Trash Tuesday #92: Where Getting it Cheap is Part of the Esthetic
by Pasadena Adjacent
One of the general rules of the universe is what you pick up today will come in handy 12 years and 173 days from now. If you cull your treasures without this in mind, on that 12th year and 173rd day, there will be a general nashing of teeth; some of which in the editor’s case, were lost during that span of time.
This Trash Tuesday #92 predates the “universal rule” by an additional decade AND upper molar. These six glass blocks (and one larger block) came to me by way of an abandoned house in “Small Town Montebello” Mr’s V’s words and “walking with Mary’s” favorite line. A little Spanish bungalow that had some withering cacti, iris’s in their slumber state, a stack of signed but “unglazed” Bauer bowls, and a pile of glass blocks. The editor took everything, and has since killed or discarded most. The circumstances that led to the abandoned house had something to do with the succulent “Sticks of Fire.” It had been featured in the garden section of the LA Times back when the LA Times valued such things. I believe it was a new arboreal discovery then, and the only place selling them was a a nursery on a rented patch of asphalt somewhere in Montebello.
So about those glass bricks. Welcome to the continuing saga that is called the Twyla Towers. A modest project started under the concept that Twyla should be able to enjoy the great outdoors under the editor’s exacting supervision. An idea that seemed doable ( prepare for a run-on sentence) after replacing the fallen cinderblock wall and above that, creating a property dividing trendy redwood horizontal slat fence in that small time frame between discovering the previous horrible neighbors had been evicted and the imminent upcoming sale of said “estate.” All she (meaning Mr V) had to do is build a door and cover the open area with chicken wire….then the editor discovered the evil site houzz.com and there was no way she could settle on a simple interpretation of “form follows function.” More on this to come.
In the meantime – enjoy the glass blocks that now decorate the opening to the kitty compound.
Wish I knew how to quit that plant. Mid Town G hauling euphorbia Sticks of Fire “Christmas style” to Venice
Our Editor Responds: Twyla is a cat.
In the Editor’s neighborhood of Pasadena Adjacent Highland Park, trash collection takes place on a Tuesday. The night before is a good time to canvas the neighborhood for castaways. It’s great sport. We use Tuesday on our blog to post the Editor’s treasures. If we haven’t scored any good curbside finds “Trash Tuesday” becomes “Tag Sale Tuesday” where the phrase “getting it cheap is part of the esthetic” still remains apropos
“Getting it cheap is part of the esthetic” was coined by photographer D Gordon
http://www.dgorton.com/
The Editor
I could live there.
Our Editor Responds: You might get a bit wet but it does have a spectacular view
Twyla Towers is not Faulty.
Our Editor Responds: Well occasionally, but when the editor points them out, she is met with temper and resistance. She concedes with “never mind, it’s ok”. Then tempers disengage, doubt sets in and we redo it. The editor knows how this works.
Righteous touch! Nicest use of glass bricks I’ve ever seen.
Our Editor Responds: and when we have cocktails at the Twyla Towers you will be able to fawn over our brilliance in person
Hmm. I don’t think I am familiar with “sticks of fire.” But it is a great name.
Our Editor Responds: yes you are
Hurrah for the long-awaited photos of Twyla Towers! Beauty at its very best!! I don’t know what Sticks of Fire are either. Hopefully, The Google can assist. Have you gotten rid of the signed-but-unglazed Bauer? I would give (insert most treasured object here) to see a photo of it!!!
Our Editor Responds: The Bauer’s were shaped like bowls with a thin rim on the top – but were actually planting pots. They had made it through the first firing (bisque) but were never glazed. Bauer operated in the area. My guess is they didn’t make the cut, the owners ran a nursery on the side and had a connection to someone at Bauer. Kind of wish I kept one for historical reasons. I have plenty of glazed Bauer. Catalina is my favorite but Bauer ware is second.
Is/are (need a grammarian here) Sticks of Fire a non-native (invasive) plant? To mess with Mother Nature is to invite trouble.
You seem to have have one of those lucky cats on your hands.
Our Editor Responds: It’s a ephorbia that originally comes from South Africa and isn’t invasive. It’s also called pencil (something) The sap is poisonous though.
The little monster loves the towers. She can’t wait till I break my back laying down sod for her. Btw: the kitty ramps are carpeted
Oh wow. That’s a really nice Cat Condo!
Our Editor Responds: It’s become a transitional depository for my creativity. Until I can get back into the studio, this is the bridge. More to come!
Same as pencil plant? http://bit.ly/XDXRFX
I love glass blocks. Always have. They have some sort of childhood reference for me. Some kind of deep memory I don’t have access too.
Our Editor Responds: Me too. Probably why they’ve stuck around so long. You should hear Mr V groan when I come up with these “decorative” ideas. I’ve always wanted some architectural feature that would employ glass brick. I wasn’t thinking in terms of a Kitty Condo – but it works.
The things we do for lo-o-o-ove, the things we do for love:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-6PnsnBpQE Our Editor Responds: My little rat faced baby girl is an Alpha. The “Hiker” referred to her as having a “singular face” I like that description.
I’m thinking that maybe I need another cat – kitten. Beau has become Jim’s cat. Looks like you and Twyla have hit it off.
Our Editor Responds: We have, she is absolutely obnoxious. We’re carrots and peas.
You should get a kitten. You forget how much fun it is to have a young cat around
We have two dogs, Mabel and Wolf, and three cats at home, Charlie, George and Chairman. We have two cats on our farm, Tom and Little Sister, two horses, and two mini horses, Hannah and Tricky. We also have two cows, Holy and Madonna. And those are only the animals we let sleep in our bed.
Ellen DeGeneres
Wow, wow, meow. Tha’ts a muy bueno casa del gato.
That gato won the loto. Did you name her after Twyla Tharp?
Kiss. W
Our Editor Responds: Holy Madonna – I didn’t realize you were quoting until I got to the end. “that gato won the logo” yup – and yup on Twyla Tharp. Her name was chosen for her long before kitty queen was born. And I know what the next one will be named.
Landy Maude has a “rat face” and she’s an albino. I think she’s beautiful.
I’d be interested in that view. And the cat. Congrats on the glass.
Our Editor Responds: It’s pretty nice – and she has the best view of all of us
T-Twrs — superb! Nice use of blocks. What a lucky kitty. Can I bring mine over to play?
Love that line “when LA Times cared about such things”.
Our Editor Responds: surprise surprise – Trash Tuesday really is everyone’s favorite. Yes bring yours over. The top of Twyla’s Tower lines up with the neighbors window. Her cat is able to visit Twyla.
I admire your fortitude and perseverance in keeping and having a place for your finds. I tend to discard things that don’t fit immediately (like old bricks, shipped off to someone else’s backyard, when, later, they could have been used in mine). Color me impatient.
Our Editor Responds: I depend on people like you. Just got a load in from someone with the same attitude. Years books from the 50′s and some other stuff awaiting a future Tuesday
Seriously–the fanciest cat enclosure EVER!
Our Editor Responds: It gives Mr V great pleasure to see her sunning in the morning.
That’s one lucky cat. I’d love to get a kitten again, but it could grow up into a hunter of mice and killer of birds. Not if I had a cat condo for it built by PA and Mr. V.
Our Editor Responds: Ha! If they killed pigeons, would you feel better? Kitty Condo – if you’ve got the money – Mr V is for hire. A man of many talents
Can I have cocktails at the Twyla Towers?! I was going to ask if you and Mr. V had started a cottage industry building cat condos. I want one! I feel guilty my two cats not only never go outside but have to share the house with two pit bulls. It isn’t fair.
Those glass blocks look familiar.