You know gas is expensive when it can substitute for a monetary prize in the Florida State Lottery. I'm not sure when exactly this started or how long it will last but the current winner will receive free gas for life...with a catch. Not knowing how high gas prices will continue to climb and not wanting to over commit themselves, the Florida State Lottery has decided to offer twenty-six prepaid gas cards of $100 each to the winner each year for the rest of their life. (I bet they are hoping that the winner is a grandparent and not an eighteen-year-old). Although I'm sure it is a great deal I have to say I would be more excited about winning a quarter of a million dollars...you?
I am a certifiable tote girl -- need one for travel, one for daily errands, one for lugging my laptop to coffee shops, and one to fill at the farmer's market. So its no surprise I have gravitated towards the totes of all the bags available from Coach. The Bleecker line has a functional style without unnecessary accents, plenty of colors and materials to choose from, and a hefty size to handle any of my tote needs. Personally I'm a big fan of the classic brown with the all-important C-logo but then again I do have a serious crush on chocolate brown. From $298 to $598 depending on the bag it is sure to handle whatever you throw in it. (About 19" x 10" x 6" with varying strap lengths)
There are all-inclusive resorts, private villas and adult-only getaways but Cavalli Island is now offering resort style vacations with two exclusive options: only your private party will have access to the resort at one time or you share it with only one other party at one time, no more than six people total at the resort simultaneously. Located north of New Zealands Bay of Islands, Cavalli Island Resort & Spa is a retreat into paradise with inclusive personal chef services, spa treatments, water sports and other activities. Starting at $5000 per couple per night this is one intimate trip where you won't feel encroached upon.
He may be known for an empire built on cookware from Kitchen Aid, Circulon, Anolon, and Farberware but Stanley Cheng's newest venture continues his success with consumables -- namely wine. Stephanie Wines, named after Cheng's only daughter, are made from five Bordeaux varietals at his estate in Napa called Hestan Vineyards. The CEO of Meyer Corporation's debut release includes 2005 Stephanie Red Bordeaux Blend (940 cases, $65), 2005 Stephanie Cabernet Sauvignon (930 cases, $50), and 2005 Stephanie Merlot (475 cases, $40). The consulting winemaker is Jeff Gaffner who has also worked for Saxon Brown, Black Kite, and Xtant. These are just newly released and only to mailing list customers and select markets nationally so if you get your hands on some let us know what you think!
This new addition to the L.A.M.B. line offers a sizable package for a reasonable price. Large enough to hold a magazine, water bottle, full size wallet, sweater and other small necessities, the L.A.M.B. 'Soft Signature Wiltshire' Tote comes in three color combinations, although I think the logo-version is my favorite. With leather and goldtone hardware accenting the bag, eight-inch strap drop, and matching zip-pouch for small items this tote is a simple yet stylish combination for $295. (16 1/2" x 11 1/2" x 7")
Side-by-side refrigerators are not a new phenomenon but adding a third section just for wine is a bright idea. The AEG-Electrolux Santo 75 598 KG offers just such a sleek design with glassed in sections offering individual temperature controls. There is even an alarm to alert you to temperatures moving outside the desired range per section. One too many drinks won't lead to a fridge full of ruined vino. Elegant, purposeful, and smart this is a fantastic idea for any oenophile.
Inspired at a young age by her family and surroundings, Pippa Small pieces together unique jewelry creations that tug at heartstrings, evoke memories and speak to the soul. Her eclectic style combines stones, metals, seeds and flora with an earthen and mystic quality that seems timeless. Although she currently only has one store in London her wares are thankfully also available through an online shop with prices ranging from £300 for a pair of earrings to £7,670 for a charm bracelet. I think her jewelry is fantastic with her rare combinations and cultural undertones.
Passionate about culinary-style cocktails and organic, eco-conscious spirits, Square One has created a fresh, new vodka to tempt your palate. The Cucumber Vodka perfectly pairs with tonic and a slice of cuke, on the rocks, or perhaps with a splash of vermouth for a spa-like martini. In the heat of the summer I imagine this would have quite the cooling effect. Deliciously aromatic and delicate, Square One's Cucumber Vodka may be the spirit just for summer.
