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R achel Ashwell, the lauded international designer and creator of Shabby Chic, first came to Round Top from her home in London to revel in the plethora of quality antiques and vintage finds. She consistently stayed at a then-family-owned B&B, created by Lenore Prudhomme, that she would later purchase and transform into The Prairie by Rachel Ashwell, both to continue its history and to acknowledge the unlikely consonance of her personal style in the Texas terrain. The expansive property is comprised of five farmhouses and two barns from the mid-1880s, set on 46 acres. The most prominent is the two-story Liliput Lodge, the farm's original homestead, where each room takes on an individual air through distinct color palettes and furnishings, but together they maintain an overall design scheme indebted to the charm of rustic living — or at least as Marie Antoinette might envision rustic living. Ashwell's signature comfy cotton- and linen-upholstered furnishings, fluffy beds dressed in down duvets and washed cotton, and vintage chandeliers juxtaposed with hints of peeling paint, heavily patinated doorknobs and fixtures and tattered lampshades all contribute to the awareness of the home's history through the lingering presence of its past. Aside from Liliput Lodge, there are Cornflower Cottage, Faith Cottage, Meadow Manor and Blue Bonnet Barn, all varying-sized farmhouses (and one barn) with distinct personalities, mixing vintage wallpapers with Farrow & Ball paint colors, utilizing original floorboards and ceilings, all terribly luxurious with claw-foot tubs, ample showers, Ashwell's divine down-filled furnishings and duvets, flat- screen TVs and iPod docks. The success of the compound is also a result of the deliberate orientation of each structure on the property, situating wraparound porches and sunny windows to capture the magnificent vista of the natural landscape of trees and rolling land. Ranger's Lodge is where to go for a divine country breakfast prepared by Danny Riebeling, and to commingle over libations in the evenings. Don't miss the Shabby Chic store — another farmhouse, this one filled with Ashwell's couture furnishings, bedding, table linens, dishes, accessories and books. And The Pearl Barn, transformed into a wedding and special-event venue. Rates start at $185 per night. 5808 Wagner Road, 979.836.4975, theprairiebyrachelashwell.com. PaperCity Ad – February 2014 Trim Size: 6.21" x 6.21" Client: Mathews Nichols Group Agency: Banowetz + Company, Inc. Agency Contact: Sarah Terrell - (214) 823-7300 x107 Agency Job#: MN35338 PaperCity Ad Feb 2014 Due Date: 1-10-14 PaperCity Ad – February 2014 Trim Size: 4.375" x 4.375" Client: Mathews Nichols Group Agency: Banowetz + Company, Inc. Agency Contact: Sarah Terrell - (214) 823-7300 x107 Agency Job#: MN35338 PaperCity Ad Feb 2014 Due Date: 1-10-14 m a t h e w s - n i c h o l s . c o m 2 1 4 . 3 5 0 . 0 7 1 1 T h e n u m b e r o n e r e s i d e n T i a l r e a l e s T a T e T e a m i n d a l l a s. From London to Round Top by Mary Lambrakos T he luscious new Casa Laguna at Rosewood Mayakoba is tailor-made for a destination wedding or honeymoon escape. This one-of-a-kind villa, located deep in the Riviera Maya in Mexico, nestles in a lagoon landscape with views of the Caribbean Sea. Arrive via boat at the private dock; a personal staff of five — including butler, housekeeper and chef — will customize a daily menu and grant your every caprice. The calming contemporary villa, designed by Jose Manuel Martinez, is 9,500 square feet of tropical languor with an open floor plan, floor-to-ceiling panoramic views of the lagoon and three bedrooms, including two master suites and en-suite baths. The party continues outside with a private pool with outdoor shower and a deck for al fresco dining. And for your wedding guests, there's the adjacent Rosewood Mayakoba resort itself, which fronts a mile-long white-sand beach with 128 suites within a jungle setting. Escape to Sense, the Rosewood Spa on its own private island; play a round of golf on the Greg Norman championship course; or savor fine dining at Casa del Lago and Punta Bonita. $10,000 per night; information 888.767.3966, rosewoodhotels.com. Max Trowbridge Shhh W eary travelers looking for a respite from the hustle of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport need pop in to American Express' Centurion Lounge in Terminal D. Open exclusively to American Express Platinum and Centurion cardholders and their guests, the 9,000-square-foot lounge is an inner sanctum that delivers a heavy dose of pampering, courtesy of an on-site spa. Open 9 am to 8 pm seven days a week, Exhale Spa at The Centurion Lounge offers eight 15-minute complimentary treatments via its Fresh in Fifteen spa menu. Try the Deep Tissue Chair Massage (especially beneficial after a long flight and/or hauling luggage through the airport), the Red-Eye Ready (a facial that battles skin dehydration with a restorative mask and soothing night cream) and Perfectly Polished (i.e., a manicure on the fly). Our personal favorite is Get Glowing, a combination deep-cleanse, exfoliating and moisturizing treatment. Each treatment includes a heated neck pillow and a variety of herbal teas. Treatments are first come, first serve, so sign up for one as soon as you arrive at the lounge. While you wait, take advantage of the private work stations, complimentary bites from a menu created by Dean Fearing, with cocktails developed by master mixologist Jim Meehan from New York's PDT. Shower suites are stocked with L'Occitane products, and family rooms have toys and games for the kiddos. Access to The Centurion Lounge is complimentary for Platinum and Centurion cardholders; other American Express cardholders may buy day passes for $50, based on availability. thecenturionlounge.com. Anna Fialho Relax & Exhale at Centurion Lounge - Secret Mayan Escape David Burke Kitchen Aspen, set to open in July, will almost assuredly be the tony town's coolest new summer hangout. "Our setting is high-end rustic," says chef David Burke, whose eponymous restaurants are scattered about New York City and Chicago, and who garners press at every turn. This latest outpost, Burke's first in the West, will be just a few blocks from the base of Aspen Mountain in the historic downtown. "It's a see-and-be-seen kind of spot," says Burke. "We're on the second level of a new building, so we have the luxury of space including a spectacular terrace with beautiful views onto the mountain and over the town. It's something very special." Those familiar with the DBK menu at the James Hotel SoHo will find many of the same emblematic dishes in Aspen, such as Burke's famous peanut butter maple bacon dates with fried grapes, pretzel-crusted crab cakes and hearth-baked chicken with cauliflower gratin and foraged mushrooms. Beef is a house strength, and the restaurant has its own dry-aging vault. The kitchen will be led by executive chef Matthew O'Neill, who brings along a decade of experience, including a recent position as executive chef at the Ajax Tavern in Aspen's iconic Little Nell Hotel. Burke's cooking style emphasizes farm-to-table seasonality. "Out here we'll be including trout, striped bass and bison, local cheeses and greens." Burke says. Dallas also holds a special place in his heart. Before graduating from Culinary Institute of America in the early '80s, he interned at the Pyramid Room of the Fairmont Hotel and still keeps in touch with Dean Fearing, another celebrity chef who burnished his knives there. 515 Hopkins Ave., Aspen, Colorado, no phone number at press time, davidburkekitchenaspen.com. Terri Taylor Westward Ho For CELEBRITY CHEF DAVID BURKE Casa Laguna at Rosewood Mayakoba DFW Hall seating Hearth chicken at David Burke Kitchen Aspen ALL PRAIRIE PHOTOS BY JENNY ANTILL