Saturday, August 11, 2012

Odontoglossum - Oncidium Intergeneric with Kähler Pieces


Odontoglossum-Oncidium Flowers with Kähler Pottery
Odontoglossum-Oncidium Flowers with Kähler PotteryOdontoglossum-Oncidium Flowers with Kähler Pottery

One of our favorite pottery makers, Kähler, makes an appearance again in the POTS and PLANTS series. We just picked up these three pieces recently. (The large piece is fairly cracked - but still looks great.) For a quick overview of Kähler pottery see our previous post: Kähler and Colchicum. These pots could originate anywhere from the 1950s to the 1960s - we don’t know exactly. All three pieces are a combination of a sky-blue glazed section with a smooth, mat brown section. All are signed the HAK and one has a Illums Bolighus paper label. Illums Bolighus is a Danish furniture and interior design chain featuring Scandinavian designs.

The Kähler pots are featured with Odontoglossum-Oncidium Intergeneric blossoms. We picked up this orchid three years ago at Trader Joe’s as an impulse purchase. As far as orchids go, it has been an easy plant to care for, and it blooms regularly. The blooms under the right conditions have a pleasant, spicy smell. An intergeneric is a hybrid between two different genera, in this case Ondontoglossum and Oncidium. The origin of both of these generic names is based on characteristics of the lip of the flowers. From Quattrocchi: Ondontoglossum originates “[f]rom the Greek odous, odontos [tooth] and glossa ‘a tongue,’ referring to the callus on the lip.” And Oncidium from “[t]he diminuitive for the Greek onkos ‘tumor, tubercle, swelling,’ alluding to the shape of the calluses on the lip.”

Orchid Flower Spanning a Small Kahler Bowl (left) and Backs of Bowls (right)
Odontoglossum-Oncidium Flowers with Kähler Pottery Odontoglossum-Oncidium Flowers with Kähler Pottery

The Orchid With Flowers on Spikes
Odontoglossum-Oncidium OrchidOdontoglossum-Oncidium Orchid

Lower Left Bowl has Dried Blossoms (left)
Odontoglossum-Oncidium Flowers with Kähler Pottery Odontoglossum-Oncidium Flowers with Kähler Pottery

New Orleans Botanical Garden

New Orleans Botanical Garden Conservatory (left) and Shady Oak (right)
New Orleans Botanical Garden Conservatory New Orleans Botanical Garden Oak

The New Orleans Botanical Garden is located in City Park, due northeast from the French Quarter. From the French Quarter we took the 48-City Park/Museum Streetcar. There is a lot to do in City Park. Too much for one day, really. We spent most of a Saturday afternoon there (last April) at the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) viewing an exhibition called Hard Truths - The Art of Thornton Dial. After that, we wandered around the beautiful Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. By the time we got to the Botanical Garden we were a bit tired and probably didn’t appreciate as much as we should have. Though, the shade of the live oaks (Quercus virginiana) was very much appreciated.

New Orleans Botanical Garden Brochure and Garden Map New Orleans Botanical Garden Brochure and Garden Map New Orleans Botanical Garden Brochure and Garden Map
New Orleans Botanical Garden Brochure and Garden Map New Orleans Botanical Garden Brochure and Garden Map

Information about Quercus virginiana (left) and Allee Leading to Conservatory (right)
Information about Quercus virginiana Allee Leading to Conservatory

Monday, August 6, 2012

Balloon Ride Over Sedona

We’ve ridden with Red Rock Balloons twice now and have had a great experience both times. The first time we went up in December 2010, we went up as a single balloon (16 person basket). The second time, in July 2012, we were part of a group of three balloons, again in a 16 person basket. Our route each flight we different, dictated by the wind. Both times we launched off of a spot just west of Dry Creek Road.

Travelling with a group of balloons is interesting as you have perspective of the balloons moving up and down with respect to each other.

2010 Balloon Ride Over Sedona – Balloon Shadow on Cockscomb
Balloon Shadow on Cockscomb Balloon Shadow on Cockscomb

2010 Cockscomb (left) and Doe Mesa (right)
CockscombDoe Mesa

2010 Inflating the Balloon on the Ground (left) and Deer in Coconino Forest – View from Balloon(right)
Inflating the Balloon on the Ground Deer in Coconino Forest – View from Balloon

2010 Looking Northeast to Mount Elden (left) and Doe Mesa (right)
Looking Northeast to Mount EldenDoe Mesa
2010 Red Rock and Colorado Plateau

2012 Balloon Ride Over Sedona – Inflating (left) and Getting Ready to Get in the Basket (right)
2012 Balloon Ride Over Sedona - InflatingGetting Ready to Get in the Basket

2012 Getting the Balloon Upright (left) and The Pilot Going over Protocol (right)
2012 Getting the Balloon Upright The Pilot Going over Protocol

2012 And We’re Off – Chasing Other Balloons
2012 And We’re Off – Chasing Other Balloons2012 And We’re Off – Chasing Other Balloons

