A BOUTIQUE HOTEL IN A TALL BUILDING - GENIUS ON THE PRAIRIE

This Is What Happens When A Willing Visionary Meets an Unabashed Genius

  

I have often wondered what an entire city, region or country would be like if it were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. I think it would raise the human spirit because of his obsessive search for beauty and meaning in the built environment. I also think that it would be exasperating in practical terms, because it would often ignore the practical for the artful, creating unending problems for visitor and owner alike. From oddly shaped, tight spaces to chronic maintenance problems, leaking roofs and other never ending practical concerns, I think it would require the patience of Job and the appreciation of art no matter what the cost to own a Frank Lloyd Wright building.

The Price Tower is the only "skyscraper" ever designed and built by America's greatest architect. And without the ultimate benefactor, Harold C. Price, an entrepreneur and risk taker in the oil pipeline business, this one of a kind building would never have been realized. As with all great architecture, it always takes two to tango. And, in the case of the Price Tower, America's most gifted architect collaborated with the perfect client, who had the money, the spirit and the willingness to see it through. The Inn at Price Tower in Bartlesville, Oklahoma was originally designed as an office building with apartments for tenants.
 

 

Like many great mid-century buildings, the Price Tower fell victim to the vagaries of uninformed, insensitive owners, the impact of exposure to the elements and the technical and cultural changes that inevitably cause a building to fall into obsolescence and, ultimately, into disrepair. And, as one would expect, the history of exactly how this unusual building came to be is convoluted and complicated. For a detailed timeline and "inside baseball" account of the tower, you can read  Prairie Skyscraper on the tower website.

Saving such a building usually involves people with great passion for the art they want to preserve and tons and tons of money. After years of misuse and decline, Phillips Petroleum donated the building to The Price Tower Arts Center. Through their efforts and many benefactors, as well as the very sensitive design efforts by architect Wendy Evans Joseph, this great little tall building has been repurposed as a nineteen room boutique hotel, which makes the trip to Bartlesville worth at least one night's stay for  design seeking Nomads.

 

Bartlesville, Oklahoma - You Can't Get There From Here

 

For the uninitiated - Bartlesville is NOT a destination. About an hours drive from Tulsa, this prairie town of 36,000 has nothing to offer vagabonds looking for excitement, unless you are really interested in Phillips Petroleum or its wealthy founder, Frank Phillips, and the wild animal preserve Woolaroc. The oil giant, now headquartered in Houston, was founded in Bartlesville. No boutique spas or five star restaurants greet the Nomad looking for a good time in this small enclave not far from the southern border of Kansas.

 

However, if you want to experience the intense design quality of one of Frank Lloyd Wright's most innovative structures which has become a striking boutique  hotel in the only skyscraper ever designed and built by America's most egomaniacal architectural genius, Bartlesville is the place to go.

Sleeping In "The Tree That Escaped The Crowded Forest" -

 

As was his tendency, Wright referred to his one and only built skyscraper in poetic "organic" terms. And it is organic and its is poetic. The building, particularly the interiors,  "reads" mostly like Joyce Kilmer, with some William S. Burroughs thrown in to keep you on your toes, literally. First and foremost, the interiors of the hotel have been restored almost to perfection. Fortunately, the interior design by Architect Joseph complements Wright's mastery of space, without simply copying him. The finishes, the furniture and the accessories are thoroughly modern and enhance the experience of the spacial dynamics of the original design.

It has been well established that Wright based much of the scale of his interiors on himself. He was only about 5'6". It makes perfect sense that a narcissist of the first order like Wright would dimension his buildings to "fit" himself. This practice is very evident in most of his buildings. However, in his defense, he also utilized this design slight of hand as a device to enhance the experience of "exploding" larger and more grand spaces, like the two story suite we stayed in. I highly recommend this room type when you stay. Not only is the bed to die for, but, the interior space is truly a delight and the view out over the town and prairie beyond through two story glass is worth the few extra dollars.
 

Some areas of the hotel, particularly the unit stairs, doors and other access ways are very tight, forcing one to deal with Wright's obsessive adherence to the angular geometry established as part of the basic design. And, in the interest of full disclosure, the air conditioning was on the fritz the night we were there. To their credit, the management offered to refund our money and set us up in a nearby hotel, but, being very tough nomads, we rejected that offer. As I told the concierge -  What's a little heat when you're enjoying Wright up close and personal? And once the sun went down, it was more than comfortable. This was our forty first anniversary trip and we did not want to spend it in a Holiday Inn Express! We were more than rewarded for our unwillingness to settle with the great views out over the town and prairie with the Oklahoma sun  setting in the west.

The hotel has Copper, a  bar and restaurant on the fifteenth floor with outdoor terraces to enjoy the food and more views. However, we were there on a Monday and, alas, Copper was closed. However, we were able to enjoy a nice continental breakfast on one of the outdoor terraces. Decent food and, again, outstanding views. Just know that the elevators that take you to this floor will only hold 2-3 people. Very European in a mid-century modern kind of way. And finally, the docent led behind the scenes tour of the building is well worth the nominal ten dollar fee. It opens with a short documentary film, after which the docent takes you through many of the spaces not open to the public. Our docent, a transplant from I forgot where was informative and at times utterly hilarious. Her knowledge of the men,  the building and the many myths about both was fascinating.

