new york

Custom Tiret Watch For Usher, With Usher

Hip-hop musical artist Usher commissioned a special one of a kind watch from New York based jeweler and watch maker Tiret. The Usher watch has an oblong oval shaped case (in an undisclosed material that is likely gold) with a diamond designed portrait of Usher on the dial. Containing two Swiss ETA chronograph quartz movements, the watch technically can tell the time in two places. Given the lack of indicators the chronograph mechanisms are more or less worthless, but the point of this pieces is giving Usher the ability to look at himself as though he were made up of diamonds. How many people really get that privilege?

Using all natural stones, the watch has almost 10 carats of diamonds on it and 1106 stones all over the watch. Look at the size of the diamonds on the bezel! Diamonds include white as well as naturally yellow diamonds. Tiret says that the watch was recently featured in a diamond exhibit at the Natural History Museum in London - where other high-end diamond decorated watches were displayed. While not mechanically complex, the special Tired watch for Usher is an interesting look into the life of Usher, and at the types of products that Tiret makes. According to them, the brand only makes custom timepieces and jewelry at this time. Usher is said to have paid $250,000 for the bespoke timepiece.

Usher, a known owner of several watches, does not claim to be a serious watch enthusiast. He prefers the showiness of timepieces as well as the jewelry component. Actually, given many of the watches that Usher has, this Tiret is of the most showy. Usher seems to prefer more classic mechanical timepieces with a masculine edge to them. The box that Tired supplied the Usher watch in doubles as a humidor for 78 cigars and also has a motif of Usher's face on it.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: Custom Tiret Watch For Usher, With Usher

Tags: bespoke, custom, diamonds, new york, tiret, usher, watch, wears

Five Ways to Protect Yourself From a Poor Luxury Experience

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

I'm sure you'd love to believe that your concerns are being heard. At an airport, restaurant, hotel or any other place where you're parting with your hard-earned cash, you expect a certain level of service. When you don't get it, you expect management to give a damn. Shocking, I know, but sometimes even this second part doesn't happen.

Gone are the days when even the risk of a customer complaint struck horror in the eyes of a hospitality manager. Close to a decade ago, I emailed a gripe to Kelly's Roast Beef in Massachusetts. Within 24 hours, I had a call from the manager who as horrified, embarrassed and eager to make things right. I didn't care about the free meal offer – in fact, I turned it down twice before giving in – it was the attitude that made the difference. He was genuinely upset that he was losing a single customer, and the prospect of that didn't sit well with him. Now, so many years later, this remains my go-to story about customer service perfection.

Today, that seems to be gone – or at least scarcer. For some restaurants and other hospitality companies, even in the luxury space, it's the belief that a certain amount customer churn is to be expected. Or that brand is irrelevant. Or that intermediaries (such as online booking sites) have made price the motivator, obviating the need for a commitment to customer service excellence. In a recent case for me, at The Mercer Kitchen, in the Mercer Hotel, it was clear that brand was the problem – namely that a cool, upscale spot didn't need to worry about customer satisfaction.

Using this experience, let's take a look at five things you should be wary of when expressing your concerns to a hospitality manager; they indicate that your complaint isn't being handled properly:

Tags: customer satisfaction, customer service, hotel, hotels, manhattan, mercer hotel, new york, new york city, restaurants, service, soho

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Barbour Opens New Outpost in NYC

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style

Classic British outwear company Barbour is opening a new outpost in New York on Wooster St. in Soho's historic Cast Iron District. The new space will be open briefly to feature the Barbour Autumn / Winter 2010 Heritage Collection through the holidays, and will the reopen in early spring with a complete collection of Spring / Summer 2011 Barbour apparel and accessories.

"We are very excited to expand our New York presence with a new store in Soho," notes Jamie Millar, Head of Retail for Barbour Inc., North America. "The neighborhood is steeped in history and culture, but is constantly evolving and remains one of the most fashionable neighborhoods in the country. With Barbour's strong heritage and growing popularity among the fashion-forward, SoHo was a natural fit for Barbour. We are very excited to be joining such a prestigious shopping district." Other Barbour retail store locations include Madison Avenue on the Upper East Side; Boston, Mass; Ardmore, PA; M Street in Georgetown; and the Barbour by David Wood boutique in Portland, Maine.

