Artful Living Magazine | Spring 2023

SPRING 2023

THE NEW RANGE ROVER AND LAND ROVER DEFENDER WITH 3RD ROW SEATING.

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Discover the new Land Rover Defender 130. With a third row of full-size seating, offering best-in-class space for up to eight passengers. Individually customize your off-road system preferences with Configurable Terrain Response® and stay connected with the intuitive Pivi Pro infotainment system. So, whether you’re rock crawling in Moab or tearing through snow in Alaska, the Land Rover Defender is ready for just about anything.

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NEW 2023 RANGE ROVER DEFENDER 130 / Starting at $83,000*

NEW 2023 RANGE ROVER DEFENDER 130 / Starting at $83,000*

Land Rover Minneapolis

Land Rover Minneapolis

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8905 Wayzata Blvd, Golden Valley, MN 55426 763.222.2200

LandRoverMinneapolis.com

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THE NEW RANGE ROVER SPORT

THE NEW JAGUAR F-PACE

The Jaguar F-PACE is a luxury performance SUV that brings together award -winning design, efficiency, and intuitive technologies. With Jaguar performance at the heart of its DNA, Jaguar F-PACE delivers enhanced, sporty handling. Experience an exhilarating drive from a choice of powertrains.

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COREY GAFFER © GAFFER PHOTOGRAPHY INTERIORS BY DAVID MICHAEL MILLER

JONATHAN ADLER

MARTINPATRICK 3 STUDIO

ETRO

HERMAN MILLER CARA CARA THAMEEN

ESTELLE

Luxury Villa overlooking the Adriatic Sea within an award-winning vineyard & winery on the Pelješac Pennisula.

There is nothing quite as personal as your home. It is one of the purest expressions of your individual style. With endless ways to customize and configure your appliances, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove are the ideal choice for more kitchens than ever. Begin your journey to the kitchen of your dreams at Warners’ Stellian. Knowledgable specialists will guide you through selection and allow you to test drive your favorites to determine the best fit.

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THE FOOD ISSUE

COMPASS

88 Q+A

A culinary tour of Spain with chef José Andres.

95 TREND

The New York City piano bar is back.

101 TOUR

The Artful Living guide to Charleston, South Carolina.

CULTURE

We are committed to providing the best experience for our clients while creating a home that is a reflection of who they are.

From furniture refreshes to remodels to new builds, we are here to take your dreams and transform them into the unimaginable. This is what makes a #HenriHome.

Based in St. Paul | Designing Nationwide @henriinteriors henriinteriors.com

CONTENTS

HOME

124 PROPERTY GALLERY Coldwell Banker Realty presents the finest homes for sale.

136 RENOVATION

Vujovich makes a childhood dream house a reality.

142 CABIN Albertsson Hansen creates a contemporary Wisconsin cabin.

152 BUILD A Deephaven home

ADVENTURE

158 CAMPING Laura Schara’s favorite heritage camping brands.

165 HISTORY

Inside Missouri’s infamous cheese caves.

170 RETREAT Nor-Son outfits a rustic lake estate on a grand scale.

INTEL

179 DESTINATIONS

Five under-the-radar food havens to check out.

188 DESIGN

An Abitare Design Studio home oozes California cool.

199 MOVEMENT In the Black Power Kitchen with Ghetto Gastro.

by Mark D. Williams channels Cape Cod charm.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY COREY GAFFER, ASHLEY SULLIVAN AND JOSHUA WOODS

EDITOR'S LETTER

AT SOME POINT ALONG THE WAY, good food got mistakenly conflated with fine dining. Which proves problematic for those of us who enjoy eating well but don’t always need the pomp and circumstance. Don’t get me wrong — having dinner at institutions like New York City’s Le Bernardin and Montreal’s Maison Boulud is an absolute privilege and an inimitable experience. But food doesn’t need to be ostentatious to be delicious.

That’s a theme running throughout our spring food issue. Our feature subject, octogenarian French chef Jacques Pépin, tells writer Wendy Lubovich how he savors the simplest ingredients prepared in the simplest way, like a tomato plucked from his garden seasoned with just salt and olive oil. After decades at the top of the food world, he has distilled life down to the elemental. (page 108)

Celebrated Spanish chef José Andrés is also a fan of unpretentious eats. These days, the inspirational humanitarian is dedicating his time and efforts to feeding those in need with his nonprofit World Central Kitchen, in addition to helming some 30 restaurants. He takes us on an exclusive tour of his homeland and waxes poetic about the culinary traditions of Spain. (page 88)

The trio behind Bronx-based culinary collective Ghetto Gastro — Jon Gray, Pierre Serrao and Lester Walker — is on a mission to harness the power of food to prompt social justice reform. They explain how food is at once a form of survival, a source of luxury and also a weapon that has long been used against Black, Native American and other marginalized communities. The group’s manifesto is outlined in their acclaimed cookbook, Black Power Kitchen, which celebrates the beauty and complexity of Black culture. (page 199)

Anne Roderique-Jones touches on the topic of lavish vino, asking experts if wine needs to be expensive to be good. (Spoiler alert: It doesn’t.) In fact, the late Fred Franzia proved that with his cult-favorite Two Buck Chuck.

Scoff all you want, but fans of this infamously inexpensive wine and other previously overlooked lowbrow offerings are causing a major shift in the industry. (page 52)

Here in the Twin Cities, we have plenty of talented chefs who know that food needn’t put on airs to be absolutely exquisite. Native American change maker Sean Sherman of Owamni showcases this with his beautifully prepared Indigenous ingredients. So do chefs Ann Ahmed (Khâluna), Christina Nguyen (Hai Hai), Yia Vang (Union Hmong Kitchen) and Pedro Wolcott (Guacaya Bistreaux) — all of whom are telling the stories of their people through their cuisine.

So next time you find yourself craving something special, don’t dismiss the unassuming neighborhood joint. What these eateries lack in ego they more than make up for in flavor. And you’ll leave with both your heart and your stomach wonderfully full — no sport coat required.

Happy reading,

Kate Nelson Editor-in-Chief

IF YOU APPRECIATE the luxury of living close to nature yet still near the cities, come out to White Oaks Savanna just west of Stillwater. This unique, architecturally-driven community on 200 acres of lush prairie features 30 home sites, each with five to seven acres of land. Choose one of our award-winning architects and builders and we’ll help you select your perfect lot.

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CALL 651-300-0129 VISIT WHITEOAKSSAVANNA.COM

Kate Nelson Editor-in-Chief

Emma Cutler Velez Publisher

Hayley Saunders Associate Publisher

Lexi Sunberg Managing Editor

Margaret Cooper Art Director

Rosie Kelly Digital Editor

Genevieve Cossette Vice President of Sales

Meg Kelly Marketing + Events Manager

Mitchell Lambert Business Manager

Tyra Ericson Intern

Frank Roffers

Founder + Editor-at-Large

Pete Burgeson President

Editorial Advisory Board

Heidi Libera, Chris Plantan, Dana Swindler

Contributors

Writers: Merritt Bamrick, Jennifer Blaise Kramer, Brittany Chaffee, David Coggins, Bonnie Culbertson, Lee Svitak Dean, Christina Fortier, Amber Gibson, Chris Lee, Wendy Lubovich, Anne Roderique-Jones, Laura Schara

Photographers: Spacecrafting, Ashley Sullivan

Illustrators: Hilbrand Bos, Michael Iver Jacobsen, Frank Moth

Advertising Sales

Contact Emma Cutler Velez at 612-803-1910 or evelez@artfulliving.com.

Subscriber Services

Contact us at 952-230-3133 or hello@artfulliving.com. Artful

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ON THE COVER

Our Cover Shot

Capturing a scene reminiscent of spring gatherings with friends over sweet treats and sips, Brooklyn, New York–raised Maggie Cowles put (colored!) pencil to paper to design the poppy illustration on our spring food issue cover. Her intention with this concept was to encourage viewers to take a moment and appreciate the intimate nature of sharing a table of food. “I grew up in a family where life revolved around all things culinary; illustrating food-related concepts is what I am most drawn to,” she says. We hope our spring cover leaves you feeling inspired to connect with loved ones over a meal, explore new culinary destinations, and clink glasses in celebration of melting ice and budding blooms.

About Us

Artful Living is one of the top independent boutique lifestyle magazines across the United States with international reach. Founded in 2008, this award-winning quarterly magazine features engaging original content and beautiful design, bringing the best of the North and beyond to an affluent audience with impeccable taste. This elegant, intelligent publication aims to inspire and entertain, highlighting culture, home, style, travel, food, profiles and more. The Artful Living lifestyle brand is headquartered in Minneapolis.

To subscribe to Artful Living or order back issues, visit ArtfulLiving.com For bulk copies, contact us at 952-230-3133 or hello@artfulliving.com.

Easy Peasy

Flower Power

Go behind the scenes of our Guide photo shoot with floral designer Ashley Fox.

photo by Spacecrafting

INSIDE A WINE AUCTION FOR THE AGES.

BY WENDY LUBOVICH

frenchfête

THE MOST LAVISH AND LUCRATIVE WINE auction in the world isn’t held in Napa Valley or New York City. Instead, it takes place in a petite countryside village in the middle of France. Here, the precious grapevines are world-famous. And while this storied sale regularly breaks modernday records, its raison d’être goes all the way back to the Middle Ages.

It started in 1457 as a charitable gesture to help impoverished citizens die in dignity. The town of Beaune was coming out of the Hundred Years’ War with England, a time of unrest following plague outbreaks that devastated the area. So local winegrower Jean Guillotte le Verrier donated some of his coveted vines to the local hospital, the Hôtel Dieu (Hospices de Beaune). The wine produced from the grapes supported the institution, where patients could be cared for in a place of architectural grandeur.

You can see that magnificence today, as the soaring structure has become a museum. The glazed-tile roof is a marvel of 15th century design with interlacing patterns. Inside, you’ll find the Great Hall of the Poor, with two rows of curtained beds. Each held two patients lying head-to-toe. They were cared for free of charge, spending their final moments surrounded by visual splendor: painted ceilings, tapestries, candles and the like. The spiritual feeling inside this room, where so many souls have passed on, is indelible even now.

That poignancy forms the backdrop for this iconic wine auction held just steps from the Hôtel Dieu. Dating back to 1859, the yearly sale is the crowning event for this wine-growing region, with proceeds supporting the museum and a local hospital. True to predictions, the most recent event smashed records, taking in $32 million — the highest ever for a charity wine auction. “Representing the heart and soul of Burgundy, the auction attracted collectors from 30 countries, raising an extraordinary amount of money for charity, which will be used to help support the community,” explains Sotheby’s Wine & Spirits Worldwide Chairman Jamie Ritchie.

The seven-hour sale was conducted by four auctioneers working in rotation, with bidders inperson, online and on the phone. They weren’t buying bottles of wine, but rather some 800 barrels housing 51 cuvées, the latest vintage produced from vineyards across the hospital’s 60-hectare holdings. Winning bidders must be patient and entrust the barrels to a Burgundian négociantéleveur for maturing. Then 18 months later, the wine can be properly bottled and labeled.

To mark this celebratory three-day affair, wine collectors descend upon Burgundy, where the cobblestone streets of Beaune are filled with revelers. An envy-inducing dinner is held at the historic Château du Clos de Vougeot. Then there’s a rousing wine lunch, where one might hear a singing of “Ban Bourguignon,” the local wine anthem. Finally, esteemed oenophiles gather for a candlelit meal held inside the Hôtel Dieu. The world’s most exquisite wines are poured. And with a toast, everyone is reminded how a generous offer to help the less fortunate changed the global wine world forever.

MUSTARD MAESTRO

INTRODUCING NORTH AMERICA’S ONLY MUSTARD SOMMELIER.

BY BRITTANY CHAFFEE

IN MANY WAYS, MUSTARD IS SURPRISINGLY SIMILAR TO wine. How, you ask? It pairs well with chocolate. It has prominent taste profiles. It comes from certain regions known for producing top-quality seeds, like Burgundy, France. In the capital city of Dijon, mustard is served on tap at heritage boutique Maille. And although we expect sommeliers to pour pinot, the 275-year-old brand recently tapped Brandon Collins to dish up Dijon as North America’s only mustard sommelier.

So what exactly does a mustard sommelier do? “Ultimately, my job is to change how people think about and use mustard in their cooking,” says the 41-year-old Ohio native. “It’s my job to understand as much as I can — how it’s made, how it enhances flavors in a recipe, how the seed interacts with certain environments.” In other words, he’s on a mission to teach Americans that mustard is so much more than just a condiment you slap on a hot dog; it’s a powerful flavor enhancer.

Upon landing the gig, Collins traveled to Maille headquarters to visit the blooming mustard fields and learn about the company’s rich history. These days, he spends his time doing R&D: researching the condiment and developing related recipes. He tastes right off the line, when the mustard is most bitter, sipping white wine to enhance the flavor. He also brings new partnerships to the table, like a recent collab with Mike’s Hot Honey. And he goes back to his roots as an executive chef to curate multi-course dinners worldwide, with every dish featuring — you guessed it — mustard.

“I had the beauty of coming up in a culinary atmosphere where chefs were curious,” he notes, referring to the superstars he learned from along the way: Ferran Adrià (El Bulli), Rocco DiSpirito (Union Pacific), Wylie Dufresne (WD-50) and Paul Liebrandt (Atlas). “I saw how food was manipulated, encapsulated

and done differently.” Coupled with a passion for exploration, this background in fine dining serves Collins well as he works to discover how mustard’s flavonoids spark with various foods, like chocolate or vanilla ice cream.

When it comes to those curated dinners, Collins’ creations aim to please. “People initially think everything is going to taste like mustard, but we position to disguise,” he says. “I manipulate the dishes so the mustard doesn’t overpower the palate. By the end of the evening, I want guests to be like, ‘Wait, did I just have a whole meal with mustard?’”

That translates to fat-washed brown butter rum cocktails mixed with mustard and rosemary syrup; entrées like smoked beef tongue with paillasson or wood-grilled prawn with dill and mustard purée; and finally desserts like mustard cornmeal cake paired with parsnip ice cream and fermented blueberries. Developing these recipes is a big part of the gig. For Collins, understanding the nuances — for instance, how some seasons yield a spicier seed — helps him create palate-pleasing pairings.

Looking to the past also informs his work. At Maille, the seeds are picked, processed and blended as they have been since the 1720s, so the spice profile isn’t intrusive. “A spoonful of Maille will never make you cry or sweat,” Collins explains. “It will come up through your olfactory senses and give you a little bit of a burn. That’s why Maille was so popular in the 18th and 19th century courts. The aristocrats wore makeup and wigs; the last thing they wanted to do was cry and sweat in front of commoners.”

When you consider that Dijon was once royalty’s condiment of choice, it makes perfect sense that mustard has a sommelier of its own. Call Brandon Collins a mustard historian, a Dijon dramatist or Maille’s executive chef, his job is to spread the good word. We can raise a glass — or rather, a spoonful — to that.

