Askov Finlayson, the Minneapolis men’s shop recently voted one of the best in the country by Esquire, has teamed up with the artist HOTTEA for this limited run sweatshirt. The shop’s current window display showcases HOTTEA’s signature yarn art, and now visitors can take home a piece of the artist’s handiwork, just in time for the fall chill.
Source: Askov Finlayson
Detroit’s Library Collective continues to brighten up the Motor City with stunning new murals. They shared this snapshot of a mural in process by the artist HENSE. HENSE’s urban canvas is the 100 foot tall wall of the Madison Theater Building. Follow the Library Collective for pictures of the finished project and for more shots of murals going up throughout the city.
Source: Library Street Collective
The Polar Wave ice plant in St. Louis has a new lease on life. The historic building, which dates back to 1924, will be transformed into 43 new apartments, with a rooftop deck that offers views of the city’s signature Arch and the downtown skyline. The plant has sat vacant for years, but a very modern makeover is in the works, including glass-walled apartments, skylights and an atrium.
Source: St. Louis Today
Chicago’s Fifth Star Awards were founded to honor five Chicago artists, arts advocates and cultural institutions each year. The inaugural ceremony will be held in Millennium Park on September 17 with a packed bill of some of the city’s brightest stars. Kurt Elling, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and The Second City (pictured) will perform at the awards. Don’t miss it — the event is free!
Source: Chicago Cultural Plan
An artistic blast from the past: a board member of the Detroit Art Deco Society opened up their archive of Motor City postcards. They shared this stylized Detroit skyline postcard on Facebook. Detroit has always been a beacon of cutting edge design; we love this literal depiction of the city’s creative light.
Source: Detroit Art Deco Society
The Fieldstone House in Richfield, Wisconsin is striking in all seasons. Designed by Bruns Architecture, the house features steel trellises, a stone wall and cedar siding that positively glows in the sun. The owners were drawn to the location by the area’s geological history: the property features two glacial kettles. It’s hard to decide which is more beautiful, the land or the house, but you can see for yourself on a full tour.
Source: 1 Kind Design
The internet is overflowing with “Top 10” and “Best of” lists, but here’s a new one to consider. Business Insider released their list of the “20 Best U.S. Cities for Culture.” Two Midwest cities landed on the list — Chicago eked in at number 20, but Indianapolis made a surprising appearance at number 2. The ratings are based on how many cultural attractions (museums, venues, libraries, stadiums, etc.) there are per capita. As Business Insider writes: “Indianapolis may not seem like a cultural capital of America, but it has six different cultural districts and a rich heritage.” Definitely worth exploring!
Source: Business Insider
Maybe it’s the middle of the week, but who says Bloody Marys are just a weekend treat? We can’t get enough of the spicy cocktail, especially the way Stu makes them. Stu’s Kitchen, based in Chicago, stirs up one of the best Bloody Mary mixes around. They also make seasonal, artisanal pickles from fresh Midwestern cucumbers — definitely a must-have garnish.
Source: Stu's Kitchen
Visit the Detroit Institute of Arts in November to check out stunning street photography by the Dutch-born photographer Corine Vermeulen. Vermeulen now calls Detroit home, and was commissioned by the DIA to photograph and interview Detroiters about their lives in the Motor City.The exhibit will open on November 14.
Source: Detroit Institute of Arts
Brady Vest opened Hammerpress in Kansas City 20 years ago, and today the letterpress shop has over a dozen employees and clients that range from breweries to ESPN The Magazine. Their catalog of print products includes calendars, greeting cards, wrapping paper and more. (We love this card in particular.) Happy anniversary, Hammerpress!
Source: Kansas City Business Journal
Detroit Fiber Works showed off their brand new sign on Facebook. The Livernois boutique exhibits and sells stunning, unique clothing and accessories woven from a variety of materials. They also hold classes on-site for those interested in learning fiber art techniques. Check out their schedule to find a class.
Source: Detroit Fiber Works
How many vegetables and fruits can you name? This snapshot from Bossy Acres Farm’s CSA box is a true test of your produce identification skills. The farm serves up heirloom garlic, fresh sage bundles, eggplant, broccoli, purple cabbage, zesty peppers, heirloom tomatoes, Walla Wall sweet onions, rainbow Swiss chard…and that’s only half of what’s pictured. Better get cooking!
