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2009 Michelin Stars Adorn New & Old in UK

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) — Jan 29th 2009 at 3:00PM

This year's Michelin Guide for the UK was just released, or really leaked, highlighting four new 2-star restaurants, twenty-six new 1-star restaurants, and a list of four 'Rising Stars'. The coveted 3-stars were only bestowed upon past recipients including Gordon Ramsay, Heston Blumenthal's 'The Fat Duck', and Michel Roux's 'The Waterside Inn'.

Two-Michelin Stars were newly awarded to:

The Dining Room at Whatley Manor
Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester
l'Atelier de Joel Robuchon
Claude Bosi's Hibiscus (previously lost a star when the restaurant moved from Ludlow to London)

Newly promoted Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester was tipped for third star status on the 2009 list of 'Rising Stars' which also includes three restaurants tipped for their second star status: Tom Aikens, The Ledbury, and Nathan Outlaw. Pubs, family-run establishments, country hotels and trendy London restaurants awarded Michelin stars denotes the exceptional variety and quality of UK cuisine among the culinary world.

[via Decanter]

Gallery: Snapshot of the 2009 Michelin Guide UK

Tags: 2009 michelin guide, 2009MichelinGuide, michelin guide 2009, michelin guide UK, MichelinGuide2009, MichelinGuideUk, UK michelin guide, UkMichelinGuide

Limoland...New Luxury Menswear!

by Star Sutherland (RSS feed) — May 21st 2008 at 8:02AM

Stylish men all over the globe are obsessed with hot new fashion line, Limoland! Limoland is for wealthy men who consider themselves eternal adolescents, who don't take themselves too seriously and who like to have fun with their wardrobes, it's couture with a sense of humor. Fun colorful street wear made out of the most expensive materials available, Japanese cottons and the finest cashmere, completed with exquisite hand detailing. So far Limoland is available exclusively at Harvey Nichols, prices are comparable to other luxury men's line, the most popular piece is the hot pink V neck sweater which retails for around $800. Check out the Limoland website, or browse the collection at Harvey Nichols London!

Tags: harvey nichols, HarveyNichols, limoland, mens fashion, MensFashion, menswear, shop

Candle Trousseau by Jo Malone

by Star Sutherland (RSS feed) — Apr 30th 2008 at 2:02PM

Jo Malone is famous for their luxurious skin care products and delicious fragrances. Products are always presented exquisitely, the signature cream packaging evokes a similar response as the little blue Tiffany & Co. box! This mothers day, Jo Malone has designed the perfect luxury mothers day gift. Candle Trousseau offers a collection of the most popular scented candles (Pomegranate Noir, Grapefruit, Wild Fig & Cassis) and Jo Malone matches, along with a sterling silver candle snuffer and a key, all presented in a timeless leather box. This is a stylish and stunning gift that will be remembered for a long time. Available on BergdorfGoodman.com for $575.

Tags: candles, gift set, gifts, GiftSet, jo malone, jo malone candle trousseau, JoMalone, JoMaloneCandleTrousseau, mothers day, mothers day gifts, MothersDay, MothersDayGifts

Proximity Hotel, North Carolina Goes Green

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) — Apr 16th 2008 at 2:02PM

Fine hotels don't have to sacrifice comfort for conscience. At Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, North Carolina they have been taking the steps to reach their LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification with solar panels and waterless urinals, along with a rooftop garden, plenty of natural light through large windows and the restoration of a nearby stream. But along with those earth-friendly changes the Proximity Hotel is beautifully designed with a fantastic restaurant, spacious rooms and stylish lounges. Rooms run about $200 per night and special packages include tickets to Art Beat or Appalachian Echoes.

[via Intelligent Travel]

Gallery: Proximity Hotel

Tags: green-accommodations, green-hotel, Greensboro, NC, North- Carolina, North-Carolina, Proximity-Hotel

Hotel Chatter Lists Geek Hotels

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) — Mar 6th 2008 at 10:02AM

Travelers these days often will assume that all hotels have jumped onto the tech train and have added Wi-Fi (at the least), ipod docks, and other fun tech-luxuries we've all come to consider necessary comforts when away from home. Not all hotels were created equally and that means some lack in the tech department and a supreme few truly succeed. So...without further ado, here are the Best Geek Hotels in the World 2.0 for 2008 from Hotel Chatter:

The Hotel Sax, Chicago: Attention all gamers! On the sixth floor of this hotel there is a Microsoft Studio complete with XBOX 360s, premium games, HDTV, Microsoft's Zune music player and more.
Hotel Avante, Mountain View, California: A stone's throw from Google headquarters and filled with free services like a music lounge, Wi-Fi, flat-screen tv's, cordless phones, and extra items to get your creative wheels turning like slinky's, etch-a-sketch, etc., this is one cool place to stay.
The Westin, Sydney, Australia: Fan of the Matrix movies? Follow Neo's steps and deja vu experience in this hotel's staircase and all around downtown Sydney.
The Pod Hotel, New York: Known for its small, affordable rooms that are packed full of the newest gadgets, this hotel has its own online community so guests can network with each other and make plans for sightseeing, drinks or a night on the town.
Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi: Nothing is impossible in Abu Dhabi -- these guest rooms have handheld computers that control all switches and outlets and an endless stream of Wi-Fi reaching out even to the pool and private beach.
Langham Place Hotel, Mongkok, Hong Kong: With a Cisco 7970 color Internet Protocol phone in every room, continuous Wi-Fi throughout the premises, and an animated Angel to walk you through all the tech in the room, including A/C, this hotel is geeked out.

