Paul McGee’s latest tiki-inspired project is now open for business. The Chicago cocktail master has opened Lost Lake, after successfully launching Three Dots and a Dash, which was named one of the best bars in the world last year. Lost Lake opened on January 13, with along with the adjacent Thank You, a Chinese takeout-inspired restaurant.
Source: Red Eye
Pure Detroit is hosting architectural tours this Saturday, featuring breathtaking walkthroughs of the Fisher Building and the Guardian Building. Check out the full schedule and fit some world-class architecture into your weekend.
Source: Pure Detroit
Strange Donuts has been a phenomenon from the very start—they had four times the expected traffic their opening weekend. Now with three locations, they are continually packed, with people clamoring for their mouthwatering (and sometimes strange) flavors: glazed, cookie crumble, even chicken and waffle. Feast Magazine gets the inside story of their delicious success.
Source: Feast Magazine
The Quad Cities—that would be Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa and Rock Island and Moline in Illinois—have become a huge vintage shopping destination in the region. The Midwestival put together a tour of the cities that digs into the history and other attractions. Gina Czupka’s stunning photography will put the Quad Cities at the top of your road trip list.
Source: The Midwestival
Stockyard Detroit throws the perfect dinner party, and no two soirees are alike. They’ve taken over all kinds of spaces with their pop-up events: galleries, storefronts and even a former Model-T factory. Partners Marc Bogoff and Michael Ivkov manage every detail down to the pomegranate seed garnish.
Source: Stockyard Detroit
Jahna Peloquin’s weekly Minnesota style round-up includes many of our local favorites, including a new limited-edition line from Wind & Willow home: “Luna.” Peloquin describes it as “an otherwordly collection of metallic painted home goods.” Check out Luna and Peloquin’s other style picks.
Source: Jahna Peloquin
Add a little kick to your decor! The Walker Art Center’s semi-annual sale kicks off today and runs until January 25th. Their unique selection of gifts, jewelry and home goods is ideal for browsing; deep discounts are available in-store only.
Source: Walker Art Center
Another shot of iconic architecture under snow: the Alden B. Dow house and studio, under a fine layer of frost in Midland, Michigan. To see the house’s complete design, check out these thawed pictures of the home from the Michigan Modern.
Source: Alden B. Dow Home and Studio
Bittercube, the Wisconsin-based bitters makers, have moved their manufacturing operations from Madison to Milwaukee. They celebrated the opening of their new Apothecary with live music and, of course, killer cocktails. Their future plans call for classes and tastings in the new space, as well as retail space.
Source: Bittercube
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesen estate is one of the most well-known examples of modern American architecture, and now it’s available in Legos. Lego artist Adam Reed Tucker unveiled the largest model of any Wright structure last week: a miniature Taliesen, made out of 200,000 Lego blocks. Tucker reports it took more than 600 hours to construct.
Source: Curbed
The annual Detroit auto show is about to kick off once again, but here’s a colorful throwback to Detroit’s heyday. Pure Detroit shared this snapshot of the 1964 Oldsmobile display at the auto show. Will the age of the pale yellow car ever return?
Source: Pure Detroit
In the true spirit of winter, Architectural Digest has collected pictures of world famous architecture under the snow. Mies van der Rohe’s famous Farnsworth House in Plano, Illinois remains stunning in the winter whites.
Source: Architectural Digest
The Herbivorous Butcher continues to turn heads. After raising $60,000 to open the world’s first ever vegan butcher shop in Northeast Minneapolis, they’re now adding vegan cheese to their menu. They’ve made lots of “meatless meat” varieties (bacon, pot roast, sausage, pulled pork, bratwursts, turkey, jerky, etc.) but now they’ve set their sights on a perfect Camembert cheese. Here’s the first look at their work!
Source: The Herbivorous Butcher
Sauce magazine has five hot drinks crafted by St. Louis chefs and restaurants that will keep you warm this winter. If you’ve ever wondered what exactly is in hot buttered rum, now is your chance to find out.
