On Tuesday, Jan. 25, Miami-based designer David Jon Acosta presented Gold Saturn’s Spring 2011 collection, the Road Trip, at the Delano Hotel in South Beach. Prior to presentation, Gold Saturn hosted an invite-only style lounge for Miami’s industry elite. The event allowed Miami movers and shakers to exclusively preview the new collection. Loungers mixed and mingled as they sipped cocktails, champagne, and drinks sponsored by Corzo tequila. VIPs also received complimentary styling alongside the Gold Saturn models. Guests included Kelly Talamas, Nikki Novo, Annie Vazquez, Jeanette Roger, Valerie Mattos, Ashley Lloret, Veronica Prieto, Safiya Sewell, and models Brit Thunem and Monica Leon. Tai Entertainment’s nightlife kings, Tommy Pooch and Alan Roth hosted the Tuesday night soiree. Diners that evening enjoyed a special prix fix menu at the newly opened and acclaimed, Blue Door Fish restaurant. There was also a special musical performance by Venezuelan beauty, Bea Pernia.
Once solely a symbol of the Eastern world, turbans have emerged a solid fashion trend, appearing on the runways of New York City and on the starlets of Hollywood. Designers Jason Wu, Charlotte Ronson, and Erin Wasson all recently sent turbans down their runways. Yet years before the fashion elite donned the do’, Gold Saturn presented turbans as their signature look. Founded in 2008, David Jon Acosta’s free spirited brand began growing right here in Miami. His designs have been worn by Kourtney Kardashian, featured by stylist to the stars, Rachel Zoe, and graced the pages of fashion magazines everywhere. The Road Trip Spring 2011 collection uses superior Pima fabric and features soft laces, edgy studs, and colorful combinations.
Like Haute Living South Florida? Join our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter @HauteLivingFL. Want Haute Living South Florida delivered to your inbox once a week? Sign up for our newsletter.
A new and widely-anticipated art gallery run by regional contemporary art veterans former head of sales of Christie’s Middle East William Lawrie and previous managing director at Art Dubai Asma Al Shabibi Gallery is set to open in Al Quoz’s Al Serkal Avenue on March 13th. Lawrie Shabibi Gallery will focus on works by emerging contemporary artists from the Arab world, Iran, North Africa, South Asia, and Turkey. The art gallery will also provide consulting services for discerning collectors with tastes for Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art.
The gallery’s inaugural exhibition on March 13th will feature a solo show of the work of renowned Lebanese artist Nabil Nahas. It will be the first solo show for Nahas at a gallery in the Middle East. The solo show follows the artist’s successful retrospective at the Beirut Exhibition Center this past June 2010.
A unique new addition to Dubai’s art scene led by regional art gurus, we’re in great anticipation for the opening of Lawrie Shabibi art Gallery.
www.lawrieshabibi.com
050 467 0272
The deciding factors on what makes an amazing beach is incredibly subjective, but when it comes to beaches that really offer something in the winter, the list tends to get a little easier to navigate. Even though by the rest of the country’s standards, we’re in warm weather, to us, it’s really feeling chilly out! For anyone who has lived in San Diego, though, we know that some of the best times of the year to hit the beach is in the cooler months.
Blacks Beach is incredible in the winter for one reason, and that’s the surf. Surfers flock from all over to suit up and ride our waves out at Blacks because the tide is perfect, the view in breathtaking, and the reputation is huge. Blacks beach is one mile of surfer’s paradise at anytime, but in the winter it’s definitely a spot to hit with your board. Little side note, clothing is optional here, but we’re thinking it’s a bit cold out for those antics, which is why a winter trip is a good idea for anyone. Just grab your board and focus on the waves!
A great activity, on a winter’s day at the beach, is to bring your dog to a place where everyday they are allowed to roam free while you enjoy a book or toss them a Frisbee. This is somewhat of a “who’s who” amongst upscale dogs, as these frequenters are not your average pound puppies. This is a spot that many locals might not even know about, and it’s worth the drive up to the lush and plush Del Mar to have your dog see and be seen.