Also included were three honorable mentions: Hotel Monaco Seattle, The Seaport Hotel in Boston, and the UK's City Inn Hotels. Cheers to the winners and more tech-driven hot spots to stay!

Gallery: 2008 Best Geek Hotels

Tags: 2008-best-geek-hotels-2.0, best-geek-hotels, city-inn-hotels, emirates-palace, hotel-avante, hotel-chatter, hotel-monaco-seattle, hotel-sax, hotel-tech, hotels, langham-place-hotel, seaport-hotel-boston, the-pod-hotel, westin-sydney

Sotheby's MasterCard

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) — Feb 29th 2008 at 11:02AM

Looking for that special card that will offer exclusive perks just for being wealthy? MasterCard is offering the latest and greatest with their Sotheby's MasterCard specifically tailored for those who earn over $250,000 per year and have over $2 million in investable assets. Not only does the card afford you free access to museums with premier services included, but special concierge treatment during international travel, access to airport lounges and much more. Instead of getting a few bucks back at the end of the year or points for spending money on gasoline and groceries, this elite card offers those with a penchant for the arts something a little extra special.

Tags: elite-cards, mastercard, sotheby's-mastercard

A Sneak Peek At The Gansevoort South

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) — Feb 20th 2008 at 4:03PM

Miami Beach has a new hotel on the block set to open in mid-March. It has a 50-foot tank filled with sharks and fish in the lobby, an infinity pool as well as a rooftop pool/lounge, 334 rooms in total, a David Barton gym, Cutler Hair Salon, and two restaurants, one from Philippe Chow and one from the ONE group. With stunning views of the beach and the bay and yoga mats awaiting a sun salutation in your room, the Gansevoort South will be a fantastic luxurious addition to Miami Beach. Room rates will be lessened for an introductory period at $495 per night but regular pricing is expected to be $600 per night.

Gallery: Sneak Peak at Gansevoort South

Tags: florida hotel, FloridaHotel, gansevoort-south, hotel, miami, south-miami-florida

Disneyland's Dream Suite Daily Giveaway

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) — Jan 31st 2008 at 3:02PM

Enjoying Disneyland in Anaheim is a magical experience in itself but if you are the daily chosen winner, you and your family will stay one night in the Disneyland Dream Suite, originally intended for Walt Disney himself. The two-bedroom, two-bath suite, worth about $600 per night, is packed with special effects and surprises to enchant its visitors. Each room has a distinctly different motif which speaks to a different part of the park: frontier, victorian, french provincial, etc. The time and place where the winner is chosen changes daily in the park and will take place for the entire year of 2008.

Gallery: Disneyland Dream Suite

Tags: disneyland-dream-suite, walt-disney

Ideeli, Luxury on the Cheap for the Fast

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Dec 18th 2007 at 9:02AM

Ideeli, a new website that offers deep discounts on luxury goods for women is creating a big stir and they haven't even officially opened yet. The company, which deals in purses, jewelry and other designer goods will operate like similar sites we have seen for gadgets and for wine in which a product is offered for a limited amount of time and once it is gone, it's gone. Ideeli will operate on a membership only basis with invitations coming either from the company or existing members. They will sell just three or four specific items each week. Shoppers who want a VIP upgrade can pay can pay $8 monthly to shop an hour ahead of the general membership. Ideeli just received $3.8 million in venture-capital financing.

Another company with a similar agenda, Gilt Groupe, also recently received $5 million in funding. So it looks like these two will be battling over the same market. The question is whether or not there is a big enough market for two sites to flourish. With the "it bag" on the wane and aspirational consumers spending less and less it will be interesting to see how these two companies do.

Tags: gilt, gilt groupe, ideeli, luxury, websites

JetAVIVA: Private Planes Greet the Public

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) — Nov 14th 2007 at 9:02AM

Want to live the good life but at affordable prices? Ever wanted to take a private-jet for your next vacation? Want to own your own jet without all the maintenance issues? JetAVIVA will make it possible. Two West Los Angeles natives founded the company in 2006 in order to provide management services to private-jet owners and eventually expand their business to provide elite taxi service for the regular Joe. JetAVIVA currently has three Eclipse 500 VLJ's (Very Light Jets) making up the small but growing fleet. The beauty of this business is the dual relationship of jet owners and paying passengers. Typically, maintaining your own private aircraft can cost upwards of $125,000 per year and you may only fly in it one week out of the month! Why not rent out the seats for the other three weeks? Starting next year, you can skip the security lines, crowded concourses, and delays on the tarmac and fly you and a few friends on an exclusive plane with commercial airline prices. Sounds pretty fantastic to me! Who wants first class when you can still hear the baby in the tenth aisle crying? JetAVIVA has the right idea and the forward thinking to create a unique travel option for business travelers or vacationers alike.

