Drinking About Design | 543 | Argentina’s Architectural Impact and Venetian Chimney’s with Glenda Flaim and Federico Engel of Butler Armsden Architects

I just thought since this is the Friday after Thanksgiving, almost everyone is home, eating, drinking and enjoying time with family, I would give you an opportunity to slip away for an hour or so for some alone time. You’re welcome. This is another installment of Drinking About Design. This episode features Butler Armsden leadership team or Glenda Flaim and Federico Engel. We are talking about some really obscure topics, drinking while we do it and I hope you enjoy it.

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

Monogram – It’s the details that define Monogram

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Without steam, it’s just a bathroom.

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

Fernando Engel is sharing stories about his homeland, Argentina, as well as the Capanopolis, and Francisco Salamone and Glenda will be sharing her thoughts on Venetian Chimneys. Never heard of Venetian chimneys? Well it’s a story on invention. As the proverb goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” And that perfectly describes Venetian chimneys. Think about fire suppression in overcrowded cities, adding ornate design. Cool right, now date them back to the 13th century. Ideas in technological spark arresting and fire suppression. We’re going to get right to this. Special thanks to Glenda and Federico from Butler Armsden for joining me and for my incredible partner sponsors; Pacific Sales, ThermaSol, TimberTech, Monogram and Design Hardware for making it possible and allowing me to share these stories with you. With that, I give you another installation of Drinking About Design.

That was so much fun. Thank you Federico and Glenda, so appreciate the storytelling and the time. Thank you to my partner sponsors ThermaSol, TimberTech, Pacific Sale, Monogram and Design Hardware for your continued support and thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to join me for these conversations. This was a fun one, right? There are more episodes of Drinking About Design in 2025 so subscribe to the podcast and get every episode, brand new, right to your feed. Until next week. Happy Thanksgiving, Be well, and take today first. -CXD

Drinking About Design | 517 | Patrick Ediger and the Essence of SoCal Design and Architecture

Hey, this is another special episode of Convo By Design, a Friday show which can only mean one thing. It’s another edition of  Drinking About Design. Patrick Ediger and I share thoughts about our love for Los Angeles architecture over a few pops.  We talk about nostalgia for the unique architectural landmarks of Los Angeles, such as Norms and the La Coliseum.

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

Monogram – It’s the details that define Monogram

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Without steam, it’s just a bathroom.

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

Architecture and Design in the Age of Social Media

Discussing Mid-Century Modernism and Googie Architecture

Los Angeles Traffic, Nostalgia, and Architecture

Speaking of  Googies and Resurgence of Experimentation

Exploring Frank Lloyd Wright’s Architecture and Human Ego

Architecture, Nostalgia, and Revitalization Discussion

You listen to the show so you know this about me, I love LA. But it’s not the LA of my youth and I’m not crazy about what has become of my City of Angels. That said, I still have faith. Faith in the creatives to reimagine her to reclaim her former glory. An I will be there to share the stories of that reinvention. That’s my hope. And it starts now…

PE

Thank you Patrick. Loved our chat. Thank you for drinking and talking about architecture and design. We need to do this again soon. Thank you to my partner sponsors; ThermaSol, Design Hardware, Pacific Sales, Monogram and TimberTech. They support this show because they have a passion for the design industry. They each have remarkable companies built to serve and my hope is that you will give them a chance to earn your business. Check the show notes for links. And, I have personally vetted each of them so if you have questions, ask me, email me convobydesign at Outlook dot com or @ Convo X Design with an “X”. Thank again for taking the time to listen and subscribe. Cheers. -CXD

Sweet Homes of Alabama. Major Cities Could Learn A Thing or Two | 482 | Jeffrey Dungan

I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a trip to Alabama. Yes, that Alabama.

I do love sharing the stories of amazing creative types from locales where you would least expect to find them. Jeff Dungan is an extraordinary creative from and remaining in Alabama. Jeff has a gift for clean and modern designs within the framework of traditional architectural ideas. His story and path to architecture is special. His love for rural Alabama is strong and I have come to learn after many years traversing this country of ours that you can learn so much from journeys along the roads less traveled. Many in not most, pretty much all the design and architecture media does not recognize or even pay attention to the design fly-overs and that is to their detriment. Which is also why you should settle in and enjoy this conversation with Jeff Dungan of Jeffery Dungan Architects.

A few announcements before we get into it. Are you enjoying the new content we rolled out so far this year? #WestEdgeWednesdays the Convo By Design #IconRegistry #DrinkingAboutDesign and #TheDesignMessengers. I hope you are. The editorial team wanted to provide a more diverse conversation, to celebrate some of the icons who have appeared on the show, to lean in on the changing nature of the design and architecture industry and collective communities, not the business per se, but the rapidly changing nature of things and how that affects the industry overall. I hope these new brand extensions are providing some inspiration. Make sure that you are subscribing to the show so you receive every new episode automatically when they are published.

Thank you, Jeff. What a great chat. You can hear why I love doing this and this is why it is so rewarding for me to share these stories with you.Thank you to my partners and sponsors, ThermaSol and Design Hardware for your continued and unwavering support of the show and for the design community.

