Very nice cartoon.

I am coming to visit so that we can work out a design for the iWatt, and so I can play in the waterfall. I saw some new and improved IR detectors that do not rely on mercury. Do you know anything about semi-conductor deposition systems? If not, no biggie, I'll write a tutorial...

Great post, and kudos all round.

Bob, we share the same taste and shoe forms too, except you are much neater. But that is not NYC! Do you have this woodsy hideaway north of there?

Beautiful Bob. Lonnie Lazar. I used to know him. I never hear from him anymore...I dunno why, but that happens with some. He's a great guy and talented one at that. Loved this piece and the photos are wonderful.
Rated

This is my dream house. I'm soooooooooooooo jealous. :(

Aaron, the ruse is up. I swear to you on a stack of Bibles (and I was an altar-boy) that I have been misleading others here that I am anything but a half-wit. I'd be lying to you if I said I understood a word you talking about or what a semi-conductor deposition system is. I give you the iWatt with my blessing and wish you luck making anything of it. And yes, you're welcome to come over to play in the waterfall and show me your progress with the IR detector (I'm tinkering with a wireless rotor now).

Lea, this is Northeastern Pennsylvania. My next door neighbor is the Lacawac Sanctuary, where I'm a trustee and very involved in land preservation in the area. I've been working here the past week because I'm not doing meetings in NYC at moment (thankfully). Initially we wanted to move to our favorite vacation spot, the Adirondacks but then are family would have never visited us. So we took a pencil with a string a draw a two hour drive circle from Manhattan and picked PA for their lower property taxes. The joke is on us as even though we're just two hrs. away nobody wants to travel this far to visit anyway. (This post will hopefully coax some visitors our way!). Ironically, as of yesterday I'm now Adirondack Life's new cartoonist!

Blue! You're the man! Lonnie is really busy. He's not posting but, I'm not kidding, visiting OSers face-to-face. He should be in a town near you soon!

Screamin Mama, I am so glad you left that comment. This house was a mess. No well, no heat, leaks, etc. A disaster and a eye sore (although as they say in the biz–good bones). Any house can become a dream house with some elbow grease, inspiration and unemployment. The key is to realize every dream house starts off horrible (otherwise you can't afford it). We bought this for near nothing right before 9/11. My clients went under and I spent three years redoing the house. Plumbing, walls, isolation, electricity, the trim, siding roof....Everything. (that's why I'm so braggy–because we had so many naysayers in our circle) Our families thought we made the mistake of our lives. Neighbors laughed in our face that we tried to live here. Builders came by and offered to torch the place and build something new. It was a alot of work. Even the property was a mess. So how did I do it? I watched the Home and Garden channel right after we bought the place non-stop (and I had very little work). It became my porn. This was before Open Salon so I got alot more done in the day. The key is to have a partner who shares your tastes and doesn't think you've been too close to the turpentine when you explain you want to use fruit crate labels to tile your kitchen floor. Recently my family finally came back since they saw what we started with and they just couldn't believe it. I hope this post at least inspires a couple of people to consider redoing their work space into their dream theme workspace whatever that would be. If you're happy where you work you look forward to work and who could ask for more than that?

I am inspired! But, I'm still jealous! So much work to do, so little time!!! I am a whiner, aren't I???? You did a FABULOUS job and glad you have a willing partner - key to success...

Geez, Bob - if I shaved and ditched my contacts in favor of glasses, that could be ME!!!

Oh, I guess I'd have to buy a Mac Book too. Oh well.

Thumbed for continuing to make me lmao - at this rate, I should have lost about ten pounds. :-D

Bob, love the cartoon and am thrilled I inspired you! It's very funny. As for the pictures of your home, wow. What a great find you and your wife found and an incredible amazing space. No wonder you're so grounded (even though you fill your head with Howard Stern on a daily basis!). Thumbed enthusiastically.

I almost forgot - those exterior shots have me righteously jealous, fella.

Beautiful. :-D

What a little piece of heaven, Bob! Trap doors and waterfalls and a map on the ceiling...::insert drooling noises:: You're an inspiration, and the cartoon was funny too ;) (There's a restaurant in town that uses canned salmon labels as trim around the walls. They're gorgeous!)

can I be your live-in housekeeper? looks like a cushy job - in fact, *I'll* pay the two of *you*!

