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July 31st, 2009Uncategorized
A Scottish hotel has created a coffee blended to pair with a whisky. The Cuillin Hills blend was created by the Cuillin Hills hotel on Skye to match whisky from the island's Talisker distillery. The blend was created by Edinburgh Tea and Coffee Company to the specification of Peter Sim, the hotel's general manager and is a mixture of Indonesian and South American beans. The Talisker 18-year-old was used as the pairing companion but the coffee will work with any whisky. The blend has notes of dark chocolate, caramel and toffee with hints of liquorice and cinnamon. Sims says the coffee was developed to "complement and showcase malt whisky as the ideal after dinner drink."
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July 30th, 2009Uncategorized
Once the home of a Chicago Cubs owner, this green-roofed, hilltop Georgian colonial has breathtaking views of Avalon harbor. The inn was selected by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler as one of the best places to stay in the world.
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July 29th, 2009Uncategorized
Kate Moss doesn’t give much thought to how she looks, she has said.
The supermodel said she just pulls clothes out of her wardrobe and hopes for the best.
“My looks just happen. I put things together from my wardrobe and see what works and feels right,” she said.
The catwalk beauty, 35, revealed that her globetrotting lifestyle help to inspire her latest collection for fashion giant, Topshop.
She told a US newspaper: “My constant travelling to hot places and long summer holidays with family and friends [inspire me]. The right holiday wardrobe is essential.”
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July 28th, 2009UncategorizedDeal of the Day Good news for Ritz-Carlton fans: This summer you can stay for three nights, pay for two; stay for five, pay for three; or stay for a week, pay for four. This last scores the biggest discount, at 43% off.
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July 27th, 2009Uncategorized"Are there any restaurants around the hotel?"
"Yes, sir; we are located on the corner of ____ and ____ so we are in the heart of Manhattan."
"Are any restaurants there?"
"Absolutely, sir. Are you looking for a spercific cuisine?"
"No, we'll eat anything."
"How would you like to dress? Do you want to wear a jacket or would you rather something casual?
"It doesn't matter."
"Did you have a time in mind."
"We'll eat any time."
"There's a wonderful Japanese restaurant called Geisha that ---"
"No, we don't like any of that crazy stuff."
"An excellent choice might be the Mediterranean menu at Amaranth where ---"
"Mediterwhat? Is that one of those European places? No we don't want any of that fancy stuff. Don't you have a real restaurant nearby? Like French?"
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July 26th, 2009Uncategorized
Add another to our list of slow-selling celebrities (sports stars edition). Dan Marino has had his Weston, Florida compound on the market for around three years. It was once listed at $15.9 million but now, as the Wall Street Journal's Private Properties reports, the famous quarterback will throw in $1.5 million worth of designer furniture and a signed football, too. Marino and his wife Claire are now asking $13.5 million for the 15,000-square-foot Tuscan home. The couple is looking to downsize but it has been slow going.
The Mediterranean-style villa is on a four-acre spot in the Windmill Ranch Estates community. It is surrounded by a lake with fresh bass. The home's large pool area connects the main house with other areas. The property has two guest houses, staff quarters, an exercise room and a wine cellar. There are ten bedrooms total. Even with the over $2 million discount it may take Marino a while longer to sell this home.
Experience more lush living in luxury homes and mansions or see the stars living large with celebrity homes galleries at AOL Real Estate.
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July 25th, 2009Uncategorized
It turns out that Victoria Gotti and her family will be staying in their Old Westbury, New York home a bit longer. Newsday says that the reality TV star, gossip columnist and mob princess is working in a deal with the government that will keep the home from foreclosure. Gotti has said that she needed money owed to her by her ex-husband, Carmine Agnello from their divorce to pay her mortgage. and Agnello has said he needs cash to pay off a $10 million forfeiture judgment related to his racketeering conviction.
Gotti may be cutting a deal with the government that would give her title to a dozen properties that Agnello was looking to sell to raise money. Agnello's mother's name is on the deeds of three parcels that were supposed to be part of the package but lawyers for Gotti and the government said they are working toward a deal on the remaining commercial properties. Once she gets the money Gotti will have to pay off back taxes and other claims and could get enough money together to save her home. There is an outstanding $700,000 loan against the property. Gotti has claimed that Agnello secretly took out the mortgage on the mansion saying that she had given him power of attorney. The home was most recently on the market for $2.9-$3.2 million.
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July 24th, 2009Uncategorized
Peter Andre was reportedly locked out of the £3million mansion he shares with wife Katie Price after she reportedly changed the security alarm code following their split.
