WOW is right!

It's always fun to see what people (with no budget) will buy for as Christmas presents. So I like to go to Nieman Marcus for a little glimpse of the "Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous". Here are this year's line up:

Limited-Edition Fighter Motorcycle $110,000.00

It's the street-legal sci-fi dream come to life, in the form of the limited-edition Fighter Motorcycle courtesy of Confederate Motor Company®. The first ever Fighter packs 190 mph of performance into its cutting edge carbon fiber, titanium, and aluminum chassis. There's the 64" wheelbase, 27"H seat, integrated braking system, lots of high-tech bells and whistles, and custom NM edition features. But, honestly, ride it once and you'll be too jacked up on adrenaline to remember all the details.

Dallas Cowboys® Texas Stadium® End Zone Package $500,000.00

The new digs will be state-of-the-art, of course, but Texas Stadium is where America's Team paid its dues ... and grew its heart. It's where a dynasty was built and where the Boys fought their way into seven NFL® Championships. To honor battles won and heroes lost over 38 glorious years, you can put 530 square yards of sporting history into your own backyard: An entire Cowboys Texas Stadium end zone. This exclusive package also includes the VIP treatment for the last regular season Cowboys game in Texas Stadium. Your crew gets pre-game photos in your zone with Jerry Jones, a luxury suite for the game, and a once-in-a-lifetime post-game tailgate party on your soon-to be new backyard (with the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, no less). There's also autographed memorabilia from Cowboy legends, and a VIP package to attend the opening of the new stadium in 2009. Better yet, the Jerry Jones family and the Cowboys organization will generously donate the entire purchase price to The Salvation Army®. The perfect gift for envious buds?
Thirty-Five Year Collection of Top 100® 45 RPM Records $275,000.00

In this age of soulless digital downloads and MP3 mumbo-jumbo, turn to that treasured icon of pop culture childhood: the 45 RPM vinyl single. This gift contains each and every 45 RPM vinyl record that was listed on the Billboard Top 100® Rock and Pop charts from Jan. 1, 1955, through Dec. 31, 1990. Absolutely every disc for 35 years, every No. 100 up to every No. 1. There are some 18,400 records total. Some are even autographed. How about the Beatles' 1964 hit "Ain't She Sweet" with picture sleeve, worth a cool $500; or the Beach Boys' 1961 hit "Surfin' Luau" worth $200. There are literally hundreds of extremely collectible 45s — Elvis, Joplin, Hendrix, you name it — and the collection in its entirety is priceless.

Medieval and Renaissance Era Rings $25,000.00 - $45,000.00

So it's the holiday season and you're scouring the realm for the best way to pledge eternal fealty to your Lord or Lady. We've teamed up with Les Enluminures of Paris to put history in your hands, quite literally, with our exclusive collection of extremely rare original medieval and Renaissance rings. Back in the day, Viking chieftains gave braided rings to warriors heading off to battle (check out the Queen in Beowulf). Hand-braided 11 centuries ago, our gold ring is a museum-quality. The 15th century England signet ring bears an engraving of the faithful and vigilant pooch; the16th century Western European ring graced a maiden's hand with a sparkling, mysterious 13mm step-cut tourmaline. It is set in enameled gold. Each arrives with its pedigree spelled out in writing.
M-Velope® Transformable Structure $100,000.00

What if your workshop was a convertible? What if you could move your yoga studio walls as easily as you roll up your mat? What if you could rebuild, rearrange, and reassemble your garden retreat as quickly as you rearrange furniture? Step inside our M-Velope and you can! It's a massively cool 15-foot high by 14-foot wide by 17-foot deep creation of functional art built with a steel frame. All its hinged wood panel frames open, move, and close at your whim. Michael Jantzen, an internationally famous architectural pioneer/artist, thought it up and he is crafting just 10 structures for us exclusively. He's a leader in rethinking how we live, and he's been green since '71. He builds each M-Velope with new Accoya® wood products that are durable and completely sustainable.

HIS & HERS: Life-Size Replica in LEGO® Bricks $60,000.00 (this is the most outrageous thing I have ever seen!)
Acclaimed artist Nathan Sawaya is obsessed with LEGO® bricks. He fills his New York studio with more than 1.5 million of the interlocking toy building blocks, and he can sculpt anything out of them — a full-size Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton or a 7-foot-long scale replica of the Brooklyn Bridge, for example. Given the skill and depth of his devotion to his art, it makes perfect sense to immortalize your own magnificent self with our 2008 His & Hers gifts. Send in detailed photos and measurements, then Nathan gets to snapping and BOOM! One-of-a-kind, life-size sculptures of yourselves in LEGO bricks. Neiman Marcus priced this exclusive gift individually, so Nathan can "brickalize" you and the S.O., the kids, Granny and/or anyone else you obsess about.

