St. Tropez's crown jewel of disco

"A history lesson in partying."
- Michael Martin, Editorial Review Author

A champagne-fest of partying oppulence

The Place:

Les Caves du Roy

The Scene:

Perhaps the most famous nightclub in France, Les Caves du Roy is a dance institution that defies age and time. Located within the renowned Hotel Byblos, the club is a sanctuary of modern music that has recently been resurrected with a namesake CD that has circulated the world over. Nestled off the main passageway of the hotel, the entrance is protected by guards larger than most army officers. Ensuring that celebrities and elite are given a private environment free of paparazzi, the guards do their best to secure the safety of Byblos royalty that in the past has included everyone from Mick Jagger to Sean Coombs. The club maintains the same look sported since its inception; baroque columns with gold brocade still tower above VIP booths embroidered with the notorious Byblos insignia and oriental touches. The women are the most beautiful in the world and the men; unlike in LA or New York, actually know how to dance. Champagne corks pop by the minute as platinum cards swipes to the percussion of trance and techno remixes. At the helm of the Les Caves du Roy is deejay Jack-E who can spin everything from a Patricia Kaas track to the latest Beyonce track flawlessly.

JetSet Tips:

Champagne by the bottle, bring the prettiest ladies you know and dress like your clothes are who you are and who you are is nothing short of fabulous.

Last Word:

During the summer a soft wind blows down the main corridor of the Byblos Hotel as stiletto heels and Gucci loafers make their way to the Les Caves du Roy. The tanned skin of locals, who spent their days at the beach club, moistens as they begin to sway to the music of the Byblos. From mellow grooves to ladies dancing on the tables at 6AM, when Les Caves du Roy comes alive there is no scene or words to compare its allure and sex appeal.

Berlin Gallery Scene Heats-Up With New Openings

"International Galleries Lay Claim To Emerging Berlin"
- Angela Trotz, Editorial Review Author

Low-Rents and International Galleries Lead Artistic Revival

The Place:

Haunch of Venison

JetSet Tips:

Goodbye New York and see-you-late London, an emerging generation of struggling artists is leaving the pricey metropolises of yesterday in lieu of the more affordable cities of tomorrow. One of the most affordable cities in Europe, Berlin is the latest “it” city for emerging artists attracted by its drab Eastern European vibe and unbelievably affordable rent prices. For around $900-a-month exists a diverse rental market of period buildings and actual lofts yet to me injected with preppy 30-something Starbucks-pushing urbanites.And with the artists, a new generation of galleries and dealers are setting up shop in the German capital.

Last Word:

In and around Check Point Charlie, German-transplant galleries like Buchmann Gallerie and Julius Werner Berlin have emerged as leaders in attracting cutting-edge emerging artists as well as more seasoned second-generation works. Kreuzberg, formerly Berlin’s roughest neighborhood, still manages to retain that edgy boho-vibe despite openings by Jablonka Gallerie and an outpost of Düsseldorf's Konrad Fisher Gallerie. But the splashiest gallery opening to date has been in the Mitte, fully-gentrified since reunification, where Haunch of Venison debuted its third major gallery following its successful forays in Zürich and London.

Berlin - Chic Boutique for fashon-set

"Berlin’s department store for the chic-set"
- Angela Trotz, Editorial Review Author

Former-Communist shopping street gets architectural makeover

The Place:

Departmentstore Quartier 206

The Scene:

Friedrichstrasse has always been one of the premiere shopping streets in Berlin, even during the DDR-days when it was a member's only club for proletariat elite. The street has since been revitalized and is now open to all, providing you don't mind paying top-Euro for imported Italian and French designers set up in individual boutiques that make up the department store. The structure, a play on black-white marble intersected by skylights, was designed by I.M. Pei Partners (think: Louvre Pyramid) and is conveniently built next to Galeries Lafayettes, the upscale French department store.

JetSet Tips:

Be sure to stop into the designer outlet in the basement, called %, where seasonal merchandise is sold at great discounts.

