Paris Hilton banned from Wynn Resorts Hotels over drug charges

by Melanie Nayer on

Wynn Las Vegas has made a solid effort to keep itself at a very far distance from the recent Paris Hilton drug charges. The hotel has banned Hilton and her boyfriends from entering or staying at the hotel after the celebrity socialite was busted last week for cocaine possession.

Hilton’s car, a black Cadillac Escalade, was stopped by a motorcycle cop due to what the cop said was a strong marijuana smell. What happened next is still a bit of a mystery, but we know Hilton left behind a Chanel purse (said to be belong to Hilton, but Hilton claims it belongs to a friend) that held cocaine. The driver of the car was Paris Hilton’s boyfriend of late, Cy Waits.

Hilton left the scene, which was mobbed by people and paparazzi, and headed straight for the Wynn Resort, where she was inevitably arrested. But the hotel wants no part of this mess.

Both Wynn Resort Hotels in Las Vegas have banned Hilton and her boyfriends from entering both the Wynn and Encore for the foreseeable future. Hilton denies the charges, but the Wynn is playing things safe (and smart).

The James Hotel opens in SoHo

by McLean Robbins on

Long beloved by residents of the Windy City, The James Hotel brings its unique blend of residential cool to SoHo with the opening of its first New York City property. Anchoring the southwest corner of Soho at Grand and Thompson Streets, The James is currently accepting reservations at its 114 guestrooms and suites.

“The stylish and culturally rich neighborhood of Soho is the ideal home for The James New York,” said Brooke Barrett, co-CEO of Denihan Hospitality Group, owners and operators of The James brand.

In homage to the creative neighborhood it calls home, The James New York will feature a mix of local and international artists, both prominent and up-and-coming. In an effort to be both child and pet-friendly, the hotel will offer both pajama sets and Paul Frank coloring sheets. Dog beds and doggy bowls will be provided by Soho-based pet retail shop Doggystyle, along with a specially-created amenity treat bag.

Additional guest perks include amenities from Intelligent Nutrients, a certified organic, food-based, natural beauty line and audio technology from Bowers & Wilkins, including Zeppelin iPod docking stations and iPads loaded with customized local shopping and dining guides as well as complimentary bicycles courtesy of Public Bikes or use of the hotel’s Lexus RX 400 hybrid vehicle.

The hotel was designed by the Office for Design and Architecture (ODA) in collaboration with Perkins Eastman and custom interiors by Amanda Sullivan with The James Design team.

In conjunction with the opening, the hotel is offering introductory rates, beginning at starting from $349 and including in-room breakfast.

To make a reservation, visit www.jameshotels.com.

Image: Courtesy of James Hotels

Daily Pampering: World’s most expensive hot dog and sundae make a $1,069 meal

by Melanie Nayer on

When it comes to food and luxury the options are simply endless. There’s the diamond-encrusted sushi and the $20,000 bottle of scotch and now, there’s the world’s most expensive hot dog, found in none other than New York City.

That’s right food lovers — feast your eyes (and mouth) on the most expensive wiener in the world, found at New York’s Serendipity 3. Cashing it a cool $69, the haute hot dog is prepared by head chef Joe Calderone, and is topped with truffle oil, truffle butter, duck foie gras, Dijon mustard, Vidalia onions and ketchup and is wrapped in a salted pretzel bun.

This isn’t the first ‘most expensive’ title held by the New York favorite delicacies joint. The restaurant also holds the record for the most expensive ice-cream sundae, called the Golden Opulence Sundae checking out at a $1,000. You’ll have to make a reservation at least 48 hours in advance if you want this chocolaty treat.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

[via New York Daily News]

Photographer Arthur Drooker brings American ruins back to life

by Scott Carmichael on

As travelers we find proof of our sightings in the photos we take. From atop the highest mountains to inside the darkest caves and under the bluest waters, we make an effort to capture the world with our eyes — through our personal lens — and hope what we develop makes an impression on those who dare to travel to these destinations. Then there are photographers who take this one step further.

Photographer Arthur Drooker uses special infrared film to photograph American ruins – creating visually stunning images, and bringing the location back to life unlike anything you’ll see with normal photography.

His work is currently on display at the William Siegal gallery in Santa Fe (until September 3) and will then move on to the Virginia Center for Architecture from September 9 through November 28. In his upcoming book, Lost Worlds, Drooker collected images from 33 different sites in 15 countries, showcasing some of his most impressive photos.

Art and design site Cool Hunting interviewed Drooker and answers some of the questions on how he selects locations, how he makes his photos and what inspired him to create his work. The site also created an online gallery with some absolutely amazing examples from his portfolio.

[Photo from Cool Hunting/Arthur Drooker]

Airlines provide change fee relief because of Hurricane Earl

by Tom Johansmeyer on

As Hurricane Earl works its way up the east coast, airlines are letting passengers take one item off their lists of concerns. Delta has announced that passengers affected by the storm can make one-time changes to their plans without incurring any fees. This applies to flights scheduled for today and tomorrow and covers more than 20 airports in the eastern United States, including the New York area, Washington, Boston and Baltimore.

AirTran Airways has gotten in on this concept, as well, with passengers hitting a number of airports, including San Juan, Puerto Rico, being able to change their plans without paying extra. It only works for flights taking off by Saturday.

[Photo by NASA Goddard Photo and Video via Flickr]