Interiors

Bondi Icebergs

Swim|Drink|Dine

Topping the list of my must-do places in Sydney is Bondi Icebergs. Nestled on a cliff above, or maybe I should say almost in the Pacific Ocean (see pics below), this historic location overlooking Sydney’s most iconic beach, Bondi Beach, has the most spectacular, panoramic views and equally spectacular food. And did I mentioned the lap pool? It’s probably one of the most notable and photographed lap pools by the sea.

Bondi Icebergs Swimming Club

The club itself dates back to 1928 when a few local lifeguards were looking to stay in shape during the colder months. They formed an all male, Winter Swimming Club, which to this day, remains the only licensed Winter Swimming Club in the world.  This history states this:

They formed the Bondi Icebergs Winter Swimming Club, drew up a constitution and elected office bearers. Included in the constitution was a rule that to maintain membership it was mandatory that swimmers compete on three Sundays out of four for a period of five years. This rule, known as the “15B rule” still exists and has been the source of much commentary over the years.

It wasn’t until 1995 women were permitted, and I love this old picture of all the men taken from their website. There are more swim club shots here. There’s one image where the swimmers are holding blocks of ice (icebergs) in the pool, which makes me wonder if this is some sort of initiation for new members, or maybe how they open the winter swimming season.

Here are some images I took of the waves crashing in the pool. The restaurant and club are in the white building.

It reminds me of this unforgettable shot by Slim Aarons.

 

Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach is one of the most well-known tourist attractions in Sydney. When asked why it was so well-known, most locals said they really had no idea why it was so popular, that there were other beaches they felt were even more beautiful not too far from Bondi. Maybe so, but it was gorgeous as you can see. It reminded me of parts of California, especially Laguna Beach area. Along the cliff, there is a path you can easily walk from the restaurant out to the point with rock formations, flowers, and residences. I was thinking Airbnb at this point.

Icebergs Bar and Restaurant

Dinner, drinks, this view, organic, seasonal, modern Italian fare and an incredibly knowledgeable staff made this a top-notch dining experience. The service at Icebergs is outstanding. The interiors are perfectly suited for a location near the sea, where the harsh environment easily damages finishes and people might come in with wet clothes from swimming. It’s contemporary, functional, yet elegant.  If you take a look at their site, they give credit to nearly everyone involved in the meal, including their sea salt maker. If that isn’t proud of your growers, I don’t know what it is. Our server mentioned they had opened a restaurant in Bali, too (as many Australians are doing), but we couldn’t get there. Next time it will be on the list. Conveniently, we were the last to leave the lunch seating, because we took so much time asking so many questions about the food, wine, design and everything else, I was able to get pics without anyone around.

Definitely one of my most memorable meals ever. Put it on your list, you won’t be disappointed.

Xo,

Cassandra

 

Sydney, Australia

G’day Mate!

Yes, they really say that, along with all sorts of other charming little slang phrases. And that accent is so wonderful to listen to, but of course, they thought our accent was, too. 🙂

Shangri-La

We stayed at the Shangri-la in Sydney, which is situated overlooking the harbor, with perfect views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. I love the Shangri-La brand and enjoyed staying at the one in Bangkok, too. There’s always a huge assortment for breakfast, the rooms are spacious and beautifully done, the cost considering they are a 5-star hotel is actually not over-the-top, and the spa always incorporates everything I love about Eastern healing methods and philosophies. Since I didn’t plan anything the day we arrived, as I wasn’t sure how we would feel coming off that flight, we had time to relax. We took a little walk outside the hotel and while we waited for our rooms, we booked our spa treatments. All of us desperately needed a massage after that flight. Chi, the spa at the Shangri-la, is dark, cozy, and dimly lit with wood walls and subtle Eastern accents. We did the couples massage, which worked out all the kinks from that long flight.

 

Our room had a great view of the Opera House, and each window has built-in window seats, perfect for room service and watching the boats come in and out of the harbor snuggled in the robe the hotel provides.

We had dinner at the highly awarded restaurant Altitude, located at the top of the hotel. Serving Australian cuisine, with floor to ceiling windows, this has to be the best dinner view in the city. It made this list of 39 Restaurants Where the Food is as Good as the View. My new favorite, one shoulder LBD I got at Treehouse before I left (a new cute boutique in Smyrna, if you’e headed that way), was perfectly flowy, didn’t wrinkle in my suitcase and was zero fuss -throw it on and go.

