Daily Pampering: Harper’s Bazaar suite at Willow Club New York

by McLean Robbins on

Ever wonder what it’s like to shop like a celebrity, including custom wardrobe selections, VIP fashion show access and merchandise straight from designer’s archives? Members visiting New York through new private membership group Willow Club now can, thanks to the Harper’s Bazaar Style Suite. Located at the Shoreham Hotel in New York City, the Style Suite marries the best fashion, accessories and stylish amenities, plus special events – including Friday and Saturday evening makeup touch-ups, blow-outs and fashion advice from top stylists – available exclusively to members.

Located on the main floor of The Shoreham, the Style Suite features a revolving display of Harper’s Bazaar-edited merchandise, most of which appears in the magazine’s current issue and may be purchased with the help of a Willow Club Style Suite Concierge directly from the display or through the brand’s personal shoppers. Past items for purchase include include a Derek Lam dress worn by Jennifer Aniston in the September issue of the magazine as well as over 75 pieces on display from brands including Michael Kors, Ports 1961 and Donna Karan.

Access to the Style Suite is complimentary for Willow Club members. Willow Club, is a private membership organization that offers members entrée to events and lifestyle experiences that would typically be inaccessible or cost prohibitive. In addition to stays at Willow Club’s three luxury Manhattan hotels, as well as stays internationally with no additional room night charges, examples of club benefits include: season tickets to all major New York sports teams, including the club’s luxury suites at select venues; use of the club’s private yacht; the club’s tickets to premier Broadway shows and performing arts; insider access to New York Fashion Week; use of limited-edition, luxury and high-performance cars; complimentary entry into New York City’s most celebrated and internationally-noteworthy cultural attractions and museums; member golf and tennis; and insider shopping and fashion experiences with personal stylists. The Club is currently accepting new members at www.willowclub.com.

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Daily Pampering: Barrymore Suite at Chatwal New York

by McLean Robbins on

Live large in the Big Apple with a stay at the Chatwal New York. Opened just last month, the Stanford-White designed building played an integral role in 20th Century American theater, housing the Lambs, a prestigious NYC theater club that has boasted members like Maurice, Lionel and John Barrymore and Fred Astaire. John “Jack” Barrymore even lived at the club for a time.

Actress Drew Barrymore generously lent permission for her family name to be used as the title of the hotel’s Penthouse suite.

The Barrymore Suite offers exclusive use of the hotel’s tenth floor, and features four oversized guestrooms (three King beds and one Double/Double) and four full bathrooms, including a master bath with Jacuzzi and raindrop shower. The 4,500 square foot suite overlooking 44th street offers a 1,000 square foot private heated outdoor terrace, two sitting rooms, dining rooms, and kitchenettes.

The suite boasts Shifman Mattresses dressed with Frette linen, a private bar with a bespoke cocktail set and menus, custom Chatwal playing cards and backgammon set. In-room amenities are provided by Asprey, and 24-hour room service and fitness center access is available.

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Daily Pampering: The Art Of Shaving Travel Kit & Razor

by Scott Carmichael on

Taking care of yourself “on the road” usually involves a quick shower and a shave in a lousy hotel bathroom. Thankfully, for men who have the time (and money) to pamper themselves, there is The Art Of Shaving.

The Art Of Shaving is a line of personal care products that upgrade your morning shave from a quick rub with your Braun into a 4 step luxury experience.

The Art Of Shaving travel kit comes in a high quality leather case, and includes three shaving products, a badger hair brush and a luxury razor.

The four steps (as described by The Art Of Shaving) are: prepare, lather up, shave and moisturize. I took the kit for a test over a couple of mornings, and while it does add a couple of minutes to my already busy routine. the results are quite impressive – and certainly well worth the effort. Using the badger brush to create a lather is not only a bunch of fun – it also makes you feel like you are giving yourself a real barber shop trim.

The razor uses regular Gillette blades, but is made of premium materials – and certainly feels like a quality piece of shaving gear.

The travel kit comes in four versions – unscented, lavender essential oil, lemon essential oil and sandalwood essential oil. Each kit costs $150, and is available from theartofshaving.com, where you’ll also find more travel friendly pamper products.

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Daily Pampering: Artisanal butchering workshop at The Sanderling

by McLean Robbins on


Care to “meet your meat” before eating? At Outer Banks resort The Sanderling in Duck, North Carolina, you can. In keeping with the resort’s culinary philosophy of S.O.A.L. food, or utilizing sustainable, organic, artisanal and local ingredients, they are opening their kitchens for the first time to help interested foodies learn the art of butchering.

With the help of a 30-year butchering veteran, German Master Butcher Frank Meusel, guests will learn the art of breaking down whole animals with a focus on primal cuts. Held once per month from November through February, guests will experience steer, hog, lamb and veal butchering experiences (meat varies depending on month).

For $325 per night, guests will enjoy hands-on butchering lessons at the nearby Weeping Radish Farm (also home to North Carolina’s oldest microbrewery), cooking lessons including emulsion and smoking techniques, and an additional class on how to make hot dogs and sausages.

The package includes a lunch of house-made charcuterie and the farm’s own microbrews, plus a private farm tour from owner Uli Bennewitz. Once guests return to the resort, a three-course dinner will be served family-style at The Left Bank, the resort’s signature restaurant and the area’s only Four Diamond dining destination. Dishes will be prepared in the restaurant’s show kitchen and are inspired by the meats guests helped prepare earlier that day.

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Daily Pampering: Swarovski crystal-encrusted Hello Kitty bottled water

by Laurel Miller on

Remember when you were in third grade, and instead of working on your multiplication tables you furtively traded Hello Kitty puffy stickers for bubble gum-scented Hello Kitty erasers? No? Well, if you missed out on that iconic elementary school experience, fear not, because the Sanrio empire has expanded its line of high-end adult goods in commemoration of the megalocephalic cat’s 35th anniversary.

The folks at Sanrio have just released Swarovski crystal-encrusted bottles of Hello Kitty luxury water. At a mere $100 a pop, this is one indulgence water aficionados of all ages won’t want to miss. Produced by Japanese “jewelry water” company Fillico, the contents come from a natural spring at the base of Kobe’s Mt. Rokko.

The appearance of the water vessels will also strike a nostalgic chord with Boomers and Gen-X’ers who recall the cone-shaped pump hairsprays of the ’70’s and early ’80’s. The waters come in five different colors (or flavors, depending upon which vague marketing blurb you happen to read): red, for “friendship”; pink for “cute”; yellow for “heartful,” green for “wish,” and lavender, for “sweet.” You can even have them engraved, for that personal touch. The top of each bottle is capped with a crystal crown, with a color-corresponding crystal bow around the neck. Even the Hello Kitty moniker sports a wee little crystal bow on her head.

We still have some Hello Kitty puffy stickers lying around if anyone wants to trade us for one of these crystal bottles. Anyone?

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