Brides who want to be thrifty but still want to be fabulous can rent some pretty amazing jewelry courtesy of Adorn Brides. The service, which recently opened up a boutique on the popular wedding website The Knot, offers earrings, necklaces, bracelets that can be rented for a fraction of their worth. To rent pieces you select the jewelry you want, check the availability and use a credit card to order. The company calls a few days before the event to confirm the details and it arrives two days before the big day (a value of approximately 5 percent of the total value will be reserved on your credit card as a security deposit). The jewelry is insured but if you do not return it you are charged a 33 percent deductible. After the event the jewelry is returned via UPS.

The most expensive piece on Adorn Brides is the Crestwood necklace, shown above, which features over six carats of fancy yellow princess cut diamonds interspersed with white diamond accents. The necklace is listed with a retail price of $73,500 and rents for $1,900. It is also available with matching earrings and a bracelet for $2,350.

[via JCK Online]

Forget renting mopeds or Segways, this summer is the season of the Scoot Coupe. Many resort towns across the country are renting out the popular three-wheeled vehicles this summer to vacationers looking for a new experience. In Hawaii, the GPS-enabled coupes are particularly popular for map-guided tours. But some cities are concerned that the small vehicles can be dangerous. The small coupes can hit a top speed of 45 miles per hour and are classified as a motorized minibike and are therefore not allowed to be run on state-run roads.

The ScootCoupe does have safety features such as all wheel disc brakes, overhead bars, safety belts, high visibility lighting and emergency flashers. It has only hand controls and fits into a trailer. The ScootCoupe comes in two versions, the P50 for $6299 and the P150 for $6599. The P50 has maximum power of 1.9 horsepower @3000 RPM while the P-150 has 9.28 HP @7000 RPM. Rentals vary by city but are usually in the $40 an hour range. An electric version is planned.

One city has taken action against the popular vehicles. In Ocean City, Maryland the city council opposed a proposal to allow the scooter coupes to ride on city-owned streets. Council members were concerned with the small size of the coupes and visibility issues. I haven't heard about any other Scoot Coupe bans yet. Many people rave about the unique view that is available from the Scoot Coupe's low perspective but as with any small vehicle it's important to look out for the bigger vehicles out on the road.

In early May I crossed the East River from midtown Manhattan to Roosevelt Island, home to a number of new, luxury real estate developments. After just a few minutes on the F subway line (or you can take the famous tram), I met with two representatives from Related Companies, one of the country's premier real estate development groups, and had a personal tour of Riverwalk Court, the newest condo offering on the island.

About 10 years ago, Related, along with The Hudson Companies, Inc., won the NYC contract to develop Roosevelt Island. And they have a done a spectacular job with Riverwalk Court. The 18-story condominium building was designed by award-winning architectural firm Costas Kondylis and Partners, and every unit features huge, insulated windows; light, neutral colors; stainless steel appliances and black granite countertops; a washer/dryer; and the best part -- city or bridge views from every apartment. The building's amenities include an entertainment lounge for relaxing with other residents; a fitness center for cardio and yoga; a rooftop terrace; and a children's playroom. As I felt about another Related property I visited, the Caledonia, suddenly my pretty nice apartment and building seemed like a shack, and I wanted to pack up that night and move right into Riverwalk.

Residents of Riverwalk get more than a nice apartment, however. Related is known for its personalized service and concierge amenities (e.g., 24-hour concierge/doorman), and these 123 condominium residences, which range from 1BR - 3 BR with an equal number of baths in each home, offer all of that plus price tags lower than Manhattan for the same, if not better, quality. Plus, Roosevelt Island residents get more -- green space, river breezes, quiet days and nights, minimal traffic, no garbage trucks clanging and squealing in the middle of the night (the island has a Walt Disney World-like underground trash system) and even a 25-cent local bus to take you around the two-mile, 47-acre island if you don't want to walk in the rain or have groceries to carry.

For those who prefer to rent, there's Riverwalk Crossing, Roosevelt Island's only new luxury rental property. Also designed by Kondylis and part of the Related/Hudson portfolio, amenities include an entertainment lounge, bike room, fitness center, and lushly landscaped gardens with an outdoor sun deck, dining terrace, and barbeque grills. As part of the Related Rentals portfolio, Riverwalk Crossing offers its residents RelatedStyle Services, a suite of rewards and services that include the Related Personal Assistant, Move-In Coordination, Resident Service Specialist, as well as exclusive Equinox Fitness membership opportunities. Residents also will have the option to pay rent with a rewards-eligible credit cards.

