Luxist http://www.luxist.com Luxist. http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.luxist.com/media/feedlogo.gif Luxist http://www.luxist.com prods@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Producers) support@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Web Support) en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. View our terms of service here: http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/ Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[Le Meurice: Can a Luxury Paris Hotel Be Surreal?]]> http://www.luxist.com/2011/02/18/le-meurice-can-a-luxury-paris-hotel-be-surreal/ http://www.luxist.com/2011/02/18/le-meurice-can-a-luxury-paris-hotel-be-surreal/ http://www.luxist.com/2011/02/18/le-meurice-can-a-luxury-paris-hotel-be-surreal/#comments Le Meurice: Can a Luxury Paris Hotel Be Surreal?
Of all the art movements to use as inspiration in hotel décor, I'm not sure surrealism would be my first choice. (If I woke up in the morning to the sight of a melting alarm clock, I think I'd summon an ambulance.) So although I'd long known that the artist Salvador Dalí had been a design inspiration during Philippe Starck's renovation of Le Meurice, Paris' most venerable palace hotel, the whole proposition sounded somewhat dubious.

After all, surrealism is about thought unhampered by reason. And I like a luxury hotel that is, at the least, reasonable in its décor if not in price.

What's more, "reasonable" would not be the first adjective associated with Dalí, as a guest of Le Meurice. In his month-long annual stays, he requested a herd of sheep and then proceeded to shoot them with his pistol -- blank bullets, otherwise what a mess. He also requested a horse for reasons unrecorded in hotel history. And freshly caught flies, from the handily placed Tuileries Garden across the street.

Continue reading Le Meurice: Can a Luxury Paris Hotel Be Surreal?

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Le Meurice: Can a Luxury Paris Hotel Be Surreal? originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> DaliLuxury HotelsParisParis HotelsParis TravelPhillipe Starck Alison Wellner Fri, 18 Feb 2011 08:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[The $40,000 Lobster Press at the Regent Grand Hotel Bordeaux]]> http://www.luxist.com/2011/02/10/the-40-000-lobster-press-at-the-regent-grand-hotel-bordeaux/ http://www.luxist.com/2011/02/10/the-40-000-lobster-press-at-the-regent-grand-hotel-bordeaux/ http://www.luxist.com/2011/02/10/the-40-000-lobster-press-at-the-regent-grand-hotel-bordeaux/#comments Regent Grand Hotel Bordeaux
It's never too early to start thinking about outfitting your beach house, so might I suggest that The Regent Grand Hotel in Bordeaux, France, offers an idea worth copying.

If you love to eat those delightful sea crustaceans, and who doesn't, you will want to do like the hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Pressoir d'Argent, and acquire a lobster press.

There aren't very many of these devices in the world -- it's 90 pounds, made of silver, and looks like a cross between something Willy Wonka might dream up and a torture device -- but it's also shiny and adorned with lovely lobster sculptures as it's meant to be used tableside.

The idea is similar to a duck press -- after removing tail and claws, the rest of the lobster is inserted into the press, where a two-person team works the device to press out the lobster juices. (See the gallery for an action shot.) The result: lobster jus, much stronger in flavor than you'd get from the most developed lobster stock. At The Regent, the chef adds the jus to bearnaise sauce, and serves that on top of roasted lobster meat.

The lobster press is are custom made by Christofle, and take 150 hours of labor by ten master craftsmen to create -- they cost 30,000 Euro, just or around $40,700.

Or you can just book a table at the restaurant, and after such grand meal, you'll certainly require a room. It's hard to beat the view at the Royale Suite, which has a terrace jacuzzi -- but I like the Prestige Suites, which come with their own private wine bar within rolling distance of (the very comfy) bed.

Which, come to think of it, is another fine idea for your beach house.


Gallery: The Regent Grand Hotel Bordeaux, France

The Lobster Press in Action at Le Pressoir d'ArgentLounge Area at Le Pressoir d'Argent, BordeauxDining at Le Pressoir d'ArgentDining at Le Pressoir d'Argent: The colors are a bit more subtle at nightAnother View of the Dining Room at the Michelin Starred Le Pressoir d'Argent

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The $40,000 Lobster Press at the Regent Grand Hotel Bordeaux originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bordeauxbordeaux hotelfrancekitchen gadgetslobstertravel Alison Wellner Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Top 10 Luxurious Adventures of 2010 -- And How to Perfect 'Em in 2011]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/12/29/top-10-luxurious-adventures-of-2010-and-how-to-perfect-em-in/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/12/29/top-10-luxurious-adventures-of-2010-and-how-to-perfect-em-in/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/12/29/top-10-luxurious-adventures-of-2010-and-how-to-perfect-em-in/#comments
When people ask me for luxury travel advice, usually along the lines of "I want to plan a perfect trip to XYZ," I have two responses: a) there ain't no such thing as perfect in this world, no matter how much money you spend; and, b) you always know exactly how to make a trip as perfect as possible after you get home.

Still, the following trips I made in 2010 pleased me greatly, which is basically what I count as sublime perfection -- and should you plan to follow in my footsteps in 2011, note the tips I've added for making terrific travel even better.

Continue reading Top 10 Luxurious Adventures of 2010 -- And How to Perfect 'Em in 2011

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Top 10 Luxurious Adventures of 2010 -- And How to Perfect 'Em in 2011 originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> australiaBedAndBreakfastbestof2010chicagocruiseFrenchPolynesiamelbournemontrealMoroccoNovaScotiaontarioPaulGauguinPuertoRicoshakespearesonomatasmania Alison Wellner Wed, 29 Dec 2010 08:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Swing Into the New Year at Chicago's Hotel Palomar]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/12/17/swing-into-the-new-year-at-chicagos-hotel-palomar/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/12/17/swing-into-the-new-year-at-chicagos-hotel-palomar/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/12/17/swing-into-the-new-year-at-chicagos-hotel-palomar/#comments
If there's any time of year that can bring on a yearning for nostalgia, it's this one. But not everyone wants to take a step back into their own past at the holidays -- sometimes it's just more fun to go back even further, like into another era.

So how do the 1940s grab you? In Chicago, Sable Kitchen & Bar at the Hotel Palomar is hosting Zoot! New
Years Eve 2011. It's an homage to the era of Swing...and not, of course, to all the other horrendous things that happened worldwide in the 1940s...but this is no time for glum thoughts, just dig out your best vintage to rock out to a nine-piece swing band "The Pin Ups", bottomless champagne bar all night long, unlimited small plates from 8 to 11 pm (if they're serving their truffled deviled eggs you'll definitely want to forget all about your waistline), unlimited dessert from 11 pm to 1 am, and all the other usual trimmings of the New Year's Eve gala. Cost: $125 per person, including tax and gratuity.

It'd totally break the spell to drive anywhere in your modern wheels, and so if you and your main queen (or king) crash at the hotel that night, you get two tickets to the party and the room for $419. Just don't get startled out of your nostalgic reverie by the instant-dryer in the hotel's jacuzzi tubs -- they do click on without much warning.

Better still is to go elite, and reserve the VIP Sable Swing Lounge for the 'NYE Anti-Prix Fixe' Dinner. You and your closest nine friends get to create your own dinner menu in a private dining room. The tab: $250 per person.

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Swing Into the New Year at Chicago's Hotel Palomar originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> chicagonew years eveswing Alison Wellner Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Get Your Designer Condoms at Thompson Hotels]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/27/get-your-designer-condoms-at-thompson-hotels/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/27/get-your-designer-condoms-at-thompson-hotels/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/27/get-your-designer-condoms-at-thompson-hotels/#comments
Hotels that prominently make condoms available to their guests have never really screamed "class".

Sure, you might see a condom in the minibar, next to the in-case-of-emergency, absurdly expensive liquor, or for sale in the hotel gift shop. But other than hotels that are going for edgy (like, say, the Hard Rock Hotel) or those that offer rates by the hour, condoms can be as hard to locate as that last elusive light switch.

