As I look through the window of my Chicago office and watch the snow fall, I’m reminded of the blasting winds and 10-degree temperature that greeted me on my way to work today.  I absolutely love Chicago, but sometimes in the middle of a blistering winter I wouldn’t mind being somewhere about seven times warmer. Current conditions at the Nassau International Airport in the Bahamas are 70 degrees and clear. I think I could handle sitting on a beach somewhere on Paradise Island or New Providence sipping a pina colada right about now. As my fantasy deepens, I wonder what it would be like to live in the Bahamas full-time…and as long as I’m living there in my mind, why not live in an exquisite Bahamian luxury home?

The gorgeous Mediterranean home shown in these pictures tops the list of my dream homes in the Bahamas. It is loaded with all of the spectacualr amenities expected in today’s ultimate luxury abodes, including a state-of-the-art kitchen, spa style baths and a home theater; but also has the benefit of being situated on the crystal blue waters and white sand beach of Paradise Island inside prestigious Ocean Club Estates. Residents of Ocean Club Estates enjoy beaches and a world-class golf course, as well as the use of facilities at the One & Only Ocean Club and the Atlantis Resort. As if living on the beach in Paradise Island wasn’t enough.

Continue on a tour of fantasy Bahamian homes… (more…)

After spending several impressionable hours of my youth watching old horror movies and Scooby-Doo cartoons, I developed a strong urge to have a secret room in my house that was revealed by either pulling a specific book from the shelf or yanking on a wall-mounted candle holder. While Frontgate’s Reversible Media Center doesn’t completely fulfill that fantasy, it’s a step in the right direction. The wood entertainment center has an articulating mechanism that allows its center section to swivel, showing either bookshelves that are one side, or a flat screen TV that can be mounted to the opposite side. You can watch the game in the afternoon, then quickly adjust the media center to show your book collection and impress your evening dinner party guests. The transformation only takes a few seconds and can be done with one hand (tying the other behind your back is optional). The Reversible Media Center is something that would be very welcomed in my living room…assuming that someday I get a 42-inch flat screen TV or an exciting library of leather-bound books.

Every time I go to the drugstore to buy a new razor or cartridges, I have to find an employee to unlock that highly fortified glass case.  I understand that razors are a pricy item for a drugstore and (used to be) oft stolen; but if my ten dollar razor is kept behind glass, I wonder how Hommage’s Monte-Carlo Razor would be stored.  It would probably be in a secure vault that is opened by turning two keys simultaneously followed by the entering of a secret code - something akin to a submarine missile launch.  This $2,500 razor extraordinaire comes packaged in a choice pear wood box that can be transformed into a fully functional humidor. The humidor is a nice bonus, but it’s probably not a good idea to smoke a cigar while you shave with the Monte-Carlo, or any other razor.

can - dle [kan-dl] noun, 1. a long, usually slender piece of tallow or wax with an embedded wick that is burned to give light…At least that’s what dictionary.com would lead you to believe.

The proclaimed “ultimate luxury” at $345 each, Jo Malone Luxury Candles [luhk-shuh-ree kan-dls] certainly must be the supreme pieces of wax with embedded wicks. Available in grapefruit, orange blossom and lime basil & mandarin varieties, the Luxury Candle does more than light your home - after all, a single candle is (much) more expensive than my monthly electric bill. The Luxury Candle lights your home…AND makes it smell good.

After reading an article in Town & Country Magazine titled, “Luxembourg Grows Up,” I’ve added the tiny Grand Duchy to my list of places to visit. This often overlooked country is dense with forests, castles, rivers, and a number of other fairytale features; but don’t assume it’s an antiquated hamlet.  Luxembourg actually has the highest gross national income in the world, and all this money has allowed its citizens to keep the country contemporary.  Hip hotels, trendy restaurants, world-class arts and architecture and more all add to the sophisticated atmosphere.  Sip a fruity white wine at a vineyard, stroll through a castle in Luxembourg City, or wander among the masterpieces at one of the many museums.  Check out www.visitluxembourg.com for more Luxembourg travel ideas.

