I saw the Veuve Clicquot Globalights designed by Karim Rashid in their true light... honestly, seeing them in press photos and at the launch did not do the design justice... the juxtaposition of the sleek modern pink glow, with the ancient, history filled caves, give them an incredibly surreal context... they were absolutely stunning in the dark depths of the roman limestone caves that double as cellars underneath Reims for the delicious Veuve Clicquot... and as such, i couldn't help taking photographs of its mesmerizing light, as it provided an incredible glow as our hand held lanterns as we toured the caves and learned about the process in the perfectly cool (same temp all year round!) space... looking at the pictures, i'm amazed how incredible the lighting turned out for what seemed so incredibly dark at the time... now if only we could PLAN some incredible photoshoot down there to make use of the space even more creatively (in addition to making champagne, of course!)... see the photo spread on the next page!

p.s.
unfortunately the only thing missing in these pictures is having an actual bottle IN the Globalight... ironically we were surrounded by bottles constantly though!

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Tags: champagne - drinks - lighting - luxury - travel - veuve clicquot

Also found at Maison et Objet - designed by Camilla Kropp for Design House Stockholm, this set of Pipette Oil & Vinegar Bottles calls to the mad scientist in all of us... regardless of whether we're in the kitchen, in the lab, or simply in our heads. And who says these bottles can only be used for oil and vinegar, they work just as well for soy sauce, chili oil, sugar water........ in fact seeing these gets me thinking, you could even use these in your lab.... or your labware in your kitchen? But unlikely its as gorgeously designed as this! Really what it comes down to is that there is no longer an excuse for imprecision! (Although i'm not clear on whether there are actual measurement marks on the pipettes.) See a close up on the next page!

Merci beaucoup, Veuve Clicquot ~ who loves design as much as we do, and brought me to Paris to cover Maison et Objet 2008! More design discoveries to come...

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Tags: accessories - gifts - glass - kitchen - maison et objet - shopping - veuve clicquot

On booths i always look forward to seeing, Normann Copenhagen was high on the list, they always have such beautiful displays ~ at ICFF they had more of a clean low black display... at Maison et Objet, they went for more of a rustic woody modern table look with their nice black walls and vibrant new pieces. Of the pieces launched, the one that grabbed me most in person was the Herb Stand designed by Jakob Heiberg, the quality feels incredible, and there's something so nice about the balance achieved even when empty... that splash of green with the scissors handles doubling as a little pair of sprouting leaves is adorable, and could probably just as easily find a place on your desk, as you kitchen counter. See more images ~ as well as booth images on the next page!

Merci beaucoup, Veuve Clicquot ~ who loves design as much as we do, and brought me to Paris to cover Maison et Objet 2008! More design discoveries to come...

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Tags: accessories - gifts - kitchen - maison et objet - plants - shopping - veuve clicquot

Design House Stockholm has been one of my favorite design companies for some time now, and i was absolutely giddy to meet the people as well as the full series of products in person finally! More to come on the booth itself, but there were a few stand out products they've added to their collection that deserve features of their owns! Here is the one product i fell in love with as soon as i started playing with it (consider this on my birthday wishlist!)...

The Barbara Carafe by Nina Jobs for Design House Stockholm ~ is a brilliant experience... the glass carafe comes with an option of Amythest, Black, Clear crystal balls, which has a subtly ground surface, so it won't roll away... the crystal balls can serve as a top for the carafe, add more intrigue and/or a splash of color when hidden in the nest of a bubble in the base of the carafe, or as merely another playful tactile aspect to the carafe experience. And what could they possibly do to make such a gorgeous design better? Have it come in a gorgeous matte black gift box that sort of resembles a hat box... so when purchased you don't even have to worry the unboxing experience! See more images of the Barbara Carafe by Nina Jobs for Design House Stockholm on the next page, including hands on pics from Maison et Objet.

Merci beaucoup, Veuve Clicquot ~ who loves design as much as we do, and brought me to Paris to cover Maison et Objet 2008! More design discoveries to come...

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Tags: gifts - glass - luxury - shopping - veuve clicquot - wine

Carafe Un Verre from Sentou by Claudio Colucci. First time seeing this gorgeous handblown carafe in person, it's even nicer than i expected. Although designed in 2001, Sentou is apparently re-releasing the piece, and has improved the production of it. The design magically embodies the wine glass within the carafe, which creates an interesting visual depending on how you fill it and what you fill it with... if you're careful, could be fun to fill the glass with one liquid, and the main with the other.... shake to mix before pouring? See more images, especially ones of it at Maison et Objet on the next page!

