Here’s to a peaceful end to 2023 and inspiring start to 2024!
4 Inspiration Boards
Case Study #10 | Donna Mintz Custom Commission
Recently we completed a large installation at a private residence here in Atlanta. The home had been in the process of renovation, overseen by designer extraordinaire Mallori Hamilton of Uncommon Studios. She pulled in APP to assist with sourcing some showstopper art for the clients, and we were happy to deliver. We commissioned Donna Mintz, with the assistance of Sandler Hudson Gallery, to create one of her custom gold leaf creations for the dining room.
To learn more about how the artwork developed,
please flip through our latest Case Study below…
Case Study #9 | Peter Ferrari Mural at Mabra Law Firm
We have been thrilled to work with Ronnie Mabra on the further development of the already amazing art collection he has amassed at his Blandtown law office. One recent commission we assisted with was a custom mural by Atlanta artist Peter Ferrari. The piece pays homage to the work Ronnie does, and serves to enlighten and empower his employees on a daily basis.
To learn more about how the artwork developed,
please flip through our latest Case Study below…
Case Study #8 | Voco Sarasota Custom Mural
In this quickie of a case study, we wanted to give a glimpse into how we developed and executed an amazing custom mural for the Voco Sarasota Hotel’s restaurant and bar. Artist Kipper Millsap used IHG’s brand standards, particularly the avian theme, as a jumping off point, conscientiously developing it into something that felt on-brand for both the hotel and the artist. To keep with the hotel’s timeline, artist Kayleen Scott was brought in to install the mural, using a fully planned out template made by Kipper. The result speaks for itself! A memorable and “Instagrammable” moment for customers and the hotel."
Our 2022 Wrap-Up
Reflecting on the year 2022, I am so very grateful to work with artists and design creatives. I love that our work involves transforming spaces, like the corridor at Mabra Law firm where Atlanta artist Peter Ferrari painted a vision of beauty and a bold statement for Justice.
I’m in awe of how we transform materials, like how local artist Taylor Means did with Novelis, where he repurposed used aluminum cans into a gorgeous Atlanta Hawks logo for State Farm Arena.
And I adore working with the ever-talented Sarah Davis, who makes accessories fit intentionally into spaces, and designs the most fabulous custom art pieces, such as the artwork she made for The Interlock in the west side of Atlanta, giving life and modernity to historic local photographs.
2022 HIGHLIGHTS
We went international!
Completed artwork for 2 new Reverb Hotels in Hamburg, Germany and Phuket, Thailand
Created a custom artwork package with Avella Design for the Curacao Courtyard Marriott
Completed our first-ever retirement community art package for the beautifully designed The Cardinal at North Hills in Raleigh, NC with THW Design.
Collaborated with C+TC Design to create a beautiful art package in a Sarasota hotel, part of the new boutique hotel line Voco, from IHG.
Created and installed our first art package for a fire station in Sandy Springs, GA.
Completed two innovative projects with the Atlanta Hawks
Art’d up 100 basketballs for a sculptural commission commemorating State Farm’s 100th Anniversary
Built a 10’ diameter sculpture of the Hawks Logo out of recycled aluminum cans
Created Custom Commissions...
A custom Jeremy Brown for The Interlock, a multi-use complex in the booming west side of Atlanta.
Added to the already impressive art collection of the Mabra Law Firm in Blandtown, including a custom Justice mural by Peter Ferrari and rubber wall sculptures by Gregor Turk.
A colossal bicycle wheel wall sculpture built by Jesse Spade for George Mason University’s off-campus housing complex The Flats in Fairfax, VA, in conjunction with Niles Bolton.
Several pieces custom created for residential clients, from artists such as Atlanta artist Janice Rago and Charleston artist Kerry Steele.
Accolades to Our Clients…
Bacán Restaurant at the Lake Nona Wave Hotel received Michelin Guide recognition.
Larson Nichols was named one of NEWH Atlanta’s top interior design firms for 2023.
Mabra Law Firm received an Award of Excellence from the Atlanta Urban Design Commission/Department of City Planning. The award honors their achievement in new construction, historic preservation, public art, and landscape design for their offices in the Blandtown neighborhood of Atlanta..
