You remember this home. In February 2012, I posted about Wink and Howie'scute little place they'd lived in for 40 years. They sold in the summer of 2011 because of declining health (I bought their teak bedroom and dining suites). Well, last weekend, we decided to do a drive-by to see if the home had been restored - as we thought it would be back in 2012. Good God - no. It's been replaced by a concrete monstrosity with Parthenon-worthy Doric columns (the most massive Greek temple columns) and Baroque balconies. First image of the series.
Call these vegan brownies a breakfast energy square; no guilt is involved.
What you need:
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds
1.75 cups pitted dates
1/2 cup raw cacao
two pinches of sea salt
parchment paper
food processor
medium size bowl
small rectangular glass container with a cover (we used one of those glass airtight food storage containers )
What you do:
Place walnuts in food processor and process till finely ground.
Add cacao and a pinch of salt and blend.
Add dates one at a time to the running processor (through the top feeder tube) - the ingredients should look like cake crumbs, yet stick together when squeezed (if they don't, add more dates.)
Add the mixture to a medium-sized bowl and fold in the almonds.
Transfer to a parchment paper-lined glass container.
Press and mold the brownie mixture into the glass container.
Sprinkle the other pinch of coarse sea salt on top.
Place in freezer for about 45 minutes.
Remove from freezer and slice into bite-size servings.
Cover and store in the fridge.
Makes about eight to ten bite-size brownies - double the recipe for more
While in our private life nobody except a mad person would remain passive in view of a threat to our total existence, those who are in charge of public affairs do practically nothing, and those who have entrusted their fate to them let them continue to do so.
Remember the power of three? It's happening again, this time with the year 1972.
First off - Moody Blues, Nights in White Satin - a song I thought, from the very first day I heard remembering hearing it, was a cheesy 70s rambling poem song about King Arthur, so I paid no attention to it. Anyway, it popped up at me on the weekend, and I took the time to listen to the lyrics - which are everything but knights in white satin.
New old favourite!
Then, I was looking at old Honda motorbikes online and came across this vintage ad from 1972. The truck and camper (and mini bike) equate to the elimination of the living in a van down by the river scenario created by the Vancouver rental pool.
Finally, Tuesday night I was looking at residential architecture and up pops this beauty. West Vancouver's Helmut Eppich house designed in 1972 by Arthur Erickson Architects (and sold in 2010 for $4.8 million.)
mid-century home demolition West Vancouver BC image Stacy Reynaud
information on issues relating to McMansions and possible District actions to make new housing better fit existing neighbourhood character.
West Vancouver Home demolition image Stacy Reynaud
West Vancouver heritage demolition image Stacy Reynaud
West Vancouver West Coast Modern home demolition image Stacy Reynaud
West Vancouver mid-century home demolitions image Stacy Reynaud
In West Vancouver, there's this mentality that renters are an unruly, degenerate, dirty bunch who will settle for anything (as interpreted by the state of the rental portfolio and letters to the editor of the North Shore News). Those of that particular mindset aren't reading this blog, so telling them to get their heads out of their (gl)ass (house) won't matter. It also shouldn't give them the right to try and rent us a termite-infested crack house off the highway for $3000 a month (such as one on Palmerston & 14th we saw recently) or this black mould mid-century we looked at in 2012.
Just because we live in West Van doesn't mean we'll pay you more to rent your 'tear down' house you just bought until you can afford to put up your 'trophy house.' You know what we see when we're out there snooping around at architecture, kids (usually baby boomers) whose parents just died that are eager to sell off what they perceived as the tacky family home they grew up in. Don't just blame the buyers of these properties for the 'ugly' neighbourhoods transforming West Van; look at the sellers.
Generation X is just now hitting the peaks of our careers, and we are all looking for homes that we can rent and live in for many years. We can't afford down payments for overpriced homes - remember, we moved out of our parents' house when we graduated from high school, worked three jobs and put ourselves through university instead - because that's what you did. We'd love to rent your well-loved, well-kept, clean, tacky family home and make it our home, but we need to be more innovative to pay over $3000 a month for it - the bloody thing was probably paid off forty years ago. So West Van, if you want to keep, or try to attract, a younger demographic with extra money to spend in the community (not on renting a crappy house), get it together because we're getting fed up with this - and because we rent - we can just up and leave, whenever we want. You're losing your history and your future community all at the same time.
