Wendy Brandes lives in New York City and is a fashion jewelry designer. She is strongly influenced by the stories of fascinating women, whether they lived in the 16th century or the Swinging ’60s.

The Wendy Brandes line has a wide-range of exciting themes – from literature and history, to pop culture, and nature.   The craftsmanship and mechanical workings are of the highest quality.  Wendy has also sold to many famous celebrities including Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears.

Wendy also consults for designers Zang Toi and Christian Francis Roth on their accessories and jewelry lines.

Wendy originally designed for her own company Gigi Caron, which was launched in 2004 as a partnership between Wendy and a New York-based gemologist.

Wendy creates jewelry pieces that are bold and eye-catching, yet feminine and organic. Mechanical pieces that open and close, unscrew or twist are her specialties.

Her main collection, Vivat Regina, is Latin for “Long Live the Queen.” Each jewelry piece is named for a royal lady. Lockets and poison rings are an important part of this collection, because naughty royal ladies are the most interesting.

The It Girls collection covers other notable women, ranging from fabulous friends and family members, to a Stone Age redhead, to a legendary female pope.

The Eden collection is inspired by the highest-ranking woman of all: Mother Nature.

Wendy Brandes only uses precious metals, conflict-free diamonds and precious gemstones to masterfully create her clever jewelry designs.

As previously mentioned, Wendy began designing jewelry in 2004. Brandes spent fifteen years in media and marketing, including key positions at the Wall Street Journal, CNN, People.com and investment banking firm Lehman Brothers. Her first jewelry designs were of her engagement and wedding rings.

View all of Wendy’s collections at:
WendyBrandes.com

__________________________________
Special Notice:
The Wendy Brandes Fine Jewelry Trunk Show –
Benefits The Young Survival Coalition

Wednesday, November 19th 6:30 – 10pm
The Pink Elephant
527 West 27th Street Between 10th – 11th Avenues

Celebrity jewelry designer, Wendy Brandes has a beautiful line with a wide-range of exciting themes – from literature and history, to pop culture, and nature. The craftsmanship and mechanical workings are of the highest quality.

Click here: Wendy Brandes

Designs range from $400 – $15,000

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Young Survival Coalition, (YSC) the premier international, nonprofit network of breast cancer survivors and supporters dedicated to the concerns and issues that are unique to young women and breast cancer. www.youngsurvival.org

RSVP – Nathana Josephs Productions
Nathanajpr@aol.com (212) 769 -2198

Guests must be registered, to attend.

Mikhail Prokhorov, worth about $22 Billion, said he was not the mystery buyer of the southern France property. The estate is listed as the world’s most expensive home.

The Villa Leopolda in Villefranche-sur-Mer, on the Côte d’Azur in France, sold for 496m euros ($730m ; £392m).

Although Mikhail Prokhorov’s spokesman has denied the rumor, both French and Russian media have insisted that the Russian billionaire had purchased the property.

In addition, sources close to the Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, deny that he was behind the big-ticket purchase.

The home was built in 1902 for King Leopold II of Belgium and has grounds so grand that it takes a reputed 50 gardeners to tend them.

The sumptuous villa has been graced by world leaders and superstars.

The previous owner, the late banking billionaire Edmond Safra, is said to have entertained Ronald Reagan and Frank Sinatra there.

Kristin Kreuk wasn’t allowed to wear makeup or date until she was sixteen years old. She says her worst habit is that she is slightly anti-social.

“I really don’t use that much make up now, I’m pretty natural. I wear even less of it in the summer.”

Kristin Kreuk was the first actor cast on “Smallville”. She was second on the audition tape and the only one taken to the studio executives for approval.

In an interview, Kristin Kreuk said that she had no problem with showing skin. “I think Tom Welling is a little embarrassed when it comes to showing skin”.

Spokesperson for Neutrogena products worldwide, in early 2005, she renewed her contract for an additional two years, making her the longest-running spokesperson in the company’s history.

Kristin Kreuk continues, “Someday I’d like to do some real traveling. I’m obsessed with Brazil and I’ve always had this dream of backpacking through South America.”

By ThibaultUploaded by MyCanon (Kristin Kreuk) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Veuve Clicquot has a thing about teaming up with high-end renowned brands to offer exceptional indulgences for champagne enthusiasts, time and gain.