Last Word:

Professional shoppers and fashion groupies wander between boutiques by fashion Etro, YSL, Gucci and Valentino. Not limited to just fashion, the store features several home designers, flowers, arts, books and a full-service restaurant. Many foreign visitors are surprised at how few shoppers are found in many of Berlin’s upscale boutiques. A layover of reunification, the city still faces unusually high unemployment and displacement from the Euro-conversion in 1999.

Christmas Planning Guide – Holiday Booking Trends

Top Ten Christmas Destinations 2007"
- Calista Avery, Editorial Review Author

Why You Should Start Planning Your Winter Holiday Now

The Scene:
It happens every year, a dreaded telephone call to the places like Hotel Jerome in Aspen inquiring about five coveted nights between December 22nd and December 25th – better known as the Christmas Getaway. But what was once a October practice is moving back earlier and earlier every year, with Christmas rooms selling-out as early as July for coveted destinations like St. Bart's, Aspen and St. Moritz. After calling around to more than ten different hotel chains, here are 10 festive tips for landing that coveted holiday room.

1. Think outside of the box. With Christmas falling on a Tuesday in 2007, try booking a room between the 21st and 26th instead of the usual Christmas week between December 24th and 30th. Room rates usually increase around the 23rd, meaning that you'll also save a stocking-full of cash.

2. Avoid the chains. Park Hyatt Beaver Creek increases its room rates by over 80% during the holiday period while local boutique hotels like Kimpton's Sky Hotel increase by no more than 20%. While facilities and services are not really comparable, upgrade to a better room category with the money saved.

3. Bundle it up. If you absolutely must stay at a luxury chain, inquire about special promotions like the "Ski Package" offered by Four Seasons Whistler. While rooms rates rise to $875 CAD ($750 USD) during the holiday period, special ski incentives that include two lift tickets and full breakfast is a mere $50 CAD ($42) more per night.

4. O' Come All Ye Faithful. While basic room categories almost double during the peak holiday season, upgraded suites tend fluctuate a lot less. Try getting a larger group together and renting larger two or even three bedroom suites. Residence Clubs like Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons tend to have an ample supply given good resorts sales and new openings.

5. Cheap Currencies. Instead of hitting the slops of Gstaad or Courchevel, take a sun-vacation and fly south toward more affordable South American economies. While taking advantage of Argentina's devaluation and Brazil ramped inflation may not sound very festive, you will be supporting local economies in need of foreign tourism while getting a toasty tropical tan.

6. One-of-a-kind gems. It may sound ridiculous, but one-of-a-kind and privately owned hotels tend to raise their rates a lot less during the holiday season than corporately-owned chains. Hotel Quintessence in Quebec's Mount Tremblant offers all-suite accommodations during the holiday season at a mere 10% premium (suites go from $699 CAD to $749 CAD) verses the nearby Fairmont Tremblant that nearly doubles rates ($299 CAD to $599 CAD) and requires a five-night stay.

7. Be a Trendsetter. It hardly a novel idea, albeit acceptably fabulous, to spend Christmas week in Verbier or St. Croix. Instead of the well-populated standards, try to discover new and less-populated destinations like skiing in Sochi, Russia (Home of the 2014 Olympics) or a beach vacation in Buzios, Brazil that's all but abandoned during the holidays.

8. Gites and Villas. It may sound provincial, but renting a French Gites during the holiday season is surprisingly affordable, utterly charming, and quite convenient given the travel time. For those looking for more sun or something more glamorous, villa rentals in the South of France are deeply discounted during off-season with last minute availability that's surprising.

9. Go to the Source. Sites like Ownerdirect.com offer premium vacation rentals with low fees and surprisingly good selection of luxury homes. With a variety of destinations and options, study the photos closely and coordinate details with the owner, as many of these fees are paid in advance and non-refundable.

10. Just Use Them. After accumulating all those hard to use American Express and Delta miles, perhaps a more practical alternative would be to use the miles for hotel stays. With fewer blackout dates and sky-high holiday rates, a one-night stay at a Starwood or Luxury Collection property may be a better value than a round-trip airline ticket.

