With one of the best climates on the globe, and one of the most stressed out populations in the country, it might be time to merge the two views as we learn how to opt out and power down with beaches like Little Corona Del Mar.

On a recent trip I discovered a book about stopping that seems custom made for Californians. David Kundtz’s STOPPING, How to Be Still When You Have to Keep Going,

“Life has become so complex that our old methods of coping no longer work. It’s time for something totally new – stopping.  The idea is to do nothing as much as possible for a definite period of time so you can wake up and remember who you are, so you can get going again in a more purposeful, centered way.”

Kundtz’s three time lengths for stopping are:

n      – Stillpoints — brief moments in the midst of a hectic day

n     – Stopovers — timeouts from an hour to a week

n     – Grinding Halts — sustained periods away from it all

On Site Research

Recently I backed this theory up with some on site research trying out the stopover approach. I picked Little Corona del Mar Beach as my stopping point for the afternoon.

Indeed, as I headed downPacific Coast Highway,  I was in a so-so mood.

But that mood began to lift change the moment I parked my care overlooking the magnificent bluffs above the Little Corona Del Mar beach. The view was spectacular.

By the time I had scooted down the short, steep hill, I was grinning as I saw and was soon to be at the bottom.

There below was aSouthern Californiaprescription for bliss: fresh air, sun, sand, small brown pelicans and a million little seabirds, all scooting around the wet sand, calling to me to come and play.

This could be the perfect spot for a family getaway too. Bring some shovels and buckets to play in the sand and pack a picnic and a blanket. The rest of the afternoon will take care of itself.

Little Corona Del Mar Beach is just the right spot for visiting:

Not deserted, but not crowded, not too large, and close-by, of course, in Orange County.  There’s free parking on the streets on the bluff and a short walk down the paved hill and you’re literally on the sand next to the gorgeous shoreline.

There are no food stands, but a picnic would be perfect.   A restroom/shower is available on the walk down.

If you arrive by 9 a.m. the tide pools are reachable for exploring. Later the tide comes in and you’ll just have to be content with a glorious view, lovely  air and near perfect solitude.

It’s your turn now to try stopping, to enjoy “the times-in-between and the pause between the notes.”

Directions to Little Corona Del Mar Beach: FromLos Angeles take the 405 freeway exit at Jamboree. Drive toPacific Coast Highway, “PCH”, turn left and drive toPoppy Drive in Corona Del Mar. Turn right at Poppy and left at Ocean.

From there, the beach is a short walk down the hill from Ocean.

Libraries and books are a passion of mine. As an advocate of good children’s literature, I made a resolution last January to visit as many libraries (especially their children’s departments) as I could in 2011, posting about each on my blog.

I didn’t realize at the time that my resolute passion would take me not only to many wonderful libraries in California(and one in Bloomington, Indiana), but to a Medieval monastery library in the Czech Republic.

Strawhov Monastery Library

Peace, awe, order and curiosity. Those are the words that came to mind as I stood staring into the doorways of two of the most beautiful rooms I have ever seen: The Halls of Philosophy and Theology at the Strahov Monastery Library inPrague.

Walls lined with shelves, full of old books, above which were gilded wood carved decorations, and ceilings splashed with frescoes:

The library collection contains approximately 200,000 volumes, stored in the halls and adjacent depositories.  Many of the works were printed between 1501 and 1800.

My husband and I were being shown the sites of the charming Czech city of Pragueby, by our oldest son, David, who is currently studying two  semesters abroad at FAMU – The Film and TV School of theAcademyofPerforming ArtsinPrague. (He is enrolled as a student in the School of Film/Video Experimental Animation Program at CalArts – California Institute of the Arts – a college in Valencia, California, started by Walt Disney in the early 1960’s.)

In doing Internet searches about libraries for my blog, as well as sites to see during our travels, I had come across photos of the Strahov Monastery Library, and put it down as a “must see” for our trip.  The monastery itself was founded in 1143, and is the site of not only the beautiful Library Halls and Cabinet of Curiosities, but also The Basilica of Assumption of Our Lady Strahov Church, the monastic “St. Norbert’s Brewery” (yes, it was amazing), and an attached Museum of Miniatures.

Our visit to that monastery library left me wanting to explore more about the history of libraries. They’ve certainly come a long way over the centuries, these days often looking more municipal than museum-like, but they will always be an integral part of our history, culture, and communities.

Whether you frequent modern libraries in order to borrow free books, have a quiet place to read or do research, or so your kids can enjoy story time or free Internet, don’t forget to also visit historical libraries (in the U.S. and abroad), which are beautiful preservations of art and architecture, as well as “home” to books.

 EARLY HISTORY OF BOOKS AND LIBRARIES

From the start, civilizations needed some type of repository for their written works. The first “books” (mainly public records) were inscribed with a stylus onto clay tablets by the ancient Mesopotamians.  Some ancient library archives had shelves built in the walls to stack the tablets; others employed the use of baskets or earthenware jars.

Over time, literature developed – epics, myths, science, and history.  I’m sure most of us were assigned in school to read the Epic of Gilgamesh, the ancient Babylonian creation story, which was originally recorded on clay tablets!

In ancient Egypt, papyrus scrolls were used to write on. These were most often stored with labels attached, so the whole scroll wouldn’t have to be unrolled in order to identify its contents.

By 600 BC in ancient Greece, the first public libraries (in beautiful structures built by leading citizens) – as well as private and personal libraries – were beginning to flourish–with large collections of both fiction and non-fiction works inscribed onto parchment rolls.

The Chinese imperial library history dates back to the Qin Dynasty (221-201 BC). The first library classification system in China was established during the Han Dynasty. The library catalog during this time was written on scrolls of fine silk and stored in silk bags.

 SOMETHING NEW:  CODEX

Beginning in the second century in Rome, literature, science, and technical information began to be recorded onto wax coated wooden boards, which were stacked and then bound.

These bound tablets became known as “codex”, with parchment eventually replacing the boards.

New libraries emerged in European monasteries during the Middle Ages, concentrating on acquiring and copying manuscripts in the codex form only (as opposed to on scrolls).

With the invention of the printing press by the German, Johannes Gutenberg, around 1440, mass-produced books in codex form became widely available to everyone – not just royalty, the church and scholars.

SOMETHING NEWER: THE DIGITAL AGE

In recent years, with the increased use of the Internet to gather and retrieve data, we’re now witnessing the birth of books in electronic digital format on glowing computer screens – “virtual” books.

However, as we advance forward into the digital age, let’s not leave behind our past!

You can be sure that the gradual shift to e-books and digital libraries will greatly impact our culture and communities.  Traditional book lovers and library enthusiasts like me can’t help but wonder how e-books will transform our physical experience with real books and our visits to libraries–after all, the original archives were “physically communal” places, not “digitally communal” files or websites.

I’m sure time will work out the balance of e-books alongside traditional codex books.  No doubt, through the digital world we have information instantly at our fingertips,; but how can we possibly resist the physical aspects of “real” books and the library structures that house them:

The touch and feel of pages to be turned, the smell of ink and paper and the shelves where these friends are neatly stacked.

 I plan to keep going to libraries in 2012.  How about you?

 LIBRARIES NOT TO MISS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (with exceptionally good children’s departments)

Los Angeles Central Public Library

City of Camarillo Public Library

Cerritos Library

Huntington Beach Central Public Library

Orange Public Library

 GOOD READS ABOUT LIBRARIES

-Source for the historical information in this post: The Library: An Illustrated History, by A.P. Murray.

-Find more about the history of the Strahov Monastery Library here.

-A great article by Lisa Newton from Travelin’ Local about Andrew Carnegie’s legacy of libraries in LA.

Wendy Braun moved with her husband Tom in the 1980′s from Santa Barbara to Orange County, where they ended up staying to raise and homeschool their three (now grown) children. As a recent empty-nester, she stays busy blogging about children’s literature and working from home for a small publishing company. When she’s not reading or blogging, she enjoys traveling with her husband, walking in the hills above her home, visiting and promoting local libraries, cooking (as little as possible), and volunteering at a local soup kitchen. Once a week, you can find her at home serving coffee, tea, and goodies to her friends who (often with little ones in tow) stop by to experience good old fashioned, face-to-face conversation and time with each other. Her blog, “Good Books For Young Souls,” can be found at http://goodbooksforyoungsouls.blogspot.com/

I Pledge to Read the Written Word

We support the printed word in all its forms: newspapers, magazines, and of course books. We think reading on computers or phones or whatever is fine, but it cannot replace the experience of reading words printed on paper. We pledge to continue reading the printed word in the digital era and beyond.

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“Books are the perfect entertainment: no commercials, no batteries, hours of enjoyment for each dollar spent.”

A Little Bit About Stephen King

Stephen King’s prolific writing career saw its early stages of development in 1967, with the publication of his first short story. How fitting that Mr. King met his future wife, Tabitha, while amid the book stacks at the University of Maine-Oronoʼs Folger Library, where they were both worked during college.

After his marriage in 1971, King had trouble finding placement right away as a teacher, but was able to sell an occasional short story to men’s magazines in order to supplement their income. When he began teaching high school English, he continued producing and selling short stories and began to work on novels, writing during the evenings and on weekends.

Since those humble beginnings, Stephen King has published over 50 books, many of which have been adapted into feature films, television movies and comic books. His books have sold over 350 million copies, making him one of the world’s most successful writers.

Stephen King and his wife (Tabitha is also a novelist) now split their time between two homes in Maine and Florida and they regularly contribute to a number of charities, including many libraries. They have been honored for their many philanthropic activities.

