Inspired Living Omaha

A N O M A H A W O R L D - H E R A L D P U B L I C AT I O N

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014 INSPIREDLIVINGOMAHA.COM

CEDRIC HARTMAN SELECTED WORKS AT KANEKO

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

VOL. 12 NO. 5 Editor-in-Chief Chris Christen 402-444-1094 Chris.Christen@owh.com Assistant Editor Amy LaMar Amy.LaMar@owh.com Creative Director/Designer Heidi Thorson Photo Imaging Specialist Patricia “Murphy” Benoit Content Contributors Brian O'Malley, Cathy Curtis, Meghann Schense, Chris Allen 402.614.4892

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Photography Contributors Jeffrey Bebee, Hooton Images, Kurt A. Keeler, Tin Box Pictures, Daniel Johnson On the Cover Cedric Hartman table, lamp.

Photo: Vera Mercer Sales Manager Carrie Kentch 402-444-1448 Carrie.Kentch@owh.com Account Representative Cathleen Vanhauer 402-444-1209 Cathleen.Vanhauer@owh.com Account Representative Kristine Buhman 402-444-1442 Kristine.Buhman@owh.com Events & Custom Publishing Manager Tam Webb 402-444-3125 Tam.Webb@owh.com

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1314 Douglas St., Suite 600 Omaha, NE 68102 402-444-1094 Inspired Living Omaha (ISSN 7447026659) is a publication of the Omaha World-Herald. ©2014, Omaha World-Herald Co. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the specific written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed by those interviewed are their own. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information, no responsibility can be accepted by the publisher for content, opinions or practices, or how the information herein is used.

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LIFESTYLE F A L L

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32

Special Preview

KANEKO Exhibitions Cedric Hartman Wallace E. Cunningham Olson Kundig Architects

CONTENTS Small But Mighty

Experience Local

Spooky All Year

Sidelines Style

Relaxation With a View

Dubai

The Artist's Closet

Back-Country Love Child

Rest in Beauty

Fill Your Glass

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E D I TO R ' S N OT E

DON'T MISS AN ISSUE!

HOOTON IMAGES

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AN ILLUMINATING EXPERIENCE I have conducted thousands of interviews as a journalist, but none has been more relished as the one granted by Cedric Hartman.

Who? Well, let me clue you in.

CHRIS CHRISTEN editor-in-chief

Loves to dance. Tries to garden.

Avoids raw onions and garlic.

FUN FACT Chris will say "yes" to three events in one day, ignoring the fact that each event will take five hours of preparation.

Hartman is a passionate artist, inventor and designer of arguably the finest lighting fixtures in the world. Yet, few Omahans know of him.

Hartman leads an intense, private life turning out small editions of made-to-order works in a factory on the fringes of the Old Market. His client list reads like a who’s who of the world.

Royalty, tycoons, rock stars, Hollywood celebrities – they’re all there. Renowned architects and interior designers, too.

Adrian Smith, designer of the world’s tallest buildings, ranks Hartman among the greats of modern industrial design. “Cedric has no equal. He’s one of a kind,” he told me by phone from Chicago. And, yes, he has a few Hartman pieces at home, including a commission for a newly remodeled kitchen. “They’re incredibly beautiful. I marvel at them every day.”

Hartman, 85, has granted few interviews in his career, preferring to let his work speak for itself. He reveals another factor: “I’m kind of shy.”

Our evening conversation in his private showroom took on a delightful dynamic as we discovered common ground – Swiss roots, mutual friends and acquaintances and brutally candid mothers. A fine merlot (2011 Broadside Margarita Vineyard) didn’t hurt, either.

This September, you have a rare opportunity to experience Hartman’s creative brilliance for yourself in his first public exhibition at the KANEKO. My conversation with Hartman begins on page 32.

I guarantee you’ll catch yourself saying, “I had no idea.”

Here’s to an exceptional “aha” moment!

Enjoy!

Chris Christen editor-in-chief

Find inspiration and behind-the-scenes photos from this issue on Instagram

@ I N S P I R E D O MA H A

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THE CONTRIBUTORS

AMY LaMAR

HEIDI THORSON

assistant editor

creative director & designer

Mom to Zoey and Elliot.

Wife to Tony. Loves everything to do with food.

Amateur photographer.

Self-described craft addict.

Wife to Matthew.

Fan of photography.

Loves playing in the dirt.

Has a fab margarita recipe.

FUN FACT Amy changed her major four times in college.

FUN FACT Heidi took piano lessons for six years.

FUN FACT Carrie can change a tire like nobody's business.

JEFFREY BEBEE

THE HOOTONS

KATE LUCHSINGER

photographers

advertising manager

hair & makeup stylist

Recently celebrated his 34th wedding anniversary.

Western Nebraska roots.

Husband and wife team.

Specialize in weddings, portraits, boudoir and fashion editorials.

Beauty is her art.

Her passion is to enhance one's uniqueness. Her moniker is Picasso.

FUN FACT Jeffrey tries to stay consistently amiable in every situation.

FUN FACTS Heather was once featured in a ballet playing her guitar. JD is currently working on a "1camera1year" film project.

FUN FACT Kate enjoys sketching dream wedding dresses in her free time.

CATHY VANHAUER

KRISTINE BUHMAN

MURPHY BENOIT

advertising account executive

imaging specialist

Loves her customers.

Known for her laugh & candidness.

Has three children who fulfill her life.

Runner. Whole Foods loyalist.

Nature lover, coffee drinker and foodie (but not a cook).

Born in Illinois; lifelong Chicago Cubs fan. Could spend eight hours a day in her garden.

FUN FACT Cathy's new gardening "toy" is her rain gauge.

FUN FACT Kristine was in the crowd for the Cardinals' last regular-season game in 2005 in the old Busch Stadium.

FUN FACT Murphy met Al Gore when he was vice president.

advertising account executive

12  SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

PHOTOS: HOOTON IMAGES, DAN THORSON PHOTOGRAPHY, JEFFREY BEBEE, REBECCA S. GRATZ, JAMES R. BURNETT, KURT A. KEELER, TIN BOX PICTURES, DANIEL JOHNSON

photographer

CARRIE KENTCH

Customize Your Space TINBOX PICTURES

TAM WEBB

Husband & wife team. Influenced by motion, edge tension & lighting.

Push technical & creative boundaries.

Wife to Phil. Runs in the mornings so she can keep eating throughout the day.

FUN FACTS Jordan is addicted to NPR. Vivian just discovered the Omaha Bicycle Co. coffee shop – delightful!

FUN FACT Tam's martini glasses are always in the freezer.

DANIEL JOHNSON

BRIAN O'MALLEY

Husband. Father. Photographer.

Michigan native; has lived in Omaha for six years.

Passionate about sharing his knowledge. Husband to Krista.

Dad to Marin and Finley.

FUN FACT Dan used to be a lifeguard.

FUN FACT Brian received his first cooking award, the Silver Spatula, from his Boy Scout troop.

KURT A. KEELER

MEGHANN SCHENSE

photographers

photographer

photographer

event manager

chef-instructor at MCC

merchandise stylist

Isn't on Facebook.

Thinks "Pinteresting" is a word.

Confuses Twitter & Instagram.

Creative consultant, fashion stylist and strategist. Founder/creative grit of Esoteric Velvet.

FUN FACT Kurt is currently matching wits with a woodchuck that's burrowing along the foundation of his house.

FUN FACT Meghann is heavily involved in Omaha Fashion Week.

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D ES I G N D O N E R I G H T

A LIFE OF

Multifaceted remodel reflects homeowner to a tee.

STORY AMY LaMAR PHOTOGRAPHY JEFFREY BEBEE

M

other and grandmother. Artist. Writer. Retired college art teacher. Environmentalist. Intellectual.

Neo-Luddite. Loves to read, hates to shop – unless she’s at a thrift store. Generous, practical and frugal.

Best known for directing the J. Doe Project, the Lewis & Clark Icon Project and sculpture installations at Gene Leahy Mall in downtown Omaha.

That’s the big picture of Eddith Buis, and a visit to her North Field Club home provides some finer details about this grande dame of Omaha public art.