Source: Bossy Acres
Check out Chicago’s first Passive House. Passive Houses earn the strictest energy efficiency certification in the world. They use up to 75% less energy than the average home. For anyone looking to turn their own home into a Passive House, the first tip is to start with the windows. Read more about the process and this green Chicago oasis on Dwell.
Source: Dwell
Wit & Delight may have started as a blog, but on September 14, their party collection will hit Target shelves. Kate Arends, Wit & Delight’s founder, says the new collection is designed to “make it easier for people to throw those ‘just because’ parties.” Gems from the upcoming collection include a handy growler and stylish snack bowls.
Source: Wit & Delight
Architecture & Design shared this photo of the must-have dog accessory of the summer. This indoor camper doghouse takes all the sleek details of retro trailers and brings them down to pet size. Right now they’re sold only on Etsy.
Source: Architecture & Design
This indie publishing house knows how to party. The staff at Coffee House Press in Minneapolis took a little field trip the Walker Art Center’s Artist-Designed Mini Golf. In addition to this cemetery-inspired hole, the course features a golf ball gumball machine and a tilting maze hole. See for yourself at the Walker.
Source: Coffee House Press
Take note! The goodie bags at St. Louis Design Week have a customized treat this year: specially-designed notebooks from Field Notes. The week’s packed schedule promises to offer plenty to write about.
Source: St. Louis Design Week
Heritage Bicycles, one of our favorite Chicago shops, had a baby: Heritage Littles. The kid-centric shop not only has great bikes for the little ones in your life, but they also serve up milk and cookies for customers of all ages. In the back is a little photo studio — literally. Melissa Salvatore, owner of Heritage, runs A Little Photo Studio, her family portrait business, right on site. The whole place is picture perfect.
Source: Heritage Littles
The Library Street Collective is filling Detroit’s streets and sidewalks with art. This mural-in-progress by Dave Kinsey is their latest public art project, this time in partnership with Bedrock Real Estate Services. Pictures of the finished project and the Collective’s other artful endeavors are up on Facebook.
Source: Library Street Collective
Ever wondered where museum displays are built? For Chicago institutions like the Shedd Aquarium, the Children’s Museum and the Museum of Science & Industry, the answer is often Chicago Scenic Studios. With the upcoming Open House Chicago, you can go behind the scenes at their warehouse to see the elaborates sets and exhibit pieces under construction.
Source: Chicago Architecture Foundation
In this Chicago home, it’s both. A beautiful walnut stairs/slide combination winds through the four-story house, making going downstairs an adventure every time. The family dreamed it up, but architect Julie Fisher of fcStudio inc made the whimsical wish a reality. We definitely want one!
Source: Dwell
The St. Louis Fashion Week festivities kick off Friday, September 26, and preparation is in full-swing. The model call is September 13, if you think you have what it takes! Local designers, international brands and emerging artists will all be showcasing their one-of-a-kind fall styles on the St. Louis catwalk.
Source: St. Louis Fashion Week
The Mill City Men project profiles men of style around the Twin Cities. The newest subject of their “Men At Work” series is Jason Walstrom of Sea Wolf Tattoo Company. Photographer Diana Albrecht captured Jason inking away at the shop.
Source: Mill City Men
Eau Claire, Wisconsin is working to crowdfund a new arts space in the heart of the city. It’s called the Confluence Project, named for its location at the confluence of the Eau Claire and Chippewa Rivers. The development will include a community arts center, a public plaza and a mix of housing and retail space. Diehard Eau Claire fan Justin Vernon, of Bon Iver, has been helping to spread the word about the project.
Source: Eau Claire Arts
Elegant but edgy — “Old World Parisian with a hint of attitude.” That’s how the Star Tribune describes Carter Averbeck’s North Loop loft in Minneapolis. Averbeck, founder of Omforme Design, makes a living restoring furniture in unexpected ways. The Star Tribune‘s tour of his home shows off some of his most stunning arrangements.
Source: StarTribune