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The Star
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Why the revolving restaurant is making a comeback
When your ears pop on the elevator ride up, that's how you know you've arrived at the View, the revolving bar and restaurant on the 47th and 48th floors of the New York Marriott Marquis in the United States. On a recent Saturday evening, the restaurant thrummed with families, groups of friends and couples sipping champagne and devouring seafood towers as they admired the changing skyline. Every 45 minutes, just enough time to leisurely imbibe a cocktail, the lounge makes a full in Times Square in 1985 and closed in 2020, the View is the latest in a string of rotating restaurants to make an unlikely return, this one shepherded by restaurateur Danny Meyer and architect David Rockwell. Gone are the outdated pleather dining chairs and gaudy carpet, replaced by blue velvet banquettes, a black marble bar and elegant Art Deco-style glass installations."This is one of the best views,' said Joseph Mirrone, a former New Yorker who had stopped by with his son for a post-theatre coffee and dessert. "You can sit in one spot and the whole city revolves around you.' Meyer, who has his own warm childhood memories of Stouffer's Top of the Riverfront, a revolving restaurant in St Louis, was eager to update the form. The View, the revolving restaurant and lounge atop the New York Marriott Marquis, in Manhattan, which completes a rotation every 45 minutes at the lounge level and every hour at the restaurant level. Photos: Yuvraj Khanna/The New York Times "When Marriott approached us, it felt like, OK, well, that's something we've never done before,' he said. "When else is someone going to say, 'Would you like to do a revolving restaurant in the theatre district?'' Revolving restaurants are widely regarded as novelties, relics of the 1960s and '70s, when skylines surged ever higher and architects wanted to give the public a front seat to the rapid development happening around them. La Ronde, a restaurant above the Ala Moana shopping centre in Honolulu, was the first in the United States, opening to the public in 1961. Its architect, John Graham Jr, best known for his work on the Space Needle in Seattle, patented the design. It required the construction of a wheeled turntable that could move around a stationary core, like a train on rails. The restaurant inspired countless imitators, in cities large and small, with names that alluded to their singular party trick: the Changing Scene, in Rochester, New York; the Spindletop, in Houston; the Eagle's Nest in Indianapolis; and the Summit, in Detroit, all promised a dining experience unlike any other. Architect John C. Portman Jr incorporated them into a handful of the hotels he designed in Atlanta, Los Angeles and San Francisco, as well as the US$400mil (RM1.8bil) Marriott Marquis. "Revolving restaurants, like most of the other aspects of this building, are a show that has been playing out of town for a long time and has never much been missed on Broadway,' Paul Goldberger, The New York Times architecture critic, wrote in a 1985 review of the hotel. "But this will at least be a novelty.' Visual landmarks throughout the restaurant and lounge help guests and servers alike navigate the space at the View. The review may have presaged the beginning of the end: La Ronde closed in the 1990s after its machinery failed. The Summit became too expensive to maintain, and shuttered in 2000. Skies, at the Hyatt Regency in Kansas City, Missouri, went out of business in 2011 as the hotel's guests increasingly opted to dine off site. Stouffer's Top of the Riverfront permanently closed in 2014. Others remain open for service but ceased spinning: Both the Sun Dial in Atlanta and the restaurant atop the Reunion Tower in Dallas were the sites of gruesome accidents. The former Summit space in Detroit houses a new restaurant, but remains stationary more than 25 years after it stopped turning. But what goes around tends to come back around: the Polaris in Atlanta got moving again in 2022 with a sustainable, farm-to-table menu. In 2024, the Equinox, the revolving restaurant atop the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco, was put back into motion after an 18-year hiatus, using hydraulics to get it going. The San Francisco Chronicle reported last April that plans are underway to reopen it to the public as a bar called Club Meyer, the return of revolving restaurants feels part and parcel of the post-pandemic dining shift. Diners are craving "small bistros and neighbourhood places, and places that turned up the dial on the experience, the kind of thing you could never get at home', he said. "We're doing both.' An alcove with a piano is another visual landmark at the View, atop the New York Marriott Marquis, in Manhattan. Rockwell, who first visited the Marquis lounge in 1986, said the opportunity to work on the View was "irresistible'. After only a few years of disuse, the restaurant's mechanics operated just fine; most of his work involved giving the restaurant its 'Mad Men-era aesthetic' while being thoughtful about the experience of dining in a moving building. An image in the public domain shows the design for the rotating restaurant was patented by Graham Jr, one of the designers of the Space Needle in Seattle. Photo: The New York Times To help diners and servers find their tables — it's common for visitors to become slightly disoriented when they return from the restroom — the