Shakespeare seeks stage

It looks like the Festival Theatre Ensemble's free outdoor theater at Menlo Park is in jeopardy. As Renee Batti from our sister paper the Almanac reports, the back lot where Shakespeare gets staged every summer is in the way of the Hetch Hetchy water pipe restoration project. So the search is on for a new venue, and I wish the group good fortune. Read the full story here.

Feels like I was just writing about the Menlo Players Guild losing its theater. While schools in neighboring towns have beautiful new performing-arts centers, community stages are few and far between in the fair city where I grew up.

Pictured: A publicity photo from the Festival Theatre Ensemble's website.

New art takes shape on Newell Road

Curious people are already peering into artist Patrick Dougherty's new environmental sculpture on the Palo Alto Art Center grounds, and it's not scheduled to be finished for a week and a half. But it's hard to resist.

I mean, check this thing out. It's got whirls and windows of willow saplings in a surprising, subtle palette of colors. The artist and his crew are climbing ladders, scaling scaffolding and weaving their materials together. I dropped by today and took a few pics with the trusty smartphone.

Once it's finished, the "site-specific installation" is expected to look like a long fairytale-esque dwelling, up for kids and everyone else to explore for at least a year, if the creek don't rise.

Patrick Dougherty is also scheduled to give a free talk at the art center at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 27.




Pictured: Above right: A visitor peers into the sculpture. Above: Two members of the installation crew at work. Photos by Rebecca Wallace.

What I Love about Candice

What I love about Candice Olson is... her interiors never disappoint. Case in point... this city loft.  It's sophisticated, polished and the finishes are up to date. Her choices of stainless and silver make an elegant impact.  From the floors to the sheer mesh draperies this space has many resting places for the eye.  Chocolate brown instead of black adds softness to the decor that works well with the taupe and cream palette.  What draws the eye up are the chocolate cabinets and the chocolate shades on the chandeliers.  Margo chandeliers are from the Candice Olson Lighting Collection. This collection works well with both a contemporary or traditional aesthetic. The Margo comes in three sizes with a choice of a cream poly silk shade also.  Another of my favorites from the collection is the Cosmo pendant. Check out the link for the entire collection and decide which is your favorite. Considering a new fixture?... email me.   We sell the entire collection !!

 

A little bling goes a long way to accent this sleek, trim chandelier. The Margo

is available in a 4,6, or 9 bulb configuration.

Cosmo - Oil rubbed  bronze with silver accents/dark linen hard back shade. The Cosmo

 fixture is hand crafted so no two are exactly alike. 

Satin brass with silver accents/beige poly silk hard back shade