Todd Traina, Katie Traina, Michael Kelter

Downtown, an edgy boutique owned by Michael Kelter, celebrated its grand opening on Tuesday, Sept. 21 in exquisite style. Seventy fashionable guests, including Selma Blair, Todd and Katie Traina, Denise Hale and Cameron Silver enjoyed an evening of dinner, drinks and fashion at the posh Maiden Lane location. Upbeat music and flowing Champagne provided guests with an ambiance similar to the style of the store, gritty yet impossibly chic. Kelter has combined this style with the launch of his new store, which houses designers from Balmain to Haider Ackermann along with many other designers from Japan, Germany, Italy and France. The store also features a jewelry collection that Michael Kelter created in collaboration with local talent Geoffrey Young. Guests attended the soirée donning styles from the Downtown boutique.

Kelter’s success of his menswear boutique, The Archive, prompted him to take a chance on a womenswear store providing the ultimate experience. Downtown brings a unique edge to the Bay area for its trendy clients. Kelter has created a  shopping haven that allows for customers to enjoy cocktails and snacks while relaxing in French club chairs or browsing highly coveted designs from around the world. In-house iPads are also available to keep tagalongs busy while patiently waiting. Downtown was created as not only a place to shop, but a place to hang out and enjoy.

To view more photos from Downtown’s Dinner, visit Haute Living’s Event Gallery.

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Brewskis are no longer for the obnoxious jock set. Microbreweries and gastropubs have brought a little sophistication (and better taste) than you may remember from your last kegger. Let Haute Living guide you through the top five best beer selections in Los Angeles.

Throughout the month of October, The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale will be providing guests with the opportunity enjoy special spa treatments, libations and fitness classes while at the same time supporting National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Phoenix affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Agave, The Arizona Spa at The Westin Kierland, will be donating 10 percent of the profits of every regular-priced Pink Facial, Wellness Massage or CalmQuest Meditation with the Vaughn Center that’s purchased to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, making these treatments during the month of October extra “effective.”

The Pink Facial is a 50-minute, customed treatment which utilizes a repairing, refining or firming serum, depending on your particular needs, while the Wellness Massage is geared toward the support and nourishment of the entire self, including your mind, body and spirit. And for those who have been particularly stressed lately, an even more thorough option could be the two-hour CalmQuest Meditation with the Vaughn Center, a course that will introduce you to the traditional mantra meditation technique to gain clarity and a deeper level of calmness.

But that’s not all you should enjoy at the spa in October. There are also the golf-based FORE-MAX fitness training sessions offered by Agave Spa to kick-start your fitness routine and get you into healthier shape. Women can purchase a Power in Pink package for $295 (regularly $400), which includes eight training sessions designed to build muscle strength, improve coordination, balance and flexibility, and more. Sessions are each 90 minutes long and occur Monday through Saturday, and 10 percent of the profits from Power in Pink package sales will benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

And if you stop in to one of the Westin Kierland’s renowned lounges or restaurants during your time at the resort, be sure to order a Rob Mondavi Jr. California chardonnay by ONEHOPE Wine, which the Westin Kierland will be serving throughout October and November. ONEHOPE Wine will be donating 50 percent of its profits from that particular bottle to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, an organization focused on prevention, early detection, education and treatment.

Helping ONEHOPE Wine reach its goal of a $100,000 donation for the month of October could be as easy as enjoying a fantastic dinner at Westin Kierland’s posh Latin-influenced deseo restaurant. Who knew?

To make a reservation at Agave, The Arizona Spa, or one of the resort restaurants, visit kierlandresort.com or call 480.624.1202.

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Choosing from the standard menu is boring. We sophisticated diners want special options, priority seating and custom pairings. Chef John Brandt-Lee of West Chester’s Avalon Restaurant wants his patrons to get the star treatment, and so has launched a new, non-traditional chef’s table that will surprise and satisfy.

Guests to the new program will dine at a rustic butcher block table placed alongside the chef’s open kitchen, where they will be encouraged to watch, chat and learn from Brandt-Lee. In fact, its that casual conversation between the chef and your party that creates the memorable meal. After discussing your likes and dislikes, as well as what wines you have on hand (Avalon is a BYOB), Brandt-Lee will come up with a custom, family-style meal just for you. No repeats from the menu, no trying to use up overstocked ingredients from the pantry. This is personalized dining.

Start with some special selections from restaurant’s centerpiece, its marble-topped artisanal cheese and charcuterie table. Then dine on feather-light pastas, expertly cooked fish or rich, braised meats. Demand a carb-lovers dream of pasta variations, or challenge Brandt-Lee to play Iron Chef and incorporate eggplant into every dish. The decisions and delicious rewards are all yours.