Merci beaucoup, Veuve Clicquot ~ who loves design as much as we do, and brought me to Paris to cover Maison et Objet 2008! More design discoveries to come...

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Tags: drinks - gifts - glass - maison et objet - shopping - veuve clicquot - wine

One of the first things that grabbed me wandering the vast halls of Maison et Objet Fall 2008 ~ Duo Design Holland's Flicker oil lamp sticks, they are exquisite. So simple, so elegant, and such a perfect gift! The sticks can come alone in a minimal flat packed envelope of sorts (imagine like tall thin birthday candles), or they are available in a gift set. Essentially the design is much like a metal straw with a wick inside which soaks up the oil ~ but the effect is truly gorgeous, and would look so lovely on any desk/table setting! See more images on the next page...

Merci beaucoup, Veuve Clicquot ~ who loves design as much as we do, and brought me to Paris to cover Maison et Objet 2008! More design discoveries to come...

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Tags: candles - gifts - maison et objet - shopping - veuve clicquot

On fascinating lore (surrounded by rumors and speculation) ~ in Notre Dame de Reims (where nearly all the kings of france have been crowned) in the stained glass windows of the south transcript... there are yellow labeled champagne bottles which we heard from someone who heard from someone that Veuve Clicquot played such a large role in the history of the region over the centuries that you even see it in the stained glass. Speculate as to whether its complete fabrication, conspiracies of the past, the first product placement, etc as you wish... i'm just showing you what we found in those windows, so you can join in on the fun too. See larger images of these wine making panels on the next page!

By the way, standing in such a large cathedral, late for the bus, trying to play the equivalent of 'where's waldo' on a huge wall of stained glass is harder than expected...

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Tags: champagne - france - travel - veuve clicquot

So traveling Veuve Clicquot style is quite a trip, they started us out on the yacht, flew us around in the helicopter... and now here's the most impressive car... Who knew a 1960's yellow and purple Bentley S3 could be so appealing? I love fast cars, i love beautifully designed cars, and apparently i love the vintage woody not at all discreet Veuve Clicquot Yellow and Purple Bentley? I couldn't resist taking two rides in it with Stephane Gerschel as we drove around Reims... and every time i sat fascinated not only by the tiniest details (from the jeweled fuel light to the insane speed of the windows to the amusement of seeing a GPS in a car of that vintage)... You have to check out the rest of the pics!

p.s.
You would never believe how hard it is to cull from the hundreds of pictures from each day to figure out what to post!

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Tags: bentley - cars - france - luxury - travel - veuve clicquot

I've thought and rethought and dreamt about how to describe this trip, how to break up the posts, how to tell you about all of the incredible things that have happened in the last three days, and somehow it all comes across sounding quite possibly a bit gushy and cheesy. So, you know what? I'm just going to be completely honest with all of you, and even though i have about 1000+ pics of so many insane adventures and stories, here's the plan: i'm going to work my way through them in images, sharing with you piece by piece, scattered with little stories as i remember them.

The official aspect of this Veuve Clicquot France trip has come to an end, and most of the other bloggers are headed back home, my new Veuve Clicquot family has been kind enough to put me up for 5 more nights so i can cover Paris Design this week at Maison & Objet. So about that family thing, i kid you not that it feels like we were all adopted by the Veuve Clicquot family, everyone from the president, to communications, to brand managers, to sommeliers, and more welcomed us with open arms, and were so kind (and insanely playful, passionate, and full of life) - it felt far more like hanging out with your long lost aunt than meeting with the president of multinational, centuries old, champagne powerhouse. Also, what's more inspiring than constantly hearing the lore of Madame Clicquot, and in a one liner... a woman who was widows at 27, who manages to revolutionize the champagne industry through a multitude of innovations, and becomes the richest woman in europe in a time where women held few rights? (So, at 25, i guess i have a lot of work to do to catch up someday!)

Ok, but, moving along ~ HELICOPTER RIDE! I'd never been on a helicopter, and the crazy, secret loving itinerary planners of this trip worked in massive surprises for us everyday where even the drivers didn't know what was up until we arrived. So imagine the looks on our faces when we pulled up to L'aerodrome Reims Prunay? And when we are whisked into "the rolls royce of helicopters" (leather seats, Bose headsets, etc), and soon peering over at the champagne region from bird's eye view, watching all of the tiny people, vast vineyards, circling the mountain... then suddenly you see it. Madame Clicquot's historic Boursault Castle. Mind. Blowing. Go see the rest of the images on the next page!

