Filed under: Estates

If you want this home you’ll need to move quickly it’s being auctioned off on Monday, August 3. This home is located in a place I spent plenty of time in as a child, the community of Oyster Harbors in Osterville, Massachusetts. This gated community is no recent addition to Cape Cod, it was established in 1927 on Osterville Grand Island. Today’s home is a mortagee’s foreclosure being auctioned off by JJManning Auctioneers. Supporting documents show that it is owned by Krikor Baytarian, head of Norada Construction, the company which built the home.

The new 8,500 square foot home sits on approximately 1.52 acres. The five-bedroom home includes large common areas, library, third floor observatory, a first floor master suite and the potential for additional guest quarters over the garage. The property is enhanced with decks, patios, and an in-ground pool with cabana and a pool house with a full bath, laundry, changing rooms and a wet bar.

A $50,000 deposit in certified or bank check must be shown at the auction. The balance is due in 30 days and other terms will be announced at the sale. Related documents say the home was once listed at $5.85 million and the tax assessment is $3,312,300.

Continue reading Oyster Harbors House Auction

Oyster Harbors House Auction originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys

Ever gone on vacation and realized you left your swimsuit behind. Worry no more if you are staying at any of The Standard hotels. Sporty clothing company Quiksilver has partnered with André Balazs’ The Standard Hotels on co-branded swimwear that will be sold not only in the hotel boutiques but also poolside in special vending machines in New York, Los Angeles, Hollywood and Miami. It’s a smart collaboration, The Standard is infamous for its pool scenes.

Four different styles of men’s board shorts were designed one for each hotel but women will have to content themselves with a black string bikini. Items can be purchased online at shopthestandard.com, and the first vending machine will open in Los Angeles on August 8.

[via The Thread]

Buy Your Bathing Suit From A Vending Machine At The Standard originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys

A former railroad headquarters has been turned into a luxury hotel in Baltimore, The Hotel Monaco Baltimore is a $65 million boutique hotel that is part of the Kimpton group. The hotel’s Beaux Arts building dates back to 1906 and served as the headquarters for B&O Railroad. The 202 guestrooms and suites are done in warm colors and offer high-speed wired and wireless Internet access in all guestrooms and suites (alas only complimentary for KimptonInTouch guest loyalty members), 24-hour room service, state-of-the-art flat-screen HD 37″ TV in guestrooms and 42″ TV in suites, a fully stocked mini bar with gourmet and organic options, L’Occitane spa-inspired bath amenities, terrycloth robes and an In-room safe large enough to accommodate a laptop computer. You can bring your pet with you or, if you get lonely, you can have a companion goldfish delivered to your room for the duration of your stay.

The Baltimore Sun says that the hotel is opening at a time when hotel occupancy rates in the city are lower (down to 58.2 percent in the first half of this year versus 62.3 percent in the first half of 2008). This is due both to the recession and because more new hotels are opening in the area. Last year the total amount of hotels rooms within a one-mile radius of Pratt and Light streets was 6,782 but this year it has jumped up to 7,985 rooms.

To attract the city’s attention, the hotel has been holding preview dinners in its restaurant, the B&O American Brasserie. The hotel is also offering an aggressive opening rate of $129 per night for rooms that will cost $329 or more after October.

Hotel Monaco Opens Latest Hotel in Baltimore originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It is said aged wine is not poured into a new wineskin, or it might spoil. However, William Grant Sons seems to have a different idea, as the Scottish distiller is putting old wine into new wineskins to set its Glenfiddich 50-year-old single malt…

Filed under: Handbags

Minaudieres do not carry much, just the essentials, but they make a powerfully artistic and elegant statement. Oscar de la Renta’s Darjeeling Miniaudiere has a bright gold tone that makes it stunning and eye catching while a grouping of birds and hearts charmingly decorate the tiny clutch. It features a beautifully crafted mosaico snap closure for easy use. The Darjeeling is available in poppy (red), taupe and black. Dimensions: 6.5W” x 4H” x 1D”. Price: $1450.

Oscar de la Renta Darjeeling Minaudiere originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Estates

Real estate isn’t faring well in Las Vegas lately but loss often leads to opportunity. Case in point, this three-story penthouse in the Sky Las Vegas complex on the Strip. It was once listed at $10.3 million when it was published in Architectural Digest’s Estates for Sale but that was a couple of years ago in a booming real estate market. Now it is listed at $2.99 million with Luxury Realty Group.

For your money you get approximately 5184 square feet of living space with four bedrooms and huge windows showcasing Strip views in two directions. The penthouse has two terraces, one with an outdoor kitchen and an outdoor hot tub. The condo also includes two wet bars; multiple ice makers, wine refrigerators and dishwashers; a home theatre and a home gym.

