Tomorrow night, we say goodbye to 2014, and around the world as the clock strikes midnight, we’ll be celebrating a new year with friends, family and loved ones. Each year the hype around the evening makes us want to do something big, grand and amazingly memorable to do it justice. ... Read More
Every year from March 1-8, the Phoenix Art Museum holds its annual Devoured Culinary Classic that showcases fine food and drink businesses in the Arizona area, while highlighting the city as an international dining destination.... Read More
Christmas Day wasn't all that jolly for Thomas Keller, the head chef and owner of Napa Valley's famed restaurant The French Laundry. The SFist reported this morning, in what sounds like a Bad Santa heist, that on December 25 the establishment was broken into and robbed of several bottles of wine that were worth at the very least $3,000 each.... Read More
Verde & Co., the bespoke delicatessen in the Spitalfields area of London opened by Harvey Cabaniss nine years ago, pays homage to the UK city it is located in. The shop has long been a local favorite, keeping the original storefront and offering an elevated selection of the fruits, vegetables and fine foods that the area was once known for.... Read More
The Miami Beach EDITION hotel recently acquired not one, not two, but three new restaurants—all stemming from a partnership between Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and hotelier Ian Schrager. The concepts give diners three different dining environments to choose from—the Matador Room, Market at EDITION, and Tropicale—all of which are meant to blend the chef's affinity for locally-sourced ingredients with vibrant flavors and textures.... Read More
Staring at pictures of a possible future home is fine, but compared to the above video, photos are a joke. The Sterling Collection at Silverleaf is the newest condominium community to open in Scottsdale, and judging by the cool features (like robotic valet parking seen at 0.38 seconds), we’d like to move in right now. ... Read More
Dining at Marigold Kitchen is not for the picky eater. Showcasing an always-changing tasting menu each night, chefs Andrew Kochan and Tim Lanza have proven that sometimes, the chef really does know best. Since typically you don’t know which dish you’ll get prior to it being served, we were surprised to learn that for their 16-course New Year’s Eve event, some of the dishes have been revealed. ... Read More
While most major cities have their own tree lighting ceremony, not everyone has a Christmas event quite like this. This season in Italy, the city of Milan, in collaboration with Swarovski, set up a 39-foot Christmas tree in the center of the famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.... Read More
Stunning and almost surreal, in style and size, a stay at London’s Corinthia Hotel is well worth it, even if only for its superb spa spanning four floors. Close to the River Thames and on the doorstep of Trafalgar Square, Westminster and Covent Garden, this luxury property with a distinct contemporary palatial ambiance, opened four years ago.... Read More
New Year’s Eve is just around the corner, and admittedly we have no idea what we’ll be doing when the clock strikes midnight. To be honest, we’re still thinking about all the last minute shopping we need to do.... Read More
If you’re heading to the City by the Bay for December 31, The St. Regis San Francisco is hosting a New Year’s Eve Bubbles & Baubles bash. Teaming up with Shreve & Co and the acclaimed Waterbar restaurant, the hotel will be throwing a grand party complete with luxurious perks and amenities.... Read More
Starwood Hotels & Resorts recently unveiled phase one of their newly renovated Le Méridien New Orleans luxury hotel. The $29 million transformation boasts 410 redesigned guestrooms (including 22 suites), 1,600 square feet of meeting and event space, a destination restaurant called LMNO that serves New American cuisine, and Le Méridien Hub (which is a coffeehouse by day and a wine bar by night). ... Read More
One of the latest dining experiences in the Boston area is Café ArtScience, an experimental eatery that blends design, science and cuisine into a one-of-a-kind hangout for local intellectuals.... Read More
You might not have heard of Legnano, but if you love Milan, you may enjoy this quaint Italian town with around 60,000 inhabitants about 12 miles from the fashion capital. If the allure of Milan has you thinking of owning a home there but you’d prefer a location outside of the hustle and bustle of the city, you may want to consider Via Roma Legnano.... Read More
