la bodega...

One of my nearest and dearest friends, Jacqueline Schell, is getting married next weekend, so last weekend we took a trip to Kansas City, MO for her bachelorette party. We spent Saturday afternoon roaming the Plaza and then our limo picked us up at 7:30 and took us to the most amazing little restaurant, La Bodega.

I immediately fell in love as soon as I stepped outside of the limo, this little restaurant had so much character. Once I was inside it sealed the deal...completely infatuated. 

La Bodega is known for its tapas, which are small appetizer-like dishes. My friend and I ordered 3 each to share and it was more than enough food and everything was so delicious.

One of my favorite dishes was Crespelle de Feta y Puerros, which was thin crepes layered with feta cheese, leeks and basil. Absolutely amazing!

There are frescos painted on the walls and the table are topped with authentic Spanish tiles. The atmosphere was everything you want in a restaurant and more. I felt like I had stepped off the street in KCMO and into a cafe in Spain.

We ordered pitchers of red and white sangria, both of which were oh so tasty.

Every once and a while the sweet smell of cinnamon would fill the room and you would look around and find a waiter with a flaming wine glass in hand. This drink, turned art form, is known as Spanish Coffee...while I didn't try any, it smelt and looked amazing and definitely gives me a reason to revisit this wonderful little restaurant.

La Bodega's original location is in Kansas City, Missouri, and there is also one in Leawood, Kansas. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who happens to be in the area. The food is wonderful and the atmosphere is even better! From what I understand during happy hour their entire menu is 1/2 off, which is definitely a great deal! 

a not so secret obsession...

Those of you who know me, know I have somewhat of a problem when it comes to shopping...new clothes and accessories just make me happy! And there's something about the whole shopping experience that I find therapeutic (with the exception of shopping at Forever21 which is a completely different experience). 

My current, number one, go-to when I'm needing a fix is Riffraff! 

For those of you who have not discovered this fabulous store yet, you're missing out! The owner, Kirsten Blowers, is a U of A alum with a degree in Interior Design. She opened Riffraff in 2009 in a small space on Mission blvd and has since moved to the current location on the Fayetteville square. Riffraff sells a variety of woman's apparel, jewelry, gifts, painted furniture, and host over 190 local artisans who sell their hand-made treasures. If you haven't gotten a chance to check one of Fayetteville's finest local retail stores, I highly recommend it! 

a few of my favorite things...

If you're not from around Fayetteville you can check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RiffraffFayetteville  and their blog at http://shopriffraff.blogspot.com/ They'll ship anywhere!

the wizarding world of Harry Potter...

Oh yes that is right, Harry Potter! I've been a fan since the very first book came out when I was 10. I spent countless hours reading the series, consumed by the wonderful world of magic and wizards. I was even more excited when the movies came out, I finally got to see Hogwarts on the big screen! (Watching HP and the Deathly Hollows Part 1 as I type!) And in the spirit of Part 1 of the last movie coming out on DVD this weekend I'm going to share Universal Studio's interpretation of what Harry Potter's Wizarding World is like! While I've not visited Harry Potter World yet, it is on my list of things to do very soon! When I first heard about the project I wished so badly that I could have been part of the design team, it would have been a dream come true! Nerdy, I know, but I can't help it...

Thierry Coup is the man behind it all! He is the Vice President of Creative Development for Universal Creative and the executive in charge of all media production for Universal Parks and Resorts. He started his career creating special effects for feature films like Back to the future and in the early 90's Walt Disney Imagineering approached him and asked if he as interested in theme park design. He's been behind the design of Tomorrowland, Space Mountain and many others! And most recently HP world! What an exciting, rewarding career! 

on to the next one...

The first project of the semester is finally completely over with; ending in a very stressful presentation to some of the member's of our Professional Advisory Board. 

Gasp for air.

Now it's time to dive back in and start the next project. Last week we were presented with our last project of the semester, we're to design a very small scale health clinic, specializing in anything we choose, but to be based on our local community's needs. While researching health clinics I stumbled upon a beautiful facility featured in Contract Magazine as a 2011 Interiors Award winner. The Dubai Mall Medical Centre is located in the middle of one of the world's most prestigious retail locations, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The designer, NBBJ, was presented with the challenge of designing a clinic amidst top retail brands like Christian Dior, Armani, Tom Ford, and many others. Many were surprised to find that the solution was not full of gleam and glamour, but simplicity and elegance.

Reception/Waiting Space

Reception Desk

Examination Room

Nurses Station

The Dubai Mall Medical Center is a 60,000 sq.ft. multi-specialty medical center that offers a complete range of medical specialties and health care services. The design is a complete sensoral experience that appeals to patients' five senses. The palette of finish materials, has a variety of textures throughout the waiting areas and clinical spaces, and is composed of a limited range of neutral colors that were "derived from an abstract process of pixilation applied to photos of Dubai and local indigenous landscapes, bringing vitality and a sense of serenity to the environment." 

This just goes to show that health care projects can be very beautiful. 

blood, sweat, and tears...

For the last month I've slept little, ate poorly, and made it to the gym about twice. And this is why...

Our major project this semester was an office space for a publishing company. The tenant space we were given was in a building in Rogers, AR located in Pinnacle Hills. Because the company publishes books for art, architecture, and design I found "edgy" to be appropriate so I selected bold colors but kept the entire space unified with white and tones of grays. Below, I've posted my final images of some of the spaces...

The Reception Desk

The Mezzanine.

Below is the kitchen, break room and conference room, above is the open library and exhibition space.

The open office space and collaborative lounge space in the foreground.

A section cut through the mezzanine, reception area and production department.

A section cut through the front of the building looking at the mezzanine and various office spaces.