For more stories like these from the design community, please make sure you are subscribing to the podcast, so you receive new episodes automatically when they are published. That way, you never miss an episode. Convo By Design is available everywhere you find your favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening, until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD

Drinking About Design with the Whisky Watercolor Club | 478 | Tom Kligerman, Ankie Barnes, Steve Rugo, Douglas C. Wright & Michael Imber

It’s not fair, really. If you think about it…It’s one thing to be immensely talented at one creative endeavor, but nowadays, everyone’s an overachiever. This is another installment of Drinking About Design, a journey into the less explored aspects of design, art and architecture. This installment is a fun one, for a litany of reasons, and not just because we’re drinking, but that doesn’t hurt.

Just to reset the table for you. In the summer of 2020, the pandemic was in full effect. We were all locked in and trying to figure out what was going to happen next. You remember, you were doing the exact same thing. So, besides the day drinking and looking up old friends on Facebook, I was trying to learn new ways to be socially engaged. One of things I did during that time was binge watch Drunk History, Dinner for Five and Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown and No Reservations. Ground breaking shows that I never could find the time to watch before.

I became enamored with the skill by which Anthony Bourdain found a complete language revolving around found and association to society, how Jon Favreau could take 4 celebrities and craft a vibrant tableau out of each of the stories shared around a table. How Derek Waters told stories through the honest interpretations of historical events through the drunken lens of comics woven together as a tapestry featuring some of the funniest people working in Hollywood.

Then all of a sudden, it was over. Things opened up all at once and we all got busy. Really busy. I’ve been missing some of those evenings at the virtual bar, My virtual bar is called, Big D Energy. Big Design Energy for my Hip Hop loving friends. I wouldn’t want you to get the wrong idea.

Now, this installment is a fun one and features, Michael Imber, Ankie Barnes, Steve Rugo, Tom Kligerman and Douglas C. Wright. 5 architects, friends with a passion for whisky and a love for painting in watercolor.  Some are a bit better at it, I’m not going to say who…but they will. These five creatives are extremely accomplished in their chosen profession, they are extraordinarily talented artists, they are well traveled, and we talk about this and so much more. 

Old Fashioned Ingredients – AllRecipes.com

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this top-rated old fashioned recipe:

  • Simple syrup: Use store-bought simple syrup or make your own at home.
  • Water: A teaspoon of water helps bring out the flavor of the bourbon.
  • Bitters: Use store-bought bitters or make your own at home.
  • Ice: Traditional old fashioned cocktails are served over ice.
  • Bourbon: Of course, you’ll need bourbon! You can use rye whiskey instead, if you like.
  • Garnishes: Garnish your old fashioned with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.

Welcome to the Big D Energy, a virtual pub at the sketchy outskirts of the internet. We’re talking about art, architecture, travel, and having fun with a few pops among friends. Cozy up to the bar, grab a drink and enjoy this conversation with the Whiskey Watercolor Club.

Thanks for listening to this installment of Drinking About Design featuring the Whiskey Watercolor Club. Thank you, Tom, Ankie, Michael, Douglas and Steve for sharing your stories and incredible talents. Thank you for doing this. For notes, drink recipe’s and further links to the stories and work you heard about here, check the show notes. Thanks for listening. Cheers.

Drinking About Design No. One | 467 | A Journalist, Designer and Architect Walk into a Bar feat John McClain and Erik Peterson

I’m Josh Cooperman, host and publisher of Convo By Design with something new for you. Dropping this on Friday, for a very good reason. You’re going to want to get a drink, we’ll wait…

 In the summer of 2020, the pandemic was in full effect. We were all locked in and trying to figure out what was going to happen next. You remember, you were doing the exact same thing. So, besides the day drinking and looking up old friends on Facebook, I was trying to learn new ways to be socially engaged. On at least one occasion, John McClain, Erik Peterson and I, met via Zoom to share a few pops and tell stories. One of things I did during that time was binge watch Drunk History, Dinner for Five and Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown and No Reservations. Ground breaking shows that I never could find the time to watch before.

I became enamored with the skill by which Anthony Bourdain found a complete language revolving around found and association to society, how Jon Favreau could take 4 celebrities and craft a vibrant tableau out of each of the stories shared around a table. How Derek Waters told stories through the honest interpretations of historical events through the drunken lens of comics woven together as a tapestry featuring some of the funniest people working in Hollywood.

Then all of a sudden, it was over. Things opened up all at once and we all got busy. Really busy. I’ve been missing some of those evenings at the virtual bar, My virtual bar is called, Big D Energy. Big Design Energy for my Hip Hop loving friends. I wouldnt want you to get the wrong idea.

So I got an idea that I have been toying with for about 2 years and I finally got a chance to do it. And what better way to launch this than to reunite with John and Erik.

John McClain tells the story of William Haines I’m also sharing an interesting story you might find illuminating.

Erik Peterson is talking about Al Beadle. You have probably never heard of Al Beadle? Well, you will now. 

This is just 3 friends getting together at the local virtual watering hole, talking a little shit and telling stories. And, yes, this is very different than the episodes of the show you have heard in the past. We’re drinking and this episode carries the Explicit label. If you are sensitive to some salty language, you might want to delete this episode and move on to the next one. With that, I give you the first installment of Drinking About Design. 

This was the first installment of Drinking About Design featuring John McClain and Erik Peterson sharing stories about William Haines and Al Beadle. Two incredible talents, and good friends. Thank you both for doing this. For notes, drink recipe’s and further links to the stories and work you heard about here, check the show notes. Thanks for listening. Cheers.