A_lisa_net: 2009

วันอังคารที่ 17 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2552

World’s Most Expensive BlackBerries

World’s Most Expensive BlackBerries

RIM’s BlackBerry has come a long way in the years since its introduction as a two-way pager in 1999. Known for its push e-mail feature, the BlackBerry series held a place among the elite smartphones before anyone had even heard of an iPhone.
If that doesn’t scream “Cover it in diamonds,” well, I don’t know what does.

Amosu BlackBerry Pearl Diamond Edition – $88,000

Amosu released their BlackBerry Pearl Diamond Edition in 2008. The diamonds used to make this particular phone were recyclable—owners could have them refit to their next BlackBerry when the Pearl became obsolete. The Amosu BlackBerry even came with a year of access to an exclusive concierge service allowing purchasers to enjoy a variety of luxury services.

Amosu Curva Diamond BlackBerry – $191,000

Not one to rest on his laurels, Alexander Amosu has created a brand new exclusive BlackBerry customization. The Amosu Curva is covered in 4,494 brilliant cut VS1 diamonds totalling about 28.42 carats set in a coat of 18-karat gold. The best part, though, is that only three of these luxury smartphones will ever be made. Each purchaser will have the option of having their name engraved on the back. Like Amosu’s previous offering, Amosu Curva owners will enjoy a free year-long global concierge service in 44 cities.

Knalihs Athem BlackBerry Bold Limited Diamond Edition – ???

Swiss luxury designer Knalihs Athem has also created a suitably expensive BlackBerry. Each Knalihs Athem BlackBerry Bold Limited Diamond Edition is customized with the buyer’s choice of pink, yellow, black, champagne and white diamonds. The back of the phone is also customized with leather, crocodile or snake skin, or denim—each available in at least two different colors. Of course, it also has all the standard features of the BlackBerry Bold. Unfortunately, the price of Knalihs Athem’s expensive BlackBerry seems to have been filed under “If you have to ask, you’ll never know.”

credit: http://most-expensive.net/blackberry

วันจันทร์ที่ 16 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2552

Most Expensive Cell Phones in the World

Most Expensive Cell Phones in the World

Most people enjoy having a quality cell phone, but they also recognize that cellular phones are a consumable good and will have to be replaced within in a few years. For this reason, people often do not purchase the most expensive cell phone when they purchase their mobile. Some, though, must have a costly mobile phone. The world’s most expensive cell phones were made to satisfy just that type of person.

5. Nokia 8800 Arte with pink diamonds$134,000

Designed by Peter Aloisson, this solid 18k white gold phone features over 680 pink and white brilliant cut diamonds totaling over 21.5 carats. Some of the phone’s features are a 3.15 MP camera with autofocus and video, a music player, Bluetooth and voice memo.

4. Sony Ericsson Black Diamond$300,000

The price of this phones comes from actual state of the art technology instead of a bunch of shiny rocks—but that doesn’t mean it lacks visual appeal. OLED technology underneath the polycarbonate skin that covers the phones entire face gives the 4 megapixel screen a borderless look. The mirror finish gives the phone a sleek, futuristic look.

3. Vertu Signature Cobra$310,000

This gaudy phone is so exclusive that only eight will ever be made. Designed by French jeweler Boucheron, the Signature Cobra is made with two diamonds, two emeralds and 439 rubies. For buyers who are only filthy rich, rather than obscenely rich, twenty-six of the less flashy (read: no rubies) Signature Python phones will be available for a mere $115,000. Both phones will feature the real draw.
They have frikkin’ snakes on them. Awesome.

2. The Diamond Crypto Smartphone$1.3 million

One candidate for world’s most expensive cell phone is the Diamond Crypto Smartphone, created by luxury accessory producer Peter Aloisson of Moscow-based JSC Ancort. Its price stems from the platinum body, the cover adorned with 50 diamonds—including eight which are rare blue diamonds. Additionally, the Ancort logo and the navigation key are made of 18k rose gold.
Built on the Windows CE, this most expensive cell also features a high-resolution color TFT display and a 256 bit cryptographic algorithm. This expensive mobile phone is capable of SMS, MMS, E-mail, Internet, WAP, JAVA support and also has a media player.

