Style Skyscraping scenester
Setting Southwest SoHo

Why this week? Why not sneak away for a seductive stay on the 14th, or bank some brownie points by booking a mid-March break? To lend a hand, the helpful hoteliers at the James New York are offering Smith members an exclusive Smith offer, including breakfast and two tipples in the Treehouse Bar, for stays before 31 March 2012. And, to ensure your Manhattan trip is a true work of art, pop into the nearby MoMA and satisfy any creative cravings.

Our favourite bits Cool-hunters lured by the James’ art-covered walls won’t be disappointed; curator Matthew Jensen has saturated the space with pieces by local and international artists. Sarah Frost’s keyboard-clad Qwerty 5 crowns the lobby, the glass elevator doubles as an exciting exhibition space, and each corridor has devoted itself to a different artist. For those accomplished in the art of love, head to the huge penthouse where decor by Dutch designer Piet Boon vies for attention with three-walls-worth of stunning Manhattan skyline – the only camera worthy competitor is the striking rooftop bar, Jimmy, a mixologist’s mecca with 360-degree vistas.

Mr & Mrs Smith say…‘The space is contemporary, but not clinical: the James strikes a chic balance between being arty, and edgy, but elegant and warm. Dark wood floors, a lacquered table and chairs, floor-to-ceiling windows and a bathroom with a moveable Oriental panel to separate it from the rest of the room; yup, this is a well thought-out space.

Nestled into my favourite New York neighbourhood, right in Downtown’s beating heart, we’re a short walk or a five-minute cab ride from the most interesting and intriguing boutiques and bars… Although in the end we discover the most eye-popping views and zingy cocktails are just upstairs: at rooftop bar, Jimmy. An outside deck, a swimming pool, 360º skyline vistas and super-accomplished mixologist, Johnny Swet, all await on the top floor of the James. I’ve been coming to New York for years, and this wins a prize as one of the most awesome watering holes.’

Packing tip Bring your journal to jot down the names of the up-and-coming artists whose work is on show in the hotel’s public spaces.

Read the full review of The James New York. Find more New York hotels, or search all our hotel offers.

Copy compiled by Olivia Rawes.

Last Wednesday saw our Italy guide launch party at B&B Italia in London; but the night before, over in Florida, we celebrated our affair with Scope. Stateside Smithsters co-hosted a cocktail reception at the suitably art-inspired Mondrian Miami hotel with fashion-forward boutique Atrium, to fête the opening night of the Scope Miami Art Show 2011.

With delicious signature cocktails including Perrier-topped mojitos and a Sipping Rum Station from Rums of Puerto Rico, wines from the Spanish vineyards of Muga and leave-the-tray-please nibbles from Mondrian’s Asia de Cuba restaurant, it was no surprise that 200 of the city’s coolest folk took root in the Sunset Lounge. We still drool when we think about those crispy lobster and shiitake mushroom Potstickers with vanilla-rum dipping sauce, and as for the lemon-scented New Zealand lamb ‘Lolli Chops’… mmn.

Arts writers, culture commentators and VIPs from media and fashion land who draped themselves artfully over leather seats and gathered in the Sunset Lounge’s surreal topiary-style booths included friends from Christian Louboutin, Flavorpill, Venue magazine, DE magazine and Crane TV, as well as creative duo the Abby Double twins (pictured above) and our music maestro for the night, DJ DB (notable drum and bass pioneer, AIR radio DJ and Stickers curator).

New York art lovers, look out: we’ll be partnering with Scope again to bring you another arty party and some fantastic hotel deals for the Scope New York art fair, March 2–6 2012…

Look sharp: New York Fashion Week works up a head of steam next week, and you could be there

Artspace – a clever company making contemporary art, illustration and photography accessible (and affordable) to you, eager public, via its website and private sales – is hosting a super-stylish cocktail evening on Friday 9 September in honor of the artist Nick Cave (no, not he of the Bad Seeds. He of performance art/wear). An appropriate choice for fashion week, one of Nick’s fortes is ‘fabric sculpture’ (make of that what you will, but we read it as ‘totally radical outerwear’) and performance-art costume (he’s also a trained dancer). He’s been described as ‘Alexander McQueen meets Andy Warhol’.

Nick will be introducing two new works at the event, which will unfold on the rooftop of the Mondrian SoHo hotel in New York on the first Friday of fashion week (so fashionable movers and shakers will be yours to behold in more ways than one).

