Skyscrapers of the FUTURE in an annual competition from eVolo

Architecture magazine eVolo conducts an annual competition for submissions from architects, designers and artists for the most cutting edge designs for the future.  The winner (which is not shown here, BTW) was unusual, as were the other submissions.  I didn't like the winner so much so I'm not highlighting it.

My favorites, though, are included below.

One of the most interesting and provocative submissions is a picture of mobile buildings on the planet, Mars, which really captivated my imagination.

What a great and unusual annual competition.  Check out the magazine's website at http://www.evolo.us.

I discovered this topic at Daily Mail Online at:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2295583/Skyscrapers-future-The-weird-wonderful-architectural-designs-unusual-buildings-really-stand-up.html

The most BEAUTIFUL ACTOR ever: GARY COOPER (click on photos to enlarge)

He's just the right height, just the right body proportion, hairy in all the right places:  legs, arms, chest, who knows what else.  I'll bet those feet are gigantic, amongst other appendages!  (This might also be Steve McQueen...the face looks like it, but the legs are definitely uniquely long like Cooper's.)

The HOTTEST actor who ever lived
GARY COOPER

My mother and I have an ongoing discussion that there are so many remarkably beautiful, funny and interesting men today.   Seems as though the species is evolving to a more beautiful form.  I'm interested in men, so I wouldn't be able to make a subjective decision also about women.

Men seem  these days to be even more exceptionally beautiful, handsome and appealing than in the past (except when they shave their body hair).

Ellen DeGeneres, ironically, has at least one or two beautiful, sexy men on every day of her show.   Television shows have the most exquisite specimens of men as cast members.  Maybe that the definition of male beauty has grown more diverse than in the past.  It just seems that wherever I go there are so many remarkably hot men.  Maybe it's simply that I've become middle aged (50) and anything that is younger is more appealing.

So what a great time to live, huh!  When men are utterly beautiful, charming and hopefully evolving from Cro-Magnin.   Except of course, Republicans and religious extremists in any form.

This is beauty.......handsome beauty.  Look at the eyebrows, the long eyelashes, the perfect nose, the lips, the high cheek bones, the chin.   There is nothing else to change.  It is perfect in every way.

With a perfect hairy chest this man has lovely arms and body

He defines the male description of "GQ" decades before the magazine was borne.  I wonder how much Gary Cooper and Fred Astaire had an influence on style from each other.

Hairy chest with a lovely treasure trail.  Manly.   Not shaved and unnaturally feminine as is the ideal today for men today. 

Young and utterly the most handsome face to ever grace this stupid planet

Hairy chest with a lovely treasure trail.  Manly.   Not shaved and unnaturally feminin,e as is the ideal today for men today. 

VOGUE:  "Gary Cooper gave could face." (or the way the song SHOULD have been written)

Young with his gorgeous profile and gorgeous hairy chest

Long lovely legs, made to wrap around a face

So stunning in his early days in film

Stunning and handsome throughout his life

Absolutely mesmerizing

There was one man who for me has always embodied and been the very essence and representative of male beauty at it's very best.  That's Gary Cooper.  The photos I've included (I could have posted hundreds, actually) represents the various things that made him so beautiful.  He represents, for me, the ultimate representation of male beauty:  Tall, lean, fit, hairy, stunning face, well-groomed, amongst many other things.  He was also a very talented artist/actor.

I can't imagine that anyone on the planet wouldn't know who this man is.   But if you don't and would be interested to learn more, then click here.

I LOVE Elephants

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2289506/Mother-knows-best-Touching-snaps-host-patient-parents-bonding-boisterous-babies-animal-kingdom.html

This photos is from a Dailymail article about motherly love.  To see the article:  click here (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2289506/Mother-knows-best-Touching-snaps-host-patient-parents-bonding-boisterous-babies-animal-kingdom.html).