Check out the Facebook group I Grew Up in West Vancouver.
Are you interested in moving to West Van to rent but need to figure out what's happening here?
At the beginning of January I was having a discussion about fashion with a colleague at work - he's Italian and his family is involved with the fashion industry in Milan, so that makes him an expert, right? We have a similar chat every season, however, this time it was different, not because I missed our previous season's discussion but because my views have changed - you've probably noticed I rarely write about fashion anymore. He asked me who and what I was watching and I said no one. I'm done with those shows and mass marketed pseudo luxury.
You see, back in the olden days before the Internet, fashion bloggers, and phony street style street style blogs, one of the defining aspects of a luxury item was the exclusivity of the item itself. One never, well at least in Vancouver, saw an Hermes bag for example, in real life. I remember going to LA in the early 90s and being awe struck over actually seeing people - in real life - wearing the luxury pieces I'd seen only in magazines - well not so much in awe, but maybe blown away that someone actually spent that much money, after all, it was the grunge era, but you know what I mean. The price, back then, signified high quality - hence luxury. Exclusivity was one of the defining aspects of luxury brands that actually made them luxury. One rarely, if ever, saw the pieces except for on the pages of magazines.
Now, because of the Internet, we see these luxury brands everywhere. How many times have you seen that bloody Givenchy sweatshirt with the rottweiler on it or the green Kenzo one with the tiger? Do you think a sweatshirt is luxury? I do, only if it's my thirty year old Oregon Ducks one I borrowed from my buddy in 1986 (and my husband wants to burn).
Today's silly nouveau riche, and their sixteen year old Lamborghini driving children, have turned what were once luxury brands into nothing more than mass marketed, mass consumed, cheaply produced crap. In the music industry the term is, It's not the band it's their fans. For Gucci, the term was Victoria Beckham. For the Le Corbusier estate it was people in general.
To quell this disaster marketers have had to coin a new term - ultra luxury. The term luxury, like the term hang in there - has become meaningless.
So, my colleague and I, at the end of our conversation, could not come to an agreement on how low the Prada side part should go, but we did, without debate, agree that Karl Lagerfeld should retire.
They're into destroying beautiful things in West Vancouver. If it'snot homesor old-growth forests, it's something else. This ludicrous, corporate PR jargon notice from the District of West Vancouver popped up on our front door last week. The District of West Vancouver is actually chopping down a forest (see photos below) to put up a parking lot (they also closed down a tennis court and turned it into a parking lot). I'd like to mention that an arborist is actually employed full time by the district - they are an employee of the district and are paid by the district. Bets that the arborist the District consulted was actually an employee of the District? Can the public call in an independent arborist to assess these trees? I, for one, would like to hear another opinion.
Say goodbye to your roost, Mr. Resident Bald Eagle - I'm sure I won't be the only one who'll miss watching you torment the crows and seagulls of the neighbourhood.
This tree is the very tall beauty in the top right of the first photo. It's a daily stop for the bald eagles making their way down to John Lawson Park.
I'll be very sad to see it go and replaced with a parking lot.
It's probably at least 100 years old.
This photo was taken from our deck.
The trees that will be chopped down are the tall beautiful ones at the north side of the building.
So, the next time I post a photo of the municipal hall building, all those mature, beautiful trees will be gone.
Shame.
Nothing like encouraging alternative options to vehicles. Good job guys, well thought out.
hand size snacks such as - popcorn, cheese, pickles, crackers, wasabi peas, Cheezies, or other nibbles - nuts with a vintage nutcracker are always a hit, make sure you have a bowl for the shells
ice, ice and more ice
cocktail napkins and regular napkins
coasters
vintage serving bowls
tea lights, candles, lighter
ice bucket or two
soda, tonic, juice (cranberry, orange, tomato), pop, cold flat or carbonated water
cocktail straws, cocktail picks
garnish - lemon, lime and good cocktail cherries (check what your drink recipes call for)
extra toilet paper
whiskey, bourbon, rye, rum, vodka, gin, dry and sweet vermouth, cognac, two bottles of both white and red wine, beer, bubbly
clean cloth to quickly wipe up spills
plenty of clean hand towels in the washroom
bottle opener and corkscrew
a game - personally I can't stand games but some people love them at parties
burgundy glasses, beer glasses, martini glasses, rock glasses, champagne flutes
I promise I won't say eco or upcycle. However, seeing as I'm of the make do mend persuasion a vintage silk scarf used to wrap a gift suits me just fine.
