Lets Go Native American on This Economy!

German artist Anna Jandt created a horse's head for this room, which makes me think of "The Godfather" but she says serves as "a comment on the anonymity and overpowering nature of posh hotel rooms."

Has the Great-Recession squashed your grand travel plans? Here’s an idea: Barter for your hotel!

That’s right, why exchange Benjamins when you can trade?

Berlin’s Hotel Marienbag is offering artists free accommodations in exchange for a work of art. The catch is that the artist must come from outside of Berlin, and, well, you have to be an artist. But that’s great news for U.S. artists interested in checking out the art mecca that is Berlin. Prost to that!

The program is coordinated by Susanne Pfeffer a curator at Berlin’s Kunst-Werke Institute of Contemporary Art, who says conceptual artists, sculptors and painters are welcome to participate and stay at the hotel.

[via DesignBoom]

Brooklyn is the New Richmond

We’ve moved!
Goodbye to our adorable but small-for-Richmond 1,000-square-foot house

and hello 500-square-foot, third-floor-walkup apartment in Brooklyn.
(Half the size and twice the price!)

The Best of Richmond: A Filling Farewell

I was asked a sort of dying wish, repeatedly, during my last few weeks in Richmond, Va. Where do you want to eat before you go? But after 10 years in Richmond, it was just too hard to decide. Did I want a Chiocca’s Chicken Coup sub? Of course. The lobster puff-pastry egg dish at Millie’s Diner? Heck yeah. White bean, garlic, arugula heaven at Mamma Zu? Absolutely. But alas, there was neither time nor money for everything. But luckily I did get to a few last suppers.

Colorful Cuban spot Kuba Kuba served the most satisfying send-off lunch. My friend and I hungrily ordered black-bean soup and avocado salad (she) and a pressed Cuban sandwich and salad (me). At any lesser establishment there would have been plenty of elbow room. But god love Kuba Kuba. Your arteries, not so much.

For dessert, I couldn’t pass up Kuba Kuba’s famous tres leches cake made by the owner’s mom. (An interesting aside: My office was nice enough to try and order an entire tres leches cake for my send off but the cakes were booked two months out!) So naturally, I had to take matters into my own hands (and mouth).

Another memorable send off took place over a leisurely brunch at Can Can Brasserie. What started off innocently enough with coffee and croissants soon took a turn when Champagne, oysters and pomme frites joined the party. There may have even been a cheeseburger on the table. But no shame here:  Can Can makes one hell of a cheeseburger. I hope I always remember that three-hour brunch with great friends, food and all of Richmond walking up Carytown past the window next to us.

Now I’m off to do some eating in New York.

 

I’ll Have What She’s Having

Occasionally in my work I get a little wined and dined, but never have I been so deliciously cheesed.

Reps from Gaylord National Resort, a new hotel-conference center on the Potomac River in Maryland, came to town to introduce Richmond press to their new jumbo facilities complete with 2,000 rooms, a rooftop lounge, water taxi to Old Town Alexandria and an 18-story glass atrium.

That was all well and good, but they had me at Maitre d’fromage. Yes, that’s right. A Maitre d’ just for cheese. Apparently Carolyn Stromberg is the only one of her kind on the East Coast, but the post is common in civilized places like France.

The knowledgeable Stromberg seeks out artisanal cheeses from all over the world, learns their tales, gets to know their makers, then ages their cheeses in a glass-enclosed cave in her resort’s Old Hickory Steakhouse and presents them to the public. She’s pretty much my idol. The Cabot cheddar I’m eating while writing this is making matters worse. 

So back to the lunch: Stromberg served us the most incredible cheese plate accompanied by several glasses of sparkling Cremant du Jura “Coeur de Chardonnay” Domaine Rolet, making my return to the office terribly depressing.

Here’s what we ate (seen on the plate from bottom left, going clockwise):

Garrotxa goat’s milk cheese, Spain

Mt Tam (right), cow’s milk by Cowgirl Creamery, California

Ossau-Vielle, sheep’s milk, France

Reypenaer, cow’s milk aged Gouda, Holland

Crozier Blue (below), sheep’s milk blue, Ireland

I will now try and replicate this plate for the rest of my life. And I think I’m inspired to taker her suggestion and enroll in Cheese 101 at the famed Murray’s Cheese in Greenwich Village.

