Side Dish, the Thrift Shop Edition

Hello and welcome to Side Dish, our weekly round-up of industry news, hot goss and things you might have missed. Now, let’s get to it...

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• Veggie-flation is here. First eggs, then beef, now they’re coming for the broccoli.

• Reese’s turned Swift’s Orange Era into a marketing win, dropping an Oreo collab in under 24 hours.

• The Sloppy Joe is finally having its main character moment at Farley’s in Bed-Stuy.

• Only 54% of Americans drink alcohol, the lowest in 90 years, says Gallup’s alcohol poll. Cheers, more for the rest of us. 🥂

• Watch out Khloud, Bunky is coming for you. Let the protein popcorn wars begin.

• Leave it to the Midwest to introduce a Beer Tini. Spoiler: It’s just light beer and olives. But, make it fancy.

• Have you tried the ‘Alfa Romeo’ of cantaloupes? Zerbinati melons are the “it’ menu item in New York this summer.

• Start buttering up your friend who’s been to Hori in New York – you’re not getting in otherwise.

• The Plaza x Lacoste collab is a love match with a tennis-inspired afternoon tea.

• Has martini mania peaked? Bar Benjamin’s Tzatziki Martini says otherwise.

• The ship we didn’t we know we needed: Malibu rum x Dole pineapple juice in RTD bevvie form. Coming 2026.

• Wine Enthusiast revealed its ‘Future 40 Tastemakers 2025’ and we’ll call it: the future tastes bright.

• “Find Dining” is in: wild greens, mushrooms and seaweed are shaping new culinary adventures.

• If you’re heading to China, hit up McDonald’s because Grimace is going off.

• You talkin' to me? In the battle for Barbuda, Robert DeNiro has entered the chat with the Beach Club, a new project he's developing there.

• If you’re one seat kick away from a viral moment, here’s how to dial down 'air rage’ and avoid jail and/or internet infamy.

• Help me, I’m poor. What to do now that you blew your savings on that trip to Italy.

• In related news, these travel agents cater to the ultrarich and ultra entitled.

• Headed abroad? New Europe travel rules could mean paperwork before Paris.

• Guests on a recent Carnival Cruise got into a...dare we say, chicken fight, over some tendies while on board.

• If the aforementioned chicken tender brawl confirmed your status as a “never cruiser,” the New York Times has something you might like.

• Forget hotel suites, supervillas like Costa Rica’s Lamangata estate and Mustique’s Terraces deliver private estates with pools, spas and even yachts.

• Sports tourism is on the rise, with sports travel estimated to grow 17.5 percent by 2030, according to United Nations Tourism, reaching $1.3 trillion by 2032. Game, set, book?

• The Orient Express is trading rails for sails with a luxury wind-powered yacht debuting in 2026.

• That inked souvenir in your passport is vanishing as 29 European countries go digital this fall.

• Air Canada strike ends but don’t pack your bags yet. Flights won’t fully rebound for a week.

• Surf, safaris and boutique stays are making Sri Lanka the stylish alternative to Thailand.

• Cynthia Rowley just opened her studio to Airbnb guests for wine, styling and unfiltered fashion talk.

• What’s up nerds? Vacations with a syllabus are having a moment.

• Why is fairy porn trending? The New York Times goes deep into “Manacled” and why ‘Romantasy’ is having a mo’.

• Carbo loading just got way more fun as Rice Krispy Treats are upending the billion-dollar sports fuel wars.

• Madonna had a custom Labubu cake with a cone bra for her 67^th birthday. Discuss amongst yourselves.