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Tags: champagne - france - luxury - Operation Window Seat - travel - veuve clicquot

Over lunch at Madame Clicquot's Country House, Andrea Crippa, Directeur Marketing & RP International for Veuve Clicquot, gave us a first look at a prototype of their latest design collaboration with Porsche Design which is said to launch in 2009.

Here is your first look at the Veuve Clicquot Ice Cube. "PRESS. CHILL. SHARE." This is the ice bucket you want the next time you're stuck in the middle of a desert with good friends and a bottle of champagne... While it looks like a mere ice bucket in the classic Veuve color at first... once you pop the top, you will find two specially designed champagne flutes and two buttons. Now the magic about this design is the technology ~ after 5 years of r&d ~ Veuve Clicquot has developed a system that will instantly cool a bottle of champagne in around 20 minutes, and keep it at the perfect chilled temp for 4 hours... The cooling core can be used twice (or for 8 hours in one go) - and after that you can use the bucket the old fashioned way by filling it with ice! It is currently unclear whether there may be options to buy refill cores to futher use the instant cooling system that draws heat out of the bottles and into a heating stone... perhaps they'll even get creative and devise some other options to insert into this nice simple ice bucket. See the next page for pics of the prototype and packaging.

p.s.
How beautiful are these tiles? I needed a good excuse to share them, and they were such a nice contrast to the bright ice cube, i couldn't resist being that girl that sat on the floor shooting pictures of a prototype while the others had coffee.

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Tags: champagne - drinks - gifts - luxury - packaging - reviews - shopping - veuve clicquot

UPDATE!: The bathroom was so gorgeous and huge as well i've added pictures of that as well....

Ok, we're going to jump out of order a bit, but i am far too excited by the gorgeously inspiring chateau Veuve Clicquot moved us to today... imagine waking up from a jetlagged nap and feeling like you fell into a time warp? Welcome to Chateau Les Crayeres in the heart of the Champagne of France... the grounds, decor, rooms, lounge, restaurant.... it's all breath takingly stunning. Don't believe me? You have to take a look at the rest of the pictures on the next page... wow. I'm sitting on that bed in the pic right now, and i can't help staring off every few minutes discovering new details, from the paintings, to the wallpaper patterns, to how ornate the extra high ceilings are!

Basically for the ultimate escape, i can't imagine a more surreal and beautiful space to relax and catch my breath in... and the whole "room" is probably three time the size of tiny SF apts i've ended up in...

p.s.
The pics on the next page of the circular bar areas with the petticoat like curtains are so sweet!

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Tags: france - hotels - luxury - travel - veuve clicquot

So, in the last post you had a chance to see the incredible boat and views and the Riva/Veuve Clicquot collaboration, but what did they serve us? Here is a walk through with pics of the menu to explain all of the deliciousness served... from the Crab tasting in gazpacho juice, to the Morels in asparagus cream and beef consomme with a lobster medalion, to Veal filet mignon with truffles, potatos mousseline with truffles and baby onions, served with a spicy juice, to the two desserts - wild strawberries in a small cookie with a red berry ice cream macaroon, and a hazelnut in a caramel and dacquoise ice cream....... to the cigars and cognac that finished off quite a spectacular culinary feast and quite the introduction to the playful leisure loving Veuve Clicquot lifestyle... So feast with your eyes on the next page!

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Tags: boats - drinks - food - luxury - travel - veuve clicquot

Wow. I just landed in the absolutely breathtaking Chateau Les Creyeres in Reims... after a helicopter ride (my first!) over the champagne region... which was preceded by visiting the presses and the vineyards... and an incredible lunch at madame cliquot's country house where the food was created (and inspired) by the champagnes with which they were paired... and learned about the "confusing sex" alternative to pesticides... getting a sneak peek at the latest porsche design collaboration on an "ice cube" to launch next year... tasted champagne vintages including one from my birth year... ok basically, TONS to share with you, and minimal internet connection... so everything is going to be a day or so off...

...but for now, i got some pictures up before i left the hotel this morning so here's a peek at last nights adventure! Incredible boat ride up and down the seine for dinner last night - on the next page are images of the experience - including the absolutely gorgeous Riva boat collaborations with Veuve Clicquot in person, seeing the eiffel tower lit up blue with the stars of the EU while sparkling to mark france's term as EU president, meeting Lia Riva and hearing stories of life in Monaco and her childhood of gorgeous boats, and ultimately this was the start of our getting to know the Veuve Clicquot family, and truly understand how rich the history of this brand is, and experience how passionate the individuals involved are in quality products, experiences, and DESIGN! Ultimately it's becoming very clear that more than just a brand, Veuve Clicquot is a lifestyle, and the lifestyle they have created, is certainly one i'm sure we could all get used to!

