san francisco

Tiffany & Co. Makes San Francisco Giants World Series Ring

Tiffany & Co. has produced the World Series championship rings for the San Francisco Giants. While they won the MLB World Series in 2010, the baseballs stars are only now getting their rings now. Previously they were given inexpensive "decoy" rings - which was seen as a joke.

With the start of a new baseball season the team now gets their ring. Plus, one extra ring was made that will be raffled-off by the Giants for charity. The Tiffany & Co. made World Series ring is everything a star athlete could hope for. The ring is mostly in 18k white gold, with some yellow gold accents. It has 77 diamonds on it, which are placed in various spots on the ring. There is about 1 carat worth of stones. The top of the ring has the San Francisco Giant's "SF" logo, surrounded by the statement "World Champions." On one side (shank) of the ring is a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge with "2010." The other shank will have the name of the ring recipient engraved on it.

Really a nice ring overall and very handsome. This is the first ever ring Tiffany & Co. has made for the MLB World Series. Though Tiffany & Co. has been enlisted in the past to create championship rings for other sports such as football.

As mentioned, Tiffany & Co. has produced one extra San Francisco Giants World Championship ring that will be raffled-off to support the Giants Community Fund. The raffle for the SF Giants championship ring can be found here, and will last until July 26, 2011. As I am in San Francisco I can freely say, "Go Giants!" And thanks Tiffany.

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

Tags: 2010, baseball, championship, giants, mlb, ring, san francisco, SF, tiffany, world series

Celebrity Chef's Lamborghini Stolen in Daring Heist at San Francisco Dealership

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Celebrity Shopping, Crimes and Misdemeanors

Celebrity Chef's Lamborghini Stolen in Daring Heist at San Francisco Dealership

Cars get stolen all the time, but a few elements about this story make it stand out. First of all, this was no ordinary car. Secondly, it didn't belong to just anyone. And thirdly, it wasn't stolen with a simple coat hanger and a pair of pliers.

The story coming in from San Francisco reports the theft of a yellow 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo belonging to celebrity chef Guy Fieri from a local exotic car dealership. According to the report, police figure the thief climbed up onto the roof of the dealership, rappelled down on a rope, busted open the garage door and drove off with the Lamborghini.

[Source: San Francisco Chronicle]

Source

Tags: car theft, celebrity chef, grand theft auto, guy fieri, lamborghini, lamborghini gallardo, san francisco, theft

San Francisco's Argonaut Hotel Sold For $84 Million

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, which has been buying up hotels around the country, has added another to its San Francisco portfolio that includes the Sir Francis Drake hotel. The Pebblebrook Hotel Trust has announced that it has acquired the Argonaut Hotel for $84 million. The 252-room, boutique-style hotel is located in the Fisherman's Wharf area and will continue to be managed by Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. The transaction includes the assumption of a $42 million secured loan with the balance provided in cash.

"We are pleased to acquire such a distinctive hotel in one of the most dynamic areas of San Francisco," said Jon Bortz, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust. The hotel was originally constructed in 1907 as the Haslett Warehouse and was converted to a hotel in 2003. The nautically-themed property also features the Blue Mermaid Chowder House and the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park Visitors Center, along with several retail outlets including Starbucks, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, a bike rental outfit and a wine tasting store.

Tags: argonaut hotel, kimpton hotels and restaurants, pebblebrook hotel trust, san francisco, san francisco hotels

Continue reading “San Francisco's Argonaut Hotel Sold For $84 Million”

San Franciso MoMA Explores "How Wine Became Modern"

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Wine's journey in the US, from its validation at the Judgment of Paris to its current celebration in film, design, and travel, is charted in a new exhibition, "How Wine Became Modern," at San Francisco's MoMA.

Running through April 17, 2011, the show examines the attendant culture that sprung up around wine, during the past 30 years, as its popularity skyrocketed. This includes everything from wine's influence on art and design, its effect on architecture, and the mainstream acceptance of concepts like provenance and terroir. Viewers are lead through a series of rooms, beginning with a photo-mural of the 1976 Judgment tasting, by New York architecture firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and on through exhibits of soil samples (to explain terroir), wine bottle labels, and glassware. There's also a survey of significant wine-related architecture around with the world, with projects from marquee names like Frank Gehry, Santiago Calatrava and Herzog & de Meuron.

