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New York Cafe Budapest
New York Cafe Budapest
New York Cafe Budapest
New York Cafe Budapest
New York Cafe Budapest

New York Cafe Budapest

$175.00

Budapest, Hungary

We had read that the line for the cafe sometimes stretches outside and down the block, but we only waited for about 30-40 minutes.  In a way, I am actually glad for the wait because it gave me some time to try and soak in the over the top architecture and decorations.  It was almost a bit overwhelming (in a truly magnificent way!) so that if we had been seated immediately, I would have spent the entire time at the table with my eyes turned up to the ceiling!

We enjoyed a cake sampler and a glass of Prosecco, and while the food was good, the atmosphere was out of this world.  Seated by a window overlooking the main street, we were able to enjoy the bustle of the colorful city as well as the opulence in which we were seated.

 

Fun Facts:

  • Opened in 1894 as a coffee house on the ground floor of the European Headquarters of the New York Life Insurance Company
  • The owners were intent on creating "the most beautiful cafe in the world"
  • Was popular with writers and artists
  • Many of the famous coffee houses, including the New York Cafe were shut down during the Soviet occupation
  • Many different businesses moved into the cafe, and it was even once a sporting goods store
  • In 2001, the building was purchased and turned into a hotel.  The new owners wanted to restore the grand cafe to its original glory
  • They found blueprints of the original cafe in the basement, and were able to recreate it almost exactly

Process And Size Guidelines

I handcraft each piece in my home studio, located just outside of Kansas City, MO.

Most of the photos I use were taken by me on my travels near and far.    I review each photo, looking for striking colors and strong structural elements.    If you think of the entire design as a pie, I am looking for a perfect “slice” of pie within the picture.  Once I find it, the slice is mirrored and repeated in a circular fashion to create the whole pie, i.e. the kaleidoscopic design.

 

The design then is printed multiple times onto photo paper and I hand cut different elements from each copy of the design with scissors (yes, scissors!). After the cutting is done, I reassemble the pieces into tiered layers separated by foam core, creating the unique three-dimensional kaleidoscopic effect.  Finally, I mount the piece onto mat board and frame it in a shadow box, adding a small copy of the original photo to the piece.

 

 

Each design is available in multiple sizes.  The larger the piece, the more layers the design will have, which gives you even greater depth and dimension.  The larger size also allows for more intricate cutting, providing more texture and more "wow"!

 

 Size
 Outside Dimensions Inside Dimensions Frame Color
10x10
 9.75" x 9.75" x 2" 9" x 9" x 1.5" Black
13x13
 13.5" x 13.5" x 2.75" 12" x 12" x 2.25" Black
16x16
 18.5" x 18.5" x 4" 16" x 16" x 3" Custom made reclaimed cedar with museum quality plexiglass front