Tips for Dining With Your Lover at a Five-Star Restaurant

This is it, and if your guy had enough forethought to snag a reservation at a five-star restaurant, the LEAST you can do is make sure you don’t embarrass him by using the salad fork for the main course or using your cloth napkin as a bib.

If your not sure about which fork to choose, and when, always remember (work from the outside, in.)

That’s about the best advice for basic decorum at a high-class eatery.  But here’s a few more that will come in handy so you’ll look like just as refined as the Ivy League millionaire that’s sitting at the table right across from you.

• Put the napkin on your lap, NEVER use it as a bib, or worse, not at all.  The napkin is your friend, and be sure to use it often, dabbing gently at your mouth every few bites or so.
• Don’t slouch.  Sit up straight, just like your mom told you to.  Slouching makes you look smaller, less confident and insecure.  Get your posture right and you’ll work the room like the diva you are.
• Hold the salt and pepper!  Wait to season your food until you’ve taken a taste.
• Don’t reach for food, butter, oil or whatever–ask for it to be passed to you.
• Remember, the knife is for cutting, not for tasting!  Never, ever, put the knife in your mouth.
• If you drop your utensil, don’t stoop down to pick it up.  That’s what the waiters are for.  Don’t be shy about asking “Jeeves” for a new fork if it happens to slip out of your hands and onto the floor mid chew.
• If you’re drinking, don’t get smashed.  Make sure you have a glass of water and plenty of padding like bread or your entrée to help fight the urge to swing naked from the chandelier.  Topless.
• After you’re done with your meal, set the napkin next to your plate, not ON it.

Tips for Dining With Your Lover at a Five-Star Restaurant

The Tuxedo Club - 2011 - Join the movement!

Black tie dates from 1860, when Henry Poole & Co. of Savile Row created a short smoking jacket for the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII of the United Kingdom) to wear to informal dinner parties as an alternative to white tie dress—the standard formal-wear. At that time, lounge suits were starting to be worn in the country, and the new dress code was an evening lounge suit intended for use in a relaxed atmosphere out of town.

In the spring of 1886, the Prince invited James Potter, a rich New Yorker, and his wife, Cora Potter, to Sandringham House, his Norfolk hunting estate. When Potter asked the Prince's dinner dress recommendation, he sent Potter to Henry Poole & Co., in London. On returning to New York in 1886, Potter's dinner suit proved popular at the Tuxedo Park Club; the club men copied him, soon making it their informal dining uniform. The evening dress for men now popularly known as a tuxedo takes its name from Tuxedo Park, where it was said to have been worn for the first time in the United States, by Griswald Lorillard at the annual Autumn Ball of the Tuxedo Club founded by Pierre Lorillard IV, and thereafter became popular for formal dress in America. Legend dictates that it became known as the tuxedo when a fellow asked another at the Autumn Ball, "Why does that man's jacket not have coattails on it?" The other answered, "He is from Tuxedo Park." The first gentleman misinterpreted and told all of his friends that he saw a man wearing a jacket without coattails called a tuxedo, not from Tuxedo.^[2]

Two years later,^[3] it gained the name dinner jacket (DJ) in Britain, a name it has also kept in the Northeastern U.S.^{[citation needed]}

While in America the new garment was initially called a tuxedo, the term has since been inaccurately used, particularly in America, to denote any form of formal or semi-formal dress including white tie, morning dress, and strollers.

"That's DOPE"

The Tuxedo Club - 2011 - Join the movement!

Johnnie Walker Gold Label remains chilled in the new gilded Ice Pillar

Beer tastes best when chilled and Singha Beer Bag helps to do that, even on move, without compromising on style. Here's one such elegant packaging design for the whiskey guzzlers too. If you are a fan of the spirits from Johnnie Walker’s stable, its time for you to savor their whiskey Gold Label in a new style, which is serving the drink chilled! France based QSLD Paris has created a new packaging for you to enjoy your drink better. All you need to do us place it in the freezer and then transfer it to the Ice Pillar when you plan to serve drinks. This Ice Pillar cabinet comes coated with interiors coated in gold leaf to match the Gold Label it houses.

The transparent outer cabinet shows the ice that will be placed around the bottle. Moreover, you will find the cabinet adorned with a gold anodized metal ring and embossed logos. I say bottoms up!

"That's DOPE"

Johnnie Walker Gold Label remains chilled in the new gilded Ice Pillar

What you could have owned if you were smart enough to invent Facebook.

"That's DOPE"

What you could have owned if you were smart enough to invent Facebook.

CÎROC Smooth Talk with Diddy

"That's DOPE"

CÎROC Smooth Talk with Diddy

DQ Vodka

“DQ’s unique bottle is made by one of the finest glass makers in Europe. The metal surfaces of the parts are produced to high-quality automotive standards. The finish for the top and bottom caps is satin chrome. We have made every effort to create a bottle that truly honours its contents.”

“We realize that during the last 10 years Vodka has changed from being purely a drinks business to becoming a luxury goods business. It is ever more about lifestyle, fashion and elegance than the beverage inside the bottle. We think it should be about both.

We offer tangible luxury, both in terms of outer design and the liquid inside.” via

"That's DOPE"

DQ Vodka

Self Image and Self Sabotage 101. Great read....Thanks Dad.

