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Lisa Palladino

Luxist Giveaway: Win a 6pm.com Gift Card

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) — Dec 9th 2010 10:01AM

Just in time to shop for a holiday gift for loved ones or friends, Luxist has teamed up with 6pm.com, the designer shoe, bag, accessory, and clothing lover's haven. 6pm offers deep discounts on designer brands at all times, with just $6.95 shipping no matter how big your order. Shop for women, men, and kids. Use the site's handy holiday gift guide to narrow down the huge selection. As the site says, "It's time to get your brand fix!"

Thanks to our friends at 6pm.com, Luxist is giving away one $25 gift card to a winner selected at random. To enter, follow the instructions below.

* Leave a confirmed comment below telling us who you will shop for with this gift card.
* The comment must be left and confirmed no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on December 16, 2010.
* One entry per person. Multiple entries will be disqualified.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing and notified by e-mail.
* One winner will receive a $25 gift card for use on 6pm.com, to be delivered by postal mail.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.

See the complete rules here.

The contest is closed. The winner will be notified by December 17. Thank you for participating!

Luxist Giveaway: Win a Zappos Gift Card

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) — Dec 7th 2010 10:01AM

You know you've been browsing Zappos on your lunch hour under the guise of holiday shopping for friends and family, but admit it, you always see a little something you'd love too, and you slip it into your cart. I do the same thing. You've learned that whether you're shopping for yourself or for someone else for the holidays, or any time, Zappos is your go-to place. Much more than just shoes, the easy-to-shop (and fun-to-shop) site also offers clothing, bags, housewares, and watches, and even beauty products, eyewear, jewelry, and sporting goods, for men, women, and kids. You can't beat the free shipping and free 365-day return policy, either. Check out the Holiday Gift Guide for ideas!

Here's some more good news. Luxist wants to make things easier on you and your wallet this month. Our great friends at Zappos offered us one $100 gift card to give to a lucky reader selected at random. To enter, follow the instructions below.

* Leave a confirmed comment below telling us what one item from the site you would love to buy for yourself or for someone else.
* The comment must be left and confirmed no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on December 14, 2010.
* One entry per person. Multiple entries will be disqualified.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing and notified by e-mail.
* One winner will receive a $100 gift card for use on Zappos.com, to be delivered by postal mail.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.

See the complete rules here.

The contest is closed. The winner will be notified by e-mail by December 17. Thanks for participating!

"The Godfather" Home, Staten Island, N.Y., Estate of the Day

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) — Dec 6th 2010 1:02PM

The outside of this Staten Island, N.Y., English Tudor was used to portray Don Corleone's residence in the classic 1972 film The Godfather. The home is in Staten Island's Todt Hill / Emerson Hill section, known for its large, pretty homes and good-sized lots. This home is surrounded by park-like grounds and inside boasts 12 rooms that comprise 8 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 1 half-bath, 1 three-quarter-bath, 2 fireplaces, and an English pub basement that includes a rec room and a storage room. There's also a living room, formal dining room, den, butler's pantry, and a laundry room with a chute from all three above-ground floors. Need more space? There's also a 4-car garage. For outdoor living, there's an in-ground pool.

This home has some personal meaning for me. I grew up right near it, and the band that played in the opening scene at daughter Connie's wedding played at my parents' wedding. My parents also like to tell the story about how they and some neighbors hung out near the home during the filming one day and were given some cookies, albeit stale, from the wedding scene.

Judging from the photos, the owners didn't bother to hire a professional stager, or even clean up much. The home appears to have good bones but needs needs refreshing and updating. It's listed for $2.9 million with Connie Profaci Realty. Check the link on her site for more photos.

We must thank sharp-eyed reader Caroline R. for telling us about this iconic home for being for sale. She sums it up well: "Considering the house's history it would make an exciting 'Estate of the Day' for the film buff, the gangster aficionado, or a real-life wannabe Don Corleone."

