Luxury lifestyle incorporates homes, second homes, travel, food, wine and other luxury indulgences.
I am seasoned enough to have had more than a few stoves and cooktops in my cooking life. There have been the ones I hate (Frigidaire’s electric/glass cooktop, for example) because they have no self control—and allow little from me. Favorites have included a great big commercial Garland with six burners, large oven, a salamander and a spacious grill. Those were the days! But the hands down favorite cooktop of my life…
by Roberta Murphy I used to joke about needing a cell phone implant that I could answer with the twitch of a nose. That way I wouldnt have to play hide and seek with my phone and jump out of the shower when I hear it ringing. (Its really not that bad these days. I am a recovered celloholic who only occasionally relapses). Fujitsu Genies, after three long years of…
by Roberta Murphy A television on display in a well-appointed master bedroom? Banish the thought! A bedroom television is never seen in home decor magazines, model homes or in Feng-Shui-directed abodes. At the very least, a bedroom television is hidden in cabinets because sleeping areas are seen as sacred sanctuaries and spaces. Yet, how many of us watch television while in bed and wish we could totally hide the evidence?…
by Roberta Murphy Though I live in palmy, balmy coastal San Diego County, my south-facing office windows at the Carlsbad Forum occasionally melt candles and ignite otherwise cool tempers. These floor-to-ceiling shaded and plant-screened windows were just tinted in a last-ditch effort to avoid black-out draperies and one very grumpy Realtor and writer. That may explain an unusual and abiding interest in windows technology. And there must be a Murphys…
by Roberta Murphy It is with blushing embarrassment that I admit to still listening to a vintage Sony Jukebox which holds 100 CD’s, and that I bought my own personal i-POD less than two years ago. (Are these confessions allowed in a luxury home blog?) There is hope, though, for audinosaurs such as this writer. A couple of week’s ago The Tomato’s Jim Cronin suggested I take a look at the Sonos Digital Music System. He…
by Roberta Murphy I recall a blustery night in the mountains at Big Bear Lake, when we spent a long evening in our kindly neighbors wine cellar. Rare for Southern California, it was located underground. The comfortable cellar had gorgeous stone walls, comfortable seating and a magnificent mahogany bar. Stacked and buried within this deep paradise were thousands of bottled wines. A few bottles were ordinary, many were extraordinary and…
An eye and cork-popping kitchen needs lots of space for chilling out–and intuitive appliance manufacturers are producing ahead of the curve. The latest refrigerators are wired and interactive, where the cook can watch a cooking show, or refrigerated storage drawers can be switched from fridge to freezer with the flip of a switch. The options are exciting, but the first step in deciding which refrigeration system to choose begins with…
by Roberta Murphy Peter Brady over at the Lussorian reports that the new luxury toy on the luxury home block is the loaded Hummer golf cart. Also called a Mini Hummer, it comes in a number of configurations. Our favorite is this sleek little roadster with leather upholstery, mobile video system, and a Sony XPlode sound system. The golf ball washer is extra. Hummer is creating a lot of excitement…
by Roberta Murphy When I first entered this newer San Diego luxury home, I was amazed by its wall and ceiling finishes. Walking slowly from room to room, I ran my fingers over the cool burnished walls and the gray stone door arches. Even the ceilings and dome gave the impression that we had indeed been transported to a Venetian villa. Had I not known the responsible artisan for this…
Insuring Luxury Homes (and Elephant Hide Wallpaper) by Roberta Murphy I didn’t consider luxury home insurance to be that interesting or that blogworthy until I read of an appraiser who tried to figure out the replacement value of the elephant skin wall coverings in a Seattle manse. That appraiser, James King with the Chubb Insurance Group, makes it a practice to thoroughly investigate the luxe and unusual features in Chubbs…
