Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1110892
OBSESSIONS. DECORATION. SALIENT FACTS. 26 W e first fell for Parachute via Instagram, as images of minimalist linens and accessories for bed and bath flooded our feeds. Vignettes of slightly mussed beds dressed in neutral color palettes and bathrooms decked with taupe robes called to mind an enviable kind of breezy coastal style. We weren't far off, as the brand's Venice Beach-based founder, Ariel Kaye, was inspired by a chic hotel on the Amalfi Coast and its sumptuous bedding when she started her company in 2014. No more must we wait for a FedEx delivery, as Parachute has opened on Travis Street in the bungalow that most recently housed Outdoor Voices. The Dallas shop — the first in Texas — offers Parachute's beloved Cloud Cotton bedding, a limited-edition collection of ceramics from L.A.-based Mt. Washington Pottery, and all manner of bath accessories. Designed in Parachute's earthy tones, the only spark of color comes by way of Rendentas Garden, which stocks the shop with a perfect dose of greenery. Parachute, 4539 Travis St., parachutehome.com. Christina Geyer FREE, FREE FALLING I 've found my way to a gold shipping container in Klyde Warren Park. I'm meeting Dallas-based Amy Bean — Harvard Kennedy School and University of Texas grad, and the woman who organized efforts to bring the Portal to town. It's noon: Berlin will be dialing in. Once inside, a massive screen feeds us live video of a man in Germany. He is there by way of Afghanistan, where he fled after living in Iran. Though thousands of miles away, we converse as if sitting together at a dinner party. The whole experience seems equal parts social experiment and performance art. The Portal opens daily to the public, and throughout the day strangers pass through, connecting with people in other Portals all over the world — from Berlin to Afghanistan, Myanmar to Puerto Rico. It's THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS a project that started in Brooklyn by artist Amar C. Bakshi. "We increasingly live in echo chambers, and in this sound-bite age, it is often difficult to have open, authentic interactions with people different than ourselves," says Bean. "The Portal creates connections between those who would not otherwise connect." Dallas Portal at Klyde Warren Park, sharedstudios.com/dallas. Christina Geyer W e love when a fundraiser gets reinvented — which is precisely why we're marking our calendars for Saturday, June 1, when Dallas Black Dance Theatre hosts its inaugural Big Dance event, sponsored by PaperCity. Consider it one massive dance party spanning five floors of the Rem Koolhaas-designed Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, all in the theme of the Harlem Renaissance and the Roaring '20s. Live bands will perform on each floor, while culinary stations and cocktails fuel the festivities. A DJ will spin electro- swing music for a late-night speakeasy. Dressing in costume is encouraged. dallasbigdance.com. Christina Geyer HOUSE PARTY S alvatore Ferragamo is moving into new digs — but, lucky for us, still within NorthPark Center, between the soon-to-open Saint Laurent boutique and David Yurman. To celebrate, Ferragamo creative director Paul Andrew created a limited-edition capsule collection strictly available in the Dallas store. Andrew married two iconic house prints, Sumatra and Gancini, to create the collection. Salvatore Ferragamo, N o r t h P a r k C e n t e r , ferragamo.com. Billy Fong A MARRIAGE OF PRINTS The Portal, Klyde Warren Park Dallas Black Dance Theatre Salvatore Ferragamo heels