Travel: Metro September 2006 (continued)
An insiders guide to the best places to eat, shop, stay and visitfrom Beantown to Buenos Aires.
buenos aires The regal Palacio Duhau—an 80-year-old palace that oozes Peron-era glamour—is the site of the city’s new Park Hyatt hotel. Along with a new contemporary highrise located across the magnificent gardens (the two structures are connected by an underground art gallery), the hotel has 165 rooms and 39 suites that meld deco charm and 21st-century style. Local design firm Caparra, Entelmann and Petrocchi Studio fitted the majestic spaces, both new and historic, in contemporary wood furniture, with silks and leather draperies and upholstery. Rooms from $410 (Avenida Alvear 1661; +54 (11) 5171-1234, buenosaires.park.hyatt.com).
new orleans Just two weeks after its grand opening, Hurricane Katrina came along and The Savvy Gourmet—a delectable hybrid of restaurant, caterer, cooking school and cookware shop—became a haven for hungry New Orleanians seeking shelter from the storm’s ravages. At Savvy’s Saturday night “devacuation parties,” co-owners Aaron Wolfson and Peter Menge served hometown comfort foods (garlicky meatloaf on French bread, Creole cream cheese rice pudding) that have since become staples on chef Corbin Evans’s menu (4519 Magazine St.; 504/895-2665, savvygourmet.com).
new york city The British are coming to midtown this fall, where a star-studded roster of them have completed the transformation of the old Rihga Royal hotel into the posh London NYC. All 564 suites were revamped by Irish designer David Collins in tones of slate blue, white and wood, with bathrooms by Waterworks. In addition to a Golden Door Spa, the hotel also houses star chef Gordon Ramsay’s first restaurants in America: A formal dining room is modeled on Ramsay’s eponymous eatery in London, while a second, casual space serves small dishes. Rooms from $400 (151 West 54th St.; 866/656-1777, thelondonnyc.com).
minneapolis Authentic, delicious, haute Mexican food in Minnesota? Local restaurateur Richard D’Amico and Mexican-born chef Saul Chavez have made it happen at their Twin Cities culinary standout, Masa. With dishes like tostadas con carnitas (corn tortillas piled with roast pork) and pozole verde (chicken, pork and hominy stew), Chavez is turning simple ingredients into extraordinary flavors. The large, contemporary space is mostly orange and white, with brightly colored mosaics and fashion murals adorning the walls. Entrees from $16 (1070 Nicollet Ave.; 612/338-6272, masa-restaurant.com).
Edited by Kate Walsh. Contributors include Ellen Johnson and Lisa Skolnik.
DZINE: C. PETRUCCI, THE SAVVY GOURMET: ZANDE+NEWMAN DESIGN, MASA: COURTESY OF MASA RESTAURANT
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