Brush Brush Brush

Monday 06.20.11

Mark Keoppen is a builder in upstate NY. He and his wife Wendy Townsend, a writer, live in a restored barn that Mark spent 10 years building with his own hands. Their home gives meaning to the idea of a structure being more than just the sum of its four walls. This place is literally transcendent. Their aesthetic is both minimal and lush — there is nothing extraneous in evidence. It seems to me that everything they bring into their lives has some purpose or deep significance. And the place itself is firmly rooted in its physical surroundings. That said, when I walked in the other day, I glanced to my left and saw these giant paintbrushes leaning up against a ledge in the entryway. My heart leaped at the sight of them. These aren’t just for decoration. Mark will, in all likelihood, use them. But in the meantime, they will continue to grace our presence.

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Early Radishes

Monday 06.20.11

I am anything but a gardener. And I can only take the tiniest bit of credit for these beautiful radishes. The lion’s share goes to my husband. But I did water them occasionally. I made sure the weeds didn’t choke them. And, most importantly, I pulled them from the earth.

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SD Watersboten

Thursday 06.16.11

Yes, I’d like a Blue Vervain Watersboten on the rocks please. Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? The bottle looks as though it’s from a different century, the name implies that it’s from a different country and it tastes as though it’s from a different world. These are subtle elixirs. Fragranced and smooth. SD Watersboten, based in Pennsylvania, is a purveyor of what they call Herbal Table Waters. These are drinks based on Angelica, Verbena or Rhodiola Rosea. They have a rarefied quality. And at almost $17 per 32 fluid oz., they will be served accordingly. But don’t you just love the bottles! More information here. Photographs by Richard Quindry.

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Fathers Day Gift?

Wednesday 06.15.11

I received a similar pair of these as a gift a couple of years ago. I laughed so hard when I opened the box. It was the last thing I expected to be inside. Looking for something special for dad? Well, your search may be over. These bread slippers are being shipped from Lithuania, courtesy of Mother Eleganza, so they might not make it here on time, in which case a voucher will have to do. The small ones are obviously for junior.

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Hospital

Monday 06.13.11

If one were to look at the dysfunction in our healthcare system through the lens of design, one could safely say that we are in deep deep trouble. I went to visit a close friend in the hospital this weekend, and I was aghast at all the cords and clip and tangles. There was absolutely no attention paid to aesthetics, much less usability, neither of which are insignificant or shallow, especially when one is ill or injured. My husband said it best: Hospitals aren’t designed for patients. They are designed for practitioners. I’m not even sure that is true.

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