Jeff Koons, the American artist known for his mirrored sculptures of ordinary objects like balloon animals and Lady Gaga's ARTPOP record cover, is the poster boy for consumerist art. Whether you think his work is pioneering or self-merchandising, there's no doubting his success—last year one of his balloon dogs sold for $58.4 million at a Christie's auction—so you may want to check out one of his shows so you can judge for yourself. ... Read More
If you're hungry, look away, because these photos from Marieta in Madrid are definitely going to be tough on an empty stomach. Though the eatery opened this summer, it's still pretty fresh to the city’s bustling restaurant scene. ... Read More
Monday was the ground-breaking ceremony for Orlando’s newest complex, Westgate Lakes Retail Village. The new entertainment destination at Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa plans to offer two new restaurants, a bowling alley, a grocery store, meeting rooms and a variety of retail shops by late 2015.... Read More
Palladino’s Italian restaurant and steakhouse from Chef Luke Palladino, opens its doors tonight at 1934 East Passyunk Avenue in the former Colombo’s building. Chef Palladino owns restaurants throughout New Jersey including Luke’s Kitchen & Marketplace, LP Steak and Luke Palladino Seasonal Italian.... Read More
If you were in Vegas from December 5-7 and weren’t at Ultimo at The Venetian, then you should be ashamed of yourself for missing out on an extremely appetizing, celebrity chef-filled event. The weekend brought together chefs Daniel Boulud, Emeril Lagasse, and Buddy “Cake Boss” Valastro for a very special dining experience.... Read More
Just 30 years ago, Atlantic City was the cool new kid on the block, giving us a legal gambling alternative to Las Vegas. Big-name companies scrambled to build casinos and luxury hotels, giving a massive boom to the city's economy. Lately though, Atlantic City has been seeing some serious hard times, with new closures seemingly announced every month—including Showboat, Revel, and Trump Plaza. With so much going on, we wanted to recap some important happenings, but don't worry, there may be light at the end of the tunnel.... Read More
New Year’s Eve is just around the corner, but it’s not too late to finalize last-minute party plans to say goodbye to 2014. Those in the Chicago area (or those who are willing to travel for a good party) should plan on ringing in 2015 at the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago.... Read More
The Los Angeles restaurant scene lights up like a Christmas tree this time of year. Fine dining establishments from downtown to Santa Monica are decorated to a tee, and seasonal menus are spruced up with holiday favorites. To give busy shoppers a respite from cooking holiday feasts, top chefs are pulling out the stops to create month-long specials and an innovative variety of special price fixe menus for Christmas Eve and Day dinner parties, luxe lunches, and even brunches with Santa Claus himself, the star of the season.... Read More
Nobu Hotels and Eden Roc Miami Beach announced last week that in 2015 they will be launched a multi-million dollar renovation for the Nobu Hotel at Eden Roc, which is planned to open during the second half of the year. With the help of some pretty famous names (Chef Nobu, actor Robert De Niro, and producer Meir Teper), Nobu Hotels promises that the new hotel will "encompass the largest Nobu Restaurant and Bar Lounge in the world."... Read More
Lovers of modern art will want to stop by the Pipilotti Rist exhibition at Hauser & Wirth in London this season, as the visual artist will be offering an immersive experience to visitors of the gallery. Rist has transformed the space into a sensory environment with two new videos projected onto the walls, shown in simultaneous presentations.... Read More
The infamous Watergate Hotel will soon be reopening its doors next summer thanks to New York-based real estate developer Euro Capital Properties. World-renowned designer Ron Arad is tasked with the $125-million project which will combine the hotel’s avant-garde architecture with classic elegance and bold mid-century modern furnishings by Italian designer Moroso.... Read More
You have one chance each year to have the perfect New Year's Eve dinner, so you better make sure you pick the right restaurant. If you live in New York City, there are plenty of culinary options to choose from, but not all of them will be like the Empire Steak House. To kick off 2015 in style, Empire is offering a $21,000 menu that will start with two glasses of Richard Hennessy Cognac. ... Read More
We’re assuming this is how all places will be named in the future. It has a built-in hashtag, seems pretty covert (so you know only the cool kids can get in), and still manages to sound like the local watering hole that only you and your college buddies remember—although it’s far from it.... Read More