Who is that in bed with Bill S.?

Great cartoon and beautiful digs - inside & out.

Thumbified.

-john

Swell place! I particularly like the art work around the cuckoo clock. But now I really want to see the fruit-crate-label kitchen floor, because that sounds spectacular.

Nice digs Bob! Is that the cool mountain stream my beer is made from?

This really reminds me of some of the houses from "The Not So Big House" by Sarah Susanka. I really like it, and I'm jealous. Oh well; maybe when the kids are grown. . .

Very nice. Exceptional, in fact, now that I'm thinking of it.

Do you realize you said "savaged" parts? Hahaha.

great house.

tooo sweeet!...house in the woods...visionary and creative...so what's with the cig. in bed?

Lovely inspiration, great spaces. Thanks for sharing.

It reminds me of my house, in that it obviously was done with love. An artist built my Hobbit House.

One day, Bob, I hope to have a house as cool as yours.
:sigh:
;)
Thanks for letting us check it out!
rated

Thank you very much for the compliments and all being good sports letting me show off my place–I feel like I got a chance to give my OS friends a house tour. I really do credit all those silly, pretentious HGTV shows–God, I wish I was on them!

Bob - I've done so much renovation on various houses over the years I think I could build one from scratch :-) What a dream you had to work on - not only is your house fabulous - so is the nature surrounding you.

You didn't answer my question.

Is that you Bob?

denese

I didn't have any pics of the kitchen floor but I had this one of the side door entrance. The floor was just plywood. Low on funds I decided to just paint on it...copying and blowing up interesting matchbooks. ("Herd 'Em Inn" "AAA member" etc.)

Hi Denese, the two characters from thE cartoon are supposed to be the fellows (John Hedgman and Jason Long, I think) who represent a PC and Mac in those Apple TV commercials.

Shoe forms as a fetish, never thought of it. No stuffed squirrel I see.

OH. Now that you mention it, that's exactly who they look like.

I'm sorry.

Bill S. confused me (and I'm easily confused).

denese

Dude, welcome to PA, we're practically neighbors! And congrats on the Adirondack gig. Love the cartoon (what else is new), love the house. If I weren't 100% committed to either cement or sand (i.e. sidewalk or beach), I'd come calling with homemade muffins.

Very lovely, and idyllic. Thank you so much for sharing this.
And what an interesting thing to do with a computer monitor!

Bob......love the cozy quality of EVERYTHING......
thanks for letting us get a glimpse of your life!

Oh yeah, you are SO housing the next big OS get-together...where we stay forever and ever and live happily ever after.

Your living room...my god. It's swoon-worthy.

And the waterfalls. I'd go sit out under one every time I have one of my temper tantrums...just to cool down and center myself

Envy. Deep, ugly envy.

Not so sure about the shoe forms...??

God, I feel so grateful now...yeah, I'm volunteering to feed OS, and I'll cook bison burgers, cater to the vegetarians,, the whole nine yards. Thanks, really, I feel like entertaining!

Stellaa! I have plastic squirrels. One is running up the bannister in the enclosed photo.

Beth! I'm not crazy about them either. We compromised and my wife only has like a hundred shoe forms out and about. I keep stubbing my toes on them. You'll talk to her about it when you meet.

Dakini Dancer and others...send me your new computer cozies when they're done. You'll need a glue gun. Gary, I expect weird things from you!

Wow- it is inspiring to hear you fixed this place up- our home needs a lot of work and seeing how beautifully yours came out gives me hope! Home and Garden channel you say, eh? I love the trap door!

I like the outside. Oh, and the waterfalls.

Where's the stereo and the big screen HD television?

An animal head is a nice touch. And shoe form collections- what's that all about? Where's the snowmen?

Was Theodore Kacynski ever your neighbor?

Please, please, please answer my questions?

Duane, how could I say no? Your picture looks so serious!