After the building tour, I recommend spending about two hours driving around Bartlesville to see some of the eccentric houses designed by Oklahoma's most famous architect, Bruce Goff. Like Wright, Goff, who designed his first building as a teenager and later became the head of the school of architecture at The University of Oklahoma, was also an adherent of organic architecture. His houses are worth seeing for those of you who want to see organic design at its edgiest. Just ask the concierge for the list and search them out with your I-phone. Great way to spend an afternoon in the metropolis of Bartlesville.

As we loaded the car for the next leg of our road trip, I felt like the vagabond that had found yet another gem. I realized, once again, that Frank Lloyd Wright, who was called many things during and after his controversy filled life, was, after all is said and done, a truly great architect. And, I was thankful that someone had the vision, the passion and the money to ensure that this building in this place is still here in all of its imperfect glory.

 

On The Road Again

D.L. Stafford
thenomadARCHITECT

Travel Quote of The Week - "Give me the luxuries of life and I will willingly do without the necessities." - Frank Lloyd Wright. Don't tell me old Frank was not a vagabond at heart!

Video Artist of The Week - Alabama Shakes - Purveyors of "Roots Rock" - This edgy group, yes they are from Alabama, lays down some great grooves, combining, folk, rock and country for a completely unique sound.


 

VAGABOND ALERT - IT WAS AN ATHLETIC CONTEST FOR THE AGES & I WAS THERE

 

If You Will Allow Me A Little Latitude

This alert is not about travel unless you count the ten minute drive from our place to the local football stadium. It is about college football, America's greatest sport, at its best. Baseball may be America's pastime, but, college football brings out the passion of red blooded Americans like no other sporting endeavor. Hyperbole not withstanding, the athletic contest this weekend past, between two titans of the college football world, was truly epic. And I was there. 

 

COLLEGE FOOTBALL GROUND ZERO - Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Florida. During the day, it was discussed ad nauseum. ESPN's College Game Day was on the campus of Florida State University, my alma mater, to cover yet another Game of The Century in my home town. Herbstreit, Fowler, Howard and Corso, along with numerous other experts and talking heads, opined on every facet of what would, indeed, become an epic sporting event.  As the sun began to set, ushering in a classic  fall night in God's Country, eighty thousand plus football fans, who will return to normal lives come Monday, went utterly insane for four hours watching two powers of the gridiron play what will surely go down as a football game that will be discussed in epic terms for years.
 

 

The University of Notre Dame, with its tedious fan base, its arrogant you know what coach and its Machiavellian myth machine was in town to play the reigning National Champions, the Florida State Seminoles, who have become the latest success story that sports media and many football fans love to hate. This is a result of sports fan's penchant for wishing the worst on the best and the off field antics of its Heisman winning, gregarious, twenty year old football savant quarterback, Jameis Winston. All of that is for another blog in another place, but, I had to mention it for context.

 

The famed ESPN analyst, Beano Cook, once said that football is a religion in the South. He explained the passion of southern football thusly - "In the north, they hang losing coaches in effigy, but, in the south, they actually hang the coach". Now I have never witnessed an actual coach lynching, but, you get the point. So, even if you are not a football fan, you can surely understand the passionate desire of most of the eighty thousand football fanatics to return the pious Golden Domers of Notre Dame back to South Bend with a loss.
 

 

This One Was Not For Wimps

The game was one of those rare events that you need a strong heart to survive. As I joked to our crew, this game had it all - pathos, comedy, frustration, ineptness, brilliance and, above all, great football. With great play from both teams, this epic gridiron battle of two national powers came down to two plays, one penalty and thirteen seconds. With the score FSU-31 & ND-27, Notre Dame was on the three yard line, after driving the length of the field in about five minutes. Fourth down and goal. Things were not looking good for the 'Noles after a brilliant second half by Winston et al to take the lead. Upon completing a walk in pass for an apparent touchdown, Coach Brian Kelly and his  Fighting Irish began to celebrate.

But wait - You could hear the whispers of those fateful words from the football gods and FSU alum Lee Corso- "Not so fast my friend". Indeed, the small yellow piece of laundry lay in the end zone for all to see. As a weary, emotionally spent crowd of insane football fans waited for what seemed like an eternity, the referee announced an offensive pass interference penalty, known in football vernacular as a pick, against the usual beneficiaries of football karma. the Domers of South Bend.  But on this good night, the unconquered Seminoles would not go quietly.

No touchdown - Replay the down - said the man in the striped uniform.

