Louis Vuitton Bullet

While G Luxe friend Linda W. is one of the sweetest girls you'll ever meet, we're sure she's going to want this Louis Vuitton themed bullet so that she can regulate on all the haters. Unfortunately, we have no idea where she can buy such a bullet.

via likecool.com

Foodzie

Looking to try some interesting food stuffs this holiday season? How about a chunk of Tulare Cannonball cheese made from a 500 year old Edam recipe? Or some tasty Mexican chocolate? Well you can now purchase a variety of food and drink items from small artisan producers and growers at Foodzie.com. While their selection is still relatively small, the company just received $1 million in seed financing from SoftTech VC to help expand their online offerings. Perhaps SoftTech can also give us $1 million so we can expand our offerings :).

Gratuitous Pic of Katy Perry

Crew Member Tandori and I were having a heated argument a few months back. The topic: whether bi-curious rocker chick Katy Perry is hot or not. I thought definitely not while Tandori carried on and on about how she had a "unique look". If by unique look he meant nice breastesseses as evident in this picture, then maybe he has a point.

via bastardly.com

Ponche Crema

If you're looking to get some tasty drink recipes for that upcoming New Year's Eve party, check out amountainofcrushedice.com, a blog site dedicated to "tikidrinks, cocktails, rums and more". Our favorite is the recipe for ponche crema. Ummm...yummy.

via cachacagora.com

Radisson St. Martin Resort

While I usually don’t think “luxury” when I hear “Radisson”, the newly opened $80 million, 252-Room Radisson St. Martin Resort looks pretty fairly well-appointed. Each room comes with a private balcony, iPod dockable radio, complimentary high-speed Internet access and you’ll be laying your head every night on a Sleep Number bed. Of course, this is still a Radisson so it probably won’t be the swankiest hotel on the island and expect families with annoying kids running around (they’ve got their own kiddy club called Club Enfant for the little ones). The resort is offering their Winter Warm-Up Sale where you can save 20 percent of Superior and Deluxe rooms and 36 percent off Marina Suites and Deluxe Marina Suites. Go to radisson.com to book your stay. The one reviewer on tripadvisor.com who's been to the resort appears to have enjoyed his stay.

Celebrate 400 Years With Bermuda

Did you know that Bermuda is 400 years old? Neither did we. The Bermuda Department of Tourism is celebrating it's milestone birthday with a special credit of up to $400 at 11 luxury resorts, including: Cambridge Beaches, CoCo Reef Bermuda, Elbow Beach Bermuda, Fairmont Hamilton Princess, and Fairmont Southampton.

via traveler.fivestaralliance.com

Saber Your Bottle of Bubbly

This New Year's Eve, the G Luxe Crew will be spread out all over the world. Crew Member Tandori will be on a sail boat somewhere in the Caribbeans, hopefully getting sea sick some luscious bronzed goddess. Drewsky will be with his familia in LA and I will be at the W Hotel in San Diego welcoming the New Year with some dear friends. Wherever you may be, chances are you'll be breaking out the bubbly. If a bottle of Cristal is part of the evening plans, you'll appreciate the helpful primer below on how to saber a bottle of champagne by the svelte folks at urbandaddy.com. Enjoy the bubbly dear readers.

1. DISROBE YOUR BUBBLY: Take your well-chilled bottle of champagne and remove the foil and the wire cage covering the cork. (As you probably know, it's essential the bottle be well-chilled to avoid leakage, foaming and premature cork-popping.)

2. LOCATE YOUR TARGET: Locate one of the two vertical seams running up the side of the bottle. Where the seam meets the lower lip of the bottleneck is the point at which you'll aim.

3. CONTROL YOUR SABER: Grip the bottle firmly around the base. Point the bottle at a 30-45 degree angle away from all people, windows and, obviously, Faberge eggs. Now take your saber (or the back edge of a chef's knife) and lay the blade flat, just below the lip at the weak spot.

4. MOMENT OF TRUTH: Draw the sword back along the seam and then swing with full force away from your body, upward and into the bottom of the lip. Don't forget to follow through (as with any sport, see the cork popping, be the saber). To minimize spillage, turn the bottle upright immediately afterward.