A John Lautner MID-CENTURY masterpiece in my own backyard

Photo from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2288168/Its-world-Bob-Hopes-space-age-Palm-Springs-home-goes-market-50m.html

I live in Palm Desert which is one of the assortment of Coachella Valley cities that comprise the Palm Springs tourist area.

Photo from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2288168/Its-world-Bob-Hopes-space-age-Palm-Springs-home-goes-market-50m.html

The Coachella Valley is truly a living museum of mid-century archi-tecture and design.  Perhaps one of the most famous houses here, by one of the most famous and revered mid-century designers, John Lautner is Bob Hope's former Palm Springs house.

John Lautner photograph from www.johnlautner.org 

This home has just gone up for sale $50million, which may be a price record for our area if it sells.  I'll be fascinated if they get that although it is an important Lautner commission and maybe it will command a good price.  Interesting to read on Daily Mail Online that Lautner distanced himself from the home and the Hope's in later years, because of the furnishings as well as Bob and Dolores Hope's interference in the design.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2288168/Its-world-Bob-Hopes-space-age-Palm-Springs-home-goes-market-50m.html

I've lived here in the Palm Springs region (with a brief excursion to San Diego) since the early 90's.  That was before the world rediscovered mid-century modern.  And Palm Springs had a renaissance.

Shades of Rome's Pantheon, no?  Perhaps Lautner's homage? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2288168/Its-world-Bob-Hopes-space-age-Palm-Springs-home-goes-market-50m.html

So very sculptural, before Gehry and Hadid.  The interesting architecture form seems to inform these contemporary architects?  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2288168/Its-world-Bob-Hopes-space-age-Palm-Springs-home-goes-market-50m.html

The Hope house was always been a bit of a mystery since I've lived in the area.  I could see it from afar, but never up close.  I've always heard that the Hopes actually had another home in the desert where they actually stayed.  They also resided in Toluca Lake (an LA suburb).   Supposedly, they used the house in the earlier years for entertainment purposes.   In their later years, although they remained involved occasionally in society, they really probably weren't doing much private entertaining.

This house has always been an enigma.  You could always see it on the hill when you entered Palm Desert from the east.  It sat majestically about all other houses Palm Springs and it was quite large.  But I never saw how beautiful this Lautner work was.  I don't think we truly understand the scale of the house.  From a distance, it looks like a big UFO.  But I would imagine that when you're there the scale is quite impressive.

This house symbolizes so much grandeur of the desert.  It started back in the 20's and 30's (Garbo had a house near here) and the Hope's really symbolized the end of that era (Lucille Ball, Ginger Rogers, Truman Capote, Jane Wyman, Frank Sinatra, Kirk Douglas, Gene Autry, Bing Crosby and a literal giant cast of Hollywood's greatest who resided here, full-or-part-time, from the 1920's-2000's).

These days, Bill Gates has a home here, as does a host of others.  I think following the mid-century modern renaissance here at the beginning of this century (2000-ish) that many stars, billionaires, and famous people have "rediscovered" a vacation home here, or have family members who lived here (Cher's mother lives here, Lily Tomlin either lives here or has a family member that does.....I date myself, I think with this whole blog.   Don't know about Kanye West or the Kardashians, or Beiber, or whoever young person is hot now!?)  I don't think the Desert ever went out of fashion.  It did go through some very stark generational changes.

Personally, I've kind of overstayed my welcome and overdone the desert.....I'm very ready to move on to a new place.  But the Coachella Valley is a beautiful place to live, especially the architecture (and oddly the "purple, turd-like mountains" para-phrasing Truman Capote).  You should all come here to visit. For the architecture.  For the weather (except in summer).  For the food and resorts, among so many other things.

Check out this article on Daily Mail (all photos are from the Daily Mail Online website:  click here)

The night sky from the Hope home in Palm Springs.  This is why "the Desert" has been the destination for presidents, movie stars, wealthy and influential since the 20's.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2288168/Its-world-Bob-Hopes-space-age-Palm-Springs-home-goes-market-50m.html