The culmination of "How Wine Became Modern" is a "smell wall," where seven flasks of actual liquid provide an education in nosing and the shifting culture of wine terminology.

Tags: architecture, design, exhibitions, How Wine Became Modern, Judgment of Paris, media, museums, san francisco, SFMOMA, wine

Wellendorff Opens First U.S. Boutique In San Francisco

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

German jewelry brand Wellendorff boutique opened its first boutique in North America, a shop-in-shop located within retail jeweler Shreve & Co. in San Francisco, California on October 29. Wellendorff is a 115-year-old jeweler famous for its rings which feature detailed enameled designs and for its long gold "silkrope" necklaces.

National Jeweler reports that Jennifer Siebel Newsom, wife of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, cut the purple ribbon to the new boutique. The boutique has its own separate jewelry viewing areas and a coffee bar. Wellendorff has created a special "San Francisco Flower" ring that is only available at the boutique. The outside is a vibrant flower design. Inside there is an engraving of the Golden Gate Bridge and the words San Francisco. It is available in two color styles (the pink and purple shown here and a more neutral gold and beige) and can come with a diamond band. Wellendorff jewelry ranges in price from $3,600 to $100,000.

Tags: jewelry, rings, san francisco, san francisco jewelry store, shreve, shreve and company, wellendorff

Wrap Your Car in Hello Kitty

by Ann Brenoff (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Sanrio, the company that produces the Hello Kitty line, has just released a car customization package for Smart ForTwo vehicles that start at $1,700 for full wraps and $550 if you can contain your feline craving to just the two door panels. It's the latest entry by Hello Kitty in the adult product market. There are Hello Kitty wines, adult clothing and kitchen appliances. In fact, there may be a Hello Kitty everything.

Tags: hello kitty, san francisco, smart car, SMART cars

Continue reading “Wrap Your Car in Hello Kitty”

San Francisco Antiques Show To Open With Derek Lam Preview Party

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Events, Art

On October 27, San Francisco kicks off the 29th annual Fall Antiques Show with an opening night preview party hosted by Derek Lam. The show at Fort Mason Center is the oldest international antiques fair on the West Coast and runs October 28-31. Over 60 new and returning dealers will present thousands of decorative and fine art objects representing all styles and periods including American, English, Continental, and Asian furniture, silver, ceramics, glass, jewelry, rugs, textiles, paintings, prints, and photographs.

To celebrate this year's theme, Chinoiserie: Rococo to Eco, guests will be greeted by a two-story, gilded pagoda entrance created by architect Andrew Skurman. Maria Santangelo of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and historian Holland Lynch co- curate the special exhibition, which showcases furnishings, porcelain, lacquer, and fine arts presenting imaginative Western interpretations of Chinese artistic influences. The pieces in this display are on loan from the collections of Ann Getty, The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and others.

"Over the last three decades, The San Francisco Fall Antiques Show has emerged as one of the most prestigious art and antiques fairs in the United States," said Lisa Podos, Executive Director of the Show. "With our spectacular exhibitors, sponsors, chairs, and lecturers, as well as our exciting Chinoiserie theme, this year's Show will no doubt continue that tradition."

The fair benefits Enterprise for High School Students which has a mission of helping teens invest in their own futures and achieve their goals. Gala tickets start at $200. Show tickets are $15 and lecture tickets are $15 each. The complete lecture schedule is below.

Tags: antiques, antiques fair, antiques show, san francisco

Continue reading “San Francisco Antiques Show To Open With Derek Lam Preview Party”

The Design Of Community: The New La Vie Dimension at the Millennium Towers in San Francisco

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wine, Real Estate Developments, By Design

A viable sense of community is becoming a needful element in the world of the high end condo hotel/residence world. These days, those who want a second home often purchase one in a city where they have always wanted to live. One of the drawbacks, however, is how few people the new residents actually know in the place they move to, over and above a few family members and friends. However, if they buy at Millennium Tower, they will meet their neighbors in the most affable of circumstances, due to a unique dimension not yet found in the emerging Urban Resort universe.