Other artists supported by Artspace (and they are many and varied) include Brit painter Peter Doig, Turner Prize-winner Chris Ofili, photographer Edward Burtynsky and rising star Curtis Mann.

You’ll be automatically entered into the ticket sweepstakes when you sign up to become an Artspace member (this is free, and it only takes a few seconds). Artspace members get a heads up on affordable contemporary art, canny tips and first options on very limited editions through the site’s private sales. Whoo!

Find a hotel in New York or just have a browse through our New York city guide…

The answer is, of course, (d). Bar, restaurant and all-round foodie destination City Winery stands out among the cool places to sip and be sceney in SoHo with its concerts, tastings and wine-making courses; the only working winery in New York City, it turns city slickers into amateur vintners – all without leaving the island. And (a genius ploy), the menu is all about ‘food pairing’ – making sure the spotlight stays firmly on your grape-juice beverage. (Well, when you’ve got your own wines on tap, you don’t want them hiding their light under a bread roll…)

City Winery’s vintages are crafted from grapes and juice shipped from tip-top vineyards from across California (think Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino) and beyond. Last week, we propped ourselves up amid their towering barrels to savour their most popular wines paired with the best wedges from Murray’s Cheese.

Their crisp Sohovignon blanc had us thinking about making our own Smith wine. While that remains a dream, we are going to fulfil one lucky couple’s foodie fantasies by sending them to Napa Valley to stay at an eco-friendly boutique retreat and try some of the country’s best food and wine…

WIN A GOURMET NAPA VALLEY GETAWAY
We’re giving away two round-trip tickets to San Francisco, a three-night stay at the bucolic cottage-dotted retreat The Carneros Inn in Napa Valley, and gourmet goodies galore.

Rocking chairs made out of repurposed milk cartons line the front of the cosy cottages at this agri-chic resort (Carneros Inn – pictured right – boasts its own post office, not to mention restaurants and spa). You’ll also get a private tour of Bettinelli Vineyards. Top it off with a tour of the olive press at Grove 45 and an alfresco lunch with the owners Nena Talcott and Bonnie Storm.

Back in New York, taste a straight-from-the-barrel cabernet sauvignon after a one-on-one tour with master vintner David Lacomte at City Winery. Since no rich red or wicked white wine experience is complete without cheese, Murray’s Cheese has put together a crate of their top performers, including Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog (left) and Cowgirl Creamery Mt Tam triple crème, artisan salamis and a bottle of Grove 45 olive oil, which will be delivered to your door.

Don’t miss this chance to steal away to Napa Valley for your own taste of the wine country: enter now.

What inspired you to get into event planning?
I’ve always had a creative streak and enjoyed entertaining, amusing and intriguing others, and my elaborate personal parties and ‘happenings’ sort of grew into a business. I love that you can dream up something totally fresh and ‘now’, pull it together by a strict deadline and then the next day it’s out of your life forever – the curse of a short attention span, perhaps?

Which of your past events are you most proud of?
I adore any event where the client totally trusts us to pull off something very cutting-edge and imaginative, and our experience and flair make it happen. Especially when guests bump into me in the street years later and say, ‘I still remember that amazing night when you did X….’ I always strive for that impact, and luckily, I’ve succeeded most of the time.

What are your top five tips for hosting the perfect party?
1: The right guest list is essential – a diverse group who know each other or have common interests, and are fun! – be brutal and keep it tight.
2: Create a bespoke ambience through stimulating design, lighting and sound so it’s a unique, emotional occasion.
3: Great service, food and drinks – regardless of budget, these basics need to be well thought out and presented.
4: Amusements – entertainments, diversions, intrigues that just ‘happen’ and create a journey over the ever-evolving life of the event so it’s always interesting, there are high and low points, loud and quiet ones, and a dynamic yet comfortable environment that leaves everyone with a smile and the feeling that they never want it to end!
5: Add a different element – that ‘wow’ effect that makes your bash memorable.

Which are your favourite party cities?
Beijing (right) for its creativity and audacity on steroids, out-there design, scale and mega-money. It’s a high-energy blend of expats and locals in a Blade Runner-esque world like no other. New York – because the entire universe is never more than 30 minutes’ away – whatever you want, whenever you want it. And New Orleans, especially Bourbon Street, for its unrelenting in-your-face entertainment, where every bar has a live band or DJ, and people dance outdoors. I love its unbridled, down-and-dirty funkiness.

