VONCIGARS

Summer Break - VONCIGARS Will Be Back In September !

2007-07-26T00:36:00.001-04:00

Well my friends, the time has come when VONCIGARS goes into its summer break. This break also does coincide with my travels. I will be out there hoping somewhere between Israel, Europe and as far East as China. I hope that there will be ample bounty to bring back and report lots of cool and new things to you all. Whilst I might be out for quite some time, VONCIGARS will come back in September, when you can expect your usual insides Mondays to Fridays every week again. Mark Brittman of The New York Times has recently provided 101 substantial main courses which will get you in and out of the kitchen in 10 minutes or less. This is without counting the time it takes to bring the water to a boil. That may help you through some of the weeks without your daily VONCIGARS inspirations. I shall leave you now. Before I go I want to share one of the sharpest quotes I have ever read in my life:

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." - Robert A. Heinlein

Should you get bored Google this dude, Robert A. Heinlein. He is a truly fascinating character. We will be back soon!

Richter Farms - The Best Raspberries In The Country !

2007-07-25T00:09:00.000-04:00

Nestled in the fertile Puyallup Valley of Washington State, George Richter has been growing ultra premium quality raspberries for more than forty years. Raspberries grown on the Richter Farm are bigger, redder, more fragrant, and more delicious than any other raspberry on the planet. Touted as the best raspberries in the country—not only by the New York Times but also by Ruth Reichl of Gourmet Magazine—these precious berries are now available at discriminating food shops across the country. The season at Richter Farms only last for a few weeks and after that these raspberries will be just a memory of this years summer.

Ducati - Extreme Edition USB Flash Drive !

2007-07-24T00:00:00.001-04:00

I do love vehicles that come with only two wheels. Amongst these the legendary Italian Ducati bike is definitely one of my all time favorites. Ducati has now teamed up with ScanDisk which has unveiled the Extreme Ducati Edition USB Flash Drive. They know that folks like me cannot resist the glossy red resemblance this device sports with a real street bike from Ducati. Therefore we will get sucked into paying entirely too much for this USB flash drive that includes 4GB of internal storage, and touts write speeds of up to 20 megabytes-per-second. After being suckered into this thing, it may be a little comfort to know that this piece of art comes with a "custom lanyard", the SanDisk's RescuePRO Deluxe software and a USB head that is gold plated to allow for faster transfer speeds and retracts into the body when not in use to give the stick a sleeker design. This is definitely for the true Ducati aficionado only.

Maremma - The Real Bistecca Alla Fiorentina !

2007-07-23T00:10:00.000-04:00

For most people the Italian region of Tuscany is all about the city of Florence and the rolling hills of the Chianti. But the Tuscany actually offers other regions that are equally attractive for exploration. For starters, the Tuscany sports many, many miles of Mediterranean coast line with lots of little beach towns that are less known and therefore often much more authentic then the overran Lidos on the Adriatic side. But there is an other—still little known—region on the Southern side of Tuscany, that you need to know about. The Maremma; an area consisting of parts of southern Tuscany, partly coincident with province of Grosseto area and some part of northern Lazio. Grosseto can be considered the capital of the Maremma. The area around Grosseto and the coast, with Marina di Grosseto, Castiglione della Pescaia and the small villages that lie in the plain between the city and the coast, represents the heart of the Tuscan Maremma. Here it is where you will find the Italian version of a cowboy. Like in the French region of the Camargue, where you will find the Gardians on their beautiful white horses attending to the semi-wild bulls they breed, the Maremma is populated by the Butteri—Italian cattle-breeders who use horses with a distinctive style of saddle and traditional driving sticks to manage their livestock. The Maremma is definitely one of the most beautiful and still unspoiled regions in Italy where ancient traditions have survived and Tuscan culture is preserved to this day. Whilst there may be a romantic and touristic side to the Butteri driving their cattle, a little know fact is that this is where the beef for the original "Bistecca alla Fiorentina" comes from. The Butteri breed two sorts of cattle—"Razza Chianina" and "Razza Maremmano"—both which are amongst the oldest breeds of cattle in existence today. It is from the ox of either one of these two breeds, that a Porterhouse steak is cut to prepare the true "Bistecca alla Fiorentina". Amongst the Foodies you will find a wild argument, whether a "Bistecca alla Fiorentina" is made from a T-Bone steak or from a Porterhouse steak. The Italians really do not care much about these English steak cut terms. What I can tell you for sure is that nowhere in the Maremma will they serve you a "Bistecca alla Fiorentina" which is not at least two and a half pounds and they sometimes get as big as four pounds. The T-Bone cut comes from a part of the loin where the tenderloin side of the steak is rather small and in order to make it up to size, this steak would have to be cut way too thick. The Porterhouse comes from the part of the loin where the strip and the tenderloin part are at maximum diameter and therefore just perfect for a real "Bistecca alla Fiorentina". Another myth associated with the preparation of a "Fiorentina" is the believe that the meat needs to be drenched in olive oil and seasoned it with Rosemary, garlic and salt. If you ever want to prepare one of these all you need is a charcoal grill, as hot as you can possibly get it. Leave the steak out for at least 6 hours to bring it up to room temperature. Just before you put the meat on the grill, you give it a good hand of large grain salt on both sides. Some will argue, that salting the steak before cooking will draw moister out of the meat. Whilst that might be true in other cases, this does not apply to the "Fiorentina". Both, the Chianina and the Maremmano beef are very low in fat content. Therefore a "Bistecca alla Fiorentina" is always cooked fast, short and served rare. Maybe medium-rare, but that is as far as this goes. The meat is put on an extremely hot grill and literally is charred on both sides only for a very short period of time. It will be only turned over one time. Therefore the salt will help the fast caramelisation that is very important for this steak. Charred and dark on the outside and rare on the inside is how you want this steak to be served. Once it comes off the grill only a premium extra virgin olive oil is applied too it and that's it. Please do not put things like garlic and Rosemary on it. These things will overpower this delicate steak and ruin the pure enjoyment that otherwise makes this the unmistakable "Fiorentina" experience. Give the meat a good rest. Then cut both sides of the steak off the bone and cut them against the grain. Put the meat back together with the bone and serve it on a plate. Thats how the "Fiorentina" magic will come out. Traditionally only "Fagioli Cannellini all'Olio" (white beans) and 'Insalata Arugula" (rocket salad)are served with this steak. The best place to eat one of these is actually in the Maremma. It is a magical place!

