The J. Gilbert Footwear Boutique in Tucson

These boots were made for … showin’ off. The J. Gilbert Footwear Collection by Lucchese concept store in Old Town Scottsdale offers handmade, custom-designed boots made from the finest quality leathers, including premium Italian leather linings.

With more than 70 exclusive styles available for men and women, the store offers men’s sizes ranging from 7 to 15 D, EE and EEE, and women’s sizes ranging from size 5 to 11 B. If those numbers and letters don’t mean anything to you, don’t worry — staff members are trained to help you choose the boot that will provide you with the most comfortable fit.

Some of the highly sought-after boot brands carried at J. Gilbert Footwear stores include Thierry Rabotin, Taryn Rose, Robert Clergerie, Arche, Salpy, Old Gringo and more. But be sure to ask a boutique representative about the Lucchese styles, as the store has a particularly special partnership with that boot maker — the J. Gilbert Boot Collection is handmade by Lucchese and is available exclusively through J. Gilbert Footwear.

You’ll notice several ready-to-wear pairs lining the shelves when you enter the store, but where the boutique really shines is its ability to offer clients the opportunity to create their very own custom boots. Choose from a number of materials, including such exotics as python and ostrich, as well as from a number of tooling techniques, stitch patterns and other leathers, to create a pair that reflects your personality. The boutique’s experts will provide guidance throughout the entire design process to ensure the finished pair looks great and fits like a glove. Er, we mean like a well-designed boot.

John Gilbert and Kathy Robertson opened J. Gilbert Footwear in downtown Seattle in the upscale Belltown District in 1989. A little over a decade later, they opened their second location in the Historic Casas Adobes Plaza in Tucson, and in 2009, The J. Gilbert Footwear Collection by Lucchese concept store opened in Southbridge in Scottsdale.

Now kick up your heels and head down to the shop to check out their unique Western footwear, clothing and accessories.

The J. Gilbert Footwear Collection by Lucchese is located at 7134 E. Stetson Drive in Scottsdale 480.994.2233

courtesy of dc real estate

Mercedes owners will soon have a reason to love leaving their cars for service—that is if they own a unit upstairs. There’s a Chrysler Building, a General Motors Building, and now the Mercedes House, a soon-to-be apartment complex at 53rd Street and 11th Avenue in Clinton, across the street from De Witt Clinton Park.

Two Trees Management is developing a 30-story building to house a Mercedes showroom and service center on the bottom floors, police horse stables, and 850 units to be leased and purchased. According The New York Times, David C. Walentas, the founder Two Trees, explained why he chucked the original name, Clinton Park by saying, “People are going to call it Mercedes House no matter what we call it, so why not just call it that?”

The $550 million rental and condominium project will be constructed in two separate phases. The first is slated to be completed in May when auto sales should begin. Two hundred and fifty rental units, ranging from 460-square-foot studios to 1,000-square-foot two-bedrooms, boasting oak floors, 10-foot ceilings, washers and dryers, and some with terraces will also become available at that time.

courtesy of mercedes house

The goal, Mr. Walentas said, was to afford westward views for as many units as possible, since views to the east would be stunted by a looming Verizon switching tower. West-facing windows will overlook Clinton Park, with views of the Hudson River.

Rents will range from about $2,800 a month, for studios, to $5,900 a month for two-bedrooms. Two Trees is offering a free month’s rent as an incentive to compensate for the fact that the building is still under construction. According to Mr. Walentas by mid-April, after only a week of promotion, 18 units had leased. The second phase, which will begin this summer, will add an additional 600 units to the site. Of those, 40 will be rentals and 200 condos.

courtesy of city realty

The impressive outdoor amenities will offer plenty of green space, an amphitheater, community garden, a large circular pool, surrounded by wooden decks and landscaping, and an whimsical stair-step effect owing to the large number of setbacks, so pronounced that much of the roof line of the building, which has been designed by TEN Arquitectos, resembles an ethereal staircase.

As per the deal hashed out with the city, Mercedes House design will embrace a different kind of horse power with on-site stables for 22 police mounts, since their previous home at Pier 76 is being turned into an extension for Hudson River Park.

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Samantha Ronson kicks off her residency at Chateau.

Chateau Nightclub & Gardens at Paris Las Vegas started the weekend of with a bang as DJ Samantha Ronson kicked of her residency and Entourage star Dania Ramirez hosted at Vegas’ newest hot spot on Friday.

