King Crab Legs: Fit For A King
As the holidays near, I am starting to plan (er, have my people plan for me) what holiday dinners around our estate will be about. I get tired of the same old ham/turkey/whatever that seems to be the predominant theme around this time of year, and have been investigating different options.
What I’ve come up with for this year is a stockpile of King Crab Legs and Beef Tenderloin: A great surf & turf combo with the best of the sea and the best of the land. Lobster in my mind is over rated, especially those tiny little tails. I’m talking massive, colossal king crab legs, the kind where they weigh over 2lbs per leg!
As far as cooking them, Maurice, our chef will probably throw these legs under the broiler with some seasoning and butter. I’m still thinking about what to have as sides so if anyone has thoughts, we’d love to hear them.
Diamond Harmony Cufflinks
Shopping for cufflinks? Diamond Harmony offers some of the finest in the line, that can fit with any style, any occasion.
The Carved Line Classic Fashion 14k Gold Cufflinks will adhere to any formal occasion. Each one of these cuff links has elegant lines that are finely carved onto the 14 karat gold.
Product specs:
- 5 Grams
- 17 millimeters in length
- 13.5 millimeters in width
- Swivel black closure
- 14 karat Yellow Gold
- Price: $669.95
Purchase: Diamond Harmony
For those into silver, there are the Sterling Silver Mother of Pearl Keyboard Cufflinks. They are D-shaped, with an inlay of white mother of pearl stone that fits into the shiny sterling silver.
Product specs:
- .75 inches in width
- Whale Tail Backing closure
- Sterling Silver
- Price: $390.00
Purchase: Diamond Harmony
If you’re going to a formal military event, or a national holiday, you can show off your patriotism in class. Diamond Harmony offers the 14 karat Gold Patriotic Fine American Flag Cufflinks. The stars and stripes are finely and elegantly plated on gold.
Product specs:
- 9.5 grams
- 16 millimeters in length
- 11 millimeters in width
- Enamel on the American flag
- 14 karat yellow gold
- Price: $549.95
Purchase: Diamond Harmony
Now if you really want to go luxury, there are the Classic Timepiece 18 karat Gold Platinum Cufflinks. They have the intricate design of a clock and all of its infrastructure on Roman Numerals. It symbolizes being timeless. They are intricately crafted onto platinum and yellow gold.
Product specs:
- 11 grams
- 19.5 millimeters in length
- 9.5millimeters in width
- Swivel black closure
- Platinum and yellow gold
- Price: $2,675.95
Purchase: Diamond Harmony
The Best Ultrasonic Jewelery Cleaner
Have an abundance of beautiful jewelery that needs to be cleaned? Don’t trust doing it yourself, or handing your precious jewels to someone else? Hammacher Schlemmer has invited a tidy machine that will help maintain the shine and prestige of your gold, silver and platinum accessories.
This item is appropriately named “The Best Ultrasonic Jewelery Cleaner.” The Hammacher Schlemmer performed a series of tests and experiments, with this one as the sole winner for effectiveness and ease of use. It is very effective because it generates 42,000 Hz of ultrasonic sound waves meant to clear off any dust or loose particles from various articles of jewelry in its 16-ounce stainless steel tank. You do not have to be insanely technology literate to utilize the machine. It has an easily comprehensible maximum fill line, which you can fill with regular tap water.
The Best Ultrasonic Jewelery Cleaner comes with a three-minute auto-shutoff setting, as well as a viewing window. There is a light inside of it, so you can keep an eye on your jewelery and watch how it’s doing. Because it is ultrasonic, this machine is very quiet, so it won’t be a nuisance to have around.
In addition to precious metals, you can use this jewelery cleaner on gems, waterproof watches, CDs, dentures and eye glasses!
Product specs:
- Plugs into AC
- 8” Length x 6.5” Width x 5.25” Depth
- 2.75lbs
- Lifetime guarantee
- Price: $59.95
Purchase: Hammacher Schlemmer
Tasteful Gucci Fragrances
Gucci is an Italian fashion company based out of Florence, Italy. The company was founded in 1921 by Guccio Gucci. The products range today anywhere from handbags, to shoes and to fragrance.
Gucci Flora is a floral fragrance, appropriately named. It is a brand new perfume for women, and combines elements of the designer’s glamorous past and spontaneous present. It is inspired by Gucci’s famous Flora pattern, which was designed onto a scarf for Princess Grace of Monaco in 1966. This is the first time such a style debuts in black and white.
The perfume itself is made of Rose and Osmanthus flowers from China. The Rose brings out light and fruity flavor, complimented by the stronger, velvety Osmanthus. It also includes fresh citrus and peony, which are more fresh. It is topped off with Sandalwood and Patchouli, which are then more deep and heavy. It is quite the sophisticated scent.
The Flora bottle has a hexagonal shape of glass, along with a black ribbon tied into a bow, as well as a gold logo with Guccio Gucci’s signature.
Purchase: Sephora. It retails for $52-$90, depending on size.