Where’s next on your travel wish-list?
Russia, Morocco and North Korea (I’ve booked to go twice but the government cancelled me). Italy (left) is somewhere I’m always happy to return to, too.

Describe your ideal weekend away.
While I love a city weekend sampling restaurants and galleries in Melbourne, if I had a week to live I’d have to say Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast – get a beachfront apartment, out the front door there’s wining and dining on Hastings Street, and out the back door perhaps the best beach in Australia, plus great walks in the national park. It’s just a very easy, relaxing no-brainer of a break with reliably fabulous weather, and it’s only a 90-minute flight from Sydney.

Any pet hotel hates? Shower curtains instead of glass screens. Lack of generosity in rooms, whether it be towels, toiletries or TV channels. Unreliable laundry services that don’t meet your deadlines, when you’ve met theirs. Blasé concierges who despite their superior attitude generally know less than you do and have no more pull around town than you can quickly get yourself for restaurants, shows etc. Your room not being ready at the designated check-in time. Slow porters who finally get around to delivering your bag an hour later when you really wanted to just bring it up yourself!

And loves? Too many to mention. I do a lot of research to pick the right place to stay on my travels because I’ve always believed you can’t waste time or have regrets on any holiday and you should never stay anywhere ‘worse’ than where you already live – your hotel should inspire and relax you. I’ve got lots of favourites but everything is consistently perfect at the Amankila in Bali. I also love Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island in South Australia, which I reviewed for Smith. Amazing location, staff, food and rooms – truly world class.

What do you never leave home without? A good budget, sleeping tablets and an iPhone loaded with audio books, podcasts and music for every occasion.

What travel trends are you predicting? Affordable luxury in hotels; cheaper business-class and first-class air travel as airlines either go hard or go bust; and Australians travelling abroad more because the Aussie dollar is so strong.

Who’s your ideal travel companion? My family, or anyone who drinks, laughs, sings and stays up late, then lies quietly in the sun during the day.

You only need to spend a minute or two in Montauk to know you’re in surfer country. Must be the Havaianas and hoodies: slacker-chic beachwear is the unofficial uniform on this stretch of Long Island. Somehow, however, Montauk sidesteps the see-and-sceney vibe of the other Hamptons, and keeps it small-town relaxed, a vibe that’s evident the moment you step off the Jitney from New York City.

These days, there’s only one Hamptons boutique hotel to head for: Ruschmeyer’s (Well, OK, two, if you include its wave-riding older brother Surf Lodge, but that’s last season’s news). This ‘summer camp for grown ups’ has barely been open a month, and it’s already making waves in the press. Of course, when you’ve got Ben Towill and Phil Winser of Fat Radish fame crafting the menu in your retro-styled restaurant, you’ve got to expect a buzz. The same seasonality-driven approach they’ve honed in the city is in full effect here. Fresh-from-the-surf seafood is washed down by a cocktail menu that looks back to yesteryear and a level of service that would rival the slickest operations in Manhattan. Freshly tonged oysters? Curried monkfish? Bacon cheeseburger with fries crisped in duck fat? Do not mind if we do.

Then it’s off for a Jamaican rum punch, a bit of a boogie and an eye-up of the fashion crowd at the hotel’s Electric Eel Disco next door. Good food and late nights; there’s a recipe for the perfect summer…

Harlem Residence, Harlem

- Big-for-the-city apartment in historic Harlem
- Designer decor with vivid artwork and artifacts
- Gracious, knowledgeable owner onsite
- Private terrace with gas grill
- Landmarks within walking distance, and Metro a block away
- Fifth Avenue shopping 15 minutes away by subway

*****

To book this stylish self-catering apartment in New York, call our in-the-know Travel Team on 0845 034 0700.

When we decided it was time for an exclusively Antipodean guidebook to add to our ever-expanding library for stylish globetrotters, our first port of call was acclaimed Australian photographer Earl Carter (

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Why did you become a photographer?
I took up photography because I couldn’t draw properly. Then my parents sent me to Japan as an exchange student, and fortune smiled on me. My host family introduced me to a famous landscape photographer, and while I was there I became his assistant. That’s what I love about photography: you travel a lot, see amazing places, have incredible experiences and capture the moment.

