It was an exciting week in the world of automobiles as luxury car maker Bentley announced that that they will proceed with a luxury Bentley SUV. It would become the world’s most expensive SUV but you’ll have to wait a few years before you can buy it.

The new luxury SUV from Bentley will become the fourth model in their product line. Bentley also stated that the SUV will become the most luxurious and powerful SUV on the auto market when it goes on sale in 2016.

Since 1998, Bentley Motors Limited has been owned by Volkswagen Group. The new SUV will be part of major program and over the next three years, Bentley will invest greater than than £800 million ($1.23 billion) in its headquarters at Crewe, England and the development of its next generation of new luxury models. The investment by Bentley will produce about 1,000 jobs in the UK.

Dr Winterkorn who is the Chairman of the Board of Volkswagen Group was quoted, “The Volkswagen Group believes in the UK as a competitive location for industrial production. Bentley fans all around the world are looking forward to the brand’s first SUV. Together we will make this new Bentley another true Bentley – powerful, exclusive and successful.”

The original EXP 9 F concept was unveiled at the 2012 Geneva auto show (see the above photo). There are industry talks that the new Bentley SUV will look differently.

In the last 16 months since the  Geneva car show last year, the initial response from its customer base to the new Bentley SUV has been extremely positive.

Volkswagen’s ultra-luxury Bentley brand will expand its vehicle line beyond the popular sedans and coupes it currently offers. It’s estimated that the new SUV will be priced around $237,000, which will definitely make it the most luxurious and the world’s most expensive SUV!

If you desire to won a luxury car or SUV, contact The Life of Luxury and we can assist in finding you the best vehicle at the best price!

Man’s best friend is being pampered like never before. Our beloved pet dogs are becoming further entrenched into our family lives, including social outings and even vacations that are pet friendly.

Approximately 1/5 of travelers take their pets with them on trips, according to the U.S. Travel Association. To meet this growing trend, several hotels and destinations are beginning to cater to these traveling dogs with special pet friendly offerings and packages.

We want to highlight three pet friendly hotels and destinations that are rolling out the doggie red carpet this summer.

It’s time for some extra special, pooch pampering. Your pet dog can now enjoy personalized amenities, gourmet meals and even luxurious spa treatments!

Waldorf Astoria Chicago
The luxurious Waldorf Astoria Chicago hotel is located in the heart of Chicago’s fashionable Gold Coast and recently
launched its Waldorf Woof program. This summer, the pet friendly luxury hotel has partnered with the chic dog boutique Tails in the City to provide guests and their dogs with a doggie picnic to enjoy in one of the nearby parks. The picnic basket includes a portable dog bowl and gourmet hand-baked dog treats (with designs such as “I Heart Chicago”).
Rates from $395/night.

Sea Island, Georgia
A Forbes Five-Star destination resort located on the coast of Georgia, Sea Island offers something for everyone, including man’s best friend. In addition to doggie bowls, treats and pets that are provided for all four-legged guests, dog amenities available for purchase include Sea Island’s signature dog shampoo and an a la carte gourmet pet menu with organic selections prepared by room service chefs including Crazy Dog (Beef Tips braised in Veal Essence with White Rice), or for a more health-conscious pooch, the Healthy Gracie (Slow cooked Turkey, Brown Rice and Local Vegetables). For the Dog Days of Summer (through August), the pet friendly Spa at Sea Island hotel offers special weekly classes which range from doggie boot camp to pet aromatherapy.
Rates from $395/night.

Gansevoort Hotel Group
Gansevoort Park Avenue and Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC, two of Manhattan’s sleekest and most stylish hotels, is the see-and-be-seen spot for travelers and pets alike. Both hotels are offering a “Pampering Your Pooch” package for $125, which includes premium dog treats and toys from the Barking Zoo dog boutique, as well as a dog collar tag that reads “I’m staying at the Gansevoort.” Guests can also choose to purchase additional amenities, including personalized dog beds and mats.
Rates from $395.

