Nobu to open hotel in Las Vegas

by Matthew Firestone on

When it comes to sushi on this side of the Pacific, few American-based restaurants can compete with the likes of Nobu. Capitalizing on this celebritydom, chef Nobu Matsuhisa has recently announced plans to open up his first Nobu-branded boutique hotel in Vegas.

With 26 restaurants on five continents – three of which have been awarded highly-coveted Michelin stars – you’d think that Nobu and his partner Robert De Niro would be content to rest on their laurels. On the contrary, the Nobu Hospitality group is currently preparing to make an aggressive expansion into the boutique hotel market.

And what better place to inaugurate a new entertainment venture?

The answer is none other than Las Vegas, Nevada. According to a recent press release, the oldest tower at Caesar’s Palace is set to undergo a renovation by the same interior design team that brought you City Center.

The resulting transformation will thereafter be known as the Nobu Hotel Las Vegas.Although Nobu already operates a restaurant in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, to date there are no Japanese themed hotels on the Las Vegas strip. Now, I know exactly what you’re thinking. “But wait…haven’t you forgotten about the Imperial Palace?”

Trust me. There is nothing authentically Japanese about the Imperial Palace!

In stark contrast, the Nobu Hotel Las Vegas will emulate the minimalist interior of the restaurant chain while attracting a smart and savvy clientle. With only 180 rooms, it will also strive to offer the highly personalized service that characterizes the hospitality industry in Japan.

In their words:

“With a renowned location in Caesar’s Palace, the luxury Nobu Hotel Las Vegas will be a destination for style-makers and trendsetters, offering an immersive, fun and social experience. [Guests] will enjoy private check-in and the unique benefit of room service from Nobu’s acclaimed culinary team.”

One of the most unique aspects of the business deal is that the Nobu Hotel Las Vegas will be completely surrounded by Caesar’s Palace – not at all unlike how the Vatican City is completely surrounded by Rome.

For guests at the Nobu Hotel Las Vegas, this puts the casinos, shops and entertainment at Caesar’s within easy reach. For everyone else, this not only sets the bar for future boutique hotel ventures, but also signals that post-recession Vegas is still alive and well.

Haven’t yet experienced the gastronomic wonder that is Nobu? Stop by a branch near you, and sample the black cod with miso that first put this superstar restaurant on the culinary map.

** Caesar’s Palace image courtesy of the Wikimedia Commons Project. All other images are from Nobu: The Cookbook, and are reproduced here for the purpose of critical commentary. **

Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii continues to spew lava

by Justin Delaney on

Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii has been erupting since January of 1983, but a new fissure called Kamoamoa cracked open last weekend and began spewing loads of lava and gas. Lava has been seen shooting up to sixty-five feet in the air ever since. Park Ranger Mardie Lane claims that 2.5 million cubic meters are spewing out of the fissure daily – enough to fill 1000 Olympic swimming pools of the molten goo. The video above provides a glimpse into the magnitude of the eruptions and the 120 acres currently covered in lava on the island of Hawaii.

So far, no major issues have been reported due to the volcanic activity. According to MSNBC though, sulfur dioxide emissions have gone from 300-400 tons per day to roughly 10,000 tons per day, meaning that the volcanic activity may have some environmental implications. The southerly trade winds have provided protection from the gases, but if the winds stop or shift, nearby civilizations could become blanketed in volcanic smog, or “vog” as it is known in Volcanologist circles.

Visitors to Hawaii are being kept away from the volcanic area, and the National Park Service has shut down all east rift and coastal trails as well as the Kulanaokuaiki campground.

Take a cycling tour of Europe on an electric bike

by Kraig Becker on

Cycling tours continue to grow in popularity as active travelers look for new options for exploring the destinations of their choice. It is now possible to travel by bike in nearly every region in the world, and companies like Austin-Lehman Adventures offer fantastic cycling trips on nearly every continent. But peddling across the countryside isn’t for everyone, which is why the company has recently announced that it now offers the option to ride electric bikes on all of their European tours.

While many hardcore cyclists are likely to dismiss the use of e-bikes out of hand, the option does open up some intriguing new possibilities for travelers. Not only do they allow someone the opportunity to enjoy a cycling tour that may not have had the chance before, they also let riders of differing skill levels and conditioning ride together as well. The e-bikes level the playing field to a degree, allowing stronger riders to peddle their traditional bikes while the less seasoned can keep up through the use of their electrically assisted machines.

