Mr. Ito, the Japanese architect whose team won a Golden Lion Award at the 2012 Venice Architecture Biennale for its concepts for new housing after the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, recently designed flatware called Mu. Introduced in Paris by the Italian company Alessi, the pattern complements Ku, the delicate porcelain service Mr. Ito created for Alessi in 2006.
Between sips of tea, there was much to appreciate: the narrow river of water trickling down the center of one of the counters, the tea strainers made of small gourds with green silk tassels, the mushroom-shaped rice paper light fixtures, the antique tea tools--and many delicate tea services for sale.
This delicate pivot to services also comes with hazards.
Q: Your relationship with the civil service is delicate.
Tuesday night's visitor was the Canadian James Ehnes, who put his delicate sensibilities at the service of Bartók's second contribution to the genre.
Even the vitrine marked "Installation in Progress" engages, with a tea service whose delicate forms are pinched and dented like George Ohr pots.
The backdrop of the Richard Ginori factory, a Florentine fixture since 1735, offered statues of classical gods, porcelain with inserted cameos of landscapes, and delicate, hand-painted table services.
Foster care and adoption services balance delicate relationships between prospective parents, children, providers and birth families.
Katia Mann was pouring tea from a heavy silver service into three delicate cups.
What's certainly true is that if you spend a lot in this land of high design, delicate aesthetics and unfailingly polite service, you're spoilt silly.
