Latest news with #Conservatory
L'Orient-Le Jour
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- L'Orient-Le Jour
A tribute to Fairuz, the south and its people at Saida's summer festival
In a rehearsal charged with anticipation, the first notes of 'Hayeh Al Zouwar' cut through the still air like sunlight on the sea. Maestro Andre al-Hage stood centerstage, back taut, arms outstretched — a conductor in green, drenched in sweat and purpose. In front of him, the Lebanese Oriental Orchestra stirred to life. Ghassan Saliba sang from the side, voice steady, eyes far-off. The choir rose in layers, the Conservatory swelling behind him like a was only practice. But everyone knew: this was already a Wednesday, Aug. 6, the city of Saida will inaugurate its 2025 festival with a concert unlike any other. At its heart: Saliba, one of Lebanon's iconic voices. At its helm: Hage, a maestro of conviction. Behind them, a 40-person orchestra and choir — all building toward something that sounds like joy. Lebanese...
San Francisco Chronicle
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Roller skaters go for world record in Golden Gate Park. Maintaining the vibe is key
Morgana Gelb has skated a marathon and has skated in the all-night roller disco at Burning Man. But she'd never skated for a world record until she joined a human link Sunday afternoon in an attempt to connect 105 skaters in a serpentine in Golden Gate Park. 'A world's record has never been on my list of things to do,' said Gelb, who lives in San Anselmo and happened upon the world record attempt while skating with her family in the San Francisco park, 'but this is the right time and the right place.' Gelb was inlining with her husband, John, and their daughter Lucia, 7, so that was three skaters toward the requisite 105 right there. She had two younger daughters, Gia, 5, and Clara, 3, on scooters, but they were too young to qualify. To be part of the serpentine, you had to be proficient enough on roller skates or blades to be able to join one hand with the skater in front of you and one with the skater behind as it snaked its way along John F. Kennedy Drive from the Sixth Avenue skate rink to the Conservatory of Flowers. 'You have to go 400 meters, and you can't break the chain,' explained event organizer David Miles Jr., who is known as the Godfather of Skate and serves as minister at the Church of 8 Wheels. Miles is a strict enforcer of the rules to qualify for the Guinness World Record because he invented the category back in 2012, when he got 104 skaters to serpentine down JFK Drive. An attempt to beat his own unofficial record in 2015 on the Great Highway failed when it joined only 90 skaters. Sunday was the first attempt to break the record in 10 years. 'The world record is a shiny object. It's cool,' Miles said an hour before the attempt. 'What I really want to do is just get people skating and maintain that special vibe.' To do so, Miles created Skate Week San Francisco, now in its second year in an old airplane hangar, near Forty Point in the Presidio of San Francisco. The serpentine was the first event of the week, which will pick up again with the Red and White Ball on Tuesday night, and build throughout the week to the Friday night skate through the streets of the city and a Saturday event called Skating for Scholarships. This the second Skate Week San Francisco, and last year's inaugural drew 800 people. Miles hopes to double it this year and says he has an army of skaters rolling in from Texas for 'Boots on the Ground,' the Saturday night party at Building 937, the Presidio hangar, which will be transformed into a temporary roller rink called the Church of 8 Wheels Golden Gate. 'I want to make an annual Skate Festival where people converge on San Francisco for a week,' Miles said. Church always happens on Sundays at the skate circle in the park, which becomes a circular disco. That formed the staging area to go for the world record attempt, which was a fundraiser for the scholarships. To become part of the snake, one had to be wearing a number, which cost a $10 donation. Sunset District resident Kasey Nejad bought three of them, for herself and her daughters, Vivien 12, and Frankie, 10. They have a copy of Guinness World Records at home and would not mind being a part of the next edition. 'That's why we came,' Nejad explained. 'This is Golden Gate Park, Church of 8 Wheels, San Francisco. We want to be part of this day.' Just after 1 p.m., the skaters lined up on JFK Drive and joined hands, with Miles at the head of the snake. When it started to move from one side of the street to the next, it looked like the skating scene in 'A Charlie Brown Christmas.' All that was lacking was a Vince Guaraldi soundtrack. 'If I can get 105 skaters to come out and go for the record,' Miles said beforehand, '30 of them will become regulars at the Church of 8 Wheels.' The snake made its way through pedestrians and bicyclists along JFK, and miraculously the chain was not broken along the way, which would have disqualified it. The 400-meter distance was achieved. 'It was hard,' Nejad said afterward. 'But there was positive energy. Everybody was cheering and saying, 'Don't let go. Don't let go.'' Nobody did. But there were not enough of them to break the record or even come close. 'We accomplished the task at hand but not enough people,' Nejad said. 'We're definitely doing it again next year.' The 'Gelb Gals,' as they call themselves, will also be back next year, assuming Miles stages another attempt at the world record. In the end, Lucia was deemed too young to qualify, but next year she will be ready for sure, and her two younger sisters are in training. 'It was a quintessential San Francisco roller blading experience,' Morgana said afterward. 'It was a little bit like a roller blade roller coaster, and no one fell off.'