Up, down and around every corner, one finds art by Buis and her friends, and there is a story for every piece. (continued on page 19)

14 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

“This is my most important acquisition,” Eddith Buis says about a Nick Chiburis sculpture made of poured vinyl. One of only two in the world, the artist accidentally dropped the original mold.

(opposite page, center)

The homeowner spends most of her free time reading in this chair. She is a member of two book clubs, and she has several magazine and newspaper subscriptions.

LOCATION | NORTH FIELD CLUB inspiredlivingomaha.com 15

A pair of horses once grazed here in this former carriage house.

The roof was raised to create a bedroom on the second floor.

16  SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

The open wall behind the entertainment center, as well as sliding doors and minimal window bump-outs, provide good air circulation and an open feel.

The entertainment center, which took a year to build, dining table, barstools and banisters are made of cherry from a sustainable tree farm near Carson, Iowa.

inspiredlivingomaha.com  17

18 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

(continued from page 14)

Buis keeps her paints in a bathroom storage closet, while her other supplies are stowed away in cleverly designed drawers and cabinets in unexpected places – including one tucked underneath the stairs.

“Every artist has this problem,” the 74-year-old says.

“What are you going to do? I keep weird stuff.”

In fact, gaining storage and light were Buis’s goals in 2008 when she collaborated with designer Eddy Santamaria of Contrivium Design + Urbanism to remodel her 1907 carriage house. Originally housing horses and servants, “You could still smell the hay when we took the wall apart,” she says.

And take apart (and eliminate) walls they did. The house was gutted down to its frame. While they kept the original Douglas Fir wood siding, the rest – kitchen cabinets, chimney bricks, doors, wood bead board paneling and windows – mostly went to Habitat ReStore. Other environmentally conscious renovations included installing radiant heat in the floors, an “on-demand” water heater and thick insulation under the permanent steel roof and sustainable concrete board siding.

The biggest design changes to the 1,057-squarefoot home required reorienting the stairs and opening a section of the living room ceiling, creating a more expansive entry and living space. An abundance of natural light and solar heat prevails, thanks to strategically placed commercial-grade windows.

Surrounding the home, art studio and concrete storage shed on the property are three drainage areas that keep rain water away from the buildings. Runoff water is guided along a pervious pathway made of recycled sandstone pavers and quartz to Buis’s trees and plantings – and her attempt at a rain garden.

“I had grasses there, but they grew way too tall so I chopped them down,” she says begrudgingly, noting that she has had better success with her vegetable garden and landscape.

Buis relishes in the fact that she hasn’t changed a single light bulb or used a dishwasher or garbage disposal in six years.

“I care about the future, and if I don’t take care of my own land I can’t hold others in judgment,” she says of her green efforts.

But it’s about more than being good to the environment, she admits. Service is in her DNA, and she is frugal so she can give her time, money and artwork to causes in east Omaha.

“My whole life is down here,” she says of her close proximity to the Joslyn Art Museum and Film Streams. “I can’t seem to leave this place – I absolutely love it.”

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H O M ES P I R AT I O N

20 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

The Ghoulish Details This home might drive you batty.

STORY CHRIS CHRISTEN PHOTOGRAPHY JEFFREY BEBEE

N

ot to creep you out, but we have an eye-popping scoop on an Omaha family who lives and breathes Halloween – 365 days of the year.

“Nobody does Halloween crazy like us,” says Brigette Ryalls of her home's decor.

“Everybody who knows us knows that we’re completely insane for Halloween.”

The theme is so intense, “Some of my kids’ friends are freaked out when they visit – and no, it’s not Halloween season,” Brigette admits.

“The werewolf in the lower-level family room particularly bothers the younger ones.”

Brigette loves horror films and science

fiction novels, and is obsessed with vampires.

But, she concedes, she probably wouldn’t be this entrenched in Halloween if it wasn’t for her relationship with Steven Buda.

Born on Oct. 31, the Methodist Hospital surgeon has collected Halloween knickknacks all his life.

“After medical school, with a real job and real money he went a little crazy” with his acquisitions, Brigette says. Decades later, he’s still scouring stores and the Internet for nifty gory things for their home.

When the couple merged households a few years ago, they had intended to keep the décor of the main living area fairly “normal” during the off-season. But then they’d buy

(continued on page 23)

LOCATION | THE RIDGES

inspiredlivingomaha.com 21

Walls throughout the upper level are shrouded with black gauze attached with black duct tape.

In the dining room, “guests” could use some skin on their bones.

22 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

(continued from page 21)

something for Halloween and wouldn’t tuck it away.

“I kept apologizing to visitors for the Halloween décor when it wasn’t Halloween,” recalls Brigette, who teaches psychology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

When the couple started talking about a lower-level remodel for their home, the trick of decorating with a ghoulish theme became a treat for interior designer Libby Pantzlaff. Working with T. Hurt Construction and the homeowners' vision, Libby created a family living space with the look and feel of an old English pub with gothic undertones.

A conversation area off the bar includes a fireplace, four chairs upholstered in oxblood red velvet and a pair of Egyptian bookcases.

For Steven, who enjoys entertaining, there’s a bar with seating for 10. Libby gave it architectural interest and kept it from looking too big for the space with a curved granite top and a drink ledge. “We’ve got the best bar in Omaha,” Brigette jokes.

Libby sourced gargoyle cabinet pulls and faux ceiling tin for the bar area, skull wallpaper for a bathroom hallway and fleur de lis paper for the home theater ceiling.

For an Old World effect, she utilized stone veneer and a decorative stenciling technique on steps connecting the upper and lower levels.

Project work began in spring 2012.

“We were so exhausted from the renovation that we skipped Halloween that year,” Brigette laments.

This year, Steven and Brigette are moving ahead with plans to remodel the upper level. “We want the whole house to look and feel connected,” Brigette says.

Libby’s wheels are spinning. “Wouldn’t it be fun,” she thinks aloud, “to incorporate something authentic like Steven’s wooden coffin into the living room design?” She sees black cabinets for the kitchen, and distressed finishes on the walls and floors throughout.

But first things first.

In early September, the Halloween stuff comes out of storage one truckload at a time.

The animatronics are last to be delivered. (Steven has a halfdozen, if we’re counting, and his new favorite is a gargoyle.)

Brigette’s 13-year-old daughter, Anne, is eating it up. Last year, she bought a new Cinderella dress, distressed it with scissors and black spray paint and emerged on Halloween as a convincing zombie princess. “She looked awesome,” her mother gloats.

Eleven-year-old Jackson is coming around. Just don’t inflict horror movies on him. “He doesn’t like suspense,” says Brigette.

On Halloween night, they’ll celebrate Steven’s birthday with their own brand of ghoulish fun. Steven roaming in the fog as Nazgul from “Lord of the Rings.” Brigette cackling as a creepy witch handing out candy. And Anne and Jackson stiff as mummies – until they spring to life with bloodcurdling drama.

“It’s hard to tell what’s real and what isn’t in our yard,” Brigette says. “Teenagers have been to enough haunted houses that they know something is going to jump out at them.”

And after Halloween comes Christmas.

“We put up a tree, but that’s about all,” Brigette says.

The kids have asked why the family doesn’t do more decorating.

“We’re too tired. We only have one holiday in us.”

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The steps feature an inlaid design achieved with a wood-burning and staining technique.

They were then handsanded and hand-rubbed to give them a time-worn, distressed look.

We love this. The skeleton heads are repurposed bottle openers. Ten were ordered from an online source, and then a local craftsman attached them to a custom cemetery-style gate.

24  SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

S M A L L S PAC ES , B I G ST Y L E

A quick getaway Loess Hills cabin fulfills wish for rest and relaxation.

STORY CHRIS CHRISTEN PHOTOGRAPHY JEFFREY BEBEE

LOCATION | LOESS HILLS Reclaimed barn wood accents the interior and exterior of the cabin.

O

mahans Sandy and Jeffrey Passer wanted a place where they could steal away for the weekend with relative ease.

“We didn’t want to get on an airplane or drive for hours,” Sandy explains.

Eddy Santamaria of Contrivium Design + Urbanism pointed them toward Iowa’s picturesque western edge for a look at a 1,200-square-foot cabin that he had designed for another client who was ready to sell.

The cabin evokes the same clean-lined architectural style that the Passers love about their Tomlinson Woods home, which Santamaria had redesigned for them a few years earlier.

