A Spanish Island Idyll

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4 TR THENEWYORKTIMES,SUNDAY, APRIL15,2012 HEADS UP ANA OTTONI FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES AnexhibitionoftheVenezuelanartistCarlosCruz-DiezisattheGaleriaRaquelArnaudinSãoPaulo,Brazil. ArtComesofAgeinSãoPaulo BySHIVANIVORA ARTgalleriesmightbeamainstay in most large cities, but in São Paulo they have always been in short supply, catering to a small elite. But as Brazil’s economyhas rapidly expanded over the last decade, a new social class hasmoredisposableincometospendon luxuryitemslikeart. Aspateofgallerieshaveopenedinresponse to a growing clientele: the number participating in SP Arte, the city’s Brazilian art fair, for example, has grown to 109 this May from 41 in 2005. These new spaces, concentrated in Vila Madalena, the city’s bohemian hub, and the neighboring Pinheiros area, have alsoredefinedtheartscene. “Art in São Paulo used to be elitist, and going gallery-hopping wasn’t a common practice,” said Paul Irvine, a co-founder of Dehouche, a Latin-America-based travel specialist that plans individual art tours around the city. “The rich would go to galleries, often by appointment, and by car, as it wasn’t safe towanderthestreets.Thesenewgalleries are helping make art more accessibletothegeneralpublic.” One of the most notable is Galeria Raquel Arnaud (Rue Fidalga125; 55-11- 3083-6322; raquelarnaud.com/en /artistas), a three-story space of more than 10,000 squarefeet that opened last year.Itsowner,RaquelArnaud,hadhad one of the oldest art galleries in São Paulo, which she opened in 1973. But as the art scene expanded, she needed more space to showcase the works of the nearly two dozen artists she represents, who range from established names like the late sculptor Sergio Camargo to hot new ones like Frida Baranek. Baixo Ribeirois another gallery owner who was an anomaly when he opened his first space, Choque Cultural, nearly a decade ago. “Back then, I was arenegade,andtherewasnointerestin art,” he said. When the art movement started to gain traction, however, he opened a second location (Rua Medeiros de Albuquerque 250; 55-11-3061- 2365; choquecultural.com.br), which highlights the new wave of eclectic artists who create immersion art, like videos and installations. The gallery itself resembles an immersion art experience:thebilevelstarkwhitespacefeels likebeinginsideawhitecube. Galeria Jaqueline Martins (Rua Dr. VirgíliodeCarvalhoPinto74;55-11-2628- 1943; galeriajaquelinemartins.com/en), which opened last year, features the works of new and veteran artists at the same time instead of having just solo exhibitions. “Our goal is to create a discussion around emerging artists and artists who have been around a while,” saidthemanager,GuidoHunn.Thecurrent exhibition, for example, has works from two artists who do collages: the better-known Hudinilson Jr. and upand-comerNinoCais. NearbyisAteliêFidalga(RuaFidalga 299; 55-11-3813-1048; ateliefidalga.com .br; by appointment only), a space that goes beyond the traditional gallery. It’s a collective and atelier run by the husband and wife artists Albano Afonso and Sandra Cinto. There, emerging artists meet one another during group classes, and the public can attend talks andviewexhibitionsbynewcomersand alsohaveachancetomeetwiththem. “Thisiswherewework,butit’s alsoa place for interaction between artists and the people who come see their art,” Ms.Cintosaidduringarecentvisit.“We feel that there should always be a dialogue around art, and that’s what we hopewearehelpingtostart.” Æ CheckIn/CheckOut MONTREAL HôtelChezSwann THEUPSHOT Featuringfurniturebylocaldesigners,periodicartandfashionevents,andadiverseplaylistofmusic-makingguests—JonBonJovi,theWu- TangClan—thisplayfullynaughty boutiquehoteltries,mostlysuccessfully,toinfusesomebohochicinto Montreal’sslightlystiffdowntown. Ratesfrom235Canadiandollars (aboutthesameinU.S.dollars). BASICS Almosteverythingishomegrown andstylish,fromthelobby’shugecolored-chalkmural(amashupofcontributionsbyartists,guestsandstaff members)tothe’30s-retro-futuristic lamps(bythelocaloutfitLampiLampa)inthehalls.Thoughitopenedin late2010,the23-roomhotelmadea splashinNovember whenittookoverthe brasserienextdoor,Le PoisPenché,reopeningit withagalaparty. LOCATION Ifyouwanttogeteducated,cultured,outfitted orbody-checked,Chez SwanniswalkingdistancetoMcGillUniversity,theMontrealMuseumofFineArts,theboutiquesofRueSte.