English French German Italian Spanish Portuguese Russian Japanese Chinese
Register now to tailor your experience.

The Incredible Expanding Table

It's pretty hard for me to get real excited over a table. Sure tables can be designed well and look great, but it's a table. A table is where I set my plate when I eat...it's what I toss a stack of bills on...it's what I put my feet on when I channel surf...et cetera, et cetera. It's a table. But I do have to admit that the Fletcher Capstan Tables are pretty cool. Alright, they're remarkable. These circular tables can expand to twice their original size in four seconds, and remain perfectly round. The table shown in the picture here is in mid-transformation - check out the video on DB Fletcher's site to see the full metamorphosis. If your dinner party grows from 6 to 12 unexpectedly, a Capstan Table will be able to accommodate the sudden change. All you have to do is rotate the table at its outer perimeter, and voila, it doubles in size. DB Fletcher isn't shy about stating the target market for this unique piece of furniture, they say, "it is not for everyone by a very very long way and can only be afforded by the lucky few of us with exceptional wealth." Well, then...I guess it's still an extra card table and folding chairs for me!

Oh, Toronto

I am a film lover and have always been fascinated with the cinema. Great films take you on emotional journeys and can transport you to distinct places and times. My love of cinema has quite literally transported me to some wonderful locales. A few months ago I got an opportunity to attend the Toronto International Film Festival for the first time. The festival itself was great (I highly recommend Babel), but I was also blown away by the city of Toronto. The air is clean, the architecture is beautiful, and all the people I came into contact with were polite and helpful. Now I can really see why Toronto is consistently voted one of the most livable cities in the world by numerous publications. After returning from my trip, I was compelled to take a closer look at luxury Toronto real estate and found that just like the city, the homes offered are truly remarkable.

The stately residence shown here is in Toronto's exclusive Bridle Path area. It is dubbed "The Best of the Best" - and there won't be any argument from me. The magnificent home encompasses nearly 15,000 square feet, plus a more than 6,500 square foot lower level, with spacious and elegant main rooms. You can play tennis or swim in the pool on the lovely grounds. What's that you say? December in Toronto doesn't seem like ideal conditions to take a dip? That's okay, move it from the outdoor pool to the indoor pool for year-round swimming. This brilliant home is an undeniable masterpiece.

Continue on for more Toronto luxury...

[More]

Vacuum Training

L250One of the most popular New Year's resolutions of any year is a pledge to get into shape. Many times, however, by the time spring rolls around treadmills are folded up and collecting dust under the bed, while stepping machines have become expensive coat racks. Some people just need more motivation - or a piece of exercise equipment that requires a minimal amount of effort. It's quite possible that the Luxury Hypoxi L250 could help even some of the most devoted couch potatoes trim away the fat on their lower bodies. This machine incorporates a unique vacuum chamber that allows you to alternate vacuum therapy with light pedaling exercise, all while in a horizontal position. Purportedly, Hypoxitherapy also helps rejuvenate the skin and lessens the appearance of cellulite. That's it, 2007 is the year I'm getting back into top shape...right after the college bowl games...and the NFL playoffs. By spring I'll be on a regular workout regimen...as long as there aren't any baseball games that I need to watch.

Love and Champagne

What variety of bubbly will you be popping at your New Year's celebration? I'm not sure, but my choices will most likely involve the bottom shelf at the grocery store and not a locked case at a fine spirit retailer. A select few may be ringing in 2007 while sipping Krug's Clos du Mesnil 1995. A bottle of this extremely rare champagne will set you back around $750, which would be roughly $150 per 8-ounce flute filled the requisite two-thirds of the way. There are just over 12,600 bottles in existence, but if you find yourself with several leftover bottles of Clos du Mesnil 1995 after your New Year's Eve party don't fret, you can store them in the Krug Trunk.

Goldvish

Last night I went out to buy a new cell phone.  I'd had my old phone for so long it was falling apart - it was so scratched up, the guy at the store asked me if I had a dog that had attacked it.  I was ready to splurge on the best cell phone I could get - and for me that meant the red Motorola RAZR V3m (one of the (PRODUCT) RED creations mentioned in KC's post).  It's a pretty good phone - you can use it to watch live TV on 50 channels, download songs, instant message, and a number of other functions I will never use it for.  Then I got to thinking - how much better can a cell phone get?  So of course I went home and did a bit of research on luxury cell phones!  It didn't take long to discover the Swiss-made Goldvish 'Le Million' limited edition mobile, which is generally recognized as the world's most expensive phone.  This white gold phone with sapphire glass display is encrusted with 120 carats of diamonds.  But it's not just a pretty piece - the phone boasts worldwide coverage, quad band technology, an MP3 player, video/camera with 8x zoom, FM radio, PC-interchangeable 2 gigabyte memory, and more.  Not only that, but Goldvish claims to offer the best after-sale service of any cell phone company.  Sure - but can it help fight AIDS in Africa?

