EXCLUSIVE: ‘I thought NYC would be brutal on my wallet but I lived the high life on a budget’

Can you really visit one of New York’s most upmarket borough’s on a budget? I visited this wallet-friendly hotel and felt like I was staying in a boutique haven.

By Kenzi Devine

When I arrived in upmarket New York City neighbourhood Chelsea to see the sprawling streets of flower markets, trendy art galleries and Madison Square Garden in eyeshot, I had a feeling this trip wasn’t going to be kind on my wallet.

But the hidden gem hotel I stayed in showed me that you don’t always have to choose between luxury and sticking to a budget. Nestled between the string of flower stalls gracing 28th St, the Moxy Chelsea hotel blends in almost too well—with greenery surrounding the entrance and a structure to match its neighbours. You would be forgiven for missing it despite its towering 35-floor height.

Despite the hotel’s low price point, you can experience a touch of luxury at The Fleur Room, which offers upmarket cocktails, champagne, and well-known wines such as Whispering Angel.

Hotel Wine tastings – the final tastings from my trip to Paris – May 2025

By  Kosher Wine Musings

I was in Paris is in Late May, with Avi Davidowitz from Kosher Wine Unfiltered. This trip was not about numbers, but rather about sheer logistics. The number of boxes across the number of hotels was more than I wished for! Of course, this was totally self-inflicted, as Avi was coming in for business the week before, and I was juggling too much at home. In the end, it was a far more relaxing trip, as the sheer number of wines was more in the 40s than the usual 60 or 80 wines. A lot of that can be blamed on the number of 2024 or new 2023 wines on the market – there are just ZERO new wines out there. There are loads of old 2022 and 2023 roses in the stores in Paris, and the same can be said for older whites and reds. Wines are not moving, and as such, there was less new stuff to taste.

Two years ago, we had some 80 wines; this May, we were at 40+ wines. There were a few wines that Avi missed, and a few I wished he was able to see evolve, but that is the game as we know it!

The wines were tasted in classic region/style order: Rosés, whites, Wines from Spain and Italy, a single Burgundy, Bordeaux/Blend wines, and I think that is it.

Rosé Wines

We had a total of 10 Rosés, and there was just one 2024 Rose in the stores.

The 2024 Cave D’Esclans Whispering Angel and the 2024 is one of the two Rosé WINNERS from the tasting.

2024 Cave D’Esclans Whispering Angel, Cotes de Provence – Score: 91 (QPR: WINNER)

This is on point – hitting all the notes I want. Nice! The nose of this wine exhibits characteristic Grenache notes, including strawberry, flint, smoke, and citrus, with additional floral and smoky aromas. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is fun, with good acidity, smoke, flint, strawberry, and nice salinity. This is a clean, well-priced, and refreshing rose. (tasted May 2025) (in Paris, France) (ABV = 13%)

MIMI KAKUSHI X WHISPERING ANGEL SUMMER EDITION BRUNCH

By Hotel & Catering

Mimi Kakushi brings the spirit of 1920s Osaka to life—an era when jazz set the city buzzing, modern art turned heads, and tradition took on a daring new edge. It was a golden age of culture and creativity, where East met West in the most unexpected ways.

Every weekend, Mimi Kakushi’s brunch brings this era to life with an eclectic menu of time-honoured Japanese flavours reimagined with playful, contemporary twists.

On August 2nd and 23rd this experience reaches new heights as Mimi Kakushi partners with Whispering Angel for an exclusive brunch celebration of rosé, live entertainment, and pure indulgence.

The July 12th launch event was a great success, with guests arriving in charming touches of pink, from flowing dresses to subtle pink accessories, bringing the “touch of pink” summer theme to life in style. Whispering Angel Rosé is now included in both the house and champagne packages at no additional cost for these special edition brunches, adding a refined and refreshing option to your brunch experience. As a unique highlight, enjoy live painting on a stunning 3L Jeroboam bottle of Whispering Angel during select dates.

Film-Inspired Pop-Up for The Roses Will Serve Drinks and Treats at Brentwood Country Mart

Crab Shack–Themed Bites, Cocktails, and Exclusive Merch Aug. 22–23.

Searchlight Pictures is bringing a taste of its upcoming film The Roses to Los Angeles with a two-day pop-up event at the Brentwood Country Mart later this month.

The activation, inspired by Ivy Roses’ fictional crab shack “We’ve Got Crabs!,” will run August 22–23 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Country Mart, located at 225 26th Street in Santa Monica. The event is open to the public.

Guests can sample themed food and beverages, including Negronis by Via Carota, rosé from Whispering Angel

The return of Brosé

By Rodney Jack

Whisper it: men are secretly sipping Rosé

Rosé has long been the poster child of summer terraces, brunch tables, and Instagram feeds — but for many men, it’s been a guilty pleasure kept behind closed doors. That’s changing, and The Ivy Collection has the data to prove it.

