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Dutch Treats: Lekker's spring 2010 collection

Erin T. Gates — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:00:00 GMT

A fortuitous trip to her native Amsterdam was all it took for Natalie Carpenter to craft the idea for her South End home design store, Lekker (1317 Washington Street, Boston, 617.542.6464), which means "alluring" and "tempting" in Dutch. Celebrating her seventh anniversary this year, Carpenter has evolved her original concept of offering hard-to-find Dutch designs and now features a flock of lines from other far-flung corners of the world, as well as unique pieces designed right here in the States. As carefully selected new treasures arrive daily in the shop, she can't contain her excitement about what spring 2010 will bring for Lekker. Inside the Washington Street location, you'll now find a corner dedicated to the decoupage accessories and furniture of the wildly popular John Derian, fresh bedding from Area, a gorgeous new porcelain line from Taiwan, and additional furniture from Dutch company Linteloo.

But seasonal trends can be fleeting, and so the Lekker team's approach to home design emphasizes the use of high-quality items that have a classic aesthetic and that are crafted with environmental consciousness. "I think it's a responsibility to ourselves to be more in tune what we can do to preserve and renew," says Carpenter, while also sharing that she's adding a recycled glass line and more 100% Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood furniture this season. "For me, quality will always be the number-one focus. Which is actually green as well, because well-made products are supposed to last a lifetime."

With the influx of exciting new items to her store, that certainly doesn't mean that there aren't some things that Carpenter has tagged as her favorites for the spring reawakening. Though she's busy developing her own private-label linen line for Lekker (slated to launch in the fall), she took a break to share with us the five things she simply must have this spring off her own sales floor.

John Derian Dromedary loveseat ($2950): Made with non-toxic glues, sustainably harvested hardwood frames, soy-based foams, and organic linen from Belgium, this piece maintains the store's dedication to environmental responsibility while offering an unexpected aesthetic with its more traditional silhouette.

Duralex French carafe set ($30): "Price is key, and we're focused on offering the best price, but always without sacrificing quality," says Carpenter. This sleek set will only set you back $30, but it's sure to add some modern flair to any home bar.

Oyyo bone china dinnerware ($17-$36 per piece): Simple, classic design will never go out of style. This collection serves as a great base for more decorative accent pieces like salad plates and bowls.

Blomus portable grill ($102): This find offers a perfect solution for city-dwellers who love the taste of grilled burgers but don't have the space for a huge Weber. "It's not even here yet, but already I love it!" Carpenter exclaims.

Teak Kubus dining tables ($990-$2750): A Lekker classic, these sturdy and stylish dining tables make fabulous investment pieces and look great with any style of chair, traditional or modern.

Set foot in the sleek retail space full of crisp whites, warm natural woods, and unique textures galore, and you'll be able to fully understand not only why it's become a favorite resource for Boston designers, but also why it lives up to its name. Tempting indeed.

Latoyia Edwards’s Stuff

Carol Beggy — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:00:00 GMT

Latoyia Edwards has a remarkable batting average. Now a reporter and anchor on regional cable channel New England Cable News, Edwards entered exactly one beauty pageant and was crowned Miss Massachusetts USA 2002. Not that it was that easy for the Dorchester-bred Emerson College honors grad. To hear her tell it, the experience was not unlike a reporter's dogged pursuit of a great but somewhat elusive story. "I researched the heck out of it. I wanted to be Diane Sawyer, Oprah Winfrey. Guess what they were in? Pageants. I was going to enter one," she says with a laugh. "I bought a book, studied it, and then learned the rest. I kept talking to people, interviewing them. I rented a dress for the state pageant." It was exactly that pursuit that helped jump-start Edwards's career. She was an anchor working for MediaOne cable news network in Lowell, looking for a way to raise her profile. Miss Massachusetts USA was it. Very few objects hold a special place in Edwards's life, she says, but her crown and sash from her pageant days are two that she cherishes.

That Miss Massachusetts USA crown and sash aren't just trophies for you. What are they? Keys. Well, a key to making things happen for me. That pageant unlocked doors for me. It was my path to my first network affiliate job. The news director at WWLP-22 in Springfield read a story about me winning the pageant and sent one of his investigative reporters out to find me. That led to everything else.

It sounds very exotic - the whole Miss USA thing. You always see the women in Las Vegas, doing fun things, hanging out with Donald Trump. Not my year. It was some sort of economic deal that year; we went to Gary, Indiana. I'm from Dorchester, and I was very afraid. It was freezing cold. It wasn't anything like what the girls today get to do. But I did get to meet Donald Trump. And I met Tom Brady; he was this new quarterback and he was a judge. So that kind of made it all good.

When you were researching and working out and training for the state pageant, what's the craziest thing you did or the oddest thing you learned? There's butt glue. No, seriously, butt glue. And you know what? It sounds silly, but it works. When you are out on that runway in a bathing suit, trust me, you want your butt glue.

Where do you keep your sash and that crown? My husband put together a plexiglass case and hand-sewed a satin pillow and even got a plaque so it's kept safely.