Which is silly if you think about it, because sex is definitely happening in hotel rooms, even classy ones. If you're shelling out the bucks for a high end hotel, to ensure that you will not have to slide your body between anything but designer sheets, chances are you're concerned about what you or your partner wear...everywhere.

PROPER ATTIRE is a condom company that seeks to position prophylactics as an essential accessory. (Apparently the company name is meant to be rendered in all caps. Slogan: Required for Entry. ) Charlotte Ronson is the latest to collaborate with the company, joining Alexander Wang, Keith Haring and others. "Charlotte Ronson for PROPER ATTIRE condoms" will be available at Thompson Hotels including 60 Thompson, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, and Thompson Beverly Hills as well as at Ronson's boutique and online. Sales benefit Planned Parenthood.

So what's so designer about these condoms? Apparently, it's mostly the wrapper, which in the case of Ronson is rather subtle. The Ronson line includes three different styles, including Color -- three bright pink condoms, for "a small splash of color that can brighten the drabbest of outfits". A rather deflating sentiment, no? Certainly not something that would inspiring to quote while in flagrante delicto.

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Get Your Designer Condoms at Thompson Hotels originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> AlexanderWangCharlotteRonsoncondomsKeithHaringThompsonHotels Alison Wellner Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[New Book on Frida Kahlo by Artist Judy Chicago]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/21/new-book-on-frida-kahlo-by-artist-judy-chicago/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/21/new-book-on-frida-kahlo-by-artist-judy-chicago/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/21/new-book-on-frida-kahlo-by-artist-judy-chicago/#comments
Frida Kahlo is an icon -- as an artist, as the inspiration for the 2002 Academy Award winning biopic starring Salma Hayek, as the center of a cult of personality.

Amidst all the "Fridamania", and the countless key chains and trinkets that her paintings grace, the pioneering aspects of Kahlo's art can get somewhat lost. But she was a pioneering female artist, breaking new ground for women to use their own life experience as legitimate subject -- and a new book called Face to Face: Frida Kahlo, published by Prestel, seeks to put her work into that perspective.

Written by the artist Judy Chicago, along with art historian Frances Borzello, this lavishly illustrated book considers Kahlo's entire ouevre without, as Chicago writes, constantly referring to Kahlo's biography. It's a surprise to realize, for instance, that only one-third of Kahlo's paintings are self-portraits.

Face to Face includes essays by Chicago and Barzello, and then several sections where the two have a conversation in print about various aspects of Kahlo's work. They draw connections between the art that inspired the self-taught Kahlo, as well as showing Kahlo's influence on artists that came after her. And unlike other books on art with serious intent -- or, for that matter, wall text in many museums -- you don't feel like you need an advanced degree in art criticism to understand what Chicago and Barzello are saying. If you know what the phrase "picture plane" means, you've got all the lingo you need to appreciate this book.

The book may be a little heavy to tote along if you're planning to hit the Frida Kahlo highlights on your next trip to Mexico City. (See the gallery below.) But if you're a fan of Frida, I'd say it's essential pre-trip reading.

Gallery: Frida Kahlo's Mexico City Highlights

Coyocan, on the Mexico City Outskirts -- Frida Kahlo's Home TownCasa Azul: Frida Kahlo's Home, Birth Place and Death PlaceCasa Azul Garden - Photos Are Not Permitted InsideCasa Azul Courtyard - Pre-Hispanic Artificats Displayed HereTrotsky Museum is Near Casa Azul: Kahlo Had an Affair with Him

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New Book on Frida Kahlo by Artist Judy Chicago originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> artbooksfrida kahlojudy chicagoMexicoCity Alison Wellner Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Photos of Old Mexico Revealed in Two New Shows in NYC]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/20/photos-of-old-mexico-revealed-in-two-new-shows-in-nyc/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/20/photos-of-old-mexico-revealed-in-two-new-shows-in-nyc/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/20/photos-of-old-mexico-revealed-in-two-new-shows-in-nyc/#comments

Mexico is having a big historical moment, at the moment -- celebrations marking its 200th anniversary of independence, and the centennial of its revolution reached a fever pitch this month.

Such anniversaries are a great time to reflect on the past, and New York City's Aperture Gallery, in Chelsea, and the Bronx Museum of the Arts, have just opened shows on that theme. American photographer Paul Strand spent extended time in Mexico in the 1930s and the 1960s, and during these journeys, made photographs now considered to be among his best. The Chelsea gallery displays more than 100 photographs by Strand, including a remastered version of his 1936 film, Redes. The Bronx Museum shows twenty gravure prints from Strand's 1967 travels in Mexico.

And if you just can't get enough of Strand's Mexico photographs -- or you're not in New York -- next month brings another way to experience the exhibit. Paul Strand in Mexico, will be published by Aperture and the Televisa Foundation. The book, which will sell for $75, reprints 234 of Strand's photos from both of his trips -- of these 123 have never before been published.

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Photos of Old Mexico Revealed in Two New Shows in NYC originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bronxchelseaMexicoPhotoGalleryphotographyphotos Alison Wellner Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[The Softer Side of Stuttgart, as Revealed by Protesters]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/20/the-softer-side-of-stuttgart-as-revealed-by-protesters/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/20/the-softer-side-of-stuttgart-as-revealed-by-protesters/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/20/the-softer-side-of-stuttgart-as-revealed-by-protesters/#comments
You may have heard that many citizens of Stuttgart, home to Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, are protesting the destruction of their old railroad station, right in the heart of downtown.

The New York Times reports that the protests have been large -- from the thousands to as many as 60,000 people on the street. The city is largely conservative, not really given to taking to the streets. When I visited last year, many of the people I chatted with characterized the spirit of Stuttgart as an engineering department at a good university: logical, hardworking, steady -- not given to extreme passion.

Yet it was also very clear to me that Stuttgart has its softer side. I saw it as I walked around its downtown, with lawns and trees and families a-frolic. (Most of it rebuilt after World War II, pictured above in calmer days.) I saw in the vineyards, right inside the city limits -- as an aside, there's also a vineyard behind the old train station, and I'm not sure of its fate. I saw it in the obvious appreciation and use of the town's old market hall by its locals. Check out the gallery to see what I saw.

I'll admit, these amenities came as a surprise to me, an American traveler who pictured the city as a warren of factories. But after my visit, the news that Stuttgart's citizenry would object to the demolition of their historic and beautiful railway station -- that didn't surprise me much at all.

Gallery: Stuttgart's Softer Side

Stuttgart's Softer SceneryRolling Countryside (with Vineyards) Inside StuttgartA Winery within Stuttgart City LimitsStuttgart's Historic Market HallInside Stuttgart's Market Hall

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The Softer Side of Stuttgart, as Revealed by Protesters originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> mercedes-benzporscheprotestsStuttgartStuttgartGermany Alison Wellner Mon, 20 Sep 2010 08:02:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Richard Branson's Kasbah Tamadot: Tacky or Fabulous?]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/14/richard-bransons-kasbah-tamadot-tacky-or-fabulous/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/14/richard-bransons-kasbah-tamadot-tacky-or-fabulous/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/14/richard-bransons-kasbah-tamadot-tacky-or-fabulous/#comments
There is such a fine line between tacky and spectacular -- sometimes over-designed is over-the-top and sometimes it just makes you feel, well, over it.

I was musing on this distinction as I toured Kasbah Tamadot, Sir Richard Branson's Moroccan hotel, a few weeks ago.

The setting, it has to be said, is uncontroversially spectacular. It's about an hour from Marrakech in a town called Asni. This is in the Atlas Mountains, and it's not a well-developed area for luxury travelers. (Most of whom stay in plush accommodations in the city and make Atlas Mountain forays -- which in fact is what I was doing, at the decidedly fabulous La Mamounia.) If you want to stay in style in the Atlas Mountains, this is your hotel. But you've really got to like it, because once you're there, you're really there. If you want other high-end dining, spa or shopping options, you're driving the winding road to Marrakech.

