Luxist http://www.luxist.com Luxist http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Luxist http://www.luxist.com en-us Copyright 2010 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Le Whif - The Future of Chocolate is Calorie-Free]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/12/le-whif-chocolate-coffee-diet/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/12/le-whif-chocolate-coffee-diet/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/12/le-whif-chocolate-coffee-diet/#commentsFiled under:

Le Whif
Le Whif is the very first inhalable food source available to the commercial market. Created by Harvard professor David Edwards who pioneered inhalable insulin, Le Whif comes in four flavors: pure chocolate, raspberry chocolate, mint chocolate and coffee. Every whif is virtually calorie-free. A small pack of 8-10 whifs of chocolate contains less than one calorie, and the coffee contains the equivalent of a shot of espresso. The product is already available in France and Japan -- where it has garnered a huge following.

Le Whif comes in a small, lipstick-sized, biodegradable tube and can be purchased in a pack suggesting a smoking alternative. You put the tube in your mouth and inhale, and the taste and feeling of chocolate assaults your taste buds.

We chatted with inventor David Edwards (right) about his invention the Le Whif launch party at Dylan's Candy Bar this week.

Luxist: So, how'd you get the idea for breathable chocolate?

David Edwards: I was having lunch with a friend of mine, who's a French chef, about two and a half years ago, and we were thinking of doing an art project -- I run an art and design center in Paris -- and I was worried about what we would do, trying to think up new ideas for that art exhibit. My background as a scientist has been in developing new kinds of drugs and vaccines that you could breath, so I asked him whether he thought it would be a good idea to breathe food. And he thought that would be an interesting idea.

L: I hear you did breathable insulin before.

DE: I did insulin, a TB vaccine and so forth. So, anyway, I brought the idea to Harvard University and asked the students to think about it, and we took it to that exhibit, and it has just evolved from there.

L: I told a couple of friends that I was coming to this, and they thought smelling chocolate and not eating it sounded like torture. What would you say to them?

DE: Well, you don't smell it, actually, you whif it. It's not something you take through the nose, you put it in your mouth. You breathe it. So, it's not sniffing it, it's whifing it -- with one "f" -- we sort of invented a new word, there. It's neither eating nor breathing, but something in between, and we call that whifing. It's a new way to put food in your mouth without having to touch it or put a fork into it. It's like the next thing after the fork. What's interesting from the chocolate point of view is, all the flavor is 100 percent organic chocolate. It is real chocolate, and it has essentially no calories. It's such a dusting of chocolate that you don't have the calories. So, it's a great snack and it's light, obviously.

Continue reading Le Whif - The Future of Chocolate is Calorie-Free

LuxistLe Whif - The Future of Chocolate is Calorie-Free originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>calorie freeChocolateDavid Edwardsdiet chocolateharvardinhalable chocolateLe Whifno calorie chocolateFri, 12 Mar 2010 11:01:00 EST<![CDATA[New York City Will Keep Rights To Tavern On The Green Name]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/10/new-york-city-will-keep-rights-to-tavern-on-the-green-name/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/10/new-york-city-will-keep-rights-to-tavern-on-the-green-name/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/10/new-york-city-will-keep-rights-to-tavern-on-the-green-name/#commentsFiled under:

tavern on the green
The restaurant has been closed, the furnishings have been sold off but Tavern on the Green still lives on in the hearts and minds of many New York City diners. Now a judge has decided that the city can keep the "Tavern on the Green" name. The AP reports that U.S. District Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum ruled that city and not the debt holders of the bankrupt restaurant has the rights to the name. The name itself has been valued at $19 million. A three-day sale by Guernsey's auction house in January offered more than 25,000 auction items with values anywhere from $100 to $1.2 million, the proceeds of which went toward erasing the prior owner's $8 million debt.

The judge said that because the city had licensed the facility and had a hand in how the restaurant was run, including regulating the hours and manners of operation, it was the owner of the name. Last summer the city awarded the license to restaurateur Dean Poll who plans to open in the spring after spending $25 million on refurbishments. Last year, Restaurants and Institutions placed Tavern on the Green second in their list of the 100 highest grossing independent restaurants in the U.S. with 2008 sales of over $34 million.

