What’s Happening: The Minnesota Zoo shattered all-time attendance records thanks to a breathtaking elevated hiking trail that takes notes from the High Line.

The Download: An elevated monorail once whisked visitors around the Minnesota Zoo’s sprawling grounds, a friendly conductor spitting wildlife-related trivia as animal lovers gazed from above at the American prairie, the boreal forest, and the Asian steppes. But ridership declined and it became increasingly difficult to source replacement parts for the ‘70s-era tram as it aged, so it permanently closed in 2013. Skeletons of the 32-foot-tall track remained, though, leading zoo director John Frawley to consider how it could be repurposed. After visiting New York City’s High Line, he thought of retrofitting the decrepit track into a public hiking trail that connects to existing paths nearby, affording Twin Cities denizens an entirely new way of experiencing the zoo.

He tasked Snow Kreilich Architects, Buro Happold, and TEN x TEN with the project, which was no easy task. It took extensive research to reinforce the track, which was composed of more than 1,000 tons of structural steel, and the zoo needed to stay operational during construction. The resulting Treetop Trail, which became the world’s longest elevated pedestrian loop when it opened last summer, made the logistical hurdles more than worth it. With newly built ramps and bump-out viewing platforms that allow visitors to gaze at horses, moose, and bison, the zoo gained 70,000 square feet of space. It also added a lower-priced membership tier for pedestrians who simply want to walk the trail or birdwatch at their leisure. A year in, and the architects’ goal of bringing more people to the zoo has paid off in spades—more than 1.5 million visitors passed by last year, shattering an all-time attendance record.

In Their Own Words: “It’s a novel thing, like this kind of trail doesn’t exist anywhere,” Natalya Egon, a senior associate at Snow Kreilich Architects, tells Fast Company. “There’s no precedent of a converted monorail. Doing something we’ve never done before, that’s what we love working on.”

Surface Says: More hiking trails are planned, but you’ll likely catch us at the glamping grounds when those open.

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During both weekends of the U.S. Open, Dorsia will be serving up Palomas on the house at select partner restaurants. Swing by Little Prince on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 from 5-7 p.m. for a round on us.

Or enjoy complimentary Palomas throughout the tournament at restaurants like Dante West Village, Barbuto, Mēdüzā Mediterrania, Cucina Alba and more through Sept. 8 when you book a reservation on Dorsia.

Siblings and fashion industry veterans Timur and Hatulia Avsadjanashvili recently made the bold decision to direct years of expertise towards their own venture: Boygar’s. The Georgia-based retailer unites a tight edit of tastemaking fashion brands—think Chloe, Miu Miu, Loewe, and more—both online and, thanks to Swedish studio Halleroed, in a stately Tbilisi flagship.

Atop parquet floors and under soaring archways, the studio took a scenographic approach to Boygar’s interiors. Screens create a thoughtful division of space and cozy merchandising moments while pops of green break up the otherwise neutral, warm-toned setting. The shop continues across two more levels, where seating by Gaetano Pesce and contemporary art by Shotiko Aptsiauri, Anna Gzirishvili, and Ketuta Alexi Meskhishvili make the space a destination for more than just fashion.

The California painter pushes her swallowing, psychedelic fantasias beyond the canvas to new heights—or in this case, lows—through a pool-like floor installation imbued with political hope, Taoist wisdom, and visceral hugs of transformation.

Bio: Sarah Cain, 45, Los Angeles.

Title of work: Quiet Riot (2024).

Where to see it: Anthony Meier (Mill Valley, CA) until Oct. 11.

Three words to describe it: Physical walkable emotion.

What was on your mind at the time: I made this in the week leading up to the opening. The works float in and out what’s around me, reacting to the architecture and other works in the show. They also assimilate things going on in the world or that I’m thinking about.

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Since it was founded in 1915, Caran d’Ache’s history has been intertwined with creativity and emotion. Originally known as Fabrique Genevoise de Crayons, the brand was rechristened Caran d’Ache in 1924 at the suggestion of Arnold Schweitzer, the company’s head at the time. Caran d’Ache means “pencil” in Russian and has roots in the Turkish word kara-tash, which means “black stone” in reference to graphite.

Surface Says: Behind every great artist is a trove of best-in-class materials. Caran D’Ache has supplied leading artists since 1915 by offering lightfast pastels, colored pencils, and acrylic paints, helping them to preserve the integrity of their visions.

The Pacific Northwest is awash in previously undiscovered bee species.

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Themed wicker coffins, acorn-shaped urns, and Scrabble are new funeral trends.