SORELLARIUM : 13

Sorella Lamp

2011-11-30T09:00:00.028-05:00

I've been very busy in the last months, so not many updates. I receveived news from Maurizio D'orsi about the Sorella. He got an answer from Cassina. (it was about time they answer their emails) See the message below. Apparently, the Sorella should be available at the end of February 2012 !!! Let's hope this is true. They should really put more infos on their web site on the Sorella page. It would be nice for all the people who placed orders for that lamps more than a year and a half ago !!!! Anyway, a big thank you to Maurizio, who is such a nice guy.

So here is the message from Jenny at Cassina :

Buongiorno,
la lampada Sorella sar in consegna a fine febbraio.
Euro 128,00 + IVA al pubblico.
Cordiali saluti
Jenny

Jenny Mariani
NEMO
Divisione luci di Cassina S.p.a.
Viale Francia N.63
20821 Meda
Tel. 0039 0362 372820
Fax 0039 0362 340371
info@nemo.cassina.it
http://www.nemo.cassina.it/

32 septembre

2011-10-02T23:01:00.001-04:00

October 2nd in my universe is also another important date, September 32nd.

"32 septembre" was the title of a french song by Nicoletta on the B side of a 45 single that I got on Christmas day when I was 5 years old. On the A side was another song by Nicoletta titled "La Musique" another favorite of mine. I played and played those 2 songs ad nauseam. I almost drived my mother insane. I think that is one of the reason why I'm so obsessed by September 13th 1999 is because of 32 septembre. Here's a link to 32 SEPTEMBRE. Here's a link to LA MUSIQUE.

SORELLARIUM: 13A

2011-09-13T18:31:00.001-04:00

Today, I opened another blog called SORELLARIUM 13A. There, you will find many pictures I took over the years of some of my favorite buildings and architectural elements of the modern era here in Montreal. And of course, my first featured building is again,.... PLace Ville-Marie that celebrates it's 49th birthday today.

Enjoy

Exposed !

2011-08-19T22:29:00.002-04:00

At the corner of Viger and Papineau Avenue near the parking of Radio-Canada, you can see a billboard with the ads for COSMOS 1999, LE SAINT, AMICALEMENT VÔTRE and LE PRISONNIER. So, of course my boyfriend and I had to go and take pictures of it. So here we were posing in front of it and taking all kind of pictures. It was very cool to see a giant eagle on a billboard in downtown Montreal on a very busy street .So here are a couple those pictures. Enjoy !

COSMOS 1999 on Tou.tv

2011-08-02T07:06:00.031-04:00

On August 1st 2011, TOU.TV launched the "Vintage Collection" on their web site with 4 ITC shows in French..

1. COSMOS 1999 (SPACE: 1999)

2. AMICALEMENT VÔTRE (THE PERSUADERS)

3. LE SAINT (THE SAINT)

4. LE PRISONNIER (THE PRISONER)

It's nice to see that these series are given the chance to be viewed on the net at anytime. Although the quality is good, if you are used to the bluray or the regular DVD, you won't be that impressed. Also, they over imposed the title "COSMOS 1999" under the SPACE: 1999 logo and the end result really bad. With today's technology they could have redone the opening credits in French with the appropriate fonts in a manner faithful to the original once and for all. I hope that if it's ever released on bluray in Quebec that the company doing it will take the time to do so. But I would be very surprised. Oh well.... it's let's not be too critical and let's enjoy it as it is.

Sorella Lamp

2011-07-29T08:54:00.005-04:00

Just a note to let you know that Lightform Canada inc (the company distributing the Sorella in Canada) told me that the delivery of our beloved lamp should be no later than October 1st 2011. But it could be sooner. And hopefully it will be! And wouldn't it be wonderful if it would arrived between September 9th and 13th! They told me that the reason for the delay was the unexpected high demand for the lamp ! Like we didn't know that for a long time !!!! So hopefully that is true.

Now, if Nemo-Cassina could only get the rights for the Pileo lamp. Not only would they have the Space: 1999 fans but all the Doctor Who fans too as potential buyers not to mention all the other design lovers in the world that just love that lamp for it pure beauty. And as we're at it where is the company that would re-edit all Artemide plastic furniture as it was originally designed. Not like that crap that Heller did with the Selene and especially the Gaudi. A pure massacre !!!! Shame on you Heller !!! WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN that people want the re-edition of classic pieces as they were made when they first came out. That's the reason why they are called CLASSICS !!!!!