With a scant thirteen seconds remaining, and the ball now on the eighteen yard line, Notre Dame quarterback and future Heisman candidate, Everett Golson, whose arm was hit by defensive back Jalen Ramsey as he released the ball, threw a wounded duck interception into the hands of streaking Seminole linebacker Jacob Pugh  in the back of the end zone. Then, the deafening sound of eighty thousand screaming  normally normal spectators permeated the crisp fall air, erupting into a cacophonous insanity that non sports fans would call utterly stupid, mindless celebratory behavior unbecoming to right thinking, otherwise intelligent people. Am I embarrassed? I am not. Without the emotional release of college football, I shudder to think what the maladjusted, nomad or couch potato,  might do during the course of their, otherwise, normal lives.

 

So there you have it. Not all great trips require long distance travel. Sometimes, the best of the best is right around the corner. I remember when I saw the Statue of David for the first time, thinking - 1)Leonardo was indeed brilliant and 2) Man that thing is big. This Saturday night past shows that brilliance comes to Nomads in different ways. Both art and spectacle do, indeed, make life better.

 

GO NOLES!!!!

 

D.L. Stafford
thenomadARCHI

TECT
And for those of you that can't get enough, this pregame video of the crowd at Doak Campbell Stadium shows what The Nomad Architect is talking about.

 

  

VAGABOND ALERT - TRAVEL AND LIFE - THE WORLD NEVER STOPS TURNING

NO! The Nomad Architect is not dead or even near death. I loathe referring to myself in the third person, but - hey - it's the times we live in. I mean how many times a day do we here some hip hop guy or some super star athlete  or semi-talented starlet or even a common 15 minutes of fame seeker refer to themselves in the third person? I mean its sooooooo tedious. But, not to worry - because - At the end of the day (an utterly worn out cliché), it's really about showing up isn't it? Well, I was gone and now I am back. As of today, I promise to deliver SOMETHING urbane and , if not witty, at least winkingly humorous, every week. And I promise to NEVER, EVER refer to myself in the third person again, unless it is done as a literary slight of hand to make a valid point.

 

OK - I can here all of you saying - But you have not posted anything since May 4, 2014. In most

circles, that would place me in the same category as one of the no name starlets referenced above (i.e. - a clueless slacker of the first order). After all, I know for a fact that many of my countless fans wait with great anticipation to learn of the many exciting and earnest attempts by myself to alert them to the best places to lay their weary heads near and far. But wait - I say I am not a slacker, for even though I have seen the future and it is laden with wonderment, scintillating observations and answers to everything you ever wanted to know about cool places but were afraid to ask, LIFE can get in the way! That's right my fellow Nomads. The mundane demands of daily living can derail our most valiant efforts to go hither and yon. So don't tell me about your problems - I got enough of my own! Events - involving real estate, moving/relocation and unwanted encounters with that most ubiquitous purveyor of bad, and expensive, news - doctors - have conspired to force me to not write about the many trails I wander down, happy and otherwise.

 

I am officially back from the travails of daily life that can force us away from the important things, like self actualization and having a twenty year old Bordeaux under a shade tree in an Oregon wood with  your one and only sitting right next to you. I AM HERE TO SERVE!

 

And serve I shall. Among other things, I will be bringing news of the good, the bad and the utterly beautiful we found on the prairies of Oklahoma, the beauty, natural and man made, of Southern Arkansas and some of the best of Texas. That is what is known as a teaser. From The Wine Trails of Georgia to the surreal environs of Venice, I hope I can encourage you to get off your duff and go!!

 

Happy Trails Baby!!

 

D.L. Stafford

thenomadARCHITECT

 

BTW - Several changes have been made to the blog, if you are interested. I have cleaned up some of the support pages (about, design, sleep and eat), as well as the side bars. Also, you may notice a new header. It's the Inn at Price Tower in Bartlesville, Oklahoma by none other than Frank Lloyd Wright. Check out our visit next week.

 

 

 

Food Nazis, Canned Sodas, A Wee Bit of Cheese and Baseball - Oh Atlanta!!!

These Guys (aka Food Nazis) Have a Different Approach To Customer Service

Like the line from the Mick Ralphs tune Oh Atlanta  says - Oh Atlanta I Got To Get Back To You. So we usually get to Atlanta several times a year. Fortunately, the weather was fabulous during one of our recent trips to visit our very handsome and brilliant son and his even more brilliant and adorable wife, giving us ample reason to venture outside. Atlanta always impresses when it comes to places to eat, both fine and low rent, so we decided to try some old favorites and a few new ones. The design of many of these newer places, particularly in Midtown, with an eclectic mix of avante garde, industrial chic and Jackson Pollock,  is often at the cutting edge of trendy, which makes for a great aesthetic, if only temporary, before the next wave brings about new hipness requirements. Design now becomes fashion. As an architect and interior designer I get that. However, as my old Professor Gettle used to say, trendiness begets tediousness.   

 

Good architecture is NOT akin to a  pair of Gucci's or a $600 Michael Kors bag. However, in retail and food service, in particular, the line between the latest Armani soon to be on the half price rack suit and the industrial-rusty walled-spilled paint on the floor-retro graphics-ooh isn't this just the hippest place you have ever seen design aesthetic is very thin. Don't get me wrong, I am a lover of all things new in design. I just don't see Frank Gehry's creations being included in the pantheon of great western architecture like, say, a Richard Neutra house or the Chrysler Building. But, in Atlanta, at least they are trying. 