Kasbah Tamadot offers suites of the traditional variety, and then there are the Berber Tent suites, which have their own private decks and plunge pools. "Restrained" would still not be the word I'd use for the décor, but the color palette is more towards the khaki and cream, and the tents skip some of the touches in the other rooms that set my tacky-o-meter aquiver -- like pillows upholstered in pinkish-purplish feathers. Yes, a tent's what I'd book if I were to stay here. But do check out the gallery and see what you think.

Gallery: Kasbah Tamadot: Tacky or Fabulous?

You Know Where You've Arrived...Kasbah Tamadot EntranceImposing Doorway: Tacky or Fabulous?Dining AreaBut It's Hard to Argue With This View...

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Richard Branson's Kasbah Tamadot: Tacky or Fabulous? originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> la mamouniamarrakechMarrakechHotelMoroccoRichard Branson Alison Wellner Tue, 14 Sep 2010 11:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Escape to a Fairy Tale Forest This Fall]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/13/escape-to-a-fairy-tale-forest-this-fall/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/13/escape-to-a-fairy-tale-forest-this-fall/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/13/escape-to-a-fairy-tale-forest-this-fall/#comments
Although I'd never before been to the Schwarzwald, or the Black Forest, in Southwestern Germany, it felt immediately, and somewhat eerily familiar. It turns out that these woods were the setting for many of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, and as I drove from Baden Baden to my destination, Traube Tonbach hotel in Baiersbronn, I half expected to see Hansel and Gretel threading their way through the tall pine trees, or Little Red Riding Hood making her way to grandmother's house.

I didn't see any of those characters, but I did find a fantasy of food at Traube Tonbach. It does look a little like Ye Olde Hotel when you pull up to it, and that's because it is. The first lumberjacks were offered sustenance in 1789, and it's been a destination since the 1920s.

While you might not expect to find world-class cuisine in the middle of a fairy tale forest, and in a property that is an antique, albeit elegant and well-maintained, one of the hotel's restaurants Schwarzwaldstube is three star Michelin, and among the best in Germany. Young chefs come to train at the property, so even at the hotel's everyday dining room, you'll find a fresh touch is applied to traditional Swabian dishes, which can be somewhat heavy.

And no matter how sophisticated your palate, it's still something of a thrill to eat Black Forest ham and Black Forest cake in the Black Forest -- without fear of either wicked witches or wolves.

Gallery: Traube Tonbach in Germany's Black Forest

Arrival at Traube TonbachTraube Tonbach, a Resort in Germany's Black ForestSuite with a ViewFairy Tale Forest SettingMisty Morning in the Black Forest

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Escape to a Fairy Tale Forest This Fall originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 13 Sep 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> black forestgermanymichelin Alison Wellner Mon, 13 Sep 2010 19:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Spiritually Surrender to Weight Loss at The Lodge at Woodloch]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/11/spiritually-surrender-to-weight-loss-at-the-lodge-at-woodloch/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/11/spiritually-surrender-to-weight-loss-at-the-lodge-at-woodloch/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/09/11/spiritually-surrender-to-weight-loss-at-the-lodge-at-woodloch/#comments
If the summer has left your jeans a little snug, The Lodge at Woodloch, a destination spa in Hawley, Pennsylvania that's popular with health seekers on the New Yorker to Philadelphia corridor, may have a solution. Spiritual guru Marianne Williamson will be putting in an appearance in early November, to mark the publication of her new book, A Course In Weight Loss: 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever. Four of Williamson's nine books have become New York Times bestsellers, and while I've not cracked its cover, it doesn't take a marketing genius to realize that the title contains words likely to make it very popular indeed.

The weekend package runs November 5th-6th, 2010, and includes Williamson's lecture, a signed copy of her book, and a weekend of activities at the resort. All details here.

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Spiritually Surrender to Weight Loss at The Lodge at Woodloch originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 11 Sep 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> pennsylvaniaspaspiritualityweight loss Alison Wellner Sat, 11 Sep 2010 09:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[The Ten Best Bookstores For Vacation Reading]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/08/24/the-ten-best-bookstores-for-vacation-reading/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/08/24/the-ten-best-bookstores-for-vacation-reading/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/08/24/the-ten-best-bookstores-for-vacation-reading/#comments
When you know exactly what books you want to read on vacation, a big chain bookstores or Amazon are quite convenient options. But when you're not quite sure what you'd like to read on the beach, or in the mountains or by that lake...when you're just experiencing an inchoate craving for a certain literary texture, you simply can't do without an independent bookstore. And while it's a comforting feeling to have your reading material lined up ahead of your vacation, I say it's even more fun to hit a terrific bookstore that's far from home. Here are ten terrific booksellers that will not to disappoint:

1. Powell's, Portland, Oregon. This is the mother ship for book nerds -- the largest independent and used bookstore in the world, which happens to be great for browsing and for when you're looking for a title in particular. If you're vacationing in the Pacific Northwest, and go a little nuts with the book purchases (and I'm not saying this has ever happened to me) Powell's does ship.

2.The Strand, New York City. This is the sole survivor of what was once known as Book Row. This venerable shop has been in business since 1927 -- it's a paradise for book browsers, although it can be rather hellish if you're looking for a particular title. Don't expect much help from the staff. Do expect to be tempted by a very cute range of tote bags.

3.Tattered Cover, Denver. You'd be hard pressed to find a more pleasant vibe in a bookstore anywhere -- it would be wrenching not to plan to spend a good couple of hours at the historic LoDo neighborhood store. (There's even a fireplace.) Bonus points if you can make it to one of the store's many author events.

4.Stanford's, London. This is the largest travel book store in the world, and it is another place where it's easy to get lost. Luckily, there are many maps and globes on offer that will help you find your way again. No matter how obscure the destination, if there's a book about it, you'll probably find it here.

5.Open Air, Toronto. An ironically-named travel book shop for a store that is underground and the most crowded bookstore I've ever been in, anywhere. This is terrific for browsing, so long as you don't topple over teetering stacks of books.



Continue reading The Ten Best Bookstores For Vacation Reading

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The Ten Best Bookstores For Vacation Reading originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> best bookstoresbooksbookstoreindependent Alison Wellner Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:02:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[The 5 Most-Naked, Least-Modest Spa Treatments in the World]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/08/23/the-5-most-naked-least-modest-spa-treatments-in-the-world/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/08/23/the-5-most-naked-least-modest-spa-treatments-in-the-world/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/08/23/the-5-most-naked-least-modest-spa-treatments-in-the-world/#comments When you go to a spa, you expect a few nods to modesty -- a private room, for instance, and artful draping of your naughty bits, which are usually Not to Be Touched. And while spas that cater to Westerners around the world do tend to observe these protocols, there are a few entirely legit spa treatments that make these modesty-preserving measures entirely counterproductive.

Here are five spa treatments for which you'll just need to let it all hang out.

1. Turkish Hammam: A Turkish Hammam is sort of a like a communal bath, where you spend time in rooms of varying heat. The highlight is having your skin nearly flayed off with a loofah. (Some people call the resulting ribbons of removed skin "spaghetti".) In a traditional hammam, this scrubbing is administered by a person wearing a bathing suit, and usually within few view of everyone else. My observation has been that people mostly avert their gaze from the scrubee, these are rarely attractive angles for anyone.

There are spas that offer a more modest variation on a hammam treatment. The spa at La Mamounia, for instance, has a shared steam room (which you enter wearing a bathrobe, leave it on or take it off as you wish), and then a private room for the scrub-a-dub, with private shower. The post-hammam moisturizer is applied in a communal relaxation room, so gaze aversion strategies are still a must if you don't want to get an eyeful.




