Jim Nolan's Blog

Frank Lloyd Wright's Heath House, Part 3

William R. Heath House (1904-1905), Buffalo, NY

I received a note from my pal Jon Ward today, who, like Bill Brockflock, has a personal connection with the Heath House. I'll let him tell it:

"I noticed the stuff you had on the Heath house on your blog.  That place still belongs to the widow of my dad's best pal, Charles Elwood.  Charles became a famous internist (kidneys especially; he was Pat Reilly's doctor when his kidneys quit) and when he started to pull down the bucks circa 1969, he bought the Heath house.  ($130K if memory serves, huge green for the day.)  Standard Sundays went like this: Late morning, Russ would put Eric and me in the car and we'd buy two copies of the NYT on the way to Charles's house.  Russ and Charles would sit in big chairs in the living room and discuss matters while reading the paper.  Eric and I would either mess with Charles's kids or amuse ourselves.  Among the bling he acquired, Charles had the damndest hi-fi system I had ever seen.  Super-good European stuff, including a reel-to-reel tape deck, which at the time was considered the best renderer of audio."  

 "The gents' mutual friend Joe Milazzo (who was also a musical mentor of mine) decided Charles should broaden his musical horizons from the classics, and so gave him things like Jesus Christ Superstar and Tommy on big tape.  I probably listened to Tommy in its entirety 15 times through the headphones.  Still like that record."  

"I adopted my dad's perspective that it's not so bad being poor if your friends are wealthier and more successful than you are, particularly if they enjoy your company.  Charles used to rent a big house in Canada for the summer each year, and while we spent a lot of time over there it never cost more than a case of beer." 

"So began my fascination with Frank Lloyd Wright and good audio.  And thus ends the reminiscence."

Tonight: "The Humor Behind Six Chix" at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art

Buffalonian Isabella Bannerman, Anne Gibbons and Rina Piccolo will appear on a panel about their strip "Six Chix" tonight, Thursday, from 7-9 PM at MoCCA in NYC (594 Bway, Suite 401, between Houston and Prince). It will be moderated by King Features Associate Editor Tea Fougner. You can read about it here.

Lady Gaga Look-Alike?

My mother, Christa Paul, in Berlin, February 5, 1943. Photo by her father, Bengt Paul. She looks a little like Lady Gaga to me. My wife Isabella thinks she's more Garboesque than Gagaesque. I love the black shadow on the left side of the photo. Click to enlarge.

Vejbystrand, Sweden, 1970

Sailing with my sister Lisa and cousin Mikael on a beautiful summer day in my Uncle Heye's boat, the Rappa Paula. Click on image to enlarge.

 

WKBW 30 Klassics 30

I have a double LP from the 1960s with 30 KB "Klassics." If you click on the image, you can read the first seven, including The Association's terrible "Cherish" (#1 for 3 weeks in 1966), which is immediately followed by The Godfather of Soul's immortal "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" (went to #8 in 1965). Back then, you took the good with the bad. Now you just listen to your iPod or Pandora.

Blue Öyster Cult Belt Buckle

I had one of these in the 1970s, lost it, and was given one as a birthday present two years ago by my friend Harley. My kids beg me not to wear it.

"The Humor Behind Six Chix" at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, Thursday, May 12

Buffalonian Isabella Bannerman, Anne Gibbons and Rina Piccolo will appear on a panel about their strip "Six Chix" next Thursday from 7-9 PM at MoCCA in NYC (594 Bway, Suite 401, between Houston and Prince). It will be moderated by King Features Associate Editor Tea Fougner. You can read about it here.

 

Your Windsong Stays on (What's Left of) My Mind

This was one of the pieces I read in Dobbs Ferry on Sunday. It went over well, but I think it's even better with the sound clips.

 

Click here to hear Your Windsong Stays on (What's Left of) My Mind  

Report on Jim's Reading

Jim reads at Gallery on Cedar, Dobbs Ferry

I'm grateful to everyone who came out to listen on such a beautiful afternoon. It was lots of fun.

I read "Niagara River Death Cruise," "Night of the Grizzly," "Your Windsong Stays on (What's Left of) My Mind" and, as an encore, my soon-to-be released piece "A History of My World in 1 Object."  

Thanks to my wife Isabella for the idea to do it, and gallery owner Janice O'Donnell for the opportunity.