St. Pete/Clearwater, Florida
St. Petersburg/Clearwater boasts 361 days of sunshine per year and some of America’s most exquisite beaches, including the award-winning Fort De Soto Park, Clearwater Beach and Caladesi Island State Park. Unlike many other “no dogs allowed” Florida beaches, Fort De Soto Park has one of the only dog parks where dogs are allowed on the beach in a designated area. At the Loews Don CeSar on St. Pete Beach, dogs can take advantage of a gourmet room service menu and massages by a professional canine massage therapist. The TradeWinds Island Grand boasts a Pet Play Zone with doggie drinking fountain and fire hydrants, as well as a Sit. Stay. Play Pet Package which includes pet amenities galore, New Barker Magazine, gourmet treats and choice of meals from the Paw Court Bistro room service menu. St. Pete/Clearwater also has numerous pet-friendly restaurants, including Cassis American Brasserie in downtown St. Petersburg, which serves up unique doggie dishes such as “Mutt”loaf, Pup Monsieur and Bark de Triumph.

If you are interested in learning more about these pet friendly hotels, the please contact The Life of Luxury and we will be glad to help book your next vacation.

We had the honor of conducting a Kathy Hilton interview, who is married to Richard Hilton, a member of the Hilton Hotel family. Kathy is also the proud mother of four children, including daughters Paris Hilton and Nicky and two sons, Barron and Conrad.

Kathy Hilton personifies today’s modern businesswoman as a designer of her own clothing company, the Kathy Hilton Collection. This lifestyle mogul can literally “do it all.” As an active philanthropist, her efforts have been recognized for supporting Erase MS, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Starlight Children’s Foundation.

Kathy has lived a lifestyle of wealth and glamour and gained interest in the fashion industry by attending the most coveted fashion shows around the world. She’s very proud of her Kathy Hilton Collection, a line of exquisite evening wear for women of all ages. The clothing line mixes an element of Hilton’s high society at affordable prices, to the marketplace.

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Kathy, thanks for taking the time to talk to us this afternoon. Let’s start with a few questions about your family before we jump into your exciting, fashion clothing collection.

Question:
You’ve been married to your husband Rick Hilton for almost 34 years – what do you attribute the success of your longevity to ?

Answer:
We met while we were very young and started out in a small apartment in New York City. It’s important to do things on your own and grow close together. Give respect to one another and spend good, quality time with each other. While we lived in New York, we had the chance to do our own thing and it allowed us the freedom to find out about ourselves.

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Question:
For any newlyweds out there, what key advice can you give them ?

Answer:
Take care of your marriage and spouse. Surround yourselves with the right people and not those who could lead you down the wrong path. As a wife, I think it’s important to help clean the house, cook the meals, and always look your best.

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Question:
Are you a proud mom, seeing the business success of your two daughters – Paris and Nicky ?

Answer:
I’m very, very proud of both of them. Paris has her line of clothing, shoes, sunglasses, and is now on her 18th fragrance. Nicky moved back to New York and has her own line of clothes, is writing a new book on fashion, plus her jewelry. She’s been busy interviewing. I’m really very proud.

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Question:
I found it quite interesting that you are good friends with LaToya Jackson. How did that friendship develop ?

Answer:
Michael (Jackson) was one year ahead of me in school and we had three classes together. I became very close to him, then of course also become good friends with LaToya and their whole family since I was thirteen years old. It’s a friendship that has lasted all these years. We’re like family, and it’s very lovely.

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Question:
Let’s now talk about your exciting fashion clothing line – The Kathy Hilton Collection. What initially drove you to enter the fashion world ?

