Tag Archives: luxury

Must-Haves for Any Gen Y Apartment

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We all have a list of what we look for to find the “perfect” apartment. From a gated community to one with a pool, and from the neighborhood to the distance to work, we all have some idea of what we’re looking for. Generation Y is no exception. They judge an apartment on more than what’s inside of it; they check out the social environment, entryways and community decor, as well as the amenities of the community. If you’re looking to market your community to the 80 million young adults who are entering the apartment rental market, consider their must-haves.

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Cities With the Highest Rent Hikes

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From a tech hub to one of the fittest cities in the nation, here are the six metropolitan areas where rentals costs have spiked the most in the past year. Despite the rent hikes, people are still moving to these cities for various reasons; Miami has gorgeous beaches, Indianapolis is a sports fan’s paradise and Farmington Hills is one of the safest cities. What is one city characteristic that overshadows high rent for you?

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Dig Into These Most Indulgent Foods

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Certain types of caviar can cost more than $5,000 per kilogram, making it an incredibly indulgent food.

With summer just around the corner, you might be kicking your diet and exercise routine up a notch in preparation for beach and bikini season. But every now and then, your hard work should earn a well-deserved break. In honor of Eat What You Want Day, which occurs on May 11, we’re highlighting some of the most indulgent (both calorie- and price-wise) food in the world. We’re not advocating that you use this day to eat everything in sight, rather to take advantage of this day to eat something you otherwise wouldn’t have. So grab a fork and knife and dig in to these outrageous eats.

Hamburger

Renowned chef Daniel Bouloud elevates burger making to an impressive albeit expensive art with his extravagant Royale at the ultra swanky DB Bistro Moderne in Manhattan. Bouloud takes a premium sirloin beef patty and stuffs it with red wine-braised short ribs, a thick slice of rich foie gras and black truffles. Served on a homemade poppy seed bun, this fancy feast is topped with a heaping helping of fresh black truffles. And for just $120, you can get one of your very own.

Where: DB Bistro Moderne, 55 W. 44th St., New York, NY 10036

Caviar

The most indulgent caviar in the world comes from a type of Iranian beluga called Almas. A pale amber color, it comes from sturgeons that are 60 to 100 years old. This type of caviar generally costs more than $5,000 per kilogram in the United States, making it the most expensive caviar in the world.

Omelette

Start your day off right with one of the most expensive omelettes in the world. New York’s Le Parker Meridien Hotel elevates your standard breakfast diner far into something that will run you about $1,000. This gigantic concoction (appropriately named the Zillion Dollar Frittata) comes piled with caviar and an entire lobster folded into its eggy mass. If you’re not feeling the price tag, a smaller version is available for $100.

Where: Le Parker Meridien Hotel, 119 W. 56th St., New York, NY 10019

Chocolate

For the chocolate lover, there are fewer things in life finer than the chocolate truffle. The Chocopologie truffle tops as one of the most indulgent chocolates in the world at $2,600 per pound. For that price you might expect a chunk of gold in the middle, but this decadent morsel is composed of 70 percent Valrhona dark chocolate, heavy cream, sugar, truffle oil and vanilla. Then, a rare French Perigord truffle is enrobed in the ganache base and rolled in fine cocoa powder.

Where: Knipschildt Chocolatier, 12 S Main St., Norwalk, CT 06854

Spice

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, selling in recent years for as much as $2,700 per pound. The spice is so expensive because it has to be harvest by hand and it takes more than 75,000 threads of the crocus flower to amount to one pound of spice.

Photo credit: iStockphoto/Jostaphot

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Indulge in the Best Bath Products at Home

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If you need to relax, find soothing solace in high-quality bath products for your home.

Nothing comforts quite like a hot bath after a long day, especially when that day has a winter chill and the bath has bubbles in it. If you can’t make it to the spa as often as you like or just need to indulge between visits, purchase several of the high-end bath products listed below, chosen for their function, scent and multiple positive reviews. The best part is that a little goes a long way, so even though the initial investment may be steep, the long-term effects are easy to see.

Bubble Bath

“Steep yourself” in the spa-worthy Deep Steep’s Grapefruit and Bergamot bubble bath, which does what bubble bath does best – relaxes you with its aromatherapy and leaves your skin silky smooth with organic aloe, rosehips and olive oil. A little goes a long way, so your 17.5-ounce jar will last a long time.