The cabin’s location – just 45 minutes from Omaha along the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway – is a major plus. But the deal was clinched when they saw the cabin’s 60 acres of rolling hills and scenic plateaus that once were home to a commercial orchard.

From the approach, the cabin’s profile looks modest. But like the terrain, the structure’s profile turns dramatic. Walls with floor-to-ceiling windows and an angular roof that reaches toward the sky give the main floor a spacious feel.

“I can have this place cleaned up in 10 minutes,” Sandy quips. “I just need my Swiffer to reach the cobwebs in the ceiling beams.”

Her only add-on: Window shades for the great room.

“You really need them to block the sun year-round.”

Santamaria’s trademark cubism is found throughout the floor plan. In the galley kitchen, open shelving runs parallel to work surfaces. A freestanding cube separating the kitchen and a full bath includes a pantry, coat and broom closets and general storage cabinets. (continued on page 30)

26 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

The walls are decorated with contemporary paintings by Steve Joy – a favorite artist.

The fireplace metal work is by Chris Kemp.

In the living room, window walls frame nature's beauty. The Passers have a hilltop view of the Missouri River Valley.

28  SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

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(continued from page 26)

A floating staircase – another Santamaria specialty – connects the upper and lower levels.

Most Friday evenings, the Passers head for the cabin. The drive usually includes a stop at the Jiffy Mart in Mondamin. “It has just about everything you could want. They may only have two or three of any given item, but it works,” Sandy says. The couple also enjoys shopping in nearby Missouri Valley. “Everyone is so friendly.”

The Passers considered building in the area, but the thought of putting in a road, electricity and a septic system held them back.

Buying an existing cabin allowed them to immediately engage in rest and relaxation.

Attractions like the Loess Hills Lavender Farm and Small’s Fruit Farm and Pie Parlor make it fun to be tourists in their own backyard.

Sandy cooks with fresh ingredients from the cabin’s vegetable garden.

“We have tomatoes, beets, carrots, peas, lettuce, spinach and green beans coming out of our ears.”

She makes jelly from fresh-picked blackberries, cherries and grapes. “The grape harvest last year filled several five-gallon buckets,” she says with glee.

His and hers ATVs take the Passers over the hills and into the woods year-round. “We enjoy things you don’t see in the city,” Sandy says.

Deer, coyotes and eagles are frequent sightings.

From their plateau, “You can watch the storms roll in from the west and hear the train whistles in the valley.”

But best of all, “Sunday evenings, when we’re closing down the cabin for the weekend, the sky can stop us in our tracks,” Sandy says. “You never get tired of it … It’s a Keith Jacobshagen sky,” she adds in reference to the Nebraska landscape artist. “Where we live in town, you don’t see the sky.”

In the master bedroom, a barn door on a pulley system provides privacy.

30 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

River rock tile is found in both the flooring and backsplash in the master bath.

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inspiredlivingomaha.com  31

S P EC I A L P R E V I E W STORIES BY CHRIS CHRISTEN PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CEDRIC HARTMAN STUDIO, WALLACE E. CUNNINGHAM, INC., OLSON KUNDIG ARCHITECTS

Golden

A Opportunity KANEKO spotlights three greats in architecture, design.

F

or nearly half a century, Cedric Hartman has turned out small editions of arguably the most exquisite and coveted lighting fixtures in the world. Largely unknown to Omahans, he has done it from a warehouse factory in the Old Market.

At 85, Hartman is mounting his first public exhibition – ever – of selected works for KANEKO – Open Space for Your Mind, beginning Sept. 20.

At the same time, two other major exhibitions by internationally known and awarded architects are opening at the KANEKO: San Diego-based Wallace Cunningham and Seattle-based Olson Kundig Architects.

Together, the three shows provide an unprecedented experience for lovers of architecture and design. On the following pages, we shine our own light on the creative brilliance of each.

Wallace E. Cunningham, architectural design.

Pamela Smith, interior design, featuring Cedric Hartman lamps.

O P E N S PAC E S O I R É E A gala preview reception with Cedric Hartman, Wallace Cunningham and principals of Olson Kundig Architects is planned Sept. 19 at KANEKO. The evening includes opportunities to "buy" unique experiences related to art and architecture, with proceeds benefitting KANEKO. Patron tickets, $500, include invitations to private parties with each of the exhibition artists. Exclusive dates: Wallace Cunningham, Oct. 9; Cedric Hartman, Nov. 13; Olson Kundig Architects, to be announced.

For the Open Space Soirée only, tickets are $150 for general admission; $75 for KANEKO members and young professionals. Reservations: thekaneko.org.

T H E K A N E KO E X H I B I T I O N What: Separate exhibits featuring the work of Cedric Hartman, Wallace Cunningham and Olson Kundig Architects.

When: Sept. 20, 2014, through Jan. 3, 2015 Where: KANEKO, 1111 Jones St. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday Admission: Free during regular gallery hours Public reception: Sept. 20, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Free.

Information: thekaneko.org

32 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

CEDRIC HARTMAN

Master of the luminaire Bask in the limelight?

Not a chance.

C

edric James Hartman is in perpetual pursuit of perfection.

His muse, the luminaire.

His life as artist-inventor-designer, a series of odd, fortuitous, accidental meetings. And lucky interludes.

“I seem to have this sort of weird serendipity in my life,” Cedric imparts, reflecting on his 85 years.

It’s a rare public revelation. His life is not an open book.

“I’m publicity averse,” he offers as partial explanation. “I hate the self-promotion, or even the implied self-promotion.”

And its distraction.

“I like not being noticed.”

Here, the Omaha artist sheds light on the profound influences and lucky interludes that led him to be the designer of lighting fixtures collected the world over.

A ‘BIFURCATED’ LIFE “One side was pushing hard to the theater, the other side was pushing hard toward design,” Cedric says, reflecting on the early influences in "this bifurcated life – of loving architecture and design.”

His mother, Bonnelynn, was a serious artist and an intellectual, and Cedric's idol.

His younger sister, Mary Emily, was a serious artist, too, who studied in Paris as a Fulbright scholar.

Aunt Floy Smith Turner (Cedric's mother's sister) coached drama at Omaha Central High School in the 1920s, and was friends with “Doe” Brando, a founder of the Omaha Community Playhouse. (continued on page 34)

inspiredlivingomaha.com 33

(continued from page 33)

Two early Cedric Hartman designs, copied the world over, are in permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art. His designs are also held in many private collections.

Featured: "1UWV."

34 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

Through them and others, Cedric discovered English playwrights and became “fully infected with classical theater” in his youth.

He read – a lot (and has a fair-sized library today) , and learned to play the piano (Bach has been a lifelong addiction).

Cedric’s father, Cecil Leroy “Sed," would lay a foundation on the design side.

A star athlete at the University of Nebraska, Sed spent nearly 15 years as a coach and educator at Omaha University. World War II brought a naval career, and after 1945, a move to a career in Omaha as a builder.

Cedric's architectural sensibility began to reveal itself in the mid-1940s on visits to construction sites with his father. Cedric would watch the workers and anticipate errors and problems. He taught himself how to draw in order to show his father what he thought they could do better. Soon, he was taking on more ambitious ventures.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS A defining moment came in the late 1940s, when Louis Skinner, the youngest son of the founder of the famed raisin bran, spaghetti and macaroni company, needed help completing a house.

The foundation was in but the design had been canned, so young Cedric launched a plan that ultimately would have given Skinner one of the first modern residences in Omaha.

“And there was my father, watching with mixed horror and delight” as Cedric sold Skinner on the concept of a flat-roof design with high ceilings and skylights – avant-garde features at the time. “For Omaha, then, it was daring.”

But then the Korean War broke out and Uncle Sam came knocking.

The Skinner project was only threequarters done when the Skinners moved in. Sadly, Skinner died in a plane crash. That effectively ended the house project for Cedric; he last saw the interior in mid-1951. But the dwelling has had a number of distinguished owners over the decades.

“Still, in a way, it proved a lucky interlude for me," with serendipity continuing to be at play.

BAUHAUS INFLUENCE Cedric served his Korean War time as an officer at Fifth Army Headquarters in Chicago, working as aide-de-camp for the chief of staff, Gen. Joe Twitty.

