As part of World AIDS day today, W Hotels has announced that it will be the official hotel partner of (RED)WIRE, the new online music magazine by (RED). Applying the (RED) idea to music, (RED)WIRE helps to buy lifesaving medicine and other services for those living with HIV/AIDS in Africa by contributing a portion of the proceeds from memberships to the Global Fund, which works to help eliminate AIDS globally. Subscribers will pay for a subscription that will entitle them to exclusive tracks from artists including U2, John Legend, The Killers, Kid Rock and Coldplay. Half of the money goes directly to Africa and half goes to the artists and the music company.

All W Hotels in the United States will be giving guests access to a free, two week membership to (RED)WIRE during the month of December and will feature a (RED)WIRE package that includes a six month membership, Through December 2009, W Hotels" (RED)WIRE package will include in addition to accommodations, a limited edition USB drive featuring beautiful (PRODUCT)RED-inspired artwork from African artist Joseph Amedokpo, which connects guests to exclusive content on (RED)WIRE, a six month (RED)WIRE membership and a special bonus track from (RED)WIRE artist John Legend as well as two INSPI(RED) cocktails.

To celebrate its 20th anniversary this fall, the San Diego Automotive Museum (SDAM) is staging a a $75 million Ferrari exhibition. Ferrari: Cavallino Rampante will run from October 1st through the end of the year. Over 30 classic Ferraris will be on display, some for the very first time, during the exhibit which is being mounted in partnership with the Ferrari Owners Club of America.

SDAM will host a variety of events during the three-month show, including a two day Autostrada dei Deserto (From Shore to Sands) rally on Oct. 10-11 complete with a lavish party at the chic W Hotel San Diego. The first half of the exhibit will feature historic racing Ferraris, and the second half will focus on classic touring vehicles including a 1963 Ferrari 250 GT/L "Lusso", valued at over $2.5 million, and the beautiful 1965 275 GTB pictured above. See the gallery for more.

As my colleague Deidre Woollard noted the other day, Istanbul has become something of a hotspot for foriegn brands. In addition to the Christian Dior boutique she wrote about, Marc Jacobs, Chloé, Bottega Veneta and Jimmy Choo have all recently opened shops in the Besiktas district, aka the SoHo of Istanbul. The centerpiece of the neighborhood is undoubtedly Starwood's new W Istanbul (which she mentioned as well). This is the first European outpost for W, the fastest growing luxury hotel brand in the world with 22 properties and 18 more in development. Here's a tour of the hip new hotel which W constructed out of a row of beautiful 1870s townhouses. The W Istanbul features 134 luxurious guest rooms including 26 suites -- many with their own private gardens, terraces and cabanas -- a branch of chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's New York hotspot Spice Market, a sexy Sip Lounge bar, and a signature spa. It also boasts spectacular views of the Bosphorus, the renowned waterway between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara.

[via UrbanDaddy]

The Palm Jumeirah gets yet another hotel. Starwood Hotels have announced that there will be a W Hotel on the The Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. The hotel is scheduled to open in late 2009, and is W's second hotel in Dubai. The hotels will have 400 rooms and have beach frontage and views of The Palm, the Arabian Gulf and the Dubai skyline (as will all the other hotels on this crowded manmade creation).

Other hotels headed for the Palm include:
The recently announced Kingdom of Sheba
Donald Trump's hotel
Taj Exotica Resort & Spa and Grandeur Residences