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Archive for the 'Luxurious Secrets' Category
Precious Moments…
February 15th, 2010 categories: Luxurious Secrets
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I have been blessed. I know that. Aside from a wonderful childhood and youth of my own, I have three remarkable children. I mean REMARKABLE. They are each different, but all SO fun, engaging, smart, independant and talented.
A friend recently came across a small photo album that my daughter had made after a fun weekend. How wonderful that she saved it! My daughter had carefully captioned and embellished each page … simple yet so meaningful. And to this day, my daughter will still always put together little things to ‘make the moment special’…. whether its a photo album, place card, notes around the house, treasure hunts, birthday crowns, surprises, etc.! When I think about it, each Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Halloween & Christmas and even ‘made-up’ holidays such as half birthdays, she has done something to make the day memorable! It doesn’t take much (though my daughter never ceases to amaze me!) and even a very small gestures can mean the world to someone. I am one of the luckiest mom’s in the world.
We have so many fun memories … of fireside ’shows’, strawberry picking, playing in the mud, getting out the hat box, etc. etc….
At the end of the day, all we have are our memories. And those memories are grounded in quality time, laughter, thoughtful gestures and love. These are the precious moments that become our claim to immortality, the traditions and thoughtfulness that define who we are and the legacies that we pass on. Enjoy each day and do a little something to make someone else’s day today. That is a luxury for you as well as for someone else ~ costing nothing and priceless in value. Luxuriously simple … Life-changingly special.
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The Luxury of Love.
February 14th, 2010 categories: Luxurious Secrets
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Mother Teresa once said, “If you want peace in the world, go home and love your children”. As I get older, her words ring truer and truer. Love is patient, kind and necessary. If we all were more loving, there would be greater peace in this world. And our children are our claim to eternity … our most valuable gift and our greatest luxury. Their is no greater love than a love for a child.
Valentines Day is my favorite holiday. I guess it’s the romantic in me … I so love romance and loving surprises. Yesterday I received from my daughter the most gorgeous Valentines Day gift…. It was a mousepad, with photos of the two of us as well photos of our small family of four, and written below was “Happy Valentines Day to the best Mom in the world!”. How special. This morning when I woke up on my phone was a text from my son which read, ”Happy Valentines Day, Mom. I love you”. Ask me – do I feel lucky? Wow. Yes.
Love comes in so many forms. So often, we don’t take the time to tell those we love how much we love them. So this Valentines Day ~ start your own tradition. Be it with a gift, song, call, or text ~ love each one of your children today. And put all of that love right at the front of your chest where you can show it to the world. They say you ‘get what you give’ and that which is inside us, is reflected back to us. So, this Valentine’s Day, why not make it the most pure and genuine of loves. Approach everyone you meet with a loving heart. The minute you let love into your heart, then you can start, to make the world better….
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I believe.
February 11th, 2010 categories: Luxurious Secrets, Luxury in Sports
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The Olympics. The best of the best. Achieving Dreams. Believing. The power of now.
On the morning of the Opening Ceremonies, I wake up with such a feeling of quiet excitement. A beginning. Dreams coming true. Achieving the impossible. Breaking records. Personal Bests. Becoming a Legacy.
There is no question that the Olympics represent excellence. I love everything about the Olympics. The goals, the hard work, the dreams, the global unity, the competition and the pride. Here we go. Embrace the Olympics for it’s search for excellence. And then … in your own quiet way… carry your own torch. Here’s to the Olympics. Here’s to breaking records. Here’s to surpassing expectations. Here’s to personal bests and here’s to achieving the unachievable.
I believe … do you?
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Luxurious Reading…
January 26th, 2010 categories: Luxurious Secrets
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How do you define luxury? Is it sitting in a chair of fine leather watching a 42″ surround sound TV covered in a blanket of brown fur while being served caviar and champagne from your host’s staff? Is it skiing the steepest and the deepest champagne powder with face-shots in endless terrain followed by laughs with great friends and multiple bottles of Dom Perignon? Or is it …. simply enjoying the unexpected … appreciating what you have … sharing your passions?
I am sharing the attached which was circulated by a work colleague today. We see each other on occasion at meetings, share business ideas and talk shop …. but this was inspirational to receive. How nice to share a ‘non-business’ idea amongst business colleagues! THEREIN lies the luxury. People who share business beliefs, embrace other mutual beliefs. How fulfulling and rewarding… And how fun to know that the people you work with have the same – yet different – multiple layers that you do.
Not to mention the unquestionable luxury of getting lost in a good book! So all you book club goers …. INDULGE!!! And please SHARE!
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Living the dream! ~ Handbook 2010 ~
January 5th, 2010 categories: Luxurious Secrets, Luxury Real Estate
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I received a wonderful email yesterday from my eldest brother. In the Luxury Real Estate business, I aim to create dreams for people daily. That is my job and I love doing it. ‘A man’s home is his castle’ is a proverbial English expression which reflects that we each have our own individuality — ours to portray in our own gorgeous castle.