Hollywood swimming pool for paparazzi-set

"Star-laden swimming pool renews once forgotten Hollywood hotel"
- Ann Vine, Editorial Review Author

Post-management shake-up leads to quieter bar scene

The Place:

Tropicana Bar

The Scene:

While Hollywood & Highland never amounted to more than a bad mall, the Roosevelt and its star-frequented pool comes full-circle to epitomize the quintessential hot spot. Located poolside at the Roosevelt Hotel, Tropicana Bar brings a bit of St.Tropez and Nikki Beach to area nightlife. The bar employs a Polynesian-meets- minimalist theme while accenting the historic elements of the location – most notably the Hockney-designed underwater mural.

JetSet Tips:

You'll need to be a hotel guest or at least act like your name is on the guest-list to get through the door.

Last Word:

More than space and design, what has changed most is the crowd of people that the hotel has managed to attract to the once tourist-laden pool. Cool, chic pretty people have suddenly appeared by day and night as Demme single-handedly picks who gets in and who doesn’t. Gone are the burger-eating bellies that single-handedly exorcised everything sexy and chic from the location over the last 30 years, and in their place the sandal-wearing Olson-sisters and Hilton-types who epitomize the current barometer of Hollywood hotness.

Notorious Hollywood nightclub reopens for celebrity-business

"Notorious Hollywood nightclub reopens after management shift."
- Ann Vine, Editorial Review Author

Initimate drinking lounge for Tinseltown-elite

The Place:

Teddy's

The Scene:

It was the hottest nightclub in Hollywood for most of 2005 with a door policy so tight that many B-list celebrities and moderately famous athletes resorted to suing its former proprietor Amanda Scheer. After a bit of management bickering, the owners of the hotel sent Scheer packing and sidelined the club for most of 2006. Located off the main lobby of the Roosevelt Hollywood, LA-designer Dodd Mitchell uses signature elements of dark wood, subdued colors and comfortable over-sized seating areas to configure an intimate lounge space more popular than ever with celebrities Lindsay Lohan, Sean Coombs and Josh Duhamel.

JetSet Tips:

Weekends can mean an hour-plus wait at the valet. For faster service, try the public parking lot across the street that stays open till 4am.

Last Word:

Average guests should expect a more relaxed door since the club's heyday but with a selection process that still requires the occasional greasing.

Dolce-partners reopen Hollywood-hotspot without star-chef

"90s hotspot reopens as hot nightclub and lounge with mediocre restaurant"
- Ann Vine, Editorial Review Author

Bungalow-style restaurant and nightclub in downtown Hollywood

The Place:

Les Deux Cafe

The Scene:

LAs hottest restaurant of the 90s, the beloved Parisian-cafe and lounge known as Les Deux reopens under the management of Dolce's Mike Malin and Sylvain Bitton with a similar look and gentrified restaurant menu. The dining room hasn't changed much featuring those familiar peach-tinted mirrors and curvy-black architecture accented by Louis XVI candelabras. But a new Ultra Lounge features a dimly lit bar area with overhead projection of foreign films and vintage fashion shows, while deejays spin house music on the patio for an MTV-minded Hollywood clientele.

JetSet Tips:

An adjacent nightclub shares the valet lot, so feel free to park and club-hop in Hollywood till 2am.

Last Word:

More nightclub than restaurant, the food isn't what you remember under French-owner Michelle Lamy who sought foodie-exile back in Paris in 2001. The continental menu feels more American these days, divided amongst petite, grand and sweet selections of thyme fries, flatbread pizzas and decadent chocolate-lava cake.

Former gay after-hours club converts to Hollywood hipster bar

"Hollywood's hottest bar is in the middle of city's Russian and gay community."
- Ann Vine, Editorial Review Author

Hollywood speakeasy is be-seen bar of the moment

The Place: Winston's

The Scene:
An unmarked door and wrong address printed in the NY Times doesn't make it easier to find, as uber-hip owners like GQ's Chris Huvane and the Tsubi Jeans founder unveil their modern speakeasy located in the middle of gay West Hollywood. Located in a former gay-afterhours club known as The Spike, the remodeled décor celebrates 1920's LA with masculine black banquettes, ornate oil paintings and a vintage crystal chandelier poised at the center of a red brick drinking bar. While hardly a dance bar, a beloved house DJs spins vintage '80s and '90s anthems that turn progressively louder throughout the night.

