The new ParentDish: helping raise kids of all ages

Di Vapor Reveals The Victoria Steam Cabinet Shower

Luxury showers should induce mood-altering effects, relieve the stress of your day, caress your skin and rejuvenate your spirit. Steaming, bathing, inhaling aromatherapy scents that soothe your mind and body all seem worthy features of a truly rich shower experience. Di Vapor's Victoria Shower has brought that package together with a practical addition -- built-in shelving separated by a sliding glass door in the shower space that allows for storage of fluffy towels, aprés-shower products, and music to conclude your time spent refreshing yourself. With an eight-inch rainfall shower head above, eight different massaging shower heads surrounding your body, a touch-sensitive digital control panel, and of course steam settings to suit your preference, its no wonder why this all-in-one design is worth the £2495.

Gallery: Di Vapor Victoria Steam Cabinet Shower

The Classicist: The Henley Royal Regatta


Earlier this month we reported on the Royal Ascot races, one of the highlights of the English social season. This week ushers in another classic British sporting event-cum-society pageant, the Henley Royal Regatta. The five-day Regatta, held on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, takes place over the first weekend of every July and runs from Wednesday the 2nd through Sunday the 6th this year.

International crews compete in various races at the Regatta, which has been held every year since 1839 except during the two World Wars, the main event being the Grand Challenge Cup for Men's Eights. Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's consort, became the Regatta's first Royal Patron in 1851, a tradition carried on by the reigning monarch ever since, though unlike Royal Ascot they don't always deign to attend.

Even more so than at Ascot, Henley provides an opportunity for aristocrats from the sporting and social sets to dress in that distinctively British style which has inspired so many fashion designers over the decades. The commercialization of Henley, unlike Ascot, Wimbledon and cricket at Lord's, has been slower to take hold, and as Godfrey Smith writes in The English Season, it is something of "an Edwardian time warp."

Gallery: Henley Royal Regatta

A scene at Henley from the 1900s.Oarsmen in Leander pink.Victorious crew.Spectators in the Stewards' EnclosureSpectators afloat.

Continue reading The Classicist: The Henley Royal Regatta

Earthrace Boat Sets New Record


I've been a fan of the Earthrace boat since before I finally got to climb aboard back in 2006 so I'm particularly pleased that the biodiesel-powered trimaran and her crew set a record fastest circumnavigation of the globe by speedboat recently. The boat raced around the globe in just 60 days, 23 hours and 49 minutes which means they beat the old record by 13 days, 21 hours and 9 minutes. This was the second attempt by New Zealand skipper Pete Bethune who had to give up his first last year after a bunch of problems that included a pirate attack and a collision with a fishing boat. Congratulations to Bethune and his crew.

20ltd Caillou Boat


The latest limited edition from 20ltd is a perfect summer fantasy. They are selling a black fiberglass sailing canoe from Caillou, a company whose small but extremely well-made boats we recently profiled. The 20ltd Caillou boat can be used as a sailboat or as a kayak. It has a solid fiberglass deck and hull with mahogany trimming, two fiberglass seats with floatation cusions, two kayak paddles, a carbon fiber mast and a Dacron sail rig with carbon fiber batons. The boat weighs around 100 pounds and can be transported on the roof of your car using a Thule or Yakima rack. The boat is 17.5 feet with a 41-inch beam. There are just five of the special edition boats being made and they sell for $10,740 each.

[via Acquire]

35 Oceanfront Acres in Montauk, Estate of the Day


The New York Times
periodically picks a price and then does a "What You Get for ... $xxx,xxx" piece in its Real Estate section, comparing homes in three cities. I've never seen a "What You Get for ... $35,000,000," article so here it is, at least in one city: This estate in Montauk (no direct link, so go here, and enter Web ID H34007) is set on 35.5 acres between the Atlantic Ocean, a freshwater pond and fields and meadows, with 400 feet of ocean frontage. The house is 7,000 square feet and has a tiled roof, plus there's 50% more living space than the house itself, thanks to the 3,500 square feet of mahogany decking. Built in 1994, there are three levels, comprising five bedrooms, five baths, living and dining rooms with 16-foot ceilings and walls of glass that overlook the ocean and grounds. For cooking (or, more likely, where your staff will be doing the cooking), there's a chef's kitchen. Also: a breakfast room, an office, a screening room with a state-of-the-art JBL system, and a garage. A path leads through private gates to the beach.