 

Sydney Opera House

The next day we toured the Opera House. I have studied a lot of architecture and design in college and traveled all over the world and experienced it firsthand. This and the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona have to be my two favorites in the world. Both are mind blowingly creative, and show the pure genius of these two architects. Each are like nothing else in the world. Jorn Utzon, a Danish architect, submitted the design for a competition and out of over 200 entries, his design won. Completely different from any of the other designs and shapes of the typical modernist architecture of the time, and obviously influenced by growing up with a father who was a navel architect, the multiple sail shape design was perfect to sit out on Bennelong Point, welcoming the many ships coming into the harbor. Baffling engineers for quite some time as to how to actually build the design, it was Utzon who would end up coming up with the spherical solution to build his project. Problems arose and he was forced to withdraw from the project, and locals began protesting in the the streets to have him reinstated. Utzon never returned to Sydney to see his masterpiece completed, and another architect stepped in to see the project through its final stages. Many years after completion, he was asked to come back on the project and develop a set of design principles that could be used for years to come through many renovations the Opera House would need. Utzon’s son, also an architect, would oversee many of the renovations and changes in his father’s passing.

The combination of wood, glass and concrete is breathtaking. In every picture I had ever seen, I always though it was one building. While they are connected and sitting on top of an ancient ziggurat, except for the sails that are nesting within one another, the cluster of sails don’t touch. As you can see in the first picture, there are three separate nesting sails. There is also a specific point outside, where you can stand and look down the center axis of both halls. Design drawings along with a page illustrating this axis are here. On another the note, the tiles on the shells of the building are not white. Utzon wanted the building to photograph white but wanted it to change with the different lights of the sun. He also wanted it to be bright without causing glare. He used a special ceramic from Japan and laid the tiles in a chevron pattern. The tiles are actually a combination of beige tiles and white tiles, which allows the sails to change colors. In the evening, the sunlight renders the roof a warm beige tone which you can see below. There is so much to say about this building that requires more space and time, so if you want to read more, you can visit the website here, which includes the entire history, process, details on the solution to building it, and more.

 

 

Harbour Walk

There are walking paths all around the harbor and the views are stunning. You can even climb the top of the bridge, like these brave souls pictured below.

The Rocks

This historic district is full of character. Restaurants, bars and shops line the streets with the bridge towering in the background. Tap Rooms, the brewery I blogged about previously, is on the corner in the last picture. If you missed that blog, you can find it here. This is Sydney’s first settlement and was once a place of prostitutes and sailors but has transformed into a modern destination with art galleries, creative shops and a market with over 100 stalls on Saturdays and Sundays.

While in The Rocks, you have to check out Denham, the jeanmaker.

And Hat World

Sunset Harbour Cruise

Watching the sun go down behind the bridge and seeing the Opera House change colors in evening light on a harbor cruise is a must. Before heading out, stop and get a drink at Opera Bar at the base of the Opera House overlooking the harbor. You get great views of the Opera House, Fort Dennison, Darling Harbor and even a pass under the bridge.

Love this city! Since everything is clustered together by the harbor, it’s easy to see a lot in a short amount of time. Can’t wait to go back!

Xo,

Cassandra

Beer on the Rocks

Beer Lovers + Design Lovers

Endeavour Tap Rooms, located in Sydney’s oldest, colonial hotel building in the Rocks District (Sydney’s first settlement), called me from across the street when I saw the aqua colored tiles, casement windows and burgundy trim on the facade of this architectural, historic gem. This quaint, almost pretty without being feminine, brewery feels nothing like your standard brewpub. Don’t let the botanicals and birds on the walls, flowers at each table, and beautiful wallpaper fool you, its more than just a pretty place.

Serving only seasonally harvested, Australian ingredients with no preservatives, along with seasonal libations, and the star of the show, of course, the vintage beer, this little corner spot has a 600-liter brewery, eight tanks, four key lines, four rotating taps and a lot of knowledgeable people behind it, in both the hospitality and brewing industries in Australia. There are 10 different beers to sample by Endeavour Vintage Beer Co with an interior that has just as earthy of a palette as the beer.

With the classic, barrel back, wood pub chairs and colonial style print wallpaper, this space hearkens back to its original iteration as Seaman’s hotel. With a lighthearted, contemporary British pub feel, thanks mostly to all the wood tones, this space feels airy and bright with all the whites and greens, but also grounded with the dark wood floors, railing and brown geometric tiles. I loved the special surprise of finding the original fireplace in the ladies restroom, the logo design on the coasters and the built-in, self-serve water faucet in the dining room. And what is that beautiful pink flower that looks like a pinecone?

 

 

 

The beer was wonderfully refreshing and light after day of exploring the Opera House and Rocks District. Definitely a must visit next time you’re in Sydney.

