If you're an AmEx cardmember you are probably already enjoying some perks but this holiday season they're pulling out all the stops with the AmEx My WishList program starting Dec.1st through Dec.18th. Through exclusive AmEx access, cardmembers can get fabulous gift packages for much less than the typical retail price. And you thought Black Friday had fantastic deals! From luxury handbags starting at $260 to individualized shopping experiences for $1,500, the new 2010 Mercedes SUV, not yet priced, to private dining for two with a celebrity chef for $2,500, American Express' My WishList may just make us adults feel like Santa really does exist! Peruse the gallery for details about some of the featured packages.

Another holiday tradition may be experiencing downsizing as the economy pinches more and more corporations and individuals this time of year. The celebratory fetes from big companies to neighborhood gatherings are feeling the need to pare down their events this season. More and more people are choosing smaller, less luxurious, and less prestigious parties -- some even opting to not host a party at all -- in anticipation of more economic woes to come or for fear of receiving AIG's corporate-irresponsibility label. Don't expect the Taittinger Champagne or caviar this year -- and maybe not even in 2009.

[via Dr. Vino]

We know truffles are luxurious and tasty but using them effectively is a bit of an art. By the end of Truffle camp at the La Toque restaurant at The Westin Verasa, Napa you'll exactly what to do with the prized fungi. Ken Frank, executive chef and owner of La Toque restaurant will teach eight students at a time over the course of three days. It begins on a Sunday evening with a reception and dinner prepared by Chef Frank. Monday morning there is a hands-on cooking class followed by lunch and a trip to to Long Meadow Ranch to tour the farm and taste produce. The next day there is another class and lunch followed by a trip to a local winery for a private tour and barrel tasting. Dinner is at La Toque where a truffle-centered menu will be paired with different wines. It winds up on Wednesday morning with a a farewell breakfast of truffle omelets and the bestowing of a truffle "goodie bag" to create your own truffle specialties at home.

Ken Frank's Truffle Camp at La Toque is $2,900 per student based on single occupancy or $4,800 per couple based on double occupancy and is held January 11-14, 2009 and January 18-21, 2009. The price includes three night's accommodations at The Westin Verasa, Napa in a deluxe one-bedroom suite, the five meals mentioned above, two hands on cooking classes with Chef Frank, the field trips to the farm and winery, goodie bag, recipes, wines served during the event and gratuities. The only thing that's missing? A truffle hunt to source the musty treasures.

Given the recent lackluster art auctions, people are understandably wary about the Art Basel Miami Beach show next month but the warm weather art event still hopes to attract the wealthy. As the Wall Street Journal reports, Cartier, which is the only jewelry sponsor of the event, will debut two jewelry collections, a high jewelry collection with tasseled pieces using sapphires and red spinels and Hypnose, an Art Deco-inspired line of black and white rings, pendants, bracelets and drop earrings. The collections will be displayed at the fair inside the Cartier Dome, which will feature a new visual installation, Diamonds, Gold and Dreams created by the filmmaker David Lynch, from Dec. 3 through Dec. 7. The piece includes a seven-minute "floating diamond" projection that will be displayed each hour accompanied by a musical score in an atmosphere that includes golden-fabric walls, gold-printed carpeting, gold trimmed display cases, an ornate curved display case for thePatiala necklace, and gold-accented furniture with reflective glass tops. The jewelry pieces will arrive in Cartier boutiques in March.

Cigar Aficionado's Big Smoke New York City 2008 will be held on Tuesday, November 25. Included in the $240 ticket price are a variety of premium wines, spirits and beer to sample; a variety of food "appealing to an aficionado"; and these premium handmade cigars:

Alec Bradley Tempus, Arturo Fuente, Ashton, A. Turrent Six Generations, Aurora 1495, Bravo, CAO, Carlos Toraño, Cuvée Rouge, Defiance by XIKAR, Diamond Crown, Don Tomas, El Rico Habano, Flavours by CAO, Fonseca, Hoyo de Monterrey, La Caya, La Flor de Ynclan, La Flor Dominicana, La Gloria Cubana, Macanudo 1968, Nub, Oliva Serie G, Padrón, Rocky Patel Premium, San Cristobal, Tabacos Baez, Te Amo World Selection

Session I is from 4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. and Session II is from 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. Both will be held at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square (attendees must be 21). All the puffing will support a good cause: A portion of net proceeds will benefit the Prostate Cancer Research Institute.

There are very few places left in NYC to light up legally, so go and enjoy!

