The Enlightened Traveler: The Dorchester On My Mind

After having been stranded, treated no better than rubbish, then left to fend for himself for two nights in London in May by British Airways on an impossibly overcrowded holiday weekend – trust me, this was not a pleasure trip – The Luxurist longs to return to the land of Tennyson and Tesco for a more gratifying visit.

This was not a planned stopover. The Luxurist and his lovely Luxurista were simply transferring  through Heathrow en route from the Cannes film festival to Hollywood, where, like British Airways,  they do not bother even to try to fake sincerity.

British Airways wants you to think you'll enjoy flying with them. Don't you believe it!

Of course, even Hollywood has its virtues. Heads roll when executives fail to perform.

Not so at British Airways. On a day when Heathrow's runways were closed for four hours and some 225,000 passengers were flying in, out or through the airport, the world's largest airline managed to bring unimagined grief to many of them.

Passenger service failures were massive.

Flights were not automatically rebooked. Why, The Luxurist wonders, do they ask for your mobile phone number and e-mail address if they are not going to use them to notify you of your new flight information?

Instead, customers were made to wait in lines of up to nine hours, were given phone numbers for rebooking only to find that the airline hung up on them repeatedly ("Too many calls now. Goodbye!") and then closed the switchboard entirely at 8 PM.

Nine hour lines at Heathrow, courtesy of British Airways

Presumably this was done so that BA's employees could enjoy the start of their holiday weekend.

Never mind those pesky 225,000 paying passengers, who not only had no flights but no place to stay either. British Airways handed everyone a hastily reproduced piece of paper stating, bluntly, that they were not going to find hotels for anyone.

Apparently you have a better chance of being treated with care if you work for British Airways than if you buy a ticket from the company.

And they say that there is no justice in Hollywood!

But I digress. British Airways was guilty of many more depredations on this dreadful weekend. There will be much more to read on why The Luxurist will never, ever fly British Airways again in a future post.

Watch for it if you want to spare yourself unfathomable misery in the future.

Also read: Bellagio's New Caviar Buffet – A Good Value Or A Waste of Money?

Back to the topic at hand: London's fabulous Dorchester hotel.

The one and only Dorchester hotel

The Luxurist was amused to read in hotelchatter.com and elsewhere on the web that The Dorchester  is offering a side-by-side tasting of all four Remy Martin Louis XIII cognacs – Louis XIII, Louis XIII Black Pearl, Louis XIII Rare Cask 43,8 – for a mere $3,200 per person.

This is what you call a stiff drink, indeed.

It's not the cost that concerns The Luxurist. The cognacs are très rare. By all accounts they may well be worth every penny. And, after all, if you have it, what's money for?

The Luxurist simply wants to know why a great hotel like The Dorchester must resort to publicity gimmicks to promote itself.
 
Publicity is not necessarily a bad thing – unless, as Jane Russell opined, you don't have any.

That is not to say, as many do, that there is no such thing as bad publicity. Contrarian that he is, The Luxurist does not subscribe to this tired adage.

Same price. Which would you choose?

He also does not believe in pointless publicity.

Gimmicks, even high class ones, will not compel customers to stay at any hotel, or to return if they have found their stay lacking.

Enlightened travelers do not want stunts. They require friendly, unobtrusive, exceptional service, posh yet comfortable accommodations, good food, a bit of exclusivity, and, in general the feeling that they are being cared for at all times.*

This is exactly what The Dorchester has offered The Luxurist on his several stays there.

Let's do the math. Would you rather treat yourself to a round of costly cognac, or, for the same money enjoy a memorable five-night stay at one of the world's top hotels?

The choice is yours.

*None of these superlatives applies to British Airways. But, again, I digress. Watch this space.

This Just In: A TV That's Both Curvy And Skinny

Sometime in the last decade The Luxurist's television set underwent a near-miraculous transformation.

Whereas once it was just a bulky device for delivering news and amusement, manufacturers had  transmogrified it into a high definition, flat panel, surround sound, 16:9, 60-inch wide, micro-dimming, Internet ready, interactive electronic marvel, whose chief purpose now was to bring an approximation of the theatrical movie-going experience into our homes.

(And about time, too. Microwave popcorn had been around since 1981, so what were they waiting for? But I digress.)

Because the makers of TV sets want us to watch films at home, they make evermore boastful claims. Samsung, for example, says that their "smart" TVs offer viewers an "immersive television experience."

