Eat what you get and don't get upset The element of surprise is a quirky trademark at LaFitte, the newest addition to San Francisco's The Piers redevelopment project. Over the years, its owner and "Dissident Chef" Russell Jackson has gained a Bay Area following with his members-only underground supper club. His radical just-eat-what-I-give-you approach to cooking extends to the meals at LaFitte. Instead of setting a menu, Jackson prefers a "menu of logic": He scopes out the freshest local ingredients, which are prepared in a style that suits his mood that day. Recently on offer: 18-hour braised lamb shoulder, semolina gnocchi with black chanterelle mushrooms, and steelhead salmon with braised fennel. www.lafittesf.com
Dubai delay The launch of Giorgio Armani's first hotel, Armani Hotel Dubai, has been pushed back by a week because of the Icelandic ash crisis. Armani and his VIP friends were scheduled to celebrate the grand opening on April 21, but closed airspace over Europe left them stranded. Housed in Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, the 160-room luxury hotel is as exclusive as its namesake's designer duds with added amenities such as the Armani/Privé nightclub and the world's first in-hotel Armani/Spa. Opening rates range from $775 to $2,485 a night.
Long nights at the museum The German port city of Hamburg kicks off its annual Long Night of Museums today, as 46 museums and exhibition halls keep their doors open from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Special buses run into the wee hours, shuttling visitors across town to the various exhibits. Stops include the cargo ship turned naval museum Cap San Diego and the Hamburger Kunsthalle, which, in addition to its permanent Old Masters collection, is featuring works by Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Damien Hirst in a special display called Pop Life. Parts of the exhibit are racy enough that on its next stop at the National Gallery of Canada (June 11 to Sept. 19), under-18s will gain restricted entry. An all-night pass costs $16 (€12).
Canal-side table in Little Venice The Summerhouse by the Waterway - a canal-side eatery in London's Little Venice - is open for the season. While the restaurant's whitewashed, nautically themed interior is as airy as a Cape Cod beach retreat, the waterfront tables really set the mood. Linger over a plate of beer-battered cod and chips and a tall glass of Pimms, or come for a weekend brunch of pancakes and strawberries. There's even a private mooring for diners who prefer to arrive by barge. Open until October. www.thewaterway.co.uk/Summerhouse/
Special to The Globe and Mail