GRAPE CRUSH

DOES WINE NEED TO BE EXPENSIVE TO BE GOOD?

BY ANNE RODERIQUE-JONES

ILLUSTRATION BY MICHAEL IVER JACOBSEN

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A GLASS OF CRISP sauvignon blanc? I’m guessing you’d happily oblige. Now what if I told you it was Two Buck Chuck? No matter what your answer may be, cheap wine is a polarizing topic among oenophiles.

When Fred Franzia, creator of the Charles Shaw label, passed away last fall, a frenzy of media coverage followed about how he upended the winemaking industry with his affordable offerings. Sure, his brand had long been a favorite among college kids, but for years, connoisseurs have turned up their noses at his creations. And yet we’ve recently witnessed an unexpected trend, with millennials sending sales of both Two Buck Chuck and boxed wines skyrocketing. All of this begs the question: Does wine need to be expensive to be good?

First, a confession. Historically speaking, I’ve generally preferred expensive wine. In fact, I’d rather not drink wine than drink bad wine. So why does that sentiment make me feel like such a snob? I certainly didn’t start with Stags’ Leap but rather Boone’s Farm (anyone remember Strawberry Hill?). From there, I progressed to Yellow Tail, and as my wine knowledge increased, so too did the price. But during a month-long sojourn in Italy last summer, I learned an important lesson while drinking loads of delicious vino sans hangover: Wine does not need to be expensive to be good — but it does need to be well-made.

To help me make sense of this boozy conundrum, I turned to celebrated sommelier Melissa L. Smith, founder of Enotrias Elite Sommelier Services and creator of the Wine Collecting Master Class. (Who, for the record, told me she’d probably try Two Buck Chuck out of sheer curiosity.)

So what factors into an expensive bottle? Smith explains that the price tag reflects the cost of the land, the vineyard management, the environmental and climate considerations impacting the yields, the aging process, and any celebrity affiliation (we’re looking at you, Brad Pitt). But what makes a good wine? Smith has a few criteria: “Wines that are in balance and foodfriendly. Wines that express a purity of fruit, with nothing overpowering like oak, alcohol or a cloying sweetness. Wines that are varietally correct and have a sense of place.”

Many of the bulk wines on the market, she adds, don’t reflect what wine is really meant to be: something that expresses the terroir and the vintage. Instead, they’re full of chemicals, colors and other additives that can easily trigger sensitivities. Think of it like the Rolex knockoff that turned your wrist a queasy shade of green back in your twenties.

But sadly, shrewdly navigating the wine aisle is easier said than done. “The wine price-to-quality ratio is all over the place,” explains Courtney Dunlop, cofounder of Good Clean Wine (which began due to “hangovers from hell”). “There are atrocious wines for $100 per bottle and good wines for $10. It’s all about knowing where the wine comes from and how it’s made, which is difficult to untangle for the casual drinker who just wants to grab a bottle without having to do a ton of research.”

So what’s a oenophile to do? When it comes to affordable wines, Smith recommends knowing your basics. For instance, she suggests swapping Champagne for cava, which is made the same way but has a lower price

tag. Or try a wine from a European co-op, where high-quality fruit from local farmers is brought to larger facilities with more buying power, which equates to price breaks.

I think we can safely say that the verdict is in: Good wine need not be expensive. Smith describes some of her most notable vino memories, none of which are tied to cost. “A jug of wine from Chianti enjoyed at a picnic in the middle of a daylong horseback ride through the Tuscan countryside,” she recalls. “Or a liter of grüner veltliner with a screw cap that became my go-to for drives out to the coast along with some fresh goat cheese and a baguette.” In other words, the drinking experience is about much more than just what’s in the bottle.

While serious connoisseurs might turn down a glass of Two Buck Chuck, there’s no reason to scoff at an affordable bottle of local wine, which seems to taste even better if you’re sipping it somewhere special. Armed with this newfound knowledge, I’m already planning ahead for my upcoming cheap-girl-wine summer.

ARTISAN HOME TOUR

BUILDER PREVIEW

Ever wonder what's behind the doors of the most exquisite homes in the Twin Cities? The Artisan Home Tour is your chance to step inside homes designed and constructed by the region's most exceptional homebuilders and remodelers. These artisans create incredible residences that blend artistic vision with unmatched craftsmanship.

DOORS OPEN THIS JUNE

ARTISANHOMETOUR.ORG | JUNE 9-25

ALIGN BUILDING & REMODELING, LLC

Tim O'Connor

We are a small boutique builder that provides the perfect solution for discerning clients who expect the topnotch quality and expertise of large building firms, but also desire ongoing personal attention and a one-on-one relationship with their builder. Quality and experience over volume.

BOHLAND HOMES

Brian McGlynn, Emily Boesen, Hunter Bohl, & Steve Bohl (not pictured)

BohLand Homes integrates their expertise in site planning, custom design and unrivaled finishing touches into every project. Experience has allowed us to craft and define our award-winning position in the luxury boutique multi-family, single-family, commercial, and hospitality markets.

CHARLES CUDD CO., LLC

Jason Kruell, Charles Cudd, John Sonnek, & Rick Denman

Charles Cudd Co. is a premier custom home builder and is known for creating some of the most architecturally stunning homes across the Twin Cities. Our award-winning luxury homes are built based on the unique philosophy of blending architectural design, interior design, and professional management.

CITY HOMES, LLC

Rebecca Remick

City Homes is a passionate, imaginative, women-led team building dream homes around the Twin Cities. Every home we build is masterfully planned out and executed with the highest level of craftsmanship. We only work with artisans who share our same level of dedication to building your forever home.

CONSTRUCTION2STYLE

Jamie & Morgan Molitor

construction2style - a full scale crew, design + build, content creating and small media company. Minnesota based, but nationwide. With over a decade of experience, we strive to think outside the box and to do things differently. Embracing technology, partnerships, and a dedicated team to serve our clients best.

CUSTOM ONE HOMES

Todd Polifka

At Custom One Homes, what sets us apart is simple, we aren't afraid to take on a challenge. Our staff is passionate about solving design issues for our clients. From initial conception to pivoting along the way, we shoulder the stresses of building a home, shielding you and your investment.

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SPACECRAFTING

SPACECRAFTING

GORDON JAMES

John Quinlivan & Jeremy Thompson

Gordon James is as much about building relationships as it is about designing, building, and remodeling homes. Our team practices three main tenets of a homebuilding business: organization, detail, and structure.

HARRISON CUSTOM BUILDERS, LLC

Amber & David Eggert

Harrison Custom Builders elevates the home building experience by developing exceptional client relationships and curating the highest levels of craftsmanship to bring your visions to life and build your dream home.

HARTMAN HOMES, INC.

Mike Hartman

After being in the business for 35+ years, Hartman Homes, Inc. has refined the art of building homes. We have assembled an award-winning team of employees and craftsmen that are at your service. We pride ourselves in giving customers the highest quality product, design, and process for a great value.

ALEXANDER DESIGN GROUP

HENDEL HOMES

Rick & Amy Hendel

Hendel Homes is a residential builder of high-end construction and renovations. By fostering meaningful partnerships between clients, architects, designers, and trade partners, we create homes with uncompromising excellence, always.

JOHN KRAEMER & SONS, INC.

John Kraemer, Gary Kraemer, & Jeff Kraemer

Our 44 continuous years in business, impeccable reputation, and financial stability give our clients peace of mind. As Minnesota's only four-time Builder of the Year, we strive to go above and beyond to ensure we exceed the expectations of all our clients.

HIGHMARK BUILDERS, INC.

Kristen Schammel, Matt Eastman, & Nathan Carlson

For more than 20 years, our team at Highmark Builders has been creating beautiful home transformations throughout the Twin Cities. The magic of a Highmark Builders remodel is in the details— thoughtful solutions and livable luxury designed for your lifestyle.

LANDMARK PHOTOGRAPHY

SUSTAINABLE 9 DESIGN + BUILD

Chad Hanson, Vince Birdsley, & Ryan Hanson

It's not just a vision for tomorrow: Sustainable 9 Design + Build creates homes for tomorrow, today. This is reflected in our enduring commitment to sustainably build, high-performance, energy-efficient homes that are stunningly designed and custom built.

MARK D. WILLIAMS CUSTOM HOMES, INC.

Mark Williams

Mark D. Williams Custom Homes, Inc. is an awardwinning Twin Cities-based home builder, creating quality custom homes and remodels — one-of-a-kind dream homes of all styles and scopes. Whether you're looking to reimagine your current space or start fresh with new construction, we build homes that reflect how you live your everyday life.

SWANSON HOMES

Lindsey & Blake Swanson

Swanson Homes has been a luxury homebuilding expert for 50+ years. Our talented team provides clients with a unique and personal hands-on experience that creates relationships to last a lifetime. We prioritize architectural details, superior design, and a unique homeowner story.

TJB HOMES, INC.

Justin Budzynski & Tom Budzynski

TJB Homes is a 43-year-old, family-operated company and is veteran owned. We are committed to energy-efficient designed homes which lessen the impact of housing on our environment and your wallet while keeping that "WOW APPEAL." Tom has been committed to energy-efficient design since the very first house he built in 1978.

Justin has followed in Tom's passion and continually looks for energy-saving techniques in new homes. Our combination of innovative building techniques creates comfort in the home while reducing energy consumption and cost. In every case, we work closely with our clients to make sure the home we build is exactly the home they want. TJB Homes will build on your lot or ours in Minnesota or Western Wisconsin. TJB Homes will take your old home in trade and also has a full remodeling division!

SAVE THE DATES

JUNE 9-25 · 12-6PM

ARTISANHOMETOUR.ORG

WOODDALE BUILDERS, INC.

Steve Schwieters

For nearly 50 years, Wooddale Builders has remained a trusted choice in the custom home building experience for Minnesotans. Our hands-on approach provides clients with the high level of care, attention to detail, and unique craftsmanship. Our mission is to make each client feel like family and their new custom build feel like home.

SMHERRICK PHOTOGRAPHY

SPACECRAFTING

FRONTIER CUSTOM BUILDERS

Nate Jurmu

Build your home with the space, features, and style that will truly elevate your quality of life. Frontier builds on family with thoughtful design, efficient scheduling, fine craftsmanship, and personal service. We offer both remodeling services and new home construction to the most particular clients. We're as selective as you.

NARR CONSTRUCTION, INC.

Greg & Karen Narr

Narr Construction has been building and remodeling with personal attention to detail for over 50 years. Quality equaled by some, surpassed by no one.

NOR-SON CUSTOM BUILDERS

Matt Holmstrom, Andy Anderson, & Eddie Near

Nor-Son Custom Builders craft custom homes that afford you the space, comfort, and quality in which you can create lifelong memories. Our superior craftsmen combine building science with skilled artistry to transform every design detail into a stunning, one-of-a-kind, meticulously built home–the kind of home you can hand down for generations.

OAK + ARROW HOMES

Samantha Grose

Making your home happy, healthy, and beautiful. We provide a clear strategic plan and custom design curated for the way you live. Offering full-service remodels and new-build construction, our team of experts is here to deliver spaces you're proud to call home.

REVISION, LLC

John Daly & Sven Gustafson

Revision has been remodeling architecturally designed custom homes for generations. We remain steadfast in our commitment to quality and relationships upon which the company was founded. We limit the number of projects taken on, so we can ensure ample attention from our construction managers and fulfill our brand promise of exceptional quality and high standards.

QUARTERSAWN

Jeff Nicholson

Quartersawn is a Minneapolis-based design/build firm. As designers and builders, we take a holistic approach to the remodel process. We provide homeowners with outstanding creativity and certainty. We share knowledge and resources to restore, improve, and create exceptional transformations.

CHELSIE LOPEZ

VUJOVICH DESIGN BUILD, INC.

Ed Roskowinski, Lori Balestri, & Chris McGuire

Vujovich (Voy-o-vich) has been creating unique Twin Cities homes for more than 40 years. Focusing on homeowners who require expert guidance when investing in the transformation of their home, we offer premium design and construction services that achieve their personal and property needs.

At Marvin, we are driven to imagine and create better ways of living. With every window and door we make, we strive to bring more natural light and more fresh air into homes, and to create deeper connections to the natural world. Crafted with exceptional skill, our products deliver quality you can see, touch, and feel, beauty that brings joy, and performance that stands the test of time. We put people at the center of everything we do by designing for how people live and work, and imagining new ways our products can contribute to happier and healthier homes.

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GRAND MASTER SPONSOR

Shaw/Stewart Lumber Company has been providing quality products and creative custom solutions to customers since 1886. They serve luxury homebuilders and remodelers as well as commercial contractors in the Twin Cities area. As a homebuyer or remodeling customer, you can depend on Shaw/Stewart to be the trusted source to provide your builder or remodeler with quality products, responsive service, and creative solutions for your project. When you're ready to select windows and doors, you are invited to join your contractor to visit the Marvin Design Gallery and confer with the professional design staff. You'll see the latest offerings from Marvin and feel the difference in quality, design, and craftsmanship. All of the window and door displays are set in realistic vignettes, designed to help you imagine the possibilities for your own home.

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JOURNEYMAN SPONSORS

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SPACECRAFTING

Advice for what matters most, when you need it most

Congratulations to Christina Boyd, Jeanne Rosengren and Max Gardiner for being named to the 2022 Forbes “America’s Top Wealth Management Teams High Net Worth” list as members of the Boyd Wealth Management Group, published on November 8, 2022. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022.

Boyd Wealth Management Group

Christina Boyd, CRPC® Managing Director Senior Financial Advisor

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

315 Lake Street East Suite 200 Wayzata, MN 55391

952.476.5613

fa.ml.com/boydgroup

Source: The Forbes “America’s Top Wealth Management Teams High Net Worth” list, published on November 8, 2022. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022. Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Forbes “America’s Top Wealth Management Teams High Net Worth” ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm that includes: a measure of each team’s best practices, client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. Rankings are based on the opinions of Forbes and not representative nor indicative of any one client’s experience, future performance, or investment outcome and should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Rankings and recognition from Forbes are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results. SHOOK’s research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and team, and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (also referred to as “MLPF&S” or “Merrill”) makes available certain investment products sponsored, managed, distributed or provided by companies that are affiliates of Bank of America Corporation (“BofA Corp.”). MLPF&S is a registered broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, Member SIPC and a wholly owned subsidiary of BofA Corp. Banking products are provided by Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC and a wholly owned subsidiary of BofA Corp.

Investment products: Are Not FDIC Insured Are Not Bank Guaranteed May Lose Value

The Bull Symbol and Merrill are registered trademarks of Bank of America Corporation.

The College for Financial Planning Institutes Corp. owns the service marks Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM, CRPC®, and the CRPC® logo, and the certification marks Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™, CRPC™, and the CRPC™ logo.

