World famous Harrods Department Store is located in London, U.K. Harrods was established by Charles Henry Harrod, originally in 1834 as a grocery and tea wholesale firm.

In 1849, Harrod obtained a small shop in the district of Knightsbridge, which incidentally remains the site of the current store. Harrods son Charles, impressively built the business into a thriving operation selling medicines, perfumes, stationery, fruits, and veggies.

Harrods quickly expanded and soon acquired nearby adjoining buildings, and employed one hundred people by 1880.* In a near tragic turn of events, a fire destroyed the store, in 1883.

However, the Harrods managed to fill and deliver all of their customer orders by the Christmas season and effectively proved their worth as exceptional purveyors of fine goods to the British public.

To date, the emporium continues to thrives as a mainstay of British elegance and class. Through out the years it has changed hands officially twice;first acquired by the House of Fraser in the late 1940s and later by Egyptian Industrialists, Mohammed and Ali Al Fayed in the 1980′s.

Today, the amazing Harrods offers everything from food to fashion, furniture to sportswear plus 20 in-store restaurants serving every kind of cuisine imaginable from pizza to sushi.

Harrods Department Store is impressively immense with over 300 departments impeccably situated over a span of seven floors. The expansive emporium sells all the items one would expect to find in an upscale department store from clothing, to jewelry, china, toys, and wedding fare.

Additionally, the store has a pet shop with a wide range of domestic and moderately exotic animals for sale. Among the most celebrated departments is that of the aptly named ‘Food Hall’. Available here is a virtually endless array of the most gracious of delicacies including fine rare cheeses, charcutarie, chocolates, Ewe, and pastries galore.

For a special treat, stop by Harrods at night to enjoy the store fully illuminated by 11,500 light bulbs.

Of course the finest in luxury gourmet items are offered with a price tag to match. Within the alimentary shoppe, one can also find a number of regular grocery items that cost no more than the Safeway supermarket down the road. For travelers to London, this historic British institution is a definite ‘must see’.

Harrods
87-135 Brompton Road,
Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7XL.
Tel: 020 7730 1234

China not only has the label as the world’s biggest auto market and steel maker, but it has now surpassed Germany in 2009 to become the biggest exporter.

China’s fast-track to becoming an economic power continues to steam ahead. China’s meteoric rise is further proof that there is a definite shift of economic power from West to the East.

China’s customs agency reported total exports for 2009 as $1.2 trillion to become the world’s biggest importer. The amount surpassed at was ahead of the $1.17 trillion (or 816 billion euros) for Germany.

In 2007, China passed Germany and became the third-largest economy. The forecast is for China to pass Japan this year and capture the number two slot, behind only the United States as early as this year.

The strong Chinese economy has helped Beijing amass the world’s biggest foreign currency reserves, totally more than $2 trillion.

Although, the economic numbers are impressive. As a whole, China with 1.3 billion people, is still a very poor country. The World Bank reports China ranks only 130th among the world’s economies in per capita income for 2008.

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Photo: REUTERS/Kieran Doherty (BRITAIN BUSINESS SOCIETY)

The Hotel Beau Rivage in Geneva, Switzerland will be holding a Sotheby’s auction on November 17th. What makes this auction so unique is the chance to bid on the largest vivid-green diamond ever to appear at auction.

The Sotheby’s auction will offer approximately 400 lots and estimates that proceed could reach $30 million.

The green diamond is cushion-shaped and includes a modified brilliant cut. The diamond weighs 2.52 carats.

Due to the fact that natural diamonds of this color are so rare, this gorgeous green diamond is estimated to sell for between $3.1 million to $5.1 million.

The Sotheby’s auction will offer many unique pieces of jewelry and gemstones. One is a rare , a pear-shaped fancy vivid-blue diamond with a modified brilliant cut.

The blue diamond weighs 5.96 carats and is projected to bring in a winning bid of $5.5 million to $7.5 million.

There is also  a cushion-shaped fancy pink diamond weighing 6.63 carats as well as  a cut-cornered rectangular-shaped fancy vivid-yellow diamond with a modified brilliant cut that weighs 74.8 carats and is mounted on a yellow gold ring.

Sotheby’s Chairman of Jewelry, Europe and Middle East, David Bennett, was quoted as saying, “We are thrilled that we are able to follow on from our achievement of the world record price per carat for any gemstone at auction with the “Star of Josephine” this past May in Geneva by offering a magnificent Fancy Vivid Blue Diamond of 5.96 carats, as well as an extremely rare vivid green diamond – the largest to ever appear at auction.”

The sale will also include beautiful pieces from the collections of Mary – Duchess of Roxburghe, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia, and society figure Daisy Fellowes.

