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Buzz Feed
17 hours ago
- General
- Buzz Feed
35 Last-Minute Father's Day Gift Ideas
An inflatable beach pillow designed not to blow away *and* with a slot to insert a cooling gel pack. If your dad grumbles about family days at the beach, this gift is sure to help him sleep the day away in comfort. A camping hammock so you can let your dad know how much you appreciate ~hanging~ out with him. Even if he is more of an inside cat, he's gonna be shocked how comfortable he can be in the great outdoors thanks to this! A stuffed waffle maker — this applause-worthy appliance is designed with a deep, bowl-like griddle that allows users to cook the batter with fillings (we're talking chocolate, fruit, cheese, works). Upgrade his morning routine from frozen waffles to a homemade meal, sure to look straight off a "best of" brunch menu. A sporty T-shirt perfect for dads who have been rooting their kids on from the bleachers since day one. "Just go out there and have fun!" was practically his personal that might have been because of how scared you got when the ball came within your proximity. Or a city shirt with roads, shops, and stops that'll give dads of young kiddos the most useful gift of all — a nap. No joke! Playing "back street" with this shirt'll entertain your kids easily and keep them happy because Dad's within arm's reach. Genius. A wave surf shaper to turn rocky, uneven lake waves made by your boat into smooth, curved, and *perfect* ocean-like waves that are primo for your dad's favorite pastime: surfin'. A heated eye massager so your dad's overstrained eyes get a moment's rest. If he suffers from migraines, this mighty machine might make a big difference! Plus, he can easily stream his favorite tunes through the Bluetooth speaker. Sweet. An officially licensed Jeep tire tread ring (with *free* custom engraving!!) for dads who juuust might love their car as much as they love their kid. After years of getting ties he never wore, he'll be just as shocked as you are that a piece of jewelry is his new favorite gift! A Waterpik because, despite your good influence, your dad still treats dental floss with disdain. This Waterpik is fun *and* functional. Get ready to hear your dad brag all about his *great* gums after you gift him this. A clip-on polarized sun visor that'll be loved by fathers who are always squinting into the sun on their work commute. Clip the extender onto their existing sun visor and they're gonna get polarized glare-reduction all the live-long day. A linen kitchen apron so the Iron Chef in your family can dress to impress! Your Papa deserves a wardrobe worthy of his homemade baguettes. A tall table-cooler combo for keeping all the drinks and snacks your pops could possibly want by the fire pit, rather than risk making him go back into the house to grab a beer. Because once he's sitting, he's there for the night! A beginner's telescope to give fathers who are absolutely dazzled by the night sky. Here's to finding ways we can continue getting a liiittle bit closer! A 44-piece drawer organizer so your dad can show off his *very* impressive tool collection to anyone who dares go into his workspace. Here's hoping you have time on your hands, because you're about to learn about every nut, bolt, screw, and washer he owns. A can of fire extinguishing spray that'll save Father's Day when your pop's jokes are so FIRE he sets the curtains ablaze. A ball cap organizer so he can keep his beloved baseball caps on display. A seat filler because you've heard your dad shout in frustration over dropped keys, glasses, and the like while driving. Give him something that'll save future fast food from certain doom. A smart keypad your dad's sure to because his most special skill is *always* forgetting his house keys. An inflatable kayak you can get your father if you know he ~blows up~ when he hasn't had enough time out on the lake and would appreciate a new excuse to go out there. A baby carrier for new dads who want their kiddo wrapped around them as tightly as their newborn has them wrapped around their little finger. A leather padfolio case that'll keep him organized on the go. A cool gel memory foam pillow because your dad sometimes says you're a pain in his neck, and this can help solve that problem... without you having to stop all your hilarious practical jokes. The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook, a drool-worthy cookbook for your favorite Disney adult. Being able to snack on Dole Whip from the comfort of his kitchen? That's magic. A pair of Bose QuietComfort Wireless Bluetooth Headphones with three levels of noise cancellation, a mic and speaker perfect for calls, luscious deep bass, and up to 24 hours of music on a single charge so your dad can listen to Abba on a loop without having to ask, "Does your mother know?" A motion-activated toilet bowl light for anyone who wants to get their dad a light-hearted gift that's sure to make him laugh. A 10-motor massage mat with two heating pads and vibration settings, so your tired pa can turn his favorite seat into the massage chair his aching back wants and needs. A UV cell sanitizer that'll give your dad a way to clean up his phone after all the times he's told you to clean up your language when you text him. An aluminum wallet with RFID-blocking technology to keep identity thieves from snagging your dad's info (i.e. your college fund money) on the street. An LED flat plate to help your bookworm of a father read far into the night without disturbing the morning person snoozin' beside him. A salt shooter so your dad can enjoy his summer by spending his free time hunting the world's most dangerous pesky housefly. A fly fishing rod and reel combo pack that'll have your dad's heart (and lures) soaring. A puzzle table with a large surface, six drawers, *and* a rotating cover for patient puzzlers who need a safe space for their million-piece projects. Reviewers say this is light enough to easily move out of the way and that the drawers are removable as well, which sounds spiffy! A fried chicken keychain that'll delight dads who aren't too ~chicken~ to show off their love of fried foods on the daily. This'll guarantee your dad never loses his keys again. It's surprisingly easy to find a piece of random fried chicken lying around. Horizontal Parenting, a laugh-out-loud funny (and surprisingly clever!) book for parents who would happily do ANYTHING if they could lie down for just a minute. A digital photo frame — get your dad a frame, connect him to the app, and you and your family can all share photos no matter how far apart you all live nowadays.
