MICHAEL TAYLOR

Stephen Salny, who wrote a book about the great architect David Adler, was in town recently hanging out with local designers Joe Minton and Kevin Peavy, and stumping for his just-out book on the imcomparable Frances Elkins. I’d heard he was already hard at work on a book about Michael Taylor, so I emailed him about it. Here’s an excerpt from his email to me:

“Yes, I am currently researching for my book on Michael Taylor. Michael is a natural segue for me because his spiritual Godmother was Frances Elkins. In fact, I end the Elkins book with Michael Taylor. He was influenced by her eclecticism, and technique of complementary paired colors, as well as the influence of Frank and Giacometti. Michael arrived on the scene coincidentally a few years before Frances Elkins died in 1953. He inherited some of her clients, including Nan Kempner’s parents, Al and Irma Schlesinger. Elkins completed their San Francisco house a year before she died. I guestimate two and a half to three years before it will be out.”

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

A recent visit to the Meadows Museum has DH contributing editor Peggy Parker reeling:
Went museum hopping yesterday and fell in love with the “Fortuny to Picasso” exhibit. The Fortuny in question is not the fabric and fashion designer whose lustrous pleated gowns were knocked off by Mary McFadden, but his father.
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STAMP ACT

So today I get a portfolio from Bernbaum Magadini Architects, and it is dazzling. You can see their work on their website and I encourage you to do so. What you won’t see is the black envelope their portfolio came in and the stamps they used to post it. Great stocking stuffer for the architect or design lover in your life.

STAR-CHITECT

Scott + Cooner hosted the Dallas Architectural Forum last week at the DMA with guest speaker James Cutler, famous now for designing a tiny little $50m compound in Washington state for Bill and Melinda Gates. But, for architectural advocates, he is known for being a true environmentalist, his web site www.cutler-anderson.com is a picture book of architectural gems in lush landscapes.
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LET THERE BE LIGHT!

And I thought my frontyard was bad. (Yes, Christine — I’m posting a photo tomorrow.) This house in Frisco puts the “Oh Mary!” in Merry Christmas. They use 50,000 lights! Enjoy. Try not to seizure. WARNING: The file is 16MB. It will take a while to download, depending on your Internet connection. You will need Windows Media Player to watch the film. Get media player here.

HUNTER FOOD

We at D Home get to enjoy a little time off between Christmas and New Year–thanks Christine–but what to do with all that free time? Well, I’m no hunter, but I like Central Market’s angle on its upcoming cooking class. If you’re going to kill it, cook it, and cook it well. This Dec. 27 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Dallas Central Market Cooking School, you can learn how to cook all sorts of game–venison, quail, duck, etc. The class costs $60; make reservations or get more information by calling 214-361-5754. Now go shoot something…quick!