5. VICTORY: If done right, the cork and bottle top will thrust several feet into the air, and you will lose no more than an ounce of your champagne. And you will be a hero.

picture via limitemagazine.com

Love Me Some Chupa Chups

Remember Chupa Chups? I use to down those tasty, creamy lollipops by the box-full back in middle-school. Happily, they're still around providing a whole new generation of kids with dental issues. It also looks like they've amped up their sex-factor with their new racy ad campaign. Gawd I would love to lick that...lollipop ;)

via trendhunter.com

Four Seasons Seychelles

Nothing is more obnoxious than getting a call from Crew Member Tandori complaining how he hates having to "get back to things" after a two week vacation in the Seychelles. Oh, poor baby. Chances are, he'll be back in January when the Four Seasons opens up their new resort on the picturesque island. The accommodations include a private plunge pool and your very own private verandah where you can enjoy a tasty tropical drink and cigar. Actually, we don't know if the resort is cigar friendly but we can only hope.

via aluxurytravelblog.com

Last Minute Luxury Caribbean Deals

Our friends at Perfect Escapes have come up with some great last-minute Caribbean hotel deals. Get great rates, free nights, and other goodies at luxury resorts including The Landings St. Lucia, The Westin St. John Resort & Villas, The Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, The Buccaneer in St. Croix, and The Mandarin Oriental. Go to perfectescapes.com to check out the deals.

Food Porn

I spend an inordinate amount of time watching The Food Network. It's like porn to me, food porn. Actually, in the case of Aida and Giada it's like real porn...but I digress. If you have the same infatuation with looking at delicious food, check out Photograzing, a cool photo blog where you'll find pics of scrumptious food items linked to various food-related Web sites. This post is dedicated to G Luxe friend Aisha D. who we suspect will be submitting her own photos to the site.

JC Penney's is Not Luxury

Luxist.com is one of our favorite luxury sites but we were a bit puzzled by their recent post where they reported on "J.C. Penney's Big Jewelry Sell-Off". Who the hell cares? J.C. Penney's is not luxury. We don't care what state you're in. What's next, Marshall's has collector vases on sale?

Help Me Get to Jade Mountain

I'm looking for something. Actually, I'm looking for someone. Perhaps one of you dear readers can help me. I'm looking for a girl who I can take on a first-class, five-star vacation, no strings attached. Not just any girl mind you. Skanks, drama queens, the unattractive, pro-ho's, and brain-dead need not apply. Instead, I'm looking for a girl who's clean, chill, preferably college-educated, has her own thing going, fairly attractive (not being unrealistic...7's and above are perfectly fine), and sweet (with a bit of naughtiness) that would like to go on a five-day, all expenses paid, tropical vacation filled with lounging by the beach/pool, great meals, plenty of drinks and a bit of kanoodling.

What's the catch? Nothing. Seriously. I'm just tired of going on trips where I'm the only one sans love/lust interest. It's actually starting to piss me off. And where would I take her if I found such a person? Perhaps to Jade Mountain in St. Lucia. G Luxe friend Shadinsky found this place recently and suggested that we think about vacationing there in 2009. It sounded like a fabulous idea, except for the fact that it's a supremely romantic destination and I'm tired of cuddling with Crew Member Tandori on those types of trips. Hence my inquiry/plea above to find a travel companion.

So what's so special about Jade Mountain? First, let's start with the infinity pools. 24 of the 29 suites (or sanctuaries as the resort refers to them as) at Jade Mountain feature breathtaking infinity pools that range in size from 450 to 900 square feet. Think about that: you wake up and step into your own infinity pool located IN YOUR SUITE (!!!) where you can spend the next few hours frolicking with your special travel companion.

Next are the views. The resort is situated about the private estate of Anse Chastanet with 600 acres of lust tropical vegetation and bordering two soft sand beaches that feature pristine coral reefs just off shore. The fourth wall of each suite is intentionally missing so that you are able to fully embrace the views without having to step out of your suite.

Excellence continues with the food as the resort's "Jade Cuisine" is created by Chef Allen Susser, a James Beard award winner. And of course, the spa is top-notch with a full menu of services that can also be provided within your suite.

As I was writing this post, Crew Member Tandori called me from London. I was telling him about Jade Mountain when he responded, "Oh I've been there. Amazing place. However, I checked out after a couple of days and moved to another resort". Want to know why Mr. Elitist insisted on checking out of this amazing resort after just two days? Because there wasn't direct beach access. Now, there is beach access mind you. The wonderful staff at the resort will happily drive your pampered arse down to the beach in one of their carts, however, such inconveniences were apparently too much for the Sultan Tandori. Life must be tough.

Rates start at about $850 during the off-season and can go up to $1650 a night. I'd be more than happy to spend that kind of cash if one of you dear readers find me my perfect travel companion. Book your stay at jademountainstlucia.com or you can try to find a deal at luxurylink.com. We recently found a 5-night package being auctioned at four grand below retail. Check out travelers' reviews at tripadvisor.com.

Nigella Can Bite All She Wants

If you don't know who Nigella Lawson is, she's the sexy Brit, voluptuous mother of two who is also a talented food author and television host on Food Network. There is just something enchanting about watching her cook her home-style dishes on Nigella Bites; her coy smile and suggestive glances suggests a woman who is just as seductive in the bedroom as she is in the kitchen. Someone who has way too much time put together the video montage below that captures some of her most delicious moments. Enjoy.