LuxistNew York City Will Keep Rights To Tavern On The Green Name originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>central parknew yorknew york citynew york restaurantstavern on the greenWed, 10 Mar 2010 21:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Versace's Mansion Rebranded As The Villa By Barton G.]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/07/versaces-mansion-rebranded-as-the-villa-by-barton-g/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/07/versaces-mansion-rebranded-as-the-villa-by-barton-g/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/07/versaces-mansion-rebranded-as-the-villa-by-barton-g/#commentsFiled under:


The South Beach home of the still-missed Gianni Versace is being be relaunched as an elegant restaurant. In the years since Versace's death the lavish mansion has been used as a private club, boutique hotel and restaurant. Recently the home known as Casa Casuarina was caught in the crossfire of the Scott Rothstein scandal. Rothstein, who is part owner of the property, was accused of swindling investors in a Ponzi scheme which took in hundreds of millions of dollars.

Now there's a new man at the helm. Barton G. Weiss, a flamboyant Florida foodie with several restaurants running under his Barton G. brand. Weiss has signed a 10-year lease to take over the property and as he tells the Sun-Sentinel he wants to bring a new era of elegance back to the mansion as well as adding some excitement. After all, this is a man who used a live giraffe to open his restaurant, Prelude and serves macaroni and cheese in a mousetrap at another restaurant.

Continue reading Versace's Mansion Rebranded As The Villa By Barton G.

LuxistVersace's Mansion Rebranded As The Villa By Barton G. originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>barton gbarton g weisscasa casuarinagianni versacescott rothsteinsouth beachversaceversace mansionSun, 07 Mar 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New York Chef Serves Breast Milk Cheese]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/07/new-york-chef-serves-breast-milk-cheese/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/07/new-york-chef-serves-breast-milk-cheese/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/07/new-york-chef-serves-breast-milk-cheese/#commentsFiled under:

daniel angerer breast milk cheeseNew York city chef and new dad Daniel Angerer has intrigued the food world by putting cheese made from his wife's breast milk on the menu at his Klee Brasserie. Angerer's wife supplied two quarts of of breast milk to create small samples of a creation he calls Mommy's Milk cheese. On his blog Angerer says that he got the idea after his daughter was four weeks old and he noticed that they had a surplus of breast milk on hand. His spouse was interested in donating it but in the meantime, with his freezer running out of space, Angerer decided to put some of the excess to good use. He includes a recipe for anyone who wants to do the same. The taste is said to be, like human breast milk itself, a little sweeter than a cow or goat milk version.

[via ParentDish]

LuxistNew York Chef Serves Breast Milk Cheese originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breast milkbreast milk cheesedaniel angererklee brasserieSun, 07 Mar 2010 19:01:00 EST<![CDATA[The Palm Opens At JFK Airport]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/06/the-palm-opens-at-jfk-airport/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/06/the-palm-opens-at-jfk-airport/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/06/the-palm-opens-at-jfk-airport/#commentsFiled under:

Travelers and those seeing off travelers have a new place to eat at the JFK airport in New York City. The Palm Bar & Grille has opened at JFK International Airport Terminal 4, marking the first airport location of the steakhouse. The Palm Bar & Grille is located in the pre-security, public area of Terminal 4. It will have a built-in clientele, around nine million travelers pass through the terminal each year and thousands of people work in and around the area. The restaurant will have a private dining room for meetings and events and offers private catering from breakfast to evening dining. The steakhouse was founded on Second Avenue in New York City by Pio Bozzi and John Ganzi in 1926 and is famous for prime cuts of meat and popular Italian and seafood dishes.

LuxistThe Palm Opens At JFK Airport originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airport diningairport restaurantsjfknew york airportsrestaurantsthe palmSat, 06 Mar 2010 18:01:00 EST<![CDATA[JJ's Brownies Go Where No Brownie Has Gone Before]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/06/jjs-brownies-go-where-no-brownie-has-gone-before/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/06/jjs-brownies-go-where-no-brownie-has-gone-before/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/06/jjs-brownies-go-where-no-brownie-has-gone-before/#commentsFiled under:

We didn't have a brownies category in our recent Luxist Awards Best Sweets contest but if we did JJ's Brownies in the Gainey Ranch area of Scottsdale, Arizona might be a strong competitor. These are serious brownies deep in rich flavors. A tiramisu brownie is a triple chocolate brownie blended with espresso dipped lady fingers and swirled with a sweet cheese. A Mounds brownie combines toasted and flaked coconut in a triple chocolate brownie finished with a toasted coconut icing. The red, white and blueberry brownie is loaded with cranberries, blueberries, walnuts, white chocolate and bittersweet chocolate chips then drizzled with icing.

