Pop quiz. What do The All England Tennis Club’s Centre Court, The Millennium Stadium, and Los Angeles restaurant Redbird all have in common? Parp! Time’s up, and the answer is… they all have retractable roofs. Very well done if you got that one at home. Yes, Redbird, located within the rectory building of arts venue Vibiana in downtown L.A., has a state-of-the-art ceiling above the main courtyard dining space that can be moved back and forth for a tailored dining experience — although Cliff Richard will almost certainly not leap out of the kitchen with a song if it starts raining. What you will get is some smashing food from chef Neal Fraser, which is an altogether more appetising proposition.
Designer Robert Weimer and architect Osvaldo Maiozzi put their heads together for the creation of Redbird, contrasting existing Spanish Baroque architectural features with contemporary finishes. Notable design-related elements include the hand-painted ceiling by Guerin Swing, a magnificently ornate silver gate given as a papal gift in 1933, and commissions from ceramicist Adam Silverman and artist Nancy Baker Cahill. Judging by Redbird’s gorgeous looks, you might need to say a few prayers to get a table. Tennis puns, church puns, I’m spoiling you today…
Photography, DYLAN+JENI