Best Pho

If you're a fan of G Luxe, chances are you've had pho. Nothing hits the spot better on a cold winter night than a steaming bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup filled with all sorts of tasty bits including flank steak, tendon, tripe and a few aromatics, usually lots of cilantro and onions. Los Angeles probably has more pho spots outside of Ho Chi Minh City and the fine folks at Gridskipper have put together their list of LA's best pho. If you live in a city that doesn't serve pho...we feel bad for you.

Alexander McQueen Credit Card Holder

The fellas at Limited Hype found this pimp orange credit card holder by Alexander McQueen. Measuring 4" x 3", you'll be able to hold up to 5 cards and maybe some cash. Purchase your own at oki-ni.com.

Our Type of Intern

I guess if you're Black Book Magazine, you've got the cache to hire yourself a supermodel intern. They recently had the lovely heiress Lydia Hearst fill in for a day of...well, whatever it is an intern does at a magazine. We'd be happy with a third-tier import model from Wyoming. Read about Lydia's hard day of interning at blackbookmag.com.

New Years at Mandalay Bay

If you're still trying to make plans for New Year's Eve, check out this deal we found on latimes.com:

Deal: For $745 (including tax), you get a room for two nights, based on double occupancy, and two tickets for the hotel’s Untamed New Year’s Eve Party in its South Pacific Ballroom. The event admission includes a four-course dinner, an open bar and entertainment. Your two-night stay — in a 550-square-foot deluxe room — includes, of course, the night of Dec. 31, and you can choose whether you want your additional consecutive night to be the night before or after. Book online, or call it in with promotion code “PNYEP". You must prepay at time of booking, and the package is nonrefundable. Tickets to the party, without accommodations, cost $249 per person (including tax).

Worst Show on Cable...EVER

The Martha Stewart clan may be rich, but they're definitely not sexy and the only thing indulgent about them is Martha at a Soup Plantation buffet. It's a Saturday night and after watching eight hours of football, I'm half passed-out on the couch and for some reason cannot stop watching Whatever, Martha!, a show on the Fine Living Network featuring Martha's obnoxious daughter (who refers to her Mom as Martha...classy) and her fat friend who spend the entire half-hour providing caustic commentary on old Martha Stewart episodes. It's bad plus annoying multiplied by gross squared. I really want to change the channel but it's like watching a midget bestiality snuff flick...you're horrified but can't hit stop. Just kidding about that last part, I'm not into bestiality.

If you want to see a clip of the horra, check out the video below. You've been warned.

Most Searched Athletes in 2008

Yahoo just released their list of top-searched athletes in 2008. Surprise, surprise, some sexy ladies are at the top of the list with Pomeranian-lover Maria Sharapova taking the top spot followed by ass-beater Gina Carano and lead-foot spark plug Danica Patrick. We're also big fans of #8 Leryn Franco. Don't worry ladies, David Beckham hung on with the #10 spot.

Meet Zenvo

If you've never heard of Danish car maker Zenvo Automotive, you might be hearing more about them in the future with the introduction of their first super car: the ST1. With more horsepower (1,104 hp) than the Bugatti Veyron, this beast of a car can ride its turbocharged V-8 engine from 0-60 in 3 seconds flat before maxing out at 233 mph. The ST1 looks like a supercar, with the aesthetic profile of a starship. We dig it. Production will begin in earnest next year, hopefully to coincide with an economic recovery so that a few people will be able to actually afford one.

via wired.com

Club All Day, All Night

Unlike G Luxe friends Shadinksy and Karla D., I can only take house music in limited doses. After an hour or two, I start wishing I did take drugs. Well if you can't get enough house, you'll love b@, a new site that caters to the clubber set. If you don't have the stash or the time to go clubbing in hot spots like Ibiza and NYC, you'll be able to have your own little party in front of your laptop by signing up for a free membership. In addition to the footage, you'll be able to make your own profile and do the whole social networking thing including tagging yourself in videos and uploading your own music. Register at be-at.tv.

via trendhunter.com

DealBase Luxe Travel Deals of the Week

It's time for weekly luxe travel deals from our friends at DealBase.com:

Stay Two Nights and Receive a $50 Dining Credit
Encore, Las Vegas
From $159/night

Stay 3 nights and get the 4th night free. Also, $250 in food and beverage credits
Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Maui
From $371.25/night (price is estimated, assuming the savings is spread across 4 nights)

Get a room upgrade and a full breakfast for two when you arrive on a Sunday
Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers
From $207/night

Seattle Coffee Crawl

Seattle is not only the birth-place of grunge but is also arguably the center of coffee culture in America. And why shouldn't it be? The city is home to some of the largest and most popular coffee brands including Starbucks (yuck), Seattle's Best Coffee, and Tully's. Chances are though, you won't be stopping by Starbucks if you ever take part in the coffee walking tour offered by Seattle by Foot.