Gorilla Fingers - Cool Smoke !

2007-07-20T00:50:00.000-04:00

The idea of the Gorilla Finger Cigars was born in the summer of 1998 somewhere in Elgin, Illinois. In the beginning these cigars where 5 X 65 dark black maduros which looked like gorilla fingers. A nice binder, good filler and a quality wrapper which then was flavored with cognac. The process used producing these early Gorilla Fingers with quality tobacco and superior cognac was unlike the competition who would spray cheep cognac onto inferior tobacco. But only after crazy-man Lars Tetens got involved with this product and introduced it to a superior conditioning process, super premium tobacco and aged Courvoisier, a flawless blend with an out-of-this-world draw came together. Easily the winner for most unappealing cigar name every time, the Gorilla Fingers come with an Cameroon wrapper, an aged Ecuadorian binder and Dominican-grown filler leaves that are infused with Courvoisier Cognac. The tobaccos are all aged three to eight years. The cigars are five inches and a massive 60 ring gauge. Each Gorilla Finger comes in a resealable humidor bag with a humidification sponge and protective insert. This cigar comes at a reasonable value, considering the high-end quality of is ingredients and the process involved. Crazy-man Lars Tetens describes his own cigars as "mystical--they cannot be described by words--they must be experienced. It is the evolved essence. It gives without taking". Let's be crazy then and try one of these!

Abandoned Project - Wood-Fired Pizza Oven !

2007-07-19T00:49:00.000-04:00

One of my oldest—yet never started—project at my house is to build a wood-fired pizza oven. Nothing beats a wood-fired oven and no good old pizza stone in your kitchen oven can do a real pizza any justice. Also once you get the pizza oven fired up, it can actually be used for so much more than just pizza. No home oven will produce freshly baked bread like a wood-fired one. I have studied how these things are build and also researched options to build one from prefabricated components. And then there was always something else to do. Maybe that was some sort of divine intervention. In my relentless research about all the good and new things I ran into this incredibly cool product. A handmade, mobile, wood-fired terracotta pizza oven which is made in Portugal. Fueled by hardwoods and fruit woods, heat builds up in the internal oven chamber and dissipates slowly through the cooler outer shell. It is said to infuse everything you bake or roast in it with this deep wood fire flavor, producing tender and flavorful fish, meat, vegetables, breads—and most importantly a real authentic pizza. The oven comes with an oven rack, cover, stand, pizza paddle and a brush. It weighs an impressive 350 pounds—but runs a little pricey I must say. But after all I cannot see how I'm going to keep myself from getting one of these!

32nd America's Cup - Special Champagne Toast !

2007-07-18T00:22:00.000-04:00

When it comes down to the America’s Cup--the world's oldest sporting trophy--my enthusiasm usually goes as far as acknowledging the winner and then check with Audemars Piguet what limited-edition Royal Oak Offshore watch will be launched in honor of said sailing cup. This time Moët & Chandon released a limited edition portable bar with an ice bucket shaped as a sailboat winch as the centerpiece. The body is made from carbon fiber and teak wood and the winch is of sterling silver. The portable bar holds eight special flutes which are made to fit eight wholes on the bottom of the winch to hold them. Off course it comes with a nice bottle of bubbles. This is a limited edition item. Only 39 of these are made and come engraved with the winner of the 32nd America’s Cup, which is Team Alinghi from Switzerland.

The Fennell - The Coolest Silver Sleeves !