There are also brownies that use liqueurs for more grown-up flavors. The Cherry Bliss includes Bing cherries, a touch of Amaretto and white chocolate chips. The Funky Monkey has bananas infused with banana liqueur, dark rum, and pecans in a double chocolate brownie and the Raspberry Kiss has raspberries paired with a triple chocolate brownie, a touch of Raspberry di Amore and white chocolate chips. The brownie biz currently operates out of Un Bacio Ristorante but plans are in motion for a new facility and a retail store. Luckily they also have an online business. A brownie tart that serves 8-12 people and comes in flavors like La Grande Dame (a double chocolate brownie with orange, white chocolate chips and Grand Marnier) sells for $35.


[via the Arizona Republic]

LuxistJJ's Brownies Go Where No Brownie Has Gone Before originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arizonabrowniesjjs browniesJjsBrowniesSat, 06 Mar 2010 11:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Wolfgang Puck's Edible Oscars]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/05/wolfgang-pucks-edible-oscars/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/05/wolfgang-pucks-edible-oscars/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/05/wolfgang-pucks-edible-oscars/#commentsFiled under:


Oscar season is always a busy time for celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck. He is in charge of feeding around 1,600 guests at the post-Oscar Governors Ball, given by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He and his team are responsible for making sure the attendees are fed well and quickly 90 minutes. It is the party to go to and most of the nominees attend. Puck has revealed the menu for his 16th effort at catering this annual fete. Diners begin their feast with crispy potato pancakes with smoked salmon and caviar followed by black truffle chicken pot pies. For desert guests will eat baked alaskas with espresso ice-cream, chocolate sorbet and hazelnut meringue. But perhaps the best part, and the part that Puck's team including expert pastry chef Sherry Yard are laboring over are the 3,500 small Oscar statuettes made of chocolate and dusted in edible 24-carat gold.

LuxistWolfgang Puck's Edible Oscars originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academy awardsgovernors balloscarswolfgang puckFri, 05 Mar 2010 22:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Eat Like Elton John The Day After The Oscars]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/04/eat-like-elton-john-the-day-after-the-oscars/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/04/eat-like-elton-john-the-day-after-the-oscars/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/04/eat-like-elton-john-the-day-after-the-oscars/#commentsFiled under: ,

elton johnElton John's Academy Awards Viewing Party is an annual tradition and now, if you are willing to wait a day, you can dine like the celebrity attendees. This year marks the 18th year of the party for the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the party is being catered by Crumble Catering. Crumble Catering is co-owned by Vermont Restaurant chef/owner Wayne Elias. The day after the Oscars, March 8, Vermont Restaurant in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles will serve a four-course menu with items served at the fete. The LA Times reports that the menu costs $45, with $5 of each order going to the Elton John Aids Foundation. The menu includes a spring vegetable compote with red pepper coulis and arugula pesto; risotto Carnaroli with saffron licorice and king prawns; Tagliata New York steak with candied green celery and Amarone wine sauce; and crispy milk chocolate bar with bitter chocolate glaze, meringue sticks and apricot. The official winery of the party, Sterling Wines is also offering a wine pairing for $25, with $5 going toward the Elton John Aids Foundation so you can get the full Oscar experience.

LuxistEat Like Elton John The Day After The Oscars originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academy awards 2010AcademyAwards2010elton johnelton john academy awards partyelton john aids foundationEltonJohnEltonJohnAcademyAwardsPartyEltonJohnAidsFoundationOscars2010Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:01:00 EST<![CDATA[World's Best Sweets]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/03/worlds-best-sweets/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/03/worlds-best-sweets/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/03/worlds-best-sweets/#commentsFiled under:



Luxist Readers cast their votes for the best chocolates, truffles, cakes, cookies and cupcakes. The winners for each of these categories are:

Best Cake
Crumbs Bake Shop is the winner of the Luxist Awards' Readers' Choice Award for Best Cake. The bakery is also famous for its cupcakes (it was nominated for a Readers' Choice Award in the cupcake category, accordingly).