 

Design and aesthetics aside, one thing must be said about Atlanta. If you've a mind to, you can enjoy some very cool culinary delights in all manner of places, from the simple joint in a repurposed urban hay barn where they claim they grow everything on their menu in their very own backyard  to the more highbrow penthouse revolving eatery where they claim that  the beef in their restaurant comes from the offspring of a single bull named Bastion who feeds only on special organic free range grass in a small village in the Andes and they fly  it in fresh every day on their own refrigerated high speed modified F-15. Only beautiful people, or at least more attractive people with money,  eat in this beautiful enclave high above the city where Bastion's little ones are served only on sustainable extra virgin bamboo dinnerware. Now these places may or may not exist, but, any town that has a restaurant where patrons literally eat in the dark - Dining In The Dark - will surely have unique choices such as these I have imagined for Nomads traveling to The Big Peach.

 

No Nothing For You!

 

After visiting several new dining establishments in A-Town, I discovered a disturbing trend among some of Atlanta's more hip eateries.   Many of these places have developed a business model similar to the renown Soup Nazi of Seinfeld fame. The food is killer with an attitude to go with it, and I don't mean that in a good way. In their quest to become the NYC or Chicago of the south, these places are slowly taking a path which many young Millennials and Gen Y'ers have come to accept but this old Baby Boomer finds annoying and tedious.

Case No. 1 - Taqueria del Sol

This place has some of the best Mexican meets Old South cuisine served anywhere. With items like Memphis Tacos (pork & jalapeno cole slaw) or Fried Chicken Tacos (fried chicken & jalapeno mayonnaise) you can't go wrong. And with sides like spicy turnip greens or blue cheese mash potatoes, you can enjoy a well rounded meal to die for, literally. And the prices are very reasonable. However, you must follow these rules to ensure an incident free dining experience:

• Do not bring small children. To prove the point, they have no high chairs.
• Do not even think about asking to be seated until your entire party has arrived. If you try this, it can get ugly. And, of course, never, ever try and seat yourself.
• Make absolutely certain that you have studied the menu during your 30-45 minute queue so that you are ready to order quickly, without delaying the Colonel Klinkette at the counter. And she really prefers that you already have your cash or credit card in hand BEFORE you arrive at the counter. 
• And one item that annoys me. The soft drink you order comes in a twelve ounce can - i.e. no refills. I have always been afraid to order another one from my table, as I fear it would upset the natural flow and the precision with which this place cranks out more great food in less time than any place I have ever been - I think.  

Bottom line - Nazis or not - the food's worth the wait and the prices won't force you to dip into your Quicken Line of Credit. Just don't bring a kid or dilly dally at the counter!

 

Case No. 2 - Antico's Pizza  Napoletana 

The sign says BENVENUTI TO WORLD CLASS PIZZA. I don't think so! You are not welcome and the pizza is, well, read on. A partial list of Nomad complaints:

• These people at Antico's make the Soup Nazi look like Shirley Temple. The staff went to a special class to learn the nuances of being rude and disinterested.
• You have to sit at tables with strangers. Now I love new experiences as much as the next guy and I am not anti-social. However, the ambiance of this place is akin to eating in a muffler shop. Everyone is always yelling - at each other, at the wait staff or at the guy trying to steal their seat. And actually getting a seat usually involves some sort of threat of bodily harm.
• And best of all - The pizza just ain't that good. And the prices are ridiculous. Cucinella's in my current home town of Madison, Florida (population 2,769) made by a transplanted New Yorker and his kids and grand kids leaves Antico's in the dust.
• The last straw was the twelve ounce canned coke and no ice!

Bottom Line - On the Soup Nazi Scale - these guys take it to a whole new level. Unless you like average food in a loud, not particularly friendly atmosphere, pass.

 

Case 3 - Gio's Chicken Almafitanoi

This little place is in the same building as Antico's. Great food, decent prices, mediocre staff. Must be something in the air. Some thoughts on Gio's:

• The Pollo Tradizionale is all good. I had the Sorrento Lemon and it was worth the fifteen bucks.
• Though not Naziesque, the front counter girl was an obvious trainee, with that look that can only be described as a cross between bored and condescending.
• Like their sister place next door, there is only group seating. That was actually ok, because, the decibel level was considerably lower than next door. Call me picky if you like, I just don't like paying theses prices and eating in a room with the acoustics of a sewer pipe.
• And finally, when I asked the half hearted girl who was very interested in her I-phone if they had wine by the glass, she pointed to a row of "mini" wine bottles. So I ordered one and she disdainfully handed it to me after ringing it up. What is it with liquid refreshment being offered only in a small can or bottle in this town? I think I see a pattern here.

