Stunning Blooms on Cake

When I was living in New York two years ago after business school taking my 200 hour yoga teacher training certification with Yoga Works, every morning I would walk from the F train at West 14th and 7th avenue towards the studio at 19th and 5th avenue. 

On my way, I would pass this book store /cupcake shop that would catch my attention each time I walked to class.  The cupcakes and cakes on display were decorated with the most beautiful, colourful, rich, icing blooms I had ever seen. 

I’m talking intricately piped floral concoctions that brought the mini cakes to life.  No sprinkles or fondant here!  Pure technique. 

Anyway, I never got to sample the cupcakes because I would be walking by at 8am in the morning before the store opened.  Happily one of my last days in teacher training, someone brought in two dozen cupcakes from the Cupcake Cafe and I got to have a bite.  While the cupcakes themselves were a tad on the dry side, the icing more than made up for it. 

These cupcakes are truly picturesque and too beautiful to eat.

(photo via little views)

(photo via lunch studio)

(photo via carol toscano)

photo via colin baer events

Madeleine Patisserie

I was in New York last week visiting a good friend and taking another yoga teacher training certification with Yoga Works.   Before my course started, I had a good couple days to do some exploration as well as stop by some local favourites of mine (cupcake cafe, crumbs bakeshop, buttercup bakeshop, pinkberry).   

New and notable for me was my stop in at Madeleine Patisserie 

My macarons

on West 23rd street between 6th and 7th avenue where I couldn’t resist sampling some of their colourful macarons which drew me in from their window display.

A sampled macaron

I sampled the strawberry apricot and passion fruit raspberry.  Overall, solid A- macarons.  A bit on the soft side when you bite in but the balance between crispy exterior and chewy interior was upheld for the most part.  I took pictures of the macarons I tasted on my blackberry and I am excited because the shots look just as good as what I would take on my digital camera.  What an easy way to share an experience. 

two sampled macarons

I have included a picture of other flavours from Madeleine Patisserie and a shot of the display case in the bakery below.

Inside the shop (photo via alwayshungryny.com)

Madeleine Macarons (photo via stephanie does.com)

Cheerful Art: Beatriz Milhazes

It’s raining in Toronto today and when I’m feeling blah from the weather, I look for things to cheer me up.   I decided a quick glance at the work of my favourite artist, Beatriz Milhazes, is always a perk up.

For those of you unfamiliar with Brazillian artist, Beatriz Milhazes, she is known for her extremely colourful, layered paintings that truly embody the energy in Brazil.  I had the pleasure of taking a quick trip to Sao Paulo, and during the four days I spent there I was able to get a taste of why Brazil is often described as so colourful and lively.   Sao Paulo was as colourful and robust as Beatriz’s paintings. 

photo from hypercreations.blogspot.com

So where did I discover Beatriz’ art?  I first fell in love with her paintings when I discovered them prominently displayed at the 2006  Shanghai Biennale at the Shanghai Art Museum (上海美术馆) while I was living in China.  The two paintings I saw in Shanghai were there large decoupages where she used retail plastic bags and packaging that were cut up in geometric shapes and made into flowers, lines and other configurations of colour.  I love making decoupages on my own and I am known in my house to tear apart magazines and then glue them together into colour boards, mood boards and other works of “art.”  However, when I saw what Beatriz produced from retail bags, I was blown away.  I wanted to see more of her work and from then on have been researching and revelling in the stunning paintings she creates.   While I have not seen her work in Toronto I found out that sometimes here work is on exhibit at the James Cohan gallery in New York.  

There is a good article about Beatriz and her style written on the Tate Etc (the art magazine).

Beatriz Milhazes Palmolive 2004 (via Tate Etc.)

Beatriz Milhaze Panamerican 2004 (via tate etc)

Beatriz With Her Art

Liberty 2007 photo via ruby red life

Modern Italian Bakeries

Think of where you go to buy your daily bread.  In my area, I treck to the grocery store, a very unglamourous experience both in design and in process.  In Italy, I am noticing a  trend in contemporary, minimalist, high style bakeries and there are two in particular that I would like to highlight. 

The first is the newly opened creation by Colli + Galliano Architects in Rome, Italy called Vyta Boulangerie.  Vyta is housed in Grandi Stazioni (the train station) and is a combination of black, oak, stainless steel visual perfection!  The breakdown of the architecture and interior design can be found in a blog commentary from the Contemporist here.

photo via contemporist.com

photo via contemporist.com

Then there is bakery,Princi, in Milan that takes minimalism to the next level.  I have never seen a bakery so beautifully crafted and layed out.  The brand identity of the bakery is centered around three of the most basic components of bread making: fire, water and flour.  An example of how these ingredients are incorporated in the space’s architecture and design, a wood fire and running water greet customers at the entrance of the shop.  Designed by Claudio Silvestrin, Princi is meant to be a place to relax, sample breads and meet with friends.   Princi has four locations in Milan and an outpost in London.

photo via zagat.com

photo via bellaphon on flickr

Green T. House Beijing

I just wrote a post on my fav blog and furniture store, Brocade Home and wanted to provide a visual application of the Brocade Home style in a tea house in Beijing 北京.   Green T. House was featured for its use brocade design on the Brocade Home blog a while back but in case you did not see it, here is my take on the design.

Green T. House, created by master chef, artist, calligrapher, musician and owner Zhang Jinjie, is an excellent example of mixing the romantic damask/brocade style with a modern twist.  The zen like modern space she has created would tempt the likes of any international jet setter or local Beijing fashionista/design buff to visit the restaurant/tea house for an afternoon or evening of food and tea.  The aesthetic of Green T. House actually reminds me of MoRoCo’s style in Toronto, however Green T. House is more minimalist and MoRoCo more goth glam. 

Green T. House is such a stunning place, I could not not imagine all the great events that will be hosted in the space for years to come.

Green T House info in Beijing:

318 Cuigezhuang Xiang Hegezhuang Cun, Chaoyang District ,
Chaoyang
北京朝阳区崔各庄乡何各庄村318号

136-0113-7132

Exterior (photo via aerislifestyle)

(photo via momist.com)

(photo via City Weekend)