Dining

Seven Stars, Suite Luxury on the World's Most Beautiful Beach

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Apr 15th 2011 at 2:01PM

The luxe Seven Stars resort in Providenciales on the Turks and Caicos islands presides over the world's best beach, according to the new TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice awards. It was also just named the world's Most Romantic Hotel or Resort in About.com's 2011 Readers' Choice Awards. Looking at its luxurious pool area (above) fronting the fine white sand and ultra-blue sea of Grace Bay it's easy to see why. You can of course stop in for a quick getaway but Seven Stars is perfectly equipped for longer stays as well thanks to its massive, luxuriously-equipped suites.

Tags: beach, hotel suites, luxury resorts, Providenciales, resorts, seven stars, spa, swimming pool, Turks and Caicos, worlds best beach

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Reach the Beach: Luxury Resort Style in the Turks & Caicos Islands {Exclusive Feature}

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Apr 15th 2011 at 9:01AM

Click above for a high-res image gallery

The Turks and Caicos islands in the British West Indies is well known for having the world's most beautiful beaches. It also has some of the world's most stylish and luxurious beach resorts, which are remarkable for their amazingly private settings and lush natural landscapes, far removed from the over-development that plagues some other Caribbean hotspots. The perfect setting for our latest style feature, we're sure you'll agree.

Parrot Cay, located on a pristine 1,000-acre private island, including a mile-long powdered beach, is an elegant combination of glorious nature, understated luxury and unparalleled privacy complete with an award-winning holistic spa, healthy gourmet cuisine and beach villas with private pools (above).

The villas are a favorite with celebrities including Donna Karan, Bruce Willis, Keith Richards and Sir Paul McCartney. Some like Willis and Karan were so entranced they decided to build their own beach houses on the island. Want to own one? So do we. Parrot Cay is currently offering a small selection of villas for private ownership, starting at $10 million.

Tags: Aman resorts, Amanyara, architecture, Bagatelle, beach, beach resorts, books, Caribbean, celebrity vacations, Donna Karan, Gansevoort, Girard-Perregaux, Helly-Hansen, islands, JetBlue, Land Rover, luxury resorts, Parrot Cay, private island, R A E N Optics, resorts, Rizzoli, Royal Elastics, shoes, spa, Tods, Turks and Caicos, Vineyard Vines, watches

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Autumn Culinary Retreat Package at Australia's Luxe Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Apr 5th 2011 at 11:01AM

Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, an Emirates property and Australia's first luxury conservation-based resort, is celebrating autumn in Australia with the "Autumn Retreat" package for gourmet aficionados.

A member of The Leading Small Hotels of the World, the luxe resort is located within its own 4,000 acre conservation reserve nestled between two national parks. This secluded refuge features 40 individual suites surrounded by private decks, each with its own indoor/outdoor swimming pool. The resort's architecture is designed to be reminiscent of traditional rural Australian homesteads.

The Autumn Retreat package includes an on-site cooking demonstration by a Wolgan Valley chef featuring fresh autumnal produce from the resort's kitchen garden and local suppliers, showcasing uniquely Australian cuisine enhanced by a seasonal, regional and organic food philosophy.

Tags: Australia, cooking, Emirates, food, luxury resorts, suites, Wolgan Valley Resort Spa

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Ralph Lauren's Cars, Private Parrot Cay Villa & More in Bid to Save the Earth Auction - Part 2

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Mar 29th 2011 at 10:01AM

Parrot Cay Villa for auction in Bid to Save the Earth

Last week we reported on the host of international celebrities, creative icons, industry leaders and conservationists joining together with famed auction house Christie's to support the 2011 Green Auction, a momentous live event and companion online auction raising funds and awareness for the preservation and sustainability of the planet.

Christie's has partnered with luxury charity auction site charitybuzz.com to put more than 200 coveted auction packages online from now through April 7 to raise funds for Oceana, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Conservation International and the Central Park Conservancy. Supporters can make a Bid to Save the Earth at www.charitybuzz.com/BidtoSavetheEarth.

A companion invite-only event and live fantasy auction hosted by Seth Meyers will be held at Christie's New York on March 29 in partnership with Vogue's Runway to Green. The event will feature a fashion show sponsored by Tiffany & Co. on the night of the live auction, with designer collection selections available online through Net-A-Porter.com.