It sounds like your husband has adjusted to have a "queen" in the house. Actually, not all the time, but that's how I knew I was going to marry this man. We were dating when I was in the pageant. And when I was at Miss USA, my husband [Jesse Edwards] and my father went out on errands. Here's this man who's built like a football player at the store because I needed more fake eyelashes. He even went out and bought an extra pair of shoes with four-inch heels. He measured them.

I know I should be asking you about all the tough news stories you've worked on at NECN, but I'm still reeling from the butt glue revelation. Any other pageant advice you can share with the rest of us regular, everyday sexy people? Right, no one cares about the journalism on my resume, so let's just go with it. Advice? How about when you put on your crown quickly, just keep one hand holding it in place. It's really bad if your crown takes a dinger while you're being applauded.

Weighty Matters

Scott Kearnan — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:00:00 GMT

Fashion trends come and go. And thank heavens - imagine if we had to endure "Hammer pants" any longer than necessary?

But there's one issue in fashion that isn't going anywhere: from the public outcry over the skinny and strung-out "heroin chic" aesthetic of the early '90s, to Madrid Fashion Week's 2006 ban on models with low body mass indexes, controversies over healthy weight have long plagued the industry. Those concerned say pencil-thin models endanger their own health and perpetuate unrealistic body images. Others counter that the industry simply wants to reflect its fashions in their best light, or that social issues aren't its responsibility.

On Monday, March 22, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., the Harris Center at Massachusetts General Hospital will tackle these topics with Health Matters: Weight and Wellness in the World of Fashion, a free public forum at Harvard Business School (Burden Auditorium, Soldiers Field Road, Boston). Huge fashion names - Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, designer and Project Runway judge Michael Kors, and supermodel Natalia Vodianova - are attending as panelists. You can RSVP for the forum at harriscentermgh.org, but since seats are sure to fill up quickly, we decided to turn to a trio of favorite local designers - Sara Campbell, Michael De Paulo, and Sam Mendoza - for our own informal panel. Here are snippets of what they had to say; read the rest here.

STUFF: Do you think the criticism the fashion industry receives for promoting unrealistic body images is fair?

Sam Mendoza: It's cheaper and easier to make a small sample size. It's also cheaper and easier for all the models to be the same size for a fashion show or a photo shoot when it comes to fittings.... The purpose of a fashion show is for buyers, editors, stylists, writers, photographers, and other fashion types to see the designer's newest idea for fashion - not to show them the newest idea for a body type. With that in mind, I still think that the industry does have a certain responsibility to promote a happy and healthy lifestyle.... So is it fair? No, we're just doing our jobs as efficiently and productively as possible.

But are we guilty of unintentionally or intentionally influencing the way people think about their bodies? Yes.

Michael De Paulo: I personally do not see a problem with thin models. I do believe in living a healthy lifestyle.... As in anything, when weight loss is taken to extreme measures, that is when it becomes problematic. Part of a model's job is to present the designer's creation in the best light possible. Therefore, I believe in fit, lean girls that show my creations in their true glory! So keeping healthy, staying in shape, eating smart, and staying fit should be part of a model's regime.

STUFF: In your experiences, are struggles with eating disorders overrepresented in the fashion world?

Sara Campbell: I think that this is a women's issue, unfortunately. Fashion is more prevalent as a women's interest, so therefore it's heavy in the fashion industry.... I've certainly struggled.... Eating disorders are a complicated and very wide range - from obesity, to not eating, to bulimia. I think most women struggle with weight. I think it's a raging problem.

STUFF: Do you think the fashion industry has a responsibility to encourage healthy body images?

Sara Campbell: I think we all have a responsibility. It's a huge wellness issue. We're here to empower the next generation; that's our responsibility. We're here to teach them how to take care of themselves.

Sam Mendoza: I think fashion does have to be conscious and proactive about the message it's sending out. But I also think that society on a whole has to do the same. Michelle Obama's new [anti-obesity] initiative with children's health is brilliant. As a society, we've become okay with being unhealthy and lazy.... As for what I do, I have a small part. I'm not changing the world, but I like to think that I put a healthy image out there. I make sure my models are happy and eat. I'm friends with most of them, and we usually stuff our faces before and after shows or shoots. My clothes represent my idea of fashion: life should be fun, and you should enjoy it.

Buzz-Worthy

Scott Kearnan — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:00:00 GMT

From global warming, to natural disasters, to world hunger, there's no shortage of crises clamoring for our attention and efforts. But with his new business, Noah Wilson-Rich hopes to make a big impact by helping a small, six-legged piece of the eco-puzzle.

"This is about saving the world, one honeybee at a time!" says Wilson-Rich. The 27-year-old South End resident and behavioral ecologist (and, ahem, Huffington Post candidate for "Cutest Beekeeper") just hatched his own business, Boston's Best Bees, dedicated to promoting urban beekeeping and rescuing the honeybee population from potential extinction. This Noah doesn't come with an ark, but with hives that he'll install and manage on roof-deck patios, backyard spaces, and community garden plots for green-thumbed city folk. His clients will benefit from urban gardens with bigger and better yields, and as for the bees - well, Mother Earth's humble little workhorses need all the help they can get.