What inspires you?
Photography is about capturing light, so no matter where I am, anywhere in the world – (left, from top) Tuscany, Sydney, Mantua or Western Australia – natural light and how it reacts and creates moods is my source of inspiration.

You’re based in bayside St Kilda in Melbourne, home to gourmet Smith getaway The Prince on Acland Street. Any other favourite local places?
I’ve lived and worked in the cut and thrust of St Kilda for 30 years, and feel like a pioneer when I look back at the early days. It has a vibrant arts, café and restaurant culture now, and reminds me of Paris, London and Barcelona. I love Melbourne Wine Room for Friday lunch – the best meal in town, with great wine and service.

As well as travel and interiors gigs, you’ve shot cookbooks for top chefs, including David Thompson and Neil Perry. Have you picked up any signature recipes?
I have to confess that I’m not hot at cooking so I leave it to my wife Wanda. After witnessing me in the kitchen once, Neil did give me one piece of advice that I adhere to – KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid).

You shot Smith’s Australia/New Zealand hotel guide. Which hotels blew you away?
I love New Zealand. What’s better than staying in luxurious comfort, looking at jaw-dropping scenery, drinking gorgeous wines and eating delicious food? Snorkelling at Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef (right), in Western Australia, and sleeping in tents in the dunes is the polar opposite, but just as mind-blowing.

You hit the road again for our South-East Asia guidebook. Fall for any hotels there?
Knai Bang Chatt hotel in Cambodia impressed me (left). Khmer architect Vann Molyvann, who worked with Le Corbusier, designed three perfect houses in the 1960s on the beach at Kep. Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge destroyed them in the 1970s, but they’ve been restored. As you wander the grounds, the history is palpable. It’s amazing lying under the palms in a hammock, drink in hand, watching the sunset.

Describe your ideal weekend away…
I’d escape to a secret surf spot between Barwon Heads and Aireys Inlet on Victoria’s west coast near the Great Ocean Road, out of range of email or mobile phones, with a one-metre swell, an offshore breeze, cold winter water and no one else on the break. I’d stumble out of the sea at twilight, light a fire, open a bottle of shiraz and tuck into Wanda’s sensational chicken.

In a perfect world, who would be your ideal travel companion?
Iconic French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson. I would learn a lot.

Any advice for taking travel pics?
Know your equipment like the back of your hand, so when an image appears in front of you, it’s a natural reaction to lift the camera and shoot – as with this shot I took at Giraffe Manor (right), near Nairobi, Kenya.

What’s on your holiday wish-list?
India, South America or Antarctica, in any order!

Share some secrets from your international travel address book.
New St Kilda restaurant Golden Fields – wherever chef Andrew McConnell goes we will follow, he’s a culinary and style maestro. I also love La Chassagnette near Arles, in Provence, France. To be in the Carmargue, in a courtyard sipping fine wine and feeling the warm North African winds, eating exquisite organic food by passionate chef Armand Arnal, is unforgettable. When Manhattan gets too much, the Norwood private members’ club is my great escape and solace. In London, as soon as you step inside Sir John Soane’s Museum, you step back a century. It’s like walking into a film set, or onto the pages of The World Of Interiors magazine.

EARL’S TRAVEL ADDRESS BOOK
La Chassagnette Le Sambuc, 13200 Arles, France (+33 (0)4 90 97 26 96)
Golden Fields 157 Fitzroy Street, Melbourne, Australia (+61 (0)3 9525 4488)
Melbourne Wine Room 125 Fitzroy Street, Melbourne, Australia (+61 (0)3 9525 5599)
Norwood 241 West 14th St, New York, NY 10011, United States (+1 212 255 9300)
Sir John Soane’s Museum 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2, United Kingdom (+44 (0)20 7405 2107)

All photography by Earl Carter.

Polished marble, pristine monochrome fabrics, striking modern art… So far, so glamorous and grown-up, right? Parents, seeking style, be assured: The Surrey is as sophisticated as Manhattan luxury hotels get – but lucky for those with little ones, this Upper East Side establishment is also as family-friendly as it is fabulous.

A skip from Central Park, a clutch of the city’s finest museums, The Surrey is the ideal address for families, as we discovered on a recent stay in this upmarket part of town. With its grand avenues and distinguished brownstone buildings, the UES is an especially filmic part of town familiar even if you haven’t been to NYC before., and this hotel couldn’t spoil you more.