In part one of our report on the incredible experiences on offer, we focused on the big ticket items estimated at over $100,000 apiece, including a ride with Harrison Ford on his private plane. Now we're selecting some of our favorite lots across a range of expected prices (N.B.: Lagerfeld and Ducasse are being auctioned off live tonight):

Tags: Alain Ducasse, auctions, bid to save the earth, celebrity auctions, Chanel, charity, Charity Buzz, Christies, christies+bid+to+save+the+earth, christiesbidtosavetheearth, environment, Ferrari, Girard-Perregaux, green+auction, greenauction, Karl Lagerfeld, luxury travel, Paris, Parrot Cay, Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren car collection, Robert F. Kennedy, Turks and Caicos

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Baileys Coffee Creamers from HP Hood

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) — Mar 16th 2011 at 4:01PM

Those who enjoy putting a little "Irish" in their coffee have no shortage of liqueurs to choose from: Frengelico, Grand Marnier and Kalhua are long-time favorites, but arguably most popular is Baileys. For those looking, however, for Baileys flavor without the booze, American dairy company HP Hood offers a range of non-alcoholic Baileys Coffee Creamers.

Tags: baileys, Baileys Coffee Creamers, coffee, cream, creamer, hood, hp hood, milk

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Chocolatier Michel Cluizel Debuts Latest Creations in New York

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) — Mar 16th 2011 at 3:01PM

With two generations of haute French chocolate making in the house (founder Michel Cluizel and son/CEO Marc), Chocolat Michel Cluizel unveiled its latest confections in New York. An animated Marc Cluizel welcomed the rain-soaked group to the family's Fifth Avenue shop, the only other Chocolat Michel Cluizel retail location other than the Parisian original.

Tags: chocolate, france, michel cluizel, new york city, park avenue

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The Classicist: Thoroughbreds, Bourbon and Private Planes from Flexjet

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Mar 14th 2011 at 9:02AM

Private jet juggernaut Flexjet is offering an alluring incentive to new fractional owners via a promotion with Kentucky's Keeneland, one of the world's leading thoroughbred racing and auction facilities. The three-day Unbridled experience centers around the 2011 Breeders' Cup World Championships this fall. Known as the thoroughbred industry's most prestigious championship event, the Breeders' Cup attracts fierce competition for the richest prize-money event in the world with over $26 million in purses at stake. There's a lot more to the Unbridled experience, however, as you'd expect considering the cost for a 1/16th fraction (or 50 hours / year) on one of the company's Learjet 40XRs starts at $362,500.

Each owner and their guest will enjoy the Breeders' Cup races in the comfort of a finish-line owner's suite at the iconic Churchill Downs, one of the world's greatest racetracks and home of the Kentucky Derby, as well as an invitation to attend sun-up morning workouts. A one-on-one meeting with a renowned thoroughbred trainer and an insider's look at a famed horse farm are also in the offing. The Unbridled experience is available in limited quantities at no extra charge for Flexjet customers purchasing a new fractional share now through June 12, 2011; the all-inclusive experience takes place November 3 - 6.

Gallery: Flexjet Unbridled Experience

Tags: 21c Museum Hotel, Bombardier, bourbon, Breeders Cup, Buffalo Trace, Churchill Downs, distillery, equestrian, events, Flexjet, fractional ownership, horse breeding, horse farm, horse racing, horses, jets, Keeneland, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, lear+jet45, Learjet, learjet45, Louisville, luxury travel, Private jet, private plane, spirits, sports, stables, the South, thoroughbred, whiskey

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Free Macarons on Macaron Day in New York City

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) — Mar 9th 2011 at 10:31AM

Free macarons on Macaron Day in New York.

Dubbed the "new cupcake" its time to celebrate macarons during the second annual Macaron Day, which will be held on Sunday, March 20. Many of the finest bakers and chocolatiers, including François Payard and La Maison du Chocolat, will be celebrating the occasion by giving away free macarons to their customers. In 2010, François Payard organized the first Macaron Day in New York City. Macaron Day coincides annually with Jour du Macaron in Paris.

On Macaron Day, stop by any participating shop to receive free samples of macarons, the famed French treats. Confirmed participants for thus far include, François Payard's FC Chocolate Bar at The Plaza Hotel and François Payard Bakery, Almondine Bakery (two locations in Brooklyn), Bisousciao. Macarons, Bouchon Bakery, Butterfield Market, Cannelle Patisserie (Queens), Desserts by Michael Allen (Brooklyn), Cours la Reine (Brooklyn), Desserts by Michael Allen (Brooklyn), Dessert Truck Works, Georgia's Café & Bakery, La Maison du Chocolat (three locations in Manhattan), La Renaissance Pâtisserie Française (Scarsdale, NY), Mad-Mac, and Macaron Café (2 locations in Manhattan). Participating locations will provide one macaron per customer, with quantities limited by location.

