This past weekend, American Express & NBA 2K brought an activation to the NYC streets of Soho.
Last week for Art Basel, American Express created an exclusive lounge in the Design District in Miami to showcase some of the finest art and food. The pop-up featured a number of incredible and renowned chefs including two-time James Beard award-winning chef, Mashama Bailey. The event, titled American Express presents SAVOR & SOUL, was an intimate brunch that aimed to feature and discuss the current state of Black art and artists. The brunch featured a number of delicious soul food items including fried chicken with a delectable hot sauce, waffles, shrimp and grits, and much more.
This pop-up experience also served to feature the latest work by Phillip K. Smith III, titled Garden of Reflections. This installation is composed of 17 columnar sculptures that collage the light, atmosphere, and movement through folded mirrors and polished steel. This installation is able to morph the space throughout the day by playing with the natural light as well as the presence of all the guests in the pop-up lounge. By creating a piece that redefines the perception of reality, it creates a powerful, yet almost modest piece that allows for one to reflect.
Later on in the event, a panel was formed featuring Black artists, curators and collectors, including Artist Sabrena Khadija, Gallerist and Collector Hannah Traore (Hannah Traore Gallery) and Everette Taylor (CEO of Kickstarter and former CMO of Artsy), moderated by Phillip Collins (Founder and Curator of Good Black Art). This panel of esteemed guests discussed the state of Black art as well as methods to uplift and amplify Black art and artists. Discussions formed around how to create a network that circulates and promotes Black art as well as how to truly succeed as a Black artist in an industry that has historically underrepresented and under-appreciated Black art.
As the event concluded, it was § Announced at American Express Presents SAVOR & SOUL™, Artists Adrian Brandon, Sabrena Khadija and Gianni Lee have teamed up with premier live-stream shopping app NTWRK and American Express for an exclusive art drop, which was unveiled during the event. Fans will have the opportunity to purchase the three pieces on December 9th at 3pm PT/6pm ET, exclusively on the NTWRK app. Proceeds will be donated by NTWRK to Good Black Art, a global platform centered around the most promising emerging Black artists.
On Wednesday, Nov. 30 The Knockturnal was on the scene of Phillip K. Smith III’s Garden of Reflections with food and drinks by Michael Solomonov (Chef and Owner of Zahav, Abe Fisher, Merkaz, Dizengoff, Goldie, Laser Wolf, Federal Donuts and K’Far in Philadelphia, PA and Laser Wolf in Brooklyn, NY).
Solomonov’s delicious Mediterranean inspired spread included Instagram-worthy Ceviche in Bissli Bag, Hummus Cones with Brussel Sprouts & Green Garbanzo, and Mushroom Baklava. Guests also were invited to indulge in an open bar and enjoy handcrafted cocktails, wine, and champagne. American Express cardholders also received a cookbook: Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking. The cookbook features many Israeli recipes, personal stories, and a dictionary of related terms.
My personal favorite item of the day was the Ceviche in a Bissli Bag. The flavors were outstanding and unique and eating it out of something that resembled a chip bag was so innovative, convenient, and mess-free to eat at this event.
“Food, culture and art are so intricately linked and I am thrilled to be partnering with American Express and Resy to bring this exciting experience to guests in Miami,” said Chef Michael Solomonov, Chef and Owner of Zahav and five-time James Beard Foundation award-winner.
Resy and American Express to Host Multiple Dining Events During Art Week in Miami Including Dinner Series with Massimo Bottura, Missy Robbins and Mashama Bailey with Original Art by Phillip K. Smith III; Gallery Day to Feature Food by Michael Solomonov
The art featured was “Phillip K. Smith III’s Garden of Reflections.”
Garden of Reflections is an installation composed of 17 columnar sculptures that collage the light, atmosphere, and movement of the space across their highly reflective and folded mirror polished steel surfaces. Organically collected in three different groups, the artwork reacts to the immediate surroundings, colors, and realities of the day. As the light of the space changes, so the artwork changes. As people move within the space, the artwork reacts accordingly. This reflective experience reconfigures and compresses directionality and space, amplifying one’s perception of their surroundings. The result is an installation that is equally powerful and quiet, completely immersive, and changing at all times, no matter day or night.
More about the artist: Working in the Southern California desert’s Coachella Valley, Phillip K. Smith III creates light-based work that draws upon ideas of space, form, color, light + shadow, environment, and change. Featured in many online and print publications, Smith is known for creating large scaled temporary installations such as Lucid Stead in Joshua Tree, Reflection Field and Portals at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival, ¼ Mile Arc in Laguna Beach, and The Circle of Land and Sky at inaugural 2017 Desert X exhibition. His public artworks are sited in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Kansas City, Nashville, Oklahoma City and beyond; and the artist was recently commissioned to create permanent, light-based works for the cities of West Hollywood, CA, La Jolla, CA, and Bellevue, WA. The artist currently has solo exhibitions on view at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art through August 6, 2023, and at the Palm Springs Art Museum through May 7, 2023.
