We’ve long loved The James brand of luxury boutique hotels for their sleek but residential feel, and this latest program gives us yet another reason to want to stay at their properties in Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. They’ve just announced a literary program with writer, author and humorist Joel Stein, where guests can enjoy a curated collection of books (gratis!) in paperback and e-reader form at each of the property’s locations.
Okay, we love curling up with a good book as much as the next person, but that’s hardly what excites us. The brand has also paired each book and city with a corresponding cocktail, so you can read and enjoy in style.
Guests will be able to order the book/cocktail pairings to their rooms at any of The James properties and information can be found and requested by The James Pocket Assistant app, under ‘In Room Bartender.’ Books will also be available in the James Club living libraries.
The James’ summer reading program collection features 16 titles representing the four cities in which The James hotels are located. Stein’s suggestions range from the classic to the kooky, including: York, Stein selected books that celebrate the eclectic nature of the city. These include: From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg, a classic young adult novel, to Heat by, by Bill Buford, about the city’s restaurant industry. Pair these with the classic Blood & Sand, that blends Chivas Regal Scotch, Sweet Vermouth, Cherry Herring and Orange Juice.
In Chicago, the book list includes Dave Eggers’ A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, which Stein calls a “book that I wish I had written, minus the personal tragedy stuff,” with a classic cocktail with a twist featuring bourbon, apple juice, lemon, ginger ale and bitters.
Miami’s list includes titles by humorist Dave Barry and poems by Wallace Stevens, and L.A.’ include books about subjects as varied as Einstein and being a sitcom writer.
Now this is the kind of summer reading list we can really get behind.
