Few things can ruin a trip faster than having something precious get lost or stolen. Although the best policy is to leave valuables at home while traveling (do you really need to bring those diamond earrings?), sometimes you just can't do without. When that's the case here's how to protect your irreplaceables while traveling:

• Document your valuables before you leave for insurance purposes, in case the worst happens. Take a copy with you and leave one with someone at home.
• Make a point to be (and look) alert Pickpockets and theives often target those who look preoccupied and innattentive.
• Never pack valuables in checked luggage. Keep them with you in your carry-on instead.
• Use see-through bags when packing your carry-on so the TSA inspectors can easily see what's inside without needing to directly handle the contents and potentially spill, drop, or pocket anything.
  
• Don't put items loose into the TSA bin Anything small (like watches, cell phones, etc) should be put into a coat pocket, handbag, or ziplock bag to keep them together before going through security.
• Always keep your carry-on as close to you as possible Make a point to stash it in the compartment either directly above or in front of your seat, if possible keep your most precious cargo in the bag that goes under the seat in front of you, and don't leave your carry-on behind when to go to the baggage carousel to pick up your luggage.
• Have locks on everything You can't lock your carry-ons while they're going through security, or your checked luggage while it's on the plane, but having them locked at all other times (i.e. while your carry-on is stowed in the overhead compartment or your luggage is in the trunk of a taxi) can still help prevent theft.
• Use the hotel room safe Locking items in your hotel room is all but worthless, and locking locked luggage in a hotel room isn't much better. Stash valuables in the room safe, hotel safe (even better), or if neither of those is an option you can always bring your own (check out Pacsafe).
• Don't leave your luggage on a tour bus Just because everyone else is doing it, and the tour guide says it's okay, is no guarantee. Lock up any luggage you must leave behind and take all irreplaceable items with you.

Maybe you can't afford to buy a Luxist Estate of the Day, however you may enjoy living in in similar splendor for a week. In fact why not invite your friends and family to share a totally planned fun filled vacation, otherwise known as a House Party.

Sophie Conran, the daughter of the renowned British design guru Terrance Conran, has teamed up with Temple Guiting Manor to help visitors plan a bespoke country house party. A perfect way to celebrate a holiday, special occasion or just enjoy time away with family and friends, a house party allows for a quieter more relaxing level of conspicuous consumption. Ideally, even though you may be the host or hostess, that role exists for you in name only. Renting a manor house somewhere in the British Isles is a stress free way to entertain as if you were in your own luxury home but with none of the ensuing hassles.

Temple Guiting Manor, which has been privately owned since the 15th century, has been restored to the highest standards. Architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner stated that it is "one of the finest, if not the very best of the small Cotswold Tudor houses." While the house which sleeps 10 is available on a self-catering basis why not let Sophie and her team cater to your every whim for a true break. Not only do they provide you with all the normal amenities of a fine hotel but there are countless experts in every category imaginable to inspire you and your guests. Sophie's philosophy is "If you want to make something, then learn it from the best".

Examples include:

• Executive chef Alan Bird, of the ever popular celebrity frequented The Ivy, will hold a master class.
• Jim Murray proclaimed by the BBC as the "world guru of whiskey" will educate you on the process of making whiskey.
• Knitting and crochet lessons from Clare Ward and Sarah Coates
• Flower design workshop with talked about florist Nikki Tibbles whose clients include Gucci, Chanel and Ralph Lauren
• Simon Stocken a former national bridge and poker player will teach you all the tricks you need to excel at the games

Favorite country pursuits such as golf, gliding, fishing, clay pigeon game shooting are also available.

The bespoke house party tradition has been updated for the modern lifestyle, and it is a unique experience to be able to relax in a rural retreat in a spectacular setting where every whim and need is accommodated by the most talented in the business.

When I first opened the Zai web site I was greeted by a poem written by Leo Tour "In the beginning was the mountain". I was sure that I was going to learn about a new bottled water from the purist of mountain springs or possibly even a zen retreat. I was in fact entering a kind of temple, a secular one, where the worshipers follow not a god, but snow and a the sport of skiing.

The word Zai means "tough" in the little know dialect of Sursilvan which is spoken in the mountains of Switzerland and specifically in the town of Disentis where the Zai skis are crafted. As seems fitting, the town lies below an ancient Benedictine monastery. The personal dream of Simon Jacomet, who insists that his skis be made by people who have skiing and the mountains in their heart and soul, the company produces some of the finest and most technologically innovative ski equipment on the slopes. The skis are produced in a small and tightly controlled production plant using state of the art machinery and assembled by hand.