© 2023 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

Builder: Bob Cornell Construction Interiors: Barbara Clayton Landscape: Keenan & Sveiven

Photo: Scott Amundson

OUR PASSION IS BRINGING YOUR VISION TO LIFE

827 GLENWOOD AVE, MINNEAPOLIS | 612-374-1090

STYLE

IN LIVING COLOR

BY CHRIS LEE

MINNESOTANS LOVE THEIR LAKE HOMES, ESPECIALLY when they come of age going up north to the cabin. This homeowner wanted to maintain that tradition, even from a distance. Now a resident of Chile and the owner of a ski resort in the Andes, she frequently returns to the Midwest to visit siblings. And she’s still susceptible to the lure of the family lake cabin in Luck, Wisconsin.

“The family has had a place on the lake since the mid-1970s, when the client’s parents bought a rustic 1960s cabin nestled under a canopy of trees,” says Kristine Anderson, managing principal/ designer at PKA Architecture in Minneapolis, who designed the re-envisioned cabin alongside colleagues Ted Martin and Bobby Smith. “The client and her siblings have happy memories of the small, humble cabin, so they wanted their new cabin to have the same views of the lake and a similarly peaceful spirit of place.”

Anderson proposed a simple structure consisting of two wings connected by a light-filled spine. The gable forms nod to cabin tradition, while the wood-lined spine feels like a cozy cocoon, she explains. One wing contains the open kitchen, dining area, family room and screen porch; the other holds the primary suite, two guest rooms, bunk space, a laundry room and an office.

Built by Lake Country Builders of Excelsior, the 2,500-squarefoot house features expansive windows and sliding doors that flood the space with light and water views. The whitewashed poplar-lined walls and ceiling, white oak floors, and natural textures create the peaceful backdrop the client wanted.

Gabriela Laboy, senior designer at Martha O’Hara Interiors, added spice to the quiet palette with the client’s favorite colors: sunny yellow, emerald green and bright red. “The owner loves color,” notes Laboy. “Color can be scary when it’s in the home you’re in all the time, but given that this is a vacation home, we could play with color a bit.”

Outside, the dark gray of the wings is punctuated by the yellow link (Sherwin-Williams Confident Yellow), foreshadowing the bold colors to come. In the open kitchen, the bright green wall of cabinetry (Sherwin-Williams Arugula) is balanced by the warm texture of the butcher-block countertop and white oak of the island, all nicely tied together by the green veining of the Cambria countertop.

Along with swathes of color, Laboy brought in textures that lend a Patagonian vibe to the space. The Palecek stools with woven backs and a rope-weave chandelier over the sturdy dining table add a rustic touch, while Visual Comfort pendants, white with gold interiors, infuse the space with warmth. The dining area is designed to hold a crowd, with a table that seats 10, plus seating at the island and a handy spillover space on the deck beyond.

The casual family room features plenty of comfy spots to lounge — all upholstered in family-friendly Crypton fabrics. Color and texture continue here, too, with blue side tables and a mix of patterned and textured pillows. Donald Sultan’s poppies add a bright exclamation point beside the fireplace.

A hallway lined with bookshelves holding a colorful array of tomes and collectibles leads to the primary suite and office, both of which feature accents of happy hues. The office built-ins and window seat repeat the link’s Confident Yellow, while the bathroom cabinetry sports a cheery red (Sherwin-Williams Radish). The bedroom likewise boasts bright accent pieces, from the pillows to the chairs, that echo colors used elsewhere.

Many thoughtful details make for a lake home designed with family in mind. From the built-in dog doors to corral possibly wet or dirty pooches to the understated bunk area for sleepy little ones to the hanging basket chair in a relaxing alcove off the family room, this space is primed for making happy memories for future generations — whether they live in Minnesota or a world away.

springfever

DAVID COGGINS ON DRESSING FOR TEMPERAMENTAL WEATHER.

ILLUSTRATION BY HILBRAND BOS

IN A PERFECT SARTORIAL WORLD, WE WELCOME THE ARRIVAL OF SPRING WITH open arms and a fresh palette. As the weather brightens, perhaps you’re moved to wear a light gray suit and a beloved pair of loafers. That’s a good idea, but far too often this plan of attack proves too optimistic. Your best intentions are greeted with rain clouds, stiff winds and, worst of all, mud, mud and more mud. You head back to your wardrobe to reconsider matters. What are we to make of this conflicted season? We quite rightly want to evolve from the intensity of winter (especially winter in Minnesota!). The flannel and tweed feel like overkill. We hear birds singing and start thinking about baseball season and want to let a little sunshine into our lives as the days get longer. Here are some ideas to help you through those in-between days, when the weather could go either way.

Embrace Layering

Yes, you hear about layering, and it can sound exhausting. Well let’s keep it simple: A good cardigan goes a long way. If it’s not too heavy and can easily be worn under a sport coat, then it goes an even longer way. We’re talking about spring, so how about a friendly, cheerful color, like lavender or pale green? Remember, if it’s under a jacket, then you’re not seeing too much of that color, so you can experiment. The great English company Drake’s makes lovely knitwear as well as button-up sweater vests that look great under a chore coat. If you’re feeling daring, then a Fair Isle sweater in a winning pattern is just the ticket.

Welcome the Rain

A well-dressed man is ready for the elements and embraces the vagaries of weather in style. In practice, that means a good raincoat. Barbour, of course, is a trusted standby that looks superb. But in spring, I love a raincoat that’s on the lighter side, say a tan or khaki. Mackintosh is the benchmark and is still made in Scotland, where they know a thing about the weather. Some of us remember Macs of old that were basically a rubber furnace. These days, their jackets are more breathable (in the modern parlance), keep you dry and look absolutely terrific.

Own the Transition

One strategy I embrace in spring is to wear the fabrics of fall, like corduroy or lightweight wool, but in lighter, more seasonal colors. If fall is about the colors of the changing leaves, then spring is focused on the festive hues of Easter. Now we’re not going crazy here — nobody wants to look like an Easter egg — but a pale gray suit can be very effective. You can start at Ralph Lauren, whose excellent Polo suits are always in season, or move up to the more exalted Purple Label. If you’re feeling very specific, you can have a herringbone sport coat made at New York City tailor J. Mueser in the family of wheat, caramel and pale brown. This will look very upbeat with a light blue shirt and tan cords.

Experiment with Pastels

A dash of color can be really expressive; it just makes you appear cheerful, like an antidote to the storm clouds. Now a blue and white oxford cloth shirt is a staple for many men, but why not try something a little brighter? I recently got a J. Press lavender and white oxford that I can’t believe I’ve lived without. Or yellow and white, pink and white — it makes me feel good just thinking of how good you’re going to look in these shirts. Again, if you feel that’s too jaunty, then wear it under a dark blue chore coat and you’ll be giving your fans just a hint of your charm. J. Press still makes great shirts here in America. I also like the J.Crew Secret Wash shirts, which are already broken-in and very comfortable (especially the poplin), but these are more casual and don’t work as well with ties (you remember ties, right?).

Solve the Shoes

Now this is the big one: what to wear when you might step into anything from a puddle to a snowbank. There’s no single solution here. Crockett & Jones makes very good shoes in England. Their Chelsea boot in scotch grain is treated so it can get wet, plus it looks quite dashing. The Islay boot is a more involved lace-up but still very handsome. A more casual option is an actual rain boot from Hunter, who’s famous for their Wellingtons. Those are still great, but if you want something less bulky, the brand’s rubber Chelsea boots (available in a variety of colors) will keep you dry and stylish wherever you go. Which, after all, is the equation we’re after during this wonderfully tricky season.

A Minnesotan turned New Yorker, David Coggins is the author of the New York Times bestseller Men and Style and writes a style column for Artful Living.

THE GUIDE

DINNER IS IN FULL BLOOM THIS SPRING. PRODUCED BY CHRISTINA FORTIER AND KATE NELSON FLORAL

DESIGN BY ASHLEY FOX DESIGNS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SPACECRAFTING

• Mini Olivewood Spoon, Williams Sonoma, $21.95

PREVIOUS Juliska Berry and Thread Handled Soup Bowl, Ampersand Shops, $48

• Juliska Jardins Du Monde Salad/ Dessert Plate, Ampersand Shops, $48

• Simon Pearce Burlington Cloud Dinner Plate, Ampersand Shops, $50

• Multigrain Bread, Good Earth

• Florals, Ashley Fox

• THIS SPREAD Rustic Ceramic Serving Platter in Ivory, Williams Sonoma, $48.99

Designs

• Duralex Mini Glass Bowls, Crate & Barrel, $3.25 each

• Extra Large Canister with Wood Lid, Rejuvenation, $49

• Gold Servering Utensil Set, Crate & Barrel, $29.95

• Chalone Cocktail Glasses, Arhaus, $84 for six

• Small Canister with Wood Lid, Rejuvenation, $19

• Himalayan Salt Block, Crate & Barrel, $34.95

Cereal Bowl, Crate & Barrel, $14.95

• Oil Bottle, Crate & Barrel, $12.95

• Amina

LEFT White Wood Marble Mortar and Pestle, Crate & Barrel, $39.95 • Italian Velvet Pillow Cover in Blush, Rejuvenation, $139 • RIGHT Lunette Wine Glass, Crate & Barrel, $10.95

Pillowpia The French Market Bag, NIC+ZOE, $22 • Fringe Mix Knit Jacket in Dusty Cedar, NIC+ZOE, $198

Shop featured Galleria stores: Ampersand Shops • Arhaus • Crate & Barrel • Good Earth • NIC+ZOE • Rejuvenation • Williams Sonoma

Enjoy blooming gardens and larger-than-life floral installations throughout Galleria’s common spaces during the Galleria Floral Experience from March 26 to April 9. Visit galleriaedina.com to view the full collection of stores and learn more.

Award-winning Design Build Experts

GOURMET GETAWAY

CELEBRATED CHEF JOSÉ ANDRÉS TAKES US ON A CULINARY TOUR OF SPAIN.

BY LEE SVITAK DEAN

JOSÉ ANDRÉS MAY BE

THE MOST VISIBLE CHEF

IN THE world today, as comfortable in a flak jacket and helmet in Ukraine as he is in a chef’s uniform in Los Angeles, New York City or Washington, D.C. For that matter, he’s a natural comic on a TV set with Stephen Colbert. The gregarious, irrepressible Spanish chef — a naturalized American citizen since 2013 — bubbles over with passion for his homeland’s bounty and is on a mission to feed those in need. He heads not only 30+ restaurants but also founded World Central Kitchen, the nonprofit that pops up in disaster areas and war zones to serve meals for the hungry (185 million in Ukraine last year alone).

He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 and made TIME magazine’s annual list of 100 Most Influential People in both 2012 and 2018. Then TIME referred to his “leadership in crisis” in a 2020 cover story. Last year, Ron Howard directed a documentary about him, We Feed People, and the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery commissioned a painting of him by artist Kadir Nelson for its Portrait of a Nation exhibition.

His popular pandemic-era Instagram videos where we watched Andrés interact with his family in his home kitchen led the way to the new Discovery+ series José Andrés and Family in Spain. Here, he hits the road in delightful pursuit of culinary adventures across his home country with his daughters in tow: 23-year-old Carlota, 21-year-old Inés and 18-year-old Lucía. “To really get to know Spain, you have to know its food,” he tells viewers. For Artful Living readers, he offers his perspective on mealtime in Spain, for which the dining rituals seem to be countless.

What inspired you to create a show with your daughters as you traverse Spain?

During the darkest days of the pandemic, my family had a rare opportunity to spend time together and share moments of cooking on social media, making videos that we called “Recipes for the People.” Of course, we made many dishes from Spain, where I’m originally from. My three daughters have been visiting Spain with my wife and me since they were very young. It might not be the country where they were born, but it is deep in their DNA. So when the opportunity came to make this show, to take what we had been doing on social media and share it with the world, we had to jump at it.

How would you describe your home country to someone who hasn’t been there?

To me, Spain is a country of modernity and tradition, the sea and the mountains, two worlds that are always coming together as one. We have such deep history, from before the Roman Empire to the time of Al-Andalus, when the Arabs ruled the country, to the cultural explosions of the past 50 years. And we are home to some of the most creative people of all time — think of the artist Dalí, the architect Gaudí and Ferran Adrià, the brilliant mastermind behind El Bulli. So when you come visit, you will see all of these things — and of course you will be able to taste it, too!

In your mind, what defines Spanish cuisine?

We are all about the very best ingredients in the world: olive oils, wines, cured and fresh meats, fruits and vegetables, all growing under the beautiful Spanish sun. Our dishes make the most of those incredible products, treating them simply and with respect. All of that, plus our history defined by a deep love for tradition and interest in innovation, leads to some of the most exciting, delicious food in the world.

What regional foods should a traveler taste?

Every region is unique, which is one of the major points we were trying to make with this show. Spain has a rich and complex history and geography, so everywhere you go, you’ll get to taste new things. In the south, you should try the cold soups of Andalusia. In Valencia, you can’t miss paella, of course. In my native Asturias, it’s the cheeses of the mountains and stews like fabada (stew of broad beans and pork).

Which restaurants should be on every gourmand’s bucket list?

To narrow the list of restaurants in one of the best eating countries on the planet is a very difficult thing to do! I will give you two, but you should know that there are many, many more — of course the ones that my daughters and I visit on the show, but also so many more around the country in regions that we didn’t visit. In the Basque region alone, you could find 10 of the best restaurants in the world. So I will mention to you Casa Marcial in my native Asturias, where Nacho Manzano and his family are doing absolute magic. You cannot miss his fabada. And then Disfrutar in Barcelona, which is the legacy of El Bulli, once the best restaurant in the world. The three chefs there, Mateu Casañas, Oriol Castro and Eduard Xatruch, are geniuses who will give you one of the most spectacular shows on earth.

What’s the most important meal of the day in Spain?

I could make an argument that every meal is the most important one — it depends on where you are and what you’re eating! If it’s the morning and I have a plate of huevos rotos (fried eggs with runny yolks over potatoes) in front of me, then breakfast is the most important. If I have a bikini sandwich (hot ham and cheese, as known in Barcelona and Catalonia, but as mixto elsewhere) with truffles, then maybe lunch is most important. Or is it la hora del vermut the vermouth hour — when I’m eating olives and almonds, and having a glass of vermouth to open up the appetite before dinner? Or if I’m eating tapas, with cheeses, jamón, croquetas and gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp) alongside a glass of albariño, then I would choose dinner. Or maybe the most important meal is after dinner, when I’m drinking a gin and tonic?

four seasons

PRIVATE RESIDENCIES

timeless beautiful luxurious

photo by corey gaffer

HIGH

THE NEW YORK CITY PIANO BAR IS BACK.

BY ANNE RODERIQUE-JONES

NOTES

A COUPLE WALKS INTO A PIANO BAR… IT SOUNDS LIKE THE beginning of a bad joke, right? Instead, it’s a quintessential evening out in the Big Apple. But rather than the expected smooth jazz ensemble, the solo pianist is playing — surprise! — a moody version of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Something glorious has emerged in the nightlife world: the resurgence of New York City’s piano bar scene, but with a whole new attitude.

