The Have

Most Expensive Mushroom

2009-08-31T16:38:00.000+07:00

Some may have you believe that the world’s most expensive mushroom is the white truffle. While that rare fungus is truly expensive, it lacks one important quality—it’s not a freakin’ mushroom. Now that we’ve cleared that up, Japan’s matsutake mushroom can take its place as the most expensive mushroom in the world. The matsutake, or mattake, mushroom is expensive because of its rarity. While its historical prevalence meant it was nearly synonymous with autumn in Japan, the introduction of an insect that kills the trees under which the mushroom grows has caused a dramatic decrease in the number of matsutake mushrooms. A method for farming the matsutake has yet to be developed, which means the lack of trees from which to harvest these mushrooms naturally is a serious problem for the species.
The world’s most expensive mushroom can be purchased for around $1,000 per pound, though prices for specific mushrooms may reach up to $2,000 per pound. It is known more for its spiced, fruity aroma than its flavor and is a cherished gift in the Japanese corporate world.

Most Expensive Wine

2009-08-31T16:28:00.001+07:00

The word wine has its root from the ancient Greek word for vines, vinos. Grapevines produces lush grapes which are then fermented to create the popular yet sophisticated alcoholic drink we know as wine. In many areas, the English word wine and its synonyms in different languages are protected by law, as other beverages similar to wine can be produced from fruits, rice, flowers and honey.
At the highest end, rare, super-expensive wines are often the costliest item on the menu, and exceptional vintages from the best vineyards may sell for thousands of dollars per bottle. Expensive red wines with their complex subtleties are traditionally more costly than other expensive wines.
Here are the most expensive wines in the world.

1992 Screaming Eagle
around $80,000
At Auction Napa Valley 2008, a charity event, a lot of six magnums of Screaming Eagle were sold for $500,000. In addition to the wine, the lot included a dinner at the winery. The lucky purchaser was Chase Bailey, an executive at Cisco Systems.

1945 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild Jeroboam
$114,614
Sold to an anonymous buyer at a Christie’s auction in 1997, this bottle comes from what is considered by wine enthusiasts to be one of the finest vintages of the 20th century.

“Th.J” 1787 Chateau Lafitte
$160,000
A bottle of 1787 Chateau Lafitte which sold at Christie’s London in December of 1985, this wine was originally reported to be from the cellar of Thomas Jefferson, the former US President, and this most expensive bottle of wine had the initials Th.J etched into the glass bottle. It made its way into the hands of American tycoon Bill Koch, who became suspicious of the origins of the four bottles he had purchased. Eventually, he instigated the investigation that debunked the supposed origin of what was, at the time of purchase, the most expensive wine in the world.

Shipwrecked 1907 Heidsieck
$275,000
These hundred year old bottles of Champagne from the Heidsieck vineyard in Champagne took over eighty years to reach their destination. Shipped to the Russian Imperial family in 1916, a shipwreck off the coast of Finland caused this champagne to be lost at sea until divers discovered over 200 bottles in 1997. Now they’re finally being sold—to wealthy guests at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Moscow, at least. Of course, the wine’s extraordinary tale and incredible age are what makes it the world’s most expensive wine.

Most Expensive Champagne

2009-08-31T16:26:00.001+07:00

Champagne, a sparkling wine named after the Champagne region of France is the costliest wine to produce. To produce champagne there must be two fermentation processes, with the second step trapping carbon dioxide and making the bubbles. In most of Europe, the name “champagne” is legally protected meaning only the most expensive sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region of France can be marketed as champagne. In the United States and other areas, $3 bottles of wine are often labeled champagne.
People often drink Champagne as part of a celebration and when celebrating success many feel the need to show off. The most expensive champagnes are more about image than what is in the bottle.

Cristal Brut 1990 “Methuselah”
$17,625
This six-liter, gold-labeled bottle of Cristal Brut 1990, dubbed the Methuselah, was sold at a Sotheby’s auction in New York to an undisclosed buyer in 2005. At the time, Cristal was a favorite of the hip-hop crowd.

