Hotels

Not to sound like a broken record but it's basically ski season. If you don't have a Rocky Mountain home or haven't decided where to make your reservations yet, then check this out. The Northstar project is a $55 million village in Lake Tahoe. It seems business has been pretty bad so a new travel package is being advertised to attract more skiers. The package celebrates the addition of more black diamond terrain that has been made on the mountain. If you are unfamiliar with skiing, black diamonds are the most challenging trails and terrain.

Thus, what is called the Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort's black diamond ski package features seven nights of lodging in a three-bedroom, three-bathroom suite. Plus, six day lift tickets for two kids and two adults, lessons, equipment rentals, a spa package. Plus, $1,225 in dining and food credits, oh, and $10,000 black diamond necklace. The black diamond necklace that Northstar nonchalantly throws into the mix is being provided by one of the stores in the village. We haven't seen it, so chances are it's probably hideous but we appreciate the concept. The Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort's black diamond ski package goes for a mere $26,653. Talk about desperation.

Everybody's New Years resolution is to get back into shape after holiday binges. You will probably notice how the gym gets uncomfortably crowded for a few weeks, it usually dies down by February. In Miami, however, people stay fit and in the gym all year. With the gym being an everyday shrine in Miami, it was only fitting to build something outrageous.

David Barton has built the king of all gyms in the Gansevoort South Hotel. David Barton is somewhat of a South Beach celebrity, he is the man behind the Miami upscale gym. Building also in Chicago and New York, he has taken gyms to an all new high. Barton's modus operandi is helping South Beach, Chicago and New York "look better naked."

The Studio Sofield has helped him design the newest 45,000-square-foot big daddy, DBG gym and spa. The space features Italian chain-inlayed stairs, hand-stenciled walls, hanging sculptures and a metal lattice dome ceiling. The spa offers some very South Beach-ish inspired treatments like "The Cougar," an anti-aging facial. Plus, the "Hot Pants," a treatment to exfoliate, tighten and tone the derriere. The new DBG gym in the Gansevoort South kind of makes the other South Beach David Barton gym's look like garbage, maybe its time for some renovating. David Barton gym members can work-out at any location. However, if you are a member of DBG through the Flamingo Residencies that's another story. The Flamingo has a puny version of a David Barton Gym but like everything else at the Flamingo they shaft you. You cannot work out anywhere but there, you'll miss out on the bigger and better DBG. In short, the new DBG is stunning and sure to make every South Beach meat-head and model feel good this season.

This week some 50,000 plus people will show up for the sixth annual Art Basel event in Miami. If you're not sure which hotels to frequent, parties to hit up or people to see, let us guide you towards your scene.

For the next-generation art amassers and John Currins of the world, hole-up downtown at the Four Seasons Hotel. You will be in good art collecting company with the likes of Jerry Speyer, Asher Edelman, Michael Lynne, Eli Broad, Beth Rudin De Woody, Steve Cohen, and Peter Brant. Go to the New Art Dealers Alliance fair, which opens this Friday through the weekend. The NADA fair will have stellar exhibits from hot young galleries like New York’s Rivington Arms and Daniel Reich. The fair will host a mega-benefit for the New Museum on New York’s Bowery, which will include a performance by San Fran- rockers Deerhoof. Art collector's should be seen at the after-party for the private screening of the Lou Reed film Berlin, directed by Julian Schnabel.

The actual artists will headquarter at the Raleigh Hotel which is party central. Don't look shocked if you see epic names of the art world like Damien Hirst, David LaChapelle, Jack Pierson, Aaron Young, Kehinde Wiley, Terence Koh, and Doug Aitken partying impromtu throughout the hotel. Paper Magazine is hosting the party at Raleigh Oasis on Decemeber 4th and the next night, Deitch Projects will kick off at the Raleigh with a concert by CoCo Rosie. The same night D.J Spooky will perform during the Rubell Family Collection dinner which commences the SCOPE fair film and lecture series. SCOPE celebrates the as-yet-uncelebrated and provocative artists, the fair has discounted exhibition space for new galleries in its ‘Breeders’ section. On December 6th, the Raleigh will hold the book launch party for Bob Colacello's OUT. Then on the 7th,Tamara Mellon will host a dinner at the Raleigh Ballroom to toast the limited edition handbags designed by Jimmy Choo and artist Richard Phillips.