Gallery: jetAVIVA: private planes greet the public

Tags: eclipse-500, eclipse500, jet-aviva, jetaviva, private-jet, private-plane

Robb Report Limited Edition Series

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) — Nov 14th 2007 at 8:04AM

The cream of the crop is officially all in one spot as the Robb Report, a global luxury source, recently released their limited edition series of rare items and unforgettable trips. From timepieces to cars, jewelry to wine, and trips to Aspen or Manhattan this list has something special for everyone and is bound to trip your trigger for must-haves. Imagine surprising someone with one of these unique gifts for the holidays! But don't wait too long -- the items went live for purchase a few days ago. Peruse the gallery and see for yourself the amazing offerings from Robb Report listed below:

Louis XIII de Rémy Martin's Robb Report Limited Edition Century-Old Barrel of Cognac: $2 million
ECOSSE Moto Works' Robb Report Limited Edition Titanium Series Motorcycle and Timepiece: $275,000
Steinway Lyngdorf's Robb Report Limited Edition Steinway & Sons Custom Model D Music System: $250,000

Gallery: Robb Report Limited Edition Series

Louis XIII de RÃ©my Martin's Robb Report Limited Edition Century-Old Barrel of Cognac

ECOSSE Moto Works' Robb Report Limited Edition Titanium Series Motorcycle and Timepiece

Steinway Lyngdorf's Robb Report Limited Edition Steinway & Sons Custom Model D Music System

Audemars Piguet's Robb Report Limited Edition Titanium Minute Repeater Skeleton Set

David Oscarson's Robb Report Limited Edition Custom-Designed Heirloom Writing Instruments

Tags: aspen, bordeaux, burgundy, cognac, golf, holidash, limited-edition, manhattan, motorcycle, robb-report, robb-report-limited-edition, saks-fifth-avenue, watches, wine

Continue reading “ Robb Report Limited Edition Series”

Diamond Book For Russia's Big Spenders

by Sandy Maple (RSS feed) — Aug 29th 2007 at 4:03PM

A regular edition of Roger Shashoua's book Dancing with the Bear: A Serial Entrepreneur Goes East can be had for around $30. But somehow it seems fitting that a book about getting seriously rich should also come in a seriously rich edition. How does £3m strike you? That is what British entrepreneur Shashoua is hoping to fetch for the made-to-order "oligarch" edition of his book, which features over 600 flawless diamonds on the cover.

The book, said to be the most expensive in the world, is touted as a how-to guide for entrepreneurs looking to follow in Shashoua's footsteps and make big money in post-Soviet Russia. Shashoua knows of what he speaks - he is the co-founder of ITE, which trades on the London Stock Exchange with a market value of more than £500m.

It seems to me that those who could actually afford this special edition book probably don't need the advice. But Shashoua hopes the wealthy Russian ex-pats who might buy it won't just stash it in the safe. "I can only hope that oligarchs will read the book, rather than just keeping it locked away," he says.

[via bornrich]

Tags: book, dancing with the bear, DancingWithTheBear, diamond, diamond book, DiamondBook, entrepreneur, oligarch, Roger Shashoua, RogerShashoua, russia, shashoua, soviet russia, SovietRussia

Birthday Parties for Mini Haute-Couturiers

by Jaime El-Helw (RSS feed) — Apr 5th 2007 at 2:02PM

Why wait for sweet-sixteen to give your little girl an enviable birthday to remember? What better a gift for your mini-Manhattanite and aspiring Muiccia, than the "Fashion Design Party" offered by luxury NYC toy store, FAO Schwarz. On the day of the party, your daughter and nine of her dearest will work with real fashion designers in the private party room at FAO's flagship store on 5th Avenue, to create their own original apparel and handbag designs which will later be professionally manufactured. Just when the buzz dies down at school about how chic and exclusive the party was, eight weeks later, they return to the store for a fashion show and apres ice-cream party. The young designers work the runway as models for their original creations, for a packed house of fifty guests. This is sure to generate enough personal PR at school to keep her in the upper echelons for good. (Or at least until high school!) With a price tag starting from $25,000.00, call me extravagant, but I think it might be worth it considering the going rate for that priceless look upon her face of sheer parental adoration!

Tags: birthday parties, BirthdayParties, fashion, fashion designers, fashion show, kids

Get Yourself A Rocket Belt

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 22nd 2007 at 6:00PM

I do a lot of talking about personal flight options in the form of private jets and flying cars and the like but this takes personal flight to the extreme. For $250,000 you can get yourself a rocket belt. That's right, a Jetson-style jet pack custom-made for your weight and size. The service includes a fully-tested custom rocket belt, a machine to help you make your own rocket fuel, hands-on training including 10 flights in your own rocket belt and expert support. You probably can't use this to commute to work but you could always rent yourself out for promotional gigs and it is definitely a toy that all your friends won't have.

Tags: gadgets, personal flight, rocket belt, RocketBelt, toys

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