Literary Gift List: “Beyond Bookmarks”

On to my Literary Christmas Gift List.

If you’re prone to viewing gift-giving as “one more stressful thing to think about”, maybe this will help in making some of those decisions easier…

For Kids

• a bedtime story and a new set of pajamas or slippers
• a bundle of good old-fashioned vintage comic books and a superhero play figure
• passes to a zoo, museum, or aquarium along with a book on the subject

Lit Lover: Have Yourself A Literary Christmas

• a mystery/detective story and a magnifying glass
• a picture book with a stuffed animal from the story
• an alphabet book and magnetic ABC letters (or a counting book and magnetic numbers)
• a story about baseball paired with a new glove or bat (or tickets to an upcoming game)
• a ballet story, given with a tutu or tickets to a local performance
• a book about machines/construction (think Mike Mulligan) and a toy construction vehicle
• a Little House on the Prairie type book and a set of Lincoln logs
• a book about geography or Whereʼs Waldo? and an inflatable globe
• a book about dinosaurs and a ticket to a science/natural history museum

For Anyone

• a journal for writing down secret thoughts, paired with a fancy pen
• a magazine subscription and warm slippers
• a “how to” craft activity book (i.e. jewelry making, knitting…) and a gift certificate to an art supply or craft store
• a cozy throw and a clip-on book light for reading in bed at night personalized “Ex Libris” (“From the Library of”) bookplates
• a magnetic poetry kit and a book of poems
• a engrossing title and a local coffee shop gift card (everyone likes to read at Starbucks)
• an art book paired with art paper and a set of paints and brushes
• a book about flowers or gardening, and a spade and garden gloves
• a biography of a famous composer, coupled with a cd of his music
• a Jane Austen novel paired with a china teacup or Earl Grey loose leaf tea in a tin
• a bird watching book and a bird feeder or set of binoculars
• a book about finances or budgeting, paired with a new wallet or calculator
• a travel book for a future trip, given with maps and brochures of the area, and a piece of luggage
• Julia Child’s biography, My Life in France, paired with her timeless cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking or some old episode’s on DVD of her PBS show, “The French Chef”

Wendy Braun moved with her husband Tom in the 1980′s from Santa Barbara to Orange County, where they ended up staying to raise and homeschool their three (now grown) children. As a recent empty-nester, she stays busy blogging about children’s literature and working from home for a small publishing company.

When she’s not reading or blogging, Wendy enjoys traveling with her husband, walking in the hills above her home, visiting and promoting local libraries, cooking (as little as possible), and volunteering at a local soup kitchen. Once a week, you can find her at home serving coffee, tea, and goodies to her friends who (often with little ones in tow) stop by to experience good old fashioned, face-to-face conversation and time with each other.

Wendy’s blog, is “Good Books For Young Souls,” can be found at the url website http://goodbooksforyoungsouls.blogspot.com

[Ed.Note] Next to the Book Section, when scrolling down you’ll find the category “Lit Lover” next to the Books category.

Photos courtesy of ShawnCalhoun, Not Martha, and Stephan King

Dahl was 23 years old when WWII broke out in 1939. He joined the British Royal Air Force and became a fighter pilot. Dahl flew missions in Libya, Greece, and Syria, but was shot down in the Libyan Desert, suffering serious injuries. The RAF sent him home as an invalid, after “surviving a direct hit at the Battle of Athens”.

Eventually Dahl was transferred to Washington, D.C., where he was hired to help publicize the British war effort by writing a piece for “The Saturday Evening Post.” His writing career was underway. This account is from the Official Roald Dahl:

“Roald Dahl’s first book for children was not, as many suppose, “James and the Giant Peach,” but “The Gremlins,” a picture book published in 1943 and adapted from a script written for Disney. Walt Disney had invited the 25 year-old Roald to Hollywood, given him the use of a car and put him up at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

The story of “The Gremlins” focused on the mischievous spirits that, according to RAF legend, cause aircraft-engine failures. In the end, the project to make a movie version was abandoned but the book was published. Roald was never very keen on “The Gremlins” and didn’t really think of it as a children’s book. Nevertheless, it caught Eleanor Roosevelt’s eye and Roald became a not infrequent guest at the White House and at FDR’s weekend retreat, Hyde Park.”

The second book I’d like to mention, “Going Solo,“ is Dahl’s fascinating autobiography, told with the quirky, humorous style only Roald Dahl can deliver. Beginning with his travels in 1938, at the age of 22, to East Africa, he describes his experiences while working for the Shell Oil Company. While there, he encounters lions and battles venomous snakes.

His descriptive memoir becomes somewhat tragically poignant as it continues on to his exploits during World War II as an RAF pilot, where he took part in some unbelievable aerial combat “dogfights.”

Altogether, Dahl flew missions from April 1941, to June 1941, sometimes as often as five times a day. He was sent back to England when he began to experience terrible headaches from his old crash injuries, which caused him to blackout while flying.

“Going Solo“ (for preteens-adults) is the sequel autobiography and continuation of Roald Dahl’s Boy: Tales of Childhood.

“A life is made up of a great number of small incidents and a small number of great ones. An autobiography must therefore, unless it is to become tedious, be extremely selective, discarding all the inconsequential incidents in one’s life and concentrating upon those that have remained vivid in the memory.” – R.D.

——-

Wendy Braun moved with her husband Tom in the 1980′s from Santa Barbara to Orange County, where they ended up staying to raise and homeschool their three (now grown) children. As a recent empty-nester, she stays busy blogging about children’s literature and working from home for a small publishing company. When she’s not reading or blogging, she enjoys traveling with her husband, walking in the hills above her home, visiting and promoting local libraries, cooking (as little as possible), and volunteering at a local soup kitchen. Once a week, you can find her at home serving coffee, tea, and goodies to her friends who (often with little ones in tow) stop by to experience good old fashioned, face-to-face conversation and time with each other. Her blog, is “Good Books For Young Souls,” can be found at the url website http://goodbooksforyoungsouls.blogspot.com/

[Ed.Note] Next to the Book Section, when scrolling down you’ll find the category “Lit Lover” next to the Books category. Our first entry is a bio and a fascinating historical accord of the many great writers and the myriad of stories they have to tell. We start our first entry with our new contributing writer for Travelin’ Local, the very gifted writer and blogger, Wendy Braun.

Now it’s time to keep “Truckin’” and moving on, (Many thanks to the late, great, Jerry Garcia and The Grateful Dead, for such an appropriate and prescient term).

And this time, we’ll finally make it to the very spot where the Venice Canals begins–which is one of my favorite places here in Los Angeles–not just its entrance; but the Venice Canals in its entirety, as we’ll be soon rolling out our brand new E-book.

Fortunately, I’m able to spend much of my quality and needed time at the beautiful Venice Canals as many times that I desire; but each time I do–I see something that piques my interest anew because I didn’t see it before and it also catches my attention as well. (To be frank I don’t think my interest in the Venice Canals will ever be satiated; but until that time, which may be never, as you can see and very soon purchase, I’m a happy camper in the way things presently are.)

Here’s the Venice (Canals included) Walking Tour – Part 8:

Judging by how many more places I have on this tour, there will probably be at least three more articles before Travelin’ Local’s Venice e-Book is completed. And by judging by the tremendous amount of feedback we’ve received, it will be our denouement–as well as being totally cool dudes–to use parlance I learned from the locals there, and the line from actor, Sean Penn as Jeff Spicoli, in the movie, Fast Times at Ridgemount High.

But I transgress–I hope you enjoy reading each and every one of our walking tours and purchase our latest ultra-hip and cool e-Book–which will soon be hot off the presses:

Venice (Canals included) Walking Tour – Part 7

Venice (Canals included) Walking Tour – Part 6

Venice (Canals Included) Walking Tour – Part 5

Venice (Canals included) Walking Tour – Part 4

Venice (Canals included) Walking Tour – Part 3

Venice (Canals included) Walking Tour – Part 2

Venice (Canals included) Walking Tour – Part 1

Among Hopper’s images and pictures, included are Los Angeles’ vast urban landscape as well as photographs of movie sets, gallery openings, and his co-stars including Paul Newman, and a myriad of co-artists that he considered part of his peer network.

Hopper came as a pioneering free spirit to live in Los Angeles, because he moved here from Kansas, making him part of Hollywood lore as a gifted actor that led to his storied life–one that blessed Dennis with boundless enthusiasm, dynamism and energy–and most importantly—one that embraced him as much as he embraced it.

Therefore, we come to see Hopper’s ongoing veduta motif–that he instinctively viewed LA as larger than life (both literally and psychologically); and because of that we also come to understand Hopper’s artistic and stylistic leanings–he saw Los Angeles as a living atavistic organism to be remembered on his camera’s film silver gelatin; making it transparent–so that we can easily see Hopper’s benevolent and warm heart toward his surroundings—art imitating life.

Interestingly, his friend, Painter Ed Ruscha’s images, are reflective of Hopper’s emotional interpretation of our urban landscape here.

From the beginning, Hopper took an early and in-depth interest in California art and artists—giving credence and impetus to his incredibly adept mind and eye—and as testimony to his innate knowledge to what was going on in his own backyard; ultimately with him, becoming its elder statesman and icon.

