bLavish

Vanessa Paradis Replaces Kirsten Dunst In Miu Miu Ad Campaign

June 24, 2008 | Posted by Allison as Tid Bits & News at 10:00 am | (3) Comments »

Johnny Depp’s longtime girlfriend & mother to his children, Vanessa Paradis, has reportedly replaced fellow actress Kirsten Dunst as the lovely face for Miu Miu, Miuccia Prada’s sporty fashion line.

Paradis will be seen in the coming fall sporting the label’s futuristic campaign & my, will we be so much happier with this choice compared to Dunst….

Elvis Presley’s 24-Carat Gold Piano For Sale

April 16, 2008 | Posted by Allison as Tid Bits & News at 12:00 pm | (1) Comment »

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch out, Elvis fans, a new king is in town!  Up for sale is Elvis Presley’s highly acclaimed 24-carat gold piano.  Now that would be quite an addition to your Elvis memorabilia, would it not?

Covered in 24-carat gold both inside & out, this piano is unlike any other.  Offered privately through Andrew Marsh, this Elvis piece of history won’t go cheap.  I’m betting on at least a mil.  What do you think? 

Top Ten Highest Paid Soccer (Football) Players In the World

April 15, 2008 | Posted by Allison as The Most Expensive, Tid Bits & News at 11:16 am | (3) Comments »

France Magazine has recently complied a list of the top ten highest paid soccer / football players in the world at large.  Guess you can’t guess who’s on top?  Let’s check it out:

1. David Beckham, $49.4 million

2. Ronaldinho, $38.4 million

3. Lionel Messi, $36.6 million

4. Cristiano Ronaldo, $31 million

5. Thierry Henry, $26.8 million 

6. John Terry, $22.16 million

7. Michael Ballack, $22 million

8. Ronaldo, $21.2 million

9. Kaka, $20.4 million

10. Steven Gerrard, $20 million

All I can think is that I should have done soccer rather than writing….

So, here’s a question, who do you think is the most overrated of these players?

Porsche Goes White

April 15, 2008 | Posted by Allison as Tid Bits & News, Wheels at 11:10 am | (2) Comments »

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s been past the point of just designing cars with the company Porsche for quite some time, but they’re rethinking themselves again.

Porsche has recently debuted their White Collection, which entails a variety of sleek products in a classic white color.  From a slim-lined jacket to your next briefcase, Porsche is doing you all up in white. 

Are you okay with this new thinking?

Mandolas Estate Winery & Trattoria Lisina Restaurant

April 8, 2008 | Posted by Allison as Tid Bits & News at 12:00 pm | (2) Comments »

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recently I was in the planning stages of a trip to Austin & San Antonio, Texas, when I stumbled upon something I had never heard before.  According to Frommers & Orbitz, the Hill Country of Texas is the second most visited wine region in the States, second only to the Napa Valley.

Texas!?  The Texas that I know & kinda sorta but not really love?  Wow, how astonishing.  So, I had to check it out.  I visited three separate vineyards that took me from 30 minutes away from Austin, to about an hour and & half away, but the real gem was, as always, the last.  Save the best for last, eh?

Mandolas Estate Winery & their on-site restaurant, Trattoria Lisina, have made quite an impression on me.  From the personal tour with a supremely competent guide, Oscar, to the last bite of my cannoli, this winery was a match made in heaven.

Once I entered the estate proper, I was thrilled by the Tuscan-inspired architecture & stunning live oaks that situated the property with grace.  Starting with a tasting, I fell in love with Mandolas Sangiovese as well as their Canto Felice & had to take a couple bottles home, of course.

But the fun was just beginning, as Oscar led me on a tour of the winery.  Being a somewhat new face on the Hill Country wine scene, Mandolas does not quite yet have all of their vines producing, so several of their grapes are actually brought in to do the breaking down & fermentation process.  It was a stellar tour full of good information, and I was very impressed with Oscar, who is staying abreast of the wine world.

Then, at long tipsy last, it was on to Trattoria Lisina.  You & I know how rare it is to enjoy a meal from start to finish, so you will understand that I now have a soft spot for Lucina.  I started off with a decadent cheese plate that featured a panoply of sharp cheeses, then I, of course, moved on to the cherry-tomato based bruschetta.  And I have to admit that I ate all six pieces on my own & never once looked back.