Xo,

Cass

 

Neocon Design Conference Chicago

Functionality|Artistry|Creativity|Innovation

Between the classes and the products, it takes a bit to digest everything at Neocon. There is so much to take in, see, do and remember. Below are pictures of installations, tile work, trim details, furniture, rooms, and new trends in design I saw and thought were noteworthy or loved, for one reason or another, in both residential and commercial design.

Artistic Tile’s fashion inspired mosaic tile jacket and dress were works of art. I can’t imagine the painstaking process of making that dress and capturing the draping of the fabric around the curves of the body. Mosaics usually come on a mesh material to make it easier to tile in large squares, but these had to take a great deal of both planning and patience.

 

Devon and Devon’s updated version of the hot and cold faucet were my favorite faucets.

 

Luum Textile’s vertical, suspended, fiber installation was a huge hit and had everyone walking through it, touching it and feeling it. They had several stations set up so you could interact with the fibers, weave a small carpet while you were there, and basically play with their materials. Isn’t that what everything in an interior should be about, the ability to touch, feel and use all of our senses to experience it?

 

Mannington Commercial‘s back-lit and up-lit, cut and torn paper scene gives me all sorts of ideas, specifically about something wintry for Christmas.

 

Unfortunately, I don’t recall where this was when I saw it, because after multiple floors, showrooms and booths, you tend to lose track, but I love the idea of creating an art installation as a visual barrier to define and divide space, instead of using walls. This installation was made of rope and what looked to be printed paper with the molecular structure of something. The installation was shaped like a V, and inside the V were tables and chairs which provided an envelope for those wanting to rest and be away from the noisy crowds.

 

The most innovative product I saw was Sedia Systems’ Jumpseat. This seat is pure genius, can support a full size adult, mounts on the wall or floor and flips up like theater seats when not in use. When folded up, the seat is only 4″ thick, making it the perfect solution for tight spaces. The first picture was their display at Neocon and even their imagery was clever showing a man mid-air as if he was jumping.

 

Samuel and Sons’ trim showroom, much like Artistic Tile, went down as my favorite for using their products in non-conventional ways. Although Samuel and Sons is carried here in Atlanta by Ainsworth Noah, there isn’t a showroom dedicated specifically to trim. Samuel and Sons is a passementerie lover’s dream. It was their creative use of fringe trimmings on paint brushes and tape trim to make the fabric for the outdoor sling chairs in their beach display that I loved. Samuel and Sons is a library of every trim imaginable arranged by color and grouped by style, making it easy to find the trim you need.

 

West Elm Workspace won the Best of Neocon Award in three categories, one of which was the furniture systems category. As people are now discovering, the open work environment is actually more prohibitive to working efficiently and productively. Really? I was wondering when that was coming. I’ve never understood the open working environment to begin with because who can concentrate? West Elm has come up with a new way to tackle the privacy issues in the open environment with their Haus concept. Haus is designed for individuals or small groups to work away from the busy, noisy open office without the need for walls, while providing both visual and acoustical privacy in three different configurations. And as you can see, it looks like a tiny house, thus making it seem less like an office and more like a social place for collaboration. I’m so thankful I don’t work in a traditional office setting. If I did, I would need one of these for sure. This is such a great solution for the office without having to put up walls and take them down based on how the team changes, grows and/or diminishes over the years.

 

There are some gorgeous kitchen showrooms at The Mart that will make you drool and rethink your current kitchen at least a couple of times. de Giulio  is one of them. If these kitchens resemble Siematic at all to you, it’s because Mick de Giulio has designed several of their collections including their New York showroom. There aren’t enough accolades for this man. The finishes are luxurious, and the solutions for problems we face in the kitchen are brilliant. I need that built-in, hanging pot storage.  On a side note, have you seen one of these Elektra Italian Espresso Machine? It’s the real deal and definitely deserves it own special task light along with that arched, tiled niche to give it pride of place. I’m pretty sure I recall seeing one in Venice while we were there.

 

But by far, my single favorite thing at Neocon was Atelier Gary Lee’s Lady Stinger Chair. Highly sculptural and displayed in American walnut matte finish, this chair, with its combination classic, 18th century cabriole legs, bee stinger vertical back, and modern sensibility, is to die for in my book. I have the perfect place in my home for it, too. It nets at $9K, though. Eek!

 

Whether it’s commercial or residential design, I take inspiration from all aspects of this industry. So often you see a small detail that leads you to something else, or points you down a different path. Exposure to all forms of art, design and creativity inform my work on all levels.

