While editing this issue and reviewing its key themes and aesthetics, I kept thinking, “Oh, I love this! This is one of my favorite things!” And while I’m not handing out cars, I do feel a little like Oprah since I’m sharing My Favorite Things.
First up, the restaurant development + design awards program may only be in its second year, but it’s already one of my favorite annual features. Submissions increased 30 percent this year, and the panel of judges spent a whole day reviewing entries. It was fascinating to be in the room listening to a cross section of design and development professionals hash out what makes a project great. The competition was fierce, and we’re excited to share the top honorees with you.
As a huge 3-D nerd, I was thrilled when Senior Contributing Editor Dana Tanyeri pitched How to Utilize 3-D Modeling and Virtual Reality. I collect old View-Master reels, and that simple pleasure pales in comparison to what some architects and designers do to aid clients in visualizing restaurant spaces.
The Golden Age of Hollywood is another of my favorite things, and I spent much of my college years watching old movies and daydreaming about leaving the grunge era behind and finding spaces that looked like a movie set from the 1930s or 1940s. And now I can (and so can you)! We’ve got a dose of old school Hollywood glamour in the Project Profile of BLVD, designed by Karen Herold at Studio K Creative.
I also love to escape to mid-century modern aesthetics — and not just by slipping into a chair with clean lines and soft cushions. One of my favorite mid-century trends was America’s love affair with Polynesian culture and with tiki bars in particular. A variety of restaurants and bars keep fanning the flames of that love affair, and you can learn about three in this issue’s trend piece on tiki bars.
Finally, change is one of my favorite things. Keeping it fresh is important, and we’re adding a new department in 2018 to do just that. Check out our brand-new column that’s meant to remind you that the world is big, and though we can’t get to every corner of it, we can seek new vistas. In A World View, you will learn about one inspiring design we stumbled across outside North America each issue.