Latest news with #Waldorf
New York Post
21 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
My fabulous friendship with Imelda Marcos — the first lady of the Philippines
Close viewing of dynasty Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. — called 'Bongbong' — just met with Trump, America's president. Trumps I know. Marcoses I've known. 1971, I met the Philippines' then first lady. We were guests of Iran's shah. It was a three-day celebration attended by 60 heads of state to celebrate the 2,500th birthday of his country's birth city Persepolis. I was then assistant to the Miss Universe president and brought the pageant to Manila. Not to be stopped, she built an entire new theater for it. Later, in Imelda's East 60s townhouse here in New York, she'd sit alongside a trunk of jewels playing with pearls. Preparing a party she wanted to give, I ordered food from Samir who had an East Side Asian restaurant. She told guests some king had sent it. Then, it was living in the Waldorf's huge General MacArthur Suite, she turned its living room into a church. Inviting guests like George Hamilton, Gloria Vanderbilt — plus pianist Van Cliburn — she'd stay up all night singing her favorite, 'Yellow Rose of Texas.' New York City spoke of her. Hotelier Leona Helmsley — en route to jail — once asked me how much money Imelda had. Said Leona: 'Makes no difference, I have more.' That interchange remains on my Ron Howard documentary. Early days, I remember Imelda shopping for caviar in Hong Kong. But that was then. Came exile, in Hawaii. Indictment. Imelda told me then: 'First I cried. Then I gardened because it was therapy. Even a star in the sky has a low point for every high point. I now receive visitors. I will survive. 'When we had no clothes supporters brought us money. Some only $1. One afternoon they raised $15,000. I kept a list. I'll pay everyone back someday. Legal bills, 22 cases against us, came to half a million dollars a month. The US government doesn't allow us to earn money. Nor travel. Hopes were pinned on our wonderful son, Bongbong.' Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. with his mother Imelda Marcos after taking the oath to become the president of the Philippines on June 30, 2022. Photo byVolunteers staffed their Hawaii house. Their announcement became: 'The first lady will receive you shortly.' She appeared in pearl earrings, pearl ring, simple sheath. I remembered bringing her privately — years before — to designer Pauline Trigère. This then first lady standing in bra and panty girdle tried on. For hours. Weeks later Trigère called me: 'She hasn't paid. Took 10 outfits. Sent no money.' I called Imelda. Within an hour came a messenger with an envelope. Thirty thousand dollars. Trigère became more cheerful. Time came when she had to pay $5 million bail. She claimed she didn't have it. Her friend from Hawaii, Doris Duke, came to Imelda's Waldorf suite one day accompanied by two lawyers. They handed her that money. How do I know? Because Imelda and I — friends — were told they were en route but that the money had to be a secret. Duke and her lawyers arrived. I was stashed in the living room's locked bathroom. Could they see me? No. But I heard every word. Imelda and I have spoken recently on the phone. She has her own home in Manila. She is well. She is thrilled for her son.
The Star
6 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Waldorf Astoria ready to shine again
WHEN the Waldorf Astoria New York opened on Oct 1, 1931, it was 'the biggest and most elegant and luxurious hotel in the world.' That's according to the gregarious Italian who runs it today, general manager Luigi Romaniello. He's spent much of his tenure at the Waldorf revisiting its history. After all, it's been closed for the entire time that Romaniello has been on the job. But now he's ready to cut the ribbon on the hotel's next chapter. Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Full access to Web and App. RM 13.90/month RM 9.73 /month Billed as RM 9.73 for the 1st month, RM 13.90 thereafter. RM 12.39/month RM 8.63 /month Billed as RM 103.60 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.
