Eric Young Orchid Foundation curator wants more visitors

The new curator of a Jersey flower attraction has vowed to "spread the love of orchids" beyond the island.Greg Griffis, 35, has moved with his family from the United States to head up the Eric Young Orchid Foundation.He previously worked for an orchid farm in Hawaii and for the last 10 years managed a collection of the flowers in Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania.He said the Victoria Village site was one of the global leaders in hybridising species and making new ones throughout the last 40 years "because of the innovative work done here".
Mr Griffis said he wanted the foundation to "spread the knowledge and love of orchids" in Jersey and beyond.He said: "We are standing on the precipice of the opportunity to optimise everything we've been doing for the last 40 years - to make our procedures more efficient, to maximise and codify our mission and share it with the world."Mr Griffis said the display house, which featured ruins covered with 200 -300 flowering orchids throughout the year, was "one of Jersey's hidden gems" that he wanted more people to visit.He said: "It's a place to experience the beauty and joy of orchids and it's a place to experience warmth and light when it's cold and dreary."He added he was also keen to display orchids around the world at flower shows.

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Daily Mail​

an hour ago

• Daily Mail​

Inside the 'Disneyland of sex' where there's 'wild amounts' of very public nudity and 'orgies with 200 people'

Just off the coast of New York City and running parallel to Long Island lies the lesser-known paradise of Fire Island - a slim strip of land with a magnetic power pull far beyond its size. Once a sleepy 19th-century beach town, the barrier island has transformed itself into a modern-day 'gay Disneyland' said to be home to some of the 'wildest parties' on the East Coast of America. In winter, Fire Island is a ghost town with only 445 permanent residents, as noted in the 2023 census. But from June to September, it comes alive - with more than 20,000 partygoers flocking to the island for a summer of raunchy parties, hot flings and memories to last a lifetime. Approximately 60 miles away from New York and 32 miles in length, Fire Island is characterised by miles of wooden boardwalk, free-roaming deer and modernist beach houses - and no cars are allowed. It has been a safe space for LGBTQ people for more than 100 years, sometimes being referred to as a modern 'queer Mecca'. And it's still just as popular as ever, with highlights of the calendar including the Friday night 'underwear party' at the Ice Palace nightclub at Cherry Grove and the Pines Party - an all-night event lasting from 10pm to sunrise. 'The greatest thing about Fire Island sartorially is that it is a platform to be as gay as you possible can be,' actor Joel Kim Booster explained, speaking on the Finding Fire Island podcast with Jess Rothschild. 'Like you can show up to tea in a kaftan, in a dress, in short shorts, in a jock strap or a leather harness over a dress. 'It's a place where you can look as silly as and as gay as you want or as sexy as you want without feeling uncomfortable about the level of gayness you're bringing because everyone around you is gay.' Tourism to the island has been boosted by a post-pandemic housing rush and the novelty surrounding Hulu's 2022 gay romantic comedy Fire Island, which was inspired by Pride and Prejudice. The film was lauded by modern film critics, who praised the film for its diversity and gay sex scenes. Joel, who plays Noah, admitted to attending a gay orgy with over 200 people at the New York hotspot in real life. 'I've been to a 200-plus person orgy on the island, and there's nothing like watching a bunch of guys get railed as the sun is coming up over the ocean,' he gushed. 'The amount of sex and sex acts that I've seen on that island in public, in front of an audience, is sort of wild,' he continued. 'I don't know what it is about Fire Island that unlocks people's inhibitions a little bit.' The South Korean-born star described Fire Island as a place that 'buttoned-up' people go to 'get railed in public in front of all [their] friends'. His Fire Island co-star Matt Rogers also shared a shocking tale of his own about spending time at the hedonistic LGBTQ destination. The American comedian admitted that during one jaunt, he was left feeling deathly ill after performing a taboo sex act on another partygoer. 'There was also a time I ate *** on the beach and then got really sick,' he confessed. 'So it's not a place you want to eat *** and get some sort of *** eating related disease on the beach,' Matt continued. 'It's so funny because you're like, "Wow, I've never felt so alive", and then I've never felt so dead". He finished: 'So yeah, I'm out there being a full gay man on that beach, and that comes with its maladies and successes.' Daniel Nardichio's Friday night underwear party is just one of Fire Island's legendary - and raucous - get togethers. It's been hosted in the Ice Palace in Cherry Grove for more than 20 years, first beginning in the 90s. The underwear party is described as a 'rite of passage' on the island, where guests ditch their clothes at the door before a night of fun begins. On Reddit, one previous attendee wrote: 'I found it to be a mix of sexual and not. 