It is amazing how the years have gone by but its been 12 years since the death of Princess Diana on August 31, 1997.

It seems like yesterday people were shocked to hear that dreadful news alert. Many are still saddened by all this.

Princess Diana was a woman who had selflessly given herself to help others in time of need. Princess Diana did many good deeds and a lot of work for humanity. People definitely miss her presence here on earth.

Her death deeply impacted those left behind. A family who really loved her including her two sons Prince William and Prince Harry. They were so young when this sad tragedy occurred.

The evel paparazzi always hounded poor Princess Diana. The paparazzi seemed to be one step ahead of her, where ever Princess Di went. They managed to follow her in her car which contained herself and three other men. The car was speeding quickly to avoid the paparazzi in Paris France and crashed into a concrete wall in a tunnel.  Sadly the life of Princess Diana ended, but not her legacy and many memories of good will and grace.

The lovely Princess Diana will remain forever young in our memories.

According to mortgage data firm First American CoreLogic, there are 137,670 U.S. taxpayers who have mortgage balances above $1 million. For them, the IRS is on their side.

The IRS has concluded that a taxpayer can now deduct interest on the first $1.1 million of their home mortgage. That amount is $100,000 higher than earlier legal IRS findings would allow.

For example, the IRS memo states that a taxpayer who purchases a $1.5 million home and borrows an amount of $1.3 million, will be able to deduct interest on $1.1 million.

The IRS reasoning does seem logical. If one taxpayer is able to deduct interest on an additional $100,000 of home-equity debt, in addition to a $1 million first mortgage, then shouldn’t another taxpayer be able to deduct the full $1.1 million for their original purchase?

Read full article at Forbes.com

It’s been been written about many times before. There’s such a small difference between winners and losers. Whether it’s sports, business or our personal lives. What if you could go that “extra mile” or give “110 percent”?

There are many successful people in the world. They are constantly in the news. We can’t get enough of them. We love them when they succeed, but we also get a guilty satisfaction when they fall flat on their face.

But most of the times, the successful people we hear about likely didn’t have an easy road to success. That’s because we typically hear nothing about the numerous pitfalls and failures they overcame in order to reach their goals.

The main difference between the two is this: the successful ones pick themselves up after failure again and again until they finally reach success. The difference between success and failure is often minute. Successful people we hear about likely didn’t have an easy road to success.

A good lesson to learn is that you’ll soon realize it often takes a good break or a little more effort than the next person to actually succeed.

The difference between success and failure is, you only fail when you fall down and don’t get right back up. When you have become a success in reaching your goals, then you become happy.

Watch the above video and see if it helps give you that extra motivational boost you need … to succeed.

Photo by: Getty Images

The global economy is still teetering, but most economists believe the the worst is beyond us.

With an uncertain global economy ahead of us, what are the next steps that need to be taken for the luxury market to regain its top billing? Oddly, it may be China.

Many business executives from around the world are looking to China, and more specifically towards the Chinese consumer to give that needed boost and raise the global economy out of recession.

Research firm McKinsey & Co released a study that states by 2015, China will become the world’s fourth-largest population of wealthy households, with an estimated number of 4.4 million.

Now it’s quite possible that China could become world’s biggest luxury market for goods. It seems that wealthy Chinese citizens overall appear to be younger than their counterparts in the West.

Most wealthy Chinese indicate that the Internet weighs heavily on their purchasing decisions, giving Western companies an inroad with this increasingly affluent group.

A joint study (2009 China Luxury Forecast) was performed by Ruder Finn Asia and Albatross Global Solutions It may be a bit surprising that more than half of wealthy Chinese state the current world recession really isn’t impacting their purchasing decisions.

The research study also stated that luxury brands Louis Vuitton and Cartier were two of the most preferred brands among Chinese luxury consumers.

Another important fact is the prevalent use of the Internet by the affluent Chinese. Almost 90% of those talked to use the Internet (Over 310 million people in China have the Internet) to improve their knowledge of luxury brands and products.

This data definitely proves that luxury companies have a lot of work to due to correctly evaluate and attack the Chinese market. But the rewards could become very, very lucrative for those who succeed.

The practice of using proper restaurant etiquette may seem like something that we all should know, however, there are many etiquette practices we can often forget or even worse … sadly ignore.

Dining out at a fine restaurant may not be typical for many people, it’s important that you brush up on your restaurant etiquette to ensure the dining experience is enjoyable for you, your guests, and the restaurant staff.

The following are a number helpful tips for proper fine dining restaurant etiquette:

Proper Manners: Maintaining good manners is essential when dining at a restaurant. For instance, when you are eating use proper eating practices. Do not put too much food in your mouth as you will end up chewing with your mouth open. Do not talk while you are eating or make annoying chewing sounds. Always use utensils and avoid picking up food with your hands.

