love. ordinary.

"Normal day, let me be aware 
of the treasure you are.
Let me learn from you, love you,
bless you before you depart.
Let me not pass you by in the
quest of some rare and
perfect tomorrow."
- Mary Jean Irion

What is "ordinary" anyway? What is "normal"? 

These are philosophical questions for the ages... for now, for today, just love your ordinary.

Breakfast with a giraffe? That could be normal if you live here.

inspiration. fight.

"Fight for yourself using every drop of blood from your body. Muster every effort within you and fight: sure you will win."

LOVE this video!

architecture. Villa Volpi

The Villa Volpi. A Classic formal design, but somehow furnished in a modern casual casual style. The Countess had an innate sense of style. Its seems like a fitting beach house for a Countess... I love it! I think it would be a wonderful home to entertain many wonderful friends. Maybe it will be purchased and turned into a resort. So many options! All we need is someone willing to purchase this "beach cottage." (reference to "Throughly Modern Milly" If you haven't seen it, its worth seeing)

This view is what sold me. Done... I'm in LOVE!

  "Villa Volpi, a neo-classical palazzo overlooking the Mediterranean that's featured in Italian luxury labelTod's new ad campaign, has been listed for sale at $33 million. 

The amazing property, luxe lifestyle setting of attractive people and classic Ferrari's in the alluring ads, sits on 26 acres including a private beach. The estate is the creation of Countess Nathalie Volpi di Misurata, an aristocrat with a reputation for impeccable taste and refined elegance who enlisted celebrated Milanese architect Tomaso Buzzi to build the palazzo in 1960. 

Villa Volpi's seven lavish bedrooms and entertaining spaces have played host to many notable guests over the years, from celebrities to royalty, society and international dignitaries. Additional buildings on the estate include a three-bedroom guest house, a two-bedroom cottage and stables. 

"This home fosters an incredibly peaceful and glamorous way of life," notes Clarice Pecori Giraldi of Christie's International Real Estate, "bringing together a unique location in Italy - where waterfront properties of this scale are extremely rare - with the incredible sophistication of classical architecture."

  

"This home fosters an incredibly peaceful and glamorous way of life"

love. yourself

“The greatest gift you will ever receive is the gift 

of loving and believing on yourself.

Guard this gift with your life. 

It is the only thing that will ever truly be yours.” 

–Tiffany Loren Rowe

This goes perfectly with a previous post: perfection.

inspiration. priorities.

A reminder that time is so valuable... sometimes I forget.

Spend it wisely.

art. my brother

I've gotta give some props to my younger brother Nike Chapman.

He's a great designer and illustrator... AND has worked really hard to get there. I have seen it first hand. Nike is currently very involved in all that is happening in Hollywood (he will say he's not and its no big deal :p).  Most of the projects he is working on he can't even talk about or put on his website, because they are such a big deal.

So what can I talk about? In about two years I will be able to post a list of very recognizable projects, but until then Nike has been getting some recognition from NOTCOT and Protfo.li for "The Secret Lives of Monsters."

It really is fantastic and I myself will have to get some for gifts or even - who knows - If I have my own child I think it would be fantastic in a nursery.

"The Secret Life of Monsters" - Nike Chapman

P.S. I have known him longer than any of you! :)

want. bowl.

I saw this on Uncrate.com and I think it is super smart... the Obol.

I can see the practicality of the cereal part, but I was sold with the Oreo cookies! They are by far my favorite guilty pleasure.

They aren't too expensive and I'm sure I could find 100 more uses!

Oreos... sigh.

design. bachelor pad.

I am a bachelor, thus I love this home.


I think the location and modern design are what appeal to me most. I really enjoy a good Italian Villa or French Maison, but right now I'm really liking the modern and sleek.


Its for sale and my birthday is coming-up...*cough*... It was featured on Luxist.com and can be found at Hilton & Highland.

"It takes one to know one. Josh Altman, arguably one of Los Angeles' sexiest and most successful bachelors, has listed a home at $6,250,000 that he describes as "the sexiest bachelor pad I've ever sold." 

The property, a sleek high-end toy box that screams "let's party" is a state-of-the-art Architectural home designed for entertaining. It has large open rooms, high ceilings for art collections, and explosive city-to-ocean views in a gated enclave. The living and dining rooms have full-wall sliding glass doors that open to the infinity pool and spa. The 1,200-square-foot master suite has a fireplace, sitting area and walls of glass. There's a bells-and-whistles kitchen with every amenity a chef could dream about, set in Macassar ebony cabinetry. 

For entertainment, there is a THX theater, bar and spa-like baths throughout. The home has a limo length garage and underground power lines. 

The Altman brothers work out of the Hilton & Hyland Real Estate office in Beverly Hills."

Enjoy.

*cough*... birthday. ;)

love: possibilities

"You, whose day it is, get out your rainbow colors and make it beautiful."

-Traditional Nootka Song

everything is possible.

Everything is possible.

art. mounted life.

Dead animals on the wall. Yes, some may be very opposed to them, but I'm generally not.... I'm not saying that I'm going hunting tomorrow (or really ever, let be honest) for a big trophy head, but I can see the beauty in the art behind preserving and presenting the animal.

However, artist Danielle van Ark's photos of these mounted animals in storage give me pause. I'm not sure how I feel about it, it just feels weird and even awkward. I think it is this awkwardness and the "out of place" feeling that made me take a second, third, and fourth look.

I wonder if these images trigger some primal alarm system... The "something isn't right... RUN!" alarm. 

There is a certain je ne sais quoi quality about these photos. They are unnerving, but I'm drawn to it.

 I am not an art critic, I just like it.

"The Mounted Life is a series of photographs by Royal Academy of Arts graduate Danielle van Ark. She visited the storage and archives of museums around the world and found animals in surroundings and environments so far from their natural habitats she was struck by the inherent contrast and photographed them. 

The series makes the most of the juxtaposition of wildlife and industrial imagery. The images are disturbing, funny, haunting, confrontational and even touching in their composition and subject matter. 

Danielle van Ark graduated in 2005 from the Royal Academy of Arts in The Hague. Since then she has been living and working in New York and the Netherlands. The artist now wields backstage access to 33 museums across Europe and North America, and she aims to package the entire collection into a book. 

You can purchase some of the above prints at Foam Editions. See more of her work here."

boo!

want. live.

My most recent Facebook status update:

"I'm burning the candle at both ends with a blow torch... 

Who uses matches anymore these days?"

Truth.

money: the kernel.

"Money may be the husk of many things, but not the kernel.

It brings you food, but not appetite;

medicine, but not health;

acquaintances, but not friends;

servants, but not faithfulness;

days of joy, but not peace

or happiness" 

-Henrik Ibsen 

(The Forbes Scrapbook of Thoughts on the Business of Life [1968], 88).

inspiration. photography.

"I love photos.

I can re-feel that moment.

I can re-live that moment.

Photos are my time machine."

-Kenley J. Chapman

(In a blog full of quotes I felt like I should label my own thought... 

I'm not quite sure how I feel about it, but its done.)

The following are photos from photographers of places that I have been or photos that trigger powerful memories.

"Awe-inspiring" - Imapix

"Santa Catarina Arch" - Ed DeLeon

"Liz" by Russell Gearhart, Gearheart Photo 

"Last Light on the Kolob Canyon" - by dswhalen

by ARG IMAG

by Russell Gearhart, Gearheart Photo