Answer:
Of course, it’s every little girl or woman’s dream to design a dress. Steve Lang, the owner of Mon Cheri came to me and asked if I’d do a dress line with them. Since I’m a lover of beautiful clothing and been lucky enough to wear those beautiful garments, it’s something I really wanted to do. We had a talk and I had only one condition – I want to be 100% hands on, not just a licensee. I’m a control freak and have to be involved with everything. We do about 125 dresses and at times, we have to edit out 20. Sometimes the ones we think are the best, don’t end up that way. We offer very timeless, beautiful dresses for special occasions. They are designed for women of all ages – me, my nieces who are in their teens & early twenties, to my daughters and sisters. They are for women who want to look beautiful and timeless, and wear season after season, without breaking the bank.

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Question:
What is the main inspiration behind your designs ?

Answer:
My inspirations are my travels and everything I do in my life. Everybody wants to feel the excitement of walking the red carpet and to look beautiful. I’m inspired by everything from jewelry, to being in a museum or walking in a garden. I was just in London and love flowers and all the colors. People too, not necessarily a Hollywood actor but someone who just walks into a restaurant, can inspire me. Also looking at a portrait in a museum. I love shopping in vintage places and get ideas from walking around or simply seeing a unique fabric in a Paris store.

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Question:
Who is your target customer ?

Answer:
For women who really want to look like a million dollars, but not spending a fortune. My woman is very confident and comfortable enough in her own skin to not have to wear a label because it’s one or two thousand dollars. Sixty percent of my dresses are short and forty percent are the long style. I’m in over 250 stores all over the world, including Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, which is very exciting to me.

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Question:
What do you feel makes your clothing line stand apart from the competition ?

Answer:
What I see today are dresses under $500-600 in clothing stores that all look like pageant dresses and look cheesy. I don’t see anything for a woman between 35 to 45 or 55 to 65. Mine are very beautiful and customers initially think they sell for $1,000 or $2,000 each. They look like they are part of a couture tour. When you walk into the department and see my dress next to others, mine stands out because it doesn’t have all that beading and frills all over the place. I pay attention to the details. You wear the dress, the dress doesn’t wear you. I think it’s fun to accessorize. You can dress my dresses down or you can dress them up. You can still wear a pair of nice earrings or a beautiful necklace with my clothes. What I feel is important is we use one of the top fit models in New York, which is very expensive. Our dresses are not just designed on a computer. We test drive every button and now use four different manufacturers and have learned what they each do well – one is better with beadings or lace, how it drapes on her body, etc…

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Question:
With the success of your fashion line, do you see yourself expanding into other markets, such as jewelry, fragrances, handbags or other accessories …. ?

Answer:
I would love to, but do believe you have to crawl before you can walk. Timing is everything. I have been offered an at-home bedding line deal and a shoe line. If I can incorporate that with my dresses I will. One thing at a time but I would love to have pieces that would go with my collection.

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Question:
Where do you see the future direction of fashion such as new trends, styles or fabrics ?

Answer:
Everything comes back in style over time. Right now it’s the beautiful colors as people are getting away from black and getting more into the jewel tones – kind of like vintage with a contemporary edge. A little edgy but in a lady-like way. Dresses are getting a little longer. Heather grey, oyster are getting more popular as colors. White is getting huge, it now can be worn year-round.

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Question:
As an authority on the latest beauty trends – what tips can you offer that busy woman who’s trying to balance a career and family life ?

Answer:
Drink lots of water, fiber shakes and try to eat healthy. Taking care of your skin. I have been blessed by good skin from my mother but I wasn’t a teenager who baked out in the sun so I’m grateful. Never going to bed without removing your make-up. I keep a little rose water in a little spritzer in my purse, so if I’m out I can enhance the make-up and gives it a little glow. Hydration is very important. Always changing up your shampoo and make-up every month or so because after a while, it doesn’t have the same effect. Try a little Vaseline on the eyelashes and also do an exfoliation once a week. I love going to health food stores and the little salon stores and talking to the personal to get their tips on what’s popular.

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Question:
What do you see yourself doing in the next phase of your life ?

Answer:
Working and continuing with my clothing line. Would love to get my shoe and handbag line going. I had my own store in L.A. for eight years so I understand the retail market. It would be fun to have my own in-home brand.