Following Globalight’s success, now they have collaborated with Italian yacht maker Riva to unveil the La Grande Dame by Riva Collection. Since popping a bottle of champagne while cruising through serene waters is mandatory (at least I think it is), this luxurious set includes the Cruise Collection, Cruiser Bag, and ice bucket for intoxicating celebrations.

While the Cruise Collection, a “made to measure” piece contains 4 bottles of La Grande Dame 98, 2 magnums of La Grande Dame 88, 6 champagne flutes Riedel and 6 water tumblers, plates, table mats and cutlery, the Cruiser Bag, a limited edition of 300 pieces only, contains a bottle of La Grande Dame 98 and two champagne flutes.

For $80,000, you can dare to spoil yourself with the Cruise Collection. And that much sum hits you hard then you can get high with the Cruiser Bag for $425 only.

If you are planning a bash to celebrate your darling’s birthday or a multimillion dollar business venture on your luxurious yacht over the Mediterranean waters, then the Cruise Collection will agree with the occasion for sure.  Source

Key lime pie, a dessert synonymous with south Florida and the Florida Keys, is as rich in history as it is in calories. It is also deceptively light and delicious — and very easy to make.

Sometime in the late 1800s, after the Civil War, the pirates who inhabited Key West grew tired of chasing down ships and stealing their cargo. The presence of the American Navy was making it more difficult. Wreckers, only slightly more legitimate than pirates, were having similar problems.

These founding fathers of the Florida Keys salvaged cargo from ships run up on the surrounding reefs, sometimes carelessly, and sometimes guided by false signals set out by the wreckers themselves. The infamous pirating banquet was over. It was time for dessert. This is when Key lime pie was invented.

There are nearly as many theories about how Key lime pie was first invented as there are styles of pie but, necessity being the mother of invention, a few basic fundamentals prevailed.

There was no refrigeration in the Florida Keys at the turn of the 19th century, therefore little fresh milk. The only milk readily available was canned. The Florida Keys are hot and not the most pleasant place to fire up an oven to bake, so a “no bake” dessert was desirable. Chickens roamed the island then, as they do now, hence plenty of fresh eggs.

And finally, limes, first imported from Persia, grew both wild and cultivated all over the Keys until they were eventually wiped out by hurricanes and replaced, after the Keys Highway was built, by winter dwellers called snowbirds, marinas and gift shops.

The most authentic recipe for Key lime pie I have found is on the back of the bottle containing Nellie and Joe’s famous Key West lime Juice. If Nellie and Joe’s is not available at your local grocery, it can be purchased on line at www.keylimejuice.com.

To make one small pie, you will need a 9-inch graham cracker pie shell, one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, 3 egg yolks and Key lime juice. You cannot use a sweetened lime juice like those commonly used for cocktails. They are simply not acidic enough to “cook” the egg yolks.

The juice from fresh limes commonly available is chancy. Use Key lime juice. Originally Key lime pie was not baked. The pie would set from the reaction of the eggs and lime. Today the pie is slightly cooked to avoid salmonella contamination.

Combine the egg yolks and condensed milk in a stainless or glass mixing bowl (the lime juice is too acidic to put in aluminum) and blend it with a wire whisk until it is smooth and uniform in color. Then add the lime juice and mix thoroughly again. Pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake it slightly for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Let the pie stand for ten minutes and serve it topped with whipped cream dolloped on when serving.

Dollop is a culinary term used to describe a serving bigger than a dab and neater than a glob. It is applied with an artistic flip of the wrist. You can chill a Key lime pie for several days but the crust absorbs moisture over time. Use paper thin slices of fresh lime to make a feathery garnish.

A 9-inch shell will feed six people — perhaps eight, but not any eight people I know. I like to use a 10-inch deep shell so everyone can have seconds. Ten-inch deep pie shells are readily available in grocery stores. To fill a 10-inch shell, simply double the recipe. Doubled, it fits perfectly in the larger crust. Don’t ask me to do the geometry, it just does.