Coronado is an awesome place to visit, period, but it’s really a fun place to go when it’s too cold to swim. With The Hotel Del sweeping the entire beach, the boardwalk-style streets with a plethora of shops, and people always out-and-about, Coronado Island is a great way to spend a weekend. Hit up the outdoor bar at the Hotel Del, walk in the cool sand, and sit by the fire pits when the sun goes down. There is never a bad time to visit Coronado Beach!
This is one of the rare beaches where the water doesn’t have to be the main event! With Belmont Park hosting roller coasters, including the famous Giant Dipper, a carousel, and the largest outdoor heated pool, The Plunge, you can pretty much ignore the freezing water and just enjoy the activities!
Like Haute Living San Diego? Join our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter @HauteLivingSD. Want Haute Living San Diego delivered to your inbox once a week? Sign up for our newsletter.
Rostam (2009) by Mohsen Ahmadvand
XVA Gallery inaugurated its new DIFC location this past Tuesday with a special exhibition “Between the Lines” featuring a group show of work by Middle Eastern, Pakistani, and Western artists.
Straight On (2010) by Morteza Zahedi
Dubai’s art community filled the new 2,500 square foot art gallery while feasting their eyes on work by Simeen Farhat, Mahmoud Hamadani, Morteza Zahedi, Mohsen Ahmadvand, and Al Braithwaite. Through often witty and playful creations, the artists comment on the state of contemporary existence especially in the Middle East.
Born in Karachi, Pakistan, Simeen Farhat’s sculptures and installations include a text from revolutionary poems taken from famous farsi and urdu poets such as Rumi, Saadi, Ghalib and Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Her works take on a new found visual energy through the collaboration between the power of the written word and sculptural form.
The physical force of Farhat’s sculptures are juxtaposed with the simple minimalist haikus of Mahmoud Hamadani which seemingly revert into Mondrian-inspired architectural grids.
Iranian Morteza Zahedi’s playful sculptural work revert to his work as a children’s illustrator. He pairs toys with other miniature forms in often witty and ironic ensembles.
Similarly amusing caricature drawings of Moshen Ahmadvand’s often present figures and incidents from his native Iran in playful and humorous reinterpretations.
The only European artist in the show, Al Braithwaite’s artwork captures current perceptions of contemporary culture in the East and the West with works such as “Museum No. 1: Hizbollah’s Caviar” which is a hand-crafted limited edition book with a clamshell box.
Full of commentary on often difficult contemporary subject matter, the artists in this inaugural exhibition render difficult subject matter in often humorous and at times sarcastic visual images. The works’ seemingly innocent and playful nature make such normally challenging topics a bit more accessible– and lighthearted to all.
XVA Gallery, DIFC
Gate Village, Building # 7
056 103 2766
TOH PR was responsible for the organization of XVA Gallery’s inauguration
Valentine’s Day is rapidly approaching and, chances are, we all need a sweets fix. New York City has far more to offer than fashion, theater and fine dining… we also have some of the best candy stores and chocolatiers in the world. So indulge a little bit and check out our top 5 sweets shops in the City.
It’s practically summer in LA right now. Today, the Americana in Glendale was filled with leisurely shoppers strolling the cobblestoned lanes sipping on iced teas and smoothies. So what’s a gal to do on a lovely sunny January day in Los Angeles? Enjoy the weather, of course! To help with the cause, here are a few suggestions of what to do this weekend.
First up, shopping at Americana, as mentioned. Visit Crew Cuts for pint sized preppy goods for your little ones. Pick up a few bedazzled tees for your princess-in-training, or a fresh straw hat for the petite prince in your life.
After you’ve browsed through enough racks to deserve a nice sit-down and nosh, drive across town to LACMA for a cheese plate at Pentimento washed down with a flute of champagne. This will set you in the mood to watch two back-to-back film features. Here is the film series for the weekend:
Friday, January 28th
La Femme Infidèle, showing at 7:30 p.m.
