These look like they could handle more than their share of road trips.  Image: Overstock.com.

Sequins add just the right touch of glam when you check in.  Image: Net-A-Porter.

Love the print, and super-roomy to boot!  Image: Baby Me Bags.

At more than two feet long, this has more than enough room to bring home souvenirs.  Image: American Apparel.

After crossing the border and going through the countryside, we
stopped for dinner at the Cucumber Cafe, a restaurant at Sandman
Signature Hotel (where I’d stayed for work in the past).  There is a
reason I remembered this place so specifically after more than two
years- the decor and the food are amazing!  The details like dark tile
and silver textured wallpaper really make you feel special as soon as
you enter.  Also, the light filled windows boxes feature a variety of
succulents, and the retro globe lighting fixtures complete the modern
vibe.  Now, you probably wouldn’t expect a restaurant that looks like
this to serve diner-style food; well, they do!  And quite well, I must
say.  They serve breakfast all day; Brian ordered bacon and eggs,
which came with a side of multi-grain toast.  I ordered a tossed salad
with grilled chicken.  Both of our meals had a fresh taste, and were
made with quality ingredients.  I wish I’d taken the time to
photograph our food, but we both just dug in!

Spoon put on a great show.  I’d never seen them in concert (and I call
myself a fan!) but my years of expectations were met.  Even from our
seats in the balcony of the Orpheum Theatre, they looked great and
sounded even better.  Britt Daniel’s voice sounds exactly the same as
it does on CD.  While we were waiting for Spoon to take the stage, we
wandered around the historic theatre.  The three story lobby is very
formal, featuring several chandeliers, but we felt comfortable and
welcomed.  I noticed a drink at the lobby bar I’d never heard of: Rye
& Ginger.  We asked the bar tender about it, and he said that Canadian
whiskey is made with rye, and they mix it with ginger ale.  Brian and
I each ordered one, and as soon as it hit my lips, I knew I’d
discovered my new signature drink!  Why hadn’t I thought of using
ginger ale as a mixer?

The concert got out at 11:00, and I was expecting the streets to be a
ghost town.  Monday mornings must not mean the same thing up in
Vancouver, because people were still out having a good time!  There
was a line in front of the club across the street, a limo full of
young women were being dropped off to party, and lots of people were
just out and about!  Vancouver may be the coolest city I’ve visited.

Photos: Gretchen Lilly

Luckily, there are some cool, modern cabins out there.

From Houseplans.com

From The New York Times

From Houseplans.com

From MarbelQuarry.com

From Houseplans.com

I still miss Blueprint magazine.  I own all nine issues, and I still refer back to them.  Last month, Kirsten at Simply Grove blogged about a house tour originally featured in Blueprint, that is now available at Martha Stewart.  So, I pulled out issue number three (the best issue, btw) and read the article.  My favorite picture is the one above, I love that beach scene!

The oversize photo was take by the house’s owner, Tosca Radigonda, at an Italian beach.  Ms. Radigonda is a professional photographer, but a Google search leads me to the conclusion that this work isn’t for sale.

All of my Google searching led me to the work of Massimo Vitali, who has made a name for himself with his own photographs of Italian beach scenes.

This photo is listed for 25,000 Euros at the gallery that represents him.  I don’t even want to convert that to US dollars.  Actually, it would be cheaper for me to buy a fancy camera, fly to Italy, and have my photo enlarged.  I find it so frustrating that a photograph can go for so much- was the negative destroyed?  This is why people roll their eyes at high end art.

Regardless, the photographs of beach scenes are very inspiring.  Who doesn’t want to think about a sunny day at the beach?  I wonder if the beaches of Seattle would look this good…

Photos via Martha Stewart and Bonni Benrubi Gallery

Taliesin West.  I’ve been there.  I’m someone who has been inside of a Frank Lloyd Wright building.  I’ve seen pictures and video of different buildings, but you need to go inside of something he designed to get the whole story.

We took a 90 minute tour, which is their most popular, and for good reason.  Our tour guide, Diedre, gave a great presentation, and wasn’t afraid to tell the whole story (like, Frank could be a bit of a jerk-face).  We got to see all around the house/ campus, and even got to go inside the living room and bedroom.  They don’t allow photographs inside either of these rooms, because people were selling unauthorized photos online.  They do have a postcard of the living room in the gift shop, which I snatched up.

There are heaps of books and films devoted to Mr. Wright, and so I don’t really feel it necessary to go on about how amazing his work was.  Oh, and I’ve decided that I will become a “Wright Head” and drive around the country in a VW bus to see his works.

*Fun Fact: He was born Frank Lincoln Wright, but changed his middle name to Lloyd, his mother’s maiden name, to show support for her after his parents’ divorce.  He would initial his work F.L.L.W.

On the one hand, I’m a big fan of not having to walk into a store to buy something.  On the other, you’re buying alcohol with the engine running.

For a few days of the vacation, we stayed with Brian’s grandparents, Cookie and Dottie, who probably have the coolest grandparent names ever.  In fact, I love to drop their names into conversation, like I know a celebrity or something.  Cookie’s mother was quite a painter, and her art is found all over their house.  Here are some of my favorites:

Self portrait of Margaret, Brian’s Great Grandmother, 1945.  Self portraits can show a lot of honesty, and I think this is a great example of that.

Portraits of Cookie and his younger brother, Eddie.  These paintings aren’t very big, maybe seven or eight inches high.  I imagine Margaret painting these very quickly and easily, wanting to capture her boys before they went off to play.

When we lived in Santiago a few years ago, trips to the Jumbo grocery store were an event I’d look forward to.  First of all, it’s more than just a grocery- they carry things like coat hangers and DVDs.  They also carry American foods like peanut butter and toaster strudel that were impossible to find anywhere else.

Brian saved a bunch of the Jumbo grocery bags, and they were just sitting in a drawer, when inspiration struck.  I decided that the adorable Jumbo elephant would look great next to the deer featured on my Adelaide Fringe poster.  I cut the logo off a bag and put it in a record frame.  When we moved into our current place, Brian reminded me that there were a few more bags, so I picked out a few more to frame.  We’re now greeted by a collection of happy elephants every time we enter our place.

Bonus photo:

The mayonnaise aisle at a Jumbo.  A security guard came up to me after I took this photo.