This 1953 modern gem in Oak Park, Ill. recently received historic landmark status. Designed by Schurecht Inc., the I.M. and Fannabell Fixman House reflects a unique combination of International and Prairie styles. To learn more about the significance of the home, see its landmark application.
Source: Oak Park
New York Magazine touched down in Kansas City for a weekend and you can check out their favorite places in the “Uncover Urban Cool in Kansas City” feature. We fell in love with their food picks, like Port Fonda, which used to be based out of an old Airstream trailer but now has a brick-and-mortar location and a must-try menu of chipotle-braised octopus with bacon and tamarind margaritas. See the rest of the magazine’s KC highlights here.
First came the craft breweries, now come the craft distilleries. Midwest distilleries are beginning to bottle an impressive array of spirits, but the English still have us beat in the architecture category. The Bombay Sapphire gin distillery in the U.K., pictured, is a transformed paper mill from the 18th century. During the renovation, they added two asymmetrical glass domes that shoot out of the main structure. The domes serve as greenhouses for Bombay’s trademark botanical flavors. We’ll take one of these boozy architectural beauties in the Midwest, please.
Source: Architectural Record
Minneapolis ice cream whisperers the Froz Broz don’t make your average flavors. They quickly mastered the basics and are now on to wild taste creations like deconstructed lemon bar, bacon & egg, maple cashew and more. Every week, they give away pints of the Friday flavor to two lucky fans who chime in on social media. This week’s flavor is orange clove cranberry. Follow them if you’d like to get a pint of your own: Froz Broz.
Source: Froz Bros
Frank Lloyd Wright didn’t just build some of the most iconic architecture in American history, he also occasionally turned his attention to man’s best friend. Pictured is Eddie’s House, a doghouse designed by Wright for a family in California — and their dog, Eddie. The doghouse was destroyed in the 1970s, but the sons of the original owner followed Wright’s exact plans and built a new one in 2010. It is the smallest structure Wright ever designed.
Source: Architizer
A blast from the past: this rare image of early Chicago shows little but a muddy trail on the south bank of the Chicago River. That trail is now Wacker Drive. Taken approximately 40 years about the Great Chicago Fire, this picture may be one of the first ever taken of the Windy City.
Source: CBS Chicago
Glazed & Infused Donuts takes the sugared crown. Zagat listed their top picks for holiday treats in Chicago and declared this festive donut a winner. From Zagat: “There are a lot of holiday donuts around but the Royal Oreo cake donut coated with dark chocolate ganache, Oreo crumbs and drizzled with red and peppermint white chocolate ganache might be the most decadent of the bunch. “
Source: Zagat
With temperatures falling, this gorgeous shot of a modern Minneapolis house and its perfect blue pool has us dreaming of summer. Designed by architect Charles Stinson, the home takes design cues from a sailboat. Midwest Home explains: “Cabinets are tucked under stairways. Kitchen shelves are hidden under pop-up hatches. Pressed in the right spot, a panel in the wall opens to reveal a secret space. The result is a home that feels roomier than its 3,000 square feet.”
Source: Midwest Home
The Actors Gymnasium, which has been teaching actors the art of physicality since 1995, is going full big top: they’re launching a Professional Circus Training Program. The program will prepare participants for a career in the circus arts and school will draw even more talent to Chicago’s theater scene,
Source: The Actors Gymnasium
STL-Style is going to be on the big screen. The twin brothers behind the clothing company shared this shot of their close-up moment for the Hope Love and Beauty Project documentary.
Source: STL-Style
Punch Bowl, a self described “dining and entertainment mecca” has already conquered Portland, Austin and Denver. Their first Detroit destination opens soon, and they shared this shot of the space. There will be no shortage of things to do at the new Detroit hot spot; it will have bowling, darts, marbles, ping pong, shuffle board and vintage arcade games, not to mention a full locally-sourced menu and craft cocktail program.
Source: Punch Bowl
The Line gave its readers a sneak peek of the Twin Cities’ architectural future with their “10 Development Projects That Will Transform Minneapolis-St. Paul” article. At the top of the list is Surly’s destination brewery (pictured), set to open in the Prospect Park neighborhood. Designed by HGA Architects and Engineers, the $20 million project will include a full-service restaurant, amphitheater, tours and tasting room. To see the rest of the transformative projects, check out The Line.