In addition to being perfectly you, you can guarantee the food will be fresh and local. Avalon sources ingredients when possible from area farms and suppliers, including Pete’s Produce, Bluemoon Acres and Shellbark Hollow.

This special Italian feast is $300 for up to six people. The new option is proving to be very popular, so call ahead for reservations.

Avalon Restaurant is located at 312 South High St., West Chester, 610.436.4100, www.avalonrestaurant.net

Scottie Pippen's wife, Larsa, is rumored to be on the new Bravo series, The Real Housewives of Miami. photo credit: zimbio.com

Who doesn’t adore America’s sweetheart Bethenny Frankel of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New York City or religiously follow (openly or not) the drama, drama, drama of The Real Housewives of New Jersey… and of Orange Country… and Atlanta… and D.C.? So when a production source leaked to E! News that the Miami version of Housewives is not just happening—it’s actually in the can—we can only say, “Finally! It’s about time.” After all, Miami has all the trimmings to make another successful series about housewives: lavish lifestyles, marital woes, rivalries, social affairs, beauty, money, potential backstabbing, comedy, tragedy—you know, drama.

So who’s rumored to be on the show? The elusive insider says Scottie Pippin’s wife, Larsa, and former Lakers/Heat player Glen Rice’s ex-wife, Christy, will both be playing their (rich) housewives roles. Other names on the cast list may include socialite Adriana Sidi, Venue Magazine editor Alexia Echeverria, The Patton Group owner Marysol Patton, South Beach’s drag diva Elaine Lancaster, and charity planner Lea Black, the wife of criminal defense attorney Roy Black.

The source also says the show will be a “tamer, sexier” show. Huh? Isn’t that kind of an oxy moron? We here at Haute Living certainly think The Real Housewives of Miami is going to turn up the heat on the Bravo television programs. We hope this show lasts longer than Miami Social did. Whatever happened to those guys?

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For centuries beer and London have gone hand-in-hand. Some of our oldest pubs are said to date back to the fourteenth century which was also around about the same time that the Brewers Company of London released a statement that an, “ale shall be made—but only [with] liquor (water), malt, and yeast.” To put it simply: London knows its beers.

If you’re looking for a good pint you won’t have to look far but if you’re looking for a great pub with an outstanding selection of beers, ales, and regional brews, the best thing you can do is follow the locals. Marie Teather does just that.

We can’t wait to check out the soon-to-be-opened boutique Vetted | Atlanta. Housed in the Buckhead bungalow that was previously the (short-lived) Lexi + Jane, we think this boutique is just the thing we need on Atlanta’s fashion scene.   In fact, we have not been this excited for a boutique to open in a long time.

Slated for an early October opening, Vetted Atlanta will be headed up by Atlanta fashion expert (and previous Saks Fifth Avenue fashion expert) April Wilkins. Wilkins is a true fashion authority on Atlanta and Southern fashion scene. Many of us know her for the fabulous events she orchestrated during her years as the marketing, public relations and events specialist at Saks Fifth Avenue in Atlanta. She brings with her the fashion and shopping expertise and knack for the Atlanta shopper from her years of success at Phipps Plaza’s Saks Fifth Avenue. While we were all sad to see her leave Saks, we will all surely follow her to Vetted Atlanta. Her sense of style and ability to cater to all kind of clientele alone is enough to ensure a successful and long-living boutique.

Vetted  Atlanta will offer luxury women’s apparel featuring unique lines sourced from European and domestic markets, mixed with fashion forward yet approachable lines like Geren Ford, Myne, Thread Social and Tt to name a few.  Accessories will include exotic cuffs from R & Y Augousti, Basile & Pape Agate rings, and under-the-radar pieces sourced by accessory showroom, ICU in Paris. The boutique will also feature a variety of unique home furnishings.

After a complete interior and exterior overhaul, they are finally just days shy of the opening. In fact, they will be hosting a soft opening on Friday for a select few.  But if you weren’t invited to this, don’t fret, because the official grand opening will come in the spring.  And with all the ingredients needed to open a successful fashion boutique in Atlanta, we will have many years of Vetted Atlanta to enjoy.  We can promise there will be more details to come about this Atlanta fashion oasis as soon as it is up and running. So….stay tuned.

Vetted | Atlanta is located at 516 East Paces Ferry Rd. 404.228.4279

While not as refined as wine, or even champagne for that matter, an ice cold beer at just the right time can be the cure for what ails you. Whether housed inside a mug, a bottle or a can, the American craving for beer is age-old. Atlanta is well-prepared for lager aficionados as there are many prime spots to have a brewski (or a few) where local, domestic and imported mildly scratch the surface of the many ways to properly savor your favorite brew. Here are the top places in Atlanta where beer is the main attraction. Cheers!