The concern is Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a term coined in 2006 to describe a dramatic ongoing decline in adult honeybee populations. Researchers are still trying to identify causes (disease, commercial pesticides, and genetically modified crops probably share blame), but what is clear is that the mysterious worldwide trend of dying honeybees could pack a big, smarting ecological sting. While bee-free barbecues might sound appealing, the insects are nature's primary pollinators of more than 130 crops that contribute an estimated $14.6 billion per year to America's economy: almonds, apples, cucumbers, avocados, cranberries, and many more staple items are almost entirely dependent on bees for pollination. As honeybee numbers dwindle, our food supplies may do the same, causing consumer costs to soar. (And we shudder at the unforeseen dangers this all poses to the global food chain.) Bees are also important research subjects for biologists like Wilson-Rich, a published PhD candidate at Tufts University who studies them to gain insight into animal communication, immunology, and evolution.

Wilson-Rich says he started Boston's Best Bees to fund his future research on honeybee vaccines to prevent CCD. He already has a patent pending on three vaccines he's developed to immunize bees against certain diseases; deliverable through edible "pollen patties," the vaccines are like "PowerBars for bees," he says. But besides helping the environment, Bostonians who practice urban beekeeping would reap the other benefits of this new trend in the locavore movement, one already underway in Los Angeles, Denver, and Chicago. Side note: urban beekeeping is currently illegal in New York City, though it still happens on the down-low, says Wilson-Rich (black-market bees - who knew?), and there's movement toward legalization, which may come as soon as this spring.

Urban beekeeping promotes sustainable community agriculture, leads to better crops, and can even boost your immune system: Boston's Best Bees will help city gardeners harvest their own honey from the hives - and because bees are producing it with local pollen, ingesting that honey can help condition you to area allergens (so you don't get slammed with sudden sniffles and scratchy eyes when the seasons change). You can even imbue your honey with subtle flavors by planting certain herbs - like mint, thyme, or lavender - for your bee buddies to frequent. Best Bees will also teach clients how to gather wax for candle making and other uses, and the business uses only organic practices.

Individuals wanting to jump on the bee-happy bandwagon can expect to pay around $975 for the service, says Wilson-Rich, all-inclusive of the hive, its installation, bees, and regular maintenance; owners don't need to do much, as hives require little upkeep. Certain discounts are available too, but the price point isn't keeping Best Bees' business away: Wilson-Rich won't install the first hives until May, but he's already exceeding his business projections. Besides, divvy up that cost among several tenants sharing a rooftop garden, or among a few neighboring plots in a community garden, and the investment in local agriculture - and a way to combat CCD - seems to pay dividends.

Plus, that hive provides quite a conversation piece for garden parties. So do the guests inside. "A lot of people are afraid of bees, but they really leave us alone," says Wilson-Rich, lifting a hive lid to reveal a mass of honeybees. They huddle for warmth during the winter, so right now they're just a faintly buzzing cluster of gold and black, undulating like a single wave. Up close, they're actually kind of cute. Who knew they'd make such socially responsible city pets?

Michael Schlow's STUFF

Carol Beggy — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:00:00 GMT

Michael Schlow - award-winning chef/owner of Radius, Via Matta, and Alta Strada in Wellesley and the MGM Grand at Foxwoods - is having a bad day. He's had a cold all week, and he likens it to being "tortured." Why? Because it's kept him away from the kitchens of his restaurants, where he has earned national acclaim and more titles than his favorite baseball team, the Yankees. Schlow will soon add another award: Chef of the Year from the Massachusetts Restaurant Association. Outside the kitchen, Schlow finds peace and relaxation through photography and a pocket-sized Sony camera that serendipitously came into his life a couple of years ago. "Torture? No, photography is pure joy for me," Schlow says. "Like cooking."

So, Michael, a tough question, but I have to ask: did the events of the last baseball season make you an even bigger Yankees fan? Here's what it is: I believe a fan should stick to being a fan. Whatever team you root for, that should be your team. I don't believe that moving to a new city makes you a fan of that team. Or it shouldn't. My allegiances are to baseball. I've cheered for the Yankees my whole life. But when the Yankees are out of it, you'll see me - and you have - cheering for the Red Sox.

Tell us about your newfound interest in photography. It started when I was going on a vacation to Italy and France about two summers ago, and I was traveling to Venice through Zurich ... when I realized I left my camera back in Boston. I called my friend Mark Seliger, the photographer whose work has been in Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone, and he told me the make of Sony camera I could pick up right there. So, I went into the store in Zurich and told the guy what I wanted and ... he told me to go to the vending machine. I protested ... we went back and forth. Finally he says, ‘Sir, I speak English. There is a vending machine right down the hall. It has the camera you want." It was in the vending machine. It was like $600 at the time, and I bought it in a vending machine. Today, that doesn't surprise anybody.

What do you like to photograph? I ended up taking all the photographs of the food and the staff for the Alta Strada at the MGM Grand, but that's not what I like most. I really enjoy doing more abstract stuff.