Goodbye Keith, your legacy lives on

2011-07-13T19:21:00.006-04:00

A very sad news came last week with the announcement of Keith Wilson's death on July 6th. If Expo 67 showed me what I liked in design, Keith Wilson showed me who I was as far as design is concerned. I immediately identified with the sets of Space: 1999 and it felt like home the minute I saw it for the first time. My taste in design crystallized at this moment and it became immutable for time inconceivable! Keith took the very best of the 60s and 70s design and put it in one place and that gave us the visuals of Space: 1999, a work of art, simply a masterpiece. I'm glad we had the chance to meet you in 2000. Those memories will be cherished forever. Thank you Keith for giving us so much beauty. We, the Space: 1999 fans, will never forget you.

Sorella Lamp

2011-06-13T07:54:00.003-04:00

Just a note to inform you that it seems that all distributors that I've contacted didn't receive the lamp yet. As for Nemo-Cassina, they didn't answer my e-mails. If anyone out there have news or have received their Sorella lamp, let me know

I, Catherine Bujold, have stood face to face with the Dragon !

2011-06-06T21:49:00.008-04:00

Today was the 4284th day since our Moon left Earth. I was between trees, digging through plenty amounts of of dirt trying to take down a 42 year old bush that had to be replaced on my domain. And after 2 hours of digging with my fighting instruments (including an axe) I finally realised when I pulled the remains of the little tree that I had been fighting with a vegetable type dragon. Just look at the picture, doesn't it remind you of our favorite monster, our beloved Dragon from Dragon's domain. What a strange coincidence to celebrate the 6th of June !

Moon Garden

2011-05-13T18:45:00.001-04:00

Well, It's May again and after a long winter under a nice blanket of snow, it's time to go out on the moon surface doing some gardening and get away from computers and monitors for awhile. I deserve a break..... After being cooped up in my plastic environment during those long winter months, it's nice to get some fresh air under the sunlight.

Some people have written to get news about the reissue of the Sorella lamp, but unfortunately, I don't have any new infos and I'm still waiting like many of you for mine to arrive.

So, getting into the air lock south, moon surface here I come !

Strike a Pose, Vogue

2011-04-13T13:13:00.006-04:00

During Spring 2010 I was asked if I was interested about doing an article in VOGUE CASA on my house and my furniture collection. They were supposed to send a photographer for a photo shoot (something which I really wasn't to keen on) and then they said that they could take my own pictures that were on my website. But they asked me to take pictures of certain angles of the outside of my house etc.... It took forever. They were supposed to publish it in April 2010 but it was delayed until April 2011. And finally it wasn't an article on my house but on Space: 1999 with a little mention of my Space: 1999 furniture collection. It was a bit of a deception to see that they didn't even put a little picture of my living room in the article but I wasn't surprised. I suddenly remembered why I always decline magazine offers to do an article on my space. It never comes out the way you would like it to be. But anyway, it was an experience and the person who I was in contact with and who proposed the article on me was very nice and gracious. Unfortunately the final result wasn't her decision. At least SPACE1999.NET gets a mention as they mention space1999.net as being my website instead of Sorellarium13.

Anyway, here's the article in Italian with the English translation.

ALPHA: 2012, a new Space: 1999 con in L.A.

2011-03-13T07:46:00.010-04:00

Here's the link to the site of the new Space: 1999 convention in L.A. next year.

http://alphanewsservice.net/

Since several committee members who brought us the BREAKAWAY CON in the year 1999 are organizing this event, I can only be confident, that like its predecessor, it will be a blast !

Sorella Lamp update

2011-03-13T07:42:00.002-04:00

This week, I received a call from the distributor of the re-edition of the Sorella lamp here in Canada. Supposedly, there was problems with manufacturing and there were delays. It is supposed to be shipped by the end of April 2011 or before.

Le Chant du Styrène

2011-03-13T07:25:00.003-04:00

Here's a link to a beautiful poem by Raymond Queneau called "Le Chant du Styrène". A beautiful ode to plastic. I first heard about this in the 90s when I bought the book "L'Utopie du tout Plastique". Sorry for the non speaking French people, but I didn't find an English translation. And it wouldn't be the same in English anyway.
http://www.acrif.org/fr/document.asp?rubid=26&docid=5

Here is the video of the movie in 2 parts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWruea9xJUc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TpI-SsWuTU

Arcadia 100 : There is a Purpose

2011-02-13T07:33:00.008-05:00

February 9th 2011 marks the 35th anniversary of the my first viewing of "Testament of Arkadia" and the end of Cosmos 1999 first run from September 1st 1975 to February 9th 1976 on the French channel of Radio-Canada here in Montreal. So without planning it, I received on February 10th 2011, my ARCADIA 100 table by Artemide brand new in original box(old stock that was never sold). Although this table is not featured in Space: 1999, it could have been just as many other pieces of the Artemide 1973 catalogue. Since last year, I've decide to get most of the pieces featured in this catalogue. There are only a few pieces that I don't really care about, but most of this catalogue is one beautiful thing after another. Along whit the ARCADIA 100 table, I also got the ELISA umbrella stand, the POSACENERE TERRA ashtray(these 2 are not in the pictures) and the wonderful ECO table lamp all new and never used. It's really great to get vintage pieces in that perfect condition. It's like a second chance, like going back in time to go shopping.