New York Post
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Lex Yard at the new Waldorf Astoria is a wonder that reinvents the legendary hotel's stuffy old reputation
The reopened Waldorf-Astoria deserved a great new Waldorf salad. Michael Anthony, chef at the hotel's Lex Yard restaurant, goes one better. His re-invention of the 100-year-old recipe not only improves on the country-clubby original, it lives up to the entire hotel's spectacular, oft-delayed, $2 billion transformation. Like its Art Deco surroundings, Anthony's salad is lightened, brightened and reconstituted for a new generation. Just as the hotel retains its landmarked Peacock Alley lounge and other interior pleasures, the salad builds on the original salad's basics — celery, apples and grapes. 6 The classic Waldorf salad has been reimagined at the newly renovated Waldorf Astoria. Paul Quitoriano 6 Lex Yard occupies two floors in the iconic hotel. Courtesy of Waldorf Astoria New York First devised by hotel chef Oscar Tschirky in 1896, the Waldorf salad has never been a favorite of mine. Too often a cloying, mayonnaise-slathered affair whether in diners or fancy restaurants, the old warhorse was sometimes propped up with corn or raspberries. No matter, the result was the same: a bland heap of unrelated items tossed with cheap green lettuces and weighted down by gobs of mayo. Anthony, who's also the chef of well-loved Gramercy Tavern, said his aim was to 'keep it simple, visually appealing and memorable.' His boldest stroke was to replace mayo with a tingling, lemon-tinted aioli that flatters all the elements, which are fine-chopped into a chiffonade that's like a picnic on a plate. The salad tosses little gem lettuce, frisee, candied walnuts, fresh tomatoes, grapes and toasted sunflower seeds, beneath a cloud of grated cheddar cheese. All the bitter and sweet flavors, and crunchy and soft textures, come through cleanly and clearly defined. It's a great summer dish that will surely shine year-round as elements are changed with the seasons. It's the must-have item on the menu, and it's offered both as part of $140, four-course prix-fixe and for $26 a la carte. 6 A fully loaded lobster roll is one of many pleasures on the menu. Paul Quitoriano 6 Black bass makes for a light-but-flavorful summer dish. Paul Quitoriano 6 A red velvet souffle is vastly better than the red velvet cake that was once served at the hotel. Paul Quitoriano It will take weeks to experience the menu's full depth, but Anthony was at the top of his game on opening night with dishes such as pan-roasted black bass in a dark-hued, pleasantly sweet bouillabaisse sauce ($48), a sparkling Maine lobster roll ($53) that lived up to the waiter's description as 'fully loaded'; and a dangerously delicious, fresh-made red velvet souffle tart ($22) that laughed at the old dessert list's supposedly iconic but commercial-tasting red velvet cake. It was a thrill dining at Lex Yard on Wednesday, when the reborn hotel got its first heartbeat in nearly eight years. (A handful of guest rooms are open with the full-scale opening to include the grand ballroom planned for September.) Japanese restaurant Yoshoku, off the main lobby, was already near-full, while Peacock Alley buzzed with the sound of lounge-goers delighted to find the fabled venue looking better than it has in several generations. 6 Chef Michael Anthony is also the chef at Gramercy Tavern. Courtesy of Waldorf Astoria New York The two-level Lex Yard is more casual on the ground floor where voices from a lively bar permeate the scene. The more plush second level, where I sat, is more luxurious with richly upholstered booths and carpeted floors. It also unfortunately comes with a view through mullioned windows of floors-full of styrofoam boxes inside a building that seems under eternal renovation. July's quiet and hot summer days are springtime for Lex Yard. Catch them before autumn brings cooler nights — and the hordes who wondered for eight years if they'd ever set foot in the Waldorf-Astoria again.
Style Blueprint
17-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Style Blueprint
I Just Made the Best Blue Cheese Chicken Salad of My Life
Share with your friends! Pinterest LinkedIn Email Flipboard Reddit We're celebrating all things French and blue cheese this week at StyleBlueprint. We've dubbed it 'StyleBleuprint Week' (get it … bleu?!). With that lens, I made a blue cheese chicken salad and was shocked at just how good this was. I declared on my Instagram story that I had just created the best chicken salad of my life. My life. I still stand by this. I used to own a lunch cafe, and I have to tell you, my basil chicken salad, which I served there for years, is delicious and was our most popular menu item. So, this is quite a statement. Pin Pin This new blue cheese chicken salad is based on a Waldorf salad, combined with a classic chicken-mayonnaise salad. It contains grapes, apples, pecans, blue cheese, celery, and onion. I ate it (not kidding) for dinner, then the next day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and lunch the day after. My husband finished off the rest for dinner. It was gone in 48 hours. Like any chicken salad, you can put it on a salad, make a sandwich, or place a scoop in a bowl! Why is it so good? Well, the recipe is good, but the ingredients are stellar. So, if you want this exact same deliciousness, I'm suggesting particular brands for some of the ingredients. Here are the basic ingredients: – Rotisserie chicken – Celery – Granny Smith apples – Green onions – Italian parsley – Chopped pecans – Lemon juice – Hellmann's Olive Oil mayonnaise (I know, Duke's fans. I'm sorry. I'm convinced Hellmann's is better for this recipe. And, as a bonus, the olive oil mayo has less fat and calories.) – Master's Touch Organics red grapes. These grapes are a little smaller, and they are so sweet and delicious. – Asher Blue Raw Cow's Milk Cheese (by Sweet Grass Dairy). It's a