BIJOU LIVING

May 26, 2015

Don't you ask me to give you a song

Bruno Freschi for Erickson Massey, 1967, Chartwell Place, West Vancouver, BC. © stacy reynaud

What am I going to write about?

I need to be inspired. I haven't seen any good design pieces or heard any original music at all lately -

although I do listen to my 70s Dudes playlist usually three times a day.

You know what, though?

The nice thing about having a blog is that it's my blog, and I can write whenever and about whatever I want.

It's been seven years now, eh? Seven years!

I remember when I was seven.

Elvis died.

My family and I went and saw Star Wars on opening night at the Stanley on Granville I'm a Han Solo kinda gal. Although Lando and his cape did give Han a run for his money - but just for a bit - until Han was f

rozen, then I felt guilty.

Grade Seven, I remember Grade Seven. Mr. Coleman was my teacher, and Amy was my best friend.

My hair was long and feathered to the side, and I liked drawing.

What else? Hmm, how about the seven months in Kits before we were evicted? Yes. Seven months. Nope, not going to go into the whole ordeal.

One word - Vancouver.

You can look it up if you're interested.

me 1998
Okay, so I finished my philosophy course at UBC.

My last paper was, What is Death?

I finished the course with the same GPA I had twenty years ago, so at least I'm not getting any dumber.

It'd been a while since I'd last been intense, so I thought it was about due time.

For future reference, it might be less painful to just Jiffy than on a Stanfield's to remember - Intense (in all caps).

It's the academic writing style that's painful, not the thinking.

I'd hoped that style had disappeared with the 20th Century but no such luck.

Ah, but wait! The Writing a Romance Novel workshop I took!

What a fun day that was.

There were only three of us - me, an eighty-year-old woman, and the instructor - who, by the way, was awesome.

I'd tell you her name, but it's packed in my books in a bedroom box.

What I can tell you is that she's a member of the West End Writer's Club, wears blue eye shadow and used to live in the Caribbean.

A Gen X'er, a Baby Boomer and a Golden Oldie.

You need to remember, of course, that in your 20s, you're living the romance novel, so you don't need to know how to write it.

I'm working on one in my head - or is it an autobiography?

So, that Kim Gordon book. What did you think? I need to read it again.

Not because it's so friggin' good but just so I can understand it better - then I'll let you know.

Kind of like when I heard In Utero for the first time.

Can you please tell me that Virginia Woolf isn't as pretentious as she's coming across in Moments of Being?

She's Tumblr famous, you know.

Oh My Cat, speaking of pretentious - you need to watch - no, no, you have to watch Schitt's Creek.

Catherine O'Hara. Can she be any cooler?

The coolest Canadian in my books (and Anne Murray.)

Oh yeah. We went to a cider workshop in Mt. Vernon a couple weekends ago.

I stopped paying attention after an hour into it.

I cheated off Brad's notes. Joking.

Those people who cheat - they don't end up making it - they fail at life.

Why?

Because you can't cheat reality.

Sometimes my cat Tilley smells like a Cowichan sweater.

Sometimes she smells like one of those sleeping bags from the 70s.

That's what she smells like right now.

I love those sleeping bags.

The ones with the flannel lining with images of camping scenes or ducks and guns. Hey, remember going over to a guy's house, and he'd have one of those sleeping bags as a bedspread (or was it his only blanket)?

Holy mackerel, what a trendsetter.

The sun came out.

top image: Bruno Freschi for Erickson Massey, 1967, Chartwell Place, West Vancouver, BC. © stacy reynaud
bottom image: © Lucasfilm Ltd

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Feb 4, 2015

An Untouched 1970s A-Frame Wonder

The Gienger Residence in West Vancouver is on the market for the first time.

The original owners/architects have lived in the home since 1971.

And what a beauty it is! Is that plush carpeting I see in the living room?

Look at the beautiful, unstained cedar walls and exposed beams.

The original copper pendant lights and a burl bar. I'd take the rope off the bar.