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Question:
Finally, how would you like to be remembered – what’s your ideal Kathy Hilton legacy ?

Answer:
That I was always a nice and sensitive person. Always been philanthropic and enjoyed helping other people. Someone who worked hard but I’m also silly and a prankster.

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We hope you enjoyed the Kathy Hilton interview. You can view the entire Kathy Hilton Collection at http://www.kathyhilton.com as well as find a nearby store that carries her clothing line.  Kathy Hilton would love to hear your feedback so follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KathyHilton

Looking for those unique, luxury vintage or classic cars can be a challenge. First, how do you easily find them and more importantly how do you know you are getting your money’s worth?

One of the best certified brokers we work with is Luxury Brokers International, who specializes in the purchase, sales, and brokerage of investment grade classic cars.

One of the nice options is offering your luxury car as a consignment sale. The primary advantage of a consignment sale of your car is you get the power of leveraging the entire car network in the automotive field to help sell your vehicle.

Here’s a small sample of the many quality classic cars available on the market for sale.

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1965 Shelby Cobra 427 S/C (CSX Continuation) – pictured above
An extremely high quality Shelby Continuation car with under 5K from new, and well optioned.
Offered at $109,500

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1964 Jaguar E-Type FHC
A Numbers Matching, Two Owner Example, Retaining An Original Interior.
Offered at $64,500

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1968 Mercedes-Benz 280SL
A Restored, Factory Black/Black Example With Two Tops.
Offered at $72,500

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1981 Rolls-Royce Corniche
RROC Member Owned With Great Original Colors And Well Serviced.
Offered at $39,500

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1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SL
A Cosmetically Restored, Well Sorted Driver Quality Pagoda in Interesting.
Reduced to $59,500

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1986 Porsche 930 Track Car
A Very Well Engineered Example With Much East Coast Pedigree.
Reduced to $64,500

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1965 Mercedes-Benz 230SL
An Excellent, Well Sorted Euro-Spec 4-Speed Example With Two Tops.
Offered at $42,500

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It is important to understand the always evolving market price, car features and options plus the condition of the car you may be interested in buying. There are several important investment factors that need to be taken in to account and a quality, certified car broker can assist in breaking down those detail and help you in buying the right car.

There are additional services available such as classic car storage, classic car consignment, brokerage, and other consulting services

If you are in the market to buy a classic or vintage car or have one to sell, please contact The Life of Luxury to see how we can help.

Whether it’s inefficiencies, theft or just plain management incompetence, professional firms (e.g. Architectural, Engineering & Environmental) are often bleeding lost money and many have no idea it’s even happening.

June Jewell is a CPA and owner of Acuity Business Solutions. She has 28 years of business management consulting experience and has seen many cases of companies losing money and not even aware of the problem.

She after extensive research, June states that the architectural, engineering and environmental firms she works for as a consultant, easily lose $100,000 each year through inefficient and ineffective practices. It’s money just being flushed down the toilet.

Jewell was quoted, “Of course, sometimes the waste is much, much more – and this goes for larger and smaller businesses. The problems are usually so fundamental to a business that they will never see why and how they’re bleeding money; they’re too close.”

June Jewell is also the author of a book titled “Find the Lost Dollars: 6 Steps to Increase Profits in Architecture, Engineering, and Environmental Firms.”

Her book details various step that professional firms can do to locate lost money. There are several nooks and crannies in which firms are apt to lack efficiency and that means lost money.

In this post-recession economy, Jewell says, it’s vital for firms to tune up their business management practices in order to thrive.

Below Jewell provides reviews covering three key areas where most firms can identify potential issues and turn unnecessary losses to gains:

• Company culture: While the culture may vary somewhat from one firm to another, architectural, engineering and environmental firms share some of the same characteristics. One is that their founders tend to go into business because they’re creative people who love what they do — not because they’re business people. So they don’t focus on profits, and they tend to be casual managers with regard to employees’ time. Shifting the culture to a focus of being profitable is not only necessary for sustaining the business; it allows creative people to do more of what they love.

