Where dreams come true...

Magnet #709 - ACRL Seattle

A librarian friend of mine brought this magnet back for me from a trade show/conference in CA, a couple of years ago. Funnily enough, it's one of the same friends who was down here in Orlando with us for SuperSoap Weekend a few years ago.

Now I'm back in town for a 3-day long client event, and am not participating any down time or character seeing while we're here at the Disney Yacht Club & Resort. It's actually kind of funny how I'm now back here for work.

Even funnier that in my head DisneyWorld has become more associated with ABC's soapstars than Disney's characters, but there you have it.

I'm kind of sad, because I'm fairly sure that this client thing will host no panel with hot boys from any of my previous soaps. All day long, I've been catching myself giggling whenever I pass anything that has to do with that last trip - from the bathroom where I got stuck waiting beside Trevor St. John for his family, to the hotel where they housed all the VIPs, and even seeing the fun ferries around the boardwalk.

Honestly, it's just so weird to be here and not see any people wearing soap star paraphernalia.

Oh, well. Time to get ready for the big kickoff party...that I'm fairly sure won't involve a parade of convertibles with pretty people waving, and women of all ages screaming their lungs off and stepping on my toes. Literally.

Though, I really need to speak to a weatherman about the weather. I haven't seen the sun once, and dang, it's freakin' cold down here. I'm really glad I didn't pack at all appropriately. Once again, it's because I missed Dave Price's weather. Sigh.

Shaping the future

Magnet #708 - Eero Saarinen's Gateway to the West Arch

Earlier this week, some random Tweet popped up about the Eero Saarinen exhibit leaving the Museum of the City of New York on January 31st. I didn't even know it was around, and it's been here since November!

But, yay for that random Tweet, because I squeezed it in this morning, and I'm so very glad I did. Loved it. I think what I like about architectural retrospectives are the cool building models. I just love looking at the cool fake buildings. Granted, every time I see them, I think of Michelle Pfeiffer running around New York City trying to repair her own building model, and then ending the night kissing George Clooney in One Fine Day, but there really is something neat about being able to draw something, and then getting it built.

Of course, today was one of the last gallery tours, which means they were inundated with people, and it was hard to enjoy the tour because of all the bodies. But MCNY did a fantastic job setting up the exhibition. Apparently, it's been traveling since 2006, and when it leaves here, it heads for Yale to close out the 4-year-tour.

His work covers a very specific time - the 1950s (and early 60s) - that's when he was most successful, working for prominent corporations and individuals, before he passed away way too young at 51. For those of you who haven't seen Eero Saarinen's work (not to be confused with his pop, Eliel Saarinen), you totally, totally have. If you've seen the Arch in St. Louis on this magnet, you have. If you've ever flown out of Dulles, you have. If you've seen one of those cool Knoll womb chairs, you have.

It's weird how I didn't know how much of his work I've seen before. But, I was quite charmed by the fact that in addition for having designed their technical building (the supercool blue on in this blogpost) , he als0 did a ton of corporate design work for IBM - product brochures and even the neat 1964 World's Fair IBM egg.

I'm sad I didn't get to spend more time reading all the placards and looking at the models, I really just buzzed right through. Otherwise, I'd probably still be rattling off many more facts and figures and quotes and buildings than you wanted to know.

I guess it's not for everyone, as I had to dodge the guy sleeping in his wheelchair...and that was even before we entered the exhibition space!

All in a day's work

Magnet #707 - The Office

Here's something. Out of all the television I watch, from both the US and the UK, you'd think that I'd be watching such a successful show. But, I don't. In fact, I was really sad when the NBC rep gave me this magnet (rather than the two shows I actually watch on my once-beloved peacock network).

I had thought I'd use this magnet at some point, even though I don't watch the show. And, since I don't know anything about the show - dudes, I had to look up Carrell's character name - I figured that was pointless.

Then I thought, I'll use this during Ricky's stint during this year's Globes. Then I saw the show and was like, um, nooo. (though he did hit a few good bits)

Then I thought, I could totally use this for the next Steve Carrell movie. Then I decided I was too lazy to look up when that was.

Then I thought, I'll wait till I have a really bad day at the office to do it. Then I figured, no, that's just too telling, to do that. And besides, supposedly, folks from work read this blog. So really, that wouldn't be smart. Besides, no complaining, yay promotion!

Then I thought, I'm thinking way too much about this silly magnet, so here's your workplace thought of the day: Just when you think the office is not the funnest place ever, just remember, it can always be worse.

"The world's largest architectural folly"*

Magnet #705 - Transamerica Pyramid

It's my friend Annette's birthday today. Just shouting it out. :-) I haven't figured out a way to tied her in to the magnet, though.

By the way, this magnet? Totally came in my NY buildings mighty magnet set. And, it actually took me a couple of years to even realize that it was in the wrong set. Heh.

I've been to SFO twice - once when I was like six months old, and once about six years ago. For 12 hours. No lie. I literally got on a plane to deliver something for a new biz pitch.