JetSet Tips:
Hire a car. The nearby valet lot is impossible to navigate and surrounding side streets are restricted parking with tow-truck enforcement.

Last Word:
Operated in a similar manner to their other LA lounge, The Dime, the bar attracts emaciated starlets and their scruffy-faced boyfriends on a daily basis. It’s currently Hollywood’s latest answer to the begging mob door-scene at Sunset’s Hyde, with an equally active entryway utilized by be-seen celebs like Fergie to Linsay Lohan. If there’s a line at the door, patiently wait your turn and don’t get pushy.

Hollywood lounge for jetset partiers and movie-star elite

The Place: Hyde Lounge

The Scene:
In a hard to figure-out 1930s strip center, LA-nightlife czar Sam Nazarian debuts a Brit-style drinking bar and lounge behind a minimalist stone storefront and single-wooden door along Sunset Boulevard. Cozier and far smaller you than you would expect of a hotspot, the first-floor lounge features leather and crocodile-trimmed upholstery with oversized Monkeywood tables under a pounded-copper ceiling shimmering in candles suspended from iridescent walls. The bar features a small plate menu of fusion dishes, ranging from Japanese finger-foods to sushi, created by Katsuya Uechi

JetSet Tips:
Expect a crowd and heavy door-security, since opening in mid-2006 Hyde has become the it-club of LA’s starlet-set including Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.

Last Word:
A simple lounge with DJ booth, dressed-up with Mac-mixing machine and heavy tech-equipment, features rotating deejays from 10pm with an emphasis on rock. If the doorman says he’s at capacity, he probably isn’t lying since the club only accommodates around 100-guests.

Fall/Winter Fashion Essentials – Fashion Trends

Award-winning designer debuts high-end franchise collection

The Scene:No longer just a suit shop for your fat brother-in-law, Brooks Brothers has gone conservative-chic with its new Black Fleece collection. The new high-end brand is attempting to attract a younger, more fashion-forward clientele and has enlisted the services of Thom Browne as guest designer. Browne made fashion headlines as the recipient of the 2006 Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Award for Menswear.

In Browne's debut collection for Fall/Winter 2007, an elegant and playful line emerges with high-end cashmeres and whimsical jackets in modern cuts. Capturing the Brooks Brothers legacy while maintaining a modern theme, the collection is geared more towards city women, with sizes running from 0 to 10. Prices, which are about 40 percent higher than traditional Brooks Brothers clothing, range from $180 dress shirts and $600 cashmeres for men to $1,900 herringbone-lined trench and decadent $10,000 astrakhan fur-trimmed cape for women.

Photo: Brooks Brothers

Gramercy Park Hotel - New York, USA

The Place:
Gramercy Park Hotel

Who's Going:
Marc Jacobs, Winona Ryder, Sienna Miller

Reason to Stay:
Historic Hotel, Interior Design, Celebrity Scene

Hotel Type: City Hotel

The Scene:
It's probably not the only gilded palace in Gramercy Park, but it is the only hotel offering keys to NYC's last remaining private residential park. It's also Ian Schrager's official departure from the utterly successful, and now utterly overdone, boutique hotels he once mastered. With his latest endeavor, Schrager leaves behind uber-hip design partner Philippe Starck for artist Julian Schnabel, who adds a heavy dose of substance to Schrager's once ubiquitous design concepts. The resulting collaboration has taken this once tattered gothic hotel favored by '40s jazz greats and created a crystal-encrusted design palace with regal woodwork and dramatic upholstered furnishings. A million-dollar art collection includes numerous Warhol's, Basquiat's and yes, Schnabel's throughout the hotel's Jade lounge and Rose Bar. The bar simmers with some of the world's hottest names from fashion and indie-film, lingering past 4am for piano solos and the occasional star performance on better nights. Perhaps a line in the sand from Schrager's past, several serial-pop stars have been barred entrance to the hotels popular bar hoping to fend-off memories of other hotspots. A private roof club is set to open in mid-2007, perhaps with a friendlier guest list. In the meantime Schrager unveils Park Chinois, from London-restaurateur Alan Yau, spinning modern Chinese and oriental cuisine.