1. GoldVish ‘Le Million’ Piece Unique$1.3 million

Guinness World Records certified GoldVish SA’s ‘Le Million’ Piece Unique on January 29th, 2008. The Geneva-based luxury communications company’s expensive mobile phone was designed by Emmanuel Gueit as an addition to the Illusion Collection. The phone is made of 18k white gold and set with 20 carats of VVS1 (only microscopically flawed) diamonds. The phone also features Bluetooth, 2 GB of storage, FM radio, a digital camera and MP3 playback.
The Guinness-backed world’s most expensive cell phone is available only by special order.

credit: http://most-expensive.net/cell-phone-mobile

วันอาทิตย์ที่ 15 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2552

Most Expensive Women’s Shoes

Most Expensive Women’s Shoes

We may be calling this article “Most Expensive Women’s Shoes” to complement our previous article on men’s shoes, but make no mistake—these four pairs of high-heeled slippers, three of them by Stuart Weitzman, are also the most expensive shoes in the world.

Stuart Weitzman’s Ruby Slippers$1.2 million

Based on their namesake footwear from The Wizard of Oz, these extravagant slippers were designed for the 2003 Oscars. Unfortunately, they were never worn due to the solemn mood of the times. They are studded with 642 Burma rubies weighing in at 123.33 carats. The settings are made of half a pound of platinum. These shoes were made with the help of Oscar Heyman Bros.

Stuart Weitzman’s Cinderella Slippers$2 million

Worn by singer Alison Krauss at the 2004 Academy Awards, these shoes were Weitzman’s next pair of fantasy-themed slippers. They are studded with 565 Kwiat diamonds—55 carats of clear diamonds and a single 5-carat gem. Unfortunately, they’re probably not made of glass. They are currently on display in Beverly Hills, California.

Stuart Weitzman and Le Vian evening shoes$2 million

Made in conjunction between Stuart Weitzman and the 500-year-old tradition of the Le Vian name, these stunning slippers are made of silver leather set with over 200 carats of precious stones. There are over 185 carats of museum-quality tanzanite gemstones along the ankle bracelets, including the two 16-carat gems hanging from each. Additionally, there are 28 carats of diamonds along the front straps.

Harry Winston’s Ruby Slippers$3 million

While the original ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland were made with sequins, these spectacular slippers designed by Ronald Winston of the House of Harry Winston to mark the classic movie’s fiftieth anniversary used real rubies. The slippers include 4,600 rubies totaling 1,350 carats (as well as 50 carats of diamonds) which took craftsman Javiar Barerra two months to set. Made in 1989, the world’s most expensive shoes were still on sale in 2000.

credit: http://most-expensive.net/womens-shoes

วันเสาร์ที่ 14 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2552

Most Expensive Purses

Most Expensive Purses

If you think spending hundreds of dollars for a pair of worn-out blue jeans is worth it because of current trends, just wait until you hear how much it costs to buy the world’s most expensive purse. Expensive purses have long been status symbols in upper-class culture. For years women routinely shelled out hundreds, sometimes thousands for the “it” bag, but the major price shift to the five figure handbag occurred nearly five years ago when bag makers started offering “signature items”. With this shift came a willingness to spend way more than necessary and the idea that these handbags are not just accessories, but investments and collectibles too.

Louis Vuitton’s Tribute Patchwork Bag – $45,000

Louis Vuitton’s Tribute Patchwork Bag, LV’s most expensive handbag, has an even higher retail price. This hideous bag, made in 2007 from fifteen other bags exhumed from LV’s fashion graveyard—their spring/summer and cruise lines, to be exact—actually sold out fairly quickly.
One can only hope that the supply, limited to only twenty-four numbered bags, had more to do with that than high demand.