ABOUT GLOBAL DINING ACCESS BY RESY:
Global Dining Access by Resy is a dining program for eligible* American Express Card Members that provides elevated access to top restaurants in the United States and internationally. Card Members can utilize the program’s benefits – to get access for exclusive tables, Priority Notify, event access – by having their eligible American Express Card on file in their Resy profile. In the U.S, Global Dining Access exclusive tables are available at 500+ restaurants including Carbone (NY) Lilia (NY), Via Carota (NY), Zahav (PHL), Monteverde (CHI), Mi Tocaya (CHI), Mother Wolf (LA), Kato (LA), Contessa (MIA), Rose’s Luxury (DC), Sarma (Boston), Carbone Vino (DAL) and more.
Global Dining Access members are also invited to purchase tickets to Global Dining Access events featuring top chefs and restaurants. Past events have included World’s Best Restaurant noma’s 5-day residency in New York City (May 2022) and Platinum Coast (September 2021), a floating restaurant on a barge in Manhattan’s East River featuring Nancy Silverton, Kwame Onwuachhi, Stephanie Izard and more Global Dining Access Chefs.
*Global Dining Access by Resy membership extends to eligible U.S. American Express Cards: Platinum Card®, Business Platinum Card®, Corporate Platinum Card®, The Centurion Card, Centurion Business Card, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, and Hilton Honors American Express Aspire (see Global Dining Access Terms and Conditions).
Jack Harlow and American Express team up together during Member Card Week to bring an exclusive one-night experience for cardmembers!
Leading up to this year’s US Open Tennis Tournament, American Express has announced its partnership with Break the Love Partner to Offer 10,000 Complimentary Court Reservations to All NYC Area Tennis Fans.
This year’s return to the desert by festival goers saw much excitement as we made our way back to Palm Springs for Coachella 2022.
After having been absent for the last two years due to Covid-19, Coachella proved to be just what we all had hoped and more. With spetacular headliners such as Harry Styles, Sweedish House Mafia + The Weeknd, and Billie Eilish; attendees experienced a treat with no holds barred for the first time since the pandemic began.
As expected, the heat of the desert had many people scrambling for mini fans, cold refreshments, or shade—wherever they could find it. Luckily, American Express and Umami Burger helped enchance everyone’s experience by providing a top tier lounge and food.
On the festival grounds, for the first time ever American Express partnered with Bravado to create a one-of-a-kind artist pop-up shop in their on-site Lounge, where Card Members will have access to exclusive, limited-edition festival merchandise from some of their favorite performers, including Billie Eilish and Conan Gray.
American Express collaborates with Billie Eilish & Conan Gray to debut the first-ever Amex Artist Shop in partnership with Bravado at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival on Friday, April 15, 2022, in Indio
Billie Eilish for her part had a black zip-up hoodie that has been reclaimed and upcycled from deadstock, shelf pulls, retail returns & gently used apparel, giving it new life & making each hoodie unique.
Conan Gray on the otherhand had a watermelon-pigment dyed unisex crewneck pullover featuring your sweater embroidered text (a play on his hit song “Heather”) with exclusive desert cactus embroidery.
Entry into to the American Express Lounge was open to Card Members and up to 3 of their guests. Wellness activities to recharge in between sets, including a crystal bar, tarot card and astrology readings from Smudge Wellness, plus healing acupressure ear seeding were available on both Sundays (April 17 & April 24) . All of this was in addition to the hydration station, charging stations and cash bar that was available for Card Members at the space daily.
As for food…
For Coachella Umami Burger featured the Original Burger and the Impossible Burger as a vegan substitute, as well as thing fries and the Apple Hand Pie. The Umami booth was in the general admission area in the Craft Beer Barn.
Umami Burger announced a menu by famed Chef Alvin Cailan. Launching this February, Chef Alvin’s new Umami Burger menu focuses on classic American and Filipino fusions and with a menu revamp that pays homage to Umami’s favorite classics, while at the same time elevating and expanding key menu offerings. The partnership between Umami Burger and Chef Alvin Cailan utilizes Cailan’s award-winning mastery of meats and burgers, combining his skills to offer the ultimate menu of crave-able hamburgers, fries, potato tots and chicken wings.
