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In This Issue:
At the Top: Goodbye Aughts, Hello 2010!
 The “aughts” may be gone, but the “oughts” have arrived—those inevitable self-improvement goals that range from detoxing and triathlon-training to going cold turkey on Starbucks mochas or The Hills. Whatever your self-imposed tortures may be, Night+Day is ready with ways to reward yourself—from blues festivals and brewpubs to organic spas and sultry wine bars. To kick off the year, here’s a sample of what we’re recommending in 2010…
• Best Features: Each month, we’ll spotlight the three best venues in each city for a particular category. Look below for our sizzling steakhouses—North American chophouses where the fabulousness of the menus rivals that of the clientele.
• Events: Monthly calendars provide times and tips for not-to-be-missed events around the world, from Carnaval in Mexico City and Mardi Gras in New Orleans to the world’s largest free blues festival in Chicago, and food festivals in Miami.
• Hotels: From boutique hotels in New York to the multibillion-dollar CityCenter’s opulent new offerings in Las Vegas (Mandarin Oriental, Vdara), Night+Day advises on hotel style, service, clientele, and even which rooms have killer views. (Latest Recommendations)
• Restaurants: Whether you want to celebrate with fine dining in New York (Marea) or retry reinvented favorites in San Francisco (SPQR, Quince), Night+Day reviews are invaluable—covering everything from atmosphere, clientele, and noise level to the best dishes, best time to go, and best tables. (Latest Recommendations)
• Attractions: Gallery addicts, spa enthusiasts, and aspiring professional shoppers are well served by our Ins and Outs and features on museums, spas, and shopping guides.
• Bars and Nightclubs: From wine bars in Toronto (Salt, Ciao) to beer-centric bars in DC (Biergarten Haus, Againn, Birch & Barley/ChurchKey) and the three-ring-circus spectacle of The Bazaar in LA, our nightlife listings range from low-key to over-the-top. (Latest Recommendations).
Like what you see? Keep reading below and online for new recommendations, calendars, and monthly letters from our local writers on NightandDayGuides.com.
Happy 2010!
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THE WORLD’S BEST Sizzling Steakhouses
Say goodbye to your grandfather’s steakhouse, and say hello to see-and-be-seen buzz, Russian novel–sized wine lists, and molecular mixology. These sizzlin’ steakhouses also deliver prime cuts in a thousand permutations of meaty perfection—from grass-fed and dry-aged to adobo-rubbed and pepper-crusted. Chophouses have never paired porterhouses and panache so well.
D.C. • J&G STEAKHOUSE
 The Draw: Diners rave as much about the sweet-corn ravioli and the slow-cooked salmon as they do about the porterhouse at this stylish steakhouse across the street from the White House. Located within the happening W Hotel—a destination in itself for locals hitting the rooftop terrace, the lobby bar, and the wine bar below—J&G captures a prime seat on every hipster front.
The Scene: Anyone invited to the White House who is not a head of state (kings and prime ministers tend to bunk at the Willard or the Hay Adams hotels) will likely be staying here at the W, which means if it’s Fiesta Latina week at the White House, it’s J-Lo at the steakhouse. Otherwise, J&G’s high-ceilinged, sumptuously comfortable room is an eclectic mix of the city’s foodies, urbanistas, powerbrokers, and baskers-in-the-limelight.
Hot Tip: For best seats in the house, ask for windowfront tables #42 or #43, which overlook the Washington Monument, Pershing Park, and a sliver of the White House lawn.
MIAMI • MEAT MARKET
 The Draw: Meat Market is indeed a double entendre, serving hot, luscious, fabulous steaks to hot, luscious, fabulous people in a sleek and sexy setting on busy Lincoln Road. But unlike some of its clients, Meat Market’s beauty runs more than skin-deep: This is one serious steakhouse, with an impressive seafood menu to boot.
The Scene: Quickly gaining a reputation as one of South Florida’s best restaurants, Meat Market features an extensive menu that includes starters such as cedar-scented hamachi and entrees such as wild African pheasant and seared Florida grouper. But it’s the signature steaks that demand attention: tasty wood-grilled center New York steaks, Kobe tenderloins, and reserve cuts such as the 16-ounce Harris Ranch bone-in filet mignons with ancho and coffee rubs. An array of custom sauces and luscious sides complete the picture.
