Thursday, March 28, 2024 Mar 28, 2024
45° F Dallas, TX
Advertisement
Publications

Design District Dining, Champ d’Or For Sale, And More

Go inside the Dallas home and design scene, with gossip, products, personalities, shopping advice, and more.
By D Magazine |

Top to bottom: Phlox Trellis, Rock Trellis, and Lily of the Valley Stripe voiles. At George Cameron Nash, 214-744-1544. To the trade only.

The Classics
Sheer, fresh, and perfect for spring, embroidered white cotton voiles are timeless beauties that feel right in the nursery, on windows, or even wrapped around our own timeless beauty, Dallas icon Jan Strimple. George Cameron Nash recently scored a fine-linens coup by introducing the Claremont Fabrics of England to our landlocked shores. The line includes lush, colorful damasks, heavily slubbed silk stripes, and documentary fabrics—reproductions of antique patterns—like the ones wrapped around the lovely Ms. Strimple.

____________________________

Have You Heard…
Henry S. Miller is in negotiations with D. Porthault, the luxurious French linen company, to bring the company’s second U.S. store to Highland Park Village. No deals have been signed,but Miller’s office says Frette has also shown interest, and a new linen store could be open by this summer.… Looks like local athletes are nesting. We’ve heard that Deion Sanders purchased Fire On Ice for four fireplaces in three rooms and Maverick Dirk Nowitzki bought a set of four “high-end” black leather chairs from European Living.…Many of the lines from the recently shuttered John Edward Hughes showroom have begun to scatter. So far, The Hargett Showroom picked up Sanderson, and George Cameron Nash took over Gracie, Nesle chandeliers, and John Prince Original.…Party time: ID Collection, which represents Bergamo, Carlton V, and Ralph Lauren, will host their Grand Tour party on April 24. Big names will be there. Expect to see Michelle Nussbaumer, Paul Duesing, and Cheri Etchelecu, among others.

____________________________

Get Centered
Check out the Dallas Yoga Center’s new look: the walls wear Antique Drapery Company’s organic milk-based paint and Indian silk; the ceiling is now bamboo-clad; and you’ll find bronze, wood, and stone Buddhas throughout. Recent renovations have doubled the center’s size, making room for the groovy new Dharma Lounge, the ultimate hangout for yogis of all levels. 4525 Lemmon Ave., Ste. 305. 214-443-9642. www.dallasyogacenter.com.

____________________________

My New Best Friend
with Kirk Hughett

When I first met Renée Behnke, president of Sur La Table, I was prepared to hate her. She is funny, open, striking, and a great cook. There are only two dishes in my cooking repertoire: Ricky Ricardo Chicken and Soup a la de Can. So I had an insecurity thing going—that is, until we met. It was Market, and she was in town to lecture on the retail industry as part of the the Dallas Market Center’s “Lessons from a Retail Tycoon” series. (“Tycoon.” I know.) But we hit it off immediately. After her “engagement,” we zoomed back to Hotel ZaZa for a quick change and a tête-à-tête over dinner at Dragonfly.

KH: Let’s start with the glaringly obvious: retail tycoon?
RB: (laughing) I’ve never thought of myself as a tycoon. I simply love what I do. I feel you have to find something you love and go with it. I used to have a catering company years ago, and the whole company grew from my love of food and entertaining.

KH: So this was a labor of love?
RB: Literally. In the late ’80s, I went through a divorce, changed my life, met a new man, got remarried, and we decided to open a business together. Sur La Table started as a wonderful,
single store in Portland. Then the second store opened, and as the company grew, I found I was running it while my husband went fishing.

KH: And, now, do you even have time to cook? And does it always have to be hubby’s catch of the day?
RB: I still cook everything. But, if it’s just for me and my husband, I’ll cook risotto.
KH: That’s my partner’s favorite, too!
RB: I’ll give you a great recipe for a chicken risotto dish: marinate chicken with a little garlic and ginger in lemon juice, then….
KH: Um…. Don’t bother. I’ll only mess it up.