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ocean's 11 is turning 25! Movie's hotel is just as splendid as it was when Clooney, Roberts and Pitt roamed its casino
Ocean's 11 with Brad Pitt and George Clooney was filmed at the Bellagio in Las Vegas almost 25 years ago. The opulent resort with its massive chandeliers and dancing fountains provided the perfect backdrop for the slick crime film that also starred Julia Roberts and Matt Damon. And today the Italianesque palace is just as breathtaking as ever as it comes close to its Silver Anniversary. One of the top highlights is the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens with 22,000 potted plants, shrubs and trees. This summer it has as its theme Glam Menagerie: A Surrealist Summer, which is on view through September 6. Created by designer Ed Libby and Bellagio's Horticulture team, the 'illusory experience' transforms the Conservatory into a European garden party like no other, where baroque elegance meets 'whimsical fantasy, and luxury collides with imagination,' according to the Bellagio. Another highlight is the O, Cirque du Soleil show and the ever-classic Spago restaurant which has a view of the festive fountains out front. The gardens are one of the first things guests see as they walk into the Bellagio lobby. The exhibit blends dreamlike creativity with opulence, sweeping visitors into a world where the extraordinary reigns supreme. Here are the numbers: There is 125,000 pounds of ivy weaved throughout the display, 22,000 potted plants, shrubs and trees, 5,000: Square feet of boxwood sculpted into topiaries, 120 feet of live hedges throughout the display, 80 visionary artists, horticulturists and engineers collaborating to bring the summer display to life, 17 hanging lanterns illuminating the display, 4 flamingos in the East Bed, 2 Giraffes draped in moss standing at 22 feet tall and 1 grand marble chess board in the West Bed. Towering topiaries, couture animals and multi-sensory surprises dazzle and disorient, while intricate trompe-l'oeil illusions challenge perception at every turn. Throughout the display, surrealism takes shape in fanciful animal figures adorned in French Renaissance-inspired costuming, adding a whimsical flair to the escape from reality. 'Designing the summer display was more than just creating a beautiful garden - it was about transporting guests into an extraordinary realm where nature and opulence intertwine, surreal art comes to life and elegance blooms with every step,' said Libby. 'Each element was chosen to challenge perception and celebrate luxury, imagination and the beauty of summertime.' West Bed The West Bed showcases a life-sized chessboard with moss-covered figures poised for a fantastical duel. On the left, a soaring archway crowned with the Bellagio 'B' welcomes guests into a fairytale garden, where an elegant pink cockatoo swings gracefully beneath. Inspired by Fragonard's iconic painting 'The Swing,' the cockatoo brings a touch of 18th-century romance to the scene. To the right, a towering chess piece houses The Garden Table, where guests can indulge in a lavish Sadelle's brunch. Overheard, grand chandeliers illuminate pink botanicals and oversized topiaries that fill the bed below. In the North Bed, two topiary giraffe sisters are joined by Tigress Giovanna, gracefully perched on a swing and dressed in a striking black-and-white haute couture ensemble inspired by the high fashions of the French Renaissance. Nearby, two cherub fountains add a sense of gentle tranquility, while surrounding lavender, pink, blue and white flowers evoke the elegance of classic European gardens. LED screens filled with illusionary art brighten the bed from behind as a harmonious soundtrack and a delicate jasmine scent fill the air. Guests can bring home a piece of the Conservatory with a bespoke candle available for purchase at the Giardini Store. East Bed A captivating gazebo stands at the heart of the East Bed, where pedestal columns support a wrought iron dome adorned with pink and white blossoms. A flock of elegant flamingos wade in shimmering waters surrounding the structure, illuminated by antique-style lanterns embossed with the Bellagio 'B' hanging high above. Throughout the bed, lush topiaries and boxwood creations add allure within a landscape. In the South Bed, zebras Sir Pierre and Lady Colette lounge amidst sculpted greenery. A pirouetting water feature pays tribute to the iconic Fountains of Bellagio, set beneath baroque chandeliers shimmering overhead. There are several pools at the Bellagio; this is one of the smaller ones with