The general’s daughter helped Cedric get an apartment near the headquarters area so he could attend night school at the Armory Institute.

At the time, it was populated with expatriates from the Bauhaus school of design in Germany.

"Another influential period."

Military service complete in 1953, Cedric headed to New York City to try his luck in classical theater.

He found an agent and got small acting jobs right off, but television, more than stage, was hot.

He joined the Actors Guild, but then started to have misgivings.

“I began to feel that the ‘meat rack’ aspect of television and theater at the time was not for me. It was going to be a long and uncertain wait for the kind of classical theater that I imagined.”

A family crisis hastened his return to Omaha. His sister had fallen ill – in what would turn out to be, as he describes it, a ruinous 40-year illness.

“And that’s what changed my life," he says, explaining that he felt compelled to stay in Omaha. “We were pulled together as a family.”

For income, he began accepting small design jobs as architect, sans portfolio.

With his father, they explored possibilities for larger-scale projects.

Among them: the rejuvenation of warehouse buildings in what would become Omaha's Old Market.

WHY LIGHTING ?

A turning point in his career came in 1963 when friend Judy Youngman Wigton approached him about starting a gallery-boutique specializing in fine yarns and beautiful objects. Good design was the goal. They called it The Afternoon, at 41st and Harney Streets (not related to the current store of a similar name).

As Cedric entertained design projects, he needed furnishings that didn’t seem to exist. Designing

Cedric Hartman floor lamp and table. you want it to. And then, when you pull it over, I want it to be admirably well done so that you take pleasure in handling it. Like a nicely designed wristwatch might give you a certain amount of satisfaction in its workmanship.”

lamps, tables, hardware pieces and even upholstered furniture allowed him to enjoy components of architecture without needing to interact with a lot of people.

As he took commissions and helped clients with various design issues, he recognized that there were problems with lighting, especially in homes with glass walls.

“People were buying standing lamps and trying to make them work in the nighttime hours. But they made white walls very, very bright, and turned glass walls into black mirrors.

“And in the daytime, the lamps just stood there kind of quarreling with each other.

They often didn’t relate to each other …

And you didn’t want to buy pairs because that didn’t look good either … Then you had the cords and the bases with those dust bunnies …”

He took note of built-in downlighting that was just coming into vogue. Downlights provided a partial solution by casting genial fill light where it was needed most – in the lower one-third of a room.

“I noticed how well it worked. It gave a very nice quality of light to these interior spaces, but it was so rigid ... and it took surgery (to install)."

“I thought to myself, why not get that kind of light from a portable device that emits the light at or beneath your seated eye level so you’re never looking at the bulb? And where the path of light is washing across the upholstery, the pillows, the books, the flowers on the table, the food you’re eating, the people sitting across from you …

"So I set on a course to make lighting that’s small and doesn’t call attention to itself until

WORLD-CLASS In one of those serendipitous turns, two early Cedric lamp designs landed in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in 1967.

By then, Cedric Hartman Studio was firmly established.

“I had already been selling to designconscious people through exclusive galleries in Chicago,” he says. New York followed, and soon he had clients worldwide.

One of his self-confessed failings: “I didn’t care about pricing my stuff … I wasn’t doing many of the right things, like advertising, marketing. I seemed to feel that making it … succeeding with something … having a winner . . . would somehow cripple me and I’d have to stop moving ahead and focus on just that. I wanted to stay small and limber. Be more about trying new things.”

Today, his pieces are widely regarded as the world's finest in design and function.

Catalog editions range from several hundred to several thousand dollars, and delivery takes several weeks, sometimes months.

Local craftsmen fabricate practically every component of every design.

“Most lamps look like other lamps. I didn’t want any of that,'' Cedric explains.

He currently employs 15 at his workshop studio at the edge of the Old Market. His right-hand man, craftsman Louis Kologenski, has been with him for 40 years. Another craftsman, for about 30 years.

And then there's accountant Maurice Barrett, who has been with him since the incorporation of the workshop studio in 1971.

Operations are supervised by James Franksen with the help of his sister, Carol.

“These are people I care about,” Cedric says. “They’re my family.”

And each lamp, a child?

“In a way, yes. Yes.” Does Cedric Hartman Studio go on after he’s gone?

“I hope so. I hope that I have people in place who will stay.”

But first, there’s work to be done.

“I think there will be something better soon … I don’t know what it is. But I’m going to try to invent it.”

distinction warmth sophistication CUSTOM-DESIGNED HAND-KNOTTED CARPETS

402.343.1590 maryzicafoose.com inspiredlivingomaha.com 35

THE RAZOR

WA L L A C E CUNNINGHAM

Pushing the Envelope Designer suspends all boundaries of ordinary living.

G

ive architectural designer Wallace Cunningham an expansive sky and a dramatic landscape with a commanding view, and he’ll leave you breathless.

In his highly intuitive, avant-garde architectural style, all boundaries of ordinary living are suspended. What emerges is a powerful, interactive sculptural form that opens to the world and connects its owners not only with the environment, but with themselves.

It’s an approach that ranks the largely self-taught Cunningham among the world’s elite in architectural design.

In a prelude to "Wallace E. Cunningham: reality < an idea" at KANEKO – Open Space for Your Mind, the designer talks about the creative process, his friendship with Jun and Ree Kaneko and the inspiration he finds in Omaha – a place that feels like home.

36 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

THE RAZOR, LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA

LAS TERRAZAS, MEXICO

You’re a collector of Jun Kaneko’s work.

But you are also a fan of KANEKO, the organization, and serve as an adviser to its creative board. Why? “If you’re an artist and you don’t have an opportunity to express yourself, you become depressed and bitter. The Kanekos invite people into their world of creativity. It’s a personal experience, and that’s where it’s at for me.”

How long has Omaha been on your radar?

“My wife, Pam (Smith), is an interior designer. We have collaborated on many houses, and all of the great ones have Cedric Hartman lamps. So Cedric was my first introduction to the city. And then I met Jun and Ree … Now, when I come I always try to see Cedric and the Kanekos.

Omaha is no longer a commission; it feels like home.

You recently completed a residential project for a client who has close ties to Omaha. How did that come about?

“The client came to San Diego to see if I would be interested in designing a home for him in the Midwest. I liked him right away, and came to see the property.

And wow! Most people think there is no character to the land in this part of the country. That’s just not true. It’s a spectacular thing. With that house, you can see as far as the horizon allows you to see – across the valley and up and down the hills ... It’s just heaven there.”

How did landscape influence the design of this particular commission?

“We created a simple, beautiful arched structure that looks like a sculpture on the landscape. The home follows the natural contours of the land and “moves” with the light across the landscape. The roof is silver and becomes a beautiful mirror, picking up the golden hues of autumn and the greens of summer in the landscape. In winter, the house looks like a giant snowdrift.”

How are the owners reflected in the design?

“The design embodies everything they have to offer. They have an expansive world view. They have a high regard for humanity and the environment.

They work quietly, embracing people through their interests and passions.

The house feels like that. It’s fluid, reassuring. It wants to hug you, but it’s not going to smother you.”

What or who is your greatest source of inspiration?

“Smart people with good interests. When you hang out with them you learn by osmosis. Little bits of information feed into your brain. The mix of people and ideas creates this incredibly rich result. I also look to the history of the area of the country where I’m working ... You have to soak up everything you can and see what comes out.”

What did you discover about Omaha?

“It has everything on a scale that is appropriate for a great city. The Old Market could have easily been torn down; instead it thrives. Keeping the old and the new are important. You need counterpoints. And the feel of the town – most people have to go to the movies to get a feeling like that! You can’t fake that stuff. There are riches here beyond compare.”

What makes a project successful?

“Collaboration. The owner, the designer, the architect, the contractor, the interior designer and the landscape architect all have to understand the vision. Without that partnership you get dissidence. The greatest houses and gardens of the world reflect seamless collaborative work.”

The best compliment a client could give?

“Saying that they think they own the best house that I’ve ever designed. Everybody says artistic people have big egos. It’s not

true. We all go to bed thinking that we’re a failure.”

What’s your dream project?

“Years ago, I designed a chapel that I absolutely love. I hate to even call it a chapel because it’s not a worship space.