Hot Tip: Reservations are a must on weekends. Expect a loud, buzzy bar scene, and dress up; this is a great place to show off some skin.
NEW YORK • DYLAN PRIME
 The Draw: Beef is just the beginning at this candlelit chophouse, where the cuts are thoughtfully seasoned and extremely generous.
The Scene: The crowd is younger and sexier than you’d expect from a meatery—there’s something about the fine smell of a porterhouse steak that gives the place an attractive air of primal seduction.
Hot Tip: Since this is near Wall Street, late afternoons and early evenings get a little stuffy. Come after 8pm to see Dylan Prime at its best.
Discover the Best Sizzling Steakhouses in other Night+Day cities. |
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INS and OUTS
(NIGHT+DAY’S Latest Recommendations)
CHICAGO • MERCADITO • Mexican
mercaditorestaurants.com
Riding the trend of upscale taquerias, this Brooklyn import plants locally and seasonally inspired Mexican food in downtown Chicago. While it isn’t Bayless, it’s several notches above typical burrito and taco fare. The selection of six guacamoles is a feat unto itself; try the mango, granada (pomegranate-infused), or mole poblano varieties. full review
Mon 11:30am–midnight, Tue–Thu 11:30am–1am, Fri 11:30am–2am,
Sat 11:30am–3am, Sun 11:30am–4pm.
$$ 108 Kinzie St. (LaSalle St.),
312-329-9555
LOS ANGELES • THE BAZAAR • Tapas
thebazaar.com
Palate provocateur José Andrés oversees this gastronomical circus, a 2009 finalist for the James Beard Awards’ “Best New Restaurant.” Designer Philippe Starck went for a Euro-flavored, Vegas-style indoor piazza that twists around the lobby of the lavish SLS Hotel. The vibrant scene features two tapas bars (Blanca and Rojo), a cocktail lounge (Bar Centro), a patisserie, and the museum-like Moss gift shop. full review
Mon–Wed 6–10pm, Thu–Fri 6–11pm, Sat–Sun 11am–11pm.
$$$$ SLS Hotel, 465 S. La Cienega Blvd. (Clifton Way), 310-246-55672
MEXICO CITY • PIEGARI • Italian/Argentinean
piegari.com.mx
A long-standing South American brand with nearly 20 years in the industry, Piegari brings fine Italian-Argentinean cuisine to a century-old San Angel mansion. Expect top-notch service in an unforgettable setting, with a contemporary twist added to the historic home. Sharing is in order, as huge portions of homemade pastas, risottos, pizzas, steaks, and seafood fill the menu. House favorites include ravioli alla scrofa—served with a rich pomodoro sauce au gratin—and a light róbalo, or sea bass, alla arugula. full review
Mon–Sat 1pm–1am, Sun 1–7pm.
$$$$ Av. de la Paz 6 (Av. Revolución), 55.5550.3535
SAN FRANCISCO • BURGER BAR • American
burgerbarsf.com
Local celeb chef Hubert Keller (of Fleur de Lys) has opened Burger Bars in St. Louis and Las Vegas, and his SF outpost—on the sixth floor of Macy’s downtown—promises to be just as big a hit, if the lines out the door are any indication. The red-hued space is cavernous, with the best tables overlooking Union Square. The main menu item, burgers, are DIY: You choose the type of meat you want, from grass-fed to American Kobe, as well as the type of bun. full review
Sun–Thu 10:30am–11pm, Fri–Sat 10:30am–2am.
$ 251 Geary St. (Stockton St.), 415-296-4272
TORONTO • PARAMOUR • Canadian
paramourdining.com
Located on the trendy Ossington Avenue strip north of Queen Street West, this sexy resto is a definite date place, mixing velvet curtains, elegant banquettes, dark pink Art Deco chairs, and glamorous black-and-white photographs. The back room, designed in bold black and white, provides a communal table, but Paramour’s ambience is decidedly romantic, with low lighting, au courant music, and savory appetizers to share. full review
Tue–Sun 6–11:30pm.
$$$ 94 Ossington Ave. (Queen St. W.), 416-953-2356
The Night+Day Promise
Night+Day writers and editors use the same high standards in selecting and researching venues to be included in our Ins and Outs updates as we do for our books. Our local correspondents determine which new hot spots are the real deal and which are simply hype—just as you’d expect from Night+Day—to provide the kind of reliable information you need to make the best possible choices. |
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 As executive editor of the Night+Day series, and as someone who has spent a lifetime in travel, I certainly influence our selections and recommendations. But our guidebooks reflect a collaborative effort involving local writers and experienced editors.