La Vie is a unique collection of opportunities and activities, designed to enhance greater community for the residents living at Millennium Tower, the 60-story, ultra-luxury residential tower (see above) located at 301 Mission Street in San Francisco. It is a monthly events program designed to deepen the Millennium Tower resident lifestyle and showcase the amenities available at Millennium Tower's 20,000-square-foot Club Level. La Vie offers residents a calendars of intriguing offerings, from film screenings in the Club Level's screening room to engaging fireside chats with local and national celebrities, on- and off-site winemaker events, market-to-table cooking experiences, musical performances, and more.

Tags: joe montana, millenium tower, san francisco, san francisco real estate

Continue reading “The Design Of Community: The New La Vie Dimension at the Millennium Towers in San Francisco”

NYC Named America's Richest City With Over 650,000 Millionaires

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth

New York has been named America's richest city with a record 667,000 high-net worth individuals, or people with $1 million or more in investible assets, recorded as living there in 2009. The figure, 18.7% higher than in 2008, comes from the new Metro Wealth Index created by consulting firm Capgemini, the Wall St. Journal reports. New York not only topped the list but demolished the competition, with a sum greater than the total of the next three runners up combined – Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington. The number of millionaires in New York City – some of whom are of course billionaires – is now greater than the entire population of Boston. While growth is up across the board over 2008, only New York, D.C. (#4), Houston (#9) and San Jose (#10) are now above their 2007 or pre-recession levels, with the rest still languishing behind.

Tags: Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, millionaires, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Jose, Washington, wealth

Continue reading “NYC Named America's Richest City With Over 650,000 Millionaires”

Museum Tower In San Francisco, Estate of the Day

by Ann Brenoff (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

There are some who wonder how Los Angeles and San Francisco -- two extraordinarily different cities -- are even allowed by the laws of nature to exist in the same state. And for them, a listing like this just proves the point. Sophisticated, urban, historic and elegant -- it can only be San Francisco.

This rare two-story penthouse with 360-degree views sits atop the 5-star St. Regis Hotel and is listed at $49 million. The apartment was listed at $70 million in November 2008. The Museum Tower Penthouse, which recently completed 5 years of renovations at the hands of Orlando Diaz-Azcuy Design Associates, features three grand entertaining rooms with 21-foot glass walls and an adjacent 2,000-square-foot terrace reminiscent of terraces that border New York's Central Park.

Opulence abounds in this 20,000-square-foot residence that has both catering and family kitchens, a private elevator, an in-home cinema and game lounge with a wet bar. The penthouse also has a double-height cascading water feature in the grand stair hall. There are six bedrooms, four fireplaces and a garage bay for five or six cars.. There are hardwood floors, an in-home fitness center, sauna, spa and library. The building's amenities? Full-on top-scale. This is the St. Regis, which blends an historic building and a 40-story tower into a high-end luxury property. The hotel is in the SOMA area, near the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Louis J. Silcox Jr. of Sotheby's International Realty, San Francisco, is the listing agent.

Gallery: Museum Tower San Francisco

Tags: california real estate, estate of the day, museum tower, san francisco, st regis

Continue reading “Museum Tower In San Francisco, Estate of the Day”

SF Chefs Brings Foodies To San Francisco In August

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Events

Food and wine lovers will converge in San Francisco in August for SF Chefs 2010, a four-day festival of flavor running August 9-15 in Union Square. Northern California remains a trendsetter when in it comes to food and wine trend and has formed a community that is very supportive of the craft and sustainability movements in food, wine and spirits.

The main tasting tent will be in Union Square, where chefs, wine makers and distillers will showcase local products. The schedule also includes special classes and seminars that feature local farmers, ranchers, chefs, winemakers, distillers, media, luminaries, authors, vintners, mixologists and culinary experts discussing the subjects they know best. A Top Chef happy hour features the Top Chefs of SF reunion. Tyler Florence and Elizabeth Falkner will team up against Jamie Lauren and Chris Cosentino in a food face-off.