Lead by a former airline business analyst, you'll take a leisurely 1.6 mile tour making stops at various coffee shops, sampling different coffee drinks and getting an educational overview on the culture and history of the glorious bean. Tickets cost only $15 and you can reserve your spot at seattlebyfoot.com. Now only if they'd let me smoke my cigars while sampling the coffee...One can dream.

via seriouseats.com

Juicy Poker

I don't know about your guy friends, but if I showed up for poker night with the fellas carrying a poker set by Juicy Couture, I probably would never hear the end of it. But if you insist, you can purchase the set complete with an all-black wooden case (Juicy logo proudly emblazoned on the cover), two decks of cards, chips, five dice, and a dealer chip at tobi.com for $145.

via luxury-insider.com

It's Not Cold in the Cayman Islands

It's 79 degrees now in the Cayman Islands. Just saying. If you're itching to get the hell out of the frigid cold weather that's hitting a big chunk of the country, and you happen to live near Dulles International Airport, take advantage of the $368 round-trip fares on Cayman Airways. In addition, you'll get a $300 resort credit if you stay at the The Westin Casuarina Resort & Spa. Come to think of it, I have to fly through Dulles in January...

No Compassion for Retail Blood Bath

All reports suggest that this will be one of the worse holiday shopping seasons in recent - and not so recent - history. People are just not shopping as they worry about losing their jobs and making their mortgage payments. And those that are shopping are the cheap bastard types who aren't below trying to barter at their local Macy's. I for one say, FUCK THE RETAILERS.

One would think that with the retail environment in shambles, stores would make an effort to take care of their better, higher margin customers. Apparently this is not the case, at least not at the UTC Nordstrom here in San Diego. I was online at 9:30AM this morning and saw that Hugo Boss Jest Jacket pictured was available at the UTC store. I was at the store by 10:00AM. I asked one of the ladies at the Men's department where the jackets were. She looked at me as if I was annoying her. She proceed to tell me that if it's not on the floor, they don't have it. I told her that I was just online and the web site said it was available for pick up at the UTC store. She said she had to check with her "manager", who proceeded to tell me the same thing. Bitch, I'm standing right there, although you're speaking to your peon, you can bother to make eye contact with me. The first lady than said maybe someone grabbed it and hid it upstairs in the Rail department and that I should go check. Not that SHE would check mind you, but that I should go upstairs and rummage through all the racks and see if someone hid it. I asked if perhaps the jacket is back in the storeroom. Nope. Not that she checked, just NOPE.

So I was thinking, why were they so rude? I showered this morning and put on some deodorant so I don't think I smelled. I had a pair of Rock & Republic jeans, a Hugo Boss Jacket, and sporting a Rollie so I think I looked like I could afford to shop at Nordstrom (or at least that I'm not homeless). And unlike the slightly snobby tone of this post, I'm actually fairly cordial in person so I don't think I was being rude. At 31, I still have a baby face and look pretty young but there were other guys in my age group and younger shopping in the Men's department and they appeared to be getting attention. Hmmm...could it be...that I'm Asian? One would think in the 21st century, with a Black President, we would have moved beyond such nonsense. Unfortunately, this is not the first time in San Diego that I've felt-like a second-class citizen when shopping. Hell, I was basically begging to hand someone a check when I was shopping for my Porsche and couldn't get anyone to even look my way (ended up going to a different dealer).

So here is the piece of advice I emailed Nordstrom customer service: "Either train your UTC staff to knock off their attitude or at least have them smarten up on their stereotypes. Asians have money, don't treat us like garbage, you ignorant donkeys."

OK, I left out the part about the donkeys (I told you I was cordial in real life). Btw, once I finally got back online, the jacket I wanted was sold out. Happy holidays to me.

Ultimate Fantasy Trophy

Sadly for me, Crew Member Tandori knocked me out of the playoffs in our 14-team fantasy football league this year. To lose to a guy who drafted Rex Grossman as his #1 quarterback just because he "saw him play on TV last year" is truly embarrassing. Luckily, all the winner gets this year is a cheesy Yahoo trophy (along with $800). Next year, I'm going to convince the cheap bastards in the league to pony up a bit more cash and get a custom trophy from Titlecraft. These bad boys start from $399 a trophy and can easily blow past $599 depending on the amount of customization you do to the trophy. Options include multiple types of wood and veneer, and you can even add Swarovski crystals to your league's very own Lombardi Trophy. Order one for your league at theultimatetrophy.com.

via uncrate.com

World's Hottest Scientist

If the US is to maintain it's leadership in science, it needs more science-types that look like physicist Amy Mainzer. Who is Amy Mainzer? She's a scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory who has a B.S. in physics from Stanford, M.S. in astronomy from Cal Tech, and a PhD in astronomy from UCLA. So obviously she has brains, but as I found out while watching History Channel's The Universe late one night, she also has the looks. Oh does she have the looks. Check out the video clip below and see if you agree.