Gallery: Barbour Opens in Soho

Tags: Barbour, boutiques, mens style, New York, New York shopping, SoHo

A Taste of New York at The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

Going out to eat in New York City can be an incredible experience, except for one thing - you're smack in the middle of a great, stinking, crowded, dirty, noisy city full of obnoxious, neurotic people. Not to mention that this time of year it's freezing cold to boot. That can detract from the enjoyment if not outright ruin it on certain occasions. However at the Ritz-Carlton in San Juan, Puerto Rico you can now get an authentic NYC dining experience in an incredible beachfront setting. The luxe hotel has created a tantalizing Taste of New York Package around its two great restaurants imported directly from the Big Apple, BLT Steak and Il Mulino New York – minus the Manhattan melodrama.

BLT Steak from famed chef Laurent Tourondel mixes modern, urbane décor with an infusion of classic French bistro techniques. In the elegant, old-world atmosphere of Il Mulino New York you can linger over the vibrant flavors inspired by the cuisine of Italy's Abruzzi region. The package, with rates starting at $569 per night, includes deluxe accommodations for two in a Pool View room; a gourmet welcome amenity; daily breakfast at Mares, the casual poolside café; and daily dinner for two at BLT Steak or Il Mulino, including a complimentary sommelier's selection bottle of wine. Of course the restaurants are open to all guests of the idyllic resort, which also features the Ritz-Carlton's signature Club Level accommodation, a must for travelers who require the best of everything with convenience to match.

Gallery: Taste of New York at The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan

Tags: beach, BLT Steak, chef, dining, Il Mulino, Laurent Tourondel, luxury hotels, New York, New York City, Puerto Rico, Ritz-Carlton, San Juan

"The Godfather" Home, Staten Island, N.Y., Estate of the Day

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

The outside of this Staten Island, N.Y., English Tudor was used to portray Don Corleone's residence in the classic 1972 film The Godfather. The home is in Staten Island's Todt Hill / Emerson Hill section, known for its large, pretty homes and good-sized lots. This home is surrounded by park-like grounds and inside boasts 12 rooms that comprise 8 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 1 half-bath, 1 three-quarter-bath, 2 fireplaces, and an English pub basement that includes a rec room and a storage room. There's also a living room, formal dining room, den, butler's pantry, and a laundry room with a chute from all three above-ground floors. Need more space? There's also a 4-car garage. For outdoor living, there's an in-ground pool.

This home has some personal meaning for me. I grew up right near it, and the band that played in the opening scene at daughter Connie's wedding played at my parents' wedding. My parents also like to tell the story about how they and some neighbors hung out near the home during the filming one day and were given some cookies, albeit stale, from the wedding scene.

Judging from the photos, the owners didn't bother to hire a professional stager, or even clean up much. The home appears to have good bones but needs needs refreshing and updating. It's listed for $2.9 million with Connie Profaci Realty. Check the link on her site for more photos.

We must thank sharp-eyed reader Caroline R. for telling us about this iconic home for being for sale. She sums it up well: "Considering the house's history it would make an exciting 'Estate of the Day' for the film buff, the gangster aficionado, or a real-life wannabe Don Corleone."

Gallery: The Godfather Home in Staten Island, NY

Tags: estate, Estate of the Day, Godfather, home prices, New York, new york real estate, Staten Island, The Godfather

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La Sirena Cigar Launch Party in New York City

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars

The world just got a new cigar! I've been waiting for this launch for months, having first heard about it last winter. And, if ever there was an open secret in the cigar industry, this was it. The La Sirena line of cigars, manufactured at Don Pepin Garcia's My Father Cigars factory and distributed by Miami Cigar & Company, is the latest bold and powerful Nicaraguan stick to take a place on tobacconists' shelves. It is unmistakably a Pepin creation, with rich flavors and the sort of kick that inveterate cigar smokers are bound to appreciate.