Bottom Line - I will go back. When the food is that good and not that expensive, the annoyances can be forgiven. And the itty bitty bottle of wine didn't suck.

 

Case No. 4 - Café Gio 

Advanced Nazi training is most evident at the gelato counter. This very small place is in the back of Gio's. Only three things need to be said:

• They informed us, rather rudely, that they don't give samples. Sorry, I am just not going to try goat cheese and raspberry latte gelato without kicking the tires.
• You have to pay before you select. No big deal. It's just weird and, may I say, somewhat Naziesque
• The gelato is not that good. If you think you are going to be transported to Firenza, where they have insane gelato on every corner, think again.

Bottom line - If you can find a parking space, go ahead. But you could do much better at Pelatos Gelato in the Virginia Highlands. Great people and great gelato.

 

And Then There's Bacado's - No Nazi's, Soup or Otherwise

 

At least one restaurant in Midtown Atlanta is bucking the Soup Nazi trend - Bacado's. Located in Midtown, this unique eatery has everything you need for a great night out - a funky, very hip interior design, complete with an open air "porch" at the back and supremely pleasant and helpful staff. From a very diverse menu, I took my son's advice and dined on the best twelve dollar hamburger this side of anywhere. Expertly prepared with a blend of brisket, pork and angus beef and cooked to perfection on a fresh grained bun, this burger will set you free, indeed.

 

One word of advice on the appetizers. I ordered a "plate" of the Thomasville, Georgia Goat Cheese. The cheese was excellent, but it was the single smallest piece of cheese ever served in restaurant. We had a good laugh and, I , being a good Nomad, actually cut up the cheese into four pieces for all to enjoy along with a nice, and pricey, bottle of Pinot Noir. As we enjoyed our morsels of cheese and wine, we had a great laugh at the lilliputian size of the cheese produced just thirty miles north of my home town. And finally, an entirely new concept in today's new urban restaurant obsession with long lines that prove we are the hippest of the hip - They take reservations - How Quaint!

 

And Then There Was Baseball

 

To top our weekend off in the Capital of the South, my son and I attended the Georgia Tech vs Florida State baseball game. With the great weather and a beautiful college setting on the GT campus, there is just no better way for a Nomad to appreciate the best parts of life than attending a baseball game with his son. What is it about food purchased at a baseball game? It just taste better for some reason. A burger and nachos with fake cheese - Oh Yea Baby! And, in this setting, the canned coke works. As luck would have it, we trailed until the sixth inning, when we took the lead and held on to beat the Yellow Jackets. All in all, a pretty good day. It's nice to know that you don't always have to go around the world to savor the best that life has to offer.

 

So next time you are in the hometown of the one and only Ted Turner, aka MOUTHOFTHESOUTH, enjoy the food and notate the attitudes for future reference.

 

Bon Appetit Y'all

 

D.L. Stafford

thenomadARCHITECT

 

Travel Quote of The Week - "If I ever get back to Georgia, I'm gonna nail my feet to the ground" - Lewis Grizzard - humorist, writer and raconteur.

 

Video Artist of The Week - Little Feat - These LA rockers combine blues, R&B, jazz and southern rock to bring a sound that makes you move. Check out an old Midnight Special performance with none other than Emmylou Harris and Bonnie Raitt singing back up on the classic tune Dixie Chicken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RANDOM VAGABOND ALERT - GLAMPING FOR THE "I HAVE TO HAVE MY OWN BATHROOM" SET

These Places Were Never In The Boy Scout Manual

 

Because I am constantly on the prowl for cool spaces in unforgettable places, I subscribe to way too many travel web sites and blogs. However, unlike such purveyors of mediocrity and really small fine print, Groupon and Living Social, and bundle sites such as Kayak and Priceline.com, who never, and I mean never, save you money, sometimes I get noticed with some pretty good deals on some pretty good places. And, of course, since this humble correspondent's only goal is to make you, the wandering vagabond that you have become, a happy camper, I am pleased to bring you some breaking news on actual camping.

 

Yes, that's right - camping. Now, let's be honest. Camping is not everyone's cup of tea. For me personally, I was a Boy Scout for life. Sleeping in a tent and living in the woods was the highlight of my existence until I discovered girls. And I still have fond memories of the Smokies with mom, dad, and brother camping next to a roaring stream and eating food prepared in large skillets and other non-electrical outdoor appliances. It was 1950's high tech at its best. It is amazing how food that you would never eat at home actually taste good after a couple of days in the woods. As another aside, my brother was not, is not and will never be enamored with camping. He says since we learned to walk upright, we should no longer sleep on the ground.  And the activity of modern day camping with all of the current high tech gizmos, solar powered flat screens and infrared grills is well beyond the scope of this blog.

 

As entrepreneurial endeavors go, the guy or gal that thought people would pay big money to sleep in the lap of luxury in tents is apparently on to something. The growth of high and low end camping for nomads is proving that we urbanites long for at least some  assimilation with the great outdoors. However, Baby Boomers grew up with air conditioning, television and automatic dishwashers. And with the proliferation of suburbia, we have distanced ourselves from the real outdoors. Well, glamping, or camping for people like my brother, proves you can have your cake and eat it too. No sir, this is no driving stakes, sleeping in a bag or eating freeze dried whatever. This "style" of camping would have made even Teddy Roosevelt envious.

