Difference between revisions of "User:RahalMccall69"

Revision as of 13:07, 30 October 2014 (edit) 27.153.162.191 (Talk) (Best of Alps open to non) ← Older edit		Revision as of 13:34, 30 October 2014 (edit) (undo) 27.153.162.191 (Talk) (Neiman Marcus' fantasy gifts include trip to New Orleans) Newer edit →
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−	A highlight of a recent European summer was the day I spent hiking in the Berner Oberland region of the . I was with a wonderful group of traveling friends, all eager for a ramble in the high country.	+	DALLAS -- Designing your own fragrance with a master perfumer in Paris, then having your personal scent presented in 14-karat gold bottles is not, in fact, priceless. It costs $475,000.
−	Fortunately, you don't have to be a mountain climber to see the Alps up close. The Swiss transportation system is as remarkable as its majestic landscape. Cog railways and cable cars whisk you up into the type of scenery that's usually only accessible with ropes and crampons.	+	The trip is one of Neiman Marcus' 10 fantasy gifts. And despite the name, these items are no fantasy: All are for sale right now.
−	My group started the day with breakfast at the revolving restaurant that caps the Schilthorn peak (10,000 feet), looking down at the high meadows where Swiss cows spend their summers, Heidi-style. We鈥檇 gotten up there effortlessly (in four stages) by riding the Schilthornbahn cable car. Whether filled with skiers in winter or hikers in summer, that glass-and-steel bubble is filled with mountain joy 鈥?especially when the Alps are out in all their glory.	+	The company's Christmas Book, a tradition for 88 years now, is stocked with awe-inspiring items such as an $18,850 cranberry-colored crocodile designer hand bag and an $189 Champagne bucket. Among the 600-some items for sale in the catalog are the 10 fantasy gifts.
−	From a value point of view, remember that early lifts are discounted all over the Alps, and, because the sky can cloud up by late morning, early birds enjoy the crispest views. The lesson: pay less and see more by ascending early. It鈥檚 not inexpensive, but when you鈥檙e surrounded by cut-glass peaks and breathing fresh mountain air, this is one of Europe's great deals and most vivid experiences.	+	The fragrance journey to Paris is the most expensive item in the catalog, at nearly half a million dollars. Approximately 40 percent of the items in the book go for less than $250, however.
−	North Face trail	+	Of the 10 fantasy gifts, the lowest in price is a $25,000 custom-made silk peacock designed by Preston Bailey, who has thrown parties for the Trump family and Oprah Winfrey.
−	For our hike that day, we chose the super-scenic North Face trail (4 miles, 2.5 hours), starting our walk high about the tree line and cruising through meadows carpeted with alpine flowers. I love being way above the villages, but not too high for the cows or goats. It鈥檚 a joy to greet these tame alpine companions and listen to their random symphony of bells.	+	On the pricier end is a $425,000 trip to the Oscars. The experience doesn't actually include a trip to the Academy Awards, but it does include two tickets to the Vanity Fair after party, which Ginger Reeder, VP of Corporate Communications for Neiman Marcus, calls "the hardest party to get into." It comes with a hotel suite in Beverly Hills, free meals, a personal stylist, loaner jewelry and a $5,000 gift card to Neimans for each of two attendees to buy clothing or shoes for the big night.
−	The milk from those cows grazing in the high meadows is destined to become treasured Alp cheese (Alpk盲se). People say that the character of the cheese is shaped by the wild herbs and flowers that the cows munch. Some locals claim they can tell which valley the cows grazed in just by the taste.	+	It's the right gift "for someone who wants to live the celebrity life but hasn't had the opportunity to," Reeder says. It's also the right gift for someone who gives gifts for $425,000.
−	Cow herders up here are versatile 鈥?most are master cheese makers and have veterinary skills, too. Little dairy farms have been renovated to meet  standards. Failing to meet these would mean their cheese could not be exported. But still, traditional quality survives all these modern regulations.	+	Another "experience" for sale in the Christmas Book is a five-day adventure to Mardi Gras in New Orleans for six couples. The $125,000 price tag comes with special restaurant reservations, a cottage in the French Quarter and a ride on a float in the Orpheus Parade, which ends with a black-tie ball called the "Orpheuscapade" put on in part by Harry Connick Jr.
−	Alpine farms welcome hikers to peek at the cheese-making action, so we dropped in at a farm hut to watch. We met Veronika 鈥?a licensed cheese maker. Each morning she and her crew milk the cows and heat a copper vat of milk over a wood fire. As it slowly curdles, it鈥檚 stirred at just the right temperature until the consistency is exactly how Veronika likes it.	+	Then there's the his and hers Quadskis -- amphibious vehicles that look like four-wheelers but convert to water cruisers -- priced at $50,000 each. (And with the his and hers label, you really should get two.)
−	Then, at just the right moment, she swings the vat off the fire, quickly dredges the vat with her cheesecloth, and packs the fresh cheese into frames. This process is repeated every day for 100 days here in the high country 鈥?a cow's udder knows no weekend.	+	Other highlights are a $35,000 cocktail shaker; a $300,000 custom, mini race track; and $55,000 worth of linens for beds, baths and tables in the buyer's entire home. That one's "good for a husband looking for a gift for his wife," says Leontine designer and founder Jane Scott Hodges.
−	Hikes and bikes	+	Perhaps the flashiest fantasy gift in this year's collection is the Maserati Ghibli S Q4, a car that goes zero to 60 in 4.7 seconds. Maserati will make just 100 of these cars, all of which come with a special Neiman Marcus logo inside. President and CEO of Maserati North America Peter Grady says he expects all 100 to be sold in an hour or less. They go on sale at 11 a.m. Oct. 22.<p>Related Articles:</p><ul><li>[url=http://www.louisvuitton-pascher.com/19-porte-monnaie]Porte-Monnaie[/url]</li><li>[url=http://www.louisvuitton-pascher.com/18-pochette-louis-vuitton]Pochette Louis Vuitton[/url]</li><li>[url=http://www.louisvuitton-pascher.com/21-sacs-du-soir]Sacs du soir Louis Vuitton[/url]</li></ul>
−	As we went on our way, we descended steeply through thick forest. We had no trouble navigating, thanks to great signs. The dedication to order and organization that distinguishes Swiss culture is obvious. Helpful signposts pointed us in the right direction, gauged the degree of each trail's difficulty, and gave us an estimated hiking time. Humbling, because these times are clocked by local senior citizens. You'll know what I mean after your first hike.	+
−	Bicyclists can pump up their adrenaline on rented mountain bikes in the same Swiss Alps. Besides dedicated bike trails, there are smoothly paved service roads, designed for the little hay wagons of farmers. These scenic lanes are off-limits to cars, but they are wide open for 鈥?and a hit with 鈥?bikers.	+
−	Finally, our hike reached its happy ending, popping out in a flowery meadow at the tip-top of my favorite Swiss village: Gimmelwald. As he has for more than three decades of my visits, was waiting there at his Hotel Mittaghorn. Way back in my student days, I stayed at the rustic youth hostel in town. Walter invited me to upgrade and stay at his place, and I did. We've been friends ever since.	+
−	Walter symbolizes the importance of personality-driven establishments to genuine 鈥淏ack Door鈥?travel. He鈥檚 in his 90s now 鈥?and still going strong. We shared a frosty beer 鈥?it hit the spot after my exhilarating day. Sharing this most beautiful spot with friends old and new is enough to make me raise my hands and holler hallelujah.	+
−	Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television. E-mail:<p>Related Articles:</p><ul><li><a href=http://www.buycelinebags.com>Celine Bags Outlet Store</a></li><li><a href=http://www.buycelinebags.com>Celine UK Online</a></li><li><a href=http://www.buycelinebags.com>Celine Online Outlet</a></li></ul>	+