And other exciting things...
Artist Interviews with Jermaine Clark, Michelle Armas, Kyle “Black Cat Tips” Brooks, and Janice Rago
3 Case Studies giving insight into our process on past projects
3 Inspiration Boards
Wishing you all the renewed energy + excitement a new year can bring...
Amy Parry Projects
Please note: we will be closed for our holiday recharge from
December 23rd through January 2nd
Case Study #7 | The Memphian Hotel
We love a unique project, and The Memphian Hotel in Memphis, TN certainly fit the bill. The hotel’s owner is a Memphis native, and she gave a keen directive to pay tribute to the lively history of the neighborhood, but with an eclectic twist. Armed with a treasure trove of vintage photographs, APP set to work on creating pieces that married the bright and eye-catching decor of the hotel with the nostalgia of Memphis’ Overton Square.
To learn more about how the artwork developed,
please flip through our latest Case Study below…
Case Study #6 | Aaron Whisner
In 2018, Amy Parry Projects was approached by Gensler to create a youthful and music-centric art package for a new hotel developed by the Hard Rock brand. REVERB was meant to be a hotel for today’s young music fan, with a modern and tech-savvy approach to design. APP worked with artist Aaron Whisner to create a custom piece for the hotel’s co-working area, instilling the space with the artist’s street art sensibility, and creating a memorable “Instagram Moment.”
To learn more about how the artwork developed,
please flip through our latest Case Study below…
Closing out a very busy 2021...
With many entire hotel projects completed this year, I was reminded time and again the value of collaboration. We are constantly learning from each other within our APP team, from the talented interior designers who bring us on and the artists that create the work; but we also learn from the lighting designers, marketing managers, engineers, contractors, chefs, general managers and hotel owners.
Collaboration with creatives inspires and pushes us to experiment with new ideas and materials. Working with construction partners reminds us our potential for inventiveness within practical boundaries. Meeting with the managers and staff affirms that the art we place will be celebrated.
I am thankful for the varied and inventive collaboration with so many driven and talented people in our daily lives. Here’s to ending 2021 filled to the brim with accomplishments and invigorated for what the new year brings!
2021 HIGHLIGHTS
We completed several art packages for new-build Hotel Projects across three states...
The Memphian - an "eccentric" Tribute Portfolio in Memphis featuring vintage imagery in neon frames.
The Wylie Hotel - a storied building with beautiful, unique touches designed by Pixel Design Co.
The Bellyard Hotel - which won Best Midscale in the 2021 Boutique Design Gold Key Awards.
The WAVE Hotel Lake Nona - a massive, spectacular project with our friends at Blue Lantern Studio including 300+ pieces of art and accessories.
Created tons of Custom Commissions...
We kept Lacey Longino busy with two large murals (Bellyard + Aviary Summerhill) and her first large-scale textile piece (Camperdown, Greenville, SC)
Numerous commissions with Caroline Bullock resulting in a Case Study on her large-scale piece for Boca West Country Club.
The great scope of The WAVE Hotel allowed us to engage artists from all over the country including: Laura Fayer Kevin Chambers, Amy Rader, Amy Genser, Melissa Borrell, Sarah Gee Miller, Alex Proba and Janice Rago.
Saw great acknowledgements for two past bar/restaurant projects...
Society in DC's Hamilton Hotel included on Travel + Leisure's List "The 21 Coolest Hotel Bars in the World."
LylaLila included on the New York Times 2021 Restaurant List.
Had a couple of firsts...
Elegant renovation projects for two distinct Country Clubs. Excited to enter this market with the great designers who serve them - Larson Nichols + ai3.
Completed a super fun package for Encore at Georgia Tech, our first stand-alone co-working space.
Beginning work on our first entire-hotel art package in Europe - a first for the Reverb by Hardrock brand in Hamburg, Germany.
And other exciting things...
Announcement of another forthcoming Reverb in Kalamazoo, MI - a historic
preservation project turning the iconic Gibson Manufacturing Site into another state-of-the-art, music-centric hotel.
