The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino appoints its first director, HD highlights Black voices in honor of Black History Month, and the demand for vegan tourism increases. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
The future of New York’s outdoor dining setups is still up for debate
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New York is at odds with how to move forward with outdoor dining structures. The fate of the city’s Open Restaurants program was discussed at length during a City Council hearing on Tuesday. Grubstreet writer Chris Crowley sat in on the nearly nine-hour meeting and recounted the various points that were addressed in an article published the following day. “The point on which people seem to agree is the plan served its purpose,” Crowley writes. However, the next iteration of the program must account for the decreased demand for these fixtures as patrons feel more comfortable dining indoors, as well as expanding the program to potentially benefit additional industries.
HD highlights 25 Black creators
In honor of Black History Month, HD celebrates some of the many Black creators leaving their mark on the hospitality industry and beyond. These 25 individuals—who have been featured in our magazine, website, and spoken at our in-person events—span multiple creative realms, including design, architecture, art, entrepreneurship, and more. “I want to humanize design within the Black community, as well as let us know that we can do this, that there are spaces for us, and we can prosper creatively,” says dsgnrswrkshp founder Kamille Glenn. Read about all 25 here.
You’re invited to the real-life Dirty Dancing hotel
The Mountain Lake Lodge; photo by Dan Mirolli
To commemorate the 35th anniversary of Dirty Dancing, the hotel where the popular 1987 movie was filmed is offering multiple themed packages throughout 2022 as well as a two-day branded anniversary event in March, according to The New York Post. So, if you’re looking to have the time of your life and enjoy some of the magic of the popular film in real time, look no further than the Mountain Lake Lodge in Pembroke, Virginia. (The movie was set in the Catskills region of New York, but the actual lodge is located in the south.) Packages includes dance lessons, a scavenger hunt, merchandise, and more.
Is vegan travel the next big thing?
The guestrooms at Mykonos’ Koukoumi Hotel feature vegan mattresses made from coconut fiber; photo by Stavros Habakis
An uptick in veganism and vegetarianism has resulted in the travel industry responding accordingly. The emergence of more and more plant-centric hotels, restaurants, festivals, and tours is happening across the globe, The New York Times reports. “Collectively, we’re far more aware of the planetary impacts of food than we were even five years ago,” said Justin Francis, cofounder and chief executive of Responsible Travel, a sustainably minded tour operator that has seen demand for its vegan trip offerings quadruple over the past 10 years. Many existing properties have expanded F&B offerings to accommodate plant-based diets, while entirely new vegan destinations have also popped up, including the Koukoumi Hotel in Mykonos, which in addition to a vegan restaurant boasts a spa that solely uses plant-based massage oils and rooms outfitted with coconut-fiber mattresses.
Smithsonian names first director of the National Museum of the American Latino
Jorge Zamanillo; photo by Rodrigo Nuno
Jorge Zamanillo has been named the founding director of the Smithsonian’s forthcoming National Museum of the American Latino in Washington, DC, ARTnews reports. Zamanillo will officially take over the post on May 2nd from Smithsonian Latino Center director Eduardo Díaz, who had been serving as the institution’s interim director. “The Latino experience is American history, and I want to make sure our story will be preserved for future generations,” says Zamanillo, who is currently the executive director of Florida’s HistoryMiami Museum. “This museum will celebrate Latino accomplishments and resiliency through powerful stories that capture the adversity faced over centuries by Latinos in the U.S. and their perseverance to move forward and create a legacy.”
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Register Now: HD Expo + Conference 2022