As classic cocktails have come back into favor, there may be no better complement to an old-fashioned than the clubby atmosphere of a piano bar, where the pièce de résistance is a shiny black instrument that transforms any room into a celebration. But let’s get this straight: This is not the dueling pianos of your college days, where classic rock ballads were accompanied by shots and bad decisions. Think of this as the more refined older sibling who still likes to party on occasion.

Decades ago, piano bars became an integral part of New York City’s nightclub scene for those seeking something in between a jazz club and a supper club. Marie’s Crisis Cafe, a stalwart in show tunes sing-alongs, dates back to the 1800s. Then there’s Brandy’s, an Uptown darling that’s been around for 35+ years and exudes a more raucous vibe, where a musician will happily bust out Taylor Swift or Cardi B. And we can’t talk piano bars without mentioning Bemelmans Bar, the 1940s-era lounge helmed by tuxedoed, white-gloved servers — truly the gold standard. The main thing that’s changed? An influx of Gen Zers, wide-eyed young things, all dressed up and in search of a good time.

Post-pandemic, the Big Apple has adopted a bring-me-the-goodstuff attitude (caviar! Dom!) with a serious dose of swagger. Enter establishments like the Nines. This celebrity magnet piano lounge is inspired by European lobby bars such as Dukes in London and the Bar Hemingway in Paris. The room is swathed in scarlet velvet with cheetahprint wallpaper and cushy banquettes that serve as the backdrop for monied Millennials sipping gin martinis. Here, guests are encouraged to dress to the nines (naturally), which equates to everything from backless velvet cocktail dresses to white tuxedos paired with high-top sneakers. After all, life is short — wear the good stuff.

But back to that Nirvana tune. That couple was my husband and me, seated at a cozy table at Melody’s Piano Bar. This place is polished, with an opulent atmosphere that shows off with palm-covered Versace wallpaper, checkered black-and-white flooring, art deco fixtures and a working fireplace. It feels splurgy and celebratory as you snack on potato chips topped with caviar and sip a shaken basil collins, all while keeping it cool with melodic alt rock.

Like bell bottoms, grunge and gimlets, most trends eventually return, so it was only a matter of time before piano bars were back in vogue. But perhaps the best throwback we could ask for in today’s day and age is the opportunity to put down our phones, actually tune in and, if we’re so inclined, even participate in the performance (as in, the later the night, the louder the sing-along). Isn’t that what entertainment is all about?

TOUR

RICH COLONIAL HISTORY AND EVEN RICHER FOOD HAVE MADE CHARLESTON, South Carolina, a true American treasure. Buildings in the Holy City cannot exceed the tallest church steeple, so you’ll find a demure skyline against a backdrop of sailboats and schooners in the harbor. Visitors can meander down cobblestone streets and peek through intricate wroughtiron gates into lush secret gardens. You can even tour some of these historic homes in spring during the month-long Festival of Houses and Gardens. King Street is the premier shopping destination here, with quintessential gifts like sweetgrass baskets, hand-painted oyster shells, cheese biscuits and benne wafers. And don’t leave town without savoring low-country classics like she-crab soup, pimento cheese dip, and shrimp and grits.

THE ARTFUL LIVING CITY GUIDE TO CHARLESTON. BY AMBER GIBSON

THE BEACH CLUB

Bright nautical motifs and palmetto tree lamps create a cheerful charm at this 92-room, LEED-certified seaside inn situated at Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina. Just across the water in Mount Pleasant, it’s a short water taxi ride from Waterfront Park’s famous pineapple fountain, and you’ll most likely spot playful dolphins along the way. After a day of exploration, lounge poolside with frosé in a private cabana or soothe weary muscles with a relaxing massage at Estuary Spa employing Naturopathica balms and oils.

For dinner, chef Cole Poolaw brings in whole flounder, grouper and trout from local fishers to whip up as ceviche, rillettes and dayboat seafood paella at signature restaurant Charleston Harbor Fish House. Post-meal, wrap yourself in a seersucker robe and snack on benne wafers before rolling into bed, or enjoy fire pit s’mores and a nightcap on your balcony overlooking the harbor and Charleston’s twinkling skyline.

SULLIVAN'S FISH CAMP

Seasonal low-country seafood is the specialty here, and fresh fish and cold beer make the perfect casual combo for a fun night out. The dining room feels like stepping into the cabin of a 1970s sailboat with lacquered wood, bright yellow checkered linoleum tile and vintage sailing knick-knacks throughout. This beloved family-run institution on nearby Sullivan’s Island first opened in 1988; a recent renovation under new ownership preserves the neighborhood landmark’s nostalgia with a modern touch of whimsy.

Begin with a seafood tower to share and golden tilefish crudo with buttermilk leche de tigre and peanut chili crisp. Then dig into fried seafood baskets and heaping bowls of gumbo loaded with Tarvin shrimp, clams, okra and dayboat fish over Carolina Gold rice cooked in lobster broth. Kids will clamor over soft serve with rainbow sprinkles for dessert, while adults can opt for a final fruity frozen rum cocktail.

ZERO GEORGE COOKING SCHOOL

Every weekend, one of Charleston’s best chefs leads intimate cooking classes for up to eight guests in a beautifully appointed professional kitchen that will inspire renovations back home. Zero George Executive Chef Vinson Petrillo offers cooking tips while walking you through a three-course menu based on dishes from his current tasting menu, like lightly grilled halibut with corn and black truffle or Hunter Cattle Co. beef with taleggio and beets. His goal? To show guests how to translate restaurant techniques to home cooking.

The classes are purely demonstrative, not interactive, so you’ll just sit back, drink wine and savor the delectable fare. Questions are of course welcome, and private cooking classes are available upon request. Guests are sent home with signed menus and recipe booklets so that ambitious cooks can recreate their meals while dreaming of the Hestan cooking suite and Le Creuset pots and pans.

CROGHAN'S JEWEL BOX

Whether you’re looking for a unique engagement ring, costume brooch or Victorian charm to remember your time here, Croghan’s Jewel Box is a veritable treasure chest of priceless wonders. The oldest family-owned jewelry store in town has been in business for more than 100 years and today boasts an incredible collection of antique estate jewelry sourced locally as well as from England and Italy.

At Croghan’s, these literal hidden gems are rescued from dusty obscurity and restored to full gleaming glory. From circa-1900 French Victorian bracelets and Edwardian-style diamond crosses to Tiffany gold collars and art deco sapphire bangles, these one-of-a-kind baubles are just begging to be tried on from their velvet pedestals. The uniquely Charleston gold bug collection references an Edgar Allan Poe poem, giving cockroaches a gilded spin with charm bracelets, stud earrings and cufflinks.

One of the most coveted reservations in the Holy City, FIG was once just a humble corner bistro that’s blossomed into a top U.S. culinary destination, garnering three James Beard Awards and countless other accolades. Chef/owner Mike Lata and Executive Chef Jason Stanhope serve honest, local ingredients with Southern flair. Signature dishes include chicken liver pâté, ricotta gnocchi alla bolognese, porchetta tonnato, and low-country bourride: a seafood stew with white shrimp, mussels, butter beans and Carolina Gold rice.

Service is stellar in the chic and modern dining room, as is the acclaimed wine program, which focuses on small family wineries who put as much love and care into their vinos as the chefs put into the food at FIG. Reservations are taken a month in advance and can go quickly, but the lively bar is first come, first served.

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON SAILING LESSONS

The College of Charleston varsity sailing team trains right at the harbor marina, and visitors can learn to sail from these champs. After completing a basic keelboat course, you’ll be prepared to skipper a J/22 keelboat, mastering the art of steering, tacking, jibing, and tying bowlines and clove hitches. A private beginner lesson takes just a couple hours, with a little classroom prep before donning a life jacket and heading out on the water. The vocabulary and whiteboard diagrams might seem daunting, but you’ll learn quickly with hands-on instruction from the skipper. Weeklong youth spring and summer camps are available, including a STEM camp for teens that focuses on the math, science and engineering behind sailing. And if you just want to charter a sailboat for a leisurely sunset cruise around Charleston Harbor? That can be arranged, too.

Jacques Pépin on food, art and the secret to life.

BY WENDY LUBOVICH

The celebrated chef sat down for a very personal interview with us from his Connecticut home, where the evercharming author and TV personality seems at ease these days, distilling life to the essential. “A perfect day for me is if my garden is blooming and I have friends over to play boules,” he says.

“We drink wine together and cook together. That’s a really good day.”

was created just for PÉPIN FROM ART OF THE CHICKEN PUBLISHED BY HARVEST BOOKS (2022)

Surrounded by gleaming pots and pans and dozens of spoons and spatulas, the French-born chef tells us he’s busier than ever. At 87, he’s become a social media sensation thanks to his breezy cooking tutorials filmed inside his delightfully lived-in kitchen. With his casual plaid shirts and easy manner, he prepares whatever he’s in the mood for, signing off with his trademark “Happy cooking.” No surprise that his 1.6 million Facebook followers are obsessed. “The idea was my daughter, Claudine’s,” Pépin explains. “We use a fixed camera and a handheld phone over my shoulder. Usually we film 10 in a day, and it varies based on what I have left in the refrigerator or pantry.” Even more impressive, all the videos are improvised. But what his newfound devotees might not know is that Pépin doesn’t just love cooking; he also loves painting. For decades, he’s been working diligently in his studio, capturing landscapes, florals, even vegetables. He got the bug in

the 1960s as a student at Columbia University and has been creating art ever since.

“When I cook in the kitchen, there is a certain freedom of being a professional chef,” he extols. “You taste, you adjust; you taste, you adjust. And then the food kind of takes ahold of you. Similarly, when I start a painting, very often I don’t really know where I’m going. Then at some point, the painting takes ahold of me. And I react to it, without even trying to validate what I’m doing.”

The subject matter he’s painted the most might come as a surprise: chickens. His latest book, Art of the Chicken: A Master Chef’s Paintings, Stories, and Recipes of the Humble Bird, is filled with dozens of his poultry portraits, each with its own personality. “I come from a place in France where we are known for our very special Bresse chickens,” Pépin says. “With their red comb, blue feet and white plumage, they’ve always been a part of my life.”

Astonishingly, this is his 31st book — and perhaps his most personal. A visual and culinary treat, it is filled with stories of omelets and roasted birds. But you won’t find formal recipes here. Instead, Pépin explains how to cook in a narrative style, as if we were sitting right in his kitchen. Along the way, he folds in stories about his life and adventures in the culinary world.

And what a life it’s been. Born in 1935 in Bourg-enBresse, France, he left home at 13 to become a chef. After rigorous stints in kitchens near Lyon then Paris, he spent time in the French military, where he cooked for President Charles de Gaulle. But after he came to America in 1959 and started working at New York City’s Le Pavillon, he turned down the chance to cook at the White House for President John F. Kennedy. Instead, he pivoted and went to work for Howard Johnson’s, where he perfected the art of making chicken pot pies for the masses. “The years I spent at Howard Johnson’s changed my life as a cook,” Pépin writes in Art of the Chicken. “Learning about production, the chemistry of food, marketing and recipe writing all made me grow and helped me develop skills outside of cooking.”

Chicken Bouillabaisse

One of the great culinary memories of my youth is when I first tasted bouillabaisse. My father had taken me to a small bistro called a bouchon in Lyon, where the chef/owner was known for his fish dishes. Bouillabaisse is a famous fish stew from Marseille in the South of France, made with many different types of rockfish like red mullet, scorpion fish, and especially rascasse (hogfish) and sometimes langouste (spiny lobster). The stew is flavored with saffron, garlic, onion, tomato, fennel, thyme, white wine and Pernod. It is served with a rouille sauce — a mayonnaise loaded with garlic and flavored with the broth from the fish stew, which lends the finished product a deep reddish color. A few years ago, I decided to make a bouillabaisse de volaille. In my recipe, I replace the fish and shellfish with chicken and sausage but keep the same flavoring ingredients. I first marinate the chicken pieces with olive oil, saffron, garlic, onion, carrot, celery, herbes de Provence, and salt and pepper. When it is time to cook, I cover the mixture with white wine, tomato, hot sausage, and potatoes, and let it simmer for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, the rouille is made in a food processor by emulsifying egg yolks, garlic, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and some liquid and a potato from the stew. The mixture is finished with a generous addition of the best-quality olive oil available, which creates an unctuous sauce, full of flavor. It’s a different, delectable spin on a classic and yet another delicious way of enjoying chicken.

1935

Born in Bourg-en-Bresse, France, a small village near Lyon. After World War II, his parents open the restaurant Le Pélican, where his love of cooking starts.

1948

Leaves home at 13 to start an apprenticeship at nearby Grand Hôtel de l’Europe. Three years later, goes on to work in Paris, including Plaza Athénée.

1956

Serves in the French military, where he’s recognized for his culinary training, eventually becoming the personal chef to President Charles de Gaulle.

PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY JACQUES PÉPIN | “APPLE AND CHICKEN” BY JACQUES PÉPIN FROM ART OF THE CHICKEN PUBLISHED BY HARVEST BOOKS (2022)

My Home Version of HoJo’s Southern Fried Chicken

I had never encountered a dish prepared quite like the chain’s famous Southern fried chicken, with its delicious crispy coating. We used a piece of equipment I’d not seen before, a combination deep-fryer and pressure cooker. I enjoyed that chicken so much that I often duplicated the dish at home, making a few adjustments for a nonindustrial kitchen.

I began by cutting a chicken into pieces and soaking them for 24 hours in buttermilk and a bit of Tabasco sauce. While I heated lard and peanut oil in a large cast-iron skillet with a tight-fitting lid, I shook the buttermilk off the chicken and rolled the pieces in flour mixed with a little baking powder — making in essence a self-rising flour. When the fat reached 325°F, I dropped the chicken pieces into the pot and put on the lid to replicate the moist conditions of the pressure cooker for 20 minutes or so. The result: chicken at its most succulent.

But then in 1974, everything changed. While driving, he hit a deer and was so severely injured he nearly died. He broke his back, and his shoulder was so badly hurt that he could no longer work in a demanding professional kitchen. So he pivoted again and began giving cooking demonstrations at culinary shops across the country, along with lecturing at Boston University. Then in 1982, he found his way to TV, where his elegant cooking style made him a PBS star.

TV fate knocked again in 1999, when he teamed up with longtime friend Julia Child for their show, Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home. They were a spirited pair, she with her quirky sense of humor and he with his poised wit. “We loved to argue because our verbal jousting for the most part concerned trivial matters,” Pépin writes. “Julia, for example, swore by regular salt and white pepper. I prefer kosher salt and black pepper and occasionally tried to sneak these non-Julia-approved ingredients into our demonstrations.”

