Hasta La Ideas

Heritage Irish potato spirit from a one-man distillery

Resurrecting a rare Irish spirit in the Bay Area is no easy feat, and distiller Salvatore Cimino isn’t the most likely candidate either. The third-generation distiller is of Sicilian descent, and decided to try creating the potato-based “poitín” (pot-cheen) at the behest of a friend who presented him with a heritage recipe. Having experienced some success with a duo of Prohibition-era rye whiskeys, Cimino created “Signature Poitín” as part of his one-man distilling operation 1512 Spirits. His methods bring a new meaning to the phrase “hand-crafted”, overseeing the entire process in a 700-square-foot space.

A barber by day, Cimino named the distillery 1512 after his shop, working on his spirits during off-hours. Using 95% potatoes, Cimino begins by juicing the spuds and cooking the liquid over a direct flame. He then adds hand-milled barley and cooks his mash, leaving it to ferment for three or four days. The mixture is separated by hand and double-distilled before it is proofed at 104. The process recalls the heritage of Irish farmers who would make this spirit with local materials and resources. While the Signature Poitín is high effort and low yield, Cimino is sticking to his artisanal guns.

Poitín—Irish Gaelic for “small pot”—isn’t a delicate spirit. The flavor is robust, heavy on potato with floral notes thrown in between. While some will find it too raw and one-dimensional, others will appreciate the honesty of flavor that comes through, which is similar to that of a single-varietal vodka. Fans of the poitín enjoy it in a hot toddy, warm it up to expose the floral flavors or drink it neat alongside oysters. The drink is a true eau de vie—more likely to wake you up after a meal than tuck you in for bed.

The next release from 1512 Spirits will feature a rare wheat whiskey, which has been aged in ex-rye barrels. With batches that are limited to around 85 bottles, the level of craft goes well beyond single-barrel whiskeys. 1512 Spirits’ Signature Poitín can be found at select retailers and online through Cask Spirits.

Behind the scenes with the famous indie label and what to expect at their SXSW Showcase

In partnership with MasterCard, on 16 March 2012 we’ll be streaming the Sub Pop Showcase live from SXSW in Austin to parties in NYC, LA, DC, SF and Chicago. In anticipation of the showcase we shot this video at Sub Pop’s headquarters in Seattle to get to know the label a little better.

Visit Tap into Austin 2012 to catch the Sub Pop Showcase livestream on Friday night and learn more about what’s happening in Austin during SXSW.

The heritage brand builds a uniform to outfit a San Francisco restaurant

by Yale Breslin

Orondava Mumford, Global Design Director at Levi’s, was in charge of creating the uniforms for the staff at San Francisco eatery Saison. We dug through his sketchbook leading up to the unveiling of the restaurant’s new sartorial choices and spoke with Mumford about the inspiration behind his heritage-focused design process, and his grand plans for the U.S. Postal Service.

How did this design collaboration between Saison and Levi’s come about?

The Levi’s brand has partnered with San Francisco’s acclaimed Saison restaurant to create a functional workwear wardrobe for the modern pioneers of this unique, open-kitchen environment. With this collaboration we are proud to celebrate chef Joshua Skenes and sommelier Mark Bright, who not only embody the pioneering spirit of the Levi’s brand but the most relevant expression of innovation, localism and craftsmanship.

You designed the uniforms, but what inspired the design and workmanship?

Actually we refer to it as a wardrobe rather than uniforms. When Aylin Beyce (co-designer on the uniforms) and I went on our initial research dinner date at Saison, we were impressed by the intimacy of the experience of having a meal there. While the wardrobe was designed with a singular aesthetic, we offered variations on fit for the cooks—if you normally rock skinny jeans, why should you have to come to work in loose, ill-fitting chinos?. The female servers were offered a tunic, a dress and two different pant styles, whereas the partners, Josh and Mark, have completely custom-made garments based on their respective trades and day-to-day functions.

What elements did you draw upon for the men’s design and the women’s design?

We based both the men’s and women’s designs on a coupling between our brand’s workwear heritage and the modern approach to function needed in a restaurant of Saison’s caliber. Consistent details were used such as a trupunto stitch detail, natural horn and corozo nut buttons, and a fabric and color scheme that reflected the restaurants interior. In maintaining the highest quality of fabrics, which we felt reflected the high quality of ingredients on the menu, we chose selvedge fabrics from Italy, Japan, England and the US.

What is it about this collaboration that you were most drawn to?

I am extremely passionate about Levi’s being involved in projects such as these. Saison is a local San Francisco-based concept started by young entrepreneurs innovating within their fields. Levi’s is an original San Francisco-based brand, which through the creation of the 501 supported the pioneers of the early 1800s migrating west during the Gold Rush in pursuit of the American dream. It’s what we do. If anyone from the U.S. Postal Service is reading this, I am dying to redesign their uniforms too.

Tell me a little bit about what it is you do at Levi’s.

I have the dream job. My official title is Global Design Director. I focus specifically on all menswear products below the waist as well as our iconic “trucker” jacket and versions of it. I manage a team of some of the industry’s best designers hailing from all over the world. My main responsibilities are to inspire and lead the design team in creating a compelling, yet commercially viable global product that supports and deepens the brand’s values and identity while challenging and pushing the boundaries of modern American design through craft, sustainability and innovation. I love my job.