Hermès “Birkin” – $64,800

While a Hermès “Birkin” bag retails at $37,000 USD, the highest amount paid for one of these bags was $64,800 USD, sold at a Doyle New York auction in April of 2005. This black crocodile-skin features silver hardware, 14-karat white gold closure plates paved with 174 diamonds and an additional 310 diamonds on the lock. The 484 diamonds weigh in at 14.11 carats.

Leiber Precious Rose – $92,000

Without a doubt, the most remarkable thing about Judith Leiber’s most expensive handbag is its unique rose shape. There’s a lot more going on with this purse than that, however. It’s lined with metallic kidskin and features 1,016 diamonds (42.56 carats), 1,169 pink sapphires and 800 pink tourmalines. For the purse’s metal components, Leiber used 18-karat white gold. Only one was ever made and it’s no longer available from Leiber’s boutique.

Lana Marks’ Cleopatra Clutch – $100,000

Lana Marks releases just one of these limited edition bags per year. Pictured here is the 2007 bag, made with metallic silver alligator skin and 1,500 fully cut, faceted black and white diamonds set in an 18-karat white gold frame. Each year’s bag is signed and numbered.

Chanel “Diamond Forever” Classic Bag – $261,000

Only thirteen of these pricey Chanel bags were created with only five available stateside. The alligator-skin bags featured clasps set with 334 diamond (3.56 carats) in the shape of Chanel’s trademark double-C logo. Eighteen-karat white gold was used to fashion both the clasp and the bag’s long shoulder straps.

Ginza Tanaka’s purse – $1.9 million

The most expensive purse in the world is a unique bag created by Japanese jewelry house Ginza Tanaka. It shouldn’t surprise you that the most expensive purse is covered in diamonds—over 2,000 diamonds totaling 208 carats, in fact—but the bag’s other features make it truly special. For one thing, the rest of the bag is made of platinum, a very difficult metal to work for such a project. For another, the strap and clasp can be detached and worn as a necklace and brooch. It’s almost as if they expect someone to actually use this bag!
The luxurious handbag will be on display in several stores across London during the first ever London Jewellery Week. It’s being offered by jewelry shop Nicholas James for the phenomenal price of £1 million (nearly US $2 million).

credit: http://most-expensive.net/purse-handbag

วันศุกร์ที่ 13 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2552

The World's 10 Most Expensive Hotel Suites

The World's 10 Most Expensive Hotel Suites

The Wealth Bulletin has compiled a new list of the World's Top Ten Most Expensive Hotel Rooms, and the first and second both cost over $30,000 per night. And despite glum economic prospects, demand for these costly suites is as strong as ever, with waiting lists stretching from now until the end of December. Also worth noting is the appearance of Dubai (the Burj Al Arab's Royal Suite, above) and Moscow hotels on the list, which would have been unheard of just a couple years ago. Here are the Top 10:

1. Ty Warner Penthouse, Four Seasons, New York; $34,000 per night

2. Royal Penthouse Suite, President Wilson Hotel, Geneva; $33,000 per night

3. The Presidential Suite, Hotel Cala di Volpe, Costa Smeralda, Italy; $21,000 per night

4. Royal Suite, Burj Al Arab, Dubai; $18,000 per night

5. Royal Armleder Suite, Le Richemond, Geneva; $17,500 per night

6. The Ritz-Carlton Suite, The Ritz-Carlton, Moscow; $16,500 per night

7. The Royal Suite, Four Seasons George V, Paris; $16,000 per night

8. The Imperial Suite, Park Hyatt-Vendôme, Paris; $15,500 per night

9. Brook Penthouse, Claridges, London; $10,000 per night

10. Penthouse Suite, Hotel Martinez, Cannes; $9,300 per night

credit: http://www.luxist.com/2008/10/01/the-worlds-10-most-expensive-hotel-rooms/

วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 12 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2552

Most Expensive House In The World

Most Expensive House In The World

One of the most popular articles on this website is actually Most Expensive House In The World, which briefly discusses 2 properties in London that were purchased for a staggering £70m, which set new world records. Unfortunately, that’s yesterday’s news; it’s now staler than the ciabatta I’m having for lunch.
So what’s the latest? Well, apparently £70m won’t buy you the most expensive house in the world; it won’t even buy you the swimming pool located in the most expensive house in the world. To give you an idea of what’s actually happened: there’s a new Rolls-Royce in town, and the previous successor has been downgraded to a Lada.
A new record for the most expensive house in the world has been set, and it’s not only squeezed past the previous record holder, it’s shamelessly smashed through the barriers and has setup camp in a whole new league.

