My New Favorite ATL Haute Spot!

One Midtown Kitchen sizzles with great food, atmosphere and service thanks to Manager John McDaniels! This former warehouse near Atlanta’s Piedmont Park turned sexy; glam eatery greets foodies with a glowing purple façade. Once inside, it’s electric! Breathtaking views of the park and the Atlanta skyline makes it a must-stop for those on the social scene. Executive Chef Drew Van Leuvan’s small plate selections are my faves like the flavorful burger with cheddar cheese and parmesan herb fries and decadent desserts like the baked chocolate mousse with malt ice cream topped with English toffee. But don’t forget the wine… an assorted boutique vino list priced from $3 per glass to bottomless flights up to $52 gives you something to cheer about.

You’ve got to check it out year-round because I hear the views from the patio and bar will take your breath away. But, if your budget gives you pause, don’t worry about it, One offers three course meals for $25 on Sunday and Monday. Visit soon because the list changes nightly. And valet parking is complimentary!

Will you visit One Midtown Kitchen?

Shoo Jimmy Choo or Maybe Not Entirely

Shoo, Jimmy Choo, The Modern Girl’s Guide to Spending Less and Saving More by Catey Hill is haute! While, Jimmy Choo is my signature shoe… spending full price isn’t what I advocate. And neither does Hill, who also happens to be the money editor of the New York Daily News Web site and a recovering shoe addict. Remember what happened to Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw when she couldn’t get her apartment because she spent her money on what else—a closet full of Manolos! While, I don’t consider myself a shoe addict, just a girl who likes what she likes, I think Hill is right on with this one. The book covers a lot of topics from fico scores to investment strategy. The book isn’t making a judgment against the girls with overstuffed shoe closets, but rather offering advice designed to tweak spending and create a savings plan that can accommodate an occasional splurge. Although Shoo, Jimmy Choo might make your head turn at the thought of parting with your luxury shoe fix, it also offers big girl advice on how to navigate the real world of retail spending and markups preparing you for a “retire-in-style-fund!” I say keep your Jimmy Choo style, just be smart… never pay full price and use cash! Cash makes you think twice before you spend… so as Hill would say, girls “tame those financial demons!” Learn to click those high heels and walk away if the price isn’t right for you. Get your copy of Shoo Jimmy Choo now! http://www.amazon.com/Shoo-Jimmy-Choo-Modern-Spending/dp/1402766696

Will you part with your Jimmy Choos for a retire-in-style fund?

GIVEAWAY! Sign up to follow Haute Travels, post a comment and tell me what you think about Catey Hill's advice in Shoo, Jimmy Choo based on my review. You could win a signed copy of the book! You have 48 hours to enter!

THE WINNER IS LESLIE!

Atlanta Haute Spot for Haute Toddies!

Dessert cocktails are fabulous at the Four Seasons Hotel’s Park 75 Lounge and Terrace in Atlanta. If you’re looking for an intimate setting to share cocktails with your friends—look no further. Manager and mixologist Jerome Legendre pours it on with the Butterscotch Crème Brulee Martini and the Pear Vanilla Elixir! But you’ve gotta try his hot toddy, it’s nothing like grandma’s. And if an apple a day keeps the doctor away… you will not hesitate to try bobbing for apples. Thinking of chocolate in your glass? It’s time for LaDolce Vita made with nutella. Now that’s Haute!

LA DOLCE VITA (FOR THE NUTELLA LOVERS)

warm drink made with nutella, cream, frangellico
whipped cream, house made nutella sandwich

HOT TODDY
house made chai tea & basil haiden bourbon infusion
fresh lemon juice, orange blossom honey



BUTTERSCOTCH CRÈME BRÛLÉE MARTINI
absolut vanilla vodka, butterscotch schnapps
tahitian vanilla crème anglaise
caramelized brown sugar


BOBBING FOR APPLES
house made spices & captain morgan rum infusion
splash of pomegranate & apple cider
carved apple filled with pomegranate sorbet



PEAR- VANILLA ELIXIR
house made pear-vanilla & absolut vodka infusion
splash of simple syrup


Sip your way to an evening of fun and the smooth soulful sounds of jazz artist Eric Essix. There’s no cover charge and valet parking is complimentary!