All of the Spada skis are limited editions, only 111 pairs of each model are made. The newest innovation just out for this winter season is a special ski that uses a carbon-stone-technology with a rubber exterior. Zai was the first manufacturer in the world to use a stone core in their skis and is still trendsetting in their product development being the first to use a natural rubber surfacing. It is not just rhetoric that the skis are "of the mountain" as each pair has Grisons granite in the core of the ski. As with all carefully thought out designs the skis themselves are beautiful too, they will definitely not get lost in the pile on the ski racks outside the lodge at lunch.

Available in the United States exclusively at the high end winter sports retailer Gorsuch whose stores in all the nicest ski areas of Colorado, such as Beaver Creek, Vail and Aspen, sell the Zai Spada skis for $5,900.00 a pair.

Yesterday, while browsing at the incomparable Idelwild, a travel book store in New York's Union Square, I learned that the store is having trouble keeping South American guide books in stock -- the weather starts to get super nice down around those parts just as North American weather takes a nose dive.

If you're looking for a good South American destination to aim for, try Cartagena -- which has been called the next Buenos Aires. There's a new place to stay, too: The Tcherassi, a boutique hotel owned and designed by Latin fashion designer Silvia Tcherassi. She restored and renovated a 250 year old colonial mansion in the heart of the old city for the project, creating a hotel with just seven rooms, each named after a fabric she works with. The result seems a decidedly happy marriage of the old with sleek contemporary lines. (The roof pool is pictured here, see the gallery below for other images.) If The Tcherassi lives up to its promise, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see it become a regular on hot design hotel lists.

Montreal is a fantastic destination, but like any city, it can be hard for a visitor to get to know. To that end, Tourisme Montreal has engaged five in-the-know locals to basically blanket social media from Facebook, to Twitter, to blogs, sharing all of their knowledge about their city -- and answering questions from travelers in town. Katerine Rollet is one of these insiders, and she recently selected these 12 can't-miss experiences in Montreal for Luxist.

1- Go for tea at the St. James Hotel. This chic boutique hotel is where the likes of the Rolling Stones and Madonna stay when they're in town, and the tea at newly renovated restaurant XO is a a great way to experience a proper British tea with a modern twist. UPDATED: The St. James no longer serves afternoon tea, but the new Salon XO is worth a visit.
2- Experience the spa at Place D'armes -- one of the best places in town for a mani-pedi, not to mention one of the few places in Montreal to experience a hammam, or Turkish bath. Wrap up with a drink on the terrace.
3- For men: at Québec's own Phillipe Dubuc -- the place for a man to fill his closet with stylish, business appropriate clothing with an edge.
4- For women: fill your suitcase at Montreal's achingly stylish, unfailingly feminine Marie Saint Pierre.
5- For everyone: visit Oglivy, a lovely shopping mall filled with charming boutiques, great book stores, stationary shops, international designers and more.
6- For the shopping-shy: Engage the style hounds at Les Effrontes to have your own guided tour of Montreal's up and coming designer's ateliers.
7- Dine at Joe Beef, on raw bar and steak in up-and-coming neighborhood Little Burgundy ("Petite Bourgogne") .
8- Or, hit Toque -- widely considered one of the best meals you can have in Montreal. Try the tasting menu.
9- Or reserve the chef's table at Europea, and dine in the kitchen of charismatic Chef Jérôme Ferrer. 10- After dinner drinks: check out Hotel St Paul's bar for cocktails with Montreal's chicest.
11- Sweet treats: visit Point G for waffles, artisanal ice cream, and most importantly, macarons.
12- Brunch the next day: La Cantine in the Plateau neighborhood, for a traditional Québec brunch revisited.

Curious about how fast you are traveling while hurling down a mountain? A wrist speedometer is the answer. It can measure your ground speed while you are skiing, snowboarding, or sledding to track total range and best speeds. The wireless, coded radio-frequency transmitter attaches to your boot, leg, or waist and projects a radar signal to measure average ground speed in MPH and KMH, as well as maximum speed, pace in minutes per mile, distance in miles, total distance, and elapsed time. This information is then sent from the transmitter to the watch display, which has a built-in lap counter, alarm, backlight, stopwatch, calorie counter, 12/24 hour time and date. Speedometers usually offer three automatic speed modes (cross country, downhill and Nordic).