MOMA’S DESIGN DEPARTMENT AND MY KITCHEN HAVE SOME ITEMS IN COMMON

Coffee Grinder by Dieter Rams for Braun

Timo Sarpaneva pot for Ittala 

GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD HAUNTS

Blair’s - It’s walking distance, always delicious and doesn’t charge corkage.

Trails – serve serious cyclists, musicians, moms and anyone who is in the mood for Blue Bottle coffee and treats.

Broome Street General Store A.K.A. the pickle shop (in our house).

Valerie Confection – Delectable, ambitious and a great success. Between baking cakes from classic restaurants and tearooms, Valerie is on her second chocoate collaboration with Commune Design.

THANK YOU CARD FROM RECENT VISITOR

BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR A HOUSE!

Completed in 1936 the McAlmon House turned 75 this year and L and I decided to throw it a party. We started early, serving champagne, homemade citrus cured salmon, cheese from Silverlake Cheese and plenty of wine from Friuli. The house received flowers, honey, made down the street, and an incredible Chinese bowl. The cake, courtesy of Valerie, of Valerie’s Confections, was a Bullock’s Coconut Cream Pie that used to be served in the department store tearoom, where I know Victoria purchased her appliances.  The last house party of 2011 went down with a roar. 

Arrow likes stickers and large ice cubes.

I’ve been ruminating over built-in furniture again. Yes, it is true that Victoria had limited funds and that she requested the architect to make her as much built-in furniture as possible, but this also enabled the architect to retain control over the space.

Keeping the furniture simple by using plywood or a mix of plywood and wood that he stained in his favored transparent grayish hue, Schindler asserted the look, and keeping it low, in adherence to his own appropriation principle, he created unity and enabled it to join the uninterrupted flow of motion that exists in this house without having it interfere with the prominent sense of the space. Using contrasting physical levels to separate spaces for day and night activities enabled the architect to promote distinct directions on how we are to feel when we are within them, and my feeling is that in making the furniture, rather than letting the dweller pick it, Schindler helps guide us in how to best utilize the space.

This notion of directing us how to live becomes even clearer when looking at the functional storage solutions. Also made of plywood, and mostly stained in the same color as the furniture, these are understated, plentiful, and feature “undercut groves” rather than pulling hardware, making them organic. I get the distinct idea that his intention was to avoid clutter, help us feel the invigorating movement, and moreover, direct us how to live fully within the space he created.

Can Restoration Retain Authenticity

When it comes to aging houses, it can be difficult or even impossible to preserve everything. Even, well cared for, wood floors only last so long before they need to be replaced. However, if one chooses to use the same type of wood, in the exact same dimensions, and lays it in the same direction, can one still think of it as authentic?

What is the difference between “authentic” and ”original”? Webster Dictionary defines Original as “pertaining to the origin or beginning; the first”, whereas Authentic is defined as  “Having a genuine original or authority, in opposition to that which is false, fictitious, counterfeit, or apocryphal; being what it purports to be; genuine; not of doubtful origin; real; as, an authentic paper or register.” In many ways the two words appear to have the same meaning, with the one difference that authentic, which is synonymous with reliable, bona fide and unquestionable, does not have to be the first.

Would it be possible to think of preservation as authentic? When it comes to books, there is the first edition, then the second, and so on. The reprint usually contains the same content as the first edition, although there may be editing involved. It is the author’s work, but the reprint is a reprint and with time some of it may need clarification even reinterpretation to suit a changing language. If only the edition and text initially provided by the author, is thought of as original, would the reprints be viewed as authentic? Does the author’s hand have to perform the editing for the work to keep its authenticity? In restoration, the original architect may not be available to perform the preservation, which prompts me to ask, is it the author or the content that defines authenticity? 

A Night to Remember

I could tell you when the house was built, where it is located and that the interior has been renovated to a point where much of the authenticity has gone missing, but this can be easily looked up, and more importantly, it wouldn’t convey the ambiance attained within this house’s reach. Simple, white with a straightforward appearance, this house hosts a trove of spaces to gather in, to entertain conversations with others or contemplations with one self. However one puts it; this house is invigorating.

