Screams For Eames

Charles (1907-1978) and Ray Eames (1912-1988).

Who doesn't know that Eames products are quintessential for creating your mid-century style home or Mad Men office? But did you know Charles Ormond Eames Junior is a native of St. Louis, MO?  He attended Washington University's School of Architecture. It is rumored he was dismissed from the school because of his modern views. Others say it was because of sleep deprivation between having the demands of school and work. To further his education in architecture, he moved (in 1938) to Michigan. Charles attended the Cranbrook Academy of Art. He decided to use the St. Louis riverfront as his area of focus in order to apply for the Architecture and Urban Planning Program. With the help of Eero Saarinen (friend architect partner), Charles designed prize-winning furniture for New York's Museum of Modern Art "Organic Design in Home Furnishings" competition. Originally developed by Alvar Aalto, it displayed the newer technique of wood moulding. Eames further developed this technique in multiple moulded plywood products including: splints and stretchers for the U.S. Navy during World War II, and of course furniture!

After Charles divorced his wife of 12 years and mother of his daughter, named Lucia, Charles Eames married his second wife in 1941. He married his Cranbrook colleague Ray Kaiser. Mrs. Bernice Alexandra "Ray" Eames met Charles while preparing models and drawings for the "Organic Design in Home Furnishings" competition in September of 1940. Tsk Tsk.. dating before you're even officially divorced.

In 1943, 1944, and 1947, Ray Eames designed several covers for the reputable magazine, Arts & Architecture. She also had two of several textile designs produced by the company Schiffer Prints. So yeah, Ray can stand on her own two feet. Though, it is agreeable that Mrs. Ray was very involved and important in the designs with her husband. The Eames fabrics were mostly designed by her.

The Eames continued to be innovative in the 1950's, using plastic resin chairs and the wire mesh chairs designed for Herman Miller.

Throughout the mid to late 50's and into the 60's and 70's, Charles designed many exhibitions:

• Textiles and Ornamental Arts of India (1955)
Glimpses of the USA (seven screens for the American exhibition in Moscow, Sokoolniki Park) (1959)
Mathematica (for IBM, 1961)
IBM Pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair
Nehru: The man and his India (1965)
The World of Franklin and Jefferson (1975) built for the US Bicentennial Commission opens in Paris, travels to five other countries and the US.

The couple had many short films documenting their interest, what we would consider indie films today. As part of the 20th Annual St. Louis Int'l Film Festival, the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts' Steinberg Auditorium at Washington University, will be screening "Eames: The Architect & the Painter". It is a revealing documentary on the husband-and-wife team.

Eames films include:

• Traveling Boy (1950)
• Blacktop: A Story of the Washing of a School Play Yard (1952)
• Parade Parade Or Here They Are Coming Down Our Street (1952)
• A Communications Primer (1953)
• House: After Five Years of Living (1955)
• Day of the Dead (1957)
• Toccata for Toy Trains (1957)
• Kaleidoscope Jazz Chair (1960)
• Powers of Ten (1968, rereleased in 1977)
• Image of the City (1969)
• Banana Leaf (1972)
• Fiberglass Chairs
• SX-70
• Eames Lounge Chair

No doubt they are part of America's most influential and important industrial designers!

Lunch At The Fountain

Today I had lunch with my family at The Fountain On Locust.

It is a retro, art deco styled ice cream parlor which also serves lunch and dinner.

When you first walk in this is what you see:

Antique radio.

Shadow boxes of ice cream and awards.

Ceiling art and light.

Checkered floor.

When you get seated you can take in more of the view:

Wall murals.

Speakers at the booths play a different vintage
radio soap opera every two minutes!

The forehead featured is my lil Sis LOL.
The (cute) guy to the right in the blue shirt is our server.

The Fountain On Locust prides itself on being voted the best ice cream parlor. Not surprising because the owner, Joy Grdnic (no I didn't misspell that), gets her ice cream from a family-owned Wisconsin dairy. It is the home of the ice cream martini. But before I get to that, they serve you delicious, hot, garlic basil cheese bread brushed with olive oil while you wait on your food. Unfortunately, we demolished it before I could even get any pictures of it! The presentation was beautiful enough for pictures. 

And now for that ice cream martini:

I had the Espresso Martini. A+
Eventhough it was too early for drinking,
I had to take a picture.
BTW it's not a sin to drink, only to be drunk.