Don’t dip bread in soups or other liquids. Don’t put your elbows on the table. When you are finished your meal, do not push the plate to the middle of the table for others to see while they are eating. Eat at the same rate as your guests. Once you have finished eating your meal, place your cutlery close together on your plate. This tells the staff that you are finished and they will remove the plate. As well, turn off your cell phone before sitting down to eat.

Dress Code: It is important to dress for the type of restaurant you will be attending. Fine dining restaurants normally have a strict dress code. If you are not sure about the type of restaurant, call ahead and ask.

Restaurant Staff: Do not treat restaurant staff like they are servants. Restaurant staff make minimum wage and they work very hard. If you are unhappy with your meal, don’t take your anger out on the staff. Be courteous and ask if they can take the meal back. Having a good relationship with the staff will make your dining experience much more pleasant. As well, it is important to leave a tip of at least 15%. Servers make most of their money from tips because their hourly wage is so low.

Communication: Courteous and clear communication is an important part of the dining experience. The restaurant staff cannot read your mind so it is important to clearly communicate your needs and any concerns. You should always be polite. Keep an eye on all of your guests to ensure that they have not been forgotten by the restaurant staff. If they are, call the server to your table. When communicating with guests, avoid sensitive topics. Engage in conversation with the guests equally.

Meal Payment: If you are expecting your guests to pay, make sure you have discreetly discussed this with them before going to the restaurant. If there is a host paying, don’t pick the most expensive meal and dont eat or drink too much. Don’t sit around for hours drinking and talking. You will just be taking the table away from paying customers which hurts the restaurant. If you are the person who is paying for the dinner, don’t tell your guests how much it cost.

Dining in a fine restaurant is a relaxing, fun, and an easy way to have a meal. It is important to remember that there are different etiquette rules to follow than when having dinner at home. A little common sense and practicing simple etiquette techniques will ensure a great dining experience.

Earlier this summer, a new mega-yacht finally made its preliminary launch. Owned by Russian oligarch, Roman Abramovich, the mega-yacht named “Eclipse” was launched at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany.

The yacht “Eclipse” was built under extreme secrecy over the last two years. The mega-yacht is estimated to have cost around $500 million and his planned to be complete by 2010.

The “Eclipse” is about 170 meters or 557 feet long, and loaded with safety features such as Abramovich’s armor-plated master suite and the bullet-proof windows. The yacht’s submarine can also be used as escape pod.

Now becoming the largest mega-luxury yacht, it exceeds the 525-foot luxury yacht owned by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Roman Abramovich is owner of the Chelsea soccer team. An engineer who had worked on the “Eclipse”  stated, “Abramovich wanted everything top of the range, from the toilet roll holders to the sound system. It has all been custom-built for him with a multi-million dollar defense system. Attackers don’t stand a chance.”

The “Eclipse” has living space for 24 guests, with a crew of 70. The mega-yacht weighs 13,000 tons, and can achieve a top speed of 33 knots with a cruising speed of 22 knots. The “Eclipse”  offers guests two swimming pools, a movie theater and a dance floor.

The “Eclipse” yacht will become the fourth boat belonging to Roman Abramovich’s fleet. Flaunting his wealth, Abramovich often entertains prospective Chelsea soccer players and powerful British bankers on his yachts.

The 42-year-old owner, plans to board his new boat next summer and cruise to next World Football Championship, which will occur in South African Republic.

Courtesy of Wenn.com

The verdict is in and looks like lowlife Bernie Madoff is going to be in prison a long … a very long time. He received a 150 year sentence but for the hundreds of people he scammed out of their hard earned money, the prison sentence still doesn’t seem enough.

Bernie Madoff has to also give up the majority of his worldly, luxury possessions. One of the key properties was his luxury New York City apartment.

Bernie began serving time in a jail cell back in March, moving out of his luxurious Upper East Side apartment, that is valued at about $7 million.

Last week, a court forfeiture order was handed and Bernie Madoff was told give up an eye popping $170 billion in assets. As part of that court order, Madoff’s wife Ruth Madoff, must now find a new place to live.

What the Madoff’s left behind in their luxury four-bedroom duplex on the upper East Side, included a $35,000 Lavar Kerman Persian carpet and the $20,000 Chippendale-style tea table.

The duplex was art-filled with valuable pieces. The living room featured two plush couches, antique lamps and a valuable Impressionist painting.

The master bedroom had been designed around Georgian theme with priceless antiques. Included were a canopied bed, fireplace and a burlwood tall chest topped with Chinese porcelains dating back to the late 1700s.

The Madoff’s large kitchen was stocked with fine china and silver serving sets.