The original floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace and hand-carved beams.

Spiral staircase and original brick kitchen.

The floors may have been replaced with unfortunate laminate.

However, nothing appears to have been updated in the home, so it could be the original hardwood floor.

They're well cared for, as it looks like the rest of the house has been.

Are the burl table and chandelier included in the sale?

Sold me at the sunken purple bathtub! I'd rip that carpet out, though. Please, the carpet does not belong in the washroom. Gross. I'd put in a light-coloured heated stone floor of some sort.

There you have it. For more images, check out the realtor's website.

It would be a shame if the home was bought strictly to be torn down and replaced with the ever-popular West Van Baroque Craftsman.

Remember these little guys?

images © North Shore Realty

Jan 16, 2015

Hunky-dory

So, how are things? Keeping yourself occupied and sane, I hope.

You know those, What I'd tell my younger self, posts you see everywhere? I won't do one of those because there's nothing I'd tell my younger self not to do. I had a very awesome time as a younger self. Yeah, there were moments I felt like I'd been thumped in the head by the cross-section of a large halibut, but whatever.

No regrets here! None. Zippo. Zilch.

That was my life, and I think it was awesome.

Remember back in the winter of 2013 when I was working with the doctors at the UBC Mood Disorders clinic? Well, I wasn't sold on their diagnosis (they actually couldn't determine between three), so I sought out a second opinion. After seven months of waiting to get in to see a specialist and four months of weekly appointments, which required I bring in some 'collateral' (my report cards from elementary school and high school), I was diagnosed with ADHD combined with a few episodes of major depression. I was misdiagnosed as bipolar back in 2013. I didn't think I was bipolar.

Apparently, it's common for bipolar and ADHD to get mistaken for each other. I never went on the drugs (lithium) the UBC doctor suggested. My family Dr. didn't feel the diagnosis was concrete enough either, so she didn't push it and helped me seek out a second opinion.

I'll tell you this, though, my ADHD was making me feel like I was going crazy because I had so many things going on in my head. Seriously, your mind really doesn't stop thinking. I've been taking Wellbutrin since 2009. My Dr. prescribed it for depression, and it slowed down all the talking in my head, which has helped me focus. Now I only have between six to eight things going on in there when it used to be between fifteen to twenty.

I'm still going to be working with the specialist (doing cognitive behavioural therapy) every week for who knows how long. My main concern is working on how not to fall back into depression or at least how to cope if I do. That's a dark and frightening place. Read H.P. Lovecraft's short story The Outsider; in my opinion, it's a good unintentional metaphor.

The thing about ADHD is you get bored quickly. Agh - so bored! One of the challenges is trying to remain 'responsible' when you just want to fuck off somewhere and do something new! I'm trying some new things for fun - strictly fun. Being responsible shouldn't have to eliminate fun. Ever notice it really pisses some people off when you have fun? Lighten up, for fuck's sake.

My fun things planned so far for January - April:

philosophy classes at UBC - okay, I dropped one already - Metaphysics and Epistemology. I dropped it nineteen years ago too! Now, I'm taking one - Philosophy of Mind with Evan Thompson. I'm taking it because it's in line with my train of thought over the past year, and I want to write about it. I'm thinking about going on to do my Masters but who knows. I already have a UBC degree in History.
check this one out - a creative writing workshop this weekend, How to Write a Romance Novel. Haha! Might as well! Think of the people I'll meet! I'll tell them my genre is Space Erotica.
spa day at Willow Stream with my friend - how normal? Not really - not for me, at least! I don't like people touching me, so I'm strictly using the steam room, sauna, hot tub and cocktail menu. Shit, I just realized I don't own a bathing suit. To tell you the truth, I'd be more comfortable nude than in a bathing suit.
short story - I'm pulling together something around quantum consciousness, the macabre and utopia

Okay, I will tell my younger self something. Don't make one of those stupid lists of things to tell your younger self when you're older.