Self Image and Self Sabotage

Written by: Tom Venuto

THE HIDDEN REASON WHY YOU SABOTAGE YOUR DIET AND FITNESS EFFORTS JUST WHEN THE GOING GETS GOOD (AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT)

Tell me if this has ever happened to you: You decide you want to improve your body and live a healthier lifestyle. You read all the books, gather all the information, map out a nutritional strategy, design your own workout schedule (or have a trainer do it for you), and you embark on the journey to a leaner, more muscular physique…and it starts working! But the minute you begin getting results, you fall off the wagon. You binge, you skip workouts, you cheat. What’s most perplexing (and upsetting) is that you know what you should do… but no matter how hard you try, you can’t get yourself to do it! It’s as if some unseen force is sabotaging you and controlling your behavior like you were a puppet on a string.

If this scenario sounds all too familiar, then the answer to your frustrations might lie deep within your subconscious mind in something called your “SELF CONCEPT.” Unfortunately, the average person, at the mere mention of self concept, self worth or self image usually cries, “Oh no, not another one of these cheesy self-help articles!”

Whenever I mention self concept to a client who has never been exposed to the idea before, their eyes glaze over and they get a distant look as if they were saying, “okay Tom, I’ll be out here in la-la land daydreaming for a while… pinch me when you start talking about the good stuff like thermogenic supplements, split routines, killer ab workouts and interval training, ok?”

You may not understand or appreciate this “self concept” and “self image” stuff yet. However, if you choose to ignore this information, you would be making a grave error. You can be on the most perfect nutrition program and the best training routine in the world, but you’ll always sabotage yourself in the long run if you don’t understand what your self image is, how it controls your behavior, and how to change it.

First, let’s talk about your SELF-CONCEPT: This is the total bundle of beliefs you have about yourself, including all the names and labels you put on yourself and the way you see yourself. If you really want to know what your true self-concept is, write down the words “I AM ______________” and fill in the blanks with everything you can think of.

For example:

I am shy

I am not a good salesperson

I am fat

I am uncoordinated

I am sexy

I am unattractive

I am an F student

I am an A student

I am wealthy

I am a failure

I am accident-prone

I am a great conversationalist

I am broke

I earn $25,000 per year

I could never earn $250,000 per year

My body will always be shaped like a pear

I'm not very athletic

As you can see from the list, you have a “mini” self-concept for every area of your life including your relationships, your ability to attract wealth, your talent in writing, math, art or music and your body image, just to name a few.

Your self-concept was first formed in early childhood, largely from the influence of your parents and the authority figures in your life. When you were an infant and a small child, the "lid" on your mind was wide open. One hundred percent of the information and suggestions given to you at this young age went straight into your subconscious where they were accepted as true, even if they weren’t true. Your mind was like a lump of soft, pliable clay.

When you reached adolescence, it was like the “lid” on your mind slammed shut with all the early childhood programming locked inside. As an adult, your self-concept has solidified, but it slowly continues to be molded and reinforced by your successes, failures, triumphs, humiliations and everything you experience, see, hear, read and think. For example, if you go on a diet or exercise program and you fail, this goes into your subconscious memory bank and reinforces a negative self-concept: “See, I told you I’ll never be able to look like those people in the magazines.”

Although your self-concept is deeply entrenched from years of conditioning, it CAN be changed. Before I explain the four steps to making the change, I want to explain self-concept using an analogy everyone can relate to - MONEY! Why money? Well, as I mentioned before, most people not only don’t understand the self-concept, they’re bored to death at the slightest mention of it.

I’d hate to see you doze off before you get to the really juicy stuff later in this article, and since money is seldom a subject that bores anyone and it’s a common denominator between all people, let me explain the relationship between money and self-concept first. Once you see how self-concept affects how much money you earn, you’ll easily understand how it affects what kind of shape you’re in. You’ll then have enough awareness to begin changing your self-concept - and your body - for the better.

Question: If you won a large sum of money, or if your annual income suddenly became your monthly income, how would you feel about it?

“That would be AWESOME!” is what most people blurt out initially. I have news for you: As bizarre as this may sound, I guarantee that if your old self-concept was still locked in place, you’d do everything possible to get rid of your new-found wealth. You’d make bad business decisions. You’d be unsuccessful in sales. You’d have an uncontrollable urge to go out and spend the money, splurge on things you didn't need, invest in things you knew nothing about, lend to people who wouldn't give it back or even flat out lose it! Just look at what happens to most lottery winners.

Even though everyone SAYS they’d like more money, that’s only on the conscious, surface level. The problem is, your behavior is NOT controlled by your conscious mind; your behavior is controlled on a deeper level - from your subconscious mind where your self-concept is located. If having a lot of money isn’t consistent with your self-concept, it will sooner or later lead to some form of sabotaging behavior to bring you back down to your comfort level.

Most people stay inside a comfort zone that’s consistent with the concept and image they hold of themselves. They rarely rise above it or allow themselves to fall below it. Any time you try to make a change in your life, whether it’s losing fat or earning more money, it will stir up resistance inside you because you’re attempting to move beyond the safe, familiar and comfortable.

