Coqodaq. Photography by Jason Varney/Rockwell Group…
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Coqodaq Puts a Stylish Spin on Fried Chicken
Coqodaq is not your run-of-the-mill fried chicken joint—unless you happen to live in the Flatiron District and are a bonafide regular at Cote, Simon Kim’s Korean steakhouse. For his latest venture, Kim teamed up with Rockwell Group to create a worthy home for his champagne and fried chicken concept. An abundance of dark walnut carpentry, along with hunter green leather banquettes, brass accents, and leathered soapstone create a lush ambiance that carries to the menu.
The direction is fried chicken, but “better for you,” according to the restaurateur, whose executive chef Seung Kyu Kim sources from Pennsylvania’s Amish and Mennonite communities and pairs with a vibrant selection of pickled vegetables. While the restaurant’s considerable champagne list merits acclaim, botanical-forward cocktails and non-alcoholic libations provide refreshing alternatives. —Jenna Adrian-Diaz
“Hung by a Thread” (2023) by Diana Eusebio at an exhibition at Oolite Arts in Miami Beach. Photography by Alejandro Chavarria, courtesy of YoungArts…
Diana Eusebio, a 25-year-old Miami-based fashion designer and multidisciplinary artist, has been awarded the YoungArts Jorge M. Pérez award, which comes with a $25,000 unrestricted prize. Eusebio’s art practice incorporates natural materials like Spanish moss, avocado seeds, and achiote to create vibrant textile works. She combines digital photography with ancient fabric dying techniques, specializing in Latin American, Black, and Indigenous methods. The award recognizes artists who contribute to their community through their artwork. With the prize money, she plans to further her research and travel to Peru to learn from the Indigenous Quechua community, enhancing her artistic practice.
ET-94, the massive orange fuel tank that played a crucial role in propelling space shuttles into orbit on more than two dozen missions, was moved to its final resting place at the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center. This complex operation involved lifting the 65,000-pound tank with cranes and positioning it vertically between two 149-foot solid rocket boosters. Despite challenges, including gusty winds and technical issues, the tank was carefully lowered into place, marking the fourth of seven steps in creating an ambitious space shuttle exhibit. Once completed, Endeavour will be displayed upright in a full-stack configuration, a unique attraction for space enthusiasts. This project, estimated to cost $400 million, is set to transform the California Science Center’s skyline and is named in honor of philanthropist Samuel Oschin.
The Ellinikon Park project. Image courtesy of Sasaki…
The Ellinikon International Airport, which closed in 2001, is undergoing a major transformation into a new residential neighborhood, coastal resort, and park in Athens. The redevelopment project, master-planned by Foster + Partners, is one of Europe’s largest urban regeneration projects and aims to create a thriving community with thousands of new homes and amenities like shopping malls, hotels, business parks, sports facilities, a mega-yacht marina, and cultural centers within preserved airport structures. The development has been criticized for catering to affluent foreigners, but the project’s backers emphasize the need for overseas investment and job creation. A significant portion of the site will be dedicated to parkland, addressing Athens’ shortage of public parks and contributing positively to the city’s climate.
The Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation (FJMF) has announced the shortlisted design teams for the United States’ first monument dedicated to press freedom and journalists who lost their lives in the field. The four shortlisted teams are Höweler+Yoon Architecture, John Ronan Architects, MOS in collaboration with Hood Design Studio, and NADAAA. The FJMF, authorized by the U.S. Congress in December 2020, aims to honor journalists who sacrificed their lives in the pursuit of a free press. The memorial will be located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., with a direct view of the U.S. Capitol Building. The winner among the shortlisted teams will be announced in spring 2024.
According to investment data from Crunchbase, venture capital funding for metaverse startups experienced a significant decline in 2023, with no U.S. investments surpassing $100 million. While the consumer metaverse hype has waned, there is still some activity in the enterprise metaverse, with notable funding rounds like Augmedics’ $82 million Series D for AR image guidance technology for surgery. The gaming industry, closely tied to the metaverse, faced disruptions in 2023, with layoffs at major companies like Unity, Epic Games, and Microsoft. Despite this, the metaverse concept remains alive, but some believe that the term itself has become played out, with brands and platforms preferring terms like virtual commerce, immersive shopping, and 3D stores to describe their engagement with virtual environments.