Child and Pépin were among the first celebrity chefs in America, using TV to demystify French cooking. And while his notoriety has only grown over the years, he carries that fame with a heaping dose of humility. “Seventy years ago, the cook was at the bottom of the social scale; now we are geniuses,” he tells us. “I’m not sure how that happened — it can be dangerous.”

To be sure, Instagram is filled with young chefs touting their latest masterpieces. But Pépin remains a firm believer in disciplined training. His early education in Paris was one of conformity, studying with one chef then another. He trained under Lucien Diat at Plaza Athénée, along with stints at Fouquet’s and Maxim’s. “Only then, after eight or 10 years like this, after you’ve absorbed multiple points of view, can you begin to filter it,” Pépin instructs. “Then you can bring your own sense of taste, your own aesthetic.”

Over the years, he has developed a more international style of cooking, blending recipes and ingredients from many cultural traditions. But his philosophy remains the same: Cooking

1959

Moves to the United States and works at New York City’s Le Pavillon. Befriends New York Times Food Editor Craig Claiborne and chef/TV personality James Beard.

1961

Turns down an invitation from President John F. Kennedy to work as the White House chef and instead accepts a job as director of research and development at Howard Johnson’s restaurants.

1966

Marries Gloria Evelyn Augier, who he met while working as a ski instructor when she booked a private lesson with him.

1970

Opens specialty soup restaurant La Potagerie in Manhattan. Earns his bachelor’s degree in general studies at Columbia, then two years later his master’s in French literature, also from Columbia.

1974

While driving, strikes a deer and is seriously hurt, fracturing multiple bones in his back, pelvis and arms. Because of these injuries, decides to shift his attention to writing, teaching and TV.

1976

Authors the landmark cookbook La Technique, which uses thousands of photos to definitively illustrate classic cooking techniques. It’s followed by the companion book, La Methode, in 1979.

1982

Becomes dean of the newly formed French Culinary Institute in New York City (today the Institute of Culinary Education). Also films his first PBS series, Everyday Cooking with Jacques Pépin.

1999

Costars alongside Julia Child in the iconic PBS TV show Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home, which goes on to win a Daytime Emmy and a James Beard Award.

together should be fun, recipes should be fairly simple, and taste should always trump presentation. “When you are a young chef, you have to put more on the plate — more garnish, and more and more,” Pépin explains. “Now in my eighties, if I have a good tomato out of the garden with a bit of salt and some olive oil, I don’t need many embellishments. So I retrieve, retrieve and take away from the plate, to be left with something more essential.”

On this day, we ask Pépin about the home cook and what sage advice he has for those learning to cook. “Drink enough wine,” he quips. “People say, ‘I don’t cook at all.’ Well, if you have a friend who cooks, the next time you go see them, ask if you can come an hour early and cook with them in the kitchen. Bring a bottle of wine, drink the bottle of wine and if the chicken is over-cooked, who cares?”

He’s just as spirited talking about popular cooking TV shows, which are often filled with drama. “I know this is TV, but if cameras came into the kitchen of chef Thomas Keller, it’d be like a ballet back and forth with almost no noise,” Pépin points out. “But for TV, they want to create kitchens where people are yelling at each other and insulting each other. It doesn’t work like that in a professional kitchen, frankly. You don’t really teach people to cook by yelling at them.”

These days, the master chef relishes the quiet of his Connecticut home, where he’s lived for 46 years. Everywhere, you’ll find photos of loved ones. After 54 years of marriage, his beloved wife, Gloria, passed away in late 2020. The sadness is palpable still. But his vivacious daughter, Claudine, and her husband, Rollie (also a chef), are always there in the background cheering him on. So too is his granddaughter, Shorey, who is in college now after growing up alongside Pépin in the kitchen.

In 2016, Claudine and Rollie helped set up the Jacques Pépin Foundation, which provides free culinary training through community-based organizations to individuals often excluded from the workforce due to issues like homelessness or previous incarceration. For fans of the beloved chef, there are also paid memberships granting access to a video recipe book as well as an exclusive Rouxbe course, “A Legacy of Technique.” The foundation has become a passion project for the entire family.

Julia and Jacques’s Dueling Chickens

Julia and I never could agree on the proper way to roast a chicken. Julia liked to give hers a generous rubdown with butter before putting it in the oven. She called this step a “butter massage.” She also found no need to turn a chicken in the oven and roasted birds weighing less than 3½ pounds breast side up for the entire time. Julia liked to roast her chickens on a V-shaped rack in a shallow roasting pan about two inches deep, contending (rightly) that this method let the heat circulate around the bird for even browning.

I, on the other hand, think it’s important to start the chicken on one side, flip it to the other side, then turn it on its back for a stint, during which I baste it frequently with pan juices. The meat around the juncture of the thigh and drumstick needs the most cooking, and with the bird on its side, that joint is in direct contact with the heat and the skin becomes golden and crisp. But you must cook it in a heavy-bottomed roasting pan that allows for good heat diffusion.

Julia and I agreed that whichever approach we took, a chicken should be roasted at a high temperature (425°F). And we were totally in sync in believing that one of the greatest pleasures in life is a perfectly roasted chicken served with a deglazing sauce made from the brown bits left in the roasting pan. I will finish by saying that both techniques yield an excellent result.

2004

Receives France’s highest order, the Légion d’Honneur, adding to his existing accolades of Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole and Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

2016

Establishes the Jacques Pépin Foundation to provide free culinary training to people with barriers to employment such as homelessness or previous incarceration.

2023

Continues to write and film online cooking tutorials while also teaching at Boston University and the Institute of Culinary Education, as well as serving as executive culinary director of Oceania Cruises.

Arroz con Pollo

My wife, Gloria, loved arroz con pollo, a recipe traditional to Latin American cuisine. Gloria was born in New York City, but her father was Cuban and her mother Puerto Rican. Following Gloria’s advice, I make a version of arroz con pollo that her mother used to make. I sauté chicken pieces (sometimes I use only the wings) with spicy sausage and lots of chopped onion and garlic. I add a pinch of cumin, a few drops of sriracha, Italian seasonings and chopped fresh tomatoes. These ingredients go into a saucepan with rice and chicken stock. I cover it and cook it on the stove until the rice is done and the liquid absorbed. The key is using the right amount of rice for the liquid, which can require a bit of tinkering. Diced tomatoes and onions add their own moisture as they cook, so you have to adjust the amount of stock accordingly to achieve the desired moist, creamy and slightly sticky consistency. Gloria liked regular long-grain Carolina rice in arroz con pollo. Before serving the dish, I add some more hot sauce and shower it with a good fistful of chopped cilantro.

And yet for this esteemed chef, his day-to-day life comes down to two things: food and art. “Cooking and painting complete me; both are the expression of who I am, and they connect in my life,” Pépin confides in Art of the Chicken. He elaborated on this notion during our conversation, telling us what he decides to paint often comes down to the specific day: “A lot of it depends on your mood. If it’s summer or winter; if it’s hot or cold. You’re in a good mood or a bad mood. There are moments in cooking where you follow your whim, and painting is the same way.”

More and more, Pépin is drawn to creating abstract works — a complex matrix of shapes and patterns, where plates of food and glasses of wine often work their way into the compositions. “The abstract paintings are the hardest ones to stop; you can go on and on,” he says. “It’s the same with food. If you work on it too much, the whole thing disappears. Just like painting — too long and all of a sudden you’ve destroyed it. I always say a painting is never finished, just abandoned.”

Over the years, Pépin’s art studio has become his creative refuge. Set up inside his home, it’s full of stacks of colorful canvases, both finished and unfinished. He used to work at an easel, but since his shoulder injury, he finds it easier to work on a table. And while his cooking is based on years of technique, his artwork relies more

I’ve been painting since the early sixties, and I can look at those works today and I would not know where to go to do this,” Pépin muses. “It’s not the way I think now. It’s not good or bad, just different. I would love to be able to taste the food I made 60 years ago. I’d probably say, ‘Wow.’ Food is very reticent. You eat it, and it disappears. But the painting remains, and you can look at it. So there is a difference.”

Throughout our interview working in the background and sometimes chiming in is longtime colleague Tom Hopkins. For nearly 40 years, he’s been the chef’s photographer and curator, even setting up a website to sell his paintings. Pépin is known for his frugal approach to cooking, often freezing discarded chicken skins for later use. Turns out, he’s just as thrifty with art supplies. “I used to paint five or six times on the same canvas, but now Tom won’t let me do that anymore,” Pépin smirks.

Surrounded by friends and family, the master chef has simplified his life, summing up and savoring. He is poetic in describing his lifetime with food and how memory colors our everyday existence. “Certainly the food you have as a child is very visceral,” he remarks.

“Those tastes stay with you, and at some point, they become more than the taste of food. They become love, security. Those foods will stay with you for the rest of your life.”

Maybe that’s why Pépin is paying homage to his beloved chickens. In a sense, the prized birds of his childhood set him on a course of culinary excellence. And he’s loved every minute of it. “Really the secret to life is simple,” he concludes. “If you can make a living out of something you love to do, then you never have to go to work.” Spoken like a true bon vivant.

Recipes excerpted from Art of the Chicken published by Harvest Books (2022)

PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY JACQUES PÉPIN AND DICK LOEK | “CHERRY PEAR CHIX” BY JACQUES PÉPIN FROM ART OF THE CHICKEN PUBLISHED BY HARVEST BOOKS (2022)

A collection of local restaurants that provide thoughtfully curated menus and the best in hospitality.

301 WATER ST, EXCELSIOR, 55331

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DREW HUELER

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FRESH

TAKE

VUJOVICH DESIGN BUILD MAKES A CHILDHOOD DREAM HOUSE A REALITY.

BY JENNIFER BLAISE KRAMER

A STATELY COLONIAL ON THE MISSISSIPPI

River always caught the eye of a young girl who’d walk by it frequently growing up in St. Paul. Decades later, she and her husband admired it together during a neighborhood stroll — then walked right up to the owner and made an offer. Which was accepted. While overjoyed with their dream family home suddenly realized, they were also overwhelmed with the work required to modernize it inside. So the pair enlisted Vujovich Design Build to marry the best of the old with the new to make it sing for this family of four.

“Knowing that my clients were in love with the home’s Colonial bones, it was very important to keep those details and layers throughout the design,” says Sales and Design Director Lori Balestri. Rather than embarking on a big addition, she encouraged the couple to work within the existing floor plan of the 1936 house and simply make better use of its 4,500 square feet.

“Many times, clients come to us with a remodel project expecting to have to add on to get the desired function,” explains Balestri, who almost always talks them out of it to minimize construction and instead steer the budget toward more tangible — and fun — areas in the project. “Old homes usually have extra square footage to use. In this case, there was a galley

kitchen with an itty bitty dining room that was so small we could barely fit a Saarinen table in it.” By combining the two rooms, the Vujovich team was able to dream up a spacious new kitchen while keeping it filled with traditional features.

“We stayed true to the Colonial design aesthetic when selecting the color palette, light fixtures and cabinetry details,” Balestri says. A custom white oak buffet for serving coffee, tea and pastries feels like a furnishing that’s always been there, especially when paired with dainty patterned wallpaper that looks original. Sturdy traditional white oak pops up on the custom hood, which hovers above a marble and stone hydrangea mosaic of inlaid tile. Smoke green cabinetry feels fitting yet fresh, while a roomy island topped with a massive slab of Cambria Ironsbridge provides plenty of seating plus hidden storage drawers.

Nearby, the team moved the powder room and reworked the hallway and doorways to optimize traffic flow. Vujovich also introduced another key main floor element: a mudroom space with five lockers for personal storage, finished with stenciled cutouts that not only provide airflow but also embody a Colonial sensibility.

By keeping a solid timeless backdrop of hard finishes that will stand the test of time (think oak cabinetry, flooring and tile), they were able to have some fun with accents and colors that can easily be changed down the road if desired. To perk up the classic Colonial hues of blue, green, white and brass, the Vujovich team added in pops of navy, coral, rust and gold. Graphic wall coverings, modern cabinet hardware and sparkling light fixtures keep things current and punchy, yet feel right at home.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the front entry, where bold patterned paper melds with stained glass and an original archway that was mimicked in the new curves and transitions throughout the house. “The impact of good design is a feeling of continuity as you walk from one room to the next,” Balestri punctuates. “With great design, you shouldn’t be able to tell where the old ends and the new begins.”

WATER’S EDGE

ALBERTSSON HANSEN ARCHITECTURE CREATES A CONTEMPORARY WISCONSIN CABIN.

BY WENDY LUBOVICH

IT’S THE KIND OF QUIET, FORESTED retreat that reveals itself slowly. Nestled into the landscape, the home boasts an earthy-hued exterior and a black metal roof that echo the natural palette all around. “The cabin almost disappears,” says architect Todd Hansen of Albertsson Hansen Architecture in Minneapolis. “It matches the recessive feel of many of the cabins on the lake, looking right at home amongst the trees.”

It’s the dream retreat of Nathan Swisher, who lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Maggie, and their two teen daughters. To escape their busy California lives, they wanted a peaceful cabin in the woods not far from Appleton, Wisconsin, where she grew up. Something that captured the up north spirit they’ve come to love. “It was important that the house blend into the landscape and not trumpet itself across the lake,” Swisher explains. “We wanted a silhouette that appears to have always been there.”

So they opted for a 4,400-square-foot rustic modern cabin with clean lines, making sure to add plenty of porches for long, lazy afternoons. Bands of broad windows bring the outdoors in, flooding room after room with soft sunlight. Most impressive of all, with nearly 600 feet of Katherine Lake shoreline, two full sides of the cabin offer completely different views of the shimmering water right outside. “The lot sits on a slight peninsula,” Hansen explains. “We were able to take advantage of these vistas by placing the house in the low part of the site, which also allows the lower level recreation room to have walkout views.”

Inside, it’s the stellar woodwork that delights. The entire abode is centered around a soaring lodge room, where the walls and vaulted ceiling are splendidly trimmed with knot-free cedar tongue-and-groove paneling, finished with a natural stain. The wood’s warm hue feels like a welcoming embrace. And because the kitchen and dining room open up onto this central space, the whole design of the home makes for simple family living. “Exhausted kids can sprawl out on the couch while a group cooks dinner in the kitchen while others work on a crossword puzzle,” Swisher details. “Everyone is together, but doing their own thing.”

The open kitchen is clad in the same signature woodwork, with lots of ready work surfaces and large picture windows overlooking the tall trees. A duo of clear glass light fixtures brings weightlessness to the space, while plenty of drawers offer ample storage. Best of all, a service pantry sits right behind the kitchen, so all those groceries that come along with big family gatherings can be close at hand yet out of sight. “In the summer, the sun sets right out the kitchen windows, so as we’re preparing dinner, we can watch the light change over the lake,” says Swisher. “Every night is unique and spectacular. I constantly remind folks to make sure to check out the ‘lake show’ this time of day.”

