The Cafe Gandolfi...

I lived in Glasgow when I was young, I spent my whole childhood here and sometimes when I walk around the city I notice just how much it has shaped me and the things I like aethetically. Glasgow looks different to any other city, perhaps it's built up in my head because I connect it to my happy childhood. My parents both studied and met at The Glasgow School of Art. I used to have drama classes at the old Academy building and spend weekends at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery. Every saturday for years I attended an art class at the Burrell in Pollok park and on special occassions we would eat at my favorite restaurant in the world. The Cafe Gandolfi on Albion Street. This place is one of the key things that make Glasgow special to me. My parents used to go when they were younger and then we always went as a family and we still go now when they are back in Glasgow. As soon as I walk through that door I instantly remember being about 5, the smell of wood and the dark but comforting atmosphere, I absolutely love it!
The Cafe is owned by a friend of ours who's an amazing cook and has maintained the same atmosphere in the cafe for years, meaning it never changes, which is why it has so many loyal customers.
One of my dreams was always to own a Cafe Gandolfi chair! You have no idea...these chairs are each a separate masterpiece! Tim Stead, a graduate of Glasgow School of Art, started a unique craft of furniture design. His tables and chairs create the overall aesthetic of the restaurant. They are beautiful hand crafted masterpieces, each one is completely different from the next and he looks for the uniqueness in every piece of wood and designs the chair around that rather than the other way around.The cafe uses all Tim Stead chairs and tables and these are what really give the place an exquisite look. I am very interested in product design, and have been since a very early age. I think it's from being in places such as these with great works of art that I developed a love for design, so Im really thankful for that. Look at this chair below by Stead, its called the vertebrae chair, this is it before it's been varnished, its just amazing! When we go to Seamus (who owns the cafe) house he has an entire set given to him by Tim Stead's widow. Imagine how lucky you'd feel to have six of these unique chairs in your living room...one day!