A large-scale custom wallcovering for the new Atlanta HQ for Variant.
The Atlanta Hawks went to the playoffs for the first time in 4 years and Derek Bruno returned to activate a central hallway in the Arena with a large-scale mural.
Artist Interviews with Koketit, Mike Black, Sarah Gee Miller and Erika Lee Sears
An increased focus on curated packages of accessories!
5 Inspiration Boards
One final note...
After seven years as Art Consultant and Director of Art Resources, Lisa Thrower will be moving on from her role with APP. Over the years, her unique vision has contributed to the variety within our projects and social media.
Please join us in wishing her our best in her new endeavors…
Wishing you all the renewed energy + excitement a new year can bring...
Amy Parry Projects
Please note: we will be closed for our holiday recharge from
December 24th through January 3rd
Case Study #4 | Caroline Bullock
We recently completed an elegant redesign of Boca West Country Club with the designers of Larson Nichols. Among the selected artwork was a custom commission by local Caroline Bullock - this package was definitely an Atlanta creation!
To learn more about the project and Caroline’s fascinating process behind
“Everything is Blooming Most Recklessly”
please flip through our latest Case Study below…
A look inside Georgia Tech's newest space for start-ups, Encore
By Erin Schilling – Technology Reporter/ Atlanta Inno, Atlanta Business Chronicle
Jul 8, 2021 Updated Jul 8, 2021, 1:30pm EDT
Startups can now lease space in Georgia Tech’s new office space in West Midtown, an area booming with new investment.
Encore, a 50,000-square-foot space, is part of The Interlock, a budding mixed-use development at the corner of Howell Mill and 14th Street.
Encore is meant to be the next step for startups graduating from the Advanced Technology Development Center, a long-running incubator sponsored by the state and hosted by Georgia Tech.
ATDC startups are often small, founding teams in the early stages of development, meaning they don’t need much office space. Encore caters to the next phase of a startup — one that’s building its team but not be quite ready to disconnect from the ATDC startup community.
Encore's co-working concept is popular among early-stage companies, where the community is just as important as the office space. Buckhead’s Atlanta Tech Village already models this concept and has incubated at least two startups, Calendly and SalesLoft, that have surpassed $1 billion valuations.
The new incubator has 13 suites available to companies, which hold about 14 to 30 people each. Startups can customize the space or lease two suites for more space. CairEA, an artificial intelligence-powered real estate analytics platform, moved in the beginning of this month.
Encore also has conference rooms, individual workspaces, a coffee bar and balcony available. The Interlock also includes Puttshack, Chase Bank and other restaurant tenants. The $750 million development has 160,000 square feet of office space, a 40,000-square-foot grocery store, 280 student housing units, a 190-key hotel and 20,000 additional square feet of retail space.
all photography by Katie Bricker Photography
APP Says Goodbye to 2020...
There really isn't another way to say it: 2020 was rough. The places and spaces we select art for were largely empty - travel was suspended and gatherings were skipped. Despite it all, Amy Parry Projects is proud of the work we did this year: several multi-year projects finally came to fruition and we began work on a couple of very exciting new ones. Hospitality design will continue to adapt and inspire and we will all undoubtedly gather again. As we turn the corner into 2021, we must reflect on the great collaborations and awesome imagery that have come out of this unprecedented year, and continue to count our creative blessings.
2020 Highlights:
Addition of Sarah Knight Davis, our Visual Design Director
5 Inspiration Boards
Custom Angie Jerez mural for Kabbage Inc. Conference Room
Production of a custom print for the Grand Rapids Canopy guestrooms - interview with Ken Wood here
Opening of the world’s first Reverb by Hard Rock with art package created exclusively by APP
Installation of two Multi-Family projects in our home-base of metro-ATL with Cooper Carry Interiors
Large-scale murals and textile work with Lacey Longino
Nike Commercial filmed at The People’s Entrance, State Farm Arena
Our first “auto gallery” curation with a custom print by Fabian Oefner - story here
Upgrades to the Crowne Plaza Jax Airport with DesignONE Studio - cinematic history theme
Georgia Tech Conference Center Hotel - new art for all guestrooms, suites and fitness center
Upgrades to the Marriott Marquis Atlanta Restaurant SEAR including custom textile by Sonya Yong James
Art Curation for another elegant, residential-style hotel on Ponce - Wylie Hotel is forthcoming!