What about photography is the same as what you do in the kitchen? I love my job; you know that. I love cooking all the time. I'm just lucky enough to latch on to something that brings me as much joy as cooking brings me. I love to play golf, but I'm not obsessed with it. I'm obsessed about food. I'm obsessed with music, and photography is a close second. Food, music, and photography - they are things you can do alone, but they are things you can share.

With Radius, you scored that very rare four-star review. Do you ever think, how can I top that? Getting four stars is something to be incredibly proud of, but it's not what you set as your standard.... It's, can I top yesterday? Are we getting better? Are we learning from our mistakes? Am I getting better? That's how I judge it.

Home Is Where the Hearth Is

Erin T. Gates — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:00:00 GMT

^AFTER

The kitchen is often referred to as the hearth of the home, a place where people gather, socialize, feast, and celebrate. So it's not surprising that it is also one of the best places to invest your money when considering an update to your abode. But renovating a kitchen can be a daunting process, even for the professionally skilled like interior designer Justine Sterling, of Justine Sterling Design. After purchasing a nearly 100-year-old Victorian house in Melrose, Sterling and her husband immediately began a complete makeover of their dated kitchen. The new design is in stark contrast to the vintage style of the home, making for a beautiful dichotomy between the contemporary and historical. Sterling's 18 years of experience in interior design made the aesthetic choices relatively easy, but as anyone who has renovated a home knows, not much else comes free of worry - even for those who do it for a living.

Aware that they wanted to open up the space to an adjacent sunroom and incorporate a large communal island, the couple set off on the demolition and design process. To make the kitchen as open to the other rooms as possible, they widened the entryways and removed the doors. Allowing maximum light into the space was a top priority, so they installed a much larger window above the sink - and it was the most valuable $600 they spent, Sterling says. Initially, they hoped to also have the kitchen flow into the living room, but a wall full of maze-like plumbing made such a move cost-prohibitive. Instead, Sterling designed a dramatic anchor wall of cabinetry balanced by an oven cabinet on the opposite wall. These "anchors" turned out to be Sterling's favorite design detail of the kitchen. Plus, every drawer and cabinet in them serves a dedicated purpose (a sanity saver for the busy working mom).

A big part of any renovation process is smart budgeting, and Sterling made very calculated money-saving decisions and strategic splurges, an approach that can be adapted to any project. She purchased some discounted floor-model appliances from GE Profile and Fisher & Paykel that were in near-perfect condition, and she incorporated a stove hood and lighting from big-box retailer IKEA. The modern, clean-lined cherry cabinetry by MasterBrand creates a calming and organized aesthetic, and they were able to score it at a steep discount. The splurges came in two forms - the intentional and the unintentional. The Carrera marble countertops were a planned indulgence: with a richer look than that of the ubiquitous granite, they'll be classic forever. Of course, with almost every renovation comes the unforeseen budget-bruising expense, and in this case that turned out to be a structural beam and post installation, complete with engineer fees and other costs.

Taking on this project without a general contractor and while pregnant proved to be "character building" for the couple, Sterling jokes. "If you're going to do a gut rehab project like ours, it is so valuable to hire contracting professionals that you trust for the work you cannot do or that needs to be done to meet local codes," she advises. After six months of adventurous cooking in a temporary kitchen in the basement, Sterling and her husband now thoroughly enjoy entertaining in their new space and are delighted by the, ahem, polished results of their efforts.

^BEFORE

Designing By the Book

Erin T. Gates — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:05:00 GMT

The bleak, frigid days of winter keep most of us sheltered inside our homes more often than not, which allows us the extra time to cast a critical eye on our décor (or lack thereof). While waiting for springtime to spark the desire to reinvent your space, why not gather together some inspirational reading to craft a plan of attack? Design books are an ideal way to expand your thinking and help define your style. We asked some of the most knowledgeable members of the Boston design community to share their current favorite design tomes in an effort to create the ultimate design library (my pick is Style and Substance: The Best of Elle Décor by Margaret Russell). Flipping through the pages of these idea-stirring books should elicit some extraordinary concepts for you to implement when we've all thawed out.

KATY ELLIOTT — DESIGN BLOGGER AND FORMER EDITOR AT DOMINO MAGAZINE
Her Pick: Restoring a House in the City by Ingrid Abramovitch
“The glossy pages full of glam interiors will seduce you. The book also offers helpful information on architecture styles, renovation tips, and salvage resources.”

JULIEANN COVINO — DESIGNER/BLOGGER, JACE INTERIORS
Her Pick: Downtown Chic by Robert and Cortney Novogratz
This enchanting visual and verbal collage highlights home renovations done by a dynamic husband-and-wife design team.

MICHAEL FERZOCO — DESIGNER, ELEVEN INTERIORS
His Pick: Glamour: Making It Modern by Michael Lassell
This book showcases statement-making spaces that were featured in Metropolitan Home magazine.

