Blog Feed: The Luxury Life

Letter from Buenos Aires: The Cost of Visiting Argentina Is On The Rise, Sort Of. Plus Where To Eat Now in BA.

Published on 2012-05-17 00:53:00

Regular readers of The Luxury Life know that we love pretty much everything about Argentina. It used to be a great bargain, but is it still a good value for budget-conscious visitors?The answer is yes – and no – according to our friend and correspondent Alexandra Lazar, author of the terrific, informative blog on food and restaurants in Buenos Aires, Pick Up The Fork.Pick Up The Fork recommends this hot new eatery in the oh-so-hip Palermo Hollywood quarter of BAAllie writes:Argentina isn't a [..] > read more

The Artful Traveler: Budapest's Spectacular Summer

Published on 2012-04-19 21:26:00

The Hungarian composer Gyorgy Ligeti once remarked, "If you come from Paris to Budapest you think you are in Moscow. But if you go from Moscow to Budapest you think you are in Paris."While that may have been true a few generations ago, Budapest today is a major destination for savvy > read more

The Enlightened Traveler: What's Going On In Paris And London

Published on 2012-04-08 09:33:00

If you think you are a savvy traveler, then you'll want to always know what's going on in Paris and London.Here are two web resources we rely on to keep au courant:There's so much to do in Paris, one of the great destinations for art, food, strolling, and... shopping! That is why we frequently check Chic Shopping Paris for the latest boutique openings and sales. Lots of terrific shopping tips, too.We also are dutiful readers of the weekly arts and culture e-mail published by London's Telegraph. [..] > read more

The Enlightened Traveler: Brazil, Mexico City - What Are You Waiting For?

Published on 2012-02-12 02:23:00

If you believe the Wall St. Journal – and you should, so long as you avoid the editorial pages at all cost – two of the top tourist destinations right now are Mexico and Brazil.Then, again, we've been saying that for years now.Not to be missed in Mexico City: stunning murals by Orozco, Siqueiros, RiveraDespite drug wars and scare inducing headlines, Mexico ranks 10th globally in tourism. Americans still make up the largest group of visitors. Tourism overall has picked up in Mexico and is exp [..] > read more

Very Hip iPod Speakers and Other Small Electronics for Very Cool People

Published on 2012-01-30 20:04:00

When it comes to portable and home electronics, we sell some choice stuff.We offer quality audio products from top lines like Sony, Zennheiser, Shure, JBL, and Apple.We also sell several hard-to-find audiophile brands that make memorable gifts for your most important clients and VIPs. These are the kinds of things preferred by celebrities and other show business VIPs.Introducing award-winning Tivoli Audio - the finest, coolest table radios, CD players, and iPod speakers you've never heard of.Tiv [..] > read more

Why You Buy What You Buy. Or, "Think, Boys. Think!"

Published on 2011-12-19 11:57:00

It's not easy to pick a gift that will make the right impression.Baboushka oven mitt: practicalbut what does it say about you?"The great challenge lies in making the leap into someone's else's mind," writes Dan Ariely in the Wall St. Journal.The Duke University professor of behavioral economics says that when consumers choose gifts, they don't act rationally. And rightly so, he adds!He divides gifts into four groups.He calls the first "straightforward economic exchanges." You need underwear, so [..] > read more

The Artful Traveler: Musée d'Orsay – Renewed, Refreshed, Remarkable

Published on 2011-10-26 22:05:00

The Musée d’Orsay in Paris, home to a spectacular collection of Impressionist masterpieces and other late 19th and early 20th Century artworks, has reopened all of its galleries to the public after two years of extensive renovation and a dramatic rethinking and rearrangement of its holdings.New Musee d'Orsay galleriesHoused in a 1900 Beaux-Arts railway station and boldly transformed into a museum in 1986, the d’Orsay has become one of the most popular attractions in the City of Lights. More [..] > read more