Looking forward to Neocon 2018!

xo,

Cassandra

 

 

 

 

Chill Chicago

Meditation | Massage Studio

Last week I was in Chicago for a design conference and stumbled upon this place. What a gem, a respite in the city for busy minds and busy people. I needed it, too. I just left Neocon at the Mart, and if you’ve ever been to any of the Marts for a show, you know what kind of sensory overload it can be. Not to mention, I had a full day of classes and learning, while trying to cram all the products, displays and vendors in between. The elevator lines were ridiculous, so I walked all the way up to the 14th floor, via the stairs, for my first class and worked my way down each floor (again, via the stairs), stopping on the floors I had classes and circling the showrooms and products. Ugh. They were setting up for the block party as I was leaving, and I really felt like I should be there to network and meet more people, but the older (and wiser) I get, the more I realize running myself completely into the ground is counterproductive. I needed some downtime.

A Chicago friend suggested Gilt Bar for dinner and drinks, so I left the Mart and started walking that way to meet my husband, who was still about an hour and a half away. As I was walking, I found this beautiful black storefront, peeked in the window and saw someone swinging in these chairs below. Such a neat space. The manager was outside, saw me looking in the window and invited me in. It was as if the universe knew exactly what I needed at that moment. Calm. Chill is a modern meditation and massage studio with a small retail area and juice bar. It is free of the typical iconography one expects in a yoga/mediation studio. No Buddhas, eastern symbols, ancient pictures or signs. Instead, it is a blank space, free of color and/or anything else that might be a visual distraction. If you know me, you know how much I love white for it’s visual silence and this place is just that, visually silent. A little visit to their website shows exactly how simple and easily approachable their concept is. It’s straight forward. And thank goodness they don’t burn incense, because the only thing that makes me feel like I’m choking more thank incense is an actual cigarette. Aside from the smoke itself, I must be the only person on the planet that finds incense stinky. Their concept, taken from their site is: No incense. No chakras. No dogmas. No gurus.

Just good old fashion sitting. And that is what meditation is, which truthfully is hard enough in itself.

 

 

There are two main rooms for yoga and mediation, one larger room, and the one I loved was the smaller private room. After years in the fitness industry teaching aerobics, spin and yoga, sharing a large group room doesn’t appeal to me anymore. Meditation, like prayer can be more powerful when done with others, but my practice is so personal, I prefer to be alone without any distractions.

 

There are sectioned off chair massage stations behind white curtains, which makes it so easy to not have to get undressed. Such a great concept for popping in, get a neck and back massage without the big production of getting undressed, putting a robe on, putting slippers on, getting under the covers, waiting for the therapist to come in, and then getting dressed again. Sitting down in the chair and having her work on my back for 30 mins was perfect. I love the spa style treatment you get at many places, but sometimes you just need the simplicity of someone working out the kinks without all the fuss.

 

There were thoughtful quotes on the walls, and my favorite line is the last one below. Calm is productive. So often we forget if we aren’t feverishly running around tackling our to-do list and conquering the world, we aren’t being productive. In fact, sitting in meditation is probably the most productive thing you can do for yourself, mentally and physically. It takes us humans a long time to get that, and as much I love my daily meditation, there are still times when I’m tempted to skip it, because it seems there is something more pressing, more “productive,” I could be doing.

 

So next time you’re in Chicago, check out Chill. I promise you’ll be thankful you gave your mind and body the rest. Website here.

xo,

Cassandra

P.S. I highly recommend Gilt Bar and Bavette’s which are next door. on either side just a couple storefronts down. Both are very highly rated in the city and are simple romantic and elegant.

Atlanta Contemporary Architecture Tour

Atlanta Design Festival | Contemporary Architecture and Design

Last weekend we did the Contemporary Architecture Tour here in Atlanta. The tour is an annual event in conjunction with the Atlanta Design Festival and gives tour-goers the opportunity to view some of Atlanta’s private contemporary homes. There were also public spaces on tour, as well. We had one day and just a few hours, so we decided to focus on the private homes, as we knew they would probably never be open again. We did four houses (and stumbled upon an art gallery in one) and focused mainly on the ones closest together for driving purposes.

Unfortunately, there were a ton of people touring the homes, so I snapped the best pictures I could. I skipped over spaces that were crowded with people, as you couldn’t see anything anyway.

 

This first house is probably my favorite from the outside (well, except the brick one, but you can’t beat that one for history). The huge windows and combination of glass, wood and cementitious panels is such a great textural combination. This was probably my least favorite regarding the interior finishes, but this staircase is perfection.

880 Kings Court

Architecture: Brian Ahern
Construction: Darby Construction

The idea for the house is to create a masonry “frame” that allows the siding to figuratively become more than just a means to enclose the building envelope. Both the house and landscape emphasize pattern of materials. For example, two types of cementitious panels are used to create a collage on both the East and West elevations of the house.