Crumbs offers an irresistible blend of comfort-oriented classics and elegant baked goods. Crumbs homemade cakes come in a variety of delicious flavors, from Red Velvet to Vanilla Cake and Chocolate. Crumbs cupcakes come in three different sizes. At each of its bake shops, it offers more than 50 varieties baked fresh daily and a new cupcake of the week every Monday. Crumbs also offers a variety of delicious cakes, from Red Velvet to Vanilla Cake and Chocolate. Accordingly, Crumbs Bake Shop is also a nominee for a Readers' Choice Award for Best Cake.

Currently, Crumbs has locations in California, Connecticut and New Jersey. Its baked goods can also available by placing an order online.

Gallery: Best in Sweets

CrumbsCrumbsCrumbsGodivaGodiva

Continue reading World's Best Sweets

LuxistWorld's Best Sweets originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awards-mainbest bakerybest cakebest chocolatebest cookiebest truffleBestBakeryBestCakeBestChocolateBestCookieBestTrufflecakecakeschocolatechocolate chip cookiesChocolateChipCookieschocolatetrufflescrumbscrumbs bake shopCrumbsBakeShopcupcakecupcakesgodivagodiva chocolategodiva chocolatiergodiva trufflesgodivachocolategodivachocolatierGodivaTrufflesluxist-awardssprinklessprinkles cupcakesSprinklesCupcakestatestates bake shopTatesBakeShopWed, 03 Mar 2010 09:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Chris Webber Sued Over Restaurant Closure]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/02/chris-webber-sued-over-restaurant-closure/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/02/chris-webber-sued-over-restaurant-closure/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/02/chris-webber-sued-over-restaurant-closure/#commentsFiled under: ,

Last November we mentioned that former Sacramento Kings basketball star Chris Webber had closed down Center Court With C-Webb, the sports restaurant he opened in the Sacramento three years ago. At the time of the closure there was talk that there might be a new location in the future but that never materialized. Now the AP is reporting that the owner of the shopping center where the restaurant was located is suing Webber and his business partner. Webber and his partner had signed a 20-year lease back in 2005.

Promenade, the company that owns the Promenade at Sacramento Gateway Shopping Center, wants around $3 million to satisfy overdue rent as well as pay for cleanup costs and other fees and get the property ready for re-leasing. Webber and his partner, Jeff Dudum of Dudum Sports and Entertainment are disputing the length of the lease which was reportedly signed with the shopping center's former owner, Opus West Corp., which is now bankrupt.

In October 2009, Sacramento police arrested a man in connection with a fatal shooting outside the restaurant. The restaurant served sandwiches, steak and a variety of burgers including the "Fab 5," a burger with 44 ounces of choice Angus beef which sold for $29.50.

LuxistChris Webber Sued Over Restaurant Closure originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>center court with c-webbCenterCourtWithC-webbChris webberChrisWebbersacramentsacramento kingsSacramentoKingsTue, 02 Mar 2010 20:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Sprinkles Wins the Readers' Choice Award for Best Cupcake]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/sprinkles-wins-the-readers-choice-award-for-best-cupcake/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/sprinkles-wins-the-readers-choice-award-for-best-cupcake/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/sprinkles-wins-the-readers-choice-award-for-best-cupcake/#commentsFiled under:


Los Angeles, Ca.-based Sprinkles is the winner of the Readers' Choice Award for Best Cupcake.

Sprinkles is a favorite of Hollywood stars from Tyra Banks, Russell Crowe and Paris Hilton to Katie Holmes, Oprah Winfrey and Teri Hatcher, all of who proclaim love for the sumptuous treats. "I love Sprinkles Cupcakes," says Banks. "I am addicted to them." Ryan Seacrest is a fan, too. "These are not just cupcakes, they're a lifestyle," he says. Barbra Streisand once sent a box of Sprinkle's cupcakes to Oprah Winfrey. Oprah enjoyed them so much she ordered enough to share with her entire studio audience. Sprinkles is also known for its star topped variety served at Oscar parties.

Luxist readers describe the cupcakes this way:

"Amazingly delicious and beautiful with a variety of flavors."
"The best cupcakes anywhere! Long lines, but worth the wait. Their butter with vanilla frosting will change your life."
"The original luxury cupcake store."
"Their entire range of flavors is executed masterfully, from classics like Red Velvet to more exotic editions like chai latte. The cake is light and not too sweet with rich frostings that balance each other perfectly."

