33139 Travel Guide
Tags: Top Chef Travel / Food Travel / Reality Television Travel / Restaurants / Hotels / → All Tags
Jeff Takes His 'Creative Monkey' Back to the Beach
Top Chef New York is finally getting serious. They've gotten rid of the lower half of contenders, the ones we knew never had a chance, and now we're down to the top seven, the chefs who each seem like they could realistically win it all.
In last night's Super Bowl episode, we saw three favorites fall to the chopping block, including the dynamic Euro duo, Fabio and Stefan. But I think we all knew Bravo producers weren't going to let either of those camera hogs go home this early, which was of course bad news for poor Jeff.
Tags: Where Was / Tara Reid / Rehab Travel / → All Tags
Tara Reid's Last Hurrah? (Not Really.)
The ink is barely dry on her voluntary commitment form, and photos have already been released of Tara Reid allegedly out on the town and still drinking. The actress had her "30th birthday party" at Rokbar in Miami, where photos show her playing with sparklers and enjoying a giant cake.
Update: Only problem with this party--which may not have even happened--is that Reid is actually 33. Oh, Tara, we can hardly sort out what's real about your fake self anymore.
Still, Rokbar would've been a decent place for her to go if she'd wanted to party one last time. The club's website mentions it was closed in 2007 for a bit to update its decor: "Very much like the celebrities who partied hard at the venue, in June 2007 Rok Bar 'checked into rehab' in efforts to revitalize." How could they have known?
Reid checked into Promises Malibu, famous for fixing Britney Spears and de-anti-Semitizing Mel Gibson, on Friday.
Related Stories:
· Tara Reid's Rehab Clinic? [Jaunted]
· Tara Reid Is The Belle Of The Ball Down Under [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: HQ-Celebrity]
Tags: Miami-Dining-Map / Restaurants / → All Tags
Miami Dining Scene: The Best Goat Stew
David LaHuta is scouting the Miami dining scene for us this week.
Miami's proven a worthy stop for even the pickiest of foodies: We've chowed the city's best Cuban sandwich, sampled affordable sushi in chic South Beach and dug into some gourmet hot dogs at Dogma Grill.
It's time for something a little Caribé. With one of the largest Haitian populations in the US, Miami has plenty of Caribbean-inspired options to choose from. But locals lineup up Tap Tap, a colorful Haitian restaurant with some of the best goat stew in town.
Tags: Miami-Dining-Map / Restaurants / Sushi / → All Tags
Miami Dining Scene: The Best Al Fresco Sushi
David LaHuta is scouting the Miami dining scene for us this week.
There's no shortage of fancy cafés in look-at-me-now South Beach, but if it's sushi you're after then you'll have to stray from the crowds that mob glitzy Ocean Drive.
And why not? You've already sampled Miami's best Cuban sandwich so it's high time to indulge in some fresh fish on chic Collins Avenue. If you're looking for the best place to sip sake and munch on maguro then look no further than Kung Fu Sushi.
Tags: Miami-Dining-Map / Restaurants / → All Tags
Miami Dining Scene: The Best Cuban Sandwich
David LaHuta is scouting the Miami dining scene for us this week.
We may never answer the question of where to find Miami's best Cuban sandwich. After all, more than 700,000 Cuban Americans call Miami home.
In a culture that prides itself on succulent home-style cooking, there's a good chance you'll find more than one winner. But on a recent visit we uncovered a clear contender: David's Cafe II.
Tags: Barack Obama / 2008 Candidates Travel / Candidates-Travel-Map / → All Tags
2008 Candidates Travel: Barack In Miami
We're easy constituents. We back any candidate whose campaign strategy includes a promise to give us more travel options. That's why we now (temporarily) have a crush on Obama.
Breaking with other candidates' stance, the Illinois governor supports repealing the law banning travel to Cuba. Though plenty of Americans criticized this pledge (with, for example, picket signs reading "Barack Loves Fidel"), we've always hoped to visit the stranded red state.
Obama received a warm welcome from a crowd of mainly Cuban immigrants when he visited Miami Saturday. He even wooed younger voters by stopping by trendy South Beach nightclub Mansion. Now there's a president with whom we'd like to have a drink.
Related Stories
· Obama in Miami [NBC]
· 2008 Candidates Travel [Jaunted]
· Can U.S. Citizens Travel to Cuba? [Jaunted]
[Photo: calijbrown]
Tags: Nicky O / HotelChatter / Nicky Hilton / → All Tags
Nicky Hilton's Hotel Dreams on Life Support
A tipster over at HotelChatter, our big sister site, is reporting that a tall, dark haired girl in giant shades left the continuously under construction future site of Nicky O in a huff today.
