San Francisco restaurant notables were asked to sum up the year of 2009 in one word, in the spirit of the year’s end. They all came up with some pretty interesting responses. Here they are:
Sarah Sung, UrbanDaddy: “Mobility”
Thomas Keller, The French Laundry: “Challenging”
Brock Keeling, SFist: “Fetishistic”
Ryan Farr, 4505 Meats: “Out with the old, in with the new” (umm….not one word, but okay)
James Oseland, Saveur: “Eh.”
Anna Weinberg, South: “Recessed”
Rajat Parr, RN74: “Brilliant”
Jessica Battilana, 7×7: “Listless”
Joe Hargrave, Tacolicious: “Lingering”
Christopher Kostow, Meadowood: “Cautious”
Nish Nadaraja, Yelp: “Mobile”
Brett Emerson, Contigo: “Locavore.” (because the movement towards buying locally raised foods keeps on building momentum. and it seemed to reach its tipping point this year)
Jan Newberry, San Francisco Magazine: “Streetfoodbaconbutcher” (Sure.)
Bruce Hill, Picco/Bix: “Scary” (we agree)
Lissa Doumani, Terra/Ame: “Vertigo”
Lucchesi: “Sandwiched”
Via: Eater SF
The magnificent Montage Beverly Hills is celebrating its one-year anniversary and providing its haute guests to join in on the fun by offering up a few specials that will ensure you enter into your New Year extremely happy.
As part of the Montage Hotels and Resorts, the Montage Beverly Hills is an amazing way to escape the business of everyday life and lose yourself in an opulent land of relaxing luxury. As part of the hotel’s one year anniversary celebrations, the Montage is offering guests who spend the New Year with them a special package that is hard to resist. Guests will receive continental breakfast for two in Park, the Conservatory Grill, or even their own room, in addition to a $100 spa credit towards services at the Spa Montage.
Guests who book a deluxe or grand deluxe guestroom or a corner suite or superior suite for two consecutive nights at the current rates will receive a third consecutive night free, in addition to a welcome drink. Currents rates range from $425 per night for a deluxe guestroom to $1,095 per night for a superior suite.
Centrally located in Beverly Hills, the Montage has 201 guest rooms of which 55 are guest suites. The hotel also features three spectacular restaurants, a 20,000-square-foot Spa Montage, private event facilities, and multiple high-end retail outlets.
Staying at the Montage won’t only be a luxuriously delightful experience for all of the above mentioned reasons, but it will also be environmentally friendly because in April 2009, Montage because “the first hotel in Southern California to be awarded LEEDs Gold certification for energy and environmental design.”
Click here for a beautiful glimpse inside the Montage Beverly Hills, captured by Haute Living photographer, Tatijana Shoan.
Ever since MTV Cribs moved to County Music Television (CMT), the world has been deprived of tours inside rapper’s Miami pads. Thank goodness for YouTube. Even though rapper Lil Wayne showed off his New Orleans crib for the show, we never got to see peak into Weezy’s $3.1 million dollar mansion in the Murano Grande, located in Miami Beach’s South of Fifth neighborhood. Here’s a tour from YouTube of the pad, perfect with high glass windows and doors, a grand piano, and rooftop terrace.
Via: Miami New Times
While many people associate Miami with South Beach and all of its spring break and beach appeal, there’s a new part of the Magic City that is quickly gaining momentum and creating a buzz equally as trendy as the beaches.
When people move to South Beach, they used to be perfectly content with remaining in the area unless they had to venture out to the airport for travel, but as the New Year approaches, so does Midtown Miami’s appeal.
Located just north along Biscayne Boulevard, the Midtown in Wynwood neighborhood is in close proximity to the trendy Design District and is luring in artists and young professionals who want a break from the glitz and glamour of South Beach. The new residential and retail development of Midtown is a $2.3 billion development that features 1000 residential units, including luxurious lofts and penthouses which are up for rent or sale. Along the streets, stores and restaurants are popping in great numbers and the development currently has approximately 650,000 square feet of retail space.
Centrally located in the area is Miami Art Park, a 2.5 acre park that is the size of a football field and launched a nine garden exhibit in early December. “It’s the next big things,” says Skip Van Cel, a local artist who moved to the Wynwood and Design District area in the 1990s when South Beach was just a budding locale.
The allure of convenience in Midtown is a huge selling factor. It is located just five minutes from downtown Miami, seven minutes from South Beach, and 10 minutes from the Miami International Airport. Considering the fact that Miami ranks among the top five most congested cities in the country, moving around quickly in Midtown is a huge plus. Van Cel adds, “It’s the strongest draw for anybody in traffic soaked Miami.”
With rents on par or even less than the prices on the beach, Midtown’s properties are all brand new and most come with parking. Occupancy in Midtown is finally up, with some buildings approximately 98 percent full.
The only problem? People took a while to figure out exactly where this new development was. A Midtown agent notes, “What was happening is that we didn’t show up on MapQuest. People didn’t realize we were open. That certainly doesn’t seem to be a problem anymore as Midtown takes hold of its new appeal and runs with it.
