Copyright 2006 Globe Newspaper Company
The Boston Globe
September 17, 2006 Sunday
THIRD EDITION
SECTION: MAGAZINE; Pg. 14
LENGTH: 506 words
HEADLINE: SWEET AND SIMPLE;
ARCHITECT ELIZABETH WHITTAKER TURNS PARTICLEBOARD INTO A CLEVERLY DELICOUS DESIGN STATEMENT.
BYLINE: BY RACHEL LEVITT
BODY:
That it always seems sunny at Vicki Lee's in Belmont is a tribute to architect Elizabeth Whittaker's vision for the bright, minimalist space. A yellow awning along Trapelo Road sets the stage for what is at once simple (mostly exposed particleboard) and complex (no exposed fasteners anywhere - a frightening prospect for even the savviest of builders).
Vicki Lee Boyajian, who has been in the food business almost all her life (with the exception of a brief foray into real estate), found the inspiration for the look of her new cafe in an unlikely place: the Middlesex Lounge in Central Square, Cambridge, an award-winning hipster club designed by Whittaker. Boyajian instinctively recognized that Whittaker's clean aesthetic would provide the right stage for her triple espresso tortes, coconut-lime tea cakes, and purple, yellow, yellow, red, and gold Anzac cookies (said to have been baked by or for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps field soldiers during the World War I battle of Gallipoli).
True to form, Whittaker demonstrates her mastery of the discipline; her design appears fresh and effortless. But look closer: The flooring, for example, bleached particleboard glued to the subflooor. It was an untried technique and the floor's installation involved significant shimming, four coats of sealer, and a few coats of urethane before designer and client were satisfied it would resist the daily grind. Such willingness to take on risks for a better product mirrors Boyajian's tireless quest for pastry perfection.
You can taste it best in the Danish croissant, made with hand-rolled dough. Most bakers use machines to knead their dough, Boyajian explains, but that overdevelops the gluten and sacrifices lightness for speed. Rather, she adheres to the creed an Italian chef at Le Bocage taught her when she first entered the business: Use all your senses, your eyes, nose, and fingers, to lead you.
Likewise, Whittaker's design features a rich palette that is tactile and harmonious: the cool frameless glass, the crazy quilt-like plywood, and the white lacquered counters invite touch. Further teasing the senses, a translucent wall separates kitchen from cafe. Boyajian casts shadows against this wall, silhouettes of her long, sinewy baker's arms remind those of us sipping a perfect cappuccino how privileged we are to sit in this sunny place and enjoy two labors of love.
NOTES: BOSTON UNCOMMON ; DESIGNING Rachel Levitt is a freelance writer in Cambridge. E-mail her at r.levitt@neu.edu.
GRAPHIC: PHOTO
LOAD-DATE: September 27, 2006
