Japanese Ice Balls In Your Scotch, Sir?

Tag: Japanese Ice Balls, Bar, Scotch, Macallan, Drinks, Whiskey, Food+Drink

“Scotch on the rocks”. “To be, or not to be”. Both of these iconic phrases are deeply ingrained in our everyday lexicon, yet when combined within the proximity of tradition, the soapbox will surely be brought to the fore in many a bar or tavern, where toasting the old pastimes is just as important as the manner of one choosing how to savor the fine qualities of Scotch, along with maintaining socially acceptable etiquette in the process.

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Stella McCartney Afternoon Tea at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental HK

Tag: Fashion, Afternoon Tea, Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong



Eco-friendly fashion is on every fashionista’s wishlist nowadays and British designer Stella McCartney is leading the pack with her vegan-friendly and feminine designs. Making the environmental connection and pushing industry boundaries, Stella McCartney’s collections dismiss the use of leather and fur, and still retain her signature style of sharp tailoring, natural confidence and sexy femininity. With the strong belief that people can go green in every aspect of life, Stella McCartney is proud to collaborate with MO Bar to launch the new organic and vegetarian Stella McCartney Afternoon Tea Set during the month of March.

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Chinese are Top Importers of Bordeaux Wines

Tag: Food+Drink, Wine, Bordeaux

Bordeaux Wines

China, when taken together with Hong Kong, is set to overtake Germany and the UK to become the largest importer of Bordeaux wines in volume and value of imports, respectively. China alone has been reported to be the largest value importer outside of the EU since May 2010.

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Dim Sum Delights

Remember the days when dim sum meant smallish ladies hawking food off of heavy metal carts stacked high with steaming-hot bamboo baskets? Though many of the more upscale dim sum restaurants no longer serve from carts, the food is still just as delicious and often fresher because it’s made to order. Rest assured—the droves of Chinese people clamoring to be seated at the tables are still going strong. And according to Privy members, these are the places they should be going. Check 'em out and see what you think.

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French Impressions

Tag: French Laundry, Melisse, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Caprice, Allure, Le Royal Meridien Shanghai

Where do we even begin the discussion about French and French-influenced cuisine? We’ve already mentioned the Michelin-star-rated NYC giants in a previous issue, but this time around we want to highlight a few gems on the other side of the U.S. as well as in Asia.

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Local Flavor

Tag: Tsukiji Fish Market, Warung Ibu Oka, Kogi BBQ, Tosokchon, Dumpling, BBQ, Tokyo, Bali, Shanghai, Los Angeles, Seoul, Yang’s-Fry Dumplings

One of our favorite pastimes here at Privy is discovering and sharing the best authentic local food experiences in each city—those hole-in-the-wall places that truly capture the culture and heartbeat of a specific locale. And what better place to mine for these diamonds in the rough than in a community of discerning, oft-homegrown diners? This issue we’re going to start you off with a few places that have already received some press, but we really want to hear from you about the best local foods in your neck of the woods. Yes, those nondescript places that make it just like your momma used to.

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Lounging Around

Tag: Copa d’ Oro, Halo, Barcode, LAN, Feria

You've already had dinner, the night is young, and you're in need of a destination. Maybe you're looking for a place to grab a drink before a big night out. Or perhaps you just want to relax over cocktails with some friends for the evening. Here's a thought: check out one of these lounges frequented by Privy members and tell us what you think.

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Sushi Patrol

When it comes to sushi, there are so many restaurants with so many different chefs serving different varieties and qualities of fish, each with a slightly different take on the centuries-old art of crafting raw fish and rice into edible portions. On one end of the spectrum you have your fresh, high-quality, melt-in-your-mouth delights, while dangling off the other end of the spectrum are the discolored, fishy-tasting, rubbery poor excuses for sashimi. With all the imposters lurking, what’s a sushi-loving traveler to do? You can start by checking out some of these places Privy members say get it right.

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Michelin Stars Align in New York City

Tag: New York

New York City is known for being the hub of fine dining in the U.S., with 42 NYC restaurants garnering Michelin star ratings in 2009. A trip to New York would not be complete without a visit to at least one, if not more, of these respected establishments. But how do you even begin to navigate this galaxy of culinary stars? Why not see what Privy members have to say about some of the top choices?

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Steakhouse Steakout

Tag: Peter Luger Steakhouse, Craftsteak, Delmonico, Del Frisco's, Mastro's, Aragawa, Beacon, Roosevelt Prime Steakhouse

Steak lovers from all over the world have gathered at Privy’s First Annual Steak Convention for the sole purpose of crowning “The World’s Best Steakhouse—Period.” Yes, we realize that what we are attempting is a nearly impossible task, but somebody has to do it. (You can thank us later.) So here’s the deal: We are going to highlight some of the places that people have already raved about on Privy, just to get the conversation going. But to get an accurate barometer, we’re going to need your participation! Is one of these places the king (or queen) of steakhouses, or does another steakhouse reign supreme?”

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PRIVY 5 MAGAZINE

Privy Magazine is the savvy jetsetter's source for the latest lifestyle news, in-depth articles, member interviews, and notable luxury and destination reviews in Asia and the U.S. A magazine for those in the know