If you're more into star gazing then gazing at art then join celebrities at the Setai Hotel, up the street from the Raleigh. Rumored to be in Miami this week is Dennis Hopper, David Byrne, Steve Martin, Lou Reed, maybe Keanu Reeves and Russell Simmons. We bumped into Russell Simmons and girlfriend/ model Porschia Coleman last Wednesday at Nobu. Russell told us he loves the Setai and is staying in town for his December 8th soiree with Allison Weiss Brady at Intermix. The party benefits Simmons' charity Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation. A tip to the paparazzi, be at the Sotheby's dinner made by French chef Pierre Gagnaire which will honor contemporary Asian art.  Celebrities will also hide away in Lenny Kravitz's underground, speakeasy the Florida Room in the Delano Hotel.

The Fashionistas will takeover the Ritz-Carlton. Fashion people like Donna Karan, Laudomia Pucci, Vivienne Tam, Kenzo, Calvin Klein, Nadia Swarovski, and Tamara Mellon should be seen at the Cartier crystal Dome. The Cartier Dôme features the brand's most celebrated jewelry collection and rarest time pieces. Sip champagne and gawk at the gems from Wednesday to Sunday, 2-8pm and Thursday, 2-4pm. Spot fashion people frequenting Prime One Twelve, South of Fifth Street and Blade restaurant in the Fontainebleau Hotel.

Members of the suits like UBS’s Karl Schweizer; Citicorp’s Mary Hoeveler; execs of Campari, Cartier, and BMW will be working over the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Biscayne. Look for these high profile people at the UBS banquet where there will be tons of free food and drinks ya'll. You will be able to pick the suits out by the looks on their sad little facing saying, "can I afford this art and will I even be able to afford food next year?"

As for the locals, this is your domain so spread out and suck it in.  Over 200 galleries will be here personifying the biggest names in contemporary art.  The Art Positions section will features 20 art projects exhibited in shipping containers on the beach at Collins Park. Do not miss the Cartier Art Guest Lounge and Dome, designed by architecht Jean Nouvel. Definitely don't miss the Visionaire SOUND lounge at the Raleigh Hotel Thursday night, it will be one of the biggest parties of the week. You will be able to listen to audio works done by David Byrne, Robert Wilson, Cat Power, Cindy Sherman, U2, and Courtney Love. If your head is spinning that sucks, but get it together because there is much more than this going on. Like we said it's an epic week in Miami so we will say it again, get it together and get out there, explore the wonderment of Art Basel. Oh and drink up, liquor companies sponsor most events and it's on the house. 

Last weekend we partied with A-list celebrities and sexy Victoria's Secret models at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. We think last weekend was the Grand Opening but apparently not. We don't believe last weekend will ever be outdone but the hotel is going ahead with a Grand Opening event this coming weekend. The event seems like it is for the not so important people of Miami Beach because everyone worthwhile was already there.

This is the deal, Blade Sushi Bar will kick off again this Friday, November 21st. Just as the name suggests it is a sushi bar. Partiers can go into Blade for a late sushi dinner or to get the party started really early. Blade is an indoor-outdoor space, that will feature a chill DJ to get you into the party mindset. Blade is on the ground floor of the Chateau tower.

Next there is LIV nightclub, which will get its spotlight this coming Saturday night, November 22nd. LIV at the Fontainebleau is a 30,000 square foot space with three bars. Plus, for the uber-VIP there are six private skyboxes that sit above the crowds. Each VIP box will feature a European bottle service, mini-bar and banquettes with secured purse drawers. Thus, as you sit in your box you can look down through the glass at the regular people, as happened last weekend. We are told that every Saturday night will feature house music, the aggressive beats will be loved by some but not all. If you like Myntlounge on Collins Avenur or you're from Europe, then LIV will probably be your new home club. David Guetta is set to spin the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Tiesto on December 27th and we are sure the Fontainebleau has an extensive list of other famous house DJ's. If you aren't one for fist pumping and dropping ecstasy then you may want to try LIV not on Saturdays, apparently they will also have hip-hop and rock music. We hear rumors that tour buses will be packing in the Miami Beach partiers and transporting them to LIV this Saturday, we foresee LIV turning into a zoo rather then a club but, hey, why not? They are settled on packing the place out, adhering to the theory of quantity over quality which never turns out well for a Miami Beach hotspot. The point is to keep a club exclusive, leave people outside and they will keep coming back, it becomes a twisted mission to get in. If you let the whole world in on the first night then there's no mystery, there's nothing left but we will still wish LIV well. We hope that LIV has a fantastic opening and an even better year because we adore the Miami Marketing Group and believe in them. We also don't want to knock a hotel of the Fontainebleau's magnitute just yet, we will see what happens. 