• Ineffective practices: Of course, there are many moving parts in an A&E firm, which means there are many potential areas for improvement. That includes customer service, time management, marketing, strategic planning, accurate budgets and estimates, and the cost of lost opportunities. Failure to create an accurate, meticulous job estimate, for instance, can have multiple consequences, from having disappointed clients to jeopardize projects to losing money because time, materials and other costs were not accurately forecast.

• Systems & IT: This is the third way to improve business management and increase profits. Technology is able to help companies leverage their resources more effectively, yet many of them are still using outdated software and non-integrated systems. By looking at systems as a strategic investment that can help them to be more competitive, they can realize a great return on investment (ROI) from their projects. While the transition from old to new software has its cost in time and work, the efficiency gained in future work production is worth it.

If your professional firm is a potential target for lost money, don’t delay and get expert help.

June Jewell concludes, “I’ve worked with hundreds of A&E firms in my 28 years of consulting, and I see these shared problems so often, I offer what I call – the $100K Challenge – That’s a guarantee that I can work with any business that’s doing a few million dollars a year in business and find $100,000 they’re losing in profits.”

If your firm requires professional consulting help, please contact The Life of Luxury using the below form.

It’s the best kept secret, but Andre’s cigar lounge at the the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas is the city’s only cigar lounge that’s connected to a Vegas Strip resort restaurant.

Andre’s Restaurant & Lounge can be found on the second floor of the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. This unique Sin City establishment offers a collection of more than 140 Cognacs, Armagnacs and Scotches plus premium fine cigars.

The impressive Andre’s collection is the largest in all of Las Vegas and is ranked third in North America based on size alone.

This exclusive destination was originally created to serve as a unique place for cigar aficionados who long desired a place on the world famous Las Vegas Strip. They simply wanted somewhere to go and enjoy their smoke and take in all the ambiance of an incredible, luxurious atmosphere.

The Cigar Lounge opened in 1996 along with the award-winning, AAA Four Diamond restaurant. But due to its limited awareness, Andre’s Cigar Lounge is considered a “hidden gem” by many in the hospitality industry.

The signature Cigar Lounge collection of fine cigars includes their most popular seller – the Montecristo No. 2. Another popular cigar is the Padron 80th anniversary 1926 Perfecto. Hand-rolled treasures also include Fuente OpusX and Ashton VSG.

To complete your unique cigar experience, Andre’s Cognac Specialist Patrick Trundle is available to pair cigar choices with the Cognac, Armagnac and single-malt scotch/scotch whiskey selections.

The vast collection of Cognac, Armagnac and Scotch are available by the half pour, glass or bottle, with some of these great tasting spirits dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries.

The highlight of the collection is Chef Andre’s series of vintage Cognacs from the Jacques Hardy Private Reserves. (In fact, Chef André’s cognac collection contains the largest selection of Hardy Cognac outside the family’s collection.) This exquisite series includes the Jacques Hardy Cognac, Private Reserve, Vintage 1777 priced at $35,000 per bottle. (This is one of four bottles left in the world.)

The intimate and relaxing lounge comfortably seats 36 guests and is also equipped with a state-of-the-art ventilation system enabling cigar aficionados to enjoy their evening without the smoke disrupting nearby dining guests. Furthermore, non-smokers can enjoy the lounge as well thanks to the area’s separate ventilation and air filtration system.

Consider enjoying a fine dining experience with celebrated chef André Rochat qwho has enhanced his AAA Four Diamond restaurant – Andre’s Restaurant & Lounge at Monte Carlo. Honored with a prestigious Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator, ther is an encyclopedic wine list that boasts more than 1,500 selections and an inventory of more than 12,000 bottles.

To get more information about Andre’s Cigar Lounge in Las Vegas or to make travel reservations to visit Sin City, please contact The Life of Luxury.