Ready to get the party started Ramirez walked the red carpet wearing a white Georges Chakra dress and Versace heels. Ronson played it cool and casual wearing a T-shirt and jeans.

Once inside the club, Ramirez and her entourage drank Champagne and Ciroc vodka with juice mixers as party-goers tried to get a peek at the beautiful Dominican actress.

Ronson, a professional at hyping the crowd, made Chateau go crazy when she hit the turntables for her Vegas residency and played for two hours including such songs as Enrique Iglesias’ “Baby I Like It” and Katy Perry’s “Firework.”

Also seen at Chateau were Playmates Kelly Carrington and Carmella DeCesare. The girls partied the night away dancing in their VIP booth, while a few booths down NFL player Jeff Garcia as well as comedian David Spade were spotted enjoying Vegas’ sexiest nightclub.

Click on the photos below to enlarge.

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Kelly Bensimon celebrated her birthday at Tao Beach.

Kelly Killoren Bensimon celebrated her birthday at Tao’s Worship Thursday last night. The Real Housewives of New York star, who turns 43 on Sunday, first dined at Tao Asian Bistro. Joined by friends, Bensimon enjoyed Buddha chicken, satay bass and fried rice before heading up to the nightclub, where they sat in the upper moat sky box. There they sipped Champagne and Mojitos and danced to the sounds of DJ Five before Bensimon was surprised with a pink birthday cake in honor of the celebration.

Bensimon continued her birthday celebration at Tao Beach at the Venetian, taking in the pool’s SKAM Artist Friday featuring DJs Sam Young, Fashen and Cheap Shot. The former model shed a white day dress to reveal a purple print bikini. Bensimon soaked in the sun with friends including her glam squad hair and make-up team and posed for photos with fans who came by to celebrate with the Real Housewives of New York star. She was surprised with a Tao Beach-themed birthday cake delivered with a parade of blow up animals as the crowd cheered.

Click on the photos below to enlarge.

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Weston-based InSite Group and London-based Cube Capital have partnered to purchase Continental Oceanfront Hotel in South Beach for a reported $61 million. The deal was proposed shortly following a refinance by way of the previous owner to save the property from foreclosure.

In a press release, the new owners said they plan to renovate the dated interior and reposition the 251-room room the hotel offers. The yet-to-be-named hotel is set to launch at the end of 2012.

“This location is arguably one of the most sought-after in the United States,” InSite Group President and CEO Ben Shmul said in the release. “We are excited about the opportunity to acquire an underutilized hotel with significant potential for repositioning, and look forward to turning around and enhancing the property’s long-term value.”

[Source: South Florida Business Journal]

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Marina Bay Sands Singapore resembles an intergalactic space station with Vegas envy. It’s no surprise that the super-integrated high-end resort, which is a cornucopia of visual stimulation bearing outrageous architecture and high-tech features, was created by Las Vegas Sands (yes, the same developers of the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas which was demolished to erect The Venetian).

Already boasting a world-class casino, Broadway-style theaters, the longest rooftop infinity-edge swimming pool with self-leveling jacks when settling of the one-year-old mammoth structure begins to occur, indoor ice-skating rink, over 2500 guest rooms, an art and science museum, (breathe), 13-minute laser, light, and water show, a shopping mall, convention center, and fine dining featuring celebrity-chef restaurants from Daniel Boulud, to Wolfgang Puck, to Australian phenom Tetsuya Wakuda…they still want to add  more.

In July, two much-anticipated nightclubs will launch, ingeniously parallel to Singapore’s Formula One’s only night race, the Singapore Grand Prix. According to Luxury Insider, the nightclubs will rise from glimmering Marina Bay sheathed in glass, in an edifice aptly called the Crystal Pavilion. Pangaea and Avalon, two of the hottest nightclub brands in the U.S. and Europe, located inside the glitzy pavilion will attract a bevy of jet-setters and celebrities alike with the innovative party concepts and premium service the hotel plans to offer.

“We have discovered two of the most leading and sought-after club operators in the world. Floating on Marina Bay and set in the stunning crystal pavilion, Marina Bay Sands will be home to every guest looking for the best energy in town,” said John Postle, Executive Director of the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, regarding the forthcoming opening of the uber-hip nightclubs. Both clubs will feature an exciting line-up of hot international DJs, live concerts, and high-profile events.

