Luxist

Hommage, the luxurious line behind the legendary $30,000 Damascene Razor, is back this season with an amazing new set of offerings. If your man secretly dips into your La Mer crème at night, we have just the gift for your significant other this holiday season. There's no shame in a man who likes his product, especially if it's as luxurious as the new Hommage line. The Achieve Face Mask ($75) is a charcoal peel-off mask made from bioactive fresh water silt and blue green algae. It's as much fun to put on as it is to take off, and will result in glowing skin and increased cell turnover, ultimately building the base for the smoothest shave ever.

The Awaken and Rejuvenate eye system ($100) is all you need to get rid of crows feet and other sun damage. Awaken, applied in the morning brightens and firms the skin around your eyes, while Rejuvenate works as you sleep to repair cellular damage.smooths out skin for a gorgeous close shave.

All Hommage products are scented with an amazingly sophisticated cologne. It's addictive. The products are available online at Hommage and Luxury4Him. Hommage was created specifically for men. But before you know it, he'll be catching you dipping into his Hommage.

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In spite of their occasional dynamic faults, vintage sports cars had a number of things going for them: namely, they were dripping with beauty and they had a way of attracting beauty of the opposite sex -- of either sex. They could also be faulted for not having any seriously considered luggage space, but then again micro miniskirts and bikini brief swim trunks didn't take up that much space.

Austrian luggage couturier JOCHEN70 can help you put more junk in your trunk -- certainly one of the few times you'd be interested in that kind of help -- and do so gorgeously. There are eight bags in the company's J70 collection, each one featuring a hard back and ample capacity finished with synthetics, stitched leather, and a racing stripe in any color you choose. The bags are also "protected against battery acid, lubricants, petrol, gasoline, exhaust fumes and other hazards," because, you know, you're a dangerous man. Try the limited edition 1000Miglia if you want something even more period, or the custom line that was designed to fit in cars such as the Alfa Spider Duetto, Jaguar E-Type Coupé and Roadster, and Porsche 356.

Interestingly, the inspiration for Jochen's bags is derived from a source that long predates vintage cars: horses. Or, more specifically, saddlebags. By "crossing the travel bag with the suitcase," the hard back of a JOCHEN70 helps keep contents protected, while two bags attached to one handle (they flip out, like wings) makes for easier carrying and more efficient storage.

And even though JOCHEN70 can't match the finest thing to grace a vintage car -- that would be probably be Grace Kelly -- if you really want to get your weekend gear and her twelve changes of clothes to the Hamptons, it is certainly worth a look.

Today's estate in pricey Montecito, California could actually, even at the high price of $18.8 million practically be considered a deal. After all this beachside home was once listed at $34 million (I also spotted an old listing for $24.75 million). The home has views of the Santa Barbara coastline, mountains and Channel islands all from the privacy of a gated enclave. The property has a historic renovated Monterey Colonial main house with eight bedrooms and a three-car garage as well as a beach cabana, guest house and a fenced in beach area. A second parcel is also available for an additional cost and is home to a pool, patios, fountains and has permits for building a new four bedroom home. The main home is an odd mix, for the most part it has the casual look of a beach house but some rooms have a more formal and luxurious look. You can't beat the location, Fernald Cove is one of the most desired areas in this celebrity-filled town.

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I recently spoke about Arnold Schwarzenegger visiting a Franck Muller store. He might have gone in to check out a watch such as this. Right out of a financially troubled Franck Muller comes this beast of a luxury timepiece. I've never seen anything like it from the brand, and this Conquistador Singapore Grand Prix watch certainly is aimed at one of the few places right now where you can bet on luxury watch sales still taking place.

There are other versions of this new style Conquistador watch. The dramatic colors and design are what really get me. It is like Franck Muller is targeting Roger Dubuis in some odd manner it seems with these "talk to me designs." This particular watch looks like a perfect compliment to Batman's The Joker attire. Don't you think?

