Cold Storage is an amenity?

Yes, cold storage is an amenity...and a practical one, at that. Say you shell-out $15.99/lb for some Porterhouse Steaks from Fresh Direct. What are you going to do when the delivery guy shows up in your condominium lobby at 1:34PM EST and you're working until at least 9PM? Or how about that "Love's First Bloom" rose bouquet from 1-800-Flowers for your fiancee? Problem solved...you have your doorman/concierge conveniently stash it in the cold storage room to preserve freshness. New developments, such as the Element Condominum, are the first to offer this amenity, and they definitely won't be the last.

So, you've moved into a "green" building, now what?

So, you've moved into a "green" building, now what? Now it's time to furnish your new nest with environmentally-friendly products. The easiest way to do that is to visit Low Impact Living on the Web. Pick out a set of organic bed linens, a water-saving showerhead, an energy-saving lightbulb (mind you, it lasts 10x as long as a typical lightbulb and uses 1/3 of the energy!), among other products. You're halfway there [to "going green"]...now go all the way!

Shop online at http://www.lowimpactliving.com.

Plastic Mortgages = FREE Vacations!

American Express is rolling out what is likely the first program in the country to let homeowners charge their monthly mortgage payments to a credit card, allowing borrowers to earn reward points on their loans. "[It's] just another progression for us in the real-estate area and in the luxury space," said an American Express executive. Mortgage giants American Home Mortgage Investment Corp. and IndyMac Bancorp are the first two lenders that have signed up for the program.

Black Label suits, Occhiali specs, Aqua di Gio scents...furniture?

"You buy furniture. You tell yourself, this is the last sofa I will ever need in my life. Buy the sofa, then for a couple years you're satisfied that no matter what goes wrong, at least you've got your sofa issue handled. Then the right set of dishes. Then the perfect bed. The drapes. The rug. Then you're trapped in your lovely nest, and the things you used to own, now they own you." (~Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club)

Well, if you're going to be owned by your possessions, they may as well be Armani Casa. With pieces for every room—from open-edged vases for the library to mother-of-pearl chopstick rests for the dining room—the collection furthers the designer’s streamlined aesthetic far beyond the cramped confines of your walk-in closet. Furnishings like an irregularly woven dressing screen or a sculptural bed nod to Near- and Far-Eastern traditions (especially the Japanese) as readily as tableware or textiles. If you’re not looking to refurnish the whole penthouse or Hampton villa, less dramatic touches can be made via small luxury items like leather key wallets or an array of fine candles.

For the modern-minimalist in all of us. To view their entire line of home decor, visit http://www.armanicasa.com.

The most innovative new development EVER...

I can't say it better myself, so here is an excerpt from the Web site:

100 Eleventh Avenue is a "vision machine," with every angle and structural detail designed to create visual excitement. Approximately 1,650 different windowpanes comprise the most highly engineered and complex curtain wall ever constructed in New York City.

Every apartment will feature floor-to-ceiling window walls including operable windows oriented to the south and west. Along these window walls, floors will be finished with an extra layer of nearly imperceptible transparent gloss, to boost incoming sunlight into rooms.

Sun-lovers rejoice! Your new address awaits on the West side. Not to mention, it's LEED Green certified, so you're doing the environment justice.

For more information about this astonishing new development, visit http://www.nouvelchelsea.com.

"One day we'll all live in pods..."

Well, that day has come, thanks to Mick Jagger's (The Rolling Stones frontman) daughter, Jade Jagger, and her new development, Jade at 16 W 19th Street. According to the Web site, they are "jewel-like lacquered boxes that seem to float in each residence. Enclosed within this single cube are your meticulously laid-out kitchen and bathroom. When opened, the pod reveals a glamorous interplay of sparkling tiles, vivid colors and textures." An interesting option for those who like to think outside of the box...but who like to live inside the box.

To learn more about this new development, visit http://www.jadenyc.com.

"Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore..."

In the age of designer floors, moldings, paints, counters, sinks and appliances, toilets were bound to flush their traditional yet functional role in the home, and redefine themselves as tastefully created masterpieces with astronomical price tags. Toto, one of the leaders in high-end residential construction, offers a full line of power-gravity, low-water consumption units, which are not only asthetically pleasing but have features such as automatic lids, seat warmers and self-cleaning. Watch out George Jetson, Toto's in town!

For more information, check out http://www.totoneorest.com.

Authored by Matthew Knee (Guest Author)