The list of the most expensive cities in the United States is now out, and unsurprisingly, New York has taken the top spot, with a cost of living that's double its closest follower. Of course, the financial crisis has put a bit of pressure on real estate prices and the cost of goods all over the country, but there are still some places that just cost a fortune.

New York: a two-bedroom luxury apartment (unfurnished) now costs a mere $4,300, off $200 from last year. And, there are other signs that the most expensive city is becoming less expensive, including the shuttering of Café des Artistes and the opening of our first J.C. Penney (ugh).

Los Angeles: this is where you go if you can afford only half the cost of living in New York. Unlike the most expensive city in the country, it makes sense to have a car out there, but get a nice one: you'll be spending a lot of time in it. LA has some of the longest commutes in the country.

Washington, D.C.: in this part of the country, take advantage of a 3.8 percent unemployment rate for the metro area. That's a hell of a lot better than the nationwide 9.8 percent (expected to break 10 percent early next year).

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Metro, the free daily paper, reported in its June 25 edition that a bunch of NYC people you may never have heard of are making more than most of us can dream of. No. 1 on the list of New York's highest-paid CEOs in 2008, according to Crain's New York Business, is Alliance Bernstein's Peter Kraus, pocketing $52.538 million; No. 2 is Gamco Investors's Mario Gabelli, pocketing $45.927 million; and No. 3 is Philip Morris's Louis Camilleri, pocketing $43.229 million.

I couldn't access the full list (you need a subscription to Crain's, or you can buy the report here), but the Metro article did note that there are only four women in the top 100: No. 26, Avon Products's Andrea Jung, $12.9 million; No. 37, PepsiCo's Indra Nooyi, $9.9 million; No. 72, Ann Taylor Stores's Kay Krill, $5.7 million, and No. 79, The New York Times Co.'s Janet Robinson, $5.3 million.

And I was happy to get a few thousand back on my taxes this year.

World renowned restaurant The Oak Room at New York City's Plaza Hotel is reopening March 18th with a brand new chef, Eric Hara (right).

The legendary Oak Room has an all new menu planned, featuring classic and modern American cuisine at "prices that are appropriate for today's economy." Entrees will run from just $22 - $35.

Eric Hara was most recently executive chef of David Burke Townhouse and Fishtail.

The Oak Room and adjacent Oak Bar have been redesigned by architect Annabelle Selldorf, bringing contemporary flourishes to the historic space which first opened in 1907. Be sure and visit the new Oak Room next time you are in New York!

Vera Wang & Arthur Becker, Alejandro Santo Domingo, Anne & Mario Grauso, Brian Atwood, Debbie Bancroft, Diane von Furstenberg, Donna Karan, Eleanor & Jon Ylvisaker, Fern Mallis, Gigi Mortimer, Helen Lee & Tim Schifter, Kimberly Kravis, Lakshmi Menon, Marina Rust & Ian Connor, Melania & Donald Trump, Nate Berkus, Ralph & Ricky Lauren, Roopal Patel, Samantha Boardman & Aby Rosen, Somers Farkas, Steven Kolb, and Veronica Webb were all in attendance last Thursday at the opening of Vera Wang's new boutique in Soho.

While we all know Vera Wang is unmatched in bridal apparel, she is also making fragrance and beauty-related products (Coty Prestige, Inc.), eyewear (Couteur Designs, a division of the Kenmark Group), china, crystal, silver and gifts (Wedgwood), Vera Wang suite (Halekulani Hotel), fine papers (William Arthur), mattresses (Serta Mattress Company), Lavender Label handbags (Accessory Network) and Lavender Label shoes (Brown Shoe).

Her ready to wear designs and more are available for browsing in person at the new Vera Wang Fashion Flagship, located at 158 Mercer Street, 212-382-2184.

Iradj Moini, a former couture designer for Oscar de la Renta, makes some of the most exquisite and unusual jewelry we've seen this millennium.

As you shop in NYC's Soho neighborhood this holiday season, be sure and stop by the Spring Street boutique (198 Spring, near Sullivan). The boutique has been open since Spring 2007, and feels like an art gallery. You won't believe you're looking at new pieces, released seasonally, and not well-kept relics of the 1920's.

If you're not in NY, you can also browse a number of Iradj Moini's items at Domont Jewelry, a West Hollywood, CA jewelry dealer with an exceptional selection of Iradj Moini on display their website.

Almost every piece is stunning, and worth a look if only for inspiration.

The homes at Chelsea Enclave are finally for sale.

Chelsea Enclave is a spectacular haven in the heart of historic Chelsea, NYC, hidden between 20th and 21st Streets. The brand new new building's garden, The Close, expands to the west of 9th Avenue. The Close features wrought iron benches, stone footpaths, crocuses, daffodils, tulips, and wisteria, and as you can see above, the effect is a serene escape from the surrounding bustle of the city that never sleeps.

Chelsea Enclave, developed by The Brodsky Organization, has 1-4 bedroom residences (including 9 penthouses) from $1.4 to $12 million. The still-available $6.2 million penthouse has 4 bedrooms, each with an ensuite bathroom, a powder room, a breakfast room, and a dining alcove totaling 3,176 square feet with views of the North, South, and West.

See our gallery below for a look inside these most-wanted living spaces.

This beautiful Faberge creation from Princess Grace of Monaco's collection, which has not left Monaco in over 30 years, was unveiled today at the Consulate General of Monaco in New York City.

Thanks to Prince Albert II, who inherited the piece in 2005, the Imperial Blue Serpent Clock Egg will be traveling to Cleveland, Ohio, where it will be on display with six other Faberge wonders in the Artistic Luxury exhibition at the Cleveland Museum of Art through January 2009.