Over grilled shrimp, served with a cilantro salsa, a perfected collaboration between an LA artist and his son, who is currently an apprentice with Alice Waters at Chez Panisse, a group of architecture enthusiasts, midcentury furniture experts, shopkeepers, designers, and artists discussed journeys of misplaced furniture, light reflections, college picks etc. while waiting for pizza delivery.

I enjoyed recognizing Schindler’s unique window mechanism from my own home, the concrete slab of bathroom flooring from the Schindler House, the rounded edges on the bookshelves from anything I know about Schindler, and the house’s capability to project LA light, but the most unique feature of this house must be the outdoor picture window that looks out over the gorge where Laurel Canyon and Mulholland Drive cross. This is pre-calculated drama to the max that is here to be experienced by anyone visiting the Fitzpatrick-Leland House.

http://www.makcenter.org/MAK_General_Info.php

Cilantro Salsa

2 Tomatillos

2 cloves of Garlic

Juice of 2 Limes

2 bunches of Cilantro

1 Jalapeno Pepper

Salt to taste

Best if prepared in a food processor.

Thank you MB, MM and Dwayne!

House Envy - Allyn E. Morris’ Studio

Stephen Chin recently sold the most dramatic house I’ve seen so far. An un-intrusive, brick-laid, carport shields the compact structure from a bystander’s view. With a steel frame and glass walls, the house stretches three stories down, hanging straight off a cliff in Silverlake. Inside, a single piece, spiral staircase connects the three levels.

Allyn E. Morris’ Studio is an awe-inducing house that Stephen perfected, cherished and restored, spending a lot of time talking to the architect, finding the perfect materials, and working with the one and only, Eric Lamers.

I look forward to seeing Stephen’s and Elaine’s next home and I welcome the new owner, Patti Marks, to the neighborhood.

ENJOYING THE REMODELED YARD OVER DINNER AND GRUNER VELTLINER WITH PETER SCHOLTZ ANS DAISY SMITH

We didn’t throw any cocktail parties this summer. It wasn’t that it was too hot or that we didn’t want to, no, it was hard to nail down dates. Friends went out of town, some had guests, and others were moving. It was the perfect opportunity for impromptu get-togethers and kitchen experiments.

Peach Salad & Zucchini Salad (recipes compliments of farmhouse table)

http://farmhousetable.wordpress.com/2011/06/

Citrus Cured Gravlax with Toasted Fennel Seeds (compliments of NYT)

Adapted from Todd Gray, Equinox Restaurant, Washington

3 to 4 tablespoons Cointreau or other orange liqueur

1 1/4 pounds salmon fillet with skin

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup coarse salt

1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds, toasted and crushed

Zest of 1 lemon, grated

Zest of 1 lime, grated

Zest of 1 orange, grated

2 thyme sprigs, leaves crushed

1 dried bay leaf, crumbled.

Recipe calls for citrus crème fraîche, for garnish. I used regular crème fraîche, one day and then homemade remoulade the next.

Directions:

Pour the Cointreau over the skinless side of the fish and set it aside.

Toast fennel, prepare zests and crush thyme and bay leaf with a mortar.

Mix sugar, salt, fennel seeds, zests, thyme and bay leaf in a large zip-lock bag.

Add the salmon, spreading the salt-sugar-citrus-herb mixture all over the fish. Put the bag on a large plate, placing something heavy over it (a pan or something that will weigh it down) and leave it in the fridge overnight (12-14 hours is recommended). Personally, I like to turn the bag a few times, but this is not necessary.

When you’re ready to prep the fish for serving, take it out of the bag, removing all salt and herb mixture with a damp cloth. Pat it dry, then slice it thin along the diagonal.

I like to serve it on dark bread or rye crisps with some crème fraiche and herbs like dill, tarragon etc, but there are endless possibilities

Kitchen Story

Apparently someone found our kitchen charming.

