Beach Week Day 5: Soho Beach House Miami

The recently opened Soho Beach House Miami is everything its sister properties in New York, West Hollywood, Berlin and the originals in Britain are: chic, fun, and exclusive. We never turn down an invite to the members-only club in the Meat Packing District (and neither would we at the Beach House); but the easiest way to get in is to book a room in one of the hotel's fifty bedrooms- then you have access to both pool areas, the beach club, and the rest of the private lounges.

Also in the Soho Beach House, the Cowshed spa offers everything from massages and facials, to blowouts and manis. Cecconi's Italian restaurant is open to the public; but doesn't give you access to the after hours areas of the Beach House. Hotel rates begin at $400, memberships begin at $900/year. Sigh.

On Our Radar: America's Best Hot Dogs

Just in time for the Fourth, Travel and Leisure brings us a round up of America's Best Hot Dogs. Our pick is the Shake Shack dog, especially when eaten at the Mets' Citifield! How do you like your dogs?

Happy Fourth!

Hudson Hall at the Hudson Hotel

Last week, we had the pleasure of dining at Hudson Hall in the revamped Hudson Cafeteria space at New York's Hudson Hotel. The restaurant looks pretty similar to the former Cafeteria, with some communal tables and the same dark wood goth chairs. It's pioneering "modern collegiate mess hall" chic, meaning the food is served old school cafeteria style with self service trays and food options. Lemon drop shots and woo woos are on the menu, hearkening back to the frat parties we went to back in the day.  But that's where the similarities to college end.

The menu, which changes daily, features items like tuna tartar, heirloom spinach salad, Waygu beef sliders, Chilean sea bass and artisinal pizzas. For dessert, there's fresh fruit (cherries on the night we were there), peanut butter pudding and cheesecake. Dorm food was never like this!

There's a video installation (a giant sized TV broken down into sections). Though we're told it's not intended to be a sports bar, the NBA Final game between L.A. and Boston was on the night we were there and we heard that the hotel's many European guests have been watching the World Cup.

Thompson LES Above Allen Opens Up June 9th

The Thompson Lower East Side Hotel's popular night spot, Above Allen, begins its summer hours on June 9th:  Wednesdays to Saturdays 5:00 to 10:00 p.m.  Above Allen will retract is glass roof, making it a truly open-air experience and a fab place to meet friends for happy hour while celebrating the view of the NYC skyline. 


Hotel guests and Above Allen members can access the terrace bar, and non-members can make reservations by emailing AboveAllenReservations@thompsonhotels.com.  You can also show up without reservations; but be prepared to flatter the doorman if you want to get in.  A sexy outfit and great shoes won't hurt either.

Big Book of Barbecue

Add this to your list of summer must reads, The Big Book of BBQ: Recipes and Revelations from the Barbecue Belt. The book from the editors of Southern Living features the best barbecue places in the South, info on the most famous barbecue festivals, recipes, and photos that you can gain five pound from just looking at.

For those who prefer their meat from a cow and sans sauce, Steak: One Man's Search for the World's Tastiest Piece of Beef, is exactly that. Food writer and Condé Nast Traveler contributor Mark Schatzker details his 18-month search for the perfect steak across Argentina, Scotland, Japan, Europe and the states.

The Palm's Prime Time Special

Last week, when we were in the theater district and hungry after a performance of Hair, we stopped by The Palm to take advantage of its Prime Time menu. The times it is offered varies from location to location (in the Times Square Palm it's from 9 pm until close on weekdays), but the menu is the same everywhere. It includes $3.50 kobe sliders, crab cakes, calamari and more, plus $1 oysters and $2 shrimp cocktail.

My hubby and I ordered sliders, Prime cheese steak, crab cakes, oysters and shrimp cocktail. We were dismayed that the sliders weren't cooked to order and questioned whether they were really kobe and ours didn't come with chips as pictured above, but everything else was fantastic. We ordered second of the shrimp.

We were also unimpressed by the bartender who served us. He looked and acted like he had better things to do than work at the bar. Perhaps the tourist-y location had him down? The crowd mostly appeared to regulars, businessmen and folks on business trips.

But overall, it was a delightful experience and a way to get into a famed steakhouse for less than $50 per person. Our total bill which also included an over-sized glass of wine for me and three glasses of beer for my hubby came to $77, pre-tip. Hard to beat, even with the grumpy service.

Find a Palm's Prime Time Special near you.