'There is a back room for hooking up, although I've seen guys give **** in the middle of the dance floor.' A second added: 'I've been a number of times. Always fun, and your experience can be different depending on what you're looking for. 'Everybody is wearing underwear or jocks, and most people look great. You can dance with friends, chat and flirt with the throngs of boys on the patio, or go be scandalous in the back. 'There's also often a masseur giving table rubs. Very much a choose your own adventure kind of place.' The Pines Party is another staple event in the Fire Island calendar and, for many, is the most anticipated event of the summer, lasting from 10pm until sunrise. A TYPICAL WEEKEND AWAY IN NEW YORK'S 'GAY DISNEYLAND' - FIRE ISLAND A typical Fire Island party week, as recalled on the Finding Fire Island podcast by Pines veteran Brian Moylan. THURSDAY Typically, most people arrive for a weekend away on Thursday night, which is 'pretty chill'. FRIDAY According to Brian, Friday mornings are also for 'chilling out and going to the beach'. In the evening, at around 7pm, everyone will attend the 'tea party' before going home and making dinner. At around midnight, people tend to head to head to the famous 'underwear party' at Cherry Grove, which has been running for more than 20 years. SATURDAY On Saturdays, people tend to wake up late after Friday's underwear party. Brian said you will then 'talk to all your housemates, "who did you f***, where did you go", blah blah blah.' After recovering from the antics of the night before, people will go to the beach. At around 3pm is when the pool parties start. Brian says people will then 'go around town.' He said: 'If you hear music, just pop in and then you just stay and eat their food.' After going to tea, people go out again at around midnight and 'come home god knows when'. SUNDAY On Sunday, partygoers either 'recover' on the island or take the ferry home. It's also show kids night. Theatre director Ben Rimalower says there's a theme every year, such as Alice In Wonderland. 'There's this intense techno music, it's very electronic. It really does get inside your bloodstream,' he recalled on the Finding Fire Island podcast. 'It's very sexy but very intimidating and intense, everybody's drinking and so many people are on all kinds of drugs and there's so much sex going on.' Also an important part of island culture is the legendary 'tea' parties, that take place in the afternoon, before the main fun begins. Tea typically takes place between 5pm to 7pm and is where the formalities begin, and people begin to revive from their hangovers from the night before. One reveller recalled: 'Tea is sort of where you go to be seen and to see everybody on the island. Fire Island you're seeing the same people again all over the week. 'It's where you go to mix and mingle with people. It's the ritualistic end of every Fire Island day, and beginning to every Fire Island night.' Fire Island first became seen as a 'haven' for LGBTQ people in the 1950s. Bob 'Rose' Levine', a legendary drag performer in Cherry Grove, first came to the island for a season in 1956 and paid only $5 a night to rent a bed. At this time, the island had no newspapers and no telephones, becoming a 'kind of hideaway' for those who visited. Bob, who is now 90, said visitors would say they were going 'to the Hamptons' as an excuse - as 'if you said Fire Island, it labelled you as gay'. In the 1960s, however, Fire Island first began making headlines due to various police raids. Those who were caught were charged with felony sodomy and would see their names published on the front pages of newspapers the next day - with the power to ruin careers in a country that was yet to decriminalise homosexuality. Bob recalled: 'Everything exploded in the 60s when we had raids from the mainland. 'They raided the walks. They were young policemen in plain clothes that looked like everyone else. 'They were young and good looking. I was never arrested, but I knew people that were. If you touched them, they arrested you. 'All of those newspapers, with the headlines on the front page, listing all the names of the guys.' According to Jack Parlett in his book Fire Island: Love, Loss and Liberation in an American Paradise, the 1970s brought a boom in queer culture and, subsequently a boom in visitors following the Stonewall Riots in the summer of 1969. He writes: 'The parties were legendary and the guest lists illustrious. For a time it must have seemed like a summer soiree that would never end.' In 1977, Calvin Klein bought a beachfront home on Fire Island after divorcing his first wife. He recalled in 2013: 'It was amazing, the ultimate hedonist house. I mean, it was made for sex.' Photographer Meryl Meisler previously recalled the wild chaos that embodied Fire Island in the 1970s. She captured some of the rowdiest house parties, showing attendees wearing little to no clothing and performing wild sex acts. 