The University of Illinois has agreed to find the funds to renovate and maintain the State Farm Center on campus. The structure, which generations of students have lovingly referred to as “the flying saucer,” was designed by Wallace K. Harrison and Max Abramovitz and built in the late 1950s. Known as Assembly Hall when it was first built, the building has a unique dome structure and concrete composition—traits that makes it both expensive to renovate, but also critical to the history of mid-century architecture.
Port Leather out of Des Moines, Iowa makes some of the most beautiful bags in the country, and they do it with side of style and flare. All of their materials are locally sourced, from the leather on down to the hardware. They aim to create pieces that “travel well and age gracefully,” which is just generally good advice for life as well.
Born and raised in Chicago, young rapper Vic Mensa has scored his own slot at the city’s Lollapalooza music festival this summer. Raised in the Hyde Park neighborhood, the quick-witted motor mouth rapper is working on his new album after touring with British dance duo Disclosure. Chicago Magazine recently dubbed him the city’s Best Rising Rapper.
Chicago’s Merchandise Mart plays host to hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, rushing through the lobby on their way to various events and tradeshows. What many never notice are the 17 murals celebrating global commerce that line the lobby walls. Installed in 1930, the murals are the work of Jules Guerin, whose paintings also grace the Lincoln Memorial and Penn Station. Recently, three conservation experts have brought the murals back to life. As one of the overnight security guards noted, “It’s amazing what three people and some Q-tips can do.”
Visit Detroit just released their list of 10 superb sandwiches in the city, and if you’re not already hungry, you will be. The list has everything from a Southern Fried Tofu Wrap to Grilled Cheese to Pastrami on Potato Pancakes. The Chicken Shawarma at the Bucharest Grill stole our sandwich-loving hearts though: the marinated chicken with the signature garlic sauce and fresh-baked pita. Is it lunch time yet?
MaeMae & Co., the raved-about custom stationery studio in Minneapolis, used to office out of owner Megan Gonzalez’s apartment. But with three employees, they outgrew the IKEA desks-in-the-living-room approach. Recently the company found new digs in downtown, and Mpls St. Paul Magazine was on hand to document the stylish upgrade.
The Motor City has had its ups and downs—some spectacular ups and some spectacular downs. The New York Times Magazine recently published a piece that examines the city’s current ups, with photography by Andrew Moore. Pictured on the left is Dan Gilbert, owner of Quicken Loans, a company whose presence in Detroit has helped anchor the city. Gilbert, who ranks at number 408 on Forbes’s list of the world’s richest people, has invested heavily in the city’s recovery. If the picture piques your interest (it certainly did ours), dig into the article.
If “farm” and “pool” seem like they don’t go together, it’s time to adjust your thinking. Behold the Thistle Hill Farm House, set on 200 acres in Western Wisconsin. Those poolside views of the rolling hills are hard to beat, and we love the mix of modern design and classic touches.
We’ve admired the work of design team Idle Child before (designers and sisters Becky and Ellie Neimeyer even shared their playlist with us). Fashion photographer Tara Murphy shared this snapshot of a nature-infused photo shoot in action—the stunning floral headdresses are the work of Ashley Fox Designs. The dress, from Idle Child, looks gorgeous as usual. If you can’t stop staring, follow Murphy (NeonEsquire on Instagram) for more shots.
To people who call the Midwest flat: head for the Ozarks. These stunning caves in Springfield, Missouri are nestled in the highlands. You can explore the illuminated caverns on a tram tour, winding your way through the rocks and subterranean ponds for some of the most stunning natural architecture around.
Space camp, dance camp, sleepaway camp—here’s a little something for the adults: mushroom camp. “Mushroom” Mike Kempenich is leading a trip up north near Bemidji where campers will search for the elusive lobster mushroom, then party the night away at Minnesota’s oldest bar while a chef cooks up the bounty. Lobster mushrooms come along just once a year, when a rare fungi attacks the Russula mushroom and creates this new taste sensation. Don’t miss your chance!
When Dwell pulled together their list of 10 stunning museum renovations across the country, the Indianapolis Museum of Art and the University of Michigan Museum of Art found themselves in good company. Pictured is the refurbished and expanded contemporary design galleries at Indianapolis. The museum’s collection showcases modern design objects from 1980 on; we can’t wait to wander through.