What is it about the cuisine that you were drawn to?

It was the balance of familiarity and pure innovation. The menu never fails to thrill the palate and the execution, delivery and atmosphere surrounding each plate was such a lasting impression. We went about creating the wardrobe as such. We even went as far as to have a custom-made wardrobe unit built of reclaimed local redwood and steel to house the wardrobe, which now stands inside the restaurant. No detail was left un-challenged, as I’m sure Josh wouldn’t craft a menu any other way.

Nine artists transform a 150 year old house into a home of site-specific installations

The recently opened Highlight Gallery has added a new project space in San Francisco’s Cow Hollow District, turning a 19th-century home into a venue for sight-specific installations. 3020 Laguna Street in Exitum features a variety of works by nine artists, made entirely from materials found on the condemned premises. From a deconstructed facade to the equally deconstructing performance piece of Jeremiah Barber, the level of intelligent art reaches all corners of the humble dwelling.

Home to many generations in its 150 years of existence, 3020 Laguna Street has been marked for demolition, making it the ideal location for installations like Chris Fraser’s “Outline.” By stripping the walls to their bones, he removes the barrier between outside and in, eliminating a defining factor in what makes a shelter a home.

Also significantly manipulating the structure is Andy Vogt’s “Drawn Out”. By dropping the floorboards and restructuring the joints below, Vogt has rebuilt the flooring exactly as it was to connect two openings. This predetermined path leads to the structure’s exit, in the same way the building’s exit has been predetermined by a date of demolition.

Following the strict rule of using only materials taken from the structure, Yulia Pinkusevich’s “Data Mass Projection” full room installation is made entirely of telephone wires stripped from the house’s walls. The wave-like structure acts like a 3D infographic referencing the constant supply of energy surrounding us at any given moment.

While every area of the house tells a story, Jeremiah Barber’s basement “Dreamburn” performance may draw the most attention. By contrasting a body replica from found paper Barber creates a mirrored image, referencing an out-of-body experience. As the paper body floats above the human one the dream-like state is unexpectedly set ablaze. With Barber just under water in the flooded basement the paper structure is left to burn to nothing, jolting the observer from the dream in a matter of moments.

3020 Laguna Street in Exitum has two more scheduled visiting times left in its short run prior to demolition on 18 and 25 February. Both days the space will be open from 2-7pm. For more information check Highlight Gallery online and for more images of the installations check the gallery below.

A San Francisco hotel lobby houses a curious collection of furniture

Hotels may play to the boutique experience by furnishing the public areas with a sturdy mix of handsome tables and chairs culled from high-end shops like Design Within Reach, but few go as far as San Francisco’s Clift. The motley collection of designer furniture gracing the hotel’s immense lobby would more likely be found in a museum or private home than a stopping place for hundreds of travelers, wheeling their luggage with kids in tow. As Clift’s Vice President of Design Mari Balestrazzi explains, high-end furnishings are an important part of the hotel’s distinct charm. “We’re like an interactive museum,” she says. “The pieces are real and some are quite expensive but it would take the fun out of it if we didn’t allow our guests to really use the spaces.”

Conceived by Philippe Starck ten years ago, the diverse range of lobby furniture is not only intriguing to the eye, but it also keeps the space fresh from a design perspective. Upon entering the hotel, guests come across Roberto Matta‘s homage to surrealist artist René Magritte—a stool posed as a green apple in a black bowler hat—and to their right they’ll find William Sawaya‘s octopus-like Darwish chair, a bronze four-seater custom-crafted for the hotel.

Salvador Dali’s Leda table unites a cluster of chairs in the main area, including Michel Haillard‘s Horn Sofa and a plexiglass and bronze side chair, designed by Starck and developed by the famed French atelier Thierry Goux (now known as Rinck). A few feet away sits Crystal Farm‘s “Elk Gentleman’s Chair,” a rustic piece more traditionally placed in a cabin in the woods, but in a swanky hotel, manages to round out the lobby’s warm vibes.

To the right of Gerard Garouste’s 18-foot bronze fireplace, along the Brazilian cherry back wall, a gold-hued chaise perfectly juxtaposes a slightly gruesome Bronze Chair chair sculpted by Sawaya & Moroni.

Starck’s aptly named Big Arm chair—the focus of a city-wide scavenger hunt and a piece of furniture guests are encouraged to climb on or crawl under to see a “childish” design surprise—serves as a perfect contrast to the hotel’s “Angel Chair.” Though sitting in that chair isn’t forbidden, the “Angel Chair” is the only furnishing with a slight “do-not-touch” vibe. Vice President of Guest Experience Dave Freiberger explains that the beautifully ornate chair—positioned by itself near the lobby elevators—is the only one remaining from the original Clift lobby, designed in 1918. The leather chair features gargoyle-like lions and a cherubic boy carved into each wooden arm, recalling the hotel’s formerly lavish Italian Renaissance decor.

Home to one of California’s most expensive and unique collections of designer furniture, Clift stands out for staying authentic to its boutique hotel atmosphere despite its 300 rooms. Balestrazzi speaks to the choice in luxury over durability, stating simply, “We want our guests to feel engaged by their surroundings.”