If you need a quick dose of the Christmas spirit, a tour of the Biltmore, the largest privately owned home in the U.S in Asheville, North Carolina might help. The estate and grounds include more than 100 decorated trees, 1,000 wreaths and bows, 1,800 poinsettias and thousands of ornaments and lights. It's pretty hard to hold onto your humbuggery amidst the elegant spectacle of this grand estate wreathed in holiday magic.

Individual rooms are decorated according to a theme that changes each year, this year it's "Christmas Traditions from Around the World," which turns each room into a microcosm of Christmas traditions in a country. The estate also hosts "Christmas Candlelight Evenings" which feature entertainment by carolers, ballet dancers and puppeteers. Free seminars for daytime guests through Nov. 23, offer instruction on subjects such as decorating your home and tree, making a gingerbread house, pairing wine and cheese, and crafting a wreath or centerpiece. Admission for adults starts at $55.

[via USA Today]

The venerable Walters Museum in Baltimore, Maryland is opening up their vaults for Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry. The exhibit highlights the passion of Henry Walters (1848–1931) who collected jewelry from a large variety of cultures and periods. His collection runs the gamut from Mesopotamian stone pendants to masterpieces created by Tiffany and Co. The exhibition brings together more than 200 pieces of jewelry, combining extraordinary highlights from the holdings with objects from the Walters' vaults, The exhibit runs from now until January 4, 2009. A small sample of some of the pieces on display is in the gallery below.

[via Washington Post]

Drambuie has nabbed another handsome actor for their annual Drambuie pursuit adventure race. The 2008 race had Jerry O'Connell and the 2009 race will feature the charmingly goofy Seann William Scott who is currently starring in the comedy "Role Models". In May 2009, Drambuie will send teams of four to compete in a series of outdoor trials including archery, white-water rafting, dune-buggy racing, and many other challenges across Scotland. Seann William Scott is now seeking to assemble his own team and fans can apply for the chance to join him on this all-expenses-paid trip by visiting www.pursuitof1745.com.

This weekend in Manhattan a wonderful open house event will be hosted at The Laurel, a new LEED certified, 31-story luxury condominium tower on the Upper East Side at 67th Street and 1st Avenue, to benefit the Worldwide Orphans Foundation. For two hours you can peruse four separate spaces each defined by a designer of distinction and representing one of four magazines: Veranda, O at Home, House Beautiful and Town & Country. The apartments on display were created with a specific, imagined resident in mind and speaks to that chosen character's interests. You can also catch these stunning living spaces in upcoming issues of their respective magazine. Tickets cost $30 plus tax and are available for two-hour time blocks on a first-come, first served basis. My personal favorite is the Town & Country space -- so elegant yet equally welcoming.

For more specific information on The Laurel read on here.

It's a tough time to be an opera company. I recently mentioned the closing of Opera Pacific in California's Orange County, now the Washington Post reports that the Washington National Opera has postponed its performances of Wagner's "Ring" cycle until the economic climate improves. Famed opera singer Plácido Domingo, the company's general director, released a statement announcing that the decision was motivated by "the dramatic changes in the nation's economy." The Ring cycle consists of four long operas and was to be a highlight of the 2009-10 season. The cost of showing the four different operas on four consecutive nights often keeps companies away from performing Wagner's mighty work. Often opera companies put on one of the operas per season before doing the whole cycle. The Washington National Opera has already put on the first two and the third was postponed for a year due to budget cuts and will debut in May 2009. The final opera, "Götterdämmerung" will be offered in two performances with sets or costumes which should help the opera company save between $5 million and $6 million.

The Washington Post article revealed that some other arts organizations in the area are also considering trimming back their schedules. Others are trying to cut expenses at the same time they are also cutting ticket prices to lure in customers. Arts organizations in general get much of their attendance and donations from the older generations, the same people who might now be too worried about their retirement funds to support the arts.

This year's hottest ticket in town isn't the Super Bowl, it's the Presidential Inauguration on January 20, 2009. Yes, tickets are technically free and handed out a week before the event but that hasn't stopped the sale of tickets. Some people who already know they will be getting a ticket are selling them to brokers. StubHub.com already lists tickets to the parade, the swearing-in ceremony and the inaugural gala for several thousand dollars each.

