Recent Comments:
Anonymous $300,000 Gift Helps Edith Wharton's Historic Home {Luxist}
Jan 18th 2011 9:52PM Saw the Mount this last October. The 1/2 mile driveway and grounds were lovely to walk through going towards the house itself.
The stableblock was under renovation and not open.
The house itself is quite run down. It has a pretty dining room on the top floor and a pretty sun porch, and otherwsise was a total waste of time in my opinion compared to the other grand/famous historical houses in the USA, like the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, North Carolina.
The gardens behind the house were quite small, (maybe an acre or two at the most) and were also a bit of a disappointment. They may be far prettier in May and June when the roses bloom, but they are not elaborately planted, so there is only so much that can be seen.
Probably worth an hour's visit after they fix it up, if you are staying at the nearby luscious boutique hotel, Blantyre.
p.s. Go to Nudel's in town for dinner - it is excellent!
Top Ten Hotel Openings of 2010 {Luxist}
Dec 21st 2010 11:06PM Loved this post - I always search for new luxury boutique hotel openings. Wish there was a post just for the USA with this in 2010, but don't think many new truly stunning places except for Glenmere Mansion in the lower Hudson Valley of Chester, New York have opened!
Maybe in 2011:)
Sweat Out Holiday Indulgences in the SlimDome {Luxist}
Nov 27th 2010 10:52AM Oh My. I so want that. In my house. A 5% reduction in bodyweight with just one session? Really? And swets out toxins without dehydrating you? I WANT THIS.
Where to See Princess Diana's Dresses {Luxist}
Nov 17th 2010 11:33AM I saw the Princess Diana exhibit in Atlanta earlier this year, with her wedding dress and tiara and 20 of her designer dresses, plus some things from her childhood and the condolence books.
Without her in them , it was just sad.
She had a stunning, very slender figure which you could really see when you saw the dresses in person in their glass cases.
Hopefully at some point when Prince William has the authority/power to do so, he will have a wonderful permanent exhibit of her and lots of her things set up at Kensington Palace, much grander then anything that has been there before. It would be a very fitting tribute to her memory.
She was an 'inspiration' as Kate Middleton said yesterday at the engagement interview, for her charity work, and deserves to be recognized for the impact it made on Britain, and overseas, including AIDS, Bulima, Leprosy, and the Land Mines isues.
I can't wait to see Kate Middleton's wedding dress next year!
I wonder which 'Duchess' she will become.
I think she'll be an excellent representative of the Crown when she chooses which charities to work with.
England Prepares For Royal Wedding {Luxist}
Nov 16th 2010 10:18PM Very happy for them. They've dated for 8 years and have a good, solid foundation for their relationship. Clearly when you see how they look at one-another, they are very much in love.
Mandeville Canyon, Estate of the Day {Luxist}
Nov 14th 2010 11:09AM It's still overpriced. It'd probably sell much closer to $7 million and that would mostly be due to the very large lot size - approximately 2 acres, I think.
(a newly built spec house a few doors away on the other side of the street on a smaller lot sold for $6 million in the last month, if the rumor mill is correct)
However, this estate of the day sits right on Mandeville Canyon (1 mile up from Sunset Blvd. on the left hand side) so that you will hear ongoing traffic noise if you are in the front.
Also, the floor plan is choppy and quite a few of the ceilings are low from the original build. It's a bit dark inside for my personal taste as well.
But if you love that architectural style, that'd be fine for you. He did a nice remodel when he moved in 10 years ago or more, I think it was
Wolfgang Puck Creates First London Restaurant {Luxist}
Nov 13th 2010 10:24AM It's a great idea. Cut is an excellent restaurant. I just wonder how the steak will taste there... The beef Wolfgang uses in California won't be the same beef supplier that he has delivered to London, probably.
Hmmm. Will be interesting to see. I mean to taste!
Ritz-Carlton Residence Up For Auction In San Francisco {Luxist}
Nov 13th 2010 10:19AM 1,195 square feet is TINY. Master bedrooms, indeed! It'd be hard for them to be more than 13' x 13' feet, which is typical college campus apartment size
Marketing by hyperbole.
Albemarle House Gets Major Price Cut, Again {Luxist}
Nov 11th 2010 12:47PM Spectacular Bid: Thank you so much for explaining all of that like you did. I had no knowledge or history like you did, and so you educated me gently and well! Now it makes sense why you can't just turn one of there gorgeous homes (mansions) into a relais & chateaux type high end b&b!
And yes, Carrere & Hastings did a FABULOUS JOB at Glenmere!
Albemarle House Gets Major Price Cut, Again {Luxist}
Nov 10th 2010 9:57PM Somebody ought to turn Albermarle House into a small luxury boutique hotel, like the absolutely luscious 18 room Glenmere Mansion on 150 acres with its own lake that just opened this January in the lower Hudson Valley in Chester, New York.
I'm sure after looking at the pictures you could easily charge $1,000 a night per room at Albermale, and this is a delightful small enough place it would probably be full year-round.
Places like Blantyre in Lenox, MA. and San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, CA. are small and quite successful, and gorgeous places to have weddings too.
I think the small very high-end properties (b&b's of the incredibly luxurious type) are so appealing compared to the larger 5 star hotel chains with their 200-300 rooms and cookie cutter approach.
