Rialto Renovations

Ten years ago, my dad started his own little restaurant in Seattle - Rialto. After years in the industry, we were all so excited to see him build a place all his own! Located in Greenlake, the small space has become a neighborhood favorite, serving up old family recipes from Southern Italy as well as new favorites.

Sadly, all good things must eventually end. The space that my father has built into a huge success is being torn down for (surprise) condos with street level retail. So, we're embarking on a new adventure... Rialto II. The paperwork is almost done, and we are about to close in on a space in Fremont that (to put it nicely) needs some SERIOUS renovating. This is where you come in, dear readers.

I've never designed a commercial space, but I am incredibly excited to tackle this project! I'm collecting inspiration where I find it...



I like this kind of look... except we don't have the exposed brick. I want something warm, a little 'industrial', casual, with personal touches and pieces reflecting Italian culture. I want you to feel like you just walked into a little hidden Italian restaurant in Florence. Unpretentious, with the focus being on the food and the experience. And, I'd like to try and make it a bit more original than the space above.

If you've got any inspiration, please send it my way! The first two things I'll be looking for are lighting and flooring... but first I want to really come up with an overall look. Thoughts, resources, your favorite neighborhood spots... all are appreciated :)

Happy (Soulful) Weekend

After all that color, I think I'm going to need a weekend spent here...

photo by martyn thompson

Time to feed the soul with bubble baths, lazy mornings, and some magazine catch up time. Oh, and dinner + wine at Rialto with these two gals tonight. Should be a lovely time!

A million thanks to all the guests here at coco+kelley this week! (We'll have one more joining on Monday...) And a huge thanks for all the congratulatory messages on my feature in Lucky Magazine. It was such a fun little adventure to be all styled up for the article and see my blog in print!

I wish you all a weekend of feeding your souls with whatever fills you up best.

luv&ciao!
cassandra

THE FETE...

I've been teasing you all with shots from my birthday dinner over the weekend, and am so excited to finally share them with you! Shall we begin with some bubbly...?

When my 30th started to approach, I knew that I wanted to celebrate it with an intimate dinner for my closest friends, and that I wanted it to be perfectly 'me'. I started out thinking that I wanted mostly black and white with metallics for the tabletop, but when I saw the cover of the latest Martha Stewart Weddings, I knew that a pop of pink and red would add the perfect punch of color!

My second piece of inspiration? The gorgeous Kate Spade heels that I barely snatched up before they disappeared forever. Their multicolored glitter reminded me to add that touch of playfulness to the table... in fact, I'd say the entire look was influenced by that infamous Kate Spade style.

And here it is!! The gorgeous tabletop! (If I do say so myself.) It's exactly what I envisioned in my head and I couldn't believe how well it turned out considering that the pieces all came together that morning. 


Of course, I couldn't have done it without the help of some very talented and wonderful people, like my florist, McKenzie Powell (whose arrangements are still making me smile sitting on my desk as I write this post!) and my photographer Char Beck who obviously did a fantastic job!


I also couldn't have completed this look without the help of my good friend Sheena who owns a boutique rental company called Totally Tabletops. Her polka dots made the setting! I'm lucky enough to have restaurant in my family - my father owns a little Italian place called Rialto here in Seattle - and he was kind enough to let me take over for the day.... and night. (What are dad's for, right?) And finally... a HUGE thank you to my amazing intern, Jennie, who basically just kicks ass at being my right hand gal. 

I'll be putting more photos up on the coco+kelley facebook page later today - there are so many good ones it was hard to choose and I want to share them all, so be sure to swing by this afternoon!

Thank you all for your birthday wishes, and there will be plenty more birthday celebrating to come this week!

xoxo,
cassandra

Wedding Wednesday {Showered in Flowers}

Last weekend I had a bridal shower with family and my closest friends but that was really the only thing traditional about it. 

We held it potluck style at my favorite space, Rialto (you may have read about it here!) and filled with lovely flowers arranged by Miss Cassandra.

 After noshing on tons of delicious homemade treats I opened my gifts - but I wasn't surprised when I received over 30 thrifted vases. It was exactly as I'd requested! It let my girls look for a budget friendly item and now I have all the lovely vintage milk glass vases I need for my wedding reception flowers!

I'm so grateful for the showering of generosity and love. Thanks ladies! 

One Last Christmas Wish...

As we wrap up our holiday shopping and head into a new year with high hopes for better days ahead, I have to ask for one last thing to top off my wishlist... and you, my dear readers, are the only ones who can grant it. (Are you comfy? Grab some cocoa... this one is a bit long, but worth the read...)

Let's be honest, friends, 2008 was... well, bumpy to say the least. The economy tanked. And then it tanked some more. And to top it all off, we've got snow storms across the country stopping people from getting to their favorite local spots to actually finally spend a little money. So you can guess where these wishes are going...

