Dinner for Four at CityZen
Get ready to be dazzled! Food and Wine recognizes CityZen as of the "Hottest Restaurants in the World" (May 2006). This AAA Five Diamond signature restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C., offers the creative, modern American cuisine of award-winning Executive Chef Eric Ziebold. Open for dinner only, CityZen boasts the elements of earth, fire, wood, metal and water, drawing guests to this contemporary mixed-use space, designed by visionary Tony Chi.
Chef Ziebold's culinary vision is presented in a three-course prix fixe menu, a six-course chef's tasting menu or a six-course vegetarian menu. The six-course tasting menu draws inspiration from Ziebold's traditional background and is presented with a modern, open flair. Included on this menu are rabbit consommé with carrots, celery and ham hock mousse; sashimi of bluefin toro with butter pickle ceviche and a Yuengling popover; pan-seared medallion of Atlantic monkfish with potato purée and sautéed duck foie gras; cubébé crusted saddle of Elysian Fields Farm lamb with buttercream acorn squash purée and caramelized chanterelle mushrooms. For dessert you might try the anjou pear tart with crème fraîche mousse and white milk chocolate sauce.
Dinner is from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday and from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday. Offer expires on March 31, 2008 (excludes alcohol and gratuities).
Click here for more information on the Mandarin Oriental.
Donated by: Alan Novak and Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C.
An Evening of Art with Mahinder Tak: Visit India's Masters in Bethesda!
A reception for eight in the magnificent home of Dr. Mahinder Tak, widely considered an "ambassador" of Indian art in the United States. Mahinder is opening her home to share the artistic heritage of India.
Mahinder's collection rivals most any private collection in the world. In fact, March 2006's Art and Antique Magazine voted her one of the top 100 art collectors in America. She has lent out her collection to the Freer and Arthur M. Sackler Galleries and the Asia Foundation, among many places.
She invites you to view and discuss the works of Company Artists of the 18th century, Raja Ravi Varma, Jamini Roy and 20th Century modern and contemporary artists such as M.F. Husain, K.K. Hebbar, Akbar Padamsee, Jogen Chaowdhary, Manjit Bawa, Anil Revery, Sousa, S.H. Raza, J. Swaminanthan, Gaitonde, Bhupen Khakhar, Garddhe and Ram Kumar. Paintings by Natwar Bhavasar, the first painter from India who came to the United States and settled here, have a unique place on her walls. The works of Rameshwar Broota on adivasis also grace Mahinder's home.
Mahinder has given a special place to paintings by women artists. She has works of Aparna Caur, Shobha Broota, Arpita Singh, Surinder Kaur, Prabha Shah, Meena Deora and Shruti Gupta.
Offer expires in March 2008.
Donated by: Dr. Mahinder Tak
An Evening with Cokie and Steve Roberts: Power Couple Extraordinaire
Invite 10 friends to share an evening in your home with charismatic power couple Cokie and Steve Roberts, who will lead a discussion on mutually selected topics. Cokie is a commentator for both ABC News and NPR where she covers politics and public policy. Steve has been a journalist for more than 35 years, including with The New York Times. He appears regularly as a commentator on TV and radio, and hosts Voice of America's "The Roberts Report."
As if that is not enough, Cokie and Steve write a weekly syndicated newspaper column and are contributing editors to USA Weekend Magazine. Bibliophiles know their many best-selling books, including the one they wrote together about their 40-plus years of marriage, From this Day Forward.
Opportunity valid for one year and sorry, New Yorkers, only in the D.C. area!
Click here for more information on Cokie and Steve Roberts.
Donated by: Cokie and Steve Roberts
Three-Day Stay in a Posh NYC Apartment: Luxury on the Upper West Side
Take a bite out of the Big Apple while staying in a deluxe two-bedroom, two-bathroom private suite on W. 66th and Broadway in the Phillips Club, one of New York's most cosmopolitan residences! Enjoy its elegant, modern decor, fine linens and distinctive wooden and marble floors.
At your doorstep are Lincoln Center, Central Park, boutiques and eclectic dining. Perennial favorites Café des Artistes and Tavern on the Green are within two blocks. Slightly further afoot are museums, galleries and Broadway, whose marquees are still aglow with sellouts and newcomers alike.
A fully appointed kitchen, concierge service and garage help make your stay hassle-free. Try not to be tempted by the around-the-clock business center, but do check out the Reebok Sports Club with rooftop in-line skating, running and music-filled pools.
Housekeeping and registration fees are not included. Reservations are required in advance and subject to availability.
Expires Oct. 1, 2007.
Click here for more on the Phillips Club.
