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Time Out
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
PHD Terrace rooftop bar has transformed into a cherry-soaked summer fantasy
Summer in NYC is all about rooftop season —and this year, it's getting a cherry on top. Literally. Dream Midtown's PHD Terrace just unveiled its latest seasonal glow-up, and it's a juicy one. The new Dream in Cherries installation transforms the 16th-floor rooftop into a decadent cherry-filled escape, with more than 20,000 cherries, a towering cherry tree and enough red-and-white striped umbrellas to make you feel like you're vacationing in the Amalfi Coast... if the Amalfi Coast came with a Dark Cherry Espresso Martini. Created by Laila Ahmed of Design House Décor in collaboration with Yvonne Najor, vice president of New York hotel marketing for TAO Group, the space combines European orchard vibes with serious New York glamour. Think: lush greenery, hanging ivy vines, and ultra-Instagrammable cocktails crafted by TAO Group's Nikki McCutcheon. (Yes, there's a Spicy Cherry Paloma.) 'The cherry concept actually came up early on, before it really became a trend,' Najor told Time Out. 'What sets this pop-up apart is the energy—it's bold, nostalgic and full of personality. We wanted to create something that feels like pure summer fun, and I think we really captured that.' The sweet aesthetic doesn't stop at drinks. Chef Erin Cabayan, TAO Group's pastry queen, is behind the rooftop's cherry-laced desserts, like the Cherry Bomb (a hazelnut and cherry-chocolate cake) and the Filthy Shirley, an all-grown-up sundae with vanilla ice cream and cherry liqueur. PHD Terrace isn't new to the party scene—the midtown location will celebrate its 10th birthday later this year. Designed by nightlife maestro Josh Held, who's known for LIGHT Vegas and Marquee New York, the bi-level space spans both indoor and outdoor lounges, offering 360-degree skyline views, a penthouse-chic interior, mirrored lighting and custom gold tile bars. Cherry season doesn't last forever, but this dreamy orchard in the sky might just convince you otherwise. Catch it while it's ripe.
The Spinoff
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
Review: Atomic 2.0 was just what we needed
The local femme rock supergroup, reviewed in two cities. Alex Casey in Christchurch I peeped the posters for last year's Atomic concert and was thrilled by the novelty concept: some of the most talented women in New Zealand music, rocking out to the likes of Blondie, Hole, Alanis Morissette and Patti Smith for a whole night? Love a tribute band, love seeing a women-heavy lineup, love the chance to see gaggles of Christchurch ladies dressed up in their finest leather and leopard. When I made it along to the very first night of Atomic 2.0 at the Isaac Theatre Royal last week, the crowd did not disappoint. Among the typical uniform of Christchurch puffer jackets, there were people wafting about in long Stevie Nicks robes and beads, plenty of tight black jeans and thick eyeliner, and that's before we even get onto the outfits on stage. Vera Ellen's red leather pants! Boh Runga's velour jumpsuit! Dianne Swann's shaggy blonde mop! The ensemble group comprising Atomic 2.0 was made up of musical director Julia Deans (Fur Patrol) Boh Runga (stellar*), Dianne Swann (When the Cat's Away), Vera Ellen, and Jazmine Mary, backed by Karen Hu (drums), Rebel Reid (guitar), Mareea Paterson (bass), and Ladyhawke's Ilayda Tunali (keys). Swann immediately demanded everyone get up and out their seats, and by the second song ('Call Me' by Blondie) the aisles were full of people boogying. The hits came thick and fast, with songs from The Pretenders, The Cranberries, Patti Smith and even a tribute to Shona Laing. Helmed by Julia Deans in Courtney Love cosplay, there was an air of joyous chaos to the whole thing. 'Undies? No undies?' Deans asked the whooping crowd while hiking her skirt up (later, when she sat down on the stage, a cackling crowd member stood in front to cover her crotch, just in case). With a few false starts and flubs, it had the energy of a shambolic talent show – just one where the contestants happen to be the most talented people in the country. A huge highlight of the night was when guitarist Rebel Reid took the microphone to sing 'Cherry Bomb' by The Runaways. 