Gallery: The Godfather Home in Staten Island, NY

Dempsey & Carroll's Holiday Cards Collection

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) — Dec 5th 2010 6:01PM

If you have yet to order your personalized holiday cards, it's time to get cracking! But when your friends and family receive a card from Dempsey & Carroll's beautiful and classy holiday collection, you will be forgiven for being a bit behind schedule. Luckily, D&C offers rush service (15 days from day of order) for $100.

The stationer's collection of 65 designs range in price from about $500 - $3,900 for boxes of 50 - 500 cards and envelopes, although some styles start at a minimum of 100 cards and envelopes. Select a greeting (or write your own), ink, and typestyle. You can have D&C make you an engraving plate for an additional charge, or send along your own.

You also can get non-personalized holiday cards. These are ready to ship right now; prices range from $50 - $75 for a set of 10 cards and 10 envelopes.

View the gallery for a few of the customizable options.

Gallery: Dempsey & Carroll's Holidays Cards Collection - Customizable

Hung on U Bags: Model-Designed, Charity-Inclined

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) — Dec 2nd 2010 5:02PM

Supermodel Patti Hansen (Mrs. Keith Richards) and her longtime friend, producer/manager, Molly Madden, loved their matching bags throughout the Studio 54 era. These bags were a part of them having so much fun that they took the idea to designer Debi Koppel, the woman behind DKP Designs, and the three of them collaborated to give these '80s-inspired bags new life as Hung on U bags. The bags are simple yet versatile -- they conform to your body, tie in various knots, and fold for easy travel. The 27-bag collection includes varieties in nylon, denim, glitter (shown), suede, and pony, most in small and large sizes ($35 - $300). Hung on U also does does good while doing well: Proceeds are donated to the Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation for children's EB, a group of diseases characterized by blister formation after minor trauma to the skin.

NYC Street Vendor Hawks $900 Christmas Trees

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) — Nov 30th 2010 6:01AM

The Daily News reported that a lot in the heart of SoHo is selling jumbo-sized Christmas trees at prices to match. Scott Lechner, 53, charges as much as $900 for trees he ships from the Blue Mountains in North Carolina to his temporary business on Sixth Avenue and Spring Street. "A regular tree is beautiful, but one of our jumbos is majestic," Lechner says in the News. "It's not just a tree, it's an experience. And it's worth every penny."

Not all the trees are as much as $900. A 12-foot Fraser fir retails for about $400; it's a 17-footer that goes for $900. Lechner claims his clients have been celebrities, a Facebook executive, and SoHo residents. He notes that his prices are high because the trees come to his lot within 96 hours of being cut. But the News reports -- fueling the fire in the battle of the boroughs -- that the same types of trees can be found at a fraction of the price in Brooklyn.

The question that still nags at me is this: Who in New York has space for a 17-foot tree? I mean, obviously not counting the celebs, execs, and SoHo folks. I guess they all own two-floor apartments where the lower-level apartment ceiling has been removed, or the elusive brownstone.

WWD's 100th Anniversary Book

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) — Nov 28th 2010 6:01PM

Here's a perfect gift for the fashionista in your life (even if that's you): WWD: 100 Years, 100 Designers. Fairchild Books and WWD (Women's Wear Daily) recently unveiled this special edition, large-format book commemorating WWD's 100th anniversary. Compiled by WWD's editors, the book examines the careers and creations of 100 designers who are among the past century's most influential style icons and tastemakers.

In its 312 pages, the book pays homage to WWD's century of fashion-industry news and daily style coverage from 1910 to the present. Filled with hundreds of stunning photographs and lavish illustrations, one section features designer interviews conducted through the years for WWD including Giorgio Armani, Gabriel "Coco" Chanel, John Galliano, Tommy Hilfiger, Halston, Calvin Klein, Karl Lagerfeld, Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Valentino, Gianni Versace, and Diane Von Furstenberg.

The first book published by Fairchild Books, it's available at Amazon ($65).

