Posts Tagged ‘design’

The Art of Personality is clearly defined in Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece:  The Ennis House. Frank Lloyd Wright’s homes are not houses, they are experiences.  Breathtaking ones at that.  The Ennis House is one of Hollywood’s most famous and favorite sets.

This house has illuminated the silver screen in many awesome films:  House on Haunted Hill, 1958, my favorite film Blade Runner in which it was used for Deckard’s (Harrison Ford) apartment, Black Rain, Twin Peaks, Grand Canyon, Buffy The Vampire Slayer and countless other films, music videos, print ads and TV commercials.

The Style of Blade Runner. Rick Deckard’s Kitchen via kaktak

This incredible work of art was created in 1923/1924 with a Mayan-inspired theme of ornate concrete blocks and levels for retailer Charles Ennis and his wife Mabel.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s work is nothing short of extraordinary.  For me just looking at the pictures can give me goose bumps.  Can you image being inside The Ennis House or for that matter living in that state of aesthetics on a daily basis?  Honestly, it’s illuminating.

Photo by Tim Street-Porter for Christie's Great Estates

It’s during this period that Frank Lloyd Wright was fascinated with the medium of concrete and cement and what their possibilities were in structural design.  Three other Wright masterpieces were created during this same period using ornate textile blocks:  The Millard House, The Storer House and The Freeman House.

The Art of Personality – I first became interested in the Ennis House while researching Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House located on Sunset and Vermont, which is an absolutely amazing work on art in it’s own right.  Then I saw an article in the Los Angeles Times about the Ennis House and the concerns on how it had fallen into great disrepair.  I was spellbound by the photos of the Ennis House and it inspired me to go to my local Borders Bookstore and buy several books on the House and Wright.

Photo by Tim Street-Porter for Christie's Great Estates

I was especially inspired to write this blog for two reasons.  One, my good friend Skip’s father was a brilliant architectural engineer who worked with Wright for almost a year back in the mid 1950s on a project in Santa Monica.  Second, I was happy to recently read in the Los Angeles Times that the Ennis House has been sold to Wright aficionado Mr. Ron Burkle.  Mr. Burkle has expressed interest and commitment to the complete restoration and preservation of The Ennis House.

Picture via tk3dmaker4

Thanks to Mr. Burkle Frank Lloyd Wright’s personality and art will live on for future generations to experience and enjoy.  Hopefully, one day I will be able to experience Wright’s aesthetics firsthand and I hope you do too!

The Ennis Fireplace - Picture via tk3dmaker4

The Ennis House is located at 2607 Glendower Ave., Los Angeles, CA. 

Make sure to check out 3T’s cool music video “Why” with Michael Jackson.  Also check out a scene from Blade Runner inside awesome The Ennis House.

One of My Favorite Places to Visit in Las Vegas is the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens located in the Bellagio Hotel just to the right of the check-in desk.  It is truly an inspiring and breathtaking experience.  What’s even better is it doesn’t cost a dime; not to mention that is a wonderful refuge from the chaos of casino smoke and action.

Upon entering the gardens one is lifted up into a whole new realm of awareness and aesthetics.  You are greeted by the brilliance of flowers, rays of light, the sound of running water, the amazing aromas, the sounds of birds and the oohs and ahhs of the guests as they take it all it.  One cannot help but be captivated by the beauty and the awesomeness the themed displays that change with each season and/or holidays.

The whole garden is surrounded by such a stunning architectural presence from hand-laid tile floors to luminous skylights that it’s almost hard to believe that it’s there.  This is Vegas after all LOL

I find this architectural environment liberating and a renaissance of beauty and art.  It is visually stunning in everyway.  A big Thank You to the incredible designers and workers who create these magical gardens every season.

The most recent theme for the 4^th of July consisted of a huge ferris wheel, the Liberty Bell with an American Eagle perched on top, a carousel / merry-go-round, incredible flowers, water displays and a walk-in cage with live parrots.  Don’t forget to check out Yogi and Boo-Boo as they prepare to fish in the koi pond.

One of My Favorite Places to Visit and every time I go to Las Vegas I always stop by.  As I was leaving I couldn’t help saying: “Bella Bellagio”.