MARIANI’S
Virtual
Gourmet
Founded in 1996
ARCHIVE Marlene Dietrich and Rita Hayworth serving servicemen at the Hollywood Canteen during World War II REMEMBER MEMORIAL DAY
Ma
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IN THIS ISSUE STAYING PUT IN DUBLIN By John Mariani NEW YORK CORNER KYU By John Mariani ANOTHER VERMEER CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE By John Mariani NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR A True Story About Cheval Blanc (Probably) By Geoff Kalish ❖❖❖ On this week's episode of my WVOX
Radio Show "Almost Golden," on Wed. JUNE
1, at 11AM EDT,I will be
interviewing LAWRENCE MASLON
on the great BROADWAY MUSICALS OF THE
1960S. Go to: WVOX.com.
The episode will also be archived at: almostgolden.
❖❖❖ STAYING PUT IN DUBLIN By John Mariani THE WESTBURY HOTEL GALLERY As
everywhere in Europe, the economic slump of 2008
hurt Dublin’s tourism and business travel so
that there was a shake-up in the hotels, with
the inevitable change of hands. The Four Seasons
became an Intercontinental; Bono
and the Edge still own the building that houses
the Clarence Hotel in Temple Bar, but
it is now part of the Press Up Entertainment’s
portfolio; The Marker Hotel in Docklands has
been bought by Anantara Hotels, Resorts &
Spas, owned by German real estate company Deka
Immobilien; and Marriott re-opened the Shelburne
after 18 months of renovation, a year before the
slump came. Now, with the economy of Ireland
well back on track and post-pandemic tourism
growing, all the hotels have been spruced up and
the best are as modern as any in Europe, albeit
with a fine degree of Gaelic history. Here you’ll enjoy a very fine complimentary breakfast as a capital way to shrug off jetlag when you arrive in the morning, with bright sun (if there is any) pouring through its tall windows onto plush loveseats and armchairs beneath coffered ceilings. It’s also a prime afternoon tea spot in town. There is a fitness center, on-site parking and business center. The Westbury’s rooms are spacious, the color tones muted and the bathroom is considerably larger than many other deluxe hotels’, more along the lines of a California style, with an excellent glass shower and extensive vanity. Rooms currently begin at about $520. Downstairs is a lively Balfe’s Brasserie with wicker chairs and marble tables, while upstairs is a very fine restaurant, WILDE, which I shall soon be writing about when I report on Dublin’s restaurant scene. Although it is described as a boutique hotel, The Fitzwilliam Hotel, located off Grafton Street across from St. Stephen’s Green, affords a quick drop-in-and-get-away for business travelers. The quietest rooms overlook the garden now in full bloom, while others have four-posted beds. All rooms are in vivid colors, with a varied hues of purple and violet. Currently there is a Spring Escape package at about $320, with extensive complimentary breakfast and free parking. And if you’re feeling posh, the Presidential Suite of 2,000 square feet, with a guest room study, baby grand piano and complimentary Champagne, should be just the ticket. The award-winning restaurant, Glovers Alley, will be a subject of my upcoming round-up of Dublin’s best restaurants. For information on traveling to Ireland go to: www.ireland.com ❖❖❖ NEW YORK CORNER
KYU 325 Lafayette Street 929-338-5188 By John Mariani
he big,
brash Asian restaurant has become a genre all
its own in big, brash cities like New York,
Miami and Las Vegas, and in some cases the food
seems secondary to the show, which is built
around endless rounds of Technicolor cocktails
and Techno music. Kyu has a far more serious
intention to showcase the food, under Executive
Chef Chris Arellanes (formerly of
Eleven Madison Park and Per Se) and Chef de
Cuisine Martell Fonville, who offer a
wide-ranging menu that takes in China, Japan,
Thailand and Korea, even American desserts, with
considerable authority.
Kyu is open nightly for dinner.