My family owns a restaurant. Every night, my dad comes home and we ask, tentatively... "How was it?" Tonight, he said, "Not so good." Which tears my heart up. Because one of these nights I'm afraid he'll say, "I can't do this anymore," and I might die. Our family's life has revolved around this restaurant - around the food and family, and the regulars whose lives we've become a part of. So...

Christmas Wish #1: If you live in Seattle, come eat at my dad's restaurant. It's called Rialto and it's tucked into a cute area of Fremont where he serves the most fabulously affordable authentic Italian food you'll ever dine on. He himself uses all local vendors for his meats, coffee and ingredients, and makes the pasta in house, so I suppose a little karma isn't too much to ask for? Oh, and this year he's even doing a special New Years Menu! (I recommend the Salmon Ravioli in a Pesto Cream Sauce. YUM.)

As for me, well, I take after my father. Just decided to pack up and start my own company in October, despite it all. And, while the doors to my dream store may not be opening soon, I did manage to find my first few clients (Or rather, they found me!) and loved every second I spent designing those weddings, holiday tabletops and living rooms. With that said...

Christmas Wish #2: Just keep me in mind. The next time a friend says, "I know what I want my wedding to look like, but I don't know where to start." Or, "I need to totally redo my house, but I don't want to pay someone else to do it... just to design it." That's what I do. Of course, I can do it all, but providing creative direction to enable people to achieve their own look and style... it's so fun. And, I can do it from anywhere. So tell 'em to come to me.

And now for the story of Gypsy Tinker and the Christmas Senorita (which is actually where the idea for this whole post started).

Once upon a time a stylish little gal (that's me kids) was shopping on Etsy when she stumbled up on the sweetest little Senorita she ever did see (yep, that's her above). Packaged with bits of fringe, sparkle and ribbon, the girl just couldn't resist the purchase. So, click click click she went, and waited in anticipation for the package to arrive from the mysterious Gypsy.

And arrive it did! With a sweet little surprise...

A sweet little lover for her little Senorita! Along with a note of thanks that inspired her so, she decided there was only one thing left to do...

Christmas Wish #3: Shop. So many beautiful stores have shut their doors this year, that I couldn't complete this post without a plea to support the local shops that mean something to you. There are stories behind these doors. Like the Gypsy who thanked me for a small little purchase during hard times. Or Carol, who is my newest sponsor here at coco+kelley whose store will make a gorgeous addition to our little blog family...

And not just because her taste for black Christmas trees has me swooning! But because her shop, Gatherings, is just another example of someone following their dream. And someone who needs the same support we could all use. A little thoughtful purchasing goes a long way these days..

And if you needed incentive, dear readers, she's taking 20% off all purchases from her store if you mention coco+kelley through December. Because in these tight times we could all use a little bargain too!

So there it is, lovelies. My Christmas Wish. To get out and support your local stores. Because the GAP isn't going to fold tomorrow. Because the stores that count are the ones with heart behind them. The ones that have a story to tell, and families to support. So go go go! Spend spend spend (where you can!). And a very very Merry Christmas to you all...

Luv&Ciao,
Cassandra

image credits: john dolan, mikkel vang, rodney smith

Rialto Renovations - Lighting

As you may have read in an earlier post, I'm working on a new space for my dad's restaurant in Seattle. My first challenge has been coming up with lighting options, but I think I've finally narrowed it down to these...

My absolute favorite is the Pelham Pendant lamp from Croft & Little in the Historic Bronze finish.



The only problem is that the price on this one is a bit high. Has anyone seen a similar version for less than $400? I suppose I could always buy one in the nickel finish you usually find these in and antique it myself... I just think they'd be so perfect for above the bar and down the hallway!

In the main dining area which features vaulted ceilings, I wanted to find a chandelier with Edison bulbs to combine an old world feel with modern aesthetics, and I think this style is absolutely perfect! (We're carrying them at Empiric!)



There is also a secondary dining area that I'm not quite sure what to do with as the ceilings are a bit lower. I like this look...



...but am a little unsure of fabric pendants - seems like they would soak in all the grease, dust, etc in the air? However, this area is further from the kitchen and adjacent to an outdoor patio, so maybe they would work! I wanted something a bit lighter in this space and I think they would look warm and lovely. I'd love to go for more of a 'living room' feel for this smaller room.

What do you think about this pendant from Bellacor? Too boxy? Not warm enough? Or is it unexpected to have a square shape in a not-so-modern space?



I'm also thinking of doing a line of small pendants over the bar, and was completely inspired by the restaurant spaces designed by Avro Ko, recommended by Joanna over at A Cup of Jo (thanks girl!).





Gorgeous, aren't they? Needless to say, I'll have plenty of decisions to make this weekend when I head up to Seattle to finalize all our plans! Can't wait to share the space with you all when it finally comes together.