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Top 10 Luxurious Adventures of 2010 -- And How to Perfect 'Em in 2011

When people ask me for luxury travel advice, usually along the lines of "I want to plan a perfect trip to XYZ," I have two responses: a) there ain't no such thing as perfect in this world, no matter how much money you spend; and, b) you always know exactly how to make a trip as perfect as possible after you get home.

Still, the following trips I made in 2010 pleased me greatly, which is basically what I count as sublime perfection -- and should you plan to follow in my footsteps in 2011, note the tips I've added for making terrific travel even better.

Tags: australia, BedAndBreakfast, bestof2010, chicago, cruise, FrenchPolynesia, melbourne, montreal, Morocco, NovaScotia, ontario, PaulGauguin, PuertoRico, shakespeare, sonoma, tasmania

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How To Avoid Niagara Falls

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wine

If there's one thing that's often said about Niagara Falls, besides "wow", it's that it's a pity that such an impressive show by Mother Nature is surrounded by such a dreadfully tacky tourist town.

Yes, you've got more than 3,000 tons of water pounding over both water falls, per second, with rainbows floating in the mist. But you've also got Tussaud' Wax Museum, Planet Hollywood and, in summer at least, hordes of sweaty tourists sporting black knee socks and sandals.

The Niagara Parks Commission appears to be engaged in an effort to change this perception, at least among its most easy drive-in market, Torontonians. It recently launched a campaign called "Shake Off the City", which portrays city dwellers confronting urban blight -- graffiti, traffic, stolen bikes -- and escaping to the wonders of the Niagara region. This portrayal of their city has evidently annoyed some Toronto-dwellers, although that apparently wasn't the intention.

The intention was to showcase the "arid side" of the region, as Joel Noden, executive director of the Niagara Parks Commission, told the Toronto Star. I presume he meant the area beyond the big-whoop waterfalls, and leaving aside clumsy urban stereotyping, he's got a good point. The Niagara Escarpment in Ontario is actually quite lovely -- with loads of hiking, the full sweep of Lake Ontario, and, a number of excellent wineries, growing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling. (The area has a strong reputation for ice wine as well, given the cold winters.)

Gallery: Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Falls

Wineries and Inns in the Niagara Escarpment

Tags: niagara, niagara falls, niagara-on-the-lake, ontario, OntarioCanada, shaw festival, waterfalls

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Edgemere, Canada's Most Expensive Estate Now Luxury Condos

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Real Estate Developments

Back in 2006 we covered the Edgemere Estate which was, at $45 million, the most expensive residential property ever to be listed for sale in Canada. Now the Edgemere property on Lake Ontario along the Oakville gold coast has a new life as a condo project. The Edgemere Private Residences will be 30 ultra-luxurious condominiums in 10 different buildings. Units will be one-level and range from 2,000 to upwards of 5,400 square feet.

Edgemere is a storied property dating back from the Arts and Crafts Architectural Movement and featuring many historical remnants that date back to the turn of the century. These include a stone wall that defines the northern border of the property, the estate's original boathouse and lighthouse, and a carriage house and stable. As the estate is transformed over the next few years, little touches will ensure that the original feeling of the property lives on. The elegant arches from the original greenhouse will be incorporated into a new greenhouse and the keeper's lodge will become a three-bedroom guest cottage.

Each home will offer direct access to either a large private lakeside garden or landscaped terrace and entryways are private with manicured gardens and stone walls. Inside homes have large principal rooms, multiple fireplaces, custom-designed kitchens, a library, wine cellar and spa style master bathroom. Ten inch thick steel reinforced concrete floors with acoustical separation between adjacent residences and ten foot ceilings offer a sense of privacy and spaciousness. The heated private underground garage has two parking spaces and is connected to the residence with a private stairway and personal elevator. Groundbreaking is scheduled for Fall 2010. Residences range in price from $2,595,000 to over $6,000,000.