Gallery: 35 Oceanfront Acres



The Classicist: Veuve Clicquot Clicks with Riva Yachts


Renowned French champagne house Veuve Clicquot has teamed up with luxury Italian motoryacht maker Riva to produce an amazing new Grande Dame Cruise Collection of coolers and accessories for discerning yachtsmen. It's nothing short of a match made in style heaven of two very chic European marques. The top offering from the collaboration is an $80,000 made-to-order cruising trunk that resembles a small boat in itself and harks back to the golden age of traveling in style which we reminisced about recently. For something done on such a grand scale it's rather refined, a luxurious design without resorting to odious "bling" to attract those with more money than sense.

The trunk comes packed with four bottles (1988) and two magnums (1998) of Clicquot's coveted La Grande Dame champagne, six Riedel crystal champagne flutes and elegant table settings for six people. A smaller limited edition Cruiser Bag comes with a single bottle of Grande Dame and two flutes for more intimate occasions, and a matching ice bucket is crafted with marine flair to spare. All pieces feature the same lacquer work, mahogany inlay, chrome detailing and leather trim found on Riva's beautiful boats.

Riva, which dates from the 1800s, is an icon of the Italian Riviera's Dolce Vita style. The company first captured the attention of movie stars and the international jet set in the '50s. Its classic wooden craft, which inspired the Cruise Collection, have been owned by the likes of Brigitte Bardot, Richard Burton, Sophia Loren, Aristotle Onassis and Prince Ranier of Monaco. Their yachts, including more modern designs, can be seen at the chic European seaside resorts where the bon ton gather, and they have their own line of elegant nautical-inspired clothing as well.

Gallery: Veuve Clicquot & Riva Yachts

The made-to-order cooler/hamper.Another view.The smaller cooler.Classic Clicquot Yellow Label.Classic wooden Riva speedboats.

Continue reading The Classicist: Veuve Clicquot Clicks with Riva Yachts

Aqua Pure Breed: Bottled Mountain Spring Dog Water


We've covered bottled water for dogs before and apparently the trend is really taking off because now we're doing it again. Aqua Pure Breed is bottled mountain water for dogs that not only provides hydration but is also available in 4 different formulas to more personally meet your dog's healthy drinking needs. And Aqua Pure Breed promotes not only healthy drinking water for your pet but an overall healthy and active lifestyle by offering "Active Dog Guides" for major cities and they started the No Dog Left Behind program which encourages people to include their pet dogs into more areas of their lives. You can order online and get about a month's supply of water for $59.95.

Gallery: Aqua Pure Breed Bottled Dog Water

Bone & Joint Support FormulaHealthy Skin & Coat FormulaPure Mountain Spring Water - PinkPure Mountain Spring Water - Blue

J.F.K.'s Presidential Yacht For Sale

Earlier this week we mentioned a yacht that President John F. Kennedy has used. Now the 62-foot Sparkman & Stephens yacht Manitou that he sailed while in office, is for sale for $1.95 million. The boat was built in Maryland in 1936 and Kennedy used it for both official and personal cruising. Kennedy sailed with both family and dignitaries on the vintage yawl. The yacht includes a fireplace and a single diesel engine. After Kennedy's assassination in 1963, the boat was sold to the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship. The boat underwent a renovation several years back. I'm sure this piece of American history won't be for sale for long.

Spend a Night on the Great Barrier Reef

Situated on the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Cairns, Reef Encounter, Australia's exclusive floating luxury boutique hotel, offers "the ultimate reef experience." Its Top Deck Club offers a relaxed ambiance and is designed for discerning of guests: Guests are cared for by a crew and stay in modern, spacious staterooms with A/C, a private ensuite and plenty of space for clothes and luggage. Sleep on crisp Australian bed linen, silk doona, cotton sheets and feather down pillows. Naturellement, soft fluffy robes, plush bath sheets and Australian beauty products are replenished daily. All gourmet meals are freshly prepared onboard with local Australian and exotic ingredients accompanied by Australian wines and beers.

Calling itself a "reef resort" (and sounding suspiciously like what I would call a cruise, but with a smaller ship and fewer passengers), Reef Encounter takes place on a 35-meter luxury catamaran that has A/C throughout, spacious decks, roomy dining and recreation areas, and a heated spa. Off the ship, scuba divers can interact with a Green Sea Turtle colony at Breaking Patches or the friendly resident giant Maori Wrasse, "Frank." Transfers to the ship, on the new luxury vessel Reef Experience, are available via a 1-hour boat ride from Hastings Point and a 1.5-hour ride from Norman. Or, use the Reef Encounter's heli pad. Prices vary by length of trip. Get more info here.