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/kitchen-design/california-modern-five-small-inspiring-kitchens-097637

Our kitchen is rectangular and narrow, and although there is plenty of storage, it feels quite small. Originally, I thought of it as having been built for someone who doesn’t cook, but I recall seeing an Esther McCoy quote where she mentions that the architect didn’t cook, hence his kitchens became minimal.

I don’t know whether Victoria cooked or not, but she was a workingwoman, who didn’t come from money or have live in help. I know she entertained influential guests from time to time, but she lived alone. So what did she eat? What did she serve? I’ve been pouring over the food timeline, reading about soup kitchens, casseroles, finger foods and chicken fricassee. I don’t know whether these would have been found on her table, though I do guess that given her work, writing and political engagement, cooking for one was not her main interest.

The Johnsons did not have children, but they required more space in the kitchen and they decided against using the original dining room set. Nineteen years into their residence, they remodeled the kitchen by adding storage, widening the entryways and changing the countertops.

The original dining table on wheels had its own cabinet, which was part of the De stijl module that houses the swing doors leading to the living and dining rooms, I am guessing that the cabinet was trimmed down on the width, given a new countertop and shelf, allowing for more storage and possibly more counter space. I don’t know whether the cabinet doors were changed or not, but I’m guessing that the swing doors were replaced with wider ones, making it easier to enter and exit. To their credit, they left the original counter, housing the sink, intact.

I long for a countertop dishwasher and more counter space, maybe a breakfast nook, but one cancels out the other and seriously, I have more counter space than my parents do in their kitchen.  

One of my favorite things to serve, when we entertain, is a Crudités platter. It’s healthy and just about everyone finds something appealing. I used to serve it with Tahini, but lately I’ve been mixing it up.

Cucumber Ranch Dressing by Martha Stewart

            1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and grated on the large holes of a box grater

            1 tablespoon shallot, finely chopped

            3/4 cup sour cream

            1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

            1/4 cup mayonnaise

            3 1/2 tablespoons (about 1 lemon) fresh lemon juice

            1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt

            Pinch of cayenne pepper

            3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

            3 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped

Directions:

.                 Stir together cucumber, shallot, sour cream, buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, cayenne, parsley, and chives in a medium bowl. Season with additional salt and cayenne, if desired.

Recent Sunday evening

(Available at http://www.okstore.la/ )

Having grown up in Sweden during the 80s and early 90s, I was too young to appreciate Ingmar Bergman’s film work beyond Fanny and Alexander, which I remember watching the Christmas it was released. Let’s just say, I had nightmares. 


It wasn’t until my mid-twenties when I saw Yasujiro Ozu’s, Tokyo Story (1953), that I started grasping what Ingmar Bergman was about.

The film follows a married couple, visiting their children and grandchildren in a big city, Tokyo. The sadness lies in that the younger family members have little time to give their elders, which intensifies the disconnect between the generations. I see this theme in Wild Strawberries, Autumn Sonata, Saraband and although the language and traditions are different, the sensibility and knowledge of how one is supposed to act and feel, even its importance, feels familiar.

(Available at http://www.okstore.la/ )

Moving into this house, I was introduced to the beauty of Japanese design and I’ve had the opportunity to meet some incredible people that make and sell some of the most beautiful things I’ve seen, but none of this prepared me for a visit to Hokkaido.

The appreciation and knowledge of Scandinavian design is immense. It was funny to walk into a store, finding Swedish snowboard gear and pottery in one place. It made me proud of my heritage, but more than that, it fit. Woodwork, pottery and ceramics have a long tradition in Japan and although I wouldn’t venture to deem the techniques to be shared, there is the sense of a common form.

My photos don’t give this justice, but please take a look at the Kitka blog post on Asahikawa:

http://kitka.ca/?p=12007

Ray Hamabe was our guide in Asahikawa and here’s a post on one of his stores, Less (Life Ease Simple Stylish):

http://kitka.ca/?p=11827