I also had The Champion and a Tortilla Soup. Two A+'s are my scores. The Champion is a mozzarella cheese and meatball sub sandwich, with tomato sauce of course. Who would've ever thought about combining tortilla chips into soup? Apparently, Joy Grdnic did and it works! The evidence of that is this:

That's what's left now!

The Fountain On Locust does have the reputation of having the best soups made from scratch everyday.

They even have the award for best restroom in America! I think this is arguable. While the restroom decor is different, it did not stop me from seeing used paper towels on the floor instead of in the half filled trash can and the sink tops were completely covered with water. The OCD in me wiped down the sinks, and picked up the paper towels with a latex gloved hand (courtesy of my purse where I keep extras). Yeah, I seriously have some degree of OCD. The restrooms could've been worse though, so B+.

But any who here's the restrooms:

Ladies Only

Stall door

The Soda Fountain circa 1932 St. Louis, MO.

The sink after I wiped it down.

The gentlemens&ladies restroom:

Historic Locust Street, "Automotive Row", St. Louis, MO
circa 1920. It looks the same way out front.
Except, of course, without the horse drawn carriage and old cars.

The ceiling.

Antique scale.



Me on the scale!



My lil Sis reflection in the mirror.

  Yeah, we headed out after feeling like wierdos for playing in the restroom. That was before I found out that The Fountain On Locust is also the most photographed restaurant in St. Louis. I'm definitely no food critic, but no wonder I felt compelled to do a little photo shoot with all of the old fashion in the relaxed atmosphere.

This joint also host Burlesque Bingo as part of the "Locust Late Nights" events. Hmm.. I might have to come back without the family (wink wink) LOL. Just kidding just kidding. Don't get your panties in a bunch (pun intended)!

Overall, I enjoyed myself. A+

On A Great Note: Congrats To My Uncle!

Tonight my Uncle on my Mother's side of the family chose to get baptized! Hey, "better late than never", right? When I got baptized on Mother's Day of this year, it was like I had to finally do it on my own or I just wouldn't ever do it after that moment. I had been contemplating over it for years before that point! The funny thing is that right after I got baptized, the dreadful gray clouds and rain let up and gave way to a beautiful warm sunny day. LOL My first thought was from the book of Matthew 3:13-17, when heaven opened and God said He is pleased with His Son.

Some people just come to the light slower than others. They make themselves have to go through "the fire of suffering that brings forth the gold of Godliness." ~Madame Guyon. Being baptized definitely does not mean you won't go through any troubles from here on out on earth. The Lord Himself had troubles and temptations, what makes you think you won't? See 1 Peter 4:12-19. I think the suffering gets worse or more intense in some ways actually. Think of it as you're right along with Jesus in the desert being tempted right after being baptized. Indeed, we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory (Romans 8:17). My minister was so right when he told me afterwards, "Now the easy part is over". You'll look back and wonder why'd it take you so long to get baptized when that's the easier part of God's whole plan.

I am acknowledging that I believe in the Lord and all of His strength and mercy. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God. I'm taking on more spiritual responsibility with my outward and inward actions. When you're trying to do the right things and succeeding, that scoundrel of a devil presses harder to get you. See Galatians 6:9. I take it as a compliment that I'm doing something right and the devil can't take it. When that one thing that was bothering you goes away because you've conquered it, something else troubling pops up. Thank goodness, I realize that the hardships are there to help you grow. God's goal is not to completely break you. See 1 Corinthians 10:13. If you are doing something wrong, the Lord does discipline those He loves. Like a father to His children. See Hebrews 12:4-7. I don't know about you, but I'd rather keep getting disciplined real fast here on earth then for an eternity in hell.

Prayer is very important. Always keep communication with the Lord open. Be sure to praise Him before asking for what you want, even through the rough times. How would you like it if you helped people EVERYDAY, ALL DAY, then someone else is asking for stuff without a simple heart-felt thank you? See Ephesians 1:15-23, and 2 Thessalonians 5:16.

1 Peter is a great book in the Bible to read. I highly suggest reading  The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For? by Rick Warren as a great Bible study guide.

Oh gravity stay away from me, Lord just keep me where the light is. Amen.

1 John 1:5-10 and 2:1-14,

Luke 11:33-36 (NIV)