Native Key Westers, affectionately called “Conchs” after the delicious mollusk that populates the sandy bottoms of the water surrounding the Keys, argue that a standard pastry crust was the original base for Key lime pie. If you prefer this type of crust to graham crackers then by all means use it. It must be pre-baked of course, and it’s a lot more work.

Some traditionalists argue that the original pie was topped with meringue. I like it prepared that way and it’s a great way to use the left over egg whites, but keep in mind meringue gets sticky in humid summer weather so use meringue only if you are serving the pie immediately.

I make meringue without a recipe. I sweeten it proportionately to compliment whatever I am adding it to. Make it just semi sweet for this dessert. Whip the egg whites in a chilled stainless bowl until they begin to form soft peaks and then add confectioner’s sugar and a little vanilla to taste. Continue whipping until the peaks are firm and stand alone. Spread the meringue on the pie with a rubber spatula or decorate the top with a star tube in a pastry bag.

Key lime pie and strong espresso or a cup of French roasted coffee finish a summer meal with a light tropical touch. The combination is a refreshing alternative to heavier chocolate desserts. A glass of chilled dessert wine along side would be as rich as pirate’s treasure.

Muscat comes to mind for its sweet tropical fruit flavors and because, if I really wanted to wreck and plunder a pun, pirates kept one in their belt — right next to their sword.

Enjoy.

Jack Felber is a regular Times columnist. He and his wife, Marcia Felber, are proprietors of the The Olympia Tea Room, a Wine-Spectator-recognized harborside restaurant in Watch Hill, R.I. Jack can be reached at jack@olympiateroom.com

Earlier this year, Maserati announced the long overdue release of its next generation sports car – the GranTurismo coupe.  The Italian design specialist, Pininfarina, who creates almost every Ferrari, does it again this this luxury car.  Translated into “Grand Touring” in Italian, it offers a 4.2-liter, 405-horsepower V-8 engine.  Full article

Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat is the home of golden, white-striped and snow white tiger cubs.

Guests are invited to watch these felines, expected to weigh up to 575 pounds each when fully grown, as they pounce and play in a specially built nursery.

The cubs can be seen daily at the Mirage from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The Secret Garden also is home to five rare animal breeds, including the royal white tigers of Nevada, the white lions of Timbavati, golden heterozygous tigers carrying the gold and white gene, African and Asian leopards, a black panther and a snow leopard.

Learn the secrets of the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat with a special one-hour VIP guided tour.

Guests will be escorted through the facility by one of the educational experts, and will be provided with an exclusive insider’s view of the hard work and dedication that goes into the training and care of these animals.

The tour features Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, lions, tigers, leopards and a panther.

Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat
Department of Animal Care
The Mirage
3400 Las Vegas Blvd., So.
Las Vegas, NV  89109
(702) 792-7980

(ABC News Photo Illustration)

A new high-rise under construction in Westwood is taking on the paparazzi — and it just might win.

The Carlyle Residences, a 24-story tower of luxury condominiums, is said to be the first building that is specifically designed to thwart the prying lenses of celebrity photographers.

The property is set to open in 2009 and promises round-the-clock patrols by “Israeli-trained VIP” security guards, sub-terranian parking with private elevators that open directly into apartments and high hedges that shield the swimming pool and yoga lawn.

The developer says the shape of the building itself, a crescent, minimizes views into the Carlyle from neighboring buildings.

Thomas Elliott, chief operating officer for Elad Properties West, said the company was responding to complaints from celebrities and elected leaders about aggressive tabloid photographers.

“We are reaching out to the Hollywood community to do what we can to ensure their safety and security,” he said.

Condos will range from 2,700 to 5,000 square feet and will go for around $3-to-$5 million.

Elliott would not say whether any celebrities have purchased any of the condos.

Giles Harrison, a paparazzo who has worked in Los Angeles for 14 years, said the project is a “waste of advertising”. “Paparazzi don’t go into buildings to get shots. They wait until people go out and about. I have yet to see a paparazzi shot that came from the inside of a private residence.”

Daniel Craig, a veteran British actor, has the following film credits – “Elizabeth”, “Sylvia”, “The Jacket”, “Road to Perdition”, “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider”, “Layer Cake” and his first role as James Bond 007 in “Casino Royale.”

In late 2005, it was unveiled that sandy-haired Daniel Craig would replace Pierce Brosnan as the suave spy as the star of the next Bond film.