'The parties were really wild, they were definitely very fun summers to be apart of,' Meisler told 'The club scene was very vibrant. The LGBTQ scene was thriving and thrilling. It's still a haven. 'Disco was in full swing and it was a blast. I would come out every weekend during those summers and would bring my camera. 'It was a time in New York history and the world where it was post-Stonewall, Women's Liberation, music changed, pre-AIDS/HIV - it was a time of innocence and I was part of it.' 'They were happy to be photographed. You know, life is a beach for them and it's very pleasant. Fire Island is an oasis and it's a Long Island treasure that's very fragile and very small.' Her photos included the Ice Palace - a popular club where tons of LGBTQ people partied. The venue has hosted the Miss Fire Island contest since 1966, where men dress in drag costume to compete for the title on Labor Day weekend. 'The Ice Palace still plays disco and there are still wonderful things happening in Fire Island all the time,' Meisler added. She described attending one Star Wars themed house party in Fire Island Pines as 'one of the wildest parties I have ever gone to', adding: 'You were just very free to do anything and people had no rules.' Indeed, the island was described in Andrew Holleran's 1978 novel Dancer From The Dance as a place for 'madness, for hot nights, kisses, and herds of stunning men'. But the 1980s and 1990s would bring another dip in Fire Island's fortunes - and marked a period of desperate suffering for many loyal islanders. During this period, an outbreak of AIDs devastated the population, and plunged those remaining into mourning. Speaking on the Finding Fire Island podcast, Bob recalled how the outbreak changed the structure of the island forever. He recalled the initial news of the outbreak spreading: 'It was a complete change from the early days and then the party stopped. Cherry Grove was changed during the AIDS epidemic. 'All of our friends were dying, sick, they didn't come out anymore. They left Fire Island, they went home to their families so there was a lot of changeover.' These days, Fire Island's party reputation is booming - and houses that were worth $100,000 just ten years ago now have a price tag of well over a million dollars. It's still the place to go for weekend getaways, and has found a new generation of followers on TikTok. One visitor, Art Buzrukavenko, who has more than a million followers, visited Fire Island last week. In one video, he wrote: 'Pov you're arriving in the gayest island in the USA', alongside a snapshot of him kissing his boyfriend. TikTok users @ also commented that Fire Island is like 'gay Disneyland'. They said: 'Fire Island is like summer camp. There's music always happening, there's activities. There are gays that arrive by the bus loads. There are underwear parties and the beach! It's like a summer camp.' The island has also begun to attract influencers, drawn to its 'aesthetic' white beaches, seaside cafes and independent shops. The account @whenonlongisland shared: 'Just a ferry ride away from Long Island, is a beautiful area called Fire Island.' They praised it for 'the restaurants and cute little shops', and said 'we wandered down the streets of Fire Island, which are all stunning, and the houses are so cute.' Influencer Brooke Mooney, who is 24 and from Long Island, has also paid a trip there, and concluded 'Fire Island is the cutest little thing', after going hat shopping and visiting cafes. Fire has cemented its place in popular culture, having been visited by creative thinkers from the 20th century including WH Auden, Christopher Isherwood, Truman Capote, Frank O'Hara and Oscar Wilde. Indeed, Fire Island is said to have inspired Capote's 1958 novella Breakfast At Tiffany's, which was written on the island, while Auden owned a cottage in Cherry Grove in the late 1940s. It's also just a place where people can just be themselves with the sexually liberated way of lifestyle on offer. Christopher Rawlins, an architect and founder of Pines Modern, recently told The Guardian: 'My most vivid memory of my first visit here in the late 90s is being able to hold my boyfriend's hand in public without fear.' Speaking on the Finding Fire Island podcast, Ben Rimmalower said: 'I don't know if the younger generations feel differently than I do but I am not comfortable - even in New York City - if somebody wants to hold my hand or make out with me on the street. I have a fear I'm going to get gay bashed or something. 'I think there's a whole level of not being safe that I experience in the world always - and not on Fire Island. 'I think that's part of why, when I get on the boat, there's just this level of relaxation, of this tension that's lifted from me' 'For my entire time I'm there, it's such a powerful feeling.' Comedian Matt Rogers summarised: 'It's a choose your own adventure, you can host dinner parties in your house with friends, or find a stranger to hook up with on the beach.' Never, it seems, has a place been so sure of its own identity - and Fire Island will no doubt remain a safe haven for many in the years to come.

