DINE
New York, New York
A Voce and chef Andrew Carmellini bring
Italian cuisine to Madison Square Park
James Beard Best Chef New York 2005 Andrew Carmellini and Marlon Abela, the restaurateur who gained a star from Michelin in London for Umu and two stars for Greenhouse, have partnered to open A Voce in Madison Square Park. The menu is simple, seasonal Italian gone upscale: grilled octopus with peperonata, chorizo and lemon; rigatone pugliese with sausage, ceci and broccoli rabe; braised fennel with orange flavored with Sambuca. Desserts are by April Robinson, a veteran of the pastry kitchens at Alain Ducasse and Café Gray, and the 600-bottle wine list is by Olivier Flosse, former cellar master at Café Boulud. The space is done “modern urban” style, with chocolate and vanilla colors, leather-topped tables and horsehair-upholstered banquettes. Entrees: $19-$29. A Voce, 41 Madison, 212-545-8555 or avocerestaurant.com
STAY
Mexico, Cabo San Lucas
Meliá Cabo San Lucas renovates rooms; adds lounge, VIP floor for livelier nightlife
A contemporary hotel on Cabo’s only swimmable beach, Playa el Médano, the Meliá Cabo San Lucas recently completed a multimillion-dollar renovation that put balconies, iPod docking stations (iPods are available upon request), wireless Internet access and plasma TVs in every room. Within walking distance of downtown and 45 minutes from the airport, Meliá offers 144 rooms and six suites, as well as the Passion Club Restaurant & Lounge, featuring tapas tastings and live jazz, along with Nikki Beach, a beach club that offers ocean-side Polynesian day beds, fire dancers and DJs nightly. The VIP floor “The Level” caters to special guests who pay for the privilege of being waited on by an “experience manager” who serves as a personal concierge. Rates start at $229. Meliá Cabo San Lucas, Playa el Médano, 800-33MELIA, (52) 624 1457800 or www.solmelia.com
PLAY
Las Vegas, Nevada
Red Rock Casino combines boutique hotel with spa, nightclub and, of course, gambling Just minutes off the Strip and within sight of the red rocks that inspired the name, Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa is open, a billion-dollar property that combines a casino with an “adventure” spa, boutique hotel, nightclub by Rande Gerber and 3-acre sandbar pool “backyard.” The spa features a boxing ring, while the rooms offer two plasma TVs. On-site dining includes T-Bones Chophouse and Lounge, Salt Lick BBQ, Tides Oyster Bar and The Feast Around the World Buffet. Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa, 11011 W. Charleston Blvd., 800-851-1703 or redrocklasvegas.com
SEE
Cooperstown, New York
“Grandma Moses” exhibit examines
artist’s work through historical lens
Beginning May 27, the Fenimore Art Museum hosts “Grandma Moses: Grandmother to the Nation,” an exhibit exploring the works of American folk artist Anna Mary Robertson. The retrospective places the art in the context of American history, placing it against such events as the Depression and World War II, and focuses on examining Robertson’s paintings as they relate to specific subjects. Various topics are explored, including “Grandma and Regionalism,” “Women’s Work,” “Grandma Meets Norman Rockwell” and “Why Are There No Great Women Artists?” The show runs through Dec. 31 and then travels to Winston-Salem, N.C.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Sacramento, Calif.; and Sarasota, Fla. Fenimore Art Museum, 5798 New York 80, 1-888-547-1450 or fenimoreartmuseum.org
– Denver Post staff and wire reports
