Doing a job well is a combination of smarts, passion, discipline and commitment. I love this combination in action and, because it is so inspiring, I love to be around people who do their jobs really, really well.
At the Grand Hotel Cocumella (see posting 9/20/10), Giuseppe stands tall among a tribe of well-trained, passionate and caring individuals. As concierge, he lives and breathes his work for the 8 months yearly that the hotel is open; when Cocumella closes for the winter, he packs his gear and heads off to other climes – milder and more exotic ones I am told – and recharges his batteries for the next season. I have the sense, however, that Giuseppe does not take long to recharge for his nature is generous, his knowledge is deep, his skill at working the phone and spinning his magic is well honed, and he loves his work. Nothing more needs to be learned and little, if anything, improved upon — Giuseppe comes to the Cocumella table with all the talents and skills that make for a great, great concierge.
John Derian is a treasure. It's not that there aren't many with talent and vision because there are, the world over. But Derian has other attributes that make him so beloved. His eye is unerring, his sense of scale is perfect, he layers cultures and eras seamlessly in a room. And he is accessible in brick and mortar. His two shops on East Second Street have been haunts for years. One carries the decoupage he designs and constructs locally (and that make the best gifts ever) along with the coveted ceramics of Astier de Villatte. The second Dry Goods store next door showcases quirky antiques, an assortment of vintage furniture, stacks of heavy french linen, Moroccan rugs and soft cotton Indian clothing. Both are small, but intriguing and interesting enough to seduce you on a journey of the senses.
And now, Derian has opened on Christopher Street in a double-windowed storefront of a two-story 18th century house. It's like walking in to another world. Traditional Astier, and the later Derian/Astier collaborative pieces, line the walls from roof to floor of the front room. The back room, wallpapered in his new cabbage rose design and lit by beautiful Balthus-designed standing lamps with parchment shades, offers a living room in which to settle in, thumb through books and albums, and rest the soul.
So, go to shop, or simply go to travel in spirit to another place and time.
https://www.johnderian.com/pages/our-locations"
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