Where to Dine + What to Do
Below article courtesy of Hauteliving.com
Aside from New York Fashion Week, Valentine’s Day is one of the biggest events in February. With that being said, finding the perfect restaurant and romantic hotel can be frustrating—fortunately for you, we scoped out the top places for a memorable day that will have you falling in love all over again with a Manhattan backdrop.
Hotels
Four Seasons Downtown
This Valentine’s Day, Four Seasons Downtown has all your romance needs covered, with a five-course prix-fixe dinner and relaxing spa treatment. Housed in one of the tallest residential towers, treat your loved one to a romantic mid-week staycation. CUT by Wolfgang Puck is offering a five-course prix-fixe menu with choices that range from a Japanese Hamachi cone to American Wagyu carpaccio, French black truffle baby chicken and grilled dry-aged New York sirloin. Before or after a delectable dinner, indulge in a soak service, designed to restore, soothe or detox, depending on your needs. After dinner, take the elevator home to your personal oasis upstairs.
Reserve your stay by calling 646 880 1924 and quote “V-Day Package.”
Baccarat Hotel New York
Experience the romance of France in Midtown at the Baccarat Hotel. Born from the legendary French crystal company, the hotel is a blend of elegance and sophistication, perfect for a Parisian love affair with your amour this Valentine’s Day. Start with a glass of champagne upon arrival and a decorative Baccarat red zinzin heart keepsake gift, before moving to the Grand Salon for afternoon tea with canapés, petit fours and special blend teas. Afterward, relax in your private Parisian pied-à-tierre, exchange gifts, a kiss and find a Baccarat keepsake box filled with rose petals for an added touch of charm.
Reserve this package at www.baccarathotels.com
Lunch
Ai Fiori
Satisfy your palate with a taste of French and Italian Riviera cuisine this Valentine’s Day at famed chef Michael White’s Italian restaurant, Ai Fiori. Located on the second floor of the Langham Hotel on Fifth Avenue, Ai Fiori is a wonderful place for a high-class, romantic Valentine’s Day lunch, complete with a sweeping staircase entrance and intimate tufted banquettes. Enjoy a 5-course tasting menu starting at $85/person, which includes a great selection of dishes including lobster bisque, butter-poached halibut, white label burger and more from the lunch menu.
Reservations are required and can be made by calling (212) 613 8660
Brooklyn Chop House
Head to the Financial District for a serving of American steakhouse classics and Asian dishes packaged in a chic industrial setting. The Brooklyn Chop House embodies romance, youth, and nostalgia of Brooklyn, making it an ideal brunch spot to treat your loved one on this special day. Guests can enjoy dishes from the lunch menu, starting at $24.95/person for a three-course special. Whether you feel like dumplings, steak or lobster, Brooklyn Chophouse has it all.
Reserve a table at www.brooklynchophouse.com
Dinner
Zuma
What is more romantic than a candlelit dinner in an intimate rose-covered dining room? At the iconic Zuma, guests will get just that and more. Sip on hand-crafted cocktails or sake, before indulging in an exclusive Valentine’s Day black winter truffle omakase starting at $149/person. The omakase will feature dishes like 12-oz. ribeye topped with truffle-infused sauce and hand-shaved table-side truffle shavings, and a black truffle chocolate cake, perfect for two. To finish out a romance-filled evening, you will walk away with a rose from the luxe rose bar and custom Zuma chocolate truffles for a late night treat.
Reserve a table by calling 212 544 9862
Boulud Sud
You can never go wrong with a Boulud creation and this Valentine’s Day Boulud Sud at One Lincoln Plaza is hosting a three and four-course prix-fixe menu starting at $105/person and a four-course tasting menu for $140/person. Highlights include Yellowfin Tuna Carpaccio Cacio e Pepe Acquerello Risotto and Mosaik Pastasi—a Turkish mosaic cake—for dessert. For the tasting menu, stand out dishes include Cauliflower Soup, Maine Day Boat Scallops and to end on a sweet note, a Tarte Au Chocolat for two.
Reserve a table at www.bouludsud.com
What to Gift
Below highlights courtesy of hauteliving.com
Say ‘I love you’ this Valentine’s Day in the best way possible—with these carefully chosen, completely covetable luxury gifts for the man or the woman in your life.
