Most Recent: Dinner
Posted on Tuesday, December 9, 2008 at 7:55 PM
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Tal PinchTagged as: Airlines, Airport, Airport Lounges, Newark, Drink, Dinner, Heineken, Thai Air
Newark Airport Tries to Add A Little Luxury Between Flights
New York-area terminals don't give first-class passengers much in the way of luxury lounges to help make their delays and stopovers seem less painful. Newark in particular has been lacking. Continental Airlines does offer three Presidents Club lounges in two different terminals and the Delta Crown Room isn't a horrible getaway, but recent openings show that Newark Liberty is trying to offer an alternative to the Caliente Cab with mixed results.
It started with the opening of Silverjet's VIP Lounge, a nice compliment to the business-class-only airline that started flying out of Newark in 2007. What started as a makeshift small room that was hard to find in Terminal B was supposed to become a luxury lounge roughly three times bigger. Unfortunately, the airline spent most of the Spring struggling with its finances before eventually ceasing operations. A proposed buyout looked as if there still might be hope for the proposed Newark luxury lounge, but that fell through.
Hopes are that a new recently-opened Heineken Lounge could provide some extra luxury to Terminal C. The new lounge offers a variety of Heineken brews as well as gourmet foods, Wi-Fi, and a few entertainment options. While it's referred to as Heinken's
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Posted on Friday, November 28, 2008 at 4:23 PM
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Tal PinchTagged as: Dinner, Omaha Steaks, Home, Food and Drink, Steaks, Luxury
Omaha Steaks (Yes, Omaha Steaks) Does Luxury
While we never anticipated a company called Omaha Steaks would dive headfirst into the luxury market, it has happened. Considering the last overblown luxury steak venture we saw was Donald Trump trying to peddle meat exclusively through the Sharper Image (the company went belly up roughly a year after the venture), we're plenty skeptical. But a quick look at Omaha Steaks' Private Reserve has us paying attention.
For a $10,000 fee, Omaha Steaks arranges for their executive chef and culinary staff to come to your home and arrange a fine-dining experience revolving around a menu that includes bacon-wrapped scallops with jalapeno jelly, marinated tortellini kebabs, lobster mashed potatoes, and filet mignon topped with stilton cheese souffle and Cabernet white truffle demi-glace. The company even offers wine pairings courtesy of owner Fred Simon?s private wine cellar.
There are blackout dates, primarily December 24, 25, 31, and January 1st, but otherwise it looks like a potentially pleasant experience at home. Considering the exorbitant price, it works best for a large-scale get-together or special occasion. Whatever the occasion, it?s nice to know you have an executive chef on call considering most quality private chefs can be difficult to book, especially on short notice.
From there, the only real question is the meat quality from an over-marketed and absurdly-named company like Omaha Steaks. Most of the reviews we've found are overwhelmingly positive, so we can assume that the food should be quality, although we?re still skeptical about the service from a company not exactly known for the human touch.
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Posted on Monday, November 17, 2008 at 7:04 PM
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Tal PinchTagged as: Las Vegas, Social House, Nobu, Favorites, iPhone, Dinner, Nightlife, Treasure Island
Favorites: Joe Elevado
Having already made a major name for himself working for eight years at Nobu in Las Vegas and New York, Joe Elevado has reached new dining strata as Executive Chef at Social House in Vegas. Since opening the popular eatery and nightspot at Treasure Island, Elevado has become a rising star but still has enough time to share his favorites with How To Roll.
-Travel: I am originally from New York and love to go there to visit family and friends. Every time I do go home though, I always plan my trip around which restaurants I want to visit. The vibe in New York City is very unique and I love how you can walk to most of your destinations, and if it?s not that close it's just a cab ride away. If I can't make it all the way to NYC, San Francisco is for me. It's a city that reminds me of home and best of all it's just a hop away from wine country ... but I could go on all day about that!
-Nightlife: My favorite nightspot is at Noir Bar[at the Luxor in Las Vegas]. It has a relaxed atmosphere that isn't too loud and you can really have a night out with friends and have a conversation. The atmosphere is loungey and the bartenders concoct some great libations.
-Gadgets: My favorite kitchen gadget is my Cryovac machine. I think it?s the best thing a home cook can buy to help keep all their products fresh, especially when freezing things. I also use it when I make food for my son; it helps keep his eats fresh and organized.
My iPhone is my favorite electronic gadget right now. I was just in San Francisco and the GPS in the phone was really helpful, plus all the great applications you can download keep me going. I love Macs!
-Dining: I don't really have a favorite restaurant but I do eat a lot of pho, rice, and pasta. I really enjoy quality and you can get that anywhere, from your hole in the wall family-owned restaurant to your big celebrity chef-driven restaurants. There are too many good places to eat to just mention one.
-Hobbies: I wouldn't call him a hobby but I am enjoying my one-year-old son very much. He is starting to develop his own personality and I just really love to see him grow. He and my wife are a big part of my life; family is key.
-Vegas: The thing that I love about Vegas is its community of chefs and how we all know each other in a roundabout way. It's tight-knit, and we all try to take care of each other. Another thing I love about Vegas are the roads; it's a motorcyclist's dream.
-Social House: When you walk in, you don't realize that you walked into a 280-seat restaurant. It's a cozy space with many layers that engulf you as you walk through the entire restaurant. The cuisine lends itself to the space because everyone is encouraged to share and to get cozy with each other. It's very Asian in that everything is done family style.
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Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 at 6:26 PM
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Tal PinchTagged as: Blackberry, Dinner, Swing, Handheld, Savage, Favorites, Music, Travel, Technology
Favorites: Savage
The rapper known as Savage was making a name for himself in his native New Zealand with his group, Deceptikonz, before his single
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Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 4:52 PM
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Tal PinchTagged as: Favorites, Las Vegas, DJ Hollywood, Pure Nightclub, Nightlife, Dinner, Apple, Technology, Favorite Things, Celebrity Favorites
Favorites: DJ Hollywood
As one of the most sought-after DJs in the country, Hollywood has been brought in to get the party started nationwide. He has already served as a resident DJ at some of Vegas? hottest nightspots, including Drais, RA, and Rain at the Palms. Today Hollywood serves as the man behind the decks as the Program Director for Pure Management Group, where he works such hotspots as Pure, Tangerine, and Coyote Ugly. For the man considered an integral part of Las Vegas nightlife, there were a few favorites he wanted to share with HTR.
Travel: I enjoy Chicago. I spin there often and get a chance to see more and become more acquainted with the city each booking.
Nightlife: PURE Nightclub in Las Vegas. In the thousands of venues I've spun, I've never experienced energy quite like Pure. One word: Nuts!
Gadgets: My Mac. I'm on it six hours a day whether I'm spinning or not and seem to learn something new each time. That's probably because I'm terrible with computers.
Dining: Pie in the Sky in Las Vegas. [Try the] Chicken Gyro. If you get the chance someday, you'll thank me.
Hobbies: Nothing new, just my old past times, sports and poker.
Hot New Group: I just signed the duo Hardnox to my artist management company, the Beatclan. They're currently signed to Blackground Records (Timberland & several others) and will be releasing the hottest tracks of 2009.
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