Hearth Too. NYC

This is a second version of Hearth. The earlier one was much more simplistic; and this one catches the essence of the restaurant more richly than the 'beginner' version [I think it's the chimney that does it...]. I'm particularly proud of the way the flame image from the card continue across the roof and canopy. Oh, Joy!

Hearth is on the north western? edge of the East village [not sure exactly where the village starts and stops]. The wine list is excellent and the food is great. Rustic, but refined, if you know what I mean. This place means 'comfort food' to us, so we've trudged there in ankle-deep snow, on bitterly cold nights, for some good hospitality and warming food.

c. 2005

Bluehill. New York

A-H-H-H-H! Bluehill at Stone Barns!!!! I cannot recommend this place heartily enough. It is just above New York City, along the Hudson River, just outside Tarrytown. Totally worth the drive out of the city. Some years back, Dan Barber, the chef at Bluehill Restaurant in the city cut a deal with David Rockefeller to turn his family estate into a working organic farm with a restaurant and educational center. and it is worth every penny of the tens of millions of dollars they spent in making it operable and beautiful. Its worth the trip just for the stonework, let alone the beautiful wood beams and wonderful lighting.

Then, there is the food. OMG!!!!! Elegant, imaginative, fresh, beautiful food! and a great wine list....


If you have been paying attention, you will remember this card was used to make the Virginia cabin, some posts back. I admitted in that posting, I believe, that I had borrowed the cardstock because it looked like stacked logs. Well, now you can see the *real* restaurants representation. I may have to make another one or two...I want to make the grouping of buildings around a stone courtyard which you walk through on the way from the valet parking point to the restaurant...you get a peek into several other structures...must go up there for one of the tours or classes....

c. 2004

Blowfish. San Francisco

Blowfish is [I guess it still "is"- I haven't been there in years...] a brash, 'happenin'' sushi place in San Francisco. Its decor is intended to be as*dangerous* as its name implies. I vaguely remember it as dark, with hot spots of lights, noisy maybe...but the noise may have been all visual...

The sushi was yummy. I don't know why we haven't gone back. Could be because there are always newer places to try in that oh-so-receptive city.

The shape of this tinybuilding is also trying to be *dangerous* and noisy. Sort of mysterious and dark inside-and-out. Maybe a sushi speakeasy.....I think this was the first unusual roofline i attempted. Somehow, a hip roof with gables just wasn't gonna say *dangerous*. This tinybuilding is about 1-1/2 inches tall.

c. 2002

Bacchanalia. Atlanta

If I remember correctly, this is one of my early tinybuildings. At least, I hope so, because it is rather boring. It does have some degree of dignity about it- mainly due to the design of the business card- but, it's a little too elemental.....

Bacchanalia is a very respected and successful 'upper class' restaurant now located in Atlanta's West Village area. Originally, it was about a block from our family home in Buckhead. James and I used to go there for very special celebrations. As it became so successful, they relocated to have more room, and to upgrade the environs. My kids and I have been to the new site a couple times.

More recently, the owners/chef have opened several other restaurants around Atlanta; and a specialty food shop adjacent to Bacchanalia. The shop- Star Provisions- is the source of the next tinybuilding.

c. 2000

Citizen Cake. San Francisco

Hmmmmm. This was one of my earliest tinybuildings; and the cardstock, being coated, was very hard to work with. At least those are the excuses I'm using for such crude workmanship. But, it has some redeeming qualities: it's shiny, looks a little bit like the *real* restaurant, has some cute awnings, and the 'patisserie CAFE'' is nicely composed. Citizen Cake is about 1-1/2 inches tall. [and needs some repair...must go visit it.]

We haven't been to this restaurant in a long time. Don't know why exactly- probably because there are so many newer, better choices now. Food was good, maybe not great. Space was nice.

c. 2000

Fritti. Atlanta

Fritti is a pizza restaurant in one of the 'hippest' neighborhoods in Atlanta. [Showing my demographics, huh?] They have yummy fancified pizzas- my favorite is one with roasted lemon slices and arugula. Very refreshing. Fritti sits a few doors down from a more upscale sister restaurant- Sotto Sotto.

This restaurant didn't exist when my kids were still living in ATL, but we have gone there on many of their few returns to the old home. And I'm happy to say they like it as much as I do.