La Sirena was launched at a dinner in its honor held last week at De La Concha in Manhattan. "Full house" was redefined, as customers packed themselves into the Sixth Avenue retail establishment ... while more than a dozen others made it no further than the waiting list. Even with Cigar Aficionado's Big Smoke going on at the same time, the presence of Nestor Miranda, Janny Garcia and Arielle Ditkowich demonstrates the excitement that had built around this product. And, Pete Johnson of Tatuaje Cigars stopped by to offer his regards (and announce with De La Concha General Manager Ron Melendi that the store would begin carrying Johnson's Tatuaje cigars).

Gallery: La Sirena Cigar Launch, De La Concha

Gallery: The Guests at the La Sirena Cigar Launch at De La Concha

[photos by Steve Zak Photography]

Tags: big smoke, cigar, cigar aficionado, cigar dinner, cigar lounge, cigars, nestor miranda, new york, new york city, nicaragua, NicaraguanCigars, pepin garcia, tatuaje, tatuajes, tobacco

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Casa Noble Single Barrel Extra Anejo Tequila

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

In time for the holidays the Park Avenue Liquor Shop in New York has acquired one of only three existing barrels of seven-year-old tequila from Casa Noble CEO Jose "Pepe" Hermosillo. These precious casks are known as his "friends & family" barrels which have never been commercially available before.

Only 300 bottles of the rare spirit, which sells for $100, have been produced exclusively for the store. The Casa Noble Single Barrel Extra Anejo Tequila is aged in a single certified French white oak barrel, individually numbered and registered, made from 100% Blue agave, triple distilled, and USDA organic.

The intense heat of the Jalisco region of Mexico where the tequila is made accelerates the aging process. The blue agave plants that become Casa Noble Single Barrel Extra Anejo Tequila - plants grown in the mountains of Jalisco by Casa Noble itself - take 12 years to fully mature, so it has taken 19 years in all to produce the precious elixir.

Tags: Casa Noble, Mexico, New York, Park Avenue Liquor Shop, spirits, tequila

Great Gardens of the Hudson River Valley

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Green, Books, Architecture & Design

Great Gardens of the Hudson River Valley

Winter may be fast approaching but verdant greenery abounds in Gardens of the Hudson Valley, a new photographic portrait of the region's lush private landscapes. The luxurious volume chronicles 25 gardens chosen to give "a sense of place and convey the romance of the landscape" abutting the majestic Hudson River in New York state. Photographers Steve Gross and Susan Daley selected gardens from Yonkers up the river to the town of Hudson, including famous formal estate gardens like Kykuit, Boscobel, the Vanderbilt Mansion, and Olana, along with smaller, more naturalistic plots that combine sweeping views and lush plantings. Each of the gardens tells a story about the people who made them, and collectively they evoke "the grace and grandeur of the Hudson River landscape" underscoring the central role the Hudson Valley played in the birth of an American garden tradition.

Tags: books, coffee table books, estates, garden, gardens, Hudson Valley, New York, photography, river, Vanderbilt Mansion

The Plaza Hotel's Oak Bar Wins Luxist's Editors' Choice Award (with Video)

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Spirits

The Plaza Hotel's Oak Bar wins the Luxist Awards Editor's choice award for best bar.

One evening at the Oak Bar in New York's Plaza Hotel, a patron noticed a diamond ring on the floor and alerted the manager. Remembering that a customer seated in the area had just departed, the manager called the room number on the bill. Within minutes the guest was downstairs to collect her ring-and promptly ordered a bottle of Dom Perignon for the manager as a token of thanks. "You don't understand," she said. "That ring is worth over $1 million."

Such is the aura of the Oak Bar, Luxist's Editors' Choice award winner for best in entertainment. Nestled in the northwest corner of the Plaza Hotel, the bar has been serving well-heeled guests-with a few extended breaks for prohibition and various renovations-for over a century.

Walk into the ancient room today and you'll find rich wood paneling surrounding sumptuous banquettes, vast murals of Central Park mirroring the actual park that sits on the other side of enormous picture windows, and on any given night a clientele whose collective wealth is likely enough to buy a medium-sized country.

