Anna Eisenstein grew up in Annapolis during the Depression-era 1930s and wartime 1940s. After marrying Edwin Gilbert Greenberg, a USNA ‘50 graduate, the Greenberg couple, along with their children, lived in postings around the United States, northern Italy and Japan. Overseas, the Navy family traveled to other countries, like China, Israel and Turkey, picking up memories and mementoes along the way.
The Greenbergs did not return to Annapolis until 1973. Annapolis had changed significantly in the two decades Anna had been gone — and has continued to change. The Greenbergs found a two-story home, built in 1962, at the end of a cul-de-sac off Spa Road. Cloaked in pale gray siding with white trim and darker, slate gray shutters and rooftops, the house sits on a small rise with a clear view of Aberdeen Creek sparkling a few dozen yards away and a community marina.
They had barely settled in and begun renovations to the house before Anna plunged into volunteer activities in her beloved hometown. “My parents’ influence set the example for my volunteerism, my love for people,” she explained.
Edwin passed away in October 2004. Anna could have thrown in the towel then and spent her golden years resting on her laurels. Yet, today, Anna is still busy with activities that would fell someone one-quarter her age. Here’s the short list: Anna is a member of the Board of Visitors and Governors of St. John’s College, a member of the Board of the Friends of St. John’s College, on the board of the Anne Arundel Public Library Foundation, a board member of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra and of the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County, plus a board member of Scholarships for Scholars, Inc. which provides scholarships to public, private and home-schooled high school seniors throughout the county. She is also active in the congregations of Knesseth Israel Annapolis and Beth Shalom in Arnold.
And, she still finds time to lovingly spoil her three grandchildren — all girls — when they come to visit. Or, when she visits.
Anna has been lauded and applauded through the years. Citations from various Maryland governors and certificates from several organizations line a stairwell in her home. In her library, a space is reserved for her awards and trophies.
Today, she is being presented with the Hadassah Centennial Award by the Hadassah Annapolis Chapter as part of its 100th birthday celebration.
Just inside the front foyer, a beautiful cabinet rests alongside the honeydew striped wall. Lacquered a cream color, its front doors feature several bas relief Japanese figures in an outdoor scene. “The chest is from Japan,” said Anna. “Or did we find it in Hong Kong? The bowl on top of the chest is from Israel and the silk fruit is from Japan, too.”
“This house is filled with accents of places I’ve lived,” she said.
Turning to the opposite wall, hanging there is a framed and signed Nancy Hammond print depicting a bouquet of gorgeous flowers.
“I love to collect works by local artists. I have them all through the house,” Anna said. “Gerry Valerio did a terrific portrait of my husband that hangs in the library. Phyllis Avedon painted my portrait, which is in the master bedroom. I also have works by Lee Boynton, Eric Smith, photographer Marion E. Warren and Elliott Zuckerman. Bonnie Roth Anderson did the wonderful pastel children’s portraits in the living room.” She has also collected paintings and sculptural works from around the world.
To the right is the sun-filled, elegant living room. Most of the furniture was inherited from Anna’s parents. It had been custom-made for them, and, later, Anna had the pieces restored and re-upholstered. Nestled next to the curvilinear couch is a wooden bachelor’s chest, originally used to hold a gentleman’s folded shirts, sweaters and underwear. “It has a Bombay front,” Anna said, pointing to its sinuous silhouette.
Atop the upright piano are busts sculpted in Italy, over 40 years ago, of Joyce Greenberg and David Greenberg when they were preschoolers. The terracotta busts rest on short pedestals of pink marble.
The library, in the center of the main floor, can be reached from the front hallway, the living room and via the dining room, too. White, wooden built-in cabinetry lines one mimosa-colored wall. The unit’s shelves are filled with books, small artworks and several of Anna’s awards.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
Homes: garage land
With a large apartment on the top floor of a converted Arts & Crafts villa in Edinburgh, Marjo McLaren, her husband Chris and their two teenage daughters weren't short of space, exactly. But they did have two niggling problems. First, to reach the garden they share with neighbours, they had to go down two flights of stairs, through a communal hallway and across part of the neighbours' garden. "We were constantly running up and down to use the loo, or to fetch food and drinks," McLaren says. And second, McLaren, an independent travel agent, needed somewhere to work.