The property goes by the name Villa Leopolda, a Belle Époque mansion in the French town of Villefranche-sur-Mer on the Cote d’Azur, on the French Riviera. It was built in 1902 for Belgian King Leopold II.
In August 2008, the previous owner, Lily Safra (wife of the deceased Syrian (Lebanon-born) businessman Edmond Safra), a famous Jewish philanthropist, decided to sell it to its new Russian owner.

The estate is so big that it requires 50 full time gardeners. The grounds cover 20 acres of garden and visitors can stroll amongst 1,200 olive, orange, lemon and cypress trees.
Unlike the previous most expensive houses in the world, there is extremely little information about the property out there, so it’s difficult to know exactly what we’re meant to be envious of (besides from all that wealth). I can’t even tell you guys how many bedrooms, bathrooms and parking spaces there are. But I imagine it could comfortably house The Waltons, and the monthly electricity bill probably costs more than my entire house.
I have a feeling more information will start to surface as more people start to get a little bit more curious. However, everything has been pretty hush, hush; even the owners are refusing to admit that they actually purchased the damn thing.
But I guess the lavish details aren’t that important, the main fact is that someone purchased a property in France for £392m, consequently there are people out there that have so much money that it makes me want to cry! To put things into perspective, I don’t even have £1 in my pocket right now, just a few coppers cluttering up my Ikea desk. I’m trying hard not to think about it too much, because it can become pretty demoralising knowing that my yearly salary wouldn’t even cover this guy’s weekly grocery expenses.

About the owner, Mikhail Prokhorov

Prokhorov is ranked as the 24th richest man in the world with a $22 billion fortune. Born May 3, 1965, he’s a Russian self-made billionaire. He made his name in the financial sector and went on to become one of Russia’s leading industrialists in the precious metals sector. He is the former chairman of Norilsk Nickel, the world’s largest producer of nickel and palladium, and the current chairman of Polyus Gold, Russia’s largest gold producer.
So what’s a man worth $22 billion look like? You guessed it….like Bob Saget.

credit: http://www.propertyinvestmentproject.co.uk/blog/most-expensive-house-in-the-world-2008/

Top 10 most expensive cars in the world

Top 10 most expensive cars in the world

Bugatti Veyron $1,700,000

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is the most powerful, most expensive, and fastest street-legal production car in the world, with a proven top speed of over 400 km/h (407 km/h or 253 mph). It reached full production in September 2005. The car is built by Volkswagen AG subsidiary Bugatti Automobiles SAS and is sold under the legendary Bugatti marque. It is named after racing driver Pierre Veyron, who won the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1939 while racing for the original Bugatti firm. The Veyron features a W16 engine—16 cylinders in 4 banks of 4 cylinders.

Ferrari Enzo $1,000,000

Enzo Ferrari, sometimes referred to as the the Ferrari Enzo and also F60 is a 12-cylinder Ferrari supercar named after the company's founder, Enzo Ferrari. It was built in 2003 using Formula One technology, such as a carbon-fiber body, F1-style sequential shift transmission, and carbon-ceramic brake discs. Also used are technologies not allowed in F1 such as active aerodynamics. After a maximum downforce of 1709 pounds (775 kg) is reached at 186 mph (301 km/h) the rear spoiler is actuated by computer to maintain that downforce.