Continue reading The 5 Most-Naked, Least-Modest Spa Treatments in the World

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The 5 Most-Naked, Least-Modest Spa Treatments in the World originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> germanyhammamIndiajapanmost naked spa treatmentsnakedspatokyo Alison Wellner Mon, 23 Aug 2010 11:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Visit the Yves Saint Laurent Memorial in Marrakech]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/08/19/visit-the-yves-saint-laurent-memorial-in-marrakech/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/08/19/visit-the-yves-saint-laurent-memorial-in-marrakech/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/08/19/visit-the-yves-saint-laurent-memorial-in-marrakech/#comments

Marrakech has long been the playground for Europe's jet set, and Paris-based Yves Saint Laurent had a second home there that he frequented. So, around 1980, when he learned that one of the city's most stunning gardens, Jardin Majorelle, had fallen into disrepair, he and his partner Pierre Berge bought it. They opened it to the public, and did the public ever come. It's now one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Red City.

When Saint Laurent died in 2008, his ashes were scattered at Jardin Majorelle. And so, for 25 dirham, you can tour the garden and pay your respects. His official memorial is tucked away in the back of the garden. The simple concrete pillar is a bit bland, in comparison to the lush tropical and desert plants, fountains, and piercing cobalt blue buildings and accents.

But then again, fashion designers don't tend to have over-the-top monument-style memorials. Their funerals or memorial services are their glitzy last act -- think Gianni Versace, Alexander McQueen. Some leave part of their fortunes to worthy causes -- Geoffrey Beene, for instance, endowed a cancer research center at New York's Memorial Sloan Kettering hospital. And of course all of them leave their legacies hanging in the many closets of the fashionable.

Gallery: Tour Jardin Majorelle, Yves Saint Laurent Garden in Marrakech

Jardin Majorelle EntranceEntrance and InfoPagodaLush greenery at Jardin MajorelleIconic Cobalt Blue Accents

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Visit the Yves Saint Laurent Memorial in Marrakech originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> marrakechyves saint laurent Alison Wellner Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:03:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Convicted Criminal Landmarks Become World Heritage Sites]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/08/19/convicted-criminal-landmarks-become-world-heritage-sites/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/08/19/convicted-criminal-landmarks-become-world-heritage-sites/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/08/19/convicted-criminal-landmarks-become-world-heritage-sites/#comments
Crime buffs, take note: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has just announced that several key landmarks in Tasmania, Australia have been added to the list of World Heritage Sites -- all of them key to Australia's convict history.

New sites include The Cascades Female Factory, in Hobart, where female convicts did laundry and needlework, The Port Arthur Historic Site, which was the Australia's most notorious prison, as well as sites relating to convict-related coal mining, farming and more.

Immerse in historic crime and punishment by booking the Tassie Convict Stop Over package, run by tour operator Goway. It's three days and includes an overnight in the historic Henry Jones Art Hotel.

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]]> convictshistorytasmania Alison Wellner Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Last Call on the Met's American Fashion Exhibit]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/08/12/last-call-on-the-mets-american-fashion-exhibit/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/08/12/last-call-on-the-mets-american-fashion-exhibit/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/08/12/last-call-on-the-mets-american-fashion-exhibit/#comments It's last call on the Metropolitan Museum of Art's exhibit "American Women: Fashioning an American Identity", which closes August 15th. The exhibit was sponsored in part by Conde Nast (and also the Gap, although the only t-shirts on display are those that are for sale in the gift shop) and Vogue presided over the opening festivities back in May.

The exhibit breaks down American fashion history into ideals -- Gibson Girls, Bohemians, Screen Sirens. It covers 1890-1940, with a final room entirely devoid of fabric devoted to 1950-2010. I was entirely enjoying the exhibit (and even would have bought this 1895 sweater with gigot sleeves to wear this Fall, had it been available for purchase) if I hadn't gotten entirely annoyed by the wall text.

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Last Call on the Met's American Fashion Exhibit originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> fashionfashion historymetropolitan museum of artsarah jessica parker Alison Wellner Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Barbados "Crop Over" Festival Nears Grand Finale]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/29/barbados-crop-over-festival-nears-grand-finale/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/29/barbados-crop-over-festival-nears-grand-finale/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/29/barbados-crop-over-festival-nears-grand-finale/#comments
Crop Over is the biggest festival in Barbados, and is that island nation's version of Brazil's Carnival. Historically, the event marked the end of the sugar harvest, but now that tourism has well overtaken sugar production in the Bajan economy, it's become a great excuse to throw a five-week long summer party.

It's all about to come to a climax on Monday, August 2nd -- the end of Crop Over, also known as Grand Kadooment day. This is basically a giant parade of calypso bands, all dressed in wild costumes. It's a competition, and it's huge: last year 15,000 costumed people participated with 25 bands. And I'm quite sure that it's well fueled with one of Barbados' most enduring legacies of the sugar trade: rum.

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Barbados "Crop Over" Festival Nears Grand Finale originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> barbadosfestivalsrum Alison Wellner Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Escape and Immerse in Marrakech at La Mamounia]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/29/escape-and-immerse-in-marrakech-at-la-mamounia/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/29/escape-and-immerse-in-marrakech-at-la-mamounia/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/29/escape-and-immerse-in-marrakech-at-la-mamounia/#comments
Writing about Marrakech, the celebrated writer Elias Canetti said this: "in order to feel at home in a strange city, you need to have a secluded room, to which you have a certain title, and in which you can be alone when the tumult of new and incomprehensible voices becomes too great."

La Mamounia, the recently renovated historic luxury hotel of the Red City, makes for an excellent refuge. It achieves sanctuary, from sights and smells and other sensory assaults in a city where everything seems heightened.

But while some hotels in overwhelming destinations achieve this effect by essentially encasing guests in a blank box of international luxury blandness, the redesigned La Mamounia remains firmly planted in its location: you never forget you're in Morocco. You're inside the city walls and quite near to the Koutoubia mosque. You hear the muezzin issuing the call-to-prayer, but the rooms are equipped with sound canceling blinds allow you to more or less skip the 5 a.m. edition.
During the extensive three-year renovation which updated the hotel from what I heard described as "eighties-tastic", as many as 1,500 craftsman labored in a single day to create the intricate plasterwork, hand-tiling, painted ceilings and leather-tooling that tastefully embellish the property. It looks as if the Moorish details had always been there, but that's just a trick of the eye -- it's all brand new. The rather boxy shape of the hotel's exterior is a good reminder of this.

There's terrific people watching here-- the hotel has been and remains celeb magnet, hosting Winston Churchill in the way back when, and Sarah Jessica Parker more recently. (And that is perhaps the only reason those two will ever appear together in a sentence.) Its mostly European guests do tend to be those who think of themselves as celebrities, for instance, one gentleman who looked just a great deal like the guy from the Old Spice commercials, but wasn't, repeatedly doused himself with baby oil and induced the pool staff to take his photo, while a bikini'd woman did push-ups in the shallow end of the pool.

Presumably the real celebrities decamp to the hotels newly opened and totally private three bedroom riads, which have their own private pools.

Gallery: La Mamounia, Marrakech

Recent Restoration Looks AncientCity view from La MamouniaCeiling Detail in Executive SuiteInside One of the Private RiadsOutside Pool



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Escape and Immerse in Marrakech at La Mamounia originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> la mamouniamarrakechmoroccomosquesarah jessica parkerWinston Churchill Alison Wellner Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[A Shanghai Art Deco Landmark Reopens]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/29/a-shanghai-art-deco-landmark-reopens/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/29/a-shanghai-art-deco-landmark-reopens/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/29/a-shanghai-art-deco-landmark-reopens/#comments
When I visited Shanghai last year, its most famous Art Deco landmark, the Peace Hotel on the Bund, was covered in shrouds for renovation. It had been that way since 2007, but now the covers are off as the hotel has just reopened as the Fairmont Peace Hotel, .