And what a better way to christen the table than taking out my Johnny Byrne's original shooting script of Another Time, Another Place and a daily planner given to every member of the cast by Martin Landau and Barbara Bain for Christmas 1974. Johnny gave me these 2 memorabilia at the Breakaway Convention in L.A. in September 1999. When our friend, André Beauchamp, went to visit Johnny in Norfolk in 1998, Johnny gave him a bunch of original scripts to bring back to Canada. He gave us the permission to copy them all and told André that we could bring them back when we meet at the Convention 16 months later. And that's what we did. But to my great surprise, when Jerry and I got engaged on September 13th 1999 on the hotel terrace, Johnny gave me back his original script of Another Time, Another Place and the daily planner given by Martin and Barbara. And all the cast member who were there, Zienia, Prentis, Anton and Nick signed the planner for the occasion. I could not have dreamed of a better engagement gift with a greater sentimental value. Johnny also told me that night that the flowers doodlings on the back cover of the script is when they were talking about the last scene of the episode.

And that's just another example of how a great man Johnny was and how generous he was too. Thank you Johnny for being a big part of SPACE: 1999, the best TV show of all time, we will never foget you.

Habitat 2017 ?

2011-01-13T21:30:00.007-05:00

Could the city of Montreal hire that architect to make a project on Expo 67 site or Nun's Island at an affordable price ? Is there anyone with a vision here in the province of Quebec ? Stop building those horrible condos or mega Mc Mansions that destroys the landscape. When will they ever learn that the simple geometric shapes of modernism go better with nature than that horrible architecture that we see popping up since the mid-80s. Maybe I should just move to Europe instead.....

In the meantime you can visit this site and hope....that someone hire him or get inspired. It seems that having the priviledge to be the city where HABITAT 67 was built is not enough to inspire those builders.

http://www.jagnefaltmilton.com/

You'll have a blue Christmas without the bluray

2010-12-13T10:00:00.007-05:00

After a month and a half of bluray watching, I can say that Space: 1999 bluray discs are absolutely the best Christmas gift any Space: 1999 would want ! So if you have a Space: 1999 in your family or amongst your friends, here's a great gift suggestion.

So here are two versions of a quick and easy montage I made from images from the bluray. I'm quite limited with my choice of images at the moment but it should be better in the future. It's quite thrilling to think that we now have access at every scene of Space: 1999 in such clarity. I remember 16 years ago when I used to capture images from my old laserdiscs and I thought at the time how clear and beautiful they were. If I only knew then what technology had in reserve for us in the near future.

Enjoy,

And Merry Christmas to you all !

Sorella Lamp

2010-11-13T17:35:00.007-05:00

I ordered one Sorella lamp from the canadian distributor "Lightform Canada Inc". This will be my 12th one. (11 vintage+1 new). I will wait for a special date to order my 13th. I always wanted my 13th one to be black. But in the past I passed on many black ones since at the time I was only interested in white ones. Now that I have so many, that I don't know where to put them, I would be glad to finally get a black one in perfect condition. One day maybe, if I come across a perfect one.

The new Sorella lamp is priced at $260.00 Canandian which is a very reasonable price. Shipping cost is $ 40.00 from Toronto to Montreal and should be the same all over Canada.

If you are in Canada and America, you can reach them at : 416 745-5656 and ask to speak to Walt Nash.

I just see clearer than the rest of you

2010-11-03T23:43:00.012-04:00

What a better quote to describe the new Blu-Ray discs than this quote from Sanderson in the episode "Seance Spectre". I won't post a review just yet, but all I can say for now is the Network Blu-Ray discs are stunning. If the 2005 release was already wonderful, this one is mind blowing. To see Space: 1999 in such clarity is like seeing it for the first time. I can only recommend it very highly. The bonus features are also great and all those pictures that came out of the vault are priceless. I also like the menus, especially sound wise. They made a nice mix of essential Space: 1999 sounds and music that is very "hypnotic".