firm added visual landmarks: a dramatic spiral staircase between the lounge and the restaurant, an alcove for a live piano player and an impossible-to-miss raw bar. "People hear 'rotating restaurant' and they think it's going to be moving fast, like they're on a carnival ride,' said Charlie Stoop, a bartender at the View. "But it's really not like that. It's a really slow journey.' (The lounge rotates about 8ft (2.4m) per minute.)So far, the new View has been well received. Julio Montalvo, who was drinking cocktails with a friend in the lounge, used to visit the restaurant before the 2020 closing, he said, but stopped after the food and service declined. The high-end cocktails in the new edition won him over. Lois Blank and Keesie Spector, both 83 and friends since they were 13, had also stopped by for a tipple. They last visited the View more than a decade ago, but after hearing news about the renovations, decided to return. "It's very nice,' Blank said. "Lovely,' Spector chimed in. Perhaps the View, the Loupe Lounge, Polaris and others might inspire even more revolving restaurant revivals. "There's an inherent magic in dining while the world spins around you,' said Daniel A. Nadeau, a general manager at the Marquis. "I'll be curious to see if this sparks a little revolving renaissance.' – ©2025 The New York Times Company This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Globe and Mail
08-04-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Casa Cork by David Rockwell, in partnership with the Cork Collective with Corticeira Amorim, brings together acclaimed designers and brands for an immersive installation and dynamic events program
MILAN , /CNW/ -- The sustainability-focused nonprofit Cork Collective and globally-renowned architecture and design firm Rockwell Group have partnered with cork producer Corticeira Amorim to launch robust programming, education workshops, food & beverage events, and a product showcase at Casa Cork by David Rockwell –a living laboratory to showcase innovative application of cork during Milan Design Week. From an immersive installation to an international student design competition and live discussions, visitors will experience this 100% renewable material in an entirely new light. One of the world's most sustainable materials, cork comes from the harvested bark of the cork oak tree and is obtained without cutting down the tree itself. Cork products can be recycled again and again, while retaining their ability to sequester carbon. Casa Cork's interior and furnishings are made almost entirely of cork and showcase innovative cork furniture and products from emerging and established international designers and product manufacturers. These include a bar and chandelier custom designed by Rockwell Group for Artemest, the destination for Italian craftsmanship and design; a custom illuminated wall feature, sconces and pendants designed by Rockwell Group and manufactured by Thomas Cooper Studio, a Lusive company; and fabrics, tiles, and wallcoverings from 4Spaces. Flanking the entrance to the bar and tasting lounge is a display of cork's applications in collectible design. Objects in these vignettes further highlight the versatility and beauty of the material, crafted by design-industry luminaries from around the world, including Campana Brothers, Tom Dixon, Made In Situ by Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, Grain, Toni Grilo (Blackcork) , Maddalena Casadei (designer) and Falegnameria Pisu (artisan) for Pretziada, and Susana Godinho (Sugo Cork Rugs) . Other product partners in the experience include: Chilewich, Daniel Michalik, De Castelli, Maya Romanoff, Roche Bobois, Samuel & Sons, Stackabl, Suber Design, USM Modular Furniture, Vitra, V&N Interiors, Wolf-Gordon, and Bocci. Rockwell Group has commissioned Spain's multidisciplinary art workshop Factum Arte to scan a majestic tree in a cork forest. The tree was then 3D-printed and replicated in the central gallery of Casa Cork, acting as the central visual focal point of the installation. "We've spent two years imagining and dreaming about what Casa Cork could be, and I'm thrilled to see it realized in a way that soars beyond our expectations. Now that the doors are open, we can't wait for the design community to discover cork's potential as a central, sustainable material of the future. Our hope is that Casa Cork and the events and demonstrations taking place there this week will inspire architects and designers to not only experiment with cork, but also find ways to regenerate and reuse materials in their own practices and initiatives." - David Rockwell , founder and President, Rockwell Group "We are thrilled to be part of this initiative, which is, in itself, a true work of art. We hope that everyone - designers, architects, artists, and enthusiasts - leave here as a true Cork ambassadors - a material that has distinct properties on performance enhanced by unique sustainability credencials. The various applications showcased at Casa Cork are living proof of its limitless potential. Just as importantly, may each of us, as individuals, turn the act of opening a bottle of wine or champagne into an even more special moment by choosing to recycle the cork, giving it a new life, perhaps even as a piece of art." - Antonio Rios de Amorim , President and CEO, Corticeira Amorim Lighting design for Casa Cork is by Focus Lighting, and the global design consultancy 2x4 contributed Casa Cork's strategy and branding. Food & Beverage Experience Throughout the week, Casa