Tag Archive for: traditions

Traditions Dinner Club

The Lynhall

Our fourth dinner was deliciously simple. The Lynhall is warm and inviting, which is especially surprising for such a large and open space. Each staff member was more welcoming than the next. It’s a fun new concept that definitely impressed.

The Lynhall has mastered the art of the community table as well as family-style cuisine. Rotisserie chicken at its finest, braised short ribs that melt in your mouth. The side red potatoes are what dreams are made of. Every crispy bite had me craving more. Every flavor – from the chicken and potatoes to the collard greens – perfectly complemented one another. The rolls were served warm with melted butter and minced garlic on top. To say they were divine would be an understatement.

The atmosphere was jovial and lively. Families gathering, friends catching up, business meetings running late into the evening. Each table was filled with a mixture of activities. The diverse use of the space was refreshing and different.

In short, we cannot wait to go back!

 

The Lynhall

P.S. You should also follow The Lynhall on Instagram, @thelynhall! They’ll make you hungry even when you just ate!

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701 Summit Avenue

701 Summit Avenue

Influenced by the romanticism of classical European architecture, well-known Minnesota architect Clarence Johnston left his mark on St. Paul in the late 1800s. This house, built in 1898, was a true masterpiece and was recently restored by Robert Glynn of Spara Realty. With the help of Stacey Johnson, a local real estate investor, interior designer and Spara Realty agent, the house now shines again!

701 Summit Avenue has become an anchor on such a historic street for more than one reason. Johnston’s passion for his career came from good friend Class Gilbert and their time spent living together in New York. The two were so inspired by one another they built similar houses right next door to each other on Summit. Johnston was the Minnesota State Architect from 1901-1931 and is known for quite a few buildings around town. Most noteworthy – The St. Paul Curling Club, Williams Arena & Northrup Auditorium on the University of Minnesota campus. Also, in 1904, Johnston designed the Glensheen mansion in Duluth. We are thrilled that we could do our part to help restore a historic masterpiece on Summit Ave!

701 Summit Ave encompasses nearly 7,000 sq feet. The 6-bedrooms and 6-bathrooms have been redone and outfitted for a modern family. Johnston clearly spared no expense in designing the Renaissance Revival beauty years ago, and the recent renovation further highlighted the unique details!

The team hired a local artisan to restore all the home’s woodwork with a specially mixed shellac, true to the original coating. Glynn and Johnston worked with other local businesses to refinish the hardwood floors that he found were in great shape, repair the windows and the clay-tiled roof, install new and to-code electrical, plumbing, lighting, and heating and air-conditioning, and pour a new driveway. The renovation saw an expansion in the original servants’ kitchen to create a fully equipped space for modern cooks and upgraded the master bedroom to include an en-suite master bath.  On the exterior, Spara oversaw a bit of a facelift at 701 Summit Ave, including new tuckpointing, painting and the addition of a two-car garage.

The addition of traditional and transitional furniture completed the modern meets classic revival. Along with Spara Realty, we welcomed nearly 500 guests to an open house this week to see all the hard work and beautiful end project. After nearly a year-long labor of love, 701 Summit Ave is back in action as one of the Summit Ave’s grand mansions!

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Favorite Things – Christmas 2016

This time of year can be chaotic for many. It’s nice to be reminded about our favorite things during the most stressful times.

Suzanne is loving her newlywed son and daughter in law. Spending the holidays with them has been so much fun!!

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Kersten loves enjoying sunsets on the beach with her family. Though she and her husband live in Naples, they don’t make it down to the beach nearly as much as they would like. When family comes to town this time of year, it provides the perfect reason to catch the final moments of light in the day.

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Mary enjoys the tradition of making her mom’s wild rice soup on Christmas Eve. It’s a quiet, cozy evening spent with family and a night she looks forward to each year.

Carolynn loves spending time with her friends, family and Durham, the newest four-legged addition to her family.

Lauren’s new favorite thing this year is the restaurant ie Italian Eatery. The food is spectacular and the atmosphere convivial.

Kathy’s favorite thing is ordering a complete lasagna dinner from Broder’s Cucina Italiana, on Christmas Eve, so she doesn’t have to cook (which she never does) and having all that extra time to just enjoy her family.

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Mary DJ loves going home after a long day and enjoying her decorations and the falling snow outside while sitting by the fire with a glass of wine and reading Christmas cards.

Rhonda loves her four young grandchildren at Christmas time. The joy on their faces when they open a present from grandma is enough to keep a smile on Rhonda’s face for months to come.

Nancy enjoys the thought of Christmas in Colorado with loved ones. Snow and family are all she needs during the holidays.

Lucy’s favorite thing is the Christmas lights all around town. Houses, trees, store fronts, you name it, Lucy loves it.

Glowing lights in the dark.

Happy Holidays from our family, to yours!

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Traditions Dinner Club – Mo. 2

Italian Eatery, ie

Our second dinner was a huge success. Italian Eatery, ie, is truly one of a kind. They have thought of everything and even offer an assortment of blankets for those who may be chilly while sitting outside on the patio. The decor was trendy, industrial and conducive to long conversation and intimate dining. While the restaurant was packed with diners, we were all able to hear one another and never felt as if the background noise was too overwhelming.

We each ordered something different and passed forks around the table, savoring every single bite. All pastas are made in house and each dish is served al dente.

To start, we shared the Pan Fried Yam Ravioli. The crispy exterior, perfectly whipped yams, saffron threads and white truffle oil were an unexpected, yet delicious, combination of ingredients.