Hand Soap

Savon de Marseille Extra Pur Liquid Soap is regulated to contain a minimum of 72 percent vegetable oil per French law. It comes in a glass bottle, is vegan and lasts a long time, while perfectly cleaning (not stripping) your hands. Fragrances include cherry blossom, fig, grapefruit, lavender, orange blossom, rose, verbena and Mediterranean Sea.

Lotion

Indulge your thirsty winter skin with First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Cream, a whipped, super-emollient cream that won’t leave your skin feeling greasy. Whether you suffer from eczema, dermatitis or just seasonal dry skin, this Ultra Repair Cream immediately absorbs into the skin and protects against free radical damage. Use it on your body and face, as it’s petroleum-free, fragrance-free, allergy-tested and dermatologist recommended.

Shampoo

Bumble and bumble’s Gentle shampoo is a mild, moisture-rich cleanser that adds shine to those with dry, normal or color-treated hair. It’s perfect for those who like a creamy shampoo that lathers up, or one that cleans but doesn’t strip hair of natural oils.

Conditioner

Frederic Fekkai’s Glossing conditioner contains olive oil, which leaves your hair shiny and bouncy all day without weighing it down. Plus, its fresh scent will lighten your mood when you first smell it in the morning.

Shower Gel

Fresh Sugar Lemon Shower Gel gently exfoliates skin with antibacterial brown sugar and restores it with shea butter, and its soft lemon scent is sure to wake you and your skin up in the morning. Look forward to the spring every time you shower with this cleanser.

Shower Oil

L’Occitane’s Cleansing and Soothing Shower Oil with Almond Oil foams so you can cleanse and shave while moisturizing your skin, before you even get out of the shower. Free of parabens, synthetic fragrances, dyes and other chemicals, this shower oil firms and smoothes skin with a light, pleasing scent. It’s perfect for the winter when your skin needs extra moisture.

Soap

It’ll cost you, but before you balk at spending nearly $40 on a bar of Fresh Umbrian Clay Treatment, keep in mind that its Umbrian Clay is solely found in the Italian town of Nocera Umbra, and it serves as a deep cleanser, detoxifier, spot treatment, anti-inflammatory agent, toxin absorber and irritation soother. Mostly, people with acne-prone, combination or oily skin use it as a way to sop up all that extra oil and leave their skin feeling smooth and refreshed.

Bath Salts

Since Dead Sea salts are plentiful, they don’t cost as much as some of the other luxury bath products listed here. At $29 for a 64-ounce container, Masada Bath Salts in Relaxing Lavender or Purifying Eucalyptus is a real bargain. Just a couple of spoonfuls of these salts in your bath water temporarily relieve arthritis, psoriasis, rheumatism, stiff joints, eczema and muscle pain, while leaving your skin silky smooth.

Candle

The Creed Cocktail de Pivoines Candle from Neiman Marcus is delightfully feminine yet thoroughly sophisticated, with top notes of lemon, heart notes of peony, ylang-ylang and jasmine and base notes of musk and sandlewood. The 7-ounce candle burns for about 30 hours and is made by Parisian perfumery company Creed, who today is helmed by a sixth-generation master perfumer.

Photo Credit: iStockphoto/ValentynVolkov

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Find the Best Washer and Dryer for Your Apartment

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Budget-friendly front-load and top-load washers and dryers are available if you want the ideal balance between price and function.

If you’re tired of hoofing it to the Laundromat with a heavy bag of clothes, it may be time to purchase a washer and dryer for your apartment, as long as your apartment has washer and dryer hook-ups. For the budget-conscious renter, multiple options are available if you choose to outfit your apartment laundry room or loft with both appliances. Of course, the very cheapest washer is you, washing items in your sink, and the cheapest dryer is a clothesline, but if you’re ready to upgrade to appliances, here are the best washers and dryers for your apartment.

Unitized Units

For apartments that have a tiny closet to store a washer and dryer in – or for loft apartments that have no designated storage unit for them – select a unitized washer and dryer, which mostly come in white and not other color options. For around $1,000, you can buy the GE Unitized Spacemaker Washer and Electric Dryer (the gas model is about $100 more) from The Home Depot. The washer features three wash/spin speed combinations, nine wash cycles, five wash/rinse temperatures and auto-load sensing with five water levels. The 4.4-cubic-foot dryer is bare-bones but efficient, with four-way exhaust options that will dry your clothes in no time.

