This weekend's major movie release "What Happens In Vegas" promises to kill off the entire tourism trade to Nevada's largest city. Once people get the idea, however malformed, that an innocuous trip to Vegas could get you hitched to Ashton Kutcher without possibility of parole, no one will ever want to visit Sin City again!
Actually, even a movie this execrable probably can't keep people from going to Vegas. So, have fun, go mad and meet a cutie at one of these hot spots:
Hofbrauhaus :: It wouldn't occur to us to try to pick up hot guys at a German/Bavarian restaurant--sauerkraut breath is a killer!--but maybe if they're German and nude...4510 Paradise Rd.
Krave :: Its reputation as an LGBT hot spot precedes it, but if you like drag karaoke, relatively cheap covers ($10 in Vegas is like 10 cents anywhere else) and "gorgeous" girls with pink hair, you'll enjoy it too. 3663 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
First screened at last year's Rome Film Fest, "Noise" is an indie film now in limited release about how horribly loud New York City can be. Tim Robbins plays a vigilante car alarm destroyer with co-stars Bridget Moynahan as his wife and William Hurt as Gotham's mayor.
Anyone who's spent more than a night in the city knows it can indeed be a terribly loud place to hang out, so we're bringing you some relief with a few quiet places where you can enjoy a moment or two of silence.
Where to Stay: The Library Hotel It's hardly on the quietest block in the city (at 41st and Madison) but the Library keeps things hush-hush with only six rooms per floor and Dewey Decimal-inspired decor. The thousands of books scattered throughout the hotel will certainly dampen footsteps in the hall, and if that's still not enough, the New York Public Library is a couple blocks away on 42nd and 5th.
This week, our movie pick is something a little different. Though the Tribeca Film Festival is winding down, there are still plenty of screenings on. Our pick would be "Hotel Gramercy Park," a documentary about the famous hotel showing tonight at the Village East Cinema.
Director Douglas Keeve went inside the downtown landmark as Ian Schrager prepared the hotel for its grand re-opening. Along the way, he tells the story of the property from back when the Kennedys rented an entire floor to the raging party times of the 80s.
Obviously, this one was shot in NYC. Here are some things to do in the neighborhood.
Where to Stay: Gramercy Park Hotel Might as well stay at the namesake, now a super-luxe property where rooms go for around $700 a night. Just be ready for what HotelChatter calls the hotel's "gothic sex dungeon theme." You'll be in good company in the hotel's bar, where Paris Hiltonisn't allowed, and be sure to ask for a key to Gramercy Park.
We'll admit it, this week was a little low on solid new movie releases, so our pick should bring some dumb humor into your weekend. "Baby Mama" is fresh from the great (female) minds at "Saturday Night Live." Tina Fey plays Kate Holbrook, a successful executive who, at 37, finds she can't have a baby. She discovers Amy Poehler, as South Philly lady Angie Ostrowiski, who can--easily.
Angie becomes Kate's surrogate mom and Kate goes into over-preparation mode for parenthood. A snafu lands Angie on Kate's doorstep to live out her pregnancy and Kate's attempts to groom her just so. Stereotypical jokes ensue, but that there are some genuine laughs and Fey does her normal, paranoid/stellar job.
This is one movie that was actually--shockingly--filmed in and around the city. So here are some fun things to check out in New York:
Where To Hang Out:Communitea Head to this Long Island City teahouse where expansive windows and a very laid back vibe set the scene. It's literally a community with a neighborhood clientele and a huge selection of imported tea and coffee. We hear the service can be spotty, but if you're patient it'll work out.
A new viral marketing campaign is asking "What Happened in Piedmont?" And since we love geography and going places, we tried to find Piedmont, Utah. Trouble is, and time for a spoiler alert, it doesn't exist.
That casts some serious credibility shadows on the new blog by "Andrew Tobler," who's trying to figure out exactly what happened in his hometown. But, wait a minute, where have we heard about a troubled small town named Piedmont before? Oh, that's right, in Michael Crichton's book The Andromeda Strain.
Tony and Ridley Scott's new take on the story is set to premiere on A&E on Memorial Day. And despite the setting of the book and Tobler's blog, the new miniseries was shot in British Columbia.
If you loved "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up," head to the theater today for the Judd Apatow crew's latest: "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." We hear it's solid for some crude humor and raunchy-joke laughs.
A devastated Peter (Jason Segel) takes a getaway trip to escape the break-up he's going through with his TV star girlfriend Sarah (Kristen Bell), thinking he's escaping from it all. Turns out she was thinking the exact same thing and also shows up in Hawaii... with her new man. Of course the spot's not big enough for everyone and they keep crossing paths.
Roeper just called it one of his "Top 50 comedies of all time," and we admit, we're intrigued. To get you in the spirit, we offer you some cool things to check out in the Hawaiian islands, perfect for getting over your next breakup.
Where To Stay:Aloha Cottages, Maui Get over your newfound singleness by slipping off to one of these two secluded cottages (The Thai tree house or Bali Bungalow). They're a step up and replete with private outdoor soaking tubs, oriental carpets, granite counters and hand carved art. You won't risk running into anyone with your own private entrance and driveway.
If you were a "Juno" fan, you'll enjoy this week's pick. "Smart People" brings Sarah Jessica Parker, Ellen Page, Dennis Quaid and Thomas Hayden Church to the screen as a dysfunctional family that gets a new lease on life.
Dennis Quaid is a widowed professor whose adopted brother Chuck (Church) returns to his life around the same time he meets SJP, a doctor. We hear there's all sorts of wry humor and Ellen Page plays a bit of her Juno role again--but we're OK with that.
The film was shot entirely in Pittsburgh. In that vein we invite you to check out some cool things in the Smoky City:
Where To Stay:The Priory This European style hotel on the North Shore features charming rooms furnished in reproduction pieces, as well as cozy touches like a sitting room for evening wine and an outdoor courtyard. It's convenient too, with free WiFi and daily shuttle service to downtown.
This week we offer you the movie that will make everyone happy. "Leatherheads" combines a romantic comedy with football, almost unheard of previously.
George Clooney plays Dodge Connolly--yeah, we know, dumb name--who's trying to take his 1925 pro football team to the championship. He recruits Carter Rutherford (John Krasinski), an American college football star and war hero, to save the day. An enterprising journalist, Lexie Littleton (Renee Zellweger), trys to uncover Carter's war hero story, and in the process become entangled with both men.
Of course there are tons of sassy remarks and retro references, and something tells us Clooney's character isn't far from who he really is...
"Leatherheads" was shot in some of the prettiest parts of the southern US, so in that vein we offer you some cool things to check out in Charlotte, North Carolina:
Where To Stay:Morehead Inn An elegant Southern estate, the Morehead is filled with cozy antiques and rich with history. Once the private home of Charles Campbell Coddington, it opened to the public in 1984 and remains booked with private events. Guests are spoiled with a huge homey breakfast served on china every day.
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by egw
