New Orleans, Louisiana

·     International House – www.ihhotel.com – New Orleans’ premier boutique hotel occupies a historic Beaux-Arts building in the Central Business District, but its newly re-designed interior is bold and contemporary, highlighting the distinctive flavor, style, and sound of the colorful city.  International House is a completely wireless environment, and as of January 1, 2006, became New Orleans’ very first smoke-free hotel, including loa, its stylish bar, which Zagat rated Number 1 New Orleans night spot for décor once again in 2007.  International House has been featured in publications ranging from Hip Hotels to Gourmet magazine.

·     La Provence – www.laprovencerestaurant.com – Lacombe - In 1971, Chef Chris Kerageorgiou arrived in southern Louisiana from the south of France, purchased a small restaurant on quiet stretch of highway about an hour outside New Orleans, and transformed it into a legendary fine dining destination that attracted celebrities, dignitaries, and gourmets alike.  Some 20 years later, he hired the young John Besh to be his chef de cuisine at La Provence, and it was here that Besh learned, as he says, “to cook with heart.”  Early in 2007, Besh purchased the restaurant from his mentor, who passed away not long after.  Besh has renovated the charming auberge-like building, its grounds, and its menu, and has reopened the restaurant as a lasting tribute to its founder, who brought the flavors of Provence to this part of the world.  Besh’s partnering chef at La Provence is none other than another famed Frenchman, Chef René Bajeux.  Their menu reflects the time-honored, time-consuming rustic techniques -- long-roasted meats and braising that takes days at a time -- that in turn reflect the rugged earthiness of the ingredients, many of them picked fresh from the kitchen garden.  A bounty of seafood choices will compete for your appetite, prepared à la Provençal, but sourced right from the rich waters of southern Louisiana.,

·     Loft 523 – www.loft523.com – This former carriage and dry-goods warehouse in New Orleans’ Central Business District has been converted into an all-loft hotel with soaring ceilings, luxurious bathrooms, contemporary furnishings, and architectural details retained from its original structure.  It shares a completely wireless environment and a state-of-the-art Conference Center with its sister hotel, International House.  Loft 523 is temporarily closed for repairs necessitated by Hurricane Katrina.

·     Lüke – www.lukeneworleans.com –  Chef John Besh had long wanted to bring back from extinction the great old brasseries that used to thrive in New Orleans.  Now, for Besh and his Executive Chef Jared Tees, Lüke is that labor of love.  ‘Alsace meets New Orleans,’ is how they characterize the cuisine, explaining that the old brasseries were the time-honored establishments of late 19^th-century German and Jewish immigrants -- whose influence on the food and culture of the city was profound.  Lüke’s menu is unaffectedly Old World, featuring Germanic specialties and French bistro classics, house-made pâtés and abundant plateaux of cold, fresh seafood.  To complement its brasserie cuisine, Lüke offers an extensive French, German, and Belgian beer selection, including three exclusive house brews, as well as wines from the Loire, Alsace, and Savoie regions, and Badischerwiens of Germany.  Located in the heart of the Central Business District on St. Charles Avenue, Lüke serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, reviving the traditional brasseries whose warm and cheerful dining rooms were once home-away-from-home for many New Orleanians.  For those who remember the brasseries of old, it will be a nostalgic treat; and for a whole new generation, it will recreate a bit of the Old World.

·     Restaurant August – www.restaurantaugust.com –  Chef-owner John Besh was catapulted onto the national culinary scene in 1998 when he was declared one of Food & Wine’s “Top 10 Best New Chefs in America.” He is now fulfilling his promise at Restaurant August, serving classical Louisiana cuisine with a European flair, featuring only the freshest local ingredients.  In 2006 he was named Best Chef in the Southeast by the James Beard Foundation, and bested Mario Batali on Iron Chef America.  August is one of the few restaurants to have achieved the coveted 5-Bean ranking from The Times-Picayune, and was chosen as one of Gourmet magazine’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2006.

·     Besh Steak - www.harrahs.com/casinos/harrahs-new-orleans/resturants-dining/the-besh-steakhouse-at-harrahs-detail.html –   John Besh, one of New Orleans' most respected and innovative chefs, includes Besh Steak in his family of fine dining establishments in the Crescent City.  Chef Besh savors the opportunity to explore their creativity within the traditional definition of that all-American institution, the steakhouse, with distinct influences from Louisiana and a touch of European flair.  Besh Steak reaps high acclaim from Bon Appétit, Food Arts, Coastal Living, and The Times-Picayune.

New York

·     Lake Placid Lodge – www.lakeplacidlodge.com – Rebuilding its magnificent main lodge after a devastating fire in December 2005, this luxury Relais & Châteaux resort continues to host guests in its luxurious lakeside cabins.  A regular on the most prestigious top travel destination lists such as Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure, Lake Placid Lodge offers a spectacular natural setting, access to year-round mountain and lake sports, and acclaimed New American cuisine.  

·     The Point – www.thepointresort.com – Built as a Rockefeller “Great Camp” in the early 20^th century, this Relais & Châteaux resort now offers all the luxury, distinction, and seclusion one would expect.  With only eleven accommodations, the atmosphere is like a country house party with the highest levels of service and cuisine.  For years now, The Point has been ranked top small resort in the country by the Zagat Guide, and has held its position at the top of such notable lists as Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure.  

Rhode Island

·     The Chanler – www.thechanler.com – Dramatically perched at the start of the famous Cliff Walk of Newport “Cottages,” The Chanler embodies Gilded Age elegance in America’s first resort.  This spectacular seaside mansion was voted one of the “15 Best New Luxury Hotels in the World” by Food & Wine Magazine and maintains its position as a grande dame of luxurious historic hospitality.    As the gateway to the Cliff Walk, The Chanler is uniquely situated for its guests to stroll past the lavish “summer cottages” of the Vanderbilts, the Astors, and the other great American industrialists, financiers, socialites and dignitaries who made Newport the destination for all the beau monde at the end of the nineteenth century.

Texas

·     The Inn at Dos Brisas – www.dosbrisas.com – Washington, Texas – Just in four years, this exclusive hotel with four private casitas tucked away within 300-acres of Texas country, welcomed 2008 with an extra level of excitement! No greater honor could have been bestowed on it than the invitation [November 2007] to become a member of the international association of eminent hotels and awarded with Relais & Châteaux distinction. The Inn at Dos Brisas is the only hotel in Texas to hold such a prestigious title. At this luxurious yet rustic farm destination with its collection of vegetable and flower gardens, horse barn and stables, fields, and main ranch house, guests can treasure the seclusion of the property or partake in the offerings on the farm. The passion of the team and its commitment to excellence were not only found in the hotel, but also in the kitchen with the arrival of Jason Robinson, Executive Chef, and Christopher Bates, General Manager and Sommelier, who captivated locals seeking the ultimate epicurean experience. The foundation of an exceptional wine and food establishment took shape under their tutelage in 2005 and brought much recognition to the restaurant. From its extensive custom-selected wine list to the purity of organic home-grown ingredients and sustainable products, The Inn at Dos Brisas piqued the interest of others to take notice of this secret haven.  The Inn at Dos Brisas is one among only 17 restaurants to receive a Mobil Five-Star Restaurant rating. 

Santa Fe, New Mexico

·     The Inn of The Five Graces  – www.fivegraces.com – This rambling adobe and river rock compound in the heart of old Santa Fe is punctuated with hidden courtyards and cooling fountains.  The property has been completely renovated, and its interiors reflect a fanciful aesthetic combining the richness of local Native American design and colorful near- and middle-eastern furnishings, from custom-tiled baths to antique textiles and hand-carved bedsteads.  A luxurious private home adjacent to the main compound is also available for the most secluded getaways.  Although it is only a short walk from all the galleries, attractions, and fine restaurants of Canyon Road, The Inn also offers a sumptuous breakfast, an innovative all-day tapas menu, and cocktails – making it tempting to remain within this enchanting compound. 

