services

Rent-A-Smile Takes Annoying Tasks Off Your Hands

Filed under: Services

The virtual personal assistant service Rent-A-Smile promises to take annoying tasks like scheduling doctor's appointments and making travel arrangements off your hands, freeing you up for work and fun stuff. The service is divided into two categories, Business or Personal, with business assistance charged hourly and personal assistance billed per request. On the business side they can help you with everything from answering emails to doing internet research to putting together a powerpoint presentation and on the personal side they do things like making restaurant reservations, scheduling tee times, and paying bills. The only catch to the service is that it is a 'virtual' assistant so although there are real people on the other end assisting you everything has to be done over the phone or internet, so for example they can't go pick up your dry cleaning for you (although they could find somebody else who could).

Prices vary depending on which plan you choose and how often you use the service but they start at about $10/hour for Business Assistance and $35/30 requests per month for Personal Assistance.

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Tags: personal assistant, services, virtual personal assistant

DEX NEW YORK Modern Minerals Makeup

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Services, Cosmetics and Fragrance

Soon after I wrote this post on mineral makeup, I heard from DEX NEW YORK Modern Minerals, and that e-mail has changed my life, cosmetically speaking. I have tried mineral products (Bare Escentuals/Bare Minerals) and mix and match them with other products. While the BE line met most of my expectations, I wasn't entirely thrilled.

I was kindly offered a few samples of the DEX line, and I tried them, and loved them, immediately. As compared to BE, the DEX products are gentler, more moisturizing, and wear longer. I especially like the gel eyeliner, which applies in seconds and then doesn't budge. The eye shadows and blush also stay put all day and night, but everything washed off easily. The colors are fun and vibrant, as you would expect in a mineral line, but you also can get more subdued, natural colors.

All the colors are named after iconic streets (Wall Street Onyx, High Line Metallic Blue, and Schubert Alley Cantaloupe), music-filled neighborhoods (Harlem Nights Sapphire, The Met Star White, Rockefeller Gold), idyllic New York getaway spots (Sag Harbor, Montauk), and even once-existent notorious nightclubs (Twilo, Limelight, Studio 54).

DEX Modern Minerals are hypoallergenic, cruelty-free, and eco-friendly, using already recycled packaging materials and refillable, magnetic portfolios for repeated use. The mineral powder makeup formulations are talc- and paraben-free. There are products for skin, eyes, and lips, as well as brushes and accessories. Prices range from $16 - $100.

Special -- Get 30% off through February 22 when using Lucky Magazine's "Local Breaks" code. If shopping online or at the store, use the code "lucky3" to save. When booking an appointment, mention "Lucky."

Click "Read More" below to learn more about the line -- which was created by Dexter Phillip -- as well as the extensive DEX photo studio and Beauty Atrium. I'm headed there on January 28 and can't wait to see it and buy some products!

Gallery: DEX NEW YORK Modern Minerals Makeup; Beauty Atrium; and Studio

Tags: DEX, DEX NEW YORK, DexNewYork, hair, makeup, mineral makeup, MineralMakeup, services

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One Key Luxury Travel Card

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Services

The One Key Travel Card is a like a membership card to a time share but more upscale. It includes first-class homes, personalized service, and local knowledge, without a significant outlay of upfront capital or whole ownership. Members have access to a worldwide portfolio of selected homes, as well as a dedicated member services representative. Cards are available by number of nights: 15, 25 or 45, for $34,900, $49,900, or $84,900, respectively. Use the nights in any combination. Pricing includes access to One Key Homes, daily housekeeping, and member services. Inquire about membership here. Choices of home style / themes include beach, city, mountain, leisure, and "hidden gems."