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The Rustic Gemelli was divine. The pesto, crispy pancetta and toasted pine nuts perfectly complemented the whey & goat milk ricotta.

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The Mushroom Cappelletti was a table favorite. The mushrooms, thyme, crème fraiche and whiskey barrel-aged shoyu (soy sauce) offered a sense of umami and a unique blend of flavors.

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If you are wanting true comfort food, order the Baked Garganelli. The wild boar meatballs pair perfectly with both the fontina and taleggio cheeses.

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For all the non-pasta eaters, the Dry Rubbed Beef Short Rib is the way to go. The meat was so tender a knife was not needed. Each bite was better than the last.

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The bucatini offered a traditional Italian pasta that with more than meets the eye. The noodles were hollow in the middle like a straw. The house made fennel sausage was a pleasant surprise.

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To end our spectacular meal, we all ordered a shot of limoncello as the perfect palate cleanser. Another month of culinary exploration in the books, and already looking forward to the next.

Stay tuned to see where we go!!

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High Point Market Recap – Fall 2016

Were we right in our predictions? Fall High Point Market 2016 was a smashing hit! We definitely noticed quite a few anticipated trends, but also saw an equal number of unexpected!

Texture:
Texture was everywhere—and we mean everywhere: Rugs, pillows, throw blankets, ottomans, sofas and even  new, fun fabrics. Magnolia Home, a brand made popular via Joanna Gaines on HGTV’s Fixer Upper, expanded their line to include rugs and pillows with different knots, plushness and textures.

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Pantone Color:
The Pantone color of the year, blush, made a soft appearance. The more feminine touch provided a stark contrast to the other, more industrial trends.

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Creative Lighting:
The lighting was spectacular and made an impressive statement. The unique fixtures added a touch of elegance, while others added the perfect touch of whimsy.

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Classic Traditional:
We noticed a new use of the classic-traditional style in some of the showrooms. Rich, chocolatey leather paired perfectly with accessorized bookshelves this market. The warm colors and traditional fixtures provided a sense of comfort, yet in a more clean and tailored way.

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High Performance Fabrics (or lack thereof):
One trend we were hoping to see was use of high performance and outdoor fabrics in different applications, but we did not. In fact, these fabrics were noticeably absent in each showroom. The standard Cryptons and Sunbrellas were shown, but there weren’t nearly as many new introductions as we expected.

One of our absolute favorite parts of Market is soaking in the gorgeous florals that the vendors bring in to perfectly stage their showrooms. We are suckers for fresh blooms and we certainly got our fill this time around.

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We are so excited to share all of our market buys with you as they arrive at our showrooms. Stay up to date with us by stopping in and from home via our social media!

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Market Preview – High Point 2016

Sneak Peek of Fall 2016 Market

Market Forecast

At Traditions, we are constantly drawn to items with a unique and updated spin on what was once deemed classic traditional. As we get closer to the Fall High Point Market, we are excited to see how the latest trends translate into the furniture world and what the latest inspiration is!

What’s Trending Now:

  1. Earthy pastel hues with an organic flair are all the rage as they incorporate the Pantone color of the year. We foresee more of this look, as it provides a tailored, clean aesthetic appealing to all!baker_celestite_sofa_oislzg
  2. Mixed metals are another trend that is super prevalent. We anticipate a mix of brass, gold, polished nickel and silver, freshened up with white plaster.
  3. Mid-century Modern is still very popular. We expect all the burled wood and contemporary materials we saw last year for a continued vintage made modern.img_1429_zqbdtv
  4. Fool-proof fabrics have been a favorite, but are quickly becoming our absolute go-to. Crypton and Sunbrella fabrics now come in fun patterns, but only a few vendors currently offer them. We hope to see many vendors jump on this popular bandwagon we are sure (and wishing) is here to stay!baker_jean-louisdeniot_ba6179s_light_3qtr_copy_x9lioe5. Updated florals are also something to note. Notable decor leaders believe we are transitioning into a cleaner, more modern floral to update our classic traditional so florals can be transitional and appeal to a wider array of customers. We are all for a more modern take on traditional!

Showrooms we’re excited to see in High Point:

  • Four Hands
  • Sarreid
  • Lee Industries
  • Stanford
  • Currey & Co.
  • Taylor King

Stay tuned to see what new treasures we found and what surprises totally won us over at the High Point Market in the coming weeks!

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Traditions Dinner Club – Mo. 1

St. Genevieve

“A Parisian-inspired buvette in the heart of the Lynnhurst neighborhood. Champagne: all day, everyday.” – St.Genevieve website description.

It’s always fun to get together and try a new restaurant. We have started our very own Dinner of the Month Club with all the members of Traditions staff. Each month we will all get together to try a new restaurant, a favorite restaurant or even a hidden hole in the wall. Our first choice was St. Genevieve in the Lynnhurst neighborhood of Minneapolis. France, especially Paris, is always on our minds so we thought a new, groovy French restaurant was the perfect choice. St. Genevieve, a buvette – pub or tavern with champagne any time of the day, was a fantastic find! The table favorite was tartine madame and pommes frites with béarnaise mayonnaise. The simple pleasure of a croque with french fries and a good glass of wine is not lost on the ladies of Traditions.

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Others at the table ordered the pan seared whole trout and the chicken and shrimp. Of course, dessert was a must.

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The chocolate mousse and the peaches and cream were both devoured in a matter of a few spoonfuls.
Needless to say, we will be going to this restaurant again soon. Stay tuned to see where we go next!

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