 

And Now For The Good Part

 

As I said earlier, I receive all manner of offers, deals and "packages" extolling the virtues of tripping with yet another "adventure" travel site for amounts worthy of a medium size line of credit. However, if you want to take the plunge into the great outdoors and don't want to break the bank, then you should check out the latest offer from the Vacationist travel site. If you are not a member, just join online for free.

 

GLACIER UNDER CANVAS has just about everything a yuppified camper - and I mean that in a good way- needs. King size beds and all the comforts of home in a nice walled canvas tent. And you get to wake up to the beauty of one of America's most grand National Parks. In addition to the sleeping tent, you have your choice of  a Safari Tent with a shared bath, A Deluxe tent with a private bath in an adjacent teepee or a Suite with an en suite bath. Prices start at $139 and top out at $276. This is important if not having your own bathroom is a deal breaker, since a majority of glamping places provide shared bathing facilities. And what urban camper, including yours truly,  doesn't need his or her very own loo while communing with the beasts of the field and the fowl of the air? I'm sorry, that's where I draw the line. I lived in a dorm my first year in college and that's the last time I ever shared bathroom facilities. It wasn't pretty. The deal ends March 31, so get busy before the prices go up.

 

And the choices for glamping don't end there. There are numerous luxury camping "tent hotels", yurts, and other alternative outdoor sleeping places to suit every pocketbook while getting you back to the land.  Many are located in some very exotic locales as well. For more information on glamping, check out Glamping.com. It gives some basics on the old/new way to sleep in the great outdoors and contains many links to other glamping sites. And if you want to see someone else's opinion on the best glamping places, then 10 of the Best Glamping Destinations for Travel Snobs would be a good place to start.

 

 

Head 'Em Up Move 'Em Out

 

d.l.Stafford

thenomadARCHITECT

 

RANDOM VAGABOND ALERT - PAIN BEGATS FUNNY IN THE MOST UNLIKELY PLACES

Writing, Grooming, Surfing and joie de vivre on AMAZON

 

Newsflash! Today's post is not about travel per se, unless you consider the reality that we still have to groom ourselves while traveling.  Unless you are Anthony Bourdain, who looks like he sleeps in a ditch most of the time, you need to get rid of that unibrow on occasion, not to mention those seemingly endless patches of hair growing in places you never would have expected when you were much younger. For men, in particular, nose and ear hair, disgusting though it may be, has to be dealt with, lest people talk about you in hushed tones. Some Europeans may find the presence of voluminous body hair to be stylish, even sexy, but we Americans have developed the No No Hair business model when it comes to unwanted growth in all the wrong places.

 

Women have been obsessed with good grooming since the ancient Greeks moisturized their skin with honey. But, let's be honest, all men are metrasexuals on some level. We shave, trim and pull out unwanted hair just like the girls. I don't think waxing is an accepted practice yet, but the search for grooming "tools of the trade" is never ending, which brings me to the central point of today's Alert.

 

Relevant Information Found While Surfing

 

As a writer, I am constantly reading other writers. That's one of the many rules laid down by "serious" writers. However, since I am addicted to trolling the internet, primarily to find the next best place to sleep, I have developed a chronic case of ADD. I have the attention span of an eight year old. The internet did it. But that's a discussion beyond the scope of this blog and gets analysis ad nauseum from TV shrinks and pundits 24-7. Because my attention span, or lack therof, is quickly approaching infinity, I take great delight when I read anything clever or interesting in something under the Twitter character max. BTW - It's very rare to read anything interesting on Twitter.  Imagine my delight when I stumbled upon a piece of brilliant comedic writing on, of all places, AMAZON.com. Like a Dave Barry protégé, the reviewer captures the pain and glory of an ill fated "manual" hair remover. It's as if Dennis Miller were writing copy for an early SNL Weekend Update. After reading this little piece of serious humor, I felt the need to share it with my fellow vagabonds. If you are feeling low, this should brighten your day.

 

An actual product and its review direct from AMAZON.com.

 

Groom Mate Platinum XL Nose & Hair Trimmer

by Groom Mate

 

List Price: $29.87

Price:        $18.88

You Save: $10.99 (37%)

• Groom Mate branded nose & ear hair trimmers are considered to be the finest battery-free nose hair trimmers available today. PHR Systems, Ltd. has been manufacturing these fine trimmers here in the USA since 1991.
• The Platinum XL nose & ear hair trimmer is made from 100% stainless steel and includes an unconditional lifetime warranty with a money-back guarantee if not satisfied.
• The Platinum XL trimmer has a patented rotary blade system that is guaranteed to never dull and to never pull or yank out nostril hairs.
• The Platinum XL trimmer will never cut or nick the sensitive lining of your nostril and nose hairs are gently and painlessly trimmed.
• A simple, safe and very effective nose and ear hair trimmer. Give yourself the gift of good grooming today!

