Privately nestled amongst pine and aspen trees on 67 pristine acres of gently rolling topography, yet just minutes to the slopes of Snowmass & the bustle of downtown Aspen, this exquisite Owl Creek estate offers the unrivaled splendor of the quintessential mountain living experience. “Elk Song Ranch” offers numerous ways to indulge your passions, whether you wish to skate or play hockey on the large frozen pond, ride your horse on the many trails throughout the ranch, relax on the sun-drenched deck next to the elegant swimming pool, snowmobile or cross country ski around the property, or simply curl up to watch a movie in the intimate theater. The luxurious living accommodations include 7 bedrooms, 7 full baths, 3 half-baths, approximately 20,000 square feet, gracious foyer with grand staircase, large great room with sunken bar, floor to ceiling windows, gourmet kitchen with top of the line appliances, formal dining room, fully equipped exercise room, game room with billiards & pinball, and expansive master suite with his and her bathrooms, abundant closet space, cozy sitting area, attached office, and inviting outdoor space with hot tub. The expansive outdoor patios are perfect for entertaining, whether hosting a large dinner party, wedding reception, corporate meeting, or something a bit more intimate. Breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and open meadows complete the package!

Offered @ $49,750,000 Fully Furnished

Contact Doug Leibinger @ 970.379.9045 or doug@AspenAreaProperty.com. Or visit www.AspenAreaProperty.com.

Ever wonder what the night-owls are doing while you’re sleeping? Well, now you can find out. Miami is gearing up for its annual run of high-season festivals, and none is making us want to take an anticipatory-nap more than the Sleepless Night event, set to take place from 6pm on Saturday, November 7, 2009 until 7am the next morning.

Miami Beach’s Sleepless Night participants will be staying up all night to be a part of the throngs of people who neglect shut-eye for the evening and experience more than 150 free arts and entertainment events presented at 80 different locations throughout the city. The event is expected to attract more than 100,000 people from all walks of life who will enjoy activities such as, free museum admissions, indoor and outdoor art installations and performances, architectural tours, dance shows, theater, music, slam poetry, film, video, fashion, acrobatics, comedy, and more.

The city collaborates with every available local cultural institution and numerous organizations, businesses, and individuals to make each year’s Sleepless Night one to remember. All aspects of what is considered as “the arts” will be included in the event, ensuring there is truly something for everyone.

There will be free shuttle busses with pamphlets onboard to give you the “where’s what” of each activity in all zones of the event over the course of the 13-hour night. For those who enjoy a late night but are unable to make it through the entire evening of activities, the Caltalina Hotel is the official hotel of the event and they are currently offering room deals for the evening.

Via: Sleepless Nights

Ever since this summer the residents of the College Terrace neighborhood of Palo Alto, California, have been rubbing elbows with true social networking royalty. Public records confirm that Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim live in this modest area neighboring Stanford University.  But according to a Gawker tipster, now Zuckerberg and Karim live side by side on the same street.

Zuckerberg must have have angered some neighbors in order for them to be ratting out his address. Apparently Facebook’s fast-growing company has been taking up all the residential parking spaces in the area from mid-morning to early evening. The company apparently isn’t providing enough spots for their employees. Residents have urgently been trying to instill residential parking permits for the neighborhood in an effort to restore their once-unclogged streets.

Residents have called the city in order to allow for a re-vote on an issue that wasn’t a priority until after the Facebook situation arrived on their block. Brent Barker, the Facebook liaison for the College Terrace Residents Association, said, “The first two days were probably the worst. It was much like if you went out of your house and your neighbor was having a party so that the streets were filled. It feels like a party all week long, and then on the weekends it breaks.”

While the company is trying to ease the strain as best as possible, their two company lots and shuttles are clearly not sufficient. Mark should probably get on that before the residents start to take real action or divulge any more pertinent information about his company.

Via: Gawker, Santa Cruz Sentinel

One of Disney’s main men, Robert Iger is losing patience with Hollywood and is drawing the line in a move very reminiscent of previous Disney executive Jeffery Katzenberg’s in 1991. Like Katzenberg did with a memo to bigwigs in the movie industry, Iger is now telling Hollywood he’s seen enough big-budget spending and that smarter spending is well overdue.