Dispatches from Savannah: Speaking at SCAD Style

Earlier this week I traveled to Savannah to speak at SCAD Style, the month-long chock-full festival put on by the Savannah College of Art and Design that culminates in a student fashion show and lifetime achievement award. This year’s recipient: Isabel Toledo.

I was delighted to be in the company of an impressive roster of speakers, such as Pulitzer Prize winning Washingnton Post fashion critic Robin Givhan, hip-hop pioneer Russell Simmons, interior designer Jonathan Adler, Barneys creative director Simon Doonan, designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka, architect Clive Wilkinson, MoMA curator Barry Bergdoll, New York Times art critic Michael Kimmelman and many others. I would have loved to stay the month attending each talk – and I recommend it to all, since all lectures are free – but alas, my stay was just a few days.

I spoke as part of a panel of design bloggers. We had a packed house and a wonderful audience of students, faculty and staff who seemed as excited about the blogging as we are. My co-panelists were artist-blogger Katie Runnels, who has wonderful site, The Constant Gatherer, where she features her own work and the work of artists she finds, and Grace Bonney, who began Design*Sponge in 2004, to concentrate on home and product design, and is one of the first design bloggers.

 Where we spoke, the Pei Ling Chan Gallery, a former bank now part of the campus, as it was filling up with students.

 

 

Here we are after our talk (from left): Me, Katie Runnels and Grace Bonney.

 

 

 

SCAD graciously put us up in the wonderful Magnolia Hall, it’s 1878 mansion-guesthouse adjacent to Forsyth Park.

 

I love the way the ivy grew under each step leading to the front porch.

I took an early-morning walk through Forsyth Park and just couldn’t get enough of the Spanish moss. At right is the view from the floor-to-ceiling windows in my room.

 

One thing I love about the SCAD aesthetic is the way they mix styles, nothing is taken too seriously. In my room, a lucite chair, antique screen, Moroccan poof and funky silk lampshade (with chandelier printed on it) enjoy each others company. And at right, what a clever way to do mirrors in a bathroom, the arrangement also worked in lieu of a full-length.

 The dining room where we ate breakfast each morning. The draperies paired silk with burlap bottoms for a not-too-dressed up look.

  

Modern art punched up antiques and traditional accessories like the gold candleabra lights.

 At right, I loved the bright arrangement on the dining room table and later found the slim vases at a local shop owned by a SCAD alum called Arcanum (they don’t have a web site but can be found at 422 Whitaker St., 912.236.6000).

That’s all for now, but more Savannah inspiration to come!

Savannah on my Mind

I’ve been in Savannah less than 24 hours and I’ve already satisfied three desires:

1. I had shrimp and grits (less than 20 minutes after landing) at the big and bawdy 700 Drayton restaurant at the Mansion hotel on Forsyth Park.
Verdict: Usually I prefer a cream sauce but this one had a gravy, which was also nice, if rich, and the mushrooms rounded it out nicely.

2. I saw Spanish Moss, everywhere, dripping from live oak trees that canopy the streets. Tip: Don’t take any home, I learned that chiggers live in there. Ick.

3. I bought something. A kelly-green DVF dress to be exact. At a cute boutique called Bleu Belle on the great shopping strip of Broughton Street. (Shhhh, don’t tell my husband.)

I’m in Savannah to speak on a Design Blog Panel at the Savannah College of Art and Design’s SCAD Style event. Tomorrow I’ll be speaking with Katie Runnels of The Constant Gatherer and Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge. Come see us at 4 p.m. in the Pei Ling Chan Gallery.

More on Savannah to come …

Rock Out in Charlottesville, Va.

Discover the next bluegrass and roots-rock stars in this music-loving college town.

WHERE TO STAY
To be within a quick walk to live-music venues, book accommodations in downtown Charlottesville.