Art Curation for the forthcoming Bellyard at the Interlock, a Marriott Tribute Hotel
Began work on major hotel project in Lake Nona, FL with Tavistock + Specified Agents
Started sharing a series of Case Studies starting with Pier2620, AMLI Lenox and LylaLila
Purchase of countless accessories
+++
Please enjoy a quick glance at some of our favorite projects and art memories…
May the new year bring you peace, health + happiness,
Amy Parry Projects
Partner Highlight - Methane Studios, ATL
In honor of the world’s first Reverb by Hard Rock (opening today in Atlanta, GA) we would like to highlight this custom Fender Stratocaster screen-print. This beauty was drawn up by local, award-winning illustration/design team Methane Studios specifically for this new music-centered hotel.
Since the summer of 2018, Amy Parry Projects has been collaborating with Gensler Atlanta and the Hard Rock team on the entire Reverb art package. It has been a fun challenge to design with genuine, hard-core music fans in mind - no matter their age or preferred genre. Located in the heart of downtown in walking distance to a number of amazing concert venues, Reverb is a cool place for these fans to stay and bask in the vibe.
As a nod to the rich history of concert “gig posters” APP was asked to provide an authentic print option for the Reverb guestrooms. From pared-down early rock-n-roll flyers to wild and complex psychedelic images, gig posters are works of art in and of themselves. They advertise the show, outlining all the “when and where” details and then later, they become relics of the good times we had.
Methane Studios definitely came through as the collaborative partner on this print-run. Their work is the real-deal epitome of hand-crafted. After reviewing a few different compositional sketches, we settled on a central guitar image with a surrounding array of southern flora and fauna. As we moved through the design process, Hard Rock wanted a Fender so the guitar naturally became a Stratocaster. The colors were informed by Reverb ‘s overall design palette and the inks were custom-mixed by Methane before they hand-pulled the prints.
While Reverb’s opening today is not technically a concert event, it’s a moment worth remembering in 2020 - a brand new Hard Rock hotel for a city that truly loves its music. As concert venues begin to open back up, Reverb will be there to give fans a place to crash before and after the show. The APP + Methane Studios print appears in each guestroom and will also be available for purchase if guests want to commemorate their Reverb experience.
For more information, please visit:
www.reverb.hardrockhotels.com | www.methanestudios.com
Announcing Our New Visual Design Director - Sarah Knight Davis
AP Projects is excited to announce that Sarah Knight Davis has recently joined the APP Team as our Visual Design Director - a brand new position within our firm.
Thank you to AD PRO for including this news in your weekly roundup)
Sarah is an artist, illustrator and designer who moved to the Atlanta area in 2019. As our Visual Design Director, she will be overseeing all of APP’s visual output prior to production. Sarah provides computer-aided skills for quick in-house designs as well as working to elevate and render art options to move our projects forward more expediently. In short, Sarah's talent is taking us up a notch (or two).
You can read more about Sarah on the About Section of our website.
In addition to telling you about her, we would like to show you what kind of art makes her happy. Please enjoy another new Inspiration Board (put together exclusively by Sarah)!
REVERB by Hard Rock - Summer 2020 in ATL
The Reverb by Hard Rock hotel is now slated to deliver this summer. (Earlier plans had called for debuting the hotel in February, just before the big basketball tournament, developers said last year).
The hotel stands 11 stories and is primed to offer 200 guest rooms, many of which will peer out at the stadium next door.
Amy Parry Projects is excited to see this project come to fruition after working with the Hard Rock brand to develop signature content and visuals that will be seen in the guestrooms and public spaces of numerous properties across the country.
Stay tuned for more details and a peek at what we have been putting together.