This cute little rendition of Fritti [love to say the name...] is about 3/4" tall and resides at some really good friends' home...on their mantle, I believe. I borrowed it to take a pic. I have been calling home all these wandering tinybuildings, for a visit and a photo session. It is really hard to let them leave again. Sort of like my kids coming to visit and eat lemon-sliced pizza.

c. 2003

Midnight Sun. An original edition

Talk about old memories! Anyone who was in Atlanta in the early Seventies remembers this restaurant and dinner theatre in Downtown Atlanta, in one of John Portman's developments. It was groundbreaking-ly sophisticated for Atlanta; an *import* from Scandinavia-one of Portman's sources of inspiration, apparently. The decor and furnishings were knock-offs of the likes of Aalto and the food was accompanied by bottles of aquavit encased in a flower-encrusted sleeve of ice. Talk about Kitsch, but it worked...

There was a sister restaurant in the complex...more casual lunch place...that served wonderful open-faced sandwiches. Can't remember the name of it, but I do remember the shrimp and butter sandwiches. OMG! Wish I had one now.

This tinybuilding was made by James from a matchbook. You can see at the base of the building the *close cover before striking* admonishment. It is about 1-1/2" tall.

c. 1980

Mas. New York City

Mas [French farmhouse] is a restaurant in the West Village with wonderful ambiance. It has been designed to portray its namesake with admirable restraint. No kitsch. No hype. Small space beautifully used. Has just enough dark wood, reminiscent of barn beams, to make the point; but doesn't hit you over the head with 'rustic'. A New York interpretation of a farmhouse- maybe wearing Prada, as *they* say.

The food is wonderful. We have had several family celebrations here, and are happy every time we return.

This tinybuilding is [I've said this several times before, I know...] one of my favorites. I love that the blades of grass encouraged the random openings in the facade. Think of them as worn out barn siding...holes in the side of the structure where the cows can peek in or out. Where the chickens can escape. Where the kids can sneak away to play instead of milking those cows.

But, on the other side of the tinybuilding is * the truth*. This is a farmhouse, with orderly windows; but, what? no door?! hahaha. This is the only tinybuilding without a door. Love it!!!

The Mas farmhouse/barn is about 1-1/2" tall. It is as wonderful as it is mainly due to the exquisite business card it is made from. Beautiful paper and printing and unusual, almost square size/proportion. Really conducive to a special no-door tinybuilding. Hooray!

c. 2006

Cafe Lettus. San Francisco

This is a restaurant that personifies *everyday* San Francisco at its most down-to-earth [pun intended]. It serves food made with organic, locally grown ingredients, with an emphasis on freshness. This is the kind of restaurant you wish were in *your* neighborhood when you are craving a really good salad, and can't think of anyplace that can fill that need.

The graphics of the card are very well suited to the place. Slightly too 'corporate', but still refreshing. [heehee] I did not try to make a tinybuilding that would match the actual place, but did consider the layout of the card in forming the facades and roof. I like the window pattern and the cute little roof over the front door. Maybe this is a tall farmhouse on an organic farm somewhere in California....tall [ about 1-1/4 inch] and skinny, for the farmer and his wife in that painting...

c. 2006

Prune. New York City

This is one of the best restaurants in NYC, in the USA....Tiny place in the East Village, owned by a woman chef whose childhood nickname was Prune. Excellent food, very vibrant, comfortable atmosphere. Always crowded and hectic, but somehow you don't mind people jostling your elbow getting to their table or gazing at the food on your plate while they look over the menu.

The restaurant is in the ground floor of one of the ubiquitous apartment buildings that border all the sidewalks in Manhattan. I don't know it there is really a skylight on the back side of the roof, but it seemed like there oughta be. Maybe because Prune somehow makes you think of a Parisian bistro/brasserie...might be the tall skinny windows and the old mirrors and woodwork inside.

They have a great Sunday brunch; and the roasted fish on the dinner menu is melt-in-your-mouth good. Always interesting side dishes.

c. 2005

Morimoto. Philadelphia

I love this tinybuilding! I am proud of how much it resembles the actual restaurant. Go to the morimoto link and see what I mean. It was difficult to build....curved roof/ceiling...tiny benches...This, obviously, took several business cards, breaking one of the 'rules'; but, it's worth it to have the name down each side and the address between the 'slots' in the back wall.


In the restaurant one of the designer's 'gimmicks' is to have the plastic furniture units change colors through embedded colored lights. I decided not to try that.....kinda tacky, anyway...

Sushi here is outstanding. Beautifully presented, of course. And imaginative.

c. 2002

Lupa. New York City

Lupa is one of Mario Batali's restaurants. My favorite, in fact. It has the feel of a 'neighborhood hangout' place, but with very good food. Not unlike Delfina in San Francisco [although, Delfina's food is even better I think].

It is particularly pleasant to eat at the bar, even with all the foot traffic and bustle. The energy level is great. Pasta, yummy roasted artichokes, Prosecco....We have had lots of good meals there. Makes you feel like a New York Insider to be there, somehow.