2007-07-17T00:43:00.000-04:00

Do you want to find a way to make a bottle of trivial Heinz Ketchup seamlessly blend onto your formally setup dinner table? Add some A1A Steak Sauce or maybe Tabasco. Well London based jeweler Theo Fennell makes this coolest silver sterling sleeves that make everyday mass products look like a million dollars. Fennell features a sterling silver ketchup holder designed for Heinz Ketchup.The holder is laser engraved with the classic Heinz Ketchup label and--even cooler--comes with a sterling silver lid. They feature sterling silver sleeves for a whole host of common products including some of your favorite libations. Even sleeves for baby bottles are available. The one product that really does it for me is Fennell's newly created silver sleeve for Häagen-Dazs ice cream. It is designed to fit a standard sized Häagen-Dazs ice cream pod. I had to leave my own addiction for Häagen-Dazs ice cream behind me for good some time ago but there is no doubt in my mind that--if still into the good old macadamia brittle--I would own that sleeve including the sterling silver über-spoon this comes with! Make great gifts too.

Guilin China - Young Man Go East !

2007-07-16T00:08:00.000-04:00

For my generation the dream definitely was to go West to eventually land in the US of America. Although I'm not old--by any stretch of the imagination--the directional indicators for dreams, opportunities, a new life and undiscovered lands have changed dramatically. If you are young and eager to explore the world there is no way that you can ignore China any longer. Slowly but surely we have become used to the "Made in China" on the back of more and more products. It is safe to say that we have grown accustomed to a consumer lifestyle that without the products from China would simply not be sustainable. Despite this tremendous influence in our daily lives China has managed to remain this far land that is out of reach for most of us. The physical distance, the cultural disconnect, the language barrier and the communistic system have created an air of unapproachability that keeps China off most peoples list of desirable travel destinations. In reality China is a must-item for all of us. The economical explosions that are taking place in China today--and will still for many decades to come--make this the "young man go West East" of our young generations. Maybe one of the best ways to get started is by making China a legitimate travel destination. Hollywood may help to make the argument here. The region of Guilin recently stood in as the central backdrop to the epic Hollywood adaptation of the classic 1920’s Somerset Maugham love story "The Painted Veil". Reputed by the Chinese to be the ‘finest place under heaven’, the Guilin region has provided inspiration to poets and painters for centuries. At the center is Guilin, one of the most scenic city in China. The real highlight is the the stretch of Li River that connects Guilin with the Yangshuo County. Along the Li River you will find the most awe-inspiring landscape of deep gorges and towering mountains, crystal-clear waters with reflections, serene pastoral views of rice paddies and water buffaloes. It certainly feels like walking into a traditional Chinese painting. The stunning scenery of Guilin and its surroundings could be the perfect start to get to know China on a personal level. Keep in mind; There is a good chance that your children at one point will be considering to take up Chinese as an additional language. After all we won't be able to stop the dragon, so you might as well embrace him! Marco Polo did it a long time ago and started the Republic of Venice on one of its most prosperous runs!

Robert's Steakhouse - X-Rated N.Y. Strips !

2007-07-13T00:49:00.000-04:00

For certain offerings, living just somewhere in the US is not good enough. You have to be in New York City to encounter this type of enlightenment's. Though I must warn you; This post maybe leaning slightly towards the male audience, it may also be misunderstood as chauvinistic and it is most certainly dedicated strictly to the to the hardcore carnivores amongst us. If you picture a guy, a real guy that likes steak--lots of steak--and also does not shy away from taking a peak at nice female curves every now and then, well then you are looking at the target group for Robert's Steakhouse in NYC which actually is part of a gentlemen strip club. The Penthouse Executive Club is most probably one of the few venues on this planet where a man (and/or woman) can enjoy the epicurean pleasures of a great steak whilst admiring beautiful female nakedness. No, no do not dismiss this so easily. This is not one of these dark places where it is all about the ladies and the menu is more of an excuse to pass as a gastronomic establishment instead of just an adult entertainment place. On this one I'm backed by people as serious as Jeffrey Steingarten. He is a well known culinary critic and columnist for the likes of Vogue magazine and Slate and has written books like "The Man Who Ate Everything" and more recently "It Must've Been Something I Ate". He commented after his night out at the strip club; "The best steak dinner in town--the meat could not have been more flavorful, tender or juicy, and grilled to that precise point of perfection between rare and medium rare-while a beautiful young dancer just eight feet away moved with energy and originality". If that is not enough to make this a serious dinner option yet, how about Alex Witchel that wrote for the NY Times;"One of the clubs biggest hits is its steakhouse, where customers can carefully enjoy aged beef prepared by noted chef Adam Perry Lang. His steaks--on the plate-- are exquisite and packed with flavor." The Penthouse Club even won the 2004's TIME OUT NY Award for Best Indoor Scenery and Robert's Steakhouse was nominated Best Steakhouse in NYC. Located on the club's posh mezzanine level, Robert's Steakhouse's features a truly top-rated cuisine by Chef Adam Perry Lang and offers its patrons a 2,000-bottle wine cellar. Amongst the meat options are dry-aged premium steaks cut to order and also Kobe beef. And like in any other great steakhouses, they offer all the classic appetizers and beautiful side dishes that we all come to love. I hope that you ladies are not too mad, that I turned hubby onto this dinner venue, but after all this maybe just what was needed to bring you along for the experience!