Pagani Zonda C12 F $741,000

The Zonda C12 F debuted at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. It is the most extensive reengineering of the Pagani car yet, though it shares much with its predecessors including the 7.3 L V12. Power is increased to 602 PS (443 kW/594 hp) with a special clubsport model producing 650 PS (478 kW/641 hp). The company promises a 3.2 second sprint to 60 mph (97 km/h, a top speed over 374 km/h (225 mph) and it will be the queen in braking from 300 km/h to 0 (186 mph to 0). The Zonda F clubsport has a power to weight ratio of 521 bhp/ton (384 W/kg) . Compare, for example, the Enzo Ferrari which has a power to weight ratio of 483 bhp/ton (356 W/kg).

Koenigsegg CCX $600,910

The Koenigsegg CCX is the latest supercar from Koenigsegg. CCX is an abbreviation for Competition Coupe X. The X commemorates the 10th anniversary of the completion and test drive of the first CC vehicle in 1996. The CCX is intended to be more suitable for the U.S. market and thus engineered to comply with US regulations. The CCX is powered by a Koenigsegg designed and assembled, all aluminium, 4700 cm³ DOHC 32-valve V8 based on the Ford Modular engine architecture enhanced with twin Rotrex centrifugal superchargers with response system, 1.2 bar boost pressure and an 8.2:1 compression ratio. The engine produces 806 hp (601 kW) and 678 lbf.ft (920 Nm) on 91 octane (U.S. rating) gasoline, 850 hp (634 kW) on 96 octane (Euro rating) gasoline and 900 hp (671 kW) on biofuel.

Porsche Carrera GT $484,000

The Porsche Carrera GT is a supercar, manufactured by Porsche of Germany. The Carrera GT is powered by an all-new 5.7 litre V10 engine producing 612 SAE horsepower (450 kW). Porsche claims it will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62.5 mph) in 3.9 seconds and has a maximum speed of 330 km/h (206 mph), although road tests indicated that in actuality the car could accelerate from 0-60 in under 3.5 seconds and to 0-100 in 6.8 seconds and has a top speed of 335-340km/h (209-212.5mph).

Mercedes SLR McLaren $455,500
The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is a sports car and supercar automobile co-developed by DaimlerChrysler and McLaren Cars. It is assembled at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England. Most people presume "SLR" to stand for "Sportlich, Leicht, Rennsport" (German for "Sport; Light; Racing"). The car's base price is £300,000 or $455,500. The SLR has a supercharged 5.5 (5439cc) litre dry sumped 90 degree V8. It produces 466.8 kW at 6500rpm (626 hp) and 780 N·m (575 ft·lbf) torque at 3250 - 5000 rpm.

Maybach 62 $385,250

The Maybach 57 and 62 were the first automobile models of the Maybach brand since the brand's revival by DaimlerChrysler. They are derived from the Mercedes-Benz Maybach concept car presented at the 1997 Tokyo Motorshow (which was based on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan). DaimlerChrysler attempted to buy the Rolls-Royce/Bentley marque when Vickers offered the company up for sale. When this attempt failed (they were outbid by BMW and Volkswagen respectively) they introduced the Maybach as a direct challenger in 2002. Both models are variants of the same ultra-luxurious automobile. The model numbers reflect the respective lengths of the automobiles in decimetres; the 57 is more likely to be owner-driven while the longer 62 is designed with a chauffeur in mind. The engine is a Mercedes-sourced 5.5-liter twin-turbo V12, generating 550 hp.

Rolls-Royce Phantom $320,000

The Rolls-Royce Phantom is a luxury saloon automobile made by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, a BMW subsidiary. It was launched in 2003 and is the first Rolls-Royce model made under the ownership of BMW. It has a 6.8 L, 48-valve, V12 engine that produces 453 hp (338 kW) and 531 ft·lbf (720 N·m) of torque. The engine is derived from BMW's existing V12 powerplant. It is 1.63 m (63 in) tall, 1.99 m (74.8 in) wide, 5.83 m (228 in) long, and weighs 2485 kg (5478 lb). The body of the car is built on an aluminium spaceframe and the Phantom can accelerate to 60 mph (100 km/h) in 5.7 s.

