The original name of the prestigious community of Bal Harbour, Florida was "Bay Harbour."  The village planners, however, thought the name didn't adequately describe their oceanfront gem.  A new word was created, taking the "B" from 'Bay' and "a" and "l" from 'Atlantic' to construct the Bal Harbour moniker, describing its desirable location between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

In the small community full of luxury homes and upscale shops and restaurants, vast expanses of luxury real estate are extremely difficult to find.  So difficult, in fact, that there is only one stretch of oceanfront land to be had.  The final Bal Harbor oceanfront property currently available for development is over 5 acres and has a price to match is ultra-premium locale...$225,000,000. 

Italian artist and interior decorator Piero Fornasetti created more than 11,000 items, making his collection of furniture and other pieces one of the most extensive of the 20th century.  Such prolific production was drawn from great inspiration, including when Fornasetti saw the face of opera singer Lina Cavalieri in a magazine. Cavalieri's face must have moved him, as her visage appears on more than 500 Fornasetti pieces, including a plate series that numbers more than 350 variations.

Beginning in 1968 Fornasetti began releasing a limited edition 'Calendar Plate' each year; and in 1988 his son continued the tradition.  Pictured here is the newly released 2009 Calendar Plate.  This and all of Fornasetti's plates add unique style to any table setting or china cabinet.  

With the current state of the economy finding deals on any travel, let alone luxury escapes, is becoming increasingly difficult.  Several holiday plans are being altered or cancelled due to uncertainty and rising costs.

One reliable option is LuxuryLink, which has been providing affordable luxury travel online for over a decade.  Their packages feature premier 4 and 5 star hotels and resorts that have been examined by staff.  Travel packages also come with complimentary luxury services, which may include spa treatments and gourmet meals.

LuxuryLink is currently offering a gift certificate of up to $200 with the purchase of a travel package.  Those booking getaways will have to hurry, though- the offer expires on December 15th.

The amount of labor and skilled artistry needed to produce exquisite glass art is extraordinary...And so is the finished product.  Robert Kaindl, based in Kirkland, Washington, is a visionary who creates blown glass pieces that are truly unique and can provide a luxury home owner with a one-of-a-kind statement for their residence. 

Pictured is an art glass chandelier from his Celebration Series sure to spark conversation, in addition to providing sophisticated illumination.  Lively colors and supreme innovation are utilized in the creation of Kaindl's stimulating art - from his chandeliers to a variety of bowls, "seashapes" and custom work.  See more at his site.

The first snow of the season fell around my Chicago home on Monday and along with the icy temperatures accompanying it, ushered in the unofficial start of winter.  While Windy City winters can be biting, the crisp air helps conjure images of enjoyment on the ski slopes or warming by the fire in the company of loved ones.

The signs of the season also encouraged me to research luxury winter homes.  From Lake Tahoe to Vermont in the United States, British Columbia in Canada, and other locales around the globe, there are a wide variety of mountain homes catering to every lifestyle.  One residence that caught my eye combines the amenities desired in a luxury mountain home with a great history.  The former home of American President Gerald Ford in Beaver Creek, Colorado retains its historical significance, though it has been completely renovated.

More details on the home, currently listed at $14,900,000, can be found here.

Thanksgiving is a week away and families across the US are finalizing plans to commune around their designated dinner table.  Most gatherings will be in the dining rooms of a parent, aunt, brother, sister, etc., etc., but some groups will choose to get out of familiar holiday surroundings and take unique trips.  There are several options in Thanksgiving travel packages, including luxurious retreats.

One holiday escape can be found at the Dunton Hot Springs Resort, across the mountain from Telluride in the Colorado Rockies.  Their Thanksgiving Food & Wine Package includes four nights in one of the resort's authentic restored mining cabins, a traditional Thanksgiving feast, day trip to Sutcliffe Vineyards, complimentary bottle of wine, and a spa treatment of your choice. 

Like countless others, I'll be gathered around my dining table filled with turkey, stuffing and all the trimmings; but the experience at Dunton Hot Springs certainly offers something unique for the crowd looking for the less customary.

In my early 20s I discovered something that would help shape the next decade of my life: whiskey.  Not in a negative way, mind you, but an educational way.  I am fascinated by the distilling process and all else that goes into the creation of a fine whiskey.  The occasional drink of the finished product only serves as a celebratory culmination of the entire process.

Recently, White & Mackay, owner of The Dalmore brand, announced a limited release of a rare Scotch whiskey much older than my love affair with the hooch.  The Dalmore 50yo was first distilled 140 years ago and offers a rare taste of an era gone by.  Also rare is the whiskey's availability, with only 191 hand-blown Portuguese decanters being created, each individually numbered and accompanied by a handwritten and signed letter from The Dalmore's creator.  A £5,000 bottle could be the centerpiece in the collection of any whiskey connoisseur.

While several luxury homes listed on LuxuryPortfolio.com could be considered works of art in their own right, there is a singularly special property that was home to an icon of American painting.  This home located in the historic village of Galisteo, New Mexico served as the studio and retreat of famed artist Agnes Martin. 

Ms. Martin studied art at Columbia University in New York and later at University of New Mexico.  Her work emphasizes subtle color, lines and grids that often show the touch of the artist's hand with intended imperfections.  She created the adobe studio and rammed-earth home in the 1980s and lived and worked there for a decade.  The home has been updated and renovated, yet it still retains the original aesthetic and remains a representation of Agnes Martin's unique artistic style.

The property is listed by Santa Fe Realty Partners; more details and photos can be found here.

The way my kitchen is set up, I have to uncomfortably crane my neck while cooking in order to see the TV.  A petty quibble for sure, but one that could be corrected with a stylish VELA LCD TV Rangehood from ILIVE.  My eyes could easily travel from the steaming vegetables or pots of pasta up to the 10-inch flat LCD monitor built into right into the range hood.

The VELA is the creation of Italian designer Marco Valerio Agretti and combines form and function.  Not only sleek and contemporary, the range hood is powerful enough to remove the most intense cooking fumes.  It is a great addition to the modern kitchen that is the heart of the home.

A historically majestic Dutch gable sits atop the former Rowena Memorial School, which educated students in and around Palenville, New York for 70 years beginning at the dawn of the 20th century.  Built in 1899, fascinating history is also seen in the solid stones and clock located above the entrance.

Over 100 years after its construction the Rowena Memorial School no longer hosts knowledge-seeking students, however it is still a place for amazing discovery. The school has been restored and transformed into a landmark combination of two bedroom residence, studio, and office space unlike any other.  School rooms that occupied the first floor are now ideal office spaces.  Retractable chalkboard walls remain part of the original woodwork. 

See additional photos and learn more about this momentous building here.  It is currently listed at $1,470,000 by Westwood Metes & Bounds Realty.