'This is the biggest crowd I've ever sung in front of,' Reid muttered shyly, before basically ripping the roof straight off the Royal with a belting cover. It was difficult not to well up when Boh Runga stood back in wonder with her glittering water bottle to let the crowd sing most of 'Nothing Compares 2 U'. Vera Ellen strutting around the stage like Mick Jagger to 'I'm Just a Girl' by No Doubt was also an appropriate serve of fierce and silly for the current moment. Atomic 2.0 was a hugely fun night out, but it did leave me pondering a (potentially tedious) thought, especially during New Zealand Music Month. Is it a bleak sign of the times that these musicians can only fill a room this big with their powers combined and an arsenal of nostalgia covers? How many of the people in the audience would go and see them performing their own songs? Maybe the Venn diagram is two separate circles. Maybe it doesn't matter at all. Maybe nothing compares 2 seeing a bunch of women making bank and rocking tf out. Claire Mabey in Wellington I want whoever is in charge of these things to send me back as any one of the women in Atomic. I haven't seen anything so cool in ages and don't expect to top Julia Deans and Vera Ellen guitar battling in this lifetime. Or Boh Runga's black leather pants, or Dianne Swann's VOICE. My god! What a revelation. I am ashamed I didn't know more about Swann before this night of rock Wellington crowd was a woman-strong mob featuring a lot of grey hair and tight pants. My friend and I arrived in the nick of time and I felt immediately young which was a pleasant sensation given I'd eaten too many fried potatoes at Damascus just minutes before, and am not young. The show got immediately underway and I remembered why I have long harboured a crush on Julia Deans. Why is she not Dame Julia Deans yet? Even from way in the back of the stalls she exudes such energy and obvious love for her art and craft, and for the women on stage and for the songs that have inspired them. Deans is the musical director of this genius concept: cover bangers and get a whole opera house full of mostly women singing, dancing and screaming out 'You deserve equal pay!' The supergroup opened with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts' 'I Hate Myself for Loving You' which reminded me just how magnificent Boh Runga is. The pipes, the style, the presence! A massive highlight was Runga singing 'Nothing Compares 2 U' by the late Sinead O'Connor, who Runga said was one of her favourite artists of all time. It was a stunning rendition – deeply felt. There was a lot of love for Wellington's own Vera Ellen in the room. It was Ellen who roused the Wellington crowd by saying 'You know you're allowed to sing along and dance, eh? Christchurch did.' Then she launched into Blondie's 'Heart of Glass' and the gun shy horde stood up and surged forward, joining Julia Deans who'd jumped off the stage to boogie on the floor with the fans. Shout out to the group of women who wore cowboy hats with neon lights – beautiful work. For me, Dianne Swann and Jazmine Mary were revelations. Swann sounds exactly like Marianne Faithfull and pierced my very heart with Faithfull's ' The Ballad of Lucy Jordan '; and her version of Patti Smith's 'Gloria' was wild. Jazmine Mary absolutely nailed 'Zombie' by the Cranberries. I was hoarse by the end of it and had only just enough voice left to belt out 'You Outta Know' by Alanis Morrisette (sung by Deans who also did so good to Courtney Love with 'Celebrity Skin' by Hole). Vera Ellen shone in the second half of the show ('welcome to the 90s segment,' quipped Deans) with 'I'm Just a Girl' by No Doubt (Gwen Stefani really was something back in the day) and with Sheryl Crow's evergreen 'If It Makes You Happy'. It was a night of excellence – the musicians were incredible: Karen Hu was sublime on drums, Rebel Reid epitomised rock goddess on guitar, Mareea Paterson's bass entered directly to the bloodstream, and Ilayda Tunali was phenomenal on keys. Eilish Wilson on saxophone was tremendous – what an instrument, what a shirt, what a player. Going by Alex's review it sounds like this show was tighter than the Christchurch version: Atomic 2.0 Wellington was slick, it was joyful and the musicianship really shone out. After an encore of Florence & The Machine's 'Dog Days Are Over' sung by Runga, a thousand elated bodies poured out of the Opera House into the rain, impervious to the damp and refreshed by rock. Can't wait for Atomic 3.0.