It’s a structure that provides shade and shelter for thinking. You’ll see a model of it in the KANEKO exhibit.”

Your most profound encounter?

“I had a chance encounter with I.M. Pei (a Chinese American considered to be the master of modern architecture) ...

He invited me to sit and talk for about a half-hour. It was a moment for history – a wonderful moment. He asked me to send him photos of my work. He wrote back and said my concrete work was the most beautiful he had seen.”

AT A GLANCE Wallace Cunningham was born in western Pennsylvania, No. 6 of nine children. “It was pandemonium in our house with all those kids,” he says. “We were poor. We didn’t have any money.”

But his mother drew and played piano, and those influences had a profound effect on him. “It was always there,” he says of his capacity to be creative.

Cunningham spent his youth in Buffalo, New York, and attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts. He was befriended

by Marya Lilien, Frank Lloyd Wright's first female apprentice. In 1976, at Lilien’s invitation, Cunningham began studies at Wright’s Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona. His first work, while still a student at Taliesin, was Wing House in Rancho Santa Fe, California (1978).

In 1979, he founded San Diego-based Wallace E. Cunningham, Inc. Today, he ranks among the architectural elite.

Among his accolades: Architectural Digest’s Top 100 Designers.

inspiredlivingomaha.com 37

From Left: Jim Olson, Tom Kundig, Alan Maskin, Kristen Murray

OLSON KUNDIG ARCHITECTS

'anthology' Bridging nature, culture, people.

A

t Seattle-based Olson Kundig Architects, nature sets the design course. Buildings, in the firm’s vernacular, are like bridges between nature, culture and people. The ideal took root in the late 1960s with founder Jim Olson, who often observes that “living close to nature is the greatest luxury.” Principal and partner Alan Maskin digs a little deeper in conjunction with the exhibition "Olson Kundig: Anthology" at KANEKO.

How will Olson Kundig showcase itself at the KANEKO? “Through an anthology, or a collection of work that spans many decades. This show is a chance for our firm to consider where we have been and where we might be headed. While there have been previous exhibitions focused specifically on the work of founding partners Jim Olson and Tom Kundig, this is the first exhibition that captures the collective efforts of Olson Kundig.”

What’s the take-away?

“There are aspects of the making of architecture that are universal to all design practices, but it’s those aspects that distinguish one firm from another that can be the most interesting. We hope that visitors will see aspects of our practice that relate to the language of modern architecture being produced in the world today, while also seeing the ways we work that are specific to our firm and the partners who lead most of the design projects.”

38 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

How is each Olson Kundig design the same but different?

“It begins with the existing landscape or cityscape where a project will ‘live.’ The architecture that follows is a response to place; it becomes the spine that weaves the site, our clients’ needs and an approach to design that resolves the project down to the smallest detail. When appropriate, we like to provide new inventions in kinetic engineering that can open and close the building in interesting mechanical ways. We also like to design the interiors and furnishings so that all of the design aspects on the project can act as a totality. While these are philosophies that we share, the architectural form that each partner gives his or her work is different. Jim’s work is highly refined in its materiality and detailing, while Tom’s work is more raw and experimental. Kirsten Murray's work focuses on ways to bring people together in public spaces, while my work in the public realm looks different with every client and design task.”

Your firm has a residential projectin Omaha's Fairacres neighborhood. How did the owners find you?

Jim Olson did a house in Borrego Springs, Calif., in the 1970s, which this same Omaha couple purchased.

They called and asked him to remodel it. He also worked with the clients on the interior of the house and helped them with their art collection. It was a great success, and we all really enjoyed working together. So when our clients decided to remodel their Omaha residence, they gave us a call again.

Tell us about the design that’s evolving.

The project is about transforming a typical house into a house that is designed to showcase art. Our clients are fond of Jun Kaneko’s work, so we found some key locations to highlight those pieces and create focal points for art, with the house serving as a backdrop. We are modernizing the house throughout, including the addition of lighting to help showcase the art. We also designed some custom furnishings and found furniture that will tie everything together into a unified expression. We added a skylight down the ridge of the house to bring natural daylight into what was a previously dark interior space. We opened the interior of the house to look into the backyard to visually merge the indoor and outdoor spaces.”

Your firm is also helping Gallery 1510 in Omaha with an expansion. How did that project come about?

The gallery opportunity came about because of our work on the (previously mentioned) Omaha house. For the design, we are taking cues from the architecture of the Old Market – simple steel awnings and a Corten steel corner – that will serve as a beacon along Leavenworth Street. The building will help mark the entrance to the arts district. The gallery will house traveling exhibits from the Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA) as well as other artist exhibitions.”

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inspiredlivingomaha.com 39

THREADS

As a new arts season unfolds, we introduce you to five local artists whose personal styles are as varied as their art forms.

PAUL HANSON CLARK

Poet & Prairie Schooner publishing house web editor His teacher must have had an inkling when Paul turned in a long essay about a family vacation. It’s difficult for most first-graders to spell the word “vacation,” let alone write about one. That same teacher encouraged him to write more essays, and he went on to write poetry, too.

After college, a man hugged him and said, “I hear you like to write. Wanna’ start up a writers group?” That was seven years ago.

Today, he’s a fixture at the SP CE poetry studio and Parrish Studios in Lincoln, where he lives.

For this photo shoot, Paul didn’t know what to wear so he brought every article of clothing – 20 items total –­from his closet.

“I used to spend money on things in every area of my life,” he says. “But I discovered that I don’t need a lot.” Quality, however, matters. He loves Levi’s, Banana Republic and Post & Nickel. A wardrobe staple with loads of character: A 10-year-old bomber jacket. “It’s pretty sweet.”

If he’s not running barefoot, he’s on his bike.

“I made this vow to myself to stop wearing jeans with holes. These have holes because I wrecked my bike.”

Be inspired by local writers at the Omaha Lit Fest Sept. 12 and 13 at the W. Dale Clark Branch of the Omaha Public Library.

40 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

ERIN ALARCÓN

Company dancer, Ballet Nebraska This New Jersey native loves to sparkle – on and off stage. “Her favorite color is glitter,” teases fellow dancer Erika Overturff. Erin usually wears her hair big and curly – keeping updos in reserve for performances and nights on the town. This fall, Erin dances the title role in “Giselle.” She’s also choreographing a pas de deux – her own wedding Jan. 3!

ERIKA OVERTURFF

Artistic director and founder, Ballet Nebraska Vintage-loving, thrift-shopping Erica spends five days a week in a rehearsal studio. By day, you’ll find her looking artsy in a leotard, comfy tee with the neck cut out and a messy bun atop her head. By night, she steps up the glitz and exchanges her ballet shoes for sexy high heels.

Ballet Nebraska opens its fifth season Oct. 4 with “Giselle” at the Orpheum Theater.

inspiredlivingomaha.com 41

D. KEVIN WILLIAMS

Equity actor / artist-in-residence Fresh off an Omaha run of the Johnny Cash tribute show, “Ring of Fire,” Kevin currently is shaping and molding young minds in a seven-week residency at Chadron State College.

His personal wardrobe style is snappy and relaxed – to match his quick wit. Among his favorites, for sentimental reasons: The shirt he auditioned in for a national Broadway tour of “The Color Purple”; a wooden tribal necklace purchased in North Carolina during the tour; and a bracelet and ring that he picked up when he was on the road with Upward Bound.

His watch: A 50th birthday gift from his mom. His hat: from Walmart.

“It just goes to show that I’m an everyday kind of guy.”

42 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

KITT HAMERSKY Fiber artist

“We’re on a first-name basis, my threads and me.”

The long and short of it: Kitt weaves shawls that talk – in Morse code. In a series of dots and dashes created with warp threads, Kitt spells out empowering messages.

“Sometimes the warps talk to me,” she says. Other times, a custom order drives the loom. Silky soft Tencel threads enhance the feeling of being “wrapped in love.”

Working with fibers means Kitt maintains a pretty casual style.

Jeans and bright tees are her go-to threads. She weaves most weekends in her studio at Hot Shops Art Center. On the weekdays, she works at Horsemen’s Park.

See more wearable fiber art from Kitt and others at the Omaha Weavers and Spinners Guild show in May 2015 at Lauritzen Gardens.