Gucci’s Envy Me is a less epic, more up-front fragrance that grabs people’s attention. It comes in a cute, tall, thin, pink bottle. Very pop-art looking!
Envy Me combines a scent of seasonal peony, jasmine and pink pepper. It is accented with notes of sweet litchi, pomegranate, pineapple, as well as white tea and warming woods. It combines such scents of fruit and flowers from far East and tropical places, perfect for standing out. Envy Me can be soft and feminine, or flirty and girly, depending on what you wear it with.
Purchase: Sephora. It retails for $45-$85, depending on size.
Kate Spade Stationary
Many of us are starting school soon, or switching our office wardrobes into Fall Fashion. Definitely a good idea to have your stationary in style for these types of lifestyles. Kate Spade offers some of the most high-quality, beautifully colored equipment for scholarly and business needs. When you buy one of these products from Kate Spade, it will usually come stocked with all you need for it.
First is the Kate Spade Jane Street Becca Pencil Case. Kate Spade declares this product as an indicator an idealized West Village of Manhattan lifestyle, while people sit under Walnut trees by the beautiful brownstones and local boutiques and sip cappuccinos. The designers see it as a grasp of this phenomenon. The case itself is made out of shiny calfskin leather, and comes well-stocked with Kate Spade pencils, pencil sharpener and eraser. There is a zip closure with light gold plated hardware. Its dimensions are 3.8” height x 8.3” width. It comes in red, black and green, all bold colors. Imported. It costs $75.
Purchase: Kate Spade.
Of course you need your life to be organized, and that requires style as well! Check out the Canvas Anne Personal Organizer, made out of light weight cotton canvas. It includes a weekly and monthly calendar, ruler, storage pouch, tabbed section for addresses, notes, restaurants and birthdays. There are also pockets for credit cards. There is a snap closure, and a Kate Spade Leather License Plate signature. Its dimensions are 7.5” height x 7.7” width. It comes in chocolate with an emerald snap closure. Imported. It costs $95.
Purchase: Kate Spade.
The WiFi Multi Media Robot
This small robot by Hammacher Schlemmer can totally make your life easier and safer. It comes with a video camera, microphone, and motion detector. You can use it for surveillance when you go out, or just as a telephone. It is hooked up into your wireless home network.
You can send this robot to do surveillance in particular areas for up to 30 feet away from your router. When it is stationary, it can detect the motion and then send that information to your computer. It will be forwarded to your cell phone, where you can view an intruder with sight and sound, coming straight from the robot’s video camera. Do not worry if it is dark; you have the ability to set off its headlamp using the computer if you need a clearer view. This robot is probably best for people who do not have many pets running around the house, as there will be many false alarms!
You can install this robot’s software onto a computer that has Windows XP or Vista, or on a Macintosh. You have a control interface, where you can control the robot’s movement into any direction. You can view what it is recording out of its video camera, which provides 320 x 240 resolution at 15 fps.
Apart from security, your robot can entertain you. You can assemble it as its typical robot shape, a lunar vehicle or a scorpion. It works by battery, which lasts three hours after a three hour power rest. It can play eight sound effects, and you can hook it up to your computer to play MP3s through its 2-watt speaker.
Ages 8 and up. It retails for $299.95, plus shipping and handling. Its dimensions are: 12 1/2″ in height x 8 3/4″ in width x 8″ in depth. It weighs five pounds. It comes with lifetime guarantee.
Purchase: Hammacher Schlemmer
A Wealthy Player’s Guide To Collecting Vintage Guitars
I’m sure you’ve seen on eBay, or Craiglist:
“All original 1954 Fender Stratocaster. Nothing changed, the guitar has not been refinished, the pots have not been switched out. Everything on the guitar including the 3-way switch knob is bake-lite. It has been in the closet for all these years and you can now own a piece of Fender history. Found it in the attic, after my dad passed away, never played, still has receipt.” Etc. Etc. Etc.
In case you missed it, the ad doesn’t mention anything about how the guitar sounds, and it doesn’t need to. More than likely, it stayed in its case all those years because it never sounded very good. How can I tell just by looking at the pictures or reading the description?
It’s the universal law of music instruments: If they sound good, they’re played, if they don’t sound good, they stay in their case. And with guitars, if they sound good, they’ll be played, and if they sound really good, they’ll be played a lot. Fender’s custom shop guitars and relic series offer the appearance of a vintage guitar, because the idea is, if a guitar looks old it sounds better. But a new guitar made to look old, still sounds new. A guitar is broken in over time, after years of playing, and there’s no way to replicate that without a time machine.
Guitars in pristine condition are either brand new and sound good or old and sound awful (OK, at best). That being said, if you’re looking for a piece to hang on the wall, then by all means pick up the all original Strat, because more than likely you won’t feel bad letting it hang on the wall for another sixty years or so.
But if you’re a wealthy guitar player, looking for an electric guitar that’s going to give you a definitive tone–you can’t get anywhere else–look for the most beat up piece of junk from 1950-1964, have a professional repairman fix what’s absolutely necessary for sound production, no aesthetic repairs, and plug it in to any amp. I promise, you won’t be disappointed. I know I never have.