MICHELLE ALPERT — SHOWROOM MANAGER, F. SCHUMACHER & CO.
Her Pick: Modern Glamour: The Art of Unexpected Style by Kelly Wearstler
“Kelly is so elegant; she infuses modern glamour with old Hollywood charm, and she adds a hint of the exotic.”

KRISTINE MULLANEY — DESIGNER, KRISTINE MULLANEY DESIGN
Her Pick: The Private House by Rose Tarlow
“All of her interiors are sharp, layered perfectly, and still have a soul.”

JULIE RICHARD — DESIGNER/BLOGGER, SHELTER INTERIOR DESIGN
Her Pick: Domino: The Book of Decorating by Deborah Needleman, Sara Ruffin Costello, and Dara Caponigro
“This well-organized, gorgeous source guide is the perfect reference for anyone that wishes to beautify, organize, and restyle their home!”

DUNCAN HUGHES — DESIGNER, DUNCAN HUGHES INTERIORS
His Pick: Rooms to Inspire: Decorating with America’s Best Designers by Annie Kelly
”This book is a wonderful conversation-starter with new clients. It highlights a broad spectrum of designers and styles.”

GRADON TRIPP — BLOGGER, DESIGNBOSTON
His Pick: Apartment Therapy
Presents: Real Homes, Real People, Hundreds of Design Solutions by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan
“I love how, like his blog network, he shows how regular people can create stunning, comfortable, healthy homes.”

Helping Haiti

Scott Kearnan — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT

Every so often, the world sees a tragedy that captures everyone’s attention — and everyone’s heart. Like 2004’s Indian Ocean tsunami and 2005’s Hurricane Katrina, January’s devastating earthquake in Haiti has forced everyone to ask, “How can I help?”

The disaster has already brought out big international names in entertainment and politics (it’s not often Obama, Bush, and Clinton are seen singularly united). But it’s also brought out the best in Boston, which has the third largest Haitian population in the country. The local beauty, nightlife, and dining industries are finding ways to make their work matter. Here’s how to take part.

Get Groomed
You’ll want to look your most dazzling or dapper for your Valentine’s Day date anyway, so on Sunday, February 14, primp in the ’burbs at the locally lauded id Salon (241 Washington Street, Wellesley, 781.237.1233). It’s hosting Have a Heart for Haiti from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with donation-only haircuts ($50 suggested), $15 manicures for helping hands, and free color consultations. Appointments are first-come, first-served, and proceeds benefit Partners in Health, an international organization instrumental in helping Haiti.

Hit the Town
Those nightlife gurus at 6one7 Productions have already raised $7500 for Haiti with January’s club-hopping “4H Series: Hub Helps Heal Haiti.” But now that the long-awaited Stoddard’s Fine Food & Ale (48 Temple Place, Boston, 617.426.0048) has opened, they’re wasting no time in putting the venue to good use: on Monday, February 22, from 7 to 10 p.m., they’re throwing a Haiti Outreach Mission fundraiser to send doctors to Haiti. A $50 door donation gets you complimentary hors d’oeuvres, signature cocktails, and the chance to rub elbows with pro athletes like former BC footballer and Detroit Lions’ tackle Gosder Cherilus, a native of Haiti, and New England Revolution’s Shalrie Joseph.

Drink Up
If you need to schedule a cocktail date this month, choose your drink wisely. Through the end of February at Dante (40 Edwin H. Land Boulevard, Cambridge, 617.497.4200), pour back a Port-au-Prince Sazerac, made from eight-year-aged Rhum Barbancourt (a Haitian product) and Peychaud’s Bitters (created by a Haitian immigrant). All sales of the $10 drink will be donated to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.

Eat Right
Well, we can’t vouch for the caloric content. But top off dinner with the Haitian Rum Raisin Bread Pudding ($5.95), added for the month of February at all Legal Sea Foods locations, and sales will support relief efforts through UNICEF and Partners in Health. While we don’t normally jump for joy over chains, we like that our homegrown chowder-heads are using their national clout for a good cause.

— Scott Kearnan
PS: We love ideas that make giving glamorous, but what’s important is making your donation count in any way you can. Visit stuffboston.com/haiti for additional information on local and national organizations working to help.

Hitched in the Hub

Scott Kearnan — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT

Single ladies, put your hands up … and use them to cover your ears. We know it’s a sensitive time to talk about marriage, since Valentine’s Day often sees the dateless and despondent sobbing through threesomes with Ben & Jerry. But those excited to be engaged, and eco-friendly, should visit the first Elegantly Green Wedding Showcase at the Hyatt Harborside (101 Harborside Drive, Boston, 617.568.1234) on Sunday, February 14, from 1 to 5 p.m. Wedding planners, designers, and The Green Bride Guide author Kate Harrison will be on hand for tastings, seminars, fashion shows, and more. (Tickets are $15 at elegantlygreenweddingshowcase.com, $25 at the door.) For additional inspiration, browse through some of the real-life weddings shared at Beantown Bride (beantownbride.com), a new website featuring professional photos from actual Hub couples’ weddings with Q&As about their unique vision and the local vendors that made it happen. Finally, there’s good news for spendthrifts stampeding the Hynes Convention Center on Friday, February 19, at the twice yearly Running of the Brides: starting at 5 a.m., McGreevy’s (911 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.262.0911) will serve hot chocolate to freezing brides waiting to storm the Hynes for a discount dress; afterwards, swing by for the Bridal Bash After Party, with giveaways and cocktail specials like the “Absolut Bridezilla” until 4 p.m. But here’s a parting gift for the loveless: singles-centric SingleMindedWomen.com recently ranked Boston as the best city for single women; we beat out New York and DC in the top three thanks to our large population of professional, educated singles. Basically, we’re a catch — but don’t let that make you feel worse if you’ve only been reeling in dead fish lately.

