U.S. Open: Chomp on a Hotdog

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Hotdogs and sporting events belong together, so when I went to my first U.S. Open tennis match, I knew I’d have to see what the Arthur Ashe Stadium had to offer. Given a delay caused by matches earlier in the day, the Nadal/Gabashvili pairing started late, so I wasn’t able to take my first bite until darkness had descended over Queens.

I left my seat and ambled over to the concession as the players battled into the night to see what a U.S. Open hotdog would taste like, and I found three alternatives I could use to satisfy my hotdog jones. There was an Italian sausage, which would have been too upscale for me if it hadn’t spent what looked like an eternity under the heating lamp. That left traditional hotdogs in two sizes: regular and foot-long. Obviously, I chose the latter … wouldn’t you?

Carefully balancing my cardboard tray – laden with my two foot-longs, water and a beer (Heineken Light, my feeble attempt to make sure there was something healthy on the tray) over to the condiment counter, where I added ketchup and mustard.

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%Gallery-101120%Back at my seat, I took my first bite. Simply maneuvering the monstrosity to my mouth took two hands, and I had to be careful to ensure my shirt remained clear of the red and yellow adorning my dogs. As two models of physical fitness sprinted, grunted and heaved under the lights on the court below, I pierced the casing of an American tradition.

I was not disappointed.

The Arthur Ashe Stadium hotdog was exactly as unimpressive as I’d thought it would be. It didn’t quite snap when I bit, and the temperature was only lukewarm, in part my fault because of a detour to the smoking area. The taste wasn’t bad, though. Some stadium dogs can resemble warm bologna too closely, but this one was the real deal. I munched mercilessly and quickly.

While the U.S. Open’s hotdogs don’t compare to those I’ve had in Iceland, Montreal or Antigua, they get the job done when you’re baking in the hot city sun (or if you’re suffering through a sweltering New York night). It’s not the taste that matters when your back is pressed against the hard stadium seats. Rather, it’s the fact that you’re participating in a uniquely American institution that’s important. If you’re among the masses headed to New York for the U.S. Open, be sure to grab a dog –and make it a foot-long!

[Photos by Laurie DePrete]

Disclosure: I was a guest of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, Andrew Hickey and Laurie DePrete. My opinions of these Queens hotdogs were not influenced in any way by the Caribbean destination.

Trump SoHo NYC goes green

by Melanie Nayer on

The Trump family of hotels is working on a greener lifestyle in New York.

Green Mountain Energy Company announced that Trump SoHo™ New York, the newest Trump hotel and condominium complex at 246 Spring Street in New York City, has committed to purchasing renewable energy from Green Mountain for 100 percent of the hotel’s electricity usage. Green Mountain is one of the nation’s largest providers of cleaner energy and carbon offset solutions.

Trump SoHo has signed on to purchase more than 5.5 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of wind energy annually from Green Mountain over two years, according to the agreement. The renewable energy will offset 100 percent of the hotel condominium’s annual electricity usage, which generates an estimated 4.6 million pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually, according to Green Mountain.

As for Trump and his guests? The savings represents the equivalent of 1.3 million houses turning off all their lights for a day.

Hotels to see-and-be-seen during 2010 Fashion Weeks

by Melanie Nayer on

Fall means fashion – it’s the time of year when designers debut their latest creations for the coming year and vy for a cover shot on the world’s most fashionable magazines. From New York to Paris, Fashion Week is meant to prove one important point: you are what you wear.

While some hotels are contributing to the fashion scene this year, others are hosting a meeting spot for those who want to see-and-be-seen off the catwalk.

New York Fashion Week, Sept. 9-16: New York and fashion go hand-in-hand. The Bryant Park Hotel is undoubtedly the grand dame of fashion week hotels, but new hotels like Fashion26 and Andaz 5th Avenue have recently hit the scene, offering another option for travelers. Fifth Avenue itself has always been renowned as a major shopping mecca, but if you look closely you might even get a few fashion tips from the hotel staff. At the Andaz 5th Avenue, women wear figure-flattering black wrap tops, paired with either skinny black pants or pencil skirts, and Tumi side bags, while men wear sleek collared shirts and suit jackets that have extra pockets. Women’s accessories are all statement pieces; either a striking crystal drop necklace and clear resin watch or a silver snake cuff and clear hoop earrings.

London Fashion Week: Sept. 17-22: The Metropolitan is the place in London town to see and be seen off the runway, and it offers great opportunities for celebrity-watching in posh Mayfair. It’s likely you’ll be famished after a day of watching models strut their stuff down the runway, so take advantage of the hotel’s signature guilt-free version of the trad afternoon tea. Accompaniments are made using flour substitutes, low fat crème fraîche, and fresh fruit purées. If you’re feet need a little pampering after walking in your stilettos all day, check out the Metropolitan London COMO Shambhala Urban Escape, which offers a variety of spa packages.
Milan Fashion Week, Sept. 22-28: Few do fashion quite like Milan, but if you’re going to rock the house that Versace built, you better do it in style. The place to be in Milan during Fashion Week is along Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga, the place to stay: Park Hyatt Milan. The hotel offers stylish accommodations that combine authentic Italian finishes with sleek amenities and state-of-the-art technology. La Cupola, the lobby lounge in the heart of the hotel, is already famous among the Who’s Who as it overlooks the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.

