The Haute Spot

I am a sucker for novelty. I love giant Martini glasses and vintage cigar boxes. I love collecting interesting and singular items, things that will immediately spark a conversation upon being seen. So when I heard that artist Kacper Hamilton had designed a series of wine glasses modeled after the seven deadly sins of judeo-christian biblical lore, I shat myself. The seven glasses are all supposed to visually suggest their namesake sin and this is accomplished to varying degrees of success. Either way, this is a bad ass set of glass. Some of the glasses look like they need two people to properly drink from, so this is a great way to lower inhibitions and establish intimacy simultaneously.

The price is available upon request from the dealer.
If you are feeling this glasses order them here.

Popularity: 4% [?]

The World Traveller Clock from Dalvey is a great little gadget for the gentleman on the go. It is like the bastard child of a pocket watch and a wallet and raised in a monastery of alarm clocks. t folds neatly into a pocket and features a quality Japanese quartz movement, 12 hour repeat alarm with a single two minute snooze, second time zone hand, a power reserve indication, day and date display and hours and a separate second hand, which is revealed by simply preessing down a button on the side of the watch. It has a satin metallic face and fine Italian leather casing. It’s pretty compact too, which really facilitates the easiness of the clock’s transport; you could literally carry it in your pocket everywhere. When closed, the World Traveller Clock measures 2 inches (5.3 cm) wide, 2 1/2 inches (6.3 cm) tall, 7.8 inch (2 cm) thick, and weighs just 3.8 ounces (107 grams). The diameter of the face measures 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cm).

I just love that it has a second time zone hand, that way you can always know what time it is back home when you are calling. That is so perfect for calling at irregular hours and then pretending it was an honest mistake, genius. The power reserve indicator is pretty neat too, since a dead clock can ruin a carefully planned itinerary. This is the type of clock that is equally at home on a series of extended business trips or for just touring around some nation’s countryside. The satin metallic face and beautiful leather casing are elegant, but not too showy. This make a great gift for father’s day, birthdays, or for yourself. They go for about $222.

Get one here.

Popularity: 5% [?]

I love cheese, all types and all forms. There’s so much variety in cheese, so many different flavors and textures. One cheese I really enjoy is Manchego, whether I am setting up a plate to complement some wine or if I’m just melting something over bread, this cheese delivers. Manchego is made out of sheep’s milk and it does leave a sheep’s milk aftertaste. That may sound unappetizing to the cheese newbie, but if you are in the know then you know that it just means this cheese is kick-ass. Manchego is aged for three months or longer, and is semi-firm with a rich golden color and small holes. It ranges from mild to sharp, depending on how long it is aged. This wonderful cheese is aged in natural caves for a period ranging from 3 to 6 months, which imparts a zesty and exuberant flavor to the cheese. Manchego’s flavor is very distinctive, slightly salty but not too strong. It is creamy with a slight piquancy, and leaves the characteristic aftertaste of sheep’s milk; I want to say that is tastes like feta cheese but it is nowhere near as salty and the texture is chewier. It has a savory flavor in any incarnation, but I find that the older it is the sharper it is. Manchego is available in three different states of maturity: fresh (fresco), 3–6 months old (curado), or matured for one year (viejo).

This cheese is great and is pretty versatile in what you can do. You can eat on crackers as is, maybe with some red wine to chase it, preferably a Rioja wine. A traditional way to enjoy it in Spain is served on toasted bread that has been rubbed with garlic and tomato, then drizzled with olive oil. I’m partial to toasting it, but I really enjoy it fresh on a sandwich with some fresh ham as well. It’s a product that is protected in it’s origin, which is great because while it amps up the price, it really does ensure quality. You can pick up some Manchego almost anywhere now, most gourmet grocers carry it and you can find it in most supermarket delis.

Popularity: 5% [?]

If you’re looking to make some extra cash on the side using your God given talents, or have a job that you need to get done, there’s no better site than Elance. Elance works as an eBay for services such as web design, logo generation, freelance writing, external accounting, almost any job you can accomplish remotely, is available on ELance.

We are currently using it to help get this site redesigned and within three hours we had over seven professional from across America, India, Europe all bidding for the job. It’s a great place to connect with professionals and experts from across the world. Whether it’s for a small consulting job, or because you want to outsource your entire marketing department, Elance has it covered. Stay posted and we’ll let you know how it turns out. Chances are, once you see this site revamped, you’ll know it went well anyway.

Elance

Popularity: 6% [?]

For jotting down notes and things like that, I suppose any old ball point will do. I suppose any old pen would work fine for any situation that involves writing and signing. I also suppose that I could wear a sack cloth instead of clothes and I’d be just as protected from the elements. I’d also look like a grade-A douche. This is the difference between owning a regular pen and a luxury fountain pen, the difference between a sackcloth and a blazer. I suggest this great fountain pen by Aspinal of London. Having a nice fountain pen in one’s office, or on one’s person, help make a good impression on others. People will take you more seriously if they see that you have a beautiful and functional pen reserved for signing the more important documents. These pens also make great gifts for any occasion, be it congratulations for an accomplishment, a birthday, or as a retirement gift to serve as an employers token of appreciation.

This Aspinal Century Fountain Pen is a large Gents pen, simultaneously modern and nostalgic. It is in fully hallmarked sterling silver in a barley design. It also has a panel for engraving, which makes this pen ideal as a gift or as a more personalized possession. It can be used with either normal cartridges or you can purchase a converter system. As with other Aspinal products, quality is guaranteed and the pen comes in an Aspinal signature presentation box. The pen goes for $220.

Get one of the bad boys here.

Popularity: 5% [?]