This Times Square Tropical Paradise Unveils Theatrical New Menu
Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Times Square below, The Terrace and Outdoor Gardens is a tropical oasis in the heart of New York City. Known for its stunning interiors and innovative dishes, it's a hotspot for tourists and locals alike. And, for the first time ever, the vibrant restaurant has given its menu a full overhaul. The result? A ton of theatrical flair that will evoke the senses.
Located on the ninth floor of the luxurious five-star Times Square Edition, The Terrace and Outdoor Gardens transports diners to a tranquil paradise. Helmed by Michelin-starred Chef John Fraser, the new menu features seasonal favorites along with reinvented classics that give a fresh perspective on traditional French and American cuisine.
'The new Spring menu was inspired by the rhythm of the season itself — its sense of renewal, brightness and delicate abundance. The menu is a celebration of ingredients at their peak, designed to feel both elegant and alive,' said Chef Fraser.
According to Fraser, the restaurant's interior, which is outfitted with towering trees, ambient lanterns and rugged wooden furnishings, serves as both muse and mirror to the menu.
'Its palette of soft greens and natural textures, combined with filtered sunlight and florals, evokes the feeling of dining within a landscape. We designed the dishes to echo that — vibrant, tactile, and grounded in nature,' he explained. 'You'll see edible flowers, herbaceous oils, and compositions that feel almost botanical in their arrangement,'
While the previous menu emphasized symmetry and formality, Fraser said that the Spring menu leans into spontaneity and softness.
'There's a sense of looseness in the plating, allowing ingredients to breathe and unfold visually,' he noted. 'The presentation is more organic, more seasonal in spirit, and more connected to the story we're telling now,'
Standout entrées include Spring Lamb Ravioli, complete with minted ricotta and fresh peas and garnished with edible flowers. The bold Aphrodite's Cup cocktail is a refreshing wine berry sorbet with pierre ferrand, mommmenpop grapefruit sparkling rosé and pomegranate seeds.
For dessert, the eye-catching Frozen S'mores amps up the theatrics. It comes out smoked with a cloud puff, and is torched tableside for an Instagram-able moment.
'We think of theater as an extension of storytelling—not spectacle for spectacle's sake. We all know that we eat with our eyes before our stomach and we really wanted to elevate the visual experience,' Fraser explained. 'Just as we eat with our eyes before our mouths, we aim to elevate the visual experience in a way that deepens the flavor. For example, a smoked cloche may lift to reveal our version of s'mores. It's a moment, but it always leads back to flavor.'
The Terrace and Outdoor Gardens dinner menu is available to enjoy daily at Times Square Edition from 5pm through 9:30pm.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Sunset Social Club Opens as West Hollywood's First Luxury Cannabis Lounge for Members Only
Curated 5,500-Square-Foot Venue Launches June 14 Across from Chateau Marmont with Premium Brands, Gourmet Experiences, and Hollywood Design Flair WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif., June 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the heart of Los Angeles's iconic Sunset Strip, Sunset Social Club officially opens on Saturday, June 14 at 4:20 p.m., introducing West Hollywood's first private cannabis consumption lounge. Located directly across from Chateau Marmont, this 5,500-square-foot members-only venue combines the prestige of a private club with curated access to California's most sought-after cannabis brands and hospitality experiences. Operating under one of West Hollywood's original cannabis licenses, Sunset Social Club redefines luxury cannabis culture with vintage-inspired interiors, strategic partnerships, and immersive programming designed for tastemakers and connoisseurs alike. 'As someone who's been part of the California cannabis community for years, I can honestly say there's nothing else like this open right now,' said Chris Folkerts, partner at Sunset Social Club and CEO of Grenco Science. 'This has been five years in the making. We're not just another dispensary or lounge, we're building a community around premium cannabis culture.' Designed by Pantera Sara, known for her vintage aesthetic and deep Hollywood roots, Sunset Social Club's interiors showcase hand-picked furniture, gallery-quality art, and a 'lived-in luxury' feel inspired by old Hollywood. The lounge includes: A spacious, luxe consumption area An outdoor patio garden for socializing and smoking Secure lockers for members A private parking lot with 200 spaces, rare for West Hollywood and ideal for VIPs seeking discretion 'We wanted to create a space where cannabis consumers can relax, connect, and be inspired with a sense of privacy and exclusivity that's increasingly rare in today's hyper-connected world,' said Sara. Membership Perks, Monthly Activations & Exclusive Benefits Membership is $420/month and includes far more than lounge access: Monthly Perk Credit: Each member receives an equivalent monthly value in a curated mix of cannabis products, food and beverage offerings, and exclusive merchandise only available on-site. These benefits do not roll over, encouraging regular visits and engagement with new partner offerings. Cannabis mixology bar with infused cocktails Gourmet small bites prepared by a Michelin-trained chef A full specialty coffee program curated by Be Bright Coffee, with founder Frank La personally training the staff and overseeing beverage development VIP access to exclusive events, private performances, and brand activations Discounts at iconic L.A. restaurants and nightlife venues Priority access to private Chinese Theater screenings Sunset Social Club operates: Sunday–Thursday: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Friday–Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Weekend hours may extend to 4:00 a.m. pending city approval. Top Cannabis Brands All Under One Roof Sunset Social Club is built on deep partnerships with California's top-tier cannabis and lifestyle brands, including: 710 Labs, Alien Labs, Backpack Boys, Benzeen, Cake, Camino, Cann, CBX, Connected, Cure Co, Foreign Genetics, Good Tide, Grenco Science, Heavy Heads, Jungle Boys, Kiva, Khalifa Kush, Nameless, Originals, Pabst Labs, Sluggers, Spritz, St. Ides, Stündenglass, West Coast Cure, Wizard Trees, Wyld Many of these brand partners have already planned large-scale activations and more intimate, highly curated experiences within the lounge. From product launches to cultural events, Sunset Social Club is committed to working closely with members and partners to create unique experiences that can't be found anywhere else in cannabis. The lounge also features immersive integrations with Grenco Science and Stündenglass, offering signature cannabis cocktail experiences and exclusive glassware presentations. A Vision for Cannabis Hospitality and Expansion Sunset Social Club isn't just a lounge, it's a movement. With plans to develop a house brand and open future locations in other legal markets, the team is building a Soho House-style cannabis network with reciprocal member access across cities. The venue also includes a flexible event space for live performances, brand takeovers, and curated member programming, blending cannabis culture with the rhythm of Los Angeles nightlife and entertainment. 'We're not just serving cannabis, we're serving culture,' added Folkerts. Filling a Gap in L.A.'s Cannabis Scene With past venues like Cannabis Cafe closed and others pivoting away from onsite consumption, Sunset Social Club fills a key gap in Los Angeles's cannabis hospitality landscape, offering a private, legal, and elevated space for modern consumers. 'This is Sunset. This is Hollywood,' said Sara. 'We built something people can be proud to belong to with comfort, design, exclusivity, and great cannabis at its core.' JOIN THE CLUB Applications are now open at Location:8228 W Sunset Blvd, Suite B, West Hollywood, CA 90046Directly across from Chateau MarmontPress Inquiries & Grand Opening RSVP: Wilfred M. Waimiriwilfred@ in to access your portfolio
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' tour celebrates country music while also holding it accountable
Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' tour celebrates country music while also holding it accountable Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" tour has been a unifying celebration of joy, movement and intentional fashion, as an ode to to country music's true roots. Simultaneously, she seamlessly holds the genre accountable for its historical and ongoing exclusionary bounds. The Grammy-winning singer first debuted her "Cowboy Carter" tour at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on April 28 with 39 songs on the set list. The concerts have been revolutionary shows filled with family, fashion, different music genres, and most notably country music and cultural commentary. Beyoncé opens up her show with her song "Ameriican Requiem," in which she sings "for things to change they have to stay the same." Later in the song she sings, "They used to say I spoke too country and the rejection came, said I wasn't country 'nough." She goes on to sing her her Beatles cover "Blackbiird," inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, "The Star-Spangled Banner and "Freedom" — the theme song of Kamala Harris' presidential campaign. Then she wraps up the night's first act with "Ya Ya" — "whole lotta red in that white and blue." At another point of the show a message appears on the backdrop: "Never ask permission for something that already belongs to you." A.D. Carson, associate professor of hip hop at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville spoke to that message of belonging. "Country music is as much a place for an artist like Beyoncé as any of the artists who have dominated country for the past 25 years," Carson says. "So I wouldn't call it a reclamation but a reminder that all of American pop music — no matter the genre — owes a debt of gratitude and much more to the unsung Black artists who were pioneers in those genres so that they could become what they are today." Messages and motifs throughout 'Cowboy Carter' and its tour As fans know, Beyoncé first released the 27-track project in March 2024. It has since made history and broken multiple records. As Beyoncé's first country album, she deliberately featured country legends and emerging Black country artists alike. Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour doubles down on this notion down to the name. Historically, the "Chitlin' Circuit" was a network of venues that embraced and employed Black musicians who were otherwise shunned from white theaters during the Jim Crow era. The performance theaters and clubs would host some of the best talent in American history. Since the album's release, Beyoncé has made it clear why she felt inspired to highlight the country's roots — often misperceived or erased entirely — while also celebrating her own country roots and Southern heritage. And this powerful intersection comes to life on her tour. A celebration at the core and a continuous teaching moment "Sometimes we want things to be one thing or the other, like we make it into the false choice between celebration and protest," Carson says. "But very often as a Black person in this country, your celebration is protesting even if you don't mean it as such. People receive it that way and so they interpret it as being protesting." Carson emphasizes the power of duality. "We can do multiple things at once," he says. "And so while we're being entertained, we can be critical and we can be learning and we can be teaching." With this project, Beyoncé became the first