In case you haven't noticed, December is almost over, so if you don't already have plans for the rest of the year, you're really running out of time. Personally, we're happy celebrating any and all occasions with good food, which is why the festive menu from PARKROYAL on Pickering's restaurant Lime is sounding really great. Found on the street level of the Singapore hotel, the establishment's line-up of Christmas-inspired buffets would be a sad thing to miss.... Read More
It was both good and bad news for the restaurants in Spain this season when 19 new eateries were awarded Michelin stars for their outstanding cuisine. But while they were celebrating their acceptance to the exclusive club of elite dining establishments, others were lamenting that 2015 would not see Spain awarded the most distinguished of honors—the Michelin three star award.... Read More
With London being such a shopping mecca, there’s no better place to be in the run-up to Christmas. But what else does England’s capital city offer to complement seasonal retail therapy?... Read More
At the beginning of this year we told you about the opening of Cavalli Restaurant & Lounge in Miami Beach and now the sexy venue, which originated in Dubai will be opening its fifth location (also in Ibiza and Milan) in Los Angeles. Close to a year ago, Beijing-based Oceanwide Real Estate Group purchased a 4.6-acre plot of land located in South Park's Fig Central from Moinian Group for $200 million.... Read More
London’s cityscape is about to get a huge makeover thanks to the $275.3 million Garden Bridge that will be constructed over the Thames river from Temple tube station to the South Bank. Last night, a meeting of the Westminster Council voted three to one to greenlight Thomas Heatherwick's 1,204-foot pedestrian bridge, with claims that it will be the “most expensive footbridge in the world."... Read More
As one of the biggest art events of the year, Art Basel Miami Beach dominated the news last week, from celebrities rolling in to make million-dollar purchases to parties thrown by big name sponsors like Bulgari. Now in its 13th year, the festival that began in Switzerland is bigger than ever, seeing some 75,000 guests and showing art from around 250 galleries. Not just a venue for art though, luxury brands flock to Miami Beach to showcase new collections ranging from home décor to fashion.... Read More
If you're in San Francisco and looking for a new date-night idea, you may want to try out the San Francisco Champagne Society. According to 7x7, one day the owner and founder Bill Marci decided that he wanted to start his own Champagne bar out of his home. After redesigning a loft in his house and acquiring a liquor license, Marci began inviting people over, and the rest is bubbly history.... Read More
This Thanksgiving, while most of us were carving our turkey and stuffing ourselves with pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce, the Ritz-Carlton in Charlotte was busy creating the winter wonderland that now occupies the entire lobby level of the luxury hotel.... Read More
What a crazy few months it’s been for residents, business owners and hoteliers in Los Cabos since the destructive Hurricane Odile swept through the area. And as the city picks up its pieces and puts itself back together, it’s nice to hear some good news coming out of the Mexican destination.... Read More
On Monday, Sanjay Shah, founder and CEO of Vistex, bought the penthouse at Chicago's Trump Towers for $17 million—cash. Believed to be one of the most expensive residential purchases in Chicago history, Shah purchased the 14,260-square-foot penthouse on the 89th floor, unfinished, with another $15-million cost estimated to finish it. ... Read More
On Sunday evening, the scene inside the new AC Hotel New Orleans Bourbon was high-energy; an eclectic mix of guests filled the lobby and AC Lounge for complimentary cocktails and bites during the hotel’s Grand Opening weekend reception. Looking around and viewing guests mingling bar-side, it was hard not to miss the significance of the moment for AC Hotels, as this new property marked their entry into the US market.... Read More
When it comes to giving, the holidays are the perfect time to get out our wallets and see where we can help those in need or to donate to some of our favorite organizations. Yesterday, the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta received the best Christmas gift ever from its top benefactor, the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, a gracious $38 million endowment.... Read More
The Fondation Louis Vuitton is now open. Original designs for the project began over ten years ago when Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVHM, the conglomerate that owns Louis Vuitton, tapped American architect Frank Gehry for plans to house his personal art collection.... Read More
