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Works from the UK artist Banksy will be featured in the Vanina Holasek gallery in NYC from Dec 2nd to Dec 29th.
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A special collector’s limited edition release collaboration between The North Face and Goldwin Japan has resulted in a very small collection of snowy winter pieces to be sold for one day only in three US stores. The NSE collection, inspired by the white
Archive for November, 2007
My wife (and Find Paradise Flickr group member) Christine, took this amazing picture while we were zipping along the “Tomorrowland’s Transit Authority” (the Peoplemover) over at Disney World the other day. It’s one of those rides I can ride over and over and never get tired of, probably because it’s usually line-less and it’s a great way to rest your feet after a long day of theme parking.
We came across Vosges Haut-Chocolat store in Caesar’s Palace the last time we visited Las Vegas. Purveyor of wild and interesting chocolates (they have a chocolate bar with bits of bacon in it), Katrina (the the owner of Vosges) and Silversea cruises is offering a 7 day tasting adventure. The cruise takes you from Athens to Istanbul, starting September 14th, 2008.
Engage your palate with this special tour on an all-inclusive, ultra luxury Silversea Cruise. Savour each moment as you explore the mystical ports of Greece and Turkey, with Katrina Markoff. From bean to bonbon, learn how chocolate has evolved into an experiential medium, to Travel the World through Chocolate and indulge in an exclusive Turkish Chocolate & Greek Pastry tasting excursion. Plus, enjoy onboard chocolate making classes, a chocolate savory + sweet dinner and tasting discussions with Katrina about her inspirations and magical ingredients.
It seems The Venetian hotel has received the Five Diamond triple AAA rating, making it the largest hotel in the United States to get the award. Since I haven’t frequented any of The Venetian’s rooms I can’t be a judge on whether or not the hotel deserved the award. I can say anytime I’ve visited Venetian, I haven’t hated it, although it seems a bit more “plastic” than advertised. Visiting the Wynn next door you can see where they spent their money, on details and creating their own “concept” and making it realistic by using the materials you would expect in a $2 billion plus hotel. In Venetian they seemed to have spent their money on the “huge-ness” of it all, with gondolas floating in a neon blue canal. I did hear they’ve ton a bunch of renovations in the hotel so things might have changed since my last visit. Either way a big congrats to Venetian and it’s staff, earning the 5 Diamond rating probably isn’t all that easy, and keeping is probably going to be tougher.
From the press release:
The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino, one of the world’s premier destination resort hotels, has been awarded the esteemed AAA Five Diamond Award for 2008 — a distinction which makes it the largest property in the country to have received the award.
The AAA Five Diamond Award for hotels and restaurants is North America’s most coveted symbol of excellence in the hospitality industry. The independent association defines Five Diamond properties as establishments that reflect the characteristics of the ultimate in luxury and sophistication, and accommodations that are first class.
Picture by adpowers
MGM just announced a $3 billion development project in the tremendously rich city of Abu Dhabi. How rich is Abu Dhabi? To quote it’s Wikipedia entry, “Each of Abu Dhabi’s 420,000 citizens is worth $17 million (AED 62 million), and more than $1 trillion is invested worldwide in this city alone.”. Noticeably missing is mention of a casino which makes a whole lot of sense being that Abu Dhabi is the capital of an Islamic country. From the press release:
The MGM Grand Abu Dhabi will be strategically located at a prominent downtown waterfront site on Abu Dhabi Island. Once completed, the MGM Grand Abu Dhabi will feature unparalleled views of the city skyline as well as stunning panoramic views of the waterfront.
This initial phase will utilize 50 acres and consist of an MGM Grand hotel and two additional MGM branded luxury hotels each appealing to a distinct market segment. In total, more than 1,200 luxury guest accommodations will be developed in the first phase. The development will also feature a major entertainment facility, as well as high-end retail shops and world-class dining and convention facilities. The development will also integrate a variety of luxury residential offerings including waterfront residences with private yacht berths.
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In many large cities, you will find beautiful historic hotel properties situated on prime real estate. Some have been abandoned and risk being demolished while others are still operating, but lack the amenities necessary to attract luxury customers. Rathe
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A Miami area preacher, Paul Carvalho, brought 10 of his followers to the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood Florida a few weeks ago, preaching the word of God. While preaching to word of God isn’t necessarily a bad thing, doing so on private property
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While Walt Disney World continues rehab work on the 36-year-old Contemporary Resort, the company has also submitted paperwork to construct a new restaurant inside the hotel.