Jen Mergel's STUFF

Carol Beggy — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT

Jen Mergel isn’t one of those curators who know more about the objects inside the museum than the city and neighborhoods surrounding it. The new Beal Family Senior Curator of Contemporary Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Mergel was raised in Dorchester — her parents still live in the Jones Hill house she grew up in — and went on to Harvard. Before making the crosstown transfer, Mergel was an associate curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art, where she had worked since 2005. When Mergel talks about art, it’s hard to separate where the art in her life begins and where her life in art ends. Take, for example, her worn and repaired sweater. She picked up the now-treasured garment on a trip to Taiwan, where she was visiting the artist Lee Mingwei. And like so much about art, Mergel’s sweater is as much about its interpretation as anything else.

The sweater is special because it’s a souvenir or for some other reason? It’s a sweater I acquired on a special trip.... We went on a shopping break, and that’s when I got the sweater. I wore it thin. I broke the zipper. And I thought it was done. Then, [Lee Mingwei] initiated “The Mending Project” last fall in New York. It was amazing. He had a gorgeous display of 300 spools, and he’d pull all the spools out as people brought in anything that could be stitched — clothes, a childhood stuffed animal. But he did not hide the stitches; he made them part of a new pieces.

You got the sweater “fixed” then? Not fixed, redone, in a way. It’s very much like his other work as an artist and really all artists. It shows how very simple gestures can be quite evocative. I could have covered the problem. I could have not worn it. Instead of a brooch, I have a stitched scar. It’s part art and part my sweater. It’s now part the artist’s and part mine.

Will we see your sweater up for auction or on display anytime soon? No, not on sale. It’s on my body as we speak.

Is making art accessible your philosophy? Yes, [it’s] part of my philosophy and why I’m so glad to be going to the Museum of Fine Arts, because it’s an encyclopedic and comprehensive museum. You come to the museum to see the mummies and leave knowing the MFA has the Sargent murals.

Switching gears a bit, why don’t we hear more about curators going from one museum in town to another? It seems about as rare as a Patriot playing for the Red Sox. It is rare in Boston — not so in New York or other cities. It’s a unique time with the expansion of the MFA, and I’m so happy and fortunate to be here at this time.

We can only imagine what the MFA gave you as a relocation package? A roll of quarters for the meters on Huntington Avenue? A T pass? I’m all about public transportation. That’s one thing for a girl from Boston: I’m now working at a place that has its own T stop. That’s something.

Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli’s Stuff

Carol Beggy — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:00:00 GMT

When it was announced that Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli would be departing Craigie on Main at the end of 2009, we couldn't help but wonder what the beloved bartender would be doing next. As it turns out, he's lately been living the dream of many of those in the restaurant biz - spending his days reading and catching up on his sleep. The bar at Craigie has been bustling ever since he helped chef/owner Tony Maws open the Central Square spot in November '08, and so the former bar manager is taking a bit of a break. "I'm seeking the next challenge," Schlesinger-Guidelli says. If his name sounds familiar, that might be because he is the nephew of East Coast Grill chef/owner Chris Schlesinger, who used to pick up his nephew after kindergarten one day a week so that the youngster could work on dinner-service preparation. "I don't know how much help I was, but I loved being in there and I learned so much," he says. Years later, as a dual major in political science and anthropology at Ohio's Kenyon College, he spent time in Honduras and stoked the fires of his other passion: Mayan ceramics. He even studied the local ceramic techniques while in Honduras. But he hardly left his fascination with food and drink at home: "I realized I had a problem with studying anthropology when I was packing more food and wine books than textbooks," he says.

Collecting Mayan ceramics? That just sounds expensive. Well, I wouldn't say I have a collection; a collection would be larger than what I have. But it's more than one. I would love to own more. There are pieces in museums and pieces that are easier to acquire.

So you actually studied ceramic making when the other anthropology majors were out digging in the fields for artifacts? I became fascinated with the process. I wanted to learn how these beautiful objects were made.

You studied anthropology and political science. So you were really just studying to be a bartender, right? That's about right. The two things you should never discuss at a bar, religion and politics - that's what I really studied in college.

But you went into the family business. Is food and wine as pervasive in your life as it seems? Yes, and maybe even more. My favorite thing to do when I'm not working is hanging out and cooking with my friends. There's a group of us, and although it sounds serious, it's really fun. We just cook for each other and try new things, new wines, new drinks. And that is related to my parents. I wanted to recreate their dinner parties they had when I was younger.