The Bridesmaid, showing at 9:20 p.m.
Saturday January 29th
Le Beau Serge, showing at 5 p.m.
La Cérémonie, showing at 7:30 p.m.
Round out the beautiful day by dining at the hottest restaurant in the most happening neighborhood in LA these days, Lazy Ox Canteen in the Arts District, downtown. Cozy up to a well-edited selection of wines and beers and hearty fare like beef lengua ravioli.
A very fine day indeed!
Like Haute Living Los Angeles? Join our Facebook page. Want Haute Living Los Angeles delivered to your in box once a week? Sign up for our newsletter.
Everyone knows La Jolla is incredibly beautiful, privileged, and amazing, but what exactly makes it such a high-ticket home area? How is it that much better than any other part of San Diego? La Jolla has been ranked as one of the most expensive places to live in all of the country, time and again, so you have to wonder, if people are willing to pay that much to live there, what’s it got going on?
First off, if you’re living in La Jolla, you are basically on top of the ocean. The full name of our lovely city is La Jolla by the Sea. You can purchase homes that face the ocean, where you wake up and can look out into that gorgeous, blue Pacific. You are hard-pressed to find a place to live in La Jolla that will take you longer than ten minutes to fall into some sand, and this prime spot is going to cost more than an inland house with nothing but grass surrounding it’s walls.
The entire vibe of La Jolla screams decadence. The sand is soft, the weather is always gorgeous, the restaurants are perched on top of cliffs over looking the waves. When you dine at George’s on the Cove, you can sit in front of their massive glass walls and watch dolphins leap as you eat your dinner. There are fine art galleries lining trendy streets next to storefronts carrying designer labels and fashionable stylings. Book a room at the Hotel Parisi and see what luxury is really about, or just simply walk down the beach and enjoy the truly unmatched view.
It’s really not a surprise that the average home in La Jolla is around $1 million after spending one day in this glorious city. The beaches are better than any other, the shopping is better than other shopping, and the location is unmatched throughout the country. La Jolla is the place to hang up your flip-flops and don your high heels. While much of San Diego is regarded as a relaxed, beach-bum arena, La Jolla changes all of that the moment you cross over to those beachside bluffs.
Like Haute Living San Diego? Join our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter @HauteLivingSD. Want Haute Living San Diego delivered to your inbox once a week? Sign up for our newsletter.
Once a sleepy surfer town, Santa Monica is currently known for its high-priced living and colorful range of dining options. One of those options, which has had a heavy hand in the beach city’s rise to stardom, is Josie, a shiny American gem.
The clandestine restaurant tucked into a corner on Pico Boulevard and 24th Street, coyly attracts avid restaurant goers and privileged families. It appeals to those who prefer fine dining, designer cocktails, a quiet atmosphere, and very good food—not high-priced food that sings to the tune of mediocrity, but expensive, critically lauded fare that tastes and appears as if it were born out of a love affair with Napa, inheriting two very important genes: refinement and generosity.
The warm dining room, painted in soft grey hues, invites guests in immediately, as an open-air kitchen visible through a half moon-shaped enclave is just to the right of the entrance. Waiters, dressed in white and beige, calmly wind about and pay careful attention to plates, which arrive from the almost-all female kitchen, wiping and blotting so delicately that one would think valuable works of art were being restored.
But that’s the thing, owner Josie Le Balch’s fine-tuned, seasonal creations can easily be deemed works of art. A favorite of both new and old visitors is the Moroccan beef short ribs. Arriving tableside—hidden inside a traditional Tagine—tender short ribs, barely clinging to their bones, join sweet and savory ingredients, including couscous, curried cauliflower, and lightly stewed apricots and sweet potatoes. The whole Campfire Trout, spruced up with lemongrass nage, is another popular item devotees have been ordering since the restaurant’s inception in 2001.