Black woman to win best country album at the 2025 Grammys and also took home album of the year. Her tour is a celebration of country music, while spotlighting the complex truth: Black people helped build the genre and are still ostracized today. It's a place where fans from all different races and backgrounds come together and enjoy country music in its fullness and its true roots of diversity without forgetting the history and the current backdrop it's up against. "It's probably always wise for us to look at — especially at moments of political or social turmoil — the kinds of things that people turn to for entertainment," Carson says. "This happening right now should tell us something about who we are and maybe something about who we aspire to be as much as it tells us about who we were and who we thought we were." Through her genre-bending performance, Beyoncé reinforced the statement printed on her merchandise: "This Ain't A Country Tour, It's A Beyoncé Tour." However, it's clear the tour wasn't just a country music tour. "It's fundamental to our understanding of the world right now to listen to Black cultural producers. And the reason that it's important is not just because they entertain us, but because of the ways that they say the things that end up being unsayable in other forms or undoable in other forms," Carson says. "So a Black woman's country album right now tells us something. It tells us many things about right now." Fashion that makes a real statement In addition to the music, Beyoncé's tour has been a huge showcase of fashion. Each night, Beyoncé continues to blend high fashion with custom Western glam. There's been lots of sparkly chaps, cowboy hats, boots and fringe. Most notably, there's been a significant amount of American flags and red, white and blue. She has also made a point to put a spotlight on Black-owned brands such as Telfar. During her New Jersey tour stop, Beyoncé donned a Black Yankees varsity jacket. The New York Black Yankees were a professional Negro league baseball team. They were founded in 1931 to provide an avenue for Black players amid racial segregation in Major League Baseball. Again, another deliberate but fashion-forward choice that nods to Black history while highlighting a version of Americana that has long existed. This tour has also inspired fans of all demographics to embrace cowboy and Southern culture with their wardrobe. Beyond the inevitable teaching moments it sparks, joy has remained at the heart of it all — whether it's the thrill of new merchandise or curating the perfect outfit. "Allow yourself to be entertained," Carson says. "But also allow yourself to be challenged. And allow yourself to be critical because you don't have to be uncritical in order to be entertained." Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network's Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @cachemcclay.
Atlantic
an hour ago
- Atlantic
America's 250th Birthday Party, Brought to You by MAGA
Just four months ago, the Fox News host Steve Doocy gave a social-media send-off to his young producer Ariel Abergel, who had announced that he was leaving the network. Alongside a montage of the two traveling through Iowa, Doocy reminisced about their three years together and affectionately razzed Abergel as 'Ari the driver.' Now Abergel, who finished college in 2021 and is in his mid-20s, finds himself in a much— much —bigger producing job: He's been tasked by President Donald Trump with overseeing the nation's 250th birthday celebration as executive director of America250. The congressionally authorized festivities, which kick off Saturday with a Washington parade to honor the Army, are backed by more than $100 million in expected congressional appropriations and are supposed to be a nonpolitical, nonpartisan affair. But Abergel's new role has prompted concerns even from some Trump loyalists, as well as a backlash among participants who worry that his installation portends a bid by Trump to channel the patriotism surrounding the nation's semiquincentennial into a celebration of himself. Abergel's operation helped fundraise for Trump's speech on Tuesday at Fort Bragg, where the president denounced his political rivals before a backdrop of active-duty troops. The group is also planning a 250th Kickoff Celebration on July 4, at which Trump plans to announce the fulfillment of two campaign promises: plans for a Great America State Fair in 2026, and a new, federally backed Patriot Games to celebrate American sports. At both events, as well as Saturday's parade, which falls on Trump's 79th birthday, top donors have been promised a 'dedicated VIP experience,' according to documents we obtained. Trump and his advisers are eager to use the nation's 250th anniversary to highlight the various ways that, in their view, his administration is making America great again. The president considers the semiquincentennial part of a rolling celebration that he will oversee, a White House official told us. In Trump's expansive view, the events also include the 2026 FIFA World Cup—which the United States is hosting, along with Canada and Mexico—and the 2028 Summer Olympics, in Los Angeles. Listen: The real problem with Trump's parade Much like Saturday's parade for the Army, celebrations for the Marines and Navy are being planned for this fall, when they, too, turn 250. A New Year's Eve–style ball drop in Times Square is also being discussed for July 4, 2026—celebrating the Declaration of Independence turning 250, people familiar with the planning told us. A list of new donors to the effort was announced this week and is filled with corporations whose leaders have sought to ingratiate themselves with the president—Ultimate Fighting Championship, Coinbase, Amazon, and Oracle, to name a few. Their tax-deductible donations do not go to Trump's political committee, or the Republican Party, but to America250 Inc., a nonprofit group that was established in 2019 by a bipartisan, congressionally authorized commission that Abergel now runs. On paper, the nonprofit represents the whole country, without any political agenda beyond patriotic celebration. It is backed by an America250 congressional caucus, with a bipartisan group of more than 280 members from the House and Senate. But in practice, the group has been functioning in recent weeks as an arm of Trump's White House operation. Administration officials say that is appropriate because the Biden administration put its stamp on the early planning for the 250th celebration, and the White House was long expected to select the organization's executive director. Others, however, disagree. Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman, a Democrat from New Jersey, said in a statement emailed to us that Trump's leadership has been making decisions without informing or seeking the consent of the bipartisan commission that oversees America250. Watson Coleman, a member of the commission, said that she intended to 'fight' to return the group to its nonpartisan purpose, and that Saturday's parade was 'being run under the banner of America250 without advance notice to, or consent from, the members of the Commission.' 'America250's mission is to 'engage, educate, and unite,'' Watson Coleman said in the statement. 'That mission has been hijacked by Donald Trump. It is unfortunate that what was meant to unite the country and honor its history has been twisted into yet another scheme for his own personal gain.' Abergel, who interned for Trump during his first term and worked briefly in First Lady Melania Trump's office, has hired another recent college graduate, Aidan Golub, as his chief of staff, according to Golub's LinkedIn account. He has brought over others from Fox News to help the organization, and added top campaign advisers to Trump, including the fundraiser Meredith O'Rourke, events planner Justin Caporale, and senior adviser Chris LaCivita. The former Fox News host Monica Crowley, who now serves as chief of protocol for the United States, has been appointed the 'principal media representative' of America250. Several vendors who had been working on preparations for next year, meanwhile, have been fired. An administration official familiar with the operation told us that Abergel helped plan large public events for Fox News when he worked there and is well qualified for the job. 'He is taking something and fixing it,' this person said, after requesting anonymity to discuss internal matters at America250. 'He is bringing in the best of the best.' 'Ari and the team have brought a fresh perspective to our programming that helps us connect with Americans across the country,' Rosie Rios, the chair of America250, who served as U.S. treasurer under President Barack Obama, told us in a statement. 'As we approach America250, it's critical that our efforts remain bi-partisan and reach our goal of engaging 350 million Americans.' Not all people familiar with the operation agree that Abergel is the best pick for the job. 'He's not necessarily doing anything bad, and he's a super-nice guy and wants to do a good job,' another person familiar with the arrangement told us. 'But the idea he'd be put in charge of this is kind of insane.' The full scope of the changes at the group has not been made clear. A list of America250 'ambassadors'—including the musicians Gloria Estefan and Lance Bass, and former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown—has been pulled off its website for reasons that have not been explained, while photos of Trump have been added in recent weeks. Meta was included on the website as an America250 donor earlier this spring and then removed; a Meta spokesperson said the company is not a donor. Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama remain honorary co-chairs of America250 with former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura. Obama's spokesperson declined to comment on changes at the group. America250 was involved in fundraising for Trump's campaign-style rally Tuesday at Fort Bragg. Before the event, military authorities at the base vetted the troops who were going to sit behind Trump, ensuring that they had passed background checks, had presentable uniforms, and were in good physical shape, according to a military spokesperson. Some jeered and booed as Trump attacked the 'fake news' media, derided President Joe Biden and California Governor Gavin Newsom, called Los Angeles a 'trash heap,' and described the protesters around the country who object to his immigration policies as a 'foreign invasion.' A vendor of pro-Trump merchandise was given a space near the rally site in what amounted to a violation of base rules. 'The Army does not endorse political merchandise or the views it represents," Colonel Mary Ricks, a spokesperson for the XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, said in a statement. 'The vendor's presence is under review to determine how it was permitted and to prevent similar occurrences in the future.' Trump named Justin Caporale, who produced rallies for Trump's campaign, to be 'the executive producer for major events and public appearances' for 'my outside operation,' in a December 31 social-media post. Caporale's firm was involved in staging the Fort Bragg event, and will produce Saturday's parade, people involved told us. Although the XVIII Airborne Corps facilitated the entry of local dignitaries and other VIP guests of the military for Tuesday's event, that was unrelated to any VIP donors invited by the White House as part of the 'VIP experience' for donors to America250, an individual familiar with the matter told us. They referred further questions to Caporale's firm, Event Strategies Inc., which did not respond to a request for comment. 'There will be catcalls and detractors that will try to make this political,' LaCivita told us. 'But the mission is to activate and include 350 million Americans in celebration of America's 250th birthday.'
