Expansions

Phoebe Cates Designed Sfoglia’s New Private Dining Room

Photo: Lindsey Belle

A number of years back, actress Phoebe Cates added store owner to her résumé when she opened eclectic gift shop Blue Tree on the Upper East Side. Now Cates has collaborated with another neighborhood fixture, Italian restaurant Sfoglia, to design the eatery’s new private dining space. Recently Sfoglia was able to expand into the townhouse next door, and the twelve-seat room is on the second floor of that. Cates has outfitted it with furnishings and tchotchkes from her store, including candles, linens, lamp, and serving platters, and she weighed in on silverware and plate choices as well. There is a long wooden table and beveled mirrors on the walls — for now, anyway! The look could change if diners opt to buy the items: Everything, down to the table itself, is for sale on site or through Blue Tree. At $500 to rent the dining room, we sure hope Cates’s decorating skills have improved since she spray-painted that car as Linda Barrett in Fast Times at Ridgemont High!

Phoebe Cates Designed Sfoglia’s New Private Dining Room