Company founders Candace and Charles Nelson opened the first Sprinkles in Beverly Hills in April 2005. People thought the couple were crazy to open a cupcakes-only bakery in the middle of "thin city" at a time with low carb mania was at its peak. Despite naysayers, they sold out within hours of opening, and sales haven't slowed since. Today, Sprinkles is known as much for its long lines and devoted fans as for its delicious cupcakes. Sprinkles is credited with inspiring a national cupcake craze as reported by the New York Times, USA Today, the Today Show and Nightline.

Gallery: More from Sprinkles


Continue reading Sprinkles Wins the Readers' Choice Award for Best Cupcake

LuxistSprinkles Wins the Readers' Choice Award for Best Cupcake originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awards-mainbakerybest bakerybest cupcakeBestBakeryBestCupcakecupcakecupcakesluxist-awardssprinkleswinners-sweetsMon, 01 Mar 2010 12:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Godiva Wins Readers' Choice Award for Best Truffle]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/godiva-wins-readers-choice-award-for-best-truffle/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/godiva-wins-readers-choice-award-for-best-truffle/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/godiva-wins-readers-choice-award-for-best-truffle/#commentsFiled under:


Of all the names associated with fine chocolate, there are few as iconic as Godiva. Founded in 1926 by Joseph Draps, the Belgian chocolatier has since blossomed into one of the world's most celebrated, and is the winner of a Luxist award in the best truffle category.

Draps opened his first store on a cobblestone street in Brussels nearly a century ago, its name inspired by the legendary Lady Godiva. As the story goes, the medieval dame grew upset with the onerous taxes that her husband, Lord Leofric, levied upon his subjects in Coventry, England. Leofric proposed a bargain: If she could ride naked through town without any citizens eyeing her, he'd ease their financial burden. Lady Godiva did exactly that, and Leofric relented.

Gallery: More from Godiva



The name Godiva still evokes images of graciousness, luxury and sensuality. Draps first expanded the company beyond Belgium in 1958, opening a boutique in Paris. The first North American shop followed in 1966; another in Tokyo came in 1972. Today there are over 450 Godiva stores in 80 countries around the globe. Of course, its delectible chocolates can also be ordered at its online shop.

Though Godiva boats a wide range of fine chocolate candies, the chocolatier is as famous for its packaging as Lady Godiva was for her lack thereof. Godiva's signature is the Ballotin, French for "little box of chocolates." The boxes come in all manner of colors, from the traditional gold to seasonal red, and sport festive ribbons. The truffle boxes fit a wide range occasions, from the two-piece Gold Ballotin ($3.50) to the 105-piece set ($115.00).

LuxistGodiva Wins Readers' Choice Award for Best Truffle originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awards-mainbest chocolatebest trufflesBestChocolateBestTrufflesgodivaGodiva chocolateGodivaChocolateGodivaChocolatierluxist-awardstruffleswinners-sweetsMon, 01 Mar 2010 11:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Tate's Bake Shop Wins Readers' Choice Award for Best Cookie]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/tates-bake-shop-wins-readers-choice-award-for-best-cookie/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/tates-bake-shop-wins-readers-choice-award-for-best-cookie/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/tates-bake-shop-wins-readers-choice-award-for-best-cookie/#commentsFiled under:


Tate's Bake Shop is the winner of a Luxist Readers' Choice Award in the Best Cookie category.

This award will come as no surprise to anyone who has ever tasted the signature cookie of one of the country's leading independent bakers.

The company was founded by Kathleen King, who has been baking professionally since she was eleven. Born and raised on North Sea Farms in Southampton, she started to baking cookies to earn spending money. Packaged simply at first, Kings' cookies came in plastic bags with twist ties.

Gallery: More from Tate's Bake Shop

Kathleen King of Tate's Bake ShopTate's Bake Shop's award-winning cookies.Tate's Bake ShopThe exterior of Tate's Bake Shop in Southampton, N.Y.


By the time King was in high school, she was baking 12-hours a day, and perfecting her thin, crisp, buttery and caramel tasting chocolate chip cookies. She was so successful, her baking put her through college: SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill, New York. When King was 20, she opened her first bakery and within one year she had made a name for herself in the fashionable communities on the south fork of Long Island.

