twitter

The Four Seasons is getting in on the Twitter wine tasting trend, hosting its first virtual event and you don't even have to head to a Four Seasons to participate (although really, why wouldn't you?). The event takes place on November 17 and focuses on perfect pairings for the upcoming holidays and will highlight wine knowledge from three sommeliers with more than 25 years of combined experience.

James Tidwell, Co-Founder and Current Head of the Texas Sommelier Association; Mark Sayre, one of Wine & Spirits magazine's "7 Best New Sommeliers of 2010"; and Dana Farner, recognized as "one of the best around" by Bon Appétit magazine, will lead participants in a virtual guided tasting of three wines: Loosen Bros. Dr. L Riesling, Paraiso Vineyards Syrah, and the Chappellet Mountain Cuvee.

The discussion will address the unique flavor profiles of each wine and how to pair them with seasonal dishes or use them in a Thanksgiving holiday menu. The event will end with a Q & A session. To join in log-on to Twitter at 6:00pm CT / 7:00pm ET on November 17, 2010 and search for the hashtag #FSWine. You can also join a dedicated Tweetup at the nearest participating Four Seasons hotel or resort. Tweetups will be held at Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta; Four Seasons Hotel Austin; Four Seasons Hotel Boston; Four Seasons Hotel Chicago; The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, A Four Seasons Hotel; Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas; Four Seasons Hotel Houston; Four Seasons Hotel Miami; Four Seasons Hotel New York; Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach; Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia; Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis and Four Seasons Hotel Toronto.

If you just can't get enough Twitter now you can enjoy it in a whole new form: wine. Appropriately called Fledgling the label is a collaboration between Twitter and Crushpad in Napa Valley and launched with two vintages: a 2009 Chardonnay and a 2009 Pinot Noir. I haven't tried them yet myself but according to Slashfood the Pinot is pretty good.

Perhaps the best part of this whole Twitter wine endeavor is that The Fledgling Initiative sends $5 of every bottle sold to the non-profit organization Room to Read, which makes literacy and educational programs available to children around the world and for The Fledgling Initiative specifically in Uttarakhand, India. Fledgling Wine is currently only available online for $25/bottle or $300/case, and you can stay abreast of the latest news by following the brand on Twitter at @fledgling.

Just when you thought athletes and music performers had completely run out of ideas about how to blow their money, Kanye West dug a little deeper.

The rapper, who is known for boorish and controversial behavior as much as he is his music (taking the microphone from Taylor Swift at the 2099 MTV Music Awards and saying that Beyonce was more deserving of the award that Swift won), replaced his bottom enameled teeth with a row of gold and diamond implants to create a shiny new smile.

He posted a picture of his mouth on Twitter.com, writing, "My teeth are real diamonds... these are not fronts... I replaced my bottom row of teeth with diamonds." West is known for his deep-thought Tweets.

West showed off his expensive new look in an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show this week and told the TV host why he felt he needed to replace his teeth. He says, "I just thought the diamonds were cooler."

It's his money.

Given that the first two "Stoli Originals" ad campaigns featured Hugh Hefner and actress Julia Stiles it was anyone's guess who the third might be. Proving that Twitter and its founders have hit the big time, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone is the new Stoli Original. As with previous Originals Hugh Hefner and Julia Stiles, Biz will be appearing in print ads as well as TV spots that launch tomorrow, Oct. 19, 2010.

The print ads feature Biz Stone, Twitter Pioneer, seated at a table having a drink with himself, Biz Stone, Nerd of the Year. In the commercial Biz the "Nerd of the Year" and Biz the "Twitter Pioneer" discuss whether or not Twitter is "meaningless babble" or the future of communication. There will be a Twitter cocktail party tomorrow hosted by @stoli on Twitter in celebration of the platform that Biz co-founded.

Alyssa Milano, one of the most influential celebrity tweeters out there, has launched the first ever celebrity tweet auction on eBay and it's all in the name of charity. With 100% of the winning bid set to go to aHomeInHaiti (an organization that builds shelters, homes, and schools for Haitians devastated by the earthquake) this is a great chance to realize the ultimate Twitter fantasy and get yourself an A-list celebrity follower, and A-list celebrity retweet, and an A-list celebrity shout-out all while doing something good for the world. The lucky winning bidder will be followed by @Alyssa_Milano for a minimum of 90 days plus she'll give you a personal shout out using your @twitterhandle and will retweet at least one of your posts (lets hope it's a good one). The auction just started and with over 9 days left is already up to $3,050. She'll probably be the most expensive Twitter follower you ever pick up but who knows, with the kind of pull Alyssa has online this just might be your chance to 'make it big' in the Twitterverse (and make a few Haitians' days too).

