In this issue: Hong Kong, San Juan, Malibu, South Beach, Shanghai, and Buenos Aires...
In this issue: Hong Kong, San Juan, Miami, LA, Buenos Aires, and Shanghai
Eat: A Hong Kong trifecta
After five years of additions and renovations, the InterContinental Hong Kong is finally ready for business. Among the many fine new features of the place are three world-class restaurants: Spoon, serving contemporary French cuisine (try the "Sexy Spoon" six-course tasting menu); Nobu Hong Kong by Nobu Matsuhisa (photo, right) (order the famous rock-shrimp tempura with creamy-spicy sauce); and Yan Toh Heen, an award-winning Cantonese restaurant offering breathtaking views of Victoria Harbour and succulent seafood and barbecued meats.
Play: In San Juan, party like it's 1999
Back in the 1960s, when Cuba became closed to Americans, Puerto Rico's storied El San Juan Hotel & Casino was the chic Caribbean hot spot. Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. would often perform live and guests danced salsa in the lobby. Today, the cool social set hits the hotel's newly designed pool and beach area, Encanto. Produced by Buddha Bar-designer Stephane Dupoux, it's a lushly landscaped space with hammocks, swings, aromatherapy, and tiki hut cabanas equipped with WiFi, and plasma TVs -- as lovely as ever for day and night, night and day.
Stay: La dolce vita, Malibu-style
News of the first and only ultra-luxury lodging between Santa Barbara and Santa Monica is music to our ears. Entertainment mega-mogul David Geffen has just finished the multimillion-dollar renovation of his Malibu Beach Inn on exquisite, exclusive Carbon Beach (photo, right). The 47-room inn is located just off the Pacific Coast Highway on a site known as "Billionaire's Beach." Come September's opening, guests can spend their days on the sand or trolling the unique shops of nearby Malibu County Mart. At sundown, indulge in Carbon Beach Club's delicious California Coastal/Pacific Rim cuisine. Rates start at $375.
Shop: A Shanghai shoo-in
In September, luxury shoe and handbag retailer Jimmy Choo opens a boutique in Shanghai, at Plaza 66 -- the city's Rodeo Drive -- amid neighbors Prada, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Chanel. The 1,250-square-foot shop, part of a collaboration with the Pedder Group, will sell the same delicious collections found worldwide, including this fall's must-have shiny, pony and leather handbag, the "Alex." For a sexy silhouette and just enough toe cleavage, get your feet on the Sweden Metallic Python stiletto pumps in gold.
See: In Buenos Aires, footloose and sexy
Buenos Aires' hip Faena Hotel + Universe hotel is home to the sexiest tango show in the city, Rojo Tango. Performances are held seven nights a week (from 8:30 to 11:30) in the hotel's El Caberet room (photo, right), an intimate space with perfect acoustics and a fantastic, sultry vibe. The $150-per-head experience is open to just 140 guests per night, and includes a three-course menu and all the red wine and champagne you can drink. Carlos Gardel would find the whole scene buenisimo.
Drink: South Beach's elixir of love
All summer, South Beach's Ocean Drive is absolutely sizzling. It's no wonder Table 8 restaurant concocted what is arguably the coolest drink in town to complement the succulent plates of chef Govind Armstrong's California-centric cuisine. The Basil 8 cocktail is made with muddled white grapes and basil leaves mixed with vodka, simple syrup, lime juice, ginger and angostura bitters. Sweet and fresh, the cocktail tastes like it might actually be good for you -- too bad we know better.