Cherished moments like these are built into the home’s architectural ethos. From perfect window placement to carefully crafted cabinetry, Albertsson Hansen Architecture prides itself on thoughtful design that brings clients daily pleasure and a sense of well-being. The awardwinning firm offers a full spectrum of work, from small remodeling projects to generous family homes to complete interior design services. It’s all about functionality and an elevated attention to detail.

That detail is evident in the cabin’s elegant front hall. Here, four windows sit opposite a wood-slatted wall that forms an attractive screen for the staircase. Together, the two elements bring the same architectural weight found in the nearby lodge room. Then to keep the hallway neat, a 20-foot lift-top bench is built into the space right below the windows. “It’s a feature in many of our cabins, where there tends to be a lot of incoming gear, boxes, coolers and luggage when people arrive,” Hansen points out. “We extended the length of the bench to provide storage for the clients’ extensive board game collection and beach towels.”

Up on the second floor, that same rigorous approach extends to a playful bunkroom perfect for summertime hangouts. The room features six recessed bed nooks, each with its own lake view. From a queen to four singles and even a three-quarter-size mattress, every inch of space is utilized. “Each bed then has corresponding built-in drawers for clothing,” Hansen explains. “We love how it became a three-dimensional landscape inside the house.”

Meanwhile in the primary suite, it’s all about peace and quiet. This space provides a refuge for the busy owners at the end of the day. With its simple lines and classic windows, it feels like a modern treehouse. Luxurious touches abound, like a freestanding tub with its very own water vista to enjoy with a warm bath. Throughout the home, Carla Lane of Carla Lane Interiors curated furnishings, fixtures and accessories that offer a contemporary take on iconic cabin style. In the upstairs guest bedroom, for example, white painted woodwork looks serene, while a blackand-white check chair and a striped wool blanket lend a graphic, woodsy vibe.

But in the end, cabins are meant for grand gatherings. This haven has become a beloved destination for family and friends, a home in the Wisconsin woods where new memories can be made. It was built to provide carefree living for this family of four, but when guests drop by for the weekend, it can sleep up to 17. That was the idea all along: to provide a cabin experience to balance the family’s life in Los Angeles. “It has brought me closer to my family,” says Swisher. “I’ve seen them more in the past three to four years than I did in the decade before that. We love thinking about the legacy of this house and that the girls will hopefully continue to enjoy it for years to come.”

Head to ArtfulLiving.com for an extended look inside this cabin.

We understand the demands of your career, your schedule, and your life. We know how your health affects the well-being of your family and the vitality of your company.

well built

FAMILY COMES FIRST IN THIS MARK D. WILLIAMS CUSTOM HOMES PROJECT.

BY MERRITT BAMRICK

“THE CLIENT IS WHAT MAKES THE HOME,” shares Mark Williams, founder/owner of Excelsior-based Mark D. Williams Custom Homes. This cornerstone guided his team in creating a classic-style abode that conjures as much warmth and openness as radiated by the clients themselves. They were eager to create a comfortable house with well-defined spaces that could flex for entertaining, both indoors and out, all wrapped within the privacy and tranquility of Deephaven.

This 7,500-square-foot family home channels Cape Cod architecture across its three stories thanks to classic gray cedar shakes, elegant curvature and intricate white trim. Steeply pitched gables are met with a sweeping rooftop that covers the generous front porch, where double doors beckon you inside. “It’s classic, yet bold and daring,” says David Charlez Designs Principal David Zweber, the architectural designer on the project.

First, a quaint foyer. Then an “explosive” opening into the great room, revealing vaulted ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows. The floor plan is the opposite of open-concept, but that doesn’t mean it feels closed off. Rather, intricate cabinetry provides visual breaks between open spaces while allowing flow from room to room. A well-considered palette also ties the floor plan together. The interiors notably utilize ample color without feeling chaotic.

“Everything has a sense of order and fun,” says interior designer Bridget Chirigos. She worked closely with the clients to determine an overall color story then flexed her expertise in selecting hues with just the right values — nothing too bright, stark or muted. Each color or pattern offers a hint of what’s to come in the next room. “It’s like you’re using crayons but sticking to one side of the box,” she adds.

Notes of sage, blush and beige round out the great room and travel to another highly trafficked part of the house: the pantry. It’s an atypical space for such a style statement, but that’s what the team and clients love about it. Sage green cabinetry is adorned with elegant gold hardware and complemented by white oak open shelving. Chirigos selected organic-feeling zellige tile for the backsplash (no two tiles are alike), which exudes familiar tones of blush and beige for a cohesive main floor feel. Adjoining the pantry is a pocket office, an ideal spot for Mom to work undisturbed while the kids grab an afterschool snack. Around the corner, the brood can head upstairs to their haven.

The upper level includes a loft/reading nook, a laundry room dually equipped as a craft room (featuring a monochromatic color palette Chirigos likens to “walking out into a blue-sky day”), and a space nicknamed “the ninja room” for its rock-climbing walls, designed by St. Paul–based Nicros. “It was important that every person had space for their experience,” notes Williams. This includes parents, as evidenced by an intimate yet elevated dining room, elegant office, story-high wine cellar, and main floor primary bedroom that boasts views of the pool, hot tub and heavily wooded backyard. It’s a beautiful backdrop for hosting everything from summertime pool parties to cozy autumnal gatherings. The covered porch includes a lounge area with TV and fireplace, as well as a dining area and kitchen, winterized with infrared heaters and retractable vinyl screens.

The team collaborated early and often to ensure no part of the project felt ancillary. “The house is absolutely on point in terms of exterior and interior marrying up,” Zweber affirms. Its solid, authentic feel is a direct reflection of the clients and their willingness to trust the trio of experts. “The real credit goes to them,” adds Williams. “When there’s trust, there’s freedom to create a home that feels more like you than you ever imagined.”

ALFRESCO

AFFAIR

WHY HERITAGE CAMPING BRANDS ARE MAKING A COMEBACK.

BY LAURA SCHARA

SULLIVAN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ASHLEY

CAMPING HAS COME TO HAVE A COOLNESS FACTOR to it. Social media has impacted the popularity of sleeping under the stars by capturing our curiosity with breathtaking images taken at some of the most remote destinations in the world. A strong community has developed around spending time in the outdoors, from camping to glamping to even living out of a decked-out van (aka #VanLife). Similarly, heritage brands have seen a recent surge in popularity, and for good reason. Tried and true, they’re both well-made and goodlooking. They’ve become go-to goods for nature lovers to ensure their wilderness experience is a positive one. Here are four of my favorite American heritage brands to help you enjoy your next Instagram-worthy outdoor excursion.

Faribault Mill

When it comes to brands rich in heritage, nothing compares to Minnesota’s own Faribault Woolen Mill. Founded in 1865, this company supplied our military with thousands of blankets during World War I to help keep soldiers warm. Today, the quality remains the same. You can feel the richness just by touching the fabric, as every throw is incredibly warm yet soft. I remember when I picked out a Faribault Mill blanket for my college dorm room; it is as beautiful now as it was then. These days, I have a small collection of these blankets, and I use them often, both indoors and out.

Skotch Kooler

You may remember this iconic plaid thermos that debuted in the early 1950s. A Minnesota company recently brought back the Skotch Kooler, and it’s better than ever. The brand offers some fashionable yet highly functional items that will take you from a tailgate to a campsite with ease. I own the lightweight, easy-to-use portable grill, which has become my on-the-go grilling companion. Other favorites include the leather Skotch Kooler, which is great for transporting wine or snacks, and the Skotch Jug, which will keep your drink of choice chilled on a hot summer day.

Stanley

The Stanley brand has a rich history dating back more than a century. In 1913, inventor and engineer William Stanley Jr. discovered a way to keep liquids hot by combining vacuum insulation and the strength of steel into a portable bottle — forever changing the way we drink hot beverages. Today, the company still offers its iconic vacuum-sealed bottles but has also expanded the line to include camping cookware, storage containers, coolers, jugs and more. This is a tried-and-true brand that never disappoints.

Barebones

Barebones believes in elevating life outdoors, with a mission to connect to the community through food, nature and the pull of the fire. From heritage-inspired Union Pacific railroad lanterns to must-have camping cast-iron skillets, everything the brand makes is crafted with exquisite attention to detail. Plus Barebones has philanthropic roots, with the company’s first-ever creation being a state-of-the-art emergency shelter that’s still used in underprivileged communities and disaster recovery efforts today. In other words, you can feel good backing this brand that does good.

Head to ArtfulLiving.com for some of Laura Schara’s favorite camping recipes.

Laura Schara is a lifelong outdoor enthusiast and cohost of the television series Minnesota Bound.

better fish to fry

In 2019, Kowalski’s became the country’s first retailer to be recognized as a Smart Catch Leader by the James Beard Smart Catch program. The James Beard Foundation’s Smart Catch program is a seafood sustainability program aimed at helping restaurant chefs make good, sustainable decisions in procuring seafood for their menus.

Kowalski’s features a wide variety of sustainably caught fresh seafood and receives shipments from around the world every single day, offering up to 40 fresh fish choices in total.

Most, if not all, of Kowalski’s seafood is flown directly to the Twin Cities, resulting in fish that is five to seven days fresher than seafood arriving by truck at other local markets.

At Kowalski’s, it’s all about the joy of good seafood!

Mike Cooper, a fisherman from our partner at Skuna Bay.

WHAT LIES BENEATH

INSIDE MISSOURI’S INFAMOUS CHEESE CAVES.

BY BRITTANY CHAFFEE

ILLUSTRATION BY FRANK MOTH

DEEP WITHIN THE HEART OF THE OZARKS SETTLED UNDER Springfield, Missouri, is an old urban legend: caves filled with cheese. As the story goes, back in the eighties, the subterranean spot housed enough surplus cheese — some 1.4 billion pounds — to wrap around the U.S. Capitol. That heyday fizzled out in the nineties, when the federal government got rid of it. But like any good folklore, the mystique lives on. The mere existence of cheese caves sounds like the plot of a, well, cheesy sci-fi flick. One that begs a lot of questions: How did this all start? Where did the cheese come from? Where did it go? And what’s stored in those

and the final home of the Ark of the Covenant.” By 1981, the government had a treasure trove of aging cheese — and no idea what to do with it. A USDA official even told the Washington Post that “probably the cheapest and most practical thing would be to dump it in the ocean.”

But President Ronald Reagan had a better idea. Spurred on by public criticism, in December 1981 he announced his plan to give it away. He debuted the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program, which ultimately distributed some 30 million pounds of cheese to elderly and low-income individuals.

cheese tasted like shame,” Lucas adds. “They couldn’t provide for their families. For them, there were no happy memories about it.” A clear theme surfaced: The cheese was more than just cheese, representing both hardship and resilience. But even Reagan’s TEFAP program didn’t deplete the stockpile. So in the nineties, the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board created Dairy Management Inc. to empty the caves once and for all. Its prerogative? Squeeze as much milk, cheese and yogurt into big-name brands as possible. Bloomberg went as far as calling DMI the “Illuminati of cheese,” describing it as “a secretive, government-sponsored entity putting cheese anywhere it can stuff it.”

Essentially, the USDA decides what food will be sent to hungerrelief organizations like Feeding America, then it gets delivered to their warehouses for distribution — no caves necessary. And yet the rumors persist. “Folks are still trying to sensationalize these numbers by suggesting that the cheese stockpile is still bigger than the Capitol building,” says Mark Stephenson, director of dairy policy analysis at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. “Now, the caves are primarily used for cold storage for all kinds of products, not just dairy.”

NOR-SON OUTFITS A RUSTIC LAKE ESTATE WITH OVERSIZE STONE AND TOASTED TIMBER ON A GRAND SCALE.

BY JENNIFER BLAISE KRAMER

ROCK SOLID

SITUATED ALONG THE WATERFRONT IN THE Brainerd Lakes area, this 16-acre estate looks like it has been tucked away for generations. In actuality, the lodgestyle home was recently created by Nor-Son Custom Builders, along with Montana-based architect Pearson Design Group, by sourcing the very best local reclaimed wood and stone to blend right into the serene northern Minnesota setting.

“The rustic estate gives the appearance of having been on the property for decades thanks to reclaimed stone, timber and planking of the highest quality for strength, character and sustainability,” explains Nor-Son Project Manager Dustan Nyberg. In addition to high-quality, the materials had to be big.

All told, the property consists of the 12,500-squarefoot main house and nine other structures, including a guesthouse, boathouse, pool house and cabana. While the outbuildings were completed in phases over several years, all materials were purchased at once and stored onsite. That shopping list included 30,000 linear feet of timber, 100,000 square feet of planking and four million pounds of stone.

But before any rock or board went into the foundation, the team had to address the soil, which was in such poor condition it wouldn’t sustain the scale of home to be built. To improve stabilization, Nor-Son injected grout into underground tubes for proper soil compaction while planting 30,000 indigenous plants across the property, restoring the site to its natural lakeshore status.

Then came the wood. And not just any wood, but

century-old barnwood for trusses, beams and columns. Chestnut planks were carefully chosen for their warm color and worn, eased-edge appearance. The clients wanted “weathered but not overdone” to retain a refined aesthetic. Accordingly, the more heavily exposed woods — a bit too rustic for the owners’ taste — were used in closets and storage rooms.

Next came the toast. Just like bread, various woods were toasted then waxed in a four-month, six-step process to achieve the specific “toast” hue found in the chestnut. For the exterior plank siding, floor joists from tobacco barns were perfectly aged to a natural color. To complement this, 15,000 split shakes were hand dipped into a special formula then hung to dry for an instantly aged appearance, rather than waiting several years to weather.

If the artistry was in the woodwork, the heavy lifting came with the stone. Nor-Son scoured the five-state area for field stone large enough in scale, zeroing in on Minnesota’s Iron Range, where large granite rock was stripped prior to mining. Here, they covered 40 miles of ground, hand selecting each stone for its lichen or mossy character. To bring to life the architect’s sketches, they horizontally dry-stacked a loaf-like pattern. No stone was to be cut but instead should appear to have naturally fallen into place “like a jigsaw puzzle” without grouted joints.

And the job took some muscle. The fireplace alone — which took six months to complete — bears an astonishing 150 tons of stone, with base stone as large as a desk. “Stone is one of the most difficult building materials to work with,” notes Nyberg. “Knowing that some of these stones weigh in excess of 5,000 pounds is pretty amazing.”

Even concrete came into play in the observatory. Since the owner has a highly sensitive telescope, a 10-inch concrete tower was required to support the retractable roof — because even the smallest vibration could alter the instrument’s performance tremendously. These kind of custom finishing details abound.

For instance, to fulfill the family’s love of symphony music, Nor-Son installed more than 90 miles of wire throughout the residence. Knowing that tech contradicts the look they so painstakingly crafted, the team hid the speakers and subwoofers within the timbers, walls and recessed areas. “State-of-the-art technology is expertly concealed and integrated throughout the home so that nothing distracts from the rustic, natural interior,” Nyberg concludes.