KH: Do you overcook? My mom cooks like there’s an army coming over.
RB: I do, as well. Moms always overcook,
planning for their kids to take it home so they’ll have good food later. Your mom’s a smart lady.
KH: She raised me, didn’t she?
RB: She’s allowed one mistake.

KH: If you could hire any chef in the world as your personal chef, who would it be?
RB: Alice Waters. She is amazing. She cooks everything. I really like diversity.

KH: And I like you, sweetheart. Let’s have another martini. Here’s to Renée: beautiful, sassy, and smart. It’s like we’re twins.

____________________________

Apple of My Eyesore
Don’t get us wrong. We love Apple products. From the sunflower-like iMac to the sleek new PowerBooks, they are as chic as they are functional. So, of course, our little staff quivered with computer-geek glee when we learned of Apple’s new Dallas store on Knox Street. Unfortunately, we also shuddered when we gazed upon said store. What gives with the monolithic façade and all that brick? Says Apple’s senior PR retail manager Jane Rackhourst, “The exterior of our new Dallas store was created to complement the surrounding Knox Street area in a way that is consistent with Apple design principles.” Uh, has anyone at Apple ever seen Knox? It’s a tad more appealing than miles of beige brick. Oh, well. The computers are still cute. 3101 Knox St. 214-520-8532. www.apple.com.

____________________________

Stuff We Love
Victoria Hagan
’s new home collection is sleek, elegant, and deceptively simple. We especially adore her chair designs, with their strong silhouettes in cool, supple leather. Available in April at George Cameron Nash, 150 Dallas Design Center. 214-744-1544. To the trade only.

____________________________

Food Fun
Indulge your inner foodie at the Dallas Wine and Food Festival’s full weekend of culinary events, including seminars, chef demonstrations, and book signings, which will be hosted by some of our favorite showrooms at the Decorative Center—Miele, Snaidero, Bulthaup and Clive Christian, to name a few. The Adolphus also gets into the mix, hosting two Sunday events (Entertaining with Style and A Taste of the World) filled with incredible tastings and fun ideas. April 26 and 27. Visit www.dallaswineandfoodfestival.com for a full listing of events, as well as times and locations.

____________________________

New City Park 
Join the Dallas Institute for Humanities for Gardens for the City: Gardens for the Soul, a daylong symposium on creating urban green spaces and a chance to view plans for a beautiful central park in downtown Dallas. March 14, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tickets $50; reservations required. 214-871-2440. www.dallasinstitute.org.

____________________________

Design District Dining
A little light lunch with your Le Corbusier, perhaps? Enjoy these delicious finds on your next visit to Dallas’ center of style. by Todd Johnson

Cafe Danielle
WHO’S COOKING: Caterer Cynthia Cathcart of Today’s Gourmet. The light and breezy cafe is named after her daughter.
WHAT’S ON THE MENU: Cynthia’s specialty is the two-martini lunch: an entree of pecan-crusted chicken, green beans, and mashed potatoes served in a martini glass, as is dessert. Mom’s meatloaf sandwich is rich and comforting. Don’t miss the banana pudding, made the way God and Mom intended: with Nilla wafers and slices of banana. Cherry cobbler is likewise stellar.
WHERE TO FIND IT: Found Antiques, 1255 N. Industrial Blvd. 214-741-2244.

The Gathering Cafe
WHO’S COOKING: Eddie Salazar and Manuel Morlett.
WHAT’S ON THE MENU: This is where the ladies who lunch assemble: the quintessential
tearoom full of old-school charm. Likewise, the menu is dotted with tuna and chicken salads, light soups, and sandwiches. Heartier choices include halibut or salmon.
WHERE TO FIND IT: The Gathering, 1515 Turtle Creek Blvd. 214-741-4888.

Krispin the Restaurant
WHO’S COOKING: Popular caterer Wendy Krispin. She also runs a boxed-lunch only spot, Krispin To Go, at the Decorative Center.
WHAT’S ON THE MENU: Befitting a restaurant in the Dallas Design Center, Wendy’s lunch-only cafe is smart and sophisticated, imbued with gold and beige tones. Meals begin with a complimentary demitasse of rich consomme. Specialties include fruited chicken salad, warm pesto chicken, and grilled mushroom enchiladas. Have a sip of the iced botanical herb and fruited tea with honey. It’s refreshing.
WHERE TO FIND IT: Dallas Design Center, 1025 N. Stemmons Fwy., Ste. 600. 214-748-7151.