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Tags: boats - drinks - food - luxury - paris - travel - veuve clicquot

So yesterday was a whirlwind day of hopping on air france in LA, finding myself in Paris, whisked from CDG to Le Faubourg Sofitel, and before i even get into meeting everyone - drinks with Christophe Pillet - meeting the veuve team - dining on a yacht up and down the Seine - and more... here's what i first encountered upon arrival ~ breathtaking clouds, quite possibly the most comfortable bed i've ever lay in, gorgeous Veuve Clicquot gifts and notes awaiting on the desk, adorable awesome packaging for the Hermes soaps in the bathroom, and the Buddha Bar outside my window... take a peek at the photo series part one on the next page!

For now... its 7:30 am, and i have to run to meet everyone at 8, so more images as i find time/internet!

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Tags: hotels - luxury - paris - travel - veuve clicquot

Classic Italian yacht maker, Riva, (yes, the ones that you can stick a Lamborghini engine in) teams up with Veuve Clicquot in their latest beautiful design collaboration, that makes me dream of living the dolce vita lifestyle, and has me desperately yearning to hop a plane back to Italy to relax on Lago di Como.

They have launched La Grande Dame by Riva Collection which includes three products in mahogany, chrome and leather - the Cruise Collection, Cruiser Bag, and ice bucket ~ the Cruise Collection contains 4 bottles of La Grande Dame 98, 2 magnums of La Grande Dame 88, 6 champagne flutes Riedel and 6 water tumblers, plates, table mats and cutlery ~ the Cruiser Bag contains a bottle of La Grande Dame 98 and two champagne flutes. Full photo spread to help you fantasize about the Riva/Veuve Clicquot lifestyle on the next page... as well as some background on the incredible story of Riva... and i found some amazing original sketches of the various Riva boats over the last 40 years worth taking a peek at!

p.s.
no, i'm not condoning drinking and boating ~ have a designated driver?

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Tags: boats - drinks - gifts - luxury - shopping - veuve clicquot

Freshly back from the Veuve Clicquot Los Angeles launch of the Globalight designed by Karim Rashid ~ and many a glass of bubbly later, i'm excited to share some fun pics of the Globalight up close and personal with you! As for the event ~ it was held at the W in Westwood, and it really brought me back to freshman year of college days... it was Thurs, so all the frat parties were in full swing, although driving over, it seems like one had a bit of a disaster quite early, with 3 fire engines and 4 cop cars and a sidewalks' worth of overdressed college kids anxiously waiting... and when we arrived at the party on the terrace of the W, it seems like much of the same crowd had overflowed... from the girl manning the door list to the many guests we asked about what they thought of the Globalight and the party... the crowd was a very clueless LA mix of so called actors, musicians, real estate agents, male models, and even biochem profs ~ all who seemed taken aback by being asked what they thought of the event, and quickly came to explain that a friend of a friend brought them or fwded them an invite... the best rumor of the night - (heard second/third hand) apparently word from the guy who represented the product - the Globalight will be produced with speakers built in soon, and a special stand, so you can simply tilt the Globalight itself to pour it... i guess we will wait and see!

Also, in the main bar downstairs, we saw a crew setting lights in the backroom in the lounge before popping up to the Veuve party... and stopping by on the way down, we found it was because Sunsilk was shooting a documentary on DJ Tatiana ~ a model turned international DJ, who not only is the music director for Bebe, but also runs her own music studio now...

See pics of all the maddness on the next page, including a youtube vid of DJ Tatiana and her Sunsilk winning vid...

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Tags: events - luxury - music - party - veuve clicquot

The Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic will take place on Governors Island (Sat 31 May) and can you believe that this will be the first time Polo will be played in NYC for over 70 years... bringing taste of Hamptons to NYC. Ralph Lauren's team (Blackwatch) is playing Asprey's team and Nacho Figueras (the face of Polo Black and best player in the world will be playing)

And guess what? The event is open to the public! So head over to Governor's Island on Saturday if you are in NY, and let me know how the polo match turns out! Hopefully it will be a beautiful (non rainy) day! More images on the next page...

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Tags: luxury - sport - travel - veuve clicquot

Here's that press announcement i've been dying to share with you....

