Dia Beacon

Another reason to check out Beacon, NY.....DIA BEACON! 

DAN FLAVIN

MICHAEL HEIZER

ROBERT SMITHSON

RICHARD SERRA

GERARD RICHTER

RICHARD SERRA

BANNERMAN CASTLE

When approaching Pollepel Island, with a view of the Bannerman Castle, you're taken to worlds and life-times away...to a fairy-tale land of stories untold.

Little to my dismay, the truth unfolds that this was in fact a military surplus warehouse built by businessman and architecturally obsessed Francis Bannerman VI in 1901. Being an avid man of the import/export business, Bannerman was the first to offer mail-ordered catalogs for guns and ammunition for the military, and this structure was a means to store the excess which overflowed from his New York warehouse. Since the island has uneven footing and rocky cliffs, the warehouse had a whole floor dedicated for recreational activities. He even built a house for his family, several yards from the warehouse.

Working from a young age, Bannerman, living in Brooklyn, would collect scraps of metal from the Navy Harbor, and would continue to have a "cut-the-cost" or perhaps a  "reduce-reuse-recycle" mentality that contributed to his great business skills. This eventually caught up with him, and literally backfired when a small fire broke loose in the warehouse. In normal circumstances, this would be easy to attain, however, Bannerman, decided to reuse the flooring when building the structure, without realizing this was previously wood was soaked in oil. This in turn, only heightened all destruction, in which the fire burned for 3 days. 

What is left of the warehouse, which I will still refer to as a castle, still holds its magnificence and beauty. Bannerman, having a knack for details and architecture, built a landmark that takes us through time, and his story will be forever told.

THE BOTSFORD BRIAR

While in Beacon, we stayed at the BOTSFORD BRIAR. With Shirley and Charlie as gracious hosts, one is sure to feel right at home. The Gardenia Room, hinted on an English Countryside theme with the soft floral accents pairing back to deep mahogany finishes...and there's nothing like starting a day off than breakfast in bed:) Having a knack for antiques and the fine detailing lost in modern-day replication, this place was like a museum in which hours can be spent admiring the decor.

Front Porch

Gardenia Room

Breakfast in Bed

Tie Dress made by Shirley

Tie Lamp made by Shirley

Sunset from the back deck

Weekend in Beacon

A quick ride away from the city, you will find yourself in small and quaint town with accents of Victorian influence. This is Beacon, NY. An art-filled, pocket sized town, sitting just East of the Hudson. With countless of activities to immerse yourself in, I stuck to the basics with nature, antiquing, and of course...eating.

The sunset on the train ride in

Yankee Clipper Diner

Candy Shoppe with factory behind

Cannoli Cupcake

Pretzel Bagel

GERADO'S Seafood:  

ARMARCORD:  Veal Meat Balls Tonnato: served over a sauce of blended tuna, mayo, lemon & olive oil, sprinkled with capers  

ARMARCORD:  Filet of Branzino: slow oil poached, served with carmelized endive and fingerling potatoes finished with orange-ginger-chili-glaze

LOUISE FILI

In an ode to Louise Fili's book, Elegantissima: The Design and Typography of Louise Fili, The Art Director's Club, wonderfully showcased her many works into themed rooms. Drunk on gelato, (with the packaging of course designed by Fili), I wandered into each fairy-tale vignette of Fili's world. From signage, to wine & food packaging, to branding, Fili has done it all. And in the introduction to the exhibit, Steven Heller, tells us the magnificent history of Fili's career. What amazes me most, with such a prestigious resume, Fili still keeps her studio small, having the intimate connection with the product...which from a design point, resonates with us all.

The Cloisters

It seems like a fairy-tale, or perhaps just a little deja-vu, when you embark onto a place in which you've seen in your dreams. Taking the 'A' train uptown & surviving a bunch of club kids headed to the Electric Daisy festival, we began the journey through the trees, through winding paths and countless steps, to this unforeseen place (as in an episode of Game of Thrones where your sidekick Siri and Google Maps are of no help). The effort was well worth the journey, and the exhilaration of reaching the top followed by being greeted with this magnificent structure, the Cloister Museum. With its art and architecture devoted to medieval Europe, the museum incorporates 5 European abbeys which were dissembled and brought to NYC and reconstructed by Charles Collins as an extension to the Met Museum. The gardens surrounding the museum brings great solitude and balance to the architectural elements. This is what we saw...

A view from the walk up

The climb

Ivory Combs

The tombs

Unicorn Doorway

George Washington Bridge

NEW HOPE

This past weekend took me on an adventure to New Hope, Pennsylvania, where I fell through space and time and found myself surrounded by Victorian architecture & cottages, peppered with antique shops and endless of tie-dye. Being my first visit here, I had no idea of what to expect, and I absolutely fell in love. I'm not sure if it was the residuals of fourth of July weekend, but there was an amazing sense of "Americana" and community bonding. (perhaps it could have been that everyone was so warm and welcoming-which is far from city living of every man for himself). But regardless, I can't wait to return and take the historical train ride and watch the sunset from Goat Hill Overlook. Here are a few photos from the weekend...