Field Trip

I'm fascinated with the life and work of architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959). We have a gorgeous luxury hotel in central Phoenix, which is the only existing hotel in the world with a Frank Lloyd Wright-influenced design, The Arizona Biltmore. It has been an Arizona landmark since its opening on February 23, 1929 when it was crowned "The Jewel of the Desert." The resort was designed by Albert Chase McArthur, a Harvard graduate, who had studied under Frank Lloyd Wright from 1907 - 1909 in Chicago. Several presidents and many celebrities have stayed here.

Perhaps the most obvious and dramatic design link to Wright is the use of indigenous materials that led to the creation of the "Biltmore Block." The pre-cast concrete blocks were molded on-site and used in the total construction of the resort. Designed by McArthur and sculpted by Emry Kopta, a prominent southwestern sculptor, the "Biltmore Block" features a geometric pattern that is said to represent a freshly cut palm tree.

A bit of trivia for you: Did you know that the famed song composer Irving Berlin penned many tunes, including "White Christmas" while sitting poolside at the Arizona Biltmore?

I recently read a book about Frank Lloyd Wright and one of the loves of his life. It's called "Loving Frank," by Nancy Horan. Here's the synopsis from amazon.com:
I have been standing on the side of life, watching it float by. I want to swim in the river. I want to feel the current. So writes Mamah Borthwick Cheney in her diary as she struggles to justify her clandestine love affair with Frank Lloyd Wright. Four years earlier, in 1903, Mamah and her husband, Edwin, had commissioned the renowned architect to design a new home for them. During the construction of the house, a powerful attraction developed between Mamah and Frank, and in time the lovers, each married with children, embarked on a course that would shock Chicago society and forever change their lives. In this ambitious debut novel, fact and fiction blend together brilliantly. While scholars have largely relegated Mamah to a footnote in the life of America's greatest architect, author Nancy Horan gives full weight to their dramatic love story and illuminates Cheney's profound influence on Wright. Drawing on years of research, Horan weaves little-known facts into a compelling narrative, vividly portraying the conflicts and struggles of a woman forced to choose between the roles of mother, wife, lover, and intellectual. Horan's Mamah is a woman seeking to find her own place, her own creative calling in the world. Mamah's is an unforgettable journey marked by choices that reshape her notions of love and responsibility, leading inexorably ultimately lead to this novel's stunning conclusion. Elegantly written and remarkably rich in detail, Loving Frank is a fitting tribute to a courageous woman, a national icon, and their timeless love story.

A couple of weeks ago, when my aunt and uncle were visiting from Colorado, we toured to Talesin West, the compound in North Scottsdale that Frank Lloyd Wright built from 1937-59. It features his living quarters and a prestigious design school. It was fascinating to get a peek into this brilliant and eclectic man's life. The sculpture garden included a bronze of an archer, which was interesting to me since I live with a bowhunter. Talesin means "Shining Brow" in Welsh, which is FLW's ancestry (mine too).
This last picture of a spire is Frank Lloyd-Wright inspired and sits at the corner of Scottsdale Road and Frank Lloyd-Wright Blvd in North Scottsdale, at the Promenade Shopping Center. We lunched here to complete our FLW-themed day.

For more pictures of his architecture, go to this page:
http://architecture.about.com/od/franklloydwright/ig/Frank-Lloyd-Wright/

Incoming

I was out of town, working in Las Vegas for a week (a bit of a challenge to do in a party town that never sleeps) and I came home to lots of great mail. Several postcards, handmade 45 record with song from Postcard Jim (a very talented art student in England, http://postcardjim.wordpress.com/), fabulous envie crafted from a record cover (vintage Della Reese) from Bianca in Australia, and two packages from my dear friend in Japan (not pictured but goodies included cheesecake mix, pasta, chili spice and cinnamon).
My Postcrossing (now penpal) friend from Finland also sent a photo (in the top center) of her daughter, who is a member of a hunting club and they're packing their deer out. The postcard with the cloud in the shape of a whale was sent to my niece and I from a Postcrosser in Maine.
I also received a stationery order from an etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/wevegotpaper and I am so pleased!
I tried to get a closeup picture of this Finnish stamp, which has Braille on it:
Today I'm sending out postcards, a sympathy card, a protest letter to my Credit Union because they're closing two branches and working on several letters. Heading to Alabama tomorrow for a quick trip.