Tags: journey, membership, services, time share, TimeShare, travel, trip

The Home Zone Company

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Services

The needs of the wealthy often require quick moves and the ultimate in discretion. That's where services like The Home Zone Company come in. Laura Naramore, a former corporate consultant, specializes in helping clients make lifestyle transitions whether it's creating a new life for retirees or helping an executive get a new footing in a strange city. How does one get into the business of helping the wealthy relocate and what does it entail? Laura Naramore gives me more details in our mini-interview:

Can you define in one sentence what The Home Zone Company does?
The Home Zone Company manages the entire process of lifestyle asset acquisition, which starts with location research and property scouting and ends with a fully renovated, staffed and provisioned lifestyle asset. ("Lifestyle Asset" is the category for boats, jets and homes.)

How did you decide to start this business?
I was frustrated by the inefficiency I experienced securing my own homes. First, the real estate agents are paid by sellers, prohibited by law and discouraged by self-interest from sharing relevant information and limited in scope to very tight geographic boundaries. The system works fine for people with narrow geographic options, but it is a time-wasting business model if you want to buy a secondary home "where it is warm in the winter". After months of research, hundreds of phone calls, dozens of look-see trips and finally finding a property by navigating all those agents, the demands on my time just got more intensive: I realized that I was the only nexus where my banker, lawyers, real estate agents, general contractors, designer, mover and employment agencies met.

All we wanted was an enjoyable bolt-hole but in order to get it I had to indulge this overwhelming, otherwise irrelevant cast of characters in my daily life. I joked one night to my husband that what we really needed was a lifestyle COO to manage all these P&Ls, and the company was born.

Who is your typical client?
What my clients have in common is cash flow, a sense of urgency, a deep sense of privacy and a preference for results without process. The circumstances for which they hire me vary. A pending divorce, transitioning senior parents, a change in financial circumstances and other "dislocation" events drive the majority of my referrals.

What's the strangest request you've ever gotten?
The strangest requests for me are the conspiracy paranoia ones- -recently, I was asked to pose as a prospective buyer to unmask a coalition of realtors who were suspected of intentionally driving my client's multi-million dollar property into foreclosure so that they could buy it themselves, flip it and share the profits. And what seemed exotic to me at first, like setting up love-nests or tucking away children, is now just part of the lifestyle ecosystem.

What's the average cost for your services?
We are hired on a project basis for individuals or on retainer for family offices. Our average retainer is $25,000 and our average project fee is in the $6-8k range. We are not paid in any way by the service providers with whom we engage on behalf of our clients.

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Tags: home zone, HomeZone, relocation, services, wealthy

Crazy Perks at the Best Hotels

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Services

A place to sleep is just a place to sleep when it all comes down to it, and since the atmosphere can only be so nice how do luxury hotels set themselves apart from each other? With the perks and services they offer, of course -- and you better believe they go all out and get seriously creative. Here are just a few of the crazier perks you can find at some of the best hotels, courtesy of Forbes Traveler:

Helicopter transfers between the airport, hotel, and shopping (Hilton Sao Paulo Morumbi)
A sleep concierge to ensure you get the best night's sleep possible (The Benjamin)
Customized aromas: after finding out what your preferences are the housekeeper stocks your room with preferred scents (Palazzo Magnani Feroni)
Pet perks like special bedding and dishes, pet sitting, walking, and massages (Nine Zero)

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Tags: concierge, hotel, hotels, journeys, luxury, perk, perks, services

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Hotel Offers a Sleep Concierge for a Guaranteed Good Night's Rest

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Services

Is the worst part of traveling trying to get a good night's sleep? It can be tough to sleep like you do at home in even the nicest of hotels, but The Benjamin in NYC has something most places don't: a sleep concierge.

And the sleep concierge is just the beginning. They offer a menu of 12 different pillows, choices of specialized sleep enhancing snacks, and before-bed massages. In fact, The Benjamin is so sure they can give you a good night's sleep that's as good as what you get at home they'll give you a free night's stay if they fail.

Do you think it's worth it? What would you need to make the hotel feel like home?

Via A Luxury Travel Blog

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Tags: benjamin, concierge, hotel, hotels, journey, journeys, manhattan, nyc, services, sleep, sleep concierge, SleepConcierge, the benjamin, TheBenjamin, travel

Villazzo Takes Villas a Step Up

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Many of the people who indulge in rented luxury villas don't always get what they bargained for. You'd think, compared to a hotel, that a villa would be a nicer, better experience -- but most of the time it isn't. So Christian Jagodzinski decided to fix that by starting his own company of luxury villas that would deliver as he expected they should: Villazzo was born.