The hotel originally opened in 1929, in one of Shanghai's heydays. The hotel was the first high-rise in the city, and had the city's first electric elevator. The art-deco style cage elevator was one of many details that made the hotel special; and it was known as the place to stay in Shanghai prior to the Communist revolution. The renovation apparently retained many of the key features of the hotel -- the Jazz Bar, the Peace Hall, with its wooden dance floor; as well as many touches from the 1930s, but it's also got the full complement of modern amenities in-room, from Blu-Ray DVD players to Illy Espresso machines.

Gallery: Fairmont Peace Hotel Reopens

The tower lit againRenovated BathroomNew suiteRestoration Maintains Original FeelRestored Art Deco Details

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]]> 1930sart decohistoryShanghai Alison Wellner Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[How To Avoid Niagara Falls]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/23/how-to-avoid-niagara-falls/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/23/how-to-avoid-niagara-falls/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/23/how-to-avoid-niagara-falls/#comments
If there's one thing that's often said about Niagara Falls, besides "wow", it's that it's a pity that such an impressive show by Mother Nature is surrounded by such a dreadfully tacky tourist town.

Yes, you've got more than 3,000 tons of water pounding over both water falls, per second, with rainbows floating in the mist. But you've also got Tussaud' Wax Museum, Planet Hollywood and, in summer at least, hordes of sweaty tourists sporting black knee socks and sandals.

The Niagara Parks Commission appears to be engaged in an effort to change this perception, at least among its most easy drive-in market, Torontonians. It recently launched a campaign called "Shake Off the City", which portrays city dwellers confronting urban blight -- graffiti, traffic, stolen bikes -- and escaping to the wonders of the Niagara region. This portrayal of their city has evidently annoyed some Toronto-dwellers, although that apparently wasn't the intention.

The intention was to showcase the "arid side" of the region, as Joel Noden, executive director of the Niagara Parks Commission, told the Toronto Star. I presume he meant the area beyond the big-whoop waterfalls, and leaving aside clumsy urban stereotyping, he's got a good point. The Niagara Escarpment in Ontario is actually quite lovely -- with loads of hiking, the full sweep of Lake Ontario, and, a number of excellent wineries, growing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling. (The area has a strong reputation for ice wine as well, given the cold winters.)

Gallery: Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Falls

Niagara-on-the-LakeQuaintness Galore in NOTLHistoric Prince of Wales HotelView of Lake Ontario from NOTLWineries and Inns in the Niagara Escarpment

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How To Avoid Niagara Falls originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> niagaraniagara fallsniagara-on-the-lakeontarioOntarioCanadashaw festivalwaterfalls Alison Wellner Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[An Exclusive Window on Siena's Speedy Horse Race]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/22/an-exclusive-window-on-sienas-speedy-horse-race/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/22/an-exclusive-window-on-sienas-speedy-horse-race/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/22/an-exclusive-window-on-sienas-speedy-horse-race/#comments
If you blink during The Palio de Siena in Italy, it's not like you'll miss the entire horse race. But you'll miss a lot of it, since the whole thing typically takes 90 seconds.

The Palio was developed in the 16th century as an alternative to bullfighting. For nearly two action-packed minutes, horses and bareback jockeys tear around the Piazza del Campo, pictured above, albeit not on race day. During the race, the streets are lined dirt. The turns are sharp, jockeys are often thrown, but since the race is scored by the horse and not the jockey, a horse can still win even if its jockey is crumpled on the ground somewhere.

Crowds will throng to watch the action on August 16th, but you can rise above them if you book a package offered by Castel Monastero, called "Your Private Window on Siena's Palio". The three-night package includes, among other things, a VIP seat on the palazzo overlooking the San Martino curve. (Champagne and snacks included, natch.) Pricing starts at 1,000 Euro per night for a superior room.

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An Exclusive Window on Siena's Speedy Horse Race originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> horseracinghotel dealsitalyluxury travelpalioSiena Alison Wellner Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Naturopathica's Eye Serum Tested in Flight]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/22/naturopathicas-eye-serum-tested-in-flight/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/22/naturopathicas-eye-serum-tested-in-flight/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/22/naturopathicas-eye-serum-tested-in-flight/#comments
Last week, I flew a red-eye from JFK to Casablanca, and I had a little something different tucked into my zip-top bag: Naturopathica's Vitamin K Brightening Eye Serum ($72).

I'm really tragically neglectful of my skin in-flight, and as the sands of time have certainly not stopped flowing just for me, I am aware this habit requires changing. So when Naturopathica offered to send me this product to test on my next trip, I readily accepted.

Still, I nearly forgot all about it -- it was only after I popped my sleep aid that I remembered to remove my eyeshade, and hastily applied some of this serum to my eye regions. It's thick but not goopy, and smells like chamomile -- it has "cape chamomile", grown in South Africa, which is meant to be an anti-inflammatory.

When I fell asleep I dreamt that I was actually supposed to put it on my feet. But that was just a dream.

When I arrived in Morocco, I inspected my under eye area. It looked pretty good -- I lacked the punched-in-both-eyes look that I typically sport after less than five hours sleep, and those little lines that I assert come from a life filled with laughter seemed less evident.

The rest of my skin, on the other hand, was, in patches, dry and blotchy. The overall effect was rather Picasso-esque. If this cobalt blue 15 ml tube of eye serum will live permanently in my zip-top bag, I probably will have to extend my in-flight skin care regime a great deal beyond the under-eye border.

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Naturopathica's Eye Serum Tested in Flight originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> eye careeye creaminflightNaturopathica Alison Wellner Thu, 22 Jul 2010 11:02:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Savor Truffles, Olives and More During Umbria's Harvest]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/22/savor-truffles-olives-and-more-during-umbrias-harvest/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/22/savor-truffles-olives-and-more-during-umbrias-harvest/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/22/savor-truffles-olives-and-more-during-umbrias-harvest/#comments
Attention Italian food lovers: this is a tour that you're not going to want to miss. This November, Dream of Italy is offering a six-night tour of Umbria during harvest time. The itinerary includes truffle hunting (with truffle dogs), followed by a truffle dinner, a tour of an olive meal to watch olives being pressed into olive oil, pizza and pasta making classes, as well as tours of Perugia and Assisi to fill up your time in between meals.

To add to the harvest vibe, accommodations are at a 17th century farm house, La Fattoria del Gelso, near Assisi, pictured above. This is now a proper hotel villa, but it's also still a working farm -- they grow the region's famous Cannara onions.

The tour cost, excluded airfare is $2,450 per person, based on double occupancy; the trip runs from November 6th-12th.

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Savor Truffles, Olives and More During Umbria's Harvest originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cooking classeshotel dealsitalian travelitalyluxury travelolive oiltruffles Alison Wellner Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:02:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[New Villas at CuisinArt Resort & Spa, Anguilla]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/12/new-villas-at-cuisinart-resort-and-spa-anguilla/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/12/new-villas-at-cuisinart-resort-and-spa-anguilla/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/12/new-villas-at-cuisinart-resort-and-spa-anguilla/#comments
If you're a foodie and wish you could vacation with your favorite kitchen appliances -- well, that would just make you weird.

But here's something that's not: go stay at the CuisinArt Resort & Spa in Anguilla. It's the first summer season for the resort's latest expansion, three 5-bedroom, 5,100 square foot villas. These also can be booked as three bedroom ground floor accommodations or as two-bedroom second floor accommodations. The second floor has the sea view.

The resort is owned by Leandro Rizzuto, owner and founder of Conair Corporation. (He founded the company with a $100 investment and the invention of hot air curlers, by the way. ) Conair acquired kitchen appliance manufacturer CuisinArt in 1989, and it does make a better name for the resort than the parent company's name. (Also, there'd be the unfortunate move connection.)

I am told they do you use CuisinArts in the resorts kitchens so if you really are weirdly lonely for your blender, you could probably arrange a visit. (Although check out the photos -- you should really be able to distract yourself.) More in the realm of reality, the toiletries are by Rusk which is also owned by Conair, so bathrooms are stocked with full-sized bottles of shampoo and such, that you can take home with you after your stay. No word on whether there are hot-air curlers too.