FOR HER
Photo Credit: Fendi
FENDI Pink Metal Sunglasses. Look at the world through rose-colored glasses this Valentine’s Day, quite literally. This chic pink metal pair from FENDI also comes in a bold, sassy red. Available at FENDI, $500.
Photo Credit: Perrier-JouetPerrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Rosé 2006. Celebrate your love with this fabulous fizz from Perrier-Jouët, a delicate, yet rich and voluptuous sparkling creation that comes in a stunning, floral-painted bottle. Available for $310.
Photo Credit: Venus Et Fleur
Venus Et Fleur Le Plein. Roses are the perfect gift—while they last, that is. And the absolutely beautiful blooms from Venus Et Fleur last a very long time: these ‘eternity’ roses from the rose fields of Ecuador literally last a year. To boot, each arrangement is chic, classic and comes with a cool contemporary twist, featuring metallic, suede, leather, marble, gemstone, glass and heart-shaped creations and designs. Available at Venus Et Fleur, $1,249.
Photo Credit: Laduree
Ladurée à La Folie Collection. Treat your sweetheart to something sweet on Feb. 14 with macarons from French patisserie Ladurée. The heart-shaped macarons taste of lychee and rose, and come in a perfect pink box with a rose in the center. Buyers also have the option of ordering customized macarons emblazoned with ‘je t’ aime.’ Available at Ladurée,$28.
Photo Credit: YSL
Yves Saint Laurent Le Vestiaire Des Parfums – Blouse. What’s not to love about this elegant perfume courtesy of Maison Yves Saint Laurent, meant to echo the sensation of wearing one of Monsieur Saint Laurent’s sensual and flowing piece silk and chiffon signature creations, the simple, masculine farmer’s smock ‘blouse.’ This heady scent is accented by Damask rose, combined with notes of galbanum and pink peppercorn; Angelica seeds and white musk give a roundness and comfortable sweetness to evoke the silky effect of a couture Blouse on naked skin. Available at YSL Beauty, $270.
Photo Credit: Fendi
Pink FF Logo Leather Baguette Handbag. FENDI’s iconic Baguette bag in pink is the perfect accessory for Valentine’s Day. This feminine creation, made of pink lambskin, can be carried by hand or worn cross-body thanks to its handle and shoulder strap, which are both detachable. Available at FENDI, 2,690.
Photo Credit: Dior
Dior’s the Lady Dior Bag. Dior’s iconic bag, the Lady Dior, is jus the gift to get a girl’s heart racing. The architectural bag is made of buttery, soft lambskin topstitched with the iconic Cannage motif, rounded handles and D.i.o.r charms. Available at Dior, $4,450.
Photo Credit: Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton Capucines Mini Python Rose Clair. Louis Vuitton’s Capucines bag is a statement piece for the ages. Each bag’s skin is stained and shaded by hand for the most exquisitely nuanced color, giving a completely unique character to each bag. Each bag has LV’s distinctive House details including the LV closure and Monogram flower. Available at Louis Vuitton, $9,100.
Photo Credit: Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton Perfumed Candles. A fabulously scented home (courtesy of Louis Vuitton) is the perfect way to ring in Valentine’s Day. These beautifully presented candles created by Master Perfumer Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud as part of the Les Parfums Louis Vuitton collection—come in four signature scents: Dehors Il Neige, Ile Blanche, L’Air Du Jardin and Feuilles D’Or. Their packaging is as gorgeous as their scent: the candles come in an elegant, easy-to-carry ceramic pot with a natural-leather handle created by Marc Newson. Available at Louis Vuitton, $185 each.
Photo Credit: Bond No. 9
Bond No. 9 New York Lips. Bond No. 9 is a love letter to New York, and it’s also a love letter for it’s wearer. This ‘smart’ lipstick comes in nine iconic New York-centric shades, including Park Avenue, a crisp scarlet; Nolita, a timeless Hollywood red; and Soho, a sophisticated plum. It’s seriously like a super lipstick—vegan and cruelty-free, without parabens. A blend of argan oil, meadowfoam oil, camelina oil, murumuru oil, macadamia seed oil, grape seed oil, olive oil plus plumping squalane and sodium hyaluronate , softening mango butter and shea butter and antioxidants like vitamins C and E leave you with kissable lips all day (and night) long. Available at Bond No. 9; individually for $130, all nine shades for $1,170.
