Serendipity

Boca Raton Resort & Club Unveils $220 Million Revamp

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

The Boca Raton Resort & Club (above), designed by legendary architect Addison Mizner in 1926, has just unveiled a stunning $220 million dollar refurbishment. Upgrades include a revamp of the hotel's Palm Court and lobby by famed interior designer Thierry Despont, who has created a "return to casual life in an elegant environment drawing on Mizner's DNA"; the re-opening of the 212-room Beach Club designed by Fiona Thompson of Richmond International; the new Boca Bungalows, designed by Alexandra Champalimaud; the opening of Serendipity, known for its famous frozen hot chocolate, the first of its kind located outside of NYC; and the first Southeast outpost of Morimoto, from Masaharu Morimoto of Iron Chef fame, also designed by Thierry Despont.

The BRR&C's amenities include a half-mile stretch of private beach, the acclaimed Spa Palazzo, two 18-hole championship golf courses, 30 tennis courts and a full-service marina. The property, which is set to join the Waldorf=Astoria Collection in 2009, "embodies the modernity, elegance, and the sophistication of one of the most historically significant resorts in the United States, and is poised to redefine that guest experience for the 21st century." See the gallery for images.

Gallery: Boca Raton Resort & Club

Tags: Addison Mizner, AddisonMizner, Beach, Boca Raton, Boca Raton Resort Club, BocaRaton, BocaRatonResortClub, Florida, Morimoto, Serendipity, Thierry Despont, ThierryDespont

Grand Opulance Sundae at Serendipity in NYC

by Sandy Maple (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

At Serendipity in New York City, you can rub shoulders with celebrities while enjoying gourmet burgers, chicken and fish. If you still have room for dessert, try the Grand Opulence Sundae. At $1,000, it is considered the most expensive ice cream treat in the world.

How to make this extravagant dessert? Start with 5 scoops of premium vanilla ice cream made from Tahitian Vanilla beans and Madagascar Vanilla and cover them in 23k edible gold leaf. Drizzle the whole affair with the world's most expensive chocolate, Amedei Porceleana and chunks of rare Chuao Chocolate. Then suffuse the sundae with Parisian candied fruit, gold dragets, truffles and Marzipan Cherries. Place a tiny bowl of Grand Passion Caviar on top and serve in a baccarat Harcourt crystal goblet with an 18k gold spoon. For the finishing touch, add a gilded sugar flower by Ron Ben-Israel. There you have it. If you want it, Serendipity requests 48 hours notice to prepare one just for you.

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Tags: chuao chocolate, ChuaoChocolate, dessert, dining, grand passion caviar, GrandPassionCaviar, ice cream, ice cream sundae, IceCream, IceCreamSundae, new york dining, NewYorkDining, ron ben-israel, RonBen-israel, serendipity, world's most expensive ice cream, World'sMostExpensiveIceCream