Los Angeles, California

·     LM Pagano Design – Los Angeles, California – LM Pagano, Los Angeles-based interior designer has established herself as a Renaissance woman with a timeless style, which she employs in residential homes, yachts, clubs, and hotels from France to Turkey to New Orleans to Los Angeles for many Hollywood celebrities and socialites.  Pagano’s designs take you on a journey through jewel-tone hues, precious materials, and plush textures. The design is defined by the person, not simply the place. Every inch of space is carefully considered by judiciously incorporating elements of the client’s character and style to establish a true sense of place…personal space. The essence of her designs is based on the philosophy of the Old Masters — finding the rare kind of beauty and positively affirming it in her work.  Pagano uncovers the truth and accumulates the components to expose the natural harmony between the person and the design.  Whether it be a historical renovation or a modern interior for an eclectic collector’s New York apartment, the finished product reaches beyond the ordinary, thereby giving specific life to design, as no design should simply exist in a space.  Recently completed works are: New Orleans’ premier boutique hotel, International House,  and its owner, Sean Cummings' private residence in New Orleans; the European motoryachts and California homes of Nicolas Cage and Johnny Depp (as well as several residences around the world for Mr. Cage); high-profile lawyer Lisa Helfend Meyer and her husband, dentist-golf-expert Ron Cherney's grand Spanish home in Encino, California (the original W.C. Fields estate); the Los Angeles high-rise residence of venture capitalist Michael Goguen and his wife, actress Jordana Woodland; writers Rachel Sweet and Tom Palmer's spectacular Wallace Neff home in Los Feliz, California; and the Los Angeles residence of Jeff Skoll (eBay's first president & founder and producer of Participant Films).

Washington, D.C.

·     Damgoodsweet Consulting Group, LLC – www.damgoodsweet.com – David Guas, the original creative force behind the sweets at Washington’s Passion Food Hospitality restaurants (Acadiana, Ceiba, DC Coast, and TenPenh), has launched his own entrepreneurial career as a private consultant, boutique pastry caterer, dessert cookbook author, and, by the end of 2008, bakery owner.  Bayou Bakery in McLean, Virginia [exact location to be determined] will feature a number of his signature desserts (many of them based on his Louisiana and Cuban heritage) that gained him such a following at Acadiana, Ceiba, DC Coast, and TenPenh.  In 2004, Guas was named Pastry Chef of the Year by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, and Bon Appétit called him one of the country’s eight “Dessert Stars.”  Guas makes regular appearances on NBC’s Today Show, de-mystifying everything from pastry dough to Mardi Gras king cakes for the nationwide viewing audience.           

·     Acadiana – www.acadianarestaurant.com – A contemporary take on a Louisiana fish house in downtown Washington, DC, Acadiana has captured the imagination – and the appetites – of bayou cuisine aficionados since it opened in September 2005.  Chef Jeff Tunks spent nearly four years cooking in New Orleans, and his affinity for the techniques and flavors of the region’s classic dishes shines through in his menu’s contemporary interpretations, created with Chef de Cuisine Christopher Clime.  The restaurant’s elegant atmosphere captures the sensibility of historic plantations and time-worn oyster bars, but is rooted firmly in the present.

·     Ceiba – www.ceibarestaurantaugust.com – In 2005, Chef Jeff Tunks and his Passion Food Hospitality partners were named Restaurateurs of the Year by Washingtonian magazine.  A few years earlier, when they were developing Ceiba, the team toured Latin America and the Caribbean to best understand the feeling and flavors they were looking for.  The restaurant offers contemporary Latin cuisine, specifically Yucatan, Brazilian, Peruvian, and Cuban, in a lively elegant atmosphere. 

·     DC Coast Restaurant – www.dccoast.com – Chef Jeff Tunks’ flagship restaurant with its dramatic Art Deco interior in Washington’s historic Tower Building is credited with jump-starting the revival of its central downtown neighborhood, winning “Best New Restaurant” from the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington when it opened in 1998.  Tunks and his Chef de Cuisine Travis Timberlake create modern American cuisine with an emphasis on the eastern seaboard, Gulf Coast, and Pacific Rim coastal regions of the U.S.  DC Coast’s lively bar is one of the hottest spots in town. 

·     TenPenh – www.tenpenh.com – Taking its name from its prestigious address on the power corridor of the nation’s capital, TenPenh features contemporary southeast Asian-inspired cuisine in a breathtaking interior.  Chef Jeff Tunks and his Chef de Cuisine Cliff Wharton create exotic dishes that are bold enough for the most jaded palates, yet not too foreign for the uninitiated.  TenPenh has been listed in Gourmet magazine’s Guide to America’s Best Restaurants