-CatherineandtheBellCentre— homeoftheMontreal Canadienshockeyteam. ThePeelstationofthe metrosystemisafew blocksaway;theairport expressbus(No.747) stopisalmostasclose.AndOldMontreal(seePage11)isalsowithinwalkingdistance. THEROOM Myroom,No.304,wasoneofthe “Boudoir”rooms,thebasicdouble. Truetotheme,thespacehadasultry red-and-blackcolorschemeandcontainedaqueenbedwithatuftedgothic-baroqueheadboardthatseemedtoawaitsomelouchemarquis.Moredramatic,plushfloor-to-ceilingcrimson curtainspartedtorevealaglasswall lookingontothebathroom.Thepartition,amarvelofvoyeuristicengineering,istransparentenoughtoofferfull viewsofthevastblackshowerarea. Coollocallymadedecorativeobjects —rawwoodblockendtablesbyEpuré-Ebénisteried’Art,anersatzDepression-eralampbyLampiLampa—mingledwithhigh-techconvenienceslikeadigitaldockingbayfor twoiPodsandaCiscoIPphone. THEBATHROOM Theexpansivebathroom’smarquee attractionwasthelargeblack-tile stand-upshowerdesignedforcouples thatfeaturednotonebuttwofuturisticsilverymultifunctionwatercolumns.Eachonewasequippedwitha traditionalshowerhead,ahand-held sprayer,rowsofhorizontalwaterjets, andfivedifferentknobsanddials. Thankstotheglasswallandsome overheadbluelights,thetheatrical showerisreadytoaccommodateanyoneeagertostageasexysinging-inthe-rainperformanceforapartnerin thebedroom. AMENITIES LePoisPenchéservesasolid Frenchmenu(gooeyonionsoup,succulentduckbreast)butismarredby COEY KERR Afilmstillfrom“SinCity”isprojectedinthe receptionareaofChezSwann. tackydécor,harshlighting,adistractingtelevisionsetandacharmlessmusicselectionthatveershaphazardly fromtechnotosoultorock.Towork offtherichcuisine,youronlyoptionis asmallbrightroomfilledwithfour stationarybicycles,intendedforspinningworkouts.Somewheatgrass juicewithachlorophyllsupplement fromLiquidNutrition,ajuicebarthat adjoinsthelobby,canalsohelp. BOTTOMLINE Thehotelhasmuchtolike,notably itsdedicationtolocalartanddesign,a playfulsensibility,generousbathrooms,andproximitytodowntown hangoutsandtransportation.Butif ChezSwannwantstosoar,thehotel deservesacorrespondinglychicrestaurant,afitnesscenterworthyofthe name,andperhapsalowerpricetag. ChezSwann,1444rueDrummond; (877)568-7070;hotelchezswann.com. SETHSHERWOOD
Bites ByMIKIMEEK FROMDecemberthroughApril, Amish travelers pack charter buses making overnight runs from Ohio to Florida. Stiff black hats are gingerlystowed in overhead bins as the bus winds its way throughhillyfarmcountry,making pickups in small towns with names like Sugarcreek,BerlinandWooster. On a recent afternoon, I boarded one of those buses, full of grandparents, neighbors, sisters and childhood friends. They talked into the night, using conversation as entertainment insteadofmoviesandmusic.Isatupfront next to two boisterous bishops named Roy J. C. Yoder, 75, and Andy Miller, 65. Theypepperedmewithquestions:“Are you married?” “Will you have kids?” “DoyoubelieveinChrist?” But they mostly killed time on our 19hourridebyribbingLee,oneoftwo bus driversonboard,andtheneachother. “When Roy became preacher, he was a little bit of a slow learner, so we sent him to seminar school,” Andy told me. “They asked him ‘Where was Jesus born?’Andhesays‘Pittsburgh.’Sothey say ‘Nope, Bethlehem.’ And then Roy says,‘IknewitwassomeplaceinPennsylvania.’” The rows behind us exploded in laughter. We were headed to Pinecraft, avillageontheoutskirtsofSarasota,on Florida’sgulfcoast.Whatstartedoutas a tourist camp around 1925 has evolved through word of mouth into a major vacation destination for Amish and Mennonites from all over the United States and Canada. Some 5,000 people visit eachyear,primarilywhenfarmworkup northisslow. On the bus, older passengers reminiscedaboutgoingdowntoPinecraftas childrenwhenroadswere justsandand dirt.OnemanwistfullyrecalledagreatunclewhohitchedaridedowninaModel T. But I didn’t fully understand the town’s popularity until we reached the