In a recent survey of 1,000 men and 1,000 women, The Ivy asked participants to picture someone drinking a glass of rosé. The results were telling: only 4% visualised a man, while a whopping 57% pictured a woman. Rosé, it seems, still carries a gendered image — one that’s keeping many men from enjoying it openly.

But here’s the twist: nearly one in three men admitted they’d choose rosé if they didn’t feel judged for doing so. Among men under 35, that number jumps to 42%. The Ivy’s conclusion? Men aren’t just enjoying rosé — they’re hiding their love for it. Some are even drinking it in secret.

“Men are swapping the pint for something pink, crisp and unapologetically elegant — sometimes on the sly,” says Claudio Sammartino, wine educator for The Ivy Collection. And he’s not wrong. Today’s rosés are no longer the sugary blushes of the past. They’re dry, complex, and crafted with the same precision as the world’s finest wines.

To celebrate this quiet revolution, The Ivy has launched a new curated menu called A Touch of Rosé, featuring iconic pours like Whispering Angel and Veuve Clicquot Rosé Champagne, alongside rosé-based cocktails. It’s all part of its playful and empowering campaign: is it time for men at home and abroad to join the long-talked about Brosé movement.

So, men who have been eyeing that pale pink liquid — consider this your invitation. Rosé is for anyone who appreciates a little rebellion in a glass.

Cheers to the Brosé movement. The secret’s out.

Spice of Life

Miami Spice 2025 offers a delicious way to experience the city’s top restaurants at a great value

By Irene Moore

Miami-Dade County is on the rise for culinary tourism. Earlier this year, the restaurants in Miami and Miami Beach earned 16 Michelin stars, the most to any county in Florida. Late last year, a study by Wallet Hub ranked Miami the “Top Foodie City in America.”

Part of the reason the city is so popular with foodies is The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau’s (GMCVB) highly anticipated annual Miami Spice Restaurant Months from Aug. 1 to Sept. 30. The popular culinary program invites locals and visitors to enjoy prix-fixe, three-course menus at more than 300 participating restaurants across Miami and Miami Beach at a minimum of 30% savings. The two-month event also supports local communities, one plate at a time, through small, optional donations while dining out.

Now in its 24th year, Miami Spice continues to highlight Miami’s diverse, world-renowned dining scene, with lunch and brunch menus priced at $35 and dinner menus from $45 to $60. Restaurants span more than 20 neighborhoods and represent cuisine from across the globe that ranges from award-winning fine dining and beloved local gems to highly anticipated new openings.

This year’s program continues its support of local nonprofit Camillus House, which provides services for those experiencing homelessness. Guests will find a QR code on all Miami Spice menus encouraging donations, making it easy to give back while dining out. Great news: The first cumulative donation of $25,000 made by Miami Spice patrons will be matched by the GMCVB.

This year’s official wine sponsors are two distinguished names from the LVMH portfolio: Terrazas de Los Andes from Argentina and Whispering Angel Rosé from Provence  —  popular wines that complement the diverse flavors featured throughout the Miami Spice menus.

Miami Spice is also partnering with Mexica Tequila and the Miami Beach Botanical Garden to introduce Margarita Spice, a signature cocktail crafted exclusively for this year’s program. Infused with fresh, locally sourced ingredients and garnished with spiced lemongrass straight from the garden, the cocktail brings seasonal flavors to the glass, highlights our sustainable ingredients, and supports local growers.

This year’s program includes new signature dining experiences, Michelin-recognized restaurants, exciting first-time participants, and a focus on sustainability and social impact.

INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES

Select restaurants are shaking things up with Signature Dining Experiences that transform a meal into an unforgettable culinary adventure. For example, Le Jardinier Miami is hosting an exclusive five-course seasonal chef’s dinner in collaboration with L’ Atelier de Joël Robuchon; Blind Tiger is offering a curated omakase experience that highlights creative sushi with bold Japanese flavors; and Faena Theater is cooking up a unique dinner-and-a-show that includes a three course menu accompanied by a third row orchestra level ticket.

DELIGHT IN THE MICHELIN STARS

Several of Miami’s Michelin-starred and Bib Gourmand restaurants return to Miami Spice this year, including Stubborn Seed, Boia De and Cote Miami, along with Green Star honorees EntreNos and Los Félix. Also featured is Michelin-recommended Beauty and the Butcher in Coral Gables, where guests experience Chef Jeremy Ford’s signature bold flavors and refined technique, with a rotating selection of small plates and elevated meats crafted for the occasion.