Art Basel in Miami Beach has just two more days to go before its over, and so much has already gone on in the past three days that we could barely keep up with all the news. Welcoming over 250 of the world's leading galleries and bringing in over 70,000 visitors each year including the uber-wealthy, art enthusiasts and celebrities, the event is a world-class affair along the sandy beaches of Florida. ... Read More
It’s finally cold in Southern California (well, like low ‘60s which is pretty much freezing), so it’s safe to say that the winter season is upon us. And soon enough, Christmas and New Year’s Eve will be here. If you’re still making plans for what to do on either occasion, L'Auberge Del Mar might have answer for you.... Read More
Those in the market for a new home in the Scottsdale area might want to think about snapping up one of the new luxury townhomes in the downtown area. Aerium is one of the newest lifestyle communities developed by Landmark Homes USA and sold by Engel & Völkers Scottsdale, offering prospective homeowners high-end luxuries that other homes in the area just can’t compete with.... Read More
The Rittenhouse in Philadelphia has plenty for you to do during the holidays, especially if you like sweets and spa treatments—who doesn’t? Paying tribute to two famous landmarks, the luxury hotel's culinary team (under the direction of Pastry Chef Tova du Plessis) has created gingerbread replicas of Betsy Ross's house and the Philadelphia Art Museum, which can be found near the entrance of The Library Bar... Read More
Drinking libations at the movies is becoming a pretty regular thing across the nation. And while movie-goers in New Orleans have already been enjoying their favorite adult beverages at local theaters, they are now being treated to special holiday cocktails as they watch this season’s films.... Read More
Short Path Distillery is soon to be the newest purveyor of locally-made craft rum and gin in Everett, near Boston. Founded by three friends who want to change the way we all think about spirits, the distillery will be "combining old-world distilling techniques with a new-world, chemistry-based approach to spirit development."... Read More
While many cities in the world have had to build up due to overpopulation and a growing urban area, Milan is following in their tracks simply to improve the environment.... Read More
The new farm-fresh Highball & Harvest (H&H) restaurant is now open at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes under the supervision of Chef de Cuisine Mark Jeffers. Offering a modern approach to Southern cuisine, the eatery features interactive dining with ingredients from local farms and the hotel’s own green-growing efforts. Housed in a railroad-inspired venue, H&H picks their fresh produce from their on-site 7,000-square-foot garden at Whisper Creek Farm daily.... Read More
The new David Clawson Restaurant in Las Vegas may have a very simple interior design that doesn't necessarily induce awe, but if the reviews are anything to go by, the food is the real star. According to Las Vegas Weekly, the establishment is worth visiting no matter how far you need to drive—which could be a half hour if you're on The Strip.... Read More
Those traveling through Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport will soon see some high-fashion editions to terminal 2E. Aéroports de Paris has constructed a new luxury shopping area that will “pay tribute to French fashion and creation.”... Read More
The holidays are here which means hot cocoa, snow days and getting warm by the fire. And while it’s easy to stay inside watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas wrapped tight in your snuggie, there are some great holiday events around Philadelphia that might just lure you and your family into the frosty outdoors.... Read More
There’s no doubt that New York City holds some of our favorite holiday traditions, from the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and festive window displays, the city is a special place to be in December. Whether you already live in the area or are visiting this season, The Chatwal, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Manhattan is offering a number of holiday packages this month.... Read More
Now that The Colonel in Washington D.C.'s Shaw neighborhood is almost finished, Oculus Realty has started leasing the building's 70 luxury apartments. Found at 1250 9th Street, the building is named after the American Civil War Colonel, Robert Gould Shaw, who commanded the very first African American army regiment in 1863 (the neighborhood is also named after him). ... Read More
