Luxury lifestyle incorporates homes, second homes, travel, food, wine and other luxury indulgences.
by Roberta Murphy Thompson I was enormously upset with the November election. It wasn’t who won or lost; rather, fury at what appeared to be a corrupted election process. In retrospect, the Cancel Culture crowd appeared to be hard at work manipulating votes and cancelling the votes of many. Within a few days (or weeks), emotions calmed down and I then struggled with the need to act rather than complain…
5 Awesome Kitchen Renovation Ideas to Design Your Dream Kitchen Are you planning a kitchen remodel? If yes, you may know that it is a time-consuming process and may prove challenging if you are running short on ideas. Here are 5 practical ideas to inspire you to design your dream kitchen. You don’t have to shell out a lot of money for a kitchen renovation – all you need…
by Roberta Murphy I may dream of disconnecting from all things electronic, but fly into a panic when wifi goes down or more frequently, can’t find my phone. And I know I’m not alone. But there’s a persistent fantasy that I will one day deliberately land in some remote (and beautiful) location where there is no wifi, no television, no internet–and no clocks. I would be with my soulmate and…
Wondering about Luxury Home Trends for 2019? Here are some things you might want to consider in your purchase or remodel of your luxury home. By Jennifer Karami While the average sale price for luxury homes nationwide rose 4.7 percent annually to $1,772,000 in the fourth quarter of 2018, a few things remain constant: the kinds of features and luxury home trends associated with high end residences. Money can buy you a…
by Roberta Murphy Last Christmas, son Scott gave me a series of passes to a cryotherapy center in Del Mar. I would strip down to only underwear, special mittens and insulated socks. Then, I would step into a cubicle and freeze my patootie off for 3 minutes in swirling gases that registered like 180 degrees below zero. It felt like my frozen skin was going to crack and fall off…
by Roberta Murphy I have always felt such a sense of peace when I am in the garden fooling around with dirt and plants, but never gave it much thought until this morning. I read an article today relating research that confirms my senses: Garden Dirt actually serves as an anti-depressant. And could take the place of Prozac. I don’t suffer from depression and have never taken Prozac, but I…
I demand comfortable shoes, can’t stand anything pinching my feet, but love the idea of the stiletto. Especially ones that are comfortable! Fast Company recently reported on a stiletto designed by someone who put comfort first. It seems Christopher Dixon, an aspiring designer, was hired by Serena Williams to design a clothing line. He asked about the comfort stilettos in Serena’s closet, and she responded as most women would and…
Was the song Sultans of Swing really written in 1978? It was–and performed powerfully by Dire Straits. I recently ran across this fabulous video of 3 master guitarists, Tommy Emmanuel, John Jorgenson, Pedro Javier González who are jamming Sultans of Swing in a way I’ve never heard–and can’t resist sharing. See it here–with the lyrics below. You get a shiver in the dark It’s raining in the park but meantime South of the river…
What is Grace? Many years ago, when I was dissolving a marriage and trying to decide whether to leave Houston for Southern California, I came to the humbling realization that I was nothing more than a student in life. This despite the fact that I had been a college instructor and once thought myself wiser than most. Yeah right. It was such a relief to acknowledge my student status and the permission/acknowledgment…
By Hannah Goodman of Trulia As one of the top luxury real estate markets in the world, Miami has become the playground of the rich and famous. Celebrities and business moguls alike invest in Miami real estate to get their own piece of Magic City’s incredible vistas, beautiful beaches, and nightlife. Those who seek a secure home with all of the latest technology and furnishings will find all of that…
