Luxury lifestyle incorporates homes, second homes, travel, food, wine and other luxury indulgences.
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…
Want a romantic evening? Forget the candles, turn out the lights and slide into an illuminated bathtub! This surreal bathtub invites meditation, relaxation and wonder. Designer Jan Puylaert with Italy’s imaginative WET Studio has an array of delicious colors for both the Light bathtubs and sinks with matching faucets and accessories. I love the ambience of this bathtub as well as the drain in the middle. It appears the tub faucet would…