Eater
28-05-2025
- Business
- Eater
Naomi Pomeroy's Legacy Looms Large Over the Opening of L'Echelle on SE Division
The late Naomi Pomeroy was such a beloved fixture in the Northwest culinary scene that excitement for her latest restaurant venture L'Echelle would be sun-hot regardless of outside circumstances. But circumstances there are: Pomeroy's tragic death last summer, a location that's seen several high-profile turnovers, and an acrimonious history between the current and former owners of what was not once but twice the Woodsman Tavern (and Tasty N Daughters in between). L'Echelle occupies a picturesque brick storefront on a sleepy stretch of Division, but behind the tranquil facade, there's a lot of potential drama swirling around. Pomeroy and owner Luke Dirks were in the early stages of developing L'Échelle ('The Ladder' in French) at the time of Pomeroy's passing, leading to speculation regarding the ultimate fate of the venture. Pomeroy was a James Beard Award-winning chef, renowned cookbook author, a contestant on both Top Chef and Iron Chef , and one of the primary forces behind beloved Portland institutions Expatriate, Beast, and more recently Cornet Custard (the plucky gourmet custard shop that recently went toe to toe with the Trump administration over USDA grants). Dirks, meanwhile, was one of the co-founders of the Submarine Hospitality Group, overseeing Ava Gene's and launching Tusk during his time there. Dirks parted ways with the organization in 2020 under circumstances that can best be described as 'dramatic.' The building has plenty of lore to go with it, too: Stumptown Coffee founder Duane Sorenson launched the first Woodsman Tavern in 2011 and lavished upon it all the resources the founder of a ubiquitous coffee chain had at his disposal. Like many a passion project, the passion eventually faded, and in 2019 it became Tasty N Daughters, a 'reboot' of the Tasty n Sons brunch-focused micro empire. In 2021, it became the Woodsman Tavern again, in a Succession -esque development, operated by Submarine. Like Submarine's other post-lockdown acquisitions, the Woodsman 2.0 didn't lack house talent but never seemed to find its footing and closed 'for good' in August 2023. Dirks was long gone by then, but the significance of taking on a space that's seen so much turnover, including a tenure by former colleagues, isn't lost on him. 'The [original] Woodsman had a great run,' he says. 'My feeling is that the subsequent versions tried to 'run it back' a little bit.' He notes that, unlike previous incarnations, L'Echelle isn't one 'concept' in a portfolio of properties: 'This is a bunch of people showing up every day trying to make this place the best. [We're] undistracted by two or three or four other restaurants.' So what else is different? For starters, the color palette. The Woodsman of old was dark and clubby, with a lot of walnut paneling and mottled olive walls. The new space is all blonde wood and white plaster, giving the dining area a casual, breezy ambiance. Gone are the gallery walls of gilt-framed oil paintings, replaced with long mirrors and shelves piled with decorous amounts of artful clutter — think French seaside rather than Eaton library. The menu is also a whole new ballgame. Executive chef Mika Paredes, who co-founded neighboring Cornet Custard with Pomeroy last year, says her goal is to capture the casual elegance of the traditional French bistro — 'low brow meets high brow,' as she puts it — combined with 'all the farmers and producers and artisanal makers here in Portland.' Dirks notes that the goal for L'Echelle has always been accessibility above all: 'We feel really strongly that this needs to be a neighborhood spot. It has to be a neighborhood spot. Since day one.' 'I have always been a staunch believer that when the food is made from fear or ego, you can taste that' The menu will feature a handful of year-round mainstays, as well as a rotating selection of dishes determined by what's in season: 'Simple, but excellent,' as Dirks puts it. On the debut menu, Paredes recommends the classics: potato frites and steak au poivre, with grass-fed New York strip sourced from Carman Ranch in Wallowa, Oregon. 'We're not trying to reinvent the wheel,' she says, 'we're just trying to make it really delicious.' Dirks and Paredes say their goal is to run a neighborhood bistro, not a 'special occasion restaurant.' As such, there are no reservations at the moment: 'For us, it needs to be a place where you can just walk into any day, it can't be something that's booked out three months in advance.' They want the prices to reflect that too: The L'Échelle pop-up Dirks ran last summer featured an informal chalkboard menu with delicacies like duck confit and rabbit sausage for $30, with less-ornate offerings like marinated leeks and pork rillettes in the high teens and low twenties. Those certainly aren't fast-food prices, but they're competitive with chef-driven, farm-to-table establishments like Canard and Jacqueline that focus on agile European-inspired menus and premium ingredients. Dirks admits that the summer pop-up was more of a preview of coming attractions than a restaurant proper. 