Add WSJ to your list of high fashion, fancy sports and uber luxe travel magazines. Published by the Wall Street Journal, WSJ launched during the biggest slump in the publishing business.

The executives in charge said they gave no thought to delaying the magazine. The inaugural issue had 51 advertisers, 19 of which had never used the financial newspaper before. The 104 page magazine included ads from Burberry, Louis Vuitton and British Airways.

You can’t look at Sarah Palin without marveling at how nice her eyeglasses are, and how perfectly they set the tone of serious, yet stylish. Her nomination for vice president has set off a genuine rush to optical businesses by women who want her glasses.

Sarah Palin’s glasses are custom made, but based on the Kawasaki 704 series, and the color is 34 gray. The Sarah Palin frame — minus the lenses — starts at a suggested $375. Depending on the type of lenses you have installed, the total package can run to $700.

 

 
In Dubai, developer Nakheel and The Trump Organization have revealed their plans for The Palm Trump International Hotel and Tower; a US 400 million condo-hotel development on the Palm Jumeirah, one of three palm-shaped islands that Nakheel is building off Dubai’s coast. The development will pioneer the condo-apartment hotel concept in the region, featuring approximately 500 apartments, and each residence will have the luxury of access to five-star hotel services and amenities, including “The Trump Touch Concierge Services”. And to further underscore the relationship between luxury and margins: other properties on the 5 km-long island are already attracting a 10 to 40 percent premium (!) over the original selling price. (Trend Watching)

Famous Italian designer Roberto Cavalli has come up with a metallic-like leather bag. This new bag has a level of detail in the leather cut that has been unmatched by any other designer up to now.

Although the bag seems to be made in laser cut metal, it is fine leather coated as to have a silver look finish. In my opinion this artwork looks more like a fine piece of jewellery than a bag, and I am sure the proud owner of this nice bag ( previously payment of $1,015), will attract all looks wherever they wear this stilish luxury and trendy bag created by Roberto cavalli.

Microscopically fine detailing makes this clutch a piece worth mentioning. When designing this intricate clutch, Cavalli must have wanted to create a masterpiece and a talking piece. The Roberto Cavalli Laser Cut Clutch showcases a multicolor underside which is topped with a detailed gold laser cut leather design. Weaving, cutting, edging, and paying close attention to detail, the laser cut design seems to make lines that form a swirly pattern and even a beetle bug. There is a press stud fastening closure and an optional gold chain shoulder strap. This would not be an everyday clutch, not even a ‘nice dinner out’ clutch, but more of a once in a while at a huge Foundation Dinner or Gala piece. I’d take it to a black or white tie event and if the conversation turned to politics, which I despise, I’d take this baby out and try to get the table to talk about it. That would sure be a conversation starter, or killer, depending on the crowd. But this fine detailed bag is available for a decent price and has great measurements; 12 x 5 x 1.5. For a little piece of conversation and beauty via Net A Porter for $1015.

Musicians Akon (L) and Peter Buffett (R) speak at a press conference announcing Akon’s and Peter Buffett’s new musical and charity collaboration on June 11, 2008 at the Blender Theatre in New York City.
(Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images North America)

 

Two musicians with very different styles who didn’t know anything about each other are now working together to promote social action.

One of them is Akon, the internationally famous Senegal-born “soul singer”, whose albums Trouble and Konvicted have been sold by the millions. He had four Grammy nominations this year and has simultaneously held the top two spots on Billboard’s Hot 100 list .. not once, but twice.

The other musician is Peter Buffett, son of the internationally famous investor Warren Buffett, and now the co-chair of a new foundation initially funded by a gift from his father. (Two weeks ago, he teamed with Nike for a $100 million investment in the “Girl Effect.”)

While Buffett’s sales have been more modest than Akon’s, he has created a following with a series of electronic, layered CDs.

Today, Akon and Buffett announced the start of a “musical collaboration” and a new social action website, IsThereSomethingICanDo.com.

The collaboration is a new version of Buffett’s song Anything from his Staring At the Sun CD which was released last summer. The track has been remixed by Akon, who also added his own vocals to Peter’s original recording. The result is available as a free download at the new site.

(See the August, 2007 WBW post Musician Peter Buffett’s Life Lesson from his Father Warren to learn more about Peter and his music.)

According to a news release, the social portal “hopes to answer the question ‘Is there something I can do?’ posed within the song. It offers “practical ways to get involved in affecting positive change” and allows users to “learn and share informational about their experiences with giving back.”

Buffett first wrote the song after visiting Liberia and Sierra Leone. Using material he shot himself, he also created this video .. which caught Akon’s attention and prompted him to reach out to Buffett.

Sarah Palin is already being parodied, as seen in this example by comedian Sara Benincasa. The enclosed parody of Sarah Palin profiles her first vlog. “An older gentleman called me…”

She is coached by her off-camera buddy, cousin Dina, who also did her make up.

“Big Daddy” that’s what they call him. They discuss what a vice president does comparing it to being an alderman. A debate ensues whether her stint as dog-catcher was voluntary or she was just stealing dogs.

I can’t wait for more. Benincasa has Palin nailed!

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we had the opportunity to test drive the new Lamborghini LP560-4 in Las Vegas for the unveiling. check it out.

Lamborghini Las Vegas II

Lamborghini doubled in profit in 2007 thanks to strong European sales. The Volkswagen owned company is now anticipating even higher profits in 2008 with the introduction of the new Gallardo LP560-4.Lamborghini celebrated its fourth consecutive year of profits in 2007 with $74 million, a new record for the Italian automaker. Vehicles sales were up by 15 percent to a record 2,406 sports cars.Increased production is playing a major part in higher sales. As compared to producing one car a day in 2000, Lamborghini has increased its production output to 13 cars a day in 2007.The new Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 will go on sale later this year with a base price tag of $198,000.

Designer Anthony Mallier from India has created ‘Sparkle’ contact lenses to make your eyes “Sparkle like they’ve never sparkled before.” The ‘Sparkle’ contact lenses are fused with tiny Swarovski crystals in a circle around the edges of the lenses.

The ‘Sparkle’ contact lenses are the second place winner in the ‘Crystal Vision’ competition co-organized by designboom and Swarovski. Mallier took the ‘Crystal Vision’ theme literally when he designed the crystal eye ‘bling’. The competition had 4074 entries from 92 countries.

Mallier relates, “Swarovski has been synonymous with adding that extra ‘sparkle’ to everyday life. Swarovski crystals have the power to transform the ordinary into something extraordinary through their sheer brilliance. `Sparkle’ is one such attempt to enhance the expression of one of our most expressive features: our eyes.”

This new innovative design takes a whole new look at transportational seating arrangement and capabilities in the future. The 4NE1 is designed by Christopher Simmons, a student from Monash University, with the elderly and physically impaired in mind but as its name suggests (for anyone), anyone can use it, and kids might particularly enjoy the ride.

Each chair has excellent properties for impact absorption in frontal and rear impact collisions and is further supported by an ‘anti-whiplash’ back rest that comes forward upon impact. The system is suspended from a roof and may be temporarily stored away on the roof ceiling, or removed completely from the vehicle to maximize space or for maintenance purposes. The seats will be made from a patent-pending lightweight fibre-composite developed by Futuris Automotive, which has superb structural properties.