 

 

The second house was in walking distance from the first. They had a car parked in the driveway, so a great exterior shot wasn’t possible.

908 Kings Court

Architecture: Kirkman Architects
General Contractor: Cablik Enterprises LLC

This home is an example of Cubist modern architecture located in the heart of Morningside. The home is primarily stick framed with engineered lumber trusses and beams. The exterior is a mix of cementitious panels, haricot stucco, and concrete. Some of the notable design features include: 12 foot ceilings in a recessed living room overlooking the wooded ravine below, large Pella Windows and double sliding doors throughout, full length floating private deck off of the master suite, wet room, shower and tub configurations, ensuite bathrooms for each bedroom.

 

 

The third house we toured was the one I could see myself living in. It’s a great example of adaptive reuse.

Mifflin Hood

Renovation Architect: BLDGS

Mifflin Hood, BLDGS’ renovation of a 100 year old brick building that formerly was the headquarters and showroom of the B. Mifflin Hood Brick Company was recently added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The B. Mifflin Hood Brick Company building served as a showroom and offices for the company from 1921 to 1947. The first portion of the building was built in 1909 and consists of four bays that create a square shaped building. In 1921, when the company bought the building, they constructed a seven bay addition to the east of the original building. In the 1930s, a small rear addition was added to the property. A simple brick cornice, several pilasters, and four 25-light metal windows with keystones comprise the decorative features of the façade. The sloped topography of the site means that the 1909 portion of the building is lower than the later addition. The building has recently been rehabilitated into a single-family residence with an office and studio space. B. Mifflin Hood was an important voice in the Progressive Era movement as he did not use convict labor and fought to overturn the convict labor system —making this property a good example of the City’s social and industrial history.

 

 

The owners of this home also own Brickworks Gallery attached to the building with a separate entrance on the side and one internally. The gallery was named best new gallery in 2016 by Atlanta Magazine. The owner, an artist herself, was onsite that day in her studio. I love to see studios where artists work. I enjoy seeing all the media and tools they use to create. Paper is her main media and when I first walked in, I thought these were fabrics. She has brought these papers back from all over the world, and from the looks of the textiles on their beds, I would say those probably came from her trips, as well.

 

 

The last house was also a favorite inside and out.

Ashley

Architecture: TaC Studios
General Contractor: Principle Builders Group
Landscape: TaC Studios, Install by GardenHood

Ashley was designed for jewelry designers. Located 1 block from the Atlanta Beltline, the clients desired to maintain the large tree in the front yard, as it retains a connection to the original neighborhood’s landscape plan of trees that line the block. The bronzed screen at the front of the house relays the plan for the city blocks of the old 4th ward and screens the setting west sun.

The brick is a material that relates to the surrounding homes. The home has; 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, roof terrace, a garage designed for car lifts, a living level that allows for direct connection to the pool terrace, retractable screen….. The clients had a long wish list. A challenging site, 55’ wide x 146’ deep, the front and rear yard setbacks limited the location of the pool and residence. The grade change of 4 feet from the front door to the rear lounging terrace, presented the opportunity to step the procession through the home and transition the experience from the front door to main entertaining space. Large 12’ tall sliding doors open to the terrace, which can be enclosed by the retractable screens. Each area was planned for seating a minimum of six from the pool area to the roof terrace and media room. Custom millwork throughout the home was TaC studios designed and built locally by McMeubel/ Michael Courtz.

 

 

I find so often that people are either in the historic design and preservation camp or they are in the contemporary design camp. Having studied both in design school, I have developed an appreciation for both and believe both are appropriate, valuable, relevant and have their place.

I hope through this post, you can learn to appreciate this style as a viewer, even if it’s not something you would personally choose to live with.

xo,

Cassandra

Good Health | Good Design

 The Elements of Good Health (and Design).

Just finished up my health food store project last week with a fantastic grand opening, ribbon cutting and outpouring of support from the community for my client’s new business and my design. It’s so rewarding to see clients happy after several months of designing, construction, intense periods of decision making and financial stress, laced with fear, doubt and questions about if their business will work or not. It’s more exhausting than people realize.

When I was approached about this project, I almost didn’t take it at first. The Patels had seen my Tiny Bubbles project and contacted me, and I thought, I’ll at least meet with them and see what they have to say. In the meantime, my mind began pondering, how great can one really make (what essentially boils down to grocery store) look, and how can I really change the way it functions and feels, and should I? Ultimately, stores of this nature are set up in rows to make navigating with a cart easier, as well as identifying the products one wants to purchase. Changing that doesn’t make sense. Speed is key to circulate around, spot things quickly and get out.  For those who do like to linger, read labels, and learn about new products, that needs to be possible, too.