The outdoor “Downtown Mall” is chock-o-block with venues. To be near the action, stay at the three-story Victorian 200 South Street Inn, right, (from $160). Request room 18 on the second floor, which is insulated from downtown’s rumbling trains. Fuel your night of living like a rock star at Asian-tapas restaurant Bang!, across the street (213 Second St. SW, 434-984-BANG).

Rub elbows with performers at the Omni Hotel (from $169), a three-star high-rise, popular with headliners at the state-of-the-art John Paul Jones Arena — named after a donor, not the bassist. If Keith Urban, Phil Lesh and Bruce Springsteen sightings are nil (they’re all playing the arena this spring/summer), take solace in the indoor and outdoor pools, seven pillows on the beds, and the unparalleled location on the Mall.

For easy access to the University of Virginia’s nightlife strip, “The Corner,” check into the Dinsmore House Inn (from $119), an exquisitely preserved bricked colonial. If you plan on finding an afterparty, request the Veranda Room for its private entrance.
Three blocks away on Elliewood Avenue restaurants such as Coupe DeVille’s and the Buddhist Biker Bar, above, let the party spill outside, at the latter on a generous fenced front lawn, with live reggae, blues or rock most nights.

WHERE TO EAT
Start your day with a coffee and potato-doughnut from Spudnuts Shop, below, (309 Avon St., 434296-0590), one of the only remaining outposts of the ’50s-era chain. A $6 a dozen of the fluffy, ultra-sweet glazed blueberry cake donuts will make you question the wheat-flour-based standard. Place your order before closing time at 2 p.m.

If you like to eat with accompaniment, Mono Loco, below, is a Latin-inspired eatery with live music on weekends. Order the tender braised pork burrito and pair with one of ten tequilas, or better yet, a blood orange margarita. Move out to the patio  at 10 p.m. where you can dance to local favorites like Appalachian klezmer act Accordion Death Squad or Bluegrass-influenced folk band The Whiskey Rebellion.

Enter the Coran Capshaw nightlife empire at Mas, below, an artisinal Spanish tapas and wine bar owned by the controversial real estate mogul and Dave Matthews Band manager — he’s the financier behind many of the city’s upscale eateries and new music venues, including the Charlottesville Pavilion. For small plates that eat like meals, order the “queso cocido con alcachofal” (artichoke and goat cheese) or the smoky “croquetas de jamon” (ham, Yukon gold potatoes, Manchego cheese).

Treat post-show hangovers with sausage and gravy and a generous side of grits from UVa-student favorite The Tavern (1140 N. Emmet St., 434295-0404). Or, stop into Riverside Lunch (1429 Hazel St., 434-971-3546) for a greasy and savory hamburger served on a mini paper-plate. The White Spot (1407 University Ave., 295-9899), left,  serves the legendary “Gus Burger,” below, a satisfying griddle-cooked cheeseburger blanketed with fried egg.

WHAT TO DO
Chock it up to the music-loving UVa student body, Virginia’s bluegrass legacy, or the success of the Dave Matthews band — Charlottesville has emerged as a mecca of Americana, folk, and roots-rock talent. And there are almost as many venues as there are great bands.

For the biggest talents, see a show at the Charlottesville Pavilion, a new, regal-looking outdoor amphitheater where folk-rock and country superstars perform — David Byrne (right), George Jones and Jackson Browne are booked for the summer. Kick off your weekend at the Pavilion’s free Friday After Five concerts, where up-and-coming local artists, like blues prodigy Eli Cook and eco-rockers Trees on Fire perform.

Find the next big thing at the Mall and the Corner’s smaller venues. For emerging blues and folk acts, duck into the subterranean Gravity Lounge, left, a living-room size coffee shop and music venue where local MacArthur “genius” Award-winner Corey Harris often plays his Rasta-tinged blues. Catch local folk singer Shannon Worrell on April 22. To hear buzzy indie-rock, plant yourself on a giant floor-pillow at the Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, below, a cafe and small-concert space. Miller’s (109 W. Main St., 434-971-8511), the legendary pharmacy-turned-bar, is the place to take in live jazz. Check out Thompson D’Earth’s masterful improv on Thursday nights. The Charlottesville Music Showcase runs every Wednesday night at Rapture a restaurant/night club with a New Orleans vibe.