So what do you think the odds are of Ms. Mainzer doing a Maxim spread?

Hennessy Miami

Last week, we posted the recipes for a couple of delicious Hennessy drinks. Crew member Tandori requested more and Crew Member Drewsky responded with one for his beloved Hennessy Miami:

1 1/2 oz Hennessy VSOP
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
3 to 4 mint leaves

Pour all the ingredients including the mint leaves into a shaker. Add 5 or 6 ice cubes and close the shaker. Shake well and strain into a glass. Garnish with a mint leaf.

Yummy.

Katsuya's Empire

If you're a hip sushi lover living in Los Angeles, you've undoubtedly been to one of Katsuya Uechi's numerous restaurants. Whether you dine at his sheik Katsuya Brentwood or more homey Izaka-ya, you'll find some good food and good-looking people. BlackBookMag.com has recently put together a quick blurb on each of Katsuya's joints. Try them all, you won't be disappointed.

TravelZoo Luxe Deal of the Week

Conrad Chicago $132-$149 per night (regularly $300)
Save at least Half OFF regular prices at this deluxe property for stays over the following dates:

$131.75 ... Jan. 1-4
$148.75 ... Jan. 5-23, 30-31; Feb. 1-10, 12-25

This AAA 4-Diamond hotel is located in one of Chicago's best neighborhoods, just a block from the famed Magnificent Mile -- where you'll find much of the city's best shopping and dining. You'll also be in a prime location to visit top attractions, including Millennium Park, Navy Pier and The Art Institute of Chicago.

The hotel offers guest rooms with FREE Internet access, 42-inch plasma flat-screen TVs, iPod alarm-clock docking stations, Bose entertainment systems, Pratesi linens and luxury bath amenities.

Go to travelzoo.com and click on Top 20 Deals for more details.

Merry Christmas, Do Good

The G Luxe Crew would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and hopes everyone is enjoying this holiday season with their loved ones. While our blog is dedicated to all the good things in life, we realize that there are many people around the world that to whom things like food, shelter, and basic medical care are all luxury items. We strongly believe that community service and helping those who are less fortunate is not only an obligation, but an honor for those of us who have the opportunity to give. We hope you take a few moments today and make a contribution to a charity of your choice. Below are some of our favorite charities for your consideration. We invite you to post a comment and let us know which charities you support.

The Aschiana Foundation
A couple weeks ago, some about 80 of my coworkers and I hosted our 4th annual Burrito Bowl, an annual charity event where we raise money for children's charities. This year, we decided to sponsor The Aschiana Foundation, an non-government organization that builds centers throughout Afghanistan to provide street kids with a place to get food, shelter, medical care, and probably most importantly, an opportunity for them to have a little fun. Read more about the impact the organization is having on Afghan children at cnn.com and donate to aschiana-foundation.org.

Special Operations Warrior Foundation
The Special Operations Warrior Foundation was founded 29 years ago to provide full college scholarships to surviving children of Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps special operations personnel who were killed in an operational mission or training accident. So far, grants have been granted to over 700 children. Go to specialops.org to donate.

St. Judes Children's Research Hospital
St. Judes Children's Research Hospital is one of the world's premier centers for the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases. Children from all 50 states and around the world have come through the doors of St. Jude for treatment, and thousands more around the world have benefited from the research conducted at St. Jude – research that is shared freely with the global medical community. For kids that receive treatment at St. Judes, the hospital pays for everything including food, travel and lodging. Go to stjude.org to donate.

Starlight Children's Foundation
Nothing is more heartbreaking than to see kids with life-threatening or terminal illnesses. Starlight Children's Foundation strives to make the lives of these kids just a bit more bearable by providing them with activities and entertainment. Donate at starlight.org.