Cork will also serve as an event space and wine bar. Guests will be able to enjoy complimentary wines and Prosecco from Château Miraval Côtes de Provence, sustainable winery Terre Margaritelli and Consorzio Tutela Prosecco DOC, along with offerings provided by local artisanal microbakery Le Polveri and La Porrona. Other food and beverage partners include Italian coffee company illycaffé, Dorsia, Le Specialità restaurant, and culinary experimentation project Bar Versini. Talks & Demonstrations Talks and demonstrations will aim to educate guests about cork as well as sustainable design practices. Casa Cork Salon Series: Conversations on Designing for the Future Led and organized by Tiffany Jow, editor-in-chief of the New York–based design journal Untapped, Casa Cork's two-part talk program will explore ideas adjacent to cork, including craft, timelessness, manufacturing, and developing a circular economy. Speakers include Yves Béhar, Deyan Sudjic , Suchi Reddy , Tom Dixon , and David Rockwell . Sugo Cork Rugs Weaving Demo Wednesday, April 9: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Experience weaving with cork and other natural, recycled materials like cotton and wool. Led by textile designer Susana Godinho of Sugo Cork Rugs , this demo will showcase traditional and modern weaving techniques that blend innovation, tradition, and sustainability. Cork Molding Demo Thursday, April 10 : 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Led by Students from Parsons School of Design For the full list of events, please visit Student Design Competition Cork Collective is launching its inaugural Student Design Competition, supported by Chilewich and Corticeira Amorim, as a way to engage younger generations and invite them to experiment and innovate with products made from cork. Twelve students from Parsons School of Design in New York and 67 students from Politecnico di Milano participated in simultaneous spring studios and presented their concepts to an international jury that includes Paola Antonelli, Senior Curator, The Museum of Modern Art; John McPhee, CEO, Chilewich; Susan Sellers, Founding Partner and Executive Creative Director, 2x4; Giulio Cappellini, Designer and Art Director; Carlos Veloso dos Santos , CEO, Amorim Cork Italia ; Carlos Bessa, Director of Corporate Communications, Corticeira Amorim; Noah Schwarz, Vice President of Product Design, MillerKnoll, and Annie Block, Executive Editor, Interior Design. Six student finalists from Parsons and 6 from Politecnico will exhibit their work at Casa Cork. Their concepts highlight the materiality of cork and a broad range of product types, including furniture and lighting, objects, wearable accessories, and toys. The exhibition features sculptural floating pool mats, table lamps made from cork and hand-blown glass, a multisensory light and aromatherapy device, and a lightweight "play case" that holds building blocks that children can use at home or when they travel. Address: 31 Via Solferino, Milano, Italy Opening Dates and Hours: April 8-9, 2025 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. April 10 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. April 11–12 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Website and Social Media @corkcollective About Cork Collective Casa Cork is a project of the Cork Collective, an exciting new sustainability initiative focused on cork collection and recycling, and dedicated to transforming used natural cork stoppers into valuable resources, showcasing its versatility and sustainability. Through the collection, recycling, and repurposing of natural cork stoppers, the Cork Collective's mission is to galvanize the hospitality industry and the public to envision new possibilities for cork, one of the most sustainable and remarkable natural resources in the world. Fueled by expertise and passion of founding partners Rockwell Group, Amorim, BlueWell, and Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, the Cork Collective creates a 'closed-loop' system where resources are reused, recycled, and regenerated to minimize waste and promote sustainability. About Rockwell Group Based in downtown New York with satellite offices in Madrid and Los Angeles , Rockwell Group specializes in a wide array of work from luxury hospitality, cultural, and healthcare projects, to educational, product, and set design. Founded in 1984 by David Rockwell , Rockwell Group takes a cross-disciplinary approach to its inventive array of immersive projects. A strong commitment to explore and experiment resulted in the formation of the LAB at Rockwell Group, a design innovation studio that blends interactive technology, architecture, strategy, and storytelling. Crafting a unique and individual narrative concept for each project is fundamental to Rockwell Group's successful design approach. From the big picture to the last detail, the story informs and drives the design. Follow on Instagram @rockwellgroup. About Corticeira Amorim Corticeira Amorim is the world's largest cork processing group. Founded in 1870, the company now operates dozens of business units across five continents, with a diverse network of 30,000 clients generating 939 million Euros in annual revenues. With a strong commitment to sustainability, Corticeira Amorim offers a portfolio of solutions, materials, and products for some of the most advanced and demanding industries, including aerospace, automotive, construction, design and architecture, as well as wine and spirits. Follow on Instagram @amorimcork.