The Imperial Blue Serpent Clock Egg was crafted in St. Petersburg in 1887, and presented by Alexander III to Maria Fyodorovna.

Today in Chelsea, 85 top vintage dealers gathered at Metropolitan Pavilion for a textile show and sale. The room was full of sparkling jewels, fur coats, and gowns fit for princesses. Menswear wasn't ignored either; vintage boots, suits, and cufflinks were abundant.

Above is a display of items from Exquisite Costume, a vintage clothier with a shop in Soho. At right is a closer look at that fabulous boa; one of the most exciting pieces we saw.

Our pick of the show was a boutique called Grape in the Shade. Previously featured in Travel and Leisure, Grape in the Shade is a vintage shop in Connecticut with a reputation for having whimsical, classical wares. Owner Joanna Lombardi, whose taste is exceptional, was an absolute treat. Their website will be up and running soon. For now, you can contact the shop (we recommend them for hats and jewelry) at 860-868-9119.

Also spotted at the Manhattan Vintage show was Mad Fashionista Elisa DeCarlo, an eccentric seller of fine plus-sized vintage clothes.

The next three shows are already scheduled, so if you didn't make it this time, watch for the show again in February, April, and October of 2009. You can keep tabs here at ManhattanVintage.com.

City Winery is scheduled to open this fall in an unlikely place: right in the middle of Soho, New York. It will not only be the first winery in New York City but it's the first in any major urban area. City Winery will be a combination members-only winery and public nightclub -- only members will have access to where and how the wine is made. Three membership options will be offered starting at $5,000 and going as high as $15,000 annually, with membership owners getting the title of "barrel owner" with their own 50 gallon American oak barrel, 4 classes each year with wine makers, and a special venue to swap their vintages with other members.

The Gap is always a great place to find comfortable and breezy summer clothes, and this year is not only no different but it might actually be better. Gap has collaborated with a series of artists to come up with a line of limited edition t-shirts in celebration of the New York Whitney Museum of American Art's Biennial. The list of participating artists includes names like Glen Ligon, Barbara Kruger, Marilyn Minter, Kenny Scharff, and Kerry Marshall. You can buy them online or in a Gap store near you, $28.

Via Acquire

Most expensive homes have extra built-in features that are meant to make the environment more comfortable, but not the $2 million Bioscleave House on Long Island. Husband and wife architectural design team Arakawa and Madeline Gins have made sure the "Lifespan Extending Villa" they created is specifically as uncomfortable and unsettling as possible. At the core of their campaign to defeat mortality is the idea that "comfort is the precursor to death." They believe that they have created an environment that keeps people constantly tentative, which in turns helps them stay young and cheat death.

So what makes it so uncomfortable? The floors are severely uneven and bumpy (you have to sign a waiver before you can enter and there are poles to grab onto in various places in case you lose your balance), all the light switches and electric sockets are placed at weird angles, and it's painted in an array of crazy colors (some walls include as many as 40 different shades).

Interestingly enough the couple doesn't seem interested in living in it themselves, as it's currently sitting empty waiting for occupants. That thing cost $2 million and now they aren't even going to live in it. What, they don't want to defy death after all?

Can't say I blame them. I hope to be nice and comfy in my old age, death precursor or not.

Via Engadget

It's true! Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital, previously home to famous names like Normal Mailer, Edie Sedgewick, and the guy who shot John Lennon (Mark David Chapman), is getting a remodel and soon will be a luxury hotel. Built in 1931 it's pretty perfect for the remake, with its location in Manhattan along the East River, its Italian Renaissance style, and even its "H" layout with hotel-sized rooms on long corridors.

Bellevue hasn't treated psych patients since 1984 when it was transformed into a homeless shelter, and now the plans for yet another renovation are well underway. No word yet on when they hope to have the hotel finished, but hopefully there's a developer locked in by the end of the year so renovations can get started by the middle of 2009.

Knowing all the history (and insanity) that happened in those walls, will you stay there?

When you think of Tuscan vineyards Staten Island is probably not first on the list of places that come to mind, or anywhere on the list of places that come to mind for that matter, but it may soon be. A large-scale educational vineyard is being planned for New York City in Staten Island, along with a signature wine called Super Staten Island Red.

The non-profit vineyard will be all of 2 acres, producing cabernet sauvignon, merlot and sangiovese varieties. It will be an educational effort in regards to how grapes are grown and how wine is made. Created with the assistance of its sister city in Italy, the Staten Island vineyard will take at least 4 years before it's expected to actually start producing grapes for wine.

Too many people out there dread the holidays in part because spending so much time with family is exhausting, but maybe you'd feel differently if you were enjoying the Buckingham Hotel's "Christmas Key to the City" package with your loved ones. A little luxury (or in this case a LOT of luxury) makes everything better, right? The package includes the following:

• A gold and diamond Christmas key to New York City
• Transportation to events in a private Christmas-themed Amtrak car and a white vintage Rolls-Royce
• A penthouse suite at the Buckingham Hotel decked out in Christmas decor, including a Swarovski crystal star tree topper keepsake and cashmere pj's for everyone.
• Individual green iPods loaded with classic Christmas tunes.

When money is no object it's always interesting to see what people choose as far as living arrangements go, and obviously money is no object for Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. So what did they choose? According to The New York Post they've landed at The Waldorf Towers in New York City. The 6,000 sq ft luxury apartment includes 6 bedrooms, an enormous kitchen, multiple terraces with sweeping views of the city, room service, maid service, and a 24hr concierge.

And perhaps more valuable to the couple than anything is the fact that the new $100,000 per month pad is close to both the United Nations (where Jolie is a goodwill ambassador) and their son Maddox's private French school.

Via ParentDish