Gallery: Edgemere Private Residences

Tags: condo projects, condominiums, edgemere, luxury condo projects, oakville, ontario

The Ultimate Luxury Gift Crate for Men - Cognac & Cuban Cigars

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars, Spirits, Books, Men's Style

King's Crate, a new company based in Toronto, has launched a line of luxurious new gift crates created specifically for men of refined tastes. The collection is crowned by the Havana crate (above), which includes a stylish humidor, ashtray and cigar cutter, three Cuban cigars (Cohiba, Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta), your choice of Havana Club rum from Cuba, Courvoisier cognac or Johnnie Walker Black Label Scotch, Pastiglie Leone Italian candies in a nostalgic pinup girl tin, cashews and roasted peanuts, and a copy of Schott's Food & Drink Miscellany. The price ranges from $196 - $270 Canadian depending on which booze you choose. Of course, the Cuban cigars and rum are only available in Canada (which has no Cuban embargo) and alcohol is limited to customers in Ontario at the moment, but the company has other crates filled with gourmet goodies and stylish accessories which can be sent anywhere. Each gift arrangement comes packaged in a handcrafted, reusable cedar crate.

Tags: Canada, cigars, Cuba, Cuban cigars, CubanCigars, gift basket, GiftBasket, gifts, humidor, Kings Crate, KingsCrate, Ontario, rum, Toronto

Hawkridge Farm, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

This huge country manor is so large that it could easily be pressed into business as a unique hotel. The estate is 150 acres that includes forests, a freshwater stream, cattle pastures, walking trails, gardens and a pond. The home includes a large living room, formal dining room, a large kitchen, 11 bedrooms and an indoor pool.

The home belongs to George Ross Eaton, a Canadian department store heir. It was designed by Thierry Despont and building of this expansive over 28,000-foot mansion began in the late 1980s but didn't finish up until 1996 at a reported cost of $20 million Canadian. A few years later, facing tax problems, Eaton put the home on the market for that price but didn't get any takers. He later took the house off the market. An article I found on Canadians For Properly Built Homes, details a fascinating saga in which Eaton alleges a number of problems with the home. Another piece, in the Toronto Star, reports on a lawsuit in which the Eatons claimed they suffered fatigue, headaches and respiratory problems while living in the home. They say they spent over $4 million repairing the home.

Now the home is on the market for an undisclosed price. It's a rather particular home, heavy on the wallpaper and velvet, lavish certainly but old-fashioned and even a touch gloomy. Larger pics of this white elephant in the gallery or a all at once after the jump.

[Thanks, Sean!]

Gallery: Hawkridge Farm

Source

Tags: caledon, canada, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, george ross eaton, GeorgeRossEaton, hawkridge farm, HawkridgeFarm, ontario

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Red Leaves Muskoka

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Luxury Travel & Hotels

Red Leaves Muskoka is an ambitious development in Ontario, Canada. This scenic area on Lake Rossseau is now home to a $500 million project which includes The Rock, a Nick Faldo-design golf course, and The Rosseau, Canada's first-ever J.W. Marriott Hotel. The Rousseau includes The Paignton house, a three-story stoen and cedar shingle building where waterfront condos start at $330,000 for a 464-square-foot studio and can cost more than $1 million for a two-bedroom penthouse or corner suite. The Rousseau will also include a spa and a year-round outdoor pool. He development includes a 700-acre nature preserve with hiking and cross-country skiing trails. The condos will all be part of a rental pool. The project should be completed in 2008.

[via The Toronto Star]

Source

Tags: canda, development, muskoka, ontario, real estate

Uxbridge, Ontario Home, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Usually I choose the homes for estate of the day but today's submission actually comes from the owner of the house. This home in Uxbridge, Ontario is a bit cheaper than our usual estates but it offers many wonderful features. It sits on 2.77 tranquil acres and has views of a still pond. The home, which was built in 1976 and was recently redone has a massive second-floor living room, several entertaining areas and many private patios. The design is very modern with circular windows and angular cut-outs. The four bedroom home has a gunite indoor pool with a party room above it. Updated electronics including wall-to-wall shades that give you a beautiful view at the touch of a button. It could use a spot of color but it is still a deal at $1.198 million, Canadian. After the jump, so many white walls.

Source

Tags: canada, estate of the day, ontario, uxbridge

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Twisting Tower for Toronto

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

The MAD Architectural Design Studio, based in Beijing, has won a contest for the right to build a 50-story condominium tower in a western suburb of Toronto in Ontario, Canada. They were chosen based on the integrity of their design, judged by a panel of architects, urban planners and design experts, as well as on a popular vote from some 6,000 of the city's residents.

The twisting tower, which will be of the most fantastic looking buildings in Canada, will cost approximately $114 million to complete and will be made from glass and concrete. The project is scheduled to be complete by 2010, at which point MAD hopes to add an additional four towers to the area.

Source

Tags: architect, canada, condo, condominium, design, mad design, ontario, skyscraper, toronto, tower, twist

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