Forbes
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
7 New NYC Restaurants You Need To Try This Spring
Meili Just in time for spring, a slew of new restaurants has opened in New York City. Head uptown for a chic dining experience by an esteemed Italian design house, indulge in a steakhouse helmed by one of the city's most renowned chefs, or grab pizza in a lively nightlife setting. From intimate boîtes to larger-than-life spots, there's something new for every palate. La Tete D'Or 1. La Tête d'Or Chef Daniel Boulud's highly anticipated restaurant has finally arrived, re-imagining the classic steakhouse experience through a French culinary lens. Before you even sit down, you'll appreciate the tasteful and expansive David Rockwell–designed dining room; while many steakhouses are dark and outdated, La Tête d'Or entices with sexy lighting, high ceilings and cozy velvet booths. Start off your dining experience with the Seafood Salad Louie made with lettuce, avocado, chunks of lobster and a tangy French cocktail sauce, or try the wood-fired bone marrow canoe topped with pastrami and sauerkraut for a deli-inspired bite. You'll naturally gravitate to the steaks for your main course, but their milk-fed NJ veal chop is also outstanding and worth a try. Potato enthusiasts, you've died and gone to heaven at La Tête d'Or, where there seven potato sides to entice including a delicious tartiflette. Leave some room for dessert — the Chocolate Amer cake is delightful and you can also order an ice cream sundae with a wide variety of toppings including passionfruit marshmallows and housemade sprinkles. Bar Mercer 2. Bar Mercer Bar Mercer just opened this past January but somehow feels like it's always been there. Step inside from Houston Street and you're greeted by a glowing bar, checkered floors, and a cross-section of effortlessly cool New Yorkers. Lately a lot of gimmick-y restaurants have hit the New York restaurant scene (a few blocks down, adults line up at 5 pm to eat pizza rolls every day) but Chef Preston Clark (who's also the executive chef at Lure Fishbar) focuses on doing the classics just right. Try their broiled oysters which will wow you with their bacon chili better deliciousness and crispy texture. The fish and chips are perfectly flaky served with a tasty tartar sauce and mushie peas to get the real deal UK rendition of the dish. Pornstar Martini lovers, Bar Mercer's rendition of this cocktail is slightly tarter than its wildly saccharine counterparts making it a sip-worthy standout. For dessert try their berry cobbler which comes piping hot with a generous serving of vanilla ice cream. OPTO 3. OPTO Housed in the former Periyali space, OPTO is the brainchild of Chef Alex Tubero and co-owner Nicola Kotsoni (who ran Periyali for 38 years). OPTO is a symphony of all things Mediterranean, from Greek dips to classic Italian pasta dishes to Canary Island-inspired seafood dishes, right down to the carefully curated green Amaro Chef Tubero discovered on a recent Sardinia trip. Their grilled octopus served with potatoes and mint is a must, as is the king salmon crudo which comes with a side of crunchy lavash. For mains, opt for the branzino, cooked perfectly with crispy skin, and the long and plump macaroni are covered in a delicious tomato sauce are irresistible. As mentioned earlier, the aperitivo selection is highly curated by the Chef himself, and if you're lucky he'll tell you some of the stories behind discovering the tipples served at OPTO. Crazy Pizza 4. Crazy Pizza You wouldn't expect a place called Crazy Pizza to be boring now, would you? Pizza meets a party atmosphere at this new SoHo restaurant which already has 14 other locations worldwide. Upon arrival you're immediately swept into the restaurant's nightlife ambiance with loud music and skilled pizzaiolos entertaining patrons by tossing pizza dough in the air. While entertainment is front and center here you can't dismiss the food which is tasty and high quality. The pizzas here are made without yeast from a 24-hour dough which is crispy and light; opt for their tartufo pizza which covered in black truffle paste and black truffle shavings. It's the kind of bite you that transports you to their other locations like Monte Carlo or Porto Cervo. Their pennette all'arrabiata has a little kick, and their tiramisu is