The only problems that I found with them so far is on "Another Time, Another Place". In 5.1, the fade out in the closing credits cuts abruptly. That annoys me since it's my all time favourite episode and I would have liked it to be perfect. But that's a minor defect. One correction that I like on this episode is that the sound effects during the teaser have the "swirling around the room" effect toned down that was SO over the top in the 2005 release. Now it's a lot nicer to the hear.

So I will continue reviewing as I continue watching.

End of Eternity.... the blu ray are almost here !

2010-10-13T10:16:00.006-04:00

I cannot wait for the blu ray release of Space: 1999 that is kept being pushed back almost every week. But maybe that's for the better.

Have a look here :http://www.aintitcool.com/node/47011

There is Light !

2010-10-13T09:17:00.012-04:00

I'm entering my 5th month of archiving and filing everything in the house. It feels like forever. The only thing that came to break up the monotony is the arrival, a few weeks ago of my new Artemide "LESBO" lamp and my"ORACOLO" lamp last week. Since the "LESBO" was still in production I kept postponing buying it. But during my vacation in September, I came across a floor model on special at the boutique Avant-Scène and decided to get it right away. As for the "ORACOLO", this was a vintage one mint in original box since that model has never been reissued. Only the smaller version the "MEZZO ORACOLO has been reissued at the end of the 90s but has now been out of production again. Unfortunately, I cannot light up my "ORACOLO" yet since any of my european plug adapters won't fit on its plug so I will have to change the plug on this one. Usually, adapters always does the job on my european lamps. But even not lit up, it's a beauty. These Artemide lamps are just so incredibly well made.

Breaking away from the past

2010-09-13T13:51:00.003-04:00

It seems that Breakaway day has become a day where I always do some kind of cleaning up. And this year was no exception. But this year was a bit hard on me. I decided to get rid of all the Christmas decorations. I didn't decorate since 1992 so I thought it was time to part with them. I'm glad that I found a good home for them though. I must admit that I took a picture of every Christmas ball and decoration since there were so many memories attached to them. I also got rid of two big boxes of dinnerware (mostly china) and some other things. All these objects became more of a ball and chain to me since my mother got sick and passed away in 2002.

Since I've always lived in the same house (for almost 48 years soon), all these objects were witnesses of my past. I grew up with them. Since I am an only child, I was a bit solitary and very much of a contemplative person. So it is difficult to part with them but I think it's a necessity. I think the memories attached to them are the important thing and I don't need the physical object anymore to remind me of every event attached to them.

I still have many objects that I want to get rid of but that I'm not ready to let go yet. All in due time..... you can't rush these things.

Archiving or not archiving.... that is the question !

2010-08-13T17:13:00.000-04:00

It's been almost 3 months since I started archiving my last remaining videotapes. This last batch is very complicated since it's full of small videos from 5 to 15 minutes. It's a very long and tedious task. I am trying to let go of the past but it's very difficult sometime. But I guess I will get to it eventually. The important thing is to do a little every day. Procrastination is out of reach from now on in my life.

SPACE: 1999 ON BLU-RAY

2010-07-20T22:58:00.007-04:00

At last, SPACE: 1999 is coming out on blu-ray dvds. It's about time. The most visually mind blowing show of all time deserves such a treatment. The Network remastered version was already wonderful but after I saw the Prisoner, I want Space: 1999 to look as pristine and crisp. Just can't wait. And what a better date to announce it than the 20th of July. If only we could have seen man's first landing on the Moon in the blu-ray clarity ! ;-)

Too bad A&E kept their awful dvd covers with that HORRIBLE "new and updated" logo. You don't update perfection. Leave classics alone, don't remake things so they look more "NOW". The Network cover looks better though. Too bad they didn't put the unnamed blue planet in the Sylvia Anderson credit in the opening titles or the blue light in Force of Life ! It would go better with the blu-ray concept !

But no matter the cover I'm ecstatic that Space: 1999 will finally released on blu-ray.

Oh the joys of archiving !

2010-07-13T23:51:00.000-04:00

I'm still archiving my video tapes and I'm a bit tired. Looking forward to finish that long and boring task.

The joys of archiving......

2010-06-13T21:26:00.010-04:00

Nothing to report this month apart that I'm currently busy archiving my last 250 videotapes of the last 27 years. Ten years ago, when my boyfriend moved in with me, there were over 2000 videotapes in the house. Over the years with the release of many of our 60s & 70s TV series on DVDs, we got rid of most of them. But that last bunch remained and I finally decided to get to it and archive them once and for all.
While digging in my old tapes boxes, I got to the first 4 videotapes that I ever recorded. Of course, the first thing I ever recorded was Space: 1999. I got my first VCR in order to record the series. At the time, I didn't have much money and that's why my first VCR was a rental (yes, you could rent a VCR 27 years ago) from a company called GRANADA (Oh ! The irony). Tapes were also very expensive in those days. Those 4 tapes in the picture below were 15.00 $ each. Soon after, I discovered those discount wholesalers downtown selling tape for only 5.00 $ each ! What a bargain it was ! You can also see how badly was the labelling done on these tapes. Remember, this was when I got my first computer, an amazing 286 with a color screen and a colour printer ! Look at the amazing quality of these labels !!!! ;-p Photoshop where were you ?! We came a long way since !