The actual building is not shaped like this Lupa 'diner'. But the atmosphere and attitude is sorta Italian Diner, I thought. Hence-the Lupa Diner.

c. 2002

Delfina. San Francisco

Let me tell you about the most wonderful 'food street' in San Francisco...maybe even in the U.S. - Eighteenth Street, between Guerrero and Dolores, in the Mission district...This is foodie heaven. On the corner is Tartine Bakery. Next to it it Delfina Pizzeria, an annex to Delfina. and next to that is Bi-Rite Market, a small, family-owned market with everything you could want to prepare a wonderful meal. A little farther up the street, and across, is Bi-Rite Creamery...unimaginably good ice cream in very imaginative flavors.

So, walking less than a block, you can have brunch, a very special pizza, shop for dinner or make a reservation at Delfina, then hop just the block for an ice cream cone to carry around the block as you try to walk off the pounds. You will have had some of the best meals ever! No exaggeration.

This particular tinybuilding is my granddaughter's. She had dinner there when she was about two weeks old. She was very well behaved and charmed all the staff and customers. Her parents also have a Delfina in their collection because it is a very special place to them. They got engaged there, had their rehearsal dinner there, and have celebrated many other times of there lives together there.

Delfina is about 3/4 inch square. The shape is somehow reminiscent of Tuscan farm outbuildings I saw there some years back. The *real* Delfina Restaurant was originally inspired by a small well-respected restaurant of the same name somewhere in Tuscany. We tried to eat there on our travels, but it was vacation season and the owners and chef had fled to wherever Italians go when they just can't stand one more American.

If you find yourself in San Francisco, go to Delfina and order the tomato-sauced pasta. So simple and so delicious.

c. 2007

Universal Cafe. San Francisco

This is the most recent tinybuilding in my granddaughter's collection. She has, at 4 months, already dined there at least twice.

This is one of the rare situations where the graphics of the restaurant's business card do not do the restaurant justice. The design, service and food and wine at Universal Cafe are much more sophisticated than this ugly card. I mean, why the red and blue; and why that nasty distorted star?

So, I had a rather hard time convincing myself to make a structure from it. If the restaurant didn't have such a presence in the SFO family's lives, I would never have bothered. My response was to make a little visual joke: the shape of the tinybuilding is reminiscent of a church - the Universal church. hahaha.

But here it is. The Universal 'church' is about 1-1/2 inch tall.

c. 2007

Hiltl Cottages. Zurich

These tiny cottages, with steep roofs to shed the snow in ski season, are made from business cards of a great vegetarian restaurant, an institution, in Zurich. Jane and I ate there with Christina Ruegg's brother and his now-wife, a couple years ago. I wish there were such a place in Atlanta or even NYC or SFO.

Like the Toblerone tinybuilding, they were made for Jane's SDOTY Party.

The tinybuildings are *tiny* - about 1/2 inch square, and 3/4 inch tall. Because they're so small, I made two of them so they could protect each other....

As a 'thank you' for introducing us to this wonderful food place, I made
Christina's brother a replica of the Hiltl building. It is the most complex tinybuilding I've ever made. I'm hoping to get photos of it from him, because the ones I had were lost in an earlier computer meltdown.

c. 2005

Log Cabin. Virginia

This is one of my very favorite tinybuildings. It is a replica of log cabin, in the woods near Falls Church, Virginia. The business card is from Blue Hill @ Stone Barn, a really special restaurant and organic farm in the Hudson Valley, north of Manhattan.

I have made several copies of the cabin, as gifts for various families with connection to it; hence the multiple 'collections' label.

I prefer for the buildings to represent whatever the business card is from, but the stripes on the back of the restaurant's card so perfectly mimicked the horizontal lines of the log cabin, I just couldn't resist.

The tinybuilding is 'to scale' with the original cabin, which is in an idyllic locale, resting in a small clearing in some woods- visibly removed from the neighborhood that surrounds it, but within an easy hike through the woods.

c. 2005

Pizzetta 123. San Francisco

A tiny pizza 'parlor' that is not much bigger than the tinybuilding version.

This is an 'interpretive' structure- the original restaurant is on the street level of a 3-4 story building. The graphics of the business card, with the large, bold numbers, inspired the shape of the structure -'super' graphics redeux.

c. 2005

Hearth. NYC

One of the really nice restaurants in the East Village, it has been the site of some great meals...they have an impressive wine list and great service. We have had several family celebrations there.

The pencil marks are 'proof' this is handmade....and they add to the character....

c. 2005