All I have to say next is, rare tenderloin on the bone, with roasted shallots atop.  Mouth-watering delicious.  I’m jealous of my memories.  Afterward I finished her off with a cappuccino & two hazelnut-encrusted cannolis.  All in a night’s work. 

Now, I just have to ask myself, how bad is it to fly to Austin just to eat some of that amazing bruchetta? 

David Beckham’s $50,000 Luxury Monarch Vi-Spring Bed

March 18, 2008 | Posted by Allison as Furniture, Tid Bits & News at 10:00 am | (15) Comments »

You know, the more I learn about beds, the more I realize how complex the issue has become.  Where before we were lucky to have a feather or straw bed, today there are foam beds of every kind, color & cost, supposedly luxurious horse hair beds, new feather beds, spring beds & just about anything else you can imagine with every kind of high end price tag.

So, this morning when I learned that David Beckham sleeps on a $50,000 luxury bed, I’ll tell ya, it didn’t surprise me one bit.  Beckham’s precious bod sleeps on the newly unveiled Monarch Vi-Spring luxury bed. 

Available exclusively at Harrods, this $50K bed promises the sleep of your life, stating, “Known to those who sleep in them as truly life changing beds, Vi-Spring was the very first bedmaker to introduce the pocket sprung mattress in 1901. Its beds continue to grace some of the finest hotels and homes in the world today, each one tailor made to order in Devon using the highest quality natural materials and exclusive Belgian fabrics.”

I just have one question.  Can I get the model the Becks slept on?

China Plans ‘Most Luxurious Train In the World’

March 11, 2008 | Posted by Allison as Luxury Travel, Tid Bits & News at 10:00 am | (1) Comment »

China already enjoys a train line to Tibetan capital Lhasa, but now the country is planning to create, ”the most luxurious train in the world,” (insert evil luxury laughter here).

The proposed train will feature 12 passenger cars along with two luxury dining cars as well as a sightseeing car.  Each passenger car will have four small suites which will be decorated the like of a five-star hotel with a double bed, living room & bathroom area (whatever you can do with 108 square feet, that is).

The five-day train ride will cost you a little over $5,000 & will leave every eight days from Beijing.  Start booking your luxury ride starting September 1.

Dubai Construction Update: Rem Koolhaas’ Waterfront City

March 7, 2008 | Posted by Allison as Tid Bits & News at 1:00 pm | Comments »

Architect Rem Koolhaas was fooling around some years back with a concept he called the ‘generic city’.  The city he imagined consisted of Dali-like images of spheres & towers.  Unlike most of Dali-like work, however, this concept is going to be realized in nowhere else but the fastest growing urban city, Dubai.

Dubai will soon start construction on a 1.5 billion square foot project dubbed Waterfront City.  Can this sound any more comic book?  The city will be taking advantage of Rem Koolhaas’ vision & building a 44-foot storey sphere, with rows upon rows of towering skyscrapers. 

Wow, you either have to love or be a little frightened by a city that has no end to its pockets nor its aims, or maybe a little bit of both.

New Luxury Book Overnight Sensations Tells All

March 5, 2008 | Posted by Allison as Tid Bits & News at 11:00 am | Comments »

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The new book, Overnight Sensations, is not only a great coffee table book but a tremendous help on the luxury side of things.

Released from the Kiwi Collection, Overnight Sensations is one of the single largest sources on luxury accommodations for you, the uber luxury traveler.

Start by losing yourself in the thousand photographs that take you from the French Riviera to Bahrain & end by taking yourself  by the hand to the neverworld of Germany.  You better start packing those bags, as this is one of the luxury books I’ve ever come across.  Cost, $100.

Habersham To Reproduce Hearst Castle Furniture

February 21, 2008 | Posted by Allison as Furniture, Tid Bits & News at 11:00 am | (2) Comments »

The infamous Hearst Castle is the latest of inspirations for the furniture company Habersham.  The company plans to use the castle’s furniture as an influence for its latest & greatest collections, styling after the success of covering another American landmark, the Biltmore Estate.

Habersham plans to launch the Hearst Castle Collection at the April High Point Market, the yearly furniture expo.  The stylish collection will feature pieces inspired by William Randolph Hearst’s San Simeon getaway & will include a bookcase & breakfront that feature details of the castle’s frieze molding.  I wonder if there is going to be a snow sled involved…