A true legend and genius in the world of technology, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak along with his good friend Steve Jobs invented the iconic Apple I computer.

Both Steve Wozniak and the late Steve Jobs founded Apple Computers, Inc. in 1976. Wozniak also personally developed the company’s next computer model- the Apple II.

If you’ve ever dreamed of owning Steve Wozniak’s home, now is your chance. The custom home he had built in the 80’s is up for sale in Los Gatos, California.

This luxury mansion was designed and built specifically for Steve Wozniak back in 1986. “Woz” no longer lives there and home has changed owners several times over the years. But now is your chance to own a part of tech history.

The stunning luxury home is about 7,500 sq ft in size and consists of 6-bedrooms and 6.5-baths. The home sits on 1.19 acres is nestled in the scenic Los Gatos Mountains, near Northern California’s famous Silicon Valley.

The home was recently renovated and re-designed, but still retains several of his most unique design elements.

The current owner last listed the home back in 2012 but took it off the market after not being able to sell it. Last years’s asking price was $5 million but you can now purchase this gorgeous Los Gatos home for a mere $4.395 million.

The home is listed with real estate agent Art Sharif from Sotheby’s International Realty. If you would like additional information about the Steve Wozniak home for sale or looking at buying a home anywhere in the world, please contact The Life of Luxury for personal, real estate service assistance.

Colorado offers avid golf lovers greater than 250 golf courses. It’s a diverse mix of championship golf courses for players of all levels, including: meticulously landscaped municipal courses to resort courses and semi-private and private golf clubs.

For a true Rocky Mountain High, Colorado is home to Mount Massive Golf Club. Located 9,640 feet above sea level, it’s the highest-elevation golf course in the U.S. Elevation is a big part of the golf experience in Colorado, as many of Colorado’s golf courses are found at 7,000 feet above sea level and higher.

Golfers love the high Hence altitude of playing golf in Colorado. It’s a big advantage to players who are
looking for an extra edge, since drives off the tee in Colorado will travel higher and anywhere from 10-20 percent farther than courses at sea level.

Here is a summary of golf courses across Colorado that showcase the best of the mountains, valleys, rivers and more.

Club at Crested Butte
Set across 160 acres of lakes, aspen trees and mountaintops, the Club at Crested Butte features the Robert Trent Jones Jr. course, designed and named after the world-renowned course architect. The private course offers public tee times and golf for players of all ages and skill levels with five sets of tees to provide both a challenge and an opportunity for learning. Known for its championship-quality fairways and greens, the course is a hidden gem in the Elk Mountain Range.

Hillcrest Golf Club
Established in 1969, Hillcrest Golf Club overlooks the historic town of Durango in Southwestern Colorado. The Club boasts an affordable greens fee of just $36 for 18 holes and a relaxed atmosphere with spectacular views of the Colorado Rockies. Hillcrest Golf Club offers a full-size driving range and an additional short game practice facility for warm-up and leisure. With a relatively short distance from tees to greens, many golfers enjoy walking the course and taking in the views.

Mount Massive Golf Course
At 9,640 feet, Mount Massive Golf Course is the highest-elevation golf course in America. Just a short drive from the Top of the Rockies Scenic and Historic Byway, the course provides magnificent views of the state’s highest mountains. With a laid-back atmosphere, well-maintained grounds and affordable prices, golfers can take in the views and play the course with rates of $22 for nine holes and $38 for 18 holes for walkers.

The Golf Club at Redlands Mesa
In 2010, Colorado Golf Magazine named Redlands Mesa the No. 1 public golf course in Colorado, highlighting its “majestic terrain and visual splendor.” At the base of the Colorado National Monument, the 18-hole Redlands Mesa presents players with 11 elevated tees, 41 bunkers and a true championship layout. From golf pros to novices, Redlands Mesa offers amenities for learning the game or perfecting skills with qualified PGA Professionals and a full length driving range open all year.