Globalight - the latest Karim Rashid piece launching in collaboration with Veuve Clicquot in Milan tonight. An "artistic, orb-shaped lamp with adjustable pink light, Globalight is also an isotherm bottle carrier... First impression? It feels like the center slice of a silver space age egg with its glowingly pink fleshy yolk exposed - encasing a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Rose... The asymmetrical egg like shape is so appealing and naturally inspired, yet relatively random feeling. And if you take a look at more of the gorgeously surreal photographs of the Globalight and its couples - there is also something oh so Easter Basket-like about it... The press release reads:

New York, NY--April 15, 2008 -- Champagne house Veuve Clicquot affirms its strong commitment to design excellence, innovation and audacity with the release of Globalight by Karim Rashid, the second collaboration between the eponymous Champagne House and the prolific designer celebrating Veuve Clicquot's Rose Champagne.The unique, limited-edition piece represents Rashid's modern reinterpretation of the traditional French chandelier, icon of romantic dinners and meaningful moments. In the United States, Globalight will be unveiled exclusively at W Hotels, leader in modern travel, luxury design, and sensory experience.

Its portable nature makes entertaining a gathering of friends or someone special a charming occasion whether at home or on the road. One bottle of Veuve Clicquot Rose will remain chilled for 4 hours and the LED lights will give a soft glow for the same time, making Globalight an ideal accessory for outdoor entertaining.

Honestly - the pictures after the jump are worth checking out... beautiful sureal photographs - and a fun sketch and story of how Karim Rashid came up with the design...

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Tags: drinks - gifts - luxury - shopping - veuve clicquot

Warning, i have this tendency to do late night visual research binges - (binge and post?) - which result in rather large collaged image files - and tonight between the bottle of Veuve Clicquot and the press release i've been anxiously sitting on until i can share it with you without breaking embargo - i really couldn't help myself and dug up any and all crazy Veuve Clicquot inspired designs on the net. And really i've been truly fascinated by the really cool designs that have been popping up lately... the Karim Rashid Loveseat grabbed me in NY at ICFF last year (it's SO fun to sit in!) and then the Porsche Design Vertical Limit fridge at the Toronto IDS this year... and i just wanted to see what else there was... So see below for more of that signature Pantone 137c.

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Tags: drinks - furniture - luxury - veuve clicquot

I'm having one of those Mondays that already feels like a thursday... the week can't end fast enough, yet its just begun. Also, its the week where i kick myself for not being in Milan for design week, not that i should have been there this year, seeing as i'm slightly over swamped with obligations at the moment anyhow. Good news for you, is part of that is due to a pile of really cool stuff i'm dying to post (the fun part of my life, um... "work")... BUT for a random fun post before i get sit down in this crazy summery heatwave weather, i just wanted to say thanks to Veuve Clicquot for making today just a tiny bit more fun with their surprise delivery of a bottle of bubbly to help Milan coverage go a bit smoother this week. Yay for snail mail... a few more silly pics after the jump (although i do like how the pirate bronto in the apple is now in the glass up there)... back to regularly scheduled rants of designer inspiration and amusements!

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Tags: drinks - luxury - veuve clicquot

Freshly back from the IDS08 Opening Night Gala ~ and although i'm totally passing out, just wanted to give you guys a peek at some of the pics... there were singers, quartets, acrobats, women dressed up in crazy flowered dresses, the incredible Vertical Limit Veuve Clicquot/Porsche Design collab (1 of 15!), Dysons, Audis... and so much more... anyhow, see after the jump for a quick look!

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Tags: events - luxury - travel - veuve clicquot

DISCLAIMER: i know, one shouldn't drink and shoot... so please excuse the blurriness, but we went for drinks at the penthouse bar of Hotel Gansevoort, and i took shots of the Karim Rashid Veuve Clicquot Loveseat in the lobby last minute on the way out! That being said... i posted about this chair previously, and it was really fun to see and try it out in real life. It's actually pretty fun to sit in, but completely impractical if you want to have a romantic loveseat - good for keeping a safe amount of distance though... and not place to really put your glasses, so its ideal for bottle chugging perhaps. Its as slippery as it looks, and you can surely slide about in it far too easily, and beware of sharper objects like jeans rivets, which would surely scratch it up pretty badly. Also funny is how they displayed it with a life-size image behind it... so taken right, you could have a picture of that guy looking down at YOU! Many more images of the chair and the view from the roof below.

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Tags: drinks - furniture - hotels - luxury - veuve clicquot

On sleek furniture designs... i fell for the Karim Rashid Veuve Clicquot Loveseat this morning over at Luxist. There's something about the infinite curves, yet a nice separation of space (with a bottle of bubbly as the border?) thats enticing, and the photography for the piece is beautifully surreal. More images below.

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Tags: drinks - furniture - luxury - veuve clicquot