Dom Perignon White Gold Jeroboam
$40,000
During the same year, a limited edition bottle of Dom Perignon became the most expensive champagne in the world. Sold in three-liter bottles, the Dom Perignon White Gold Jeroboam was sold to commemorate the New Year. Much of its price, however, is surely due to the white gold bottle from which the expensive wine takes its name.

Pernod-Ricard Perrier-Jouet
$50,000
Each of the 100 sets contains twelve bottles of fine, expensive champagne. Marketed only to the ultra-rich, buyers will have the chance personalize their drinking experience by choosing the liqueur used in the champagne—and they’ll have to fly to Eastern France to do so. The sets are being sold to consumers in the United States, Britain, Japan, China, Russia, Switzerland and France. The price even includes a storage nest where the champagne may be allowed to age for up to eight months!

Most Expensive Watch

2009-08-31T16:23:00.000+07:00

Watch collecting may be one of the most expensive hobbies in the world, but it’s also one of the most rewarding. Many antique timepieces are a testament to the brilliance of early and modern innovators.
Vacherin Constantin’s Tour de l’Ile – $1.5 million
Swiss watchmaker Vacheron Constantin marked its 250th anniversary in 2005 with the world’s most complicated wrist watch—the Tour de l’Ile. The watch is so complicated that it required over 10,000 hours of research to create. Its name refers to one of the historical sites of the venerable company, located next to the current Maison Vacheron Constantin on the Quai de l’Ile.

Only produced in a limited edition of seven pieces, this expensive watch is also the most complicated double-face watch. Tour de l’Ile is made with a totally original combination of horological complications (that is, features beyond the simple telling of the time of day) and astronomical indications composing a list of sixteen different points including a minute repeater, sunset time, perpetual calendar, second time zone, a tourbillion device, the equation of time and a representation of the night sky. At $1.5 million, this is one of the world’s most expensive watch produced in recent years.

Patek Philippe’s Platinum World Time – over $4 million

The Platinum World Time created by Patek Philippe was sold at auction for over $4 million USD in 2002. It is believed that only one was created and, at the time, it was the most expensive wristwatch in the world.
In fact, Patek Philippe had produced all of the ten most expensive watches in the world. The company, headquartered in Geneva, made their first wristwatch in 1868. They had already made a name for themselves prior to that, however, by providing watches to Queen Victoria herself in 1851. Other notable customers include Pope Pius IX, a king and queen of Denmark, an Italian king and Saddam Hussein’s son-in-law.

Patek Phillipe’s Supercomplication- $11 million

Patek Philippe’s most expensive watch was a yellow-gold pocket watch created in 1932 for New York banker Henry Graves, Jr. The watch, Supercomplication, was created as part of a vain competition Graves had with Ohio automobile engineer James Ward Packard to have commissioned a watch with the most complications in the world. This watch, of course, guaranteed that Graves won the contest. Supercomplication wasn’t surpassed until over fifty years later, when Patek Philippe created the 18k gold Caliber 89 which had a total of thirty-three different functions.
Graves’ watch became the most expensive watch in the world when it was sold at auction in 1999 for over $11 million USD. Caliber 89 went for a mere $6 million.

Chopard’s $25 million watch

Yes, you read that right: twenty-five million dollars. This gaudy timepiece by Chopard is adorned with three heart-shaped diamonds—a 15-carat pink diamond, a 12-carat blue diamond and an 11-carat white diamond. For good measure, they threw in 163 carats of white and yellow diamonds to bring the total to 201 carats of diamonds. The result is something that looks rather like a geode that’s been turned inside out and dipped in lemon Kool-Aid. Add to that the fact that the size of the watch’s face must make telling time into a fun game of Where’s Waldo and you’ll see that Chopard has truly created a recipe for success.
Of course, its $25 million price tag guarantees its place as the world’s most expensive watch for years to come.