We featured your uncle in this edition as well. Tell us, is it tough having a nationally recognized chef in the family? What if he were to come into a place you're working and get a glass of wine with a lipstick stain? I'd be more concerned if a mistake happened to someone who didn't work in the business, someone who didn't know that these things happen. I've learned to handle all customers. I have had so many teachers and mentors in Boston. But all of them know more about all of it than me. I don't know shit about the business compared to the people I've learned from.

Designer Michael Ferzoco creates a covetable bachelor pad on a budget

Kara Baskin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:00:00 GMT

How many times have you stumbled home after a long day, flicked on the lights, and felt downright uninspired? If only your apartment were cozier. If only your accessories were more unusual. If only your entertainment center wasn't a DIY disaster. Then, perhaps, you'd feel like a grown-up.

It's Michael Ferzoco of Eleven Interiors to the rescue. Yes, clients can drop up to $500,000 for his transformative powers. But the down-to-earth Boston native is no snob. The South End-based interior designer uses simple principles applicable to any taste (or budget). Take, for example, one of his recent magic acts: he overhauled an ordinary bachelor pad in South Boston's Allele condominium and turned it into a stunning urban nest, embracing a straightforward approach palatable for even the cash-conscious.

Step one: know your financial limits. Indeed, this particular client - a single guy, new to Boston - had a firm budget. "So we played a high-low game with furnishings, custom pieces, and imported pieces," Ferzoco says. He suggests mixing and matching custom and vintage items with store-bought finds. Take heart: not everything you buy has to be a rare import or a unique design. Drapes, for instance, are a handy way to scrimp. "It's really easy to go someplace like Restoration Hardware and buy readymade drapes. Cut off the bottom of the drapes, buy yourself some fabric, bring it to a seamstress, and have the bottom sewn on. This is a cheap and simple alternative to custom," he suggests. Ferzoco recommends Zimman's in Lynn, where you'll find reams of cheap, exotic fabric. (The store also stocks lighting, furniture, and home accessories.) Other skimp-ables? Shelving and cabinets. "Nobody's going to notice the difference between a high-end cabinet and an IKEA cabinet," he laughs. "Go with the lower-end stuff. Spend your money on rugs. Spend your money on dining-room chairs. Those are things you're really going to use."

For this condo, he chose IKEA shelving but visited his preferred Boston shops for bigger furniture items. The dining-room table, for example, was purchased at SEDA. The sofa came from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. Dining chairs were imported from Italy. (Ferzoco spent many years in Europe and tries to bring an international flair to his designs.)

After evaluating your budget, examine your lifestyle. Do you entertain a lot? Spend your money on a great kitchen. Consider your home a sanctuary? Maybe a succulent boudoir is the way to go. Such fact-finding is integral to Ferzoco's craft. "Every client has their own fantasy of how they picture themselves living. I interview them. What do they do? Do they have kids? Pets? Work from home?" Once he's nailed that down, he can customize an environment. And though he favors a clean, contemporary aesthetic, he always defers to a client's vision. "The worst compliment I could receive is for someone to walk into a home and think, ‘Oh, you must have worked with Eleven.' It needs to be recognized as the client's home."

To achieve that personal touch, Ferzoco urges expression through lighting and color. The Allele, like many modern buildings, presented a lighting challenge in terms of wiring. "Boston brownstones are easier. The city's newer buildings make it hard to cleanly run new electrical wiring," he laments. Plus, many new condos have recessed lighting, which Ferzoco detests. ("It makes your ceiling look like Swiss cheese!") At the Allele, he used plenty of floor lights and lamps to overcome the wiring issue. Meanwhile, his Boston bachelor requested a "cool, masculine look" for the color scheme. So Ferzoco employed deep jewel tones: teal blue with gray, mustard yellow, burgundy, and eggplant, mixed with dark wood.

Finally, the ultimate goal is comfort. "So many people think comfort means overstuffed and big. Don't buy out of scale," he cautions. In other words, Grandma's mile-long sofa isn't the only route to relaxation. Ferzoco also warns against avoiding modern furniture. "Many people mistake ‘modern' for cold. They believe modern pieces just aren't comfortable, and that's not true. This has changed a lot in the last few years." So don't shy away from smaller, sleeker finds. Bachelor or not, you can have your Cheetos and beer - and still recline in style.

