July, 2009 Archive
Innovate or Die
A couple of years ago my husband Dave and I were among the lucky few who took the harrowing drive from Roses to have dinner at El Bulli. We were with our good friends, Kim and Greg. Every year there are just eight thousand seatings at this outwardly unassuming restaurant and over two million reservation requests. To Greg that was a challenge he would rise to.
I had heard of Feran Adria but I was not prepared for what we were about to experience. Reading about a chef like that is like studying Picasso without ever seeing the work. You can speak the language but you don’t know what you are talking about until you fill in the gaps with passion.
The dining room is traditional and the kitchen is anything but. We ordered the tasting menu which was if I remember rightly was made up of twenty three courses. The word that comes to my mind to describe my meal that evening is purity. Flavor and texture in its purest form. Complex techniques presented to the diner in the most elegant way and every moment a surprise that constantly challenged our senses.
As the years have gone by, I appreciate more and more what a magical night that was. El Bulli has five times been named the top restaurant in the world. The techniques that created the meal we ate that night continue to revolutionise the industry.
Feran Adria serves as an inspiration and proves ‘it’ hasn’t all been done before.
Photographs: Gourmet magazine
Chanel Concept Car
South Korean designer Jinyoung Jo has just created this very interesting concept car for Chanel named Fiole, which is French for vial. An interesting choice for a name I think. I can do without the crystal encrusted double C logo on the front of the car and on the rims; aside from that it is pretty cool.
Unfortunately for all those Chanel junkies, and you know who you are, it will never be manufactured. It will always be just a ‘gleam’ in it’s designers eye,
but definitely a more glamorous view of the future than the 1960’s concept car below.
Welcome Back Bruce?
This past weekend, newly wedded Bruce Willis and model wife Emma Heming were spotted searching for apartments. They checked out One Central Park West, a building where Willis once owned a home. They were also seen nearby at Fifteen Central Park West. If they decide to live at the prestigious Fifteen CPW they will be in good company, with celebrity neighbors like Sting and the crème de la crème of New York’s business world. Welcome back Bruce!
HL23
Definitely one of the most forward looking new projects to come to the market, has to be HL23. The name is a reference to the very popular High Line park, over which it cantilevers. The building will have just eleven apartments and is expected to receive the highest Leed certification once it is complete. Of all the ‘green’ buildings in New York City, this will be the most unique, and once the park extends, perhaps the most prestigious.
Who will live there?
Good Morning Mr. America
I remember going to this Damian Loeb show at the Mary Boone Gallery in Chelsea. Seeing this painting, which was absolutely enormous with a six figure price tag; I wanted to own it so badly that my heart was racing. A few years later a real estate broker I knew sold a loft in downtown building, and told me the buyer wanted to live in the same building as this artist. I so get that.
Collage Credits: 1. Balenciaga Fashion Model, 2. Pierre Paulin Ribbon Chairs- Belvair For Modern Living, FL, 3. Damian Loeb Image- Mary Boone Gallery, NY
2001 A Space Odyssey
It is amazing to think that Stanley Kubrick directed this seminal movie over forty years ago. Even though it is extremely visually seductive, I have a tendency to fall asleep before the ending. I can’t seem to maintain focus on the story, which comes in second to the images. Despite this, it is still one my all time favorites, and is absolutely as close to art as a movie can be. The imagery is embedded in our cultural psyche and for many of us our view of space is completely based on this movie. In the end my favorite scenes are the interior ones.
The normalcy of the Hilton Hotel lobby in space.
The space age stewardess. Courreges or Balenciaga 2008?
The media room. Glad the bean bag has never caught on for adults.
Future Perfect
It would take a edgy bride to wear this Gautier wedding dress, from his recent couture show in Paris, on her big day. I think it is fabulous. This week we are going to take inspiration from this amazing dress to look at futuristic design, art and architecture. We will look inside some of the modern buildings in this city that are looking forward and embracing this brave new world.
Her wedding music?
Carried across the threshold?
This house is called the Futuro and was designed by Finnish architect Matt Suuronen in 1968. It is constructed completely of fibreglass and was conceived as a holiday home or ski chalet. I am fascinated by the concept of prefab or mass produced homes that can manufactured cheaply and shipped anywhere. This one is light enough to be airlifted by helicopter. Sadly only 96 were ever built but they are found all over the world with 20 of them recently discovered in Taiwan.
Inside Futuro House: Interiors need a little upgrading.
I want candy
So we started this week with the couture show at Dior in Paris. All those fabulous colors and detail. It made me think of Marie Antoinette. I love her and she would definitely wear Dior.
Would she live at 778 Park Avenue? Already the building has been the home of two legendary American style icons; Brooke Astor and Vera Wang. I think she would be happy in the penthouse.
This is so one of my favorite scenes in the movie.
These shoes were inspired by Marie Antoinette and hand embroidered at the Lesage workshops in Paris. Only 36 pairs were made, plus special orders, and they are priced at just under $7,000 including tax. Insane? Yes. However Lesage is one of the last of the couture embroidery houses. In the 1920’s there were 10,000 workshops and now just 200 remain.
Her favorite artist would be? Will Cotton
Have a great weekend. Next week we are going to leave all this Pink behind and focus on futuristic style and architecture. Very cool.
Richard Prince
Richard Prince, creator of many iconic images such as the one above, entitled “The Blue Cowboy’s”, has just purchased a townhouse at 57 East 78th Street. The house was originally offered at fifteen million dollars and he negotiated it down to eleven and a half million. He joins the ranks of other savvy New Yorkers who are bargain hunting in this market.