Most Expensive TV

2009-08-31T16:05:00.001+07:00

Modern projection televisions, flat panel LCDs and plasma TVs have come a long way since the black and white tubes which were first introduced in the mid-20th century. The TV is the centerpiece of most living rooms and often the TV is the most expensive purchase for one’s home theater system. If you really want to impress someone with your TV, though, then check out these, the most expensive televisions in the world.

Yalos Diamond

From Italian company Keymat Industrie comes an expensive television studded with 160 real diamonds, 20 carats. Costing €100,000 (around $140,000), the Yalos Diamond is the most expensive TV in the world. This expensive TV has no visible screws or welds, and the aesthetics are the work of Japanese designer Takahide Sano.
Not everyone can afford such an expensive LCD TV, but for those who absolutely must have the world’s most expensive television, the Yalos Diamond is the current choice. If you were thinking of upgrading to your first HDTV, this may not be the best option, but if you are remodeling your mansion, consider this expensive TV set.
If you’re in the market for a television that’s priced for its technical merits, however, then you’ll want to take a look at the BeoVision 4-103. Featuring a 103”, 100 Hz plasma screen, this Bang & Olufsen television set acknowledges that size really does matter.

Beovision 4-103
Its substantial viewing area isn’t its only feature, though, as the BeoVision 4-103 also features a motorized stand so that you can adjust the viewing angle on the fly. Auto Color Management and Auto Picture Control make sure that you always have the best possible picture, regardless of how much ambient light is in the room or how old the color elements in the plasma screen are.
Like the Yalos Diamond, this most expensive television set is priced at €100,000. I know which one I’d choose.

Most Expensive Motorcycle

2009-08-31T16:02:00.000+07:00

Not all motorcycles are dirt cheap Chinese cruisers with the performance of a three wheel bicycle.
The top 3 most expensive motorcycles in world are anything but dirt cheap. If you want one of those, you better start saving now. Every single one of them cost more than $100,000.

MV Agusta F4 1100 CC

The cheapest one in the top 3 is the MV Agusta F4 1100 CC. Lots of power, 315 km/h (195 mph) topspeed and a great design for just $135,000.

MV Agusta F4 1100 CC

MTT Turbine Superbike

Second is the MTT Turbine Superbike. $185,000 will give you one of these. It comes with a Rolls-Royce turbine engine that was designed to lift a helicopter. The engine gives you 300+ hp to play with and a topspeed of 365 km/h (227 mph).

MTT Turbine Superbike

According to Guinness Word Records, the MTT Turbine Superbike is the most powerful production motorcycle ever. It is even more powerful than the Ducati Desmosedici RR, which I believed was the fastest production motorcycle in the world.
Still, I’m not sure if I will consider it a normal motorcycle or not. It is the only motorcycle I have ever seen with a turbine engine.

Dodge Tomahawk

The most expensive motorcycle in the world is the Dodge Tomahawk. Production was limited to just ten models and they retailed at $550,000 each! The Dodge Tomahawk has the honor of being the fastest motorcycle ever (675 km/h, 419 mph), but it isn’t street legal

Dodge Tomahawk

Top 10 Most Expensive Restaurants in the World

2009-08-31T15:52:00.000+07:00

The Top 10 Most Expensive Restaurants in the World. Dining is the most exciting experience for food junkies. Here is a list of the top ten restaurants that are the most haunted by well to do food buffs from different parts of the world. These restaurants turn up with innovations to quench the thirst of their guests for dining delights. Dinner for One: $368
1. Tokyo: Aragawa
Dinner for One: $368
Aragawa is a splendid steak house in the district of Tokyo’s Shinbashi. Though reputed for its beef dishes throughout Tokyo, Aragawa is largely haunted by steak lovers. Steak coupled with pepper and mustard is what that the restaurant serves its guests with pleasure.
2. Paris: Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée
Dinner for One: $231
One of the three famed restaurants under Alain Ducasse, Plaza Athénée is located in a grand hotel of Paris. Volaille de bresse is the highlight of the mouth-watering menu that the restaurant offers. It remains closed for a summer month every year and during the days before Christmas.
3. London: Gordon Ramsay
Dinner for One: $183
Gordon Ramsay a British chef made his venture into the field of restaurant business with his eponymous restaurant in 1998. The second restaurant at Claridge’s is a hub of discerning diners. With only 13 tables, it experiences a crowd every evening. Cornish Lamb and pigeon with foie gras are the mainstay features of the menu.
4. Munich: Acquarello
Dinner for One: $125
Acquarello a Mediterranean-style Italian restaurant rolls in fame for its extensive menu that includes everything from pigeon to veal to pasta. The fish delicacies offered here are too luscious for the tongue to resist its cravings.
5. Rome: Alberto Ciarla
Dinner for One: $113
Alberto Ciarla with an opulence of tasting menus offers dish delights in keeping with the flavor of seasons. The seven courses offered by the Fisherman’s Menu include linguine with tuna fish, sliced swordfish and tagliatelle with mussels and grilled.

