Thorstein Veblen

Thorstein Veblen was our tour guide to the early history of the University of Chicago last weekend.

Jay didn't work up the nerve to ask him about the arguments in "A Plea for Cannibals" or "Apology for a Toper".

Blue Bike, Mk I

First test set-up on my bike from Tati.

This is the speedy configuration. Possible modifications: paint front rack same color as frame, match the color of the seat and the cork handles, replace black parts with silver ones, replace white chain with silver chain.

End of Summer

Hammock time at the Breathe Inn in the Catskills.

It's windy and chilly today, and tomorrow is the first day of school. Summer is over.

Glass House vs. Farnsworth House

The Farnsworth house is more beautiful, but the Glass House's central fireplace/bathroom cylinder is a more inspired solution to the plumbing problem. And the kitchen area in the Glass House doesn't block the view through the house, which is a major advantage.

Glass House, Part II

Sculpture gallery.

"Kunst Bunker" exterior.

"Kunst Bunker" interior, with revolving displays.


Donald Judd sculpture.

The Glass House, Part I

New Canaan, Connecticut.

Dinner in Buenos Aires

A Penguino wine decanter.

Liz cuts into a plate of beef.

Not pictured: blood sausage and regular sausage.

Dinnertime is around midnight.

It's a Big Blue Watery Road

We assembled the crew for night sailing and fireworks viewing on Lake Michigan for Jay's 30th. Our captain said that Captain Ron was the most accurate representation of nautical life.

Batavus Old Dutch

Tati Cycles loaned me this bike while mine is being built. I'm really enjoying cruising around HP on this thing, and after only two outings I have received three positive, spontaneous remarks from passersby about the bike. But the Batavus Old Dutch weighs about 45 pounds, which is far too much to comfortably carry up three flights of stairs.

Eastern Market Is Back Open!

Capitol Hill's Eastern Market was closed for two years because of a fire in 2007. There was a temporary structure (pictured below) set up across the street that housed businesses while the central structure was being rebuilt:



Market Lunch in the temporary Eastern Market tent:



Last month, the main building reopened, and it was packed when we visited last weekend. The refurbished building is impressive, but the wait for blue bucks (blueberry buckwheat pancakes) at Market Lunch has gone from about 15-20 minutes to over an hour.

Marina City Towers

Marina Towers, originally uploaded by Nat Hansen.

According to The Architecture of Parking, getting to a parking space on the 19th level of one of the Marina City Towers parking garages requires driving one kilometer each way up and down, "perilously close to a precipitous edge, steering wheel in a fixed lock" (p.225).

The parking structure, and the possibility of driving your car off the side and into the Chicago River, is on display in this clip from Steve McQueen's The Hunter.