Pangaea will be situated on the first level of the southern Crystal Pavilion. Club-goers can access the 6,000-square-foot club through the tantalizing underwater tunnel connected to The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. The chic bottle-club style lounge, which has hosted such A-listers as Madonna, Kate Moss and Will Smith, said in a statement that “with the formula of great architecture and our experience in successfully operating the best clubs in leading international cities, we simply cannot wait to open our doors and put Singapore on the global party map.”

Avalon, will span two levels with over 12,000 square feet to play around in. World renowned Avalon co-founder and club guru Steven Adelman said, “Avalon has hosted virtually every celebrity: The Black Eyed Peas, Ashton Kutcher, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Pink, to name a few. Here in Singapore, we are building the most ambitious and state-of-the-art visual, sound and light system we’re aware of anywhere. The combination of Avalon’s star power and Marina Bay Sands’ iconic structure will set the stage for the biggest party in Asia.”

Maserati has launched their luxuriously sporty GranTurismo MC, the fastest car produced by the celebrated Italian automaker to be sold in the U.S. market. A counterpart to the MC Stradale, the GranTurismo MC is geared towards a slightly more luxurious market, boasting one of the fastest shifts of any full automatic transmission in production with a top speed of 298km/h and a 62mph acceleration time of just 4.9 seconds, only a mere 3km/h slower than the ultra-aggressive, manual transmission Stradale.

Maserati has custom primed the GranTurismo MC to deliver U.S. customers with the utmost power, intuitive handling, and aerodynamic gains (not to mention its sleek and sexy good looks) without compromising preferences for automatic transmission and four-seat practicality. But do not assume that this increased practicality and comfort come at the price of sportiness.

Latest developments of its 4.7-liter all-alloy V8 engine lead the vehicle to deliver a powerful 331 kW at 7000rpm and 510Nm at 4750rpm, delivering 20Nm more torque than the GranTurismo S Automatic. The luxuriously powerful engine is more responsive, powerful, and economical due to its comprehensive Friction Reduction Program, which utilizes Diamond-Like-Coating of high friction parts inside the valve train. The new exhaust system also helps the machine reach a 6% improvement in fuel economy while still managing even better responsiveness.

Where elegance meets power, the GranTurismo MC is the ultimate race-bred luxury automobile. Along with the incredible power under the hood, the interior features a slew of opulent bells and whistles to suit the most discerning driver. The cabin boasts four seats made with fine Italian Poltrona Frau leather, a sleek new re-designed instrument panel, new dashboard layout, and ergonomic seating to provide ultimate comfort at all speeds. Additionally, Maserati provides a huge range of exclusive and personal options for customization, including detail work, colors, materials, and additional features to make this machine the driver’s ultimate toy.

[Source: WorldCarFans.com]

South Korea has seen an incredible boom, making it a record year for the rising country. According to Forbes, their economy experienced a 6.1 percent increase last year, a 23 percent jump in their stock market, and their national currency, the won, continued to rise against the dollar. The consequent massive increase in wealth has made waves on Forbes’ annual list of the country’s 40 richest with a record 21 billionaires – a huge leap from last year’s eleven and 2009’s five – for a collective wealth of $65.6 billion. Here’s our breakdown of South Korea’s top five richest.

1. Lee Kun-Hee – $9.3 billion: This Chairman of Samsung Electronics has had his ups and downs. After resigning in April 2008 due to a Samsung Slush funds scandal, he returned in March 2010 with fervor, focusing on solar energy, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals, committing $21 billion to invest over the decade. In the early 1990s, he took a bold move and shifted Samsung’s focus on creating products of more competitive quality. He was famously quoted as saying, “Change everything except your wife and kids.” The move was considered wildly successful, as Samsung Electronics is currently one of the world’s leading developers and producers of semiconductors. He also serves on the International Olympic Committee, upping Korea’s ante as they bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics.

2. Chung Mong-Koo – $7.4 billion: Although not at #1, this head of Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, the largest carmaker in South Korea, has seen the biggest dollar gain. His fortune took a huge leap from $3.4 billion to $7.4 billion in response to an 86% increase in Hyundai Motor’s stock price as their auto sales experienced a big boom, credited in part to the Hyundai Genesis winning the coveted title of North American Car of the Year Award in 2009. He has been largely appreciated with improving the reputation, perception, and sales of Hyundai’s vehicles by placing the brand’s emphasis on quality rather than production.

