Crystal Blue Oasis

Why hello homies, I'm back from Hawaii and still rubbing the sand out of my eyes -- both literally and figuratively. It's Monday, I have a major case of jet lag, Ike started his first day of school today (sniff), and this week is already trying to crush my soul, but I won't let it win. I plan to bust a cap in Monday's ass by treating you to some pics of a fabulous estate where my mom may or may not be getting married.... well, she's getting married fo sho, she's just not sure if this is the place. I think she needs a nudge, so let's help her decide, ok?

Yeah, I know -- super shitty location. But we'll try to make do.

Is it wrong of me to be so easily persuaded by fire?

I don't need an arrow to point the way to the ocean, do I?

Did you know that none of the beaches on Hawaii are private, and therefore a homeless bum could at any time waltz up the beach to wreck your wedding? Somehow I don't think that would be a problem here.

Plus there is a super fancy pool, so who cares about the stinky beach anyway?

After five years of living in Hawaii, I might be a bit jaded. But I'm pretty sure this place is still good enough to host my mom's fancy wedding.

What do you think?

Also, in your face, Monday!

Summer Lovin

It is a sweltering 106 degrees here in Austin with zero zip zilch signs that summer will end any time soon (I have my sights set on you, November) but the interwebs tell me that the rest of the world is taking that last jump off the rope swing into the lake 'cuza schools starting soon and, for the lucky majority of you, leaves will be (gasp) changing color. Well, I want in.  I am ready for a seasonal change.  One so imminent that I hold tight to the last days of summer, sadly watching them zoom by.  Squeezing in one last summer vacation before I snuggle into my boots and jacket.  Yep, I'm shutting my eyes tight and pretending that summer is about to end.  I'm spending the last days here:

Oh, did I forget to mention that I own a fantasy summer home in Portugal.  So sorry, let me go on:

Back in the real world I do actually own a giant green lamp much like this one, as well as a handmade woven stool.  Maybe If I ask Erin real kind and nice like she will spend the next several weeks on craigslist finding me all the other goodies I need to bring it all together.  The lamp is, like, a huge start, right?

A quick reminder:  while Erin is shopping craigslist, I will be laying here.  poolside.  at this very real summer  house that i very much own.

I also own a hanging chair almost identical to the one shown, so I'm feeling like recreating this in austin really isn't much of a stretch.  are you with me?

Look!  I'm not the meany you thought I was.  I've laid down a second towel for erin to come join me once she has found everything on my list.  I'm pretty much the image of altruism.

Cool, Calm and Collected

An old saying goes something like this: if you don't like the weather in Texas, just wait a minute -- it'll change. Well, that pithy little maxim falls apart in summertime, when from May til October you can count on the forecast to read blazing hot with a chance that it will rain fire and brimstone. As evidence may I present the latest weather report?

Fuck!

Sorry to whip out the F-bomb, but I think we can agree it was deserved -- unless you enjoy singeing the film on your eyeballs as you walk across concrete, or maybe catching the faint whiff of cooking kidneys if you happen to get caught outside of air conditioning for more than a minute or two, that is.

Aside from sprouting fins and gills and making a new home under the sea, the only remedy for such intolerable cruelty is this:

Doesn't this sleek white mid mod pad designed by architect Victor Gruen and decorated by Chahan Minassian look positively icy?

And ok, the pool doesn't hurt anything.

Later, homies! If we don't run errands before noon, someone will have to scrape us off the ground of a parking lot.

[Chahan Minassian, Roger Davies Photography, Modernica]