Experience more lush living in luxury homes and mansions or see the stars living large with celebrity homes galleries at AOL Real Estate.

Continue reading Las Vegas Penthouse, Estate of the Day

Las Vegas Penthouse, Estate of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces

The Zetios Chronographe Joaillerie watch is a clean and clever mix of luxury and classic functionality in a watch by Milus. A mother of pearl dial and diamond bezel matched to a white strap make for a watch that is characteristically feminine. Still, with a case size of 45mm wide in either stainless steel or 18k red gold - the watch sits in the male watch court. Once again, a watch company has released an ambiguous watch that is “unisex” at best. The watch is available with a steel bracelet on the steel watch, while various colors of alligator bracelet are available with both metals.

I really like the style of lugs as twisting cylinders - this allows the strap to fit over most any wrist. A sapphire crystal sits on the face and caseback of the watch, with a view into the skeletonized rotor on the automatic Swiss movement. 62 Wesselton diamonds (1.14 carats total) sit on the bezel which goes to the “joaillerie” (jewelry) portion of the watch name. This also hints to the price of the watch, which is likely to be high, thought it may be merited given the high quality and impressive details.

Functionally the watch has an attractive and straight forward dial with applied hour numerals and lume tipped hands. The tri-compax chronograph subdial layout is easy to read and I appreciate the centrally mounted big date complication. While the design is not wholly unique it is a nice rendition of a functional luxury watch.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

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Milus Zetios Chronographe Joaillerie Watch originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Art

We’ve written before about Annie Leibovitz’s financial woes but as Gawker reports, now her lender, Art Capital Group, is taking her to court. Leibovitz borrowed $24 million from the financial firm and as collateral the company took not only her two homes and all her negatives and the copyright to her photographs but also an agreement to sell her archives to repay the loan and the rights to arrange the sale. Art Capital has sued breach of contract saying that she isn’t letting real estate agents into her homes and is being difficult in order to block attempts to sell the photos. The suit says that the loan was offered on the assumption that Leibovitz would eventually have to sell her photos to pay back the loan when it comes due in September. As part of the agreement that Leibovitz signed, Art Capital has the rights to administer sales of the work.

At Capital has physical custody of the negatives but the company is after a bigger prize, the intellectual property rights to Leibovitz’s portfolio. In order to broker that sort of sale they need Leibovitz’s cooperation. Meanwhile, Leibovitz made an agreement with Getty Images in March to work under a “a special multi-assignment collaboration.” This deal, done without Art Capital’s knowledge, cut them out of getting commission on the photos. The suit doesn’t mention any payments that Leibovitz has made to Art Capital against the loan but it is unlikely that she has paid much of it off and as the Gawker article mentions Leibovitz’s only out may be to declare bankruptcy. One of Gawker’s commenters also makes the point that with the magazine business shrinking and the budget for lavish photo shoots on the wane, Leibovitz’s opportunities to make money may be diminished.

Art Capital is in the business of making money off art and sometimes, artists. The company issues loans of $500,000 or more at interest rates from six percent to 16 percent to those who have artwork worthy of making such a loan. It operates like a pawn shop; if you fail to pay and you lose your precious art. Case in point, a Rubens hanging in the Art Capital offices once belonged to Veronica Hearst, the widow of Randolph Apperson Hearst. She mortgaged her art to hold onto Villa Venezio in Manalapan, Florida. She eventually lost the home in foreclosure. Artist Julian Schnabel sued Art Capital this year. He took out an $8 million loan in 2006, when he was building his pink folly known as Palazzo Chupi. Schnabel claims he paid back the loan but Art Capital says it is entitled to more money because Schnabel did not reveal there was an existing mortgage on the property. An ArtInfo article on that suit quotes Gerald Peters, a Santa Fe-based dealer who has bought paintings from Art Capital and says that “the game they have to play is rough, but the service they are providing is real. And there’s demand for it.”

Annie Leibovitz Facing Lender Lawsuit originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces

When I first mentioned that Breguet was going to have an exhibit at the Louvre I speculated that they might include as part of the collection the special Ref. 1160 pocket watch that was a painstakingly made (over three years of work) replica of the original Breguet Marie Antoinette pocket watch that was itself completed in the 1840s after almost 40 years of efforts. The exhibit does in fact display the Ref. 1160 pocket watch nicely and fans of the Breguet brand or horological history should check out the exhibit if they are in Paris up until the 6th of September. In addition to the Ref. 1160, there are a number of very interesting Breguet pocket watches, chronometers, clocks, and other items that you’ll probably never get a change to see, all in beautiful restored condition.