a center fountain Behind the bed, carefully detailed doors invite admiration, framed by an array of pastel botanicals and topiaries of geometric shapes. Visitors are invited to embark on a one-of-a-kind culinary journey at The Garden Table, hosted within an opulent chess piece at the heart of the Bellagio Conservatory. Guests can experience an exclusive dining experience within the summer wonderland with brunch service from Sadelle's at $125 per person and dinner from MICHAEL MINA Bellagio at $195 per person. Sustainability at the Conservatory Water used in Bellagio's Conservatory and Botanical Gardens comes from on-site underground wells that use rain and recycled water from the resort, avoiding the use of municipal potable water. 'The water in the Conservatory is also recycled throughout the exhibit and reused at the resort. Bellagio's water conservation efforts are part of MGM Resorts International's overall sustainability commitment,' the hotel shared. This method of recycling keeps thousands of pounds of waste out of local landfills and turns it into something that improves the region's soil, air and water quality. Inspired by the beautiful villages of Europe, Bellagio Resort & Casino overlooks a Mediterranean-blue, 8 ½-acre lake in which fountains perform a magnificent aquatic ballet. Award-winning dining including Prime Steakhouse and The Mayfair Supper Club, a world-class art gallery, the stunning performance of 'O' by Cirque du Soleil, a spa and salon and shopping are there too. Bellagio is operated by MGM Resorts International.
Mint
29-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
What parenthood brings to hospitality
At Masque restaurant's eighth anniversary celebrations in Mumbai, the service team had a new member helping out. Eight-year-old Aaryaveer Dugar, the youngest of owners Aditi and Aditya Dugar's three children, was assisting a Masque chef in preparing jamun cheesecake kakigoris (Japanese shaved ice dessert) and doing a great job of convincing guests to try them out. It's safe to say that Aaryaveer's station did brisk business that evening. Later, when I asked Aditi if her youngest had any dreams of joining the industry, she said, 'It's not like I'm looking to raise future restaurateurs, but I do believe it's nice for the kids to be in rooms where they learn how a business is run and the kind of hard work that goes in every day." With Mother's Day and Father's Day behind us, it seems like a good time to examine how parenthood is influencing India's food and beverage scene. At the very core, parenthood and hospitality are both demanding, high-stakes scenarios, and their paths often intersect, particularly during holidays when the pressures in both realms tend to intensify. Balancing a personal and professional life with children is challenging, regardless of the chosen career path. But, how are India's young chefs and restaurateurs dealing with this challenge? 'One of the things I often get asked as a mum and entrepreneur is how I balance it all," said Akhila Srinivas, founder of Bengaluru's Conservatory, which houses several F&B establishments such as Naru and Wine in Progress, in a previous conversation. 'The simple answer is that there is no such thing as balance. It's a matter of prioritisation, at that moment. That's true in business and life." After several failed experiments with a nanny, chef Bani Nanda and husband-partner Akshay Handa, who both run Miam Patisserie in the National Capital Region, decided to raise their two-and-a-half-year-old Yuv, without professional help. 'It hasn't been easy, but being your own boss makes things easier," says Bani as she tells me about how she's planning to incorporate a day bed, shower and separate area for Yuv at her new central kitchen. 'There is this idea that children take over your entire life. We were clear from the start that he would be a part of our lives and not vice-versa," she explains. Becoming a mother has made her more organised and efficient as a leader. 'I no longer have the luxury of time. Parenthood has taught me how to plan efficiently, work faster and become more productive." Along the way, parenthood has taught her some unique lessons that she brings to her business: 'I didn't expect Yuv to teach me about management, but from him I learned how to pick my battles and identify non-negotiables." Being dependent on her parents and in-laws to help raise her child meant giving up a certain amount of control. 