Shipping container apartments. If I were younger....

 

This shipping container apartment building is in Northeast DC, near the Franciscan Monastery where I spend several hours each Friday in the office sort of working. I read about this apartment and invited a friend to join me in a drive-by inspection after work last week. I had hopes of getting inside to see an actual unit, but they're already rented and occupied. And I wasn't nervy enough to ask the young man carrying in some boxes if we could barge in and check out his place. The building is in walking distance of Catholic University and the residents we saw entering and leaving certainly looked like students.

The idea of living in a shipping container is so appealing. In theory. Though I'm not sure I'd want to be on the top floor in August, even with air conditioning. I'll bet electrical storms are exciting!

 

[This is one of the first pictures I've taken with my new iPhone (oh the fun!); I hope to get better at it when I know what I'm doing. Plus I don't have user-friendly photo editing software right now so my photos are published raw, with no tweaking. I need to tweak.]

Exactly what is going on in this ad?

A few Sundays ago I discovered this two-page ad in the New York Times Magazine. Because I often get fixated on meaningless subjects, I've kept the ad and I look at it from time to time. And I have things to say about it. First, the toilet (it's that small white box next to the un-curtained floor-to-ceiling windows). Sure. I'd sit there using that toilet -- called the Numi -- and feel comfortable. Un huh.

But more perplexing is what we, the viewers, are supposed to make of that couple and their non-verbal communication. Is something amorous going on, or soon to go on? Something exhibitionist possibly -- involving that teeny tiny toilet?

The photo was taken at a Los Angeles house called the Stahl House, which has its own (moderately) interesting history.

What is the advertising thinking behind this campaign? I want Peggy Olson and Don Draper to explain it to me. More ads below.

Constipation possibly? Or maybe she's just lost the remote control for this $6,000 toilet.

Takoma Park House and Garden Tour, May 5, 2013.

Just a few random shots from the tour, plus a nice funky building in downtown Takoma Park.

The Red Elephant up the street re-appears. And now I know it's a political statement.

I've been keeping my eye on, and posting pictures of, this interesting little house for years. Here, here, and here.

A neighbor's garden.

I like to poke around other people's gardens and this one was extra special.  I went with my friend Susan, and after we roamed around the White House gardens a bit we strolled through some other gardens on the Mall and passed by this sculpture. So many people, children especially, must see this and and say "what's that?" Only the old know!

The White House beehive is bolted down like that to protect it from the helicopter winds. We were there just after 9 AM -- I think -- and I was so conscious that the four Obama ladies were possibly at home that it was a bit distracting. I knew that Mr. O was in Williamsburg prepping for his next debate in two days. (Good prep, I'd say.) Anyway, I kept looking up at the windows and wondering what it would feel like to have hoards of strangers roaming around my front yard at 9 AM on a Sunday morning, taking pictures of my bedroom windows, speculating on who was awake and who was still asleep.

Don't let this happen to you.

I try hard to be open-minded, especially in matters of taste and style and personal preferences. But can anyone think this looks good? It's only barely less hideous at night, and some days I think I like it better during the day when everything is puddle-like. If you have one or two of these items in your yard, maybe because you have small children who find it charming, then I'm happy for you. But if you live in the house across the street or next door, you have my sympathies.

The eccentric artist up the street adds a new sculpture to his front yard. When the wind blows so does this art.

Other shots from this house are here and here and here.

The Red Elephant on New Hampshire Avenue. And his owner.

I noticed the other day that this house near me (on NH Avenue extended) has some new features. So I stopped to take some pictures and the owner strolled out to greet me. He was a friendly guy, didn't act or look peculiar, but let's face it: he has a giant red elephant, a giant tricycle, part of a catamaran maybe (?), and a giant frog (see roof) in front of his house, which otherwise looks abandoned. He created a beautiful metal gate out of ... stuff. I complimented him on his fascinating house, but I was too embarrassed and surprised by his presence to ask really pertinent questions: why do you do this? do you live inside that house? what are you making/growing in that big building behind your house? (A few years ago someone who works at a plant nursery across the street told me that the big building behind the elephant house is a factory but he didn't know what kind.) Note hand-written sign on house: "Industrial Art." Eccentric people rule!

On Sunday I went with my friend Susan to the annual Takoma Park, Maryland, house and garden tour. Beautiful old houses at the peak of spring.

I covet that metal aquamarine outdoor dining set in the backyard of one of these houses.

You decide: real photos or photoshopped photos?

I found these pictures here. The blogger has a section of his blog called "No, They Didn't!" with examples of what he deems "bad" landscaping. This example has me mesmerized.* How could a car possibly get up that driveway? Or down?

*Yes, mesmerized. It's a common state for me to be in. I'm so easily entertained. (I'm still pondering peat moss. It's a soothing obsession and so much better than trying to figure out global warming.)

According to Robin Nagle, Professor of Anthropology at NYU, "Every single thing you see is future trash. EVERYTHING."

Even these sweet clapboard and detached houses in Georgetown, where most houses are brick and attached. The above observation about trash came from this article that I stumbled across this weekend. I'm fascinated by dirt and garbage, and so is this professor. I missed my calling. I now know that I really wanted to be a garbalogist.

Nagle says "we are surrounded by ephemera, but we can’t acknowledge that, because it’s kind of scary, because I think ultimately it points to our own temporariness, to thoughts that we’re all going to die."

She trying to get NYC to create a Museum of Sanitation.

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That's a lot of blue paint. I would love to walk through this house, with all its curious additions.

A post-Halloween porch in Takoma Park. Who's the guy to Bill Clinton's right?

Until I hear otherwise I'm saying that Cyradaria/SEC is right. It IS Shimon Peres. Picture lifted from here (a very odd website).

Houses in Takoma Park.

Alum Can House: Part 4

This is Friendly Neighbor approaching me. And on top is a picture of FN's classic suburban Everyman house. It's so neat and tidy. Almost like he made it extra special neat and tidy to contrast with Alum Can House. A little passive-aggressive, methinks.

Alum Can House: Part 3

The Friendly Neighbor, let's call him FN, told me that the architect-eccentric Mr. Van Os Keuls is naturally very proud of his house and likes to have people take pictures. So I did. FN even encouraged me to knock on the door b/c Mr. Van Os Kuels would take me on a tour. I did tap ever so gently, once, but got no answer so I backed off. I HATE drop-ins and am not inclined to do it to strangers, forgodssake.

Alum Can House: Part 2

Here's what it looks like from the front. That structure taking up most of the front yard is called a garth, according to the very friendly and informative neighbor from directly across the street (whose name I immediately forgot after he shook my hand).

I got up close and personal with that aluminum can house.

Now THIS is a house to brag about.

Just a few miles from my house is this wonderful place! I confess I've never driven by it but I will in the next day or two. I haven't thought of it in years, but all my chatter about local buildings brought it to the surface of my cortex. It's just what it looks like: a house covered in aluminum cans. Here's an article from 2003 (again, link might not work etc):
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A24517-2003May7¬Found=true