Filed under: Spirits, Wine

Make your wedding toast truly special by not only toasting with Dom Pérignon but by toasting with Dom Pérignon out of a personalized bottle that features both of your names on the label. Dom Pérignon recently unveiled Dom Pérignon Wedding, a collection coming out just in time for this season’s rush of spring and summer nuptuals that includes 12 bottles of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2000 plus one additional bottle packaged in a pretty white lacquered box with a special label personalized with the date and the names of the bride and groom.

The collection was inspired by the bottles opened at the wedding of Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles back in 1981 that each had a personalized label and made such a beautiful and classic way to memorialize the occasion.

Dom Pérignon Wedding originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Apparel

World-renowned jeweler Lugano Diamonds has come out with a new set of sunglasses designed by Barton Perriera that feature frames inlaid with clear and colored diamonds. Above is my favorite with pink lenses, gold frame, and 2.85 carats of fancy pink diamonds, and in the gallery below there’s a leopard-print design with intense yellow and black diamonds on the frame and also a pretty purple version. Diamonds on sunglasses all too often end up looking gaudy and overly flashy but these are nicely understated. Just a little sparkle at your temple to honor your love of diamonds. Sunglasses priced at about $27,000 each.

Lugano Diamonds Sunglasses originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handbags, Men’s Style

A work bag is essential. I’ve tried countless times to try and go without one. To minimize what I take to work in hopes of virtually bringing nothing with me when I arrive to the office. But that hasn’t fared so well. There are just too many items that I need or want to have with me during the work day. So, I’ve become obsessed with work bags that are uber-functional and aesthetically pleasing to the eye without being flashy. A bag that is classic and long lasting in style.

I think I’ve found the perfect work bag in the Philanthropist Briefcase by CC Filson. Although it’s being marketed as a men’s work bag, this could also be worn by a woman. It has a sleek silhouette with minimal leather and gold accents throughout, while it’s dark hues and sturdy canvas material - which can easily be cleaned - allow for daily use without looking worn out in a few months. I especially love the tiny little red stitch in the center - it’s so nondescript and unexpected. The Philanthropist also features a detachable and padded leather shoulder strap, two interior pockets and four exterior pockets for organization. Dimensions: 16″W x 12.5″H x 4″D. Price: $365.

CC Filson Philanthropist Briefcase originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handbags

Gwen Stefani has done it again. The L.A.M.B. Ultraviolet Briolette Leather Bag is fresh, youthful and classy, and surprisingly affordable.

This baby yellow, embroidered leather bag is given an unexpected edge by the inclusion of dark nickel zippers. The bag is smallish (10½”W X 6″H X 3″D), so the zippers are subtle enough to pass at dressier events. A closer look will let those around you know that you’ve got personality and style; this is not just a run-of-the-mill purse.

We don’t know how Ms. Stefani keeps her prices so low, but her youthful designs are well-served by the practice. For those of us who scoff at overspoiled teens, this bag is a refreshingly appropriate gift. And, as this goes easily from the classroom to the dance floor, it’s sure to get plenty of use.

The L.A.M.B. Ultraviolet Briolette Leather Bag is available from Saks Fifth Avenue for a steal: $195.00.

L.A.M.B. Ultraviolet Briolette Leather Bag, Handbag of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Estates

Today’s home isn’t just on Ballantine Road in Bernardsville, New Jersey, it has a Ballantine provenance. It is the former home of Alice Isabel Ballantine, daughter of brewery founder Peter Ballantine, and her husband Henry Young Jr. The home was designed by architect Charles Alling Gifford and is a stately Greek Revival manor on 28 acres. Inside the venerable old home has been restored to the nines with a muted neutral, gently feminine style that suits a home outfitted with columns and elaborate moldings. The decorator did excellent work here. I’m particularly smitten with the subtle details, like the fact that the chairs in the living room have the legs of a klismos chair, a nice nod to the home’s Greek aspirant leanings. One bastion of masculinity remains in what is generally my favorite room of any home, the wood-heavy study, this one is particularly cozy and warmed up with richly toned furnishings. The grounds include an in-ground pool, four bedroom guest house and a tennis court. It is listed at $10.75 million.