ART DIRECTION & SET STYLING | Heidi Thorson PHOTOGRAPHY | Hooton Images HAIR & MAKEUP | Kate Luchsinger FURNISHINGS | Courtesy of Birdhouse Interior Design TEXT | Chris Christen

inspiredlivingomaha.com 43

P RO F I L E

Luxury PERSONIFIED From Eleanor's Ribbon, sweet dreams.

STORY + PHOTOGRAPHY CHRIS CHRISTEN

L

uxury linen designer Nancy Koltes comes from a long line of textile enthusiasts. But perhaps none was more influential than her ribbon-loving Great-Aunt Eleanor.

“She had boxes full of ribbon and lace,” Koltes recalls. “She never did anything with the pieces; she just collected them.”

That childhood memory inspired Eleanor’s Ribbon – Koltes’ longest-running, best-selling pattern.

We caught up with the designer at The Linen Gallery, where she was helping owner Kathy Dessonville celebrate her 20th year of business.

In sharing her own 30-year career, Koltes takes us back to the early 1980s and a stint with a New York home furnishings and textiles firm that offered cut yardage to designer showrooms across the country.

“I fell in love with the business.”

Within five years, she was on her own creating custom top-of-bed ensembles for New York interior designers. That led to developing her own fabrics, and eventually, blazing a trail as one of the first textile designers to bring fine Italian linens into American homes.

“There was no luxury linen business here at the time,” and it took some convincing to win over her targeted clientele in an era of consumer-pleasing polyester and other easy-care fabrics.

“Well-heeled American women initially were reluctant to use natural fabrics, let alone try luxury linens,” with their housekeeping staffs freshly liberated from ironing sheets and pillowcases.

Today, her company serves an international clientele with a retail location in Beverly Hills, a showroom in New York and design and production houses in Chicago. In addition, there are printing and weaving mills in Italy, where the lion’s share of the label’s fabric is sourced. The company also makes its own down for pillows, mattress pads and duvet inserts.

Timeless coordinating palettes evoke solace and serenity. Grays, silvers and blues dominate soft jacquards, weaves and prints.

And the feel against your skin?

Light as a cloud.

ELEANOR'S RIBBON

44 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

FOGLIA

MADISON

THREE COMPONENTS FOR A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP Beautiful linens. Beautiful down. And minimal surroundings. Instead of a big, rigid mattress, invest in a cotton, down or down alternative mattress pad, and top it with quality linens that can be mixed and matched from season to season. Invest in two sets of linens, and alternate them on your bed.

DON’T GET HUNG UP ON THREAD COUNT It isn’t necessarily a benchmark of quality. The truer measure of both luxury and durability is the quality of threads and the way in which they are woven and finished.

LUXURY LINENS DO REQUIRE TLC But it’s not complicated. Simply launder your linens in a front-load machine in warm water without bleach and tumble dry.

INSIDER SCOOP This fall, Nancy Koltes launches a scarf collection called Lago Foulard. It’s named for the lake region of Northern Italy where the fabric is made.

LIGHT AS AIR Find the scarves at The Linen Gallery in Regency Court. Suggested retail: $85 to $200.

KHYBER

NAPOLI

J

ori McCarville’s success with Pattino Shoe Boutique in Lincoln beginning in 2006 led her to team up with Sue Lapp five years later to open The Mix in Countryside Village. “We’re from two different generations, and I don’t think we ever expected to be in business together,” says Sue. “But it was meant to be. It has worked out perfectly.”

The women have drawn on their unique life perspectives to hone their shoe and accessory collections to perfection. “We offer something for women of every age,” Sue says. While Jori gets playful credit for being “the creative genius,” Sue champions “the numbers.” Both love merchandising and creating successful shopping experiences for their customers.

The Countryside location has worked out so well that they’ve renewed their lease. “We feel the same way as we did when we originally selected Countryside Village for our store three years ago,” Sue says. “We’re conveniently located, and the core businesses support each other. Countryside Village offers great local, independent retailers, and our customers share our appreciation for that.”

8710 Countryside Plaza 402-933-7995 themixshoes.com

T

he store's initials “NJ” have nothing to do with New Jersey and everything to do with Nicole Leathers and her mom, Jane White, as well as a few handpicked entrepreneurs that make up the “CO.” “We’re different,” Nicole says with a wide smile. “We wanted to make it interesting,” Jane chimes in. “You won’t believe the mix of merchandise.” Their store offers a combination of women’s clothing, home décor and accessories. The idea of a one-stop shopping experience blossomed when Jane wanted a new challenge. Nicole, who was looking for a new career, tapped Mom’s 20-plus years of retail experience – and a store was born. It's filled with original merchandise selected by five entrepreneurs – all moms – who aren’t able to afford the capital to start a business of their own. On the first Thursday of every month, the women host Ladies Night from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Seasonal open houses, informal in-store modeling and shop-for-a-cause promotions are also part of the unique and welcoming experience at NJ & CO. And starting in September, customers can make purchases on NJ & Co.'s Facebook page. Orders can be shipped nationwide.

17650 Wright St., Suite 4 402-502-1962 facebook.com/njandcompany inspiredlivingomaha.com 45

FRESHLY ORGANIZED

W

e could all use a little organization in our lives.

Or a lot. From kitchens to closets and offices at home and at work, the Freshly Organized team is focused on making your life stress-free and more manageable, says Amy Tokos, the only certified professional organizer in Nebraska. Time management is a common request.

Problems range from too much time, leading to procrastination, to a lack of time and unfinished projects, Amy says. Residential packages range from one-time, two-hour assessments to monthly three-hour visits, while whole-office packages can be designed for the day, the week or individually. Amy and her partner Sheila Taylor also offer virtual organizing, an accountability partner program and unpacking services after a move. The end result is not only better organization, but a “transformation” among her clients, Amy says. “They start out overwhelmed and stressed, and then they see the light. They are able to handle their day-to-day much better.”

4916 Underwood Avenue 402-505-8333 dundeegallery.com 46 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

402-670-3271 freshlyorganized.com

PHOTO: DANA DAMEWOOD

DENIM SALOON

GRAMERCY | GARMENT DISTRICT

enim Saloon in the heart of neighborly Dundee is a full-service denim bar. Mosey in, step up to the counter and order the fit, style and wash of your choice. Boutique owners Jenny Galley and Sarah Troia stock more than 100 different styles of denim. Hard to fit? Don’t fret. The gals carry men’s sizes ranging from 29- to 42-inch waists, and women’s sizes ranging from 24- to 38-inch waists. Find extra-long, petite and maternity sizes, too. And if that isn’t enough, Jenny and Sarah offer a dandy selection of tees, jackets and other fashion-forward separates. Every September, the gals roll up their sleeves for a denim roundup for their favorite charity. Customers who donate their gently worn denim to the clothing drive receive $25 off any regularly priced denim. Now that’s a darn good incentive to get your boots a-scootin’ to the Denim Saloon!

hopping at Gramercy and the Garment District will put you in a New York state of mind, thanks to owner Stacie Mausbach’s sophisticated yet accessible retail concept for women’s apparel and accessories. While the Garment District at Shops of Legacy and Gramercy in Countryside Village each have a distinct personality, both blend New York inspiration and Omaha innovation. First with the Garment District in 2006 and then with Gramercy in 2013, Stacie envisioned a one-stop upscale shopping experience with the visual appeal of a midtown Manhattan boutique. “We’re about clean, well-edited collections in easy-to-shop floor plans,” Stacie explains. Gramercy’s niche is designer lines that aren’t mass-produced, but made-to-order. Styles range from classic to fashion-forward for work and play. Stacie and store manager (and sister) Kelli Smith enhance the personalized shopping experience at every opportunity. “We’ll show you how to take an outfit from day to evening” if that’s what you need, Stacie says. Now that’s the kind of wardrobe-building that you can appreciate. And love – without traveling to NYC.

D

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8711 Countryside Plaza 402-934-2111 gramercyomaha.com | garmentdistrictomaha.com inspiredlivingomaha.com 47

AU CO U R A N T

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48 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

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D EST I N AT I O N

DUBAI

A rich opportunity for an exotic diversion.

