the Look
This year’s Golden Boy winners…
categories: Luxury Real Estate
And more elegance from the red carpet. Hollywood…synonymous with luxury. Enjoy.
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Luxurious Thought of the Day…
categories: Luxury Real Estate
They say surprises are the heart of creativity.
“Each of us has an inner dream that we can unfold if we just have the courage to admit what it is. And the faith to trust in our own admission. And the admitting is often very difficult.”
Julie Cameron
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Ladies On Red…..The Red Carpet!
categories: Luxury Real Estate
It being the day of the 81st Academy Awards in Los Angeles, I thought it would be fun to focus on ‘Luxurious Fashion’ for a moment. The Academy Awards are a ‘must-see’ event for all film lovers, and Academy Award fashion is equally as closely watched by the fashion conscious. The red carpet prelude is as watched as ‘American Idol’ these days and the discussions that follow equally as memorable as Simon Cowles remarks in gaining - or not - fashion icon status. Here are a few of the looks which graced the red carpet at last year’s event… and my Oscars go to…..George Clooney (sorry, I’m a GIRL!). OK…. Heidi Klum!
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Luxurious thought of the day…
categories: Luxury Real Estate
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.
Henry David Thoreau
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Luxurious thought of the day…
categories: Luxury Real Estate
New knowledge is the most valuable commodity … Malcolm Forbes.
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The Luxurious Riviera….(and this time, not the Cote d’Azur)
categories: Luxury Real Estate
The historic Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. A course which has seen the likes of PGA winners such as Ernie Els, Nick Faldo, Tom Kite, Corey Pavin and Fred Couples. In a remarkable ‘come-from-behind’ win, this year’s trophy goes to Phil Mickelson. Down by 1 at the end of the ninth, the race was between Phil Mickelson and Jeff Quinney. Quinney’s remarkable hole-in-one left him 1-down coming into the final round of the tournament, but Phil Mickelson proved that consistency and hard work can lead to results. Winning by 2 shots, Mickelson took his first Riviera trophy.
Having first played at the Riviera when he was 17, Mickelson takes the trophy at 37, 20 years later. Michelson now ranks number 2 behind Tiger Woods in World Golf Rankings. Woods has never won at the Riviera Club in his 11 appearances. 36 of the top 50 World Ranking Players were entered this year, into the tournament which is now the 81st showing of what began in 1926 as the LA Open.
Weather is a dominant factor at the Riviera. For the past few years, bystanders have labeled it as the ‘historic River Club’ due to the large amount of rain which has come down during the tournament. The par 71, 7260 yard course sits atop a sandy basin in the Santa Monica Valley. Though it drains remarkably well, it has been the subject of extreme weather conditions for the past few years, from the first snowfall in 20 years (Malibu got three inches) to a long draught last year. The course has few protective roughs and fast greens.
The secret? The secret is in the putting at the Riviera. It all comes down to shot making and the short game. Of the last 15 winners at the Riviera, it was their putting that stood out, not their drives. 12 of 15 players had one of two of their best putting weeks of the season in thier win.
The Lesson: Consistency pays off. Every shot matters. It’s not over until it’s over. Fitness pays dividends. And sometimes, it helps to have a little luck.
Take note.
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The Art of Coffee… Are these masterpieces for drinking?
categories: Luxurious Secrets, Luxury Real Estate
A triple grande non-fat latte with a twist. The twist? A butterfly, bird or flower. A design. This weekend, in Alexandria, Virginia, competitors will arrive from countries as far as Japan to enter the competition for the most ‘decorated’ latte. For those that know how, this is gracefully and quickly executed with a flick of the wrist. For the amateur, the result can be a ‘blob’.
Would you pay more for this magnificent presentation? In my view, presentation can truly enhance the taste and experience. Like a beautiful home or a beautiful person, appearances matter. The art of the coffee stimulates conversation, enhances the taste and makes the coffee something admire, enjoy and savour.
In my view, coffee art is here to stay.
Bravo.
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The ‘Ten Most Wanted’ List … What would YOU pay for these luxuries?
categories: Luxurious Products, Luxury Real Estate
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- Nothing but the best.
How much would you pay for a pair of jeans? Does $11,300 for a pair of Earnest Sewn and Van Cleef and Arpels Alhambra jeans sound reasonable?
Forbes has found the World’s Most Outrageously priced items. When given as a gift, these items convey a message of caring and love. When shown in a home, they send a message of prestige. A message of belonging to an exclusive and elite group.
The new Volkswagon Bugatti Veyron has a price tag of $1.8 Million. What you are buying? Performance, function and a perception of quality. And the only production car with more than 1000 horsepower. Extreme pick-up. A very unique product.
How about a burial plot overlooking the Pacific? In Santa Barbara, this exclusive location for a couple to have eternal rest is priced at $83,000.
In San Francisco, you can find a ‘Grande Luxe’ facial for $750.00. This comes with ‘caviar eye treatment’ and ‘Diamond Peel microdermabrasion’.
BlingH20 sells for $40 a bottle. Sold at the MTV Music Awards and the Emmy’s, this Tennessee water was made famous by Kevin G. Boyd, producer of the The Jamie Foxx Show and Girlfriends. What makes it different? It’s exclusivity.
There is a theory that the more that people have access to a product, the less value it holds. The ‘exclusivity’ of that product allows the user to feel elite, or part of an exclusive group. Nintendo Wii capitalized on this theory. The lack of availability drove prices of the Wii up to where people were paying more than twice retail value to purchase this ‘must-have’ product.
This is emotion-based pricing. The art of Luxury Pricing.
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Luxurious Thought of the Day.
categories: Luxury Real Estate
A vodka martini, Shaken not stirred.
James Bond
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Is May Day a lost tradition?…. The World’s Most Decadent Parties.
categories: Luxury Real Estate
When I was a young girl, every year on the first of May a hanging basket filled with flowers was magically bestowed upon the doorknob of our front door. It was always a beautiful sight after a long winter, and always a surprise. As it turned out, there was an elderly woman living next door who was the ‘May Day fairy’ adorning our home and many of our neighbors homes with these heartwarming baskets.The first of May also happens to be my son’s birthday. It was a very happy event 18 years ago…. and it is hard to believe that today he will be eighteen. So many memories packed into those years and the first of May continues to be a wonderfully happy day in this household.
So when Forbes published it’s article entitled ’In Pictures: World’s Most Decadent Parties’ identifying these around the world global extravaganzas, I decided that - in the spirit my son’s eighteenth birthday and the wonderful tradition of May Day - this would be an appropriate time to write about these Most Glamorous Events. Trade in those winter blues for dancing shoes! These are the places to see and to be seen, offering glamor, glitz and a year full of memories. Mark your calendars!!!
New Years Eve, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Dec 31-Jan1
Carnival, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Feb 2 - Feb 5
Mardi Gras, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Feb 2 - Feb 5
Gay Pride Parade, San Francisco, CA USA June 28- June 29
The Running of the Bulls, Pamplona, Spain July 6 - July14
Bastille Day, Paris, France July 14
The Love Parade, Dortmund, Germany Aug 25 - Sep 1
Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany Sept 20 - Oct. 5
One more ‘Not-to-be-Missed’ in the eyes of the author, is LA’s ‘Grammy’ Celebrations. Typically the second Sunday in February, Los Angeles hosts this diamond and star-studded event. The red carpet is adorned with beautiful people and beautiful fashion. Only outdone by pinnacle musical performances by the world’s leading musical artists.
And where is May Day celebrated in fashion? Please post your comments….
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