ANOTHER VERMEER CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Chinese
Gang Triad
“David? Gerald Kiley.” (David wondered if anyone ever called him Gerry.) “Hey, what’s up?” “Maybe nothing, maybe a lot, but it’s the kind of thing that may be of interest to both of us.” “Shoot.” “Well, we just learned that João Correia, the Brazilian billionaire who was on my short list of bidders for the Vermeer, was kidnapped two weeks ago.” “And you’re just hearing about it now?” “In these cases the families never call the police because the cops are often in on the kidnapping.” “So, how’d you hear about it?” “We got a tip from a guy in Scotland Yard who heard it from a guy in the Control Risks Group.” “The company that provides kidnap negotiators to the family without going to the local police, right?” “Right. CRG is the biggest and the best. But the weird thing is that CRG was never contacted about Correia’s disappearance. With his kind of wealth, they’d be the logical experts to bring in, but they’ve heard nothing except that Correia disappeared two weeks ago.” “How’d it happen?” asked David. “No one knows. I have to assume that Correia was ambushed somewhere in his bulletproof Mercedes. I’m sure he had bodyguards, but a lot of the time they’re in on the job. You just never know. But by now negotiations should have been well under way. The kidnappers would contact the family, demand a ransom, a negotiator would be called in, he’d demand ‘proof of life’ that the victim was still alive, and then it could take months to close the deal. But no one has heard anything from anyone. They could have taken him deep into the jungle.” “Correct me if I’m wrong, Gerald, but these kidnappers are always after money and have no intention of killing their victim.” “Correct. Why kill the golden goose?” “What’s the highest amount of money ever paid for a ransom?” “I think the current figure is $30 million—it was for a Mexican banker—but it could be higher by a lot.” “So, level with me, Gerald. What’s going through your mind?” “I’m beginning to think there’s something criminal going on with this auction. I didn’t think much of your theory about the late Mr. Saito, but this kidnapping of a potential bidder during this same period is suspicious. It’s possible that he’s alive and being kept out of the bidding until it’s over. Or, that the ransom will be so high, the last thing he’ll want to think about is putting out $100 million for a painting.” “Isn’t it also possible he’s been murdered, so he won’t even have a chance to bid?” “I thought that, too. But we’ve currently got nothing but rumor to go on. Fact is, as far as everyone but his family is concerned, he’s not even missing. Maybe he’s just off cutting down more of the Amazon rain forest. Maybe got eaten by piranhas. Unlikely, but there it is.” David’s mind was racing. “So, Gerald, you think there’s something to my Saito theory? That maybe he was whacked to get him out of the bidding?” “Maybe so. But again”—playing it officially safe—“it’s all conjecture. There is no proof any crime has taken place.” “Well, then, Gerald, there’s a phone call I’d like to ask you to make.” “What’s that?” “I want you to call the hospital in Tokyo that did the autopsy on Saito and get a definitive answer on how he died. I tried through a Tokyo cop I know, but he wouldn’t do anything without an official request from a legit police agency. Like Interpol.” “Hmm, I’m pretty sure I can act on that,” said Kiley. “It’ll take cutting through some red tape around here, but I can probably make a case for it now. Do you think I should go through your cop friend first?” “I’d like to say yes,” said David, “but I think he’s going to be wary of getting another phone call on the matter. Can you just call the coroner’s officer direct in Tokyo.” “Guess I can. Okay, let me knock some heads together and I’ll get back to you.” “Thanks, and let me know if you hear anything more about Correia.” “Will do.” “By the way, Gerald, if this does develop into a case of international criminal activity, who do you think the most likely culprit might be?” “Well, it wouldn’t be the Chinese.” “Why not?” “Because it is entirely in their interest to have a large number of bidders pushing the price as high as they can. It could be some Hong Kong collector we don’t have on our list or it could be Hai Shui.” “You think Shui is capable of murder?” “Well, there’s nothing in his record that shows him to be anything but a hard-nosed, maybe ruthless entrepreneur.” “What about the Russian?” asked David. “Stepanossky? For the moment I think he could be the prime suspect. As you already know, he’s ex-K.G.B. and he leapt up into billionaire status with the help of his old colleagues and the government officials who dole out favors to their cronies. Basically, the whole Russian government operates as one big management operation for the post-Soviet oligarchs, who fall in and out of favor as they always did. Every one of them was a staunch communist who suddenly became an avid capitalist, although their form of capitalism is a lot like the Mafia’s. Their idea of the land of opportunity is to grab the land whenever there’s an opportunity, whatever the means used to get it.” “So you think Stepanossky is very well enough