STORY CHRIS ALLEN

D

ubai is a city of contrasts. Deep blue Arabian Gulf waters lapping up to searing hot khaki-colored beaches. The world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, rising from one of the flattest countries in the world. People, mostly from Europe, in shorts and T-shirts, navigating miles of corridors in the Dubai Mall alongside Arabs in traditional dress – white, floor-length dishdashas for the men and black abayas for the women, sometimes revealing only their eyes.

Certainly, if you’ve confined your travels to European mountain ranges, tropical islands, South American sambas and the beauties of the United States, Dubai falls into the category of “exotic.”

A city of glass, gleaming steel and 10-lane roads, Dubai is busy with the importance of being one of the primary ports in the Middle East; a regional commercial and financial capital; and a tourist destination for those Europeans, and increasingly Americans, looking to escape the cold.

Indeed, you only want to go in the winter. The rest of the year is just too hot. The best months are December, January and February, when temperatures hover in the 80s during the day and dip into the 70s at night. Compare that to summer, when it’s so hot you run the risk of permanently fusing your flip-flops to the soles of your feet just walking on the beach. Sightseeing is equally uncomfortable. You have to dash from air-conditioned building to air-conditioned taxi to air-conditioned store when you venture out. And a bottle of water must constantly be at your side.

But those three winter months – oh, the fun you can have.

The author is a professor of journalism at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

He lived in Oman as a Fulbright scholar during the 2011-2012 school year.

50 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

WHERE TO SHOP If you want to shed all your money upfront, go to the gold souk (market). The two largest malls have their own gold souks, but the real deal, the city’s original, is in a time-worn outdoor space with shops selling everything from shoes to spices. The gold stores, however, occupy one-fourth of the real estate.

The souk in the Deira part of Dubai has windows that drip with 18-, 21-, 22- and 24-carat gold in every configuration.

Delicate gold chains weighted with a single small pendant sit next to massive spreads of gold that drape the chest and reach toward the navel.

If a bauble catches your eye, the key word is “bargain.”

Do not accept the first quote.

There is room to bargain the price of nearly everything in Dubai, and it’s just expected that you will.

If you would rather shop in air-conditioned relief, Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates should be on your list.

Dubai Mall is the larger of the two. In fact, it is the reason why the Mall of America in Minneapolis is expanding to regain its spot as the largest mall in the world. Dubai Mall is four or five stories – I lost count – of everything from discount electronics to haute couture.

There is always a line to enter the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo inside the mall. The price of admission depends on what you want to do: Ride in a glass-bottom boat, go scuba diving or walk with sharks.

The Dubai Ice Rink on the ground floor is Olympic-sized and usually busy. Rent skates and take a spin on the ice in the desert.

The mall is also the entrance to the Burj Khalifa, the tallest

PHOTOS: BLOOMBERG NEWS (TOP) CHRIS ALLEN (BOTTOM)

building in the world. Buy your tickets online in advance because time slots usually sell out early in the day.

The Burj (Arabic for "tower") has an observation deck on the 124th floor. Dubai is flat, so you can see forever. That is, unless the pollution is bad. Dubai is an automobile town, and on many days a ring of brown haze encircles the city. Still, it’s an impressive view.

The indoor deck has a vending machine from which you can buy gold ingots in various denominations – at $1,300 an ounce – from a dispenser that accepts major credit cards.

Just outside the mall is the Dubai fountain. It’s the largest water show in the world (you hear phrases like that a lot in Dubai). Crowds line the fountain every half-hour for the synchronized display. The music ranges from Arabic to classical to Michael Jackson, and everything in between.

The show is spectacular during the day, but at night it takes on a magical aura with its colored underwater lights.

The Dubai Mall and everything around it is a fiveminute walk from the Metro, a high-speed above-ground rail system that is inexpensive and air-conditioned.

The Mall of the Emirates is Dubai’s other multi-tiered, heavily marbled shrine to shopping. It's home to the world’s only indoor ski slope.

People bundled up in parkas, knit hats and gloves schuss down the manmade snow slopes on skis, snowboards and toboggans all day long. If you want to try it yourself, you can rent everything you need. I mean, why in the world would you bring your down overcoat, insulated gloves and Big Red ski cap to the desert?

(continued on page 52)

inspiredlivingomaha.com 51

PHOTO: CHRIS ALLEN

PHOTO: BLOOMBERG NEWS

(continued from page 51)

SIGHTS + THRILLS

FOOD + CULTURE

Dubai Creek is a man-made waterway that carves into the city. Sightseeing boats and dinner cruises offer a view that gleams with the reflections of city lights in steel-andglass facades and brightly lit high-rise buildings.

If you get tired of shopping and lying on the beach, go dune bashing. But employ an experienced driver. This sport is the desert version of a super roller coaster. There are companies that pick you up at your hotel and take you out into the desert. Here, demonic drivers in their four-wheel drive SUVs race up, down and across the dunes at breathtaking speeds.

For some Arabs, it’s the ultimate pastime. And whereas a roller coaster ride lasts maybe 90 seconds, you’ll be on the sand for more than an hour. At the end, you’ll be taken to a desert camp and treated to a fire-roasted meal and Arabic dances.

Take a jacket. The desert is blistering by day, but when the sun sets, the sand cools quickly and the evening is starlit and pleasant, maybe even a little chilly.

If the daytime heat allows, wander through Old Dubai.

Much of this section of the city was razed to make way for high-rise office buildings, roads and luxury apartments. But some of the original buildings have been reconstructed, and give an idea of what life was like before oil was discovered and changed the country forever.

Along Dubai Creek, a small outdoor living history area recreates food and dancing still found in villages, but not so much in the city anymore.

Eating in Dubai can be a world-class experience. The huge hotels from North America, Europe and Asia have multiple restaurants with cuisine from their countries and all around the globe.

There is no fresher seafood. Fishermen bring their catch to shore daily, and by the time it gets to your plate the fish is only hours out of the gulf.

Dubai’s food is influenced by many countries. Turkish, Asian, African and European flavors can be found. As the cuisine has matured, chefs have begun to experiment with fusions of those flavors.

Finally, one of your most striking memories may be one of the simplest. Muslims are called to prayer five times a day from the minarets of the many mosques around the city.

Sometimes the call swirls around from as many as five or six mosques that are only a few blocks apart. You will hear them at sunrise, at around noon, in the middle of the afternoon, at sunset and about an hour after sunset.

It is a beautiful, ethereal chant that lets you know you are in a different culture. It feels exotic, but it is deeply spiritual to the people of Dubai.

If you happen to walk past a mosque shortly after the call, you will see hundreds of pairs of shoes and sandals piled outside. Inside, their owners pray.

Dubai is indeed an exotic land that has all the comforts we are used to. It is an easy introduction to the Middle East, and despite being an unbearably hot desert most of the year, it’s one of the coolest places you can visit.

GETTING THERE

The most direct route from Omaha to Dubai is on Delta via Atlanta. Delta’s direct flight (a daunting 14.5 hours) leaves at night and arrives in Dubai at about 8:30 in the morning. The United Arab Emirates does not require a visa for people holding a U.S. passport if you stay less than 30 days. The fast and efficient overland rail system has a terminal at the airport. Or hail a taxi to take you anywhere in the city.

52 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

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THE DISH

W

hen a dish is described as the “back-country love child of pork chops, applesauce, biscuits and gravy,” you just have to try it. And savor the story of its heartwarming beginnings.

Brian O’Malley has fond memories of cooking Roasted Apple Soup with his niece, Sarah, after picking apples together at a local orchard.

The aroma of bacon and vinegar wafted through the kitchen at Metropolitan Community College as the dish, which features three types of apples, simmered on the stove. Bourbon gives the poached apples a sharp “pain” and balances out the cream’s richness, while wine and bacon highlight the apples’ sweetness.

As for the apple and shallot trims?

Throw it all in.

Get out the banjo! Your taste buds will dance.

flavor

Back-country T EXT AMY LaMAR RECIPES CHEF-INSTRUCTOR BRIAN O'MALLEY CULINARY ASSISTANCE CATHY CURTIS PHOTOGRAPHY KURT A. KEELER

Come See Why we were voted Best of Omaha for 4 years running!