So I welcome this opportunity to share my very personal views and experiences. I sincerely hope you find them somewhere between interesting and extremely helpful (life-altering is probably too much
to ask). As always, I very much welcome your comments.
Click here to send me an email.
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ASD Picks: 3 Ways to Think About Your Bucket List
Now that your New Year’s resolutions are out of the way, it’s a good time to start thinking about creating or updating your travel bucket list (as distinguished from a “life list”, which includes impossible dreams such as writing a screenplay or appearing on “Dancing with the Stars”). The term “bucket list” came into vogue courtesy of the 2007 movie of the same name, starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, and refers to those places you must go before you die. Many books have been written on this subject. If you can’t wait until the end of the year to read my 10th anniversary edition of The Fun Also Rises, you might check out Journeys of a Lifetime, or 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. (Apparently, these places are not of much interest after you die.)
My idea of a travel bucket list is 10 major trips that cover what I consider the three most important considerations for achieving a peak travel experience.
1. Great Events. Events come in all shapes and sizes, but my bias is toward those that are BIG, hedonistic, and outrageously fun. These could range from Cheyenne Frontier Days to Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls to Trinidad Carnival. No matter what type of event tickles your fancy, these are the moments in time to which you are a witness and a participant, that are certain to remain lodged forever in your memory.
2. Singular Places. I have in mind a lengthy (more than a long weekend) trip that requires a major time commitment. If you’ve never been to London or Paris or Shanghai, one of the world’s great cities could be on your list. But it will be tough to leave off an African safari; a South American journey to the Galapagos, Machu Picchu, or Patagonia; or an exploration of China, India, or southeast Asia.
3. Important Personal Celebrations. The BIG ONE is always coming – the 40th or 60th birthday, the 20th wedding anniversary, a major promotion or retirement, even pregnancy. The trick here is to find just the right place to suit the occasion and the participants. Bora Bora, the Maldives, or Anguilla sure sound like great places to celebrate.
Of course, once you start your list, it is pretty hard to keep it down to 10. This is where you shoot for the trifecta—a great event in an amazing place for a special celebration.
I’m looking forward to celebrating my big (whichever year that is) March birthday at Las Fallas in Valencia. Valencia has gotten a lot of press for its new museum and revitalization, and Las Fallas is one of the most fun and exciting events in the world. I can’t wait to tell you about it!
Last Word: Starting Out the Year by Looking Back
This is the first anniversary of the Night+Day eLetter, eND, in a manner of speaking. I qualify this because an anniversary of a monthly newsletter should mean 12 issues. Although we published our first issue in June, 2008, the December 2009 issue of eND marked our twelfth edition. (We began publishing monthly in August 2009).
As I look back over these twelve issues I think it is truly amazing how much information we’ve produced. In addition to identifying each month in our Ins and Outs section the five most exciting new hotels, restaurants, nightlife, or attractions in the 18 cool cities we cover, we have highlighted the world’s best in each of the following categories:
I produce three distinct columns for our newsletter: ASD Picks, On the Road, and Last Word—which, starting with our February 2010 issue, will appear in monthly rotation.
Over the last year-and-a-half I have given you my picks for Essential Websites, Favorite Credit/Charge Card Rewards Programs, Tricks of the Trade, Guys Who Made Hospitality Cool, Gems of Clever Nonsense, Jazz Fests, Airline Booking Tips, Learning Experiences, and Best Places to Spend New Year’s Eve.
And lastly (how appropriate), in Last Word I’ve touched on subjects ranging from the effects of aging (on travel publishers) to Madoff to New Year’s Eve, hopefully providing you with some humor and insight.
We’re proud of what we have produced at Night+Day and hope you have had fun with it, as well as gotten some useful tips. A tremendous amount of credit goes to our editors Kim Westerman and Barbara Rockwell, assistant to the Publisher Gerard Gleason, Web guru Kevin Evans, graphics contributor Samantha Glorioso, factchecker Michele Formoso, copyeditors Gail Nelson-Bonebrake and Morgan Schuldt, and of course our team of local writers.
We’re looking forward to providing you with even more travel advice, resources, and fun in 2010.
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