Read Some Stewf

The Sea Ranch: Mid-Century Modernism Meets Environmentalism

The Sea Ranch is a rugged landscape, dotted with distinctive homes, that extends for about ten miles on either side of Highway One in coastal Sonoma County, California. The building design constitutes an architectural vernacular that is world-renowned. Its hallmark is the attempt to blend man-made structures with their natural setting, and to “live lightly on the land.”

Gary knows the owner of the enviable Obie Bowman house and enjoyed a two-week stay with Deanne and fam. We visited for the weekend.

What I found most beautiful about The Sea Ranch — other than the thoughtful architecture — is that nearly every view is dominated by five large fields of color: the pale brown untreated wood of the homes, the mustard grass, the deep green cypress groves, and the blues of sea and sky.

More info about The Sea Ranch from JLT on Mocoloco SF »
Corii’s gots the beauty Sea Ranch pics from her trip last year »

Brady Bunch House in 3-D

One of the most interesting sets of images added to our Mid-Century, Modern Flickr group: Scott Golla of Eugene, OR has created a 3-D rendering of the entire Brady Bunch home.

One commenter observes:

The thing about many sixties shows was that they showed modernist interiors, but in attempting to make audiences relate to the characters the outdoor shots were always of familiar suburban “traditional” homes, just like the home the typical viewer supposedly owned.

More discussion here including some history of the house used in exterior shots.

“Trading 1 Bird Feeder for Rotisserie Chicken and Other Foods”

The marvelous Miss Martha has deemed this week “Birthday Princess Week”. I've received copious presents — certainly more than I am due. The latest of which was this delightful birdfeeder. Unfortunately I was not able to accept the gift yesterday due to my lack of presence on the West side of the Bay.

That was a mistake. Martha warned me that her cat could use the Internets and that if I did not take the feeder right away he would post it on Craigslist as trade for food. I waved off that notion as poppycock. “Cats can't compute!” I said, and informed the lovely lady that I would collect the gift on the morrow.

I was wrong.

Ascot Envy

Silvio, 74, from Buenos Aires.

We went to Stern Grove to see the Rebirth Brass Band, but I ended up watching this man for much of the afternoon.

He appeared in full dandies, complete with olde tweed sport jacket, corduroys, jaunty cap and ascot(!). I wondered whether he and his conservative companion were prepared for a raucous funk/hiphop band. But he soon proved that he was. Rising to his feet halfway through the set, he waved-his-arms-in-the-air-like-he-just-didn't-care along with the rest of the crowd.

After the show, I had to shake his hand and tell him that I hoped I could be as stylish and exuberant as he when I grow up. He laughed, kissed my forehead, and told me that I was too skinny and I must take someone I am “crazy about” to Cafe Jacqueline in North Beach. “Be careful. After the meal, she will want to marry you.”

Animated Silvio 1
Animated Silvio 2
Animated Silvio 3 - taken by Martha