Gallery: CuisinArt Resort & Spa Anguilla

View from the OceanResort EntrancePool at nightBeach Front AccommodationResort Overview

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New Villas at CuisinArt Resort & Spa, Anguilla originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> AnguillaConAircuisinart Alison Wellner Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[New Guide to Ithaca's Wonderful Waterfalls]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/11/new-guide-to-ithacas-wonderful-waterfalls/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/11/new-guide-to-ithacas-wonderful-waterfalls/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/11/new-guide-to-ithacas-wonderful-waterfalls/#comments Ithaca is New York's consummate college town, best known as the home of Cornell University. School's out for summer, which means it's a great time to visit one of the area's other great attractions: the waterfalls, of which there are more than 100 of in the Ithaca area.

The Ithaca Visitors Bureau has just released a free field guide to the city's famous gorges and waterfalls, covering 19 public-access waterfalls near downtown Ithaca. (My favorite since my college days is pictured above -- that's Robert Treman State Park.) Some of these waterfalls are already on your GPS no doubt -- the 215-foot Taughannock Falls -- but some are considered local secrets, like Potter's Falls, located in a wildflower preserve. That's too bad for the locals. But lucky for you.

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New Guide to Ithaca's Wonderful Waterfalls originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 11 Jul 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cornellIthacawaterfalls Alison Wellner Sun, 11 Jul 2010 16:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Eat, Pray, Love Tourism Frenzy Begins]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/11/eat-pray-love-tourism-frenzy-begins/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/11/eat-pray-love-tourism-frenzy-begins/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/11/eat-pray-love-tourism-frenzy-begins/#comments
If you want to start a fight among people who love to travel, raise the subject of Elizabeth Gilbert's book Eat, Pray, Love. It was a bestseller, which means that many people really liked it, but the backlash against it has been pretty vociferous -- in summary: self-absorbed, navel-gazing, "me, me, I, I," not-really-travel-writing, crap.

A good even-handed exploration of the backlash is here. Personally, I thought the book was fine and believe that the strong negative reaction is actually against the concept of a woman who does not follow a cookie cutter path to being a happy wife and mother. Although I will concede that the movie's official URL - letyourselfgo.com is cringe worthy.

Anyway, in August, the book that people love to hate will be better known as a movie that they'll love to hate, starring Julia Roberts who many people love to hate, or hate to love. (To say nothing of eating and praying.)

Since there's an obvious travel tie-in, get ready for many EPL-themed travel packages. My colleague, Deb West, wrote about an early adopter this past January, and now there's news that guidebook publisher Lonely Planet is a promotional partner of the film. There's even a special page to help you plan your own Eat, Pray, Love journey.

Here's hoping no one hates you for it.

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Eat, Pray, Love Tourism Frenzy Begins originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 11 Jul 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> EatPrayLovefeminismjulia robertsmovies Alison Wellner Sun, 11 Jul 2010 10:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Burberry Launches a Beauty Line]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/10/burberry-launches-a-beauty-line/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/10/burberry-launches-a-beauty-line/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/07/10/burberry-launches-a-beauty-line/#comments
Plaid, tartan, checked -- these are all patterns that I'd be most appalled to see on my face, even after a night of hard pillow-printing sleep, but Burberry -- best known for its classic "haymarket check" pattern on umbrellas, luggage and trench coat linings is betting the world's wealthy women will think differently.

The brand has just launched a beauty line, which it's selling at Nordstrom.com. It includes a full line of makeup, supposedly inspired by the "touch and feel of lightweight Burberry outerwear fabrics - the last layer you put on," according to the breathless press materials I received.

It all sounds rather...weatherproof...to me, and the colors also sound a bit grim: hues are described as greyed-off, smoky, dusty, trench and Gabardine.

Now, Burberry invented Garbardine in the late 19th century -- it's a fabric that's hard-wearing and weatherproof. This all sounds like something I'd like to use to coat a fence, not my forehead. On the other hand, these lovely ladies above look like they'd still look pretty good after a hard British rain shower, so maybe that's the point.

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Burberry Launches a Beauty Line originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 10 Jul 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> burberryburberry beautyburberry cosmeticscosmetics Alison Wellner Sat, 10 Jul 2010 09:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Cocktail Hour at Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/28/cocktail-hour-at-post-ranch-inn-in-big-sur/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/28/cocktail-hour-at-post-ranch-inn-in-big-sur/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/28/cocktail-hour-at-post-ranch-inn-in-big-sur/#comments Some people get car sick when they drive up California's curving highway 1 on the Big Sur coast, but I'm of a hearty constitution and just got tired of not being able to properly take in all of that ridiculously beautiful view.

The decision was made: a stop at Post Ranch Inn was in order.

It's really not a resort that welcomes the road weary unless you're planning to check in. There's a guard station which monitors the road up the hill to the property, and the gentleman on duty was ready for my usual ploy "Can I just pop up, I'd like to pick up a brochure," I said, and when he smoothly handed over one, I was left flummoxed. He said something about calling ahead if we wanted to take a look around. "Is there a place we can get a drink," my travel companion wisely asked.

The truth. Why hadn't I considered that? The gates opened.

The view -- plunging cliffs, blue sky, turquoise sea -- is oft described as "drop dead", but I advise raising a toast to it instead. The view from the patio is what you see above. (Imagine it from the guest rooms on the cliff!) The cocktail menu is creative: I was tempted by the "Black Rose", which is Johnnie Walker Black, jasmine liqueur and vermouth; although I'm actually far more of a gin girl, and so the "Soul Flour", with DH Krahn gin, elderberry liqueur, grapefruit juice and absinthe was also tempting.

But there were more miles to cover before I rested, so I went with a glass of wine -- from California, of course. My pour was more generous than my friend's, since I was finishing the bottle. The bartender advised me to sip down the difference before my friend returned from the restroom, so that we might maintain cordial relations for the rest of our trip. That's the kind of barkeep I'll raise my glass to any day.

Gallery: Cocktail Hour at Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur

It's Not a Bad View, Really. (Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur)Post Ranch Inn, Road to Guest RoomsArt Work at Post Ranch InnEntrance to the Post Ranch Inn RestaurantPost Ranch Inn Restaurant, as Seen from the Patio

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Cocktail Hour at Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bartendersBigSurBigSurCoastlinecaliforniacocktailsPostRanchInn Alison Wellner Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[A New "Vintage" at Sonoma's Applewood Inn]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/25/a-new-vintage-at-sonomas-applewood-inn/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/25/a-new-vintage-at-sonomas-applewood-inn/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/25/a-new-vintage-at-sonomas-applewood-inn/#comments
Wine country can be something of a scene these days, with enthusiasts trying fit in as many wineries as possible, swirling, spitting, purchasing -- realizing they've bought too many bottles to fit in their suitcase, frantically figuring out how to ship wine home, which sometimes requires an alcohol-soaked brain to figure out complicated interstate wine shipment regulations....

Really, it can cause more of a headache than a hangover.

One remedy for all of this is Applewood Inn in Guerneville, California -- which is in the midst of its first season under new ownership.

When you look at Sonoma County, Guerneville isn't really in the middle of it all. This chic-shabby town lies to the west of the where most of the county's wine action is, heading out towards Sonoma's (largely unappreciated) Pacific coast. Applewood is set among young redwood trees, and its award-winning restaurant and its 19 guest rooms are mostly arranged around a peaceful courtyard, complete with a fountain that trickles merrily.

Room décor is also not striving to be in the middle of anything like a current design trend, although there are flat-screen TVs, fireplaces, and so on. Think cozy country motifs, cabbage rose bed spreads, Tuscan stripe upholstered chairs, gleaming wood throughout. Indeed, new owners Carlos Pippa and Sylvia Ranyak envision something of a Tuscan theme for the property.