Budget Top-Load Washer

There aren’t many bells and whistles on the wallet-friendly 3.3-cubic-foot Hotpoint Top-Load Washer ($359) in white, but it is quiet (thanks to its auto-balance suspension system), stable and noticeably cleans clothes. Since its instructions are easy to understand and simple to use, this model is perfect for a condo, apartment you sublet, college student as his or her first washing machine or just for anyone who longs for simplicity. Its spin cycle features a 630 RPM spin speed to remove lots of water for faster drying, and its nine wash cycles, including a heavy-duty cycle for deeply soiled clothing, are designed to handle various fabric types.

Budget Front-Load Washer

Sleek and attractive, front-load washers are generally more expensive than other models. Still, if it’s style you’re looking for, the 3.5-cubic-foot Samsung Stackable Front-Load Washer ($799) in white is Energy Star-certified and ultra-quiet with its Vibration Reduction Technology, making it an ideal choice if you live on the second floor of your apartment building.

Budget Electric Dryer

For a traditional electric dryer, consider the 6-cubic-foot Hotpoint Electric Dryer ($270), which monitors air temperature with an automatic thermostat and ends the cycle when clothes are thoroughly dried. Plus, the door opening can be reversed to meet your laundry room needs.

Budget Gas Dryer

By nature, gas dryers are pricier than electric ones, but if you must go with a gas unit, choose the basic 6.5-cubic-foot Roper Gas Dryer ($349), a super capacity dryer that features a wide-opening side-wing door, five automatic cycles and three temperature settings.

Smallest Washer and Dryer

If space is limited, you can’t go wrong with the 1.46-cubic-foot Haier Top-Load Washer ($347), whose general cuteness might remind you of models found in European apartments. It’s also perfect for those who live in a place with no washer hookup, as it attaches to your kitchen sink for easy filling. It holds three pairs of jeans, three shirts and six pairs of socks and washes clothes in 15 minutes on the Quickwash setting. You may want to purchase a flat wheeled cart to put this washer on, as it does not have wheels of its own. The 2.6-cubic foot Haier Electric Dryer ($214) can mount to your wall and is perfect for any apartment that dictates that dryers must operate on a 120-volt outlet. It has four dry cycle settings and dry times of 30 to 150 minutes.

Photo Credit: iStockphoto/tiero

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Luxurious Amenities in OC Apartments

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Apartment Pool

OC apartment communities have luxurious amenities.

Photo Credit: Apartment Guide

Orange County residents in California are known for their luxurious lifestyles. Residents of OC apartments are no different. They have unique features and offer special amenities and services. Most apartment communities offer the basics such as a swimming pool, tennis courts, Internet access and a clubhouse. OC apartments offer those amenities and so much more. Here are a few examples of the lavish features residents in Orange County have.

One-stop shop. Wouldn’t it be easy if you could knock most of your errands out at one spot? The Village at Irvine Spectrum allows you to do just that. These apartments for rent makes you feel like you’re truly living in a luxurious village. There’s a market, Starbucks, dry cleaners, florist and an ATM machine on site. Additionally, the Village has four individually themed complexes with their own pool and gym. In each spacious apartment, there is a full-size washer and dryer, hardwood-style or tile flooring, fully equipped kitchens, walk-in closets and alarm systems. For culinary enthusiasts, the gourmet-quality demonstration kitchen is home to culinary arts and wine tasting demonstrations.

Customization. Not all apartments in Orange County allow you to customize your space like the apartments at Essex Skyline Apartments. The apartments range in size from 1,026 to 2,312 square feet, and each apartment has either one or two bedrooms. However, the special feature of these apartments is the sliding walls. The sliding walls allow you to personalize your space, so you can open your bedroom walls to get a view of the beautiful beaches on the California coast.

Feels like home. Have you ever dreamt of having your very own wine cellar to take your guests to? You probably think that you have to own a home and not live out of one of these OC apartments to get that experience. However, if you’re a resident of the Astoria at Central Park West, you’ll have access to a wine vault with a special wine tasting room. In addition to the wine vault, Astoria at CPW offers built-in surround sound in select apartments, marble flooring and large soaker tubs.