But in an industry that is built around frivolous and over the top spending, how realistic is it to think that small-scale projects are the answer? Those are what make for B-grade movies that have little, if any, time in theatres, not mega box office hits that make the movie world go round. Sure, it’s a nice thought, but in Hollywood, I would say more so an afterthought, and definitely close to impossible. I commend Iger for standing up for what he truly believes in, but perhaps the movie making industry is not the business he should have chosen for himself if cutting back costs are on his lists of things to do, especially working for Disney, an entity that’s the driving force behind massive amounts of revenue.

And here’s the other thing – Iger wants to significantly decrease spending, cutting corners and pinching pennies wherever possible. But do you think for one minute that this new, more efficient way of spending is going to affect his or any other head honcho of Disney’s salary and lifestyle? I think not. I could be completely incorrect here, but I just can’t see Iger ridding of what are likely, his beautiful, opulent home furnishings, taking them to his local thrift store, and then replacing them with IKEA pieces to be more in line with his company’s new way of spending and, ultimately, way of living. So I say, when it comes to Hollywood and creating movie masterpieces, go big or go home. This is certainly not the industry to try and cut corners. That’s why, worldwide, we go to movie theatres and take in films. It’s definitely not for a B or C-grade movie with bad acting and shoddy production.

Via: Gawker

With the death of some major celebrities in the recent years, it’s obvious that it’s the end of an era and times are changing. We’ve come a long way from the times when you couldn’t turn on the television set without seeing Michal Jackson sipping a Pepsi can or seeing Farrah Faucet in one of her countless cosmetic or shampoo endorsements.

These mega stars could never be replaced in the eyes of viewers and readers, so ads are no longer able to reach the statures they once reached. Nowadays the only programming on the small screen that has attracted such massive audiences to rival the 80s are the Super Bowl and the Oscars. As we flip through magazines we are seeing more and more celebrities being replaced by supermodels. Instead of Anne Hathaway, Beyonce, and Angelina Jolie, Lancome now has Dara Werbowy, Micheal Kors has Carmen Kass, and Bulgari has Jessica Stam.

Via: Style Section LA

As a writer, there is little that tickles my spontaneous-purchase fancy more than a beautiful writing instrument. Fortunately for me, and less fortunately for my bank account, Montblanc are constantly providing solace for my cravings in the form of limited edition fountain pens, among a multitude of other beautiful products.

The latest writer’s treat coming out of Montblanc is the limited edition Diego Rivera fountain pen. Entering into the company’s diversified portfolio of collector’s pens, the Diego Rivera soundly qualifies as one of the most unique, beautiful and mechanically elegant fountain pens available.

The recently introduced Diego Rivera Limited Edition was conceived to honor Mexican artist, Diego Rivera, and is a true testament to the Swiss company’s superb artistic craftsmanship.

The barrel of the pen is made of solid gold embellished with a black lacquer patter which lends to the instrument’s uniqueness. The cap features a complex design, assembled from a finely delineated large 18 karat gold construct with a black sapphire trimming and a finely shaped handmade joint with a rhodium coated 18 karat gold nip.

Via: Gentleman’s Gadgets

When the French-born Dominque Crenn was named a “chef to watch” in 2007, and went on to receive a “Best Chef of the Year” award in 2008, we knew that 2009 would be one of her yummiest years yet. The Iron Chef competitor has not disappointed her legion of foodie fans with the seasonal, “New American” cuisine that she serves up at Luce in the InterContinental hotel.

In fact, her menu has had the town talking so loudly that the powers that be at Michelin descended upon her dining room and awarded the restaurant its first coveted star.

Armed with a culinary background that is rooted in French classics, she has shown off her skills for such dignitaries as Al Gore, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and the Japanese and Egyptian Ambassadors to France, as well as celebrities like Juliette Binoche, Sidney Poitier, Sharon Stone, and Cindy Lauper.

Her menu has been likened to an 18th century farmer’s table, with an autumn vegetable medley appetizer; roasted in-bone marrow with garlic confit, fried capers gremolata and grilled bread; and Niman Ranch tenderloin slow-cooked with parsnips and brussel sprouts all making grand appearances. And when Merriam-Webster added the word “locavore” to the list of official new words for 2009, they certainly had Chef Crenn in mind, as she is adamant about supporting sustainable agriculture practices and local farmers who offer organic delights. She also incorporates philanthropy into her kitchen practices, donating a portion of the proceeds from particular plates to the San Francisco Meals on Wheels nonprofit organization.