With most everything pre-arranged, Jagodzinski thinks of Villazzo as more of a hotel-type service than villas. He even makes a point to offer the same services as top hotels, such as porters and maids, strawberries and champagne, and even a helicopter in the France location to help guests avoid pesky traffic when traveling to nearby retreats -- there are 35 specific luxury services offered altogether.

So if you've been frustrated in the past and haven't yet tried Villazzo, maybe you should consider it. There are six locations around the world, with prices around $2000 per night/$14000 per week.

Via BusinessWeek

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Tags: christian jagodzinski, ChristianJagodzinski, home, hotel, house, luxury, maid, night, nights, services, stay, transportation, travel, villa, villas, villazzo

A New Guide To The Fractional Life

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Services, Luxury Cars & Autos, Wings

I've been watching the fraction boom for a long time. Timeshare used to have a negative connotation but these days fractional ownership is a great way to get access to vacation homes, cars, yachts and jets that you could not afford on your own. A new website, Fractional Life aggregates a variety of fractional offers and experiences in various categories. Unlike one of my faves, the Helium Report, the new site doesn't evaluate or provide commentary but it does get all those fractional companies in one place so you can can see all the potentials in one place and make your own decisions.

[via PSFK]

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Tags: fractional, services, timeshare, website

Mint Lifestyle

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Services

Mint Lifestyle is an exclusive, members-only luxury concierge service based in Los Angeles, though they have clients and connections all over the world. With a membership limited to 250 - and so exclusive that it has been likened to a virtual country club - clients get the best service possible from a highly-trained staff. Unlike other concierge services, which tend to deal primarily with the minor details of daily life, their services include, but are not limited to, arranging luxury travel, event planning, finding staff, coordinating the purchase of rare or luxury vehicles and even securing real estate within days. Need a private jet for a quick trip or a suite at the hottest new luxury hotel? No problem. Of course, they can also arrange the more mundane tasks, if necessary, but the majority of their clients already have people to pick up their dry cleaning. The most attentive service money can buy is only $20,000 per year.

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Tags: concierge, contry club, lifestyle, los angeles, mint, mint lifestyle, personal concierge, services

ApoteoSurprise

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Services

Imagine this, you are in Paris, France with your beloved. It's beautiful and spectacular but you are looking for a little excitement. If plain old Paris in all her French finery isn't good enough for you, ApoteoSurprise will create a magical experience for you. The adventures include a dinner cruise aboard a yacht, a plane emblazoned with your message on its wings, or an evening that culminates with a man with a flatscreen TV on his head that had a slideshow of your favorite romantic moments. The experiences are completely outlandish, one even involves a man dressed up as TV detective Colombo. Prices vary according to the experience but expect to pay at least a couple of thousand dollars for your Parisian surprise.

[via Orlando Sentinel]

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Tags: france, paris, romance, services, surprise

Whatever/Whenever at W Hotels

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Services

Beginning this week, W Hotels is relaunching its Whatever/Whenever campaign. The hotels will offer five brand new services in addition to the existing "Whatever/Whenever" button on hotel phones that would allow a guest to make a request easily. The new services are:

Text messaging, which the hotels will use to alert guests when their rooms are ready, a package has arrived, etc. Guests can also text reservations and other requests to the hotel, which will pay for all W-related texts on guests' phone bills.

Wake up call options including inspirational messages and calls to cell phones, rather than room phones

A pillow menu, with three different pillow types for optimum comfort

Door-to-door package and luggage delivery, so guests don't have to travel with their bags in airports or anywhere else

Take-along prepared meals, specifically for guests who will be flying, since so many airlines have eliminated meal service. They will also print boarding passes and supply their own small version of an in-flight magazine for entertainment.

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Tags: hotel, hotels, luxury, service, services, w, w hotel, whatever/whenever

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