ROASTED APPLE SOUP Prep time | 1.5 hours

Yield | 1 quart (eight 4-ounce servings)

WHAT YOU NEED

2 each Braeburn and Granny Smith apples, diced (save trim for Apple-Braised Bacon) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 small shallots, minced (save trim for Apple-Braised Bacon) 1 rib celery, minced 1 small carrot, diced 1 cup butter ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram ½ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup Riesling (or a sweet white wine) 2 cups chicken stock ¼ cup apple cider vinegar ¼ cup apple juice ¼ cup heavy cream (as needed) Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

WHAT YOU DO

1. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place the diced apples and 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and season with salt. Put into a 425-degree oven and roast until fragrant and browned on the edges – about 40 minutes.

2. In a wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, add the remaining vegetable oil and heat until shimmering.

3. Add the shallots, celery and carrot. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until fragrant – about 2 minutes.

4. Add the butter, marjoram and roasted apples.

Heat until the foam in the butter subsides and the marjoram is fragrant – about 3 minutes. (continued on page 56)

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5. Sprinkle the flour over the cooked vegetable mixture, and stir with a wooden spoon until wellcombined. (Add a little more flour if necessary.)

Cook the vegetables until the flour smells “like toast” but hasn’t yet browned.

6. Add the wine. Deglaze the pan while scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon.

7. Add the chicken stock, vinegar and apple juice; heat until simmering.

8. Pour the contents of the pan into a 2-quart sauce pot over low heat. Offset the pan over the burner, and continue to simmer until the flour has cooked out – about 45 minutes. (Continually skim the surface of any impurities that form.)

9. Pour the contents of the pan into a heavy-duty variable-speed blender, and puree until smooth while mounting with cream as necessary to reach desired consistency.

10. Strain if necessary.

11. Taste and adjust seasonings.

12. Keep warm until serving.

BOURBON POACHED APPLES Prep time | 45 minutes Yield | 8 servings

WHAT YOU NEED

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1 cup bourbon (reserve 1/4 cup) 2 cups water 3 cups sugar 1 stick cinnamon 1 whole clove 1 juniper berry 1 orange peel slice 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into eighths (save trim for Apple-Braised Bacon)

WHAT YOU DO

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1. In a small sauce pot over medium heat, add the bourbon, water and sugar. Heat until the mixture has dissolved into a simple syrup.

2. Add the cinnamon, clove, juniper and orange peel; heat until fragrant – about 1 minute.

3. Add the apples and poach until tender – about 8 minutes.

4. Remove the apples from the simple syrup into a small crock or bowl, and “shock” them with the reserved bourbon for 5 to 6 minutes.

5. Cool the syrup and strain over the apples.

6. Keep cool until service.

7. To serve, pour a little of the simple syrup off of the apples into a small saucepan over high heat. Heat until very warm.

8. Add the portion of apples necessary (two per serving) and remove from heat.

COMPRESSED APPLES Prep time | 10 minutes Yield | 8 servings

WHAT YOU NEED

¼ Braeburn apple, brunoise (a small square knife cut) (save trim for Apple-Braised Bacon) ¼ Gala apple, brunoise (save trim for Apple-Braised Bacon) 1 tablespoon Sugar in the Raw (Turbinado sugar) 2 tablespoons George Paul apple cider vinegar WHAT YOU DO 1. Put all of the ingredients into a zipped bag, and press gently to remove as much air as possible. Seal.

2. Leave contents sealed in the bag so the apples absorb the flavors of the vinegar and sugar – about 45 minutes.

3. Open the bag and reserve contents, covered and cooled, until ready to serve (no more than 6 hours).

APPLE-BRAISED BACON Prep time | 2 hours Yield | 8 servings

WHAT YOU NEED

1¼ pounds slab bacon, cut into eight pieces All apple trim from previous recipes All shallot trim from previous recipes 1 shallot, diced 1 cup Riesling (or a sweet white wine) 2 cups apple juice Kosher salt, as needed Black pepper, as needed

WHAT YOU DO

1. In a small sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid over mediumhigh heat, add the bacon and sear until it’s a deep mahogany color on all sides – about 15 minutes.

2. Add the apple trim, shallot trim and shallot. Season and sauté until translucent – about 2 minutes.

3. Deglaze the pan with the wine, and scrape up any brown bits that remain on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

4. Once deglazed, reduce heat to low. Add apple juice and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a cartouche (a parchment lid to prevent over-reducing) and a tight-fitting lid. Simmer until the bacon is tender – about 2 hours.

5. Remove bacon from pan and put it into a small container.

Strain the braising liquid into the same container to cover.

6. Cool completely. (continued on page 58)

inspiredlivingomaha.com 57

Experience the richness of Fall

(continued from page 57)

SAGE CRÈME FRAÎCHE Prep time | 5 minutes Yield | 1 cup

WHAT YOU NEED

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8 leaves fresh sage 1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream 2 tablespoons juice from compressed apples Salt and pepper to taste

WHAT YOU DO

1. Finely mince the sage leaves.

2. Combine minced leaves in a mixing bowl with crème fraîche. Then add the juice from the compressed apples. Add salt and pepper to taste.

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Prep time | 30 to 45 minutes Yield | 1 dozen

WHAT YOU NEED

3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 2 tablespoons sugar 4 teaspoons baking powder 1½ teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded 1 stick plus 1 ounce unsalted butter, chilled and cubed into small pieces 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk 2 tablespoons chives, finely sliced ½ stick butter, melted Kosher salt, as needed

WHAT YOU DO

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58 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk dry ingredients together. Then add the shredded cheese until evenly combined.

2. Rub the butter in by hand until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

3. Add buttermilk and chives, and combine with a rubber spatula until evenly moistened.

4. Using an ice cream scoop, drop biscuits onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart.

5. Bake in a 425-degree oven until biscuits are golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time – about 15 minutes total. Remove from the oven.

6. Brush with melted butter and season with salt.

JUST BEFORE SERVING:

1. In a small non-stick skillet over high heat, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil and heat until shimmering.

2. Add the braised bacon pieces and sear until heated through.

3. Pour the roasted apple soup into an individual soup bowl. Place a cheddar biscuit in the middle of the bowl. Top the biscuit with a piece of bacon and two bourbon poached apples. Add the sage crème fraîche and compressed apples for garnish.

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CO N N O I S S E U R

HOW DEEP ARE YOUR POCKETS? Glencairn glasses specially designed in Scotland for sampling whisky sit on a barrel that once aged whisky at the Koval Distillery in Chicago.

Glen Moray, a 25-year Portwood Finish Scotch, retails for $269.99.

60â&#x20AC;&#x192; SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

Finishing TOUCHES

Beyond the taste History, quality of ingredients add to Scotch experience.

STORY & ST YLING AMY LaMAR PHOTOGRAPHY DANIEL JOHNSON

T

hink you don’t like Scotch? Maybe you haven’t tried the right one.

Whether it’s smoky, fruity, sweet, salty or nutty, there most certainly could be a Scotch out there for you.

Just ask a member of the Scotch Lovers Club at Spirit World.

The club, which store owner Laurie Hellbusch Wolford initially thought would draw no more than minimal interest, has grown to 2,000 members and regular tastings at the retail store once or twice a month.

“There is a magnetic draw to Scotch that doesn’t exist for any other category (of alcohol),” she says. “It’s as much of a statement about who you are as who you want to be.”

Wolford attributes the recent popularity of Scotch to an increased number of varieties on the market and an awareness that quality ingredients matter.

Beyond taste, there is a history in every bottle that centers on its distillation and barrelaging process.

“Each whisky was somebody’s art project, and there is usually a story behind it,” Wolford says.

For Devin Coyle, Spirit World’s retail manager and whisky consultant, the story can be personal.

The hint of apple in Aberlour A’Bunadh, for example, takes him back to his childhood and freshly fallen apples in the backyard.

“Nothing can transport me back to that time like that,” he says.

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“They are using ingredients that have been made with care, and it can really affect the flavor of the drink,” says Spirit World’s Laurie Hellbusch Wolford.

Whisky is an increasingly popular ingredient.

A fruit maceration for a Manhattan may have been aged for weeks or months before it appears in your glass, while a new spin on an Old-Fashioned includes orange peels marinated in bitters.

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