Amy Parry Projects Places a Unique Fabian Oefner Photograph
Fabian Oefner Meshing of Art + Science | by Mallory Johnson, 2019 Summer Intern
We recently chose one of Fabian Oefner’s disintegrating car images for a special client’s new auto gallery (designed by Blue Lantern Studios). The image will be customized to match the bright Mexico Blue of the owner’s personal Audi R8 which will be stored (among other vehicles) in the new space. The alteration of the original color not only makes this image exclusive to the client but it functions as an essential design element to tie the space together. This project goes to show that any room can be enhanced by the addition of artwork. Oefner’s dynamic, detailed and illusionistic image brings personalization and beauty to a space that is designed to be so much more than just a garage.
Oefner himself is an internationally renowned Swiss photographer whose work has been showcased from New York to Dubai. The artwork selected for this project comes from his series of images showing cars breaking apart. This particular large-scale photograph shows an Audi R8 frozen in time as it disintegrates. The front end of the vehicle is still intact while the rear is quite literally breaking away in front of our eyes. Against the black background every metallic component of the car stands out. Oefner allows the viewer to experience something that in reality would only last a split second. There is a certain satisfaction in not only being able to watch time stop, but also to see the inner workings of a luxury vehicle. On top of that, what we are looking at is entirely created by the artist. It is not a genuine explosion captured by Oefner’s camera, but a hyper realistic rendering based on thousands of individual photographs.
In order to create the Disintegrating series of images, Oefner photographs each part of the car, even the most miniscule elements. While it is a painstaking process, the outcome is an intricate image that highlights the elegance and integrity of each vehicle. There is a certain musical quality to the work as well. The way he has perfectly orchestrated this car to come apart makes the viewer feel as though they are watching a symphony of auto parts in which each nut and bolt is essential to the whole image. He stays true to the construction of each specific car, which ensures that the authenticity of the piece rings true even though it is a manufactured “explosion.” Oefner is unique in his conception of the image; it is a scientific dissection of the whole vehicle rather than just the fiery wreckage of a high-performance car.
One major element at play in this artwork is the concept of time. In his own words, “There is a unique pleasure about artificially building a moment… Freezing a moment in time is stupefying.” Oefner’s scientific approach to art and a preoccupation with conceptual ideas are best explained in his 2013 TED talk, “Psychedelic Science.” In this intriguing talk, Oefner explains his artistic purpose and offers insight into how he brings his images to life. He clearly has both an artistic and analytical mind; this combination allows him to manipulate a concept such as sound and make it into something that you can see. His work is both visually stunning and extremely playful, especially regarding the pieces showcased in his TED talk. The colors are bright and bold and similar to the Disintegrating images. There is a focus on bringing attention to even the smallest aspects. As for his purpose as an artist, he states that, “what I’m trying to do as a photographer, as an artist is to bring the world of art and science together.” Both science and art are responses to their surroundings, by combining the two concepts he is creating, “Images [that] speak to the viewer’s heart but also to the viewer’s brain.” Oefner’s purpose is evident in each of his Disintegrating images, he is appeasing human curiosity by displaying the insides of the car splintering into space.
You can check out more of Oefner’s work here: LINK | Or watch his TED talk here: LINK
Via Sophia + Society Now Open in DC featuring APP Art Program →
A Fiola Mare Alum Opens a Fancy New |All-Day Osteria Downtown
Via Sophia and a hidden cocktail bar will debut in the Hamilton Hotel
by Tierney Plumb
Jun 11, 2019, 1:24pm EDT
Photos by Rey Lopez/Eater DC
The Hamilton Hotel is ready to unveil the final pieces of its multi-million dollar renovation downtown at the corner of 14th and K Streets NW. An Italian restaurant specializing in Neapolitan pizza and a glamorous, postage stamp-sized bar serving cocktails and caviar are both scheduled to open tomorrow.
Following a full lobby transformation and guest room refresh, the historic 318-room hotel is replacing its outdated 14K restaurant with an all-day osteria called Via Sophia. A dark, library-themed bar called Society is hidden off the lobby.
The anticipated two-part venture is helmed by an all-star hospitality cast that includes Via Sophia executive chef Colin Clark, who’s amassed an impressive East Coast resume by working under several James Beard Award Winners (Marc Vetri, Jeff Michaud, and Fabio Trabocchi). He was also part of Le Diplomate’s opening team in 2013. Most most recently, Clark was chef de cuisine at Trabocchi’s Georgetown Harbor darling, Fiola Mare.