For more information check out the mini site for the Breguet Louvre exhibit.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Breguet Ref. 1160 Marie Antoinette Pocket Watch Perfect Replica On Display At Louvre originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Besides hygiene and comfort, luxury and sophistication are hot trends making their presence felt in contemporary bathrooms. If you too have a flair for an opulent lifestyle and a “sky’s-the-limit” budget, the new Versace Home Collection…

A pulsating evening shower may shed fatigue from your tiresome day at work, if you are not one of those sophisticated souls who badly require a spa before going to the bed. Meeting the needs of both stylish and sturdy, the Hidrobox has come up with a…

Filed under: Apparel, Journeys, Wings

Last week, I told you about Air Tahiti’s new designer crew uniforms. While I was more concerned about mid-air wardrobe change logistics, and noted only in passing that the new togs didn’t look so-very-Balenciaga to me, Jeffries Blackerby of The Moment was right on it. He reports that the outfits were designed by Balenciaga Uniforms, which is a division of a company that apparently has absolutely nothing to do with the design sensibility of Nicolas Ghesquière, Balenciaga’s creative director. Blackerby advises Air Tahiti: “let’s not get all excited”, presumably about being associated with Balenciaga.

Now, let’s take a step back. Blackberby is right to point out that Balenciaga Uniforms, which handled the design of Air Tahiti’s new uniforms, is owned by a French company called Creation & Image. (Wheras the fashion house Balenciaga is owned by PPR, which also owns Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and many others.)

But licensing of a designer’s name is what makes the fashion world go ’round — should you need a little brush-up on how this works, here’s a nice article from the New York Times (and of course The Moment is a New York Times’ blog) concerning Vera Wang. I’ll grant that some designers retain more control than seems to be the case at Balenciaga Uniform — which is apparently absolutely none. (And that’s despite the smoking gun that some commenters at The Moment think they’ve discovered when they point out that Nicolas Ghesquière apparently once worked in the uniform division — an amusing, if meaningless, sidenote, absent any evidence that Ghesquière is keeping a loving and attentive eye on all the rungs of the ladder he’s climbed.)

Still, I submit that Air Tahiti should get every bit as excited as it wants over its Balenciaga uniforms. If we’re only going to allow purchasers to take credit for the designer items that they buy that are not made by license, the licensing business ceases to have all value, and really — do we think our economy can take that? Leaving aside world economic well-being, for the more important fashion issue, I agree with a point that Danica Lo made over at The Haute List: Designers need to keep more control over their name.

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Update: Air Tahiti’s Balenciaga Uniform Controversy originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Art

A medieval castle is going to become a ‘House of Bling‘ in a new contemporary art exhibit. An exhibition at Tattershall Castle, a 15th Century Medieval castle in Lincolnshire, England is part of a new relationship between the Arts Council England and the National Trust aimed at promoting contemporary art in historic properties. The name ‘House of Bling’ does honor to the fact that the castle was built between 1434 - 46 by Ralph Cromwell, Lord Treasurer to Henry VI as a visible symbol of his wealth, a form of real estate bling.

Artists Sarah Price, Geraldine Pilgrim, Catherine Bertola, Linda Florence, and KMA (Kit Monkman and Tom Wexler) will create new art works inspired by the building and each artist will work in a specific area of the monument and grounds including a large scale work cut into the lawn in front of Tattershall’s castle done by Linda Florence. Catherine Bertola’s offering will be a site-specific work that uses images of weaving and spinning from folk fairy tales and will result in golden cobwebs hung in the castle. Geraldine Pilgrim will create a work that will use packing cases and crates to explore imagery associated with towers and keeps. The work from KMA will be inspired by the castle cellars and will take the form of a film and audio narrative that combines fact and fiction. Sarah Price will create a secret wild garden on the castle grounds to invoke the time when the castle was abandoned and overgrown. The exhibition will take place at Tattershall Castle from August 8 - 23.

[via Art Daily]

Contemporary Art Comes To A Medieval Castle originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handbags

This is the first handbag that I’ve covered that really makes me think fall, and I honestly almost skipped it over for that very reason — I’m not ready! But it’s a perfectly lovely Lanvin shoulder bag nevertheless, in a trendy shade of olive python perfect for coordinating with all your fall tones. Other goodies include tortoiseshell ring details, a signature logo keyring and ribbon and dice charms, gold hardware with a combination chain and leather strap, interior and exterior zip pockets, and an expandable zip bottom. $2,790

Lanvin Amalia Python Bag, Handbag of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces

Doxa is most known for their diving watches but are slowly releasing alternatives to the watches that put the brand on the map. I think it was in fact Doxa that started the “orange diving watch color trend.” Here are two new watches that are more connected to the world of classic cars than diving underwater. These are the Doxa TC Four and Five watches. The Four is the silvered face model with the power reserve indicator on the dial, while the Five is the black dial colored regulator watch.