Continue reading Tate's Bake Shop Wins Readers' Choice Award for Best Cookie

LuxistTate's Bake Shop Wins Readers' Choice Award for Best Cookie originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awards-mainbest bakerybest cookieBestBakeryBestCookieluxist-awardssouthamptontates bake shopTatesBakeShopwinners-sweetsMon, 01 Mar 2010 10:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Crumbs Bake Shop Wins Readers' Choice Award for Best Cake]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/crumbs-bake-shop-wins-readers-choice-award-for-best-cake/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/crumbs-bake-shop-wins-readers-choice-award-for-best-cake/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/crumbs-bake-shop-wins-readers-choice-award-for-best-cake/#commentsFiled under:


Crumbs Bake Shop is the winner of the Luxist Awards' Readers' Choice Award for Best Cake.

Its founders, Mia and Jason Bauer, opened their first Crumbs bakery in March of 2003 on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Mia had been an avid baker since first discovering her fierce sweet tooth as a child while helping her mother bake when living on a farm in Israel. An attorney by training, owning a bakery is the culmination of a life-long quest to combine her passion for baking with building a successful business that is both a neighborhood meeting place and a destination for all New Yorkers. Mia's husband, Jason, is a true entrepreneur who has spent his career building businesses in various fields. Prior to opening Crumbs, Jason started Famous Fixins, a manufacturer of celebrity licensed products.

Gallery: More from Crumbs



Crumbs offers an irresistible blend of comfort-oriented classics and elegant baked goods. Crumbs homemade cakes come in a variety of delicious flavors, from Red Velvet to Vanilla Cake and Chocolate. The bakery is also famous for its cupcakes (it was nominated for a Readers' Choice Award in the cupcake category, accordingly).

Currently, Crumbs has locations in California, Connecticut and New Jersey. Its baked goods can also available by placing an order online.

LuxistCrumbs Bake Shop Wins Readers' Choice Award for Best Cake originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awards-mainbest bakerybest cakeBestBakeryBestCakecakecrumbsluxist-awardswinners-sweetsMon, 01 Mar 2010 09:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Godiva Wins Readers' Choice Award for Best Chocolate]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/godiva-wins-readers-choice-award-for-best-chocolate/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/godiva-wins-readers-choice-award-for-best-chocolate/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/godiva-wins-readers-choice-award-for-best-chocolate/#commentsFiled under:


Godiva is the winner of the Luxist Awards' Readers' Choice Award in the best chocolate category.

Of the many names associated with fine chocolate, there are few as iconic as Godiva. Founded in 1926 by Joseph Draps, the Belgian chocolatier has since blossomed into one of the world's most celebrated.

Draps opened his first store on a cobblestone street in Brussels nearly a century ago, its name inspired by the legendary Lady Godiva. As the story goes, the medieval dame grew upset with the onerous taxes that her husband, Lord Leofric, levied upon his subjects in Coventry, England. Leofric proposed a bargain: If she could ride naked through town without any citizens looking at her, he'd ease their financial burden. Lady Godiva did exactly that, and Leofric relented.

Gallery: More from Godiva



The name Godiva still evokes images of graciousness, luxury and sensuality. Draps first expanded the company beyond Belgium in 1958, opening a boutique in Paris. The first North American shop followed in 1966; another in Tokyo came in 1972. Today there are over 450 Godiva stores in 80 countries around the globe. The chocolates can also be ordered at its online store.

Though Godiva is famous for its truffles, the chocolatier also produces a wide range of fine chocolate candy. Delectable offerings include milk chocolate pretzels ($22 per can), caramel pecan bark ($25 per tin) and chocolate bars ranging from white chocolate to almond to raspberry ($70 per 24-piece box). Unlike the original Lady Godiva, all sweets come wrapped in gold foil packaging.

LuxistGodiva Wins Readers' Choice Award for Best Chocolate originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awards-mainbest chocolatebest trufflesBestChocolateBestTrufflesgodivaluxist-awardstruffleswinners-sweetsMon, 01 Mar 2010 08:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Nominees for Best in Sweets]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/nominees-for-best-in-sweets/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/nominees-for-best-in-sweets/http://www.luxist.com/2010/03/01/nominees-for-best-in-sweets/#commentsFiled under:


Best Cake
Nominees for best cake include a five-year old upstart that has already been selected as a "favorite thing" by Oprah, herself. The cakes of the second nominee are bound to evoke memories of your childhood. The third nominee was started by a former NYC caterer who fled for warmer climates where he makes mouth-watering desserts. The fourth nominee is a New York institution with a line that wraps around the block while the final nominee has a motto that baked goods are a hallmark of happiness.