2,266 square foot home situated on the rocks above the sea. Amazing views from every window. Large stone wood burning fireplace in spacious living room. Gated with fully enclosed yard. Watch whales and ships pass by with Point Sur lighthouse flashing in the distance.
Offered @ $5,995,000
Contact Noel Beutel@ 831.620.3724 or noel.beutel@sothebyshomes.com. Or visit www.sothebyshomes.com/norcal.
Mark Wahlberg seems to be pretty angry with his neighbors, David and Victoria Beckham. The reason? Wahlberg isn’t thrilled of the paparazzi’s growing presence since the Beckhams moved in three years ago. “Man, the Beckhams. It used to be so quiet on my road. Then David moves in with his family. Suddenly we’ve got paparazzi hanging out day and night. Now they’ll follow any car that drives down the road,” he told the Daily Mail. “I’m not telling Beckham to take his family home. I’m just not sure why he came to America in the first place. Man, we don’t want your soccer. There’s no way Americans are going to buy the idea of 90 minutes of running around without much happening. Thanks for trying guys, but we’ll stick to baseball and basketball.” Oof!
Via: Curbed LA
Short on time? If your forehead indicates an escalating NYC cabin fever, escape the raging club music and frantic ball dropping frenzy and relish in the luxurious, rejuvenating, and restoring qualities of these forest-nestled abodes. Though timed by car, locations are easily accessible via plane, train, and bus.
Mohonk Mountain House
90 minutes from Manhattan, close and cozy
Settle in for New Years Eve grandeur at this 2,200-acre mountaintop resort. Mohonk Mountain House, family owned since 1869, is a 265-room Victorian Castle offering 19th century charm with all the luxuries of 21st century amenities. Built on the deep-blue waters of Lake Mohonk, the mountain house offers an array of opulent activities. Restore at the 30,000 square foot Spa Wing, relax at yoga sessions, and invigorate with laps in the indoor heated pool. Ice-skating at the Victorian Pavilion, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing are also available. If homeward bound isn’t enticing, extend your stay for the “New Year, New You” spa getaway package.
Mohonk Mountain House, 1000 Mountain Rest Road, New Paltz, NY 12561, 845.255.1000, www.mohonk.com
Winvian
120 minutes around the river and through the bend to 18 cottages we go….
A multitude of architectural marvels lie among a 113-acre haven in Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills. Fifteen architects created eighteen distinct cottages and one suite (located in the historic Seth Birth House) that comprise the Winvian compound. From the Helicopter Cottage with a 1968 fully restored Sikorsky HH37 Sea King Pelican helicopter to the Beaver Lodge, a King Arthur Suite based on a Mark Twain’s novel and a 35-foot high Treehouse Cottage with a king size bed, whirlpool tub, and fireplace, it is an experience which will ring in the new year with comfort, ingenuity, and calm. A bottle of champagne is presented upon your arrival on the grounds. After settling in, enjoy an epicure’s delight with dishes by Chef Chris Eddy, dancing through the night, followed by a New Year’s Day Brunch and late check-out. Don’t worry, Fido is welcome at the dog friendly cottages.
Winvian, 155 Alain White Road Morris, Connecticut, 06763, 860.567.9600, www.winvian.com
Emerson Resort & Spa
120 minutes due north of Manhattan, inspiration fit for the Hudson River School
If an adult-only luxury suite with breathtaking mountain and stream views, a warm fireside ambiance, and a lush canopy bed fancy your New Years Eve delight, this is an all in one package for you. The Inn at Emerson Resort and Spa, nestled among the tall pines and shading maples of the Hudson Valley, offers 26 Eastern-inspired jewel-toned suites. Enjoy a 5-course dinner, midnight champagne toast, and perhaps even a late night bubble bath in the air jetted tub with a few bottles from the fully stocked 24 bottle in-room wine selection. Embrace the first day of 2010 with a refreshing hike in the Catskills followed by a visit to the sauna and steam rooms. The Spa at Emerson offers a menu of holistic wellness, from Hot Herbal Linen Wraps to Maple Body Butter Wrap. Don’t head home without declaring New Year’s resolutions over the world’s largest kaleidoscope.
Emerson Resort & Spa, 5340 Route 28, Mount Tremper, NY 12457, 877.688.2828, www.emersonplace.com
NYLO Hotel
3 hours east along the coast
Unique and charming, this abode offers a breath of fresh air in an urban loft-style suite. Ring in the New Year with crisp white sheets, bare brick walls, lofty ceilings and a view of the Pawtuxet River through floor-to-ceiling windows. NYLO was designed by New York-based architect Stephane Dupoux. With Pure allergy-free accommodations, energy efficient walls, and a Natura water system, you can awake refreshed and focused for 2010. Begin the first day of the year at his/her sauna and 24-hour fitness facility with iPod ready work-out machines. Central location between Providence and Newport.