Chateau Lafite Rothschild - The Most Complete Collection To Date !

2007-07-12T00:33:00.000-04:00

The Antique Wine Company of London is at it again. The are to sell the most extensive collection of Chateau Lafite Rothschild ever seen on the world market. This unique collection spans four centuries--with the earliest vintage being 1787--prior to the French Revolution. The collection encompasses all the bottle formats ever produced, including the rare, large six liter Imperials from all the top vintages of the 20th century. The collection includes forty three bottles from various vintages and is certified for authenticity in light of the recent sales of counterfeit wine by various auction houses. An extensive range of tasting notes has been compiled for many of the vintages with the help of The Rothschild Family and Charles Chevallier who attended a marathon weekend of tasting vintages dating back to 1887 on April 20-21 at Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat on the French Riviera. As you may remember from one of my previous d’Yquem postings; In December 2006 the Antique Wine company also sold the most comprehensive collection of 135 bottles of d’Yquem. The collection includes every consecutive vintage of Chateau d’Yquem produced between 1860-2003. It also included nine empty bottles. They are signed by the director of Yquem, certifying that no Chateau d’Yquem was produced in this vintage due to adverse weather conditions. The d’Yquem-less years are 1910, 1915, 1930, 1951, 1952, 1964, 1972, 1974 and 1992. Without going into details here; it always bothered be me to be born in a year in which my favorite wine was not bottled. A total of 26 bidders from Europe, Asia, the U.S. and Russia almost doubled the bidding in the final 24 hours from £400,000 to the final price of £775,000 U$ C1.5 million).

Dating back to 1787, this is by all accounts the most complete collection of Lafite Rothschild vintages and formats of what is unquestionably one of the the greatest red wines in the world. The new owner of the collection will be the possessor of a historic and truly unique treasure; wine that was discovered for the New World by Thomas Jefferson while he was ambassador to France in 1787, on the eve of the Revolution. The collection will be or is sold by private negotiation. Interested parties can register online with the Antique Wine Company. The selling was supposed to be done by May 2007 but for all I know a final deal has not reached yet. So you may still get in on this one. Bring the big check book.

Bentley - Limited Edition By Tibaldi !

2007-07-10T19:35:00.000-04:00

Certified to commemorate 60 years of production at the Bentley factory at by the Swiss Federal Customs Administration Office of Geneva, Tibaldi produces its pens with precious metals used only in the inner workings of fine watches. Tibaldi pens are worked in Switzerland, the home of luxury timepieces. Tibaldi writing instruments reflect technical excellence and high precision. Their unique filling mechanism is protected by patent. Its surfaces boast “Clou de Paris” diamond point. So here is the deal; Whilst you may or may not be in such standing to afford a fine automobile of the likes of a Bentley, you still can associate yourself with this brand of potency, luxury and power. The British automaker Bentley has recently released a collection of pens in cooperation's with the luxury Italian pen maker TibaldiCrewe. Arguably amongst the world’s finest writing implements, these exquisite pens draw their design cues directly from the Bentley Arnage and the Continental GT. These Bentleys etchings and engravings--known as knurling--are found on all functional handles and buttons requiring contact, such as the indicators, media system controls and gear shifts, just as it does decorate all parts of the Bentley pen such as turning the cap. It also allows the upper and lower parts of the pen’s barrel to act as a grip. Only 400 silver fountain pens, 200 silver roller balls, 40 solid white gold fountain pens and 20 solid white gold roller balls are made. Get yours when you service your Conti GT the next time right at your Bentley dealer. The rest of us can click on the pictures and try to order them online. I must warn you though; Whilst only the fraction of a Bentley automobile, the price on these puppies still add up to a whole car for some of us!

Mariage Frères - Twenty Four Karat Gold Tea Leafs !

2007-07-10T00:22:00.001-04:00

By most tea connoisseurs account, Mariage Frères may be the best tea maker in the world. The Mariage Family has been around since the 17th century. After numerous expeditions to the far East, Nicolas Mariage was appointed by the French King Louis XIV to get a commerce treaty signed with the Shah of Persia. From there on Nicolas and his brother Pierre conquered the entire known world for epicurean treasures. From Madagascar to India and even past the Himalaya and into China they ventured on their quest for the best. Over the centuries Mariage Frères has focused more and more on tea and is today the exclusive tea purveyor for most of the worlds top luxury hotels but also the top restaurants on this planet. They operate a beautiful shop in Paris--that without out a doubt would be a great visit when in Paris next time--where they stock over five hundred types of tea as well as other tea related products such as tea pots and specialized tea strainers at all times. When it comes to the "dernier crie" (latest chic) in all matters tea, Mariage Frères is the one not only to make the trend but also to frist create it. And so their latest innovation in tea is as eccentric and exclusive as their establishment is. Tea beads which are wrapped in twenty four karat gold leafs! The beads are hand sewn and designed to bloom in the tea pot. This is defiantly an extravagant and expensive way to show off your gourmet affiliation with tea. On a more personal note; Mariage Frères is the "refineur" to one of my favorite teas. The "Saphir Himalaya" is a premium, partially summer fermented tea that is grown in secret gardens high up in the Himalayan mountains exclusively for Mariage Frères. This tea is infused with incredible scents of honey, spices and vanilla. It is a true work of art and the of the highest statement a supreme tea refinement house can make. Instant eternity--as Mariage Frères describes its own creation.

