sport

Aspen - A perennial favorite, this resort seems to be geared towards adults, with few beginner runs on the ski slopes and lots of great restaurants and shopping in town, as well as a satisfying mix of romantic and luxury accommodations.

Vail - Lots of lifts and more groomed terrain than any other resort on the planet, Vail is great for skiing, but the resort is so large that you won't have a problem finding off-mountain activities, from luxury spas to excellent eateries.

Kirkwood (pictured)- This California resort is somewhat off the beaten path, but all the better for it, as it provides skiers with the steep slopes and great snow they could want, with plenty of relief from the crowds at other mountains. The town is quiet, but only a short drive from Tahoe.

The World Series is over and most of the Bowl games are barely on the horizon, but one thing that is just as important as who is playing is where you are going to be when you watch the game. Forbes Traveler has picked out the best skyboxes in North America. Their slideshow even gives you a sneak peek inside each and every location. Here is the list of the top spots, the price (per season unless otherwise indicated) and their home teams and, if you end up having to change team allegiances to get in to the top boxes, remember that your friends will forgive you as long as you invite them up, too.

• Luxury boxes at The Rogers Centre, Toronto Blue Jays ($32,000 a game)
• The Pool Zone at Chase Field, Arizona Diamondbacks ($5,900 per game, pictured)
• Suites at FedEx Field, Washington Redskins ($75,000 to $200,000)
• Platinum executive suites at Air Canada Centre, Toronto Maple Leafs ($287,000 to $465,000 )
• The Lofts at Cardinals Stadium, Arizona Cardinals ($65,000 to $125,000)
• President's box at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, host of the U.S. Open ($12,000 to $25,000 per session)
• Luxury boxes at Gillette Stadium, New England Patriots ($325,000)
• Suites at Bank of America Stadium, Carolina Panthers ($59,000 to $100,000+)
• Luxury box suites at Busch Stadium, Saint Louis Cardinals ($105,000 to $185,000)

What child wouldn't love to have an ice skating rink in the back yard? Hammacher Schlemmer has a 37-foot portable ice rink that can be set up anywhere and is perfect for practicing for winter sports or just skating for fun. The frame keeps the water in the rink even if the temperatures get too high to sustain the ice, ensuring it will be ready to go whenever the weather gets cold, and the rigid PVC at the bottom protects the rink from skate damage if the ice gets too thin.

If only I had had one of these to put in the yard growing up! Actually, it wouldn't have helped me to become a more accomplished figure skater because, portable though it is, it still needs to be below freezing to properly form the 2.5-inch thick ice layer and that is something you can't necessarily count on in most of California. Price: $700.

During the season, every sports fan wants a crystal ball - preferably one that will help them pick the winners for the rest of the year. This crystal ball does not have those powers of prediction, but it might be even better if you are a St. Louis Cardinals fan. Made of fully-leaded crystal from Waterford, the St. Louis 2006 World Series Commemorative Baseball celebrates the team's victory over the Detroit Tigers. A limited number of the hand-carved balls will be made, and each will be individually numbered and packed with a certificate of authenticity. Price $165.

Since we were just thinking about yoga retreats, it seems appropriate that we mention a mat that yoga fans who want more than just the basics. Of course, you can't have a cashmere yoga mat, but you can make a statement with Text Yoga Mats. These mats come in three colors with three different messages printed in metallic/pearlized colors. The styles include the "bling" mat, in gold; the "chocolate" mat, in chocolate; and "me," in silver. Just try not to smile while looking at your mat and doing the downward dog. Price: $65.

[via Cool Hunting]

Nike must be jealous that Adidas got the official sponsorship for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, not to mention that they got to design the official game ball($130), because Nike has released a limited edition soccer ball "to celebrate the spirit of the World Cup." The white leather Futsal balls are decorated with an array of symbols that represent "diversity, behavior and skills shown by players," though Nike does not mention which symbol represents which player or skill. Any guess as to what the gnarled tree represents? Or the unicorn?

Only 64 of these balls will be produced and they will only be sold until the final game on July 9th, assuming that they don't sell out before then. Price: $225.

[Thanks, Dave]

BusinessWeek has compiled a list of the world's richest soccer players, all of whom are playing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup this year. This also helps us see that, though the US may not pay its players as much as the players of other professional sports, soccer is indeed one of the most popular - and best rewarded - sports in the world. Here are the top five highest paid players and their annual incomes:

• Ronaldinho, Brazil - $29.2 million (pictured)
• David Beckham, England - $22.9 million
• Ronaldo, Brazil - $22.1 million
• Wayne Rooney, England - $20.4 million
• Zinédine Zadine, France - $19.1 million

We already saw designer soccer balls from Takashi Murakami and a whistle chair/sculpture for armchair referees, but Paul Smith has a whole line of products that he developed in celebration of the World Cup. First up is his take on a football, made of fake crocodile skin colored with bright hues. Unfortunately, unlike the Murakami balls, it is not intended to be used as more than a novelty and should not even be taken outdoors. This isn't a problem if you want to toss the ball around while watching the game on TV, though. The ball is £169.

Any avid equestrian will be able to tell you that the initial cost of a horse is not what makes any form of horseback riding such an expensive sport. Horses must be fed, housed and properly cared for - all of which are ongoing expenses, on top of training and general equipment. With one piece of equipment, the Racewood Riding Simulator, a novice rider can now eliminate those ongoing costs while s/he learns to ride.

Such machines were previously only available to large scale training facilities and were limited in scope. This riding simulator is designed to walk, trot, canter and steer realistically, performing all levels of flatwork, a unique feat that is accomplished with the help of programming from Equitech Software.

Ralph Lauren is the first official outfitter of Wimbledon, with a five year contract to design the outfits for all the on-court umpires, judges, ball boys and girls. The uniforms will certainly be more stylish than anything previously seen on the courts. The officials will wear navy blazers with cream piping and cream pants or skirts. The ball boys and girls outfit consists of a navy polo with navy shorts or skort and an optional navy warm-up suit. All of the clothing will feature a newly designed Ralph Lauren/Wimbledon crest.

Lauren will also be releasing a Wimbledon-inspired collection to be sold at company stores around the time of the tournament.

[Image Female First]

The Kentucky Derby is coming up this Saturday and the one thing every (female) spectator needs is a hat. Derby headwear should not be an everyday hat, but an ostentatious hat - the bigger the better. Attitudes by Angie makes some spectacular hats, including those seen in the movie Elizabethtown. Her Winner Take All hat has nearly as many flowers as the rose wreath that the winning horse is awarded with, so it's perfect for the race. If something more understated is more your style, Hats in the Belfry has a wide range of elegant Derby hats. Theirs include sleek designs with floral accents, like the Naturally Beautiful hat.  The Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft has a huge selection of one of a kind hats, too. The above pictured Paradise hat runs at the high end of the Derby hat price range, at $1,200.

Our friends at Autoblog found a company that produces "the perfect fusion between sport and jewels." The company is called Circuiti and, with designer Gianfranco Quartaroli, they make jewelery in the shape of internationally known motorcycle and auto racecourses.

Each piece in their collection can be made of steel or of gold, and are available with diamonds and without. A diamond is a popular way to mark the starting point of the course. The steel option might be the best choice of adornment for an everyday key chain, but the tracks set in gold with diamonds or other precious stones are the flashiest way for a fan to support his (or her) team. The stones can even be chosen to ensure that your pendant or cuff links will reflect your team affiliation. Prices start at around €64, depending up course and materials.