Chair #365

CANTILEVER (CHAMPAGNE CORK) CHAIR

—Adam Weisgerber

POP! Well, it's New Years Eve, and that that means that with this Chair du Jour post I'll have successfully completed my goal of painting 365 chairs! They rock, swivel, swing, recline, glide, or just sit there lookin' good. Hope you've enjoyed the ride as much as I have.

+ + +

I think this cork chair is the perfect one to end the year with because who doesn't love champagne, dahhling?! And a miniature chair design contest involving a bourgeoisie item like champagne is irresistible, oui, n'est pas? This year Design Within Reach (DWR) sponsored its 4th annual champagne chair contest, and one particular DWR store had a champagne fueled reception sponsored by Veuve Clicquot for this year's top contestants. Of course you know Veuve Clicquot, that's the wicked good stuff with the orange label, and my favorite, wink wink, if you're ever a guest of mine. I'll bet you a bottle that you've taken the cork, the cap, and that little wire doo-hickey thing that holds all that bubble combustion in, and created something or other with it whilst the bubbly was being consumed. But these imbibing designers put our cork and wire doodles to shame. They were brilliantly inspired, and who wouldn't be by all those delicious, golden bubbles? The rules were simple and the results extraordinary—you've gotta Google it to see all the results for yourself.

+ + +

Veuve Clicquot Champagne History

When her husband died prematurely, a young Madame Clicquot decided to take up the reins of the champagne estate he began. Veuve means widow in French, and the widow Clicquot is who we can thank for giving us such sublime bubbliciosity with her Veuve Clicquot champagne. Known as the Grande Dame de la Champagne, the widow Clicquot's spirit is in every bottle of champagne sold by Veuve Clicquot, reigning over an empire of bubbles. In July 2008 the oldest unopened bottle of Veuve Clicquot was discovered inside a sideboard in Torosay Castle, Isle of Mull, Scotland. The 1893 bottle was in mint condition, having been kept in the dark. It is now on display at the Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin visitor centre in Reims, France and is regarded as priceless. Oooh la laaa!