But along with that comes other lessons in living … those of ‘living well’. Luxury living takes on many meanings. This ‘code’ reflects many of my own principles. Read and enjoy…
HANDBOOK 2010
Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.
Personality:
11. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don’t overdo. Keep your limits.
14. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18. Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree… Read the rest of this entry »
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New Year’s Resolutions … Save and Go Green!
January 4th, 2010 categories: Luxurious Gossip, Luxurious Secrets, Luxuriously Green
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For most people around the globe, as they watch the clock strike twelve on December 31st, the New Year symbolizes the beginning of a better tomorrow. And for many, that includes a resolution of ‘trimming’ … trimming a waistline, trimming excess spending and trimming wasted time. This clever money saving article by Roberta Murphy identifies ways to trim all three … squeezing every inch out of every penny while at the same time increasing your own personal green initiative! A fine New Year’s resolution, I would say!
1. Pack a healthy lunch, fill a Thermos of coffee, and spare the environment another plastic bottle by carrying water in a reusable container. Roberta’s son Eric, now saves at least $5 per day out of his pocket. Take away a couple of dollars, max, for ingredients, and you are still dollars ahead.
2. Paste a sticker that says, 800-FREE-411 (or 800-373-3411) onto both your cell and home telephone. Instead of paying your telephone service up to $3.50 for a telephone number, why not listen to a 10-second commercial and get the number for free? Makes sense to me. Read the rest of this entry »
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The Art of Coffee… Are these masterpieces for drinking?
December 21st, 2008 categories: Luxurious Secrets
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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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Meet the Incredibles…Incredible air travel, incredible possibilities.
April 29th, 2008 categories: Luxurious Secrets, Luxury Travel
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The Private Jet. With the advent of LuxuryAir Jets , NetJets, and Skyline Jets , more and more people are adopting the habit of private air travel to facilitate air travel between resort home and business destinations.
TheStyleGroup identifies what it believes to be the ‘top 10 Private Luxury Jets’. Number One is the Boeing Business Jet. With 91 sold today, this 807 sq foot interior aircraft can be decorated to look like a private home. For your next birthday celebration?
The list:
1. Boeing Business Jet
2. Bombadier Challenger 604
3. Gulfstream V
4. Embraer Legacy
5. Citation X
6. LearJet 60
7. Hawker 800 XP
8. Citation V
9. Beech Jet 400A
10. LeerJet 31A/35
http://www.thestylegroup.com/top10_jets.htm
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Don’t Light the Candles…The Ultimate Luxury for the Chocoholic
April 24th, 2008 categories: Luxurious Secrets, Luxury Real Estate
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A night surrounded by Chocolate. Floor, walls, ceiling, table. Even renowned pieces of art have been recreated in chocolate — including Gustav Klimpt’s ‘The Kiss’ (above left) and a Nelson Pollack abstract (above right). That is what Godiva has created in the ‘ Godiva Decadence Suite’, recently mastered in Manhattan. Everything…and I mean everything…is made and inspired by chocolate. Chandeliers of chocolate crystal, candelabras of dark chocolate, novels on the book shelves laced with milk chocolate truffles, a chocolate daybed on which to lounge while savoring the chocolate feast surrounding you. This promotional extravaganza has been created by Godiva for one lucky winner. Located in New York’s Bryant Hotel, the grand prize is a flight for two to New York City and a ‘delicious’ weekend for two in the sensational chocolate suite. Coupled with a private chocolate tasting at Godiva by Godiva’s chocolatier Thierry Muret, a chocolate spa experience and a private gourmet meal with elegant wine served bedside in the suite. Oh….and I can’t forget….a one-year supply of Chocolate delivered to your home following your departure, Godiva of course.
The frosting? The experience is truly ‘one of a kind’. Following the weekend, the room is deconstructed so that no one else can share in the same decadent extravaganza.
What will they do next year??? Stay tuned, chocolate lovers.
Photo above: Actress Ali Larter tastes a mantelpiece made of chocolate in the 2008 Godiva Decadence Suite (Courtesy of Brisbane Times.)
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Unleash Your Inner Sommalier…The Ultimate in Wine Tasting
April 22nd, 2008 categories: Luxurious Secrets, Luxury for the Sommelier
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Bringing you ‘the perfect taste of paradise’. The Setting: 30,000 feet in the air aboard your private luxury jet. This is the nervana being created by NY’s Sexy Sommeliers.
Hopping between Bordeaux, Cotes de Roussillon, Napa Valley, Piedmont and Mendoza in your Lalique crystal glass. Your private sommalier uncorks a bottle of Krug Brut, Blanc de Blanc Champagne Klos de Mesnil to prime your palate for the elegant pairing of cuisine and wine which awaits you. After dinner limited edition cigars are coupled with exquisite Pionneau 1969 cognac for an after-dinner digestif and warmth. Spa service…stress-relieving massage, relaxing pedicure, soothing manicure or all-of-the-above - when you please. Known as the ‘perfect palate’.
A perfect taste of paradise.
Utopia.
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