To learn more click here http://www.fourseasons.com/atlanta/dining/park_75_lounge_and_terrace.html

Karen Neuburger Red Lounge Socks Giveaway!

Even Oprah has endorsed the Karen Neuburger brand... and now Haute Travels is a fan! Just sign up as a follower of Haute Travels and tell me in 140 words or less how you plan to stay warm during the winter storm in a pair of these oh so cute lounge socks in chenille with rubber grip bottoms. Three lucky winners will get to snuggle up with a pair of red KN lounge socks for Christmas! You have 72 hours to enter the giveaway! Now that's haute!

Here's more about the KN Lounge Socks
http://video75.com/JwHub1rp7wZ/karen-neuburger-cozy-socks-item-/


WINNERS:  The Cubicle Chick, Deesha and Bren Herrera! Congratulations!

Haute Healthy Eyes! What's in My Travel Bag?

The Lash Accessor-Eyes System by Colorescience has taken my “flutter farther” in no time. The kit contains a fine line liquid eyeliner, professional eyelash curler and cry me a river waterproof mascara that’s great for sensitive eyes. This premier luxury mineral color cosmetic and skincare line is just as much about skincare as makeup. The great thing about these products… they’ve been created without using damaging ingredients such as dies and coal tar… avoiding harsh chemicals, artificial colorants, chemical preservatives, synthetic fragrance and chemical sunscreens wherever possible. And there’s more, key ingredients include iron oxides for color, wheat protein and vitamin E to promote full, stronger looking lashes. If you want long, healthy, beautiful lashes… try Colorescience. I’ve been using these products for a week and my lashes feel softer with no product buildup. You gotta try the The Lash Accessor Eye System by Colorescience—it’s Haute! http://www.colorescience.com/.


Will you try the Colorescience eye kit?

Get It While It's Haute!

Chanel—Le Regard De Noir Smoky Eye Essentials

To get my smoky eye… I use the Chanel—Le Regard De Noir Smoky Eye Essentials.  It’s their newest eye kit containing everything that you need for the perfect smoky eye.

Tucked inside a cute little travel bag is Chanel’s Smoky Eye Les 4 Ombres Quartet. The palette contains four colors for dark eyes accented with platinum and white. The carbon colored black shadow is perfect for smudging along the lash line. But first line it with Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil. I play with the shades of gray shadow going lighter as I move closer to the brow bone.

For instant glam… try sweeping the lighter gray in the inner corners of your eye. Haute! I complete my look with about three coats of  Chanel’s Intense Volume and Curl Mascara (black) from the base of my lashes to the tips.

It’s a little pricy (retail $140), but that’s the price you pay for perfection!

What do you think about the Chanel kit?

Haute Smoky Eyes

Haute smoky eyes are always in season especially around the holidays. Here are my tips in 7 easy steps that take you from the girl next door to a sexy siren with bedroom eyes!

Time: 5 Minutes

What You Need: Eyeliner, Two Eye Shadow Brushes, Dark Eye Shadow, Light Shimmery Eye Shadow, Volumizing Mascara and primer

Instructions:

Start with an eye shadow base or primer… use it to dab the lids

Line eyes with a black, brown or gray eyeliner or dark eye shadow (You can also use vibrant colors like purple, blue or deep green)

Blend Color on bottom lashes… the trick—smudge it

Apply dark shadow (with a brush) below the crease to get the full effect… go from dark shadow to light shadow as you move across the eyes to the brow

Sweep a light, shimmery shadow over the lids to your browbone

Blend with a Q-tip

Finish with several coats of volumizing mascara

What are your haute smoky eye tips?

Louis Vuitton Boutique at Crystals is Haute!