 

 

 Ready to get out the credit card - right! Read on

 

One Star  OOOOOWWWWW!!!

Review by Schuylercat on Jun 3, 2010    

 

This little bloodthirsty monster works absolutely fantastic 99% of the time - spin and trim, gets the stragglers that electric back-and-forth models miss, easy and fast.

Then there's that 1%. It transforms, magically, into an instrument of evil Torquemada would have included in his torture kit. It becomes a little set of pliers, rather than a clipper.

Every so often it grabs a hair. It doesn't gently fondle the hair, and it doesn't caress the hair, and it doesn't bloody brush it: it grips it with the strength of ten frickin' Grinches, plus two, and...

It.

Will.

Not.

Let.

Go.

I swear I can hear it giggling over the sound of my screaming.

Torquemada Indeed!

 

So the next time you're standing in front of the mirror, getting ready for a night on the town in Paris, Valencia or some other exotic locale, staring at your state of the art hair remover with the dead battery, you can chuckle at the trailblazer that gave you the unvarnished truth about the one with no power.

 

Remember Fellow Nomads - Grass Doesn't Grow On Busy Streets

d.l.stafford
thenomadARCHITECT

 

SO WHAT MAKES A HOTEL WORTHY?

Great Hotels Are Like Great Art - You Have To Know What You're Looking At

 

My favorite professor in architecture school was on a mission. Both in the studio and his favorite class - we called it history and mystery - his obsession was a long and arduous journey to impart knowledge to his students. As a former student of  one of the founders of The  International Style, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, he insisted his young charges leave his classroom and studio with as much knowledge of the aesthetics, structure and meaning of great architecture, art and other artistic accomplishments, great and small, as he could impart. Many people are fond of the statement - I don't know anything about art, but I know what I like. Statements like that in the presence of Professor Gettle would get you a stern reprimand and an intense lecture on the nuances of Renaissance painters  versus Cubism or the reasons for the fluted grooves in Greek columns, which are many and beyond the scope of this post.

 

Determining the coolness factor or the aesthetic worthiness of a small hotel and its surroundings requires much the same level of "knowledge" about what you are looking at and looking for in a place that can take your vagabonding to the next level. It's similar to comparing a Frank Lloyd Wright house to one designed by a lesser talent. By combining the notions presented throughout this blog with your own timely travel research, you will develop an appreciation of all the factors that make a place worthy of your time and money. Ultimately, the goal is to develop the knowledge and experience to ensure that you know what you are looking at. If you believe, as any aesthetic vagabond believes, that architecture and design, when done well, can actually make your travels, indeed your life, better, then read on. Otherwise, skip the esoteric lingo and check out the latest "deal" from Kayak or Hotels.com. As someone once said when asked why he would spend $1,000 on a new suit as opposed to $200, he replied - Because I look much better in a $1,000 suit.

 

But Wait - It's Not Always About The Money

 

The focus of this blog has slowly transitioned, over its first three years, into an obsessive search for great hotels or other unique places to sleep that don't require a second mortgage to pay the rent. If you stay at The Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, for the ridiculous sum of $1,200 to $1,400 per night, everything, and I do mean everything, better be otherworldly, or there will be trouble. I'm just sayin'.

 

If you have unlimited funds, you will always have the perceived best at your disposal. Expensive hotels, especially "resort" hotels, spend an inordinate amount of time and money on services that a true vagabond doesn't need. I really don't need my luggage hauled to my room with the mandatory explanation of how the television works or where the hair dryer is. A hotel we stayed in not so long ago in Jacksonville Beach, of all places, did not have a coffee maker in the room or ice makers on the floor, requiring you to call room service to have those rather pedestrian conveniences delivered to your room with the expectation of a tip for each delivery. All part of the "total service" hotel experience - tedious!

 

Finding a great hotel at a great price is not always easy. It depends on where you are headed and what you are looking for. It's easy in Europe, the UK being the one exception. Italy, France, Spain et al have scores of great places at great prices. And its hard in the good ole USA. If you do a lot of homework, you can find reasonably priced hotels in parts of California, the Northwest and the East Coast. Florida? Fugetaboutit, unless you go to Miami. And why would anyone do that on purpose? Boutique hotels are, indeed, rare in the Sunshine State. When planning a trip, you should include a few places that you would never tell your in laws what you spent because they would try to have you committed. As my old roomie used to say - What's a few hundred dollars in a lifetime? As in life, travel is about balance, right?

 

Many factors go into the creation of a great hotel. Today, I am going where no other travel blogger has gone before. I am taking the plunge. I am waxing eloquent. I am going out on a limb. I am barking up the big tree. I am going to give my favorite nomads a short version of the  unadulterated, unfettered, unabashed and extremely opinionated checklist to use when searching for the perfect place to R & R like a true Nomad.