Pet-friendly. It’s hard to find OC apartments that offer room for your pets. At 3400 Avenue of the Arts apartments, you can live with up to two dogs that are up to 75 pounds each. If you’re a cat lover, up to two cats are allowed in each apartment. Not only can you live with your pets, but you can play with them, too. There’s a dog park to take your four-legged friend. Some apartments also feature a built-in dry bar and a wine refrigerator. A few of the community amenities include a barbecue area, moving screening room and a lending library.

Health and fitness. A lot of apartments feature gyms, but the gym at City Lights apartments is like no other. The fitness center has the basic cardio and weight training equipment. What sets it apart is the aerobics room that offers fitness classes. After you get in a good workout, check out the massage room to help you stretch out your muscles. Other amenities of this community include a large movie theater, resort-style pools and a resident lounge area.

How to Pamper Your Dog

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pampered poodle

Treat your dog like the rock star he or she is.

Photo Credit: iStockphoto/RuthAnnJohnston

With their sloppy kisses, exuberant playing and unconditional love, our dogs spoil us every day. So why not repay the favor and spend some time pampering your pup? Of course, some methods for making your pooch feel like royalty can be pricey (such as a visit to a pet salon), but there are also lots of reasonable options. So, reserve some one-on-one time with your pooch and browse the list below to find the perfect way to spoil the most important canine in your life.

Visit Friends (Or Make New Ones)
If your pup loves people and other dogs, plan a play date with a friend who also has a non-human best friend.  Bring toys and make the date extra long, so your dog has plenty of time to run and bond. You could also take your pup to a dog park or pet-friendly area to meet new playmates. Just remember, most parks require your dog to be at least four months old, not in heat and up to date on all vaccinations, including Bordetella. Also, make sure you bring water in case none is available.

New Toys
Instead of buying dog food at the grocery store, take your dog with you to your local pet store, and pick out a toy for him or her. See if the store will let you and Fido try out a few to find his or her favorite. If you’re feeling really generous, pick up a bag of treats, too.

Spa Day
If your dog is in desperate need of a bath, take the time to make it feel just like the relaxing, hot shower you look forward to every day. Of course, many dogs don’t like to be wet, but if you make sure to massage the skin while washing and keep water out of your pup’s eyes, he or she just may warm up to the notion. After washing, dry your dog with a fluffy towel and brush him or her gently. If your dog simply isn’t a good bather, take him or her to a pet salon, where a bath and brushing also includes treats and interaction with other doggy friends.

Create a Puppy Office
Sometimes you’re just too busy to put life or work on hold to treat your puppy to a long walk or an hour of playtime. But instead of banishing him or her to another room, create a puppy space next to your desk or where you work from home. Lay a bed, water, toys and bones next to your seat and allow your dog to “work” with you. If possible, let your puppy into your lap some of the time, too.

Get Down on Her (Or His) Level
When you get home from a long day, your first inclination is to sit on your sofa and mellow out. Your puppy, though, has missed you. So instead of sitting on the couch, move to the floor and play or cuddle. Toss him the ball (gently) around your living room. Or let her curl up in your lap. Your pup will love the close attention.

How to Make Your Guests Feel at Home

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Comfortable bedroom

Make your guests feel right at home with special touches throughout their room.

Photo Credit: iStockphoto/Rpsycho

You don’t have to spend a fortune to outfit your guest bedroom; instead, opt for a few fresh, affordable pieces to make your guests feel at home when they visit. The rest is all about hospitality – i.e., how you make them feel while they’re staying in your house. In addition to the suggestions below, show your guests where to find everything they’ll need – water glasses, extra towels and coffee mugs – so they don’t have to look through all of your cabinets.

Arrange Something Fresh

If a female is going to stay in your guest room, she will appreciate a bouquet of fresh flowers on the nightstand to make her feel more relaxed. You don’t have to spend a fortune on a fresh arrangement with the following: three or five white roses mixed with baby’s breath, carnations, Gerber daisies cut short or hydrangeas from your yard. If your guest is male, he might appreciate a potted plant on the dresser.

Have Clean, Soft Linens

Wash the bed linens, including the duvet cover or bedspread of your guest bed. Try to make the bed with 350- or 400-thread count linens, which you can purchase for cheap at discount fashion stores, such as TJ Maxx or Home Goods, or warehouse clubs such as Sam’s Club, Costco or BJ’s. Provide your guests with extra pillows and an extra blanket in case they get chilly during the night, and put one set of clean, folded towels per guest in the guest bedroom or, the guest bathroom -if you have one, so your company doesn’t have to search for them.