Source: The Line
If Studio Gang’s Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership in Michigan isn’t the most beautiful building of the year, we don’t know what is. The structure was built with traditional wood masonry, with trees harvested from the northern part of the state. The walls seem to bend and breathe, and in this section, the wall peels apart to create a window. For a tour of interior and exterior, see Design Boom.
Source: Design Boom
Minneapolis ceramic artist Maren Kloppman shared images of her installation in Miami for Art Basel, one of the world’s largest international art shows. The installation, called Murmuration, offers a different view from every angle with shifting shadows and repeating forms.
Source: Maren Kloppmann
Looking to go local this holiday season? The Flyover unveiled their Midwest-made picks for holiday gifts and this cozy piece of couture made the cut. It’s a Sherpa Shindig Sweatshirt from Tara Light, a Kansas City fashion designer. To the rest of The Flyover‘s picks, check out the complete list.
Source: The Flyover
Detroit’s Metro Times catches us up on the new confectioners in the Motor City. Pete Steffy started as a chocolatier in southern Mexico but he now rents kitchen space in the basement of Orchestra Hall where he cooks up tantalizing flavors of truffles: rosemary sea salt, cinnamon cayenne and more. Steffy is part of a bumper crop of candymakers making their mark on Detroit, including Bon Bon Bon’s Alexandra Clark (pictured). See Metro Times for all the sweet details.
Source: Metro Times
Crush Collective, a Minneapolis creative studio, has us coveting this picture-perfect living room set-up. They shared the space on Facebook with a shout-out to findfurnish, which found them the perfect mid-century modern chair. Findfurnish travels the Midwest with a truck, scoping high design finds from decades past. We love what Crush Collective did with the piece! Now how about a drink from that equally glamorous bar cart?
Source: Crush Collective
Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood has come alive in the last decade and an old nightspot is getting a new life. The bar where Babe Ruth knocked back beers is the new home of the UFO Factory, a space for art shows and live music. The interior has taken on a futuristic look, with walls full of post-modern psychedelic art. Motor City Muckracker has all the details on the new venue.
Source: Motor City Muckraker
A lot of great things came out of the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 — the Ferris wheel, zippers, PBR — but the most important might just be the brownie. Created by the chefs at the Palmer House hotel in downtown Chicago as “a portable dessert that ladies could enjoy in boxed lunches at the fair,” the original brownie is made with a pound of melted chocolate and a pound of butter, then glazed with apricot. You can find the complete original recipe here.
Source: Lost Recipes Found
Vic Rodriguez makes magic with a Mason jar. He’s the bartender at Thou Mayest in Kansas City, and The Pitch caught up him to watch him work. They put him on the spot to make a cocktail with coffee, and the results sound (and look) delicious. Get his impromptu cocktail recipes here.
Source: The Pitch
This Rochester, Minnesota home sits high on a ledge above the Zumbro River. Built to be extraordinarily energy-efficient, the structure is actually three linked pods — one each for the garage, the dwelling and a separate retreat. You can tour the equally stunning interior of the SALA Architect-designed home on Home Adore.
Source: Home Adore
Twin Cities bloggers The Flock of Broads unveiled their made-in-Minnesota gift list for this holiday season and it’s stacked with local talent. We think this pillow from Urban Elliott adds a delightfully snarky touch to your holiday decor, but the list also includes favorites from Faribault, Eastvold, Oh Dier, J. W. Hulme and more. Peruse the complete list for more gift ideas.
Source: Flock of Broads
The Friends of Modern & Contemporary Art in Detroit have launched a series of conversations and panel discussions inspired by Sarah Thornton’s book Seven Days In The Art World. The series, called Which Side Up, includes discussions with some of the art world’s most influential players. Listen to the Detroit Institute of Arts’ Contemporary Art Curator discuss the series and Detroit’s creative community: Demystifying Contemporary Art.
Source: WDET
Woodsport, the St. Paul woodworking shop we covered this fall, has us coveting their latest creation: the simple and sleek writing desk. We love the clean lines and playful balancing act design.
Source: Woodsport
Death in the Afternoon, the St. Louis lunch spot that quickly became a sensation, is adding dinner service. (We covered their opening last year.) Dinner service will begin in 2015 in the Upper 90 Brewing Co. space, right about Death in the Afternoon. Fans of Death’s lunch and brunch menus eagerly await the addition, currently scheduled for February or March
Source: Riverfront Times