For something a little different, the burger is somewhat of a deviant compared to the rest of the menu, but a standout. A hearty buffalo patty stuffed with gruyere comes topped with sautéed onions and Foie Gras. Seated next to it; truffle fries.
Renowned pastry artisan and Josie original, Jonna Jensen, ends the evening with an extensive offering of sweet notes. A seasonal blueberry cheesecake is light and fluffy and a sticky pumpkin cake comes paired with a scoop of brown sugar ice cream.
Josie is simply one of those restaurants that makes us food interested individuals finally bow down to Los Angeles in gratitude for granting us with a no-frills, sophisticated, satisfying dining experience.
2424 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica. 310.581.9888
Like Haute Living Los Angeles? Join our Facebook page. Want Haute Living Los Angeles delivered to your in box once a week? Sign up for our newsletter.
The Lower East Side has become characterized by a circus-like atmosphere on the weekends—bars spilling out into the street most nights, and the perpetual thump and thud of a not-too-distant bass. But for those who prefer a more curated environment that caters to a friendlier ambiance, be introduced to The Ten Bells wine and tapas bar on Broome St. between Orchard and Ludlow. Conspicuously hidden, the outside is dark and unadorned with any symbol of a functioning business there, however, once inside you enter upon a magnificent U-shaped bar of white marble, while surrounding you are strung up black chalkboards listing the numerous white, red, sparkling, and rose wines available to please any discerning palate. Wine prices vary by selection, the average bottle costing about $50, with more affordable and expensive choices.
Ten Bells also has a variety of tapas to order from, including shrimp nachos, chorizo picante, and an assortment of local, organic cheeses that rotates depending upon availability. There is also daily happy hour until 7 p.m. in which oysters are only $1!
If you are looking for a more intimate, comfortable atmosphere to share a drink with someone, sidle up to the candle-lit bar at Ten Bells and be welcomed with a glass of wine.
The Ten Bells is located at 247 Broome St.
Like Haute Living New York? Join our Facebook page. Want Haute Living New York delivered to your in box once a week? Sign up for our newsletter.
Get away from it all this Valentine’s Day. Treat yourself and your special someone to a romantic weekend at the St. Regis Monarch Beach. With a full menu of special spa treatments and eats at the resort’s amazing restaurant, you’ll look like you spent a lifetime planning a romantic getaway without having to call more than one number.
With the unbeatable combination of oceanside romance and Mediterranean ambiance, the St. Regis is truly a luxury getaway right in our back yard. No airport security or pat downs, just a short drive along scenic PCH and it’s like you’ve traveled a thousand miles away. Valentine’s Day is the perfect Time for Pleasure, the resort’s special promotion offering 20 percent off stays, as well as specials at Spa Gaucin with 25 percent off on select packages–a 75-minute Mediterranean massage and 20-minute bubble bath with complimentary champagne–you can definitely make hearts go aflutter.
In addition, Chef Michael Mina of Stonehill Tavern will be serving up a special dinner of local Luna oysters with Osetra caviar and green apple mignonette, tomahawk ribeye for two with sweet local carrots, Oregon porcini, and spiced bordelaise; and an Opera Tortewith chocolate sabayon, preserved kumquat and almond. At the hotel’s Motif restaurant, they’ll be a four-course prix-fixe menu for Valentine’s Day so you can impress your loved one with a complete start-to-finish experience. And for the most intimate indulgence, a private in-room dinner is available Feb. 11-14 from 5 – 10 p.m. featuring a special three-course chef selection menu. With all the options, it’ll be no problem at all making this Valentine’s Day one to remember.
The St. Regis Monarch Beach is located at One Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point. For more information or to make reservations for spa services or restaurants, call 800.722.1543 or visit the official web site at www.stregismb.com.
Like Haute Living Orange County? Join our Facebook page. Want Haute Living Orange County delivered to your in box once a week? Sign up for our newsletter.
20 comment(s) 
8 comment(s) 
4 comment(s)
Miami
Dec/Jan 2012
