We've been eyeing these guides since our early days over to Shanghai where the always-swanky Shanghai Tang stores have been stocking them for years. Being bright, colorful, and ingeniously graphic on the outer cover, they're hard to miss and are just begging to be picked up and flipped through. So when this past Christmas came around and The Fiance had already bought himself an iPad, and the shirt I bought him for his birthday months before was still sitting in it's box in his utility room, I was stuck thinking of the perfect Christmas present for The Man Who Already Has It All. Alas, I remember these fancy little travel guides that he hunts down every time we're within 100ft of a Shanghai Tang store. I bought him one of their gift sets with our favorite cities in them like Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. We hadn't even been to Paris yet but I already knew it was going to be a favorite. And it is! I could go on for days about why these guides are the PERFECT and ONLY city guide I would rely on. For starters, they're written in the wittiest manner and cause me to chortle in my chair as they sass me through city after glorious city. Here's an excerpt from the New York guide just to give you a little taste:
May I help you?
TRANSLATION: You look too poor to shop here.
Think New York, think Manhattan. For a city bought for just 60 guilders in 1626, she ain’t doing too badly. Nary brutal winters, nor stifling summers can dampen the indefatigable gumption of this most iconic of all iconic cities. From cupcakes to knishes, and Mesopotamian art to molecular gastronomy, this unendingly fascinating hub of metropolitan life self-invents on an hourly basis. Majestic, grand, kitsch, the tops, the bottoms, the kit and the kaboodle, NY is one huge and mercurial melting pot. Fashion forward, status conscious, food and culture epicentric, exasperating, exhilarating and never out of the spotlight; welcome to the extraordinary Gotham City.
LUXE New York. Triple threat, darling.
And the Hong Kong version:
Looking for Suzy Wong? Well, she's dead. Get over it.
Welcome to LUXE City Guide’s home town! Despite naughty sisters Beijing and Shanghai constantly trying to steal her glittering crown, Hong Kong still reigns supreme as Asia’s predominant shopping, dining and style destination. Excess, success and 24 hr party times are always on the menu in this mile-a-minute metropolis famed for its high-rise living and high-end labels. From the ultra-efficient airport to the cacophony of sights, sounds, smells and activity of the island you’re in for a rollercoaster good time. Whether you want star names like Robuchon, Ducasse, Nobu or Gagnaire, or prefer to dine in an alley next to a sizzling wok, Hong Kong packs it all in. So, when you’re looking for the savvy choices in the city that makes New York look like a spinster aunt, it’s worth remembering that what we don’t know about this city ain’t worth jack. Walk this way…
LUXE Hong Kong. You won't go far Wong.
See? They're quirky and well, slightly offensive if you don't fit their ideal demographic, but they're tons of fun and spot on in their recommendations. We wouldn't have found our favorite Paris bistro had it not been for these guides. They'll give you turn-by-turn directions and the chicest advise on where to stay, what to eat, and what to avoid.
Here's me in Paris studiously scoping out our guidebook before our next excursion.
You can visit their site here: Luxe City Guides. So grab a suitcase, a Luxe City Guide, and GO!
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