Minimalist House Tour ...

There is something very refreshing about Scandinavian homes ... they are effortless, cool and serene. The main idea is to keep the basic furnishings white because of the long winters where the sun barely comes up while using accents for color and fun ...

Design + Cocktails = The Aviary

We continue this week, highlighting the cool trends in cocktail culture around the country. A few months back, we featured a "Inspiring Infusion" post, about "The Aviary" in Chicago and their Porthole Infusion Vessel..This week we go back to Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas of The Aviary, inspired by their creativity with cocktails + design. The cocktail aptly named "In the Rocks" is an old fashioned cocktail filled inside a egg-like sphere of ice, via a slingshot! Pretty cool and exquisite design...

 

"In the Rocks"

This cocktail is called "Ginger" which consists of mixture of Ginger Snow, Peychaud Bitters, Fresno Chili, Mint, and Shiso. Served with a side of vodka which you pour into your snow mixture and stir with a lemongrass stalk... The mixologists clearly have taken the art of cocktails into a class all of their own. The Aviary offers a $165 10-course cocktail tasting at the Kitchen Table, well worth the experience... Enjoy!

 

"Ginger" / photo by: catherine oddenino

Asian Inspired Style ...

Asian inspired design has always been a popular trend in interior design ... from Chinoiserie to Zen this style always takes you into a peaceful and tranquil state. Also the philosophy of Feng Shui influences this style with the idea of harmonizing human existence with its surrounding environment. Here are a few of my picks and inspiration images ...

1. Wishbone Chair

2. Bantam Sofa

3. Rain Drum Table

4. Chiang Mai Table

5. Decorative Bird Cage

6. Koi Coffee Table

7. Foo Dogs Table Lamps

8. Standing Buddha Statue

9. Carved Console Table

10. Petrie Chair

Hotel Bar + Sexy = Balthazar Champagne Bar

Balthazar Champagne Bar is a lunch/evening bar designed by Space Copenhagen situated in the heart of Copenhagen, Denmark. The designers were inspired by the mysterious quality of hotel bars "There is something unpredictable about the mix of locals, travelers and hotel guests". In order to achieve this mysterious/unpredictable quality, the designers play with balance between light and dark, soft and hard, rustic and refined, elegant and dreamy, graphic and colorful. Take a look ...

One & Only The Palm ...

One & Only The Palm is a luxury hotel located in Dubai. As with everything in Dubai this hotel doesn't fail to impress with its manicured gardens, fountains and pools. The design inspiration is a fusion of Moorish and Andalusian architecture paired with modern Dubai chic. The result is a stylish and tranquil oasis that elevates your senses ...

Upper East Side Manhattan home ...

Lisa Pomerantz, head of PR at Michael Kors takes her family out of Chelsea and finds that her downtown style fits well on the Upper East side. With the help of architect Peter Pawlak a plan is put in motion to improve the apartment's flow while adding handcrafted details, seamless storage, and a sophisticated lighting system that would cleverly mitigate reflections on the apartment's glass surround. Images via

Design + Drinks = Cecconi's

So, it's Friday. The summer sun is setting a little sooner, there is a slight cool chill to the air. You want a cocktail, but yet you feel like dessert...time to be inspired by the 'Affogato al Negroni's' from Cecconi's in West Hollywood, CA. This cool boutique restaurant is using their barrel aged Negroni’s and pouring it over  house-made blood orange sorbet. It's a delightful sweet interpretation on the Italian classic Negroni...   And you thought summer was over...

Affogato al Negroni's

1 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
1 oz sweet Vermouth
1 oz Campari
Shake and strain over blood orange sorbet
Garnish with slice of orange

Scallops with Beans & Bacon ...

I've been looking for healthy recipes that are simple and quick without packing on the calories. This delicious dish is rich, buttery and packed with protein .... plus you can have it on your table in less than 20 mins, what else can one ask for:) Recipe and Image via

SEA SCALLOPS WITH WHITE BEANS AND BACON

1 lb large sea scallops
2 strips bacon, chopped into small pieces
½ red onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ½ cans (14 oz each) white beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups baby spinach
1 tbsp butter
Juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook the bacon until it begins to crisp. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent (about 2 to 3 minutes). Add the white beans and spinach and simmer until the beans are hot and the spinach is wilted. Keep warm.

2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Blot the scallops dry with a paper towel and season them with salt and pepper on both sides. Add the butter and the scallops to the pan and sear the scallops for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until deeply caramelized.

3. Before serving, add the lemon juice to the beans and season with salt and pepper.

The Siam Hotel Bangkok ...

The influence for The Siam boutique hotel in Bangkok is Art Deco reminiscent of european architectural styles and traditional thai design elements. The result is an elegant hotel with muted color scheme of black, white, cream, grey and neutrals combined with natural textures such as wood, weave, leather and stone. Equally impressive are the hotel's 10 pool villas with unobstructed panoramas from their rooftop terraces. Heavy double doors open up onto a quaint inner courtyard with an open-air seating corner and private pool. Images via