Texas Hamburger
WHO’S COOKING: Whoever’s on the grill that day.
WHAT’S ON THE MENU: Open since 1989, this popular haunt serves big, beefy burgers with all of the traditional trimmings. Chicken-fried steak is also a standout. But with a name like Texas Hamburger, what do you think you should order?
WHERE TO FIND IT: 1616 Market Center Blvd. 214-747-2222.

____________________________

Top to bottom: Parlor, Tearoom, Master Bedroom, Theater, and Steam Room

For $ale
Little Lake Dallas is home to a big newsmaker. We mean really big—48,000-plus square feet of big. Shirley and Alan Goldfield’s Champ d’Or, easily the largest house in the Dallas area, is for sale. Listing agent Joan Eleazer of Briggs-Freeman gave us the particulars: completed in 2002, the opulent behemoth was inspired by Vaux le Vicomte, a grand chateau outside Paris. Champ d’Or boasts 47 rooms, including five bedrooms, a grand salon, tearoom, garden room, theater patterned after the Paris Opera House, $1.5 million sound system, indoor pool, two-lane bowling alley, and a tiled, cedar-paneled, 15-car garage. The 30-acre lot includes a lake, formal gardens, esplanades, tennis court, pool/tennis house, and two guardhouses. The asking price? A mere $45 million. As of press time the house was still looking for a new owner. Tempting, yes. But before you cash in the kids’ college fund for your new digs, check out the details below.

Champ d’Or  
1851 Turbeville Rd., Denton  • Asking Price: $45 million
Architect: J. Terry Bates & Associates of Nashville, TN  •  Builder: Sterling Kenty of Dallas  •  Interior Design: David Corley Interiors of Dallas

Main Floor
78-foot main entry dome (floor to ceiling). All fireplaces in the house are carved stone or marble.  Library: Two-story balcony reached by spiral staircase made entirely of mahogany. Upper balcony serves as in-house secretary’s office.  Formal Dining Room: Two chandeliers made in Italy. Eight crystal wall sconces.  Butler’s Pantry: Set of four glass-front cabinets originally used in a jewelry store in Paris. Antique 19th-century weighted glass doors raise into the ceiling.  Hall of Fontainebleau: Modeled after wall of plates Napoleon had in the castle of Fontainebleau.  Tearoom: Ceiling and chandeliers modeled after the Tavern on the Green in New York. Designed to honor the four seasons, flower boxes in each corner may be planted seasonally.  Family Room: Mahogany coffered ceiling, stressed oak floors.  Conservatory: Herb garden, orchids.  Kitchen: Modeled after kitchens underneath the chateaux in France. Three dishwashers, including one for wine glasses only. Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer. Six refrigerated drawers. Corneau stove made in France, specifically in this color for this house. Refrigerated wine cabinet.  Family Dining Area/Breakfast Room: Oak cabinets to house cookbook library. Carved stone fireplace with remote-controlled gas logs.  Garden Room/Veranda: Suitable for year-round entertaining. Windows drop into deep pockets in the floor. Copper screens. Veranda seats 450. Two fireplaces with gas logs.  East Elevator/Men’s and Women’s Powder Room: Men’s room fireplace, designed by J.P. Weaver, is a copy of the stateroom from the movie Titanic. Ladies’ room walls are covered in silk fabric woven in France.  Master Suite: Baccarat chandelier and candelabras. Center chandelier from Claridge Hotel. Remote-controlled draperies. Mirror is a duplicate of the one in Marie Antoinette’s bedroom in Versailles.  Wet Steam Room: Mirrored. Inspired by steam-room scene in the movie Rat Pack. Equipped with full sound system.  Master Bath: Crystal dome. Heated drawers for towels. Two-story Chanel-styled closet. Jacuzzi and separate shower with Lalique door pull. Private hair salon.  Exercise/Weight Room: Ionized indoor lap pool.