Today's home is part of a new trend. Houses for sale that tweet. Yes, today's home, a six-bedroom in Menlo Park, California, has its own Twitter account and sends out tweets like "I'm being shown to some new potential buyers right now! " The home is part of a new house twittering trend, our sister blog WalletPop did a piece on a Malibu home that is also tweeting its way toward a sale just the other day.

The home is a new build in a Dutch Colonial style with an open floorplan. The home was designed for family life with nice details like a breakfast nook and a sunny open kitchen, dining room with a buffet, upstairs office and a downstairs great room with a bar. A marble master bathroom includes both a large tub and a shower stall. Covered outdoor space offers a lovely spot for alfresco dining. This home is listed at $5.499 million.

[Thanks, Andrew]

You might think that a weekend Valentine's Day might be good news for retailers but that's not the case according to IBISWorld which has predicted that spending on jewelry, candy and flowers will be down because men often buy their Valentine's Day gifts during the work week. Because the holiday falls on the weekend this year men may not feel the pressure to shop and may instead opt for the dinner out. That's good news for restaurants who are hoping to see good sales over the entire weekend because President's Day is also the following Monday. This could also be good news for hotels and inns which may see an uptick in romantic weekend bookings.

The IBISWorld Survey says that consumers are predicted to spend about $1.3 billion on jewelry for Valentine's Day, that number is 4.6 percent lower than what was spent last year. Total spending should work out to around $17.6 billion, 3.3 percent higher than last year. Another report, this one from the National Retail Federation, says couples will spend an average of $63.34 on gifts for each other which is a bit down from last year's average of $67.22. The National Retail Federation also delivers the dull news that personal and practical gifts like sweaters will trump sexier options like jewelry. The survey does show that consumers are planning to spend more on small gifts for friends and family. Men surveyed still plan to spend more than women, as usual the prediction for male spending is about double what women expect to spend.

Some companies are turning to Twitter to drum up Valentine's Day interest. We've seen Twitter-only hotel deals and a sweet tweets contest from Macy's. California Blooms is offering a Twitter contest that could win you a year of roses. American Greetings is giving away gift cards in a 'Follow the Love' Twitter contest.

Valentine's Day has been taken over by Twitter. This year the famous candy hearts feature the words "tweet me" and Macy's is getting in on the act with a Sweetest Tweets contest. To enter the contest you simply have to send out love-related tweets that are hashtagged #SweetestTweets. Each day from February 1 through February 13 Macy's will award a diamond pendant set to the person who sends the what is deemed the sweetest tweet of the day. On February 14 a grand prize recipient will win a three-stone diamond ring. The pendant is a 1/4 ct solitaire diamond pendant set in 14K white gold worth $600. The grand prize is a 1.75 carat total weight diamond ring in 18K white gold with a value of $8,900. Each participant may enter one tweet every 24 hour period during the promotion period so choose your 140 characters carefully.

Taking the restaurant experience to a new level, the multi-city Latin fusion sushi empire SushiSamba is holding its first "Meet&Tweet" on January 20. This mojito- and sake- fueled evening will bring together the restaurant's Twitter followers to meet and eat -- and tweet -- in person. (Because nothing gets the fingers tapping like a TwitterRoll -- that's tuna, avocado, jalapeno, and fresh tomato salsita in rice paper, priced at $8). Those present will be encouraged to tap bite-sized messages about their bite-sized meal throughout the evening, using the hashtag #sstwtup. Which means those who aren't present can follow the action at the restaurant's Twitter account (@SUSHISAMBA). The menu includes salt and pepper squid, chilled Mediterranean mussels on the half shell, and lobster taquitos. In Las Vegas and Chicago, the event takes place 6:30 to 8:30 p.m, while in New York and Miami, the event runs from 8 to 10 p.m. More info is available at www.sushisamba.com.

Twitter is partnering with custom wine producer Crushpad on a new charity-driven project, Fledgling Wine. The Twitter staff will work with Crushpad to make a Pinot Noir and a Chardonnay. The fundraiser, the Fledgling Initiative, will benefit Room to Read , a San Francisco non-profit organization that establishes schools and libraries for children in developing countries. Founded by former Microsoft employee John Wood, Room to Read has established 765 schools and filled over 7,000 libraries with more than 5.7 million books. The company says that $5 from every $20 bottle sold will go to Room to Read. Twitter users can follow the progress of the wines through @fledgling. The release date is planned for Fall 2010.