When you could count on the fingers of one hand Hollywood figures who bought modern art, Hopper completely committed himself across the boards without question to the work of the Pop artists. New; chilling; and as efficient as the electric chair; it was so contemporary hardly anybody could see it. Tony Shafrazi, Modern Art Collector and Gallery Owner

It’s obvious that Dennis Hopper was comfortable in his skin in all 3 worlds that he played such a pronounced impact and influence in—the Cinematic, the artistic, and being the artist.

Hopper’s eye level “found object” form of composition, was, at that time, practically non-existent.

In TASCHEN’s Dennis Hopper Photographs 1961-1967, we’re a witness to the historic preservation and perseverance of Hopper’s tremendous talent and body of work; including many images that hereto had never been published.

Dennis Hopper (1936-2010) was an acclaimed artist, actor, screenwriter, and director who first impressed audiences with his performances in Rebel Without A Cause (1955) and Giant (1956). He changed the face of American cinema with Easy Rider (1969), which he co-wrote, directed, and starred in.

Hopper went on to act in hundreds of memorable films and television shows, including Apocalypse Now (1979), Blue Velvet (1986), Hoosiers (1986), True Romance (1993), Elegy (2008), and the TV series Crash (2008). Hopper began painting as a child and started taking photos in 1961, after his then wife Brooke Hayward gave him a 35mm Nikon camera for his birthday. His paintings and photography have been exhibited all over the world, including the recent retrospective, "Dennis Hopper and the New Hollywood" in Paris. Dennis Hopper tragically and heart-wrenchingly passed away in an inordinate amount of personal suffering on May 29, 2010 in Venice, CA, shortly before the publications of both his signed TASCHEN compilation of the private book edition of his photographs, and shortly before the release of this TASCHEN Trade Edition publication.

Equal parts biography, curriculum vitae and a striking and vast archive of Hopper’s artistic photographs–partly an iconographic narrative–this book of Dennis Hopper’s photographic intimism, instantly infuses the reader into an immediate enthusiast of Hopper’s oeuvre during his exciting heyday as a Hollywood up-and coming enigmatic movie star—as well as a viewer of Hopper’s passionate contribution to California art and his dedication and participation to its art scene–which he gave freely and devoid of self-consciousness of ego but rather his boundless energy-cum-vision as if his life was one giant set-take which Dennis altruistically poured his heart and soul into; borne from his love of art, and his photographs were then shot by him as art for art’s sake.

For most of us—simply put– we call it genius. Hopper had an insatiable lust to carry his camera with him at all times and record everything and everyone that he encountered creating a form and content both avant-garde and as his automatism of the same.

An auto-didactic genius, Hopper’s photographs featured in this dynamic book, are a record of Hopper’s contagious and boundless talent and energy–which he put to movies as well as to his acting career.

His early dedication to both art and his art–and his association with many contemporary artists and art dealers and critics of his time, including—Andy Warhol, Billy Al Bengsten, Marcel Duchamp, Ed Moses, Ed Kienholz, Robert Irwin, Craig Kauffman, Walter Hopps, David Stewart, Roy Lichenstein and Ed Ruscha—are emblematically striking in that we come to understand and appreciate Hopper both as an artist and a free thinking photographer–creating modern art through his photographs that comprise a compositional methodology of his use of both forms and subjects-objects that were incorporating trends far ahead of his time.

His continuous representation of what he saw he immediately photographed.

Interestingly, Dennis Hopper first started taking photographs at the urging of his friend, James Dean. They had met and worked together in 1955 on the movie set of Rebel Without a Cause—Dean was 24 and Dennis, 18, forming a deep teacher-pupil friendship to the set of Giant in the plains of Marfa, Texas. Dennis’ roles in both pictures were small, but his ambitions were as big as the Texas sky. Jimmy Dean’s angelic looks, meteoric talent, a spellbinding method of acting had an undeniable impact on everyone who worked with him. Dennis was quick to recognize the sheer genius and power of this new style of acting—one without preconceived ideas, living in the moment, and performing as a “way of being.” aka “method acting.”

From this—it’s not a huge leap of faith to understand on a deeper level how and why Hopper’s natural photographic genius emerged from this genesis.

Dennis Hopper – A reluctant icon captures a decade of cultural transformation.

During the 1960s, Dennis Hopper carried a camera everywhere—on film sets and locations, at parties, in diners, bars and galleries, driving on freeways and walking on political marches. He photographed movie idols, pop stars, writers, artists, girlfriends, and complete strangers. Along the way he captured some of the most intriguing moments of his generation with a keen and intuitive eye.

A reluctant icon at the epicenter of that decade’s cultural upheaval, Hopper documented the likes of Tina Turner in the studio, Andy Warhol at his first West Coast show, Paul Newman on set, and Martin Luther King during the Civil Rights March from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.
From a selection of photographs compiled by Hopper and gallerist Tony Shafrazi—more than a third of them previously unpublished—this extensive volume distills the essence of Hopper’s brilliantly prodigious photographic career. Also included are introductory essays by Tony Shafrazi and legendary West Coast art pioneer Walter Hopps, and an extensive biography by journalist Jessica Hundley. With excerpts from Victor Bockris’s interviews of Hopper’s famous subjects, friends, and family

This TASCHEN volume is an unprecedented exploration of the life and mind of one of America’s most fascinating personalities.

TASCHEN’S publication of all of these distinct motifs tell us the tale of the origins of this artistic discipline, its slow but sure progression from “outlaw,” and “trespassing;”-and its gradual and paradoxical transmogrification into the world’s mass culture, communication and commercialization lifestyles.

TASCHEN’S – Trespass. A History of Uncommissioned Urban Art, is a seminal book that has crossed the Rubicon in how we are to understand, appreciate, view, learn, and compromise both conflicting interpretations and our own internalization of this artistic genre.

The curators, (Marc and Sara Schiller), editor (Ethel Seno), author (Carlo McCormick), artists (featuring key works by 150 artists, and connects four generations of visionary outlaws including Jean Tinguely, Spencer Tunick, Keith Haring, Os Gemeos, Jenny Holzer, Barry McGee, Gordon Matta-Clark, Shepard Fairey, Blu, Billboard Liberation Front, Guerrilla Girls and Banksy), writers (Pasternak,Bansky, et al.), and publishing giant (TASCHEN), help to guide us through the urban experience that gave birth to the explosion and implosion of what we now call Urban Art.

Urban Art is both product and process

Urban Art is not intended as decoration of the urban environment

Urban Art may be different than art of the moment (what is fashionable)

The unique capacity to bring the experience of art to a broad and diverse group of citizens by engaging the active urban landscape can be seen as an act of entropy. 

With the global development and ever changing urban landscapes, chaos and counter-revolutionary forces in the form of graffiti and uncommissioned art work are now a cultural phenomenon which has became part of our collective consciousness.

For example, using Newton’s theory of relativity as part of the narrative, every action has an equal and opposite reaction, therefore, with our environment being both in decay and development, the democratization of our physical environment is a natural force which we by our own nature, must trespass and change.

However, without constant maintenance, as time progresses, many public art objects are lost due to the destruction of the physical building, repainting and remaking of surfaces and landscapes, renovations, and the effects of natural elements such as decay, dust, debris, time–all which cause irreversible damage.

Some parts of uncommissioned art are performance based while others seek to remind us of the basic unsustainability of the status-quo of our own existence—while the creation of graffiti as art, are both ephemeral and as well permanent.

Since they can now be found around the world–from the depths of urban poverty and decay; or rise from shiny new landscapes—they openly call for us as a culture and society to have a say in our surroundings.

This is the premise and the importance of why this book is remarkable.

How we got to this point in our understanding of this action painting and its aesthetics is another.

The prose in each section is uncharted and exhilarating in its exploration of how we can interpret and see our surroundings as both a movement and methodology..

Opening with the book’s preface “City View” by Marc and Sara Schiller, and its introduction “Where Angels Dar to Tread,” by Carlo McCormick—other motifs explored include–Conquest of Space, Public Memory/Private Secrets, Magical Thinking, Deviant Signs, Free Art, and Contra-Consumerism, Environmental Reclamations, Rules of the Game, Conquest of Space, Non-figuratively Speaking, Urban Folk and concluding with “Just Do It,” by Anne Pasternak.

Worldviews viewing humanity through its beauty, tragedy and somewhere between that and urban art, lies our collective imaginations.

Graffiti and unsanctioned art—from local origins to global phenomenon

In recent years street art has grown bolder, more ornate, more sophisticated and—in many cases—more acceptable. Yet unsanctioned public art remains the problem child of cultural expression, the last outlaw of visual disciplines. It has also become a global phenomenon of the 21st century.

Made in collaboration with featured artists, Trespass examines the rise and global reach of graffiti and urban art, tracing key figures, events and movements of self-expression in the city’s social space, and the history of urban reclamation, protest, and illicit performance.

The first book to present the full historical sweep, global reach and technical developments of the street art movement, Trespass features key works by 150 artists, and connects four generations of visionary outlaws including Jean Tinguely, Spencer Tunick, Keith Haring, Os Gemeos, Jenny Holzer, Barry McGee, Gordon Matta-Clark, Shepard Fairey, Blu, Billboard Liberation Front, Guerrilla Girls and Banksy, among others. It also includes dozens of previously unpublished photographs of long-lost works and legendary, ephemeral urban artworks.

Source: TASCHEN

Grannis’ photographs documented surfing during the two most important and epochal decades in its history, and helped define Grannis’ photographs as the archetypes to define surfing and its generational changes.

Although he wasn’t the first of only a handful of surf photographers who chronicled a sport which celebrated man’s love, appreciation and subsequent mastery of the ocean, he was instrumental in defining the sport of surfing and its colorful and legendary figures.