Eternal Offerings Chinese Ritual Bronzes

Bronze vessels held great ritual significance in ancient China. Used to make offerings to heavenly and ancestral spirits, these exquisite objects were also symbols of power.

Immerse your senses in a spectacle focused on Mia’s world-renowned collection of ancient Chinese bronzes. This collaboration by Mia’s Chinese art curator Liu Yang and award-winning art director/ film and stage designer Tim Yip (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) evokes the ritual of ancestral worship through an atmospheric experience you’ll never forget.

March 4–May 21

RETURN TO THE GOOD LIFE RETURN TO THE GOOD LIFE

DESTINATION DELICIOUS

FIVE UNDER-THE-RADAR FOOD HAVENS TO CHECK OUT.

BY BONNIE CULBERTSON

IF YOU’RE THE PERSON FRIENDS TURN TO FOR RESTAURANT OR WINE recommendations, chances are you understand that good food is about so much more than flavor. For you, every bite tells a story and every aroma unlocks a memory, even as new memories are being made around the table. If you’ve been vigorously nodding in agreement, you’ve likely already checked the obvious foodie havens — Rome, Tokyo, Mexico City — off your bucket list. Luckily, the world has plenty of under-appreciated places with chefs, bakers and purveyors eager to share their city’s story through homegrown ingredients and delectable cuisine. Be the first of your friends to taste your way through these five under-the-radar food destinations.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOSHUA MICHAEL JOHNSON

BUCHAREST ROMANIA

Romania is famously one of King Charles’ favorite destinations, thanks to its bucolic charm and deep-rooted connection between land and people. Those farming traditions, combined with culinary influences from Austria, Turkey and the Balkans, translate into a cornucopia of flavorful fare and some of Europe’s best wine. But it’s not all rustic farm food; Bucharest boasts plenty of restaurants fit for a king. The award-winning Kaiamo was opened by two London hospitality pros who wanted to bring something unique and elevated to their hometown, while Blank at the Marmorosch hotel features contemporary fine dining in an atmosphere inspired by Bucharest’s gilded-age glory days. Romanian wine can be hard to come by outside of Europe, so you’d be remiss not to try (and take home) a bottle or two from the Great Hill or Tasting Room. Experts will know just what to pair with local favorites like zacusca (roasted bell pepper spread) and salata de vinete (smoky eggplant dip).

TASMANIA AUSTRALIA

Tasmania has fertile soil, pure water and fresh Antarctic air, all of which combine to produce an unmatched abundance of food and flavors. Almost any ingredient you could dream of is within reach — from whiskey to wagyu, olive oil to oysters. The best way to experience each delightful morsel is along Tassie’s coastal Tasting Trail, which stretches from Smithton to Launceston (a newly crowned UNESCO City of Gastronomy). Along the way, you’ll encounter vintners, chocolatiers, picklers, cheese makers, mushroom foragers and truffle hunters, along with plenty of breathtaking ocean views. Launceston is home to award-winning eatery Stillwater, which sits on the banks of the Tamar River and has one of the island’s best selections of Tassie wine. Farther south in New Norfolk, the Agrarian Kitchen serves housemade seasonal fare like pasta, cheese, wood-fired sourdough, ice cream and more.

BOISE IDAHO

There’s more to this Pacific Northwest city than just fly-fishing, though there’s plenty of amazing seafood on offer (like at fan-favorite Little Pearl Oyster Bar by acclaimed chef Cal Elliott). Few people know that Boise is home to the largest Basque community in the United States, making it the perfect spot to savor some authentic Spanish cuisine. One block has even evolved its onetime boarding houses for Spanish immigrants into a series of impressive eateries offering samples of paella and pintxos (small plates) to passersby. No matter what community you belong to, dining out here feels like eating with family. That’s the whole idea at KIN, where chef/co-owner Kris Komori orchestrates a communal five-course meal designed to connect diners through storytelling. Other standouts like Amano, Ansots (both recent James Beard Award semifinalists) and the Lively from Michelin-starred chef Edward Higgins are proof that Boise’s burgeoning food scene is one to watch — and taste.

GHENT BELGIUM

Yes, you’ll surely find buttery waffles, tasty beer and divine chocolate here. It is Belgium, after all. But what makes Ghent stand out from its neighbors is the city’s recent evolution into one of Europe’s vegetarian and sustainable dining capitals. While meat is still available, veggie-focused hits like Lokaal and Madonna ensure you won’t miss it. Ghent also observes citywide Veggie Thursdays, during which most eateries go meat-free. The destination’s official earth-friendly food plan launched in 2021 and has since spurred a proliferation of farmers’ markets supplying chefs, residents and, increasingly, culinary tourists. Still, staying sustainable means getting creative, and restaurants across town are rising to the challenge. Eco-friendly dishes make innovative use of local and seasonal ingredients, like those on offer at Green Michelin–starred Souvenir.

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A once-humble fishing village just up the coast from bustling Punta del Este, José Ignacio is today known as the Hamptons of South America for its exclusive yet low-key vibe. The Argentine jet-set has long flocked here for the beach shacks serving superb seafood, sceney restaurants like Anthony Bourdain–approved La Huella and feet-in-the-sand beach clubs like Bahia Vik. The last of these is part of a suite of upscale establishments by Norwegian billionaire Alex Vik, who’s been credited with seducing a global clientele to this coastal region. While the Atlantic supplies succulent frutos del mar, the rolling green hills to the north are home to stunning wineries and, of course, countless cattle (Uruguay famously has four cows for every human). That means juicy, grass-fed steaks are always on the menu, as are delicious local wines to help you wash it all down.

CALIFORNIA

ABITARE DESIGN STUDIO COLLABORATES WITH HUDGINS DESIGN GROUP ON AN AWARD-WINNING RANCHO MIRAGE ABODE.

BY MERRITT BAMRICK

DREAMING

ABITARE DESIGN STUDIO HAS LONG BEEN A DESTINATION FOR contemporary furnishings and artwork, but it’s the level of expertise and collaboration that owner Jim Snustad and manager David Wehrspann deliver upon time and again that keeps clients coming back for projects requiring immeasurable originality. Rancho Mirage, California, was one such canvas fit for the Minneapolis firm’s artistic approach. Having worked with Abitare on multiple projects over a 20-year span, the clients (now more like friends) were eager to create a desert oasis that oozes modern California cool.

To accomplish this, California-based architecture firm Hudgins Design Group made sure to keep the outdoors front and center. The home sits

high above the Coachella Valley, capitalizing upon postcard-worthy views. The great room features 15-foot ceilings and a retractable glass door that totals 50 feet of uninterrupted vistas. The door disappears into the exterior wall completely, providing seamless access to the veranda. “There’s no mistaking that it’s the hub for indoor/outdoor entertaining,” says Wehrspann. To appropriately fill such an expansive space, the designers anchored the great room with a generously sized sectional and a custom 14-by-24-foot rug that not only grounds the area but also establishes the color palette for the entire abode.

Wehrspann had a sample of the rug stowed away for years, waiting for just the right adventurous client. “Starting with the rug was key,” he notes,

its palette and pattern a perfect suit for this unique project. Ochre and mustard hues evoke the rawness of the landscape and are offset by hints of cream, black and gray in a bold, angular pattern. The natural tones travel throughout the home, as highlighted in the modern bergère lounge chairs with woven leather straps as well as the ochre linen barrel chairs in the dining room.

Outdoors, luxury living abounds. The vast 58-foot veranda boasts multiple zones for respite, including an alluring lounge space with fire feature as well as a hot tub and infinity pool with waterfall edges that sit flush with the patio tile for an ultra modern look. A deep roof overhang provides shade throughout the day and cloisters the interiors for a sheltered

feel amid the rocky terrain.

Keeping scale top of mind, the Abitare team designed a king-size daybed primed for poolside lounging; it also offers a bench along the back, making for easy conversation between sunbathers and diners at the nearby table. Snustad and Wehrspann truly made dreams come to life, collaborating with North Carolina–based Thayer Coggin to transform specific lounge chairs to be outdoor-friendly. “They had never produced outdoor furniture before,” explains Wehrspann, but the brand was eager to take on the challenge thanks to the dedicated duo. Traditional indoor wood slats were substituted with marine-grade stainless steel and the cushions constructed with quick-dry foam.

The veranda isn’t the only area where the team delivered on indoor/ outdoor living. The two guest rooms have private patios, while the casita boasts a bedroom, kitchenette, office, laundry and retractable glass wall leading to a covered courtyard. “Within the casita, guests have total control,” Snustad declares. “It’s their own private retreat.” Indeed, the entire property feels like an intimate sanctuary. The slatted ipe wood exterior is decidedly Californian, warmly welcoming you into the courtyard. Once there, overhead slats shield the 100-foot walkway to the front door, which provides an artful entrance thanks to a CJ Rench stainless-steel sculpture situated in the reflecting pool.

Much of the artwork was specially commissioned for the design-savvy

clients. One notable composition hangs above the linear fireplace in the great room: a 5-by-11-foot fiberglass piece by Minneapolis mixedmedia artist Peter Geyen with a sci-fi landscape that includes cast bronze mountains and earthquake fault lines. “To say it’s a conversation-starter is an understatement,” the designers remark of its scale. The artwork mimics the contours of the courtyard sculpture while balancing another stunner within eyesight: the dining room light fixture. Made of carbon fiber, the unique chandelier sprawls over the oak table, lending a futuristic touch to the modern interiors.

Another personal piece in the owners’ collection is a grouping of white matte glass ovals in the primary bedroom. Each one was individually placed

by the artist himself, Christopher Jeffries, who transposed the arrangement from the clients’ previous home then expanded upon the organic pattern. Beneath this installation sits a custom ombre Italian leather headboard flanked by stately nightstands. The adjoining closet, vanity station and bath are an absolute haven, featuring a clean palette of wood and porcelain as seen in the rest of the residence. Wrapped around the spa-like wet room is laser-cut Corten steel, forming a beautiful geometric barrier for added privacy.

The open-concept floor plan demands that each space is as beautiful as the next. In the kitchen, the Abitare team quite literally leveled up the interior by taking the porcelain wall slabs all the way to the ceiling, drawing

the eye upward. This effect is complemented by latch-close cabinetry designed with multiple depths for visual interest. The outer edges of the etched glass and wooden cabinets are wrapped in blackened steel for a bit of warmth, matching the range hood. A prep kitchen accommodates larger gatherings, housing all the essentials as well as a built-in espresso bar and a wine cellar.

When the owners aren’t entertaining, they can comfortably cozy up in the media room, which Snustad and Wehrspann refined from the original floor plan. “We wanted to give them a more intimate space for their dayto-day,” Snustad concludes. “It was a great pleasure working on this project and collaborating with clients so open to unique and fresh ideas.”

GHETTO GASTRO

IN THE BLACK POWER KITCHEN WITH JON GRAY, PIERRE SERRAO AND LESTER WALKER.

LET’S FIRST DEAL WITH WHAT USUALLY NEEDS TO be dealt with. Our name — Ghetto Gastro — makes a lot of people uncomfortable. It’s not our intent to polarize for the sake of ceremony. In fact, we were all young boys when we learned that our existence itself could be polarizing to folks who didn’t know us.

“Ghetto” is used as a derogatory term to dismiss and separate cultures from their mainstream counterparts. Ghetto is used as a way to cue discomfort, to cue the Other. When that unknowable thing is over there, you don’t have to deal with it, you don’t have to be with it. That’s what ghetto is supposed to do — dehumanize.

You recognize this unsettling feeling because you might not be sure if it’s polite to say the words Ghetto Gastro. (You can and we hope you do. Watch out, though; say it three times fast and we just might run down on you. Ya dig.)

You feel this discomfort because you might have worked tirelessly to get out of the ghetto, surviving difficult circumstances to create a more sustainable life. Or you might wonder why someone would be proud to claim an identifier that could sound off-putting to outsiders. You might already have a sense of what we’re up to but might question our credibility. We get it. It’s wise to be suspicious.

Ghetto has been whitewashed and commodified, used for gimmicks and a particularly Americanized performance of Blackness. (You can look to projects like Thug Kitchen, authored by a white duo with zero appreciation for the criticism they received at the time, for a pulse on what we do not cosign or respect. After brother George Floyd was murdered by police in the streets of Minneapolis, the brand changed their name.)

It’s simple. For us, ghetto means home. It’s a way to locate our people, not just in the Bronx of New York City, where we as a group formed (more on that in a moment). It’s a way for us to connect with our folks in the Global South, whether their ghettos are called the hood, the slums, the projects or the inner city. When we say “ghetto,” we are saying to our people “We see you,” while simultaneously indicting the systems of neglect and apathy that created the conditions we’ve been forced to reckon with.

In the ghetto, food is a denominator of class and a reminder of what you can and can’t have. Food is weaponized against people in the ghetto when they have easier access to soda and chips than fresh produce. When subsidized commodities like sugar, wheat and soy make buying oranges and greens unaffordable, something is deeply wrong. Food weaponized against people is watching generation after generation fall to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These are our people. And for decades they’ve been given an unfair shake. Ghetto isn’t just about struggle and disenfranchisement, though. Ghetto is the flower blooming in the sidewalk cracks. Ghetto is our love language, a patois so specific and rooted in place that if you know, you can hear when someone is from the Bronx or Brooklyn or Harlem. Ghetto is our aura,

Triple Cs

Makes 12 servings

Our cooking ethos is guided by a few important principles: It’s gotta be right and to the bite. Done with finesse, but make it look effortless. Our food is delicious and beautiful. Intentional and subversive. And always with that swag, as in the Triple Cs. This is quintessential Ghetto Gastro.

Cornbread

Native Americans, Africans and ancient Mesoamericans made cornmeal and its many iterations a core food. We can look to johnnycakes, corn pone, spoon bread and cornbread as the expression of Indigenous and enslaved peoples. Somehow, the cultures that put in the work and sacrifice, ultimately building global economies, are the ones that get exploited. Native American, Black and brown communities are among the most food insecure in the United States. Even still, our innumerable contributions are the foundation of global wealth.

Crab Salad

When our political representatives take actions that divest resources from our communities, we’re told it’s like crabs in a barrel. The metaphor suggests that if we’re all going down, no one can get out. But that analogy is insufficient because crabs belong in and around water. And maybe the crab isn’t trying to block the other one’s freedom. Maybe they’re all trying to link up and help each other get out.

Caviar

Caviar — black gold — is thought of as the pinnacle of European luxury. But caviar originates in the Middle East and Asia, an example of how incomplete histories can alter our view about who gets to enjoy what.

For the cornbread

3½ sticks unsalted butter, plus more for greasing

2 cups 00 flour or all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

5½ cups frozen corn kernels

1 cup unsweetened oat milk

3 large eggs

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup organic cane sugar

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

1⅛ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

For the crab salad

1 pound cleaned peekytoe crabmeat

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives

3 Tbsp. crème fraîche

1 tsp. lemon zest

9 ounces beluga or osetra caviar

1. For the cornbread: Heat oven to 375°F. Grease two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with butter and dust with flour, tapping out excess.

