The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool gets a not-so-fresh reset, a new chapter for the Jacob Riis Bathhouse, and cities dive into a swimming renaissance. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
Which 2026 James Beard Award winners have you visited?
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The very best in restaurants were honored on June 15th at the 2026 James Beard Awards ceremony in Chicago. Eateries and chefs from across the country were recognized with top prizes going to Michael Tusk of San Francisco’s Quince (Outstanding Chef); Adrian Torres of Houston’s Maximo (Emerging Chef); Kalaya in Philadelphia (Outstanding Restaurant—and a personal favorite of this writer); Lei in New York (Best New Restaurant); Wild Crumb in Bozeman, Montana (Outstanding Bakery); and Loma in Providence (Best New Bar). The founders of nonprofit No Us Without You received the Humanitarian of the Year Award, while chef and restaurateur Nancy Silverton was bestowed with the Lifetime Achievement Award. See the full list of winners.
Make the Reflecting Pool blue again
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In case you missed it, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is full of green algae following its multimillion-dollar overhaul that you, the taxpayer, funded. Despite plans to freshen up the National Mall ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary celebration next month, the algae-rich water has turned the body of water a mossy green. According to Politico, the Interior Department claims the issue is the result of supply lines left dormant during eight weeks of renovations. The National Park Service is deploying a new nanobubbler filtration system to resolve the issue, while a dedicated crew will protect the water from wildlife. Wonder just how stained that new American Flag Blue paint will look on the 4th.
New members club to open at New York’s Riis Beach
Jacob Riis Park in Queens, New York; photo courtesy of Adobe Stock
The derelict Jacob Riis Bathhouse in New York is poised to return as a private club and hotel following an $88 million renovation. Gothamist reports that the nearly century-old beachfront structure will reopen in phases beginning as early as the final week of July. The reintroduction will entice New Yorkers with a pool available to members for an annual fee of $1,000. The club will only be operational on Fridays and Sundays, and include a public outdoor lounge area endowed with mobile bars and a food truck. A beach shop and a 1,800-person concert venue and event space are also projected to launch onsite later this summer. The 28-room hotel, crowned by a members-only rooftop restaurant and lounge, is scheduled to debut next summer. So much for “The People’s Beach!”
We’re experiencing an urban swimming boom
New York’s proposed + POOL pollution-filtering swimming pool; rendering courtesy of Friends of + POOL
From Scandinavia to Australia, public swim culture is firmly embedded in the infrastructure. However, the concept has never really boomed stateside…until recently! Once unswimmable bodies of water in Portland, Boston, Chicago, San Antonio, and Washington, DC are seeing the benefits of major cleanup efforts and enticing swimmers for open-water dips just like our friends in Europe. Grassroots organizations like the Human Access Project and Swimmable Cities work to not only destigmatize urban river swimming, but also advocate to make our waterways safer, according to Dwell. Even though the rivers of our beloved Big Apple have become cleaner, upcoming public swimming projects like the long-awaited + POOL project will ensure safety and comfort with a floating water filtration tub. Hey, we can’t all be the Seine.
Meet HD’s 2026 Wave of the Future honorees
ICYMI: Hospitality Design (HD) proudly announced its 2026 Wave of the Future class last week. Eight individuals spotlighted as the next generation of industry leaders. This year’s honorees include Jimmie Drummond, Drummond Projects; Paige Henry; Bunkhouse + JDV Hotels, the Lifestyle Group, Hyatt; Ryan Leichtweisz, Nuel + EwingCole; Mapa Mueller, Mapa Mueller Design; Kathianna Rousseau-Kind, Rockwell Group; Ellen Saathoff, Hai Hospitality; Krystel Sam, Hilton; and Victor Schmick, Davidson Hospitality Group. Honorees will be featured in HD’s October issue and fêted during HD NextGen Forum this September in Denver. Read more about these rising stars.