Blog – Page 2

16 05, 2014

The wind is rising. We must try to live.

By Steve McKee|2014-05-16T00:43:52+00:00May 16th, 2014|Uncategorized|Comments Off on The wind is rising. We must try to live.

It was ten years ago last month I started writing this column. Thus begins decade number two. My first column was about how to turn a walk-in closet into a full blown dressing room without too much trouble. Not bad, that column. They're all available online. Just go to www.smckee.com and look for the "architalk" button on the left side. (Really, please do!) I work pretty hard on these things and it would be good to know they have a life after the day they're published in the Herald. Favorites include one titled "You, the tile shop, the decision." The [...]

24 04, 2014

Back to Mexico

By Steve McKee|2019-04-25T17:05:48+00:00April 24th, 2014|The Mexico house, Travel Tales, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Back to Mexico

It was my first time back to Puerto Vallarta since I was there four years ago on behalf of my mom to sell her dream-house to a land speculator. Development forces beyond the control of law had built a big fancy marina right where we had once had our own perfect bit of beach. They ruined it all for us. Of course I had to go by to see what had become of our house. The new marina was in full flower with rich Gringos tying up yachts and heading out for mid-day cocktails. It was all part of the [...]

24 04, 2014

Mister Science

By Steve McKee|2019-04-25T17:05:48+00:00April 24th, 2014|Random observations, Thinking like an architect, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Mister Science

A few years ago my uncle called me from Oklahoma to ask if it was a good idea if he set up his bathroom exhaust fan to empty into his attic, instead of running through a duct all the way to the outside like is usually done. He thought maybe the extra warmth added to the attic might benefit his house in winter. Not good, I said. The problem comes when the warm moist air from your bathroom meets the colder air in your attic. It will cool and, since cool air can't hold as much moisture as warm air, [...]

24 04, 2014

Driving like an Italian

By Steve McKee|2019-04-25T17:05:48+00:00April 24th, 2014|Travel Tales, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Driving like an Italian

The McKees were passing our second day in the Italian resort city of Sorrento, across the big bay from Naples, with different notions about what to do with our time. We had just returned from a morning visit to the ruins of Pompeii and I was still sort of haunted by the idea of all those lives ended abruptly by something as capricious as a volcano blast. I felt the need to seize the day by doing something extraordinary, so I proposed a driving adventure to the Amalfi Coast, just a few miles away on the other side of [...]

29 10, 2013

Yosemite to myself (sort of)

By Steve McKee|2019-04-25T17:05:48+00:00October 29th, 2013|My favorite columns, Travel Tales, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Yosemite to myself (sort of)

When my son and I and a co-worker of his arrived at the Yosemite entrance gate it was dark. A big electronic sign on a trailer was parked to the side of the empty ranger kiosk. Its message alternated between "PARK CLOSED" and "DUE TO GOVT SHUTDOWN." The fluorescent lights were on at the restrooms. We slowed, looking for someone to tell about our special circumstance. We'd practiced our spiel on the drive: "We're with Anderson Burton Contractors here for the cabin lifts at Curry Village." It had the advantage of being the truth. Still, it wouldn't do to [...]

29 10, 2013

My day at the America’s Cup

By Steve McKee|2019-04-25T17:05:48+00:00October 29th, 2013|Random observations, Uncategorized|Comments Off on My day at the America’s Cup

Steve and Wesley headed to the 2013 America's Cup My son Wesley and I decided to go watch one of the America's Cup sailboat races happening in the waters off San Francisco, and do it from our own boat out on the water. Our boat is a Hobie-18 catamaran, one of those zippy little two hulled boats that become very fast when the wind comes up. Spray will fly, one of the hulls will lift out of the water and one of us will hook on and stand outwards from the side of the boat to provide [...]