Not to be outdone in the exaltation department, LG announced a 55 in. curved screen ultra-thin model at the CES in January. Like an IMAX theater screen (or Cinerama for an earlier generation), the edges of the Model 55EA9800 curve ergonomically towards the viewer to provide – wait for it! – a more immersive feeling.

Also Read: Bang & Olufsen's Massive 85 in. 3D HDTV

According to LG, the benefit of the curvature is that "the entire screen surface is equidistant from the viewer's eyes, eliminating the problem of screen-edge visual distortion and loss of detail."

Oh.

Despite the prattle, this is a pretty nifty TV. For one thing, it's remarkably svelte at just .17 inch thick. And it features thin transparent film speakers in the crystal clear stand, "providing high-quality sound without compromising the TV's beautiful design."

If this all sounds too appealing to resist, consider this: the 55EA9800 is going for $13,500.

If you are game, LG is taking pre-orders, with deliveries promised for later in the year.

The Enlightened Traveler: Bellagio's New Caviar Buffet – A Good Value Or A Waste of Money?

How much is too much?

The Luxurist has been pondering this age-old brainteaser ever since he learned that the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas is trumpeting an all-you-can eat caviar buffet. It introduced this schnor-fest a few months back and just announced that it will be a permanent feature, owing to – what else? – popular demand.

(Or as one of the hotel's chefs told the Las Vegas Sun, "If we wouldn't have it here this weekend, people would complain." And we wouldn't want that, would we?)

As if there already is not enough fabulousness in the Macao of the Desert, the price of gorging on  endless blinis and fish eggs (along with a small selection of sushi) is a mere $38.

Now, for a hair less than two twenties, you will not be served any Beluga or Sevruga from the Caspian Sea, or anywhere near. The Bellagio is offering American Sevruga, salmon roe of unspecified origin, and tobiko roe from Japan.

There are excellent North American caviars, as well as a good many that are inferior. Let us hope that the Bellagio knows the difference, even if not all of its customers will.

The Luxurist and his Lovely Luxurista are particularly fond of the silky, delicate taste of good American salmon roe. Its flavor is not as complex as sturgeon roe, but can be sublime when fresh, having been carefully handled during packing and transit.

Both American Sevruga and salmon roe are best enjoyed on a slightly warm blini with a dolop of room temperature creme fraiche.

Skip the usual accompaniments of chives and chopped onions or eggs. They only detract from the  clean, faintly salty taste of good caviar and cannot mask the bad – unless you prefer onions and chives to caviar, in which case why shell out $38 when you can buy an onion and a bunch of chives at the supermarket for $1.50?

But I digress.

The Luxurist is of the opinion that Ang Lee's great "Life of Pi" should have won the best picture Oscar this year.
That the movie contains a memorable scene in which hordes of flying fish descend on the adrift Pi
and the Bengal tiger Richard Parker is the reason, however nominal, that we show this photo here.

Tobiko (or flying fish) eggs are small, crunchy, without a distinctive taste, and typically are used as colorful toppings on certain kinds of sushi. As The Luxurist has never seen these tiny red nuggets served on a blini, he wonders exactly what the folks at The Bellagio are thinking?

Do they believe that visitors will find this unusual presentation appealing, or that they will not know better?

Guess on which side The Luxurist is taking bets?

To be fair, The Luxurist has not yet sampled the pleasures of The Bellagio's endless caviar buffet. When he does, he hopes that he will be pleasantly surprised.*

Until that moment, The Luxurist can only wonder if enabling people to pig out is what businesses should be doing.

No one wants to end up at the craps table shouting, "Daddy needs a new pair of pants with a larger waistline."

As in all things, caviar should be enjoyed in moderation and savored.

If it's quality stuff, you, Dear Reader, will appreciate the experience all the more.  If it's not, you will spare yourself unwanted calories, as well as the uncomfortable feeling that comes with overeating.

Either way, both your waistline and those who love you will be grateful.

* The Bellagio also houses a Petrossian Restaurant, not to be confused with the hotel's caviar buffet. Petrossian's menu does indeed include costly imported caviars plus pricey foie gras,  fine champagnes and wines. No bargains here!

The Enlightened Traveler: Tired of the Dorchester? Try These.

The folks who run oyster.com (a nice site if you are looking for something different in a hotel) claim that a good hotel is hard to find.