The Setai San Diego

Update 12/25/08: Wow, after being open for only a few weeks, the hotel formerly known as Setai San Diego has changed its name to Sè San Diego. Apparently there was an issue with Setai Miami which is owned by Lehman Brothers. Of course the Setai...I mean Sè owners have a different spin:

"The developers believe the meaning of the Chinese word Sè – colour, look, quality; expression, sensuality and physical attraction - better represents the level of design, art and experience that will be unique to the San Diego property and long-term vision of the company."

via travel.fivestaralliance.com


A new hotel opened up last week at San Diego's Gaslamp district. The Setai San Diego is a 184-room luxury hotel that features a world-class spa, gourmet restaurant, exclusive Grand Penthouse, rooftop pool and deck, recording studio, private screening room, and 20,000 square feet of event space. Check out this description of their interior from the hotel's press release:

"In a powerful unity of art and function, Setai San Diego's lobby displays objects and textures that will excite the senses. After entering through one of the massive bronze and exotic wood pivot doors, guests are greeted by black ebony columns adorned with turquoise patina beads, teardrop crystals, Nepali carpets, silver leaf covered walls and shagreen upholstery. Four-dimensional art decorates the lobby in addition to a multi-tier silk chandelier that shimmers in columns of light. When guests ascend a floating staircase to the restaurant they will see artist Ken Gangbar's ceramic "Finn Wave" wall installation. The artwork encompasses hundreds of ceramic "fins" and takes up the entire wall in a fluid, uplifting wave-like motion."

For the true jet-setter, you'll need to book their Grand Penthouse which the hotel claims is one of the most exclusive and largest on the West Coast. It features 8,000 square feet of space, three bedrooms, three full baths, an Italian kitchen, dining room, full bar, six (6!!!) flat screen TV's, and a private rooftop patio with its own sundeck, Jacuzzi, chaise-lounge beds, and 360 degree views.

The hotel's Suite & Tender Bar, Lounge and Restaurant features cuisine by Chef Christopher Lee who is a James Beard Award Winner and will offer its guests a "more sophisticated take on the typical steakhouse".

Of course, no swanky hotel is complete without a proper pool area. The Setai features a 7,000 square foot pool deck with a large central bar, overflowing-edge pool, eight private cabanas, oversized beds and chaise lounges.

Travel & Leisure found this great introductory offer where you'll get: a CitySide guest room, daily breakfast, a $100 daily spa credit, and complimentary valet parking. This offer is valid through February 28, 2009 with a blackout period around Valentine's Day. Nightly rates start at $279. Book your room at setaisandiego.com.

Pimp Claus

I don't know why but I love these Claus commercials for the Palm Centro. Imagine the gifts we'd all get if Santa was truly this pimpy.

Biggest Waste of Caviar Ever

Caviar for the homeless. What a stupid fucking idea. Police in Milan recently confiscated 88 lbs of prime caviar from a bunch of smugglers, the value of which is estimated to be north of a half-million dollars. Instead of destroying the caviar, officials decided to donate the heavenly delicacy to the Red Cross who will then provide it to the homeless throughout Milan.

Here's why it's a stupid idea: your average homeless person is presumably not going to enjoy the caviar. Given the choice between salty fish eggs or spaghetti and meatballs, he's probably going to go with the pasta dish. Why not sell the caviar to restaurants and specialty stores and use the cash to buy the homeless food with more substance? Hell, they could have turned it into one big money raising event by auctioning off the caviar to the public. Well, hopefully they at least provide plenty of crackers.

via dailymail.co.uk

We Love Marisa Tomei

Any hetero guy in our age group (early 30's) presumably has had a crush on Marisa Tomei since the early 90's when she starred in one of our favorite movies, My Cousin Vinny. Now that she's in Cougar territory, she's hotter than ever and apparently more prone to disrobing on film, which we very much appreciate. The fine folks at Complex have done some fabulous research and found Ms. Tomei's greatest nude scenes. We really hope our future wives will look like this at 40.

What We're Getting Crew Member Tandori For Xmas

Nothing. That's right. Nothing. Any bastard that spends half his time jet-setting to tropical destinations like the Maldives and Seychilles doesn't need anything from us. A man who's hardest decision is Ferrari F430 or Aston Martin DBS really should be giving instead of receiving this holiday season. That's why the rest of the G Luxe crew will chip in and get him Nothing from iwantoneofthose.com. You can get your own Nothing for only $6.50.

via nerve.com

Porsche Design Sled

I was suppose to be heading up to Portland for Christmas with the familia, but I had to cancel my plans due to the crazy snowstorm that's been pummeling the Pacific Northwest. If I was heading up there, it would have been fun to bring along this aluminum sled by Porsche Design. The last time I went sledding was back in Portland during middle school when I almost ended it all by plowing into a neighbor's mail box post. I would have at least gone out in style if I had the Porsche sled. Pick one up for yourself for $425.

via uncrate.com

Travel & Leisure Luxe Deals of the Week

Here are a couple luxury deals we found on travelandleisure.com:

Free night and added amenities at Peninsula Hotels
The Peninsula Hotels, which liberally pepper our T+L 500 list of the best hotels in the world, have a great value for winter stays that may convince you to upgrade from the normal city hotel. If you book a night in one of their airy and stylish suites, you get another night free, plus great added amenities. Even if a suite is out of the question, other rooms booked under the Winter Escapes package earn you some special amenties.

