Even the kitchen is artful: A view of El Bulli?s kitchen, where glass walls permit outdoor views, and sculpture emerges from the kitchen counters. (Photos by C-M.)

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people do just about anything they can think of?including pleading, prayer and strong-arming?to get a table at El Bulli, the three-Michelin star restaurant headed up by Ferran Adriŕ on a remote patch of Spain?s Costa Brava. Every year, only 8,000 people make it in. And this year, because I?m an extraordinarily lucky person (bastard, some might say), I was one of them.

The meal was all high ceremony, kinda like those scenes in the period films about British monarchy where some petulant royal stands in the middle of a room and is bathed and dressed by a gaggle of terrified servants. There is no music at El Bulli and each table is tended to by a battalion of black-clad waiters who whisper regular instructions on how to eat the food: ?One bite.? ?Eat it quickly.? ?The green one first, then the red.? Over the course of the evening, these somber advisers guide you through an endless, multi-colored parade of bite-sized morsels that defy the definition of food. Dishes are deconstructed and then reconstructed and then deconstructed again. The act of chewing is largely irrelevant. Around the room, hushed diners nod and scrutinize with a high degree of reverence (a library-like atmosphere that our table promptly polluted).

If you?re a daring eater, it?s damn delicious?and seriously decadent. The menu tends towards the luxuriant (foie gras soup, anyone?) and explosive (shiso candies that burst the moment they hit the tongue). But it?s the presentation that had me rapt: each dish is agonizingly produced (by one of more than 40 cooks in the kitchen) to take full visual advantage of texture, color and composition. It is cooking at its most sculptural. No wonder Adriŕ was invited to participate in last year?s Documenta (to the dismay of some cranky art types).

Because I?m crazy lucky (and because I have well-connected friends), Adriŕ gave us a tour of the kitchen and then joined us for some chit-chat when the meal was over. We talked food, wine and art. He told me that art media power couple Jerry Saltz and Roberta Smith had just been by, samplin? the pickins as part of some art round table. And when our discussion drifted to the merits of cacao fruit, Adriŕ bolted into the kitchen and had the staff produce a dish of cacao fruit ice cream on the spot. (Heavenly.) It was one of the most insane culinary experiences I?ve ever had. I?m still mentally digesting it.

Naturally, I photographed every little thing I ate. And you can find every last shot in this post, along with links to some artsy fartsy comparisons. Bon appétit.

A desire. A city. Paris, the world capital of tourism. Paris, a place of refuge. Everyone is welcome. The neighborhood: Saint Blaise - rebel character and city life at a country pace. Mama Shelter: the key to a city.

Mama, your mama, our mama, everyone?s mama. This is your shelter, our shelter. A shelter for everyone.

Mama Shelter, we welcome travelers to our 172 rooms.

Created by the TRIGANO family (co-founders of Club Med) and French philosopher, Cyril Aouizerate, MAMA SHELTER was designed by Philippe STARCK to offer an eclectic and electric ambiance thanks to its friendly, warm and casual common areas.

109 rue de Bagnolet
75020 Paris
france

Located four kilometers north of Lyon on the banks of the Saône near the Pont de Collonges,
this family house has become an obligatory stopping point for gourmets from every corner of the globe.
You can find more photos of the ?Auberge du Pont de Collonges? by clicking on the tab below.
If you wish to offer meals at the restaurant, we propose three different menus, including wines.
After making your choice, fill out and print the order form and send it to us by mail with your payment.
Your guest will then receive a personalized invitation card valid for six months.

Masa

At the namesake restaurant of Masa Takayama in New York you won't find any standard menus, as Takayama adjusts his meals according to the availability of ingredients and only offers multicourse tasting menus at lunch and dinner. Prices are not for the feint of heart or budget-minded, as the omakase tasting menu now costs a staggering $400 per person (tip, tax and beverages not included). Masa is small with limited seating, and reservations should be made weeks in advance. For an unforgettable experience that includes some of the rarest delicacies from the sea, Masa is the place to be.

A Regal Address
The Lanesborough, a St. Regis Hotel, captures the grace of the Regency period. Ideally located in elegant Knightsbridge, the residence is minutes away from the exclusive shopping of Harrods and Sloane Street.

Unsurpassed Personal Service
Experience the art of personal service at its best with the impeccable St. Regis Butler. Our staff of consummate professionals act as your personal liaison, ready to fulfill every wish and need with alacrity, style and the utmost discretion.

Sometimes every bar feels the same. While retro-minimalism is two a penny and the NY fashion for grafitti-ed crack den bars has yet to hit London - (god help us if they call it 'retro punk'), the need for a bit of constancy, to a time of classic drinking is required. The Library in the Lanesborough conjures up drinking men's clubs from regency times, with wall to wall books and high ceilings - but you won't find old lords snoring in the corner. You will find a standard of service unknown since colonial days, cognacs that pre-date that, tables spaced so that even Spok couldn't ear-whig and some of the finest Martini's in town. Go.

The Rose Bar and Jade Bar are two of the most original and exciting public spaces in New York City. These incredible candlelit spaces are unique atmospheres imbued with the same spontaneous, haute bohemian, eclectic, eccentric and edgy sophistication one would find in an artist?s studio or home. The soaring spaces offer an incredible collection of extraordinary and ordinary items put together with the flourishes of the artiste, including custom-designed furniture by Julian Schnabel and masterworks of the 20th century by artists including

On the waterfront overlooking Victoria Harbour and the financial district, Four Seasons redefines luxury and excellence in a city renowned for exceptional accommodations. As part of the prestigious International Finance Centre, it offers unrivalled links to Hong Kong Station, with the famed Star Ferry steps away.

Palm Jumeirah is a visionary project. An unparalleled feat of engineering, it is now creating an equally unique community. The world's greatest hotels, restaurants and entertainments are attracted by the Palm Jumeirah concept. Here the new wave of fashion sits side by side with luxury yachts in some of the world's most impressive marinas. And here is the perfect place to buy a property.

Residents who have already moved into Palm Jumeirah homes talk of dreams coming true, waking up to glorious sunshine, wonderful views and an array of marine life at the end of the lawn. They enjoy a distinguished address and exclusive lifestyle close to the shops and entertainments. Yet away from the bustle of the mainland city centre.

Investors who purchased off plan have enjoyed success that has surpassed all expectations. All the indicators suggest now is a good time to join them and purchase property in this unique and iconic location.

Mondrian South Beach?s 335 studio, one and two bedroom apartments and penthouses are bright spaces with unique features and custom detailing designed by Marcel Wanders. Combining a sophisticated color palette of grays, golds, black and white with custom wall-coverings, rugs and furnishings, Wanders has created open living areas that are dynamic yet relaxed. Spaces flow into one another to create an expansive feel, large windows, many with balconies, open to stunning views of the bay and ocean. Kitchen and dining areas feature walls covered in traditional Dutch Delft tile custom-made with Miami Beach motifs. Bedrooms open on to bathrooms with oversized sinks and showers tiled in a mosaic of clouds and sky. Wanders? signature chandeliers, are hung through out the suites, including one that doubles as a showerhead

Hotel Puerta América. A unique hotel that invites you to dream

An idea of freedom come true, a gathering space merging different cultures and ways of interpreting architecture and design.
A masterpiece that awakens guests? senses, that breaks the mould by using different colours, materials and shapes. A building that ushers guests into innovative spaces, a bold departure from the usual. In short, a hotel that is unique.