So unless Nicky Hilton has a Padme type decoy clone, it sounds like all is not fine in the world of Nicky O South Beach.
Shocking, right? This project has been more hype than reality since the very beginning, and earlier this week, developer Robert Falor seemed to be preparing his bail out strategy when talking to the Miami Herald.
No official word from the Nicky O peeps yet, but celebrity hotel projects are never the slam dunks they appear to be on Letterman (scroll down).
Related Stories:
· Nicky O'ver [HotelChatter]
· Nicky O coverage [HotelChatter]
Tags: Jessica Alba / Miami Beach / Celeb Travel / → All Tags
Jessica Alba Makes a Young Boy's Dream Come True on Miami Beach
Jessica Alba spent the first week of 2007 being photographed over and over again in different bikinis on Miami Beach and she gave one kid the ultimate travel story.
Fratire site DoubleViking.com wrote an open letter to the kid, saluting him:
Put the goggles you wore on eBay. List them as "Goggles Worn When I Saw Jessica Alba In A Bikini" and set the minimum bid at $10,000. And then watch them sell. For a million bucks. You're probably thinking, but wait, they didn't even touch Alba, who's gonna buy them?" Kid, ohhh kid. The same sun rays that were baking the sweet, supple perfection that is Jessica Alba's ass passed through those goggles.
You saw Jessica Alba swim by...and lived to fight another day. Alba in a bikini is like a modern day version of a medieval dragon...mythical, amazing...and dangerous as hell.
There were plenty of reasons to go to Miami Beach before we came across this photo, but from the ear to ear grin on this kid's face, it appears Miami Beach may have just travel acquired a life long customer.
Related Stories:
· Jessica Alba [Jaunted]
· An Open Letter To The Kid In The Background [DoubleViking]
Tags: Miami Beach / Film Festivals / → All Tags
Let the Italians Scare You in Miami Beach...Italian Films That Is
Did you know that it is Italian Horror Month in Miami Beach? Well, it is.
You can still catch the tail-end of this mini-film festival with showings going on for the rest of the week, including of course on Halloween Night. Held at The Miami Beach Cinematheque, the festival is showing Italian cult classics from directors such as Fellini, Bava, Martino, Miraglia, Argento, Fulci and Baino. Price ranges from $6 to $10, which we assume depends on who the film's director is. That or maybe it depends on your Senior Citizen discount.
If you're looking for other ways to spook yourself out on Halloween in Miami, ponder the soon-to-open Nicky O Hotel on Ocean Drive.
[Photo: AnniSams]
Tags: Celeb Travel / Night Clubs / → All Tags
Lindsay Lohan's Miami Beach NYE
Lindsay Lohan preened around Miami Beach in multiple bikinis before and after her scheduled "hosting" gig at Privé on New Year's Eve.
The $200-a-head bash was one of the hottest tix in Miami...and yes, Fez was in the area.
More bikini fashion ideas at Egotastic.com, courtesy of Lindsay.
Tags: Celebs / Bad Travelers / → All Tags
Lauren Hutton goes diva in Miami
The New York Daily News reports that gap-toothed 70's-supermodel Lauren Hutton threw a snit-fit recently at the Delano hotel in Miami Beach.
Lauren didn't like her room, demanded an upgrade, and then angrily left the hotel when that room didn't meet her lofty standards, "leaving owner Ian Schrager to pick up the tab for a dinner she was throwing for 10 of her friends."
Um, Lauren? It's not 1974. Get over it.
Related Stories
· Delano Hotel Reviews [TripAdvisor]
· Surveillance [NY Daily News]
Tags: Hotels / Travel News / → All Tags
Casa Casuarina
The eclectic mansion in Miami where Versace was killed, Casa Casuarina, is now available for overnight visitors. Night rates for the 10 suites are between $1,200 and $4,000--not exactly a bargain. The house was made into a private, members-only club (a la Soho House) last year and has about 160 members.
The mansion's just been inducted into the Leading Hotels of the World, hence the sudden room availability. They're looking for you:
"The high-rolling, eclectic customer is just what we want."
Hopefully your Benjamins aren't going directly for Donatella's dye jobs.
Related Stories:
· Overnight Guests Welcome, for a Price, at Versace's Former Mansion [NY Times]
· Casa Casuarina [Official Site]