To earn more money, you must see yourself as capable of earning more money and worthy of keeping it. If you see yourself as a $24,000 per YEAR person, you’ll NEVER earn and keep $24,000 per MONTH unless you see yourself as a $24,000 per month person.

Are you starting to understand how the same thing could happen when you try to change your body?

To be lean, healthy and fat-free, you must see yourself as being capable of achieving that body and worthy of maintaining it. If you see yourself as a fat, pear-shaped person, you’ll NEVER be a lean, fat-free person until you see yourself as a lean, fat-free person.

Just when you start to see results and become happy with how you look…. all of a sudden, you’ll get the irresistible urge to sleep in and blow off your 6 a.m. workouts. You’ll get uncontrollable cravings for Ben and Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream at 11:30 p.m. You’ll lose your motivation. You won’t “feel” like working out. These self-sabotaging behaviors are all symptoms of a self-concept that’s inconsistent with your present results.

The part of the self-concept that affects your physical condition and ability to achieve your perfect weight is called the SELF-IMAGE. Maxwell Maltz, a plastic surgeon and author of the best seller, Psycho Cybernetics, stumbled onto the discovery of self-image with his patients. Even though he had corrected physical defects and deformities with surgery, his patients often retained their old self-image and continued to see themselves as “ugly,” “scarred,” or “deformed” even though they appeared quite beautiful by society’s standards. As a result, they continued to behave as they always had; shy, retiring, lacking in confidence.

This led Dr. Maltz to the conclusion that changing the physical image was not the real key to changes in personality and behavior. There was “something else.” That something else is the self-image. When the self-image is “reconstructed,” the person changes. If the self-image stays the same, the person’s behavior stays the same.

Emerson once wrote, “Of what use to make heroic vows of amendment if the same old lawbreaker is to keep them? Jesus taught us that it is folly to put new wine into old bottles or a patch of new material on an old garment. People who don’t understand self-image erroneously put all their attention on changing their eating and exercise behaviors, but the problem with this physical-only approach is that it’s not addressing the SOURCE or cause of the behavior. The source of your behavior is your mental self-image. You are more than just a body. You are a body, a mind and a spirit. You will always act - and can ONLY act - like the type of person you SEE yourself to be in your mind.

If you see yourself as a fat person, you will behave like a fat person. If you see yourself as a lean, fit and healthy person, you will behave like a lean, fit and healthy person. A fat person would never work out faithfully every day of the week, so why is it any surprise that someone with a “fat person” self-image would skip workouts? Their brain is programmed to skip workouts. Someone with a “fat person” self-image would never eat healthy, low fat, low sugar, low calorie meals, so why would it be surprising that they cheat on their diet and binge on junk food? After all, their brain is programmed to eat junk. Is this starting to make sense?

To make a lasting change, you must work on the physical AND the mental planes. Of course you have to change your lifestyle, exercise and nutrition habits, but the real secret is not trying to force new behaviors, but changing the self-image which controls the behavior. Put your energy on a new mental picture, and the new picture will create new behaviors. Best of all, the new behaviors that spring from a positive new self-image will come without as much effort or willpower because they’re hard-wired into every cell of your body. The “unseen forces” are now working for you instead of against you.

So, lets suppose you have the self-image of an unfit or overweight person… How the heck do you change it if it’s so deeply embedded in your mind from years of conditioning? There are four simple steps:

STEP 1: CREATE YOUR NEW SELF IMAGE

The first step is to choose your new self-image. You could say this is goal setting, but your self-image is not as much a “goal” as it is a PICTURE IN YOUR MIND. I was on a conference call with success coach Bob Proctor last night and one of the participants said her goal was to lose weight. Bob said something to her that really struck me. He said, “Have you ever noticed how people are always losing weight and gaining it back? Well, it’s because if you lose something, your subconscious mind will immediately begin looking for it. Instead, you have to release it and be at your perfect weight. And your perfect weight is a not just a goal, it’s a picture.”

So what you have to do first is decide what would you really like to look like if you could have any body you wanted. See the picture in your mind. Make it clear, vivid and dynamic. Dream. Fantasize. You’ve been endowed with an amazing creative faculty called imagination. Use it - it’s the starting point of a new self-image and all lasting changes.

Many people get scared at this step and ask only for what they think they can get, not what they really want. It’s okay if this scares you a little. In fact, if your goal isn’t scary and exciting at the same time, then you’re not thinking big enough. Don’t sell yourself short. Ask for what you really WANT. Ignore anyone who tells you to “be realistic.” Take that "lid" off your mind and DREAM!

STEP 2: CREATE A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION OF YOUR NEW IMAGE

Once you’ve got the picture in mind, the second step is to put a description of your new image in writing. The act of writing what you want on paper is an intermediary step in going from the ethereal, untouchable state of thought (imagination & dreams) to the concrete, tangible state of form. Once on paper (or a “goal card” you carry with you), your image has in essence, begun the transformation from mental to physical. When you write your goal, use the three P’s: POSITIVE (what you want to achieve, not what you want to avoid or get rid of), PERSONAL (use the word “I”) and PRESENT tense (an already-having-received attitude). Don’t worry if it’s not perfect. Just sit down and write, write, write. You can always go back and edit, change or update it later. Just start.