Indianapolis Star
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Blessed with football bloodlines, he's one of state's top WRs. But he's among nation's best in baseball
GREENWOOD — Eric McClurg knew his son, Center Grove outfielder Drake, was going to be a gifted athlete. The bloodlines are obvious. Eric and his brother Adam played football at IU. Eric a safety, Adam a standout linebacker. Eric's wife Tiffaney is a former cheerleader and swimmer at Delta, so sports — especially football — have always been a huge part of the McClurg's lives. Eric watched as Drake rapidly progressed from shooting on a Fisher-Price hoop to taking swings off a batting tee. Drake shot a basketball right-handed but started taking swings left-handed. He played his first year of tee ball at age 4 lefty, but one day in the backyard, Eric noticed something usually. Drake and current Center Grove first baseman Cayden Jones were playing a game of Cherry Bomb, throwing the ball up to themselves and hitting it before it reached the ground. Drake's hands were on the bat as a left-hander — left hand on top of his right — but he was positioned as a right-hander with body facing toward the first-base side. "I was watching out the window and I was like, 'Let me go out there real quick,'" Eric said. "I told (Drake) to turn his hands around then I threw him a couple (balls) swinging right-handed then I threw him a couple swinging left-handed and it was really good contact and swings. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. "From about his second season on we started alternating (sides of the plate) every at-bat. Then we started going off the pitcher's arm at about 9 or 10 (years old) and he's been doing it ever since." And so began McClurg's path to becoming one of the top outfielders in the nation. The sophomore is ranked at the No. 2 prospect in the state and No. 69 overall by Prep Baseball Report. The IU commit has elite times on the basepaths and produces exit velocities near the top of his class. Through 17 games, McClurg is batting .354 with 28 runs scored, eight RBIs, four doubles, three triples and nine stolen bases. He's walked 12 times and struck out just eight. The switch-hitter moved from the No. 9 spot as a freshman to batting leadoff, helping the Trojans (15-2) offense average 8.6 runs per game. "When Drake gets on base, we're a different team," Center Grove coach Keith Hatfield said. "He's a special baserunner. Obviously, he's really fast, but the reads that he gets make him a better baserunner. "When he's able to set the table, I can steal, I can bunt, I can hit-and-run, I can do a lot of different things with him on base and it makes Gannon (Grant), Carson (Bush) and Cal (Schembra) that much better." When McClurg gets on base, there's a great chance he'll use his speed to get into scoring position. Last Monday against Westfield, McClurg dropped a perfectly placed bunt to the third-base side. He stole second and used his speed to score on a Gannon Grant RBI single. Bunting is a lost art in today's game, but with McClurg's speed it's a great skill to have. "Coming here I knew I'd end up being a leadoff hitter for this program, so I have to get on base somehow," McClurg said. "A big thing in our program is bunting. We bunt guys over, and I've developed that over the last year, two years. "It's just another tool to have. Even if I'm not feeling it swinging, I always know I got the legs, I can lay down a bunt for a hit." McClurg has the patience at the plate, hitting ability and speed of a prototypical leadoff hitter. Add in his ability to switch hit, and the sophomore appears poised to wreak havoc on opposing defenses for years to come. There are shades of Max Clark in McClurg, but the scariest part about the rising sophomore is that baseball may not be his best sport. The 5-11, 180-pounder produced more than 1,200 yards on the football field as a receiver, rusher and returner this fall. Football is in the youngest McClurg's blood, and in a perfect world, he'd play both sports at IU. Drake gave up basketball as a sophomore to focus on football and baseball. Clark played football as a senior at Franklin before getting selected No. 3 overall by the Detroit Tigers in the 2023 MLB draft. McClurg has plenty of time before he has to make any decision on his future. For now, his family is enjoying his feats of athleticism in whatever sport he's playing. "I truly think with his athletic ability, the multiple positions he can play, his skill as a switch hitter at the plate, I think he can do whatever he wants," Eric said. "It's exciting for me to watch because as a dad, I always dreamed of having a son who liked the stuff that I liked. "I'm just excited that he has the passion and love for sports, similar to what I did. ... People say he's a clone of (Eric and Adam's) mentalities and he has his mom's competitiveness."
