Gerard Butler
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Not only is Artichoke a place to get good pizza, but a spot to feat on fine Italian cuisine and star gaze.
Celebs fans include Gerard Butler, Leighton Meester,Chace Crawford,Jim Carrey and the list goes on.
I caught up with the brains behind the magical Artichoke pizza, Fran Garcia and Sal Basile and chatted with them about Artichoke being a Hollyscoop certified Hotspot.
Hollyscoop: Tell us about your story how did you get started?
Fran Garcia and Sal Basile: Me and my cousin Sal were born into a family of restaurateurs, it goes back to our grandparents even great grandparents who owned restaurants all over downtown Brooklyn since the 40's. We grew up behind the counters of our parent’s restaurants in Staten Island and New Jersey and we one day decided we would open a shop in Manhattan where we would just specialize in our pizza.
HS: How did you and the boys of Strategic group connect?
Fran & Sal: Sal's brother in law introduced us to Noah Tepperberg and Jason Strauss and we hit it off instantly, they're awesome partners and we're getting a great education from them.
HS:What is the best item to get on the menu at your restaurant?
Fran & Sal: The menu is so limited its hard to say, everybody seems to have a favorite but the most popular by far is the artichoke pizza.
HS: What is the secret to your success?
Fran & Sal: It's pretty simple, hard work, good help and a passion for what we do.
HS: Why do people love the artichoke food?
Fran & Sal: It's simply delicious, they can taste the love in every bite. I've been experimenting with pizza for more than half my life, I wanted to make something different that stood out above any other style of pizza. I started making Artichoke pizza in my mothers restaurant "Basille's" about 5 years ago and the response was huge but I knew we needed to take it to Manhattan to get the recognition it deserves.
HS: Do you get excited to hear that your spot is a celeb hotspot?
Fran & Sal: Yes especially when they wait in line!! But I get excited when I hear good things about Artichoke whether it's from celebs or just ordinary people it doesn't matter. It feels great to know our hard work is appreciated by anybody no matter who they are.
HS: Are you expanding your locations?
Fran & Sal: Yes we plan on expanding into outer borough's we've looked at spaces in Astoria and Williamsburgh. We've also looked at spaces in Boston, Las Vegas and Miami.
HS: Will you be opening a artichoke in Los Angeles?
Fran & Sal: It's definitely on our radar, I hear "Silver lake" can use a place like Artichoke.
Artichoke in Silverlake? Just the thought of it gets me excited since that is my neighborhood. Until then, I need to travel to NYC to get a slice. Well worth it!
July 14, 2010
Rio has also become a celebrity hideaway. Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem were recently spotted frolicking on the beach, while Paris Hilton, Gerard Butler and Madonna were spotted partying it up during Carnival.
I got the pleasure to visit Rio during the best and craziest time of the year...New Years Eve! The Brazilians really know how to celebrate as over 3 million people flocked to the beach dressed in white to party the wee hours.
There is just something about the city where you instantly fall in love with the culture, beaches, restaurants, nightlife and the list goes on.
If visiting Rio, here are my tips on where to stay and what to do. Ipanema beach is definitely the place to be. Ipanema blossomed as one of the most charming neighborhood of Rio from the glorious Bossa nova Era. This boho-chic hideaway has the best waters to swim in, restaurants to dine at and hotels to stay in. Remember the song “Girl From Ipanema,” well you can dine at the restaurant “garota de ipanema” which is where the song was inspired from. I made daily trips to this restaurant because the food is superb!
A couple blocks down from this restaurant was my favorite hotel in Rio, the Fasano Hotel . Designed by Philip Stark, this hotel embraces elegance and modernity. Located near Post 9, which is the trendiest beach to sunbath in. After all, this is the same beach where some of the most famous supermodels in the world were discovered.
What’s great about the Fasano Hotel is its cool lobby which you can chill at, its restaurant Al Mare and its ultra chic bar Baretto-Londra. The bar brings in the hottest people in town, from Fashion designers, models and socialites.
Although this hotel has all the amenities to be a hot spot, it is also romantic. The rooftop pool deck has the best views of the beach and the brothers mountains, Dois Irmãos. Make sure to stay by the pool when the sun sets!
One thing is for sure, if making a trip to Rio you need to start working out. The residents of Rio like to do two things: party and work out. Everyone is health conscious and I couldn't blame them. If you're going to sport a Brazilian thong on the beach, your booty should be in shape for it!
If you do plan on leaving the beach make sure it's only for the 7th Wonder of the world, Christ the Redeemer.