STEP 3: ACT THE PART

What you’ve done in the first two steps is literally to create a new role for yourself. You’ve written your own script. Be like George C Scott playing General Patton. He didn’t just act. He became Patton - he lived the part. So do all great actors. Be an actor or actress and step into your new role.

This will feel awkward at first. Resistance will well up inside you. People will criticize you and say you’re a crazy dreamer. It will feel like you’re lying to yourself. Continue to play the new role anyway. Fake it until you make it. Someone once said that most people live like they were extras in their own movies. Why settle for less when you can be the writer, producer, director and STAR of your own movie? Create the character and write the script exactly as you’d like to be and then play the part until the part becomes real.

Take actions that are consistent with the new image you’ve created. Act the part. Do something every day that moves you closer to your goal. Get moving! Ask yourself, “What would a person with the type of body I want do in this situation?” Then do it. Act as though you were already the owner of your ultimate dream body. A very wise person once said, “Act as though I am and I will be.”

You must take action. I’m not suggesting a Pollyanna positive thinking only approach. Affirmations are an effective part of realizing your new image, but as motivational speaker Jim Rohn says, “Affirmation without action is the beginning of delusion.” In fact, Maltz pointed out in Psycho Cybernetics that the reason affirmations and positive thinking don’t always work is because they cannot be used as a crutch to the same old self-image. What I'm suggesting to you is positive thinking, positive visualizing, positive action AND the fourth and final step, positive reinforcement, in order to change your old self image.

STEP 4: REINFORCE THE IMAGE DAILY… EVEN HOURLY

The fourth step is to re-program your mind by replacing the old image with the new image through repetition, repetition, repetition. Repetition is the mother of learning and the father of a new self-image. It took a long time for your current self-image to develop so you can’t expect it to change overnight. It takes at least 21 days of CONSISTENT effort for the roots of a new image to form and sometimes up to 90 days before the roots shoot up through the ground and become visible for all the world to see. Remember, there is a gestation period for everything. Be patient and persistent.

Installing your new self-image is achieved by visualizing, reading, thinking and writing your written description over and over again, day after day, until the new image becomes reality. These four methods of reinforcement and repetition will burn the new image into your subconscious mind like data onto a CD.

Visualizing is especially powerful. Psychologists have known for decades that the human brain and nervous system can’t distinguish between an experience that is real and one that is vividly imagined. When you vividly imagine yourself the way you want to be, doing the things you want to do, these mental pictures are not only accepted by your subconscious as real, they are accepted as commands or instructions. Project your image onto the screen of your mind. Remember, it’s your movie, so you can project anything you want. Visualizing your perfect body image while you’re in a physically relaxed state is even more powerful because your subconscious is more impressionable when you're relaxed.

Thinking constructively also begins to dissolve the old image and solidify the new one. Your self-concept is influenced by outside suggestions, but the greatest influence on your mind is your own thoughts and “self-talk.” The conversation you have with yourself in your head every minute of every day maintains your current self-image and performance level, whether that’s enjoying high achievement or wallowing in the same old rut. Thoughts, like images, are commands to your subconscious. Once you realize this, you start getting very careful of what you think about. Watch those “I’ms!” Change your thinking patterns to match your new self-image. You become what you think about all day long.

Read your written goal at least twice a day; once in the morning and once again at night. These are the times when your subconscious mind is most impressionable. An incredibly powerful technique is to write your written description on a goal card and carry it with you everywhere you go. Every time you put your hand in your pocket and touch the card, it will make you think about your new image. Every time you get a chance, pull out your card and read it, mentally picturing yourself as if you were already there.

Re-writing your written description is even more effective at impressing your new image into your subconscious than simply reading it. Achievement expert Brian Tracy says that if you write out your goal statement on paper every day, changes will happen so fast, it will almost frighten you. This is an incredibly simple, yet powerful technique.

You may have heard of these techniques before in self-help, goal setting or motivational programs. But admit it - you probably ignored them because they sounded too “cheesy.” My friend, the most profound truths in life are the simplest and most obvious ones. Don’t underestimate the simplicity of these methods. Many people I’ve taught these techniques to wrote them off as trite or corny and didn’t even give them a chance. Nothing changed in their lives. Others followed these instructions to a “T” and transformed their bodies and their lives beyond anything they ever imagined.

There’s immense power in mental images. The formula is simple: Decide what you want to look like, project your new image on the screen of your mind (visualize), think about the “new you” constantly, create a written description of your new image and read it at least twice per day, (write it out daily for even more impact), then follow through with actions that are consistent with your goal. Your marvelous and powerful mind will do the rest.

"That's DOPE"

Self Image and Self Sabotage 101. Great read....Thanks Dad.

Medea Vodka Bottles With Scrolling Pixel Displays

"That's DOPE"

Medea Vodka Bottles With Scrolling Pixel Displays

Hennessy Ellipse Cognac is up for grabs at Harrods - For the "classy" Thug

Hennessy’s Ellipse, as we all know it, is a perfect time machine that comes from the world’s best-selling Cognac company for the drinkers’ delight. Priced at $6500, the Ellipse Cognac comes in an elliptical Baccarat crystal decanter specially designed by Thomas Bastide for Hennessy. The perfect combination of age and elegance, each decanter is decorated with seven pontils, indicating the presence of the seven eaux-de-vie. Apart from the exquisite character and subtle refinement, the elliptical Baccarat crystal decanter is filled with a delicate, well-balanced bouquet with notes of crystallized fruits, wild roses and the renowned essence of very old cognac.