'There are generational clashes around parenting that happen constantly. It used to bother me a lot. But now that I've identified certain non-negotiables (screen time during meals is an absolute no, but a ladoo at 10pm can be forgiven). It's reduced my anxiety around parenting, and also taught me how to navigate difficult situations at work too." Chef Vinesh Johny echoes a similar sentiment. 'Much of parenthood is about accepting and adapting. You may plan everything out perfectly, but things will never go as planned. As a chef and especially a baker, this is a very difficult idea to grasp." Vinesh tells me about how he's achieved a certain 'zen-like" quality when dealing with disasters. He narrates an incident about when he and wife-partner Joonie Tan had to scramble to find another location for their Malaysian eatery Kopitiam Lah in Bengaluru, when a neighbour complained about a restaurant moving into the location they had locked, paid for and designed. 'On the first day of construction, we were told we couldn't go ahead. We were three months away from opening. An older version of me would've been riddled with anxiety. But having Zev has taught me how to quickly adapt to tough situations." For Mumbai restaurant Americano's chef-founder Alex Sanchez, parenthood impacted the kind of leader he is. 'I used to be a young, hot-headed chef. As a father, I've become more attuned to the innocence in other human beings. Being a parent moulds you into a different version of yourself. I now want to create an environment where my people feel supported and encouraged to learn and express themselves," he said to me in an earlier conversation. Apart from lessons for the parents, hospitality also offers much to the next generation growing up in it. The benefits of being raised by chefs, restaurateurs and professional cooks are many: Bani tells me of her two-and-a-half-year old who relishes everything from dark chocolate to blue cheese and Aditi tells me of how Arjun, her firstborn, staged at Eleven Madison Park for a few weeks last year, an experience he said was very fulfilling for him. In my interaction with children of hospitality professionals—Pankaj Balachandran and Lakshmi Poovaiah and Vinesh Johny and Joonie Tan—who hang out at their parents' restaurants and establishments every now and then, I've encountered confident, friendly kids who freely interact with people of different ages and backgrounds. Presumably, the social aspect of their parents' jobs has helped their own interpersonal and conversational skills, an invaluable tool in today's day and age when even adults struggle with strangers and social anxiety. The kids growing up in hospitality are not just unconsciously inheriting a profession; they're cultivating a toolbox of skills, confidence and connections that might well shape the future of the industry itself. When hospitality is woven into everyday life, it ceases to be just a career and becomes a catalyst for building a more connected, curious and compassionate generation. Word of Mouth is a monthly column on dining out and dining well. Smitha Menon is a food journalist and the host of the Big Food Energy podcast. She posts @ on Instagram
CBS News
25-06-2025
- CBS News
Rare corpse flower blooms at Como Zoo's conservatory, reeks of rotting flesh
Funeral set for slain Minnesota lawmaker and her husband, and more headlines Funeral set for slain Minnesota lawmaker and her husband, and more headlines Funeral set for slain Minnesota lawmaker and her husband, and more headlines Visitors will have a chance Wednesday to experience the pungent smell of the corpse flower that is blooming at St. Paul's Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. The flower, affectionately named "Frederick," stands at 81 inches tall and emits a smell that some describe as the odor of rotting flesh, the conservatory says. The scent attracts pollinators such as beetles and flies. According to the conservatory, Frederick grew from a seed at the Greater Des Moines Botanic Garden. This year is its first bloom at age 8. Corpse flowers can take seven to 10 years to bloom for the first time, and afterwards typically bloom every two to three years. Como Park Zoo and Conservatory The flower — amorphophallus titanium — can grow up to 9 feet tall and is native to the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia. It's classified as endangered due to habitat loss fueled by palm oil production. Visitors to the conservatory can see — and smell — the flower from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday. On other days, hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For those who would like to experience the corpse flower from a distance, the conservatory has set up a live "Corpse Cam."