Pole Creek Golf Club
At 8,600 feet above sea level, Pole Creek Golf Club is one of the highest 27-hole courses in North America with breathtaking views of the Continental Divide. The course’s designer, Denis Griffiths, incorporated valley meadows, sagebrush and water hazards including five lakes to create a diverse course and challenging play. Just this year, Colorado Avid Golfer Magazine’s People’s Choice CAGGY Awards voted Pole Creek Golf Club the No. 1 Mountain Course noting its wide-range appeal and stunning scenery.

Garden of the Gods Club
A challenging 27-hole classic golf course, Kissing Camels at Garden of the Gods Club provides members and guests with bunkered greens, towering pines and landscaping highlighting the lush mountain range. The 50-year old course was designed by J. Press Maxwell and Mark Rathert and is separated into three nine-hole courses. The club also offers a driving range and practice facilities as well as personalized golf instruction from the PGA professional staff.

Ballyneal Golf Club
A private, destination course, Ballyneal Golf Club offers one of the truest forms of authentic links golf in the country. Designed by architect Tom Doak, the walking only course allows golfers to take in the vast, open landscape of the Northeastern Colorado High Plains. Ballyneal Golf Club has been recognized by Golf Magazine as No. 46 on the list of Top 100 Courses in the United States.

Solheim Cup
On August 13-18, The Solheim Cup, the biennial, trans-Atlantic team match-play competition, comes to Parker, Colorado to feature the best players from the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour and the Ladies European Tour (LET). Held every two years since 1990, the event has become one of the most prestigious international women’s professional golf team events. The American team has never lost the competition on United States soil and will be looking to take back the cup after a 2011 loss in Ireland.

To learn more about Colorado’s best golf courses or to book a trip, please contact The Life of Luxury to make your reservations.

Considered the “world’s most expensive coffee,” Black Ivory Coffee is no ordinary “cup of joe,” but a very expensive delicacy.

The beans used in Black Ivory Coffee are no ordinary beans, but ones that have been eaten, digested, then excreted as dung from elephants in the beautiful hills of northern Thailand.

Blake Dinkin is a 42-year-old Canadian with a background in civet coffee and has spent $300,000 developing the coffee. He states, “When an elephant eats coffee, its stomach acid breaks down the protein found in coffee, which is a key factor in bitterness. You end up with a cup that’s very smooth without the bitterness of regular coffee.

Black Ivory Coffee is currently selling for about a whopping US $1200/kg! It takes between 15-70 hours as the digestive process removes the bitterness and infuses fruit into the bean. It takes 33 kg of coffee cherries to make 1 kg of Black Ivory Coffee.

Currently Blake Dinkin only sells his very unique but expensive coffee to five star hotels such as the Anantara (Kihavah in the Maldives and Golden Triangle in Thailand), Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, The Siam Hotel and The Peninsula.

A cup of coffee at one these luxury resorts is not cheap, selling for about $50 per cup. But who simply wants a cup of expensive coffee brought out to their table without some fanfare? Dinkin also wanted to create a unique experience for customers of his Black Ivory Coffee. Hotels will hand grind and serve the coffee at the table of the guest using a brewing machine whose design goes back to 1840.

So why the high cost of dung coffee? The main reason is that raising the street rescued, Thai elephants in a natural reserve is not cheap. Plus Blake pays the wives of the mahouts (elephant owners) to collect the beans by hand. For the wives, this becomes a valuable form of income generation.

Blake Dinkin is also trying to “give back” and make make a positive social impact by donating 8% of their proceeds to the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation. This particular foundation is where the Thai elephants are located – http://www.helpingelephants.org

If you are interested in supporting this cause, for the next month you can purchase Black Ivory Coffee as part of their Indiegogo campaign. The company is attempting to raise $15000 to cover legal costs so they can try and protect their brand through intellectual property protection. If interested, please visit: IndieGogo

Bad Boy Vodka is the perfect label for a new branded vodka named after the ultimate, ex-basketball player bad boy – Dennis Rodman.