Via Sophia (1001 14th Stree NW) will open with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There’s also an weekday happy hour for apertivos and a late-night pizza menu. Weekend brunch will join the mix later this summer.
In Clark’s new post, he hopes to breathe new life into the same block as The Washington Post’s headquarters overlooking tree-lined Franklin Square.
“We are going for upscale — this is 14th and K and we are trying to make it a dining destination,” Clark tells Eater.
Since wood-fired Neapolitan pizza is Via Sophia’s star attraction, the staff went the extra mile to elevate their pie-making skills. Clark and sous chef Cameron Willis trained under master pizzaiola Roberto Caporuscio, owner of New York City’s Keste Pizza & Vino and Don Antonio (named “#1 Pizza in New York” by New York Magazine).
Five seasonal pizzas at Via Sophia include a classic Margherita — with San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, and fresh basil — and Fra Diavlo (salame picante, fresno chiles, red onion, buffalo mozzarella, San Marzano tomatoes).
Even the staff floating around will be dressed to the nines. Ashley Blazer Biden, Joe Biden’s daughter, designed the hotel’s new stylish black-and-white uniforms in collaboration with Livelihood.
Atlanta-based Art Consulting Firm, Amy Parry Projects, helped curate a custom art collection that weaves old and new elements across Via Sophia. Think nostalgic antique metal pizza peels juxtaposed with modern photography and abstract art pieces.
Clark’s most recent cooking stint at seafood-focused Fiola Mare is evident across its underwater section of dishes. A grilled Norwegian salmon features a traditional Spanish romesco sauce, alongside charred broccolini, pine nuts, and black garlic dressing. A minimalist presentation of black bass, accented with baby squash, asparagus tips, morels, and a golden beet border, lets the fish shine.
Southern Italian-inspired dishes include bruschetta built on a house-baked semolina loaf; tagliata di manzo (sliced steak) with charred spring onion, confit cherry tomatoes, balsamic reduction, arugula, and barolo jus; and monkfish ossobuco, with sauce livornese, clams, olives, capers, fennel, and potatoes.
“This is very in line with my background — the whole idea is a balance between rustic and modern,” Clark says. “We knock the rustic element out of the park — it was a decision early on to make bread, pizza, and pasta in house.”
Chicken al mattone (crispy artichokes, guanciale, peppers, maitake mushrooms, chicken jus) is “as old school rustic as it gets” he adds.
Carb-driven entrees include ravioli finochietta, with asparagus tips, fava beans, morels, and fresh parmigiana. Pappardelle comes with rabbit ragu, ramps, pecorino and Castelvetrano olives.
Antipasto orders include caponata-toasted eggplant with San Marzano tomatoes, golden raisins and pine nuts. Meat and cheese boards feature prosciutto di parma aged 24 months.
Wines and spirits hailing from Italy largely make up the drinks section, with some 120 wine bottles available. Local makers from D.C. and Virginia also contribute to the craft beer and spirits selection.
Society, inspired by Prohibition-era secret societies and private clubs from the art deco period, features just 14 seats. Fancy bar snacks include caviar with panna cotta, nuts, and Sicilian olives. Zack Faruki, an alum of Michelin-starred Fiola, is leading a mixology program.
Wines by the glass start at $20, and big spenders can also peruse from a rare collection of reds with a few bottles dancing near the $700 mark.
Society is an ode to renowned French-born architect Jules-Henrí de Sibour, who originally designed the hotel in 1922. The Prohibition-era architect was a member of Yale’s Skull and Bones Society. Framed hand drawings and photos taken from his time at Yale line the walls.
Hours are Tuesday and Wednesday, 5 p.m. to midnight; and Thursday through Saturday until 1 a.m.
