A 40-story hotel development could be about to crown the emergence of one of New York’s formerly rough districts as one of the coolest places to be in the city.

Hotel developer Jon Lam is looking to construct a new hotel and retail emporium in the district known as NoMad, a district of Manhattan north of Madison Square Park.

The development could see a 30- to 40-story, 600-room property rise out of existing properties on 846 Avenue of the Americas and 1227 Broadway.

New York is to be the home to Norwegian Cruise Line‘s new 4,000-passenger ship when she launches, city officials confirmed October 7.

The Norwegian Breakaway is set to be the largest ship ever to home port in NYC and will enter service in 2013, departing on a planned 88 cruises in less than two years.

Breakaway will boast new rooms designed to invoke a boutique hotel and a luxury private area called ‘The Haven’, complete with 24-hour butler service, a poolside valet and white-tablecloth in-room dining.

The Michelin New York Guide for 2012 is out and the inspectors have spoken, crowning two more restaurants with their top culinary honor, bumping up the star power for another two, and demoting another.

After languishing for years with one star, Eleven Madison Park steered by chef Daniel Humm has vaulted to the top to join the exclusive three-star club, home of gastronomic stalwarts Daniel, Jean Georges, Le Bernardin, Masa and Per Se.

Famous, luxury Parisian patisserie Maison Ladurée has announced plans to set up its first US outpost in New York this summer.

The opulent boutique — known for its pastel-colored, feather-light macarons and elegant tea houses across Paris — will open a boutique on Madison Avenue in July.

In a city where the cupcake continues to reign as the frosted, portable dessert snack of choice for New Yorkers and tourists alike, the French house is hoping to take a bite out of the market and start a new trend.

Oone that appeals to the well-heeled Manhattanite who dines on fine china, drinks tea with her pinky held aloft and swoons at dainty, fairytale pastries.

Here today, gone tomorrow. Chef John Fraser’s pop-up restaurant is slated to open for just nine months, giving diners a short-lived gastronomic experience.

New York‘s storied Chelsea Hotel, the classic haunt of artists and hell-raising performers, is for sale and, perhaps, so is its soul.

The 12-floor building with the neon sign “Hotel Chelsea” is a landmark in Manhattan thanks to its long list of famous residents.

Playwright Arthur Miller and singers Janis Joplin and Patti Smith were among those living there. Poet Dylan Thomas died there, as did Nancy, the girlfriend of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious.