Greening the Champs-Elysees

Over the past weekend in Paris, the Champs-Elysées was covered in grass, plants, trees, cattle and sheep along the 3/4 mile stretch from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde. The event was organized by the Young Farmers Union to encourage French consumers to reflect on "what they have on their plates and how it got there."

The transplanted countryside offered a showcase of Gallic agriculture and biodiversity. Visitors also enjoyed tastings of regional specialties and selections of plants and produce for sale. The organizers hoped to attract about two million people.

For more images, click here.

Why Design Now?

Discovering beauty and wisdom in simple forms that use minimal resources. Enabling people around the globe to generate and share wealth. Powering the world with clean energy. As designers tackle these concepts with new products or prototypes they help us address globally relevant social and environmental issues.

Why Design Now? is the title of the fourth installation in the National Design Triennial series, started at the Cooper Hewitt, National Design Museum in 2000. Amongst the sampling of contemporary innovation, the exhibit itself is an environmentally responsible design. Very inspiring.

Reduce, reuse, recycle. Click here for information on the exhibition.

Colorful Interiors Win

Not surprisingly, the boldest and brightest hues were winners last week in Benjamin Moore's contest for best use of color in architecture and interiors. A lifetime achievement award was presented to the NY design team of William Diamond and Anthony Baratta. Above, an entryway in Captiva, Florida, by Diamond Baratta Design.

Are you suddenly thinking of a tropical getaway? Or maybe a blue box from Tiffany's?

Is This Spring?

Earlier this week, my dear and talented photographer friend Susan sent me this photo. I marveled at the colors, her composition and the oddly sweet juxtaposition of tulips capped with snow.

When I spoke with her later that day, I casually asked how long ago she had taken the photo with the flowers and the snow. I knew they had experienced a big white winter this season. Had their April showers brought more snow last month?

She quickly clarified that the flowers dusted with snow were the scene she'd captured that Sunday, on the first weekend of May near her home in southwestern Colorado.

I didn't want to mention that we had been enjoying unseasonably warm and sunny weather all week. Fruit frees are flowering and shrubs are blooming. Even people seem to be happier.