A modern villa in an ideal location in Montagnola, Switzerland was recently listed on LuxuryPortfolio.com.  I'm a big fan of clean, modern design - as evidenced by the post below this one, I suppose.  This villa is even more spectacular because it combines its modern design, by famous Italian architect Attilio Panzeri, with a pastoral setting.  I really love the photo at right showing the view from the contemporary patio to the mountains in the background.

See more photos and information on this exclusive villa, listed by WETAG Consulting, here.

I recently refinished an old coffee table to try and get a more "natural" look.  While I was somewhat pleased after stripping away layers of old finish, I'm much more impressed by the Timeline Series tables by Grey Design Studio.  The truly natural tables are created using sustainably harvested, wind-fallen lumber. Average age of the fir or cedar utilized in the creation of a table is 590 years - just slightly more historic than my refinished table from the early 2000s.  Natural cracks and imperfections of the wood can be displayed in tables of various sizes - perfect for a clean and contemporary luxury decor.

Next week, I am off to California for a quick visit home and then to Arizona for our Annual Conference. It isn't shocking that I have yet to pack. It is not so much the clothing that I dread packing, but rather the toiletries. A suitcase full of full sized products for someone with a cleansing routine can become quite cumbersome. Fortunately, I hit the jackpot when I came across the M Lab Travel Collection.

The beautifully packaged set arrived in an elegant box wrapped in sheik black wrapping paper. The leather pouch is the perfect size and the selection of items is perfect. I used the products for the first time last night and have to say, I am hooked. The clean scent and luxurious feel of the products left me and my face yearning for more. The health benefits of this revolutionary line...well, that is a story in itself. Let's just say M Lab products have more active ingredients than any other skincare line in the world. Learn more.

A grand residence on Manhattan's Central Park 'West was recently listed on LuxuryPortfolio.com.  Located in a classic 1910 Beaux Arts building and accessed by a private elevator vestibule, this spacious (6,600 square foot) yet inviting luxury home boasts amazing views of Central Park through an abundance of oversized windows.  Prewar details abound and mingle with the latest amenities, including a modern kitchen and renovated baths. See more photos and details.

The exquisite luxury home is currently listed at $19,000,000 by Halstead Property, LLC. 

It all started with the Carmel Sundae Escape – my tea obsession that is. I have always enjoyed a nice cup of hot tea in the colder months, but it was not until recently that I discovered a line of tea that I don’t think I can live without – Talbott Tea. Talbott has created an unbelievable line of unique, yet classic tea flavors. The Carmel Sundae Escape is a black tea that has actual cacao nibs and caramel pieces. I recently tried the Blissful Blueberry. With pieces of blueberry and apple fruit, it is definitely the perfect tea to enjoy iced when summer arrives.

Their website has some great recipes too!

Cora Bett Thomas Realty & Associates (Georgia) recently received coverage in one the United Kingdom’s best selling magazine – Money Week. Spotlighted was a stunning estate located in one of the most historic neighborhoods in the Savannah area.

Read the full story.

Recently, Michael Saunders & Co (Sarasota, FL) took their Best Opportunities program to the next level – with an email marketing campaign to drive traffic and interest to the unique opportunities in the Sarasota real estate market. The Best Opportunities program is one which identifies aggressively priced properties – i.e. those that are priced below the comparative market, appraised value or their competition, as well as listing the bank owned properties in their market.

The listings can be search from their website and as of today included 28 luxury homes priced over $1M. The recent email marketing campaign spurred property visits by 400-500% and increased overall traffic to the website and interest in their showings within just 48 hours of the e-blast.

The Luxury Portfolio team receives leads from some of the top industry and national companies in the country. When these leads are a good match, we connect the reporter and the member.  Arizona Best Real Estate recently reaped the benefits of a lead. The result? Exposure in The Wall Street Journal!

"Being affiliated with Luxury Portfolio has allowed Arizona Best Real Estate the opportunity to obtain some fantastic public relations opportunities on a national level. One cannot buy this type of exposure. To be able to share positive and accurate information with the national media about our local real estate market and specifically the luxury market gives our real estate consultants and company a voice, as well as, provides our past, current and future clients hope in this trying economic time. The fact that the national and local media looks to Luxury Portfolio as one of its real estate sources speaks volumes of their respect within the media community. This is such is a phenomenal benefit to the members of Luxury Portfolio," said sales associate Kirsten Johnson of Arizona Best Real Estate in Scottsdale, AZ.  

Read the full article.

Jawitz Properties (South Africa) recently secured two high-end properties in KZN’s Zimbali Coastal Resort to the value of R100-million as a result of the seller being able to expose their properties along side the finest luxury properties around the world.

“Sellers at the highest luxury end of the market are realizing that they need to expose their property to the right markets globally – especially in these difficult times. The Zimbali properties are exceptional and belong in the fine property collection,” says CEO of Jawitz Properties, Herschel Jawitz.  Read more.

This weekend Daylight Savings Time begins and we spring ahead by moving the clocks forward an hour. For those of us in locales with cold winters, losing one hour of sleep is a small price to pay for the promise of more sun and warmer weather on the horizon.

The dawn of spring and summer also means many people will be looking to travel. Crystal Cruises is known for providing outstanding luxury journeys, and this summer they are offering 100 new adventures in the Mediterranean. There are itineraries that include paragliding in Barcelona, windsurfing off the cost of Turkey, hiking in Italy and much more. Crystal Cruises also offers a savings program to help reduce the cost of all voyages, and also a plan that allows 2009 travelers who book this month big discounts on 2010 trips. Lean more on their website.