Via: Harrods

"That's DOPE"

Hennessy Ellipse Cognac is up for grabs at Harrods - For the "classy" Thug

Kabbalah vodka launches the unique vodka recipe

Kabbalah vodka has brought back the Vodka recipe that has long been considered lost. A new premium segment for the Russian market has been launched in a unique bottle with a handmade infant inside and hence known as “Kabbalah (in Christian children).” The vodka has a distinguished wheat flavor with special water, enriched in silver, gold and platinum ions. Given the fact that glass figurines are rarely repeated, not more than three times symbolizing the three ways of Kabbalistic permuting of Torah’s texts, it is ideal for the collectors as well.

Via: English Russia

"That's DOPE"

Kabbalah vodka launches the unique vodka recipe

'Paradis Horus' is a luminous divine perfection

As the holiday season is heating up, you are inviting friends for dinner and you want to serve wine from a decanter that makes a statement. Designed by the Italian designer Ferruccio Laviani, is “Paradis Horus,” the latest range of Hennessey cognac to make the impression to last. The fire flame shaped bottle refers to the ancient Egyptian god of Sun, representing the sun’s power and warm light. Forming a cognac beyond comparison, the bottle incorporates a new metallic gold finishing technique in 18K gold. Designer Laviani has also designed black and gold plastic package for the range.

"That's DOPE"

'Paradis Horus' is a luminous divine perfection

World’s most luxurious ship will be life-changing (literally)

You have obviously heard of tour packages that satisfy vacation dreams, but have you ever heard of a life-changing tour? No, not the expression, but literally life-changing? Well, an affiliate of Utopia Residences of Beverly Hills has executed a binding letter of intent to build a luxury residential ocean liner, where passengers, call them residents, on the ship will be able to take all their belongings with them in their private homes as they travel onboard the grandest ship in the world. Measuring 296 meters and over 105,000 gross tons, Utopia will have 200 luxury residences ranging in size from 130 to 613 square meters along with a 204 room boutique luxury hotel, casino, spa, theater, night club, swimming pools, marina, signature restaurants and private residents club. If that’s not enough, the ocean liner will travel to ports during major cultural and sporting events such as the Cannes Film Festival, Monte Carlo Grand Prix, the Olympics, Carnaval, Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, Melbourne Cup and other major events of international acclaim. Well, to make the luxury this gallant and glorious, Samsung estimates the value at $1.1 billion and hopes to deliver the same by 2013, but you’ve gotta hurry and contact Utopia Residences to purchase homes onboard the ocean liner.

"That's DOPE"

World’s most luxurious ship will be life-changing (literally)

Happy Holidays

France’s Iconic Orange Liqueur Grand Marnier is celebrating this year’s winter holiday season with a playfully red limited edition of its classic Cordon Rouge, named ‘Irresistible’.

Adorned with vivid red lacquer, it is the 7th of a series released annually by Grand Marnier since 2003.

This year’s theme celebrates a “playfully indulgent” holiday season with elegance and a slightly unorthodox yet refined adventure for the taste buds.

Grand Marnier has been the leading French liqueur in export sales for over 25 years. It is the third highest selling liqueur brand worldwide

The 2009 Irresistible collector’s item is limited to 300 bottles in Hong Kong, available at select high-end bars and specialty outlets, including Watson’s Wine Cellar and Oliver

"That's DOPE"

Happy Holidays

France’s Iconic Orange Liqueur Grand Marnier is celebrating this year’s winter holiday season with a playfully red limited edition of its classic Cordon Rouge, named ‘Irresistible’.

Adorned with vivid red lacquer, it is the 7th of a series released annually by Grand Marnier since 2003.

This year’s theme celebrates a “playfully indulgent” holiday season with elegance and a slightly unorthodox yet refined adventure for the taste buds.

Grand Marnier has been the leading French liqueur in export sales for over 25 years. It is the third highest selling liqueur brand worldwide

The 2009 Irresistible collector’s item is limited to 300 bottles in Hong Kong, available at select high-end bars and specialty outlets, including Watson’s Wine Cellar and Oliver

"That's DOPE"

Nicolas Cage blew it himself with over-the-top luxury buys, including nine Rolls-Royces

Celebrities are known for living a decadent lifestyle. But then there are the corrosive effects of a decadent lifestyle which leads to a financial crisis, and the same has happened with Oscar winner actor Nicolas Cage, who is in complete financial distress for excessive spending. A lawsuit claims the actor splurged on nine Rolls-Royce cars and three mansions in a £25million spending spree. Oscar-winner Cage, 45, splashed out more than £1.2million on the motors and £20million on the pads. The epic spending spree in 2007 started after the £15million-a-movie actor had box office hits with National Treasure 2 and Ghost Rider. Besides the above, his expenditures also included a 67-million-year-old dinosaur skull for $276,000, 15 homes around the world, three castles, a Gulfstream jet, four yachts and an island worth £4.5m in the Bahamas. The actor’s ex-business manager Samuel Levin, who Cage alleges made some really bad investment choices for Nicolas, has taken a hit back at Cage with these expenditure revelations.

"That's DOPE"

Nicolas Cage blew it himself with over-the-top luxury buys, including nine Rolls-Royces

Rapper Slick Rick’s diamond encrusted eye patch sold at auction

Among the lots of music-related memorabilia auctioned by esteemed Phillips de Pury was the multicolor camouflage eye patch designed by rapper Slick Rick’s wife. Slick Rick’s legend precedes him like no other, for he foreshadowed the pimpster attitude of many blinged celebrities of his era with his gold chains, resplendent gold tooth and his trademark diamond encrusted eye patch. The trademark eye patch is set with colorless, pink, yellow, blue and black pavé diamonds, and was estimated to sell between $20,000-$25,000 in the British auction.

"That's DOPE"

Rapper Slick Rick’s diamond encrusted eye patch sold at auction

Premier Epic boutique Hotel, Miami

New premier Epic boutique Hotel is a luxury addition to the range of Kimpton hotels. Epic Hotel with no doubt can be called one of the most stunning and gorgeousness most expensive hotel in the USA. It is located here in Miami, South Florida on the bank of the Miami River, near Bayfront Park and Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, 10 minutes drive to Ocean drive , beaches and night clubs , 5 minutes walk to Bayside market place. There is offered a five star service, style and a distinctive waterfront location that is very attractive to the tourists from all over the world.

Epic hotel features stunning architectural design reflects and enhances its surroundings. Vaulted ceilings, glass walls, shimmering pools all play off the sweeping horizontal lines to create a sense of movement, mirroring the water all around, while a boat’s sail is cleverly suggested in the façade. 411 hotel’s guestrooms and suites have balconies, LCD televisions, and flat-panel televisions. Rooms also include refrigerators, shower/tub combinations and bathrobes. At the hotel you can swim at an outdoor pool, to take a spa tub or to make fitness work. Prices range from $279.

"That's DOPE"

Premier Epic boutique Hotel, Miami

The gloomy global economic environment has not deterred cigar enthusiasts from pursuing the perfect premium smoke. In fact, the glow of a good cigar, accompanied by a snifter of spirit, can brighten even the dourest day on Wall Street. This is true any time of year. But particularly during the holidays, the pleasures of hand-rolled tobacco offer welcome cheer—especially when shared with friends as a gesture of hospitality or as a gift. Holiday cigar shoppers should take note of trends this year.

The once popular Churchills have given way to robustos with even shorter lengths—a development that suggests fewer of us are finding the time to indulge in a one-hour smoke. Most of these shorter offerings, however, have retained large ring sizes (diameters) to deliver the fuller flavor of a larger cigar. This demand for intense flavor illustrates another trend: the quest for assertive smoke. More aficionados are seeking tobaccos with presence that retain their more subtle nuances. This mix of traits can be found in the growing number of medium-to-strong cigars that are displacing the lighter blends on the shelves of tobacconists’ humidors. But these more delicate indulgences still have their devotees, so we have included some examples in our recommended list, which is arranged in order of strength, from lightest to fullest.

LET THERE BE LIGHT

Camacho Connecticut
Camacho has never been known as a lightweight; but not everyone wants to puff powerhouse Honduran cigars all the time. The first collaboration between Camacho and the Oettinger Davidoff Group, which recently acquired the Camacho brand, this new cigar has a toned-down taste profile. The silky Ecuadoran-grown Connecticut wrapper, combined with a Honduran binder and Honduran and Dominican filler, provides an easy draw and an ethereal flavor that will entice those who find themselves, as it were, attracted to the light. Six sizes are available, but the 6 x 50 toro is our favorite. This is definitely a daytime cigar, and it pairs well with Glenlivet 12 Year Old single-malt whisky. ($6.15–$7.50) www.camachocigars.com

Esteban Carreras
Cuban folk hero Esteban Carreras defied the newly formed Castro regime by attempting to organize the tobacco farmers and cigar makers whose property was being nationalized. Although Carreras was captured and killed, his name lives on with this brand. One of its best cigars, the Esteban Carreras Connecticut, is made in the Dominican Republic’s La Aurora factory and expresses a light, herbal creaminess. Rolled inside Ecuadoran-grown Connecticut-seed wrapper, the Dominican filler carries a single ligero leaf for a hint of spice. This cigar makes a good match for the 1995 Knappogue Castle Irish whiskey. ($4–$9) www.estebancarreras.com

MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE

Casa Magna Colorado Extraordinario
The cedar-scented, all-Nicaraguan Casa Magna Colorado created by Manuel Quesada and Nestor Plasencia garnered Best of the Best accolades in the June 2009 issue of Robb Report. As an encore, the top-grade expatriate Cuban rollers at Plasencia’s Segovia factory in Estelí have skillfully handcrafted a 7 x 58 salomon—one of the most historic and difficult-to-make of the old Cuban cigars—dubbed the Extraordinario. Its perfecto-on-steroids shape enhances the flavor and medium body of the award-winning Casa Magna. Pair this cigar with Pusser’s 15-year-old rum. ($10.75) www.casamagnacigars.com