Gallery: The Oak Room At The Plaza Hotel, New York

The Oak Bar in the Oak Room at The Plaza Hotel, New York

Tags: awards-main, bars, Best hotel bar, luxist-awards, New York, Oak Bar, Oak Room, oak room bar, Plaza Hotel, The Plaza Hotel, winners-editors-choice, winners-entertainment

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NYC Street Vendor Hawks $900 Christmas Trees

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Holiday Guides

NYC Street Vendor Hawks $900 Christmas Trees

The Daily News reported that a lot in the heart of SoHo is selling jumbo-sized Christmas trees at prices to match. Scott Lechner, 53, charges as much as $900 for trees he ships from the Blue Mountains in North Carolina to his temporary business on Sixth Avenue and Spring Street. "A regular tree is beautiful, but one of our jumbos is majestic," Lechner says in the News. "It's not just a tree, it's an experience. And it's worth every penny."

Not all the trees are as much as $900. A 12-foot Fraser fir retails for about $400; it's a 17-footer that goes for $900. Lechner claims his clients have been celebrities, a Facebook executive, and SoHo residents. He notes that his prices are high because the trees come to his lot within 96 hours of being cut. But the News reports -- fueling the fire in the battle of the boroughs -- that the same types of trees can be found at a fraction of the price in Brooklyn.

The question that still nags at me is this: Who in New York has space for a 17-foot tree? I mean, obviously not counting the celebs, execs, and SoHo folks. I guess they all own two-floor apartments where the lower-level apartment ceiling has been removed, or the elusive brownstone.

Tags: Christmas, Christmas tree, Christmas trees, holiday, holidays, New York, New York City, SoHo

The Classicist: Bergdorf Goodman Unveils High-Tech Holiday Windows [video]

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Luxury Travel & Hotels, The Classicist, Video, Architecture & Design, Luxury Shopping

Legendary luxe New York department store Bergdorf Goodman, founded in 1901, is famous for its amazing, elaborate holiday windows which dazzle shoppers and passersby alike. This year is no exception, with the added attraction of some high-tech features debuting for the very first time. The 2010 windows, entitled "Wish You Were Here," take their inspiration from fantasy travel to far-flung places involving some rather unusual ways of getting there. The displays feature an array of "wild mash-ups of unexpected arrivals and departures", each with visual influences as diverse as Roman mythology, 1940s Hollywood musicals, the city's original Penn Station, and the very first science fiction film.

This year, for the first time, QR codes on several of the windows enable people to view an online Bergdorf Holiday Gift Finder and a video depicting the making of the holiday displays (above) simply by scanning the codes with their smartphone or handheld digital device. Produced entirely in-house by Bergdorf, the video features the song "Follow Me" by 17-year old emerging Sony artist Audrianna Cole. "We are in the surprise business," notes David Hoey, Bergdorf Goodman's Senior Director of Visual Presentation and Window Design. "This job is part architect and part cake decorator." Each of the landmark store's five main Fifth Avenue windows represents a different destination and a special method of conveyance:

Gallery: Bergdorf Goodman 2010 Holiday Windows

Tags: Bergdorf Goodman, Christmas shopping, department store, Fifth Avenue, holiday, Holiday 2010, holidays, Naeem Khan, New York, Oscar de la Renta, Polyvore.com, store, travel

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Lord's Castle, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

The first president of the Erie Railroad, Eleazar Lord, had today's home, a stone castle built for him in Piermont, New York. The Victorian mansion in Piermont was originally called "The Cedars" but is known to locals as "the castle."

It was built circa 1892 and designed by legendary architecture firm McKim, Mead & White, The 15,000 square foot main home is on over 18 acres with a separate cottage, two-story barn with classic cupola and in-ground pool. The beautiful older home has ornate moldings, coffered ceilings, and a grand staircase. The listing pictures are a bit dark but show leaded glass windows, columns, original fireplace mantels. The lower level includes a billiards room, a huge old style walk-in safe, walk-in ice box room, a prep kitchen with dumb waiter and second large kitchen with original wood stove. This home is listed at $9.5 million.