Meals That Matter

Scott Kearnan — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:00:00 GMT

We're only a few weeks into the new year, so hopefully you haven't left those resolutions behind quite yet. And if we could dust off our crystal ball and venture a guess, we'd suspect that "eating well" and "doing good" are tops on a lot of lists (you know, just going out on a limb here). What we could not have foreseen, however, was a savory opportunity to combine both endeavors - in a single weekend, no less! Yet that's exactly what we'll do by sipping mimosas on Saturday, January 30, and Sunday, January 31, at the Super Hunger Brunch, a series of prix-fixe menus available all over town. Not only is the citywide brunch-fest a chance to powwow with pals and clarify the prior night's fuzzy memories ("I did what? To who? Where?"), but it's also an important fundraiser for the Greater Boston Food Bank: all participating restaurants are donating 100 percent of brunch proceeds to the hunger-relief organization. You'll find $25 menus at South End spots like Sibling Rivalry (525 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.338.5338) and Stella (1525 Washington Street, Boston, 617.247.7747), among others. For $35 you can get a plate at spots like Chez Henri (1 Shepard Street, Cambridge, 617.354.8980) and Grill 23 & Bar (161 Berkeley Street, Boston, 617.542.2255). And $50 will sate high-end hunger at L'Espalier (774 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.262.3023) and Blue Ginger (583 Washington Street, Wellesley, 781.283.5790). For a full list of nearly two dozen participating restaurants, visit gbfb.org/shm. And when your tummy re-rumbles to signal that it's dinnertime, you'll have plenty of options to do good with that meal, too: Sunday, January 31, is CityFeast, an annual night of North End dining that supports the High Hopes Fund at the Joslin Diabetes Center. A $150 ticket (available through Joslin at 617.264.2777) gets you a five-course dinner with wine pairings from 6 to 9 p.m. at any of seven participating restaurants in the 'hood. The event was founded seven years ago by Carla Gomes, owner of Antico Forno (93 Salem Street, Boston, 617.723.6733) and Terramia (98 Salem Street, Boston, 617.523.3112), whose son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on his first birthday. Now he's 19, evidence that high hopes help, indeed. TV Diner host Billy Costa is expected to mingle with diners at each of the spots on board, all of which can be found at joslin.org. Cheers to a weekend of dining that's worth forking over some dough.

Step in the Right Direction

Scott Kearnan — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:00:00 GMT

If you're one of those people who throw a temper tantrum when the office elevator has an "Out of Order" sign on it (you know who you are, "Jane in accounting"), please brace yourself. On Saturday, February 6, hundreds of Bostonians will gather at the Mellon Financial Center (One Boston Place, Boston) to voluntarily - yes, voluntarily! - race one another up the stairs in one of the city's tallest buildings. And while it's bound to do a butt good, firm buns aren't the primary purpose for this unusual challenge: it's the 2010 Fight for Air Climb, a fundraiser for the American Lung Association. You'll certainly need all the breath you can muster to stomp your way up 41 floors (or 82 flights, or 789 stairs - go with whichever makes it sound less daunting). There's a $35 registration fee and a minimum of $100 in pledges, and while you can show up early to register on-site, space is limited - so those burning up to burn some calories should mail registrations by January 29 or register online at lungne.org by February 2. Immediately following the climb, awards (based mostly on age group) will be doled out for the quickest climbers. But really, who needs a trophy with an ass like that?

Naz Kupelian's Stuff

Carol Beggy — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:00:00 GMT

Naz Kupelian isn't one to get star-struck. The award-winning hairstylist is getting ready to work his magic on the movie stars at this year's Sundance Film Festival, which runs in Park City, Utah, for 11 days at the end of January. But don't ask Kupelian who might pass through his chair. "I'll have to ask my 17-year-old daughter who these actors are," he says. "I don't know." But if you want to hear some passion in his voice, just talk to this proud Armenian about his family's heritage or the route he took to get to Boston. Born in Lebanon and raised in Syria, Kupelian came to the United States nearly 30 years ago with the hopes of becoming a doctor, but he wasn't able to afford medical school. So he became a hairstylist who works out of the suburbs, eschewing the typical Newbury Street address for an eponymous salon in leafy Lexington - which spoiled city folk like us might need a map to find. Well, we're in luck, as the world-traveling stylist just so happens to collect them.

How did collecting maps become a hobby for you? I love to travel. I have traveled throughout the Middle East and elsewhere. It's more about the history of the places than anything else. I love to experience and learn about a place.

It sounds like you have a better collection than just those Michelin maps we all pick up as we're going from country to country. I have a wood-print map of Armenia from the 1800s that shows Armenia in the same place as it is today, but Albania's right next to it. And today? Albania's over next to Italy. That's the history I love. And I have another one made of copper that shows Europe, and all of the countries have changed borders and names. But Armenia is right there.

Okay, now dish on what we can see out at Sundance. We will be there running a salon so that those celebrities and stars can enjoy themselves and look good on the red carpet. If they want to go skiing and then come in to have their hair fixed up or blown dry, that's what we'll do.

Oh, come on! That's way too boring for Sundance. Will you be getting any gossip? No, really, I don't know most of the actors today. I will say that I think when it comes to the red carpet and the award shows, everyone looks the same. They all have long hair, and it's either pushed up at one point or they have a few curls. Nothing different.... It is not like the big Hollywood stars where each one had a distinctive hair style.

So from Sundance you go to Long Beach, California, for a big convention and trade show. What's going to be the headline coming out of this year's gathering? First, everything you see out of these kinds of shows is exaggerated. So everything will be modified. But I would say, everything will be more subtle. You'll see tone-on-tone highlighting, not big changes in color. You'll see highlighting from underneath. At a show, you want to see things that make you say, "Oh my God." And then work to see how you can do that back in your salon.