Congratulations to Luce and Chef Crenn.

Via Hotel Chatter

Newlywed Ivanka Trump can’t seem to catch a break. Just days after her fairytale wedding to New York Observer publisher, Jared Kushner, she’s not only back to work, but she’s also already swatting off deceptive stories about her wedding day.

The Post gossip columnist, Cindy Adams, has reportedly revealed details about the Trump wedding that are, let’s just say, less than accurate. Adams is said to have reported that a flyer for Trump golf properties was included in the invitations to the nuptials, among other apparently false allegations. The business-minded and sophisticated Ivanka isn’t taking the rumors lightly, and she is rebutting before the gossip gains any momentum.

“Cindy Adams neither attended nor was invited to my wedding, and her story was filled with various inaccuracies, including those about the weather and the ‘marketing flyer’ included in the invitation, which were both easily fact-checkable,” says Ivanka.
Adams admits she wasn’t, in fact, at the wedding, but claims, “Half of the guests called me afterward. A lot of people got the marketing flyer.” Ivanka whole-heartedly disputes the allegations and rightfully adds, “My wedding was a private, perfect occasion, the memories from which I will treasure for a lifetime.”

Via: Gothamist

It looks like there’s a new guy on Barbie’s block giving classic Ken a run for his money. “Palm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken” is new to the neighborhood and is making the old Ken look a bit out of date. Mattel’s recent creation is dressed to the nines in white slacks, a crisp, flashy green jacket, and even a pink polo shirt, representing South Florida’s leisure style to the fullest. Sugar Daddy is the latest addition to the popular line of Palm Beach Barbie, which already includes Palm Beach Coral Barbie and Palm Beach Caftan Barbie. Sugar Daddy Ken also appropriately comes with a small white dog on a leash. Barbie better watch out,  it looks like she’s got some major competition.

But Mattel isn’t aiming this latest and greatest Ken version to its normal Barbie-playing youth. Instead, the toy is bringing full-blown Barbie joy to us, supposed mature, grown adults. It’s not very likely that children would comprehend the total concept of “Palm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken” anyway. So this South Florida fashionista stud of a man, er, I mean doll, has been added to the adult Barbie Collector Line. Who even knew there was such a thing? But before you go making any assumptions about Ken and his sugar daddy ways, let’s get one thing straight — his “sugar daddy” reference has nothing to do with his fortunes or him scooping up significantly younger blonde Barbie babes, at least that’s what Mattel says. Instead, they say it refers to his little while dog, Sugar. So quite literally, he’s Sugar’s daddy. Oh thank you Mattel! I can now rest easier knowing that “Palm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken” isn’t so shallow and pompous after all.

Via: The NY Post

As the year begins to draw to a close, the inclination to reflect on all that 2009 has brought can be hard to resist. One of the biggest evaluations of the last year of the decade will certainly revolve around the economic sector. And while many lost their shirts when the real estate bubble burst and soaked the masses through and through, there is one element that emerged victorious through it all.

Gold has been one of the stable investments to survive and thrive despite this year’s shift in global assets. Earlier this month, the gold-fixing prices in New York for a full-sized gold bar were approximately $466,000. And with the prices reaching a record-high in 2008, so much so that suppliers fought to meet the demand, capitalistic notions could not be resisted.

Harrods in London is hoping to jump out in front of the gold rush with its newest product line: bars of pure Swiss gold bullion. The luxury department store in Knightsbridge has put on display a miniature vault on the lower ground floor where customers can purchase anything from one-gram gold bars that are small enough in size to squeeze into a lipstick case, to the typical bar depicted in grand capers on the silver screen. Also featured in the new gold line up is a collection of coins that includes the British Sovereign, Australian Kangaroo, and American Gold Eagle.

As the Times Online recently reported, Chris Hall, head of Harrods Gold Bullion, said, “For many people this is a new and unfamiliar asset class that demands absolute trust. Up until now, however, London has had no well-recognized name serving this market. Harrods saw the opportunity to help individuals buy physical gold in a prudent manner.” And with the first-day sales reportedly quite successful, Hall was perhaps right on target in defining the Harrods customer as one “who might make a serious investment opportunity.”

Harrods is the first boutique in London to offer customers a method for making such an investment in the store.

Via: Times Online