rich and satisfying to cap off your meal. Lively and fun, this is a great place to start a girls' night out or a go on a date with someone you'd like to mainly look at and talk to slightly less. Upon the Palace 5. Upon the Palace Ever craved xiao long bao the size of your head—that are actually good? Tribeca's Upon the Palace serves them with a straw to savor every drop. After eating this memorable appetizer you'll want to dive into their tasty lobster friend rice and sizzling black pepper filet mignon as your mains. An order of their walnut prawns cooked with Grand Marnier and oranges adds a little texture to your meal. This new Chinese restaurant also has a fun selection of cocktails; their Lychee Peachy Tini made with Haku Vodka and peach liqueur balances out the spice of their dan dan noodles, for example. Spanning 7,000 square feet over two floors, it's perfect for group feasts (Peking duck, anyone?) in a sleek setting. Armani Ristorante 6. Armani Ristorante Head uptown for a fashionable bite at the new Armani Ristorante located on Madison Avenue. The chic restaurant spans two floors and with its prime shopping location is equally good for lunch or dinner after a day of retail therapy. Kick things off with a bellini made with fresh peach puree or a sgroppino that will transport your taste buds to the Italian coastline. Order the lobster with sabayon and grapefruit before you dive into the delicious pastas. Their Genovese cannelloni is topped with Parmesan cheese and crispy kale adding some crunchy texture to a classic, and you'll love their Plin with wagyu oxtail. There's also a delicious suckling pig belly with a rich polenta that deserves your attention as a main dish. The menu reflects Mr. Armani's childhood, as well as featuring some New York-inspired dishes for this new locale. Meili 7. Meili (also featured image) Descend down the stairs of striking new Williamsburg Chinese restaurant for a delicious meal of Sichuan street food with an additional standalone plant-based menu, perfect to take your vegan friend to. If you like spice, you've come to the right place; the pork dumplings in chili oil and Chongqing spicy chicken will make your tastebuds tingle. Order a refreshing (and cooling) cucumber salad to balance things out. Their fish blossom entrée is a great not spicy option plated beautiful to resemble a flower with house-made sweet and sour sauce, pine nuts, peas and carrots. To end your meal, try their lemon ripieno which is a sorbetto made with lemons from Italy to refresh your palate.
New York Times
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
The Revolving Restaurant Is Back Again (and Again)
When your ears pop on the elevator ride up, that's how you know you've arrived at the View, the revolving bar and restaurant on the 47th and 48th floors of the New York Marriott Marquis. On a recent Saturday evening, the restaurant thrummed with families, groups of friends and couples sipping Champagne and devouring seafood towers as they admired the changing skyline. Every 45 minutes, just enough time to leisurely imbibe a cocktail, the lounge makes a full rotation. Opened in Times Square in 1985 and closed in 2020, the View is the latest in a string of rotating restaurants to make an unlikely return, this one shepherded by the restaurateur Danny Meyer and the architect David Rockwell. Gone are the outdated pleather dining chairs and gaudy carpet, replaced by blue velvet banquettes, a black marble bar and elegant Art Deco-style glass installations. Image 'When else is someone going to say, 'Would you like to do a revolving restaurant in the theater district?' ' said the restaurateur Danny Meyer. Credit... Yuvraj Khanna for The New York Times 'This is one of the best views,' said Joseph Mirrone, a former New Yorker who had stopped by with his son for a post-theater coffee and dessert. 'You can sit in one spot and the whole city revolves around you.' Mr. Meyer, who has his own warm childhood memories of Stouffer's Top of the Riverfront, a revolving restaurant in St. Louis, was eager to update the form. 'When Marriott approached us, it felt like, OK, well, that's something we've never done before,' he said. 'When else is someone going to say, 'Would you like to do a revolving restaurant in the theater district?' ' Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