Live well and live now.

Dec 16, 2014

West Vancouver Home Demolition Before and After

Do you remember this beautiful old gal with solid bones and amazingly restored hardwood floors? I posted about her back in November 2013.

Well, this is what replaced her.

And to think, the contractor told me the new home 'wasn't going to be that big.'

Nov 26, 2014

Quote of the Week - H.P. Lovecraft

image stacy reynaud

I have frequently wondered if the majority of mankind ever pause to reflect upon the occasionally titanic significance of dreams and of the obscure world to which they belong. Beyond the Wall of Sleep

Nov 24, 2014

Suggestions For The Business Wardrobe

I was recently contacted by a gentleman who is changing careers.

He's confident in his decision but not his current wardrobe.

He asked for some suggestions on where to start.

These tips are gender-neutral!

Let's start here:

Know what you like and what you don't like—what suits you and your style of living. This particular individual didn't want a baggy suit. He liked the mod suits from the '60s but not the super skinny trousers. He told me he liked Diplo's suits, Booth's suits from Bones, and Terrence Stamp's suits (see my post on his classic look here).
Know your clothing's priorities and each day's sartorial demands. Meetings, luncheons, golf (an unfortunate part of business, my apologies to golfers), and the cursed casual Friday. You want to be sharp and dressed appropriately for each. What are the corner offices wearing? Take cues from them and notch it up by one.
Versatility. Maintain a flexible wardrobe. In my retail days, we were taught the foundation of the fashion equation, 2+2+2+5 (Men = two trousers, two ties, two jackets, five shirts. Women = two skirts, two trousers, two jackets, five tops).
You want to be known for your unique ideas - that being said, limit it to one unique idea per outfit.

Originally published December 20, 2010.

Nov 5, 2014

A (Bed) Room of One's Own

Master Bedroom Boyd House Architect Ron Thom image by Stacy Reynaud

I brought up the topic of separate bedrooms this morning, only to be greeted with, 'Should we each have our own house, too?' Geesh, sensitive.

Architectural trends reflect our culture, but how far do these trends reflect our instincts?

My first thought was that the shared bedroom is a socioeconomic thing—lots of money = lots of house. Not so much money = not so much home.

You know what I'm talking about, so let's not go into tiny house living choices or the cost of a 435 s.f. apartment in Vancouver because I'm simply talking about the concept of the shared bedroom.

My second thought - brought into fruition by a comment regarding prudery - is an image of a lovely Homo erectus couple snuggled up under a muskox blanket in front of their amber-hued, crackling cave fire. The shared bedroom now becomes a mammalian instinct.

Stay warm, stay safe, and have sex (in whichever preferred order).

My next thought - is Lucy and Ricky's bedroom - sure, it was fictional (somewhat), and they were shown in separate beds due to TV regulations of the 1950s. Still, I'd argue that it was actually the result of the continuous evolution of Western socioeconomic and mammalian instinctual concepts.

Okay, let's leave it at that - I want my own bedroom, and ignorance is bliss.

image: Boyd House, Ron Thom
© Stacy Reynaud

Oct 31, 2014

Wallpaper is Wallpaper

The other night, I dreamed of wallpaper. Well, not really. It was actually an image during a little gong meditation journey I was on. Eighties lovers sculpture comes to life in a Fauvist equatorial rainforest (think Henri Rousseau). The backdrop was impressive, and I want wallpaper like it! It was so vivid that I felt I must've seen it before.

I'll leave the philosophy of consciousness dialogue alone right now.

Similar vibe to this Rousseau painting.

It was black with sparsely placed tropical leaves but not palm fronds.

More like ficus leaves

and they were electric green.

This pair of tights is pretty close.

But on a larger scale.

This shirt actually might be a closer fit than the tights, but without the flowers and more vibrant green.

Whatever, it was a rewarding journey, and I'll get hit with deja vu soon enough.

PS I hate how wallpaper isn't wallpaper anymore - according to search engines.