Make Space and Storage

Clean out at least one drawer and the top of the dresser if your guests are staying more than a few days. Clear space in the closet for them to hang clothes, and provide a few empty hangers. You can possibly find a used luggage rack at Goodwill or the Salvation Army to allow your guests to place their opened suitcase on top, which is more convenient than bending over to search through a bag on the floor.

Provide Appropriate Toiletries

In addition to the usual hand soap, bath soap and lotion in your guest bathroom, arrange shampoo and conditioner for normal hair, shower gel, unscented shaving cream, an extra razor, two new toothbrushes and toothpaste for your guests, just in case they forgot anything. You might also want to provide miniature packages of ibuprofen and a water glass, if their trip required long hours in a cramped car. Guests tend to use lots of toilet paper, so make sure there are extra rolls available in the bathroom they’re using.

Indulge in the Extras

Provide an alarm clock for your guests, and set it at the correct time before they arrive. If figuring out how to set the alarm on the clock is complicated, provide a set of instructions for them and place it under the alarm clock. If you have a television in your guest room, make sure the cable is hooked up, and lay the remote control on the bedside table so guests can easily locate it. Purchase an extra hamper for the guest bathroom or bedroom so they don’t wonder where to put their used towels, and make sure there is a trash can in the guest bedroom, bathroom or both. Make sure there’s a lamp on the bedside table, and turn it on before guests arrive so the room appears warm and soothing. And, of course, chocolates on guests’ pillows are always appreciated.

Prepare Something Homemade

You don’t have to whip up a four-course dinner to make your guests feel more comfortable. Instead, have a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies ready when they arrive, and tell them they can help themselves to them while they’re staying with you. If you’re not into cooking, you can always pop store bought cookie dough in the oven, or arrange a fruit and cheese platter with local cheeses and grapes.

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How to Make Your Bedroom More Romantic

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Romantic bedroom

Add a touch of romantic decor to your bedroom with certain colors and textures.

If your four bedroom walls are white and you’re feeling the room is a little stale, breathe new life into it by making it over with romance in mind. In honor of August being Romance Awareness Month, turn your bedroom into a soft, inviting place to be by following the eight tips below.

Turn off the TV – or remove it from the room altogether. On that note, remove cell phones and computers from your bedroom so the room becomes a place just for sleep and intimacy.

Go minimalist. Now that you’ve gotten rid of the technological distractions in the bedroom, lose the visual distractions, too. You don’t have to take all of the art off the walls or the pictures off the dresser, but see if you can pair down the décor some to avoid distractions.

Add candles in a romance-inducing scent. Essential oils containing the sensual, earthy fragrances of jasmine, Neroli, rose, Ylang-ylang, sandalwood, cedarwood, clary sage, clove, patchouli, pine and Vetiver are thought to be aphrodisiacs. Try to find reed diffusers or candles containing these scents.

Change your bedding. Purchase luxury silk or sateen (typically cotton) sheets in at least 400-thread count that invite you to go to bed early, and top them with a quilt, which makes you want to curl up and get cozy. Quilts also evenly distribute heat, which may make you and your partner want to snuggle under the covers. Don’t forget a throw in cashmere or soft Supima cotton.

Think sheer. Make your bed a canopy bed by attaching sheer fabric over your bed to a hook on the wall above your headboard. Hang sheer curtains in gauzy fabrics such as linen or silk over the windows, which will give your bedroom the feeling of an Arabian palace.

Put a little color in your life. Restaurants have long figured out certain colors of the walls invokes the appetites of their patrons. The same is true for stoking a fire in the bedroom – only don’t use the same colors as fast-food restaurants. Instead, paint your walls lavender, sage green or light to cornflower blue to invoke feelings of relaxation and balance in your bedroom.

Reconsider the lighting. Light your room with lamps that have two to three options for brightness, or install a dimmer switch on your overhead light. Or, replace your bright white lamp shades with patterned ones or some with warmer neutral colors, such as beige, tan or off-white. You want the room to feel soft and comfortable, not harsh and bright.

Photo Credit: iStockphoto/edoneil

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