Thompson Hotels, a collection of urban luxury hotels in the most vibrant cities across the United States, has unveiled its newest branch in the heart of New York City’s illustrious Financial District. Titled Gild Hall, the hotel is intended to bring the period of wealth and opulence, coined by Mark Twain The Gilded Age, back to Wall Street and has already established itself an integral part of the Downtown renovation efforts. Jason Pomerane, co-owner of Thompson Hotels, explains, “In an effort to assist in the restoration of the area, we spent years searching for our perfect position in the neighborhood. It is our hope that both the hotel and restaurant will support the revival of the area and afford an elegant and historic haven for travelers and locals alike.” The hotel offers 126 rooms including 116 deluxe rooms, eight King suites, a signature Thompson Suite, and an 18th floor Penthouse. Each room features the finest linens by Sferra, bath products by Kiehls, and mini fridges stocked with fresh goods from Dean & Deluca. Already a favorite amongst locals and guests alike, The Libertine Restaurant and Pub created by celebrity chef and restaurateur Todd English offers a delectable selection of traditional pub fare with a modern twist. For more information on the hotel, visit www.thompsonhotels.com or call 212.232.7700.
Super broker Paula Del Nunzio, of Brown Harris Stevens fame, manages to have a pretty pleasant outlook for New York’s luxury real estate market, despite the economic indicators that should have her waking up with night terrors. But the wealth of her experience (Del Nunzio sold New York’s most expensive townhouse–twice) has allowed her to keep cool during the real estate meltdown. During a conversation with the Observer’s Max Abelson at the Four Seasons last week, she shares some of the reasons for her optimism. Some of our favorite excerpts are below; click through for the entire conversation.
“The thing is always supply and demand. And if you talk about the upper end of the townhouse segment, you have very limited supply, and you always seem to have a greater demand. For example, if you wanted a 20-foot renovated house between Fifth and Madison, you have three choices.”
“…if you look at real estate over time in New York, especially houses, they have, over time, appreciated in value.”
“Buying a piece of art is a discretionary purchase. Buying a residence is something you need. It’s going to rain; you have to go inside. If you don’t want water on your head, you have to buy a residence of some sort.”
While the anticipation continues to rise for President-elect Obama’s Inauguration Day, news of the brand-new, still-in-the-works presidential limo has leaked, and it is receiving some well-deserved hype. During his campaign, Obama promoted hybrid vehicles, and come January 20th, he’ll be stepping into his very own hybrid Cadillac for a two-mile cruise down Pennsylvania Avenue during the inaugural parade. The vehicle is already receiving flack for its visual aesthetic, but is filled with state-of-the-art technology to protect the president in every situation imaginable. Eight-inch thick doors, pump action shotguns, a hidden oxygen supply, and vials of the president’s blood (in case of a necessary transfusion) are all hidden within the indestructible Cadillac’s armor-like exterior shell. “Cadillac is honored to serve and renew this great tradition,” said GM spokeswoman Joanne K. Krall, “And it is entirely appropriate that an American president has at his service a great American vehicle.
In recent years the media has taken special notice of Ivanka Trump’s inherited flair for business, and she certainly displayed her comprehension of the market last week during an exclusive interview on CNBC. The business-savvy beauty and executive vice president of development and acquisitions for the Trump Organization articulated her opinion that the New York City real estate market is currently full of great opportunities for developers who have cash to spend, and also that, for the first time in quite awhile, buyers of both commercial and residential real estate finally have some pull to negotiate sellers down. Trump also predicted, as many have, that the market will get worse before it gets better, but positively concluded that when debt become available, there will be some phenomenal deals as well. As far as her father’s business goes, the young Trump explained, “We are very well positioned to take advantage of great opportunities.”
From the driveway you already get the feeling that there is a 10,000 square foot Mediterranean fortress of quality standing in front of you. The layering of stonework, the attention to detail in the architecture, and the quality level of construction are solid clues that this is not your typical Florida developer house. The magnificent entry doors welcome you to a broad, expansive living room and fireplace which flows calmly into a modern lifestyle kitchen and breakfast area- all of which open into the amazing landscape of an enormous backyard and sculptural pool. Only from the huge entertainment terraces can you get the sense of the size of this lot, nearly 70,000 square feet. From the open kitchen one can access a formal naturally-lighted dining room either through the hallway or through a butler’s set up pantry for larger, more formal entertaining. A full servants quarters exists nearby, along with full laundry, and guest powder room. On the other side of the main floor is a huge master suite with warm wood floors and excellent views of the gardens and the pool. In this suite is separate his and hers baths, simply amazing closets, and the bedroom from heaven. On the second level and the landing of the stairs is a very large game room and entertainment den for the enjoyment of the lucky guests upstairs. Here four large bedrooms with individual ensuite baths peacefully co-exist. One of these could easily convert to a media room if you feel the enormous den is somehow not for “shared” theater.
