Emmanuel Fonte | Music | Art | Leadership
If music be the food of love, play on. Emmanuel Fonte website is about music, art, real estate, architecture, design and decor. Occasionally, I talk about my other passion, hockey.
Alinghi Residence is a modern beach house in the town of Rocky Point, which is only three miles from the popular tourist destination of Queensland, Australia. The house was designed by Grose Bradley BNV, their task was to create a space suitable for contemplation and enjoyment of nature. All rooms are oriented toward the ocean, which guarantees a magnificent view of the Pacific ocean.
At 500 square feet, it is not a huge retreat but it serves its purpose perfectly: fold-up sides keep it secure when not in use, while doubling as privacy screens, light blocks and thermal barriers as desired.
Essentially a glass house on the inside, folding down three of the four exterior walls gives the occupant a nearly 360-degree connection to the surrounding context .
These wall sections in turn become exterior decks when lowered, and are easily raised via “Â a hydraulic system of wires, rope, pivoting sheaves and lead blocks, that serves as shutters.”
The steeply-sloped roof simply drains water toward the back, and extends out on the other three sides to provide cantilevered cover and shade, with minimalist (lack of) detailing that fits with the rest of the structure.
Inside, a 180-degree rotating fireplace likewise accommodates directional decisions about where one wants to face – into distant views or into the nearby wildlife-populated brush. The primarily single-space strategy also accommodates a kitchenette and small bathroom.
The Franciscan Polar Plaza pop-up in Tacoma is the only covered, open-air rink in that town, and it has killer theme nights. On December 5, skate with the Thunderbirds Hockey Team, or enjoy live music on December 16 starting at 6pm. Wear your most hideous cardigan for Ugly Sweater Night on December 23 to receive $1 off admission. Open November 25–January 2.
Highland Ice Arena in Shoreline is a traditional indoor skating rink—open year-round—with a staff of professional figure skaters. Sign up for a seven week course of lessons that starts in early January.Sundays are Family Days, with a $15 rate covering the immediate clan from 1:30pm–close (rentals are $3 each).
Winterfest Ice Rink in Seattle Center is another temporary skate spot. Maybe we’re just suckers for twinkly lights, but this indoor venue is the ideal date spot for an old-fashioned couples skate. Open November 25–January 1.
Magic Season Ice Arena in Bellevue is another outdoor covered, open-air skating rink (chilly!). It hosts Free Skate Mondays and Stroller Skate on Thursdays (yep, you can bring the Bugaboo on the ice). Our personal favorite is the heated hut where you can warm up and sip hot cocoa. For an extra dash of holiday cheer, catch the Nutcracker on Ice performance on December 15. Open November 25–January 8.
Capitol Hill Ice Rink won’t open until December, kicking off what is expected to be an annual pop-up tradition. Located in Cal Anderson Park (over the basketball courts in the southwest corner), the rink will be open-air but under a tent. Open December 6–24.
The holidays are right around the corner and now is the time to take care of the improvements you’ve been procrastinating about all year long. From dead doorbells and jammed doors, to caulking the bath and replacing broken tiles, here are our top quick fixes, and all the information you need to get the job done right.
Don’t leave holiday guests waiting out in the cold. Make sure your doorbell is in working order before they come ringing. It could be the fault of a worn outside button. But it’s also possible that the chime or transformer have stopped working. For full step-by-step instructions to help you find and fix the problem, see How to Fix a Doorbell.
read the rest here at ThisOldHouse.com
Recently, Forbes names the top 50 best cities for technology jobs and the list has made waves in the tech community as the magazine took a look not just at the current scene, but how tech jobs have changed in the past decade, putting some tech cities low on the list.
The top 10:
John Cook at GeekWire.com wrote, “One of the biggest story lines of the past couple of years in the Seattle tech community has been the arrival of titans such as Facebook, Salesforce.com, EMC, Zynga and other Silicon Valley stalwarts who’ve chosen the region for new development centers.” He adds that Facebook is doubling its presence in Seattle and Amazon.com hired 8,000 people in the third quarter alone.
Unfortunately, it is true. Austin’s semiconductor industry has taken a hit in recent years while the startup industry has brought in millions of dollars in funding, but our sources hint that the startup world is quickly and quietly dwindling down.
Although it is a quiet notion and likely just a rumor, we were asked by a very successful entrepreneur in Austin if we knew that Gowalla could be going under and later that same day we were asked by a venture capitalist if Gowalla’s $10.4 million wasn’t keeping them afloat and 2012 wasn’t looking good. We have been told that Austin startup CEOs and employees have been quietly submitting their resumes at more established companies and even Gowalla employees are rumored to be sending out a high volume of applications. It isn’t just Gowalla though, they’ll just be the biggest let down if this is even remotely true (which we’re not convinced of).
We’re hearing that the first quarter of 2012 will be the last for many startups in town, so is Forbes on to something? Is 2012 the year the struggling startups finally run out of money or give up regardless of the millions that have been poured into them as they learn they’re not alone in their struggle? Time will tell but 2012 isn’t looking so good for Austin while it is looking quite promising for Seattle.
N.B.: The Seattle area has other employers as well. Namely, Boeing, Starbucks, Nintendo, Nordstrom, Costco, Paccar, Safeco etc. The Puget Sound is no longer a one trick pony in the job world.
Employment (and population growth) is the main reason that housing is a stable and safe choice in our area.
Here at This Old House, we believe that a handsome front facade ranks right up there with a solid foundation and good bones.
Sure, there’s the satisfaction you get in showing passers-by that yes, indeed, you’ve got a gem on your hands. But more important, it’s about how appealing details such as cheery blooms, a crisp white fence, and eye-catching shutters create a welcome sight for you and your family to come home to each day.
On the following pages, see nine stunning exterior transformations, including some from fellow readers whose homes were among the worst-looking in their neighborhoods. Through smart investments and, often, sweat equity, their diamonds-in-the-rough soon caught up to—and even surpassed—the rest of the block. Read on to see how these readers, as well as other inspiring homeowners, did it.
Read the rest here at ThisOldHouse.com
