Mmm - worth the wait [Photo by Paris by Mouth/Flickr]
After 2 years of red tape and countless hurdles, Spring has finally sprung and bon vivants in Paris are joyfully rejoicing the unveiling of American chef Daniel Rose’s beloved Spring restaurant now located in a roomier and refined locale just steps from the Louvre.
Espadrille express at La Manual Alpargatera
Summer’s nearly over, you protest! Well, here’s a not-so-little-secret - September is fabulous in the Mediterranean, not to mention swathes of the Northern Hemisphere, when there’s plenty of warmth left so you can keep your twinkle toes on show, and the August hordes have thinned. Besides, they’re gearing up for spring down south, from Sydney to Rio. To make sure you’ll always have your breeziest foot forward, we’ve uncovered these darling cobblers in Barcelona and Miami cranking out beautiful handmade footwear for your sand-exfoliated tootsies, plus there’s one just for you too, fellas. Best of all, they won’t cost you any of your tanned arms or legs. READ MORE…
Trig suits for dapper chappies
Seize Sur Vingt, Paul Stuart, Thom Browne, Barker Black – it’s a roll call of essential style addresses for the modern (and in the money) dandy. Well, we were trembling with excitement in our hand-stitched wingtips when we heard that Kirk Miller, who’d earned his stripes at the above mentioned establishments, has gone out on his own with Miller’s Oath tailor and menswear in downtown New York, inspired by and a tribute to Kirk’s great granddad’s store in South Dakota.
Genever, Dutch gin, whatever, just drink it in
Genever, it could be the name of your last European flame, or your next, and most probably ours. For it’s Dutch gin, and it, along with akvavit, is the essence of the tipple list at Vandaag, an airy and sunflower bright, day until night bier restaurant in New York’s East Village.
Less razzle, but lots of Andaz-zle
It’s New York week at LUXEtasy and while our previous posting on The Chatwal is all well and lovely, what of the other new hotels in New York? The good news is that you’re getting more stylish choices to lay your head all over town, including an eagerly anticipated boutique pad in Nolita, while Midtown and Times Square may be having their moment in the sun, but the bad news is, them rooms ain’t getting any cheaper, with the magic $300 line for a decent bed staying in force, and even facing upward pressure.
The Chatwal - take a bow
New York City has been awash with hotel launches this year, with more to come, but if you think more beds and more competition means lower rates, think again. One of the most anticipated, as well as most delayed openings, has been The Chatwal, a ticket stub away from Broadway and 42nd St, with entry prices nudging US$600 for a 300 sq ft chamber. Now, before you throw yourself under a yellow cab at the thought of 600 big ones for a Times Square address, read on…
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White nights at Wanderlust
Singapore’s hot right now. Not its usual year round wretchedly hot and humid, or humid and raining hot, but in-the-spotlight hot. Gone are the doldrums of 2008-2009 as the Lion City roars back as an Asian Tiger, with a slew of noteworthy celeb chef and hotel openings and the F1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix just around the corner. Here’s our pick of the most head turning new beds for you to lay your head. Go on then, pop yourself into the lion’s jaws, you’ll be glad you did.
Garden + terrace + moonlight = romance [Photo by John McDermott]
Once upon a time in the faraway Kingdom of Angkor, there was a popular chef called Pascal Schmit, who ran an equally popular restaurant called Abacus, housed in a charming two-storey villa. As night fell, all of Siem Reap’s well to do Khmers and expats would gather in the lantern-lit garden, on the verandah or in the bar to eat, drink, chill and make merry. Then one day Pascal shut up shop and went to try his hand in a hotel kitchen, at La Residence D’Angkor, and the people followed him there. But Pascal wanted more, a restaurant of one’s own again, so now Abacus is back, and his loyal followers couldn’t be happier.
Clink & drink!
Choices, choices, some of us thrive on it, while others are paralysed by it, living in fear of missing out, or of making the wrong decision. If too much choice is never enough for you, then head to 28°-50° Wine Workshop & Kitchen, in the basement of an unassuming red brick building smack in the centre of old London town, where every drop on the regular wine list is available by the glass.
Hyde and Sleek
Two for the price of one, that’s what you get at Hong Kong’s newest private members’ club, Hyde. On one floor is Hyde nightclub, a thumpin’-pumpin’, booty-shaking boom-boom room. On a separate floor is Hyde Lounge, a New York-style loft space for milling, swilling and chilling. On both floors, a parade of slinky minxes and the not-so-stealthy wealthy.
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