LIV is also in the Chateau Tower, we really doubt this Grand Opening will top last weekend but we will give it another go around. Stat posted for more stories and pictures after we do some more homework, codeword for rough weekend of partying.

Ok, ya'll are probably more interested in looking at the sexy Victoria's Secret models then reading about them. For now here are some pictures to obsess over from the runway show. If you still have no clue, the show was held last Saturday November 15th at the renovated Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida.

The festive lingerie show had  a full orchestra, a glitter-flooded runway, 35 supermodels and two performances by Usher. Victoria's Secret senior Heidi Klum walked the runway just a few times, her mega-glam gift-bow wings were the ave dersane (goodbye). Basically you could put those girls in anything and they would still look good, case and point. The Rynway show turned out to be more of a costume show of girls prancing around in bra's and wings but we don't mind. We still have even more to fill you in on from Saturday night before, during and after the show, which is way before the December 3rd airing by CBS so stick around.

Model and television personality Heidi Klum was fitted on Saturday, November 1st, in NewYork. Klum, now equally as famous for hosting the hit show Project Runway is one of Victoria's Secret's oldest models. We have to wonder when the mother of like three kids with Seal will retire. It's probably really close to time to call it quits Klum, you're looking a bit old in the model world. On Tuesday November 4th, supermodel Miranda Kerr was fitted in New York City for the coming Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Kerr was also featured on the cover of this months OceanDrive Magazine, the staple fashion magazine for South Florida. Victoria's Secret is getting ready to debut Kerr and the new holiday lingerie collectionin Miami Beach this Saturday Novemeber 15th.

The sexy Marisa Miller was also fitted on Tuesday, November 4th, in New York. Marisa Miller is an American model known for her consecutive appearances in Victoria's Secret catalogs since 2001 and in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues since 2002. She was the cover model for the 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and a consistent Victoria's Secret Angelappearing on the runway. Miller was also #1 on Maxim Magazine's 2008 "Hot 100" list. She should make you proud to be an American. Miller along with a bevy of other supermodels will appear in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show for this holiday season. The show will go on at the billion dollar renovated Fountainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach.  For high society the show will go on Saturday Novemeber 15th. A few rumored A-listers in for the show will be Kate Hudson, Gwenith Paltrow and most likely Jeremy Piven, who lives for this kind of thing. There will be tons of other celebs and possibly a performance by Mariah Carey, the ultimate diva, look out Miami Beach.  For the rest of the world the show will play on CBS on December 3rd, don't miss it from your couches ya'll. Said to be the hottest night on television.

Thanks to the HBO hit series Sex & the City, girls in New York City seem to love sipping on Martinis. Whether it be vodka, gin, up, on the rocks, dry or dirty girls just feel sexier. Thus, the newly renovated Algonquin Hotel in New York City took cue and added a "special" martini to the Cocktail list, a.k.a a glitzy gimmick.  The Blue Bar at the Algonquin Hotel now features the Martini on the Rock, a martini that posseses a diamond inside. The $10,000 plus martini is basically for any guy who doesn't know how to propose, lacks taste and or imagination.

The Belvedere vodka and Martini & Rossi vermouth plus olives martini comes with a pre-selected sparkling diamond on bottom, from in house jeweler Bader & Garrin. The clarity, cut and carat of the diamond you choose will influence the price up, duh. We smell desperation on Anthony Melchiorri, the hotel's general manager, "This is a great lobby, where you can hang out and talk or where you can ask someone to marry you."  The Algonquin Hotel once attracted notable people like writer Dorothy Parker who said, "I love a martini — but two at the most. Three, I'm under the table; four, I'm under the host." Apparently the hotel needs some new attention. 