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Believeland

Cleveland: Reinvention, Redevelopment and Adaptive Reuse.

I’m sure when you hear Cleveland not much comes to mind other than cold weather and a gray, dreary, industrial city that lacks arts and culture, but Cleveland has done so much in the last three years. The downtown in particular has come a long way. So much so that it is even becoming difficult to find an apartment in downtown. This city is full of architectural beauties, old industrial buildings, trendy restaurants, and with all the sports venues and a casino within walking distance of the central downtown area, this makes getting around on foot so easy. Cleveland is a model for adaptive reuse, and you can see examples of it all over the city.

Clevelanders are more proud of their town than any group of people I’ve ever encountered. They are loyal fans, strong supporters of their city’s progress and future, and have a great deal of civic pride, hence the nickname, Believeland. Forget your preconceived notions about Cleveland, and check out how this comeback city is drawing people back with the downtown’s current revival. By conserving and converting historic buildings and warehouses into mixed use developments, the city is reinventing itself and urban life by integrating its industrial past into present day cultural experiences.

Giants like I.M. Pei (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame building), Frank Gehry (Peter B Lewis building) and others have left their architectural mark on the city, and looking up holds many rewards for those who are aware (as you’ll see below). There are some highly detailed ceilings in many of the old buildings, and the first place we stumbled upon was the 5th Street Arcades. While stopping for coffee at Pour Cleveland, which just so happens to be conveniently located next to the 5th Street Arcade, I found this masterpiece below. The ceilings, tile work in the entrance, and full arcade with shops and restaurants is a little like stepping back in time. These historic arcades (there are two in Cleveland) have played an important roll in social life in Cleveland, both past and present.  Places like this inform my work and make me a better designer. It’s a reminder to me to always consider every possible aspect and detail of a space.

 

Next door to The Cleveland Public Library is the Howard Metzenbaum Courthouse building. This classic Beaux-Arts style building was inspired by the Place de la Corde in Paris and is situated on Cleveland’s Civic Mall and Public Square. Although we didn’t go in, I couldn’t help but take pictures of the statues, railings and sconces on the exterior.

The Cleveland Public Library, also Beaux-Arts style, has incredibly elaborate interiors, including the ceilings. One of my favorite things was how the rug design mimicked the ceiling design. The globe pendant light hangs in the main entrance, and the allegory of art (the painting on the ceiling in a cross pattern) depicts the four major arts: musical arts, graphical arts, industrial arts and theatrical arts. The blue birds on the front pedestals are part of an art installation by Cracking Art Italian art collective. Even the smallest details are beautiful, like the marble floor indicator dial with brass arrow and star, again, another little reward for those who pay attention. These are things that make a place truly special. Unfortunately, technology has replaced so many of these original treasures. A library worker told me the ceiling work was painted on a canvas in the basement and applied on the ceiling.

 

The Cleveland Museum of Art holds its own with many of the finer museums I’ve visited. Again, I was completely blown away to find an art museum of this caliber in Cleveland. With a $650 million dollar endowment, it’s one of the wealthiest museums in the country, and it’s also free. The Neoclassical building, again in the Beaux-Arts style, with Georgian Marble (yes, Pickens County, Georgia for the local readers) is worth a visit on its own. The museum has undergone many additions and renovations and most notably, the North Wing was designed by famous Modernist architect and furniture designer, Marcel Breuer. Several important works and pieces I fell in love with are below, including two pieces by Tiffany & Co.

 

Withing walking distance of the 5th Street Arcades is East 4th Street. This pedestrian only, little side street with restaurants and patios opening out European style, is simply a must. You really need a week in Cleveland to try  all the good restaurants on this street. String lights and flowers line the walk and patio fences, and it’s such a great place to meander and people watch. Micheal Symon is Cleveland’s culinary claim to fame. Every city has their chef that invests in their town and opens one or more really hot dining spots and he is their guy. Two of his restaurants, Mable’s and Lola’s, are on East 4th. We did our own hopping around to try a few places and went to Mabel’s (pics below), Butcher and the Brewer and Erie Island Coffee. I have to say, even though it wasn’t Southern BBQ, it was still pretty good. Red is also a great restaurant right in downtown, and for non-steak eaters like myself, the sides alone were worth the trip.