Katie, 30, is preparing to jet back to the UK from her Maldives resort for crisis talks with hubby Peter, 36, after they announced their separation.
Peter is said to be staying with his manager Claire at her West Sussex home.
A pal said: “They have both tried to keep the break-up as civilised as they can, but with emotions running so high, this has proven nigh-on impossible.”
Katie flew to the Maldives with the couple’s two children Junior, three, and Princess Tiaamii, one, while her older son Harvey remained in the UK.
The pal added: “Pete’s main priority now is to see his children, and spend some much-needed time with them. He is house-hunting, looking for a place to rent with an option on it to buy.”
The pal added: “Kate’s made it clear he can’t go back to their current home and as they sold their old place in Brighton, Pete is technically homeless.”
The pal added: “He’ll be moving his stuff out piecemeal over the next few days, and has enlisted his brothers to help him choose a new pad. It must be within a 30-minute drive of his kids.”
The pal added: “I don’t think either Pete or Kate wanted to divorce - but sadly that’s the way it all seems to be heading. Pete’s is a real family man and is desperate for joint custody of the children, so he doesn’t want to upset or antagonise Kate any more than he has to.”
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July 23rd, 2009UncategorizedFollowing are some practical tips to make sure your guests are comfortable at your outdoor wedding.
- Consider hosting your outdoor wedding in the evening! If you are having an outdoor wedding in the late spring or summer when and where the weather gets very hot, ideally you should host your wedding in the evening when the sun is about to set (no sooner than six o’clock). In this way, the sun is not directly shining down on your guests. This is especially important if you are having your outdoor ceremony some place that is overlooking the water because not only is the sun directly shining down, but it is also reflecting back from the water.
- Choose a location that offers shade! In some outdoor venues you may be able to setup in an area that’s shaded or at least next to a shaded area. This is important if you are hosting your wedding outside early in the day when the sun is the highest in the sky. If your outdoor wedding site does not offer any shade consider only hosting the ceremony outside. Even then, you should invest in paper parasols and fans for your guests. Trust me they do come in handy, and of course they make for great favors. Otherwise, if your entire event will be outside, you really should consider having a tent wedding.
- Keep your guests hydrated! This seems like a given, but I think it is worth mentioning. As your guests are arriving to your ceremony have your hosts to pass out chilled water bottles as your guests are being seated. If you want to spruce up the water bottles, you can order personalized labels in your wedding colors to put on them. As I always say, personalization is everything.
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July 22nd, 2009Uncategorized1. You may not sit anywhere near us while we are eating. Begging is unacceptable and we never share our food with you. Any acceptable leftovers (see my blog on forbidden foods) will be placed inside of food-stuffed toys, put in the freezer, and used as an occupier for you at a later point. We use the command "out" and "stay" and our dogs recognize us as a leaders and do not beg since we've always been consistent.
2. You may not steal food from your brother. For mealtime, you will hold a sit-stay with your food in the bowl in front of you, you may begin eating when we give you the release word- Okay.
3. Snuggling on the couch, kissing, nuzzling, bellyrubs, are highly encouraged. You must respond to "off" when it is time for you to get off the couch. You are not permitted on any furniture but the couch.
4. Tucker will always be in his crate at night or in unsupervised times for his first year, crate training is amazing when done properly. Since Tucker is in the crate, Marley is too so he doesn't taunt him. Both dogs love their crate and go running into their dens with the command "go to bed." We randomly put treats and other food stuffed toys in their crates, making it a wonderful destination for them.
5. Make friends and be outgoing! Please warmly welcome our two and four-legged guests into our home, give them lots of attention, play, and snuggle with them.
6. No sleeping in our bed. As a special treat (2-3times a year), we might invite you for snuggle time in the bed but you'll have plenty of snuggle time on the couch.
7. No chasing or whining at the cats when we're in Vermont at your grandparent's house.
8. You may only chew on your toys. I do not give my dogs stuffed animal toys because they're too similar to clothes and shoes and I do not want my dogs to mistake our things for a toy.
9. Going for a walk outside, you will heel nicely, respond to sit, down, stay, look, leave it, hand target, and calmly greet people and dogs or you will not say hello at all- pulling, barking, or jumping is unacceptable and will not be rewarded. You will also sit or lay down in the elevator the entire time so as not to disturb other people.
10. This goes without saying, but no going to the bathroom in the house! An occassional excitement pee is unavoidable but highly discouraged.