The Room:
Schrager groupies familiar with weekend romping at the Mondrian and Paramount seem disoriented at this grown-up hotel with its wood-paneled walls drizzled in auction art. Getaways once spent in small and nearly unfurnished rooms are now enjoyed within equally compact accommodations but with heavy wood furnishings and thick velvet drapery in rich shades of emerald and raspberry. Some rooms feature little more than a bed and oversized wingback chair while others offer more formal living accommodations with plush sofas and ornate drinking cabinets. Mini-bars are stocked with top-line beauty products, gourmet chocolates and take-home size candles at $100–a-pop. Bathrooms are more familiar of prior Schrager territory with modern chrome fixtures and shallow sink set in protruding lacquered-cabinets that require rotational movement be kept in the shower-stall. Rooms facing the park should be aware of street noise and construction that’s common in the area, if available go for on off-street room on a higher floor.

The Mandarin Oriental - Prague, Czech Republic

The Place:
The Mandarin Oriental - Prague, Czech Republic

The Scene:
On the left bank of the Vltava River, the Mandarin Oriental moves into a 14th Century Monastery in a quiet cobblestone courtyard under Prague Castle. In one of Prague’s most exclusive residential enclaves, guests are awestruck by the almost touchable views of the city’s ancient spires and red-gabbled rooftops. Rooms are refreshingly modern with bright colors and contemporary furnishing, in contrast to the equally new Four Seasons Prague with its retirement-minded guest rooms and endless floral designs.

Benkirai Hotel in St Tropez, France

The Place:

Benkirai

Who's Going:

Patricia Kass, Tatinger family, Alain Ducasse

Reason to Stay:

Architectural Design, Boutique Hotel, Residential Setting

Hotel Type: Boutique Resort

The Scene:

When the owners of Charm & More, a collection of stylish French boutique hotels, decided to renovate the Lou Pinet property they called on Parisian architect Patrick Jouin known for his work on Bar at the Athene, Murano Urban and nearby Spoon at the Byblos. The hotel is located a 10-minute walk from the main village in a residential enclave of summer homes and villas, interrupted by the hotel's zen-like stone wall with cobblestone driveway and glassy lobby. Louis Vuitton-packing guests enter a sedate lobby with concrete floors and leather-covered sofa connecting to a bistro-style Thai restaurant with chrome-framed plastic chairs and teak tabletops. The small bar area is kept active with a steady stream of Rose bottles and exotic drinks making their way to the outdoor pool area through a patio of illuminated umbrellas atop PVC-poles in varying sizes and contrasting angles. An elaborate deck conjoins the lobby area and guest rooms made of an exotic Indonesian wood known as Benkirai, casting a reddish glow to the slatted-wood façade of the surrounding buildings and contrasting with the deep-blue glow of the swimming pool.

The Room:

With beach bags and black suitcases in tote, Paris weekenders and St. Tropez virgins arrive to the hotels standard 250-square foot guest rooms with a collective sigh of disappointed, ultimately to discover what is truly a creative achievement in space planning and room design. Maximizing the space, free-flowing rooms feature concrete floors and walls free of art or clutter with bathrooms painted in contrasting lacquer blues and whites. A billowing white curtain dipped at the edges in cobalt blues blows in the wind, open to an outdoor wood patio with ceiling art and two chairs more practical for appearance than actually sitting. An oversize round double-faced mirror is suspended from the ceiling between the sleeping and bathing areas, which with a flick of a switch is covered in white curtains to afford shyer guests a bit of privacy. Larger junior and senior suites feature pitched-roof ceilings and spaciously appointed with small seating areas, white leather upholstered headboards, and a writing table. Whilst still unknown to most St. Tropez migrants, room rates remain comparatively affordable to the pricier Byblos alternative.

Lamborghini Murcielago $279,900

The Lamborghini Murciélago is a GT and supercar automobile made by Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. and designed by Luc Donckerwolke. It was introduced in 2002 as the successor to the Diablo. The body style is a two door, two seat coupé. The LP640 version was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March of 2006. It features a 6.5 L engine, now producing 640 bhp, improving performance substantially. There were also a few minor external changes, primarily to the low air intakes.