Continue reading Bernardsville, Estate of the Day

Bernardsville, Estate of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys

“The Bachelor: On The Wings Of Love” ends tomorrow night. Will the bachelor, pilot Jake Pavelka pick sweet Tenley or saucy Vienna? One thing is for certain, they’ve send him to a great place to figure it out. The Jalousie Plantation in St.Lucia is the setting for the finale, providing a scenic backdrop of turquoise waters and white sand beaches for the big moment.

The resort is offering a special Bachelor package. This season ABC was offering a contest to viewers to win a vacation for two at The Jalousie Plantation as part of the Rose Ceremony Game. Those not lucky enough to win can book the Wings of Love package which starts at rates of $3304 from February 23 to April 17, 2010; from $2856 April 17 to May 31, 2010; from $2660 June 1 to October 15, 2010; and $2856 October 16 to December 16, 2010. The package includes four nights in a luxury villa with an ocean view, a bottle of Champagne, a single long-stemmed red rose, a Jeep safari, a visit to the Sulphur Springs spa seen in the show, a romantic candlelit dinner and breakfast in bed on one morning of your choice, handsome bachelor and bevy of babes not included.

The Bachelor Finale Set In St. Lucia originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handbags, Children

Dante Beatrix makes whimsical and functional baby bags that it’s no wonder they also have children’s backpacks that carry the same feel. The graphics are kid friendly without being engulfed in a single sex theme design - no princess or super heroes for Dante Beatrix. Instead, their design focuses on something kids and parents both love - cute animals. Who can say no to chubby little animals from the Maakun Forest? Available for big kids ($52) and little kids ($42), Beatrix backpacks are made from laminated canvas and nylon which make them durable and super easy to clean. Both have room for your little one’s belongings without being so bulky that your child looks as though they are going to tip over backwards. The backpacks also feature a padded back and shoulder straps for comfort. Little Kids Backpack dimensions: 9 x 12 x 5.5″ & Big Kids Backpack dimensions: 14 x 15 x 5.5″

Dante Beatrix Children’s Backpacks originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 07:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Estates

If you’ve got a spare $45 million you can get into the ranching business. The Wall Street Journal’s Private Properties reports that billionaire software entrepreneur and philanthropist Tom Siebel is selling his 62,000-acre Montana cattle ranch for $45 million.

The N Bar Ranch is located about 90 miles north of Billings, Montana and is one of the state’s oldest and largest cattle ranches. The ranch has a carrying capacity estimated at over 2,000 animals and offers a varied landscape that includes meadows, pastures, timber and open range. It also has extensive wildlife and fishery resources with elk and deer, antelope, wild turkey, pheasant, and more in residence. The N Bar Ranch is also crisscrossed with perennial streams and wild trout habitat. It has a 2,500-square-foot farmhouse, a guest house and an airstrip. The listing pics showcase the incredible wildlife and vistas that this ranch has to offer. The listing is here.

Continue reading N Bar Ranch Listed at $45 Million

N Bar Ranch Listed at $45 Million originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

From Move Trends:
Former tennis star Jennifer Capriati’s home in Wesley Chapel, Florida is listed for $ 2.1 million.

From the Real Estalker:
–Beck has finally sold his Malibu home which was once listed as high as $2.399 million. It sold for $1.65 million (he bought the home for $2.050 million in 2007). His Hancock Park home which was once listed as high as $9 million is listed in a pocket listing. He bought the home for $6.75 million in 2007 and will likely take a loss on it.

Designer Kelly Wearstler and property developer Brad Korzen may be listing their Hillcrest estate in Beverly Hills. Rumor has it that it could be listed at $50 million. The property website is here.

How low can she go? Philanthropist and art collector Audrey Irmas has reduced the price on her Holmby Hills mansion, from $25 million to $16.9 million and now to $14.9 million. The property website is here.