Gallery: Spend a Night on the Great Barrier Reef









Former Presidential Yacht Back In Service


A beauty of an old yacht is taking to the water once again. The wooden yacht Innisfail used to be owned the by the U.S. Government and was used by Presidents Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy and played host to many world dignitaries. Frank Lynch, the owner of six Cactus Car Wash locations bought the yacht for $1.5 million and spent another $1.5 million bringing the 92-foot yacht back to her former glory adding a new deck and roof and antiques. The yacht, which was built in 1939, is berthed at the Charleston City Marina in Charleston, South Carolina and is available for charter for up to 65 guests for day cruises and events. Rates start at around $800 an hour.

[via Charleston Post and Courier]

Gallery: Innisfail

The Grand Mauritian, Opening July 1


The Grand Mauritian, a Luxury Collection resort and spa from Starwood Hotels & Resorts, "invites you to experience the magic of Mauritian hospitality in a truly luxurious setting." (I accept!) Located on the northwest coast of the island of Mauritius on Turtle Bay, on the Indian Ocean, the resort is set to open on July 1 and is the the Luxury Collection's first foray into the Indian Ocean and Africa.

The resort will offer 193 guest rooms and suites, all of which offer ocean views (some have private terraces and tropical outdoor showers); a kids' club; a 1,500 sqm Mandara spa with 11 treatment rooms; and a selection of upscale restaurants and bars. Spread over 10 hectares, the resort is bordered by the reef and ocean nature park on the coast with sugar cane fields behind. You'll find water sports and diving in the two swimming pools and on the natural sandy beach.

For business travelers, the resort has plug-and-play high-speed Internet access in the guest rooms; wireless high-speed Internet access in public areas; a business center; and venues for conferences, meetings and social events.

Check rates and availability here.

Gallery: The Grand Mauritian, Opeining July 1

Hands Om Crew Helps Find Seaworthy Yoginis


There are many several sites online that help yachts find crewpeople but the latest Hands Om Crew, fills a very specific niche, they find seaworthy yoga teachers and massage therapists. The new company was founded by Denise Dobbs who served for ten years as a stewardess/massage therapist on yachts. The yoga crew agency is building a database of qualified massage therapists and yoga instructors from around the world who are available to serve on charters or private yacht vacations. Each candidate undergoes a three-step interviewing process including giving a massage or yoga class to asses their talents. The company also offers advice on organic/ayurvedic food provisioning for health-minded cruisers.

The Fragile Beauty of Lake Tahoe


Lake Tahoe, the 22-mile long natural wonder in the Sierra Nevada mountains that's a renowned vacation spot - and site of this amazing Estate of the Day, among others - is the subject of a beautiful new book by photographer Thomas Bachand. Lake Tahoe: A Fragile Beauty (Chronicle Books, $35), features a decade's worth of Bachand's images presenting "a timeless vocabulary of water, rock and sky," as well as "the transition that the lake and its surroundings are undergoing due to tourism and development." Pictured above is a sunset storm at Sugar Pine Point State Park. A must-have for anyone "enchanted by Tahoe's beauty, engaged by its history, and concerned for its welfare," the book goes on sale in a couple of weeks but you can pre-order it on Amazon now.

Gallery: Lake Tahoe: A Fragile Beauty

The cover, showing Sugar Pine Point State Park.Tallac Creek, Baldwin Beach.Grass Lake, Luther Pass.Cave Rock, Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park.Obexers, Homewood.

Prince Albert II Cruise Ship Launches


Prince Albert II, the reigning prince of Monaco, recently christened a new cruise ship named after himself, which will be the newest addition to the Silversea line. A gutted expedition ship now completely redecorated and outfitted to suit the most wealthy of customers it is ready for the most rugged of adventures with the most luxurious of accommodations. This 132-passenger cruise ship has adjoining suites occupying the entire top level, an internet center, library, whirlpools on the deck, and a theatre to boot! Rates start at $3,867 per person assuming double occupancy and including shore trips and so far the Prince Albert II plans to visit the coasts of Greenland, Costa Rica, Antarctica, and the Sea of Cortez. Luxury adventures await!

Gallery: Prince Albert II

$15,000 Kenny Scharf Surfboard


I have never surfed in my life but if I was rich enough I might consider buying this $15,000 surfboard because it's just so pretty! It's part of a collection that is the result of a collaboration between designer Elie Tahara and artist Kenny Scharf. I love the yellow and red color combo (the collection also comes in a scheme of seafoam green and purple) and the pattern is an interesting mix of floral, science, and space objects. The Kenny Scharf collection is available now exclusively in Elie Tahari's boutiques in Soho and East Hampton New York.

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