Daily Pampering: An evening in Paris with Lucian Freud

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Is there any greater luxury than art? Nothing compares to dropping several million dollars on a single canvas, arranging to have it shipped home and having it suspended from your wall. Beyond an aesthetic decision or an investment, it’s also a reminder of a trip that will stay with you forever. So, if you’re planning an art-related trip, Paris needs to be on your mind. Though Lucian Freud failed to deliver on his black eye at auction last month, you can enjoy his work at the Centre Pompidou in Paris from March 10 to July 19, 2010.

Lucian Freud, a pround member of the Francis Bacon “supply chain,” is among the poster-children of the art market boom that ended with the near-collapse of the global financial system in Septemer 2008. The hype around Freud began in 2002, when London‘s Tate was home to a retrospecive. Today, we aren’t seeing the eight-figure price tags for Freud’s work common through May 2008 , bu he’s still shown that he can rake in prices in the millions of dollars.

True decadence, of course, can only be found in snatching up one of these pieces and bringing it home.

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Daily Pampering: Carriage rides in Vienna

by Annie Scott on


When you find yourself in Vienna, surrounded by palatial architecture and the echoes of history’s most brilliant classical musicians at every turn, a kind of nostalgia sets in. This is an excellent time to take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage.

When Cinderella’s fairy godmother came to visit, one of the most important things she did was turn a pumpkin into a horse-drawn carriage. In Vienna, horse-drawn carriages are called “fiacres” (or “fiakers“), named for Saint Fiacre, “patron saint of taxi drivers.” Yes, he’s also the patron saint of gardening, but Hotel de Saint Fiacre in Paris used to rent carriages, and the moniker ostensibly originated there.

The drivers of Vienna fiacres are usually part of family-run companies, so they are competitors and it’s a good idea to tip. You can haggle a price outside St Stephen’s Cathedral for a large or small tour of the city (that terminology will help) for as little as 20 euros. If you’re looking to make a special night fancier, though, opt for an enclosed carriage; the kind with doors and a little more privacy. The prices are usually about the same (unless you’re a professional barterer, in which case … good for you) — just ask your concierge how much it will cost and they can make arrangements for you.

From then on, you may refer to your concierge as “my fairy godmother,” but it may be frowned upon. Check your local hotels to ask if there are fiacre services in your area.

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My visit to Vienna was sponsored by the Vienna Tourist Board, but the opinions expressed in the article are 100% my own.

Daily Pampering: British Airways’ Club World service from London City to JFK

by Grant Martin on

Thirty-two seats is all that your business-class-only jet will host on your journey from New York City to the heart of London, England. The aircraft, an Airbus A318, has been outfitted by British Airways specifically for this purpose – as a posh, express service between two of the hippest, strongest, richest activity centers of the world.

From JFK, the experience will begin far before getting on the aircraft at the British Airways Terraces Lounge, where passengers can choose to have a full dinner prior to even boarding the flight over the pond. Once onboard, one can elect to skip dinner and sleep through the flight’s entirety, or eat another dinner and be stirred for a breakfast of choice.

Each business class seat reclines into a fully flat bed, and with a smaller cabin, guests are guaranteed a quieter journey, better attention from the crew and a better night’s sleep on the journey across the Atlantic.

But the best part of the whole operation is the arrival at London City Airport, a terminal normally reserved for smaller “narrow-body” aircraft. This airport’s proximity to the city makes the journey into your meeting a breeze, with a quick connection on the DLR as opposed to the time consuming Gatwick and Heathrow connections. And time saved is money saved.

On the way back from London, a brief stop in Ireland is required to top off fuel and barrel through US Customs. As a result, passengers arriving back n the states are rewarded with a direct deplane and easy access back into the city — all without any customs ruckus.

You can read more about the service and book tickets at British Airways’ site.

Daily Pampering: New restaurant opens at The Landings in St. Lucia

by Tom Johansmeyer on

If you haven’t been to The Landings St. Lucia lately, the restaurant that just opened is probably worth a trip. This RockResort just threw open the doors of The Palms, which is located in the grand entrance pavilion as an extension of the open-air Viscount Lounge. The menu boasts a Caribbean flavor, not to mention sustainably produced seafood from local St. Lucian farms.

The restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday and serves the creations of Executive Chef Richard Tonks. His menu includes potted pork and duck appetizers with pickled vegetables and potato pancakes, but what really excites me are the shredded braised lamb shanks wrapped in lettuce girolles, shallots and merlot sauce – I might book a flight just to toss that into my mouth.

And then there’s the art …

I could spend hours staring at contemporary art, and The Landings is making that pretty easy. In The Palms, the walls are adorned with the creations of local artist Llewellyn Xavier. Every piece on display in the restaurant is made from recycled materials.

With only 28 seats, this is an intimate environment and an ideal space for a meal on a romantic getaway. Be sure to take in at least one meal at The Palms when your down at The Landings.

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Daily Pampering: Recapture cigar luxury while you’re on the road

by Tom Johansmeyer on

For cigar smokers, just getting on a plane is a complicated affair. You may have to fly sans cutter or torch, depending on the airport (the rules don’t seem to be enforced consistently), which has a direct effect on how you enjoy your sticks when you’re traveling. If you insist on using your Xikar cutter and S.T. Dupont lighter regardless of where you find yourself, the safe move is to check your luggage – which comes with its own set of inconveniences. So, if you value speed over devices but don’t want to be denuded of an upscale cigar smoking experience, it’s time to buy an unusual, limited edition accessory from Davidoff.

The Davidoff cigar band is exactly what you’d expect from a company known for cigar-related luxury. The device consists of leather straps and a gold-gilt, textured Davidoff logo. Fasten this accessory to the cigar, and you elevate the experience immediately … while sending a clear message to the other inhabitants of the cigar lounge in which you light up. You have committed to a level of conspicuous consumption that few can attain.

Since only 20 of these bands were made, the odds of running into someone else who has one are rare, even if you are smoking with a crowd that has means similar to yours. As a result, you’ll be the envy of the lounge.

It’s hard to cope with not having the equipment that helps define the experience you have come to enjoy. The Davidoff cigar band, however, can take some of the sting out of the inconvenience of today’s carry-on restrictions.

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