The Perfect Companion for Your iPhone

Published on 2011-07-28 16:09:00

If you're an iPhone junkie (and who isn't?) you'll want to check out this fabulous new accessory.The iPhone Desktop Handset lets you work comfortably and efficiently all day using your sleek iPhone instead of the clunky office you phone you now have.The anodized aluminum stand places your iPhone at a convenient angle and stays secure on your desktop using four non-slip silicone pads. It accommodates your phone vertically or horizontally, with or without a protective case.With the handset in one [..] > read more

Make It a Double: A Scotch That Came in From the Cold

Published on 2011-07-06 16:07:00

We recently wrote about Mongolia's main city, Ulan Bator, the coldest of any capital on our planet.Now comes word from Scotland that whisky maker Glenfiddich has introduced a limited edition bottling blended from casks that were all exposed to sub-zero temperatures when the roof of their storage building collapsed under heavy snow in 2009.After witnessing the damage, malt maker Brian Kinsman was inspired to create an original blend "marrying together different ages of mature Glenfiddich – some [..] > read more

The Annals of Luxury: A Warm Reception for Cold Cash

Published on 2011-06-26 16:26:00

Joy comes not through possession or ownershipbut through a wise and loving heart – BuddhaTell that to the new money, logo-crazed strivers of Ulan Bator.The latest luxury shopping mecca just may be this booming if remote capital of Mongolia. Or so o > read more

This Just In: Bang and Olufsen's Massive 85" 3D HDTV

Published on 2011-05-23 18:24:00

If you've done all of the research, agonized over your decision, and went ahead and spent $3,000 or $4,000 for a new, state-of-the art 55" 3D LED HDTV, prepare to be disappointed.Those pesky folks at ultra high-end electronics manufacturer Bang & > read more

Living to Eat: The World's 50 Best Restaurants

Published on 2011-05-15 21:07:00

So you think you know restaurants?You've dined your way through the finest that New York and Napa have to offer. You know what soft openings are because you get invited to them. When a hot new place comes to town, you get a table at 8:00 pm. (This se > read more

My Aunt Ceil Went to the Royal Wedding, and All I Got Was This Lousy Limited Edition Royal Crown Derby Bone China Commemorative Plate

Published on 2011-04-29 18:45:00

Marriage is a wonderful institution, the old joke goes. But who wants to live in an institution?And then there's this week's marriage of Prince William to Catherine Middleton, a monolith that reduces even the most extravagant celebrity nuptial shindi > read more

Deal of the (19th) Century

Published on 2011-04-27 20:12:00

It's not exactly news that antique furniture prices have been in the doldrums for a few years now.We were visiting a week ago with a friend who runs an antique shop in Vermont, doing our best to feign interest as he complained that (1) prices had dro > read more

Deep Discounts on Wine Abound and Aren't Going Away

Published on 2011-04-13 20:25:00

More than a year ago, The Luxury Life alerted readers to the remarkable wine discounts available through sites like winestilsoldout.com and cinderellawine.com.Today's New York Times reports on the success of these and other wine bargain sites. The pa > read more

C'est Cheese!

Published on 2011-04-01 02:01:00

National Grilled Cheese Month starts today.With news of such staggering proportions, we're temped to shout, "Hold the panini presses!" But we will resist.Au contraire, we take our melted cheese seriously, and so we reprint our blog post commemorating > read more

The Artful Traveler: Egypt's Time Is Now

Published on 2011-03-22 12:50:00

There may be no better time to visit Egypt than right now.Popular attractions such as the Valley of the Kings in Thebes, the Great Pyramids in Giza, and the spectacular Egyptian Museum in Cairo would normally be inundated with thousands of tourists e > read more

The Annals of Luxury: China Poised to Be No. 1 Luxury Market

Published on 2011-03-01 15:05:00

Rolls Royce will soon sell more cars in China than in any other country.The PRC already is the car maker's second biggest market after the U.S. (Britain, the United Arab Emirates, and Japan and numbers three, four, and five.)The Chinese appetite for > read more

This is London

Published on 2011-02-22 17:50:00

The first in a series of reports over the next few weekson what's new and noteworthy in London.Just when you thought that you had to drop everything and head straight for Dubai, Shanghai, or Berlin – or risk compromising your "I've been everywhere > read more

Watch This Space!