Gü - Is Seriously Cüul !

2007-07-08T23:38:00.000-04:00

Gü has become seriously popular over in the UK. And that is with good reasons I must say. Gü produces high-end dessert products that include puds, brownies, soufflés,tiramigü and lately they added a most scrumptious Italian style Gü Vanilla Gelato. It is made from the best Tahitian vanilla. As a real Gelato it is made from milk making it a lower fat alternative to other ice creams. They also produce a cheesecake--the kind of you never had before--just incredibly rich. Gü sells their stuff in the coolest Styrofoam boxes, which means it keeps solid out of the freezer for a long time. I could go on about these guys but unfortunately I wont be able to get my hands on any of these products. I hope they will make the jump across the pond soon. I cannot see what would stop Gü from being a total success in the US!

Gü, Shepherd’s Building, London, W14 0DA
Check them out at www.gupuds.com

Mercedes Ocean Drive Concept - More Boat Than Car !

2007-07-05T19:34:00.000-04:00

Mercedes where you will probably see some of theses if Mercedes decides to build it--on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, the has unwrapped another potential millionaire's toy. It's called Ocean Drive and that's Côte d'Azur, or anywhere else in the world where sunshine, sea breezes, beautiful people, and money converges. This Mercedes concept car will easily compete in the mega-money league with the upcoming Rolls-Royce convertible and the Bentley Azure. The Ocean Drive is a four-door convertible, long-wheelbased, 510-hp, twin-turbo V-12-powered S600 cruising on a five-speed super smooth slushmatic. All of the S-class sedan's heavy curves are significantly smoother on the Ocean Drive sporting an elegant two-tone metallic paint and an imposing pointed grille that is a lot bigger then ever. The space-age LED headlights on this car each consist of 35 LEDs. They form two inverted Cs, incorporating daytime running lights as well as turn signals. In the back the LED tail- and brake lights are separated by slim horizontal chrome crossbars. Spanning a record acreage of 34 square feet, the canvas top forms an arc. The electric motors and valves that open and close this massive 87 inches long when fully extended awning ensure that the process is executed in perfect synchronicity and in only 20 seconds. Even when this thickly padded fabric top is raised, the Ocean Drive is very sleek. The interior was designed at the Mercedes-Benz design studio in Como, Italy. Beautiful matte finish birds-eye maple woods, impeccably stitched leather upholsteries and rich cream-colored fabrics add the adequate interior to the this car. Two elements are sticking out; The absolute cool square-bottomed steering wheel--which all by itself could make me want to buy this car-- and the cliché center console that houses a bottle of champagne and two flutes! Proximity sensors activate the concealed door handles on this car--but it almost seems that out of sheer pity Mercedes-Benz stopped short on this feature and yes--still lets you open and close your doors with your own hands. For those of you whom get stimulated by wheels and rims; here we are looking at a set of 36-spoke high-gloss aluminum wheels shod with 275/35ZR21 tires. At this stage this beauty is introduced as a concept car. I would assume that this car was originally intended to be the convertible brother to the Maybach. Since it is my prediction that the Maybach brand really has no future within the Daimler-Chrysler holdings, this car does not stand a chance to show anytime soon at a dealer near you. Sorry--but be sure that you will find a lot of similar features and design inputs from the Ocean Drive on the next generations Chrysler 300C's. Instead expect Mercedes-Benz to launch a new two-door CL convertible available with the 4Matic as a new option late in 2008. Remember; It is never too early to put your order in with your Mercedes dealer!

Icerocks - Imported Ice Cubes !

2007-07-05T00:14:00.000-04:00

In the bottled water craze, it seems that everything goes these days. Now smaller businesses are trying to get in on the trend. Icerocks is the product of a Miami-based company called Water Bank of America Inc. founded by three Canadian brothers, Michel, Jean-Jean and Robert Pelletier. They started their company to acquire water springs in order to resell them to third parties. The company acquired the Icerocks brand in 2005. Water Bank is now packaging spring water from the Vendée region of France's Massif Central in airtight containers that you simply pop in your freezer to make secured sealed ice cubes. These glorious cubes are hermetically packaged in disposable, recyclable containers, providing complete guarantee of hygiene and safety. As a side effect you will get real good looking ice cubes too. Aqua Maestro makes this product available online for your convenience. I know that all this water stuff once was for free--whats up with that!

Kluge Estate - A Premium Virginia Winery !