Oct 30, 2014

Another West Vancouver Significant Home Demolition

Dan White House Orchard Way West Vancouver image stacy reynaud

I'm in a dysfunctional relationship - with West Vancouver. I moved out of West Van in July. I was getting too bitter about the clash of ideas concerning housing, being ripped off in rent, and all the bloody traffic on Marine Drive. Well, I'm moving back.

Turns out I'm not the only one that's getting fed up, though:

West Vancouver Council moved unanimously to commence community consultation and draft a bylaw addressing form and character in West Vancouver homes. Jeremy Shepherd, North Shore News.

You can watch the 'boisterous' council meeting on video and read the full meeting agenda from October 20th here.

Thanks to Brent Richter's Twitter feed for bringing this meeting to my attention.

I touched on this topic in February 2014 when West Van held its first public Info Session. What came from the Info Sessions were recommendations from West Vancouver's Manager of Community Planning, Stephen Mikicich. You can read those recommendations from June 2014 here.

So, back to the title of the post. Which significant home is gone? Well, it's Dan White's Vernacular Orchard Way home that I've posted many times about (search Dan White at the top of the search box). Mr. White is also the architect of the Museum of Vancouver just finished a retrospective on.

I can't help but see the correlation between what's happening in West Vancouver and what Alan Weintraub and Alan Hess discuss in their book Forgotten Modern: California Houses 1940-1970.

Except for a few hometown architects (Whitney Smith, Harwell Hamilton Harris) and a few stray writers and professors (Jean Murray Bangs, Jack Hillmer, Esther McCoy), almost no one knew of them, [Charles and Henry Greene], except as relics of the past (Hess 2007, 8).

Dan White's Orchard Way Vernacular once stood here.

view from Mathers Ave.

Sep 19, 2014

Ingrid Bergman on the kiss

photo from the collection of Stacy Reynaud

A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech

when words become superfluous.

Sep 17, 2014

Not Even Mortuary Chic - a rant

Don't get me wrong—I love black clothes. It's dressing conservatively in black that kills me.

This is my second week back to work after two months off. My sparkles, velvet, embroidery and leopard print have moved to the back of my closet. My amber resin is sealed; I'm scentless, senseless and back in black. An outsider among my kind, shoved by the man to the sidelines - left to yearn for that which I know, that of which I can now only admire from the sidewalks of East Pender. Hear my cry, eccentric ladies of Chinatown, for it is you that I owe my inspiration (and Mr. Marc Jacobs, never you mind what I speak of).

Three things I ask myself when I shop for my everyday clothes:
Would Kate Moss wear that?
Would a crazy Chinese lady wear that?
Was it made before 1990?

Three things I ask myself when I shop for work clothes:
Is it black?
Would Grace Coddington wear that?
Would Kim Gordon wear that - to a funeral?

We have paid our dues and have earned the right to tart ourselves up like circus performers, burlesque queens or pole dancing hoochies (and that's just the men). We have earned our right to wear an electric-blue silk-satin blouson. Simon Doonan on ageing. ELLE Decoration October 2014

So, on this rainy day in September, I'll pull out my vintage, oversized, full-length, purple leather jacket I bought this summer and wear it with basic, boring black knowing damn well I'd rather be wearing it topped with my black felt hat, vintage embroidered Thai blouse, black brocade trousers and Officine Creative boots.

Here's some fabric inspo for you! Now go find some new pants!

Sep 8, 2014

Costco Couture

I've written 1374 opening paragraphs for this post, and they're all turning into novels! So here it is, to the point. When you're performing professionally in front of hundreds of people don't wear your Costco jeans and old man dumpy shirt. You may think by dressing that way you're incognito and not attracting attention to yourself but frankly you are - a dumpy outfit stands out more than a well presented one.

So, I've pulled together a few inspiration looks from the Fall 2014 runway for you - now this is strictly inspiration and if I were shopping for you, you know it would be 100% vintage.

Showing some effort is hot.