Jack Nicklaus Custom Backyard Course Package Beginning at $1,000,000.00

Go ahead, re-read it. Yes, THE Jack Nicklaus, Golfer of the Century turned world-renowned course designer. Yep, your very own custom-designed three-hole course. Uh-huh, for your backyard. Jack will study topography, aerial photos, and landscape maps for the site, then send his team to survey the property. He'll create a formal design plan and color renderings for up to three holes and a practice area, depending on the size of your back forty. Your construction crew builds from it, with supervision from Jack's world-class design team (the same team pursued by premier club owners worldwide). Now to sink the winning putt; when your course is finished, the Golden Bear himself will stop by to play the first round with you, personally. More? He'll sign his club and ball for your collection and throw in a custom set of Nicklaus clubs, including a personalized bag.
Harlem Globetrotters® On-court Experience $110,000.00

Whistle a little "Sweet Georgia Brown" anywhere in the world, and you conjure up the infectious basketball magic that is the Harlem Globetrotters. Here's your once-in-a-lifetime chance to play on your dream team, joining stars like Scooter Christensen and Special K Daley on court. This gift package includes a personalized official uniform, guaranteed playing time in a U.S. 2008-09 season game, introduction as a special guest, and insider access to the team. Behind the amazing hoop wizardry is an 82-year heritage that includes Basketball Hall of Famers® Wilt Chamberlain and Meadowlark Lemon. Those precision routines aren't as easy as they look; back in the day the Globetrotters played the best pro teams and regularly took 'em down, baby.

Luxury Destination Wedding Package at The Resort at Pelican Hill® Beginning at $1,300,000.00

It seems like just yesterday she was staging a backyard wedding with her Teddy bear and favorite doll. There is a rare opportunity to make her grown-up nuptials the stuff of family legends, with our exclusive turnkey luxury wedding experience at The Resort at Pelican Hill. The ultimate resort setting on the breathtaking coast of Newport Beach, California. A personal event coach to take care of every detail. A couture wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses custom designed by Carolina Herrera. Up to 40 private ocean-view guest villas. Every detail exquisitely executed from the magical cake to the perfect flowers to the private celebrity entertainment at the reception. The experience also includes resort events for the bridal party, a rehearsal dinner event, an after-reception party, and gourmet breakfast the next day for family and guests. Naturally, a wedding this grand could never be one size fits all. This exclusive gift experience can easily be customized to fit their tastes, interests, and romantic quirks.
Authentic Guinness® Home Pub $250,000.00

There are plenty of reasons to raise a pint to the Irish. One of the greatest occurred in 1759 when young Arthur Guinness founded a brewery at St. James's Gate, crafted a hearty, distinctive stout, and won a place in our hearts forever. Celebrate the 250th anniversary of that first delicious keg with our exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime gift. The folks at RiRa Pubs will design a fully functional, traditional Irish pub and build it in your home in 2009. It will be crafted from historic Irish architectural elements and authentic Guinness artifacts. There's also a VIP trip for two to Dublin with first class airfare, luxury accommodations, and insider access to the magic still being made at the historic working St. James's Gate brewery. (All members of your party must be at least 21 years of age.) Plus fresh Guinness Stout for your pub-for an entire year!

NM Limited-Edition 2009 BMW® Individual 7 Series Sedan $160,000.00 Really what more is there to say – oh wait. The deal sealer (as if you needed one): A once-in-a-lifetime European adventure to meet your new BMW and the engineers and designers who helped create it. This exclusive trip includes two business-class tickets on Lufthansa® from New York, gourmet meals, luxury hotel for four nights including Munich and the French Riviera, and rare insider access to BMW. The adventure is scheduled for April 2009, so there's plenty of time to clear your calendar.

Three Chimneys Farm Thoroughbred Racing Stable Package $10,000,000.00
You want the best, you go to the best. You want a working, turnkey, in-the-running thoroughbred racing enterprise right out of the starting gate? You go to Three Chimneys Farm. The legendary Kentucky farm has managed some of racing's winningest thoroughbreds, including history's only undefeated triple crown winner (a little guy named Seattle Slew). For this exclusive package, you get the works because Three Chimneys means business. They will build you a stable of 12-15 thoroughbreds and with your input will train them, house them, select races, enter them in races, provide you a personal racing concierge, and manage the entire enterprise for the next four years. As the owner, you get to name your stable and any unnamed horses, design your own silks, attend races, pose for pictures, give quotes to the media ... and keep all the purses and trophies.

So leave me a comment and let me know which luxury gift you got this year? (hee...hee..hee)

Things I like...(Christmas Edition)

Things I like: Design Within Reach (DWR) Advent Calendar
Build enthusiasm for Christmas by building this Advent Calendar upward. A modern take on a traditional decoration, 24 cylindrical boxes stack on top of each other to create a stylized red cardboard holiday tree. Place a small gift or snack under each box, revealing a surprise each day as you get closer to Christmas. A red foil number on the side of each box tells you what day you¹re on and the whole calendar can nest inside itself for compact storage during the rest of the year.

Easy DIY Shaker Boxes:
via Candi Mandi. She made her decorative boxes using holiday rub-ons. I would love to gift tons of Christmas cookies and sweets in these handcrafted beauties! Little Elf Ornaments
From Mirkah on http://www.esty.com/ these little elfs are a sweet addition to your Christmas tree.
PID:
A Swedish meaning PID is Personal Interior Design. And the Swedish do what they do best - helping to create a dream home. I mean who has not got some Ikea in their home?
Well let me introduce you Grinda. The Grinda is Swedish design at tit’s best – these Christmas lights are modern, but not too rebellious, so no one in your extended family will notice that you managed to bring a bit of contemporary amongst the traditional and too-well-known decorations.