2007-07-04T00:03:00.000-04:00

Talking about vineyards on the East Coast is becoming less and less of an eyebrow lifter as more and more quality wines come from that region in the US. Off course the main spotlight is and remains on California for a long time to come. That I find myself talking about a premium winery estate in the State of Virginia is still surprising to me. Established in 1999, the Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard has aspired and quickly become one of the East Coast's most prestigious wineries. Patricia Kluge, the founder, owner and chairwoman of Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard, planted her first vine in 1999 at her estate, Albemarle House. Her dream was to create a world-class winery in Charlottesville, Virginia and also to develop a genuine wine region. Today, Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard has become one of the largest wine making facilities in Virginia. The Monticello Appellation, particularly Patricia’s corner of Albemarle County, is also making a name for itself on the global wine map. The Kluge Estate benefits from excellent natural conditions as a result of reliable seasons and the geographical lay of the land. The quality of the soil, position of the vines and their exposure to the sun produce a high quality crop. Harvesting is done by hand.Adjacent to the vineyards is a beautiful farm shop, offering Kluge Estate's fine wines and delectable foods. Offerings include some of Virginia's finest agricultural produce and products. Their Executive Chef highlights the seasons of Virginia with delectable American cuisine using locally grown produce. For sweets, executive pastry chef Serge Torres is on hand to create exquisite desserts, baked goods, chocolates, confections, preserves, and chutneys, homemade with fruits from the Albemarle House orchards. The Kluge Estate is certainly a place to visit and hang out for a while. Meeting all the interesting people that Patricia has assembled around her to build this beautiful venue. And after all lets not forget that this Estate produces great and interesting quality wines.

The Kluge Estate 2002 New World Red is a Bordeaux-style blend made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. It is smooth, round and soft, with notes characterized by toasted oak, currant and black cherry. The finish delivers a flourish of mocha and coffee.

The Albemarle Viognier 2005 is made Condrieu style and is 100% Viognier, aged for 8 months in French oak barrels. The result is a beautiful sphere of complex aromas and flavors: floral and mature exotic fruits on the nose and palate; a balance of ripe and dried apricots, notes of guava, lychee, and spicy flower perfumes blend with light smokiness, vanilla, and fresh tobacco from the French oak.

Feuille Verte - The New Olivier Creed Scent For The Men !

2007-07-03T00:24:00.000-04:00

These days the perfume industry is dominated by international brands. Perfumes are part of the fashion trends just as cloth, shoes, hair and anything else. This leads to uniformity. Just when you try to make a personal statement with something as important as your smell signature, you will find yourself in an elevator with another guy that smells just like you. It may be refreshing to find out that there still exists a discreet family-owned perfume house dedicated to the creation of highly original fragrances of extravagant quality. Operating in Paris’ 8th Arrondissement, the House of Creed has been for many years one of the best kept secrets of the perfume world. Patronised by the rich, chic, famous--from Heads of State to celebrities from the film and music industries, Creed’s client list is an international Who’s Who. Over the decades the Creed family has produced two hundred original and hand-made fragrances for the exclusive use of their wealthiest customers. The House of Creed was founded in 1760 by James Henry Creed in London. Queen Victoria appointed Creed as an official supplier to the Royal household. Eventually Creed was adopted by all the courts of Europe: Napoléon III and Empress Eugénie of France, Franz-Joseph and Elizabeth of Austro-Hungary and Queen Christina of Spain. In 1854 the House of Creed moved to Paris . Today Olivier Creed, direct descendant of James Henry Creed, continues this great tradition as Createur Parfumeur of the House of Creed. He personally selects the purest rose essences from Bulgaria, Turkey or Morocco as well as Italian jasmine, irises from Florence, Tuberose from India or genuine Parma violets. Creed also manufacture their own essences using the traditional infusion technique, now abandoned as too costly by the modern perfume industry. Creed insists on using natural essences instead of the synthetic ones in order to preserve the originality and superior quality of the fragrances. All components are weighed, mixed, macerated and filtered by hand.

If you seek a truly unique scent for the gentlemen, consider Feuille Verte, the latest limited-edition Creed fragrance. Like all Creed’s Private Collection perfumes, they were originally created for special clients as their own personal scent. The Creed Feuille Verte is a fresh, sophisticated citrus fragrance with light, clean notes of mandarin, lemon and bergamot combined with peppery mint and sweet pea. It was originally created for the icon of debonair charm, Cary Grant, in 1955. It is produced in a very small number of 250 ml falcons. If you want to secure one you need to move fast and they ain't cheap either!

Truefitt & Hill - Grooming Blokes For Greatness For Over 200 Years !