Baked
Crumbs
Ice Box Cafe
Magnolia Bakery
SusieCakes

Best Chocolate
The first nominee has a name that is nothing short of iconic, while the second is known for the incredible detail paid to the component parts of its chocolates--details that are noticed at first bite. The third nominee was founded in 1987 by an American after he spent years studying the art of chocolate in France and Switzerland. The fourth nominee was founded in the Holy Land and is now a global company while the last nominee has kitchens in Switzerland that make over 100 varieties of chocolates.

Godiva
L.A. Burdick
La Maison du Chocolat
Max Brenner
Teuscher

Best Cookies
Best cookie nominees include one that bakes recipes originating from the founder's mother. The second nominee is a NYC darling while the third nominee is a favorite in the Bay Area. The fourth nominee was founded by a enterprising woman who started baking when she was only 11 years old. The last nominee is a bakery in the Midwest with a loyal following all over the country--some of its customers have even used its cookies as wedding cakes.

Eleni's New York
Levain Bakery
Sweet Adeline Bakeshop
Tate's Bake Shop
Tom's Mom's Cookies

Best Cupcakes
The first nominee for best cupcake was started in Brooklyn by two former advertising executives and is now nationally recognized while the second offers cupcakes in three different mouth-watering sizes. The third nominee hasn't been the same since it was featured on Sex & the City, while the fourth nominee is a favorite of Hollywood stars. The last nominee is known for its frosting filling---after one bite, you will never be the same.

Baked
Crumbs
Magnolia Bakery
Sprinkles
SusieCakes

Best Truffles
Some of the finest chocolatiers are nominees for best truffles. The packaging of the first nominee is as famous as its chocolate delicacies while the second nominee started in Brooklyn 23 years ago after its founder spent years studying the art of chocolate in France and Switzerland. The third nominee pays a great deal of attention toward the ingredients it uses, subtlety of balance, richness of taste and palette of flavors. The fourth nominee's roots date back 70 years ago in the Alps, while the final nominee is a relative newcomer founded in 1998.

Godiva
L.A. Burdick
La Maison du Chocolat
Teuscher
Vosges Haut-Chocolat


LuxistNominees for Best in Sweets originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 07:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best cakebest chocolatebest cupcakebest in sweetsBestCakeBestChocolateBestCupcakeBestInSweetsluxist-awardsluxsit-awardswinners-sweetsMon, 01 Mar 2010 07:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Tell Us Everything, Chef Daniel Boulud]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/02/26/tell-us-everything-chef-daniel-boulud/http://www.luxist.com/2010/02/26/tell-us-everything-chef-daniel-boulud/http://www.luxist.com/2010/02/26/tell-us-everything-chef-daniel-boulud/#commentsFiled under: ,



In an era of celebrity chefs and big food personalities with TV shows, magazines and books, blogs and cookware lines, French chef Daniel Boulud is in some ways a throwback. A trained chef with farm roots and a fine-dining pedigree whose built a string of successful restaurants, now being replicated all over the world. Boulud is best known for his eponymous Manhattan restaurant Daniel, which this year earned him three Michelin stars - the Academy Award for Best Picture equivalent for a chef - it's considered the highest honor a restaurant can earn.

Gallery: Daniel Boulud Restaurants

Continue reading Tell Us Everything, Chef Daniel Boulud

LuxistTell Us Everything, Chef Daniel Boulud originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bar bouludcafe bouludcelebrity chefschef daniel bouluddaniel bouluddaniel boulud brasseriedaniel new yorkDB Bistro Modernelumieremaison bouludmichelin starred chefsmichelin starsMichelinStarsnew york chefsnew york diningsouth beach food and wine festivalFri, 26 Feb 2010 09:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Best Cupcakes in the U.S.]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/02/23/best-cupcakes-in-the-u-s/http://www.luxist.com/2010/02/23/best-cupcakes-in-the-u-s/http://www.luxist.com/2010/02/23/best-cupcakes-in-the-u-s/#commentsFiled under:


Luxist Readers have nominated their favorite cupcake bakeries and the top five are:

Baked (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Crumbs Bake Shop (New York, N.Y.)
Magnolia Bakery (New York, N.Y.)
Sprinkles (Los Angeles, Ca.)
SusieCakes (Los Angeles, Ca.)

Gallery: America's Best Cupcakes

Crumbs Bake ShopCrumbs Bake ShopBakedBakedMagnolia Bakery


Vote for the company you believe makes the best cupcakes. Readers' Choice Winners will be announced on March 1st.

