Why Lane Harlan Refuses to Pick Just One Path
running into the fire and out the other side
Lane Harlan defies labels—restaurateur, poet, artist, traveler—she’s a creator of immersive, unforgettable experiences. From running a mezcaleria in Baltimore to restoring an 18th-century rectory on Spain’s Asturian coast, Lane’s work reflects her way of life: a devotion to connection, a fascination with culture and place, and a refined yet personal aesthetic brought to life through relentless vision.
If you’ve spent time in Baltimore, you’ve likely felt Lane Harlan’s touch as her influence is unmistakable. Lane is the creative force behind Clavel, WC Harlan, Fadensonnen, Angels Ate Lemons, and The Coral Wig—each a space that feels both transportive and deeply rooted. These establishments celebrate craft, honor place, and elevate small producers, weaving intentionality and connection into every detail.
What sets Lane apart isn’t just her ability to create extraordinary spaces—it’s the way she moves through the world. She blends what she calls “otherworldliness with authenticity,” approaching everything from travel to motherhood with a reverence for detail and a curiosity about how others live. Her gift lies in transforming the ordinary into something transcendent.
In this conversation, Lane reflects on how motherhood has deepened her creative process, how her travels inspire her vision, and how she balances family with her many passions. Lane’s story isn’t about following a linear path—it’s about carving out new ones, again and again, with boundless grace.
ATARA: Was becoming a mother something you always envisioned for yourself, or did the desire unfold along the way? How did you know it was the right time or path for you?
LANE: I never envisioned myself as a Mother, in fact, I didn’t see it until I was pregnant and had a dream about my soon-to-be daughter. My husband and I had been together for 12 years before we became a family of 3. We spent our first decade together building our vision of hospitality in the form of three bars, a restaurant, a wine shop, and a soon-to-be hotel. I have never believed in the ‘right’ path. I have only felt good or bad in my choices and adjusted accordingly. I often return to the Robert Frost poem my 6th-grade teacher made me memorize and recite to the class: ‘Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both…’ I love this poem because it has a lot to do with picking a single path and I believe it influenced me to do the opposite in life; to choose not one but many paths and to have many chapters. When I’ve gone down a path that hasn’t suited me, I’ve forged new ones for myself.
ATARA: Your mother seems like such a beacon of inspiration. What was your childhood like, and how do her values or spirit show up in the way you approach motherhood?
LANE: My Mother Lola was the only one of her nine brothers and sisters who left the Philippines. She married my Dad, a young airman in the Air Force, had three kids and moved every two years from one military base to another across the country. She had a way of finding her Filipino community everywhere we landed. Our house was always the place of potlucks and late-night mahjong parties in the garage. My Mother taught me the hospitality of heart and mind. Hospitality isn’t just about feeding people, it is about loving people and caring for them like you’ve known them forever and they belong with you.
ATARA: Your creative work spans so many realms—restaurants, art, and soon a hotel in Spain. How has motherhood influenced this creative flow? Does it act as an anchor, a spark, or perhaps even a mirror to your work?
LANE: I think I’m more laid back and open-minded than before because I have less battles to fight- internally and externally. I strive for my center so that I can be more present with my daughter. Before becoming a Mother- I gave everything to my work. Now I am smarter. My work is more poignant and fruitful. I have learned to sever myself from work every day at 5pm and dive back in at 9am the next day, never letting it consume me like it used to. If I am up late working it is because I am obsessed with something and want to- not because I have to.
ATARA: What’s one specific moment or experience in motherhood that surprised you with joy or taught you a lesson you didn’t expect?
LANE: My daughter, Brune and I love hiding in castles and forts. Playing under the covers in our ’castle’ makes me remember childhood memories of laughter and closeness. My siblings and I used to have an old pull-out couch. We would pull the bed out and crawl inside of the shell. It was our space command center.
ATARA: From Baltimore to Japan, Oaxaca, France, and Spain, your creativity seems to draw deeply from the places you’ve lived and explored. How do these places breathe life into your process and vision?
LANE: I have a hunger for experiencing how other people live, what they eat, drink, how they dress and more deeply how they embrace the culture. Growing up in the United States, it’s important to critically examine your own sense of nationalism. This allows you to recognize the country’s strengths while understanding and avoiding its shortcomings. Traveling gives me this perspective. It shows me where I live and it sharpens my senses. In my line of work, the senses are everything. I have to know what feels right, who feels right, and how to make things otherworldly for people.
ATARA: With so many spinning plates—building restaurants, envisioning a hotel, and navigating motherhood—how do you keep your creative spark alive? Are there particular rituals, places, or practices that help you stay inspired?
LANE: I feel best when I run several miles each morning, sleep 8-9 hours at night, and connect with my family and friends. When my life is in balance, I have the privilege of sound decision-making and fully executing artistic ideas. I naturally run hot, physically and mentally. I run into the fire and out the other side. I have always known that I am an extremely capable person. My parents taught me that I could do anything. They taught me how to use my focus. I strive to use my capabilities to help others improve their lives.
ATARA: You have a love for old objects and the stories they carry. How do you bring that sense of timelessness into a life that can often feel hurried or chaotic?
LANE: Being surrounded by relics of the past is grounding. It reminds you of the big picture. The big picture is an amalgamation of the past, the present, and the future. My soul has a lot to do with people but also with things. As we renovate an 18th century rectory in a fishing village on the north coast of Spain, I feel that we are restoring the soul of a physical space and working towards a legacy of those who cease to exist and those who are born today.
ATARA: What is the ultimate dream you’re building—for yourself, for your daughter?
LANE: It is a dream of freedom, of loving the work and working hard so that we can travel as we please. It was the dream of my husband and I when we met and it is our shared dream now.
The last thing you bought that you love: A book for my daughter, Brune from a bookshop in London called ‘The Giant Jam Sandwich’ by Janet Burroway. The illustrations are gorgeous. I couldn’t wait to get home and read it to her.
A in your wardrobe that feels like your creative armor: Long, billowing caftans. Long, billowing trench coats.
An inspiring book you read recently: Be Ready When the Luck Happens - Ina Garten
Your ultimate comfort food: Phở. I dream of eating phở for breakfast every morning, specifically outside in the cold where the steam engulfs my face.
Restaurants or meals you’ve had recently that blew your mind: Had a perfect meal at Marksman in London- chicken & ceps pie, simple chicory salad, chips & mayonnaise (just started eating it for the first time in my life) and a glass of Vielle Prune to finish. As a rule of thumb, if I’m having something liquid to finish then its been a great meal.
On your playlist: Any songs you have on repeat? Always classical piano and jazz. Top albums on repeat would be ‘Crescent’ by John Coltrane Quartet and truly anything by Frederic Mompou.
Where are you dreaming of traveling next? Northern Vietnam. When Brune is out of diapers I am bringing her everywhere.