Tea at Trianon: Living "Off the Grid" in a Travel Trailer

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Monday, February 7, 2022

Living "Off the Grid" in a Travel Trailer

For those exploring options. From MotorTrend:

MT: What separates Living Vehicle travel trailers from more conventional model lines?
Matthew Hofmann: First off, Living Vehicle is a low-volume travel trailer with production limited to 25 annually. We have lived in a wide range of small spaces, including a 30-foot boat on the Santa Barbara harbor. A commonality across many trailers is that they are for recreational purposes and not designed as primary residences like a home or an apartment. Recreational vehicles are ideal for weekend trips, weeklong vacations, and such. Since they are not for full-time living, you find yourself always compromising, making them inefficient.
Joanna Hofmann: Given the small number of Living Vehicle trailers, we can innovate quickly to introduce new features without waiting for the next model run. In addition to our experience, the feedback we receive from our customers helps us implement highly requested updates with a fast turnaround. Innovation is happening all the time.
Matthew Hofmann: This year, we will probably grow our trailer production by a handful. Low volume allows us to stay connected to our customer base, create value for owners, and understand the function of the units. We prefer to keep the demand instead of flooding the market. (Read more.)