Continue reading Best Cupcakes in the U.S.

LuxistBest Cupcakes in the U.S. originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awards-mainbakedbaked new yorkBakedNewYorkbest bakeriesbest bakerybest cupcakebest sweetsBestBakeriesBestBakeryBestCupcakeBestSweetscrumbsCrumbs Bake ShopCrumbsBakeShopkatie holmesKatieHolmesluxist-awardsmagnolia bakeryMagnoliaBakeryrussell croweRussellCrowesprinklessprinkles cupcakesSprinklesCupcakessusiecakessweets-maintyra banksTyraBanksTue, 23 Feb 2010 09:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Kim Kardashian Pushes Luxury Lollipops]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/02/22/kim-kardashian-pushes-luxury-lollipops/http://www.luxist.com/2010/02/22/kim-kardashian-pushes-luxury-lollipops/http://www.luxist.com/2010/02/22/kim-kardashian-pushes-luxury-lollipops/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Kardashians seem to be everywhere lately. Just the past few months have given us one Kardashian (Khloe) at the White House with her basketball player husband and another Kardashian (Kim) at the Super Bowl with her football player boyfriend. And then there are the reality television shows and the commercials. And it's not over yet. Kim Kardashian has produced mini-documentary titled The Spindustry about the promotion for Sugar Factory's luxury lollipops with Kardashian friend Jonathan Cheban of Command PR.

Kim Kardashian has her own line of lollipops with the company. The pops each have crystal-covered sticks and interchangeable color-coordinated heads. Former Spice Girl Mel B also has a line of the pops. The Pussycat Dolls and Britney Spears had lines of the lollipops to support their most recent tours. The Couture Pops cost $25 each and additional heads are $12 for three.

LuxistKim Kardashian Pushes Luxury Lollipops originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>britney spearsBritneySpearscouture lollipopsCoutureLollipopsjonathan chebanJonathanChebankim kardashianKimKardashianmel bMelBpussycat dollsPussycatDollsspindustryMon, 22 Feb 2010 22:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Luxist Giveaway: <I>Hershey</I>'s Dark Chocolate]]>http://www.luxist.com/2010/02/22/check-legal-luxist-giveaway-i-hershey-i-s-dark-chocolate/http://www.luxist.com/2010/02/22/check-legal-luxist-giveaway-i-hershey-i-s-dark-chocolate/http://www.luxist.com/2010/02/22/check-legal-luxist-giveaway-i-hershey-i-s-dark-chocolate/#commentsFiled under:

Luxist Giveaway: <I>Hershey's</I> Dark Chocolate
February is Heart Health Month as well as National Chocolate Month, so there's no time like right this minute to start treating your body better. According to fitness and health expert and Bob Greene, you can stay on track to live your "Best Life" while still indulging in Hershey(R)'s Extra Dark Chocolate, the only chocolate to receive the Best Life Treat Seal of Approval.

Here's more good news -- there's no need to run to the store. Luxist is giving away, to one randomly selected winner, this selection of dark chocolate items:
  • 1 bar/pouch combo of Hershey's Extra Dark Pure Dark Chocolate in one of the following flavors: Hershey's Extra Dark Pure Dark Chocolate; Hershey's Extra Dark Pure Dark Chocolate with Cranberries, Blueberries, and Almonds; Hershey's Extra Dark Pure Dark Chocolate infused with Raspberry flavor; or Hershey's Extra Dark Pure Dark Chocolate with Pomegranate flavor
  • 2 box Hershey's Special Dark Mildly Sweet Bars with Almonds (24 bars in each box)
  • 2 bags of Hershey's Miniatures Assortment - Dark Chocolate
To enter, follow the rules below:

* Leave a confirmed comment telling us which Best Life recipe you would like to try.
* The comment must be left and confirmed by February 26, 2010, at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing and notified by e-mail.
* One winner will receive the items noted above, valued at $50.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.

See complete contest rules here. Good luck!

The contest has ended. The winner will be notified by e-mail on or before March 2, 2010. Thanks for participating!

Gallery: Luxist Giveaway: Hershey's Dark Chocolate

LuxistLuxist Giveaway: Hershey's Dark Chocolate originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Best LifeBestLifeBob GreeneBobGreenechocolatedark chocolateDarkChocolatefreegiveawayhealthHersheysMon, 22 Feb 2010 10:04:00 EST