After my sojourn to Roosevelt Island, I just may make it my next home. Or at least head back there this summer to enjoy all the activities and river air.

Take a look at the gallery for photos of these two communities.

Whenever there is a major event in a city there will be people who try to cash in on the fact that they live nearby. Each year the Super Bowl brings a brisk rental business to whatever town it is being held in so it stands to reason that the upcoming Presidential inauguration would be a boom time for those who live near Capitol Hill. But the economy has reared its ugly head and there are still places to stay. D.C. resident Adam McKay set ups a website for Capitol Hill homeowners called inaugurationhomes.com with more than 40 places to stay listed. So far he has had no takers, partly because prices on his site start at $500 for a very modest studio apartment. You'll do a little better pricewise on the Washington DC Craigslist although prices are ambitiously high there too. The bottom line is that while hotels may be booked in the area, houses and apartments are ready to take your money during inauguration week and they may even be willing to drop their prices in the coming days.

[via WJLA]

No matter the economy or state of the world, New Yorkers like their luxury, and one of the finest recent examples of upscale living is Chelsea's The Caledonia. Expertly built and managed by The Related Companies, this new hybrid building (includes condo owners and renters), which overlooks the High Line, already is sold out in its ownership division. As of a few weeks ago, however, rentals were still available. Sizes range from studio to three-bedroom, and some of the 190 units have terraces.

I thought I had a nice apartment until I saw the lobby, let alone the units! Eco-friendly bamboo floors and cabinetry, top-end appliances, large windows, key fob entry, spa-like bathrooms, and the Holy Grail of the NYC dweller -- a washer and dryer in each unit -- make me want to sell my place and move right in. And if I lived in a Related building now, I could easily do that, as Related makes it easy to transfer to another company unit within NYC, or even in another city.

VillaVida owns large and luxurious villas in the Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo area of Portugal. Their Luxury Collection of the fifteen most beautiful properties has been selected and published here on their website.

Each of the selected villas features 4+ bedrooms and a swimming pool, and many include saunas, gyms, tennis courts, waterfalls, and more.

The Quinta do Lago Bonaparte 6-bedroom villa you see above includes gardens with extensive flowerbeds, manicured lawns, an ornamental lake, and an orchard of citrus trees alongside the private tennis court. The villa is fully furnished with American-style kitchen conveniences and is just two kilometers from the beach. It is available for €7,000 to €13,000 depending upon the season; maid service included.

I think having an excuse to rent a car is fun, and what makes it even funner (yeah, I know that's not really a word!) is to get a really nice car that's comfortable and fun to drive. Now for some people a Mustang convertible might be the height of car-renting luxury, but for others names like Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Bentley are what really sound good. Car clubs and car rental agencies that specialize in high-end luxury automobiles have seen major growth over recent years, resulting in more opportunities for those car lovers who, for whatever reason, just aren't looking to commit to a purchase.

And who doesn't want to be that person spotted in a new luxe car?

Not everyone is looking to settle down, particularly celebrities and other extremely wealthy people, so the market for luxury rentals that offer a no strings attached home for as long as they care to stay is booming. Forbes has a list of the most expensive rentals of 2007. Instead of simply picking ten million-dollar-a-month pads, Forbes chose to list the most expensive in ten different metropolitan areas, which is something to keep in mind if you change cities as often as you change clothes. On their list, you'll find:

• Atlanta - $6,500 per month for an 1,800-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bath condo in Buckhead in a building with a 24-hour concierge and fitness center.
• Washington, D.C. - $12,500 per month will put you in a 14,000-square-foot, six-bedroom estate in Spring Valley that looks a bit like a castle and features a heated swimming pool.
• Los Angeles - $40,000 per month is all it takes to get into a Monterey-style Spanish colonial in the Hollywood Hills. The six-acre property has a 7,000-sq. ft., six bedrooms house with gardens, a heated pool and a 2,700-sq. ft. guesthouse.
• Miami (pictured) - it is $300,000 a month for the 11,000-square-foot Villa Miami XIII on Palm Island. The 6-bedroom estate has "a full gymnasium, cinema-style theater, two Jacuzzis, a regulation beach volleyball court, heated pool and a waterfall," in addition to a boat dock that can accommodate up to a 100-ft. yacht.