The answer was sitting at the bottom of the garden – a run-down garage that stored family junk: trampolines, bikes, skis, surfboards and old furniture. So the couple hired architect Jens Bergmark, who knocked it down and built a modern structure that could function as an office, a garden room and even somewhere for guests to stay.
This multipurpose studio, which cost 50,000, has a living space, a sleeping platform, toilet, shower, kitchenette and wood-burning stove. McLaren works here, her daughters have sleepovers here, and the family use it for garden parties.
To get round planning permission Bergmark built the studio on the same footprint as the old garage. He created a pitched roof designed to mirror the roof of the villa and the greenhouse. This design also created a double-height ceiling space, big enough for a mezzanine level.
Inside, windows face south and east, and large sliding glass doors lead into the garden. A sophisticated heating system provides hot water and underfloor heating, alongside a Morso stove for particularly chilly days. Pull-out ladders access the sleeping platform and are stored in a cupboard to the right of the kitchen.
Finishes and furniture are unfussy, including recycled crushed floor tiles, a lounge chair and stool from Ikea, and a Marcel Breuer Wassily Chair, a reproduction of a Gerrit Rietveld Red Blue chair and a nest of tables from Habitat.
The luxury of owning a home-within-a-home that's bigger than some flats hasn't passed McLaren by. "You could happily live in here," she admits. "We might even rent it out during the festival." As multi-use spaces go, four-in-one isn't bad.
The answer was sitting at the bottom of the garden – a run-down garage that stored family junk: trampolines, bikes, skis, surfboards and old furniture. So the couple hired architect Jens Bergmark, who knocked it down and built a modern structure that could function as an office, a garden room and even somewhere for guests to stay.
This multipurpose studio, which cost 50,000, has a living space, a sleeping platform, toilet, shower, kitchenette and wood-burning stove. McLaren works here, her daughters have sleepovers here, and the family use it for garden parties.
To get round planning permission Bergmark built the studio on the same footprint as the old garage. He created a pitched roof designed to mirror the roof of the villa and the greenhouse. This design also created a double-height ceiling space, big enough for a mezzanine level.
Inside, windows face south and east, and large sliding glass doors lead into the garden. A sophisticated heating system provides hot water and underfloor heating, alongside a Morso stove for particularly chilly days. Pull-out ladders access the sleeping platform and are stored in a cupboard to the right of the kitchen.
Finishes and furniture are unfussy, including recycled crushed floor tiles, a lounge chair and stool from Ikea, and a Marcel Breuer Wassily Chair, a reproduction of a Gerrit Rietveld Red Blue chair and a nest of tables from Habitat.
The luxury of owning a home-within-a-home that's bigger than some flats hasn't passed McLaren by. "You could happily live in here," she admits. "We might even rent it out during the festival." As multi-use spaces go, four-in-one isn't bad.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Sunshine & orange blossoms
Any homeowner would love to raise a small patch, if not a garden, in front of his/her home. But your pockets should indeed be deep if you aspire to have a garden in front of your home, considering rising land prices in metropolises
So, how will you manage to have some amount of greenery in your home in such a scenario? Opt for perennial climbers which occupy very little space and can spread across maximum vertical space such as a fence, a compound, pillar, wall or roof. One such climber is the flame vine, also known as Golden Shower and Orange trumpet creeper, etc. The botanical names of this creeper are Pyrostegia venusta, Bignonia venusta and Pyrostegia ignea. It belongs to the family Bignoniaceae.
It is a fast-growing, sturdy, evergreen creeper, and a native species of Brazil, now popular in India. It has compound leaves growing opposite each other on the stem. Each leaf has two-three oval pinnae, pointed at the tip. Often, the apical pinna (leaflet) is modified into curled tripartite tendril, which coils around any support it gets and the climber clings to it to grow further. It starts blooming profusely in November and continues to do so till the end of March in Bangalore.
Flowers are bright reddish orange in colour and found in clusters of 2-50 flowers. Each flower is about three inches long with tubular corolla with petals separated at the tip and look like five lobes bent backwards. Calyx is small, cup-like and light green in colour. Every day, three-five flowers bloom in the morning and soon the corolla falls down. A circular nectariferous tissue is present at the base of the ovary, producing nectar. Honey bees, small bees and black ants are drawn to the flowers. Humming birds are also attracted to this creeper. The flower clusters are often borne on the tip of the branches and droop, creating a spectacular scene.