Escape to Charlottesville’s wine-growing country — for the music tie-in, of course. Set up a private tour and tasting at Dave Matthews’ family vineyard, Blenheim Vineyards, located 11 miles outside Charlottesville. Sample the Cabernet Franc, an earthy-red varietal that thrives in these parts. Back towards town, pick up fresh produce and eggs at Matthews’ 1,200-acre organic farm, Best of What’s Around. The farm sells shares to members and supplies crops to area restaurants; arrange by phone for a private tour.

INSIDER’S TIP
To find out which shows are worth their ticket-price, tune into local independent radio station 106.1 The Corner’s Live and Local show at 8 p.m. Purchase tickets in advance through Charlottesville’s MusicToday.com, a ticket and merchandise e-commerce site started by Coran Capshaw, and now owned by Live Nation. For a complete roster of show listings, pick up one of Charlottesville’s alt-weekly newspapers, The Hook or C-ville Weekly, in one of newspaper boxes on the UVa campus and the downtown mall.

AN ODDBALL DAY
Charlottesville bluegrass legends The Hackensaw Boys, right, are usually touring these days, but you can still buy their records and take your own road trip to the mountains that inspired their sound. Pick up their latest release “Look Out” at Plan 9 Music, a Virginia-based chain that carries over 300 titles from area bands. Pop the CD into the rental and take Hwy 64 west 30 minutes to the Shenandoah National Park and have $15 pocketed for the park entry fee. Enter the Park at the the Rockfish Gap South Entrance Station, following the legendary scenic Skyline Drive, left, at a leisurely 35 miles an hour. Keep an eye out for delicate, white trillium wildflowers in spring and early summer — the roadsides are left unmowed to let them grow. At mile 17.1, pull over at the Range View Overlook to take in a jaw-dropping, almost full panorama of the Blue Ridge mountains. Next, stretch your legs at the Blackrock Summit trail, below, an easy one-mile-loop trail at mile 87. To reach the 3,092-foot vista, scramble over the rocks at the end of the trail. After working up an appetite, motor back to Big Meadows Lodge at mile 51.2, a thirties-era roadside resort and restaurant. Chef Terry’s serves dressed-up home cooking — like braised short ribs and garlic mashed potatoes. Let Charlottesville’s independent stations — 91.1 WTJU, 91.9 WNRN or 106.1 WCNR — keep you company on the drive back.

Mid-Week Escape: Far Out Stay in Austin

The South by Southwest festival is upon us, do you know where you’re staying? The first (and only) time I was in Austin we stayed at the super-funky (in a good way) Austin Motel, with its irresistible slogan: “So close yet so far out.” I remember we shared some pooltime with a band named Estradasphere who played a gig nearby. Although that felt like the quintessential Austin experience, this time, I’d like to bump it up a notch and stay at the five-month-old KimberModern.

Built by two women who love to travel and had hospitality in their blood. Partners Kimber Cavendish and Vicki Faust spent $1 million to build the modernist five-room hotel in the South Congress neighborhood. With rates at $250 to $320 a night it\’s a tad steep, but take a look at some of the cool features.

 Architect Burton Baldridge had to contend with a steeply sloped 1-acre lot. Because it was facing the back of a strip of stores, he decided to create an inner courtyard. I love the way they built the deck around the old Texas oak tree.

They feature three Austin artists’ work in the hotel. This bunny painting by Martha Gannon is fun and intriguing and totally makes the room.  

The exterior is clad with energy efficient concrete board that resist’s the sun’s heat, the windows and doors are made with low-e glass. Modernist details appearing throughout the property include bath fixtures by Philippe Stark, Arne Jacobsen egg chairs in the common area and Eames desk chairs. The design is top notch, lets just hope there’s a band staying.

For more, check out the recent New York Times Real Estate section piece, or the post at Apartment Therapy.