[via SF Gate]

Here's a fun one: The Lorien Hotel (managed by Kimpton) in Alexandria, Virginia, is offering a Social Media Detox package, designed to get you off of Facebook, Twitter and any other network that you're currently addicted to, and out into the world of human interaction.

While I was at first imagining that they'd borrowed some cellphone jamming technology from their not-so-far-off US intelligence neighbors -- was this relatively new hotel built with a Faraday cage in its structure? -- it turns out that the Lorien is relying on more of a carrot than stick approach.

The Social Media Detox package includes various incentives to step away from the internet, including a 10 minute chair massage at the hotel's spa, a $20 credit to BRABO or BRABO Tasting Room just next to the hotel for appetizers and drinks with friends. (Suggested cocktail: "The Face to Face", which is Belvedere vodka, pear puree, apple juice, lime juice and fresh rosemary.) There's also a push to get you out into the real world: you'll also receive a walking map of town, or if you prefer, they'll let you borrow a bicycle, gratis, and give you a route map. At night, the package includes an item off the hotel's "Dream Service" menu -- if you're traveling alone, you could select the teddy bear, who will be happy to hear your whispered, otherwise wasted, witty status updates.

(Since you'll still probably be pacing all night long, I'd go ahead and book the Presidential Suite, which has a 550 square foot private terrace overlooking Old Town Alexandria, and runs about $550 a night.)

It's not all teddy bears and sunshine, however. You'll only get the package's $25 certificate towards a future stay at the hotel if you prove "non-activity" on Facebook or Twitter, which you do via print out from an in-room computer or cellphone.

Clever, huh? Personally, as a frequent traveler, I think I'd feel much more stressed out not being able to be in contact with my friends and family on Facebook -- since it's replaced email communication for so many people, I wonder what the response would be if a hotel decided to offer a package contingent on not emailing or calling home? (In fact, there are programs like that: Outward Bound and the National Outdoor Leadership School, although they don't include massages and cocktails.) On the other hand, I'm sure I could be persuaded to let Twitter go for a few days. Especially if I got a teddy bear.

The Twitter guys are definitely on the move. Earlier this year, Biz Stone listed his Berkeley home for $575,000 and it sold quickly. Now Evan Williams has put his San Francisco penthouse on the market. One thing is for certain these guys like their nests contemporary. William has a two-bedroom loft in the Heublein Building. The sleek modern apartment is one of three penthouse units in the building and it has 11 foot ceilings. The home has a remodeled kitchen with a wine refrigerator and comes with a two-car garage. The interior has a bit of a rough look from exposed concrete and pipes. A private patio offers city views. Williams has listed his home for $1.498 million. Curbed SF says that he's building a modern home, designed by his wife which should be finished next year.

[via On The Block]

I've seen a bunch of contests and giveaways on Twitter but this one caught my eye, the chance to win a $1,500 black Akoya pearl necklace. Museum Way Pearls will give away the necklace through a treasure hunt. The company will list pearl-related trivia questions through their Twitter account @MuseumWayPearls and people who send in the correct answers will have a chance to win the necklace. The contest begins August 22 at 10 am EST and ends the same day. The company will accept all entries for 30 minutes after the final question is posted on Twitter then randomly select a winner. A second-place winner will receive a $50 pearl jewelry gift certificate to spend at Museum Way Pearls.

[via National Jeweler]

I saw this flitting around Twitter a few days ago and retweeted it myself but it's time for a closer look at the home of Twitter co-founder Biz Stone. Stone used the popular microblogging service to let the world know he is moving on to a new home and has put his old one up for sale. He likely needs a bit more room. Stone's two-bedroom cottage in the Berkeley Hills of California is long on charm but short on space, it's around 800 square feet.

The home comes with a fine provenance. It was designed by William Wurster an architect and the namesake for UCBerkeley's Wurster Hall. The cottage was built as his own personal studio in 1960 and is a light and airy retreat. The simple and modern home has wood floors, skylights, fireplace and a small kitchen. It is listed at $575,000.

[via Freshome]

Louis Vuitton has had an online presence for a while now but they are stepping up their game today by introducing the Totally Monogram tote online first. It is available exclusively on www.louisvuitton.com until June 1st and sells for $1,000.

Louis Vuitton has also joined the Twitterverse. You can follow them @LouisVuitton_US (they don't appear to own the @LouisVuitton name on Twitter yet but I suspect they'll go after it). A press release promises that the Vuitton Twitter feed will offer info on new products and Louis Vuitton events. So far the Louis Vuitton Twitter feed isn't too interesting but if you are going to follow them, we recommend you follow us too (@Luxist). We'll do our best to keep you entertained.