Gallery: Macaron Day NYC

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Luxist Giveaway: Superba Coffee Prize Pack (Coffee, French Press, and Mug)

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) — Mar 9th 2011 at 10:02AM

Sipping a great cup of coffee in the morning is one of life's simplest pleasures, and one that Superba Coffee takes very seriously. Based out of Marina Del Ray in California their mission is perfection in every area, from sourcing to roasting to distributing.

Superba Coffee is roasted in small batches using eco-friendly technology and monitored every step of the way by master roasters, who personally sign and date-stamp every box before it ships out. They offer products for both general consumers and wholesalers in the form of fine restaurants, hotels, and cafes. I haven't had the pleasure personally but their coffee, available in Classic or Decaf, certainly sounds delish and received high marks in this independent review.

Now for the fun part: Superba Coffee is offering one of our readers a prize package that has everything you need for brewing and drinking a perfect cup of morning joe. One random winner will receive the following:

4 Boxes of Superba Classic Blend fresh roasted coffee (approximately a month's supply) roasted to a perfect medium roast profile
An 8-cup Bodum French Press for no-waste brewing of deep, full-flavored coffee
A branded Superba ceramic mug in your choice of either glossy black or white

To enter leave a comment on this post telling us what a great cup of coffee means to you, or what happens when you don't get one in the morning. Good luck!

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED!

* To enter, leave a confirmed comment below.
* The comment must be left and confirmed before March 16, 2011 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing to receive a Superba Coffee prize pack valued at $115.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, and the District of Columbia, who are 18 and older.

See complete giveaway rules here.

Tags: coffee, giveaway, luxist giveaway, superba

Las Vegas To Get A Nobu Hotel

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 8th 2011 at 2:01AM

Actor Robert De Niro, chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Tom Jenkin, President, Western Division of Caesar's Entertainment are posed above to celebrate the announcement that Caesars Palace Las Vegas will be creating the world's first Nobu Hotel at the Ceasar's Palace on the Las Vegas Strip. The Nobu Hotel will take over the existing Centurion Tower which will be renovated and redecorated and a 9,500-square-foot Nobu Restaurant and Lounge will open at the base of the tower. There is already an existing Nobu over at the Hard Rock Hotel. The hotel tower will have 180 guest rooms, 16 suites and a penthouse all of which will have an elegant minimalist Japanese makeover similar to the style of existing Nobu restaurants. No date has been given for the the opening of the hotel.

Tags: caesars palace, las vegas, las vegas strip, nobu, nobu matsuhisa, robert de niro, robert deniro

Is David Chang Headed To Toronto?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 4th 2011 at 10:01PM

Last fall we heard that Momofuku chef David Chang was headed to Australia. Now Black Book says the popular chef who commands a New York City empire that includes Momofuku Noodle Bar and Ma Peche may be heading north as well.

Rumor broke on Friday that David Chang has plans to open a restaurant in the Shangri-La hotel as part of the hotel's 2012 scheduled opening. There wasn't been a formal announcement but Chang himself made oblique reference to it on Twitter saying "hello southern ontario" and mentioning the tail end of 2012 sending foodies into a tailspin.

The Globe and Mail got confirmation from Momofuku headquarters that Momofuku is actually going to open two restaurants, a Canadian outpost of Noodle Bar and a new one called Momofuku Daisho. The restaurants will be in a building next to the Shangri-La Hotel and set to open next year. Residences at the Shangri-La Toronto are currently under construction and on sale for $800,000.

Tags: celebrity chef, celebrity chefs, david chang, momofuku, shangri-la toronto

Chazz Palminteri To Open A Restaurant in Baltimore

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 3rd 2011 at 3:01AM

Chazz Palminteri is famous for his New York style. Now the actor is bringing a taste of the Bronx to Baltimore for a new celebrity restaurant, a venture called Chazz: A Bronx Original.

The Baltimore Sun says that Palminteri's Charm City adventure began when he was in Baltimore's Little Italy in 2009 searching for some good Italian food while in town with his one-man show "A Bronx Tale." He discovered Aldo's, a popular local restaurant. He ordered the linguini with marinara sauce and liked it so much he came back the next 10 nights in a row.