The Luxurist believes that it is infinitely more difficult to find a hotel that can maintain high standards with consistency.

When selecting accomodations, The Luxurist and his lovely Luxurista want to be assured of the same top-notch experience that the reviewer enjoyed.

Rockhouse Lodge, Negril, Jamaica

Actually, this is more often a problem when it comes to dining at a new restaurant that has received rapturous notices.

Having patiently waited a few weeks for the next available table – because everyone else has read the same review – The Luxurist and his LL invariably sit down to a less than stellar meal, rushed from the kitchen to appease the noisy hordes that  descend nightly on the place, thanks to the aforementioned hosannas.

Many are called, but it's a rare chef indeed able to withstand the pressure and still turn out memorable food night after night.

But I digress.

If you would like to try your luck at a luxury tree house, French chateau, Bohemian hideaway, or  cliff-top sanctuary, oyster.com offers a few suggestions right here.

The Annals of Luxury: Chinese Luxury Brands

Last year the Chinese surpassed Europeans and Americans to become the largest group of luxury consumers in the world.

Chinese shoppers now comprise a bit more than 20% of the worldwide luxury market. They buy an average of $14,940 on luxury goods when they travel to Europe, Hong Kong, and Singapore. They also spend heavily on pricey brands at home.

Despite the current global economic slowdown, the country's mammoth economic potential and vast population mean that China's upper classes will continue to swell and outstrip Western luxury consumers for years to come.

The Chinese seek out Vuitton, Cartier, Armani, Prada, Rolex, Gucci, Hermes, and a few dozen other traditional European brands. Those are what the Chinese (and other international shoppers) have preferred – at least until now.

Qeelin diamond-encrusted panda necklace and ruby and diamond goldfish ring

The rise of several luxury brands created by Chinese designers for the local market and other recent indicators may point to forthcoming changes in the shopping habits of Chinese consumers.

Several manufacturers have created high-end brands and are targeting Chinese buyers by incoporating design elements intended to appeal to local tastes.

They hope to launch their brands into the rarefied luxury space, attracting big spenders not merely in China, but in the West, as well.

At least two companies appear to be poised to succeed.

PPR – the French group that owns Gucci, Yves St. Laurent, Balenciega, Alexander McQueen, and Brioni –  recently invested in Qeelin, a small but chi-chi chain of jewelers launched in China in 2004.

Hong Kong actress Maggie Cheung, star of Wong Kar-Wai's
"In the Mood for Love," models Qeelin's longevity necklace

The brand incorporates traditional Chinese elements into its luxurious, intricately detailed designs. One of its signature pieces is a fully articulated rose or white gold panda, encrusted with diamonds or other precious stones and typically worn as a necklace.

Other designs are derived from the shape of Tang and Qing era vases or from the Chinese longevity lock, an ancient symbol often depicted in traditional arts and crafts.

The jeweler has has just 11 stores in China and Hong Kong and one in Paris. Westerners also can pick up pieces in London at Qeelin boutiques in Selfridge's and Harrod's.

Not to be outdone by rivals, Hermès recently announced plans to invest tens of millions of euros over the next five years to develop Chinese boutique label Shang Xia – selling traditionally inspired apparel, jewelry and furniture – in which it bought a majority stake in 2008.

Shang Xia's Twilight wooden boxes made of Zitan wood and carved bamboo for jewelry or small objects

Among Shang Xia's offerings are $45,000 gold-woven porcelain teapots, red sandalwood tables, and cashmere dresses inspired by the traditional Chinese qipao. Everything is sourced locally and made by Chinese craftsmen.

Jiang Qiong Er, Shang Xia CEO told red-luxury.com that he views his stores as "platform(s) where we show the Chinese art of living with beautiful, quality, luxury objects.

"This is a cultural project with a business aspect" he went on to say. "What we are doing is quite unique."

The firm has two locations, one in Shaghai, the other in Beijing. A third boutique will open this spring in Paris on the rue de Sèvres, near le Bon Marché, The Luxurist and Luxurista's favorite grand magasin.

It remains to be seen whether Qeelin, Shang Xia, or other emerging Chinese luxury brands will be called up to the big leagues.

If they are, will they make the championships or will they strike out and get taken out of the game?

Watch this space.

For more information:
qeelin.com
shang-xia.com 

The Enlightened Traveler: Beyond Manhattan And Into the Void

Nowadays, if you want a nice dinner in New York, you might head for Reynard in the hip Wythe Hotel.

