Lost Rivers

The trailer for Lost Rivers has been released, a film I've been looking forward to seeing since meeting Katarina Soukup, the film's producer, way back in the summer of 2010.



"Once upon a time, in almost every city," the film states, "many rivers flowed. Why did they disappear? How? And could we see them again? This documentary tries to find answers by meeting visionary urban thinkers, activists and artists from around the world."

I'm not sure what the schedule is for forthcoming screenings of the final feature, but you can follow the film on Twitter to stay updated.

(From the archives: Drains of Canada: An Interview with Michael Cook).

Advanced Style at Levain Bakery

I was walking past Levain Bakery on the Upper West Side when I saw this gorgeous woman sitting on the bench outside. She was born in Argentina, but has been in New York most of her adult life. Being a long time resident of the UWS I asked her if the bakery was any good. She told me that she had never been there, but that she was using the laundromat next store. I picked up a cookie for us to share and then wished her a beautiful afternoon.

The city and its citadels

[Images: Covers from old copies of Fort, the Fortress Study Group member publication].

While writing the previous post and looking for a link to FSG, Robin Sloan's publisher, a fortuitous auto-fill in my browser bar led me to the Fortress Study Group, the "international society of artillery fortification and military architecture." Their site includes a helpful series of PDFs on the architectural history of fortification, or "the development of fortifications designed to resist artillery," including this long look back at the group's most recent "study tour" (similar in many ways to the Fortifications Tour we explored on BLDGBLOG long ago).

Of particular note: through their site, we learn that a symposium called Fortifications at Risk 2 will be held in March 2013 at the National Army Museum in London, discussing "how derelict fortifications may be preserved and re-used" for future purposes. You can register here.

Briefly, I'm reminded of historian Steven Jaffe's fascinating book, New York at War: Four Centuries of Combat, Fear, and Intrigue in Gotham, in which Jaffe details the construction of coastal forts and artillery batteries throughout New York City, from colonial times to the Civil War (and beyond).

In particular, Jaffe cites the work of inaugural West Point superintendent Jonathan Williams, "mastermind of New York's harbor fortifications," in Jaffe's words, who designed and proposed "a network of new fortifications placed strategically" at the marine entrances to the city during the War of 1812. His designs included "stone and mortar citadels" peppering the shores and "a line of massive stone blocks" that would be dropped into the harbor waters, forming a kind of submerged gate topped with barrier chains and artillery, further closed in places by the hulls of deliberately scuttled ships, seemingly an architecture equal parts wreckage and military geometry.

The majority of Williams's defensive plan was never built; however, Castle Williams on Governors Island, which we boated past last week as part of Dredgefest 2012, is still there in its circular ruin, not far from the massive unmarked ventilation structure for the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel which roars beneath the harbor waters.

An unbuilt fortifications tour of New York City is thus quite an interesting prospect.

24-hour bookstore people

The release of Robin Sloan's first novel, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, with its glow-in-the-dark book jacket, kicks off with a 24-hour launch party tonight at New York's Center for Fiction, featuring a long series of interviews, conversations, and guests.

Nicola Twilley and I will be some of the many people participating; we'll be talking to Robin about, in his words, "vast storage spaces" for everything from books and national gold reserves to strategic food stockpiles and nuclear waste, riffing off of the coded book-spine library patterns and semi-autonomous warehouse memory systems found in Robin's book. That particular conversation takes place tonight at midnight.

But tune in to the whole 24-hour interview marathon, as it will be livestreamed, or stop by in person to meet Robin and check it all out. Other speakers include Steven Johnson, Jace Clayton, Hilary Mason, Alexis Madrigal, Jenna Wortham, Jason Kottke, and many more. See the Center for Fiction's website for more details.

Always Look Your Best

Every time I run into this marvelous lady I am blown away by how wonderful she looks. She proves that there is no excuse to not always try and look your best. Next time I see her I hope to find out more about her style inspiration and life story.

Iris Apfel: "More is more and less is a bore."

At 91 years old, Iris Apfel is busier than most people half her age. She told me that the secret to her success is her sense of curiosity. When it comes to learning and personal style, Iris proclaims, "More is more and less is a bore."

Joyce and Debra Share Some of Their Health Secrets

 If I have learned anything over the last four years it is that style is a reflection of how we feel and take care of ourselves. I caught Joyce and Debra in the middle of a conversation on this very topic and I wanted to share a few of their health secrets with everyone.