The Vortex Bar & Grill

With two locations in Midtown and Little Five Points respectively, it’s not hard to see why The Vortex is one of the best places to have a cold one. The Midtown location makes our list because it has a slightly better bar and the selections are vast. Once voted “Best Overall Liquor Selection in Atlanta,” their comprehensive beer list includes hundreds of brews from all around the world. Some menu standouts include the Laughing Skull amber ale, which is the house beer, Sweetwater blueberry wheat, Victory Gold monkey blonde ale, Xingu black beer and Red Brick porter. The spirits menu is also pretty good, so you are bound to find something to quench your thirst. Take time to enjoy the highly entertaining bartenders that are always amusing and good for a laugh.

The Vortex Bar & Grill is located at 878 Peachtree St. 404-875-1667

5 Seasons Brewing Company

Owners Dennis Lange and David Larkworthy opened the first 5 Seasons in Sandy Springs in 2001 and the success was so great that locations in Alpharetta (2007) and West Atlanta (2009) ultimately followed. They wanted to fill the void of world-class beer offered in Atlanta and they delivered. The theory behind this hot spot is a simple one, “real food paired with real beer,” and their approach to beer is quite fascinating. With all beers brewed in-house and hand-crafted beers by request, you can guarantee some of the best you’ve ever had. Each location has a distinct on-tap menu and the Sandy Springs location reigns supreme. Munich helles, Kilt Lifter scotch ale, Kartoon Brune, Two Pence porter and Hopgasm are currently what’s pouring at the Sandy Springs bar in The Prado plaza. The food here is definitely not an afterthought; all dishes are expertly paired with beer to bring out the flavors in both. Do yourself a favor and order something from the menu.

5 Seasons Brewing Company is located at 5600 Roswell Rd. 404.255.5911

The Porter Beer Bar

Let’s start by stating that The Porter arguably has the most extensive beer list in Atlanta. Yeah, it’s not as flashy as some of its’ competition, but if it’s beer you want there is no better place. This cool spot tucked inside the Little Five Points neighborhood is fun, intimate and hip. The Porter hosts several events during the year and even has special beer classes ($20 gets you six tasty beers) that are given to provide first-hand knowledge of the origins of your choice brew. It is a true “beer bar” with so many offerings you will have a hard time choosing your favorite. Here is just a teaser of all the different beer offered: Oud Beersel Framboise, Dogfish Head chateau jiahu, JW Lees Moonraker, Fischer Biere Blonde, Hitachino Nest white ale and Moa original. Be prepared to have a designated driver because you will certainly need one after sampling selections from this brewski haven.

The Porter Beer Bar is located at 1156 Euclid Ave. 404.223.0393

Sweetwater Brewing Company

Sweetwater is the most unique entry on the list because it is a genuine brewery where tours are given. Every Wednesday through Saturday you have a chance to tour the authentic brewing house and see all the work that goes into getting an ice cold one to your table. Each tour is free, but if you want to sample the beer (of course you do) then you must purchase beer tickets which also include a souvenir glass for your memories. Sweetwater also has several fun events, both holiday-themed and charitable, so it’s a great opportunity to visit throughout the year. The IPA (India Pale Ale) is the most popular selection and it sells out fast. Other notables include: Blue, Sch’Wheat, Happy Ending, Motor Boat, Road Trip and Georgia Brown. You couldn’t make these names up if you tried, which adds to the fun and whimsy of a trip here.

The Sweetwater Brewing Company is located at 195 Ottley Dr. 404.691.2537

Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant

The premium beer brand has several restaurants around the country that showcase their awesome beer menu. The Midtown Atlanta location boasts two-stories, a banquet room, billiards area and an outdoor patio with breathtaking views of the city skyline. This is definitely the most upscale spot on the list and the decadence is welcomed, right along with cathedral-like ceilings. Recently a “Diner’s Choice” honoree, Gordon Biersch features their beer as well as brands from all over. Hefeweizen, Czech Pilsner, Schwarzbier and the signature Golden Export are menu highlights. The food is an asset and adds to the overall experience. This place definitely requires repeat visits.

Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant is located at 848 Peachtree St. NE 404.870.0805

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Bottoms up at these haute 5 hot-spots with the best beer lists in New York City.

Homer Simpson once said, “Homer no function beer well without.” We have to agree. With football season under way, nothing goes better with pigskin action than beer, whether a lager, ale, stout, pilsner or bock. Here’s a look at the top five beer lists in Las Vegas. In the words of Homer, “Bart, a woman is like beer. They look good, they smell good and you’d step over your own mother just to get one!” Indeed.