The dougnut craze continues to run wild. St. Louis doughnut truck owner Vincent Brian Marsden and his pastry chef Jamie Hardesty took home first place in the Cooking Channel’s “Donut Showdown.” The final round required the team to create Las Vegas-themed doughnuts, and they definitely rose to the challenge: they crafted The Venetian, a doughnut filled with ricotta pasty cream, then glazed with lemon and topped with pistachios and tarragon.
The Venetian, filled with ricotta pastry cream, glazed with lemon and topped with pistachios and tarragon – See more at: http://www.saucemagazine.com/blog/?p=37039#.
Brown Ink began as a blog devoted to the art of handwriting, and it’s now become a full-fledged online boutique of stationery, journals and other writing accessories. Wendy and Nick, the couple behind Brown Ink, want to encourage people to pick up that pen again, even as the world goes digital. Their stunning array of handmade goods will have you writing letters left and right. Send us one!
“We’re in love!” writes Modern Cooperative, sharing this picture of the new Argaman&Defiance scarves in their shop. We agree—we’ve fallen for these silk scarves, dyed by hand using natural extracts from leaves, roots and even tree bark. Right now Argaman&Defiance is a small studio in the Pilsen neighborhood, but we think they’ll be big before too long.
Kansas City, Missouri takes most of the spotlight, but Kansas City, Kansas is stepping out with a one-of-a-kind title of its own: home to the world’s largest water slide. Taller than the Statue of Liberty, the Verrückt slide clocks in a 168 feet, 7 inches high (Verrückt means “insane” in German). The ride will open soon at Schlitterbahn water park, and we’re pretty sure they’ll hear the screams all the way in Missouri.
Brand Innovators named their Top 10 Made In America Brands To Watch, and four of them call the Midwest home. Bucketfeet out of Chicago produces artist-designed canvas shoes. Also in the Windy City is Drift Eyewear, with architecturally-inspired eyeglasses. Chalkfly, a school supplies online retailer, was founded in Detroit, and Founders Brewing, a fast-growing craft brewery, is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Cheers to Midwest business!
This Thursday, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts will become a bike-in museum. The night’s festivities include Bike Night Bingo, live music, and plenty of bike swag. Pedal on over to party on two wheels. Ride the night away!
Bicycling continues to rise across the Midwest—the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative shared this shot of the city’s newest bike lanes in action. Even the smallest traveler is loving the bike ride—check out the puppy tagging along in the backpack.
We’ve seen the food truck craze, but how about a fashion truck? Owner Katherine launched this shop on wheels to showcase new artists and designers wherever she parks. Her selections highlight American-made and responsibly-sourced clothing and accessories. If you want to shop, follow the truck on Facebook for location updates.
Chicago is preparing to showcase it’s architectural character with the Chicago Architectural Biennial, which will kick off in October 2015. Modeled after Italy’s Venice Biennale of Architecture, the three-month-long celebration will explore the city’s rich history of groundbreaking buildings. Huffington Post recently highlighted 18 of Chicago’s most unique buildings, including the pavilion at the Lincoln Park South Pond, by Studio Gang Architects.
Wright Auction is holding its biggest mass modern style auction ever—over 550 lots. Their catalog will put you in mid-century modern heaven, with chairs, tables, and decor right out of your interior design dreams. If you’re in Chicago, you can browse the collection in person at 1440 W. Hubbard; the rest of us will have to be content to yearn from afar as we click through the collection online.
Artspace, the nonprofit developer that specializes in building affordable spaces for artists and creative businesses, celebrated the opening of their newest building in June: the Minot Artspace Lofts. The lofts mark the first new construction in downtown Minot, North Dakota in 30 years. The community came out to celebrate, with studio tours and local musicians. North Dakota knows how to party!
Mill City Men’s ongoing photography series, The Mill City Man, captures men of style living in the Twin Cities. The latest shoot, by Diana Albrecht, features Tam Nick dressed to the nines and hamming it up on camera.
The “witch’s house” that’s fascinated Milwaukee residents for years may be getting a new home. Artist Mary Nohl lived and worked on the property until her death in 2001 at age 87. The interior and exterior of the home became her canvas over the years—the yard is filled with figurines of all kinds, and the interior showcases colorful sculptures and ceramics. The John Michael Kohler Arts Center would like to open it as a museum, but flooding in the area and discontent from the neighbors has slowed the process. The Center has now announced they may pick up and move the house to Sheboygan County. Wherever it lands, we’d love to get inside!