Lamborghini Murcielago $279,900

The Lamborghini Murciélago is a GT and supercar automobile made by Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. and designed by Luc Donckerwolke. It was introduced in 2002 as the successor to the Diablo. The body style is a two door, two seat coupé. The LP640 version was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March of 2006. It features a 6.5 L engine, now producing 640 bhp, improving performance substantially. There were also a few minor external changes, primarily to the low air intakes.

Aston Martin Vanquish $255,000

The Aston Martin V12 Vanquish is a supercar manufactured by Aston Martin since 2001. It rose to fame after being featured as the official James Bond car in Die Another Day, the twentieth James Bond film. In the film, the Vanquish has the usual Bond film embellishments, including active camouflage which rendered the vehicle virtually invisible. The Vanquish is powered by a 5.9 L (5935 cc) 48-valve 60° V12 engine, which produces 343 kW (460 hp) and 542 N·m (400 ft·lbf) of torque. It is controlled by a fly-by-wire throttle and a 6 speed 'paddle shift' or semi-automatic transmission. A special V12 Vanquish S debuted at the 2004 Paris Auto Show with the power upped to 388 kW (520 hp) and 577 N·m (426 ft·lbf).

credit: http://www.automotoportal.com/article/Top_10_most_expensive_cars_in_the_world

วันพุธที่ 11 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2552

The World's Top Ten Restaurants 2009

The World's Top Ten Restaurants 2009
San Pellegrino's Crème De La Crème List of the Best Restaurants
It's that time of the year again when gastronomes across the globe await the unveiling of San Pellegrino's 50 best restaurants in the world. This year sees El Bulli retaining the top spot while Spain's El Celler de Can Roca enters the elite list. Here's a quick guide to the top ten.

1 El Bulli, Spain
This name is synonymous with molecular gastronomy thanks to owner and chef, Ferran Adrià's futuristic vision that has influenced chefs worldwide. A master at playing with techniques and flavours, his food excites and delights at the same time. Said restaurant critic AA Gill in his review for The Times: "I shan't damn El Bulli by saying it's the best restaurant in the world, but it is a masterclass in the metaphysics of how, what and why we eat, while still being dinner." The restaurant also took gold for the Best Restaurant in Europe.
Log on to www.elbulli.com

2 The Fat Duck, UK
Called a 'culinary alchemist', owner and chef Heston Blumenthal is known for his snail porridge and nitro-scrambled egg and bacon ice cream, both of which make an appearance on his current tasting menu. Honours comprise of three Michelin stars for the restaurant, in addition to, several personal accolades for Blumenthal including an OBE (2006) and GQ's Chef of the Year (2004). According to the website, Blumenthal's works on a simple philosophy i.e. eating is a multi-model process (involving all senses).
Log on to www.fatduck.co.uk

3 Noma, Denmark
Serving gourmet Nordic cuisine, this restaurant is helmed by Rene Redzepi whose resume includes stints at El Bulli and the French Laundry. Located in a renovated warehouse in Copenhagen, the menu celebrates the area's cuisine and culture with a modern approach using top-class ingredients flown in from several Nordic regions (read langoustines from the Faeroe Islands and musk ox from Greenland). Moving up seven places in the list this year, Noma also took the Chef's Choice award.
Log on to www.noma.de

4 Mugaritz, Spain
The rustic setting of Mugaritz on the outskirts of San Sebastian is a stark contrast to the food executed by the culinary genius that is Andoni Luis Aduriz (who once worked at El Bulli). Expect sublime combinations like white clay coated potatoes with aioli and beef flavoured with vine cutting embers. Say reviewers on Foodtourist.com: "The food here has a purpose, is produce-driven and exhibits intensity of flavour that comes from a deep understanding of the produce rather than slick manipulation through technology."
Log on to www.mugaritz.com

