We're pathologically social. We're professional leisurists. We're burrito lovers, bar flies, art whores and music nerds. We dish the good dirt, and we'll risk a parking ticket for a cheap sample sale. Sometimes, we blog drunk.
What the hotel?
Nobu (Matsuhisa-san, if you’re not on first-name basis) just upped the ante in the celebrity name-branding game. It was recently announced that New York City is getting a Nobu Hotel—after the first one opens in Israel this summer. Backed by the chef’s longtime business partner Robert DeNiro—who seems, of late, to be in the racket of hotel openings—the 63-story edifice in NYC’s Financial District is set to house both suites and condos as well as a health club and, of course, a Nobu restaurant. (Artist rendering below)
A hotel named after a famous restaurant makes perfect sense; it seems but a natural progression in the recent spate of collaborations between fancy hotels and high-profile, established chefs. And, if you're so inclined, the merge signals an apotheosis of the foodie lifestyle. It’ll be interesting to see if any other celebrities from the culinary world will follow Nobu’s lead. Boulud Hotel? Villa Batali? Chateau Katsuya?
Screw all the warnings of recession. Why not throw in luxury boarding to go with our filet mignon and $20 martini? The hotel life sure looks good on Serena van der Woodsen. Although we hope that Nobu’s managing partner Richie Notar was joking with his take on Nobu Hotel, “Instead of a mint on the pillow, you could find a sushi roll.” Now that sounds too rich for us.
—Jiyeon Yoo
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