DAVID ON LOW-KEY ELEGANCE With a young family and a 1929 Tudor home, I want my holiday table to be warm and inviting and not too formal.  This picture will serve as my inspiration.  I know I have some burlap scraps from a past event that I can use to cover the container for the [...]

Just in time for the biggest shopping weekend of the year, check out a few of our favorite spots for gifts and indulgences. MEGAN ON C. WONDER Next time you are strolling around Soho, pop in to C. Wonder .  The store welcomes you in with its bright atmosphere and chic style and is the [...]

The Museum for African Art at 110th Street and 5th Avenue They pop up around the city in Bryant Park, Central Park, and on streets all up and down Manhattan.  They always inspire great curiosity from passersby who crane their necks to get a peek of what is happening under the big white tent. Entering [...]

DAVID ON AMY WINEHOUSE With her nostalgic yet modern and soulful persona, Amy Winehouse will certainly remain a major influence for many years beyond her sadly short and troubled life. I love her for her originality, her fierce musical talent, and her honesty. KRISTIN ON LATIN JAZZ If I could have the energetic rhythms of [...]

Working at Bowen & Company, one never knows where each new day may lead. In any given week, you might don a hard hat at one of the new Museums we are helping to open, check out an up-and-coming chef at the Beard House, tour the Plaza Hotel and a working farm, and attend a [...]

Every special event begins with a special venue. Finding the right venue can be a major time commitment, and one of the services we provide to our clients is narrowing the field to a few ideal choices that meet their needs and fulfill their vision. Blue Hill at Stone Barns, located at Stone Barns Center [...]

Photograph © Sølve Sundsbø / Art + Commerce

Over 440,000 people have paid a visit to the darkly wonderful “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty” exhibit now running at the Met through August 7. Extended hours still cannot meet the public’s demand to view the late fashion legend’s iconic designs, and crowds wait patiently for their turn to enter the world of McQueen. The wait is worth it.

Gallery photography by The Photograph Studio, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Curator Andrew Bolton views McQueen’s collections through the eyes of a Romantic, which stands in sharp contrast to McQueen’s inherent—and sometimes controversial—edginess, with elements ranging from grotesque to theatrical to political to downright tormented. But, don’t take our word for it. Check out Bolton’s official Met blog below for an insider look at the exhibit without the wait.

Gallery photography by The Photograph Studio, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

But, kudos also go to the show’s production designers Sam Gainsbury and Joseph Bennett. The diverse galleries serving as backdrop for the exhibit are works of art in their own right, with the rawness of the designs reflected in settings built of concrete and raw wood and everything in between, each gallery mesmerizing in its own way.

The temperatures are rising, and the Bowen & Company team has been comparing notes on the best way to quench our summer thirst. What is your favorite drink on a hot summer’s day? Comment below to share your go-to recipe. We are vowing to try them all before Labor Day!

COREY ON THE PAINKILLER
A staple at my family gatherings, the infamous Painkiller originated at the Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands. The Bar doesn’t have a dock, so ordering a cocktail means swimming to shore, thus earning the Soggy Dollar its name. And, you can probably guess how the cocktail got its name.

4 oz. Pusser’s® dark rum
4 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. coconut milk
1 oz. orange juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with nutmeg and serve.

When Bowen & Company took over as producer of the James Beard Awards, we conceived of adding a new video component as one of the tools to elevate the overall Awards Ceremony experience. We especially wanted to “put a face to” the Foundation’s five America’s Classics honorees, small regional “mom and pop” restaurants that hold a special place in their respective community’s histories as well as in their hearts. We chose to collaborate with Linton Media Inc. to create unique, short films that captured the human stories behind these beloved restaurants, always an emotional highlight of the annual Awards Ceremony. Five years later, these videos are still earning rave reviews, and we have incorporated additional videos to highlight other special moments in the Ceremony. Linton Media is a full-service production company that specializes in documentary films for television, event videos, and viral web campaigns. Meet award-winning producer Katherine Linton, who founded the NYC-based company in 2004.

It should come as no surprise that the Bowen & Company team loves an excuse to celebrate. We kept our eyes peeled for good ideas during our Independence Day festivities and jotted down a few tips for your next gathering.

DAVID ON SEAONAL RECIPES
One of the best things about celebrating in the summer is all of the wonderful fresh foods ripe and ready for picking… and eating. The watermelon, tomato, feta and mint salad with vidalia onions that I found on Epicurious is a keeper! No oil, no salt. Just simply delicious.