5. El Celler de Can Roca, Spain
Crowned the highest climber on the list (21 places) this restaurant is a real family venture as its run by three brothers Joan Roca (head chef), Josep (maitre d' and head sommelier) and Jordi (pastry chef). Dishing up traditional Catalonian cuisine, recommended dishes include suckling pig with oranges and cloves and rosemary and truffle soup. Aside from the fact that the restaurant has two Michelin stars, few are aware that their wine cellar holds five rooms where videos of the vineyards are displayed.
Log on to www.cellercanroca.com

6 Per Se, USA
Named the Best Restaurant in the Americas, this Manhattan restaurant is owned by The French Laundry's Thomas Keller and is described as an 'urban interpretation of The French Laundry (based in California)' on its website. Although subtle connections are seen in both restaurants (read blue doors and Oysters and Pearls on the menu), this restaurant still manages to hold its own. Two seasonal nine-course tasting menus celebrating modern US cuisine are available daily.
Log on to www.perseny.com

7 Bras, France
Although built in the rustic Aveyron region on top of a plateau, Bras has an extremely modern appearance with the floor-to-ceiling glass of the dining room. The menu is deeply in touch with nature and serves items like pork shoulder and baby cabbage, crisp-cooked peas with rabbit in olive oil and sometimes when Bras's own mother visits she cooks her signature Aligot dish.
Log on to www.michael-bras.com

8 Arzak, Spain
Since 1897 this location has been in the Arzak family and is currently under the watchful eye of Juan Mari Arzak and his daughter Elena. With three Michelin stars it offers Basque cuisine that celebrates locally-sourced fresh ingredients. Think of uncanny combinations like lamb with espresso and egg and truffle flower in goose fat with chistorra (chorizo sausage) of dates.
Log on to www.arzak.es

9 Pierre Gagnaire, France
This doyen of French culinary expertise also had his restaurant Reflets in Dubai, UAE debut at 100. His food is often described as art on a plate and guests have come to expect the unexpected with his clever play of textures. Dishes recommended by The New York Times include the chicken with truffles (done two ways with the breast in aspic and thighs chopped into pieces) and roast duck and turbot cooked in a bag and served with Provençal lemons and fennel.
Log on to www.pierre-gagnaire.com

10 Alinea, USA
Owner and chef Grant Achatz was Thomas Keller's former sous chef and Alinea has been decribed by San Pellegrino as having the 'most cutting edge food in America'. The tasting menu includes delicacies like the famous PB&J (peeled grape dipped in peanut purée and wrapped in brioche) and bacon with butterscotch, apple and thyme. Says Chicago Sun-Times writer Pat Bruno of his 12-course meal: "My experience was one of awe mixed with admiration."
Log on to www.alinea-restaurant.com

credit: http://gourmet-restaurants.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_worlds_top_ten_restaurants_2009

Top 10 World’s Most Expensive Watches

Top 10 World’s Most Expensive Watches

1. Joaillerie 101 Manchette

Manufacturer: Jaeger-LeCoultre

Joaillerie 101 Manchette is the most Expensive watch in the world
In this watch, a unsystematic series of polished or gem-set links (a jewellery puzzle) hides the exalted Calibre 101.It’ss wonderful to look for the time through the gold, diamonds and onyx cabochons.The wristwatch is festooned with 576 diamonds and comes in 18-carat white gold. The versions with Onyx have 400 diamonds and 11 onyx cabochons.Price: Unknown at the moment

2. Tour de l’Ile

Manufacturer: Jaeger-LeCoultre

Vacheron Costantin’s Tour de l’Ile was designed in 2005. The collectible piece is also the most complicated double-face watch, and only produced in a limited edition of seven.This 834-part watch took over 10,000 man-hours to be made and features an 18-carat silver gold dial with a hand-sewn alligator leather band and pink gold buckle.It touts an original combination of horological complications and astronomical indications forming 16 different points, including a minute repeater, sunset time, perpetual calendar, second time zone, and a tourbillon device.Price: $1.5 million