Axios
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Twins debut new foods, self-checkout stands for 2025
Pickle pizza and pork butt platters are among the new concessions debuting at Target Field for Thursday's Twins home opener. The big picture: The Twins rolled out about 21 new food and drink options at a media preview on Tuesday. Kyle's thought bubble: My favorite was the Truly On Deck restaurant's grilled Spam sandwich with bacon and onions. The Minnesota-native meat could prove divisive with fans. Try it once! Plus: The new Kramarczuk's sausage — a "Cherry Bomb," with dried fruit and a nice kick — also ranked high for me. They're selling it on an epic six-sausage sampler flight. The intrigue: Fans will be able to ring up their own food orders at new self-checkout kiosks in sections 105 and 109 — historically one of the ballpark's busiest concession areas, the team said. Stunning stat: The new kiosks could speed up checkout for ballpark essentials — brats, fries, cheese curds and drinks — by as much as 40%, Delaware North manager Pete Spike told Axios. The stands expand on a concept previously only used at Target Field for beverage sales. Here are some of the other new food options debuting at Target Field this year: 🐷 Vinai's fried pork: Chef Yia Vang 's crispy pork butt tossed in sweet and sour sauce with cabbage slaw, cucumbers and pickled carrots. Section 223 🧇 Chicken & waffles: Official Fried Chicken is adding a platter with mini waffles and tenders smothered in hot honey. It also unveiled a new fried chicken-bacon-ranch sandwich. Section 134 🗡️ A "Steak Machete": An 18-inch-long steak quesadilla at the Taco Libre stand, which also sells steak bowls. Section 103 🍗 Toki Doki: The Eat Street burger joint is serving wings with both a dry rub and a homemade, gluten-free gochujang sauce. Hrbek's Bar 🧋 Boba tea: Niko Niko 's signature milk tea, a Hawaiian fruit tea and a strawberry lemon spritz. Section 107 🥒 Pickle pizza: A Pizza Lucé concept with mozzarella, sliced pickles and a dill garnish. Section 223 🌮 Walleye tacos: Branded by Lord Fletcher's and tossed in tequila lime slaw. Gate 34
Boston Globe
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Roy Ayers, a jazz legend who influenced hip-hop and R&B musicians, dies at 84
His music never went out of style, appearing in the 2019 'Queen & Slim: The Soundtrack.' His song 'Running Away' propelled A Tribe Called Quest's 1989 opus 'Description of a Fool,' and the song was sampled by Big Daddy Kane and Common. Ayers was heard on Tyler, the Creator's album 'Cherry Bomb' and Erykah Badu's 'Mama's Gun.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'Well, I have more sampled hits than anybody,' he said in a 2004 interview with Wax Poetics magazine. 'I might not have more samples than James Brown, but I've had more sampled hits. Oh, man, and there's a few I don't know about.' Advertisement One of Ayers' most popular albums was 'Lifeline,' which peaked at No. 9 on what has become the Top R&B/Hip-hop chart in 1977 and contained the hit 'Running Away,' which peaked at No. 19 on the R&B chart and became a massive club hit. During a visit to Johannesburg in 2017, Ayers offered some rhythmic advice for youth in the city's Soweto area: Get serious, be inspired, rap on, keep on and 'eventually you'll get it.' 'You guys, you have to pick your plateau. Get serious about everything,' said Ayers. He also named a few musicians who have inspired him: Nigerian Fela Kuti ('he was really like a genius'), Herbie Mann ('he taught me the business') and Miles Davis ('He was the coolest. He was the grandmaster. He was out of sight'). After debuting on record with hard bop tenor saxophonist Curtis Amy's group in 1962, he teamed with jazz flutist Mann to record three albums for Atlantic Records — 'Virgo Vibes,' 'Stoned Soul Picnic' and 'Daddy Bug' — and wrote and produced the soundtrack for the blaxploitation film 'Coffy' starring Pam Grier. He also moved on to work with David 'Fathead' Newman, the tenor mainstay of Ray Charles' great '60s orchestra. Advertisement In 2017, he appeared alongside such acts as Tom Petty, the Shins, Alabama Shakes, Charles Bradley and William Bell at the eclectic Arroyo Seco Festival in Los Angeles. Ayers is survived by his wife Argerie, and their children Mtume and Ayana Ayers.