Austin-Lehman Adventures has announced that they are using a new model of e-bike from a company called Diamant. The aluminum framed bike comes equipped with a small motor that is powered by a lithium ion battery. When that motor is engaged, it allows a rider to pedal faster and further than they could normally. It also comes in handy when climbing hills as well, offering four varying levels of assistance on the slopes. At the end of the day, the batteries are pulled out of the motors and recharged overnight for the following day’s ride.

With e-bike options now available on their fantastic cycling journeys throughout Italy, France, Switzerland, and the rest of Europe, Austin-Lehman is promising to bring the same option to the U.S. in the near future. So if you’ve ever dreamed of rolling through the countryside on a bike tour, but feared you weren’t physically able, perhaps this is the option that you’ve been waiting for.

[Image credit: Austin-Lehman Adventures]

Hollywood goes to sea for short film series

by Chris Owen on
Lights!

Camera!

Cruise Ship?

Called the “Ocean Views” film project, Hollywood’s James Brolin, Jenny McCarthy and a boat load of stars recently wrapped up shooting a series of original short films as Hollywood goes to sea on board Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas.

(Don’t think “infomercial” yet please)

Brolin and McCarthy both directed and star in the series along with Dean Cain, Charles Malik Whitfield, Scott Elrod and others sponsored by Royal Caribbean International, a first for any cruise line. The film series is available on Royal Caribbean’s website and YouTube channel.

(Not yet, and wipe that look of disgust off your face too.)

The cruise line hopes the series attracts a variety of audiences, including those who may not have otherwise shown interest in taking a cruise vacation.

“In today’s ever-changing digital landscape, it’s important to recognize that consumers are getting their information from a variety of channels,” stated Betsy O’Rourke, SVP Marketing, Royal Caribbean International. “Royal Caribbean has always been known for its innovation, and the creation of these short films allows us to share our story with a wider audience that may not have considered a cruise vacation.”

(Now. Go for it. Throw your pack and best hiking stick at the computer screen.)

McCarthy’s film is called “The Allure of Love” which tells the story of two friends and their plan to get two exes back together. But things go sideways when technology gets in the way and the couple engages in a game of online picture posting one-upsmanship. It’s an unexpected comedic journey about rekindling romance on the high seas.

Let’s take a look shall we?


Actually, this looks pretty good. Way better than what we saw on last Saturday’s
Video of the Day: Saturday Night Live mocks cruises. That was painful to watch.

Brolin directs and stars in “Royal Reunion,” a short film about a multi-generational family voyage on Royal Caribbean International’s Allure of the Seas. Ben and Elaine are celebrating their 40th anniversary on a cruise with their son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter. All that is missing is their fun-loving son who decides to hide out and surprise everyone with his unexpected presence. After a series of comedic near-misses with his parents and brother, he discovers that the biggest surprises of all are the things that he doesn’t know about his family.

Here are the actors in real life, really at sea. See? Hollywood went to sea.


“The Allure of Love” and “Royal Reunion” will debut on Sunday March 13 during an exclusive premiere event onboard Allure of the Seas in her home port of Port Everglades in Florida.

Trailers for the short films are available at www.RoyalCaribbean.com and the films will be available in their entirety at 4p.m. on Sun., March 13.

Immediately following the premiere, Jenny McCarthy (@jennymccarthy) will host a Twitter party from 5p.m. – 6p.m. with Justin Baldoni (@justinbaldoni), Amy Yasbeck (@amyyasbeck4real) and Scott Elrod (@scott_elrod) to discuss the films and their experiences onboard Allure of the Seas. Media and consumers alike can join the party by following #OceanViews on Twitter and follow host @RoyalCaribbean.

Lufthansa coupon: Take 40EUR off your next flight

by Grant Martin on

Lufthansa has been issuing a wave of coupon codes geared at American travelers over the last six months, perhaps as a way of driving marketshare straight to their site rather than having users go to an online travel agency. Their most recent coupon is for 40 Euros ($55.64 at time of publication) off of an international flight. The voucher can be redeemed until May 1st and travel must be be before August 1st, 2011.

All that you have to do to scour up your own unique coupon code is venture over to Lufthansa.com and enter in your info.

As to whether or not Lufthansa’s fares are competitive in your particular market is another question. Our suggestion over at Gadling Labs is to run your fare search on Kayak first and then see if LH is competitive. After that, move back to Lufthansa.com and proceed with your booking.

Another area in which this coupon might be useful is for flights on the A380. Since Lufthansa just started flying out of JFK with the new double decker this could be a good opportunity to experience your first flight on the new aircraft.