I'm sitting on an Eero Saarinen chair, but I'm disappointed that the iconic Sarineen white mushroom tables at my local library have been replaced with standard issue wooden versions with four boring legs.Light is streaming in above me from a giant sky light and around me through floor to ceiling windows on one side and clerestory windows on three sides. I'm soaking in filtered sunlight and greenery while I type in this mid-century oasis.
And, thanks to an AT&T snafu, it looks like I'll be spending a lot of time here using the free WiFI service and writing, writing, writing. AT&T prematurely canceled my DSL service when I signed up for high-speed service connected with their new U-verse offering. (It's like cable using a fiber optic network.) I won't go into all of the details of this crazy, maddening affair, but the bottom line is that it may take "three to five business days" to get my DSL service back because "the floodgates have already opened." (Insert primal scream here.) Floodgates have opened?!? I think the AT&T reps have been listening to too much coverage of the economy.
I may call the California Public Utilities Commission, I may have AT&T give me free dial-up until the DSL is up and running again, I may do all of the above and, then again, I may do none of the above.
I love this library.
10-04 UPDATE: Today the library is hosting a reception and exhibiting three architectural renderings to potentially update this facility. I haven't yet studied the plans, but I wonder if they'll be able to "modernize" (and come into code compliance), still keep intact the things I love about this place and maintain the integrity of original architect Boyd Georgi (not to be confused with Boy George). I'm told that's the goal.
I found out that the Saarinen mushroom tables have been sold by the Friends of the Library because they weren't wheelchair friendly. I was hoping that they were being rehabbed and would eventually return. But they are keeping the Saarinen chairs. Hurrah! I won't have to chain myself to any furniture or wage a Sarrinen sit-in.
In other news, AT&T still sucks.
6 comments:
It feels just as bad as when your car won't start. Except there's no triple A, there's only horrendous phone trees. On the upside, Altadena Library is great. And I think everyone who works there is so sweet and helpful.
The upside, besides the nice furniture and windows, is that when you're away from the house you don't have so many distractions, like laundry and all that stuff!
Actually, this DSL fiasco is having its upside.
I'm less distracted at home without the computer (I started and finished an entire book last night), and I'm less distracted when I go to the library.
Just don't tell AT&T.
It is so much a part of daily life, it's hard to imagine time without it. Would probably be a good exercise. Remember what research used to be like?
But I'll bet you reach for it at home several times a day, automatically.
Eero's son Eric Saarinen is a film director here in LA. The Scout has worked for him a couple of times.
I go to the Altadena lib now and then---sorry to hear about the tables. I love a change of work space - going to do it myself today!
Cool - I didn't know that about Eero's son Eric.
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