Mercedes SLR McLaren $455,500

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is a sports car and supercar automobile co-developed by DaimlerChrysler and McLaren Cars. It is assembled at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England. Most people presume "SLR" to stand for "Sportlich, Leicht, Rennsport" (German for "Sport; Light; Racing"). The car's base price is £300,000 or $455,500. The SLR has a supercharged 5.5 (5439cc) litre dry sumped 90 degree V8. It produces 466.8 kW at 6500rpm (626 hp) and 780 N·m (575 ft·lbf) torque at 3250 - 5000 rpm.

Porsche Carrera GT $484,000

The Porsche Carrera GT is a supercar, manufactured by Porsche of Germany. The Carrera GT is powered by an all-new 5.7 litre V10 engine producing 612 SAE horsepower (450 kW). Porsche claims it will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62.5 mph) in 3.9 seconds and has a maximum speed of 330 km/h (206 mph), although road tests indicated that in actuality the car could accelerate from 0-60 in under 3.5 seconds and to 0-100 in 6.8 seconds and has a top speed of 335-340km/h (209-212.5mph).

Koenigsegg CCX $600,910

The Koenigsegg CCX is the latest supercar from Koenigsegg. CCX is an abbreviation for Competition Coupe X. The X commemorates the 10th anniversary of the completion and test drive of the first CC vehicle in 1996. The CCX is intended to be more suitable for the U.S. market and thus engineered to comply with US regulations. The CCX is powered by a Koenigsegg designed and assembled, all aluminium, 4700 cm³ DOHC 32-valve V8 based on the Ford Modular engine architecture enhanced with twin Rotrex centrifugal superchargers with response system, 1.2 bar boost pressure and an 8.2:1 compression ratio. The engine produces 806 hp (601 kW) and 678 lbf.ft (920 Nm) on 91 octane (U.S. rating) gasoline, 850 hp (634 kW) on 96 octane (Euro rating) gasoline and 900 hp (671 kW) on biofuel.

Pagani Zonda C12 F $741,000

The Zonda C12 F debuted at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. It is the most extensive reengineering of the Pagani car yet, though it shares much with its predecessors including the 7.3 L V12. Power is increased to 602 PS (443 kW/594 hp) with a special clubsport model producing 650 PS (478 kW/641 hp). The company promises a 3.2 second sprint to 60 mph (97 km/h, a top speed over 374 km/h (225 mph) and it will be the queen in braking from 300 km/h to 0 (186 mph to 0). The Zonda F clubsport has a power to weight ratio of 521 bhp/ton (384 W/kg) . Compare, for example, the Enzo Ferrari which has a power to weight ratio of 483 bhp/ton (356 W/kg).

Ferrari Enzo $1,000,000

The Enzo Ferrari, sometimes referred to as the the Ferrari Enzo and also F60 is a 12-cylinder Ferrari supercar named after the company's founder, Enzo Ferrari. It was built in 2003 using Formula One technology, such as a carbon-fiber body, F1-style sequential shift transmission, and carbon-ceramic brake discs. Also used are technologies not allowed in F1 such as active aerodynamics. After a maximum downforce of 1709 pounds (775 kg) is reached at 186 mph (301 km/h) the rear spoiler is actuated by computer to maintain that downforce.

Bugatti Veyron $1,700,000

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is the most powerful, most expensive, and fastest street-legal production car in the world, with a proven top speed of over 400 km/h (407 km/h or 253 mph). It reached full production in September 2005. The car is built by Volkswagen AG subsidiary Bugatti Automobiles SAS and is sold under the legendary Bugatti marque. It is named after racing driver Pierre Veyron, who won the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1939 while racing for the original Bugatti firm. The Veyron features a W16 engine—16 cylinders in 4 banks of 4 cylinders.

According to Volkswagen, the final production Veyron engine produces between 1020 and 1040 metric hp (1006 to 1026 SAE net hp), so the car will be advertised as producing "1001 horsepower" in both the US and European markets. This easily makes it the most powerful production road-car engine in history.