2007-07-02T00:05:00.000-04:00

Truefitt & Hill is the worlds oldest barbershop. They have been "grooming men for greatness" for over 200 years. Truefitt & Hill have given shaves to important faces like Sir Winston Churchill, John Wayne, Charles Dickens, Fred Astaire, Cary Grant, Alfred Hitchcock and Danny Kaye. William Francis Truefitt opened his first Gentlemen Barber Shop at 2 Cross-Lane, Long Acre London in 1805. Edwin Hill & Co. set up his barber shop at 23 Old Bond Street in 1911. It was to this address that H. P.Truefitt moved in 1935 to form what would become the legendary Truefitt & Hill barbershop. Over the decades Truefitt & Hill became the leading men's barber shop in the world with locations in London, Toronto, Chicago and Las Vegas. Over the last 200 years Truefitt & Hill have been involved in the production of premium men's grooming products like shaving creams, shaving soaps, shaving utensils, shampoos, aftershaves and colognes. All Truefitt & Hill products are unique; they each have their own decidedly masculine touch. I never met a guy--whether they shave wet or dry or not at all--that does not want to have a Truefitt & Hill Limited Edition Nickel Razor Set sitting in his bathroom. These things are as good as it gets. The Truefitt & Hill razor set is gorgeous and stands out like no other. Made of pure nickel, this Limited Edition razor sets new standards of refinement. The stand measures 8" tall, and is the final resting place for a perfectly weighted razor and badger hair brush. And the best news for all you Gillette Mach III blade slaves is that this razor is compatible with all the Mach blades! Check their grooming products out. I personally love their West Indian Lime product line. Incredibly good, smooth and with an a unique and exotic fragrance too it. Truefitt & Hill has provided discerning blokes with only the finest in grooming products.

JK Palace - The New Ori Kafri Event On Capri !

2007-06-29T00:26:00.000-04:00

Although everybody--in one way or another--has heard about Capri, only few have ever been there and I still consider it a insider tip. I have been going to Capri since I was a little boy. I simply love this little but majestic Italian island. Surrounded by stunning azure sea, just off the coast of Naples, Salerno and the world famous Amalfi coast, this most beautiful rock on the Italian coast is blessed with a very mild Mediterranean climate, peaceful charm, semi-tropical vegetation and great history. Besides the natural blessings, this island prides itself of great luxury hospitality, incredible spa's, great culinary options and fabulous shopping. This is a place where a couple can spend a great time getting away. In the past I have been a die-hard QuiSiSana client. It is one of the greatest old world hotels that you will ever find. Now there is an alternative on the the island that cannot be ignored. Ori Kafri came to the island to open an outpost to his most precious JK Palace in Florence, Italy. Perched on the cliffs about 15-minute walk from the Marina Grande, the new JK Palace Capri makes the most of the beautiful Capri breezes overlooking the Capri bay and harbor. In classic boutique hotel style the JK Capri sports spacious rooms that are very individually furnished, mixing colorful, contemporary design with soft, luxurious materials. Fine Italian and Mediterranean cuisine can be enjoyed in the restaurant, or outside on the terrace. The JK has a beautiful foyer, decorated with framed black and white sketches just next to a a comfortable sitting room with fireplace. Here guests can enjoy tea or coffee as well as freshly baked pastries in the late afternoon. This is definitely a cool place that I will be checking out on my next visit to Capri. Everything that Ori Kafri touches is truly good. The Hotel Londra Palace in Venice is part of his little group too. I only hear the best about his hotel gems.

Philippe Starck - How About Some Black Magic !

2007-06-28T00:26:00.000-04:00

Baccarat is the most prestigious crystal ware manufacturer in the world. 1764 French King Louis XV granted the Bishop of Metz the right to glassmaking. Since then French Kings, Japanese Emperors and the Kings of Morocco and Arabia all eventually commissioned Baccarat for custom made crystal glass ware. Indian Maharajahs had their delicate, intricate crystal tables and chairs delivered to them on the backs of elephants to the Indian subcontinent. The most famous order came from the ill-fated Czar Nicholas II of the Russian Empire. Baccarat has produced Philippe Starck's "Darkside Collection" of glassware. Philippe Starck is today France's most known designer. The "Darkside Collection" gained notoriety with the debut of the moody onyx inspired black crystal chandelier, called Zenith. The original Zenith now hangs in the "Cristal Room," Baccarat's private dining salon in Paris. Starck designed the Zenith chandelier as a paradox between the lucidity and clarity of sparkling crystal against the depth and darkness of the color black. In order to achieve the black appearance, Baccarat adds a variety of mineral salts, chrome and manganese to the crystal while whilst still liquid. Anybody can have the usual glitzy, kitschy crystal chandelier somewhere in the house but if you want to separate yourself from the masses you definitely can use some of Philippe's black magic. Keep in mind; If you need to ask for the price you cannot afford it!

Pepper - There Is More Too It !

2007-06-27T00:03:00.000-04:00

Like salt, pepper is another table top staples that everybody uses every day and almost nobody ever pays attention too. Most of the worlds pepper is grown within15° of the equator. It grows as berries on vines. Some of the highest quality pepper come fro India and Borneo. Both countries grow extra premium Tellicherry and Malabar pepper. Both Tellicherry and Malabar pepper come from the same plant. The Malabar corns size is noticeably larger in comparison with what you will commonly find in supermarkets sold as black pepper. The Tellicherry pepper corns are even larger. Only the largest 10% of all pepper corns are able to bear the name Tellicherry. The grading of pepper is serious business. In the Sarawak region of the island of Borneo, as in India, the local farmers use their knowledge gained over the centuries to grow pepper. While the size of a peppercorn is important, maturity is the most important factor. The larger pepper corns, like the Tellicherry and Sarawak, are better than the smaller ones. Less mature pepper can still be nice but it is that extra ripening time that makes pepper premium. One of the best source to get your different peppers online is Penzeys Spices. Go check their pepper selection out. They also do have a beautiful pink pepper which is a really attractive alternative to have in the table mill.