2. In a heavy-bottomed pot, melt butter over high heat. Add corn and cook until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender, add oat milk and blend on high until smooth. Add eggs and blend again until smooth. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into prepared pans.

4. Bake 40 minutes, until cornbread turns golden and top begins to crack. Remove from oven and set pans on trivets or a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Turn cooled cornbread loaves out of pans and set right-side up on a cutting board or flat surface. Using a serrated knife, cut into ½-inch-thick slices.

6. Working in batches, place cornbread slices into heated dry skillet, leaving space between slices. Sear until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side, then set aside on a rack.

7. For the crab salad: In a large bowl, combine crabmeat, chives, crème fraîche and lemon zest. Stir gently to combine. Use immediately, or cover and chill up to 2 days.

8. To plate your Triple Cs, divide crab salad among cornbread slices and spread evenly over surface. Top with a dollop of caviar and enjoy immediately.

Watermelon Granita

Makes 2 servings

We’re going out with that red, black and green — the colors of the Pan-African flag are symbolic of Black liberation. This is an easy dish to make with kids, and children are ever-present in the Ghetto Gastro orbit. As sons, dads and god-papis, we’ve experienced that some of the best connections with our young people occur when food is being communally prepared. Give them that good game when they’re coming up and you won’t have to correct them later, ya heard.

4 cups fresh watermelon juice

⅓ cup fresh lime juice

¼ cup agave syrup

pinch flaky sea salt lime zest, for garnish

1. In a bowl or pitcher, stir together watermelon juice, lime juice, agave syrup and salt. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer.

2. Divide into shallow containers or pour into a rimmed sheet pan and freeze until solid, about 8 hours. Once frozen, scrape surface of ice with a fork to form granita. This takes a little elbow grease, but you can do it.

3. Transfer frozen scraped crystals to a freezer-safe container and cover until ready to serve, up to 1 month. Serve granita in a chilled bowl, garnished with lime zest.

our style, our stease. It’s our music, our beats, built on the backbones of jazz, rhythm and blues, and dancehall. There’s a reason why Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder and Rick James all sang songs about the ghetto.

Ghetto isn’t about excluding people. It’s about telling the rest of the world that we are here, we’ve been here. We’re going to serve what we feel like dishing out, especially when many fail to acknowledge our existence. Ghetto is so you don’t forget who you’re talking to. Ghetto is so we center where we’re from and why we do what we do.

Ghetto Gastro is often described as a culinary collective, which is a little vague, we know. But we are a difficult crew to contain within boundaries. We take a multidisciplinary approach to our work that draws from the visual arts, music, fashion and social activism to curate experiences as diverse and inspirational as the people and cultures who created them. We use food as our medium to connect cultures and conceptually open borders.

We started in 2012, throwing parties in New York City. Jon has his roots in fashion and art. Pierre and Lester are formally trained chefs. Jon and Lester are originally from the Bronx and grew up as neighbors. Pierre has Bajan roots by way of Connecticut. We’ve all dabbled in the streets, you know. Fortunately, we found other interests and opportunities that were more fulfilling.

We discovered that we had friends across creative industries who loved to dine, who loved beautiful, interesting, thoughtful food but couldn’t find experiences that spoke to them. We launched with a late-night series called Waffles and Models, and it was exactly what it sounds like: loud, delicious and beautiful. As our popularity grew, so did our mission. We didn’t just want to be cooking up good eats and sending folks home. Some of us are parents now. We wanted to make a lasting impact on families and our people. We wanted to surprise and delight but also challenge and innovate.

We found that we can be thoughtful about where we cook, what ingredients we select, how we describe a dish. We’ve learned about the elements that enhance the dining experience, from live music to art installations. We’ve worked with some of the biggest brands in fashion and design. We’ve brought big Bronx energy to the Place Vendôme in Paris, to the TED stage in Vancouver, to the harbor of Hong Kong.

We route funds back to our community in the form of mutual aid. We’ve partnered to sell limited runs of specialty items and big pushes of cookware appliances. We’re building a retail food brand, Gastronomical, using plant-based ingredients that originate from Africa, Asia and the Americas, the ancestral roots of the cultures that enrich us. We’re not just trying to sell people stuff. We are intentional with what we do, when we do it and who we do it with.

We don’t have a brick-and-mortar restaurant (and we don’t plan on one), so we can be nimble. We can think about big concepts autonomously instead of pointing folks to a location where the rent is too damn high. Not having a restaurant has

aggravated gatekeepers in food media who seem mystified that a food-centered mission can exist beyond a permanent dining space. Chefs cook outside of restaurants, ya dig? Ideas about food can translate to other genres. We’re of the mindset that you don’t necessarily have to offer a tasting menu to be provocative. And like many of the homegrown organizations and institutions who partner with us, we’ve learned that if we don’t look out for our folks, no one else will. We’re doing our best and learning along the way.

While we know that not everyone can access our products, we want the people from our community and from communities like ours to know that they deserve fun things just like anyone else. And we also understand that luxury, while nice, does not transform systemic injustice or resolve the internalized suffering that comes from navigating poverty and police abuse. It’s a balancing act and one we constantly navigate.

Money itself is not our aspiration. But until we can count on a social fabric that empathizes with and cares for all human beings equitably, we know that money is a tool that can effect real change. We know this because we’ve written some of the checks. We see the difference it makes. In our worldview, everybody eats.

If it’s beginning to feel as if this is not the makings of a typical cookbook, that effort, too, is intentional. Our approach, based on how we’ve learned to create and innovate in our own lives, is to take a non-traditional path. We’ve often been forced to the margins, like many of our Bronx siblings, and we have worked our way to the center by changing the conversation. It would be out of character to enter this space of food storytelling by attempting to connect with you in a way that doesn’t look, feel or sound like us. We make our own lane. We’ve had to.

Black Power Kitchen is reflective of our style and sensibility, offering recipes that emerge from long-standing traditions but with the Ghetto Gastro nod. Some of the recipes are approachable to those new to cooking, and others will excite and challenge advanced cooks. As Black people, so few of whom have had the opportunity to present their food story to you in this genre, we feel it’s our responsibility and privilege to show you our range.

We are dynamic, like the cultures that influence us. One of the ways that food (culture) is weaponized is when gatekeepers reduce stories to one thing. But there has always been a multiplicity of narratives around a dish and its preparation, around a historical event and the retelling of it. We don’t speak for everyone in the Bronx. We don’t represent all Black people. We don’t define what ghetto might mean to others. But this right here is Ghetto Gastro. You’re in our realm now. Have a seat.

Excerpted from Ghetto Gastro Presents Black Power Kitchen by Jon Gray, Pierre Serrao and Lester Walker, with Osayi Endolyn (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2022

Black Power Waffle

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This velvety waffle is named for the rallying cry “Black Power,” coined by the militant leader Stokely Carmichael, who later changed his name to Kwame Ture (a reference to Kwame Nkrumah and Sékou Touré, the first presidents of Ghana and Guinea, respectively).

The native Trinidadian came to the South Bronx as a teen. He would eventually become the leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), formed from the sit-in protests that fought to desegregate dining spaces in the South. He then became prime minister of the Black Panther Party, but he had used the term “Black Power” before then. We pay homage to the Black Panther Party’s groundbreaking community-based free breakfast program, which inspired the federally run version launched in the 1970s and still in place today.

Ture eventually separated from the Black American groups he had helped form and became a Pan-Africanist. He lived in Guinea for the last three decades of his life, convinced that the United States was incapable of structurally creating equity for Black people, but his thinking shaped the modern era of political organizing and civil rights and has been a model for antiracist activists of myriad cultural backgrounds.

In our efforts to explore dairy-free ingredients in a base, we love how the mix of cocoa powder and coconut creates a slightly nutty, mild flavor. It’s not too rich or sweet and makes a moist waffle.

2 cups pastry flour or all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened black cocoa powder

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

¼ cup cane sugar

¾ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. baking soda

1 14-ounce can coconut milk

½ cup coconut oil

2¼ tsp. active dry yeast

2 large eggs

½ cup chocolate syrup or sauce

½ to 1 tsp. black food gel (optional) plant-based butter, sorghum syrup, sliced banana, or vanilla or coconut ice cream, for serving

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, coconut, sugar, salt and baking soda. Make a well in center. Set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, warm coconut milk and oil over low heat, until oil is melted and temperature reaches 110°F. Remove from heat and whisk in yeast. Allow yeast to bloom for 10 minutes. The mixture should be bubbling on surface.

3. Add in eggs, chocolate syrup and black food gel and whisk thoroughly for 30 seconds, until thickened slightly.

4. Pour coconut milk mixture into well in flour mixture. Whisk together to make a smooth batter, switching to a rubber spatula as mixture thickens, if needed. Add ½ cup warm water and mix in.

5. Allow mixture to sit at room temperature 15 to 30 minutes. (The longer batter rests, the fluffier waffles will be.)

6. Prep a waffle iron and make waffles according to iron’s specifications. As you make them, stack waffles on a plate and cover with a dishtowel to keep warm. Serve with your preferred butter, sorghum syrup, banana, or vanilla or coconut ice cream (or any combination that rocks your world).

IMPROVING LIFE OUTDOORS

ADVERTISER INDEX

Abitare Design Studio, 68

Albertsson Hansen Architecture, 99

All Seasons Fireplace, 185

ALL, Inc., 24

Amy E. Haglin Interior Design, 175

Art Resources Gallery, 93

Artful Living, 209

Artisan Home Tour, 57–66

Aulik Design Build, 215

Baldamar, 206

Brick + Linen, 164

BridgeVine, 56

Bruce Kading Interior Design, 47

Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery, 163

Charles R. Stinson Architecture + Design, 6–7

Charlie & Co. Design, 23

Children’s Minnesota, 195

Christina Boyd/Merrill Lynch

Wealth Management, 67

City Homes, 21

Clairmont Design + Build, 140

Coldwell Banker Realty

Property Gallery, 124–134

Crutchfield Dermatology, 27

David Heide Design Studio, 149

Denali Custom Homes, 41

Elysian Construction, 150

Eminent Interior Design, 169

Erickson Outdoor Living, 208

Eskuche Design Group, 55

Executive Health Care, 149

Fiddlehead Design Group, 42

France 50, 156

Gabberts Design Studio & Fine Furniture, 22

Gianni’s Steakhouse, 150

Grace Hill, 106

Gunderson’s Jewelers, 4–5

Hammer Made, 51

Heather Hansen Real Estate Team, 141

Helgeson Platzke Real Estate Team, 210

Hendel Homes, 33

Henri Interiors, 31

InnerBloom Hospitality, 121

International Market Square, 8–9

InVision Distinctive Eyewear, 187

Jaguar Land Rover Minneapolis, inside front cover, 1–3

Jester Concepts, 194

John Kraemer & Sons, inside back cover

Jyland Construction Management Co., 44

Keenan & Sveiven, 39

Ketel One Botanical, 196

Korta Katarina, 18

Kowalski’s Markets, 162

Kyle Hunt & Partners, 29

Last Ditch Design, 94

Lecy Bros. Homes & Remodeling, 98

Lelch Audio Video, 92

LiLu Interiors, 140

Lucy Interior Design, 55

MA Peterson, 85

Manny’s, 178

Martha Dayton Design, 19

Martha O’Hara Interiors, 78

Martin Patrick 3, 10–11

Max’s, 163

Minneapolis Institute of Art, 174

MSR Design, 93

Murphy & Co. Design, 120

Nancy Norling, DDS, 48

Nor-Son Custom Builders, 12–13

Orijin Stone, 135

Phantom Screens, 148

Pink Wealth Management Group, 107

Plato Woodwork, 122

Prestige Pools, 175

Prospect Refuge Studio, 25

Purcell Quality, 74

Puustelli, 47

Randolph Interior Design, 209

Rehkamp Larson Architects, 67

Roth Living, 86

Serene Oaks Dental, 151

Southview Design, 207

Spacecrafting, 213

Stonewood, 16–17

Streeter Custom Builder, 37

Studio M Interiors, 75

Swan Architecture, 100

Talla Skogmo Interior Design, 185

Tangletown Gardens, 169

Terrazzo & Marble Supply, 99

Terry John Zila, 198

The Gallery Kitchen & Event Center, 211

The Lakes Residences, 74

The Loupe, back cover

The Sitting Room, 197

Top Shelf, 106

Traditions Classic Home Furnishings, 176

Union Place, 186

Visual Comfort, 14–15

Vujovich Design Build, 168

Warners’ Stellian, 20

Weather Queen Shades, 187

White Oaks Savanna, 35

PUBLISHER'S TAKE

THERE’S NOTHING MORE BLISSFUL THAN A WARM-WEATHER vacation to help ease into the last stretch of winter and thaw out for spring. Here’s what I’m packing for travel to tropical destinations this season.

The Alémais Soleil linen sundress is the most beautiful dress to throw on after a day at the beach, paired with some delicate gold jewelry for instant elegance. The fabric reminds me of a collage of Matisse prints and feels very one-of-a-kind.

You’ll rarely catch me out in the sun without a hat on, and this season I’m packing my Lack of Color Cove hat with its wide, protective brim. This brand is known for its beautiful, natural and sustainable fabrics as well as a high level of sun protection.

Lisa Marie Fernandez was a top New York City stylist prior to identifying a need for chic, high-performance swimwear. Unrivaled in quality and fit, her swimsuits stand the test of time. My first LMF was a neoprene one-piece Bond girl silhouette with cap sleeves. Purchased in 2016 for diving in the Galápagos, it’s still perfect — proof that choosing quality over quantity is always your best bet. This year, I’m opting for her vintage-inspired seersucker Magdalena bikini in powder blue.

As my friends and family know, I’m a bit of a sunscreen connoisseur. Vacation sunscreen has a playful take on this essential item with Chardonnay Oil. The texture is reminiscent of tanning oil, but the formula is rich with emollients with a subtle tropical scent and broadspectrum SPF 30. It was developed with the help of dermatologist and Skin Cancer Foundation Senior Vice President Elizabeth Hale, MD, who says that “the best sunscreen is the one you’re going to wear.”

I’m always adoring St. Agni’s minimalist designs, but I particularly love this small rattan tote with leather details for seamless utility from beach to dinner. One of the most important items I’ll slip in that bag is my travel soundtrack — a custom playlist to fit the vibe of the trip. I love the magical feeling of being transported back to my vacation when I hear those songs for years to come.

Raie Eyewear has become my go-to for a great pair of sunglasses. The brand’s signature cat-eye frames are made of bio acetate, which is renewable and biodegradable. The lenses are ultra dark with 100% UV protection, making them perfect for beach reading. Happy spring break!

My very best,

Emma Cutler Velez Publisher

LAST CALL

Discover the top under-theradar food destinations across the globe on page 179.