Voila - Japanese furoshiki. Interested in more techniques using scarves as wrapping, bags or apparel check out the furoshiki site.
The rubber hits the road regarding who's prepared to write the cheques to maintain this property. Where are they? Where are all these people? Who's prepared to come and make a concrete proposal? At the end of the day, unless you have the government standing behind these types of projects, someone has to pay for them.
So, who's with me on this? For purchase, necessary repairs, continuous maintenance, marketing and administration of the home, I suggest a goal of $5 million. Come by the Bijou Living Facebook page to share your ideas.
Read more of my Binning posts from the past three years by searching Binning at the top of the page.
"The rubber hits the road in terms of who's prepared to write the cheques to maintain this property," she said.
Fitzpatrick added that despite wide media coverage, no one besides Wall and Staples has stepped up with formal proposal to take over the house.
"Where are they? Where are all these people? Who's prepared to come and make a concrete proposal? At the end of the day, unless you have government standing behind these types of projects, someone has to pay for it."
- See more at: http://www.nsnews.com/living/11th-hour-offer-for-binning-house-1.759819#sthash.CSz5ES5i.dpuf
"The rubber hits the road in terms of who's prepared to write the cheques to maintain this property," she said.
Fitzpatrick added that despite wide media coverage, no one besides Wall and Staples has stepped up with formal proposal to take over the house.
"Where are they? Where are all these people? Who's prepared to come and make a concrete proposal? At the end of the day, unless you have government standing behind these types of projects, someone has to pay for it."
- See more at: http://www.nsnews.com/living/11th-hour-offer-for-binning-house-1.759819#sthash.CSz5ES5i.dpuf
Mr. and Mrs. Binning
Mr. Binning's studio with original works as well as unfinished ones. Image Stacy Reynaud
Binning's studio Image Stacy Reynaud
Note the high windows to let in the south sunlight on the upper left. Image Stacy Reynaud
The Binning's original Danish furnishings. Image Stacy Reynaud
South facing back yard. Image Stacy Reynaud
Mrs. Binning's room to the left, washroom centre and Mr. Binning's room and studio to the right.
The mural was hand painted by Mr. Binning
image Stacy Reynaud
Mr. Binning's studio. Image Stacy Reynaud
Original mid-century yellow ceramic tiles in the main washroom. Image Stacy Reynaud
Mrs. Binning's Bedroom - with all her belongings - would they be sent to the Salvation Army if the home was sold? Image Stacy Reynaud
Dining Room of the Binning Home with BC Studio Ceramics. Image Stacy Reynaud
Original address plate. Image Stacy Reynaud
Mrs. Binning's last entry in her day planner dated Friday May 27th 2007.
She died later that year at 101.
Image Stacy Reynaud
Front entrance with one of Binning's murals. Image Stacy Reynaud
Front entrance from the street.
Note the high windows. Mr. Binning's studio is to the right.
Image Stacy Reynaud
South facing back yard - view of Burrard Inlet beyond the mature trees - would they be destroyed to improve the view? Image Stacy Reynaud
The entire contents of the home belonged to the Binnings - where would it go if the home was sold to a private citizen? Image Stacy Reynaud
Back yard with trellis and original windows. Image Stacy Reynaud
Every kitchen needs a window. Private west facing kitchen window. Binning Kitchen.
Image Stacy Reynaud
Original kitchen cupboards in the Binning kitchen. Image Stacy Reynaud
Entrance hall - the Binnings were collectors of Japanese ceramics and BC studio pottery.
Image Stacy Reynaud
BC Binning's desk drawer - as he left it before he died.