After the great success of the film and Craig’s acclaimed performance, he now stars again in the next film in the Bond series – Quantum of Solace.

The 2006 movie Casino Royale became the highest-grossing Bond film in history, earning nearly $600 million worldwide.

Daniel Craig really enjoys his new role and says he will play Bond until his “knees go” insisting he has no intention of giving up the part in the near future.

He tells Britain’s Hello! magazine:
“Bond is becoming a long-term job. We will see how this one turns out. If everything goes well, if people still want to see these movies, I will keep doing them for as long as it takes–or until my knees go, whichever happens quicker.”

The now 40-year-old actor, loves to portray the British secret agent and really identifies with the character, especially when Bond 007 gets himself into difficult and dangerous situations.

For Craig, playing Bond seems to be as much an athletic endeavor as an acting challenge. He played rugby as a schoolboy in Liverpool—and talking about that time, he softens.

His mother, an art teacher, and his father, who ran a pub, divorced when he was 4 years old. When I ask if his love of performing stems from those early days in his father’s pub, his blue eyes crinkle with joy.

Daniel Craig feels his working-class background keeps him grounded, but he also must contend with all the Bond fame and attention. Recently, he was named to the tony International Best-Dressed list.

Orlando Bloom skyrocketed to instant fame playing Legolas the elf in the “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.  Orlando also played major roles in “Pirates of the Caribbean” series, “Troy,” “The Calcium Kid,” and his first lead role in “Kingdom of Heaven.” He also starred in the disappointing box office flop “Elizabethtown” with Kirsten Dunst.

In early 2007, Orlando was voted Britain’s most desirable date, after he topped Cosmopolitan magazine’s “Eligible Eleven” poll.  About all the recent attention, Orlando replied “It’s a bit strange to be included in those sexiest people polls and all that sort of thing. I don’t really even know who I’m up against!”

Bloom says that he really doesn’t mind being considered a “sex symbol”, because some of his personal idols, like James Dean and Marlon Brando, were a few from their time.

When Orlando was asked about his increased focus on living a more Buddhist lifestyle, “I’ve been white knuckling it for so long. Between the first Lord Of The Rings and the last Pirates Of The Caribbean, I’ve been going non-stop. So now I just want some time and space from everything and the phone and the communication.”

When asked about Pirates co-star Keira Knightley, “She’s a great kisser and a lovely, and very funny, person. She’s absolutely gorgeous.”

The moment will be etched in time and history was made yesterday. Spontaneous cheering broke out among millions of Democrats in Chicago and the rest of the U.S, when cable news channel CNN announced that Illinois Senator Barack Obama was elected as the first black president of the United States.

Around 11:00 PM EST,  just as California’s voting polls closed, it was their 55 electoral votes that ensured Obama surpassed the magical line of 270 electoral votes required to win the election and become President.

Shortly after that, John McCain acknowledged his defeat and gave a sincere speech thanking his followers and congratulating President elect Obama.

On August 4th, 1961 – Hussein Obama Jr. was born to a white American mother, Ann Dunham, and a black Kenyan father, Barack Obama, Sr., who were both young college students at the University of Hawaii.

After Barack’s father left for Harvard to attend college, she and Barack remained behind, and his father eventually returned alone back to Kenya, where he worked as a government economist.

Barack’s mother later got remarried to an Indonesian oil manager and they all moved to Jakarta when Barack was just six years old. He returned to Hawaii, where he was brought up largely by his grandparents. Sadly, Barack’s grandmother died in Hawaii, just one day before he was elected President.

Barack Obama began teaching at the University of Chicago Law School. He eventually ran as a Democrat for the Illinois state senate seat from his home district. The district included both Hyde Park and some of the poorest ghettos on the South Side of Chicago. Obama did win that election.

In 2004, Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate as a Democrat, representing the state of Illinois. He quickly gained national attention by giving an emotionally rousing and well-received keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention in Boston.

Barack is married to Michelle Obama and they have two young daughters. Michelle Obama will now become First Lady.

Come January of 2009, once inaugurated, Barack Obama will become the 44th U.S. President and reside over a country with deep economic troubles and a world with many challenges to tackle.