Alec Bradley Vice Press
This cigar’s name refers to the vice press used to create box-pressed cigars. These superb smokes are handsomely box-pressed by the Tobacos de Oriente factory in Danlí, Honduras. The Nicaraguan wrapper from Jalapa lends a meatiness to the flavor profile, which is peppered by a double Costa Rican/Colombian binder and tempered with Nicaraguan, Mexican, and Honduran filler. Three shapes are available, but the 7 x 60 figurado is our preferred choice. Enjoy it with Blanton’s single-barrel bourbon. ($7.50–$8.40) www.alecbradley.com

Rocky Patel 1961
This cigar’s name recognizes the birth year of cigar impresario Rocky Patel. With its Ecuadoran Habano wrapper, Nicaraguan filler, and Honduran binder, the 6½ x 52 Rocky Patel 1961 toro smokes with a rich smoothness that carries hints of curry and cinnamon. It is a perfect match for the just-released Parker’s Heritage Collection Golden Anniversary Bourbon, which combines barrels from each of the past five decades. ($8.50) www.rockypatel.com

Montecristo 75th Anniversary
This Dominican brand, which originated in Cuba, has dramatically ramped up its blend in celebration of the firm’s 75th anniversary next year. The new formula developed by expert blender José Seijas consists of an Ecuadoran Habano wrapper and Honduran and Nicaraguan filler. Five sizes ranging from lancero to Churchill are available. Special anniversary packaging includes boxes of five, 25, and 150 in numbered commemorative chests. Moreover, Montecristo offers a limited-edition freestanding humidor that holds 750 cigars. This Monte definitely goes with the Johnnie Walker Gold Label. ($15–$18.50) www.altadisusa.com

Te-Amo World Selection Series Gran Corto
This name is longer than the cigar, but each of these 4 x 62 snubbies packs a lot of flavor into what amounts to a 15-minute smoke. A quarter of an hour is plenty of time to enjoy the distinct characters of these four Mexican blends. The Cuba, with its Cuban-seed tobaccos, emphasizes smoothness; the Dominican is spicy and mellow; the Nicaraguan is meaty; and the Honduran is robust. Each should be paired with a complex, extra-añejo tequila like Don Julio 1942. ($4.75) www.altadisusa.com

La Escepción
Although the recently revived La Escepción brand recalls its origins with packaging inspired by its original Cuban packaging, the brand nevertheless enters a new realm of flavor with this latest iteration, which incorporates Ometepe tobacco in both the binder and the filler. As a result, sweetness wells up with the very first puff, and a sophisticated strength grasps onto the Habano Talanga wrapper. The band, which is dated 2009, suggests that this is the first installment of what may be an annual offering. Experienced smokers will best appreciate this cigar with the enhanced oak and sherry flavors of The Macallan 25 Years Old whisky. ($5.99–$6.39) www.cigarworld.com

San Cristobal Selección del Sol
The original San Cristobal was created in 2007 for Ashton by José "Pepín" Garcia, who supervised cigar making for Habanos before relocating to Nicaragua. This newest small-batch production features select sun-grown wrappers from Garcia’s Nicaraguan farms. Its deliciously thick, smooth flavor is accented with a deeply aromatic, almost flowery undertaste and bouquet. One can easily smoke this Nicaraguan down to the band. Available in 5, 5½, and 6 inches (all at 52 ring gauge), this offering is eminently worthy of the Springbank 18 Year Old whisky, which is distilled two-and-a-half times. ($8–$8.50) www.ashtoncigar.com

Davidoff Limited Edition—"Toro Especial" Selección 702
Wrappers used to be grown, not made. But today there are so many hybrids that the choice of wrapper has become almost overwhelming. That was certainly the case during the formulation of the Davidoff Seleccíon 702, named for the seed from which the final wrapper is grown. "We had so many good seeds and good crops, from which I could only pick five out of 16," says Henke Kelner, Tabacos Dominicanos’ owner and Davidoff’s master blender. The result is an ultra-oily sheen and a hearty taste that resembles a Honduran, even though this is a decidedly Dominican cigar. As such, it pairs nicely with a refined yet muscular Cognac like the just-released Pierre Ferrand Vintage 1972 Cask Strength. ($26) www.davidoff.com

GOING STRONG

Nestor Miranda 20th Anniversary Danno
This 7½ x 56 Nicaraguan puro with a Cuban pig-tail cap is made by the indomitable Pepín Garcia. The limited release comprises two sets of 1,000 boxes containing 20 cigars each; the first set uses a spicy rosado wrapper, while the second set of cigars is wrapped in dark, chocolaty oscuro. The flavors of both versions are rich and pungent, but not as robust as their muscular shape might suggest. A gentle giant, the Danno was named after the late son of Nestor Miranda, proprietor of the Miami Cigar Company (which markets this masterpiece). The oscuro version goes exceptionally well with a snifter of Glenmorangie Signet. ($9) www.nestormirandacigars.com

Casa Magna Oscuro
The success of the Casa Magna Colorado led the brand’s creators, Manuel Quesada and Nestor Plasencia, to seek a successor. But the Nicaraguan factory that produces Casa Magna was at full capacity, so Quesada and Plasencia turned their attention to Plasencia’s factory in San Marcos, Honduras. After seven weeks of blending they created the Casa Magna Oscuro, which is wrapped in a dark, smoky, but not-quite-maduro Jamistran leaf and available in five sizes. The 6½ x 52 belicoso is our favorite. A Zacapa Centenario 23-year-old rum complements the cigar’s thick taste. ($5.75–$7.95) www.casamagnacigars.com

