Take Two Capsules and Call Me In the Morning

I used to have this obsession with living in a space capsule a la 2001: A Space Odyssey.

2001

Naturally, my capsule would come with a maid to compensate for all the white white white and bright overhead lighting, but overall I love the retro future vision Stanley Kubrick formulated way back in ye olde 1968.

2001

In my minimally padded environment, I would totally have an excuse to wear the beehive crash helmet that's been sitting in my closet, collecting dust for the longest time.

2001

Of course, I would feel most comfortable in the cockpit, although I would like to take a moment to ponder the origins of that word. Let's just say, I would not be happy simply serving beverages with a meek smile pasted on my face. Hellz no -- I would be captain of my capsule, and I don't need a... pit, to do it.

2001

It's nice to know that space can provide all the comforts of home, like TV and cash. Sounds like they must play episodes of The Real Housewives of New Jersey around the clock.

2001

Ok, imagine that's me and not some wanker rubbing his sweaty pits on my massage table. I am living the sweet life, not a care in the world. If I get tired, I'll just hop into my little hibernation station to chillax.

2001

There's really nothing to worry about in my happy pod, right? My trusty computer, Hal 9000, will take care of life's basic necessities. Like breathing.

2001

Well, maybe not. But at least they give really good drugs on my pod.

2001

If not for some fantastic hallucinations, how else could I end up with this awesome bedroom? French Provincial on acid is so cool. In all seriousness, I kind of think my bedroom looks a bit like this, minus the statue laden alcoves.

I knew something was missing.

Agent Tom to Ground Control

What with the stock market flailing and the election looming, it seems natural to want to take a fantastic voyage to somewhere, anywhere but here (and by "here," I mean wherever you are right now). Inspired by the words of the great sage Tina Fey -- "If Sarah Palin wins, I'm leaving Earth!" -- I am presenting an intergalactic tour of... Providence? And Plano? Mars is closer than you think, so start planning your exit strategies accordingly.

nylo providence

Wacky firm Dupoux Design has just completed the interior of the newly opened Nylo Hotel in Providence. After months of pouring over cozy home pictures, the Nylo strikes me as... Kooky. Sharp. And maybe a little menacing in terms of scale and finish. On the other hand, if we're running away, why not boldly go where no man has gone before? (I mean seriously... when I try to imagine Hunny Bunny sitting on that tufted aqua banquette, I get the giggles.)

nylo

Lucky for us, on Mars they still serve Vodka, which is a required prong in my multipronged strategic plan to exit with style. Stay with me... I'm sure I'll figure out what the other prongs are soon enough.

If you're nearer to Texas than Rhode Island, you can always flee to The Big D, where suburban Plano awaits with another Nylo designed to keep you in suspended animation.

nylo

nylo pod

Ok... I'm not going to lie. I want that chair. Badly.

nylo

Somehow, though, I find it hard to believe that those chairs actually foster conversation. Isn't the point of a pod to isolate and seclude? And then HAL the hotel computer would have you right where he wants you...

hal 9000

Part of my multipronged strategy is NOT to get killed by a malignant super computer. If I wanted that, I would just stay and let Sarracuda finish me off.

Well, the restaurant, at least, looks more hospitable...

nylo

Kind of like a mess hall, but the company of strangers would be a welcome addition to our intergalactic colony of fascinating people, where we would enjoy conversations about the formation of a utopian society based on visual hedonism.

After dinner we would retire to discuss the necessities of subsisting with style, including Vodka, gossip, and the importance of good lighting.

nylo

Then we would say good evening and head for our respective rooms:

nylo

nylo

I'll be taking the top one as a finder's fee for organizing our Utopian colony. What's that, you say? We're a democracy? Part of my multipronged strategy calls for a benevolent dictatorship. That's not a problem, is it?

Don't make me torture you by forcing you to stand in front of this mirror, under these lights, without makeup.

nylo

I thought you'd see it my way.