When we look back at some of the most prized guitars, they are the most worn down, beat, and battered instruments around. Whether it’s Eric Clapton’s “Blackie”, Stevie Ray Vaughn’s “#1″, Rory Gallagher’s Strat, Jimi Hendrix’s custom painted guitar from the Monterey Pop Festival, or even Jimmy Page’s telecaster from his days with The Yardbirds, guitars that look pretty on the wall are easy to find, but a guitar that produces a sound like none other, is a rare find. And when you’re a guitar player you’re not looking for a good guitar, or even a great guitar, you’re looking for the guitar.
Graf von Faber-Castell Perfect Pencil
The Graf von Faber-Castell Perfect Pencil is the top of the line in the writing instrument market.
This company, Graf von Faber-Castell, was started in Nuremberg, Germany, as an industrial company. It has been in business since 1761. In 1839, Baron Lothar von Faber made the first branded writing instrument. The Faber-Castell collection has made instruments ever since, such as pens, pencils, pencil refills and desk sets. They came out with the world’s most expensive pencil in 2008. The Faber-Castell company today is headed by Count Anton Wolfgang von Faber-Castell, an eighth generation family member, who is in his 60s. He believes that pencils go beyond the use of a writing instrument, as they are an outlet for creativity.
This pencil is made out of 240-year-old olive oil wood. It comes with an endpiece, extender and built-in eraser and sharpener, made from 18-karat white gold. The pen cap has three diamonds, as well as the Faber-Castell coat of arms.
Only ninety-nine of these exclusive pencils were created, making it a highly desired collector’s item. It retails for up to $20,800 per pencil.
Luxurious Dog Sofa: Le Corbusier-style
Tired of those old, smelly, hairy pet beds or sofas? Are they just an eyesore against your clean furniture?
There are some high-quality alternatives.
Consider the Dog Sofa Le Corbusier-style. Cats are welcome to use it too, of course. Its style was inspired by the mid-century elegant Le Corbusier human sofas. It will last and surely be in style for many years into the future. It comes available in black, white, tobacco and grey, so there are many options to match your classy interior designs throughout the seasons. Do not worry if your pet sheds a lot. The removable cover is waterproof, and can also be washed. Its frame is fully-welded steel, and you can order it in steel or a black powder coat.
Product details:
- Made in Italy.
- Available in Vinyl or Leather.
- External Dimensions:
- Small: 28.3″L x 18″W x 9″H.
Medium: 31.8″L x 24″W x 9″H.
Large: 43.3″L x 28.7″W x 9″H.
Extra large: 53.1″L x 32.2″W x 9″H. - Internal Dimensions:
- Small: 18.8″L x 13.3″W x 5″H.
Medium: 22.4″L x 19.2″W x 5″H.
Large: 33.8″L x 24″W x 5″H.
Extra large: 43.7″L x 27.5″W x 5″H.
Prices vary from $210-$766.
Purchase: Dog Bar
Toshiba Qosmio X 305-Q708
Feast your senses on the Toshiba Qosmio X 305-Q708.
This luxurious laptop offers some top-of-the line settings for personal and business use. It has one of the best screens accompanied by a remote control. Be aware that Toshiba has moved some keys, for those who use keyboard control. You can watch HD DVDs, as well as burn CDs and DVDs. You can listen to music with its Dolby Home Theater technology that sounds clearer than ever. Toshiba also backs laptops with an industry-standard one-year limited parts-and-labor warranty, as well as 24/7 toll-free support. It retails anywhere between $3,000 and $4,000.
Product Details:
- Processor: Intel Core 2 Extreme Processor QX9300
- Operating System: Genuine Windows Visa Ultimate (32-bit version), SP1
- Memory: 4 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 1066MHz SDRAM
- Display Size: 17.0” widescreen
- Display Type: WSXGA+ with TruBrite Technology
- Display Resolution: 1680×1050
- Graphics Engine: Dual NVIDIA GeFroce 9800 GTS graphics with NVIDIA SLI Technology
- Graphics Memory: 512MBx2 GDDR3 discrete graphics memory, plus up to 1663MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory using NVIDIA TurboCache Technology
- Hard Drive: 448 GB: 128 GB SSD + 320GB (7200rpm)
- Secondary Hard Drive Size: 320 GB 2nd HDD
- Optical Drive: DVD-SuperMulti (+/-R double layer) with Labelflash drive
- Webcam: Webcam and microphone built into LCD bezel
- Wireless: Atheros Wireless LAN (802.11b/g/n); Bluetooth V2.1 + EDR
- Inputs and Controls: CD/DVD Buttons (Play, Pause, Stop, Previous and Next Tracks); Camera Buttons, Dolby settings, Panel Lights, 104 key US keyboard with 10-key pad, Mute Button, Media Button
- Battery: Li-Ion (3200mAh)
- Weight: Starts at 9.04 pounds
Purchase: Toshiba Direct