I received a comment on my Seattle post asking about luxury Oregon properties.  I've never been to Oregon - although I've heard it's gorgeous and I plan to go this spring - so I was also interested in seeing what the Beaver State has to offer.  I must say I'm impressed!  The luxury homes I found are stunning and diverse, situated in breathtaking settings, such as the Rogue River property pictured left.  Architect Daniel Solomon utilized simple, clean lines to reflect the natural surroundings in a subtle and graceful manner.  Wisteria-covered pergolas add a classic touch to the serene pool area, and the interior of the home is elegant to the last detail.  Now that your interest is piqued, read on about more luxury Oregon homes...

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Several years ago in London I discovered what would later become a mild obsession: Jo Malone perfumes. Much to my delight, Ms. Malone opened stores this side of the pond and my heavenly scented assortment of cologne has been expanding at a steady pace ever since. It started with Nutmeg & Ginger, moved quickly to Pink Grapefruit; onto Lime Basil & Mandarin…you get the idea. Her signature scents are designed to be worn alone or "layered" for a completely different experience. Doing a little research, I discovered that the U.K. site offers her "Perfume Wardrobe" - 12 different bottles in a collection. Maybe it is better that item hasn't made its way to the U.S. quite yet; I need to free up some shelf space.

A lamp is meant to shine a light on everything else in the room - but Emily Todhunter's Anemone lamp steals the spotlight for itself.  The renowned British interior designer created the base from hand-blown glass spheres that turn the lamp light into a dazzling corona.  Todhunter's collection includes other fixtures with glass spheres to match, as well as a wide variety of other radiant designs.

The Six Amigos table by Lona Design gives me flashbacks to Mrs. Murphey's Geometry class in high school.  The magic of this round mahogany table is really in its six surrounding chairs.  The seats are angular rather than square, tapering in like pie pieces, and the backs are curved rather than straight to further complement the circular table.  Juxtaposed to these soft arcs, the clean lines of the seat backs create an eye-catching contrast.  It's a Euclidean beauty!

I've been hearing so much about Alinea in Chicago, and then I saw it ranked as the #1 restaurant in America according to the October 2006 issue of Gourmet Magazine. This new restaurant has the entire country buzzing, from "inventive" and "revolutionary" to "food as performance art." Chef/owner Grant Achatz is constantly changing the menu, removing items (such as the dehydrated applewood-smoked bacon wrapped in butterscotch and strands of dehydrated apple strung on a swinging steel bow) to make room for newer dishes (such as the truffle-topped, parmesan encrusted potato puff suspended by a pin over a creamy soup). At any time his menu consists of 24 such dishes, and all are visual and gustatory masterpieces. If you live in or visit Chicago, you must stop in for a spiral of thin-shaved cucumber wrapped around a layer of dehydrated mango spiced with clove, ginger and juniper. Read more about Alinea here.

I was reading through the Fall 2006 Four Seasons Magazine, and on the back cover was the beautiful Chanel J 12 Limited Edition watch.  Available in twelve styles, each has a simple black and white theme, a combination of white gold and white or black high-tech ceramic.  Rubies, blue or pink saphires, or diamonds (as in the picture at right) accent the face.  The resulting look is refined, elegant and glamorous.  With a watch this beautiful, you'll never lose track of time.

Or lilies, daisies, tulips…12 varieties total are in this perfumed program. Each month Calyx & Corolla will send you a stunning bouquet; you can choose from their flower collection, orchid collection, plant collection or even a bonsai collection. It makes a great gift for that person who seems to have everything. Have some fun; send them to yourself at the office and keep your coworkers guessing. Didn't you do something nice to deserve it?

Personally, I rank ironing right up there with root canal and jury duty, but there are some people out there who find pressing a perfect shirt to be therapeutic. Well have I found something for you!  Made by German manufacturer, Miele, this rotary iron (available through Williams-Sonoma) promises crisp table linens, garments and bed linens at the push of a foot pedal. Priced at $1,999.00, it pays for itself (if you make 133 trips to the dry cleaner each year).

After highlighting some elegant French chateaus and Italian castellos in the blog recently, a question came in asking to see some examples of more contemporary homes in Europe. While history-rich regal residences dot the European landscape, the continent certainly has no shortage of modern luxury domiciles, either. Here is a sampling of some more up-to-date splendor across Europe…

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Luxury Portfolio has quickly become the destination for luxury homes, but we haven't quite cornered the market when it comes to luxury dwellings for the canine set. Fear not, Fluffy and Spot have a prestigious place to perch inside these one-of-a-kind quarters. Hand crafted by Italian artists, these pet homes boast carpeting, wallpaper and a plush Italian leather armchair. Priced at $5,000.00 and $7,000, these items (and many others you won't believe) can be found in the Neiman Marcus 2006 Christmas Book.