Source: Sauce Magazine
The writers at The Midwestival stopped by furniture designer Matt Eastvold’s Dennison, Minnesota workshop (we stopped there ourselves a while back – it’s a must-see!). He shared a bit about his influences and inspirations, which include architect David Salmela, furniture design house Loll Designs and Misewell Furniture in Milwaukee. Read the whole piece, and check out their stunning shots of his workspace, here.
Source: The Midwestival
The Detroit RiverWalk has been a work in progress for years, but the latest shots show how far the city’s waterfront has come. What was once an industrial wasteland has quickly become a favorite city attraction with parks, trails and programming. Daily Detroit pulled together some astounding shots of the transformation.
Source: Daily Detriot
Du Nord Craft Spirits is about to open the first distillery cocktail room in the Twin Cities. The big date is this Friday at 4, but Heavy Table got a sneak peek of what’s in store for patrons: shuffleboard and Salty Dogs. See what else they have up their sleeves.
Source: Heavy Table
To celebrate the 65th year of the iconic Eames Shell Chair, Herman Miller shared sketches from the archive of the chair’s development. The chair, which has since been crafted in countless materials and colors, marked a turning point in furniture design. Check out A Brief History of the Most Important Chair You’ll Ever Sit In.
Source: Herman Miller
Of the 10 American cities making big advancements in urban agriculture, 5 are right in the Heartland. Seedstock gave a run-down of how cities are changing the farming game, and named Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee and Minneapolis as frontrunners. With booming farmers markets, green roof initiatives and other advancements, the Midwest is leading the way.
Source: Seedstock
Young Blood Coffee in Fargo, North Dakota is making its caffeinated mark on the city. Not only is their craft-roasted coffee turning heads, but their apparel is in high demand too. They charmed the folks at the TEDxFargo event in August (pictured), and their beans are available online.
Source: Young Blood Coffee
No one knows the art of salvage like Detroit craftspeople. We’ve seen them create art, accessories and home goods out of demolished homes and old car parts. Add another material to the list: fire hoses. Detroit Cargo is now making wallets out from salvaged fire hose from 1962. They’re definitely limited edition–they have only have so many feet of material–and they’re available now through Pure Detroit.
Source: Pure Detroit
Designing a home is one thing, architects will tell you, but designing your own home is a completely different animal. When Robert Wheat was drawing up plans for his family home in Monroe, Wisconsin, sustainability was at the forefront of his mind. The finished home features passive solar, rain gardens and other eco-friendly systems. Monroe managed to incorporate these sustainable choices while still building an inspired and inventive house for his family of four. He incorporated many different building materials, making the home a fascinating jigsaw of textures and tones.
Source: Apartment Therapy
Owen + Alchemy, a Logan Square-based juice apothecary, has a menu you must taste to believe. Chicago Chic samples seven of their wildly inventive flavors as a healthy kickstart for the new year. There’s Fermented #61: local raspberry, raw local honey, green tea, mint, lemon ginger; Green #6: kale, coconut water, parsley, romaine, ginger; Nut/Seed #54: raw hazelnut, cacao, cinnamon, vanilla bean, raw local honey; and many, many more. Get Chicago Chic‘s full review here.
Source: The Chicago Chic
It was definitely a challenge: design and build a contemporary house for under $215,000. Architect Dan Rockhill rose to the occasion with this Lawrence, Kansas family home. You can’t miss it: the exterior is covered in a slatted screen crafted from South American hardwood. It gives the home an utterly unique feel not found in homes in this price range.
Source: Dwell
Woodworking wonder Woodsport shared this photo of a recent creation: the cast treble table with Wisconsin walnut slab. Woodsport lets the wood grains speak for themselves, crafting one-of-a-kind furniture out of intriguing shapes. “Walnut trees don’t get much bigger than this!”
Source: Woodsport