Case comes in two forms. Either titanium and ergal (a type of aluminum alloy - think the red color on the watch case) or titanium and 18k rose gold. Size is 48mm wide by 62mm tall, and 14mm thick. Front and rear crystal is sapphire, of course. Inside the "statement rich" timepiece is an automatic Franck Muller FM caliber 7000 chronograph movement. Notable is the high level of decoration and platinum automatic rotor in the movement. The watch is limited to 80 pieces in the titanium and ergal, and 80 pieces in the titanium and gold.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

We bet you didn't even know you dreamed of eyeglasses, but this will help you catch up. Lorgnettes were all the rage in the 19th century, Roosevelt made pince-nez Presidential, and that guy in Los Feliz with the monocle is a sight to behold. Nevertheless, over-the-ear eyeglass still haven't had their golden age centuries after they were invented. Nader Zadi's Custom Eyes, in New York's Upper East Side, could put a change to that.

If Saville Row is where you get your suits, Custom Eyes is where you go for vintage and bespoke glasses. For the classicist Custom Eyes has rimless and semi-rimless antique frames and components in white and yellow gold, some of them 200 years old, and full frames from the early 19th century. Should you insist on the unique, after selecting your frame and bridge preferences Zadi will take your measurements and handcraft a set of eyewear -- even the lenses are ground and shaped by hand -- that would make both Ben Franklin and Jackie O. jealous.

Before it comes to all that, you need to make an appointment -- you know how the highest fashion rolls, darling. However, he will come to your office, hotel, or West Wing if that's how you roll. And if you really want to play the period game, Zadi will be happy to design a lorgnette or a set of opera glasses. We can't say they will make Strindberg's The Stronger any more comprehensible, but you'll look dashing and timeless while you try to figure it out.

With last week's publication of Sarah Palin's new book, Going Rogue, Alaska is once again in the headlines, so it's easy to forget that there's far more to our 49th state than its red-suited former governor. I've been working on a book project in the Bering Strait of Alaska sporadically for the past few years -- above is a photo from Shishmaref, Alaska. These are places where you really can see Russia. And while these locales aren't much for luxury in the traditional sense, they are the places where simply astonishing Alaska Native art is produced -- where artists utilize the landscape to create everything from delicately carved bracelets to bold mobiles, traditional masks to photographs, amber-jewel like kayaks to paintings.

Alaska's natural resources aren't just used for art, of course -- many Native Alaskans still live at least partially off the land and sea. In part, this is to preserve a traditional way of life, but it's also because the price of basic necessities is so high: a dozen eggs can cost as much as $22. In addition to the challenges of preserving tradition that are faced by native communities everywhere, the raw materials of life are in jeopardy because of global warming. This is the part of the United States that is the most dramatically affected by climate change: The state's wintertime climate has warmed by 40 degrees since 1950, sea ice has thinned by 60 percent since the 1960s.

Nine Native Alaskan artists have produced works in response to this fraught landscape, which opens at the Alaska House New York gallery in Soho on December 10th. Working in a variety of media, ranging from mask-making, to skin sewing, to photography, Brian Adams, Susie Bevins, Perry Eaton, Nicholas Galanin, Anna Hoover, Sonya Kelliher-Combs, Erica Lord, Da-ka-xeen Mehner, and Larry McNeil create works that capture this particularly delicate moment for Alaska -- and works that are certainly highly collectible. Check out the preview below to get just a sample of this extraordinary art.

If Dry Ice inspires you to travel to the places where these works are created, Alaska House New York (which is as much of an "embassy" for Alaska as it is an art gallery) has many resources to guide you through the parts of the state that you're unlikely to see on your own. And if you're more of an armchair traveler, check out this thoughtfully curated selection of books about Alaska -- a good place to start is 50 Miles from Tomorrow, by William L. Iggiagruk Hensley. You'll also find a list of online resources, including the very entertaining online newspaper, Alaska Dispatch.

