The Tudor House restaurant in Dream South Beach hotel, Miami.David E. Durbak
The latest openings and events from around the world.
Miami There's no shortage of hip hangouts in South Beach. So when one of the city's landmark art deco buildings is transformed into a slick boutique hotel, it had better make a fashionable splash. Situated on the see-and-be-seen stretch of Collins Avenue directly behind the old Versace mansion, the recently opened Dream South Beach does not disappoint. Expect a blend of blue-on-white French-Moroccan-inspired decor and artwork that includes 3-D mixed media and a two-metre ceramic sculpture of Ganesha. Local foodies will be drawn to Tudor House, chef Geoffrey Zakarian's first Miami restaurant (above). And, even though it won't officially open until July, the cocktail crowd is already planning to put Highbar, the hotel's rooftop lounge, on its bar-hopping route. dreamsouthbeach.com
Casual dining in Napa
Napa The Kitchen Door, the latest restaurant to open at Oxbow Public Market, brings together the best of affordable family-style dining and the region's fresh farm-to-table fare. Run by chef Todd Humphries, formerly of St. Helena's Martini House, the casual dining room has a communal table, wooden tables and chairs and bar-style seating. Its open kitchen churns out wood-roasted eggplant Parmigiana, Vietnamese chicken noodle soup and for $13.95 (U.S.), a half-pound Kobe beef burger that won't break the bank. Martini House devotees can indulge in beef carpaccio and candy cap mushroom bread pudding, two specialties that Humphries adapted from his old kitchen. kitchendoornapa.com
Beer pedi, not beer belly
Toronto Featuring ingredients drawn from the beer-making process, the Ritz-Carlton Spa Toronto's Blokes and Beer treatment ($340; ritzcarlton.com) is a lager-filled experience that won't end with a hangover. Male clientele are first treated to a hops and sea-salt exfoliation for the hands and nails, followed by a facial and massage. To cap things off, organic Mill Street brews and televised sporting events are on offer in the Gentlemen's Relaxation Lounge. The beer treatment is available in the countryside, too. Prince Edward County's Claramount Inn - a 2½-hour drive from Toronto - has developed a men's pedicure ($45; claramountinn.com) that uses the callus-dissolving enzymes found in beer. If this much detoxification makes you thirsty, Barley Days Brewery, the supplier for Claramount's beer pedi, is a short drive away.
A sleep concierge for kids
New York Need help getting the kids to bed after a day in Manhattan? Enlist the services of Anya Orlanska, The Benjamin hotel's sleep concierge. True, Orlanska's suggestions on how to get the little ones settled are obvious (avoid caffeinated drinks after lunch and indulge in a warm bath before bedtime), but she can point you to a library full of children's books and offer one of 12 different pillow types including an iPod pillow programmed with lullabies and stories. It's the next best thing to having Nanny McPhee. The Benjamin's Winks' Kidzzz Club is available until Sept. 5. The "Having a Hoot in NYC" package, from $394 (U.S.) a night adds extras like a family pass to the Central Park Zoo and ice cream sundaes. thebenjamin.com
Special to The Globe and Mail