connected and powerful enough to cross international lines to get to his enemies?” “To one degree or another, they all are,” replied Kiley. “Then again, we’ve been hearing Stepanossky’s been having his own troubles with some of the other factions within the government. He used to have the bogus title of Presidential Property Management Department under Yeltsin, and you can only imagine how he ran that office for his own enrichment. But since he got filthy rich, he officially resigned from the government, and now his old job has been taken by another ex-K.G.B. mobster named Vladimir Putin. We don’t know much about him yet, but he’s considered a rising star, or demon, in the present regime, and supposedly he thinks of himself as a real tough guy.” “So then you think Stepanossky’s trying to get rid of the other bidders so he can get a lower price on the painting?” “Yes, which would really piss off the Chinese. They hate these ex-Soviet mobsters.” “And the other guys on the list? I know Balaton has connections to the Macau casino mobsters, right?” “From what we know, definitely. He’s been linked to a guy named Kun Chang, who started out as a smuggler during the war then afterwards built a small fortune in luxury goods and running the highly lucrative ferry business between Hong Kong and Macau. Then Chang and his partners moved in on the casino business, pushed aside the dominant players, and became the kingpin of the industry there. Runs a national lottery, too.” “And the Chinese government allows him that kind of power?” “As long as the Chinese get a really good return from the casinos on Macau, they are pretty much hands-off. Chang has been very valuable to them. Macau was a Portuguese colony for five centuries, and they set up the island’s first gambling operations back in the 19th century. China still has a formal agreement with Portugal to live and let live, at least for the time being. These days half the city’s income comes from gambling.” “So where does Balaton figure into all this?” “I think the Chinese and Chang believe Balaton is the key to bringing in American and British tourists to Macau, which the Portuguese will probably have to cede all control over soon. Right now Macau doesn’t earn anything like the money Las Vegas does. Oddly enough, they don’t even have poker.” “Sounds like Balaton could be very valuable that way,” said David, “especially since you told me he’s still got mob ties in Vegas.” “And here’s the thing,” said Kiley. “Chang’s been involved with the Kung Lok Triad . . .” “The Macau Mafia,” said David. “Right. And Balaton knows how to deal with gangsters. So he’s very valuable to Chang.” “But from what Katie and I learned in Vegas, Balaton’s dabbling in the art market has been with mediocre stuff he sticks in his casino. What would spending $100 million on the Vermeer do for him? I was told the guy has horrible taste in art.” “Who told you that?” “Steve Wynn.” Kiley shrugged and said, “That figures. I don’t know, maybe Balaton’s got bad taste, maybe he’s hiding his good taste. But if he could buy the Vermeer, paying the Chinese in U.S. dollars, Chang and the Chinese are both winners.” “How so?” “Well, the Chinese will be giddy to get $100 million. Now, suppose Balaton hangs the painting in one of Chang’s casinos—the only Vermeer in Asia and the most expensive painting in the world. It could become a huge tourist attraction, especially for Americans and Europeans. Plus, the Chinese always know where it is, on Chinese soil, and can get their hands on it any time they wish.” David was taking all this new information in, encouraged that Kiley was now not only forthcoming but that he had come around to believing David’s suspicions about criminal activity. “But hold on, Gerald,” he said. “If Balaton, maybe with Chang, is arranging for the other bidders to disappear or drop out, and the painting sells for much less as a result, what have the Chinese to gain? Plus, something tells me the Chinese would put two and two together and Balaton and Chang would be in deep shit.” “Which is why,” said Kiley, “I don’t think Balaton is a prime suspect. He may not have a hundred mill for the painting but with Chang and maybe even the Kung Lok mobsters behind him he might be able to bid that high. And everybody comes out smelling, sort of, like a rose. He’d be using the painting as leverage to build good will with his Chinese benefactors.” David wasn’t entirely convinced by Kiley’s logic but acknowledged that it would not be a smart move to piss off the Chinese. “So, for the moment, then,” said David. “You think Stepanossky is our guy.” “For the moment, yeah. We’re just going to see how this plays out. Meanwhile Interpol is watching all the activities closely.” “And you’ll call about that autopsy on Saito?” “Soon as I get the okay.” As David was about to hang up, Kiley said, “And David, I gotta admit I thought you were just a retired cop, maybe a little bored, maybe a little too keen to find a case somewhere, but this is starting to smell.” David smiled and pinched his nostrils. © John Mariani, 2016
❖❖❖ NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR
A True Story About Cheval Blanc (Probably) By Geoff Kalish Château d'Yquem In planning a visit to France’s St.