MEET THE NEWCOMERS

This year’s lineup includes several first-time participants, including local Wynwood favorite Uchi; Colombian staple Andrés Carne de Res on Lincoln Road; Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay, offering tapas-style Japanese flavors; Wyn Wyn, serving an Asian-fusion Latin menu; award-winning Ghee Indian Kitchen’s traditional flavors offer a contemporary spin at two locations; Cleo, bringing a bold and flavorful Eastern Mediterranean feast inspired by Old World cooking techniques; Mimi Chinese, known for its refined take on regional Chinese cuisine; and Donna Mare Italian Chophouse, bringing Italy’s rich culinary traditions.

DINE WITH INTENTION

The 2025 program emphasizes sustainability through partnerships with organizations such as Compost for Life, Glass for Life, and Food Rescue US – South Florida. These initiatives help convert food scraps into soil, repurpose glass into sand, and redirect surplus food to shelters. Participating restaurants are encouraged to join the Surfrider Foundation’s Ocean Friendly Restaurants program, which offers tools and visibility for environmentally conscious operations.

Blacklane, the global chauffeur service, is the official transportation partner of Miami Spice. Guests can enjoy a premium, on-demand experience through Blacklane’s easy-to-use app and arrive at their favorite restaurants in style. In the app’s promotion tab, find the promo code Spice25 to receive $30 off your ride.

“Sangha”, the signature Thai restaurant of Centara Reserve Samui, when cultural heritage and high Thai cuisine meet elegance.

Sanga in Thai means elegant, redrawing a new line for contemporary Thai cuisine through a luxurious and profound journey in the serene atmosphere of Centara Reserve Samui.

Sa-Nga, the signature restaurant at Centara Reserve Samui, redefines contemporary Thai cuisine through an exquisite dining experience and indulgence in deep flavours. Visitors are invited to experience the art of Thai flavors through modern cooking techniques. This place is not only preserving the value of traditional Thai food. It is also to enhance this cultural heritage with creativity and exquisite art.

The elegant restaurant is driven by a team of visionary Thai chefs. They interpret traditional Thai food in a fresh way. Blending authenticity with innovation This delicate balance is beautifully conveyed through each meticulously crafted menu, where timeless flavours are recreated with beauty and precision.

At the heart of this experience is a special five-course menu. “The Art of Thai Elegance“, a melody of exquisite cooking designed for 2 persons, priced at 3,600 baht++, takes diners on a journey through the unique flavors of Thailand, reinterpreted with a tactful and elegant presentation style. The restaurant recommends Wine Pairing (1,740++ baht) per person, which has been selected by experts to enhance the flavor and enhance the specialness of each dish.

Dessert

• End the evening with a special dessert with Kanvela Chocolate Coconut, 70% dark chocolate from Kanvela from Thailand. Combined with charcoal crumble and coconut mousse, it’s an elegant and mesmerizing conclusion that pairs wonderfully well with Château d’Esclans Whispering Angel, Provence (Provence, France).

Discover the exquisite flavours of Thai elegance at Centara Reserve Samui’s “Sangha” Restaurant, celebrating taste, art and pride in Thai culture with inspirational Thai cuisine. It is rooted in tradition, but it is clearly contemporary today.

Rosé wines under $25 earn praise from sommeliers for quality and value across the United States

Rosé wine continues to be a favorite choice for American wine drinkers, especially during the warmer months. With its light, crisp character and range of flavors, rosé is both versatile and approachable. Sommeliers across the United States have identified a number of standout bottles under $25 that deliver quality and value, making it easier than ever to enjoy top-tier rosé without overspending.

One of the most recognized names in the category is Whispering Angel from Château d’Esclans in Provence, France. This wine is widely available at major retailers and is praised by sommeliers for its silky texture, dry finish, and notes of red berries and citrus. Marcie Van Mol, a Nashville-based sommelier, describes it as “the most ubiquitous choice for rosé season for a reason,” highlighting its balance between fruitiness and refreshment. It pairs well with seafood, salads, or can be enjoyed on its own.

… recommended by U.S.-based sommeliers or wine experts who emphasize their quality relative to price. 

Abu Dhabi: Queen of the Emirates A Symphony of Serenity and Splendour

By Sarah Morgan

There are destinations that whisper their secrets. There are others that sing them aloud in a blend of tradition and modernity. Abu Dhabi is the latter; a city where golden sands meet the turquoise sea, and where every moment feels both timeless and surprisingly new. This is not simply the capital of the UAE, this is the self-appointed Queen of the Emirates. Graceful, stately, and quietly self-assured. As the largest and wealthiest of the seven Emirates, Abu Dhabi’s prosperity was born from oil but now flourishing in tourism and culture. It is the architect of its own future—creating a destination that caters to so many tastes while holding true to its roots.

