The unattributed quotation to the right, engraved in the lobby of the Storyteller’s Cafe at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, has often caught my eye. After my most recent visit, my curiosity got the better of me, and I looked up the quotation’s provenance. It’s by Elbert Hubbard, described by Wikipeidia as “an American writer, publisher, artist, businessman, anarchist and libertarian socialist philosopher.” He was a proponent of the Arts & Crafts movement (a favorite of mine). He lived from 1856-1915; he and his wife, the author and suffragist Alice Moore Hubbard, died in the sinking of the Lusitania.

Several other wonderful quotes are also attributed to him. A few of my favorites are below. I wish I’d met him.

Genius is often only the power of making continuous efforts.

Anyone who idolizes you is going to hate you when he discovers that you are fallible. He never forgives. He has deceived himself, and he blames you for it.

The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it.

The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.

I’m sufficiently intrigued to add some Hubbard works to my reading list. I’m hoping someone’s written a decent biography of him, as well.

This groovy wooden koi, which comes in assorted colors/treatments, is from one of my favorite foundries, House Industries.

If you’re a typography/font geek and/or a lover of power pop, this video of Jonthan Coulton‘s song “Shop Vac” is for you! I first got into Coulton a few years ago on T61 (back when it used to be good). The video’s by Jarrett Heather, and I first found out about it via Boing Boing.

Two thumbs way, way up.

In 1968, Charles and Ray Eames wrote and directed the short film “Powers of 10,” adapted from the book “Cosmic View” by Kees Boeke. In a few minutes, it takes the viewer through the minutiae and magnitude of physical life as we know and imagine it.

From a couple having a lakeside picnic to the edge of the universe, and back again to a proton of a carbon atom, the film “depicts the relative scale of the Universe in factors of 10.”

It’s a thought-provoking, powerful few minutes that will leave you marveling at the Eames’ creativity, appreciating the majesty of our world, and contemplating your own place within it. Give a watch.

I don’t know what this fragrance smells like, but I’d buy it just to gaze at the bottle on my dressing table every day.

Sephora: Pucci Miss Pucci: Women’s Fragrance.

Fantastic “interactive still life” by John Baldessari. I dare you not to get drawn into it (so to speak). There’s an iPhone app for it, too. Brilliant.

John Baldessari’s In Still Life 2001-2010.

Heard through @moth and @AnalogC via Twitter.

While living in the UK in the 90s, my husband and I became fans of Belgian Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta. Behold this stairwell in the home he designed for Emile Tassel, regarded by many as the first Art Nouveau building:

Happily Horta’s own Brussels home, now the Horta Museum, is in superb condition and we were able to take a tour during one visit to the city. (If there’s a lovelier radiator anywhere in the world than in Horta’s house, I’d like to see it. I can’t find a photo of it online, but I’m perfectly serious. But I digress.)

A few years ago, on a trip to London, we were ambling through a small gallery off Kensington Square, and I stopped short in front of a gorgeous miniature reproduction of what I instantly recognized as the facade to Horta’s home:

It turns out to be a bookend, one of a stunning series of architectural minatures by the British artist Timothy Richards. From his website:

“Tim has been making models of architecture in plaster for 19 years. All of the sculptures are made by hand by Tim and his small, dedicated team. The work is believed to be unique in the world today. Central to the theme is that of architectural truth. Tim aims to use his love of architecture and model making skills to tell the story of architecture over the centuries. Some of the models are designed to be used as bookends. Others as stand alone collectors pieces. Of course it’s entirely up to you how you use them (though not as a door stop please!).”

Needless to say, Horta – or at least his small facade  - came home with us. We’ve since acquired a miniature Big Ben (we do like visual puns). I hope to add a few others to my collection going forward, including the V&A:

And perhaps Oscar Wilde’s house:

And maybe even Jane Austen’s door:

In any case, do have a wander through Richards’ site. The single-door bookends are reasonably priced (the models, double-bookend sets and more complex designs are accordingly priced) and make spectacular and unique gifts (particularly for oneself).