High-end retailers are nothing new to the Las Vegas strip, but an entire mall… aimed at the niche market that many have been waiting to see. Well’s that’s haute!

Crystals, the 500,000-square foot luxury retailer and entertainment district at CityCenter opens with 23 shops and restaurants including Tiffany and Company, Cartier and Porsche Design. But it’s the 2½ story Louis Vuitton flagship store that wows me!

MGM Mirge officials wanted something big, bold and energy efficient and that’s exactly what you’ll see along with unique architecture designed by Studio Daniel Libeskind with interior architecture by David Rockwell. It’s like going to a Vegas show!

The shopping mall is considered the gateway from the strip into CityCenter. There’s even a tram that runs from Monte Carlo through Crystals and into the big B—the Bellagio, according to an MGM Mirage spokesperson.

An extra treat… Celebrity Chef Todd English opens his restaurant with Eva Longoria Parker called Beso giving luxe shoppers something else to smile about. The restaurant also doubles as Parker’s nightclub, Eve!

Will you check out the new mall in Las Vegas?

Here's a look at the Louis Vuitton Boutique
http://www.louisvuitton.com/us/flash/index.jsp?direct1=unst_open&campaign=e_121009_stresaW_Z3

Haute Boutique Hotels!

The Georgian Court Hotel-Vancouver, BC

Travelistas looking for a luxurious escape to the host city for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games must first check into the Georgian Court Hotel in downtown Vancouver. Inspired by 18th Century architectural details, it’s just a stone’s throw from major shopping areas like fashionable Robson Street, historic Gastown and trendy Yaletown. It’s also a favorite destination for celebrities. Beyonce, Britney Spears and Celine Dion have all made glam stops here.

Insiders know there’s only one place for them—the Orchid floor designed exclusively for the female business traveler! Each of the 18 rooms feature a mix of must-have items that you just can’t leave home without like a flat iron, curling iron and ladies-only emergency kit. Plus you’ll enjoy Aveda amenities. And if you’re feeling like a Zen moment… there’s a yoga mat in the room! Greet the sun before you hit the street for power shopping, haute lunches at Coast Seafood Restaurant and fancy cocktails by award-winning Shaun Layton behind the bar at nearby George Ultra Lounge!

And don’t forget to explore Vancouver on foot with its temperate climate and breath-taking views of stunning snow-capped mountains. To get a real taste of Vancouver… head to Stanley Park, check out the beautiful beaches and stop by the cruise ship terminals only minutes away from the Georgian.

The Georgian Court Hotel is also home to the award-winning William Tell Restaurant. To learn more visit http://www.georgiancourt.com/
Now that’s haute!

Hotel Urbano—Miami, Florida

Miami Art Hotel Opens with $20.10 room rates for the New Year! Girly girls in the market for an artful hotel stay should check out the new Hotel Urbano in Miami. During the month of January the hotel is offering $20.10 room rates just for the first night if you book two or more nights (rates for the following nights are $159 per night). Sun worshipping divas will also receive complimentary cocktails upon arrival and a chance to win art work valued at $2,010. To learn more visit http://www.hotelurbano.com/ and use code SPECIAL.
One more thing that makes this haute… William Braemer, artist and Curator of Art Fusion Galleries in Miami plans seasonal art shows displayed throughout the hotel featuring emerging new artists.

Mondrian Hotel—Los Angeles, California

Fashionistas checking into the Mondrain Hotel Los Angeles can expect major discounts at some of LA’s hautest boutiques through January 10, 2010. Shopaholics will have something to cheer about as they stroll Sunset Boulevard and Melrose Place for deals of 20% off retail prices. Browse Diane Von Furstenberg for $100 off a purchase of $500 or more at Ports 1961. And there’s more… Mondrian sweetens the deal by throwing in valet hotel parking and a $100 hotel credit to use at the trendy Skybar, Asia de Cuba restaurant or Agua Spa.

For reservations call 800/606-6090 or visit http://www.mondrainhotel.com/ use code PKSEAS.

Which hotel is your favorite?