Restaurant in Art Museum

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Can you imagine a better day than one experiencing word-class art and food at the same convenient location? Here is exciting news for art and food lovers:

The Philadelphia Museum of Art has announced Stir, the new restaurant designed by architect Frank Gehry, as part of the museum’s facilities master plan. Stir will be operated by the Philadelphia-based Starr Catering Group and will open on October 9, 2018. It will be the only Gehry-designed restaurant offering fine dining to the public anywhere on the East Coast.

Stir will offer the first visible note of Gehry’s distinctive architectural style in the museum’s public spaces—a signature touch of the architect who is currently transforming much of the interior of the museum’s 1928 building through the Core Project, scheduled to be completed in 2020. The restaurant’s centerpiece will be a striking sculptural element, shaped in Douglas fir and flowing in form, that extends across the ceiling above the main dining room.

Stir will offer guests a rich and varied dining experience with an emphasis on seasonality and local sourcing. It will serve as a culinary destination for museumgoers seeking not only to enjoy a fine meal in a beautiful contemporary setting but also extend their visit and enhance their experience of the museum’s collections and programs.

With seating for 76 people, Stir will convey a warm, intimate and inviting ambiance. In addition to its dramatic, undulating ceiling, it will contain comfortable seating and tables designed by Gehry Partners. Its walls and ceiling will be clad in Douglas fir and its floors in red oak. The Gehry touch will be seen in a palette of materials that includes frosted glass, felt, steel, leather, bronze and onyx. 

Stir has also been designed to provide views into the kitchen, providing an opportunity to see the staff at work. Adjacent to Stir will be a new cafeteria, much larger than the museum’s previous one, that will seat 160 guests. 

The Café extends the entire width of the building, with windows offering views to the East Terrace and its garden on one side and across the Schuylkill River to West Philadelphia on the other. It will feature stations for artisanal sandwiches, a seasonal rotation of salads, brick oven pizza, and specialty coffee, enabling visitors to enjoy the convenience of quick service and casual dining with a wide variety of options. Another feature to anticipate, opening with the North Entrance at street level in early 2019, is a new espresso bar in the Vaulted Walkway that is being made accessible to the public once again, for the first time since the mid-1970s. There visitors may sip coffee and sample house-made pastries, relax and chat, while catching unexpected views of the building’s monumental façades through the skylights above.

Mark Tropea, the newly appointed Executive Chef, said: “Here is the Stir menu in two words—local and inspired. Whether stopping in for brunch or lunch, we expect that our guests will be delighted with our curated culinary offerings—from small plates that include Roasted Jersey Peaches, Seared Barnegat Scallops, and a farm-fresh Corn Bisque, to main dishes like a Dry-Aged Farm Stand Burger topped with Lancaster cheddar, Kennett Square Wild Mushroom Frittata, and handmade torn pasta bursting with regional flavors. The beverage menu features a variety of signature mixed drinks, wines by the bottle and glass, and a refreshing selection of local beers.”

Stir at Philadelphia Museum of Art will be open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., and will offer brunch on Sunday from 11 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Reservations can be made beginning October 8 by calling 215-684-7990.

With a presence in more than 70 countries across the globe, Hard Rock International is expanding its hotel portfolio to Ireland, announcing plans to open Hard Rock Hotel Dublin in 2020. Working in collaboration with Tifco Limited, one of Ireland's largest hotel companies, the highly anticipated opening of Hard Rock's first hotel in Ireland will shine a light on the musical vibrancy of the destination, past and present.

Located in Dublin's city center on Lord Edward Street, Hard Rock Hotel Dublin will comprise two structures; an existing listed property, built at the turn of the 20th century originally known as the Exchange Buildings and currently the site of the Parliament Hotel, and the adjacent Fashion House Building. 

The Fashion House will be entirely rebuilt and transformed into the new hotel entrance and reception. Bringing a contemporary feel to the property, a new glass link bridge will connect guests to the refurbished Parliament building. While retaining and restoring the original red brick façade of 1912, the interiors of the Parliament building will be completely reimagined, creating a unique music-inspired city escape with priceless memorabilia adorning the interior of the property.

The hotel will feature 120 guest bedrooms and suites furnished to an exceptionally high standard using warm fumed woods, fresh stone surfaces, bespoke Ulster carpets and sumptuous patterned and vibrant fabrics. Hard Rock Hotel Dublin will also have an exciting all-day dining restaurant showcasing freshest Irish ingredients. There will also be a casual bar serving food accompanied by well-crafted cocktails and 24-hour in-room dining.

From the main reception and lobby, to the boldly unique restaurant and bar space, Hard Rock Hotel Dublin will bring a polished, vivid and fresh, new design experience to Dublin city centre. Communal areas will feature intimate booth seating and eclectic fittings and furnishings, while the variety of bedrooms will be furnished in visually appealing jewel tones and lush textures.

In true Hard Rock style, the hotel will entice guests with an array of signature brand offerings, including The Sound of Your Stay® music program, allowing guests to set the mood with complimentary vinyl players and records or rock out on a Fender guitar during an in-room jam session, complete with an amp and head phones. The property will also be home to the newly launched wellness program Rock Om®, an in-room yoga experience providing a fresh take on a timeless tradition by fusing together the ancient serenity of yoga with the beat of music. 

Renowned for its famous pubs and restaurants, Hard Rock Hotel Dublin will be positioned within the commercial centre of the city, close to Temple Bar. Recognized as a cultural hot spot, Temple Bar is a stone's throw away from the city's most visited landmarks and attractions such as Trinity College, Grafton Street, St. Stephen's Green and the world-famous Guinness Storehouse. The area is also home to many excellent Irish cultural centres and institutions including the Gallery of Photography, the Olympia Theatre, the National Library Photographic Archive, Smock Alley Theatre and the Irish Film Institute.

A city steeped in musical history that spans generations and styles, Dublin's first Hard Rock Hotel will celebrate the pioneering artists of the past and present that have contributed to the city's cultural vibrancy.