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In This Issue: In The Mail Last Tuesday (Of Every Month)! If being in the right place at the right time matters to you, look for eNight+Day the last Tuesday of the month. That’s right. Starting today eNight+Day, the ultimate source for sophisticated and independent travel advice, goes monthly. Our team of local writers dispatches the inside scoop from the world’s most happening cities, dialing you in to the best new restaurants, destination hotels, trendy shops, and bars and clubs where locals love to hang. Whether you want a hot, cool, hip, or classic experience, our expert recommendations point you to the peak urbanista experience. We hope you enjoy the new eNight+Day in your inbox the last Tuesday of every month.
THE WORLD’S BEST Trendy Tables Cutting-edge décor, creative food, pedigreed chef, and see-and-be-seen ambience combined with A-list clientele gives these Best Trendy Tables the elusive “it” quality that has the in-crowd fighting for reservations. LOS ANGELES • RIVERA  The Draw: This downtown draw is a rare triple-threat, one that satisfies critics, connoisseurs, and foodies alike. The ultra-modern interior with its big-city vibe is a perfect complement to Sedlar’s ingenious tapas-style plates, which liven conversation, especially after a few of mixologist Julian Cox’s “artisan-to-glass” cocktails. (Try the Strawberry Fields.) Speaking of drinks, there’s no better place to indulge in tequila-tasting than in the custom leather armchairs designed specifically for slow sipping.The Scene: Just a Kobe dribble-drive from the Staples Center and LA Live, chef John Sedlar’s pan-Latin restaurant draws raves for its innovative dishes, adventurous cocktails, and sultry scene. Hot Tip: If you can’t score a seat for prime-time dinner hours, or if you just want to save a buck, Rivera offers a late night menu (10:30pm–midnight) that includes a choice of six small plates ($6–$10 each), 14 signature drinks ($8–$10), and three imported beers ($4).
MEXICO CITY • BIKO  The Draw: Owned and operated by two of the city’s best chefs, Mikel Alonso and Bruno Oteiza (both schooled by the world famous Juan Mari Arzak), Biko has become the city’s most important culinary phenomenon in years.The Scene:The philosophy here is simple. As chef Alonso puts it, “Every meal should change you.” The minimalist setting includes fine suede seats and enchantingly subdued music. And then there’s the food. Plate after plate of some of the most delicious (and artfully rendered) creations emerge from the kitchen, all paired with wines from Biko’s abundant cellar. British publishers of Restaurant recently named Biko one of the top 100 restaurants of the world, the only restaurant in the country (and one of only two in all of Latin America) to receive such honors. Hot Tip: Biko offers two menus: traditional Basque or, for those with more adventurous tastes, New School. Try mixing and matching from each to create your own tasting menu.
 The Draw: Tan, taut types hang out at Marcel Wanders’ surreal setting at the Mondrian South Beach, which includes white-on-white columns and whimsical, oversized bells that house chandeliers amid a spectacular backdrop of water, skyline, and sunset.The Scene: Located on the quiet residential end of South Beach, Asia de Cuba is first and foremost a scene. The cuisine is Asian by way of Latin America. Think fat crab croquetas, tangy beef short ribs with chile-orange mojo, Cuban barbecued chicken, and panko-crusted crispy plantains. Menu items are pricey, but portions are huge and offer plenty of opportunities for sharing. Hot Tip: End your evening with a caipirinha at the Sunset Lounge’s cachaça bar.
Discover the Best Trendy Tables in other Night+Day cities
INS and OUTS: Top 5 New Openings CHICAGO • SUNDA • Restaurant (Asian) The Night+Day Promise
ALAN’S VIEW, June/July 2009
ASD Picks: 3 Airline Booking Tips The airline-versus-consumer game is a never-ending one. But with these few tips, you should be one step ahead of the game, or at least keeping pace with it. 1. You may be able to cancel a discount ticket without penalty. (Winner: Delta) If you’ve ever been in a position to purchase anything other than a fully-refundable ticket you’ve probably been faced with a familiar situation: You want to lock in an unbelievable price or that aisle seat toward the front of the plane, but you can’t commit 100% to your itinerary. Good news! Enlightened airlines (and here I exclude American) allow a certain period of time to cancel without penalty. Read more 2. You may be able to get a refund if you’ve purchased a ticket Several years ago I purchased a ticket to Hawai’i, only to discover weeks later that the airfare for that very same flight had been reduced. I’m an experienced traveler, and yet I did nothing about it. When I found myself in similar circumstances the following year, I asked the airline if it would refund the difference. To my surprise the answer was “yes,” an answer, I have learned, not at all uncommon among carriers. 3. Coach may be better than business class. My tolerance for pain when flying is six hours. If a flight is longer than that, I do everything possible to upgrade to business/first class. But when flying with a companion on shorter flights, I’d aim to find 3-across seating, preferably in economy plus (or Premium Economy) seats, and take the window and aisle seats. Read more On The Road: The City Slicker’s Wild West
Days 1–3 Jackson Hole Days 4–5 Yellowstone Day 6 Yellowstone to Cody Day 7 Cody to the Hideout Days 8–10 The Hideout Last Word: Malaise-y Hazy Crazy Days of Summer I write this as I look out on another gloomy San Francisco day. Officially it’s summer, but you’d never know it judging by the weather. Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer (how did that song ever become a hit?) seem a thing of the past, and not just for lack of sun. My sense is that although we’re no longer standing at the precipice of impending financial disaster, the impact of last fall’s economic crisis lingers on. For many of us, summer has always meant getting away to that special place. For me, summer frequently meant one of two favorite destinations—St. Tropez or Skiathos. Both places captured for me the essence of summer—gorgeous beaches, sumptuous meals, fabulous people, restless nightlife, and music. These are party towns!
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Whether inspired by Billy Crystal’s film, the fabulous City Slickers, or by some deeper sense of America’s cultural heritage, I’ve always wanted to see the “wild” west. Call it my own personal manifest destiny. But the notion of roughing it in a tent or spending a week in a Super 8 has always put the “WHOA” in this city slicker’s plans. A few weeks ago, however, I had the opportunity to embark on a first-class tour of a small area of that once-rugged territory—the northwestern corner of Wyoming. Herewith is the abbreviated itinerary for a perfect 10-day trip.