mild blue cheese and oh-so-good. – Salt & pepper For the Sweet Grass Dairy, this is the second of their cheeses that I've had, and they are exceptional. I'm going to start working my way through all of their options, as I could not be more impressed with this dairy-based in Thomasville, GA. If you can't find any locally, you can order online here. For Nashville readers, you can find all this cheese and the Master's Touch Organic grapes at Turnip Truck, with four locations in East, Midtown, on Charlotte, and in the Gulch. All ingredients, except the mayo, were purchased from Turnip Truck for this recipe. This recipe makes six cups, which is nine 3/4 cup servings. Enjoy! Pin Waldorf Chicken Salad Everything you love about a classic Waldorf salad made into a traditional mayo-based chicken salad. It's delicious! That said, splurge on your blue cheese for this one. You want a mild cheese that you would eat on its own. Don't buy your blue cheese in the same spot that you buy mozzarella cheese sticks. 5 from 1 vote Print Recipe Pin Recipe Servings 9 Calories 361 kcal Ingredients 1x 2x 3x 2 1/2 cups rotisserie chicken 3/4 cup diced celery 3/4 cup diced apple 3/4 cup red seedless grapes, cut in half If you can find Master's Touch Organics red grapes, they really are better! 1/4 cup diced green onion 1/4 cup diced Italian parsley 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup Hellmann's Olive Oil mayonnaise 2 Tbs lemon juice 3/4 tsp salt 3/4 tsp black pepper 2.5 oz crumbled blue cheese I highly recommend Sweet Grass Dairy's Asher Blue for this. It comes in a block, so just chop it up. 2.5 ounces will yield about one cup when chopped up. Instructions Chop your rotisserie chicken into small pieces. Dice up all vegetables, herbs, and fruit Add everything to a large bowl and mix Keep for up to 4 days - enjoy! Nutrition Calories: 361 kcal Carbohydrates: 7 g Protein: 22 g Fat: 29 g Saturated Fat: 5 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 6 g Monounsaturated Fat: 12 g Cholesterol: 81 mg Sodium: 640 mg Potassium: 140 mg Fiber: 2 g Sugar: 4 g Vitamin A: 323 IU Vitamin C: 5 mg Calcium: 77 mg Iron: 1 mg Tried this recipe? Rate it above to let us know how it was! ********** See ALL our recipes HERE About the Author Liza Graves As CEO of StyleBlueprint, Liza also regularly writes for SB. Most of her writing is now found in the recipe archives as cooking is her stress relief!
New York Post
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Waldorf Astoria's new restaurant ‘Lex Yard' reimagines menu classics as hotel finally reopens
Famed chef Michael Anthony has grand plans to restore the Waldorf Astoria as the epicenter of the Big Apple's crowded dining scene – and he's starting by reimagining the famed hotel's iconic dishes, Side Dish has learned. Anthony, the longtime executive chef at Gramercy Tavern, helms Lex Yard, the 220-seat restaurant that hopes to satiate locals and well-heeled guests as the Waldorf finally reopened its doors Tuesday following an eight-year renovation. 'I feel like I've been waiting all my life for this moment,' Anthony told Side Dish. Advertisement 6 'I feel like I've been waiting all my life for this moment,' chef Michael Anthony told Side Dish. Courtesy of Waldorf Astoria New York 'The menu was created to draw people in — to make this a busy restaurant, a great addition to the New York dining scene.' That begins with a reinterpreted Waldorf salad, which was reportedly invented at the hotel's original location in 1893 — where the Empire State Building now stands. Advertisement His take on the classic apple, grapes, walnut and celery salad includes adding some crunchy romaine lettuce, New England cheddar and toasted sunflowers – and then swapping out the stodgy mayo with an edgy aioli made with honey, saffron, grapeseed oil and lemon juice. 'When you are working with the perimeters of history, there is some pressure,' Anthony admitted. 6 Anthony will helm Lex Yard, the 220-seat restaurant at the Waldorf Astoria that hopes to satiate locals and well-heeled guests. Waldorf Astoria New York 'But rather than build a salad that belonged in a museum, I wanted to create one that people would crave.' Advertisement Another menu item popularized at the Waldorf, a red velvet cake, has been remade as a red velvet soufflé tart. 6 The reinterpreted Waldorf salad, which was reportedly invented at the hotel's original location in 1893 — where the Empire State Building now stands. Paul Quitoriano 6 The restaurant, described by Anthony as an 'American brasserie.' Pan roasted black bass, above. Paul Quitoriano 6 Another menu item popularized at the Waldorf, a red velvet cake, has been remade as a red velvet soufflé tart. Paul Quitoriano Advertisement The restaurant, described by Anthony as an 'American brasserie,' will also offer classics like lobster rolls and herb roasted chicken, with ingredients sourced from the Union Square farmers' market. Lex Yard, named for the Lexington Avenue train line that once ran under the hotel to Grand Central Terminal, also boasts private dining rooms, including Track 61 and FDR. They are named for president Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who would secretly enter the Waldorf via the undergrounds to hide the ravages of polio that left him in a wheelchair. 6 The iconic Waldorf reopened on Tuesday after years of renovations. Waldorf Astoria New York Urban legend also claimed President Kennedy used the tracks for secret visits to paramour Marilyn Monroe, while Andy Warhol was said to host wild parties below ground. Aside from Lex Yard, Anthony will also oversee the menu at the famed Peacock Alley – a name derived from the path that used to connect the Waldorf to the Astoria when the Gilded Age properties opened. 'It is an interesting opportunity to thread the needle … and to bring back such a beautiful and elegant part of New York City. Hopefully this will become everyone's favorite neighborhood spot,' Anthony said.