You could start with veal carpaccio with sea urchin, brown butter, hazelnuts, and meyer lemon, followed by oyster stew with scallops, clams, potato, sunchoke, and watercress, and conclude with a piece of toasted brown sugar apple cake for dessert.

As for wine, how does a chilled bottle of Jacques Selosse Initiale Grand Cru Côte des Blancs Brut champagne sound? It will set you back $295.

Reynard in the Wythe Hotel, Williamsburg

So, just where is the Wythe? Downtown, Uptown, Mid-town?

Actually, it is out of town, so to speak, in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood, home to 45,000 Hasidic Jews (and where Chaim Potok's novel The Chosen takes place).

A generation ago young, affluent professionals abandoned Manhattan for Brooklyn, seeking more and cheaper space to raise their families.

They did not, however, want to give up the blandishments they were used to in the Big City. And so, gentrification quickly followed in areas like Cobble Hill, Park Slope, and later in Williamsburg.

 Manhattan? No. Marlowe & Sons in Brooklyn

Unsassuming corner markets and workaday diners were replaced by organic grocers and purposefully funky but nonetheless pricey restaurants.

In the early part of the last decade, the once derided borough ceased being just a desirable place to live. Suddenly it was a dining destination for city dwellers hoping to find the next big thing.

By that they did not mean the neighborhood Greek restaurants of Astoria or the Russian ones in Brighton Beach that knowledgeable New Yorkers had long enjoyed.

Also Read: The Truth About Brooklyn's Overhyped Restaurant Scene

The food that the yupoisie demanded was the same as what they could get all over Manhattan. Except now they were willing to schlep to Brooklyn to get it.

But I digress.

The Luxurist is not always a contrarian. He does not believe in fighting the tape. He indeed has sampled some of Brooklyn's supposed charms.

He leaves it to you, beloved reader, to decide if venturing forth from Manhattan is worth the trip.

For those so inclined, click here for a recent Financial Times report on the hip dining scene in getting-trendier-by-the-minute Williamsburg.

Bon appetit. And do not forget your Metro Card.

Dinner Is Served: Pasta Explained

The Luxurist wants to disabuse everyone of the notion that the Chinese invented pasta.

It was documented in Italy before Marco Polo headed east. That doesn't mean the Italians had it first. The earliest reference to noodles appeared in the Jerusalem Talmud of the fifth century A.D.

Pasta is still made by hand at the family run Martelli factory in Tuscany. (Photo: gessato.com)

More important than where it came from is knowing what makes pasta made in Italy better than pasta that isn't, when to use fresh pasta rather than dried (and vice-verse), and what Italians know about cooking pasta that Americans don't.

Food authority Corby Kummer has been writing informed, highly useful essays principally in The Atlantic for some 30 years now on topics ranging from rice pudding to red sauce to eggs.

The secret to flavorful eggs isn't freshness, it's what the chicken ate, says Kummer.

Not the same old, same old: Egg yolk spaghetti at two-Michelin starred Ristorante Cracco in Milan

The Luxurist recalls an essay Kummer wrote many years ago on how to make risotto. He reported that one of his Italian friends threw the rice and broth into the pot all at once, rather than slowly adding small amounts of hot liquid to the rice over a period of 20-30 minutes.

The darn thing turned out the same either way. Or maybe not. The Luxurist read this article a long, long time ago and cannot be sure, because the essay cannot be found on the web.

But I digress.

What you can read on the Internet is Kummer's memorable 1986 piece on the origins, manufacture,  and correct uses of pasta.

Pasta with Peccorino cheese and black pepper, served in a crisp
Parmigiano shell at Roma Sparita in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome

Still pertinent and valuable today, it's a classic that combines careful research on production methods with lots of practical advice on finding the best Italian brands and preparing them properly.

When Kummer wrote his article 25 years ago, Americans believed al dente pasta wasn't sufficiently cooked and all sauce came from a jar.

Women also wore very wide shoulder pads back then. (And not just on Dynasty.) But, again, I digress.

We know a lot more today about how to cook and consume pasta in the Italian manner.

That the Chinese didn't invent it, well, that is another matter.

Read Kummer's pasta essay here.
To read more articles by Kummer, mostly on food, click here.
To learn more about the Martelli pasta factory, click here.