Happy Hour

Alessandra Branca Opening

2008-05-16T12:20:14-05:00

Alessandra Branca threw a party to celebrate the opening of her new home furniture and accessories store at 17 E. Pearson St. last week and it was quite a bash. The place, which is set up much like an elegant home, is full of fun finds (like the African feather headdresses pictured here) and antique glass radiometers on pedestal bases, along with china, silverware, Branca's favorite design books, antique chairs recovered in modern fabrics, and tons more. Her PR guy, recently relocated here from New York, said he didn't know of another store like it in this area, and I had to agree (maybe the just-opened Michael Del Piero's Good Design; see our May 7 blog entry)? Or Elements... But it's true that this is one store truly curated by its owner, with a great mix of old and new things that all seem fresh and modern, even if firmly grounded in the traditional. Elegant and charming—just like Branca herself.

—Jan Parr

Green Design Party

2008-05-14T10:17:04-05:00

Sit down, relax, and don't worry about global warming. (Well, worry about it a little.) You'll be helping the environment when you lounge in Roscoe Jackson's new line of recycled plastic outdoor furniture (look for these cool chairs in our July/August issue!). Also try on some eco-conscious attire from Pivot boutique, and check out the much-talked-about Smart Car. Get a 25-percent-off discount on an item from Pivot when you purchase the guilt-free lawn loungers or make a Smart car reservation. If you are already the proud driver of one of these groovy tiny new automobiles, pull up in yours and feel extra cool. Hors d'oeuvres from Carnival will also make an appearance. May 15, 5 to 8 p.m., at Pivot Boutique, 1101 W. Fulton Mkt. Click here for more details.

—JACKIE HUNZINGER

Photo courtesy of about.com.

Get Smart

2008-05-12T09:19:49-05:00

We went to see the Museum of Science and Industry's new Smart Home last week, a fab pre-fab that's all green. Our colleague Cassie Walker from Chicago magazine was also there, and posted this item about it.

Wall Royalty

2008-05-08T01:14:27-05:00

A quick check reveals Maya Romanoff doesn’t make the list of claimants to the Russian throne, but in the world of glam wall coverings (think gold leaf and mother-of-pearl) he’s unchallenged royalty. Last Thursday night Maya and family hosted 200 guests from 14 countries (and me) at the opening of Maya Romanoff Corp’s new 40,000 square foot inter-galactic headquarters in Skokie. Seems the company burst from its old downtown Chicago space when sales doubled between ’05 and ’07. Maya, his brother, and son-in-law held court in crimson czarist-era sashes while the Romanoff women (representing the Czarina and Princess of Wallpaper) wore Swarovski tiaras that would have brought tears to a Bolshevik’s eyes. Champagne flowed, and from somewhere deep in the warren of cubicles the fabulous Maxwell Street Klezmer Band belted out the swinging sounds of old Odessa. This warehouse/workroom/showroom is open to the trade only, but judging from the babel of languages at the party the pros are already wearing a path to the new door. (Party chatter had it that the walls of Dubai’s newest palaces are lined in Romanoff.)

—LISA CREGAN

David Seaman (left) and Maya Romanoff
Credit: Photos courtesy AngelaSwan.com

Michael Del Piero

2008-05-07T10:00:25-05:00

“Welcome!” an enthusiastic and happy Michael Del Piero greeted us at a party to celebrate the opening of her new design showroom, Good Design. “The best part is this,” she said, motioning to the back, where her desk is. No more working from home. For us, though, the best part is the front of this Damen Avenue storefront, where Del Piero has arranged a selection of stylish, earthy, and often oversized accessories that just wowed us. It was no surprise to us that in attendance were stylistically compatible friends who included Larry Vodak of Scout and interior designer Laura Soskin.

—JAN PARR

Arik Levy

2008-05-06T04:48:50-05:00

I’ve been going to a sporadic series of lectures at the Museum of Contemporary Art called “People Who Shape Our World,” featuring various muckety-mucks of the design and art communities. Recently it was Arik Levy, an Israeli-born designer who lives in Paris and has collaborated with firms like Ligne Roset, Baccarat Crystal, and Zanotta to market his furniture, tableware, jewelry, and lots of other stuff, some of which is ending up in pretty prestigious museum collections. Levy gave a charming, cerebral slide presentation that made me think about how people connect to what they fill their houses with. If you put a light bulb in a chair, does that make it a lamp? Hmmm...thinky. I really like this origami-inspired coffee table for Baleri Italia, and these tables for Zanotta. I’ve spotted his furniture at Orange Skin and Luminaire. You can also find his candleholders at the MCA gift shop.

—BRADLEY LINCOLN

Baleri Italia table image courtesy unicahome.com; image of wire tables courtesy Zanotta

ZED451

2008-04-28T09:28:00-05:00

Attention design junkies who also happen to love good food: The just-opened steakhouse ZED451 at 739 N. Clark St. is architect and designer Chris Smith's (he’s done Nobu in New York, among others) first Chicago project. We love all the outside-in natural elements (wood, fire, rocks, plants), the two-story atrium that floods the space with natural light, the mix of dark/light hickory and maple floors, and, on one of many fireplaces (including one of the rooftop), the gun metal curved ceramic tile with rolled steel trim. Oh, and the fresh baby carrots, the ravioli, the chocolate tarts, and the baby lamb chops (the latter loved by my carnivorous husband).

—JAN PARR

Junk Food

2008-04-25T11:10:09-05:00

Calorie-free Pop Tarts? Hostess cupcakes as big as your head? Sign us up. I was first turned on to Pamela Michelle Johnson’s huge and hip snacks series American Still Life amid the yummy home design finds at Zella Brown in Wicker Park. Get a gander of Jonhson’s work and first major exhibition of this series at The Artist Project at Artropolis this weekend. More than 300 soon-to-be-fabulously-more-famous-names will be showing on the 8th floor of the Merchandise Mart through Monday. To meet the girl behind the goodies and more than a few of her creative friends (don’t miss f2), grab a free pass.

—BARRI LEINER

POPTARTS / 52"x72" / oil on canvas / 2007
HOSTESS CUPCAKES / 64"x64" / oil on canvas / 2007

Kathy Taslitz

2008-03-25T03:54:20-05:00

At Wright auction house one recent evening, we thought maybe we were in L.A, except for the foot of snow outside. The people-watching was great for the opening of interior designer Kathy Taslitz’s new sculptural furniture collection, called Pieces of Ourselves. The pieces are no longer on display at Wright, but she’s opening a showroom soon. In the meantime, see the collection on her Web site.

—JAN PARR

Photos from ktaslitz.com