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Mandarin Oriental Cuisine Takes Flight on Lufthansa
All the business and executive level passengers flying from the US to Germany will now be able to enjoy meals straight from the kitchen of luxury hotel chain Mandarin Oriental. The main attractions are the dishes especially created by award-winning chefs at Mandain Oriental properties in San Francisco, New York and Miami.
The all new collaboration is part of Lufthansa’s Star Chefs Program, which the airline began 12 years ago and will include this year: Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco Executive Sous Chef Annie Hongkham; Mandarin Oriental, New York Executive Chef Toni Robertson; and Mandarin Oriental, Miami Chef de Cuisine Joel Huff.
The initial menus will be from Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco and will feature dishes such as Dungeness crab and avocado salad, served with lemongrass gazpacho dressing; and braised beef short ribs, accompanied by fava bean purée with wasabi and red cabbage slaw in first class. Business class selections will include vegetable nasi goreng, a stir-fried dish spiced with tamarind and chilies, or roasted breast of chicken with savory bread pudding and tarragon jus.
7 Most Over-the-Top Halloween Parties
- Bette Midler’s Hulaween 2008
The actress is known to host an over-the-top Halloween party every year where the dress is “costumes or else” to raise much-needed funding for her New York Restoration Project, but the dancing diva outdid herself in 2008. During cocktails, guests like Martha Stewart, John McEnroe, Pink, and Jimmy Buffet were treated to an assortment of appetizers prepared on-site by chefs like April Bloomfield, David Chang, Tom Colicchio, Fergus Henderson, and Jonathan Waxman. Michael Kors, as always, judged costumes; Alice Waters of Chez Panisse fame was awarded the “Wind Beneath My Wings” award, and Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine finished off the night with an unforgettable concert. This year, you too can attend and rub elbows with guests like Carmelo Anthony, enjoy a menu crafted by the one and only Rick Bayless, and dance along to music icon Stevie Wonder.
2.Heidi Klum’s Halloween Party
Apart from the beautiful looks she is well known for her role on Project Runway, and as the wife of music artist Seal (and the mother of four), but she also throws one unforgettable Halloween party every year. Sometimes it’s in LA (as it was in ’08 and ’09), while in 2010, her 11th annual soiree took place at New York’s LAVO on Halloween Night. Dressed up in red and purple as a robotic superhero, Klum mingled with guests like Ke$ha, Sports Illustrated model Brooklyn Decker, Ashanti, and Kim Kardashian, and sipped on Absolut Bloodys. This year, Klum is taking the red carpet and her over-the-top costumes to Las Vegas for the first time, hosting this year’s party at Tao at The Venetian on Saturday the 29th with one of her favorite DJs, QuestLove. Then, according to Page Six, she’s jetting to NYC to continue the celebrations at the Dream Downtown hotel. (more…)
‘Jeweled Objects of Desire’ exhibition, every collector’s dream
Sidney Mobell knew he wanted to do something extraordinary when he became a jeweler decades ago. So Mobell built a better mousetrap, a sardine can, fishing reel and other ordinary objects “” all dripping in gold and jewels. For those who are really interested in buying these one-off objects, the Jeweled Objects of Desire Exhibition is the place to be.
The exhibition organized at the Headley-Whitney Museum will feature works of art from veteran artists including San Francisco-based jewelry designer Sidney Mobell. Besides a glittering 14 carat gold and diamond mouse trap, his other outrageous work includes a gold garbage can, gold toilet seat, $2 million monopoly set made in rubies, diamonds, sapphires and gold, a gold-plated mailbox, and an elaborate gold and diamond pacifier. Mobell, who grew up in an orphanage in Denver, Colorado, enthralled the art lovers with his unique perception of art and earned himself a place in the in the Guinness Book of World Records.
1870′s half dime sells for over one million dollars
The 1870-S half dime is a small silver coin struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1870. The coin was sold as part of a New Jersey man’s collection of 93 mint-condition half dimes to Laura Sperber, President of Legend Numismatics of Lincroft, New Jersey. The entire collection went for $2.2 million and the 1870-S has a value of $1.4 million. This tiny coin, a forerunner to the modern nickel, was not even known to exist until 1978. There were plans to create the coin but Mint records showed that no 1870-dated half dimes were made at San Francisco Mint. Then in 1978 this coin turned up in Chicago. It was sold for $425,000 and changed hands several times since then. It has been certified genuine by Professional Coin Grading Service of Newport Beach, California.