U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. has spoken out against ticket selling, expressing fears that people could be swindled. Members of Congress are giving away 240,000 tickets. Jackson's office will have around 400 tickets and will distribute the bulk of them to the public, first come, first serve which is the policy of most of the elected officials with tickets. The offices of senators and representatives are said to be flooded with constituents asking for tickets. Of course this varies by region. This might be a time to find your friend in Wyoming or Alabama or other traditionally Republican areas and ask if they can request tickets for you since there may be less of a mad rush there. You can also discreetly inquire through various concierge services. They may not advertise tickets but especially if you are already a customer, they may be able to offer you some assistance.

California Senator Dianne Feinstein is said to be considering legislation to make it illegal to scalp tickets to the event following the news that a pair of tickets sold for $10,858 each through Stub Hub. As with any other prized events, there always three main ways of going about things: the persistence approach which mainly relies on luck and standing for hours in the right place, using your connections or spending a boatload of money. If you happen to have the third option there are also plenty of ultra-pricey inauguration packages. None of them come with tickets to the swearing-in ceremony but they do give you a chance to celebrate in style. Washington.org has rounded up the best of the bunch which we will check out in the gallery below.

The ice bar trend is apparently starting to boom. I mentioned one in Orlando a few weeks back and now Minus 5, an ice bar chain that began in New Zealand recently opened in Las Vegas in Mandalay Place on the Las Vegas Strip. Like other ice bars, guests have to put on warm clothes before entering the bar and pay for the experience. A 30-minute visit that includes one drink costs $30 in the bar which is chilled to minus five degrees Celsius (around 23 degrees Fahrenheit). The bar is made of ice, there are giant ice sculptures (including an ice Elvis) and drinks served in glasses of ice. Sounds like this place will be the place to be in summer when Las Vegas temps spike into triple digits.

[via LA Times]

Holidays in New York City can be a lot of things: charming, classic, thrilling ... overwhelming, chaotic, expensive. While some travelers arrive in search of the quintessential Silver Bells experience, others may want to discover something new or stick within a budget. Luxist's friends at Nancy J. Friedman Public Relations, Gabrielle Etrog Cohen and Gina Masullo, came up with a comprehensive list of places to go and things to do for all NYC travelers as well as package deals, including hotels.

THE FAMILY: Crowd-pleasers for all ages-within a budget.

The show: The Off-Broadway production of The Gazillion Bubble Show is the first and only interactive stage production of its kind, complete with fantastic light effects, lasers, and jaw-dropping masterpieces of bubble artistry.

The sites: Gawking at the Macy's displays, a visit with the polar bears in Central Park, photo ops at the Rockefeller Center tree.

The meal: Dim Sum Go Go offers more than 24 kinds of dumplings, plus four variations on the dough-wrapper theme, four sauces, and microwave-safe takeout containers. Kids will love the creative finger food and parents will love the dim sum delicacies (beet flavored dumplings?).

The hotel: Apple Core Hotels -- a family-friendly vibe in the city's most exciting neighborhood.

The deal: Apple Core Hotels invites guests to explore New York -- including a trip to Toys "R" Us Times Square to create a stuffed animal at the Filled-With-Love interactive design shop. Apple Core's "Filled with Love" package is available January 2 - February 14, starts at $159.99 and includes accommodations in the heart of New York City, stuffed animal and breakfast, and in-room coffee. Children under 13 stay free.

For more packages, click on the continued link.

Some special books come with online access codes bringing additional insight into the topic, a beautiful handmade bookmark or an original signature of the author but the 'By Appointment Only' diary from Johnnie Walker Blue Label is more than just a place to log your writings -- it is a doorway to exclusive events and services. Included in this expensive holiday package are tickets to the Monaco Grand Prix 2009 and Johnnie Walker Golf Championships, a bespoke blending experience with a Johnnie Walker Master Blender creating your very own whisky, and access to a premiere concierge service offering more Johnnie Walker experiences at your fingertips.

The leather bound diary, of which there are only three, is priced at an impressive £95,000 and comes from luxury stationer Aspinal of London. There are an additional twenty diaries available for £2,000 with access to the services and events above as well -- the difference in price I am sure accounts for less luxurious accommodations or some other discrepancy in experience but nonetheless would make a spectacular gift.

Istanbul wasn't the only place indulging in a flamboyant display of wealth this weekend. The Expo Grand Luxe took place in an exhibition hall on the outskirts of Brussels. Like the Millionaire Fair, the Expo Grand Luxe offered lavish booths with items such as space flights, jewelry, real estate, boats, fine foods and exotic vehicles like the Spyker car, designed by Maarten de Bruijn from the Netherlands. The timing may seem off but the event was planned over a year ago.