This week's roundup includes a ceiling installation of spray painted coffee makers for the opening of a new restaurant in Miami; a pop culture-inspired Day of the Dead art exhibit at the Darcy hotel in Washington; a Golden Gate Bridge replica bar that emits fog at the Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco; and a Victorian house on wheels made from recycled materials at the Lyft Art Park in Las Vegas.
Canadian Opera Company’s sixth annual fund-raiser took place November 1 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto. Gala attendees dined on the venue’s stage, against a backdrop of pink, red, and white flowers that mimicked the floral centerpieces on the tables. The event was designed by the company's special events team.
For the opening of Latin Cafe 2000 Brickell in Miami, the venue debuted a ceiling installation consisting of spray-painted Italian-style coffee makers. Inspired by the Umbrella Sky Project installation in Coral Gables, the project was conceptualized by DeepSleep Studio and created and installed by Kali Castellanos, the wife of the restaurant’s owner, Eric Castellanos.
The Darcy hotel in Washington partnered with Artist’s Proof gallery to debut the exhibition Dias De Los Muertos, which features paintings by American artist John Stango. The paintings pay tribute to 20th- and 21st-century cultural icons such as Muhammad Ali, Frida Kahlo, Prince, and Amy Winehouse. The curated selection of paintings will be on view at the hotel throughout the month of November.
The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco debuted an interactive bar in the lobby that resembles the Golden Gate Bridge. Nodding to the city’s low-lying clouds, the bridge replica spreads mist into the lobby and serves guests complimentary drinks that include dry ice. At 5:30 p.m. each day, a fog horn sounds to indicate that the experience will begin. The structure was built and designed by the hotel's engineering team.
To coincide with this year’s TCS New York City Marathon, which took place November 4, sport headphone brand Jaybird partnered with N/A Collective to launch an experience geared to marathon enthusiasts and the public. The event, which took place November 2-3 at 198 North 4th Street in Brooklyn, held 90-minute sessions that included a “hammock forest.” Visitors could lay in a hammock and participate in a meditative headspace session.
Rideshare company Lyft recently debuted a three-month public promotion in downtown Las Vegas, designed to address the city’s congestion and provide an eye-catching space for people to hail rides. Neverwas Haul is a three-story Victorian house on wheels made from 75-percent recycled materials. It was inspired by the stories of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells and has also been displayed at Burning Man. The park also has games like corn-hole and oversize chess, which visitors can play while they wait for cars.
The space also features a cartoon pink taxi, which was originally created for the Intergalactic Art Car Festival, held in Las Vegas in June.
For a festive fall cocktail idea, spirits brand Ron Barceló debuted a cocktail called Smashing Pumpkins. Doubling as a tribute to the rock band, the simple drink combines Ron Barceló añejo, allspice, pumpkin puree, and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
To coincide with the midterm elections, Columbia Journalism Review staged a pop-up newsstand on a crowded street corner next to New York’s Bryant Park on October 30. The stand was stocked with magazines and newspapers that looked real, but featured false headlines plucked straight from the Internet. Staffers handed passersby pamphlets that provided tips on how to spot misinformation and stats about the spread of false news.
In anticipation of the opening of the TWA Hotel at J.F.K. Airport next year, a 116-foot-long Lockheed Constellation airplane is on a 300-mile journey from Maine to the airport in Queens, New York. Nicknamed “Connie,” the restored aircraft, which was commissioned in 1939 by TWA owner Howard Hughes, is set to be turned into a bar and restaurant for the new hotel property.
