"Meanwhile, Back in 1908 . . . "

Greetings,

There are several facts that I am quite willing to state about myself; I have a great passion for all things tartan. My excitement about the new season of Mad Men borders on illness. When given the choice, I would always rather swim than run.

And, when in New York - I'm always an Upper East Side kinda guy. Much like San Francisco, each neighborhood in New York feels very specific. And my antique cuff-linked, bow-tie wearing, preppy soul usually lands quite comfortably on the UES. It's where I always stay when I'm in town. I know where the closest Sarabeth's is (Madison and 92nd!). And I can walk to Stubbs and Wootton.

"Do you have a reservation?"

But, this last trip had to be cobbled together quickly - so whilst hurriedly putting plans together - I thought I'd experiment a little, maybe be a bit adventurous, and head west. Way west. And frankly, a goodly ways south as well. To a different part of the city. So . . . without further ado . . . for the first few days of my visit . . . let me introduce you to . . .

The Jane Hotel

It's way over by the Hudson in the west village. And frankly, it's kind of like staying on a set of a 1940's noir detective film - and seems to be somewhat proudly decrepit. In fact, I keep expecting to see Phillip Marlowe sprinting across the lobby on his way to solve another crime. Velvet curtains frame every window. But with young hipsters waiting for the elevator. Huge potted palms rise from every corner. But with hip-hop music streaming from the bar. And it doesn't just feel historic - it IS historic.

Built in 1908 and designed by William A. Boring - the renowned architect of the Ellis Island Immigrant Station - its original task was to house sailors in small 'ship's cabin-like' rooms. And those single bed rooms still remain. But, there are also larger "Captain's Cabins" . . . spacious and only somewhat spooky.

Here are some other images from my stay . . .

The "Jane Ballroom" Bar

Beautifully coloured and delightfully threadbare flame-stitched textile covers this 12 foot bench in the lobby.

Tile work, vintage lighting, and tapestries in the entrance.

And I LOVE these brass sconces in my room.

I have a client using a similar light fixture in his project - and I *know* his

head just exploded with excitement at seeing this installation.

"Captains Room"

An antique brass bed. Flat screen TV. WiFi. And I'm totally fascinated by the upholstered walls . . . in a beautiful peacock-feather woven textile. I took a few other pictures of the walls - but, couldn't quite capture its beauty on film.

Bottled water delivered by the charming man who operates the elevator.

Yes, Virginia, there's an elevator operator.

And a classic bathroom. With innumerous square-feet of

subway tile . . . and European bath fittings.

and I love having "tepid" as one of the temperature options in my shower.

Or you can choose one of the historic "Standard Cabins" -

which contain a simple twin bed - and with shared bath facilities down the hall.

Not for everyone - but, a great price for a simple night's rest.

nighty-night,

tartanscot

some images pulled from the Jane Hotel website.

some images pulled from the New York Times article.

"SF Decorator Showcase, Michael Burg . . . "

Michael Burg

Greetings,

Quite often when I visit a decorator showcase, I'm always so excited to get to the top floor. When I was part of the showcase house for the first time (good Lord, almost 15 years ago), we were up there. And I loved it. Often the top floor rooms in these grand old homes were designed to only be used as servants quarters - and so they tend to be small, low-ceilinged spaces, with oddly shaped and/or placed windows, or - in other words - the perfect test of a designer's skills.

So, up the stairs to the top floor I go - because with this myriad of challenges - the resulting designs are quite often some of the most creative spaces in the house. And this year, local designer Michael Burg was clearly up to the task. When offered the small, low ceilinged, dark room - with the tiny french doors and even tinier balcony - he simply stepped back, closed his eyes and saw . . .

A retreat inspired by a marvelous, chic European hotel room . . .

the perfect place to retire after a busy day in a new, mysterious city.

Complete with antique secretary for correspondence.

And cutting-edge, modern electronics . . .

A custom-designed tufted leather daybed.

And antique mortician's chest used as a side table.

(and how much do you LOVE the little corner sink. When Michael began to work on the space, the first question asked of him was, "we assume you'd like us to remove that tired, dirty old sink?" "Don't you dare!" he replied. "It's going to be perfect."

The dark tone-on-tone wall coverings (intricately covering every surface - including the multi-faceted ceiling) give the space even more drama and provide the perfect backdrop for the chic, well-edited furnishings.

And what hotel room would be complete without a collection of toiletries and libations in an antique brass vitrine mounted right above that marvelous corner sink!

getting ready to dive into bed myself,

tartanscot

for more information on the SF Decorator Showcase, click here.