6. Toronto: Sushi Kaji
Dinner for One: $109
Known for the food offerings of Mitsuhiro Kaji, the executive chef Sushi Kaji offers menus at $80, $100 and $120. Dish delights for the food buffs vary from barbecued eel, fried fluke with spicy tomato sauce, pickled cucumber and strawberry and watermelon soup.
7. Queue De Cheval Steak House
Dinner for One: $85
The pleasure of dining at Queue de Cheval Steak House is its corn-fed beef. Before being prepared and served, it is dry-aged for thirty-five days. It offers 24-ounce porterhouse with a bottle of Australian or Californian wine.

8. El Amparo - Madrid, Spain
Dinner for One: $70
A converted carriage house is the location of El Amparo one of the loveliest restaurants in Madrid. It is popular for its wide collection of wines from the Iberian Peninsula. Cold salmon with tomato sorbet is the chief dining pleasure. Chocolate soufflé is a high with hungry diners.
9. Whampoa Club, Shanghai
Dinner for One: $63
Whampoa Club Shanghai’s luxury retail and dining emporium is one of the popular city highs. The appealing ambience of the restaurant rests on its décor that includes pastel glass, opulent Art Nouveau wall panels and crystal chandeliers. Crispy beef strips with sun-dried orange peel and drunken chicken are the lures of this restaurant.

10. Boeucc, Milan
Dinner for One: $62
Boeucc, the jacket-required eatery is supposed to be the oldest restaurant in central Milan. A visit to the restaurant is incomplete without a relish of the saffron risotto and the veal with pureed potato.

