fairmont perspective

in honor of bygone eras, i'd like to share with you a then-and-now perspective on one of san francisco's most famous hotels. the fairmont hotel, atop nob hill, was designed by julia morgan (who also designed hearst castle for william randolph hearst, one of many important commissions for this innovative architect in her career). it opened prior to the 1906 san francisco earthquake, but was completely refurbished soon thereafter. after world war II, high style decorator, dorothy draper, redesigned the lobby and interior spaces in her formidable style, in venetian glamour. the hotel was restored in 1999 and 2000, returning the public spaces to the original julia morgan design. here we have photos of the dorothy draper interiors in 1950 on the left, with the 2008 {julai morgan-esque} interiors on the right.

and tonight i'll be getting happy hour with friends here before heading to arkansas for the services with my family. i wish we could get drinks in the cirque room, but unfortunately it no longer exists. still, we can imagine what it must have been like, can't we?{the cirque room, which was the first bar to open in san francisco following prohibition. it was decorated by architect tim pflueger in a beautiful art deco style with an incredible bar, and murals by the celebrated bruton sisters. before the venetian room was opened, the cirque was the place to go for entertainment in the city}



all photos & info from srk1941, alameda info, and the fairmont hotel website

thai spice

tonight i'm going to learn some thai cooking for the first time. thai food is one of my favorite cuisines, & i'm so excited for the class that i'm using it as the inspiration for my blog offering today.

{when i travel to thailand someday i don't plan on staying anywhere like this ~ too removed from the traditional culture for my taste ~ however, it is a noteworthy hotel for several reasons. nestled on the banks of the mae ping river, in chiang mai’s center, the chedi chiang mai combines contemporary and local architectural elements. it is built-up around the site of the former british consulate; the 1920s structure has been integrated within the hotel design, giving a nod to its colonial history. the rooms incorporate an approach to south-east asian housing that fuses modern concepts with local thai materials and giving them a contemporary twist}

{the bali lounge by tuuci practically beckons you to swoon in tropical languor. the 4x8-foot bed frame is constructed of wood-grain fiberglass with a teak finish, is crowned with venice solid-aluminum finials, and is upholstered with sunbrella fabrics. let the backyard retreat begin!}

{viva terra offers a wonderful array of earth-friendly & organic products. the "chambra ware" line of dishware above is all handcrafted & looks perfect for serving-up tonight's creations. they are made of naturally colored, unglazed, matte-finish clay that imparts no off-tastes, evenly conducts heat, and cleans easily with minimal care. i have a special place in my heart for my old-school cast iron casserole dish but this chambra version may trump it for day-to-day use}

{tucker robbins in new york designs & builds beautiful, rustic pieces of furniture. in my office we're using these particular pieces as inspiration for an entire set of custom built-in bar cabinetry. made of blackened & hammered pine, bamboo & rattan}