In the sunset of dissolution,
everything is illuminated
by the aura of nostalgia.
Milan Kundera

UPHOLSTERY MAKEOVER

SAN JUAN -- An upholstery makeover can be less expensive than
buying a new piece of furniture but is only as good as the craftsman
you hire. Good craftsmanship requires time, patience and skill, all
of which Miguel Figueroa has in spades.

A graduate of the Miguel Such Vocational School, Figueroa
can transform a beat up old piece of furnishing into an attractive
new version of itself that will provide many more years of useful
service.

No need to discard the cherished old family couch. Just purchase a
nice piece of fabric and Figueroa will do the rest. His prices are
fair and his work is impeccable and meticulously executed.

With his 28 years of experience, Figueroa is up to any challenge
though he concedes that arm rests and tufting (capitonné upholstery)
can sometimes prove demanding.

An example of tufting, courtesy of Miguel Figueroa

By his own estimate, Figueroa is one of around 300 to 400
upholsterers plying their trade in metropolitan San Juan. In addition
to upholstery, he also paints furniture, builds beds and headboards,
and makes window cornices.

A tall courteous man, Figueroa will come to your home and give
you a free estimate for a job. Additionally, he will pick up the
piece of furniture to be upholstered and deliver it when the work
is completed. He can be reached by phone or contacted via e-mail.

787.360.0797
tapiceriaspecialedition@yahoo.com

Photography by Bill Santiago

Within me, 
I have all the dreams of the world.

Fernando Pessoa

JUNE WEDDING: A PIECE OF CAKE

June is traditionally a month for weddings and any wedding
worth its salt calls for a cake, especially one that reflects the
celebrants -- i.e. the happy bride and groom -- and astounds the
guests.

Local pastry chef Carlos Morales has no trouble meeting this
double bill: he is a veritable genius in the kitchen and his
confections can replicate just about anything under the moon.

Consider the cake he created for a couple with a passion for
travel. Each tier alluded to traveling: the bottom featured a
map of the Caribbean and Puerto Rico, the wedding locale;
the next tier represented an expensive, two-toned suitcase
with a chocolate bottom and a vanilla cover, down to such
details as the carrying handles, gold metal hardware and the
luggage tags; a map on the top tier highlighted the honey-
mooners' destination: Africa.

The result: an amazing cake, every bit of it edible.

Trained at the Culinary Institute in New York City, Morales
and his sister Maricel teamed up to launch C + M Contemporary
Master Cake Designers. That was 17 years ago and he's still
going strong with plenty of enthusiasm.

"My greatest satisfaction is to see when a bride arrives at
the reception hall and sees my sugar art work and they get
emotional," Morales said.

"That's my applause."

http://www.cmcakedesigners.com

           

A SIMPLE TIP

Lamp shades can be expensive
but a simple basket with an
open weave is a dandy
alternative with the added
bonus of creating a
lovely lighting effect.

Photography by Denise Blasor

You can tell when people don't have pets,
because they start to look like their plants.

Drew Dernavich

©2012 Lorraine Blasor all rights reserved☀