Published on 2011-02-19 20:26:00

Where havewe been?Dear Faithful Reader,You have noticed no doubt that we haven't posted much over the last few months. That is because we have been busy – very, very busy all Fall, in fact – finding remarkable gifts for our beloved customers.The > read more

Things Not Available In The U.S.: Moet & Chandon's Golden Jeroboam

Published on 2010-11-22 23:41:00

We like to think of the U.S. as the land of plenty, but sometimes it's plenty of nothing.At least that's the case as far as Moet & Chandon is concerned.The French champagne house recently released their Golden Jeroboam, guaranteed to impress not > read more

Carnations Aren't Just For Proms Anymore

Published on 2010-10-24 13:35:00

Last year, we lived through bold bangles, harem pants, Barack Obama, social media, smartphones, Glee, and sibling names starting with the same letter (think Khloe, Kourtney and Kim Kardashion).Not always scorned, carnationswere painted by Van Gogh (a > read more

Books We Like to Give and Get: The Complete Lyrics of Johnny Mercer

Published on 2010-08-15 13:47:00

It's a shame that the American lyricist Johnny Mercer is less well known today than Irving Berlin, Ira Gershwin, and many of the songwriters who were his Tin Pan Alley contemporaries.Johnny Mercer, the composerand Capitol recording starIf he is remem > read more

The Annals of Luxury: It's Official! The Rich Are Just Like You And Me.

Published on 2010-07-28 14:52:00

Or are they?Last week The New York Times reported that the wealthy are "tightening their belts."Until recently, affluent consumers had continued to spend, offering one of the few rays of hope for retailers suffering through these recessionary times.N > read more

City Secrets: London's Charlotte St.

Published on 2010-07-15 17:43:00

Even if you're a frequent visitor to London, you might not know Charlotte St.Tucked away a few blocks north of Oxford St. and west of bustling Tottenham Court Rd., it's a quiet byway noteworthy for its many restaurants. These aren't London's finest > read more

And Another Thing: Everybody's a Legend Nowadays

Published on 2010-07-03 19:58:00

The advertising campaign for Blackglama mink, with it's often imitated headline "What becomes a legend most?," is one of the most famous of all time.It had a simple premise: iconic, legendary celebrities (Judy Garland, Bette Davis, and yes, Ray Charl > read more

Not the Same Old, Same Old: Just in Time for Summer, Fun, Fashionable Sterling Silver Ballpark Cuff Links

Published on 2010-06-28 04:53:00

Summer is heating up with major sporting events on every continent.We've spent a good part of the week watching the World Cup and Wimbledon. (We're still marveling over that unbelievable Isner-Mahut marathon fifth set!)Brooklyn's Ebbets Field, home > read more

The Annals of Luxury: The Gold Rush of 2009-10

Published on 2010-05-31 18:42:00

Unlike most products we purchase, the price of a hot new bag or piece of jewelry has very little to do with the cost of production, the cost of raw materials, or even supply and demand.The price of a luxury item is determined by its perceived value o > read more

Summertime, Summertime, Sum-, Sum-, Summertime!

Published on 2010-05-19 18:47:00

We're already in fun-in-the-sun mode, even though summer doesn't start officially for another month.Take a look at these gifts, selected to make a day at the beach or in the backyard that much more sensational.These are great choices for your cast or > read more

At the1955 Cannes Film Festival "Marty" Won The Palme d'Or and Grace Kelly Met Her Prince

Published on 2010-05-12 02:01:00

The Cannes Film Festival opens tonight amid a circus of directors, producers, studio executives, talent agents, sales reps, paparazzi, mimes and street performers, film critics (who isn't?), provincial tourists by the tens of thousands – and, of co > read more