Doctor recommended!

During my visit to my fantastic doctor last Friday, the Spielberg film, War Horse, somehow entered the conversation for the second time.

I had been trying to find the DVD at the Chicago Public Library in vain.

My doctor says this is “the BEST film, you’ve got to see it!”

I replied, “Well, I’m on my way to the library, so maybe they’ll have it, as I’m to cheap to use Netflix!”

And…there it was!

War Horse

Now, my doctor owns and rides his own horse, and his father was in the film industry, so a tiny part of me thought, though briefly, he might be a bit prejudicial…and not everything done by Steven Spielberg (whom I have met!) was great.

Within the first five minutes, I threw out every and any doubt–this is one of the greatest films EVER!

Not only is the story line terrific but, because I watch a film through the eyes of someone who knows how they are shot and what’s CGI and what isn’t, I have to say that Spielberg has been extremely meticulous here–fabulous direction, cinematography, locations, costuming, acting–the works!

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From the liner notes on the “War Horse” DVD cover:

“From legendary film director Steven Spielberg comes the epic adventure War Horse, a tale of incredible loyalty, hope and tenacity.  Based on the Tony award-winning Broadway play, and set against the sweeping canvas of World War I, this deeply heartfelt begins with the remarkable friendship a horse named Joey and his young trainer Albert.  When they’re forced apart by the war, we follow Joey’s extraordinary journey as he changes and inspires the lives of everyone he meets.”

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Find it!

Even if you’re not a ‘horse person’, you’ll come away from this film more thoughtful, and perhaps a bit more courageous.

I’ll be watching this 2 hour and 26 minute film for the third time tonight ( I have to return it to the library tomorrow!).

And…the DVD also contains an interview with Steven Spielberg et al, explaining ing the making of the film—really quite informative!

Yesterday…

…the temperature hit around 85 degrees F. in Chicago, though it was about 10 degrees cooler at the lake shore.

That didn’t stop these people from spending a wonderful Tuesday afternoon at the beach!

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So much for the ordinary beach shot…I much prefer this image!

Newly painted and waiting to be filled

The Evanston Fountains, at the intersection of Davis and Orrington streets, Evanston, Illinois.

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(NOTE:  These were highly processed in Photoshop (TM) and as a last touch, given the Watercolor Filter effect.)

I wonder why I’m so anxious to get back to painting canvases, when each of the above images took about eight minutes to process!?!

From my window: Fascinating Virga

From Wiki:

Virga

In meteorology, virga is an observable streak or shaft of precipitation that falls from a cloud but evaporates or sublimes before reaching the ground.  At high altitudes the precipitation falls mainly as ice crystals before melting and finally evaporating; this is often due to compressional heating, because the air pressure increases closer to the ground. It is very common in the desert and in temperate climates. In North America, it is commonly seen in the Western United States and the Canadian Prairies.

Virga can cause varying weather effects, because as rain is changed from liquid to vapor form, it removes heat from the air due to the high heat of vaporization of water. In some instances, these pockets of colder air can descend rapidly, creating a dry microburst which can be extremely hazardous to aviation. Conversely, precipitation evaporating at high altitude can compressionally heat as it falls, and result in a gusty downburst which may substantially and rapidly warm the surface temperature. This fairly rare phenomenon, a heat burst, also tends to be of exceedingly dry air.

Virga also has a role in seeding storm cells whereby small particles from one cloud are blown into neighboring supersaturated air and act as nucleation particles for the next thunderhead cloud to begin forming.^{[citation needed]}

Virga can produce dramatic and beautiful scenes, especially during a red sunset. The red light can be caught by the streamers of falling precipitation, and winds may push the bottom ends of the virga so it falls at an angle, making the clouds appear to have commas attached.

The word virga is derived from Latin, twig or branch.

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Here is what I captured last Saturday, just before 6:00 PM.

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I’ve neglected to give you…

…an update on the Farcroft apartment building long enough!

For about a month, there have been tenants moving in, and here’s a sample of what their spaces look like:

View of the 13 story Farcroft from the Jarvis Avenue “L” station platform

At the entryway is a leaded-glass window, flanked by two caryatids…

…one of which is ‘the keyholder’…

…and the other seems to have lost what he originally held!
Quite distinctive, aren’t they?

The original door of this 1928 building was sent out to be restored, and the craftsman did an absolutely wonderful job of it!

Here’s the lobby, about five steps down from street level. This was taken before the building opened…that’s the reason for the still-wrapped furniture.

Everything was done right with this gut rehab…all the floors are oak, newly installed.

All the spaces were reconfigured. Here is a north-facing wall of one of the highest floors’ apartment…

…and the view from that window!  The thing hanging in the middle is the cordage from white-painted wooden blinds, which are installed at each newly-replaced window.

A typical kitchen, wonderfully appointed, with loads of workspace…

…and a typical bathroom–nothing fancy, but larger than those usually found here in Chicago’s older buildings.

The view looking south along the lake shore to downtown Chicago, taken from a twelfth floor window. Oh, what I wouldn’t give to wake up to this!

If you noticed in the first image, there is a turret at the top of the Farcroft. This is the entry to the apartment directly below–it’s called the ‘turret room’.  See that rectangular object in the wall?  That’s a radiator—very new technology and extremely practical, don’t you think?

Enchanting, isn’t it…and check out the view to the north and west!

Finally, here is the ‘turret room’ apartment’s kitchen…ready for any occupant who loves to cook!  The fellow on the right is Bill Tentler, the Chief of Maintenance, who graciously allowed me to tour the building before it opened.
Note that in these kitchens, the stoves are NOT placed next to the refrigerators…that’s called ‘doing it right’, because it ultimate saves electricity as the fridge does not have to run as long as it would being ‘warmed’ so often by the heat of the stove!

At some point, I’ll present more details of this beautifully executed gut rehab/restoration of the Farcroft apartments, but for now, just dream of what it would be like to live in the tallest building in the Rogers park neighborhood of Chicago!

Ah, the graceful Magnolias…

…how soon they wizen then waste away

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I hadn’t realized…

…that these had been planted in front of my building last Autumn…I just thought the mangy-looking grass was going to be re-seeded.

To my surprise, Tulips popped over the last two weeks, and I wondered what color they would be.

Well, I found out soon enough!

Building Tulips…in the sun…

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…and in the shade.

I have no idea of their name, but after shooting these extreme close-ups, I’ll simply call them “Blaze Tulips”!

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Wouldn’t you agree…because they do look very fire-like!