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Revision as of 13:34, 30 October 2014

DALLAS -- Designing your own fragrance with a master perfumer in Paris, then having your personal scent presented in 14-karat gold bottles is not, in fact, priceless. It costs $475,000. The trip is one of Neiman Marcus' 10 fantasy gifts. And despite the name, these items are no fantasy: All are for sale right now. The company's Christmas Book, a tradition for 88 years now, is stocked with awe-inspiring items such as an $18,850 cranberry-colored crocodile designer hand bag and an $189 Champagne bucket. Among the 600-some items for sale in the catalog are the 10 fantasy gifts. The fragrance journey to Paris is the most expensive item in the catalog, at nearly half a million dollars. Approximately 40 percent of the items in the book go for less than $250, however. Of the 10 fantasy gifts, the lowest in price is a $25,000 custom-made silk peacock designed by Preston Bailey, who has thrown parties for the Trump family and Oprah Winfrey. On the pricier end is a $425,000 trip to the Oscars. The experience doesn't actually include a trip to the Academy Awards, but it does include two tickets to the Vanity Fair after party, which Ginger Reeder, VP of Corporate Communications for Neiman Marcus, calls "the hardest party to get into." It comes with a hotel suite in Beverly Hills, free meals, a personal stylist, loaner jewelry and a $5,000 gift card to Neimans for each of two attendees to buy clothing or shoes for the big night. It's the right gift "for someone who wants to live the celebrity life but hasn't had the opportunity to," Reeder says. It's also the right gift for someone who gives gifts for $425,000. Another "experience" for sale in the Christmas Book is a five-day adventure to Mardi Gras in New Orleans for six couples. The $125,000 price tag comes with special restaurant reservations, a cottage in the French Quarter and a ride on a float in the Orpheus Parade, which ends with a black-tie ball called the "Orpheuscapade" put on in part by Harry Connick Jr. Then there's the his and hers Quadskis -- amphibious vehicles that look like four-wheelers but convert to water cruisers -- priced at $50,000 each. (And with the his and hers label, you really should get two.) Other highlights are a $35,000 cocktail shaker; a $300,000 custom, mini race track; and $55,000 worth of linens for beds, baths and tables in the buyer's entire home. That one's "good for a husband looking for a gift for his wife," says Leontine designer and founder Jane Scott Hodges.

Perhaps the flashiest fantasy gift in this year's collection is the Maserati Ghibli S Q4, a car that goes zero to 60 in 4.7 seconds. Maserati will make just 100 of these cars, all of which come with a special Neiman Marcus logo inside. President and CEO of Maserati North America Peter Grady says he expects all 100 to be sold in an hour or less. They go on sale at 11 a.m. Oct. 22.

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• [url=http://www.louisvuitton-pascher.com/18-pochette-louis-vuitton]Pochette Louis Vuitton[/url]
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