From the LA Times Hot Properties:
Technology entrepreneur and philanthropist David Bohnett has listed his exquisitely restored Holmby Hills estate for $18.9 million. The home was designed in 1955 for Gary Cooper. The property website is here.
–”American Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi’s Spanish-style home in the Hollywood Hills is on the market at $1.649 million. The property website is here.
–Commercial real estate giant John C. Cushman III and his wife, Jeanine, have sold their Monterey Colonial-style home in Pasadena for $3.25 million.
–Producer-director Bud Yorkin and his wife, actress Cynthia Sikes, have listed their Holmby Hills estate for $49.5 million. The property website is here.
–Television writers Krista Vernoff and Kevin Maynard have listed their Los Feliz home at $1.995 million. The listing is here.
–A Palm Springs estate built in 1977 for Oscar-winning actor William Holden has hit the market at $5.5 million. The listing is here.

From the Wall Street Journal’s Private Properties:
–Bob Parsons, the founder and CEO of Web-hosting company GoDaddy.com was the buyer who paid $8.72 million for a Balinese-style house on Hawaii’s Big Island that was built by Cher.

Continue reading Sunday Real Estate Round-Up, 02/28/10

Sunday Real Estate Round-Up, 02/28/10 originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces

Year of the Tiger, that sound promising - so let’s hope it works out nicely for us. For the significant population of watch lovers who take the Chinese calendar more seriously than us Americans, Angular Momentum has released a new Verre Eglomise style timepiece with a beautiful hand-painted tiger on the dial. Verre Eglomise watches use a special type of enameling which is painted on the back of a sapphire crystal. Once the tiny painting is perfected, it is baked and set forever.

The painted image is of a roaring tiger, perhaps a signal of what this year is going to be like. The watch itself is just over 39mm wide in 18k pink gold - using an Angular Momentum Time Gallery style case. The piece is artistic, though masculine. Inside the watch is a Swiss automatic mechanical movement. Like many Angular Momentum Verre Eglomise watches, time is told on a disc that appears in a window through the dial. The disc makes a full turn each 12 hours. I would imagine lots of men will see this watch and not consider themselves candidates to wear it, but I think art watches like this are due for a golden age.

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

Angular Momentum Year Of The Tiger Watch originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Apparel

This poncho by Haute Hippe is one of the more interesting ponchos that I’ve seen in some time. It’s made from alpaca, which is extremely soft against your skin and warmer than wool. Not only is the fiber itself full of texture and depth, but the over-sized cowl neck is an accent that subtly breaks up the poncho’s pattern and only maximizes on an already unique piece of clothing. The hand coiled fibers hanging effortlessly along the edges offer an eye catching decorative touch to complete the look. Price: $1395.

Haute Hippie Poncho originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Jewelry

Nan Fusco is a jewelry designer living in Laguna Beach, CA, that not only designs all of her pieces but also handmakes them all herself — a dedication and personalized attention to detail that is getting rare these days. Her creations are a mix of delicate and tough, featuring chains in gold and sterling silver with precious gemstones like pearls, sapphires, and tourmaline. Her designs are pretty earthy and natural, although there are certainly some glitzy pieces in the mix too. One of my favorite features is her unique ‘no clasp’ necklaces that can be worn many different ways depending on your mood and outfit. $400 - $8000

Via Fabsugar

Nan Fusco Jewelry originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handbags

Lee McQueen of fashion house Alexander McQueen was an outrageously expressive designer. He had an uncanny ability to push his creativity and transform clothing and accessories into works of art. One of our favorite McQueen pieces is the De-Manta Clutch from his Spring 2010 runway show. It’s a combination of off-the-wall, eye popping color and jaw dropping patterns against an unexpected silhouette. The De-Manta Clutch is your statement bag to put all other bags to shame. I find myself mesmerized by it. I envision all the outfits and occasions I could possibly wear it to. However, the De-Manta Clutch has such a striking appearance, that you can easily incorporate this bold clutch with a simple outfit like jeans, a great fitting black v-neck t-shirt, and pumps - and with this one accessory, the entire outfit becomes a stand out.

Alexander McQueen De-Manta Clutch originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Men’s Style

For Spring / Summer 2010 London luxury goods firm Dunhill is debuting a new line of gentleman’s heirloom luggage dubbed the Bladon Leather collection. With a nod to Dunhill’s history of creating beautifully crafted and durable leather luggage for almost 120 years, the collection is made of tanned leather with a natural grained appearance crafted into timelessly elegant but always functional forms. Honouring the brand’s esteemed British heritage, Bladon takes its name from the English town where Sir Winston Churchill is buried - a British icon who was a faithful customer of Dunhill. Each of the four styles in the Bladon collection are destined to become heirlooms, with the designs respecting every demand of the modern luxury traveller. The resilient vegetable tanned cowhide leather ensures each piece is individual, with every cut of hide presenting variations in marks and shades which will darken with age, taking on a soft and rich patina over the years.