As our gang of three fell out of a yellow taxi at The Surrey’s respectable black-canopied entrance on East 76th Street at Madison Avenue with a pushchair and paraphernalia, the doormen couldn’t have been friendlier. Rather than turning up their noses at a boisterous toddler, they made us feel as welcome, and as at home, as could be. (The service at this hotel is celebrated for its nothing-is-too-much-trouble professionalism yet friendly and relaxed delivery.) Checked-in, and within moments we were up close and personal with Kate Moss: care of the giant black-and-white Chuck Close portrait by the elevators. Then it was up to our room. Well, I say ‘room’ – but this was like having our own Manhattan apartment…

Our Ultra Deluxe Salon had two queen-size beds and also a sitting room area where our three-year-old Miss Smith immediately took to leafing through the slick coffee-table design books. A tiny kitchenette discretely contained a maxi-minibar too: all you’d need to rustle up some snacks. As for the bathroom – you almost don’t care what you have on your doorstep when you amble into this marble beauty. Time could easily  slip through your fingers when you have a tub that size to soak in. As for madam, it was more like a plunge pool for her.

But we did venture out. And what a neighbourhood! Stumbling out, we only needed to turn left and amble a block and we were at one of the world’s greatest parks.

– Central Park is 843 acres – just walking through its leafy lawn-flanked lanes is fun. But if you’ve got littlies, make sure you especially add Central Park Zoo between 63rd and 66th to your hit list, and the Alice in Wonderland statue at East 74th.

– The Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the world’s most magnificent art spaces, has a host of things for families to do. Our top tips: head to the roof terrace for the best panoramic view of that skyline. Pause for another photo opp: eating a hot dog, while sitting on the steps of the museum.

– The Ancient Playground at 85th (pictured) is about as exciting as slides and swings get! Open 8am until dusk every day. Our top tip: Stop by the Dean & Deluca near to The Surrey on Madison Ave at 85th, and pick up some coffees and snacks to enjoy in the park.

– Neue Galerie at 86th, has the fantastic Viennese-style wood-panelled Café Sabarsky. Our top tip: order hot chocolates with whipped cream.

– FAO Schwartz on Fifth Ave right across from the Plaza hotel is this world-famous toy shop with the floor piano that Tom Hanks danced on in ‘Big’ (see left).

Booking a stay The Surrey, with free cots and extra beds for $40. Babysitting can be arranged, for $25 an hour (based on a four-hour minimum; there will be an extra charge for the babysitter’s transport to the hotel). After all, there’s a glamorous bar and restaurant and also a spa, so you’ll also want plenty of adult time too. Get more information on this family-friendly hotel in New York.

Special family offer One-bedroom suites have a king-size bed and can be booked with a complimentary Deluxe Salon ideal for the little ones or your babysitter. Book as a family and your little ones will also be kept busy with a NYC colouring book and also a family pass for the Metropolitan Museum.

When speaking to the Travel Team, just mention you want the ‘family offer’ to request a complimentary Deluxe Salon and the colouring book and museum pass.

We paid our first visit to Rhode Island in the States this month, picking two harbourside hotels in Newport for the Smith collection: Forty 1° North (left), a clapboard cosmopolitan retreat with its own marina, and Vanderbilt Grace, a blue-blooded beauty in the Historic Hill neighbourhood. In New York, we uncovered a refined relative, Smyth Tribeca, a boutique bachelor pad straight out of Mad Men.

In the UK, we found the unusually monikered Langford Fivehead (below), a historic house on a stately Somerset estate, with an expert cook and an oenophile for owners.

Italy revealed Villa Rosmarino, a hilltop terracotta hideaway run by some super-stylish art fans on the Portofino Peninsula, and Borgo della Marmotta, a fabulous farmhouse in Umbria.

In Malaysia, we discovered Clove Hall, a renovated Edwardian plantation home in Penang’s Unesco-listed Georgetown, and in Bali, Luna2 Private Hotel caught our eyes with its Pop Art touches and decadent design. Melbourne’s Mansion Hotel & Spa also made the cut, an 1870s Italiante manor that used to be a Jesuit seminary.

Next month, we’ll be back with new finds in Portugal, Miami and Mozambique. Watch this space…