NYLO Hotel, 400 Knight Street, Warwick, Rhode Island, 02886, 866.391.NYLO, www.nylohotels.com
Mandarin Oriental Boston
3.5 hours, along a scenic route
Two fresh flutes of bubbly await you and your companion’s arrival at Boylston Street. Blending the simple beauties of Oriental style with Bostonian elegance, Mandarin Oriental Boston offers exceptional service, refinement, and cosmopolitan offerings without the NYC hustle and bustle. Arrive in the afternoon and browse Boston’s First Night festivities of art, culture, and even a Mardi Gras-style Grand Procession. Dine from The New Year’s Eve Tasting Menu at Asana. Choose from fine epicurean delights, including Maine lobster, seared duck foie gras, Kobe beef, a chocolate and espresso tower with eggnog espuma or candied chestnut, and pecan chocolate tart with blood orange sorbet. Enjoy a healthy start to the New Year with invigorating body scrubs, aromatherapy facials, and yogalates or a personal training session.
Mandarin Oriental Boston, 776 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199, 617.535.8888, www.mandarinoriental.com
Recently, we have been showing you the haute different ski gear you can get as the snowy slopes continue to remain cold well into the new year. The sport has definitely received a luxe boost this season from the fashion worlds, including thanks to projects by Chanel, Bentley, Paul Smith, and other high-end sporting good firms.
Bentley has recently partnered with Swiss firm Zai on a “Supersports” set including handmade skis, poles and a ski bag, limited to 250 pairs. The skis are fashioned from a special carbon fiber material called “Zaiìra” with a natural rubber core, and chromium-steel-infused carbon fiber for the flexible components backed up by Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites.
The Zai Supersports poles use the ExoGrid technology usually used for golf clubs. Each pair is priced at $9,800, which would make you one of the chic-est skiers on the snow.
Smith has also joined forces with Austrian experts Edelwiser, on a pair of skis decorated in his signature multicolored stripes (shown above). Every pair of Edelwiser skis is handmade and built with state of the art materials like wood cores, laminated sidewalls and graphite bases for optimized flex and torsion characteristics. Dubbed the Paul Smith Swing 162, they are worth $1,300 a pair.
Love it or hate it, caviar is a gourmet delicacy that many have enjoyed over many years. One of the truest forms is Caspian Sea caviar.
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, bounded by northern Iran, southern Russia, western Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and eastern Azerbaijan. Since the Caspian Sea contains the main source of Sturgeons (the fish that its eggs are known as caviar), it is the most desired form. There are, of course, the caviar of eggplants and other things, but that’s not what people want to be eating this coming New Year’s Eve. Aficionados want the real deal.
Many can remember the first ban on Beluga caviar in September 2005, which made it illegal to import the delicacy to the United States until it was lifted by the United Nations in 2007. Since the removal of the ban, desired wild Caspian Sea caviar has been available, but with prices so outrageous, that both the availability and quality are scarce.
Unfortunately, it may not even be possible to buy anything other than farm raised caviar for New Year’s Eve, according to David Rosengarten, a food and wine writer, cook book author and former host of an award wining Food Network television show. He reports that not even Petrossian will not be selling anything but farm-raised caviar, because they have sold out of any of their high grade wild caviar, therefore no longer having any from the Caspian Sea.
When Petrossian was asked, assurances were made that there will be more available, but we can assure you it won’t be cheap. Petrossian is committed to retaining wild caviar for their VIP customers.
Via: Luxist
When the news was confirmed that Karl Rove and his second wife, Darby Tara Hickson, had finalized their divorce, Vanity Fair went back in time to see if any of their achieves had potential hints that this day may have been on its way.
While some of us may not have even heard the news, what with everything else going on in the world, when Karl Rove and Darby Tara Hickson called it quits, some were curious as to whether Rove hinted at any marital troubles during profiles and interviews conducted in the past.
In Vanity Fair’s Todd S. Purdum’s 2006 profile, “Karl Rove’s Split Personality,” the word “marriage” appears twice, but in both cases it is preceded by the word “gay,” at which time he was clearly voicing his personal political views and not discussing his own marriage. The word “wife,” however, also appears twice, but according to Vanity Fair, these occurrences may have more significance. The article reads, “Rove’s house is done in soft silks and elegant colors, seafoam and other pale-green shades. The long, harlequin-tiled kitchen opens onto a leafy backyard. This is presumably a testament to the good taste of Rove’s wife, Darby, a graphic designer who once worked for his direct-mail firm,” and later in the article it says, “If Rove has ever displayed weakness to an enemy—or to a friend—the occasion went unrecorded. Even his wife one told a reporter that he knocked her croquet ball so hard on vacation it made her cry.” Perhaps not news-shattering, but as many know, choosing your words carefully during an interview is crucial to try and avoid misinterpretations.
In February 2008, Rove answered the Proust Questionnaire and the word “wife” appears in a more poignant context, according to Vanity Fair. When asked, “What or who is the greatest love of your life?” Rove answered, “The who are my wife and son. The what is America.” The Rove’s have one son, Andrew Madison Rove, who is now 20 years old.
20 comment(s) 
8 comment(s) 
4 comment(s)
Miami
Dec/Jan 2012
