Friday night I hit Andersonville for dinner at Hopleaf (love!) and to check out the work of Meriellen Johnson at Scout, where owner Larry Vodak was hosting a reception for her. I’d seen her primitive yet somehow sophisticated and very endearing charcoals and pastels of plants and flowers before at Scout, and was eager to see more of her stuff. The pieces, many in vintage frames from Argentina from Architectural Artifacts were vivid and wonderful and the place was packed. There are still some left, so be sure to check them out. Across the street at Las Manos Gallery was another great exhibit by a local artist: Chuck Meyers (shown at right). Most of the paintings there were of scenes in Andersonville. How appropriate for a night out in this always fun hood.

—Gina Bazer

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Friday night I hit Andersonville for dinner at Hopleaf (love!) and to check out the work of Meriellen Johnson at Scout, where owner Larry Vodak was hosting a reception for her. I’d seen her primitive yet somehow sophisticated and very endearing charcoals and pastels of plants and flowers before at Scout, and was eager to see more of her stuff. The pieces, many in vintage frames from Argentina from Architectural Artifacts were vivid and wonderful and the place was packed. There are still some left, so be sure to check them out. Across the street at Las Manos Gallery was another great exhibit by a local artist: Chuck Meyers (shown at right). Most of the paintings there were of scenes in Andersonville. How appropriate for a night out in this always fun hood.

—Gina Bazer

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Friday night I hit Andersonville for dinner at Hopleaf (love!) and to check out the work of Meriellen Johnson at Scout, where owner Larry Vodak was hosting a reception for her. I’d seen her primitive yet somehow sophisticated and very endearing charcoals and pastels of plants and flowers before at Scout, and was eager to see more of her stuff. The pieces, many in vintage frames from Argentina from Architectural Artifacts were vivid and wonderful and the place was packed. There are still some left, so be sure to check them out. Across the street at Las Manos Gallery was another great exhibit by a local artist: Chuck Meyers (shown at right). Most of the paintings there were of scenes in Andersonville. How appropriate for a night out in this always fun hood.

—Gina Bazer

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Dinner and a Work of Art

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Friday night I hit Andersonville for dinner at Hopleaf (love!) and to check out the work of Meriellen Johnson at Scout, where owner Larry Vodak was hosting a reception for her. I’d seen her primitive yet somehow sophisticated and very endearing charcoals and pastels of plants and flowers before at Scout, and was eager to see more of her stuff. The pieces, many in vintage frames from Argentina from Architectural Artifacts were vivid and wonderful and the place was packed. There are still some left, so be sure to check them out. Across the street at Las Manos Gallery was another great exhibit by a local artist: Chuck Meyers (shown at right). Most of the paintings there were of scenes in Andersonville. How appropriate for a night out in this always fun hood.

—Gina Bazer

Modern—in Sickness and in Health

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The Jewish marriage contract, or Ketubah, is something every couple that gets married before a rabbi must sign. It’s also something many newlyweds like to turn into art for their homes. Plenty of Web sites and Judaica shops offer services that will transform your Ketubah into a “work of art,” but few (if any) offer a modern sensibility (which is in large part—the other part is pure laziness—why my own Ketubah is on 8½ by 11 Xerox paper, folded up, in a drawer). Mod Jewish couples listen up: Jason Pickleman of JNL Graphic Design (see our story about his home here ), the creative mind behind all that cool lettering on the walls at the Montrose station on the Brown line and much more, just emailed us about his latest venture, CoolKetubah. His hip designs would really fit into any decor.

—Gina Bazer

Tru Colors

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Steve Koch’s Serenity Sofa and Juno Lounge Chair fit into any decor. When Doug Van Tress opened his huge new location of The Golden Triangle, he called Steve Koch, a local furniture designer and manufacturer who owns Koch-Smith at the Merchandise Mart, to help him out. Van Tress needed furniture to help customers visualize how … Read more

Log On

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  New York–based FTF Design Studio (a small firm that has done homes for Christy Turlington and Ed Burns, Shalom Harlow, and François Nars) has been using Corian to make furniture and accessories for the past two years. Their latest creation, a multipurpose rack (put to use as the modernist’s dream log holder, above), comes … Read more

Gifts for All

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If you haven’t already checked out our November/December story “Great Gifts Under $50,” click here for some great ideas. And for a few more, may I also suggest hitting up the MCA’s gift shop? The quirky selection is perfect for small gifts that pack a punch and don’t deplete the pocketbook. Here are two fun ones: These cutely packaged acetaminophen tablets ($7.50) crack me up and would probably put a smile on my face even if I had a headache. I also love notebooks of any kind, and the MCA store has plenty! This fun 160-page journal is only $12.  See more clever options here. Does anyone else have favorite places to shop for cheap and chic gifts?

—Gina Bazer

Under the Radar

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Crazy about the non-new? Prepared to travel to unlikely locales or navigate a warehouse or the Web to find really good pieces? Here are three local hidden treasures you should know about

Top Nadeau

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Cycle two of Bravo’s Top Design competition has come to an end, and the esteemed judges picked Nathan as the winner of the $100,000 cash and the four-page spread in Elle Décor magazine. Woo hoo. It seemed like the contestants were picked for their annoying laughs, celebrity relatives, or ability to perform shirtless, not for any great discernible design vision, and I mostly just watched to see what that crazy Kelly Wearstler would be wearing (a glitter beret and ankle socks with heels—cool!) and to hear Jonathan Adler’s snarky comments (these people were obviously working on his last, bare-ankled nerve by finals) rather than for design ideas. For the last challenge, the final three playas were given some cash and set off to furnish a townhouse. Beefy, Baldy, and Boho ran around L.A., and I was pleased to see them make a stop at Nadeau Imports. I’ve been a fan of the Chicago branch since it opened—they have a jam-packed warehouse full of solid wood furniture and accessories at unbelievable prices. One of the pieces Nathan picked was a huge Indian chest made of reclaimed wood, and Nadeau’s Midwest manager Keith Heric tells me they have one in stock that’s very similar (pictured above, 60” x 33” x 37”, $646). Using it in a smallish room with neutral furnishings almost cost Nathan his tiara (probably didn’t help that he referred to it as “an S&M sarcophagus”) but I think it’s got a great goth look, and would make a swell table base in a more suitable mise-en-scene. See you later, decorator! 

—BRADLEY LINCOLN

Faire Fun

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Don’t miss the St. Chrysostom’s Day School Holiday Faire this weekend, offering home accessories, jewelry, clothing, and more from dozens of local vendors, including interior design doyenne Alessandra Branca (witness her gorgeous taste in photo at left) and Home + Garden’s own style guru, contributing editor Barri Leiner, whose jewelry line, M&B Vintage (examples shown at right), is about as charming as it gets. The fair also offers free activities for kids and entertainment for adults. 1424 N. Dearborn Pkwy., 312-642-3422.

—Gina Bazer