 

There were so many other beautiful details all around the city. The ceilings below were from inside Jack Casino, also located right in downtown. Hessler Street was another gem I stumbled upon leaving the Frank Gehry building headed to the Museum of Contemporary Art. This historic and charming street on the National Register is located in University Circle and has an annual art fundraiser to help maintain the houses, which unfortunately, looked like they could use a lot of TLC. One of the rarest finds was Hessler Court which runs perpendicular to Hessler St and still maintains the old Nicolson Pavement, or wood block pavement. This is one of the few streets in the U.S. to still have this type of paving material. The Hessler community has kept the wood block for its historical value, and you can see the detail in the pictures below. From a distance, the street looks like a regular cobblestone street. Many streets were paved with wood, because at the time, it was easier to find than stone. Horse hooves were much quieter on wood streets, too. I even loved the trash cans in this district. Cleveland is using every opportunity as a canvas for art. Also surprising, Cleveland claims the second largest theater district in the U.S., outside of New York City. Playhouse Square shines like a beacon down the street with several brightly lit marquees and the largest outdoor chandelier in the world.

 

Cleveland is full of art, history, culture and food. It’s experiencing its own little renaissance and there are many other cultural and dining areas around the city like The Flats and Westside Market, but I’ll save those for the next blog. Hope this inspires you to cast off those old images and ideas of Cleveland and give it a chance. Before I left I had a friend say, Cleveland is the new city of brotherly love, and I couldn’t agree more.  The people are equally wonderful.

Thanks for reading!! XO

Cassandra

The Pineapple Island, Briland and Pink Sand Beaches

Eleuthera and Harbour Island, aka Briland

A narrow, ancient coral outcropping, flanked by the Caribbean Sea on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other, dotted with pineapple fields and pink sand beaches-that is Eleuthera. Earlier this year, Delta began non-stop service to Eleuthera from Atlanta two days a week, making it much easier to visit, by eliminating the stop in Grand Bahama. The airport’s size hasn’t caught up to the new service yet and landing in a big jet there feels a bit like landing at a highway truck stop. Since the airport is so small and doesn’t have a gate, you wait across the street at the restaurant/gift shop before boarding, which by the way, is a gold mine waiting for someone to put a decent bar and restaurant there for travelers to wait for their flight. Once through security, you wait outside until its time to board, because there is simply no room in the airport for passengers.

 

Eleuthera was the world’s largest pineapple exporter until the industry collapsed in the early 1900s. Prior to that, Eleuthera shipped pineapples to both the US and England, and the island was the first to produce pineapples on a commercial scale. While researching for the trip before we left, I found this quote from Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, 1874 about the locals on Harbour Island discovering…

“a livelihood cultivating pineapples on Eleuthera. A fleet of 200 boats is owned in the settlement. Every morning at sunrise this little fleet spreads its wings to the tradewind, and wafts 800 men and boys, black and white, to the lovely beach and cocoa-nut groves on Eleuthera, two miles away. Every night they return. The pineapples begin to ripen in April, and only grow to advantage on a peculiar red soil that is always thin, and is found in but few districts. The plantations are on undulating ground, the highest in the Bahamas, and are skirted by mahogany, logwood, and cocoa-nut groves, overgrown with the brown love vine, and abounding in scarlet-flowered hop, clitoria or wild pea, and various other flowers, while the song of the brown thrush resounds in every thicket. A pine field when the pines are ripe looks as if it were on fire, the scarlet of the spiked leaves forming a flame-colour with the vivid orange-yellow of the fruit. There are two principal varieties of the pineapples, the scarlet and the sugarloaf, the latter of which is the best.”

One of Eleuthera’s most well-known sites is Glass Window Bridge. When Winslow Homer visited the island and painted the natural bridge, he named the painting Glass Window. The name stuck and as the natural bridge eroded away, the man-made bridge was built. The one lane bridge at the tiny isthmus connects North Eleuthera with the rest of the island. The bridge is often in need of repair from crashing waves, and during a bad storm, known as a rage by the locals, waves have been known to wash up and sweep cars and people off the bridge. For that reason, during a rage, the bridge is closed.

The Cove Resort

Not too far south of the bridge lies The Cove resort. This stunning, all white, luxury resort is the perfect getaway. Everything from the suite, to the food and service, and the design, were top-notch. It’s secluded, quiet, situated on two private beaches and well-appointed in every way. The sushi was excellent and the staff did everything for us, even down to putting our towels on the beach chairs for us. Gregory Town is down the road, as are a couple local places, so if you are looking to get out, I would recommend taking a cab. If you are looking to be worlds away from everything, which was my mission for this trip, then this is the perfect spot. Although we did see a couple of kids and they do have a game room, I think the Cove is geared more towards quiet couples. After coming off a very busy time at work, this was just what the doctor ordered. Peace and quiet. We stayed in a beach front suite and I practiced yoga every morning on the front porch overlooking the ocean. I even had a local resident join me on the mat one day. Achoooo! 😉

 

Harbour Island, aka Briland

While there are pink sand beaches on Eleuthera, Harbour Island is known for its pink sand beaches. The colorful, vernacular, candy colored, island architecture lines the streets and golf carts are the mode of travel around the island. A water taxi takes you from Eleuthera to Harbour Island and you can rent a golf cart once there to venture out on a self-guided tour around the island. Maps are available from the golf cart rental vendors, and the entire island can be driven around in a day.