Recently launched at London's Salon Privé on July 2nd, the Overfinch 'Country Pursuits Concept Car' is meant to attract the luxury-minded of the sporting class. With a 4.2-litre supercharged V8, Brembo brakes, an on/off-road adjustable suspension system, bespoke Nappa leather interior and olive ash veneer accents the vehicle is built for the refined sportsman who will remove their mucky boots before dashing inside. Hauling your like-minded comrades is sure to be festive with built in drink compartments for bubbly or what-have-you and the built-in rear storage for a gun case, cartridges and crystal drinking set gives your organized trunk a bit of panache. Personally I enjoy the Aubergine (that's a shade of purple for those of you who stick to the nine crayon box) look but I'm not sure most men would agree.
If you own a yacht more than likely you have all the luxuries onboard. Planning to enjoy a glass of exceptional champagne? Plan on not spilling a drop when you add the Bottler to your accessories. The extraordinary hand-manufactured piece designed with cardanic suspension (gimballed) with three concentric rings hold the bottle perpendicularly no matter the motion of the boat. Made with watch-making precision and available in three different metals (brass, nickel and gold-plated) to suit the interior of any yacht you'd better plan to spend between €5,000 to €10,000 or more for a customized version. Cheers!
Recently the fifth-generation of the BMW 7 series was secretly unveiled in Munich but don't worry it will soon be publicly presented in Paris in September. As the first car to offer full on-demand internet access which allows passengers to surf the web via an iDrive system, complete with color monitor and rotary controller, the new BMW 7 Series for 2009 is high tech, fast and fashionable. The new ride even sports rear-wheel steering...how does that work?! Surely, BMW has always been a desired automobile but I have to say the internet on the road, plus the usual classy luxury and high performance engine, make the new 7 Series one of the must-haves of this coming year.
Luxury showers should induce mood-altering effects, relieve the stress of your day, caress your skin and rejuvenate your spirit. Steaming, bathing, inhaling aromatherapy scents that soothe your mind and body all seem worthy features of a truly rich shower experience. Di Vapor's Victoria Shower has brought that package together with a practical addition -- built-in shelving separated by a sliding glass door in the shower space that allows for storage of fluffy towels, aprés-shower products, and music to conclude your time spent refreshing yourself. With an eight-inch rainfall shower head above, eight different massaging shower heads surrounding your body, a touch-sensitive digital control panel, and of course steam settings to suit your preference, its no wonder why this all-in-one design is worth the £2495.
JonBenet Ramsay's house in University Hill in Boulder, Colorado is on the market once again. Hoping for $2.68 million, which is within the realm of real estate values for neighboring homes also on the market, the troubled past of the 1920's Tudor style home is not expected to effect its ability to sell at a high price. It has been twelve years since the six-year-old beauty queen's body was found in the basement and since then the house has had a few more residents but none have stayed for very long. The 7,092 square foot, four-story house at 749 15th Street features grand old trees, stainless steel appliances among stark black cabinetry in the kitchen, and a master-bedroom with vaulted ceilings and fireplace. With the market a bit sour already it will be interesting to see if a home with an ugly past can keep up.
Gallery: JonBenet Ramsay's House Hits the Market...Again
To Pharrel Williams being a grown man means no longer have fire tattoos on his arms but instead of having a laser treatment to fade or remove the flames the rapper/producer/entrepreneur is looking to have his arms replaced! -- well, at least the skin on his arms. There is a revolutionary new procedure where a lab, using a sample of your skin, can grow more skin to be used as a skin graft over the portion where the tattoos currently reside. They just sew it on and voila! You have a seamless, tattoo-less arm that once healed will be ready for new ink designs. Pharrel doesn't seem to care that it costs upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars for the procedure and it sounds like he anticipates a new ink job when his lab-grown-sewn-on-skin is good and ready.