Émilion later this year I am reminded of a
wonderful story about one of its most famous
vineyards, Château Cheval-Blanc. Dr.
Geoff Kalish writes about wine for several
publications. He lives in Mount Kisco, NY.
❖❖❖ Any of John Mariani's books below may be ordered from amazon.com. The Hound in Heaven (21st Century Lion Books) is a novella, and for anyone who loves dogs, Christmas, romance, inspiration, even the supernatural, I hope you'll find this to be a treasured favorite. The story concerns how, after a New England teacher, his wife and their two daughters adopt a stray puppy found in their barn in northern Maine, their lives seem full of promise. But when tragedy strikes, their wonderful dog Lazarus and the spirit of Christmas are the only things that may bring his master back from the edge of despair. WATCH THE VIDEO! “What a huge surprise turn this story took! I was completely stunned! I truly enjoyed this book and its message.” – Actress Ali MacGraw “He had me at Page One. The amount of heart, human insight, soul searching, and deft literary strength that John Mariani pours into this airtight novella is vertigo-inducing. Perhaps ‘wow’ would be the best comment.” – James Dalessandro, author of Bohemian Heart and 1906. “John Mariani’s Hound in Heaven starts with a well-painted portrayal of an American family, along with the requisite dog. A surprise event flips the action of the novel and captures us for a voyage leading to a hopeful and heart-warming message. A page turning, one sitting read, it’s the perfect antidote for the winter and promotion of holiday celebration.” – Ann Pearlman, author of The Christmas Cookie Club and A Gift for my Sister. “John Mariani’s concise, achingly beautiful novella pulls a literary rabbit out of a hat – a mash-up of the cosmic and the intimate, the tragic and the heart-warming – a Christmas tale for all ages, and all faiths. Read it to your children, read it to yourself… but read it. Early and often. Highly recommended.” – Jay Bonansinga, New York Times bestselling author of Pinkerton’s War, The Sinking of The Eastland, and The Walking Dead: The Road To Woodbury. “Amazing things happen when you open your heart to an animal. The Hound in Heaven delivers a powerful story of healing that is forged in the spiritual relationship between a man and his best friend. The book brings a message of hope that can enrich our images of family, love, and loss.” – Dr. Barbara Royal, author of The Royal Treatment. ❖❖❖
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"I’ve designed this site is for people who take
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Eating Las
Vegas JOHN CURTAS has been covering
the Las Vegas food and restaurant scene
since 1995. He is the co-author of EATING LAS
VEGAS – The 50 Essential Restaurants (as
well as the author of the Eating Las
Vegas web site: www.eatinglasvegas.
He can also be seen every Friday morning as
the “resident foodie” for Wake Up With the
Wagners on KSNV TV (NBC) Channel 3 in
Las Vegas.
MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET
NEWSLETTER is published weekly. Publisher: John Mariani. Editor: Walter Bagley. Contributing Writers: Christopher
Mariani, Misha Mariani, John A. Curtas, Gerry Dawes, Geoff Kalish.
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