The famous surfers he photographed during this time is the who’s who of the surfing world–past and present.

TASCHEN’S 25th year celebratory book, Leroy Grannis’ Surf Photography of the 1960’s and 1970’s, not only celebrated the famous surfers, surfing locations of both Southern California and Hawaii, it also recorded the evolution of surfing from the longboard era to the shortboard revolution.

Grannis’ photographs, allowed us to see first-hand the beauty and powerful majestic strength of the ocean and the many legendary surfers who graced them with their skills.

Through his specially made waterproof cameras which he used to shoot surfing pictures from the water, Grannis showed us the duality and dalliance of how the many watermen he photographed combined their raw physical ability to combine them with their styles.

The practitioners of the sport of surfing have a culture, history, and landscape unique unlike most other human endeavors. Granis understood this, as having been born, raised and continued to live in the beaches he loved–Hermosa, Redondo, Huntington, Malibu, San Onofre and Palos Verdes.

Yet, Grannis’ focus remained to photograph the beauty and harmony of the ocean and those who chose to ride its waves.

Put another way, the combination of Grannis’ aesthetic, the sport and history, and the famous surfers he featured, all converged during the sport’s most critical time–the 1960’s and 1970’s–has forever altered the surf world.

Some may say, what’s the big deal, or perhaps they think it’s just “another” thing people do while at the beach.

Well, “at a time when surfing is more popular than ever, it’s fitting to look back at the years that brought the sport into the mainstream. Developed by Hawaiian islanders over five centuries ago, surfing began to peak on the mainland in the 1950s—becoming not just a sport, but a way of life, admired and exported across the globe. One of the key image-makers from that period is LeRoy Grannis, a surfer since 1931, who began photographing the scene in California and Hawaii in the longboard era of the early 1960s.”

Growing up in San Diego I started surfing at age 11 and understand the intricacies and plain ole’ “ya see what ya get” type of Grannis’ photography.

However, Grannis’ subject matter consisted both of the cosmic and ephemeral nature of surfing and, as well, the beautiful ocean waters of Southern California and Hawaii–and the waterman who were the best at it.

Grannis’ “got it”–by developing his own “brand of surf photography–from both ocean and land.

And the waves and surf greats that broke down the barriers from the good to great to the legendary–he knew them all.

“On what became known as ‘the day war came to Malibu,’ superstars Fain (left) and Dora nearly come to blows over wave rights at the annual club contest”

Many long term surfers abandoned the sport as it became more mainstream including contests, and the growth in its participants.

Grannis was an expert in both surf photography and the ability to artistically frame up the sport into his own “brand,”–from its participants to the physical topography of the ever changing ocean–to bring the viewer one step closer to the reality and splendorment of what surfing was all about–or at least as close to what it actually looked like.

First published in a limited edition, which sold out instantly on publication, this new edition showcases Grannis’s most vibrant work—from the bliss of catching the perfect wave at San Onofre to dramatic wipeouts at Oahu’s famed North Shore.

An innovator in the field, Grannis suction-cupped a waterproof box to his board, enabling him to change film in the water and stay closer to the action than other photographers of the time. He also covered the emerging surf lifestyle, from "surfer stomps" and hoards of fans at surf contests to board-laden woody station wagons along the Pacific Coast Highway.

It is in these iconic images that a sport still in its adolescence embodied the free-spirited nature of an era—a time before shortboards and celebrity endorsements, when surfing was at its bronzed best.

What was once the home to the Hawaiians’ and the Californians, saw a sea change play out during the 1970′s decade due to the arrival of the aggressive in your face hot-dogging skills of the Australian surfers, who brought a whole new aggressive approach to surfing the giant waves of Oahu.

Their skills brought them here. Behavior seen as arrogant and disrespectful got them in trouble, and now they frequently face a possible lynching.

And Grannis’ photographs of surfing during this tiime he captured it all. His witness to the many changes in the sport—including, but not limited to the type of surfboard, the surfers, the perception of surfers as counter-culture rebels, and the cultural and historical process which made surfing what it is today–was not on Grannis’ radar.

First and foremost, Grannis was the quintessential surfing photographer who was dedicated to one thing and one thing only—surfing photography and surfing.

The TASCHEN team that assisted in the creation of this magnificent book on Grannis’ Photographs of Surf Photography of the 1960’s and 1970’s, acknowledgment is also given to author Surfer magazine’s globe-roaming editor at large, photojournalist Steve Barilotti has made it his business to document the sport, art, and lore of surfing. He has also written for The Perfect Day and books by renowned surf photographers Art Brewer and Ted Grambeau.

And to its editor: cultural anthropologist and graphic design historian Jim Heimann is Executive Editor for TASCHEN America, and author of numerous books on architecture, pop culture, and the history of the West Coast, Los Angeles, and Hollywood.

His unrivaled private collection of ephemera has been featured in museum exhibitions around the world and dozens of books.

Pulp Fiction Magazines ruled the newsstands from the 1920s through World War II. Eye catching covers fronted the action packed stories of adventure of all types.

The Pulp Fiction era launched new genres of storytelling such as Science Fiction, Sword and Sorcery, and the Hardboiled Detective—and as Los Angelenos, we love Raymond Chandler.

It was also the birthplace to icons including Tarzan, Zorro and Hopalong Cassidy. And, it’s a who’s who list of authors including Dashell Hammett, Robert Heinlein, Robert E. Howard, HP Lovecraft and many, many more.

As we all know, not only did the movie “Pulp Fiction” by director Quentin Tarantino remind us of a time gone by, it retains a solid fan base and following, not to mention that it can be a both a hobby as well as an investment.

So, mark your calendars. On Sunday, March 27^th from 9:00am to 5:30pm, 40 plus authors and illustrators will be on hand to autograph your book at the Los Angeles Vintage Paperback Collectors Show.  Head over to the Valley Inn and Conference Center at 10621 Sepulveda Blvd in Mission Hills. Parking is free and the admission price is a $5.00. 

For further information contact Tom Lesser at (818)349-3844 or Black Ace Books at (323)661-5052

Especially those that include “Hotels,” “Beautiful Places,” “Things to Do,” “Places to See,” “Art,” “People” and “Food.”

And that’s perfectly fine. Many products are produced by many companies, in many ways using different techniques.

But, when the subject matter is meant to convey something special and ephemeral, yet very much real and contemporary, there is no finer luxury book at an affordable price, than TASCHEN’S Great Escapes.

This special Box Edition—containing 5 volumes covering North America, Europe, Asia, South America and Africa—are more than stunning in diverse ways; put simply, it’s simply breathless.

Frankly, I’ve never been so absolutely taken aback and astonished that each one of the unique get-a-ways featured in the Great Escapes volumes even existed, notwithstanding that they’re carefully featured in this very, special guide, which will show you places that will literally take your breath away.

There’s no need to “Travel the World,” if all you own is TASCHEN’S GREAT ESCAPE BOX, because it-and the rest of the TASCHEN Travel Books-are the only thing you may need, but never go anywhere.

Be careful though, because after reading it, looking at the edition’s stunning photographs of the world’s most spectacular get-a-ways, you might want or need to visit each and every one of the winsome, exceptional, famous, and breathtaking hotels, with your only limitations being your time and budget.

The book features get-a-ways from each continent:

A plethora of exquisite, stylistic, historic, cultural, religious, ethnic, eco-friendly, and always superb and elegant hotels of interior and exterior design and wonder.

THE GREAT ESCAPE BOX and series reminds us that, even during our current times of distress and unrest, and among the shrill of everyday life, that there’s still unique places where time stands still, waiting to be enjoyed and explored.

Be forewarned, there wasn’t one get-a-way that I did not find that wasn’t special in its own way; and splendorous in both its surroundings and features:

You’ll discover hotels from old ranches, homes of various statesmen of yesteryear, castles, museums, forests, ancient ruins, rehabilitated light-houses, rustic cabins, relaxing hot springs, old palaces and farmhouses that are not only magnificent in comfort–but always offer top-of-the line service, food, and surroundings.

All of the volume’s accompanying prose, edited by Angelika Taschen, is outstanding and elegantly written, in its ability to convey to the reader each important detail of every venue listed–including its features, history, style, interiors, exteriors, history, art, and descriptive and worldly history.

Simply reading the book will whisk you away immediately to each and every one of The Great Escapes–even if you’re sitting in a chair.

Included, are all details for each hotel—it’s location, method/s of travel ingress and egress, web address, room, suite and house rates, phone number, destination information, all types of food served or available, ancillary prices, and the number of people and rooms dated for each escape.

And the best part of the series, besides which books are recommended to take for each hotel, was my favorite–the special X-Factor description provided.

Lastly, TASCHEN’S GREAT ESCAPES, includes many more web picks generously provided to the reader as a helpful and public service for each volume.

To see what I saw, will inspire you to appreciate the Memorial Branch Library’s beauty–not to mention the wonderful world of books it offers along with its plethora of other services that our Los Angeles Public Libraries provide.

To read and see more of this unique art, click here for the story at Mapping Los Angeles Public Art, also known as (“MLAPA”).

And, in 1945 building “green” was relegated to academia.

This was the purpose for the Case Study Houses and Taschen’s book–it documents ideas that, for the most part, indeed became realities.

Art & Architecture magazine’s John Entenza, “a champion of modernism as well as the editor of the avant-garde monthly magazine, the Case Study Houses goal was to:

Enable architects to design and build low-cost modern houses for actual clients, using donated materials from industry and manufactures, and to extensively publish and publicize their efforts.

