Cityscapes by Ben Aronson

Yellow Awning, Paris by Ben Aronson

Ben Aronson grew up in Sudbury, MA and studied Painting at Boston University. After receiving his MFA, he traveled through Europe and also worked for a time as an architectural illustrator.

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Villa de Reve Collection by Philippe Tournaire

Merry Christmas; let’s check out some bling! I don’t personally care about jewelry, but this is crazy and apropos… French jeweler Philippe Tournaire has designed a collection of architectural rings in 18k gold and precious stones. You can even commission his studio to create a custom architectural ring.

Photorealistic Landscape Paintings by Robert Gratiot

1999 Broadway, Denver by Robert Gratiot

Robert Gratiot is a Denver-based artist who works in diverse media, but I’m partial to his photorealistic landscape paintings that focus on the hard edges and reflective surfaces of city buildings.

Shillito’s, Abandoned

I’m not a fan of scary things and strongly dislike Halloween, but I couldn’t pass up a chance to tour the old John Shillito & Co. department store in downtown Cincinnati. This is probably the closest I’ll ever get to a haunted house!

The New York Public Library by Carrère and Hastings

The architecture firm of Carrère and Hastings designed the Beaux Arts main branch of the New York Public Library, which opened in 1911 at 42nd St. and 5th Ave. in Midtown Manhattan. The building was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965.

The Las Vegas Strip

Our Great American Road Trip included an obligatory stop in Las Vegas, where we had to check out the Fremont Street Experience and, of course, the famous Strip, starting with New York, New York Hotel & Casino.

Neighborwoods by Aymie Spitzer

The Brooklyn-based designer Aymie Spitzer has created Neighborwoods, a series of maps that are drawn by hand and then laser-engraved into unfinished aromatic cedar. Here are Brooklyn, Philadelphia, London, Barcelona, and Paris.

The Art of Matte Stephens

Manhattan by Matte Stephens

Portland, OR-based Matte Stephens is sort of the love child of Georges Damin and Mark Coomer, with a hint of Nicholas Takis and a touch of Jim Flora in the mix, sprinkled with a garnish of early Charley Harper. His gouache paintings are very much rooted in the forms and colors of the middle of the 20th century, and I especially like his scenes of different cities.

Metropolis Wallpaper by Sandberg Tyg & Tapet

Really, the only reason I would ever want to own my own house would be to be able to wallpaper the walls. Check out Metropolis by Sandberg Tyg & Tapet, a manufacturer based in Ulricehamn, Sweden that calls itself “the world’s slowest wallpaper factory.” This pattern couldn’t possibly be more me.

Elsewhere

Signage around Town: Over the Rhine Edition: a graphic designer ogles all the amazing signage and ghost signs in OTR.

Mushroom House in Hyde Park for Sale: only 349k for one of the most interesting homes in Cincinnati.

Three NKY Cities Awarded Best in Preservation: kudos to projects in Bellevue, Covington, and Newport.

Chelsea Resident Hangs Anti-Tourism Posters Pleading Visitors to Improve Their Manners: “Dear Chelsea, Nice problem to have. Wanna trade? Sincerely, Bedford-Stuyvesant.”

Underground New York Public Library: a visual library featuring the reading riders of the NYC subways.

Bikes, Transit and Traditional Urbanism: a fascinating, detailed look at walking, bike use and public transit in different cities, from Copenhagen to Bratislava.

A Parisian Sunday Walk: checking out street art in Paris.