Whereas upstairs at the Press Lounge, the goal is to highlight and embrace the views, downstairs at Print, the idea is to connect the concept of the printing press with California, where Adam Block, the owner, resides for much of the year. Ink 48 used to be a printing press, and so he had a strong desire to tie that theme into his restaurant. He struck gold when he remembered newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst’s Californian castle. He mimicked the stucco walls and Moroccan tiles from the Californian mansion’s architecture. He chose a mid-century aesthetic, and specifically ordered in Heath ceramics for the tableware, designed by Edith Heath in 1949. Of course, Adam does not want people to realize what he did: he simply wants them to recognize the subtle look of the restaurant and have everything click together for patrons.
The art is especially clever. There is a piece made from Eucalyptus trees (another echo of California) that suggests the shape of letter slugs lined up on the wall, and another that is called “Cooking the Books.” It displays a few rows of books, delicately "crisped." John O’Mahoney, the director of sales, explained that that was a recent addition to the walls, but it perhaps was most in sync with the vision behind the décor. One of the simplest elements that I noticed, yet so effective, was the napkin folded like an envelope. There is no doubt that every detail has been carefully thought out.
The décor is only a small part of what Print has to offer. We encourage readers to check out our SidePick for the Press Lounge to learn more from our interview with Adam and his professional forager, Meghan Boledovich.