The design of the dials remind me of classic race car gauges while The simple polished yet streamlined shape of the watch case further reminds me of the “wind tunnel era.” Wile the vertically striped texturing on the dial looks a lot like teak wood on a yacht floor, it could be another element to classic cars that I am not considering. Alternatively I could have got it all wrong and the Four and Five collection watches are an homage to something entirely different than cars…say boats for instance.

Both watches are likely in stainless steel and feature modified base ETA movements. The Four has a base automatic ETA 2892 with a power reserve module on it, while the Five has a different base ETA movement and is also an automatic. I believe that each model can be had in both silvered or black dials and come with black or brown leather straps. The watches should be relatively well priced (maybe $2k - $3k) though Doxa watches are often a bit on the higher end (price wise) in comparison to their competition. Look for the Doxa TC Four and Five watches about now.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Doxa TC Four & Five Watches originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys, Cosmetics and Fragrance, Crimes and Misdemeanors

I was just in Newport, Rhode Island, although I didn’t see that much of it, because on the night of my arrival, I ate what turned out to be a very bad lobster indeed. (Public service announcement: if you’re eating lobster, nay, any shellfish, and you detect even the slightest hint of ammonia, put down the fork, leave the table, and immediately procure saltines and electrolyte-enhanced fluids.)

Anyway, maybe it was because I was tinged green, but for the moments when I crawled out of my very comfortable hotel (the Hotel Viking, book a room in the newly renovated wing), I couldn’t help but noticed how very white everyone was. Well, rich-people-in-summer-white, which is to say, bronze.

When I was in Shanghai last month, I was reminded that the Western obsession with toasting is not shared worldwide.

In China, which certainly has its own ethnic tensions, but not (as I’m aware of) those relating to the amount of melanin in the skin, the obsession is looking as white as possible, as you can see in the colorful parade of parasols everywhere, what I can only describe as “forearm cozies” - handmade fabric coverings protecting the skin from the elbow to the wrist — and for bicycle riders, what looks like a welding mask. (Although I think this is also to ward off projectiles.)

Continue reading The Quest for Porcelain White Skin

The Quest for Porcelain White Skin originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Wine

Can sherry be made cool? Advertising Age says that a Seattle ad agency called Creature has been given the task of bringing a drink more seen in classic literature than in local bars back into the spotlight. Creature has created a website called the Secret Sherry Society for The Sherry Council of America. The site includes a digital castle for visitors to explore. Rooms contain videos and information on types of sherry, sherry cocktails and the history of sherry. The hope is that the site will acquaint the uninitiated with sherry in a new fun way.

Sherry isn’t exactly trending hot with younger drinkers. The Sherry Council has been hosting dinners for the media and key influencers to try and create a sherry buzz. The Ad Age article makes reference to the connection between hip-hop and cognac. The sherry website is well-designed but websites alone don’t usually drive a person to purchase a product. The site doesn’t quite bridge the gap between information and action by defining what occasions might call for a glass of sherry. While it has a sense of the old much like absinthe does, there is no similar sense of mystery behind it. When is the last time you drank sherry? Does sherry need a celebrity spokesperson or a big ad campaign to help it gain traction in the marketplace?

Website Seeks To Lure Drinkers To Sherry originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We have tickled our musical buds with the Ferrari Art.Engine speaker system in the past, elevating our creed for a melodious aura with the next addition to the David Wiener Collection. Standing tall to ambiguous needs of the detail-oriented music…

Adding the best into everyday utilities is a wholesome idea most makers intend to live up with in order satiate consumer demand. Stuffing multimedia functions into beds is a theme highly tapped by the luxury marketers. And extending upon the premise,…

Filed under: Handbags

This cute little frame bag by Marni has what I can only describe as an eclectic mix of materials, colors, and textures. Described as “modern-vintage” this bag has lots of personality but can still be paired with almost anything thanks to its neutral color scheme. Charcoal suede, silvertone hardware, a turquoise clasp, and a contrasting brown leather handle on a detachable chain combine for this unique look, and it’s also fully lined with an interior zip pocket and a couple pouch pockets for easy stashing of all your party essentials. $1,480

Marni Suede Frame Bag, Handbag of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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