Paris Fashion Week, Sept. 29-Oct. 7: Home to Chanel, Hermes, Dior, and Louis Vuitton, Paris is the epitome of all things fashion and decor. Whether you stay at the Plaza Athenee or along the Champs-Élysées, Paris Fashion Week will surely be seven days you’ll never forget. Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme was ranked fifth in Europe as the ‘World’s Best Hotel Service’ in 2009, the staff will make sure fashionistas have everything they need from sun-up to sun-down. Or take affection for textiles to the bedroom at Pavillon de la Reine, nestled in Paris’ fashionable Marais quarter, every room features sumptuous materials to create a rich and well-appointed, yet subtly refined look. This is, after all, Paris, so after you’ve checked in and organized your wardrobe, head out for a little shopping of your own.

W New York Downtown opens on Wall Street

by Melanie Nayer on

Downtown New York has been slowly building up its reputation for years, but 2010 seems to be the year of openings. In June we showed you the exclusive images of the first hotel to be open in the Wall Street area with views of Ground Zero, and now more planned hotels are finally opening their doors to travelers in an effort to help rebuild the downtown New York area.

The W New York Downtown – the newest W Hotel in Starwood’s collection – finally opened the doors to the Downtown and The Residences at W New York, offering another hotel options for business travelers and leisure guests looking for a place to stay in the downtown Manhattan area. The hotel is located in New York City’s Financial District on the corner of Washington and Albany Streets.

The 58-floor, 217 guest room and 223 W-branded residences is placed perfectly to give guests city views of the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Hudson River and Battery Park. The hotel will offer the Living Room Bar & Terrace on the fifth floor with floor-to-ceiling window views of New York City, featuring specialty cocktails from resident mixologist Charlotte Voisey and light bites provided by BLT Bar & Grill, the hotel’s signature restaurant. The second floor dining room features a larger menu of fresh salads, grilled meats, market-driven pastas, pizzas, sandwiches and the signature sides and desserts.

The W New York Downtown will offer the same guest amenities typical in W hotels – W signature feather-top mattresses, 350 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets, goose down comforters and pillows, state-of-the-art in-room entertainment and a fully stocked Munchie Box (the W brand’s take on the hotel mini bar).

Daily Pampering: Louis XIII Rare Cask shots for $1,000

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Only in New York can you throw back a $1,000 shot and live to write about it.

If you’re looking for a spirit to redefine celebration, you don’t necessarily have to dress up for New York‘s luxury hotels, top-tier restaurants or exclusive bars. After all, this is New York, and luxury can be found in the most obscure places. Instead, direct your driver to W. 33rd Street, between 5th Avenue and Broadway and head to the third floor of gentlemen’s club Rick’s Cabaret – there you’ll find a cognac that’s almost impossible to purchase anywhere else in the United States.

Louis XIII Rare Cask de Remy Martin is not widely available. Of the 786 bottles on the market, a mere 30 were allocated to the U.S. market, which have mostly been claimed by private collectors and consumers, leaving few opportunities for the merely wealthy to enjoy a sip.

Shortly before the armed guards showed up at Rick’s Cabaret with the club’s two bottles, I learned from Louis XIII senior brand manager Remi Brabant, as we sipped a more conventional Remy Martin cognac, that 10 percent of the U.S. allocation – three bottles – is going to Rick’s Cabaret. Two bottles were escorted to the VIP floor at the Manhattan club, after having been carried almost reverently over the red carpet out front, and the third will be served at the company’s Tootsie’s club in Miami.

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When asked why Rick’s Cabaret received the opportunity to purchase such a large share of the U.S. inventory – particularly that available after private buyers were accommodated – he cited Remy Martin’s long relationship with Rick’s Cabaret, not to mention the strength of the gentlemen’s club’s brand and its financial security (Rick’s is publicly traded and has used the recession to go on something of an acquisition spree, with CEO Eric Langan making some smart pickups). Branant told me, “It’s a great pleasure [to work with Rick’s],” adding, “these are fantastic people to work with.” Ultimately, he concluded, “It’s about friendship.”

According to Ken Sistrunk, the New York club’s general manager, a single ounce of this cognac will cost a customer $1,250, with price breaks coming at an ounce and a half ($1,750) and 2 ounces ($2,200). Even at these prices, he said that the bottles won’t last long. Sistrunk expects the first purchase to be made by the middle of August, with both bottles being exhausted by New Year’s Day.

So, who would shell out more than $1,000 for a single ounce of cognac? Sistrunk explained, “There are still a lot of people making a lot of money, and they want to celebrate.”