Personality Hotels are well known for their original design and their partnerships with various very talented interior designers. Today we would like you to get to know Jonathan Rachman a little more. Proud owner of Jonathan Rachman Designs, Jonathan has traveled the world before settling in San Francisco for our greatest joy.
He was born and raised in Sumatra, studied in Switzerland and lived in Paris. Being rich of all those influences allows him to create very rich décors in which he is not afraid to mix Louis XVI furniture with random Indonesian artifacts. We are very happy as Jonathan will be designing Hotel Union Square’s new lobby, which will be absolutely stunning when he is done working his magic. It’s time for Jonathan Rachman’s Lounge Confessions:
Inspired by the Proust Questionnaire, here is a set of 10 questions that we like to ask Personalities to get to know them a little better.
PH: What is your favorite food and drink in San Francisco?
JR: Drink- anything made by Absinthe's bartender on Hayes Street. Food- After all these years, I am still in love with the classic Zuni's Roasted Chicken, B Star Bar's Lotus Chips, and Gary Danko's Horseradish Crusted Salmon Medallion with Dilled Cucumbers and Mustard Sauce.
PH: What is the place you always go to?
JR: From the Feryy building to the "fairies"-the F line route. I love strolling down the Castro and always think about the history of the place, what it means to Gay rights movement. My favorite building in the neighborhood is the Castro Theatre, one of the few still standing: Old School!
PH: What is your favorite street?
JR: West Portal- I have a lot of memories with loved ones there, plus this is the one street in San Francisco which is still "trapped" in the past, it was cool long before Mad Men ever aired.
PH: What do you most appreciate in SF?
JR: How it has become a home to so many wayfarers and how cosmopolitan yet so itimate it is. On a personal level, this town holds so many memories for me.
PH: What is your favorite occupation in SF?
JR: Being a doorman in a classic San Francisco establishment, especially those who've held the position for decades...imagine the books they could write if they wanted to.
PH: What is your idea of happiness?
JR: Being with my partner and my "tribe" at he same time in the same place, which happened for one of my birthdays in Bali. There were 60 poeple from 14 countries gathered for a week of love. They are my biological family and my "gathered and hoarded" over the years family.
But sharing meals with my partner everyday is just another perfect idea of happiness.
PH: If not yourself, who would you be?
JR: No one.
PH: What is the natural talent you would like to be gifted with?
JR: Playing the piano or the violin.
PH: What is your present state of mind?
JR: Insanely grateful.
PH: What is your favorite Motto?
JR: COMPASSION AND LOVE: "There are in the end three things that last: Faith, Hope and Love and the greatest of these is Love".