That morning I flew, that night, I checked into the W with the 800 thread count sheets, had dinner, ran to the office, delivered my stuff, then stayed to help out the chick who gave me that bullfighter magnet below, and then didn't get into that bed with those wonderful sheets until 4. And then had to get up an hour after that for an 8am flight. Then? We didn't win the business. Wha?

Anyway, my point is that I've only seen this building twice, so I know next to nothing about it. But here's the nifty cool stuff I found out about it.

It's called the Transamerica Pyramid, even though Transamerica isn't HQ'd there now, and it's not a real pyramid. According to this fabulous SFGate article, Transamerica used to be a holding company that originally owned Bank of America, and then stuff like Universal Artists and Budget rental cars. But in the 60s, no one knew who they were, so they said in a time-honored tradition, dudes, let's build a building!

So they got this big futuristic-architecture focused architect, William Pereira to design it for them. He's the guy who did the burning of Atlanta. I kid you not. (You can find his work listed here, but I'm hard-pressed to find a favorite.) They finished the building in 1972, to the usual round of lovers and critics.

Love it or hate it, it's one of the best known buildings in San Francisco, if not the best known. You have to hand it to Pereira, that futuristic vision of his seems to hold up well, almost 40 years later. I'm sad that post-September 11th, they've closed the observation deck to the public - apparently, you can hang out in the first floor where they have virtual viewings? Plus, they have a cool website that gives you the latest sightings of the building in the media. But you know what I love? I love that they recently achieved their LEEDS certification. That's cool.

*Criticism from John Pastier, the LA Times architecture critic, 1971 (via @SFGate)

When you believe, you achieve

Magnet #705 - Achievement Products

Hah. Another magnet from the "given to me by a client" collection. What? He was switching refrigerators to an LG non-magnetable fridge! Heh. Best day ever when I got a whole package of random magnets in the mail.

Anyway, I've been trying to figure out what to say about it. Was gonna call the number on it and everything. But, since I got some good news at work this week, I'm going with yay, promotion!

Oh, I haven't figured out what it means just yet, other than lots of folks emailing and saying, yay, promotion! But, I guess we'll see what the new year brings.

Thank you for being a friend

Magnet #704 - Piazza San Marco, Venice

What do you do you call someone who RSVPs yes to the destination wedding of the century?

What do you call someone who blatantly ignores advice from all quarters about going to Italy with this crazy family for this crazy family trip?

What do you call someone who manages to put up with every outburst from every person in our party in every foreign country?

What do you call someone who manages - with aplomb, no less - to keep her cool while the rest of the family melted down around her?

What do you call someone who Freudianslips herself on to the train to Geneva, rather than catching the right train with the rest of our party?

What do you call someone who - despite 10 days hanging out in very close quarters with my nutty family - is still talking to me and other members of that family?

You call her friend.

Happy (insert years of choice here) birthday, Erika! I may not be able to make you a trending topic today, but it's not for lack of trying!

eta:
Huh. I forgot to talk about the magnet! I bought this one in Venice - before all the rains began last December. Actually, I think I'm supposed to have given this one to Erika, but let's not tell her.

I picked it for two reasons. First, because of the purple skies. If you've ever seen anyone who likes purple, they don't, not when compared to this chick.

And second, because she managed to get through one rather miserable evening in Venice with sadly, the crappiest food in the world, without jumping into the canals.

Toro, toro, toro!

Magnet #703 - Bullfight Poster

My friend brought this back for me from Barcelona a while ago, and I had to do a little research to figure out what it was, besides a vintage bullfight poster, and a cool one at that.

Here's what I found: Plaza de Toros Monumental is a bullring in Barcelona - and it's gorgeous! Built in 1914, it seats a good 19,500 people. I saw somewhere that the city of Barcelona is officially against bullfighting, and this ring is the only place you can actually see a bullfight in town.

While you're there, you can check out the Museum of Bullfighting as well - apparently, it's filled with costumes and heads of famous bulls (sniffle) and various bullfighting paraphernalia, like tickets and posters, etc.

This vintage fight poster actually calls out one of the greats in the sport, Sebastian "Palomo Linares" whom you can see here, later on in life, I believe.

Even though bullfighting can trace its roots back to prehistoric times, I really can't figure out if it's something that I'd want to see in person or not.

First, when it comes to dangerous sporting events, I'm a chicken. I can't even watch divers in the Olympics anymore, thanks to Greg Louganis. (I was totally gonna link that infamous dive, but I couldn't stomach watching it again.)

Second, while I'm sure it takes great skill to avoid being gored by the bull, it always just seems really mean to be tossing that red cape in front of them, trying to get them to charge. I can't guarantee that I wouldn't be on the bull's side, ya know?

Still, today's magnet is supercool, and now I've learned a little bit about the sport. That's probably for the better, given that all I really knew about bullfighting, I learned from Harvey Korman in Herbie Goes Bananas, circa 1980, where Herbie finds himself smack dab in the middle of a bullring in Mexico, trying to fend off a big bull, and the bad guys, all at once.

Such a great movie! Oh, I know Bananas is one of the most deplored of the series, but it's still one of my favorites.

And, c'mon. Who doesn't love a good Herbie movie?