Lyla Lila Announcement - Art Consulting by AP Projects
Lyla Lila will bring house-made
pasta to
Midtown this fall
The restaurant from Craig Richards and Billy Streck is set to open in lilli Midtown later this year
By Carly Cooper - May 30, 2019
A rendering of Lyla Lila | Courtesy of Smith Hanes Studio
Last year, Craig Richards left his position as vice president of culinary for Ford Fry Restaurants and executive chef at St. Cecilia and joined forces with restaurateur Billy Streck (Hampton & Hudson, Nina & Rafi, Cypress Street Pint & Plate). The duo soon discovered they had more in common than a love of food: their daughters share a name. So it only made sense to express that connection through the name of their new restaurant, Lyla Lila. (Richards’s daughter is Lyla; Streck’s daughter’s middle name is Lila.)
“We had 30 names on the table, but this makes it a lot more personal to us,” Richards says. “The restaurant is an expression of us.”
Located in the lilli Midtown building at the corner of 3rd and Peachtree streets, the food at Lyla Lila is inspired by the cuisines of southern Italy and Spain. It will include house-made pasta and wood-fired meats and seafood, along with Old World wines and seasonal cocktails.
Pasta options will include smoked squash and ricotta caramelle with spiced pumpkin seeds and sumac; and tomato leaf pappardelle with pork and beef cheek ragu and charred peppers. There will be two risottos on the menu, along with entrees such as a pork porterhouse with eggplant and oysters; and a whole-roasted fishtail with smoked onions and lemon butter, served with an anchovy and arugula salad. Sides include a salt-roasted sweet potato with fermented chili butter, while appetizers will include lamb croquettes with fennel pollen aioli and a wood-grilled lettuce salad with rye croutons, wild oregano, and yogurt dressing.
The beverage program will focus on seasonal cocktails and Old World wines, along with both local and European-style beers in bottles, cans, and a few drafts.
“This food lends itself really well to sparkling wines, so we’ll have an expanded sparking wine program,” Richards says. “We want the beverage side and the kitchen to be a reflection of each other.”
When Lyla Lila opens in early fall, it will serve dinner seven days a week. Weekend brunch will follow, along with weekday lunch. Smith Hanes Studio is designing the 4,000-square-foot space.
“In developing the concept, we pulled out some old vinyl—Miles Davis, Duran Duran, old Madonna—and got inspiration that way,” Streck says. “You might see some vinyl playing on a turntable. We’re definitely encouraging an after-dinner crowd.”
Expect a wooden floor with tiles that merge into the horseshoe bar area. There’s an area with cafe tables and banquettes for cocktails, a dining room, and a 25-seat private room. The Peachtree Street-facing patio is designed for people-watching, while a second patio in the cocktail area features a fireplace as a throwback to Cypress Street’s sizable firepit.
“We want the patio to be a beacon if you’re coming from either side of town,” Richards says.
And if all goes according to plan, Richards says, Lyla Lila will have the energy and vibrancy of his daughter, who is “extremely excited” about having a restaurant named after her.
The Coolest New Things...
Thrillist Travel just put out a list of the “Best New Things to do in America in 2019.” On the list are museums, distilleries, restaurants and hotels. Ironically, the item on the list we were the most excited about was a theme park:
SoundWaves at Gaylord Opryland.
Towards the end of 2018 we had the pleasure of working with Atlanta-based BLUR Workshop on custom wall-coverings for the party rooms for this massive fun-spot. Here’s a peak at one of them at the time of installation.
More about the Park from Thrillist here:
Nashville, Tennessee
Expected Opening: May 2019 (Indoor facilities are open now)
As hot as Nashville is as a vacation destination, it’s a seven-hour drive to the closest beach. If you’re looking for aquatic entertainment, winters are too cold and summers are too oppressively humid to comfortably to hang out poolside. That's all changing with the opening of SoundWaves at the Gaylord Opryland Resort, a property so sprawling you could probably spot it from space. The indoor section is already in operation, but when SoundWaves fully opens this summer, it'll have more than 200,000 square feet of water-based fun. Think water slides and tube flumes lined with LED lights, a 315,000-gallon wave pool, plus a gigantic movie screen and speakers throughout the space. It's not all shrieking kids, either -- there will be designated adults-only areas like bars, lounges, private cabanas, and party rooms perfect for bachelorette parties.