Stereo is in the computer and I use Airport Express to send it to wireless speakers in different places. No, big screen TV. We have the woods and a little set just in case our guests go nuts. My wife collects many different items and shoe forms, for some reason I don't know, is one of them. The snowmen (800+) are now a traveling collection and are stored in boxes until the next exhibit (they're on sabbatical until a summer event). Theodore Kacynski was never my neighbor...did he decorate his house like ours? Now you're spooking me out!

Your house is simply amazing!
That woodwork!
That balustrade!!
Those SHOE FORMS!!!

Lu-Ving-It!

The exterior of your house reminds me a bit of that guy - oh man, what's his name again. The fella who wrote the music for The Red Pony, and Fanfare for the Common Man.....damn it!! His name eludes my cluttered mind!!!!!! Anyway, his house looked very much like yours from the outside (except without as much open, grassy space.... strangely)

PS: I have shoe art for you. All colours, sizes, strap configurations and heal variations. Please look out for my latest post entitled, Shoe Art Comes Out of the Closet - Inspired by Bob Eckstein.

(nice head shot, btw)

: )

Aaron Copeland!
phew..that was too difficult.
:/

Karin, you realize you're a real character don't you? I just watched your last post and I was looking at the footwear of the guys and the lion but no shoe art there.

Aaron Copeland!?! Okay, you got me on a wild goose chase. Let me go google Aaron+Copeland+home+house.

Nice job on the house. I love that little teeny tiny troll like bathroom under the stairs that was made from brutalizing parts from somewhere else! Cartoon is great too. You are very talented. I always look forward to your cartoons.

Okay, as for the Aaron Copeland comment...the comparisons are going to have to stop here. Yes, there are parallels but we ARE two different people. Number one, he is more musical than I, alot more. Secondly, his home's design is really amazing. Like custom, amazing. I found a website with lots of pictures. Not to say it couldn't use some suggestions. In the middle, right in front is this ugly air conditioner coming out of the house. I would suggest an all-weather valance (in collected bottle caps?) and possibly a large taxidermied creature to camouflage this eyesore. I'm just saying.

Oh JEEZ, you're totally right! (I'd only seen one picture of his home, which is an official project of the White House: "Save America's Treasures").

I think it was a fellow OSer who was writing about the death of Aaron Copeland, and included a most captivating picture of his house at twilight. I remember just loving it so much, and thinking that it seemed to suit his brilliance beautifully. Who would have known that the interior would be so minimalist. I meant well though, buddy!!

I have an idea... let's share!!

http://www.coplandhouse.org/info.asp?pb=55&pg=1

and

http://www.bowkera.com/copland_house.htm

enjoy everyone!!

Bob - you two know how to live, is all I can say. What a great house. Shows its character, which I guess is actually yours and your better half's, translated into your eclectic and cozy house. And those are great photos too.

Sort of makes me wish I were a Mac person. Maybe the article will be available online???

The matchbook floor is totally brilliant.

Nice drawing! and love your space, Bob!!

I love the drawing, and your creativity extends to every facet of your living space. You and your partner have imbued your space with a delightfully eccentric and fully unique, charming and cosy character. And there is a lot of whimsy and fantasy of the child's imagination: oh boy, there is a trap door with a secret button, and a secret room! The blown-up matchbook floor was just a brilliant graphic idea.

And I admire your know-how, with the plumbing and electrical that the tradespeople wouldn't touch. It must be hard to leave that piece of heaven to head back to NYC, I would think. Oh, and are those glass steps leading to the trap door, with stone affixed on top?

Great photos!

Neat pics and what a great looking hideout. Do the bears come by to visit on ocassion?
Rated & Cheers!

Hey, I just have to say it was a total pleasure doing the interview, Bob and I only hope the spread comes out looking great in the magazine -- I'm sure it will. So cool that you have been using Macs for so long to do your thing and the commitment you made to transforming your space in service of your creativity is inspirational in a way that few are up to! Kudos, and I'll look forward to that "The Sea Below Us" book tour...

Bubba, YES! More soon...

Thanks for the commenters on the bottom here for taking the time to take a peak. So you know I click on people's name and stroll the posts and read. I don't comment every one (I try to go through alot) but I do spend alot of time all over OS as I feel it's pretty rude not to read the people who came to visit you. Thanks.