Daily Mail​

an hour ago

• Daily Mail​

It's the number one attraction in the world but dissatisfied customers share hilarious and scathing reviews

The Empire State Building stands tall as one of the most iconic buildings in the world and just over 2.5million guests visit each year to climb to the top of New York City 's iconic emblem. It serves as the backdrop for many a movie, TV show, and big city dream board and most visitors thoroughly enjoy their time at the attraction. TripAdvisor rated it the #1 attraction in the world last year but that hasn't stopped people from leaving scathing, if not slightly nonsensical reviews on their website. Whether its the weather on the day of the visit, lack of unlimited coffee or the price point, lots of people found something to complain about at the sought after attraction - one person even claimed how much they disliked it but had visited three times! For reference, the building, which was originally constructed in 1931, sells $44 tickets to its 86th floor observatory. If tourists want to see the city from even higher, they can pay $80 to add on the 102nd to their journey upwards. For just over $150 visitors are able to take two trips to the top in one day and get admission to American Museum of Natural History, 9/11 Memorial & Museum, and the Statue of Liberty. Each of the admissions passes can be accompanies by an Express Pass which allows patrons to skip the line. Of the 96,707 reviews as of Friday, 63,356 give the building 5 stars, rating it as 'excellent', and just 1,788 people say their experience was 'terrible' by rating it with just one star. We've rounded up the most extraordinary reviews of the bunch. Some of the one star reviews are all too ready to critique the building for the views available at the top, whether that be because of the weather or vantage point of the building Some of the one star reviews are all too ready to critique the building for the views available at the top, whether that be because of the weather or vantage point of the building. 'Nothing could be seen. No refunds available which is ridiculous. Nothing interesting on the floors prior to the top. Not worth the money,' one poster wrote. Another shared: 'Honestly not a very good experience. We waited all day to enjoy a night at the Empire State Building. We spent $50 each for the ticket to see nothing but clouds because it was very clouded and when we asked the workers what could be done, if we could get a refund or exchange the the day for another day the employee wasn't very nice and not understanding. 'With quote saying it wasn't their doing and that can't control that however if they say there wasn't a view why let us go all the way up or closed it down or any other type of solution very unsatisfied we came all the way from Florida with family to see the Empire State Building to see absolutely nothing.' One commenter admitted that despite their dissatisfaction, they'd visited the building three times. 'Pathetic theatrical security check, unprofessional. Not worth it. An hour for nothing. Anyway... I don't recommend it. I've been three times before..,' they wrote. Others thought the price point was too steep for the experience they were given. A reviewer wrote: 'There is a very small space and so much crowd. Its very expensive for that experience and not worthy.' 'You need to be careful when booking this attraction as when things go wrong this money grabbing greedy attitude attraction with shockingly poor customer service is not giving refunds. They make you click terms and conditions with a clause this is a non refundable ticket. And it is not a cheap attraction, so think twice before you book it. 'Here is what happened in my case: unfortunately, it was very foggy on the day when I wanted yo visit. I paid for both floors 86 and 102. It was really foggy and visibility was zero! I paid a lot of money and saw literally just the fog :). I was offered a rebooking to other day option. The problem was I was flying back to Europe next day, so I could not use it. When I asked for a refund they send an email with an automated, copy and paste message, saying more or less that tickets are non refundable and I can rebook. They didn't care I have no day to rebook it as I am leaving. Nobody even responded to my second email. Shocking customer service. 'You are an observation deck and when the visibility is zero you should be giving refunds, especially to people who are unable to rebooking it to later date as in my case. You customer service is shocking!!! Terrible. I have wasted so much money (there was three people in my party, $289 to see the fog). I hope your money grabbing company will enjoy my dollars. Profit is what matters here not customers. 'Here is my suggestion to Make Empire State Building Great Again: Issue refund to people who see only fog and can not rebook it to other date and please, please improve your shockingly bad customer service. Thank you.' According to their website, patrons often have the opportunity to reschedule and see a live view of the top of the building, to ensure what they see will be to their liking. And some just called for a staffing overhaul. One person wrote on TripAdvisor: 'The experience on it's own was amazing, what made it bitter was the staff member clocking pictures on a green screen right after the tickets are scanned. 'I didn't want my photo taken and he clearly wanted to force me into it, he clearly makes commission off those pictures handing out postcards with barcodes. He was quite weird and unpleasant.' Another wrote: 'Mediocre. Paid extra to skip the line and felt like I was given prejudiced service compared to others.' Where as another said: 'We paid a good amount of money thinking that we would get coffee unlimited and pastries and no. One coffee and one pastries and they are super rude. No like.' The Empire State commented that with the package the person has bought there was refreshments included but it was not unlimited. Graciously, the Empire State Building team commented back to their dissenters, apologizing for their negative experience and offering explanations and solutions for another visit.