New Maui beachfront resort offers intro rates from $195
Doesn't an afternoon on the beach in Maui sound good right now? Honua Kai Resort & Spa is set to open in late January and has a great introductory offer that runs through the end of 2009. You can't go far wrong—38 beachfront acres on glorious North Kaanapali Beach, a selection of room categories that go from doubles (they call then Ohana) all the way up to three-bedroom suites, all equipped with full kitchens. The doubles start at $195, and the suites are available for 50% off the rack rate.

$100 off First Purchase at LuxuryLink.com

Get $100 off your First Purchase at LuxuryLink.com. Just enter promo code: LUXLINK100. This offer will end on February 28, 2009.

Sexy Private Equity

In my "real job", I spend my days working on buyout deals. I basically buy the crap that investment bankers sell. Unfortunately, the companies we buy aren't exactly sexy (think Dilbert). The deal studs at OpenGate Capital appear to have a much more interesting deal flow as they recently acquired Models 1, a leading European modeling agency. Seriously, how cool is that.

Mr. Nikou (OpenGate Founder, Chairman, and Managing Partner), if you need another deal pro with over 30 deals and $2 billion in acquired revenue under his belt, I'd love to work on your next modeling deal.

via nypost.com

No Service, No Luxury

To us, luxury is nothing without service. And not just good service, but great service. More and more today, the label luxury is too loosely applied to hotels that are anything but when measured by the service yardstick. We've been to many swanky and trendy hotels that may have gotten the aesthetics right but fail miserably when providing their guests with quality service. Nothing ruins a hotel stay more than a bunch of pretentious model types who are working at a hotel in between acting gigs.

If you're a first-class traveler and expect first-class service, check out this article on msnbc.com that lists the World's top 15 hotels for service. The list comprises an eclectic mix of hotels in 13 different countries. If you have any recommendations on hotels with excellent service or have any horror stories regarding a supposed luxury hotel, go ahead and post a comment.

Mini Anden on Arena

Honestly, we have no idea who Mini Anden is, but we are now huge fans after seeing her intoxicating video below, which is featured on Arena's website. Apparently she's a model-turned-actress, or something like that. We really don't care, we just hope to see more of Mini in the future.

Sayonara NSX

Fans of the Acura NSX are shedding tears right now as Honda announced they are suspending development of the next generation NSX, which was rumored to have been close to end of its development cycle. Just with everything else, the crappy global economy is to blame for the cancellation. While Honda won't rule out picking up where it left off once the consumer environment improves, NSX diehards will undoubtedly still be in a state of depression. Based on the fanaticism of NSX enthusiasts, we're actually surprised Honda made this decision. We figured they could easily have jacked up the price, made more money on each car, and still sell all the cars they produce. Looks like exotic rice rocket fans will have to just settle for the Nissan Skyline in the meantime.

via autoblog.com

Jennifer Aniston a la Natural on GQ

Update: 12/23/08: So when looking at this cover you're thinking "Damn, that's a good looking tie," then you need to have your head fixed. However, if you really were curious about the tie, uncrate.com figured out that it's a Triple Guard Stripe Tie ($150) from Brooks Brothers.

This cover is just so damn patriotic. See more pics of the lovely Ms. Aniston at men.style.com.

Clear Air

Update 12/23/08: HotelChatter.com is reporting that Starwood is giving their top-tier Platinum Preferred Guests a free year membership to Clear Card. Glad to hear that travel companies are giving away perks instead of repealing them.

Air travel generally sucks especially when it comes to dealing with the security line. If you ever doubt the importance of providing a decent education to the masses, just observe the idiocy of your average passenger as they struggle with the basic concepts of how to go through a security check. Take out your laptop. Fluids need to be in a clear plastic bag. Take off your shoes and belt. Not exactly rocket science, yet these aholes still manage to somehow screw it up. One time I actually saw some jackass try to sneak on a liter of Pepsi on the plane. Awesome stuff. It's actually even worse for people like Crew Member Tandori who looks like a terrorist. I believe he receives a prostate exam as part of his personal screening process.

A company called Clear is trying to help frequent travelers avoid the clusterfuck of the security process with their Clear card, a little plastic card that contains your biometric information that enables you to fly through security via a specially designated Clear lane. While you still have to go through an Xray and metal screening check, you won't have to deal with all the amateur passengers who really should be traveling via Greyhound. The cost of the Clear membership is $199 per year ($348 for two years) and Clear access is available at various airports across the country including San Francisco and Dulles. Apply for your card at flyclear.com.