Foreseeing the coming post-war boom in architecture, Entenza invited known architects who had already gained a foothold in the genre:

Richard Neutra, Charles and Ray Eames, Craig Ellwood, and Pierre Koenig.

And others who were more locally known–including Whitney R. Smith, Thornton Abell, and Rodney Walker.

The objective for the Case Study Houses was for each architect to use their creativity and imagination to build a house with low-cost standard building materials.

And build they did.

In total, 23 dwellings were completed, most of them in the Los Angeles area.

Several designs never made it past the blueprint stage, due to a lack of an actual client, but were a way “to allow the architects to develop ideas about the use of materials, organization of plan, or their experimental features, in the hope that these elements could be applied when a client was forthcoming.”

Taschen’s Case Study Houses, combines exceptional people on each of the book’s pages; –author Elizabeth A. T. Smith, the former Chief Curator and Deputy Director for programs at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago; editor Peter Gössel, who designs Museums and Exhibitions, and most noteworthy, world renowned Julius Shulman, the recently deceased modernist architecture photographer in Southern California and across the globe for nearly eight decades.

A giant book, containing over 400 pages of photos, original blueprints and sketches, editorial commentary, and the the actual text from each of the Art & Architecture sponsored articles that provide details into the design, building process, and the problems and subsequent solutions unique to each structure.

By the time of the Case Study House’s initial work, Los Angeles was already a strong experimental framework for residential architecture:

From Irving Gill’s work to Frank Lloyd Wright’s block design to the pioneering Schindler-Chace House of 1921-22.

As I read each page of this gem, I was more and more intrigued by each design, how each architect worked to incorporate different ideas—added windows for more natural light, radiant heat, garden space that works along with the natural landscape, and minimalism.

These are ideas bandied about today, but merely an academic concept in 1950′s and 60′s.

With each of Julius Shulman’s photos, the details of each house are featured.

For many of the houses that still exist (two have been demolished and two have been remodeled), more recent photos tell the whole story.

At the end of the Case Study Houses, included are short bios of each of the architects that took part in the Program.

Los Angeles is blessed with many talented architects, and Taschen has brought several of these houses to life in this brilliant book.

To really understand how many houses are included I created a map of the Case Study Houses in Los Angeles.

Each icon has the address, architect, year built, and a photo from Taschen’s book–for areas such as Pacific Palisades, you’ll have to use Google’s increase size feature, because although one icon may only appear as one, there’s actually 3 right around it. Not included in the map is one small apartment complex in Arizona, and two more houses–one in San Rafael, near San Francisco and the other in La Jolla, a part of San Diego.

View Case Study Houses in a larger map

Indeed, as my kids were growing up, I took them to the library at least twice a month to choose books to read, attend various library activities, and occasionally purchase a used book or two.

Obviously, with both our national and state budget crises, your local library’s hours and other services may have been cut. To be sure, living here, our Los Angeles and California budgetary issues are inter-mixed, so we’re basically out of the loop as to being in a position to assist with this issue.

But, the smaller budget hasn’t stopped the libraries from doing everything in their power to keep all of their services in place–the inventory of new and older books on their shelves, the amount and frequency of both children and adult activities which they host, Internet access, their frequent book sales, and all of the various initiatives that they sponsor for their respective communities (which, if you haven’t been to one lately, you’re in for a surprise!).

On Monday, October 4^th, most local libraries are hosting California Library Snapshot Day, a day to create a compelling picture of library services in California.

The California Library Association (CLA) will use the data to advocate with legislators at the state and local level, and to demonstrate the value and importance of libraries to California’s citizens. We will also package the data so that you can use them in local advocacy efforts.

The correlation between reading and knowledge are axiomatic and incontrovertible–I live close to a Westside LA branch that has CD’s, DVD’s, Internet services, and much more.

My oldest daughter lives within walking distance of a local library and can be frequently found there. and in my case, my second daughter took her love of reading and writing–obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in English, and is currently studying for a PhD in Women’s Studies. I”m sure that all of you have positive memories and experiences–both current and older–of time that you and others have spent at various libraries.

Although you probably will never know how the public library will affect you or your children, if you have any, frequenting your local California Library is a habit that’s certainly better than a lot of others.

Not surprisingly, the CLA wants you in the picture. So, if you haven’t been to your local library recently, October 4^th, will be a great day to get back in the groove.

And if your library happens to be closed on Monday, they may be celebrating California Library Snapshot Day on a different day during the week. Be sure to check your local library’s website.

Subsequently TASCHEN presciently published every 2 years, 3 additional chronicles of art with their “Art Now” books.

Over the last decade, TASCHEN’S publication of the 3 “Art Now” books has established and documented the ever changing art and artists who, for the most part, have helped to define this varied assemblage of “Modern Art.”

The 100 Contemporary Artists book is published in 2 volumes according to the Artists last names–from A-H, and L-Z.

Kara Walker, They Waz Nice Folks While They Lasted (Says One Gal to Another), 2001, cut paper, projection on wall, ca 427 x 610 cm

With TASCHEN’S reputation for absolute perfection and attention to graphic and elegant detail, the two volume books and covers are exceptional with their glossy matte finish that feature artist’s Peter Doing’s, picture “Figure in Red Boat,” on the front DJ, and Olafur Eliasson’s, “The Weather Project, Turbine Hall,” on the back Dust Jacket on Volume 1; and Wofgang Tillmans, picture “Freischwimmer 20s, on the front DJ, and Kara Walker’s “For the Benefit of All the Races of Mankind” on the back Dust Jacket for Volume 2.

TASCHEN’S special large slipcase holds both books in honor of their 25^th anniversary.

The combined result by its author/editor Hans Werner Holzwarth, is an extremely large and well documented assemblage of the 100 Contemporary Artists who are most reflective of the paradox of their international importance, yet transitional role they currently have in today’s art world.

With their wide ranging types, genres, styles and themes, they’re currently in “the moment” to help us to firmly and definitively understand contemporary art along with the most important artists over the last decade.

Beatriz Milhazes, O Beijo, 1995, acrylic on canvas, 193 x 299.7 cm

The range of art and artists which are documented cuts a huge swath of all types of art:

Multi-Media; Performance; Painting; Photography; Abstract Image Drawing and Painting; Filmmaking; Sculpture; Kitsch; Watercolors, Ceramics; Architecture; Camera Obscura; and a plethora of other styles and genres that make TASCHEN’S 100 Contemporary Artists so important–they’re our curator that features the international compendium of artists and their works of art that provide the reader with a current comprehensive understanding of the art and art world, that best defines contemporary art from 1999 – 2009.

Imagine having to explain another subject of a complex nature in another pandect, and you begin to understand that while the art world’s sea is always churning, its anchors are moored by the decade’s hard work and efforts of TASCHEN, which “offers us a representative selection and identifies the artists’ oeuvres.”

Wangechi Mutu, A Fake Jewel in the Crown, 2007, mixed media, ink, collage on mylar, 226 x 137 cm

The scope, depth, breath, and the significant artistic forms we gleam are but a glimpse into the totality of the work from the 100 featured contemporary artists. There’s bound to be exciting new discoveries and deep appreciation and aesthetic understanding of the artists we become familiar with in these 2 volumes; on the other hand–as always one man’s ceiling is another man’s floor–everybody will predictably have their likes and dislikes and that’s OK, because that’s the goal of why this book is so important—it helps us to understand a movement which doesn’t require us to like everything that’s in it.

And that’s what makes the world go around. But make no mistake, the artistic aesthetics represented in this book’s two volumes, are at times dark and delve deep into the human subconscious and unconscious, which at times are somewhat uncomfortable.

And that’s what makes this assemblage so real–from the psycho-sexual, to the overt and covertly psychological–the art can be both moving and disturbing.  But that’s the artist’s role, to act as our interpreter and guide to evoke the images and objects for us to appreciate and try to understand what the artist has created–to convey what they want us to see, feel and interpret.

To quote one of the featured artists, Rineke Dijkstra:

For me it is essential to understand that everyone is alone. Not in the sense of loneliness, but rather in the sense that no one can completely understand someone else. I want to awaken definite sympathies.

Subodh Gupta, Spill, 2007, stainless steel, stainless stelle utensils, 170 x 145 x 95 cm

100 Contemporary Artists brings together the most outstanding, influential, and important artists of the last ten years:

Included are such formative figures including Marlene Dumas, Damien Hirst, Mike Kelley, Jeff Koons, Albert Oehlen, Richard Prince, Charles Ray, Cindy Sherman, Christopher Wool featured alongside Glenn Brown, Nathalie Djurberg, Tom Fredman, Mark Grotjahn and Terence Koh.

They’re prominent representatives of a younger generation which is blazing their own trails.

After ten years of “Art Now,” this collection draws a interim balance…into the focus on the works, positions, trends, and traditions that have repeatedly stirred heated debate–both in the art world itself and amongst the general public.”

Ai Weiwei, Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola Logo, 1994, Han Dynasty urn, paint, 25.5. x 28 x 28 cm

While that’s quite an understatement above, I discovered and rediscovered such talented artists in the book including Bansky, Ai Weiwei, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Monica Bonvicini, Cecily Brown, Andreas Gursky, Keith Haring (of course), Vera Lutter, Philip Taaffe, Francesco Vezzoli, Richard Phillips, Beatriz Milhazes, and Takashi Murakami to name my personal favorites, among others not listed as well.