This creeper hardly needs any maintenance. It tolerates both acidic and alkaline soil. It tolerates partial shade and also partial drought. But if it gets more sunlight, it flowers profusely. It is virtually pest and disease-resistant. Recent research has revealed that this creeper has healing properties.
As it grows, its stem becomes hard, and hence, it is advisable to plan the growth of the creeper in advance and provide support accordingly. I had a limited gardening space in my previous residence. But I could successfully grow this creeper on the ground floor and it reached the terrace on the third floor with vertical support. When it reached the balcony of my second floor, I pruned it and the climber branched into two.
I then directed one branch through the hooks of the hanging pots in my balcony and the second branch climbed and spread on the small roof of the decorative tiles on the balcony. When it started flowering, it gave a beautiful look.
My present residence, where I shifted three years back, has slightly more garden space, and I planted this creeper in the left corner of my compound along with Phyllocactus and bamboo of small variety. It grew very well in both the directions (90 degrees to each other) horizontally along the compound and in the front. It not only covered the small sloping roof at the entrance of my house completely, but also created a virtual curtain with its hanging branches full of drooping clusters of flowers.
So, how will you manage to have some amount of greenery in your home in such a scenario? Opt for perennial climbers which occupy very little space and can spread across maximum vertical space such as a fence, a compound, pillar, wall or roof. One such climber is the flame vine, also known as Golden Shower and Orange trumpet creeper, etc. The botanical names of this creeper are Pyrostegia venusta, Bignonia venusta and Pyrostegia ignea. It belongs to the family Bignoniaceae.
It is a fast-growing, sturdy, evergreen creeper, and a native species of Brazil, now popular in India. It has compound leaves growing opposite each other on the stem. Each leaf has two-three oval pinnae, pointed at the tip. Often, the apical pinna (leaflet) is modified into curled tripartite tendril, which coils around any support it gets and the climber clings to it to grow further. It starts blooming profusely in November and continues to do so till the end of March in Bangalore.
Flowers are bright reddish orange in colour and found in clusters of 2-50 flowers. Each flower is about three inches long with tubular corolla with petals separated at the tip and look like five lobes bent backwards. Calyx is small, cup-like and light green in colour. Every day, three-five flowers bloom in the morning and soon the corolla falls down. A circular nectariferous tissue is present at the base of the ovary, producing nectar. Honey bees, small bees and black ants are drawn to the flowers. Humming birds are also attracted to this creeper. The flower clusters are often borne on the tip of the branches and droop, creating a spectacular scene.
This creeper hardly needs any maintenance. It tolerates both acidic and alkaline soil. It tolerates partial shade and also partial drought. But if it gets more sunlight, it flowers profusely. It is virtually pest and disease-resistant. Recent research has revealed that this creeper has healing properties.
As it grows, its stem becomes hard, and hence, it is advisable to plan the growth of the creeper in advance and provide support accordingly. I had a limited gardening space in my previous residence. But I could successfully grow this creeper on the ground floor and it reached the terrace on the third floor with vertical support. When it reached the balcony of my second floor, I pruned it and the climber branched into two.
I then directed one branch through the hooks of the hanging pots in my balcony and the second branch climbed and spread on the small roof of the decorative tiles on the balcony. When it started flowering, it gave a beautiful look.
My present residence, where I shifted three years back, has slightly more garden space, and I planted this creeper in the left corner of my compound along with Phyllocactus and bamboo of small variety. It grew very well in both the directions (90 degrees to each other) horizontally along the compound and in the front. It not only covered the small sloping roof at the entrance of my house completely, but also created a virtual curtain with its hanging branches full of drooping clusters of flowers.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Council reveals celebrations to mark Olympic Torch arrival
MAGHERAFELT District Council has planned a number of exciting activities surrounding the arrival of the Olympic torch relay to make sure the once-in-a-lifetime event is one which will be ingrained in our memories.
The inclusive celebrations are expected to be the biggest participating events ever organised by Magherafelt District Council and include a collaborative art project; a community carnival parade and a schools’ celebration.
The community carnival parade will take place on June 6 in Magherafelt and is expected to attract large crowds in the build-up to the arrival of the world-renowned flame.
The carnival will kick off at 6pm and include evening entertainment in the Diamond area with a celebration of excellence both in dance and music. The Council is delighted that the North Eastern Education and Library Board are making available their full broadcast production team to produce an on-line recording of the event.
Groups, charities and businesses from across the Council district have been asked to get involved and dress up carnival style. The emphasis will be on visual expression and groups can use the event as a platform to increase greater awareness about their cause.
200 prizes will be awarded to winning groups from each of the following categories: Most original group; Most colourful group; Most expressive group; Most musical group; Most relevant to the Olympics.
No one group will win more than one prize and groups will be asked closer to the time to nominate which category they would like to enter.
In the run up to the celebrations, residents of the district will be asked to nominate individuals as their Olympian Greek god or goddess. Nominees should be sports people who have been successful nationally or internationally. The top 12 nominations will then become Magherafelt’s 12 Olympian Greek gods/ goddesses who will be profiled before and during the events and form part of the carnival parade.
As part of the collaborative art project, community groups and schools are producing a piece of art/graphics to be transferred on to a ceramic tile. The Northern Regional College has agreed to produce a frame for the tiles which will be used to create an abstract torch shape. The artwork will express collectively what this event represents to people of the district and form part of the legacy of celebrations. The torch will then be installed as a piece of public art at an agreed site.
In addition to the images being used on the art piece, the images will also be displayed on banners throughout the town as part of pre-event marketing.
Groups have be asked to submit a 21cm X 21cm image on paper before March 31. After this a workshop will be held on Saturday April 24 where an artist will help transfer the image on to a ceramic tile.
Currently 29 schools have signed up and agreed to take part in the schools celebrations on June 7. Schools have been asked to submit numbers and to date over 2000 children have signed up to take part on the day. On the morning of the torch arrival, schools will be involved in a series of celebrations and displays at Meadowbank Sports Arena, which will start at 10am and will finish off with the children lining the streets during the torch visit.
The inclusive celebrations are expected to be the biggest participating events ever organised by Magherafelt District Council and include a collaborative art project; a community carnival parade and a schools’ celebration.
The community carnival parade will take place on June 6 in Magherafelt and is expected to attract large crowds in the build-up to the arrival of the world-renowned flame.
The carnival will kick off at 6pm and include evening entertainment in the Diamond area with a celebration of excellence both in dance and music. The Council is delighted that the North Eastern Education and Library Board are making available their full broadcast production team to produce an on-line recording of the event.
Groups, charities and businesses from across the Council district have been asked to get involved and dress up carnival style. The emphasis will be on visual expression and groups can use the event as a platform to increase greater awareness about their cause.
200 prizes will be awarded to winning groups from each of the following categories: Most original group; Most colourful group; Most expressive group; Most musical group; Most relevant to the Olympics.
No one group will win more than one prize and groups will be asked closer to the time to nominate which category they would like to enter.
In the run up to the celebrations, residents of the district will be asked to nominate individuals as their Olympian Greek god or goddess. Nominees should be sports people who have been successful nationally or internationally. The top 12 nominations will then become Magherafelt’s 12 Olympian Greek gods/ goddesses who will be profiled before and during the events and form part of the carnival parade.
As part of the collaborative art project, community groups and schools are producing a piece of art/graphics to be transferred on to a ceramic tile. The Northern Regional College has agreed to produce a frame for the tiles which will be used to create an abstract torch shape. The artwork will express collectively what this event represents to people of the district and form part of the legacy of celebrations. The torch will then be installed as a piece of public art at an agreed site.
In addition to the images being used on the art piece, the images will also be displayed on banners throughout the town as part of pre-event marketing.
Groups have be asked to submit a 21cm X 21cm image on paper before March 31. After this a workshop will be held on Saturday April 24 where an artist will help transfer the image on to a ceramic tile.
Currently 29 schools have signed up and agreed to take part in the schools celebrations on June 7. Schools have been asked to submit numbers and to date over 2000 children have signed up to take part on the day. On the morning of the torch arrival, schools will be involved in a series of celebrations and displays at Meadowbank Sports Arena, which will start at 10am and will finish off with the children lining the streets during the torch visit.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Homeless shelter faces hurdles in move
The largest homeless shelter for men in Rhode Island has 88 beds, three showers and no doors on the bathroom stalls. Here, privacy is an unknown luxury.
But the men line up at Harrington Hall anyway, often 100 or more a night. Those left without a bed sleep on the floor or leave, perhaps heading to a moving truck business that sometimes leaves its trucks unlocked overnight.
"These are people that have fallen down and can't get back up and I'm one of them," said Mike Dalba, a 50-year-old who worked as a computer specialist before becoming homeless six years ago following the death of his son. "You're nuts just to be here. If you're not nuts, you will be."
The group that runs Harrington Hall has plans to move to better quarters at a shuttered women's prison nearby. But the proposal is being fought by local leaders and residents concerned about a handful of sex offenders who call Harrington Hall home.
"There are other areas that you could use that are more rural where there isn't such a concentration of children," said Suzanne Arena, a Cranston resident who has two children ages eight and 10.
"I don't think sex offenders belong somewhere like this. I never wanted them here."
Harrington Hall was never meant to be a permanent part of the community -- or a long-term solution to the state's homelessness problem.
The Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless estimates that 4,400 people in the state, which has a population of just over 1 million, experienced homelessness in 2010.
Harrington opened as an emergency winter shelter in 2005 to address a rise in the state's homeless population. But the numbers kept growing and Harrington stayed open -- to the dismay of nearby residents.
The shelter occupies a former gymnasium on the grounds of the state's Adult Correctional Institutions. Several other nearby buildings have been converted into state government offices.
Harrington is within walking distance to a youth athletic field, a library, day-care centers and elementary schools.
Harrington's main room features row upon row of beds. Microwaves and a large food-warmer sit at one end where they're used to prepare dinner.
The doors open at 5 p.m., though several men typically show up early, smoking and talking outside. At night they read, play chess or watch a television that's rolled out in the front of the room.
Large fans circulate the air, which is heavy and warm even though it's early spring. The air conditioning doesn't work.
"The food's not bad, but the bathrooms are awful," said longtime Harrington resident Wayne Mackie, 60. "No privacy at all."
The state recently installed new windows and exterior doors. Yet the three bathrooms have no doors on the toilet stalls. Floor tiles are cracked or missing. Black mold fills the crevices and corners. One bathroom has no toilet paper -- the dispenser is bolted to the wall in the hallway instead.
"How do I say this? This is screwed up," said Sen. John Tassoni, D-Smithfield, during a recent tour of the shelter. "This is not fit for man. The people in Guantanamo Bay have better accommodations."
Tassoni is the leading legislative supporter of plans to move the shelter to the closed women's prison a few blocks away. That facility has enough space for a full-service kitchen and room for job training, educational programs and substance abuse help, said Jean Johnson, executive director at the House of Hope Community Development Corp., which has run Harrington since 2009. The new facility would also feature small apartments for men trying to get their lives back on track.
But the men line up at Harrington Hall anyway, often 100 or more a night. Those left without a bed sleep on the floor or leave, perhaps heading to a moving truck business that sometimes leaves its trucks unlocked overnight.
"These are people that have fallen down and can't get back up and I'm one of them," said Mike Dalba, a 50-year-old who worked as a computer specialist before becoming homeless six years ago following the death of his son. "You're nuts just to be here. If you're not nuts, you will be."
The group that runs Harrington Hall has plans to move to better quarters at a shuttered women's prison nearby. But the proposal is being fought by local leaders and residents concerned about a handful of sex offenders who call Harrington Hall home.
"There are other areas that you could use that are more rural where there isn't such a concentration of children," said Suzanne Arena, a Cranston resident who has two children ages eight and 10.
"I don't think sex offenders belong somewhere like this. I never wanted them here."
Harrington Hall was never meant to be a permanent part of the community -- or a long-term solution to the state's homelessness problem.
The Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless estimates that 4,400 people in the state, which has a population of just over 1 million, experienced homelessness in 2010.
Harrington opened as an emergency winter shelter in 2005 to address a rise in the state's homeless population. But the numbers kept growing and Harrington stayed open -- to the dismay of nearby residents.
The shelter occupies a former gymnasium on the grounds of the state's Adult Correctional Institutions. Several other nearby buildings have been converted into state government offices.
Harrington is within walking distance to a youth athletic field, a library, day-care centers and elementary schools.
Harrington's main room features row upon row of beds. Microwaves and a large food-warmer sit at one end where they're used to prepare dinner.
The doors open at 5 p.m., though several men typically show up early, smoking and talking outside. At night they read, play chess or watch a television that's rolled out in the front of the room.
Large fans circulate the air, which is heavy and warm even though it's early spring. The air conditioning doesn't work.
"The food's not bad, but the bathrooms are awful," said longtime Harrington resident Wayne Mackie, 60. "No privacy at all."
The state recently installed new windows and exterior doors. Yet the three bathrooms have no doors on the toilet stalls. Floor tiles are cracked or missing. Black mold fills the crevices and corners. One bathroom has no toilet paper -- the dispenser is bolted to the wall in the hallway instead.
"How do I say this? This is screwed up," said Sen. John Tassoni, D-Smithfield, during a recent tour of the shelter. "This is not fit for man. The people in Guantanamo Bay have better accommodations."
Tassoni is the leading legislative supporter of plans to move the shelter to the closed women's prison a few blocks away. That facility has enough space for a full-service kitchen and room for job training, educational programs and substance abuse help, said Jean Johnson, executive director at the House of Hope Community Development Corp., which has run Harrington since 2009. The new facility would also feature small apartments for men trying to get their lives back on track.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Maio — M Suites Hotel’s Italian gem
MAIO, the newest dining destination in M Suites Hotel, is like icing on the cake for the recently-refurbished all-suites hotel here.
Housed in a charming old mansion in the hotel’s rear compound, Maio is set amid a lush garden and is easily accessible from Jalan Straits View Six, either through Jalan Skudai or Jalan Straits View.
From this entrance, a private driveway will lead you directly to the parking lot at Maio’s doorstep.
Even as you park your car, your eyes will be riveted to the fascinating facade of this hidden gem.Painted in pale yellow, this mansion has a foyer bordered by a wallwhich incorporates a series of attractive arches.
Terracotta floor tiles and lazily whirring ceiling fans above add to the charming Mediterranean feel.
In the lobby, one can get a clear view of the chefs working in the kitchen and also the stone oven where breads and pastries are baked.
Here’s where Chef Ahmad Zaim Abdullah and his team are busy whipping up a range of Mediterranean and Italian food for connoisseurs of their innovative culinary creations.
From complex concoctions to plain flatbreads seasoned with a sprinkle of fresh herbs, meals at Maio are scrumptious because they are freshly-made with quality ingredients.
Since its soft opening three months ago, Maio has been attracting a steady stream of customers who appreciate good food served in an elegant ambience.
Diners can enjoy their meal in a tastefully-appointed dining room that boasts a cosy corner complete with dark leather armchairs, reminiscent of a traditional gentleman’s club in old England.
A marble chess set, laid out in an alcove, is ready for players to pit their skills.
Out in the garden terrace, a glass wall is designed to bring the garden almost up to your table while inviting natural light for an airy atmosphere.
Just ask for Maio’s daily specials and Chris, short for Christian Bernard De Mello, the outlet manager, will give you his recommendations.
If you have any preference, feel free to discusswith him and don’t be surprised when the versatile chefs are able to whip it up for you – if they happen to have all the ingredients.
The restaurant has also successfully hosted several private parties with specially-designed menus.
While waiting for the Calamari Ai Ferri antipasto to be served, my appetite was whetted with freshly-baked ciabatta bread dipped in olive oil and balsamic syrup.
The Calamari Ai Ferri waschargrilled squid lightly flavoured with spicy lime and chilli dressing.
TheMaio Caesar Salad is another refreshing appetiser created with a choice of grilled sliced beef bacon or tender chicken meat, tossed in romaine lettuce, garlic croutons, topped with parmesan cheese and a light Caesar dressing.
If you are a fan of French Onion Soup, you will be delighted that it is served here topped with a layer of freshly-baked puff pastry.
Gently lift the pastry to release the aroma from the piping hot soup which is thick with slivers of sliced onions. There are no hard and fast rules, so you can choose to dip the pastry into the soup or set it aside to separately savour the flaky puff.
Coffee lovers can end the meal with a cup of Affogato made with a tiny scoop of Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice-cream topped with a shot of hot espresso, as well as taste their tantalising Tiramisu.This halal version of Italian cheesecake certainly lives up to expectations, but if you are not into coffee or chocolate, there’s a range of desserts to choose from, including the delectable baked cheesecake with strawberry sauce.
“We get many repeat customers who just want more of the same food,” said De Mello.
“Our signature pizza is also popular for takeaways.In fact, a corporate client whose employees are long-stay guests in M Suites are not moving them to another hotel because they don’t want to miss their meals in Maio.”
Housed in a charming old mansion in the hotel’s rear compound, Maio is set amid a lush garden and is easily accessible from Jalan Straits View Six, either through Jalan Skudai or Jalan Straits View.
From this entrance, a private driveway will lead you directly to the parking lot at Maio’s doorstep.
Even as you park your car, your eyes will be riveted to the fascinating facade of this hidden gem.Painted in pale yellow, this mansion has a foyer bordered by a wallwhich incorporates a series of attractive arches.
Terracotta floor tiles and lazily whirring ceiling fans above add to the charming Mediterranean feel.
In the lobby, one can get a clear view of the chefs working in the kitchen and also the stone oven where breads and pastries are baked.
Here’s where Chef Ahmad Zaim Abdullah and his team are busy whipping up a range of Mediterranean and Italian food for connoisseurs of their innovative culinary creations.
From complex concoctions to plain flatbreads seasoned with a sprinkle of fresh herbs, meals at Maio are scrumptious because they are freshly-made with quality ingredients.
Since its soft opening three months ago, Maio has been attracting a steady stream of customers who appreciate good food served in an elegant ambience.
Diners can enjoy their meal in a tastefully-appointed dining room that boasts a cosy corner complete with dark leather armchairs, reminiscent of a traditional gentleman’s club in old England.
A marble chess set, laid out in an alcove, is ready for players to pit their skills.
Out in the garden terrace, a glass wall is designed to bring the garden almost up to your table while inviting natural light for an airy atmosphere.
Just ask for Maio’s daily specials and Chris, short for Christian Bernard De Mello, the outlet manager, will give you his recommendations.
If you have any preference, feel free to discusswith him and don’t be surprised when the versatile chefs are able to whip it up for you – if they happen to have all the ingredients.
The restaurant has also successfully hosted several private parties with specially-designed menus.
While waiting for the Calamari Ai Ferri antipasto to be served, my appetite was whetted with freshly-baked ciabatta bread dipped in olive oil and balsamic syrup.
The Calamari Ai Ferri waschargrilled squid lightly flavoured with spicy lime and chilli dressing.
TheMaio Caesar Salad is another refreshing appetiser created with a choice of grilled sliced beef bacon or tender chicken meat, tossed in romaine lettuce, garlic croutons, topped with parmesan cheese and a light Caesar dressing.
If you are a fan of French Onion Soup, you will be delighted that it is served here topped with a layer of freshly-baked puff pastry.
Gently lift the pastry to release the aroma from the piping hot soup which is thick with slivers of sliced onions. There are no hard and fast rules, so you can choose to dip the pastry into the soup or set it aside to separately savour the flaky puff.
Coffee lovers can end the meal with a cup of Affogato made with a tiny scoop of Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice-cream topped with a shot of hot espresso, as well as taste their tantalising Tiramisu.This halal version of Italian cheesecake certainly lives up to expectations, but if you are not into coffee or chocolate, there’s a range of desserts to choose from, including the delectable baked cheesecake with strawberry sauce.
“We get many repeat customers who just want more of the same food,” said De Mello.
“Our signature pizza is also popular for takeaways.In fact, a corporate client whose employees are long-stay guests in M Suites are not moving them to another hotel because they don’t want to miss their meals in Maio.”
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Newly built Colonial mixes tradition with modern flair
Sophisticated functionality is the hallmark of the newly constructed Colonial house at 30 Long Lots Lane, at the corner of Long Lots Road in Westport.
This six-bedroom house has edgy and transitional finishes, which incorporate the best aspects of a traditional colonial house with a contemporary flair for more modern living. Contained within its 4,658 square feet of living space are contrasting dark oak floors and white millwork and details.
Built this year by SIR Development on a 0.4-acre lot, this house has a thoughtful design that flows from room to room, and it has over-sized windows that bring abundant natural light into the structure.
Although it sits on a corner property with one of the bordering roads a well-traveled one, Long Lots Lane itself is a quiet semi-circular street where children safely play and ride their bicycles. The property is enclosed with fencing and there is room for an in-ground pool.
Retail stores and restaurants are a short distance away and local public schools are also nearby, making this an ideal location.