My journey began in Etihad Airways’ Business Class, cocooned in soft leather and stillness. Spoilt with Armani Casa accessories, curated menus and seamless service, the flight felt like a prelude rather than a commute. Upon arrival, I was swept into the quiet luxury of the Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers. Access to Executive Floor 54 of this iconic skyscraper included a daily ritual of hors d’oeuvres and chilled champagne, savoured high above a beautifully dystopian cityscape, where I watched the Arabian Gulf shifted through shades of silver and sapphire.

The following morning, I stepped into silence at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the eighth largest in the world. With 82 domes, over 1,000 pillars, four minarets and a central chandelier weighing 12 tonnes, it welcomes over 30,000 worshippers during its height at Eid. It’s a place that stills you, offering a potent reminder that beauty and faith can coexist in space and stone.

Then came the Louvre Abu Dhabi in Saadiyat, the cultural heart of Abu Dhabi and home to no shortage of creative projects. Its French floating dome casts filtered light like lace across centuries of art and artefact, and with 12 chapters depicting the growth and development of humanity, it tells a fitting narrative: how travel and tourism have ignited a new chapter for Abu Dhabi, reflecting the needs and desires of the international traveller. It’s also the location of the Michelin-starred Fouquet’s Abu Dhabi, where Parisian elegance meets Arabian light. I lingered over perfectly grilled sea bass and crisp Burgundy along the Louvre’s promenade.

The days spent as a guest of the city unfolded with no shortage of delights. A particular highlight was kayaking through the mangroves of Jubail Island, drifting between salt-loving roots and mirrored waters. You can also kayak under the domed brilliance of The Louvre, where Jean Nouvel’s architecture can be appreciated from a wholly new perspective – definitely first on my list for our next visit.

At the mesmerising Al Hosn Festival, I found a vivid celebration of Emirati heritage with craftspeople, poetry, pearl divers and falconers gathered around the city’s oldest structure, the Al Hosn Fort. The air was thick with the scent of oud, and for an afternoon, I felt part of something older and wiser. The prized falcon, still used to hunt, holds deep symbolic value here. A month is all it takes to train these erudite birds of prey, yet some sell for upwards of $275,000—a reflection of their speed, grace, and cultural legacy.

Of course, no trip is complete without a visit to Qasr Al Watan. The UAE’s Royal Palace is a living institution; it’s where global diplomacy meets regional pride. Walking through the mirrored halls beneath a dome soaring 37 metres above, one senses that this isn’t just a place, it’s a statement. Power and poetry, balanced in limestone and light. The iconic Corniche was another key point to visit. The famous eight kilometre stretch along the city’s edge acts as both the spine of Abu Dhabi and a visual thread between its 200 islands. It showcases public art installations and provides a living, breathing promenade of community, creativity, and skyline vistas.

Urban explorations completed, it was time to venture into the second-largest desert on Earth after the Sahara. Dune bashing in a Toyota Land Cruiser gave way to visits with camels and tastings of their highly revered milk, celebrated for its health benefits. Lunch was served light and local, inside an authentic Bedouin tent. This was the oldest of the eight desert camp experiences, and its heritage was made clear in all its soulful simplicity.

When the sun finally sank behind the dunes, supper at Hakkasan awaited. Situated within the palatial grandeur of Emirates Palace, the restaurant delivered not only phenomenal views and uncompromising ambience but an unforgettable dining experience too. We began with delicate scallops and exceptional dim sum, each bite precise and refined, and raised glasses of chilled Whispering Angel. After dinner, we were invited to contribute to a quiet ritual – adding our hopes to a discreet orchard of wishing trees, their slender branches already heavy with handwritten dreams from former guests.

Our final afternoon was spent at the iconic Saadiyat Beach Club, often referred to as the Maldives of Abu Dhabi, and with good reason. Uber-cool and effortlessly refined, it sits on the longest, whitest beach in the UAE, a stretch of pristine coastline kissed by turquoise waves. Dolphins and dunes were there to greet us, as if nature itself had decided to join the celebration. Saadiyat Island gives Mother Nature’s stamp of approval to this man-made paradise, proof that contemporary urban elegance and ecology can coexist. Poolside dining blurred into barefoot luxury as we reclined into loungers with a sea breeze and the sun slipping westward – it became the perfect place to process all we had experienced in this diverse and dynamic destination—art, adventure, faith, food, and the future, all wrapped in Arabian light.

As a city set amid spectacular surroundings, this destination felt safe, humble and gracious. There truly is something for everyone, and Abu Dhabi’s vision to offer peace, culture, adventure and activities, wrapped in the chicest manner, is well on track. If anything, I’d love to see even more of its deep-rooted history and Emirati culture woven into everyday experiences, so that travellers not only see the splendour, but understand where the heartbeat of the Queen of the Emirates truly originates.