Dunhill Bladon Leather Collection originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 27 Feb 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While diamonds would always remain disputed for their scarcity and mining practices, it is always delightful to see rare diamonds for their magnificent brilliance and everlasting fascination. In one such delightful report, diamond supplier Petra…

Filed under: Estates

A battle to save a historic house is going on in Cincinnati. A judge has ruled that the city has 30 days to provide compelling arguments that the historic Gamble House in Westwood, Ohio should not be torn down. The Victorian home with an Italianate tower is a home that one of the co-founders of Procter & Gamble once lived in. Preservationists say that the home of the inventor of Ivory soap has historic significance even if it isn’t registered as a historic site and is not located in a historic district.

The Greenacres Foundation owns the crumbling property and wants to demolish the home and use the site for its programs which include providing agricultural and environmental education to children. The Foundation says that it doesn’t make economic sense for them to repair and maintain the property.

On March 26, court will reconvene to decide the fate of the mansion. The picture above comes from the Save the Historic Gamble Estate NOW! Facebook page which is mobilizing to save the home. There is an online petition and more than a thousand people have registered their support to preserve the home.

Ivory Soap Creator’s House Faces The Wrecking Ball originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Jewelry

Last fall we speculated that a huge 507-carat piece of rough diamond might sell for $30 million. The result was even bigger than anticipated. Petra Diamonds announced that the stone sold for $35.3 million which was the highest sale price ever for a rough stone, an impressive $69,557 per carat. Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Company Ltd. bought the rock which has been given the preliminary name “Cullinan Heritage,” at a tender in South Africa. The stone is the 19th largest piece of rough unearthed in history and is exceptional both in terms of size and color and clarity.

It is believed that the buyers will seek to sell the stone in China. The rough stone could yield a “D-flawless” clear polished stone of 170-180 carats, a stone which could sell at a huge price. The diamond will be doubtlessly be scrutinized by teams of expert cutters and all possible strategies will be mapped and modeled before the first cut is made.

Huge Diamond Sells For Over $35 Million originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Apparel

I never thought I would actually like long sleeved mini dresses. It almost seems like an oxymoron. Kind of like sleeveless turtlenecks that were popular years ago. Needless to say, long sleeved mini dresses have won me over. Especially after seeing actresses like Demi Moore, Emma Roberts and my personal favorite Zoe Saldana, wear mini dresses that were so well executed with very minimal accessories. In each case the dress was the major focus. And the same can be said for the Sequined Silk Mini Dress by Ashish. It’s an instant show stopper. It has an incredible sparkle and deep v-neck cut in the back that provides something to grab your attention no matter your view. Price: $895.

Ashish Sequined Dress originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handbags

The Jimmy Choo Tatum Fringe Shoulder Bag is a sexy new Choo offering with a glamorous rock-and-roll edge.

This shoulder bag is crafted from woven and pieced together black metallic leather and soft suede, for a highly textured, I’m-cooler-than-your-average-fringe-wearing-hippie look. Speaking of the fringe, it drops a full seven inches, balancing the seven inch drop double shoulder handles. Keep an eye on the car door.

We love the bright silver hardware, which makes the black look blacker, and the way the chains balance the sleek logo plate at the bottom. The 16″W X 14″H X 2½”D bag is lined in a pale caramel suede and includes two zipper pockets and an open pocket.

This is one of those rare larger bags that dresses up well, so for your straight-from-work-to-play days, the Tatum Fringe is ideal.

The Jimmy Choo Tatum Fringe Shoulder Bag is available from Saks Fifth Avenue for $2,695.

Jimmy Choo Tatum Fringe Shoulder Bag, Handbag of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As the green generation wants to see environmentally friendly concepts to increasingly mark their presence in the near future, we are going to see a hyper rise in concepts making sure to minimize our carbon footprint. Based on the same positioning,…