It gave me wings!

I fell in love with Chicago ever since I first came here. I continued being in love all the 4 years I lived here. I took a special pleasure in saying that I really didn't like living in Washington DC, but I had to admit that only in one sense DC was better for me: its museums (and I am talking especially about the NGA, National Gallery of Art) were a lot roomier allowing for a much better 'user-experience' there than here, in Chicago.

The Art Institute always felt small & crowded by comparison & notwithstanding my love of art I've rarely gone there.

But yesterday I went to see the Matisse exhibit & was especially excited to see the new modern wing. Lots of light. Lots of space. Finally you can be one on one with the works of art.

Good. Great. One more reason to say that Chicago is my kind of town. Now more than before!

P.S. off to the Art Institute again now. Cloudy day. Perfect for being inside.

Regency, Empire but mesh also rocks!

Modern take on a rocking old comfort: meshy rocking chair. Almost transparent. Clear, minimalist. You will see it at my place, too!
For baroque, rococo & kitsch (i am thinking about inflatables, too) do not clash with something pure, or if they do, the conflict is excitingly sexy.

Sitting pretty ...pensively

Knowing thyself also means that you know how you like to work at home, or read, or simply think (by that I mean: in what position, sitting or lying on what, etc.) Sitting down at a table feels too much like work, or simply too uncomfortable. Chairs are my favorites for that. But not any kind of chair, of course.

The very first things I would need for my apartment (en passant: of course I applied for the Ms.Vanderbilt-style apartment, what do you expect?) are bookshelves to cover an entire wall, sofa bed & sleeper chairs to accomodate my friends. And a full-length mirror.

All the rest could wait, or so I thought. Last week I saw a pair of really funky chairs at the Antique Mall. Tempting but I wasn't entirely convinced. But that got me thinking about what kind of chair I'd like to have. First consideration: I'd like to have an assorted collection of chairs, metallic stools, etc. But one has to be totally comfortable. I have a vague memory of an old, worn-out leather chair we had in our dacha. But I can't quite find the same shape: something that is so inviting that even if you are full of energy you want to sit down with a book for sometime...

"Know thyself", we said. So I set out to do some research in order to understand where my tastes in terms of armchairs lie.

See the results above: what they have in common are the curves. The top armchair I actually bid on. Its irregularity is seductive.

We salute the irrational, as usual!

Lost: Renting the Unique

Almost rented a one-bedroom in a rowhouse by Louis Sullivan. Haven't seen the apartment on the inside, but loved the house from the outside (lived next door for 4 years!)
In terms of local (and global, why not) importance, that would be like living in a Palladian Villa.
Definitely smaller spaces, no walk-in closets....
All irony aside, I felt sad the other night while walking past this house & seeing 3 college kids playing Wii. What do they care if it's a historic landmark?
Am I being snobbish & wrong or regretfully right?

P.S. in case you are wondering why I didn't get it - saw the FOR RENT sign late & it was for June 1st.

Will go with my grand and vintage choice. No big name, but a big walk-in closet. Does that make less of an art-lover and more of a comfort-seeker from me?

See more of Sullivan Buildings here -

Louis Sullivan Buildings Extant in Chicago: Ryerson and Burnham Libraries: The Art Institute of Chicago

Inner battle

Torn, tormented...and yet having fun.

Being able to choose is good, even when you know you have a tendency to choose something that is not the best for you (but not the worst, either - you see how I am trying to fake-rationalize: make something irrational sound more acceptable?)

Just finished working on the Angels & Demons necklaces. Ever since I stumbled upon this expressive Giotto's angels I felt the urge to turn them into jewels. And considering the inner battle I am going through right now, there's never been a better time for doing this!

P.S. Not my virtue

Prudence (above) is not my virtue. But I am trying really hard (and it's really hard to try) to rationalize.
I know it's a lost cause but I am making an effort. So that I could give in later knowing that I did my best (resulting in nearly doing my worst...).
Such is life.
People don't change, even if they want to.
Let's face the music and dance!

Little Miss Vanderbilt doesn't need to be rational.

The absolute record: yesterday I visited the whooping number of apartments - 9.
Unfortunately, I fell in love with one. Ok, ok, I am using & abusing the world 'love', but the Webster House is truly grand. It used to be Chicago Hotel and its stuccoed huge lobby is not dissimilar to that of the Grand Central Stations (either NYC or DC).
The rooms are huge, so is the walk-in closet, and the view over the park is soothing.
I want it.
I want it.
I want it.

More than wanting it, I wish I could be rational. Yeah, right. The only things I've succeeded at where by my being irrational, so... And it's a good, great, beautiful value for money, this apartment is. A true find.
I also realized that I definitely don't think in terms of percentage, for example: if there's a 150$ difference between this apartment and the other, I think: "Well, it's only (!!!) 150$ BUT (!!!) what you get in return is very different, it's worth the money. Thinking about 10% difference doesn't do the trick. It doesn't mean a thing to me...

My choice number two is a more normal apartment, where the monthly rent would be 230$ less (20% roughly). But it's so normal and the num.1 so incredible that... well, you know what I am inclined to do.

Funny conversation last night: I took 2 Brazilian friends & their Russian friend for a walk in my old hood last night after dinner. My Brazilian friend started talking about the theory according to which it's right to pay more for beauty, for the things that make you feel good.
I wholeheartedly agreed, since I've done this all my life and, alas, will continue to do so. But when later on I mentioned how much I was going to pay for my apartment...this young, healthy & super fit guy almost had a heart attack. I dismissed his reaction on the ground of him translating it into Brazilian currency & the fact that he doesn't know the local Chicago market.
I do know it.
And I know a couple of things about the irrationality, too!

I know that I won't be spending a whole lot of time at home, but just knowing it's there will make me happy. I also sincerely wish that my proud sponsor during the dire times, my mother, aka "Goldman Sachs", could come & live there. And I have an idea, yet another crazy one, of creating some kind of 'Friend-artist in residence' program, inviting interesting people to use my place for some time. Nice after-dinner conversations guaranteed!
Ms. Vanderbilt's Foundation for the Humanities & the Irrationality!