The Valentine Winner: Long Lasting Roses

Last night I wrote about  Kohler’s $6000 overflowing bathtub that has been added to my Dream List, but now have a more practical and traditional suggestion for Valentine’s Day.  How about some award-winning and long-lasting flowers? Our friend, Marian Meyers with the infectious smile and impeccable taste in wine and food, owns FlowerGram, an online service that just took top honors in beauty and lasting floral freshness. It was a War of the Roses contest conducted by New York’s…

February 14, 2007
Read More >>

The Cooktop that Cannot be Ignored

I am seasoned enough to have had more than a few stoves and cooktops in my cooking life. There have been the ones I hate (Frigidaire’s electric/glass cooktop, for example) because they have no self control—and allow little from me. Favorites have included a great big commercial Garland with six burners, large oven, a salamander and a spacious grill. Those were the days! But the hands down favorite cooktop of my life…

February 12, 2007
Read More >>

Ultimate Phone for the Luxury Bath

by Roberta Murphy I used to joke about needing a cell phone implant that I could answer with the twitch of a nose. That way I wouldnt have to play hide and seek with my phone and jump out of the shower when I hear it ringing. (Its really not that bad these days. I am a recovered celloholic who only occasionally relapses). Fujitsu Genies, after three long years of…

February 2, 2007
Read More >>

How to Totally Hide the Bedroom TV

Television Lift
February 1, 2007

by Roberta Murphy A television on display in a well-appointed master bedroom? Banish the thought! A bedroom television is never seen in home decor magazines, model homes or in Feng-Shui-directed abodes. At the very least, a bedroom television is hidden in cabinets because sleeping areas are seen as sacred sanctuaries and spaces. Yet, how many of us watch television while in bed and wish we could totally hide the evidence?…

Read More >>

SONOS: THE Expandable Sound System

by Roberta Murphy  It is with blushing embarrassment that I admit to still listening to a vintage Sony Jukebox which holds 100 CD’s, and that I bought my own personal i-POD less than two years ago. (Are these confessions allowed in a luxury home blog?) There is hope, though, for audinosaurs such as this writer.  A couple of week’s ago The Tomato’s Jim Cronin suggested I take a look at the Sonos Digital Music System. He…

January 23, 2007
Read More >>

Wine Storage for Oenophiles

by Roberta Murphy I recall a blustery night in the mountains at Big Bear Lake, when we spent a long evening in our kindly neighbors wine cellar. Rare for Southern California, it was located underground. The comfortable cellar had gorgeous stone walls, comfortable seating and a magnificent mahogany bar. Stacked and buried within this deep paradise were thousands of bottled wines. A few bottles were ordinary, many were extraordinary and…

January 17, 2007
Read More >>

Haute Refrigerators for Cool Kitchens?

An eye and cork-popping kitchen needs lots of space for chilling out–and intuitive appliance manufacturers are producing ahead of the curve. The latest refrigerators are wired and interactive, where the cook can watch a cooking show, or refrigerated storage drawers can be switched from fridge to freezer with the flip of a switch. The options are exciting, but the first step in deciding which refrigeration system to choose begins with…

January 15, 2007
Read More >>