Coffee-to-go
For the very first time, Starbuck’s is offering a collectible Starbucks® Christmas Blend ornament along with their classic to-go cup ornament. Or you can just grab a pair without the java!
Urban Outfitters Ornaments
Love the Cindy Lou and Where the Wild Things Are ornaments – for children of all ages!

What's underneath is just as important....

I am a true believer that your Christmas wrapping should be just as beautiful as the rest of your holiday decor. Here are a few steps that are guaranteed to make an impression under your tree.

Step 1:
Make space in your home for a holiday wrapping station that will double as a craft space all year long. It's easy, efficient, and pretty!
Step 2:
Next, pick a theme – usually this will coordinate with your holiday décor….and don’t forget about the little ones. A good place to start is on your Christmas tree and in your other holiday decorations. Something is sure to stand out, whether it is a color, animal, children’s character or holiday character.

I set up two Christmas tree’s in the house – one for the family in our living room (which is more traditional) and a smaller tree for my daughter in her play room (this one is more whimsical and fun).

Here are some traditional and fun themes to consider!
Step 3:
Look for wrapping paper that highlights the main theme of your Christmas decorations. For example, if you have a tree covered in Disney characters, look for Disney wrapping paper. The same goes for Santa Claus, snowmen, candy canes or gingerbread men. Highlight a rustic home décor scheme with similarly fashioned paper. Modern decorators can use geometric patterns, stripes or circles on wrapping paper to accent their taste. And remember – you don’t always have to use holiday specific paper – anything goes what it comes to matching your theme!

Step 4:
Choose two accent papers to go with the main paper selection. These should be a lot quieter than the main patterned paper. An illustration of this would be using a plain metallic paper in gold, a simple diamond pattern in gold, red and green and a paper with gold holiday ornaments.
Step 5:
Gift bags make excellent choices for wrapping oddly shaped gifts. Look for ones that match any of the paper chosen or pick out a plain accent color. Accent your bags with tissue paper and a little sparkle!

Step 6:
Pick out curling ribbon in one or two colors that are in the papers and a fancy over sized ribbon! I like to add a portion of the gift to the outside of the box – if I am giving a friend a luxurious bath set I may add a soft bath pouf in place of a bow!
Step 7
After wrapping the presents, arrange them artfully beneath the tree. Christmas trees by walls or in corners can have large presents in the back with smaller presents in the front. Trees that can be viewed from all angles can be arranged with the largest presents beneath the branches and smaller ones fanning out below.

So take some time to plan what's underneath your tree - your gifts with dazzle!

Hanging the stockings by the chimney.....

Just a few stocking ideas I adore....

Large over sized sequins from West Elm
Animal inspired and cute felt version from Horchow
Home -made felt stockings - spelling out "fun" words or try "joy" or "peace".

HoHoHeels' stockings - love em!!!

and now for my favorite of all time stocking.....

.....MONSTER STOCKINGS........

Arg.....Merry Christmas!

J Crew (I know it's clothing - but I can't resist)

There are very few catalogs I hunt for at Christmas time. Pottery Barn, William Sonoma and J Crew. I always love the fresh and airy fashions and holiday outfits in the J Crew line-up.

Their label “collection” is outstanding – I only wish I had somewhere to wear these exceptional holiday dresses and gowns!

I don’t really comment on fashion her on my blog, but I have compiled a few of my favorite J Crew outfits for the holiday season. The photography in all their catalogs is equally as beautiful – when I get my hands on one – I never throw it out! The colors this year are vibrant and fun – along with the classic looks of gold and silver. Oh, and did I mention they are so my style. The subtle hints of glitter and sequins paired with simple classic looks are timeless. I love the photo of the hoodie paired with the short taffeta skirt – so me!!!


And let’s not forget the little ones! These outfits are classic – never to become a hand me down!

Vintage Holiday

I love looking at vintage Christmas decorations and ornaments. Here are few I hope will bring back some wonderful memories for all of you.

Sap Buckets

Christmas records

Baubles

Mantel Décor

Candy Tins

And if you are from Toronto (or any other major city), you will remember windows such as this one (Eaton’s Department Store; Toronto 1964). I look at this picture remembering and feeling still to some degree, the anticipation of seeing the drapes over all the department store windows – knowing the wonder that lay behind them - peeking in to catch a glimpse of what was to be revealed.

And following the Santa Claus parade the windows were revealed, like seeing the original Mona Lisa – you were in awe. I would stand there in the cold, feet buried under inches of snow – and wonder how it was done. How did all those elves, toy soldiers and kids move within the display playing, trimming trees and making toys? How was this done?
I never got bored of those windows and would beg to see them several times through out the holidays. Thinking back I realize it’s time to take my daughter downtown and show her one of the wonders of a child’s Christmas world.