Editor, Hans Werner Holzwaert, intelligently and thoroughly lists all of the 100 artists’ biographies and publications, along with the obligatory acknowledgments and photo credits.

Without sounding sentimental or sanguine about the matter, TASCHEN’S 100 Contemporary Artists defines the current modern art scene as it now stands, and serves as its definitive guide as well.

If you’re an art and book lover, this TASCHEN publication should already belong in your library. With its amazing pictures and perfect images of the artists works, this is a very special book.

Its commercial success only added to his burgeoning career. The book describes man’s attempt to colonize Mars, where the story and theme is about the effects of colonization on the Martians, and the colonists’ reaction to a massive nuclear war on Earth.

Another of Bradbury’s best-known works is the book Fahrenheit 451. It’s set in the future in which a totalitarian government has banned the written word.

The protagonist, in the book, enjoys his job as a professional book-burner. But he begins to question his duties the when he learns of a time when books were legal and people did not live in fear.

Subsequently, he starts to doubt what the actual purpose of his book burning serves and to whom; and he begins stealing books marked for destruction while meeting a professor who agrees to educate him.

When his pilfering is discovered, he must run for his life.

If not ironic and a sad commentary about our present world, many societies and government regimes regularly ban books to be offensive for various reasons, but the end result remains the same—people are denied knowledge and are kept in the dark for nefarious purposes.

How many times this has occurred throughout history is countless.

Fahrenheit 451 is similar in theme of mass brainwashing and loss of control in other books as well known including George Orwell’s, 1984, and Aldous Huxley’s, Brave New World.

The 1966 film adaptation of Fahrenheit 451 (1966) was made by the world famous French director Francois Truffaut, and starred Julie Christie, where it ended up receiving several nominations.

Bradbury’s work has won countless honors and awards, including the O. Henry Memorial Award, the Benjamin Franklin Award (1954), the Aviation-Space Writer’s Association Award for Best Space Article in an American Magazine (1967), the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement, and the Grand Master Award from the Science Fiction Writers of America. His work was also included in the Best American Short Stories collections for 1946, 1948 and 1952.

His total literary output is close to 600 short stories, more than 30 books and numerous poems and plays.

In 2004 Bradbury received a National Medal of Arts. He was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. An asteroid is named in his honor, "9766 Bradbury", and the Apollo astronaut named a crater on the moon "Dandelion Crater", after his novel, Dandelion Wine.

Bradbury also received an Emmy Award for his work as a writer on ‘The Halloween Tree’, and many other awards and honors. His works are translated in more than 40 languages and sold tens of millions of copies around the world.

From August 22^nd – 28^th, 2010, Los Angeles will be host to Ray Bradbury Week:

The schedule of talks, movie screenings, special guests, plays, and other derivative works of Bradbury will be held as follows:

Monday, August 23^rd – The Diversity Department of the Writers Guild of America will present a stage reading of Ray Bradbury’s one act play, The Wonderful Part of Wisdom, starring James Cromwell. The play starts at 7:00pm.

Tuesday, August 24^th – The Playboy Foundation presents a special screening of Fahrenheit 451, preceded by a discussion with Ray Bradbury and Hugh Hefner moderated by Los Angeles Times reporter and Hero Complex blogger Geoff Boucher. The event starts at 7:00pm.

Wednesday, August 25^th – The City of West Hollywood and Green School of Hollywood is presenting a play based on Fahrenheit 451 adapted for and performed by children. The event begins at 7:00pm.

Thursday, August 26^th – The Downtown Central Library will host a special screening of Ray Bradbury’s The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit (1998), starring Joe Mantegna, Esai Morales, Edward James Olmos, and Clifton Collins, Jr. Special guests will include Joe Mantegna and Clifton Collins, Jr. This starts at 7:00pm.

Saturday, August 28^th – The Paley Center for Media will present Ray Bradbury on Television, which consists of three television productions based on works by Bradbury—Ray Bradbury Theater: The Banshee (1986); American Playhouse: Any Friend of Nicholas Nicleby is a Friend of Mine (1982); and The Electric Grandmother (1982). The productions start at 1:00 p.m.

All events are free to the public and are in celebration of the totality of all of Ray Bradbury’s writings and projects.

It’s bound to be a creative, serious, and screenwriter’s dream to have this opportunity to have this week held here throughout Los Angeles.

For more information, be sure to check the Ray Bradbury Week Facebook page.

Lastly, great stories and storytelling are timeless.

Up and down the open staircase, people, plants and fountains abound, and make Neutra’s theory of applied architecture timeless–the throngs of students, retirees, moms, children, and everybody in between, happily drift about, and eventually settle into comfortable chairs or sit at tables with plug-in free Wi-Fi. The entire library opens onto a back wall of glass with a sweeping view of the 350 acre Central Park beyond. A large reflecting pond combined with a major waterfall surrounds two sides of the library.

“Architecture is an applied art"

Richard Neutra, widely known as one of the ‘LA heroes of architecture,’ envisioned this placing of man in nature. He said, "Architecture is an applied art. It only works if man works better in it and because of it." (See Thomas S. Hines’ new book, Architecture of the Sun: Los Angeles Modernism 1900-1970, for more on Neutra’s work.) The original building was designed by the firm of Richard & Dion Neutra. Shortly before the agreement signing, Richard Neutra passed away, and his son, Dion, completed the building in 1975. Expansions and restorations were completed in both 1994, and 2007.

Architectural notes from Dion Neutra

The interior plants and water were situated to create an atmosphere that would at once be healthy for plants, books and the human beings that would inhabit the space! It turns out that an atmosphere of 50-percent relative humidity is perfect for books and plants, which do not do well when it’s too dry. Neither do humans, for that matter, so this was a happy marriage.

We also found out that books would prefer a temperature of 60 degrees or so, down from the 70+ of the usual human habitat. By favoring a lower temperature in the stack areas, I was able to encourage the browsers to move out to the reading areas with their selections rather than block the narrow aisles in the stack areas. The sound of the interior water features is such that it is possible to converse in a normal tone of voice in the reading-room areas instead of having to be reminded to whisper, which is so often the [very unnatural] situation in a library.

The best spot of all, is next to its towering ficus

On the lower level, a giant fiddleleaf ficus plant flourishes center stage, ringed by tables. It must have been planted when the building opened, sharing the years with countless readers. As a gardener and an avid reader, I applaud the Neutras. They captured contentment.

Of course, the thriving gift shop, used book sale area, cafeteria, computer media center, movie videos for checkout, and the largest Children’s Library west of the Mississippi, add to the magic. Not to be missed, is a bird’s eye view of baby owls sitting in eucalyptus trees in the children’s area. Authors’ guest lunches, summer reading programs, and live tutors are typical of the library events..

But wait, there’s more

Genealogy: The Library’s collection of over 18,000 genealogical books is maintained by the Orange County California Genealogical Society (OCCGS). The Genealogy collection is housed at the Central Library and is reference only (items cannot be checked out). You can access the Huntington Beach library system by clicking on H.B. Public Library.

Databases: Business research tip – having a library card lets you access the Reference USA database, which is almost as good as Hoover’s and unlike Hoover’s, it’s free. The Library has purchased other database subscriptions, making them free to patrons.

It hosts an impressive online database menu encompasses information and full-text articles for a wide-range of subscription based news services including journals for business, literature, history, science, health, auto repair, politics, language, and so much more. They have an extensive newspaper and magazine database of well known and specialized publications. Anyone can use these resources in the library and cardholders can access most of the databases from home. The Windows Art Gallery houses paintings and art by local artists to browse and purchase. A Corner Art Gallery room does hold non-private exhibits. For information on upcoming shows, or membership, visit the Art League’s website at www.hbartleague.com.

A 300-seat Huntington Beach Playhouse, stages productions and comes with 7 meeting rooms, videoconferencing and a kitchen for weddings and receptions.

Access: Free to the citizens of Huntington Beach, out-of-town guests may purchase a library card for $25 a year. A Media Only Card is available for no charge. This card lets nonresidents use fee-based services in the Media Center only (videos, CD’s, DVD’s and audiobooks).

For a Christmas inspiration: Share all of this with a non-resident or surprise friends with $25 gift certificates for one year library cards.

Directions: The Central Library is located adjacent to the Huntington Beach Central Park and Sports Complex at 7111 Talbert Ave, CA 92683. The closest cross streets are Talbert Ave and Goldenwest St.

Hours: Monday: 1:00 – 9:00pm; Tue, Wed, Thu: 9:00am – 9:00pm; Fri, Sat: 9:00am – 5:00pm;
Sunday: Closed

Photos by Scott Schroeder and Sandy Schroeder

Although many of the case studies presented in the book are technologically complicated, the manner in which certain key decisions and analyses were made and chosen is what’s important for readers to understand–the crucial insight needed into how and why a particular Internet undertaking was selected, which resulted in a change from what was, to what would make it better.

The Internet Case Study Book presents 60 different website makeovers that accomplished successful results which are explained throughout the book.

For example, it reviewed a makeover of an old brand such as was the case when Doritos initiated a do-over to attract “flavor memories” to bring back two of their most intense flavors; interactive experiences with the audience to be more involved with a product, such as McDonald’s “Lost Ring” project as part of their sponsorship of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. To date, The Lost Ring has been the world’s biggest and first truly global alternate reality games from over 100 countries to reach across geographic; cultural, and linguistic borders to unite in solving the mystery of “six amnesiac Olympians who competed an ancient, lost Olympic sport: Labyrinth Running.”