Globetrotter - The Luggage For The True Gent !

2007-06-26T00:22:00.000-04:00

Globetrotter is a classic British luggage maker that has been around since 1897. This was Sir Edmund Hilary's luggage of choice for his Everest expedition. Other users--past and present-- include Sir Winston Churchill and the Queen herself. In Ian Fleming's original James Bond novels, double-O occasionally uses Globetrotter on some of his endeavors. Not cheap, but exclusive and certainly pieces that are without a doubt luggage cult. If you want it even more exclusive; now is your chance. Globetrotter is featuring a limited edition vintage luggage set--Globetrotter Domino--that comes with a 10 and a 30 inch suitcase. Only 20 sets were made. The black cases are made of an ash wood frame that is covered with indestructible vulcan fiber with chrome detailing. You will have to get in contact with Globetrotter to find out about these sets. The Globetrotter pieces are truly timeless. Even if you do not intent to use them for travel, they make incredible home decoration accessories . My personal favorite is the "Oriental" set, but I also like the "Safari" collection a lot. I recommend that you visit their website and browse through their collections. I'm sure you will fall in love with what you find!

For The Real Gentlemen - The Byzant BBQ Tool Set !

2007-06-26T00:20:00.000-04:00

If you are into BBQ or more casual grilling, then you have bought many grill tool sets in your life and chances are that you also got a bunch of them as gifts over the years. Most of these things never come to use at the grill and most often end up being used for some unrelated tasks that they were never meant for. If this is true, well then this 16 piece BBQ tool set designed by Nicolas Nicolaou may peak your interest. Made of 18/10 stainless steel with wood accents, the set is available in satin or mirror finish and includes tong, brush, knife, turner, stand, and 10 skewers. The Byzant BBQ set has everything to make certain you are enjoying your outdoor cooking season to the fullest. Needless to say that the set is available at UnicaHome, one of my favorite places for gadgets for the home.

Casa Lapostolle - All About Wine Architecture !

2007-06-25T00:38:00.000-04:00

Usually--like most people--when concerned with wineries , it would be all about what they put into their bottles and what ultimately ends up on my table. Over the last 10 to 15 years some of the top wineries around the world have set out to become architectural pioneers. Quietly and not so much in the public eye some of the premier Chateaus in France, but also top growers in California have set out to update their structures and buildings above and beyond just their functional needs. They have built new and surprising avantgarde themes into their architecture, which almost seems exotic at first. One of my personal favorites, The Hess Collection, set in one of the oldest estates on Mount Vedder, high above Napa combines great wines, great architecture and an excellent contemporary art collection. Amongst the most impressive architectural works are Chateau Pichon-Langueville in the French Bordeaux and the Dominus Estate in California. Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, the French chatelaine of the Marnier-Lapostolle family best known for producing Grand Marnier and owning the renowned Loire estate Chateau de Sancerre, ventured out to Chile in 1994. She has her Chilean winery Casa Lapostolle on an incredible extraordinary fast-track success course. Together with her husband, Cyril de Bournet, Alexandra was determined to diversify the family's business further into wine. After countless visits to Chile the couple settled for Apalta, convinced that this was the place to make great wine. The vision was to produce premium quality wines, blending French expertise and Chilean terroir. It took a decade and about $20 million to put this revolutionary winery, that is solely dedicated to the production of Casa Lapostolle’s world-class icon wine, Clos Apalta onto the international radars. Today Casa Lapostolle receives exceptional reviews, awards and accolades for its wines from across the globe. But more then just the impressive track record of Casa Lapostolle's wine is the winery itself. Alexandra has built the winery of the future here. The winery is 100% gravity-fed spanning five levels, three of which are buried into the granite of the Apalta hillside to provide a natural cool temperature environment for cellaring and aging. This rare vertical design allows the wine to flow naturally downward during every stage of the production, eliminating the need to pump, which can adversely affect the subtle flavors of the wine. All the grapes are hand-harvested and brought to the highest level of the winery where they will be 100% hand-destemmed, a labor intensive technique performed by only very few wineries throughout the world. Fermentation takes place in 21 French wooden vats which size corresponds in size to the parcel of the Apalta vineyard. After two years of aging in two different barrel cellars, the wine is bottled and either departs from the base of the winery or join the underground library in the heart of the winery. Casa Lapostolle’s new Clos Apalta winery is without a doubt one of the most exciting developments in winery architecture in the world over.The philosophy behind the construction of the winery emphasizes the complicity between Man and Nature.