Magic Sinks

I stumbled across Linkasink in a design magazine, and I decided to check them out online.  I really like their sink basins.  The one pictured here is the Magic Square mosaic sink - "magic" because the drain is hidden under the removable mosaic tray, so the water seemingly disappears.  The mosaic is available in several different patterns, from interlocked circles to intricate designs and simple bursts of color.  The Magic Sinks are just one design available from Linkasink - the company has offerings in copper, porcelain, moored onyx, and more.  If you're looking for something interesting, check out the Stone Tree Bowl or the Dragon Vessel.

My Kind of Islands

I live in Chicago.  I love Chicago.  Most days I walk around my neighborhood smiling and humming "My Kind of Town" to myself.  But then there are days like the one I had last week: -5 degrees, stuck outside, wind ripping through my coat and gloves, toes lost all feeling.  I finally reached an open diner, stumbled in (legs barely working) and mumbled through my frozen lips that I just needed to warm up.  On that particular day, I was not so keen on the Windy City.  I sipped a cup of coffee and daydreamed of moving to Hawaii as my toes regained feeling.  Needless to say, these musings led me to look into luxury Hawaiian properties - and I was not surprised to find some pretty amazing homes.

Take the palatial Honolulu mansion in the pictures here, listed with Choi International and referred to as a "21st Century Versailles."  The interior of the home reflects the classic Louis XV style, with Rococo lightness, curves and detail throughout each room. The two-story grand foyer is made even grander with a gorgeous double staircase and chandelier.  If you look closely in the picture at right, you will see that one can stand in the foyer and look straight through to the cerulean ocean view. The rooms are large, open and curvilinear, with panoramic windows allowing for a breathtaking view.  Steps lead from the covered outdoor living area to the pool and spa enhanced by waterfalls and tropical flora. This home is unique and elegant - fit for a king!

Read on for more luxury Hawaiian homes...

[More]

Foosball Fabulous

I've always preferred pool over foosball, but the stunning Opus foosball table by The Eleven Forty Company could force me to reconsider – not that I could afford it. With prices starting at around $45,000, the Opus has a multitude of game play features and is constructed by hand using the finest materials, including etched glass, stainless steel and a choice of remarkable woods. But that's just the beginning – the Opus allows for unprecedented customization. Eleven Forty uses "Doppelganger technology" that can construct the heads and faces of the foosmen based on personal pictures. Make a team of your friends, oppose your in-laws, or create any combination of players you wish, with all the characters sporting hand-painted uniforms of your choice. So what if all the hours on the practice field never turned you into a pro football or soccer star…at least now you can be a legend in your own game room.

Cards of Steel

I love playing poker. The psychological battle is thrilling – getting someone to fold when they have the best hand or call you when they have the lesser hand is just as exciting as raking in the chips…sometimes. I take my card playing seriously, and Touch of Ginger offers up a serious looking deck of cards. Their Vegas playing cards are etched in stainless steel and made to order. If you'd like a deck of these unique cards, you'll have to hurry because they are a limited edition of 50 sets and there are only a "few remaining." These cards are interesting and certainly look cool, but good luck shuffling.

A Titanic Adventure

It's been nearly 95 years since the Titanic descended to the bottom of the ocean, but fascination with the tragic event is still prevalent. The ship that was deemed "unsinkable" sank, yet its remarkable stories have lived on in numerous books and movies, and have made the disaster a very important part of history. Deep Ocean Expeditions affords those with the means an opportunity to get as close to this extraordinary event as possible. Operation Titanic takes the inquisitive and the adventure-seeker on an incredible 13 day journey from Newfoundland to the wreck site of the Titanic. For $38,900 you get accommodation at the departure point, accommodation and meals throughout the voyage, educational activities, such as lectures and film shows, and a seat on a MIR submersible, capable of diving 20,000 feet below the ocean's surface, to examine the Titanic wreckage close-up. The MIR will take you down at a rate of 100 feet per minute until you reach the ship's remains. Your dive will last approximately 11 to 12 hours and will include looks at Titanic's massive anchors, propellers and famous grand staircase. Books and movies certainly help preserve history, but this amazing voyage allows you to experience history in a truly exceptional way.

More Entries