thrift store: american cancer society discovery shop

I have been known to haunt a thrift store or two. I think the bug was instilled in me when my mom dragged me to every thrift store & antique shop in Big Bear Lake, California on a long ago vacation. It's the treasure hunt and the possibilities that I enjoy. This post is the first in a series on the local thrift shop, antique, and consignment scene in Orange County, California. By the end of the series, we should have a virtual Orange County thrift shop directory amassed.

American Cancer Society Discovery Shop
Mid-Century Rating: 3 out of 5 stars (3.4)

2600 E Coast Hwy
Corona del Mar, CA 92665

(949) 640-4777

discoveryshop-coronadelmar.org

usc and modernism: william krisel

Who knew the USC architectural school was a critical driving force in modernism in Southern California? It stands to reason, as the university is famous for far more than its football team and **ahem** MBA program. USC is well known in the creative endeavors like music, film, drama, and architecture. A fellow patron of mid-century modern architecture, Ron Hudson, pointed out this article in the August 2012 USC alumni magazine, USC Trojan Family, Modernism for the Masses.

Home by Modern architect William Krisel '49.
Twin Palms Estates in Palm Springs, California.
Picture of Krisel's wife, Corrine, and photo take by famed architectural
photographer Julius Shulman as seen in Trojan Family magazine.

lighting a mid-century modern landscape design

The best part about our new mid-century modern landscape design was the lighting. The landscaper used high end low voltage lights from Corona lighting. I went out with a tripod a few nights ago to capture the full effect.

Dusk in a mid-century modern garden

artsy after bathroom remodel pictures

Our architect asked us if he could come over and photograph the finished mid-century modern remodeled bathrooms.

Great angle.

landscaping a mid-century modern home

After we remodeled our bathrooms, we were left with a 10 by 67 square foot piece of land off the back fence. I was terrified it would turn in a junkyard. Odd bits of yard are prone to become somewhat ghetto overnight ... a hose here, some unused lumbar there, random pieces of flagstone stacked up against a wall -- and before you know it, a blight on the neighborhood.  But, luckily, I had saved a tiny bit of the remodel budget to deal with our mid-century modern garden problem. I was obsessed with having a view out the new bathroom window:

do it yourself or hire a landscaper?

Do you do it yourself or do you hire a landscaper? That was the question Albert and I have tussled back and forth with since the completion of our mid-century modern bathroom remodel back in May. Since the finish of the job we have been staring at this:

Strip of land at the back of the house created by the remodel

artistic eichler exactingly embellished

Another Eichler for sale in the coveted Orange Fairhaven tract. This one is a real beauty. What I love about it, almost more than the fact it is an Eichler, is the decor. The owners really know their mid-century modern. These pictures are courtesy of EichlerSoCal who holds the listing. Take a step inside ...

You are typically greeted by a rather plain front entry in an Eichler home. Honestly, these homes don't look like much from the outside.

a neutra with nine lives in newport beach

If you live anywhere near Costa Mesa or Newport Beach, California, how many times have you driven past this building? Hundreds of times on your way to or from the Pizza Bakery?

Mariners Medical Arts Building, 1901 Westcliff Drive, Newport Beach, CA

A Neutra sits among us!

a tribute to mexican gardeners

Due to our remodel the first half of the year, we let the yard get completely out of control. The sprinklers got cut by the construction work on one side of the yard, and we never repaired them. The tress and plants look a little overgrown and wilty.

Center courtyard landscape

The picture above isn't a bad angle, it is really the way our side yard looks. This side yard faces the center patio, so I see it every single day, and we use this patio for entertaining. This bit of our yard annoys me on a regular and ongoing basis.