Included in the book, are detailed explanations of why organizations choose creative solutions, so that people will change their perception about a particular company and its products. For example, “The Got Milk?” campaign wanted to change the perception that drinking milk wasn’t appealing, so they chose a strategy with the objective to make it “cool” to drink milk among a certain demographic.

The book has 57 additional case studies of well known and respected brands, companies, organizations, and governmental institutions to provide the reader with a wide swath of Internet components of creative thinking and problem solving to utilize the building blocks available to ensure a project’s success, as opposed to a failure.

Each of its 5 chapters–Campaigns, E-Commerce, Promotional, Social Media, and Corporate case studies are introduced from an accomplished ad agency interactive executive and expert, helping us to better understand the thinking “under the hood.”

Each of the stories presented, start out with “The Brief,” which outlines what the organization views as the end game in implementing its vision.

The “Challenge” pulls together the various ways to accomplish the Brief, from a technological, user experience, a detailed layout, and the various ways and means to realize the desired result.

“The Solution” explains how the organizations used various custom technologies, existing technologies, and combined them with existing Internet tools such as videos, blog promotion, country inclusion and other creative ways to bring the solution to a successful conclusion. Frequently many solutions incorporated the use of Flash programming, the use of You Tube, Facebook and other sites around the world to tie the concept together on a global scale, and other actions to enhance different messages and brands.

Lastly, “The Result” contained real world data about how a case study in The Internet Case Study Book fared in the real world —e.g., the number of hits, how many sales took place, how many countries viewed the website, number of widgets created, how many YouTube videos were viewed, the number of downloads recorded, how many people got involved with interactive components, and a throng of important metrics that professionals who do business on the Internet throughout the world, can see why each case study presented can be objectively viewed as to why it was effective.

The Internet Case Study Book features many stories of achievement, from clients’ briefings to final projects– this book, follows on from the best selling Guidelines for Online Success, provides detailed and objective studies which were divided into the aforementioned five chapters.

These subjects form the core of how to use the web for those who want their online endeavors to be successful, and the case studies in the book explain how to help differentiate your business or online presence from that of your competitors.

Strategies examined range from those of giant corporations to small businesses, but all have a common goal: a successful, efficient and cost-effective investment on the web—-from Coca-Cola to Prince of Persia, from Diesel to Domino’s Pizza, this book shows how successful businesses of any size can devise an effective online presence, and features the work of strategic innovators such as Ajaz Ahmed, Alex Bogusky, and Jeff Goodby.

Kudos to its authors, Rob Ford, who founded Favourite Website Awards (FWA) in 2000, a recognition program for cutting-edge web design. His work has featured in the Chicago Tribune, Guardian and various web related magazines. He has judged many industry award shows, contributes regularly to web design sites and magazines, and writes a regular column in Adobe’s Edge Newsletter and its editor; and the editor, Julius Wiedemann, who was born in Brazil, studied graphic design and marketing, and was an art editor for digital and design magazines in Tokyo. His many TASCHEN digital and media titles include Illustration Now!, Advertising Now, Logo Design, and Brand Identity Now!

The conclusion of The Internet Case Study Book was markedly thoughtful and truthful in explaining how the Internet should be utilized as a business and as a way of life that it has become for most of the world.

In the Afterward by Lars Bastholm, an executive with the giant ad and Internet media company Ogilvy, he informs and provides all Internet entrepreneurs with the following sage advice:

A few years ago, we were still looking at postage stamp-sized videos that took forever to load (remember the World Wide Web Wait?) and most corporate websites were little more than brochure-ware stitched together with whatever budget and materials were leftover from the above-the-line campaign. It took years of relentless innovation, tenacity, salesmanship and, most importantly, changing consumer habits and demands to get us to where we are today.

I think we have now arrived at a moment of reckoning of sorts. We’ve reached the kind of technological maturity that effectively means that if we can dream it, we can create it. This is obviously a wonderful thing, it’s also a challenge for all of us. While we were held back by technological limitations, even small dreams looked like big achievements when they were brought to life. Now, we have no more excuses. We  need to dream big dreams.

For that we need big dreamers. We need more Tim Berner-Lees, more Sergei Brins and Larry Pages. But we also need our own Bill Bernback, our own David Ogilvy, and our own Lee Clow (ad agency interactive Internet experts). Not to mention our own James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, and Quentin Tarantino. People who dream big in technology, communication, and storytelling and who can help define what this medium will become in the future.

Let’s keep in mind that the Internet as a brand-building medium is still only about 15 years old. It remains an unruly teenager trying to figure out its place in the world and what it all means. It’s trying out being different things: a TV channel, a community center, a shopping mall, and anything else that might tickle its fancy for a while. So everything is possible, and the wonderful news is that we’ve only just scratched the surface of the medium’s potential.”

After reading TASCHEN’s, “The Internet Case Study Book,” you’ll feel empowered with the knowledge and ways to build your own Internet empire as the book shows us how others were able to climb to the top by carefully thinking through their place in the world, and how they achieved that by implementing carefully selected methods, means and ways to stand apart from the crowd by initiating truly “successful Internet Strategies.”

A similar situation presents similarly stark and exact core issues when the most famous architect of recent times, Frank Lloyd Wright, is thoroughly examined and appreciated. 

Frank Lloyd Wright’s legacy and colossal life’s body of work as expressed through his Architecture includes a plethora of varying subjects and objects. His incredible prodigious body of work includes buildings, renderings, schematics, elevations, conceptual drawings, innovative building techniques, overseas travels, proposals, innumerable clients, artwork in the form of graphics and posters, furniture designs, art, architectural criticism and writing, lecturing, an autobiography, and  a MOMA and other museum retrospectives.

In Wright 1917 – 1942, we become engrossed and become a part of Frank Lloyd Wright’s work, his life, his writings, his success’ and his failures, with an intellectual honesty that’s documented, studied, and published–without the fanfare and hyperbole that too often consumes art and architectural books or biographies; and retrospectives of art and artists.

Typically, architectural reviews are verbose and idiosyncratic, and none of that is in this book.

Frank Lloyd Wright, Complete Works 1943 – 1959, opens with Wright’s organic architecture introducing ideas for the use of solar energy and curved, open spaces. In addition to the Guggenheim Museum, the postwar era saw other extraordinary projects such as Wright’s plans for a new Baghdad, the only high-rise tower he actually executed, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, the crystal figure of the Beth Sholom Synagogue in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, and many houses.

“I believe in God, only I spell it Nature.” Frank Lloyd Wright

Volume 2 (and the subject of this book review) covers Frank Lloyd Wright’s career, covering everything he did during this time period–his world famous structures, personal history, clients, destroyed or unfinished ideas, and his time spent publishing, lecturing, and retrospectives that lasted as many years when he wasn’t working, as those that he was during this time.

The trilogy of Wright’s three monographs of all his designs and buildings, is painstakingly thorough. Just from the reproductions of his elevations and floor plans–we gain an understanding of his ever-evolving, yet timeless approach to architecture. As this book is huge in scope and size–with all of its hundreds of pictures, drawings, and photographs–it stays true to presenting Lloyd’s work without undue critical reviews of the same. That’s the job of the critics–and there’s no shortage of them.

I find that refreshing because if you’re an artist, designer or an architectural student, a patron or a follower of Lloyd’s work, an urban and building aficionado or professional, a knowledge seeker, or just a book lover–the profound structure of the Complete Works of Wright is eloquently cataloged and summarized with TASCHEN’S trilogy including this 2nd volume.

[It is] “the definitive publication on America’s greatest architect,” in that it leaves architectural criticism aside, and focuses on the myriad of Wright’s legacy as articulated through his work—some completed, some assigned to other architects, some a vision, some never realized, some ravaged by earthquake, some torn down, and some ruined by the great destroyer called time.

But this book wouldn’t have been possible unless it had as its author– Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer, a Frank Lloyd Wright’s apprentice at the Taliesin Fellowship in 1949, which lasted with Wright until his death in 1959. Brooks currently remains at Taliesin as director of the Frank Lloyd Wright Archives–who also was a major contributor toward being able to have these amazing books published–a vice-president of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, and author of numerous publications on Wright’s life and work.

Wright’s interaction with Taliesin lasted for the rest of his life, and eventually, he purchased the surrounding land, creating an estate of 593 acres (2.4 km²). Over the following decades, Wright used the house as an experiment, continually changing it, often using his apprentices in the Taliesin Fellowship (founded in 1932) as the workforce; he also invited artists to stay and work with him in the Deco Decorative movement, and he started and mentored well-known artists such as Santiago Martinez Delgado. This was particularly true once he began a winter home, Taliesin West, in Scottsdale, Arizona (1937–1959), in 1937. After this, Wright and the Taliesin Fellowship "migrated" between the two homes each year. This allowed Wright the ability to return to each home with a new perspective. To Wright, Taliesin was perfected with each change, yet subject to continual evolution.

Some of the buildings designed at Taliesin were Fallingwater, the Guggenheim Museum, the Johnson Wax Headquarters, and the first Usonian home, the first Herbert and Katherine Jacobs house, in Madison, Wisconsin.(1936).

What particularly strikes me about this edition of Wright, 1917-1942, is its thoroughness and complete examination of everything that Wright did during this period. The painstaking reconstruction and examination of that, makes this book brilliant, eclectic and ultimately deeply satisfying. Wright was a prodigious thinker, architect, author, illustrator, artist, speaker, designer, and innovator.