Time for an Encore

In what could be the worse timing of any hotel opening, Steve Wynn premiered his brand new Encore Las Vegas this evening. With the country well in recession and foreigners less likely to drop their ever scarce Euros and Yen on a weekend of frivolous gambling, Wynn will be hard-pressed to make the launch a success. Rates in January will run about $200 with certain nights for Red Card members dropping down to $129. Hotel reviews will probably start rolling in during the next few days and we'll make sure to keep you all posted. Hopefully, they'll have a more liberal checkout policy than its sister Wynn. We did hear from a Wynn front desk person a few weeks ago that Encore should have a more youthful vibe, especially once it's XS nightclub opens in January.

Miami Fever Prints

As we mentioned back in October, Miami Fever is one of our favorite blog sites. In fact, we'll go out on a limb and say that it's one of the best photo blogs ever, anywhere, period. Nothing helps beat the winter chill than sexy images of everything hot in Miami.

Well now Carlos, who is the talented photographer behind Miami Fever, is offering a number of his prints for sale. Each unframed print measures 24"x36" and cost $250. If you're interested in purchasing a print, go to miamifever.com and drop Carlos a note.

Chilled Beach

If you have any doubts that Dubai is the land of excess and luxury, the Palazzo Versace Hotel has announced that it will create the world's first refrigerated beach. Yes, a refrigerated beach. Now I'm sure the process involved in turning a stretch of beach into a chillified sandbox can't be exactly good for the environment, but at least the rich who vacation the joint won't have their precious tushes burning in the hot Middle Eastern heat. For good measure - you know, in case their carbon footprint isn't quite big enough - they'll be refrigerating their swimming pool as well.

Crew Member Tandori is making his reservations now.

via news.com.au

Snail Caviar

I consider myself a bit of an adventurous eater. While I may not have the intestinal fortitude of an Anthony Bourdain, I still enjoy foods that the average American will find "weird". Chicken feet? Love them. Durian? The smellier the better. That's why I don't know why I was a bit grossed out when I read about snail caviar, which is available at Harrods. I love escargot and I dig caviar, so why not snail caviar? The French Company that produces the caviar claims that it has a "delicate flavor, with surprising sensations", and that the diner will "experience the sensation of a walk in the forest after the rain, mushrooms and oal flavors, the scent of humid moss peat". Well, it sounds interesting and if I ever get my hands on the precious caviar, I promise to get over my squeamishness and try some.

via luxuo.com

Emporio Armani Wool Cap

It's colder than f*ck, even here in sunny SoCal. In weather like this, you need to keep your noggin warm. Do so in style with this stylish knit wool cap by Emporio Armani, which you can purchase for $77 at forzieri.com.

Armani on 5th

Maybe there is hope after all that we'll slowly climb out of this economic malaise sometime in the new year. Giorgio Armani sure hopes so as he's set to open a monstrous 43,000 square feet store on 5th Avenue in New York. The store will be unique as it will house clothes from Armani's entire collection including Emporio Armani, Gorgio Armani, Armani Casa and Armani Jeans. Let's hope we won't be reporting on a Armani store closing in 2010.

via vogue.co.uk

Burberry Cashmere Scarf

I just picked up matching Burberry cashmere from Nordstrom for my parents. They're smooth like butta...the scarves I mean. At $395 each, it's a good thing I really love my folks.

Kate and Sasha for Longchamp

Drugs, or no drugs, we love Kate Moss. We love her more after this sexy little ad for French design house, Longchamp, which is part of their upcoming spring/summer campaign. The lovely thing embracing her is Russian model Sasha Pivovarova.

via luxuo.com

United Premier Line

Fortunately for me, an annual bribe to our head of travel gets me an annual Premier Executive status on United. For those of you that don't rack up enough miles or have corrupt travel reps, you can still avoid boarding with the Economy rift raft by purchasing Premier Line passes for $25 at united.com. The pass will let you in the Premier check-in line, priority security line, and allows you to board with the Section 1 group. The pass is only good once and is available for use at the following airports:

- Boston (BOS)
- Chicago (ORD)
- Denver (DEN)
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- Minneapolis (MSP)
- New York LaGuardia (LGA)
- Newark (EWR)
- Orange County (SNA)
- Portland (PDX)
- San Diego (SAN)
- San Francisco (SFO)
- Seattle (SEA)
- Washington Dulles (IAD)
- Washington National (DCA)

Kim Kardashian 2009

Looks like the future Mrs. Reggie Bush has come out with a calendar for 2009. There are some fairly nice pics with nothing too particularly racy (too bad). Pick up a couple as stocking stuffers at amazon.com.

via celebglitz.com