 

There are so many cute places on Harbour Island to shop, eat, and explore. Here are a few of my favorites from this trip.

Sip Sip

Legendary on the island are Sip Sip’s lobster quesadillas. For some reason, this really hopping place is not located on the map and the signage is difficult to see from the street. After getting lost twice and asking everyone we passed, “where is Sip Sip” or “how do we get to Sip Sip from here” laughing at ourselves, we almost gave up.  The passion fruit sangria was so refreshing after that hot drive around the island and the lobster quesadillas totally lived up to the hype. The portion is large enough to share and rich enough to make you thankful you didn’t order a single one for yourself. The place is tight but not uncomfortably so. The view is to die for and the shop is adorable too. After overhearing ladies complaining about cost of things, it’s worth noting, most things cost more on an island because of the process it takes to get it there. Buyers pay an import tax for items to be shipped to the US and then must pay for the them to be brought into the Bahamas (or wherever the island may be). Some places in Asia can ship directly to the Bahamas, but most must go through the US first, then they are shipped to the smaller islands, like Harbour Island. All this shipping overseas via container, local shipping and transporting, import taxes, etc drives prices up. There are things I know I can find stateside cheaper if I look, but I buy local anyway just to support these small island businesses.

Ocean View Club

Directly adjacent to Sip Sip is Ocean View Club.  It was like walking into an Anthropologie store with dogs lying on the floor, stacks of books, an old gramophone, and furniture that looked mixed and matched but somehow worked perfectly together. Art was certainly a main feature of this place and all the objects made you just want to linger longer. Next time we visit, we will definitely plan to stay here a couple of nights, because the tub alone makes me want to book a room. During an interview for an article I read, the owner was quoted as saying, if you don’t like dogs, this is not the place for you, which makes me love it even more. You have to peruse the images on their site.

 

Blue Rooster

The hospitality in this traditional Bahamian style, gingerbread house couldn’t have been better. I bought the most beautiful white linen dress from the shopkeeper, who was just as friendly as could be. Blue Rooster has relaxed, casually elegant, resort wear and jewelry. Easy, breezy dresses in solids and colorful patterns made of lightweight breathable fabrics in a darling little setting. I must have said, “oh my gosh, this is so cute” at least 50 times in this quaint little shop. I had such a great time chatting with the girl inside I forgot to take pictures of the shop, but I did capture this one as I was leaving. You can also check them out on instagram.

 

 

Shine

First, can I just say, I love the name! It just sounds like a happy place run by a happy person, because of course we all want to sell and buy things that make us shine, so I just knew I was going to love this spot. Shine has two locations situated across the street from one another. One shop has more decorative interior pieces, and the one across the street has jewelry and other small items that the owner makes herself. Notice the heart on the outside of the building? Such a cheerful island store that shines! Check them out here.

 

Ocean Tally

This Mediterranean inspired jewel is probably one of the most special places I have been in a long time. Down a long, winding dirt road, secretly perched high on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean at Whale Point, this small, intimate hotel and restuarant captures the imagination and senses. The Atlantic Dining room upstairs has an extrodinary view and the bar downstairs, as well as the exterior courtyard, has some beautiful tile details. The ocean front cottages overlook the Atlantic Ocean, and the fire pit area serves as a front row seat to watch the waves crash up into the tidal pool below. Nothing short of spectacular and something that needs to be experienced in person. Until then, visit their website and be mesmerized.

While I love the beautiful colors of the islands, texture is always my favorite. Below is a collage of my favorite textures I captured at The Cove. Be sure to click the small thumbnail below to see the full collage.

And two more illustrations I did while there.

Thanks for reading. Hope you loved it!

xo

Cassandra

An Evening in the Private Apartment of Joe Patten at the Fox Theatre

The Phantom of the Fox

A few weeks ago, thanks to dear friend Ron Carter, House Organist at both the Strand Theatre in Marietta, Ga and Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in Decatur, Ga, I was invited to attend a meeting of the Atlanta Theatre Organ Society. The meeting was held in the private apartment of Joe Patten. Patten is the man responsible for saving the Fox Theatre here in Atlanta and has lived in the apartment since 1979. Patten is lovingly known as The Phantom of the Fox and is the only person to ever live inside the Fabulous Fox Theatre.

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