The McNay Art Museum

McNay Art Museum

San Antonio has many tourist attractions.  Aside from the Riverwalk and the Alamo and the Missions one of the places to see the best the city has to offer is the McNay Art Museum.  Located in Terrell Hills, minutes from downtown, this was the first modern art museum in Texas.  It opened in 1954 and the history and architecture of the original home is as much of an attraction as the collection it houses.

Interior Gallery

The home of Marion Koogler McNay was built in 1927.  The original house consisted of 24 rooms and was designed in the tradition of Spanish-Colonial Revival architecture.  Upon her death in 1950 she donated her estate of 23 acres, main house, art collection and endowment to establish her museum.

Original Museum and Main House Entrance

Coffered Ceiling Detail

Interior Gallery

The outside grounds and courtyard are just as impressive as the interior of the main house.  Many bridal portraits are staged on the beautiful lawns against the main house as the backdrop.  The museum also is a coveted venue for upscale receptions and events.

Courtyard View

Peacock Mosaic

Mrs. McNay was fond of peacocks, evident in the peacock motif throughout the courtyard gardens.  This tile mosaic is a beautiful example.  Peacocks roam the lawn and grounds today as they did for Mrs. McNay.

Courtyard Staircase

Courtyard Staircase Close Up

McNay Courtyard

Courtyard Fountain

Courtyard View from Terrace

Exterior Detail

McNay Column

McNay Gate

Many of the details such as the custom tile and stencil work were designed by Marion McNay.  Note the blue peacock motif is repeated in the stencil work below.

McNay Stencil

McNay Tile

In the spring of 2009 the museum re-opened after a major restoration and expansion.

Addition Exterior

Double View of Addition

Photos courtesy of envirokas, Restoration Associates, Ltd., Chambers Architects, WikiMedia Commons, giamarie at flickr,  Laura C.,Paige D., Kristin F. and Susan J. at yelp.com, and Guido Brothers Contruction Company. Addition photos courtesy of The McNay Art Museum, re-published by Interior Design magazine.

Mobile Mini-House

Mobile Mini-House

Who says you need a large RV for a great road trip.  If you are watching your carbon foot print, take a look at the Mobile Mini-House designed by Stephanie Bellanger, Amaury Watine, François Gustin and David Dethoor.  Their design was a student project for the Superior Institute of Design of Valenciennes in France.
The shape and design was influenced by both the American RVs of the 50s and the Los Angeles Chemosphere house designed and built by architect John Lautner in 1960.
The Mobile Mini when fully open extends to a 252° semi-circle.

Chemosphere House, Los Angeles, CA

Mobile Mini-House photos fromgreenmuze.com and impactlab.com.
Chemosphere photos from coolbloom.net.

The Mobile Mini-House Unfolded

Easy Haul for a Mini

Bedroom

Lavatory

Living Room

Office View 1

Office View 2

Mini Fridge

Chemosphere Interior

Lilliputian Dream Houses

Storybook Bungalow

Children's playhouses can be as simple or elaborate as anything else.  But let's be honest.  If I'm going to dream, I'm going to dream big.  So the playhouses in this post are elaborate on the outside.  On the inside they are pretty simple.  This company, Lilliput Play Homes, has an extensive selection.  Besides the playhouse collections they also construct customized replicas of actual houses in playhouse size.  The list price on these babies is around $5,500 for a Storybook Bungalow.
I wonder if they would be able to customize a replica of Tara from "Gone With the Wind"?  That would be something.  It would also be something to see their collection assembled in one big beautiful outdoor showplace.  They could realistically display an entire lilliputian township.

Princess Cottage

Firehouse

Neighborhood Market

Custom Replica of a Victorian Brownstone

Hospital

Town Hall

Filling Station

Historic Homes of the King William District

King William Historic District, San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio holds some of Texas' most beautiful treasures representing Victorian design in the historical King William District.  The King William area is comprised of a 25 block area near downtown.  The homes of this coveted neighborhood were built in the 1880s.

Carl Wilhelm August Groos House, 1880

The King William District became the first designated Historic Neighborhood in Texas in 1967.

Alexander Sartor, Jr. House, 1882

The area currently boasts an arts and entertainment area with shops and restaurants, perfect for pedestrians who wish to enjoy walking tours.

Steve's Homestead, 1876

Norton, Polk, Mathis House

Photos courtesy of basstbn's Virtual Tourist Home Page.  For tours and additional information visit  The King William Association.org and visitsanantonio.com.  For the complete historical background on the area visit SanAntonioConservation.org.
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On Missing Elsa Klensch

I was thinking recently about Elsa Klensch as I was pondering over what to write next for the blog. I couldn't help thinking of Elsa. I loved her understated way of reporting. I watched her show religiously every Saturday morning at 10AM on CNN during the 80s.  My brother and I would fight over watching her show over his morning cartoons.  It was a very important half hour and I would use physical force if necessary to win the battle for the remote.  I couldn't miss Elsa.  Without her show I would never have understood the difference between an A-line or a bias cut.  I would not have begun my early appreciation for fashion, beauty and decorating.  Elsa introduced me to Yohji Yamamoto, Christian Lacroix, Vivienne Westwood, Zandra Rhodes, and Jean Paul Gaultier.  She really focused on her subjects and had an easy way of persuading them to dish on their collections and methods for designing. I don't know of any TV fashion journalist today that lives up to her style, integrity and onscreen charisma.  Her signature haircut always perfectly coiffed.

Elsa Klensch, Author and Former Host of CNN's Style

Elsa is now a novelist so my fix will have to include reading her last book, "Take Two".

Elsa's newest mystery thriller, "Take Two".

Here is a clip courtesy of the CynthiaRybakoff channel on YouTube featuring Cynthia Rybakoff who had the privilege of appearing on Style and being interviewed by Elsa Klensch.  Cynthia is a design enthusiast and jewelry designer.  Her jewelry has been showcased in the collections of Isaac Mizrahi, Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger.  You can also visit her blog at http://hallmarked.blogspot.com/?
Style With Elsa Klensch Clip


Video courtesy of beforeyouknowit01 channel on  YouTube.
Style with Elsa Klensch - Millenial Fashion 1


Video courtesy of beforeyouknowit01 channel on  YouTube.
Style with Elsa Klensch goes Back to the Future 4


More links on Elsa Klensch....http://www.elsaklensch.com/, http://www.greatertalent.com/ElsaKlensch,http://www.observer.com/node/44596.