From a Bon Appetit online article by Alex Delaney:
If you do something simple the wrong way, that’s a one-way ticket to boredom. Case in point: Unsalted potato chips. (Just, why?!) But if you do something simple the right way, it’s like the world just makes sense. The folks at The Shop in Portland, Maine, understand this, and absolutely nail it.
There are no elaborate seafood stews or grilled whole fish or ambitious desserts at this seafood joint from the crew at Island Creek Oysters in Massachusetts. It sells oysters, caviar, and tinned seafood spreads. That’s it. The oysters, usually local Maine and Massachusetts varieties, are just $1.50 each and come on large trays of ice with the classic fixings: lemon wedges, horseradish, cocktail sauce, and shallot mignonette. The caviar is also produced by Island Creek and best enjoyed on top of said oysters (not to mention very affordable). The tinned fish—smoked mussels, oil-packed tuna, beautiful sardines—is served with slices of sourdough bread, spicy mustard, butter, chives, flaky salt, sauerkraut, pickles, onions, and saltines, and is arranged in such a way that you almost don’t want to disrupt the harmony of the composition. Almost.
To read more click on the following link: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/the-shop-portland-maine



The Empire State Building, New York City’s most iconic skyscraper, has been reimagining its observatory experience for some time now. As part of a two-phase project, a new observatory entrance at 20 West 34th Street debuted last August, and now, a new set of immersive exhibits are open to the public.
Two Bunch Palms mineral springs flow up from Miracle Hill, a 600 year old source bubbling from under the surface and flowing hot directly into the resort’s pool. Ecological considerations also extend to the hotel using its very own solar field array, earning Two Bunch Palms the status of being the first carbon-neutral resort in America.
“I was really focused on the idea of a burger, but taking it to the next level in terms of quality and flavor. I wanted to make it this kind of luxurious dining experience,” said Sullivan.


Tentrr
The Pageant of the Masters was first developed in the 1930s to combine music, storytelling and theatrical illusions to celebrate artistic interpretation and history. It has since become a Laguna Beach tradition drawing visitors from around the world. This year’s show, which opens Sunday, July 7, and runs through Aug. 31, marks the pageant’s 86th year.
While it may be unassuming, B.T.’s is hardly undiscovered. The lines get long, so time your trip to hit the smokehouse when it opens at 11 a.m. or during the late-afternoon lull. Order your meat to go, grab a beer at the convenience store next door, and park yourself on the hood of your car, the curb, or anywhere you can find a spot. It isn’t glamorous, but it is astonishingly good.

By next year, Zeidan expects Life House to have more than 20 hotels open or under construction across the country, with new developments in Brooklyn, N.Y.; Denver, Colo.; and Lake Tahoe, Nev. “Ninety percent of our hotels are historic buildings that we convert and re-imagine into lifestyle products,” he told HM. In developing each property, the company’s creative team examines both the logistics of the asset and the narrative of the building and its location. “Historic buildings have a tremendous amount of stories and inspiration to draw from,” said the executive.