Louis Vuitton introduces its store in San Francisco
Louis Vuitton surely knows how to win hearts. After wooing the French with their special limited edition Petanque ball set, they are all set to bowl folks from San Francisco with this classy gold charm.
Louis Vuitton surely knows how to win hearts. After wooing the French with their special limited edition Petanque ball set, they are all set to bowl folks from San Francisco with this classy gold charm.
In order to commemorate the reopening of their store in San Francisco, Louis Vuitton has reinterpreted a classic symbol of the city- the cable cars! Louis Vuitton has designed beautiful 18kt yellow gold charms in the shape of the cable cars. These exquisite charms made from 18kt yellow gold are set with 55 diamonds, 8 mandarin garnet and 12 yellow sapphires. All this combined with rd lacquer that exudes elegance and class and makes this charm perfect for wearing in a charm bracelet or as a pendant. The exquisite mini tram rests in a beautiful mini trunk case. Priced at $10,000 this luxurious charm from Louis Vuitton is sure to become a collector’s item.
Westin St. Francis celebrates Christmas with the country’s largest Sugar Palace
Westin St. Francis, a historic luxury hotel in San Francisco has a great treat for all those who have a big sweet tooth. Though this won’t savour your sweet tooth but it will definitely pull you towards it. The Hotel proudly presents the country’s largest sugar palace: 12 feet. Created by Executive Pastry Chef, Jean-Francois HoudreŒ, the rotating palace is displayed in the Landmark Lobby.
The chef has worked day and night for this masterpiece which was originally made in 2005 and the Hotel makes it larger and spectacular every year. It is on display from 24th November-3rd January and is inspired by the French Chateau from Chef Houdre’s hometown of Bordeaux and weighs more than 1200 pounds. The castle has more than 20 grand circular towers, approximately 30 rooms and illuminated windows surrounded by silver sugar trees, stars and snowflakes made out of pastillage, chocolate balls in brilliant colors and elves constructed out of marzipan.
Pangea Ship Company Lucid Marine To Build In the U.S.
The Fort Lauderdale-based Lucid Marine Group is launching a new venture to build superyachts in the U.S. Rusty Preston, formerly of Westport Yachts, and Jeffery Ferguson, former vice president of Christensen Yachts, recently joined Lucid with the goal of developing a new line of semi-custom megayachts. The company also created the Pangea Ship Company, a division that will focus on custom yachts 200′ and larger, to be built at Oregon Iron Works’ (OIW) Swan Island Shipyard in Portland. Lucid Marine President Barin Cardenas says the U.S. offers unique opportunities to address the world’s current backlog in very large yacht orders, with technical expertise that an attractive exchange rate makes more affordable to international buyers.
After multiple visits to shipyards in the U.S. and abroad, Barin and his partners selected OIW, an industrial shipyard with a commercial marine division, founded 1944. With 300,000 sq. feet of manufacturing space, deep water access and technical expertise that earned OIW contracts for the conversion of the space shuttle launch complex, foundations of the new San Francisco Bay Bridge, and demonstration craft for the U.S. Navy, Barin says the shipyard has a unique way of addressing complex manufacturing processes and a solid engineering expertise that will help make Pangea competitive. OIW manager, who see in this new venture an opportunity to diversify its activities, plan to hire specific staff to handle yacht projects.
IWC Ingenieur Mission Earth “Plastiki†Edition Watch
This is the third watch that IWC has produced in honor of their sponsorship of the Plastiki eco-friend boat and Mission Earth. Under development for a years, the Plastiki is a boat that was produced using all recycled plastic bottles. It’s mission was to sail across the Pacific ocean from San Francisco to Sydney with small crew and being totally energy independent. Last year the Plastiki completed its mission.
Before the Plastiki set sail, IWC produced a limited edition watch to celebrate the event. I discussed that watch along with the voyage and the ship previously here. When Plastiki arrived in Sydney, IWC debuted a one of a kind platinum version of the watch that was auctioned off for charity.
Twitter’s Evan Williams San Francisco Estate
Twitter co-founder Evan Williams is cashing in on his success and is putting up his San Francisco penthouse on the luxury real estate market.
The estate features a two-car garage, 11-foot ceilings, remodeled gourmet kitchen and patio city views. Asking price is a reasonable $1.498 million.
Kirk Hammett’s San Francisco Luxury Estate
Welcome to Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett’s luxury estate in San Francisco.
With 8 bedrooms, full music studio, billiard room and bar in basement, this estate will not disappoint. Asking price, $9 million.
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