​EmKo: Where food, drink and art intersect

More pictures from the Braman EmKo Event.

There was a time in our lives when we lived in the penthouse in a converted fancy-pants department store.

As I enjoyed telling my friends, as a child I had always wanted to live in a department store ... so, as an adult, I did. It was truly great, just a little different than I had imagined as a day-dreaming kid. No racks or display cases to linger over, but classic buildings have a certain allure to me.

Well, that nugget of useless information brings me to a Braman event we attended on Saturday in West Palm Beach.

EmKo.

To quote the front of their brochure -- "Welcome To Modern Creativity."

Sitting in their facility, a nice red wine in hand, this converted building felt very alluring. You could feel the art. You could also see the art in the lobby straight away in the form of a giant, gleaming, silver panther.

In this space, which has been converted from housing a classic car venue, we discovered an enchanting venue of a very different sort.

Having an appreciation of converted spaces, this one conjures images of beautiful warehouses which have been transformed into groovy-chic (I made that term up, but it fits) spaces for dining, living, shopping or artistic endeavors.

EmKo seems to offers all that, with the exception of the living part.

Let's break it down.

JEREVE: The culinary studio. In French, Jereve means, "I dream." Was this the intention here? 
I did not ask because I was too busy enjoying myself.  Jereve is fine dining, with exquisite decor and inviting indoor and outdoor seating.  Fun to see is the open concept kitchen, which was a-buzz with activity during our visit. Turning attention away from the bustle of the kitchen, the sculpture garden offers a sense of peace and solitude while dining al fresco. For further investigation on our part is their mentoring and apprentice program for those up-and-coming chefs.

UNTITLED: I guess you don't need one when it is obvious what you offer. Untitled is a coffee and juice bar, open Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. 

B.A.B.-Back Alley Bakery offers house-made baked goods. The rotating menu offers items ranging from European pastries to nostalgic American desserts. These may be carried out or they invite you to enjoy them under the umbrellas on an adjacent deck. B.A.B. also provides freshly baked goods to Untitled and Jereve.

KOEL FLORA: Did the word flora give it away? Perhaps, but Koel says they offer out-of-the-ordinary, modern works of floral art.

A.I.R: Artist Independent Republic is a contemporary art venue, providing an outlet for unknown artists who may need a bit of an assist getting launched.

Go see for yourself, it's all right there, in a converted building, on Dixie Highway in the Flamingo Park area. 

EMKO. --Pam

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A giant, gleaming silver panther sets the tone (NPBL photo)