For example, it was Wright’s use of gridded concrete slabs that integrated a house’s radiant heating system. Wright’s Usonian approach included new approaches to construction including sandwich walls that consist of layers of wood siding, plywood cores and building paper; a significant change from typically framed walls. Usonian houses most commonly feature flat roofs and are mostly constructed without basements, completing the excision of attics and basements from houses, a feat Wright had been attempting since the early 20th century. Designed to efficient and affordable, Usonian houses commonly feature small kitchens—called "workspaces" by Wright—that adjoin the dining spaces.

These spaces in turn flow into the main living areas, which also are characteristically outfitted with built-in seating and tables. As in the Prairie Houses, Usonian living areas focus on the fireplace. Bedrooms are typically isolated and relatively small, encouraging the family to gather in the main living areas. The conception of spaces instead of rooms is a development of the Prairie ideal; as the built-in furnishings relate to the Arts and Crafts principles from which Wright’s early works grew.

Spatially and in terms of their construction, the Usonian houses represent a new model for independent living, and allowed dozens of clients to live in a Wright-designed house at relatively low cost. The diversity of the Usonian ideal can be seen in houses such as the Gregor S. and Elizabeth B. Affleck House (1941) in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, which projects over a ravine; and the Hanna-Honeycomb House (1937) in Palo Alto, California, which features a honeycomb planning grid.

His Usonian homes set a new style for suburban design that was a feature of countless developers. Many features of modern American homes date back to Wright; open plans, slab-on-grade foundations, and simplified construction techniques that allowed more mechanization or at least efficiency in building.

Many facts may not be very well-known during this period of Wright’s career. During this time Wright spent as much time practicing architecture as he didn’t–being a prodigious speaker, author, lecturer, and writer:

In 1939, Wright returned to Europe to deliver a series of lectures in London. These were published under the title An Organic Architecture: The Architecture of Democracy. Perhaps partially as the result of the success of these lectures Wright was able to publish a series of monographs of his then large compilation of his work in three editions of Architectural Forum in 1948 and 1951.

The year 1940 saw Wright’s work once again showcased in a major exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, in New York. Around this time Wright began to issue private publications, designed and printed at Taliesin. The inaugural issue of the magazine called Taliesin was a special issue titled The New Frontier Broadacre City that dealt exclusively with the model of Broadacre City and the philosophy underlining it. A Taliesin Square-Paper was more politically driven. In this newsletter, he aired his concerns about he war. Because of the war, and the curtailment of architectural projects in 1941 and 1942, writing projects again assumed a prominent place in Wright’s work, now with the publisher Duell, Sloan and Pearce. In association with Wright, Frank Lloyd Wright: On Architecture, a selection of Wright’s writings from 1894 to 1940 compiled by architectural historian Frederick Gutheim, appeared in 1941, followed by In the Nature of Materials 1887 – 1941: The Building of Frank Llyod Wright in 1942, assembled by by Henry-Russell Hitchcock largely from the 1940 exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. Wright himself went back to work on his autobiography of 1932, revising and updating it. All three books were printed in a square format of Wright’s design.

This period from 1917 to 1942 saw Wright as much author as architect, with few buildings realized, although these were very important. These buildings revealed startling new forms in both residential and commercial design. Personally, the years following 1928 found Wright more settled and secure than an any other time. His 3rd wife, Olgivanna was an inspired and dedicated partner to him. The young men and women of the Taliesin Fellowship provided him with new energy and inspiration as well.

This was a quiet time which they enjoyed despite the war and lack of work. It could perhaps even be called a time of preparation for the flood of work that came Wright’s way in the ensuing years.

This volume as written by Bruce Brooks provides a richly woven story that’s worthy of discussion. First and foremost, a careful study of Frank Lloyd Wright will show that he was a free thinking genius with a consistency that blended nature with art through architecture; yet his method, and methodology are uniquely expressed and changed with time, location, country, and client. Yet, without a doubt, Frank Lloyd Wright’s design aesthetic will almost certainly evermore escape a precise label—but for want of a better descriptive, it’s a safe bet to give tribute to Wright’s genome of genius, creativity, and quality of workmanship and design–which his name is eponymous with–as to his art and work.

The author Brooks, plays a significant and irreplaceable place in the publication of this 3 part monograph series of Wright’s work:

With the founding of the Taliesin Fellowship, Wright’s professional life took a dramatic change: He had always relied upon hired draftsmen to assist in the preparation of his drawings. Now, the apprentices would take over those tasks, learning the craft of architecture as they went along by working on drawings and specifications, tackling engineering challenges, and supervising the construction of the buildings, initially right on the Taliesin property , learning architecture from the ground up, out in the field, on the job site. ‘There will be no armchair architects here!’ Wright once asserted.

The definitive publication on America’s greatest architect

Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) is widely considered the greatest American architect of all time; his work ushered in the modern era and remains highly influential today—half a century after his death. TASCHEN’s three-volume monograph covers all his designs (numbering approximately 1100), realized and unrealized. Made in collaboration with the Frank Lloyd Wright Archives in Taliesin, Arizona, this collection leaves no stone unturned in examining and paying tribute to Wright’s astonishing life and work.

Whereas the first volume covers the early Chicago years , this second volume deals with the work after World War I, beginning with the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo and covering Wright’s quest to design affordable houses with systematic construction methods and the Usonian concept house, with the forest-sited villa Fallingwater being the dramatic climax.

The years spent working in Japan was followed by personal turmoil. In late 1922, Wright divorced from first wife Catherine, and the following year married Miriam Noel. Yet barely six months later she left, initiating a bitter divorce.

In November of 1922 Wright had finally received a divorce from his first wife, Catherine. This permitted him in November of 1923 to marry Miriam Noel, his volatile companion of the last eight years. He [Wright] hoped that by thus legalizing their relationship, the tensions and difficulties that plagued them would be relieved. Unfortunately, this was not to be. BY May of 1924 Miriam had left, and the couple’s final battle, which would stretch painfully over several years, began.

Shortly after, Wright met his third wife, Olgivanna. During this difficult period a second fire at Taliesin strained his already parlous finances; the bank foreclosed, leaving him without home or studio. With nowhere to practice, he started writing magazine articles, and his autobiography (published in 1932 to great acclaim).

Ever resourceful, Wright took out a third mortgage on his Talisin property, and incorporated himself to raise money with the promise of future profits to his funders–hence, Frank Lloyd Wright, Inc. came into existence.

Around this time, Wright had business dealings with the Department Store magnate Edgar J. Kaufmann who gave Wright the commission for a summer home in a wooded glen in western Pennsylvania, and in turn, Wright gave Kauffman, one of the most famous houses in the world–Fallingwater.

Also around the same time–Herbert Johnson of the the large corporation C.J. Johnson & Son Company, gave him the commission for the world renowned Johnson corporate Headquarters. Curiously, that’s when Wright used the Herbert Jacobs House in Racine, Wisconsin to demonstrate his ever evolving design and architectural thinking as exemplified with his development of the Usonian concept.

That wasn’t the beginning of Wright’s embracement of his different movements–as his homes in Los Angeles and Southern California defined and perfected his use of his "Textile Block System of interlocking concrete" as part of the building’s interior’s, exterior’s–and as forefront, backyard, and as a form of his notorious mingling of architecture into the landscape.

His block building system led to idiosyncratic works like the famous Ennis house in Los Angeles, and in 1936 he completed the Herbert Jacobs house, using his new "Usonian" techniques, designed to be affordable for the middle-American family. The same year he moved to Arizona where, at the age of 71, Wright embraced his rugged new life in the desert, and with his students started building the Taliesin West complex.

Wright’s prodigious output of conceptual and working architectural drawings was complimented by his ever creative design of posters, graphics, furniture, art, and other types of accessories, which he always produced throughout his illustrious career. These too, are luxuriously shot and are included throughout this Volume II.

This Wright Trilogy of monographs is simply put–brilliant; and is an incredible once-in-a-lifetime capture of the world’s greatest architect’s career and achievement and there’s no reason that all 3 of TASCHEN’S, Frank Lloyd Wright, The Complete Works, shouldn’t be part of your library. Your life will be enriched forever by owning them.

A stone’s throw from Angelino Heights is Echo Park. With its beautiful walking paths, a lake that plays a constant part in LA’s history, and a beautiful and scenic spot for a picnic, and other important and unique elements, Echo Park is a wonderful and interesting must-see locale and community.

This newest E-book from Travelin’ Local features both of these areas. Within this 2+ miles walk, you’ll see a new side of Los Angeles you might not have even known existed. And if you might have known about it, you might be surprised to learn about the history behind these two areas, which is featured on every page of the Angelino Heights and Echo Park Walking Tour.

This E-book features almost 60 “pages”, like the ones pictured above, packed with history, pictures, maps, and trivia. It’s fun, interesting, expertly-researched, and useful. In short, it’s a perfect addition to any library, especially for those that love Los Angeles, and want to constantly learn more about it and to visit all of its hidden gems.

Brilliant, fun, special–many adjectives can be used to describe Travelin’ Local’s E-books. We’ll let you come up with your own, so you can share it with others, and hopefully us, also. You’ll get something that’s timeless that nobody else has ever done in quite the way that we’ve done–it combines technology, history, photographs, culture, irrelevance, a walking tour, an architectural and neighborhood design guide, and packs a wallop of other information that you won’t find anywhere else in the world.

It doesn’t get any better as an addition for your library and as a virtual and real tour guide that will last you a lifetime. For only $3.95 it makes for a perfect choice for you and as gifts for all your friends and family.

To make your purchase via Paypal or any major credit card, hit the link below: