PRESS - THE MOMENT - L.A. INTERIORS | BESTOR IN SHOW

Two of my favorite places in L.A. — Lou and Intelligentsia — were both designed by Barbara Bestor, the principal of her eponymous Silver Lake architecture firm. Bestor’s penchant for prints, patterns and pop colors is amply displayed in these two local eateries. Lou, a wine bar and restaurant, is tucked away in the corner of a banal strip mall at Vine and Melrose, sandwiched between a Laundromat and a hair salon. Bestor has transformed the small storefront into a refuge of warmth, calm (you can actually have a conversation!), and color. Proprietor Lou Amdur’s eclectic wine list and seasonal small plates are complemented by an elegant interior featuring leather banquettes, Hans Wegner Wishbone chairs, cork floors and a Marimekko-inspired “curtain wall” that disguises the glass storefront from inside.

Intelligentsia, a Chicago-based coffee company, recently opened its first location on the West Coast. One of a smattering of specialty purveyors that have recently appeared in response to the boring ubiquity of Starbucks, Intelligentsia is intensely focused on coffee and its methods of preparation. Located in Sunset Junction — a vintage “mini mall” that is also home to a flower shop, a cheese store, and a music conservatory, among others — this is one of the few places where you can ask for a cappuccino and get just that, without having to resort to any number of qualifying adjectives that still won’t guarantee a perfect cup. Bestor’s airy interior features graphic blue and white Nicaraguan tile that she has laid like wallpaper in a seamless flow of vibrant pattern over counters and floors, and asimple palette of plywood and black vinyl supergraphics (coffee-related, natch) by artist Chris Loomis. Your Clover brew may take a few minutes, but both the coffee and the room make the wait worthwhile. And p.s., if you’re in the market for a new career, you can sign up for a barista training class at Intelligentsia!