end of our 1,222-mile drive, at a small church parking lot, where we were greeted by more than 300 people under a hot Florida sun — bus arrivals are a communityeventinPinecraft. Walking around Pinecraft is like entering an idyllic time warp. White bungalows and honeybellorange trees line streets named after Amish families: Kaufman, Schrock, Yoder. The local Laundromatkeepslinesoutsidetohang clothes to dry. (You have to bring your own pins.) And the techiest piece of equipmentatthepostofficeisacalculator. The Sarasota county government plans to designate the village, which spreads out over 178 acres, as a cultural heritagedistrict. Many travelers I spoke to jokingly call it the “Amish Las Vegas,” riffing off the cliché that what happens in Pinecraft stays in Pinecraft. Cellphone and cameras, normally off-limits to Amish, occasionally make appearances, and almost everyone uses electricity in their rental homes. Three-wheeled bicycles, instead of horses and buggies, are ubiquitous. “When you come down here, you can pitch religion a little bit and let loose,” said Amanda Yoder, 19,from Missouri. TELAVIV MizlalabyMeirAdoni MeirAdoni,thechefatMizlala,sees therestaurantasthe“crazyyounger sister”ofhishaute-dining,whitetableclothestablishment,Catit.“Thisoneis supposedtogiveyouagoodnightout,” hesaid. Indeed,MizlalabyMeirAdoni,which Mr.AdoniopenedlastJunenearTel Aviv’sCarmelMarket,cansometimes seemmorelikeawell-designedclub “What I’m wearing right now, I wouldn’t at home,” she said, gesturing at sunglasseswithsparklyrhinestonesandbikini strings peeking out of a tight black tank top. On the outskirts of the village, she boarded public bus No. 11 with six other sunburned teenagers. They were bound for Siesta Key, a quartz-sand beachabouteightmilesaway. After a couple of days, I started to pickuptherhythmsofaseasonedPinecraft traveler, thanks to tips from a chatty Amish-Mennonite woman. I had rentedaprivateroomfromherfor$40a night. (Most visitors rent homes, which oftenbookupayearinadvance,though there are a couple of modest hotels in theareaaswell.) Breakfast starts as early as 6 a.m., when men start settling into booths at the back of Troyer’s Dutch Heritage, a sprawling restaurant about a half-mile from the village center. They trade news from home over mugs of coffee and plates of bacon, eggs and biscuits submergedinsausagegravy. I chose to join a slightly later-to-rise crowd around 7:30 a.m. at Yoder’s Restaurant, a small and homey spot that serves sweet-tooth-friendly peanut-butter-pie pancakes topped with homemade whipped cream. Yoder’s also has two adjacent markets that sell fresh produce and baked goods like whoopie pies in a variety of flavors (red velvet, oatmeal,pumpkin). On a Friday morning, I followed yellow fliers to the backyard of the Miller family, where I found that most Amish of activities: a yard sale and auction. Throngs of shoppers inspected long rows of plastic tables overflowing with an eclectic mix of household goods that included a 1979 book on “Modern Refrigeration and Repair.” An auctioneer standing in the back of a pickup truck sold off a box of shoes for $2 and a bunchofwrenchesfor$42. When the auction started to wane, foot traffic migrated over to the shuffleboard court at Pinecraft Park in the southwest corner of the village. It’s open every day but Sunday, and the first lane, according to a sign, is always “ReservedforLadies.” MiriamLehman,60,fromShipshewana, Ind., sat on the sidelines dispensing advice after playing two games in flipflops. “Knock her out of there!” she thanarestaurant.Ayoung,T-shirt-clad crowddinesonthechef’screativetake onpan-MiddleEasterncuisineamida minimalistdécor,withthepulseofthe latestdancetracksasabackdrop. A“goodnightout,”though,wouldn’t bepossiblewithoutMr.Adoni’sinspired food.Duringarecentvisit,hisPalestiniantartarofferedasplendidtakeonaclassicdish:insteadofusingthetraditionaltrioofeggyolk,anchovyandcapers,heblendedchoppedsteakwith tahini,pinenutsandcharredeggplant purée.Theevening’sstandoutdishwas anotheringeniousvariation,thistime THENEWYORKTIMES,SUNDAY, APRIL15,2012 JOURNEYS WhereAmishSnowbirdsFindaNest ShooflytoKeyLime GETTINGTHERE