Gallery: Lord's Castle

Tags: estate of the day, mckim, new york, new york real estate, piermont, piermont new york

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Corvus x Freemans Sporting Club Ltd. Edition Dive Watch

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Men's Style

Freeman's Sporting Club, the men's shop on New York's Lower East Side that's a bastion of rugged All-American style, has collaborated with Maine's Corvus Watch co. to create a stunning limited edition diving watch. The FSC edition of Corvus' iconic Bradley Dive Watch (above) is limited to just 50 examples priced at $1,750 apiece. The tough-as-nails timepiece is inspired by U.S. Military history, designed in Maine, engineered in Germany and made in Switzerland. Based on the first two dive watches ever commissioned by the U.S. Navy, the 1958 Bulova and the 1961 Blancpain, the FSC version features a date function at 4:30, black PVD coating and a specially designed Horween Black Shell Cordovan strap. Powered by an automatic Swiss movement, the watch's "Kolsterized" steel case is five times harder than regular stainless steel and has a depth rating of 1,000 ft.

Tags: Corvus, Freemans, Freemans Sporting Club, Maine, mens style, New York, timepieces, watch, watches

Honus Wagner Card Earns Thousands For Nuns' Good Works

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Charity, Sports

Last month we learned that a rare Honus Wagner baseball card was up for sale. The Baltimore-based School Sisters of Notre Dame put the card up for sale. The card is part of the T206 series, produced between 1909 and 1911. The T206 Honus Wagner, was made by the American Tobacco Company in 1909. Part of the mythology surrounding this legendary collectible is that Honus Wagner himself didn't want his image to be used to sell tobacco and stopped production of his card.

The card that the Roman Catholic nuns were auctioning off through Heritage Auctions was in poor condition and only expected to bring in between $150,000 and $200,000. The card sold for $262,900. Antiques Trader reports that the winning bidder is a card shop owner who was touched by the story and bought the card even though the total price was probably more than the damaged card was worth. Heritage Auctions also donated its standard 15 percent seller's commission to the cause, as well. Money earned will benefit the nuns' ministries in 35 countries around the world.

The nuns came into possession of the card because the brother of a nun who died in 1999 left all his possessions to the order when he died earlier this year. The man's lawyer told the nuns that he had a Honus Wagner card in a safe-deposit box. Inside the box they found the card along with a note that said: "Although damaged, the value of this baseball card should increase exponentially throughout the 21st century!" The man had owned the card since 1936. In February 2007, a 'near mint-mint' Honus Wagner sold for $2.8 million.

The Heritage Auctions' Signature Sports Collectibles Auction on November 4 and 5 also included the sale of a New York Yankees home jersey worn by Hall of Fame first baseman Lou Gehrig during his first MVP season. It sold for $717,000, the highest price ever paid at auction for New York Yankees pinstripes.

Tags: baseball collectibles, baseball memorabilia, Honus Wagner, Lou Gehrig, new york, New York Yankees, sports memorabilia

Inside the Homes of American Fashion Designers

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Decor, Books, Celebrity Design, Architecture & Design

Assouline has released the latest luxe edition in its American Fashion series, dedicated to the top-drawer designers who are members of the prestigious CFDA. American Fashion Designers at Home showcases the personal spaces of more than 100 fashionistas, including Diane von Furstenburg, Oscar de la Renta, Cynthia Rowley and Kate Spade. While some designer dwellings are extensions of the sensibilities embodied by their apparel collections, others exhibit a marked contrast. The domiciles range from studio apartments to sprawling estates, but all are linked by a keen aesthetic sense. Included are Carolina Herrera's grand Louis XV–influenced New York apartment; Betsey Johnson's girly glamourpuss garret; Ralph Lauren's luxuriously rustic Colorado ranch; Donna Karan's tranquil Turks & Caicos getaway; Tommy Hilfiger's over-the-top Greenwich mansion; Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa's ultra-modern Manhattan aerie; and Johann Lindeberg's converted Greenwich Village factory (on the book's cover, above). Check out the gallery for a preview of Randolph Duke's Hollywood spread (which he recently sold for $5.3 million), David Chu's chic digs and more.

Gallery: American Fashion Designers at Home