The photo is of TK’s great-grandfather at the “Holiday Inn” on his way to California in 1953. He made the trip West with his son Denny in his new 1953 Buick which we found many years later for sale at the Long Beach car swap meet. It’s a strange miracle that we now have that car! We have a busy few weeks coming up but wanted to wish everyone Happy Holiday’s and Strange Miracles to all! Check back soon for photos of current projects.

I normally don’t like car shows, but when we heard that the folks at The Jalopy Journal were putting on a show at the historic Austin Seaholm Powerplant with no more than 100 pre-1948 cars, we had to go. To enter the show, the cars had to be originally built back in the day, or built traditionally like they were in the 1940′s 50′s or 60′s.

The Hot Rod Revolution was held on Nov. 20th and was well worth the long haul with my roadster pickup from California to Austin. Most of the shows I’ve been to only have a small percentage of cars that interest me, but at the Revolution every car was a perfect example of the early days of car customizing and hot rod building. It turned out to be a great group of people, cars, music and food. The city of Austin was a great backdrop to my favorite car show yet and seeing friends while there made the weekend even better. Below are pictures of a few of the cars. To see even more photos of the show and other pics of the weekend you can click here.

TK is sooo close to finishing the roadster pickup that he has been building in his free time for more than ten years.We picked the car up from the upholsterer this morning. Mike Peterson of Peterson Upholstery executed a beautiful chocolate brown 2″ tuck n roll on the interior sides, back and seat cushions. We were so inspired on the way home that we stopped in at the Frank Lloyd Wright and Lloyd Wright designed Joshua Tree Retreat center to snap some photos.

TK made these steps for his Roadster Pickup that he has been building for many years. These are one of the final few details. He made the brackets from 1/2″ steel and foundry pattern of MDF with lettering cut out of acrylic. Last weekend, TK was able to start up the roaster for the first time! It’s been a long time coming but this project is almost complete. See a history of the build .

After days of rain and snow in the desert, on Saturday we woke to an amazing weekend with bright blue clear skies. It was finally Wexler Weekend in Palm Springs. We didn’t get much work done this weekend but we sure got a lot of inspiration!  The contrast of the amazing colors of the desert with snow on the mountains as a backdrop to some of the most awe inspiring architecture anywhere, made it a perfect day.  We wanted to share a few highlights.

The first four photos are of the Dinah Shore House in Palm Springs built in 1964. At over 9000 sq. ft., it’s impressive. While walking around inside, you can imagine the amazing parties that probably happened in this house back in the day! The next two photos are of the Kirk Douglas Home. Spartacus! Way more subtle than Dinah’s home but equally beautiful. The current owner had great stories of guests who had stayed there, (Tracy and Hepburn) as well as the fact that the Douglas’s still return to visit. It had been their home for over 40 years which really says something about a house. From the street, all you see is a stone wall that once you walk through, it opens to a breathtaking desert oasis with walls of glass, a pool, tennis courts and outdoor fireplace. The outdoor space is as much living space as the inside. Beautifully typical of Wexler. The next two photos are of our favorite house of the day, Donald Wexler’s personal residence at the time he was starting his young family in Palm Springs. Built in 1955, the home featured a floor plan that was a variation of Richard Neutra’s “pinwheel” with lanes extending into the landscape to join the house with the site. Wexler had originally come to California from Minnesota to apprentice with Neutra, whose influence is evident in much of his work. Next door to Wexlers original residence sits a new steel house that he designed years ago but that the current owner just completed in 04. The last home was custom designed and built in 1960 for Tennessee Ernie Ford’s business manager. This one was a favorite as well.

The Palm Springs Preservation Foundation did a great job in honoring an architectural icon still living in the community he helped shape, and in putting together this educational tribute. It has certainly given TK and me an even greater appreciation for some of the treasures we have been driving by and dreaming about living in for years!

In our first blog post, T.K. said we would talk tools from time to time. If you look back at the”Today’s the Day”, he expressed that vintage American made is his preference when it comes to his tools. This especially holds true with items that have a connection to family history. We recently came across two wooden toolboxes that were hand crafted and signed by Heamer Sermersheim in 1949. They were made for his son Denny, who was T.K.’s grandfather. Heamer, who resided in Jasper, Indiana, was T.K. great grandfather. Like T.K., Heamer was a musician and a cabinet maker. Although most toolboxes today are predominantly metal or plastic, wood for the construction of them was the material of choice dating back to the early 1800′s.

As you can see, these boxes have very rustic dove tail joints done by hand, brass reinforced corners and brass pulls. We love the look of the two boxes with the patina from years of use from a grandfather and great grandfather who both worked with their hands, both craftsmen in their own right. We see the value of using and preserving these  artifacts from our past, channeling the knowledge of those before us. To see other great stories and examples of vintage toolboxes, check out the “Vintage Toolbox Club” or “Grandfathers Toolbox” on the H.A.M.B..

Living and working in Southern California, we’re so fortunate to be surrounded by some of the most iconic architectural treasures in the world. If you have an interest in mid 20th century architecture, living and working near Palm Springs is like being a kid in a candy store! Some of our favorites are the Steel Development Houses by Donald Wexler. If you’re looking for a special gift for someone for the holidays, or a great gift for yourself, the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation will be presenting The Wexler Weekend Jan. 22-24, 2010.  You can purchase a weekend pass that will get you into all of the events which run from Friday evening through Sunday afternoon, or purchase al la cart and you can pick and choose. A few of the highlights will be a Champaign Jazz Brunch with Mr. Wexler in attendance, in honor of his 84th birthday, and tours of Wexler designed properties. Tours will include Wexler Tract homes in El Rancho Vista Estates, Wexler’s own Palm Springs home and Wexler designed celebrity homes. Attached is a clip of the film “Journeyman Architect: The Life and Work of Donald Wexler” which will be previewed in its entirety to kick off the weekend on Jan. 22. No matter where you live, here’s a great reason to come spend a warm, beautiful  weekend in Palm Springs. Happy Holidays!

\”Journeyman Architect: The Life and Work of Donald Wexler\”