Second Floor
East Elevator Lobby/Theater Lobby: Niche for popcorn machine.  Theater/Media Room: Modeled after the old Victorian theaters. Two loge boxes (box seating). Infinite Integrations sound equipment.  Wedgwood Suite/Master Suite: Includes breakfast bar with microwave, refrigerator, and icemaker. Laundry room adjacent to living room. Bathroom has antique Wedgwood fixture on one sink and Sherle Wagner on the other. Shower glass etched to match the tile.
 

“It was a dream, and it probably should have stayed a dream.”

Shirley Goldfield, to Dallas Morning News reporter, on building the now-for-sale Champ d’Or chateau.

Third Floor
Ballroom: Chandeliers made in Italy. Mirrors match the hall of mirrors at Versailles.  Servants’ Quarters  Equipment Rooms.  Men’s and Ladies’ Powder Rooms: Service the third-floor ballroom.  Catering Kitchen: Microwaves, refrigeration, and warming ovens. Hobart crystal dishwashers.  Guest Suite: Living/dining room combo for meal service. Full kitchen with convection oven, GE range top, built-in Sub-Zero refrigerator, freezer drawers, and icemaker. Two bedrooms with separate baths.

Basement
Powder Room.  Giftwrap Room.  Two-lane Bowling Alley
with computerized scoring.  Bar Area with refrigerator.  Racquetball Court.  15-car Garage: Air conditioned. Tile floor. Cedar wall paneling.  Wine Room with solid oak, refrigerated, glass front cabinets.  Laundry Room with commercial washer and dryer and sheet press, in addition to standard washer and dryer.  Two Elevators.

____________________________

Happy Birthday
MARCH   Richard Hazlett • Wendy Dunham • Johanna Davis • Saied Esfahani • Laura May • Gary Jackson • Melissa Butler • Dan Flatley
APRIL  Brad Smink • Lucy Rivas • David Olenzek • Rosemary Hill • Marsha Voinov • Lisa Greenup • Karen Akin • Ann Miller • Cathy Kincaid

____________________________

Seeing Spots
Dots have the alluring power of punctuation. by Ken Knight

Be Seated >>
The Hetepheres chair ($2,138), sporting neoclassical circles and squares, is a sleek and sexy option. Haroo & Haroo, 1025 N. Stemmons Fwy., Ste. 749. 214-747-1700. Offered to the trade only.

<< Shiny Bubbles
Ernesto Gismondi’s mad-scientist-modern Miconos table lamp ($550) takes the form of a white spherical bulb encased in a glass bubble. Artemide, 1621 Oak Lawn Ave., Ste. A. 214-747-8344. Offered to the trade only.

Horizontal Landing >>
John Himmel’s Viola Pouff ($4,000), modeled after a 1940s Parisian original, is cheerfully overed in Galbraith & Paul’s Donut cotton/rayon fabric ($168 per yard). David Sutherland Showroom, 1025 N. Stemmons Fwy., Ste. 340. 214-742-6501. Offered to the trade only.

<< Underfoot
Even stepstools are connecting the dots. Witness the Segreta folding steps in birch plywood ($461), designed by Becchelu, Bortolani & Maffei. Haroo & Haroo, 1025 N. Stemmons Fwy., Ste. 749. 214-747-1700. Offered to the trade only.

Proper Handling >>
Updating cabinet or drawer pulls can change the look of an entire room. Imagine the difference if you use S.&R.C.’s leather-loop pull ($10). TKO Associates, 1617 Hi Line Dr., Ste. 230. 214-741-6060. Offered to the trade only.

Related Articles

Image
Travel

Is Fort Worth Really ‘The New Austin’?

The Times of London tells us it's now the coolest city in Texas.
Image
Dallas 500

Meet the Dallas 500: Chakri Gottemukkala, o9 Solutions

The o9 solutions leader talks about garnering a $3.7 billion valuation, growing 10x over the next few years, and how the company is innovating.
Image
Local News

An Early Look at 2026 FIFA World Cup Logistics

The World Cup matches will be held in Arlington, but Dallas will be home to a great deal of team and fan experiences. We're getting an early look at what that will look like.
Advertisement