SORELLA LAMP BACK IN PRODUCTION

2010-05-13T12:13:00.002-04:00

I am pleased to annouce that the Sorella lamp will be back in production by the Nemo Cassina group. A big thank you to Maurizio D'Orsi for letting me know about that news. You can see the new Sorella lamp in their catalogue at : www.nemo.cassina.it/schedaprodotto.asp?ID=201 It is not available yet, but should be in the months to come.

Lucciola Lamp

2010-04-13T23:31:00.000-04:00

On february 9th, I bought this wonderful Lucciola table model (Lucciola da Tavolo) by Fabio Lenci for Guzzini. It's an incredible lamp with a very dinstinctive look. A masterpiece of minimalism. This lamp had such an aura of mystery for me for so long. We see it in many Space: 1999 year one episodes. It's always discrete but yet very present. I was very happy to finally meet her in person on March 19th when I finally received it after a long 5 weeks.

More on the subject in the months to come.

Dring, Dring !

2010-03-13T18:06:00.001-05:00

I found this beautiful phone at the Spoutnik store on Amherst street here in Montreal. It would look perfect in a UFO episode. Just look at those numbers ! A masterpiece of simplicity !

Another Month, Another Lamp

2010-03-13T17:29:00.000-05:00

Yes, I ordered another Artemide lamp. It's the wonderful TELEGONO this time. I've always wanted an all white example in excellent condition and I finally got one. It's absolutely gorgeous.

The Artemide family is expanding !

2010-02-13T16:42:00.000-05:00

This week I received 4 new Artemide lamps. They are from the left :
DANIA
SAFFO
ELECTRA
SINTESI (not shown here)

They were all unsold old stock. So they were all brand new, never used and in perfect condition. A real collector's dream. Since I now have almost every piece of furniture that was in Space: 1999, I'm extending my collection to all the other Artemide pieces that I like. The 60s and 70s Artemide lamps are absolutely incredible. It's a shame that they only reissued a few of their classic lamps. They should have continued producing them all along with their furniture collection. Their lamps look as fresh and new today as they originally were 40 to 50 years ago. They are all true classics. Every one of them had their own personality. Nowadays, Artemide collection is a bit bland, like any other companies out there. Most lamps created by the new designers of today look alike and are very boring..... to me anyways.

Dania looking at herself in the 1973 Artemide catalogue !

Saffo and Electra on the night of their arrival.

Saffo at night

Saffo and Electra in their new environment

Place Bonaventure

2010-01-13T23:08:00.000-05:00

2010 : We now live in the Future !

2010-01-13T22:45:00.000-05:00

Ten years have past since the beginning of the new millennium and it barely looks like the future we all imagined growing up in the 60s. So here are some pictures of the Place Bonaventure in my hometown of Montreal, Canada. All that beautiful concrete !!! This place was so futuristic in the late 60s and 70s. Now it has been renovated to today's standards (i.e. : ruined) a pity really... I will try to do updates regularly every 13th of the month.

Cleaning is a therapy !

2009-09-13T21:44:00.001-04:00

So this weekend I'm doing my seasonal cleaning to celebrate Breakaway day.

Alphan decor must be perfectly clean at all times.
My living room looks as if the Moon would have really left the Earth's orbit. It's all upside down. I will finish tomorrow, no hurry, I'm on vacation!

Place Ville-Marie is 47 today !

2009-09-13T20:19:00.000-04:00

Place Ville-Marie was inaugurated 47 years ago today. It's certainly my favorite tall building here in Montreal. She was born on my favourite date and on the same year as me.

http://www.placevillemarie.com/

Today is Breakaway day + 10

2009-09-13T19:01:00.001-04:00

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the day the Moon left Earth's orbit. It's also the 10th anniversary of the day my boyfriend proposed to me at the SPACE: 1999 convention in Los Angeles (9th-13th september 1999). So what a better day to inaugurate my new blogue. I didn't decide yet what shape it will take. Let's say it's just a complement to my regular site for now.

You can visit my regular website on SPACE1999.NET at

http://www.space1999.net/~sorellarium13/