SFChefs 2010 will support the Golden Gate Restaurant Association Scholarship Foundation which grants financial scholarships to students from the Bay Area entering culinary and hospitality programs. The event also has a goal of being a zero waste event. All paper products will be recycled and all disposable silverware and glassware is made from corn resin and will be composted after use. Tickets for the Grand Tasting Tent are $125 and individual tickets for classes and demonstrations start at $20. More details on the SF Chefs website.

[via Inside Scoop SF]

Tags: northern california, san francisco, top chef, tyler florence, union square

Targa Trophy Supercar Rally Kicks Off This Summer

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events

The Targa Trophy triple-crown series of open road rallies featuring some of the most exotic cars in the world will kick off later this month with high-octane events slated for Southern California, Northern California and Arizona. The series pits drivers against the clock in an effort to drive pre-selected routes through some of the most technical driving roads and scenic byways in the western United States. The first leg – the So Cal Challenge - runs from Hollywood to San Diego, the second event – the Bay Area Rally Fest - takes participants through Silicon Valley and West San Francisco, and the Desert Finale runs through the Arizona desert to Scottsdale. Each two-day event will start with an exclusive private party at the host city's W Hotel.

As the participants make their way to the finish there will be a series of checkpoints and movie screenings culminating in the finale dinner and awards ceremony. HRE Performance Wheels, which designs, engineers and manufactures forged alloy wheels for the world's finest cars in their San Diego facility, has signed on "Official Wheel" of this year's competition. HRE will craft a unique forged aluminum trophy for the rally winner and provide prizes to other top placing drivers as well. The grand prize for the "Triple Crown" winner will be a custom-made set of forged HRE wheels made for the winning vehicle. The So Cal Challenge kicks of on June 25; the deadline to sign up is June 22.

Tags: Arizona, California, Hollywood, rally, San Diego, San Francisco, Scottsdale, Southern California, supercars, Targa Trophy, W Hotel

Auction Features The Collection Of The Other Ed Hardy

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Auctions, Art

We've all come to associate the name Ed Hardy with trucker hats and the Christian Audigier fashion line but there is another, more refined Ed Hardy. An upcoming sale of Fine European and American Furniture and Decorative Arts at Bonhams & Butterfields in San Francisco, California includes an evening session showcasing furniture and decorations from the Ed Hardy San Francisco Collection. This Ed Hardy is a prominent San Francisco antiques dealer. His pieces include 17th century Roman giltwood tables, Murano glass chandeliers, modernist furnishings, Chinese ceramics and a collection of Hellenistic marble fountain masks some of which come from the legendary collection of William Randolph Hearst. The one shown at right, a Roman white marble fountain mask circa 2nd – 4th century is estimated at $2,500 to $3,500. The auction previews open in San Francisco on June 11th. The evening session, devoted to the Ed Hardy Collection, begins at 6 p.m. on June 14.

[via Art Daily]

Tags: antiques, bonhams, Bonhams Butterfields, san francisco, William Randolph Hearst

Cavallo Point Lodge, Nature With A Golden Gate View

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Cavallo Point, the Lodge at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco, California offers a great compromise between those in the family who want a back-to-nature experience and those not interested in straying too far from the big city. Surrounded by 75,000 acres of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Cavallo Point Lodge is San Francisco's national park lodge. The former Fort Baker military base is now a compound of meticulously restored turn�of�the�century and new buildings.

Tags: california, cavallo point lodge, family travel, hotel deals, san francisco

Continue reading “Cavallo Point Lodge, Nature With A Golden Gate View”

The Gallery House, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Today's home, the gallery house in San Francisco, likely wouldn't be quite as interesting without its current decor. As it is the four-bedroom home is a fascinating version of life in the city. The nearly 7,000 foot structure includes the LIMN Art Gallery and a large private courtyard. The home's high ceilings, large flat walls and concrete floors evoke the look of modern gallery space. The sleek stainless steel kitchen gets a touch of whimsy in the form of a tree-limb-based countertop. Ample terrace spaces offer room for dining, entertaining and lounging. It's a space designed for a certain lifestyle, one that revolves around entertaining and the display of art. It is listed at $6.75 million.

Gallery: The Gallery House