Urban By Design Inspired Collage

A pair of scissors, a stick of glue, a stack of magazines, and mail about to be recycled was put to good use on a dreary day. :)

Ragtime The Musical was phenomenal

Ragtime: I really, really, really loved it!

Hours before the snowstorm blanketed the streets of New York City on Saturday night, I attended a matinee performance of the 2009 Broadway revival of Ragtime The Musical. I actually WON the tickets in a contest sponsored by Akila Worksongs, owned by April R. Silver.

Ragtime, based on the book by E.L. Doctorow, is set in early 20th century New Rochelle, New York.  It chronicles the changing times in the lives of an affluent Protestant family; a confident and daring African American musician from Harlem; and a struggling Latvian Jewish immigrant.  All are on the quest to find the sometimes-elusive American dream, and share their aspirations for the future. This story masterfully delves into the often thorny and controversial issues of race, class, immigration, as well as the role of women in society. While it is a period piece, its themes still resonate, because the same subjects continue to occupy a prominent place in modern American life.

Ragtime’s 40-member ensemble was a rich cast of diverse actors, accompanied by a glorious 28-piece orchestra.  The captivating production was full of exquisite singing, wonderful choreography, brilliant acting, and magical staging.  The costumes, lighting, and sets were equally marvelous.  Overall, I was mesmerized, and could not take my eyes off of the stage.

Officially, it is my favorite Broadway show of all time. Ragtime is exhilarating, and a must-see for anyone who loves the theater.  I still find myself humming the songs!  While the show lasted for three hours, I truly didn’t want it to end. 

Many thanks again to April R. Silver for granting us this extraordinary and memorable Broadway experience! 

Update on by Deena Parham

I raved about Ragtime, but sadly, it took its final curtain call on January 10.  While it was a victim of poor advanced ticket sales, anyone who had a chance to see it was truly fortunate!  It was an incredibly brilliant show, and I was just grateful to be in the audience.

Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman

2010 Screenings Information Here

Narrated by Dustin Hoffman, VISUAL ACOUSTICS celebrates the life and career of Julius Shulman, the world’s greatest architectural photographer, whose images brought modern architecture to the American mainstream. Shulman, who passed away this year, captured the work of nearly every major modern and progressive architect since the 1930s including Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, John Lautner, and Frank Gehry. His images epitomized the singular beauty of Southern California’s modernist movement and brought its iconic structures to the attention of the general public. This unique film is both a testament to the evolution of modern architecture and a joyful portrait of the magnetic, whip-smart gentleman who chronicled it with his unforgettable images.  

 

Kiku at New York Botanical Garden

Kengai (Cascade) inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
After a successful three-year run, Kiku: In the Japanese Autumn Garden, recently closed at the New York Botanical Garden. More than 5,000 meticulously cultivated chrysanthemums, a traditional Japanese art form, and garden plants, were on display, one of the largest ever outside of Japan.

Kengai (Cascade): This technique features small-flowered chrysanthemums that are more typical of the wild varieties. They are trained to conform to boat-shaped frameworks that cascade downward like waterfalls for lengths of up to six-and-a-half feet. The result is a burst of hundreds of tightly clustered blooms.

Rows of Ogiku-styled blossomsOgiku (Single Stem): These plants feature single-stems that can reach up to six feet tall, with one perfect bloom balanced on top. Each chrysanthemum pot is buried horizontally and the plant stem is bent, precisely arranged in diagonal lines that decrease in height from the back to the front of the bed. The plants are then arranged in color patterns resembling traditional reins called tazuna-ue (horse bridle).

 
 

Autumn Stone and Kiku Garden:  In Japan, gardens composed of stones set in raked sand are called karesansui. Abstract and sculptural, they symbolize the larger natural landscape. This Autumn Stone and Kiku Garden Is based on the karesansui style, but uses mases of chrysanthemums (kiku) and river pebbles in place of raked sand. Designed by Mark Peter Keane, the garden evokes the mountains of Japan in autumn. The red orange, and yellow kiku suggest fiery fall foliage flowing down mountain peaks, which are represented by the larger stones.

Ozukuri (Thousand Bloom): In this highly complex technique, a single chrysanthemum is trained to produce hundreds of simultaneous blossoms in a massive, dome-shaped array. Ozukuri are planted in specially-built wooden containers called sekidai.

Photos: Deena B. Parham for Urbanbydesignonline

Text: Deena B. Parham with notes from the New York Botanical Garden



New Orleans' favorite shotguns

Are shotgun houses way cooler than McMansions? Of course!

When my copy of New Orleans' Favorite Shotguns arrived at my house, it did feel like opening a box full of sunshine. Mary Fitzpatrick and Alex Lemann are the authors of this book, which contains more than 100 delightful photographs. The compact and colorful gem benefits the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans (where I once interned). Enjoy the complex simplicity of the most memorable vernacular architecture in the Deep South. People share stories about the love of home, family, and community. It's a fabulous and happy book, a great find for anyone who loves New Orleans or wants to know why this Gulf Coast city is so special. More information can be found on the Preservation Resource Center's website.

10 Minutes in Grand Central Terminal

 12.08.09: Grand Central Terminal, New York, NY.  A brief snapshot of my commute home.

• 8:50 pm- After taking the M1 bus, which was at a slow, steady crawl down gloriously sparkly Fifth Avenue, I arrived at Grand Central Terminal.  Sadly, it was 10 minutes too late for my train (8:40 pm).
• 8:52 pm- To ease the pain of missing my train, I went to Junior's and bought a too delicious cheesecake to take home.  Nice excuse.
• 8:55 pm- As I walked by Hudson News, I noticed the following message: "WINTER'S ON THE WAY...FIERCE STORM."
• 8:56 pm- A quick glance at the magazine display revealed that inquiring minds still have an interest in unfortunate public drama, and want to know.
• 8:58 pm- Does everyone in New York wear black? Nods head.  Welcome to the season of mourning.
• 9:00 pm- After a short walk, I reached my final destination, track 15.  The first words that the conductor said over the PA: "Make sure that you're right, this is the 9:10 New Haven-Line local train to Stamford, Connecticut.  Again, make sure that you're right." 

Philanthropy by Design for New Orleans

The notNeutral folks are selling a wonderful cityscape map plate of the historic recovering city. The best part is that the proceeds benefit the continued restoration of the stately and lovely City Park. The popular collectable is available on the notNeutral website.