For the menu revamp Chef Cailan has added his touch to Umami Burger’s famed menu items while at the same time creating an assortment of new items that stay true to Umami Burger’s “sixth sense.” Highlights include The Umami Burger, The Truffle Burger, The Deluxe Burger, The Bacon Ranch Burger, The Reggiano Burger, The Original, The Black Garlic Burger and the vegan friendly Earth Burger.
Yesterday The Knockturnal had the opportunity to check out the American Express x NBA 2K22 Experience kick-off event now open to the public December 11th from 11am to 8pm and December 12th from 1:30pm to 7:30pm. Located at 901 W. Olympic Boulevard, Los Angeles there’s tons of reasons to go check it out! While we were there we got to sit down with seven-time NBA All-Star Paul George from the Los Angeles Clippers and watch him go head to head with two-time WNBA champion Breanna Stewart from the Seattle Storms. While they played a couple of rounds of NBA 2K22 and WNBA 2K22 while answering some questions live on Twitch, we got to check out all the great perks the American Express x NBA 2K22 Experience had to offer.
The event features free NBA 2K digital merchandise, a face scan studio, immersive sights and sounds like the “Infinity Cube”, and access to exclusive physical merchandise and services.
To claim limited-time digital merchandise for their NBA 2K MyPLAYERs, Amex Card Members will be able to select their clothes and shoes and add them to their digital lockers. The Face Scan Studio allows 2K fans to take high quality face scans and upload them into the game to personalize their MyPLAYERs. After upgrading your MyPLAYERs you can head over to the “Infinity Cube” with its wall to wall mirrors to get the perfect social media post or you can head over to get your complimentary shoes cleaning. Before heading out you can check out all the amazing physical exclusive merchandise.
American Express partnered with 2K to give tons of benefits to their card members. Some perks for Card Members who purchase NBA 2K22 on the 2K Store with their Amex Card can receive 35,000 in virtual currency that can be spent on in-game purchases. Also if you purchase NBA 2K22 with your Amex Card you’ll receive Jersey Assurance for a full year for a free replacement jersey as well as unique team and venue perks in select markets amongst many other things. Go check it out and let us know what you think, and don’t forget to check out our official TikTok for more exclusive footage from the event @theknockturnal.com (https://www.tiktok.com/@theknockturnal.com? ).
NBA star Paul George and WNBA star Breanna Stewart face-off in a live NBA 2K22 game at the American Express x NBA 2K22 experience on Friday, Dec. 10, 2021, in Los Angeles. (Kyusung Gong/American Express via AP Images)
American Express, NBA & NBA 2K celebrate partnership renewal with the launch of the American Express x NBA 2K22 experience on Friday, Dec. 10, 2021, in Downtown Los Angeles. (Kyusung Gong/American Express via AP Images)
(Photo credit: Associated Press for American Express)
The most lit brunch took place in Miami during Art Basel thanks to author and award winning Chef Kwame along with American Express.
It all went down at the fabulous 1 Hotels in South Beach where guests enjoyed delicious food curated by the former Top Chef contestant/judge himself and sounds by DJ Moma.
“You have everything from chicken and waffles with chili honey, to jerk broccoli tacos to even lobster and salmon rolls and black truffle quiche,” said Chef Kwame about the food on the menu for the brunch festivities.
Chef Kwame’s impressive credentials include: Forbes 30 under 30 honoree, being named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs, and Esquire Magazine’s 2019 Chef of the Year amongst various others. Not to mention his memoir “Notes from a Young Black Chef,” is currently being turned into a feature film by A24.
We got to catch up with him at The Savor and Soul event where we talked about his career and got to try his delicious food first hand. Our personal favorite was the egg and steak on a mini croissant dish. That wasn’t the only thing keeping us entertained though. Heads turned when Issa Rae walked into the party.
The HBO’s Insecure creator mixed and mingled with guests before meeting up with Lizzo who’s appearance at the party also surprised the crowd. Lizzo looked dazzling wearing a purple floral one piece and it wasn’t long before a mini mob follow the two icons around eager to snap pics.
Later that evening Lizzo had a ticketed concert on the beach hosted by American Express as well. Those who might’ve not had tickets for the concert got to see a little glimpse of her at the brunch gathering.
It isn’t everyday you could say you brunched with Lizzo, and Issae Rae amongst the other notable attendees. Not to mention eating bomb food from Chef Kwame. Shout out to American Express!
All the rumors are true, LIZZO performs private concert for American Express Platinum cardholders.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The US Open is back and seating attendees at full capacity for the first time since the pandemic began. Official partner American Express hosted a very fun party last night (Aug. 24) to celebrate their pop-up tennis court activation at Pier 76. It was a beautiful evening to play tennis surrounded by the Hudson River.
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