The front of the property along Long Lots Road has a stone wall topped with a tall privacy fence. A bluestone walkway leads from the driveway, which is accessed from Long Lots Lane, to the front door, which faces Long Lots Road.
The house has three finished levels and the unfinished walk-up attic could easily be finished to add a fourth. The front door has multiple paned sidelights and a transom adding to the natural light that the over-sized windows invite inside.
Detailed millwork and trim were created on site by a team of carpenters. The living room has a fireplace with a decorative white wood mantle and French doors to the family room, which has a stone fireplace flanked by built-in bookshelves topped with a four-paned window.
Decorating the lower walls of the formal dining room is recessed paneled Wainscoting.
The gourmet kitchen has Carrera marble counters and a center island as well as high-end appliances including a GE Monogram refrigerator, Viking Professional six-burner range top, Bosch dishwasher and Electrolux wall-mounted ovens.
Between the kitchen and dining room is a butler's pantry with white glass-front cabinets.
There is a pantry closet in the kitchen, and both the kitchen and butler's pantry have Carrera marble subway tile backsplashes.
Off the kitchen is a mudroom, which has a honed slate tile floor, a closet, storage cubbies, a door to the side door and access to the two-car attached, under house garage.
On the second floor there are five bedrooms. The sixth bedroom is on the lower level, which also has a full bath and a fieldstone, wood-burning fireplace with a red brick firebox. The raised stone hearth is topped in slate. The bath has two entrance doors, one from the bedroom and one from the hallway.
The master bedroom has a tray ceiling. Its bath features a Carrera marble double vanity and the same marble floor, a water closet, large shower, a large walk-in closet and a smaller utility closet.
The second floor laundry room has a ceramic tile floor that gives the appearance of stone. Four spacious bedrooms round out the second floor. They are arranged as two sets of Jack and Jill bedrooms with a shared bath for each pair.
This six-bedroom house has edgy and transitional finishes, which incorporate the best aspects of a traditional colonial house with a contemporary flair for more modern living. Contained within its 4,658 square feet of living space are contrasting dark oak floors and white millwork and details.
Built this year by SIR Development on a 0.4-acre lot, this house has a thoughtful design that flows from room to room, and it has over-sized windows that bring abundant natural light into the structure.
Although it sits on a corner property with one of the bordering roads a well-traveled one, Long Lots Lane itself is a quiet semi-circular street where children safely play and ride their bicycles. The property is enclosed with fencing and there is room for an in-ground pool.
Retail stores and restaurants are a short distance away and local public schools are also nearby, making this an ideal location.
The front of the property along Long Lots Road has a stone wall topped with a tall privacy fence. A bluestone walkway leads from the driveway, which is accessed from Long Lots Lane, to the front door, which faces Long Lots Road.
The house has three finished levels and the unfinished walk-up attic could easily be finished to add a fourth. The front door has multiple paned sidelights and a transom adding to the natural light that the over-sized windows invite inside.
Detailed millwork and trim were created on site by a team of carpenters. The living room has a fireplace with a decorative white wood mantle and French doors to the family room, which has a stone fireplace flanked by built-in bookshelves topped with a four-paned window.
Decorating the lower walls of the formal dining room is recessed paneled Wainscoting.
The gourmet kitchen has Carrera marble counters and a center island as well as high-end appliances including a GE Monogram refrigerator, Viking Professional six-burner range top, Bosch dishwasher and Electrolux wall-mounted ovens.
Between the kitchen and dining room is a butler's pantry with white glass-front cabinets.
There is a pantry closet in the kitchen, and both the kitchen and butler's pantry have Carrera marble subway tile backsplashes.
Off the kitchen is a mudroom, which has a honed slate tile floor, a closet, storage cubbies, a door to the side door and access to the two-car attached, under house garage.
On the second floor there are five bedrooms. The sixth bedroom is on the lower level, which also has a full bath and a fieldstone, wood-burning fireplace with a red brick firebox. The raised stone hearth is topped in slate. The bath has two entrance doors, one from the bedroom and one from the hallway.
The master bedroom has a tray ceiling. Its bath features a Carrera marble double vanity and the same marble floor, a water closet, large shower, a large walk-in closet and a smaller utility closet.
The second floor laundry room has a ceramic tile floor that gives the appearance of stone. Four spacious bedrooms round out the second floor. They are arranged as two sets of Jack and Jill bedrooms with a shared bath for each pair.
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