Clearly impressed by the food, he made friends with the owners and found collaborators for a new restaurant. Chazz: A Bronx Original which is described as "a garlicky valentine to the Italian-American table" is set to open this spring in the Harbor East neighborhood. The 160-seat restaurant will have a coal-fired pizza oven and Palminteri says that he will be visiting the restaurant frequently to hang out with the locals. He told the Baltimore Sun he's been getting tips on life as a celebrity restaurateur from his longtime friend actor-turned-hotel-and-restaurant-owner Robert De Niro.

Gallery: Celebrity Restaurants

Tags: baltimore, celebrity restaurants, celebrity restaurateur, chazz palminteri, italian, italian food

Classic Cars, Fine Wine & Cool Design: The Duncan Quinn Appellation Rally

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Mar 2nd 2011 at 8:01AM

Dashing designer Duncan Quinn, known for his roguish take on Savile Row style, is hosting the ultimate gentleman's getaway on Saturday, March 26 for those who appreciate classic cars, fine wine and gourmet meals as much as razor-sharp threads. The Duncan Quinn Appellation Rally features a fleet of wicked wheels from Manhattan's Classic Car Club – including a 1968 Porsche 911, an AC Cobra, Austin Mini (think The Italian Job), Jaguar E-Type roadster, and Ferrari Dino (above) – leaving the city for an overnight jaunt to a 2,500 acre spread in upstate New York via scenic byways and state parks in one hell of a stylish convoy.

There guests will be treated to cocktails followed by an impressive meal from celebrated chef Neil Ferguson accompanied an amazing selection of vintage wines, retiring afterwards to rustic suites. Following breakfast on Sunday also by Ferguson there will be a spot of skeet shooting before another scenic drive back to town. "Tweeds are an option, but style is a must," Quinn tells us. There are only 14 spots on the list, and several have already been filled; the price is $2,000 for singles and $3,000 per couple including the cars and everything except gas and speeding tickets. Call the designer's New York store at 212 226-7030 to reserve.

Gallery: Duncan Quinn Appellation Rally March 2011

Tags: AC Cobra, chef, Classic Car Club, classic cars, cool+classic+cars, coolclassiccars, Duncan Quinn, events, Ferrari, Jaguar E-Type, luxury cars, mens style, neil+ferguson+chef, neilfergusonchef, New York, Porsche, rally, Savile Row, skeet shooting, sporting, vintage+car, vintagecar

Chef Daniel Boulud Closing His Vancouver Restaurants

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 28th 2011 at 8:01PM

Star chef Daniel Boulud is closing his doors in Vancouver. The French chef who has restaurants in New York City and opened a London outpost last year will be closing Vancouver's Lumière and db Bistro Moderne on March 13.

The Vancouver Sun reports that the restaurants were open a little more than two years and that Boulud was the "first international superstar chef" to open a restaurant in Canada. Some local critics speculated that the Boulud's fine dining was a bit too formal to connect with Vancouver's laid-back foodie scene. The restaurants, which took inspiration from Boulud's New York City triumphs were perhaps an inexact fit for the market. The staff from both restaurants will likely be easily reabsorbed into Vancouver's still-flourishing restaurant community.

He also had a restaurant at the Wynn resort in Las Vegas but that restaurant is now the Lakeside Grill. Boulud meanwhile, continues to thrive in New York City. Last year he won the James Beard Outstanding Restaurant Award for his multi-starred restaurant named simply, Daniel.

Tags: celebrity chefs, daniel boulud, restaurant daniel, vancouver

Watch The Royal Wedding In Style At The New York Palace

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 23rd 2011 at 11:02PM

The invitations for the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton have gone out. If your name was left off the list you can still celebrate. The New York Palace hotel is offering a Royal Wedding Sunrise Breakfast on Friday, April 29, 2011, the date of the wedding.

If you want to participate prepare to wake up early. The event, priced at $150 per person inclusive, begins at 5:30 am with coffee and tea service in The Drawing Room at The New York Palace. At 6 am, breakfast service will begin to correspond with the 11 am wedding start time in London, and will conclude at 8 am with a champagne toast. Guests will view the ceremony on flat-screen TVs while enjoying traditional English morning meal favorites, including scones with marmalade, scrambled eggs with Devonshire cream, and breakfast bangers.

Tags: prince william, royal wedding

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