 

Aesthetics DO Matter

 

A well designed hotel, like a beautiful woman, gives one pause to smile. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In hotels, less so. One of the discussions we have around here fairly regularly is the attempt to answer the modern architect's lament - Why do Americans embrace the McMansion model of residential design, as opposed to the beautiful, simple and elegant "modern" residential designs that were immensely popular in the fifties and sixties but gave way to the faux estatelettes that litter suburbia today. Whether it's a sleek modern, minimalist design or a repurposed prison built in the fourteenth century that is now an elegant twenty room boutique, the design of the place makes a difference.

Cibilo Creek Ranch near the art colony/town of Marfa, Texas proves this point in the extreme. A repurposed fort, complete with gun openings used back in the day for keeping attackers at bay, Cibilo sits amidst thirty thousand acres of hauntingly austere and beautiful Texas desert. Purchased and restored by a wealthy CEO, this "ranch" sports every quality one would expect in a five star hotel overlayed and inserted into an 1800's fort. The blend of ancient and new makes it memorable. Not to mention the killer beds, on site food and camels, yes camels, that roam the place.

 

Size Really DOES Matter

If anyone within the sound of this blog has ever stayed in a mega hotel and thought it worthy of their hard earned cash, by all means please let me know. There is nothing more tedious  than a thousand room hotel that is over staffed and overpriced to respond to your every need. You become a bit player in a kind of a ground hog day of valets,  room service with average food and lobbies full of hundreds of people thinking they have found the best of the best. The smaller, the better in my book. You get more real personal service because the people serving you are usually the owners who have invested their money and their lives in running their little part of the travel world. Only in environs like the intimate courtyard of a repurposed manse in Avignon can you sit with the owner and discuss how their unique place came to be. Designed by a Swiss architect and his artist wife,  the edgy Lumani B&B,  in the heart of the City of Popes, is just such a place. Small really is the way to go. 

 

And Speaking of Food

 

Food is the WD-40, if you will, of travel. We all agree you have to have a great place to sleep, but, without great food, you will eventually become a creaky, cranky vagabond. If you are staying in an urban hotel, the food choices are usually many. You should aways check with the owners of your hotel for the best spots. Many boutique hotels are located in places far away from the madding crowd. This fact usually requires that food be served on site. Dining on rabbit at Castello de Tornano, in the heart of Tuscany, was both a culinary and sensory delight that we still talk about. The fact that it was served in the former great hall of a vintage castle built in 1110 didn't hurt.

 

The Bed's The Thing

 

At the The Inn of The Five Graces in Santa Fe, you can actually purchase their bed "system" for the princely sum of $5,000. Now I have never spent that much on a bed, but, sleeping on one will tempt you to run up your American Express right on the spot. Resist the urge. You're on vacation, man! The point is - great little hotels usually have big, comfy beds.

 

You Need Stuff To Do Too

OK, you've slept well. You've eaten well. And you have money to burn, because you didn't spend the ridiculous sums and you didn't pay all the fees and tips associated with a big fat resort. No, if you followed all the Do's and Don'ts of finding the perfect little place, you ended up in an intimate boutique with a view to die for at a price you can brag about. But after the sleeping and the eating, a vagabond needs something to do. That's where the local environs of a hotel come into play. And personal preference becomes critical. If you happen to be one who lives for the urban delights of Paris, then, an isolated former hayloft turned country chic suite to die for in the middle of nowhere probably isn't your first choice. But, if communing with cows and rural artifacts is your thing, then say hello to the country life.

 

Recently, on our annual anniversary trip to a small five unit boutique, Wild Springs Guest Habitat, in the even smaller town of Port Orford, Oregon, we enjoyed the wild beauty and isolation of the Pacific, as well as world class art galleries and edgy art exhibits. All in a community with no more than three traffic lights. If you do your homework, you can have your travel cake and eat it too.

At The End Of The Day

When its all said and done, the perfect vagabond hotel comprises those attributes that take you to a different time and place that feels right. Everyone is looking for God's Country. If you are passionate about travel and do your due diligence while planning your dream vacation, you will find your little piece of heaven on earth. In the city, in the country, by the sea or in the desert. Travel changes you in ways you never expect. And it goes a lot better when you are in a place that meets your aesthetic, emotional and cultural needs. So, happy hunting. Great travel requires inspiration and an unwillingness to settle. But when you sit with the ones you love and raise that glass of local vintage, under the big tree overlooking the big sea, you will know that it was worth it.

I hope 2014 takes you to places you never knew existed. Remember, the yellow brick road had a lot of curves in it, not to mention the interesting characters along the way.

 

See You Somewhere Over The Rainbow

 

d.l.stafford

thenomadARCHITECT

 

Travel Quote of The Week - “The major advantage of domestic travel is that, with a few exceptions such as Miami, most domestic locations are conveniently situated right here in the United States.” – Dave Barry

 

Video Artist of The Week - Steely Dan - The purveyors of Post Modern Jazz Rock bring excellent musicianship and lyrics, sarcastic and ironic, that only Fagan and Becker understand - But its still great listening and very tight.