A couple of weeks ago I let my husband do a guest blog for me, and he used that opportunity to rhapsodize about Hennessy & Ingalls, his favorite art & architecture bookstore in Santa Monica, Calif. In that blog he described a box full of eight books that were shipped to our home from H&I after his latest ramble there.
Today, he’s going to add a Part II to his blog, describing a couple of the fabulous books that were in that box:
“What was in the box, you ask? i’ll pick two of my favorites so far…
L.A.’s hippest neighborhood is profiled in a fascinating book “Bohemian Modern: Living in Silverlake”, written by long-time local denizen, architect Barbara Bestor. Illustrated with homey drawings and photos, it’s a deeply affectionate portrait of an area that, since the 1930’s, has been an architect’s sandbox. famed modernists Rudolph Schindler, Richard Neutra, and even Frank Lloyd Wright built eye-popping hillside dwellings here and many are still happily occupied by local musicians, movie folk, and architects. the author tells the stories of ten local houses and their non-conformist owners– some famous landmarks, some just cobbled together with crazy ideas and recycled fiberglass. The book is a lot of fun, and a great way to get inside some fascinating places you never could otherwise.
The prolific arts publisher Taschen has come out with a series of paperback city guides called ‘Hotels & More.” (Not to worry –the books are way more interesting than the title.) I picked up their Berlin volume ( our next vacation destination, unless the dollar keeps shrinking to nano-status). Rather than focusing on your basic tourist destinations, these books concentrate solely on not-to-be missed modern hotspots, museums, shops, eateries and hotels. In less than two decades since reunification, Berlin has gone from a dour and divided city, to the arts capitol of europe, with talented artists and designers moving in in droves, taking advantage of cheap rents and the city’s youthful, anything goes vitality. Thorsten Klapsch’s gorgeous photos magically transport us to Berlin’s boutique hotels and chic restaurants and shops, and author Angelika Taschen clues us in on all the cool neighborhoods and what makes them special. This book may be as close as we’ll get to Berlin for awhile. Come on dollar –look alive!”