FromOhio:PioneerTrails Bus(800-458-2554; pioneertrailsbus.com).One-way tickets$137,roundtrip$258). FromIndiana:Crossroad Tours(260-768-7549; crossroadtours.blogspot.com). One-waytickets$134,roundtrip $250. WHERETOEAT Yoder’sRestaurant(3434BahiaVistaStreet;941-955-7771;yodersrestaurant.com).Southernfriedchicken,$9.95. Yoder’sFreshMarket(3434 BahiaVistaStreet;941-556-7684; yodersrestaurant.com).Soups, $2.95;whoopiepie,$1.25. Troyer’sDutchHeritageRestaurant(3713BahiaVistaStreet; 941-955-8007; troyersdutchheritage.com). Countrybreakfastbuffet,$7.99. WHERETOSTAY AmericInnSarasota(5931 FruitvilleRoad;941-342-8778; americinnsarasotahotel.com). Roomsfrom$99. HamptonInnSarasota(5995 CattleridgeBoulevard;941-371- 1900;hamptoninnsarasota.com). Roomsfrom$129. onthesortoffareyou’remorelikelyto findinBrooklynthanIsrael:porkbelly slow-roastedinwhiskeyandmaple syrup,blendedseamlesslywithbarbecuedbutter-flavoredcorn,celery,gingerandfennelsausage. AlthoughmostitemsonMizlala’s menuarenotkosher(didtheporkbellygiveitaway?),thereareseveralnodstotheJewishkitchen,asinanexpertlypreparedentreeoffriedchickenlivers,portobellomushroomsandpolenta.ThemenualsodrawsonthecuisineofMorocco,whereMr.Adoni’smotherwasborn,andfromIraqiJew- ishtradition.AnIraqiversionofkibbeh, thetraditionalLevantinedish,was filledwithshrimpandgraymulletand servedinatoothsome—anddecidedly unkosher—stewofpancetta,mussels, beetandokra. Despitethelounge-likeatmosphere, Mizlaladoesbetterwithfoodthancocktails.TheGreyFizz(ginlacedwithEarlGreyteaandlemonjuice)wasquaffable,buttheoddlynamedRosieO’Donnell—“Ithinkshe’safamouswomanin theU.K.,” offeredourwaitress—with vodka,Aperolandgrapefruitjuice,was toopeppery. PHOTOGRAPHS BY MIKI MEEK FROMTOPOnthebeachon SiestaKeyinSarasota,Fla.; shuffleboardatPinecraftPark inPinecraft,longapopular winterspotforAmishvisitors; theparkinglotofTourist ChurchinPinecraft. TR 5 yelledasaPennsylvaniawomannamed Ida slid a yellow puck down the court and scored. They had met that afternoonandhadbecomefastfriends. Set against a backdrop of giant oak trees and <strong>Spanish</strong> moss, Pinecraft Park is a melting pot of Amish and Mennonite America. Old order, new order and nontraditional congregate. Clothing choices clue you in to hometowns: Men fromTampico,Ill.,weardenimoveralls; girls from Lancaster, Pa., cover their dresses with black aprons; and women from northern Indiana have neatly pressedpleatsontheirwhitebonnets. “All these groups can mingle down here in a way they wouldn’t at home,” said Katie Troyer, 59,ayear-round resident who left the Amish church but still embraces the culture. “That’s a puzzle peoplehavebeentryingtofigureoutfor ages.” Just over three feet tall and always riding around on a bike with a camera, Ms. Troyer is a beloved fixture in Pinecraft known for discreetly taking pictures of daily life that she posts on her blog,Project365. Evenings in Pinecraft almost always culminate in music. The Chuck Wagon Gang, a gospel and bluegrass band, often plays a patch of grass between two mobile homes that’s been dubbed Birky Square. More than 400 people turned out on the night I visited, overflowingintothesurroundingstreetsand causingminitrafficjams. A giant cast-iron pot of elk stew simmered over an open fire while the barefoot lead singer of the Chuck Wagon Gangharmonizedwithhiswife: Beyondthesunset Overthesunsetinthatbetterhome Angelsarewaitingtocarrymehome Oneaudiencemember,AlvaYoder,67, from Elnora, Ind., has traveled to Pinecraft almost every year since 1972. “You’ll never find another place in the worldthat’slikethisone,”hesaid. Æ Fortunately,therestaurant’screative spiritwasmuchinevidencewhendessertsarrived.Aplayfulstandoutwasfudgethatarrivedinaterra-cottaplanter,alongsideaneyedropperofraspberrysauceforthedinertoadd—agimmick,perhaps,butliketherestaurant,a bitofquirkyfun. MizlalabyMeirAdoni,Nahalat Binyamin57;(972-3)566-5505;mizlala .co.il/en.Opendailyforlunchanddinner.Athree-coursemealfortwo,withoutdrinksortip,isabout330shekels,or $90,at3.65shekelstothedollar. RACHELB.DOYLE
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A Spanish Island Idyll

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