2012 The Sun Rising (left) and Casting Shadows (right)2012 The Sun Rising2012 Casting Shadows

2012 Sailing Over Highway 89A Looking Toward Jerome (right) and the Treatment Plant (left)

2012 Shadow on Dry Creek Bluff (left) and Two Deer Chasing a Coyote – Really! (right)
2012 Shadow on Dry Creek Bluff Two Deer Chase a Coyote – Really

2012 Balloon Ride Over Sedona – Rising Out of a Creek (left) and Follow Us (right)
    

2012 Another Balloon Lands Nearby (left) and Ground Crew Awaits for Our Landing (right)

Cosmopolitan Motors – Mural

Cosmopolitan Motors – Mural SeattleCosmopolitan Motors – Mural Seattle


We happened to be walking by Cosmopolitan Motors, LLC and saw some murals inside the garage. When we popped in for a closer inspection we learned that the murals are by Jesse Edwards. The mural incorporates logos for different exotic automobiles as well as portraits of women.

Cosmopolitan Motors Garage Mural (left) and Signature (right)
Cosmopolitan Motors – Mural Cosmopolitan Motors – Mural Seattle

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Bogart and Bergman Mural - Fremont

Bogart and Bergman Mural - FremontBogart and Bergman Mural - Fremont
Just like Bogie and Bacall? Nope, try Bogie and Bergman. A mural of Humphrey Bogart (1899 - 1957) and Ingrid Bergman (1915 - 1982) is the backdrop for the Fremont Outdoor Cinema. The side of the building the mural is on houses Fremont Studios.

The mural pays homage to the movie Casablanca (1942) starring Bogart and Bergman. However, I still think of that 1981 song by Bertie Higgins “Key Largo” with the infamous lyric “We had it all / Just like Bogie and Bacall / Starring in our own late late show / Sailing away to Key Largo.” Oops, wrong movie.

The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden

“Civitas” [1988] - Audrey Flack (left) and “Karma” [2011] - Do-Ho Suh (right)
Civitas [1988] - Audrey Flack Karma [2011] - Do-Ho Suh

“Monumental Head of Jean d'Aire” from “The Burghers of Calais” [1884-86, enlarged 1901-10] - Auguste Rodin (left) and “Overflow” [2005] - Jaume Plensa (right)

The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden is adjacent to the Museum (NOMA) in City Park, New Orleans. Admission is free. We were surprised by how much we liked this 5 acre park. We were expecting a sterile sculpture experience, but we alas, we were wrong. First, the sculptures (57+ pieces) are amazing. You may not care for them all, but there is guaranteed to be a piece or two to make you stop, gawk, and wonder how you could get it into your own garden. Second, the setting works well. Under mature live oaks and other trees, there is a sense of, well, maturity about the garden. The setting and layout lends itself to discovering hidden pieces, like an Easter egg hunt; you can’t take the whole garden in a glance by any means. It takes several laps around to begin to appreciate the layers and different views of the works.

Garden Vistas with Lagoon

Hercules the Archer” [1947] - Antoine Bourdelle (left) and “Riace Warriors I, II, III, IV” [1983-1988] - Elisabeth Frink (right)
Hercules the Archer [1947] - Antoine Bourdelle Riace Warriors I, II, III, IV [1983-1988] - Elisabeth Frink

Heroic Man” [1930-34] - Gaston Lachaise (left) and “Monkeys” [1998-2001] - Rona Pondick (right)
Heroic Man [1930-34] - Gaston LachaiseMonkeys [1998-2001] - Rona Pondick

 Views of “Karma” [2011] - Do-Ho Suh
“Karma” [2011] - Do-Ho Suh “Karma” [2011] - Do-Ho Suh 

“Karma” [2011] - Do-Ho Suh (left) and “Standing Man with Radiating Words” [2006] - Leslie Dill (right)
“Karma” [2011] - Do-Ho Suh   “Standing Man with Radiating Words” [2006] - Leslie Dill

Two Views of “Large Seated Cardinal” [1983] Giacomo Manzu
“Large Seated Cardinal” [1983] Giacomo Manzu“Large Seated Cardinal" [1983] Giacomo Manzu

The Labors of Alexander” [1967] - Rene Magritte (left) and “Window and Ladder - Too Late for Help” [2008] - Leandro Erlich (right)
“The Labors of Alexander” [1967] - Rene Magritte  “Window and Ladder - Too Late for Help” [2008] - Leandro Erlich

“Three Figures and Four Benches” [1979] - George Segal (left) and “Una Battaglia (A Battle)” [1971] - Arnaldo Pomodoro (right)
“Three Figures and Four Benches” [1979] - George Segal “Una Battaglia (A Battle)” [1971] - Arnaldo Pomodoro


Venus Victorius” [1914] - Pierre Auguste Renoir with “Reclining Mother and Child” [1975, 77] – Henry Moore in the background (left) and golden archer, unidentified (right)
“Venus Victorius” [1914] - Pierre Auguste Renoir with “Reclining Mother and Child” [1975, 77] – Henry Moore in the background golden archer, unidentified

Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden
Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden