Sweet Ride...

The weather has been gorgeous lately (minus today) and after getting my morning skinny vanilla latte at Stella I keep running into this adorable bike locked up outside of the Fisher Building.
It's so happy and carefree and just makes my day!

Art Deco in the Twin Cities

After a week full of more political hot air, it was so refreshing to see this recently renovated gem emerge from the Twin Cities courtesy of STIR magazine.

Rising 447 feet above Minneapolis since 1929, the Forshay Tower was recently purchased and renovated by the Starwood Hotels & Resorts folk. A historic site designated by the US National Parks Service, Starwood did an amazing job of integrating gorgeous 1920's details such as this plaster ceiling:

with the sleek and contemporary look that we all have come to cherish in a Starwood property.

I love the use of the slate and khaki neutral palatte with punches of fushia and blue that seems so Art Deco yet very posh. This lounge is just begging me to meet up with the girls for martinis and stilettos.

Wonder if there are any conferences in Minnesota coming up???

Photos courtesy of Sherwin Williams "Stir"

Old Tires Die Hard

I haven't ridden my new(old) bike in a while - really I think I've ridden it only twice since buying it in July - and being as it's a relatively nice evening and Tim was playing video games, I thought I'd take the Schwinn out and go for a ride. Apparently although the gods of weather were giving me a reprieve from the muggy, cloudy, slightly rainy day, the bicycle gods decided that Schwinn tires circa 1973 should not hold air and thus prevent me from my joyfully anticipated ride. To be fair, the tires were looking a little tired when I picked up the bike and the Craigslist guy did say they were a bit old and offer to sell me new tires. Being stubborn however, I declined saying "I'm sure they'll be fine!" Got two rides on the "fine" tires. Brilliant.

As anyone who knows me at all will tell you, I'm a HUGE advocate of Detroit and supporting local business so I'm really excited to have recently discovered (although have yet to visit) Wheelhouse Detroit on the Riverwalk. Wheelhouse is a rather new bicycle rental, repair and retail shop located on the Riverwalk downtown. I love that the whole country seems to be re-discovering bicycling (I know the Europeans have done it forever and are shaking their heads in amazement and this "new movement" in America but hey, at least we're on the boat - late, but on the boat!).

My dream is to one day be able to either ride my bike to work or at least ride my bike to the train station and take a commuter train (hopefully coming soon) to work. Driving is so stressful, not to mention the evils to the environment and I just think that biking and mass transit are so much lovelier options.

Tomorrow we're off to the Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City for the long weekend and to celebrate out 2 year anniversary...

Dearborn Homecoming Fireworks (c) MyrtleArt Photography

Wheels

A new vehicular era has descended on our household - we say a fond farewell to the Jeep Cherokee and bid the Taurus goodbye (traded in and donated to Habitat for Humanity respectively) and hello to the newest member of the clan:

Still not quite as fun as the Schwinn but I love it nonetheless!

Beach = Heaven?

Last Thursday we spent the day in Grand Haven at the beach. It was a perfect day - sunny and warm but not humid with a few cloud puffs in the sky. Of course I brought the camera out to play...



Pronto Pups are a Grand Haven legend - where else can you get a homemade corndog for $1.75?

These guys were also out enjoying the weather on their electric beach bikes! Love the crates on the back to carry a towel and good book!

Nothing beats walking on the beach with friends...

Nouveau Velo

The latest love of my life (I'll admit there are a few) is slightly older, infintely more graceful than I, and goes by the name of Audrey...meet my "new" 1973 Schwinn Suburban 5-speed:

Admittedly the pictures don't do her justice but more to follow. I'm so excited to start riding but between rain and crazy schedules on a short work week, I have yet to do so...hopefully this weekend will allow some quality "get to know you" time with my new ride.

The next big decision is how best to personalize/customize my bike - I definitely want at least a front basket and rear rack but then come the hard choices: wicker or metal? rear basket or panniers? what colors? oh the humanity of it all! I've been reading all of these delicious bicycle style blogs recently (see my faves on the right) and never realized that a bicycle could be such a fashion statement!

In other news:

Tomorrow we are heading west to Grand Haven for a day of beach fun with one of Tim's good friends from boy scouts and his wife. Friday is a big family bash with the in-laws in Sand Lake/Grant. Saturday we head home with Tim's sister Kristin (a stop on her way home to North Carolina). On Saturday we'll take Kristin to CityFest in the New Center where Detroit DJs Stacey Pullen and Derrick Mays are spinning that night - good food and good techno in the D, can you think of anything more delicious?

On the wings of a dove

The alabaster steel wings rise over Milwaukee's lakeshore like a gull, poised for flight. Tension wires shimmer like gossamer strands, straining to hold back the impending journey. It is at once structural and organic, geometric and flowing, a stroke of genius in this brewery town rising to the occasion, a gem on Lake Michigan's western shore.
Santiago Calatrava's first US commission, the Milwaukee Art Museum's futuristic addition perched on the lakeshore. The original MAM building that still houses 90-95% of the collection is a prime example of '70s architecture - precast concrete panels creating "floating" cubes of dark wood, few windows and exposed structure. That Calatrava seemingly ignored this existing building yet connected the two seamlessly is a refreshing look at the architecture of additions.

Calatrava plays with light and space throughout this building, expertly marrying geometric angles with organic curves and beautiful details. The placement of a brightly colored Chihuly chandelier in the stark white lobby mirrors Calatrava's use of shape and arrengement to create a truly ethereal experience.

The frozen land across the lake

The frigid air hits your face as you leave the protective terminal and get in the (thankfully) warm rental car. Heading west on I-94 to north I-43 the lights of Milwaukee quickly fade to black. The aging two lane highway can seem desolate but offers a great opportunity to be alone with your thoughts...or '80s pop blasting from the Sirius radio. There is nothing like rocking out to Guns 'n Roses - Sweet Child 'O Mine as I try to stay within the (slow by Michigan standards) 65 mph speed limit - no tickets on this trip!

A short hour later, the car pulls into the outskirts of Sheboygan and the hotel. After the dark car, the light from the lobby causes temporary squinting as I make my way to the desk and get my key. The room smells slightly of a bad nursing home but then the scent vanishes and I notice the two double beds that suddenly look so much smaller than my queen at home - good thing this is a non-husband trip!

My stomach rumbles and I remember my last meal was five hours ago - as my choices are Arbys or Chili's, I opt for an over-cooked steak and wilted broccoli - at least the potatos were mashed to perfection. Dessert was an apple from the hotel lobby as I settle in for some surfing of the World Wide Web and mindless television drivel in the backround.

What will tomorrow bring?

Bring on 2008!