FOR HIM
Photo Credit: Tateossian
Tateossian Skeleton Pave 18 Karat Rose Gold Cufflinks with Black Diamonds. The vintage skeleton watch movement of these unique, luxe cufflinks has been set into a 18K rose gold case exposing its inner workings. The frame of the cufflink features a pave of 122 single cut black diamonds which have been skillfully set into the case. On its side, the cufflink has a thin trim of black rhodium plating running around the frame. Each pair has a limited edition number engraved onto the back. This is a very exclusive piece for a very special gentleman. Available at Tateossian, $9,350.
Photo Credit: Burberry
Burberry BE 4277 polarized sunglasses. These sharp grey and black polarized lenses in the traditional Wayfarer style from Burberry are the ultimate gift to give the guy who’s too cool for school. Available at Burberry, $310.
Photo Credit: Tom Ford
Tom Ford Private Blend Reserve Collection. If your Valentine likes to smell as stylish as he looks, Tom Ford’s Private Blend Reserve Collection fragrances are as good as it gets. This luxe set brings back eight of Tom Ford’s Favorite Private Blend fragrances, touchstones he presently uses long after they had returned to the reserve vault. These include Velvet Gardenia; Rive d’Ambre; Amber Absolute; Bois Marocain; Jonquille de Nuit; Italian Cypress; Black Violet; and Arabian Wood. If he’d rather try something new—a new classic, if you will—gift him with Ford’s latest fragrance, Beau de Jour: a fresh, commanding entrance of lavender from Provence, a core of African rosemary and floral green geranium, the leather-like warmth of oakmoss and basil, and a foundation of patchouli and amber. Available at Tom Ford.
Photo Credit: Zegna
Ermenegildo Zegna Business Bag. This leather briefcase is the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your most beloved businessman. The sleek lines of this bag, which features a basketweave print, are accented by padded handles and zipper closure. Available at Zegna, $1,595.
Photo Credit: S.T. Dupont
S.T. Dupont James Bond 007 Ligne 2 Lighter- Palladium. Few men lead the life of British secret agent James Bond, but let’s be honest—every man is a boy at heart when it comes to 007. Those who share the fictional special agent’s taste for luxury, style and innovative technology can strike up their inner bond with S.T. Dupont’s Ligne 2 lighter in palladium guillochés whose design is based on 007 logo and circles. Get ready to hear a lot of ‘shaken, not stirred.’ Available at S.T. Dupont,$1600.
Photo Credit: Louis XIII
Louis XIII Cognac. The perfect way to express your love for any true luxury-loving gentleman is to gift him with this legendary Cognac from the prestigious house of Remy Martin, which contains Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie, is aged between 40 and 100 years and is packaged in a gorgeous Baccarat decanter. Available for $3,300.
Photo Credit: Graf von Faber-Castell
Graf von Faber-Castell Samurai Pen. It’s been said that the pen is mightier than the sword, but in the case of this fabulous gift from Graf von Faber-Castell, it can be both. Its Samurai pen pays homage to the great warriors of Japan. The dark barrel, made of stained, painted and polished magnolia wood, is adorned with an engraving of Japanese characters, worked by hand in 24-carat gold varnish. It reads: “Today I win against myself of yesterday”, a quote from the great samurai warrior Miyamoto Musashi. The end cap is also engraved on the face with the symbol created by Musashi for the word “tsuba” (hand guard). The tsuba protects the samurai’s hand while he is using the weapon. The stingray leather with which the samurai covered their swords’ handles and which they decorated with artistic inlays, is recreated in the hand-forged grip of the Pen of the Year 2019. Both caps, the grip and the 18-carat gold nib of the fountain penare coated with ruthenium. Each exclusive writing instrument represents the inner disposition of the samurai to strive for strength, clarity and perfection. The exclusive pen comes in a high-gloss, black wooden case. Each of the unique, individually numbered pens is accompanied by a certificate signed by Count Charles von Faber-Castell, attesting to the authenticity of the limited edition. Available at Graf von Faber-Castell, $3,900.
Photo Credit: Aerin
Aerin Shagreen Poker Set. It’s time for your love to ante up this Valentine’s Day with Aerin Lauder’s stylish 300-piece poker set. The set—which thanks to its luxurious shagreen case with suede lining and brass hardware, looks as beautiful as a display piece as it does as a play item—includes two decks of playing cards along with an AERIN-embossed dealer button and poker chips. Available at AERIN, $2,500.