Gents the martini must be ordered three days in advance and we sincerely hope she doesn't choke on it. Our advice would be to take her to a Harry Winston, Cartier or Graff Diamond jeweler instead and get down on one knee the old fashion way. A martini may be thrown in your face as Samantha did on Sex & the City, but no girls turns down a Winston, Cartier or Graff.

We have noted the Setai Hotel on Miami Beach in a number of blogs because the hotel warrants attention. One more reason to check out the lavish beachfront hotel is because of it's penthouse. The 6,500 square foot Setai penthouse is just $30,000-per-night.

The Setai penthouse is designed in a chic Asian aesthetic with exotic woods and luxe finishes. The penthouse encompasses a double living room that stretches across the entire eastern end of the 40 story glass tower. The living room imbibes full panoramic views of the horizon. There are two master bedrooms with soaking tubs and stunning beach views. Plus,  3,000 square feet of terraces and balconies.

Throughout the Setai penthouse are touch panel LCD screens which give total control over lighting, audio-visual and building systems. There is a private recording studio built in which was designed by Lenny Kravitz himself. One of the things we love most about the penthouse is the private sunken edge stainless steel pool on the terrace.  Complete with a very sexy waterfall and coral stone-enclosed hot tub. Take spa services in the penthouse for the weekend or host a posh gathering. Whatever you decide to use the Setai penthouse for, you won't be sorry.  

The oh-so-popular Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is almost here and by here, we mean next week in Miami Beach (our hometown!). The 2008 sexed-up show will broadcast from the revamped Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. The Fontainebleau Hotel is one of the most legendary and architecturally stunning hotels on the Beach. Built in 1954, and originally designed by Morris Lapidus, the Fontainebleau was hailed as one of the most luxurious of its time.  

The Fontainebleau Miami Beach sits oceanfront at 4441 Collins Avenue, the hotel was purchased in 2006 by the restored Fontainebleau Resorts Firm.  Fontainebleau Resorts then set out to give the hotel a $1 billion dollar facelift over the next two years, taking vigilant care to preserve the circa 1950's design elements like the famous "staircase to nowhere." The renovated Fontainebleau will debut with a 40,000 square foot spa, two brand new towers (Chateau and Versailles), 15,000 rooms, 11 restaurants and lounges, three nightclubs and an oceanfront "poolscape" with several pools. Plus, iMac computers in the ritzier rooms. If that wasn't specific enough for you and you're into name dropping, then here you go... Just to name a few,  the Fountainebleau will feature: Gotham Steakhouse, Sprezza Italian restaurant, Hakkasan a Cantonese restaurant, LIV Nightclub, Blade Sushi bar and Glow the Pool Bar. Fun factoid, President elect  Barack Obama also stayed at the Fontainbleau Miami Beach on a recent campaign tour of South Florida. 

The remodeled and refashioned hotel brings us back to models and fashion. The Fontainebleau Hotel's behemoth grand opening will be kicked off by the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 14. A virgin to Miami Beach, the famed lingerie runway show will be taped and broadcast by CBS for the sixth year in a row. The show will air on Wednesday, December 3 at 10:00 - 11:00 P.M ET/PT on CBS for all those not in attendance for the actual show, which was by invite exclusively.

We look forward to seeing Victoria's Secret supermodels Heidi Klum, Adriana Lima, Marisa Miller, Miranda Kerr (also on this months issue of OceanDrive Magazine) and an army of other seductive Angels. Plus, Miami Beach will be flocking with celebs and games of whose who. Television audiences will get to see musical performances, red carpet interviews, model profiles and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of one of the world's most eminent fashion shows a.k.a a totally commercialized circus. Past musical performances have been the Spice Girls, Justin Timberlake, Seal, Sting, and Mary J. Blige. This year Usher is rumored to be the main musical guest performance. Here's to hoping the $1 bill Fontainebleau Hotel Miami Beach looks as hot as the supermodels. We are keeping our fingers crossed and we will be there to keep you posted, you know you're totally jealous!