Navigating Las Vegas’ bevy of sleek pools is a feat in and of itself. Looking to find the most bikini-clad bodies per square inch? Or are you more concerned with securing a poolside poker game? Check Anthony Curtis’ newly launched “Cool Pools,” which does all the work for you. [Thrillist]
Christian Audigier is opening a club ladies and gentlemen. That’s right, the fashion designer-come-entrepreneur (aka: the face behind Ed Hardy) is teaming with Treasure Island and Pure Management Group to bring you Christian Audigier, The Nightclub. And, to celebrate both our country’s independence and the club’s opening, Mariah Carey’s hubby Nick Cannon will be on hand manning the decks at this Friday’s opening party. Just when you thought Vegas couldn’t get any tackier [Joonbug]
Airport security can now see under your clothes. The Transportation Security Administration “recently started using body scans on randomly chosen passengers in Los Angeles, Baltimore, Denver, Albuquerque and at New York’s Kennedy airport,” in what is “one of the biggest public uses of security devices that reveal intimate body parts.” Dallas, Detroit, Las Vegas and Miami, you’re next! [USA Today]
Michele C. Quinn, a former director and curator at GC Arts in Las Vegas and current head of the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, has turned her house into a gallery. Quick uses the unassuming building as a by-appointment-only showcase for the likes of camera obscura artist Vera Lutter, but she also puts on occasional exhibitions. [LVS]
Atlanta
• Se'Vauge: A new Cajun Creole restaurant opens in Roswell.
Boston
• Leokadia: A new South End shop carries exclusive shoe collections, jewelry and accessories.
• Scampo: Local culinary star Lydia Shire opens a fine-dining Italian restaurant inside the Liberty Hotel.
Everyone knows the iconic diamond-shaped Welcome to Las Vegas sign that adorns the city's famous strip. But most people don't know who's behind it. Betty Willis, who designed the sign 50 years ago, is hoping to change that and finally make a little money off of the design. She's autographing limited edition prints of the landmark and the like. [Las Vegas Sun]
Boston
• Oak: This boutique is a showcase for crafty locals, who hand produce everything from lingerie to iPod cases.
• X-Hale Boutique: New boutique in Newton stocks contemporary womenswear labels like Autumn Cashmere and True Religion.
Chicago
• A Cooler Planet: This eco-lifestyle store stocks all things green: housewares, fashions, and even compost supplies.
• Cinners: A new destination for drinks also specializes in Cincinnati Chili -- a dish that words just don't do justice to.
• Veggie Bite: New takeout joint serves classic fast food designed for vegans.
That's the title of a blog post this morning from the editor of Budget Travel, Erik Torkellis. And what prompted such a blatant show of discontent towards the City of Sin? The answer is Steve Wynn's new namesake Vegas hotel, whose renderings are in the latest issue of Bon Appetit. According to Torkellis "every restaurant in the ad just seemed so awful...They look like they're from a computer game -- maybe Grand Theft Auto: Country Club. I like tacky, but this was tacky in all the wrong ways."
Atlanta
• Bliss Spa: A 4,000 square foot spa, which includes a retail beauty boutique and the brand's famous brownie buffet, opens at the W Hotel in Midtown.
• Korean Catering House: With Korean signage, the English name of this new Duluth restaurant is actually yet-to-be determined.
• Tierra Salon: A new men's salon offers services for all budgets, from $15 haircuts to $140 hot stone massages.
Boston
• Aroa Fine Chocolate: This South End chocolate shop satisfies sweet teeth with bonbons, plated desserts and seven types of hot chocolate.
About Gridskipper
Gridskipper is a blog about travel and leisure, written especially for urban dwellers who appreciate the need to get off the grid from time to time. More About...