'A line drawing of what would be a full painting at some point,' as he puts it. In the wake of Pomeroy's passing, Dirks says his team wanted to do something to show her work would live on: 'We [wanted] to show people what we're up to, and [do] something for people to rally around,' he says. 'It was really meaningful and cathartic and emotional and intense,' he says, but '[the space] was really limited in terms of how much of a 'restaurant' we could actually pull off.' That won't be the case at L'Echelle proper, which will feature a full menu and dinner service five days a week, with plans to expand to a seven-day schedule and a lunch menu as they staff up. Their other commitment is to creating a non-toxic work environment, a cause that Pomeroy repeatedly championed. For Paredes, who worked closely with Pomeroy at Cornet, that's a core priority: 'I have always been a staunch believer that when the food is made from fear or ego, you can taste that,' she says. Dirks, whose time at Submarine ended alongside toxic workplace allegations directed at the organization, says he's committed to learning from past mistakes and wants to create a culture at L'Echelle that fosters transparency and respectful communication. 'I have my own experience… seeing where things can get off track,' he says. He and Paredes say they plan to foster an environment of 'fairness, transparency, and feedback,' and state they'll have regular 'low agenda' meetings to make sure the work-life balance is, well, balanced. 'We raise our hand when we need help,' Paredes says, 'we are not afraid to do that.' Will L'Echelle outlast the two Woodsmans that came before it? Hard to say, but this is a promising start. The space is open and inviting, the mission statement stresses equity and accessibility, and the menu has steak and potatoes on it. Good intentions and fancy ingredients don't make a neighborhood fixture, but comfort, consistency, and a happy staff can go a long way in that direction. It's encouraging that Dirks and Paredes are prioritizing those values from day one. Their new neighbors will decide the rest. L'Echelle (4537 SE Division Street) debuts Wednesday, May 28, and is open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Sign up for our newsletter.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Institute of Culinary Education Los Angeles Campus Celebrates 2025 Graduates in Milestone Ceremony, Celebrating 50th Anniversary
LOS ANGELES, May 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) will honor the next generation of culinary leaders at its LA campus commencement ceremony on May 12, 2025, at the California Institute of Technology. The ceremony will feature chefs and industry leaders, including chefs Curtis Stone and Steve Samson. Stone, acclaimed chef and television personality, will deliver the keynote address to the graduates. Known for his Michelin-starred restaurant Gwen and extensive media presence including Iron Chef, Top Chef Masters and more, Stone's career is a testament to the accomplishments that culinary professionals can achieve with passion and dedication. Samson, a celebrated ICE alumnus and the executive chef/owner of Rossoblu and Superfine Pizza, is the alumni speaker. This year, in celebration of the school's 50th anniversary, Samson has been recognized as one of ICE's 50 Distinguished Alumni. "We are incredibly proud of all our graduates have accomplished and the dedication they've shown throughout their time at ICE," said Lachlan Sands, president of ICE's Los Angeles campus. "As they move into the future, we are confident they will make a lasting impact on the culinary world with their passion, creativity and leadership." The ceremony will include presentations to graduates of ICE's associate degree and diploma programs."We are proud of the growing graduation classes at our Los Angeles campus since its opening in 2018," said Rick Smilow, ICE CEO. "Since our founding 50 years ago ICE has trained thousands of culinary professionals who have gone on to achieve success in every area of the industry. This graduating class joins a legacy of talented alumni who continue to shape the future of food." ICE's New York campus students will graduate on June 24. About the Institute of Culinary EducationThe Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) is one of the largest culinary schools in the world. Established in 1975, ICE offers award-winning in-person (in NYC & LA) and online career training programs in Culinary Arts, Pastry & Baking Arts, Plant-Based Culinary Arts, Restaurant & Culinary Management and Tourism, Travel & Hospitality Management, and professional development in Bread Baking, Advanced Cuisine, Cake Decorating and Sommelier Training. Visit us at or join us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube at @iceculinary to Find Your Culinary Voice™. CONTACT:Stephanie FraimanInstitute of Culinary Education(212) 847-0703sfraiman@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The Institute of Culinary Education Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