Rodman had a very successful NBA basketball career but also was unknown just as much for his off-court antics.  He  played for several NBA teams including the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, and Dallas Mavericks.

Premier Brands, Inc. developed the vodka product from inception, and utilized the Hall of Famer’s “bad boy” reputation, by adding a smooth and edgy twist to a classic spirit.

The company states they developed the Dennis Rodman branded vodka – Bad Boy Vodka – for AB Partners LLC under the Company’s beverage development and incubation services.

Andreas Johansson from AB Partners LLC was quoted, “I’m excited to launch Bad Boy Vodka and work with Dennis and Jorge to create a high quality, fun lifestyle brand.”

Dennis Rodman had a reputation as a fierce defensive player who also had outstanding rebounding skills. Rodamn was nicknamed “The Worm” and earned the title of NBA All-Defensive First Team honors seven times during his successful career. Dennis was voted NBA Defensive Player of the Year two different times. Add to that five NBA championships and leading the NBA in rebounds per game for a record seven consecutive years and you now know what a tremendous athlete Rodman really was.

When asked about the new vodka brand named after him, Dennis Rodman said, “Bad Boy Vodka characterizes a tough and edgy, yet smooth and classic taste; a perfect representation of whom and what I am all about.”

Never afraid of the attention, Rodman lived a very flamboyant lifestyle as he often dyed his hair in a variety of artificial colors. His body is also covered in numerous tattoos and has many piercings.

The Bad Boy Vodka spirit will be exclusively sold and distributed through Premier Brands’ distribution channels.

Forbes Magazine has just published a list of the “5 Richest Women In The U.S.”  There’s no doubting that men often times hog the media headlines in the world of business, but these woman stand tall in their own right.

Forbes has made a tradition of announcing the world’s richest men and women. Compared to last year’s list, not much has changed.

It’s staggering to see the vast fortunes of each woman. It should be noted that most of the money was inherited versus being self-made in business or through investments.

If you look at the list of the wealthiest self-made women, you’d see the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Doris Fisher (Gap), Gayle Cook (Cook Group) and Diane Hendricks (ABC Supply).

It should also be noted that many of the women decided to follow a philanthropic path and often donate their money to various charities.

Below is list of the five richest women in the U.S. –

Christy Walton – ($25.3 billion)
Christy Walton is the widow of John Walton, son of Walmart founder Sam Walton. After John Walton died in a plane crash in 2006, Christy inherited his fortune including enough stock to make more than $220 million in dividends in just six months. With the recent price appreciation of Walmart’s stock, the Walton family’s wealth has continued to grow.

Alice Walton – ($23.3 billion)
Alice Walton is the daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton and heiress to a portion of the Walton fortune. She recently opened an art museum with art being displayed from the Walton estate. Although she is actively involved in numerous charitable organizations, her reputation has been clouded by a series of DUI arrests.

Jacqueline Mars – ($13.8 billion)
Jacqueline Mars made her money from M&Ms, Snickers, Dog Food and many of the other products we use every day. The Mars company currently has revenue of $30 billion annually and is the world’s largest confectionary company. Jacqueline Mars is the third generation of the Mars family after her grandfather, Frank Mars, founded the company in 1911.

Anne Cox Chambers – ($12.5 billion)
Anne Cox is the daughter of James Cox, the founder of Cox Enterprises. James Cox worked as a school teacher until buying a local newspaper in 1898 which sparked a media business that includes 17 newspapers, 15 TV stations and 86 radio stations.

Abigail Johnson – ($10. 3 billion)
Abigail Johnson’s father, Edward Crosby “Ned” Johnson, controls Fidelity Investments which is the largest mutual fund company in the United States. She is already one of the top executives at the firm, but there is a rumoured succession plan in place. Abigail Johnson began working at Fidelity in 1988 as an analyst and she holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Harvard University.