It would be impossible to have a complete discussion of luxury home markets without mentioning Greenwich, Connecticut. Situated on the shores of the Long Island Sound, it is an oasis of luxury located only 28 miles from Manhattan. Affluence is what this community is known for, as it is one of the wealthiest towns per capita in the world. That wealth is certainly reflected in the rich Greenwich luxury home market. Known as “The Gateway to New England” due to its southerly Connecticut location, Greenwich is a corridor into a beautiful region, and it also provides entry into an exclusive club of prosperity for those fortunate enough to live within its borders.

The home shown in these photos dates back to the 1880s and is on the market of the first time in 125 years. Actually it is more than a home, it is a gated compound situated on a bluff enjoying 270-degree water views and over 1,500 feet of coastal frontage. Enjoy all water activities, or dock your boat in the deepwater dockage while you find a relaxing spot somewhere on the four acres to sit and enjoy the splendid sunrise to sunset views. This remarkable residence is listed by William Raveis Real Estate & Home Services.

Continue on for more Greenwich luxury… (more…)

Famous German Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe designed the Barcelona chair in 1929.  This modernist work has been exalted through the decades as a work of art.  And now, little prodigies with an interest in modernism can have their own, smaller version of the seat for their nursery.  Miami-based Genius Jones created this replica at two-thirds the size of the original.  At $3,900 a seat, these chairs require a no-feet-on-the-couch rule. 

This freezing Chicago morning, as I waited for the perpetually late bus, I cursed myself for losing my gloves last week - right before a cold front swept in, of course.  I suppose it is for the best - my gloves were not Chicago-proof, mere gossamer cotton unable to defend my fingers against a windy massacre.  It’s time I invest in a pair of sturdy gloves, reinforced to stand up to the most bitter of winter days!  I found this pair by Façonnable at Nordstrom.  These Italian creations are available in brown or black lambskin and lined with luxurious, thermo-regulating cashmere.  If they can’t protect my fingers from Chicago, nothing will.

So many dreams of travel, so little time.  I have an endless list of places I’d like to visit, but with only about 50 years left of my life (if I’m lucky!) I’ll never be able to see them all.  Fortunately, I can surround myself with luxurious furniture that embodies the essence of locations all over the globe.  Paris-based furniture authority Roche Bobois International collaborated with top international designers to create its Les Voyages collection, influenced by cultures throughout the world.  Traditional, exotic aesthetics are combined with contemporary design to achieve the perfect blend of form and function.  I love the idea behind the “Mah Jong” sofa (pictured right).  Inspired by Mahjong, the Chinese game of stacking tiles, this couch can be configured to fit any lifestyle by stacking the cushions as you wish.  Some of my other favorite pieces include the Japanese-influenced “Oya Sumi” bed and the Moroccan-influenced “Medina” dining set.  Perhaps I won’t need to go to Morocco afterall…

In my humble opinion, this is much more exciting than putting a model ship in a bottle. After all, can you smoke a model ship? Cigar in the Bottle offers connoisseurs of fine spirits and fine cigars an opportunity to experience both with this fine product. That’s a lot of fine-ness. It starts with a Fuente Fuente Forbidden X cigar that is assembled from seven different varieties of tobacco leaves by Fuente masters, and then placed in a French oak case for aging. After that, the cigar is encapsulated in a hand-blown glass chamber with a custom Humidipak humidor for preservation. I think the safety features that surround this cigar outnumber the safety features that surround me while I’m in my car - or anywhere for that matter. The well-protected Fuente Fuente Forbidden X is then entombed amid a sea of Grand Pommier XS Calvados, concocted from a mixture of over 100 varieties of hand-selected, aged Norman apples. Model ship in an empty bottle, or a superior cigar in a bottle full of high-class hooch? For me, the choice is easy.