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Crosby Studios Concocts an Unorthodox Fine Jewelry Shop
Fine jewelry boutiques rarely get mistaken for industrial kitchens, but that’s precisely the point of Avgvst’s new Crosby Studios–designed storefront in Berlin. Seeking to differentiate itself from stereotypical jewelry stores, the brand enlisted Harry Nuriev’s enigmatic studio to imbue the shop with the playfulness that underscores its key pieces. Anastasiia Pestrikova, a project manager at the firm, sought inspiration beyond fashion and retail to inform the space, landing on the industrial ghost kitchens used by takeout joints. Touches of yellow—Avgvst’s signature color—in the form of camp chairs and floral arrangements soften the brick and stainless steel interior. An inaugural collection of cutlery-shaped jewelry is thoughtfully draped across the food-prep surfaces and appliances throughout the display room. —Jenna Adrian-Diaz
The oceanfront restaurant Gladstone’s, which has been in service since 1972, is set to close within the next year to make way for a new project by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck and architect Frank Gehry. Expected to break ground in 2024, the two-pronged project will include a full-service restaurant and a separate deck for public use. The current Gladstone’s location has been a popular spot for seafood lovers, and the new operators plan to continue the legacy with a fresh design and concept. Los Angeles County, which owns the location, is working to ensure no break in operations at the original site until Puck’s project begins.
The Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Senator Ron Wyden, is investigating investor and collector Leon Black’s financial dealings with Jeffrey Epstein, focusing on Epstein’s role in Black’s $1 billion private art collection. The committee’s inquiry is seeking detailed information on transactions between Epstein and Black, including Epstein’s involvement in structuring trusts and complex transactions to avoid federal taxes, and his extraordinary compensation scheme. Black’s representative asserts that all transactions were lawful and that Black has cooperated extensively with the committee, while Wyden has given Black a deadline of September 1 to provide the requested documentation.
CityLAB Berlin has developed a new digital map to enhance the care of urban tree canopies, a vital part of the fight against climate change and essential for public health. The map includes a register of over half a million trees with information on their water levels and age, drawing inspiration from similar projects in cities like New York, Athens, and Washington, D.C. Locals have begun to adopt individual trees, and the tool is now used in various cities with 3,500 registered citizen-caretakers responsible for 7,500 trees. CityLAB plans to further its impact with the Quantified Trees project, using AI-generated predictions about drought risk.
England goalkeeper Mary Earps won a public-opinion showdown with Nike over the failure to produce replicas of her green shirt for fans, despite being chosen as the Women’s World Cup’s best goalie. After weeks of controversy and a fast-growing online petition that garnered 150,000 signatures, Nike announced that it had secured limited quantities of goalkeeper jerseys for England, U.S., France, and the Netherlands, committing to retail women’s jerseys for future tournaments. Critics weren’t pleased with the original response from Nike, which sponsors England’s national team, leading some to produce their own Earps gear.
In response to financial struggles and growing sensitivity around income inequality, major cultural institutions are revisiting and rolling back housing perks for top executives. Institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, and LACMA have shifted from providing tax-free luxury housing to offering taxable housing allowances. The changes reflect a broader concern about the optics of lavish executive compensation, especially when staff members are often underpaid and struggling to make ends meet.
Photography by Nikolas Linke/University of Bern/EXPLO Project…
Today’s attractive distractions:
An international space race may make a cosmic junkyard out of the moon.
Archaeologists unearth an 8,000-year-old European village perched on stilts.
Which media outlets get early access to films sparks debate in Hollywood.