Times

an hour ago

• Times

Grab the popcorn: these cruises have the best entertainment at sea

'It's a bit 'cruise ship'' used to be the ultimate put-down when it came to entertainment. But what you'll see on cruise ships nowadays is absolutely cutting edge, with theatres more high-tech than anything in the West End, producers who have worked with some of the biggest names in showbiz and imaginative offerings including foot-tapping blues, ice shows and big-name classical orchestras. Here are some of the most sizzling shows at sea — and they're all included in the cruise price. This article contains affiliate links, which can earn us revenue Cunard goes all-out to be different from the pack with its entertainment residencies, which this year range from Jamie Cullum and Jools Holland to touring company OperaUpClose, as well as theatre performances from Pride and Prejudice to Charlie and Stan, the story of Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel's friendship as they set sail for New York in 1910. An annual highlight is the conductor Anthony Inglis and the National Symphony Orchestra, who give two classical performances during a transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2, as well as a chance to audition for a guest choir to perform with the orchestra. Details Seven nights' full board from £919pp, sailing from New York to Southampton, departing on September 3 ( Fly to New York Royal Caribbean is famed for its sparkling West End and Broadway shows, many with original cast members starring in Grease, Mamma Mia!, We Will Rock You and Cats. The shows, although not full length, have every bit of the talent and energy of the originals and they're free to watch. There's more, too, depending on the ship. As well as showing Mamma Mia!, Allure of the Seas has an ice rink with dazzling professional skating shows and the alfresco AquaTheater, where former Olympian high divers perform heart-in-the-mouth stunts leaping gracefully off a 9m board into the deepest pool at Seven nights' full board from £832pp, departing from Barcelona on October 5 ( Fly to Barcelona NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line) is another that goes all-out with big shows and live music all over the ship after dark. Choose the 4,010-passenger Norwegian Bliss and tap your feet along to Jersey Boys, the compelling story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, as well as belting out Beatles classics with a tribute band in the Cavern Club. Evenings are quite the contrast to the days on this Alaska cruise, when you could be whale-watching, ziplining over the rainforest and gazing at vast Seven nights' full board from £816pp, departing from Seattle on August 30 ( Fly to Seattle Holland America Line's ships may not stage West End shows but the line does have a partnership with BB King's Blues Club, and the BB King's All Star Band on board is every bit as good as the original in Memphis. Meanwhile, rockers of all ages can play out their best air guitar to the live band in the Rolling Stone Lounge on the 2,668-passenger Rotterdam, another area of the 'Music Walk', where the main entertainment venues are located. There are classical recitals at Lincoln Center Stage in collaboration with the New York-based arts complex, plus live classical accompaniment from the same musicians to screenings of BBC Earth documentaries in the Seven nights' full board from £959pp, sailing from Rotterdam to Reykjavik, departing on July 12 ( Fly or take the train to Rotterdam You'd expect nothing less from Disney Cruise Line's swish ships, but the entertainment is outstanding, especially if you consider that the starting price for a Disney show in the West End is from £40 a head. Sail on Disney Fantasy this summer and you can see Frozen: A Musical Spectacular, Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular, and Believe, all included in the cruise fare. There are three days at sea on this cruise from Barcelona to Southampton, so plenty of time to splash around on the AquaDuck water coaster and hang out with your favourite Disney Seven nights' full board from £1,963pp, departing from Barcelona on July 24 ( Fly to Barcelona Celebrity Cruises stages its own shows, written specially for the cruise line and featuring impressive dance, aerial acts and special effects, including the tech used to create the 'Abbatars' for Abba Voyage, alongside big musical hits. On Ascent, the newest ship, the three shows, including the spectacular Bridges and dreamy Awaken, involve 17 choreographers, 500 costumes and a production team of more than 100, some of whom have worked with Dua Lipa and Cirque du Soleil. You can see both, as well as the glam, Vegas-inspired show Residency on this cruise from Rome to Greece and Eleven nights' full board from £1,322pp, departing from Rome on October 20 ( Fly to Rome Nobody could accuse Virgin Voyages of being conventional in its entertainment. No musical theatre or crooners here; instead, on Scarlet Lady, strap in for the wild ride of Lights, Camera, Drag!, featuring the resident drag queen the Diva, plus Duel Reality, a close-up, mind-blowingly acrobatic retelling of Romeo and Juliet with a contemporary circus twist. Pack your red glad rags for this cruise from Portsmouth to Amsterdam, Zeebrugge and Bordeaux; every cruise includes Scarlet Night, a wild deck party with the ship's dancers — and yes, everyone does end up in the Seven nights' full board from £819pp, departing from Portsmouth on September 5 (