Mid-Week Desk-Chair Travel: English Cottage Escape

Lets go back to a time before the recession, a time when we did things like travel for fun and throw away paper towels and partake in the fine luxury that is the dry cleaners. Well I’m exaggerating, but I am feeling terribly vacation-deprived. So here goes the first of a new series of mid-week desk-chair travel pieces.

I dream of a solitary vacation, where I can read and rest and write and drink tea and sit by a fireplace and make like Emily Dickinson or Virginia Woolf (minus the depression and lesbianism). “A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction,” Woolf said. So here tis.

Boy it would be a good novel coming from here. I’d call it: “Eat, Sleep, Chill.”

Seriously though, you can rent this cottage through the Royal Oak Foundation, an American booster-group for the National Trust of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Cottages start at $352 for a week in low season. And now that the dollar is creeping up on the pound, you’ll get more pints at the pub than you could last year. 

From a jazz-era Warwickshire cottage (a holiday home to the 2nd Viscount Bearstead) to a cliff-edge lighthouse-keepers cottage in Devon, the properties are all historic and special – and staying at them helps support their preservation.

If you’re an Anglophile, you can join the Foundation for $55, which grants admission to more than 300 historic homes and gardens, 700 miles of coastline and 620,000 acres of open countryside, plus stateside lectures and events. Coming up is the 2009 Garden Tour of “New” Gardens of the English Cotswolds, which sounds amazing if the rest of the gardens are anything like this one below. 

Apparently the Cotswolds is where much of the country’s garden innovation is born. The group tour will have access to private gardens and meet owners and lunch on the properties. Sounds devine! Maybe I should skip the seclusion and take my camera to these gardens instead. Sounds like a great book.

Where shall we go next wednesday?

20th-Century’s Most Influential Architects

I developed this piece for Domino magazine but, alas, it folded before the piece ran. So I present it to you here, in a series: 20th-Century Architects Most Influential to Everyday Design. Whether you pay attention to architecture or not, these are the people who’ve had an affect on your life, from what’s on the shelves of Target to what’s in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and where the Olympics are being played. Get to know these great men (and one woman) of design. 

 

Part I

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, 1886-1969

 

This German-born architect led the modernist movement trying to establish a style indicative of the times, free from unnecessary ornament and making use of industrial materials like glass and steel. He pioneered the skyscraper and ran the influential Bauhaus design school, emigrating to Chicago during WWII. 

 

Mantra: “Less is more” “God is in the details”

Seminal Structure: Seagram Building, New York City, 1958. Designed with American architect Philip Johnson, it’s considered a masterpiece of corporate modernism. Mies wanted the steel frame to show on the outside but because of code restrictions, he was forced to mimic the support beams with bronze-colored I-beams instead. An Alexander Calder sculpture sits in the courtyard. Inside, The Four Seasons restaurant was also designed by the architects and remains virtually the same today as when it was completed in 1959, featuring a who’s who list of mid-century touches including an adaptation of the Mies-designed Brno Chair in the dining room, banquettes designed by Johnson, lounge furniture by Eero Saarinen and private party chairs by Charles Eames.  

 

 

Go See: Farnsworth House, Illinois, 1951 (right). Outside Chicago, this weekend retreat proved that cold materials could create an emotional result.

 

Read Up: Mies and Modern Living, a 288-page book tracing his career and design highlights with previously unrealeased photos.

  

Mies van der Rohe at Work is a reprint of a 1974 book exploring the ideology behind some of his most famous works, peppered with insightful quotes from the architect like: “It is often thought that heaviness is synonymous with strength. In my opinion it is just the opposite.”

  

Written by a NYU professor, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, traces the development of the architect’s work with scholarly essays and plentiful photos and plans. 

 

Get a Piece: Barcelona Chair, $4,328. Constructed of modernist, steel tubing and tufted leather, a classic with many imitators. The original design was licensed to Knoll and is still being produced.

  

  

 

 

The chair was created in 1929 for the German Pavilion (right) at the World Arts Fair in Barcelona. The pavilion, made of glass, steel and four types of marble, was reconstructed and can be visited in Barcelona.