3. Big Bang Chronograph

Manufacturer: Hublot, Bunter SA

The renowned watchmaker, Hublot, in alliance with a diamond-setting workshop, Bunter SA, designed and developed an elite watch dubbed Big Bang.The $1-million Big Bang boasts a fully invisible setting that makes the material disappear. Only things that can be seen are the diamonds.The credit goes to the craftsmen who accomplished the tedious job of making this exclusive watch, which was not feasible a few years ago.Price: $1 milllion

4. Classical Billionaire Tourbillion

Manufacturer: Corum

The shimmering wristwatch is adorned with 850 diamonds and boasts a dazzling skeleton dial with skeleton hour and minute hands. The watch is manually wound with 90-hour power reserve and features Caliber CO-372 by Corum and La Joux-Perret.Rightly named so, the Billionaire Tourbillion comes in many versions with price ranging from $325,000 to $998,000. Only 10 pieces are in production.Price: $998,000

5. Tecnica Skeleton Chronograph

Manufacturer: Parmigiani Fleurier

This watch hit the market early this year.Each unit of the watch includes a platinum case and other interesting features like a minute repeater, tourbillon and chronograph, as well as a cathedral chime.Price: $850,000

6. Grande Complication

Manufacturer: Blancpain

This wristwatch has a minute repeater, split-seconds chronograph, tourbillon, perpetual calendar, moon phase and an automatic winding mechanism.The sleek crocodile wristband further adds to the look. It takes the maker eight to 10 months to piece together all 740 components and only 18 of a limited run of 30 watches have been assembled till now.Price: $785,000

7. Opera One

Manufacturer: Girard-Perregaux

This beautiful platinum timepiece includes an alligator band and features a Westminster minute repeater and tourbillon with three gold bridges, manual winding, 75-hour power reserve and a see-through backing.The watch has a power reserve indicator, a subsecond complication, a minute repeater and a truly elegant face.What differentiates Girard-Perregaux’s Opera Three from other luxury watches is its ability to sound passing hours not with a beep but with actual tunes.Price: $495,000

8. Double Tourbillon
Manufacturer: Breguet

The Breguet Double Tourbillion** comes hand-engraved with an image of the solar system.This double-tourbillon watch has a 95 per cent pure platinum case while the blued-steel Breguet hands are wound manually and do not contain springs.Price: $329,000

9. Titanic Watches
Manufacturer: Romain Jerome

A Swiss jeweller is now offering watches made from the hull of the Titanic.The metal has been mixed with shipbuilding steel to make the casing. The black dials have been made by mixing the recovered coal burned in the Titanic’s furnaces with ceramics.Price: $152,435

10. Zadora Timepieces
Manufacturer: Andreas von Zadora-Gerlof

The latest offering by Andreas von Zadora-Gerlof is a bee of oxidised palladium and micro pave. The bee is adorned with black and canary yellow diamonds, pear-shaped emerald eyes with a baroque south sea pearl in its mouth.Price: $150,000

credit: http://www.smashinggadgets.com/2008/09/top-10-worlds-most-expensive-watches/

วันจันทร์ที่ 9 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2552

The Most Expensive Hotel Ever Built

The Most Expensive Hotel Ever Built

Nevertheless, the Mardan Palace Hotel in Antalya, Turkey had a fantastic opening recently with an A-list celebrity guest list. Among the attendees for the opening of this $1.65 billion resort were Seal, Sharon Stone, Richard Gere, Paris Hilton, Monica Bellucci and Tom Jones. The guests were kept happy with a feast for 600 guests featuring beluga caviar, lobsters and Dom Perignon.
The 560 room resort was built by Russian Billionaire Telman Ismailov. It features 23,000 sq metres of Italian marble, 10,000 sq m of gold leaf, crystal balusters, Hermès crockery, a 5 acre pool for 1,000 guests, 17 bars, a three-storied night club, 10 restaurants , a sunken aquarium with 2,400 fish, a 7,500 sq m Mardan Spa and a beach with 9,000 tons of fine, white sand flown in from Egypt.