A step beyond the main house is the stuff of dreams for car collectors, space for six cars away from the elements. If you have not quite built up your car collection just yet, one of these charming buildings could be converted to a full on gym or an “in laws” quarters. Personally I’d be tempted to build somewhere else on those 70,000 square feet of lands for the in laws if they were here for the winter and quickly buy a few more antique cars…
Fully loaded with every imaginable feature, on two acres in one of Miami’s most sought after Village of Pinecrest’ locations.
Offered @ $5,540,000
Contact The Rex Hamilton Corporation @ 305-441-2828 or info@rexhamilton.com. Or visit www.rexhamilton.com
It has just been announced that the annual Winter Antiques Show in New York City will be hosted at the Park Avenue Armory from January 22 through February 1. This winter will mark the sale’s 55th year as the most prestigious antique show in the U.S., featuring the best of the best from antiquities through Art Deco. Seventy-five exhibitors in total will display their finest pieces from periods of American history, including Folk Art, Native American Art, Colonial, Federal, and aesthetic movement pieces. This year there also will be a large array of silver, paintings, prints, rare books, and autographs, in addition to a collection of the best English, European and Asian antiques, including highly coveted Renaissance Manuscripts. In celebration of the show, the opening night, taking place January 22, will be hosted by Honorary Chairman James R. Houghten and Opening Night Party Co-Chairs Brian and Leslie Brille. Philanthropist’s tickets are available for purchase for a tax-deductible $2,500 per person; proceeds benefit East Side Housing Development. Last year’s guests included Mayor Bloomberg, Lucinda Ballard, and Pamela Fior, and this year’s event will be sure to draw an equally impressive guest list.
Last night’s Golden Globes kicked off the award season in Hollywood, and in just a few days an alternative to Hollywood, Sundance Film Festival will begin. The non-profit Sundance Organization throws the event to advance the work of independent artists in film, theatre, and film music, and films are categorized by drama, short film, and documentary. The annual event founded in 1985 has continued to highlight each year’s newest filmmaking talent and is filled with live music, panel discussions led by filmmaking industry leaders, and parties. The Festival selects 200 films for exhibition from more than 9,000 submissions. More than 50,000 people attend the screenings in twelve theaters in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. Included in the list of official Sundance theatres is Robert Redford’s resort, also named Sundance. The 5,000-acre destination recently ranked second in the country by Conde Nast Traveler’s reader poll. So, if you’re torn where to stay, the Redford compound might be the best venue.
After a financially glum 2008, it seems as though many individuals have taken a turn to optimism, and the chosen color of the year proves this. The world-renowned authority on color, Pantone, Inc., has announced the official for 2009 to be Mimosa. The felicitous color will undoubtedly be prevalent throughout boutiques and in design motifs. Last year’s chosen hue was “Blue Iris” which made huge strides in the fashion and design worlds. There were even claims that “purple was the new black,” though many disputed this statement. The Pantone Color institute explains the decision for 2009 saying, “The color yellow exemplifies the warmth and nurturing quality of the sun, properties we as humans are naturally drawn to for reassurance. Mimosa also speaks to enlightenment, as it is a hue that sparks imagination and innovation; a little yellow can go a long way.” It will be interesting to see where and when this hue shows up.
For those in need ski adventure, we’ve scoured the mountains-in the U.S. and overseas-and finally found the ultimate destination: Les Fermes de Marie hotel and spa. The hot spot offers utter luxury without compromising an ounce of that refreshing mountain charm. Nestled in the idyllic Megeve, France, minutes from the center of town, this compound is a true oasis and the perfect resting spot after a long day of hard skiing. The private chalets accommodate up to five people and each is home to numerous fireplaces, saunas and private terraces. For those taking a day off from the slopes, the spa holds 17 treatment rooms, indoor swimming pool and offers a variety of vegetable and mineral treatments. For dining, Les Fermes de Marie offers five different restaurants that range from traditional après ski grub, to the finest of five star French dining. The best skiing combined with unparalleled mountain ambiance and charm make this resort and spa a must-visit destination. Happy skiing! For more information visit http://www.fermesdemarie.com/
In December, Starbucks took delivery of a new Gulfstream 550 corporate jet, unfortunate timing after a year of store closures, layoffs and declining sales. Deb Trevino, a company spokeswoman said that Starbucks ordered the G5.5 three years ago and began paying for it when SBUX was flying high. The latte titan won’t divulge the specific price point of the purchase, but the Gulfstream 550’s going rate is approximately $45 million (with an operational cost of about $3,000 per hour, as well as per annum maintenance cost of around $810,000). Since plane buyers have to pay a fee to cancel a contract order, by the time Starbucks’ began facing its 2008 downturn, the company had already helped pay to build it. Plus, canceling the order would have been cost-prohibitive. So the biz jet arrived at Boeing Field on Dec. 17, and then flew to Van Nuys airport in California the next day. On Dec. 19, it flew to Kona International in Hawaii, and then on to Honolulu. The plane stayed in Honolulu from Dec. 19 until Jan. 2, when it flew back to Boeing Field, according to data on FlightAware.com. No official word on who were the passengers. Starbucks also owns a 2004 Bombardier. An older, third jet is in the process of being sold.
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Miami
Feb/March 2012