You'll get to know Carlos and Sylvia as they're gracious on-site managers as well as owners. Running an inn and a restaurant turns out to be their idea of retirement -- Carlos owned a business in Texas that sold parts related to industrial painting. Upon retiring, he and Sylvia loaded up their RV with motorcycles and went on a multiple-month adventure from Mexico to Rio de Janeiro. It was in the rural portions of this journey that they realized they wanted to be in a more bucolic environment than Plano. The Applewood Inn is their next act. Be sure to ask them about their South American sojourn if you go.

Gallery: Applewood Inn, Guerneville, California

Applewood Inn in the MorningApplewood Guest RoomApplewood Guest RoomApplewood's Peaceful Setting Among Young Redwood Trees

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A New "Vintage" at Sonoma's Applewood Inn originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> applewood innBedAndBreakfastcaliforniaguernevillesonomasonoma countywine countrywine tastingWineCountry Alison Wellner Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Thompson Hotels Go Global in Toronto]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/25/thompson-hotels-go-global-in-toronto/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/25/thompson-hotels-go-global-in-toronto/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/25/thompson-hotels-go-global-in-toronto/#comments
Globalization is the topic du jour in Toronto, with the G8/G20 conferences that are happening in and around the city over the coming days. As if on cue, the US-based Thompson Hotels has just opened its first international property in Toronto.

From the outside it's sort of hard to tell what exactly Thompson Toronto it is -- there's a lot of reflective glass on the exterior. On the inside, there are 102 guest rooms, 18 suites, a 24-hour diner called The Counter and yet another location of Scott Conant's Scarpetta.

The location couldn't be better -- it's blocks away from the still just scruffy Ossington neighborhood where you can still smell pot wafting from creative people's windows, and right in the center of King West Villages, where the creatives have likely moved up to more expensive intoxicants.

Thompson plans to open a property in London in 2011.

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Thompson Hotels Go Global in Toronto originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> g8ScottConantThompsonThompsonHotelstoronto Alison Wellner Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:02:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Explore India's Golden Triangle by Private Plane]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/25/explore-indias-golden-triangle-by-private-plane/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/25/explore-indias-golden-triangle-by-private-plane/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/25/explore-indias-golden-triangle-by-private-plane/#comments
Greaves, the tour company which specializes in India, is running a rather good deal on a private plane package now. Spend a week touring India's "Golden Triangle" -- Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, stay at super-luxey Oberoi hotels, and do all of your traveling in between via a Beechcraft Super King Air B200 plane.

The package includes all sorts of nice extras, like a horse carriage ride to the Taj Mahal, a cycle rickshaw ride around Old Delhi, a cooking demo at The Oberoi Rajvilas, as well as multiple opportunities for spa treatments and yoga classes along the way. The price is $5,100 per person, based on four people traveling together -- although you could always bring a bigger crowd, the plane seats up to eight. Travel through December 15th, 2010.

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Explore India's Golden Triangle by Private Plane originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Indiaoberoiprivate planetaj mahalTajMahaltours Alison Wellner Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:02:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Another Excuse to Never Walk Again? Garia's Golf Cart Goes Street Legal]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/25/another-excuse-to-never-walk-again-garias-golf-cart-goes-stree/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/25/another-excuse-to-never-walk-again-garias-golf-cart-goes-stree/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/25/another-excuse-to-never-walk-again-garias-golf-cart-goes-stree/#comments As my colleague Jeremy Korzeniewski reported, Garia manufactures golf carts (or cars) that they claim are the world's most exclusive. These "low speed vehicles" have a laundry list of words gearheads appreciate, although please note the italics:
  • Formula 1 -"inspired" front suspension;
  • Porsche Boxter, - built in same factory as;
  • Ducati gearbox, - drive train manufactured in same factory as;
  • Jaguar, Aston Martin Volvo - aluminum profile supplier same as.
Anyway, they do look a cut above your average golf cart, and the promise was made that these Low Speed Vehicles would soon be street legal. In August, the manufacturer will be releasing a version that will have safety equipment such as seatbelts, side mirrors, and a hydraulic braking system.

Although these are billed as "ideal" for shorter trips, you can't just take these puppies on any old road. States and municipalities are trying to sort this all out, with places that allow LEVs on public roads mostly restricting them to roads with 35 mph speed limits. (Alaska makes an exception up to 45 mph for "unorganized boroughs", apparently.) But at a price tag of about $17,000 it seems like you'll have to decide whether sitting in even a very nice golf cart is worth it -- or whether you'd rather buy a veritable fleet of super-nice bicycles.

Gallery: Garia's New Street-Legal Golf Cart

Using a Golf Cart for GolfGaria Steering WheelGaria LSV detailRoom for Golf Clubs or Other CargoYour New Daily Driver?

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Another Excuse to Never Walk Again? Garia's Golf Cart Goes Street Legal originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> gariagolf cart Alison Wellner Fri, 25 Jun 2010 09:02:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[How to Score an Updated Room at Toronto's Fairmont Royal York]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/23/how-to-score-an-updated-room-at-torontos-fairmont-royal-york/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/23/how-to-score-an-updated-room-at-torontos-fairmont-royal-york/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/23/how-to-score-an-updated-room-at-torontos-fairmont-royal-york/#comments The Fairmont Royal York LobbyThe Fairmont Royal York in Toronto was the largest and tallest building in the British Empire when it opened in 1929 -- which certainly qualifies it as one of those "grand dame" hotels. This status has both its upsides and its downsides -- while the lobby is impressive for meeting business clients, you certainly want to score a recently updated room.
Like many hotels, the Royal York has been in the process of updating its rooms, and while a more extensive overhaul is happening in the near future, that won't help you if you're checking in over the next few weeks. Here are a few tips that will:

1) Join the President's Club before your stay -- it's free, and you get preferential room selection, plus free wifi and other goodies.

2) Ask for a room with a flat-screen TV. Only the updated rooms have the flat screens. (Psst: this question works well in any hotel in the midst of an update.)

3) Whether you care about an updated room or not: if you're not a smoker, avoid any room on the second floor. It's a smoking floor, and it's also above the hospitality suites which allow smoking.

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How to Score an Updated Room at Toronto's Fairmont Royal York originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> canadian travelfairmont royal yorkFairmontHotelshotelstorontotoronto hotels Alison Wellner Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:02:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Explore Stratford's Giant Costume Warehouse]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/21/explore-stratfords-giant-costume-warehouse/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/21/explore-stratfords-giant-costume-warehouse/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/21/explore-stratfords-giant-costume-warehouse/#comments
If you loved to play dress up when you were a kid, or you still do, or you're a theater geek -- and let's face it, all of these categories often overlap -- do yourself a favor and sign up for a tour of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival's Costume and Props Warehouse in Stratford, Ontario, Canada.

This is one of the largest costume warehouses in the world, housing more than 50,000 items worn during shows staged over the years in the annual festival, which runs through October. Nota bene, this is a guided tour -- you're not allowed to run willy nilly down the aisles marked "men's jackets, medieval" or "ladies' coats, 90s", nor are you allowed to rummage through a plastic box marked "glitzy ruffs".

You're also not allowed to touch the costumes, which is more of a serious challenge than you might think, although you are allowed to take pictures. After you tour the prop section (and learn that what stands in for blood on stage is a combination of beet root and cocoa powder -- good to know) you are released into a special area where -- yes! -- you may try on selected costumes to your heart's content. And there are hats. The number of images uploaded to Facebook over the course of a season from this part of the warehouse must be unfathomable.

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Explore Stratford's Giant Costume Warehouse originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> costumesshakespeareStratfordtours Alison Wellner Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:02:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Melbourne's Hidden Secrets Tours]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/21/melbournes-hidden-secrets-tours/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/21/melbournes-hidden-secrets-tours/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/21/melbournes-hidden-secrets-tours/#comments I don't tend to think of myself as the group tour type, but I started to rethink my attitude after I took a Hidden Secrets Lanes and Arcades Tour in Melbourne, Australia, a few weeks ago.