3. Chung Mong-Joon – $4.1 billion: This vice president of FIFA saw his wealth more than double last year as the controlling shareholder of Hyundai Heavy Industries, one of the world’s largest corporations. He is a graduate of Seoul International University and MIT, and boasts a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University. Although he withdrew from his run for the presidency, he is currently in his fifth term in office in the National Assembly of South Korea.

4. Jay Y. Lee – $3.3 billion: The only son of Lee Kun-Hee, Korea’s No. 1 richest, Jay Y. Lee was promoted to president of Samsung Electronics, resulting in a tightening of the founding family’s control over the company. (In addition to his father being the head of the Samsung Group, his grandfather founded the company in the 1930s.) He undertook an important role as chief customer officer of Samsung Electronics and as an executive for S-LCD, a flat-screen joint venture with Japan’s Sony Corp. Lately, in efforts to expand his business circle, he has been meeting with many of the country’s major players, including LG’s chairman Koo Bon-Moo.

5. Chung Eui-Sun – $2.4 billion: As No. 2 Chung Mong-koo’s only son, Chung Eui-sun is the vice chairman of the Hyundai Motor Company. From 2005 to 2009, he was president of Kia Motors Corp., the subsidiary of Hyundai that owns 34% of Kia, and is credited with the success of the Kia Cee’d, a small family car model, in Europe, in addition to other models such as the Soul and Forte. He holds a Bachelor of Business Management Administration from Korea University and an MBA from the University of San Francisco Business School.

Diane's Beachwear at Scottsdale Quarter. Photo by Archirealm.com.

In recent months celebrities like Cameron Diaz, Anne Hathaway, Gwyneth Paltrow and others have been spotted in bikinis by such hot brands as L-Space, Vitamin A and Hurley. Now, with the opening of Diane’s Beachwear in Scottsdale Quarter — the brand’s first Arizona location — you can snag the same in-demand swimwear.

Diane’s Beachwear has had roots in the swimwear biz since 1962 and has since expanded throughout Southern California and beyond. Able to boast such brands as Vitamin A, Trina Turk, Luli Fama, Ella Moss, L-Space, Sunsets, Swim Systems, Lucy Love, Roxy, Billabong, Vix and others, it’s no wonder the store has become such a full-blown phenom.

Plus, Diane’s Beachwear is also quick to let customers know that their company was the first in the beachwear industry to offer shoppers the ability to mix sizes in all swimwear tops and bottoms. No more saggy bikini bottoms or bikini top disasters!

Jetting off on a tropical vacation soon? Or maybe just to Miami or Malibu? At Diane’s Beachwear, you’ll find everything you need to look stylish on and off the beach, as well as in the gym, thanks to the shop’s large selection of mix-and-match separates, cover-ups, accessories, sportswear and more.

Diane’s Beachwear is located at Scottsdale Quarter at 15147 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 105, in Scottsdale

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Female volunteers will be pounding nails at Habitat for Humanity construction sites across the country in recognition of National Women Build Week, April 30 through May 8. Locally, the Desert Foothills chapter has teamed with Lowe’s to offer a free “how-to” home improvement clinic on April 30; plus, they’re looking for volunteers to help paint an HFH home on May 7.

Lowe’s is an underwriter of Women Build and a sponsor of National Women Building Week, and the Carefree location will be hosting a “how-to” clinic this Saturday, April 30, from 9 to 11:30 a.m. to help volunteers get a jump-start on their building skills. Registration is not required and walk-ins are welcome. Walk-ins are welcome, as registration is not required.

Additionally, Habitat for Humanity Desert Foothills is looking for a team of female volunteers to assist with painting an HFH home in North Phoenix on Saturday, May 7, from 7 to 11 a.m. (Construction or home improvement experience is not at all necessary.) We think it sounds like a wonderful way for women of the Valley to celebrate Mother’s Day weekend together.

At the clinic, participants will learn how to correctly use power and hand tools, install a ceiling fan and dimmer switch, create a kitchen backsplash, install tile, and complete a faux pain project. There is no cost to enroll, and Lowe’s will provide all the supplies. It’s recommended that participants do wear comfortable clothing.

The Lowe’s in Carefree is located at 34700 N. Cave Creek Road. Volunteer space is limited for the Women Build on May 7. To sign up or learn about other volunteer opportunities with Habitat for Humanity Desert Foothills, contact Colleen Pyra at 623.551.6000 or cpyra@habitatdf.org.

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