Esteban Carreras 10 Años
Another notable smoke from the Esteban Carreras line, this box-pressed Nicaraguan puro gets its name from its 10-year-old wrapper, which is available in maduro and natural. Filler and binder tobaccos are aged six years—significantly longer than most premium brands. The natural wrapper exudes an aroma of milk-soaked hay, while the maduro’s scent is an interesting medley of heavy cream and sweet smoke. A difficult shape to roll, the pyramid forms an ash that won’t let go—a tribute to the factory of Abdel Fernandez, once a protégé of Cuba’s legendary Don Alejandro Robaina. Pair the natural wrapper with Michael Collins Single Malt Irish whiskey; the maduro nicely complements Bushmills 21 Year Old Malt. ($8–$10.50) www.estebancarreras.com

Room101
Billed as an "alternate luxury" cigar, this luxuriously full-flavored smoke is destined to be a standout in any cigar club. Developed as a collaboration between Camacho Cigars and Matt Booth, the owner of Hollywood’s Room101, the cigar comes in six different shapes, each named after an area code: 213 (5½ x 44), 305 (5 x 50), 323 (6 x 50), 404 (6 x 54 x 52), 702 (6 x 48 x 54 x 48), and 808 (6 x 60). The Semilla 101 wrapper is exclusive to this line, and the filler is a full-flavored blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan leaf. Each version is as well-crafted as Booth’s silver jewelry, and smokes with the subtle richness of saddle-soaped leather. Pair with Highland Park 18 Years Old single-malt whisky. ($7–$9) www.room101cigars.com

Alec Bradley Tempus Magistri
One of Alec Bradley’s most celebrated blends, the Tempus is a Honduran puro with tobaccos grown in the fertile Las Trojes region near the Nicaraguan border. The 6¾ x 54 Magistri pyramid is the newest offering in the Tempus line—a rich, semirugged, and spicy smoke for those who have the time to enjoy it. Consistent from beginning to end, it is especially well suited to accompany a glass of Rittenhouse 23-year-old single-barrel rye. ($10) www.alecbradley.com

Rocky Patel - Patel Brothers
Cigar makers often pay homage to their familial ties, as is the case with the Patel Brothers brand, a collaboration between Rocky Patel and his brother Nish. The cigars’ rugged Pennsylvania broadleaf wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler provide a powerhouse smoke, especially in the 6 x 58 super toro. Complement this hefty combination with a glass of Booker’s unfiltered cask-strength bourbon diluted by a single ice cube. ($6.50–$9) www.rockypatel.com

Upper Cut by Punch
The Punch brand originated in 19th-century Cuba and took its name from a popular British humor magazine. The firm’s Upper Cut, which may eventually become a separate brand, represents a departure from Punch tradition, even in its packaging. The box, for example, is labeled Upper Cut by Punch. The cigar won’t knock you out, but it will get your attention. The Upper Cut is available a 6 x 45 gran corona, a 5¼ x 50 robusto, and a 6? x 54 toro. Try it with the Talisker Distillers Edition single malt, which is double matured in Amoroso sherry casks. ($6.49–$6.99) www.cigarworld.com

My Father Cigars Le Bijou 1922
Due to a conflict with another tobacco entity, Pepín Garcia has renamed his new Nicaraguan factory My Father Cigars—a choice that underscores the importance of families in the cigar business. The all-Nicaraguan Le Bijou 1922 (the name combines the French word for "jewel" and the birth year of Garcia’s father) is smooth, elegant, and seamless. It comes in three sizes: a 6 x 52 toro, a 7 x 50 Churchill, and a 4½ x 50 petit robusto. All three pair best with a classic Hennessy X.O. ($12–$14) www.myfathercigars.com

—Richard Carleton Hacker

"That's DOPE"

HH Magazine Issue 14 In stores!!!

Get your copy today - May change ya life !!

"That's DOPE"

HH Magazine Issue 14 In stores!!!

Like caviar? Try the best - Black River Caviar.

Black River Ossetra Malossol Caviar is among the finest caviar in the world. Our ossetra caviar is produced from farm raised Siberian sturgeon, originally imported as fertilized roe from Russia in 1995. All wild sturgeon are endangered, and Black River Caviar is dedicated to sustainable farming techniques, helping to ensure the longevity of some of the most endangered sturgeon species.

Black River Caviar is clearly the premier substitute for wild ossetra sturgeon caviar. Our sturgeon are fed an all-natural, organic feed. Our Russian Caviar Master uses the malossol, or "little salt" method, to enhance the superb flavor of our caviar. You will find that our caviar is large grain, has a fresh, clean, nutty taste, and creamy texture. We pride ourselves on consistency, and the only variance that you will find is the natural range in color from light brown to jet-black.

We encourage you to explore our website and discover the history of caviar, learn of the unique process in which we produce our caviar, and read articles by some of the most discerning connoisseurs and chefs from around the world. And finally, we invite you to visit the online store, purchase our esteemed caviar, and experience this decadent delight for yourself. Enjoy!

"That's DOPE"

Like caviar? Try the best - Black River Caviar.