Downtown Melbourne is laced with small alleys and laneways, once providing service access to the buildings, now, home to some of the city's most interesting restaurants and boutiques. After spending a few days walking the city getting the nagging sense I was missing something, I signed up for the tour. (As it happened, the other people on the tour were all from Melbourne -- they just wanted to know what was new and exciting in town, apparently it's hard to keep up.)

Straight away we went down into what seemed like a subway stop -- and it was that, too, but it was also home to Campbell Arcade, which hosts a rotating art exhibition, several boutiques and a cafe. After that, it was a spirited wander, through Union Lane, whose walls are lined with city-encouraged and sponsored graffiti art, to Royal Arcade to visit Koko Black chocolate boutique, through Cathedral Arcade, pictured above, home to a poetry bookstore and a vintage shop. My personal favorite? Design a Space, on Manchester Lane, a place where a 70 local emerging fashion designers can sell their lines, on a rotating basis. I'm glad I didn't miss it, although my suitcase was certainly heavier for it!

Tourism Victoria and Tourism Australia sponsored my visit; opinions are always 100% my own.

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Melbourne's Hidden Secrets Tours originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> australiamelbourneshoppingshopping tourstours Alison Wellner Mon, 21 Jun 2010 11:02:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Checking in (Again) at Casa Madrona in Sausalito]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/18/checking-in-again-at-casa-madrona-in-sausalito/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/18/checking-in-again-at-casa-madrona-in-sausalito/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/18/checking-in-again-at-casa-madrona-in-sausalito/#comments
Casa Madrona was the first hotel in California that I ever truly loved. I first visited in the late 1990s, when a dear friend got married, at sunset, on the patio of the Mikayla restaurant, overlooking the bay towards Tiburon and San Francisco. I returned several times after that, but hadn't been back since the hotel went through a major expansion in 2002, and oh yes, bankruptcy, foreclosure and sale at auction.

When I stayed a few weeks ago, Terra Resort Group had just been engaged to manage the property.

The hotel started its life in 1855 as a mansion, and the historic section (pictured above) appears to be just as charming as ever. The 2002 expansion, in my opinion, was unfortunate. It's perfectly nice, but entirely contemporary, the type of room you can find anywhere - a missed opportunity, if you ask me. The contemporary part of the hotel is also closer to the street than the historic rooms which are set back on the hill, so you do get more street noise. I'll have to poke back in once Terra has had a chance to get its bearings, but I'll definitely request one of the older rooms.

And oh, as of now, the lovely Mikayla restaurant is closed, replaced by a street-level restaurant Poggio. It serves top-notch Italian food, but it doesn't have the bay view that made dining at Casa Madrona so special.

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Checking in (Again) at Casa Madrona in Sausalito originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bay areacaliforniacasamadronahotel renovationHotelsInTroublesausalitoterra Alison Wellner Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Rediscover Winter and Wine at Ski Portillo Wine Weeks]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/18/rediscover-winter-and-wine-at-ski-portillo-wine-weeks/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/18/rediscover-winter-and-wine-at-ski-portillo-wine-weeks/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/18/rediscover-winter-and-wine-at-ski-portillo-wine-weeks/#comments
If summer isn't your favorite season, escape it and hit Ski Portillo in Chile. Not only will you be reunited with snowy slopes, but from July 31 to August 7th, you'll also get to experience the ski resort's annual Wine Week. A different Chilean winemaker is on hand each weekday to present their vineyard's offerings during après-ski, with representations from the San Antonio, Mapio, Colcagua, Apalta and Casablanca Valleys.

If you can't make those dates, you can warm up for the North American ski season during Wine Fest, August 28th to September 4th. There's no additional charge for either wine event, prices for the week (including accommodations, lodging, four meals a day and lift tickets run $990 to $1,590, in US dollars.

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Rediscover Winter and Wine at Ski Portillo Wine Weeks originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Chilechilean winePortilloskiwinewine tasting Alison Wellner Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:02:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Get Wild with the National Outdoor Leadership School]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/18/get-wild-with-the-national-outdoor-leadership-school/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/18/get-wild-with-the-national-outdoor-leadership-school/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/18/get-wild-with-the-national-outdoor-leadership-school/#comments Wind River WildernessIf your summer vacation consists of lolling around in front of the air conditioner sipping a chilled beverage -- and you're not so happy about that, challenge yourself by signing up for a National Outdoor Leadership School course.
This Lander, Wyoming-based outdoors school primarily serves the school-aged -- teaching teenagers and college kids about leadership, nature and survival in the wilderness in courses that can run as long as a full semester. But it's less well-known that NOLS also offers classes for adults, which typically run a couple of weeks.

I joined one of their programs in the Wyoming Wind River Mountains almost exactly three years ago, and as a decidedly non-outdoorsy New Yorker, I will never forget it. In fact, I count it among the hardest things I've ever done -- but, since I didn't have to be helicoptered out I counted it as a raging success. (I hardly ever discuss how, on the last night, I took an instructor aside and said, you know, I've just realized that my people aren't woods people.)

I learned a lot about how you live a day-to-night life in the back country, for example, how to not freak out when crossing streams by jumping from rock-to-rock with a heavy pack on one's back, and how to keep hiking with two sprained ankles. Glamping this is not, but if you want to end the summer with a sense of pride and accomplishment, a NOLS course might be just the ticket.

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Get Wild with the National Outdoor Leadership School originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> adventureadventure travelcampingnature toursNOLSwyoming Alison Wellner Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Helpful or Trouble? Tiffany Rings up an iPhone App]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/14/helpful-or-trouble-tiffany-rings-up-an-iphone-app/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/14/helpful-or-trouble-tiffany-rings-up-an-iphone-app/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/14/helpful-or-trouble-tiffany-rings-up-an-iphone-app/#comments tifffany app On Monday, Tiffany will launch its first iPhone app, not surprisingly focused on the acquisition of engagement rings.

The app seems to have the potential to be useful to those earnestly seeking engagement rings, and those looking make trouble for the soon-to-be betrothed.

I'd divide these categories roughly by gender, and say that this app could be the most useful for the menfolk.

He, who is most likely uneducated on the subjects of the on-hand impact of one carat versus two, not to mention shape, setting, metal or design, will be able to see rings in their actual size. (With price range.) Also, there's the "ring sizer" -- he only needs to snag a ring from the beloved for a few moments, place it on the iPhone screen, and line it up with circles corresponding to ring size. He can also make an appointment for a consultation right through the app.

Continue reading Helpful or Trouble? Tiffany Rings up an iPhone App

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Helpful or Trouble? Tiffany Rings up an iPhone App originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> DiamondSupplyCo.engagement ringiphone appjeweltiffanyTiffanyAndCo Alison Wellner Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:01:00 EST Luxist <![CDATA[Summer Star Parties at Utah's Cedar Breaks National Monument]]> http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/01/summer-star-parties-at-utahs-cedar-breaks-national-monument/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/01/summer-star-parties-at-utahs-cedar-breaks-national-monument/ http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/01/summer-star-parties-at-utahs-cedar-breaks-national-monument/#comments
Summer is the best time to let your inner space geek run rampant, but a truly dark night sky is hard luxury to come by -- most of the United States suffers from extravagant light pollution.

Overcome this challenge and head to Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah. At over 10,000 feet of elevation, it's got a view on a perfectly dark sky and on nine nights this summer, throws a Star Party. You can bring your own telescope (which you could do any night on your own), but they'll take you to Point Supreme Overlook and let you look through their powerful telescopes, accompanied by park staff an astronomy volunteers to answer your questions.

The 2010 Star Party dates are July 8, 10, 12, August 7, 9, 11, September 6, 8, 10 and are free of charge. Be sure to dress warmly!

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Summer Star Parties at Utah's Cedar Breaks National Monument originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> astronomycedar breaks national monumentlight pollutionstargazersstargazingstarsutah Alison Wellner Tue, 01 Jun 2010 11:02:00 EST Luxist