One of the best kept holiday secrets on the East coast is the annual Christmas Stroll on Nantucket Island. The island located off the coast of Massachusetts, has long been famous as a summer destination for the wealthy and occasional celebrity or well known politician. It is also renown for maintaining its charm and old fashioned feel, accomplished through strict development and zoning laws that regulate what can be built.

The holiday season begins the first Friday after Thanksgiving when the Chamber of Commerce sponsors an Annual Tree Lighting and Community Caroling event. Nothing could be more picturesque that the antique cobblestone filled town illuminated by over 150 Christmas trees while sounds of the carolers fill the air. The 36th annual Christmas Stroll is held over the weekend of December 4th-6th as part of the month long Nantucket Noel Celebration.

Some of the highlights include a Main Street parade featuring Santa and Mrs. Claus, who arrive by Coast Guard vessel rather than sleigh and ride up Main Street in a horse drawn carriage accompanied by the town crier, carolers in Victorian costumes and a Magical Talking Tree to entertain the little ones. The shops and restaurants are all open and feature holiday themed window decorations and often offer hot toddies and cookies to visitors. A charming way to experience a little bit of an old-fashioned Christmas as well as get some early shopping accomplished.

There are many lodging options available for the special weekend. The Chatfield-Taylor Real Estate company has set up a special website for homes to rent for the Christmas stroll weekend. Many are quite conveniently located either in town or with in a short walking distance of the festivities and come in all sizes in case you'd like to bring the extended family or just want a romantic couples retreat. There are numerous Inns and Bed & Breakfast in town as well as the famous The Wauwinet a Relais & Chateau property located on the beach.

On May 1st RM Auctions will inaugurate a new annual sale in Monaco headlined by a rare Ferrari expected to fetch up to $3.5 million. The Sporting Classics of Monaco event will be held at the Grimaldi Forum during the same weekend as the 7th Grand Prix Historique de Monaco. 80 of the world's finest motor cars will be on offer, headlined by a stunning 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Cabriolet Pininfarina (above). One of only six short wheelbase examples bodied by Pininfarina, the Ferrari, chassis no. 3309SA was the last example built, and displayed as a factory show car at the Geneva and New York Auto Shows in 1962. The car, which recently underwent a no-expense spared, nut and bolt restoration by top tier marque specialists, won an award at this year's famed Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Widely regarded as more exclusive, powerful and luxurious than the SWB California Spider, its offering is set to garner significant attention from collectors around the world.

[via JustLuxe]

The hint of a recovery we got in the first half of 2009 has fallen off a bit,according to Art Price's Art Market Confidence Index. The latest report suggests that art prices have dropped 37 percent since January 1, 2008, when the art market first showed signs of weakness. But, there are some indications that it's headed in the right direction over all. Art Price does state that the third quarter is almost always weak. Only 12 percent of auction lots sold during all third quarters over the past decade, and low sales volumes tend to mean low prices.

The art market appears to have hit its worst point in the first quarter of this year, when art prices were down 38 percent over the previous 15 months. Values plunged to 2004 levels, and spectators figured that conditions would only get worse. Prices edged up 1.2 percent after the first quarter, but a slow summer didn't yield any real progress.

Art Price sees the November results as promising, with seasonally adjusted growth for the Post-War period up 2.1 percent since March and the Old Masters picking up 4.5 percent. And, for the past two quarters, only 38 percent of lots failed to sell, and it looks like October and November will stay consistent with that result.

More than anything else, the numbers suggest that confidence is increasing -- which is the first step in a recovery.

Michelle Obama wowed the crowd at the first official Obama administration state dinner last night. To welcome Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and his wife, Gursharan Kaur the first lady wore a gown by Indian-American designer Naeem Khan. The strapless gown was decorated with sterling silver sequins in a floral pattern on a nude silk chiffon dress. The Mrs. O website reports that it took three weeks of work by 40 people to create the dress. The work was done in Naeem Khan's family workshop in India. Mrs. Obama accessorized the dress with drop earrings and gold and diamond bangle bracelets.