Kirk Gibson's Artifacts Bring in $1.19 Million at Auction

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) — Nov 17th 2010 8:01AM

Kirk Gibson's Artifacts Bring in $1.9 Million at Auction

AP reported that a father-son sports collectors team from Santa Barbara bought the bat that Kirk Gibson used for his historic home run in the 1988 World Series for $575,912.40 on November 14 in SCP Auctions' October/November auction, and also took home the four other Gibson artifacts on sale. The bid for Gibson's bat is the second-highest amount paid for a game-used bat, behind only Babe Ruth's signed bat used for the first home run at Yankee Stadium, which SCP sold in 2004 for $1.265 million.

Chad and Doug Dreier of the Dreier Group paid $1.19 million for the five items, which included Gibson's home run bat, his game-worn Los Angeles Dodgers jersey ($303,277.20), batting helmet ($153,388.80), NL Most Valuable Player Award ($110,293.20), and World Series trophy ($45,578.40). Proceeds from the sale of the World Series trophy and MVP award will benefit the Kirk Gibson Foundation to continue Gibson's support of Michigan State University athletic programs and to help fund his partial scholarship programs at Clarkston (Michigan) H.S. and Waterford (Michigan) H.S., in honor of his parents, who were educators at those schools.

Other items that found new homes at the auction are a 1934 Babe Ruth professional-model bat used by Ruth to hit career home run No. 702 ($137,865.60), a Ty Cobb H&B side-written professional model game-used bat ($75,330), and a 1953 Mickey Mantle New York Yankees game-worn, autographed road jersey ($62,256).

Gallery: Kirk Gibson's Artifacts Bring in $1.19 Million at Auction

oGorgeous Workout Mat Bags: Style and Practicality

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) — Nov 13th 2010 2:01PM

The holidays are here, and you know what that means ... New Year's resolutions are right around the corner. Promising yourself you'll work out more, maybe try yoga or Pilates? You'll need your own mat (gym mats = germs), and no doubt, as a Luxist reader, you'll want a mat bag with style. Look to oGorgeous for bags that are practical but won't look like anyone else's in the locker room.

The Pleated Pocket bag is shown; take a gander at the gallery for some other styles. All bags feature 2 side water bottle pockets, 1 inner zippered pocket, 1 inner cell phone pocket, 1 MP3 player pocket, 2 pen slots, a satin silk lining, and the oGorgeous golden emblem. The bags can fit the standard 1/8" mat, as well as 1/4" mats, with room to spare for shoes, towels, a change of clothes, and other personal items. $85-$109

Gallery: oGorgeous Workout Mat Bags: Style and Practicality

The 13th Annual New York Chocolate Show

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) — Nov 11th 2010 7:01AM

The 13th annual New York Chocolate Show, presented by Event International and running from Thursday, November 11 - Sunday, November 14, at The Metropolitan Pavilion (125 W. 18th St.), is the largest show in the United States completely dedicated to chocolate. Considered the chocolate hub of North America, the show brings together more than 65 fine chocolate companies that will present an array of fine chocolates and chocolate-inspired products that will reach 12,000 consumers, members of the trade, and press.

This year's Chocolate Show will feature book signings by award-winning authors; cooking demonstrations in two culinary theaters featuring renowned chocolatiers and pastry chefs who will share secrets of the trade; a Kid's Zone, presented by Young Chefs Academy; and -- something I'm sorry I missed on the 10th -- a Chocolate Fashion Show.

Founded in 1997 by Sylvie Douce and Franois Jeantet, French entrepreneurs with a passion for chocolate, The Chocolate Show was quickly adopted by New York City as one of its favorite shows, and has become the largest and one of the most popular events devoted to chocolate in the United States. The New York Chocolate Show is one of many international Salon du Chocolat events produced annually by Douce and Jeantet. In 2010, shows were or will be presented in Paris, Tokyo and six cities in Japan, Shanghai, Madrid, Cairo, and Moscow.

The New York show is open this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. and this Sunday till 6 p.m. Get tickets here.