Donated by: James Valentine and Kathy Kemper
Private Beach Club on the Baja Peninsula: Escape to Paradise
You are bidding on a one-week stay in a luxurious suite at the Chileno Bay Club (sleeps two to four people). With panoramic views of the Sea of Cortez, take in sun and surf by day and margaritas and salsa by night. Or how about complete and utter relaxation?! For the more activity minded, choose the Tom Fazio-designed golf course, tennis, hiking, biking, sailing, scuba, fishing, whale watching and much more.
Thirty minutes from Cabos International Airport, this intimate hillside, colonial Mexican-style village is surrounded by a natural reef, calm waters, 2.5 miles of white sandy beachfront and a town center with shops, restaurants and a yacht club. An extensive network of artfully landscaped, interconnected pathways and streetscapes produce a casually elegant, pedestrian- and family-friendly environment, while preserving privacy. Exceptional concierge service is part of the timeless standard of comfort and beauty.
Housekeeping and daily fees are not included. Subject to availability.
Expires Oct. 1, 2007.
Donated by: James Valentine and Kathy Kemper
Exquisite Tuscan Hill-Top Villa: Experience La Dolce Vita!
Experience the irresistible lure of la dolce vita in Casa Angelica, a 600-year old stone house situated in an ancient Tuscan hilltop village offering spectacular views of the sea. Gracefully appointed with three bedrooms and three baths (one with Jacuzzi tub), a summer kitchen, and covered terrace perfect for enjoying beautiful sunsets, this 1,500-square-foot abode is suitable for two couples and one single.
Located in northern Tuscany near Lucca (the birthplace of Puccini), you and your guests will have easy access to Florence, Pisa, the Italian Rivera, the cliff-side villages of Cinqueterre, the Apuane Alps, and of course, all of the delicacies and Chianti your palate desires. It's an ideal location for trips to the beach or hiking, with unobstructed views of the coastline from all areas of the garden. Beach clubs open to the public are available at the nearby beach, and many clubs have pools. Two grocery stores and a charming restaurant are just a short walk from Casa Angelica, with a full range of services available nearby in Camaiore.
The house is supplied with washer and dryer, iron, hairdryers, safe, satellite TV, DVD player, stereo with CD player, free Internet DSL W-LAN connection, a prepay cellphone, and many guidebooks and maps.
Professional assistance is offered every step of the way from leading property managers Doorways. Available sparingly in 2007, but nearly any time in 2008. This is a non-smoking property and, unfortunately due to safety reasons, children younger than 10 are not allowed.
Say your arrivadercis before you go, as you may never return! Ciao e bon appetito!
Click here for pictures of Casa Angelica.
Donated by: Barry Scherr
Fully Customized 10-night South African Safari: Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience!
Africa is a wild, mystical, escapist's and photographer's paradise — especially when no expense is spared on the world's most lavish and exotic lodging. Courtesy of Roar Africa, you and a guest will begin the adventure of your dreams in Joburg (as locals say!) with two nights at an ultra-chic boutique hotel billed as "contemporary, edgy and Afrocentric" by Condé Nast Traveler.
Indulge your "Out of Africa" fantasies in the elite Tanda Tula Game Lodge for three nights while you scout for the "Big Five" - lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo. Enjoy a cocktail as the sun slips behind the Baobab trees. You'll be on the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, adjoining famed Kruger National Park.
Round out your adventure with three unforgettable nights in Cape Town while touring Table Mountain, Victoria Wharf and the beaches. Your last two extravagant nights in the historic Winelands will be at an auberge voted "Best Small Hotel in the World" and "Top 50 restaurants in the World 2005 and 2006." Sip and savor! This is a definite must-do vacation for the life list.
Bid price excludes air fare, excursion expenses and some lunches and dinners, except while in the bush. Trip valid for one year from today.
Click here to learn more about Roar Africa.
Donated by: Roar Africa, LLC
Tour the Human Chromosomes: Inquiring Minds Want to Know!
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for science lovers - how about for teens eager to see what genetics is all about? Go behind-the-scenes to see the most exciting scientific project of our time: the Human Genome Project! You and up to 10 guests will get a personal tour of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, the flagship of the international genome collaboration, given by Director (and ICRW Auctioneer) Eric Lander.
Learn how DNA is sequenced, how cancers are classified at the molecular level and how proteins are analyzed.
Included is one copy of the historic Feb. 2001 issue of the journal Nature, reporting the sequencing of the human genome, autographed by Lander and by Nobel laureate James D. Watson, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA.
Tour to be held in Cambridge, Mass. at a mutually agreeable date.
Click here for more information on the Broad Institute.
Donated by: Eric Lander
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