Part 1: Neighborhood love

We are very happy in our new neighborhood. Developed in the 1960s, it's quiet, well kept, and conveniently located.  Most importantly, though, we love that we're surrounded by scads of mid-century architecture we understand and appreciate.

I've been meaning for quite some time to drive around the area and take a few pictures to share with you, but the incessant rain we've been getting for the past month hasn't made for good photo shoots. Today the sun came out for a few minutes, so I decided to grab the opportunity while I could, since more rain is in the forecast.

Enjoy these homes! There are more to come.

Beautiful home...and I enjoyed a nice chat with the owner.

Another lovely home, right up the hill from the first one

Low-lying home...a little wet because of all the rain we've had lately

This one is on our street...just a few doors down.

10Best

We learned yesterday that our store made the USA Today's 10Best list for shopping spots in the Deep Ellum district of Dallas.  Here's what Dallas Local Expert Ilene Jacobs had to say:


Joe and Jennifer Eggleston's boutique furniture store is a treasure trove for retrophiles looking to turn their pad into a celebration of mid-century interiors style. The shop features the crème de la crème of vintage furniture, all refurbished and sold at a fraction of their retail price. Highlights include a mint condition 1957 Eames RAR rocker for $750 and a pair of iconic scoop chairs by Milo Baughman for Thayer Coggin at $2,200. But it's not only vintage furnishings you'll find here. As the name suggests, Mid2Mod also offers modern mid-century style furniture and accessories by the Toronto-based design company Gus Modern. If money is tight, hold out for one of Mid2Mod's liquidation sales, sometimes offering up to 75% off on items. A recent clearance had JL Moller's teak Danish dining chairs going for only $100 a piece.

We are excited about receiving this honor, and we're pleased that the resurgence of Deep Ellum as an important shopping venue is gaining so much attention in the media.

Stay tuned over the next few weeks for a major announcement about the new direction our family business will be taking.

Farewell to the "King of the Blues"

Riley Ben "B.B." King

1925-2015

I have loved and listened to the music of B.B. King since I first heard "Driving Wheel." I think it was 1961, and I was 13. Over the decades, B.B. and his guitar Lucille have been constants in my life.

B.B. King
msnbc.com

The blues will never be quite the same without him. He will be genuinely missed by many, including me.

More Cowtown MCM

Here's another beautiful mid-century home that sold recently for an undisclosed price (last known list price: $1.2K). Built in 1951, it sits on 1.25 acres in one of Fort Worth's most desirable neighborhoods. Internationally known architect Samuel G. Wiener, Sr. was commissioned by the original owner to design and build this 3408 square foot, 3 bedroom/4 bath home.

The bad news: Rumor has it that it might be slated for demolition. I have been unable to confirm this, so let's hope the rumor isn't true.

Update (5/18/2015):  Word was circulating that the house was demolished last week, so I drove by to see for myself. As of yesterday, it was still standing. I'll post more information as I get it.

Yes, Cowtown has MCM

A gorgeous mid-century home has hit the market in Fort Worth, proving once more that Texas isn't all about cowboy hats, boots, and metal "lone stars" on the sides of dwellings. Built in 1956, this home has 2438 square feet and is situated on a third of an acre in a prime neighborhood. The current owners have done an extraordinary job restoring it, and I predict it will sell immediately. The asking price is $425,000.

Forma Hungarica Update

In January I posted about an upcoming exhibition of post-war Hungarian ceramics from the collection of Dr. Graham Cooley. That show is now in full swing, and I received an email from Dr. Cooley containing a link to photos of the displayed pieces that I think you'll enjoy. Here are just a few:

For those of you who live in the UK or plan to visit in May or June, here is the pertinent information:

Forma Hungarica

Now through June 20, 2015
Kings Lynn Arts Centre
29 King St, King's Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1HA. 

Phone: 01553 779095

Admission: Free

New house: Who's Superman?

The landscaping saga continues at the new house. After yesterday's work in the yard and the family photos posted on Facebook and Instagram during our recent Cinco de Mayo celebration dinner, I think it's only fair to answer the question we posed.

Entire family taking turns sporting Clark Kent glasses
(with Superman emblems on the side!)
at a local Mexican food restaurant

The real superhero at our house is my SIL, who he-manned these 200-300 pound landscaping rocks boulders across the yard by hand while my daughter and I stood by watching and making suggestions...and Grandsons #1 and #2 tried to "help." (Yes, he's the guy we call on when anything heavy needs to be moved.)

Huge landscaping rocks
surrounded by newly emerging inland sea oats.

A few weeks ago we saw similar large rocks with small plants growing out of holes drilled in them. We need to make a trip to our favorite local nursery to find out what plant choices we have. Moss rose will be planted in the spaces between rocks for lots of color. The perennial plants coming up around the rocks are inland sea oats, which were cut back to the ground a few weeks ago. The bare spots will fill in soon, and they will form a compact mound around the rocks that reaches a height of about 24" (although they can get much taller in shadier spots). The plants will be covered with graceful seed heads like the ones in this photo.

picsora.com

Here's a look at another part of the front yard beds.

NOTES

1) No, my daughter hasn't relented on the issue of the small tree in front of the house. She thinks we need it for privacy.

2) And for those of you who come from other parts of the world and are unfamiliar with Cinco de Mayo, it's a celebration held on May 5 that commemorates a major Mexican military victory. In Texas, in addition to attending more traditional events, many of us go out for Mexican food and drink lots of margaritas, which we certainly did last night.

Old school, new school

One of my fondest memories of childhood in the 1950s is of going to the park and playing on seesaws, merry-go-rounds, swings, and slides, so naturally I enjoy taking my grandsons to the park these days. One of our favorites is Tillery Park, a historic Fort Worth park that got an updated addition in 2007.

I love this park, because the old section was left intact. In particular, the merry-go-round provides a real "old school" feel and preserves the history of the place, while all the elements of modern park design are present in the new section, which was built by people in the neighborhood in the old "barn-raising" tradition.

Old section of Tillery Park
mistletoeheights.org

Grandsons #1 and #2 in the "old school" area of the park

In 2007 the people of the Mistletoe Heights neighborhood raised funds to build a new section of Tillery Park, which includes lots of things to climb on, swing on and slide on. The funds were matched by the city.

Lots of levels for climbing
mistletoeheights.org

Rock climbing wall
mistletoeheights.org

Slides and more slides
mistletoeheights.org

Dog in a helicopter (although I confess that I thought it was a kangaroo at first)
mistletoeheights.org

Chimes and tic-tac-toe game
mistletoeheights.org