Top 10 Most Expensive Homes in the World

2009-08-31T15:39:00.001+07:00

Top 10 Most Expensive Homes in the World are a real possession of a few and a dream of many. Grand structure, ultramodern interior and sprawling area are the benchmarks to assess the extravagance of these palatial buildings. Besides modern trappings, leisure complex, swimming pool, cellar and garden are the mainstay features of these top ten homes.
1. Updown Court ($139 million)
Located in Windlesham, England, Updown Court is the most luxurious and expensive mansion in the world. With 103 rooms and 5 swimming pools, this palatial mansion enjoys the ambience of never-never land. With its bowling alley, a 50-seat screening room and squash court, Updown Court is a world of ultimate comfort.
2. Starwood Estate ($135 million)
Sprawling over an area of 56,000 sq ft is Starwood EstateBuilt located in Aspen, Colorado. Fifteen bedrooms and sixteen bathrooms form the massive structure of this mansion. Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz who is former ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the U.S.
3. Maison de L’Amitie ($125 million)
The colossal building of Maison de L’Amitie features an in-house 100ft swimming pool and a ballroom. Donald Trump, a billionaire real estate developer aims the house at setting a new US record. Auctioned at just $40 million, it rises above an obscene amount of $125 million. A 475 feet long ocean front stretch is the mainstay feature of this dream house.
4. Waterfront Estate, Pretoria ($100 million)
The Bosphorus in Istanbul is the location of Waterfront Estate in Turkey. Sprawling over an area of 30,000 sq ft, it is the fourth most pricy home in the world. Crystal chandeliers and gilded moldings are the beauty secrets of this palace.
5. Toprak Mansion ($92 million)
Toprak Mansion covering a sprawling area of 28,000 sq ft in the heart of London is a wonderful specimen of grand structure. Embracing the features of a neoclassical palace, it comes alive as hub of luxury with four kitchensand, two grand staircases, a swimming pool and a leisure complex.
6. Three Ponds ($75 million)
Bridgehampton is the location of Three Ponds in New York. It is a lavish and luxurious property to be owned by the most fortunate person. A golf course, a 75ft long swimming pool and 14 gardens are the lures of retreating to the comfort of this mansion. Three Ponds a complex of numerous buildings is an architectural achievement of Allan Greenberg.
7. The Portabello Estate ($75 million)
The Portabello Estate on Corona del Mar in California boasts about its ultramodern interior with 8 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms. Three separate oceanfronts add to the extravagance of this mansion sprawling over 30,000 sq ft.
8. Pierre Penthouse ($70 million)
Located on the top of one of the most luxurious hotels, Pierre Penthouse is a wonder of marble. The triplex apartment houses a grand salon, a wine cellar, marble bathrooms and a black marble staircase under its roof. The apartment with 20ft high doors offers views of the city.
9. Locksley Hall ($65 million)
Another magnificent property in California to earn its name as one of the most expensive homes in the world is Locksley Hall. The mesmeric views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the bay and Angel Island hang over Locksley Hall in Belvedere. Marble baths and herringbone floors are other fetching facets of this palace.
10. Oceanfront Estate ($65 million)
Oceanfront Estate is a beachfront paradise in Malibu, California. With a tennis court, a swimming pool and riding stables, the house is a hub of recreational activities. The landscape around the house is a collage of spectacular ocean views.
Video of #1

Top 10 Most Expensive Pens

2009-08-31T15:27:00.000+07:00

Top 10 Most Expensive Pens for Sale

The Top 10 Most Expensive Pen in the World for Sale list is dominated by Visconti Fountain Pens, Omas Fountain Pen and as the new comer, but most expensive pen at $1Million the Aurora Fountain Pen. If you consider fountain pens as the most prestigious and illustrious writing instrument, this article on world’s top ten most expensive fountain pens will definitely interest you.
#10. Tibaldi Pens St George $36,000
The tenth position according to price is Tibaldi Pens ST George. With price tag $36,000, Tibaldi takes pen making to a new level. Blending custom handmade etchings, with precious metals like 18k gold and silver, coupled with blue amazonite stone decorating cap, the pen is one of a kind gem.
09. Visconti Pens DIVINE PROPORZIONE HRH ($42,000)
It is a unique one. Inspired by divine proportion, the Divine Proporzione HRH by Visconti gives a tactile sensation. The five facets of the body twist along the length of the pen are separated by expensive white and yellow gold, encrusted with diamonds. Surprisingly, the 18k gold nib comes with 59 diamonds, making a total of 480 diamonds in just one pen.
08. Visconti Pens EUROPEA HRH ($42,000.00)
The eighth position belongs to Visconti Pens Europea HRH. This handmade masterpiece has become the most sought after asset for pen collectors. Made from classic blue resin and well decorated with star like diamonds, the pen worth $42,000 is an outstanding addition to pen collection.
07. TIBALDI Pens CREW 60TH White Gold ($43,000)
The seventh position belongs to Tibaldi Pens Crew 60TH White Gold. Fetching a monumental price of $43,000, the expensive Tibaldi for Bentley pens comes with two-tone 18-carat yellow gold nib, covered in rhodium and ruthenium. The pen’s cap and upper and lower barrel parts are especially designed for good grip.
06. Omas Fountain Pens GAIA ($43,000)
In the sixth position stands Omas Fountain Pens GAIA. Embellished with diamond and emerald, the pen bears the marks of refinement and enlightenment. Priced $43,000, the pen with gigantic pictorial representation is itself a pallete of classic colors that stand for the radiant desire of classic pen collector.
05. Omas Fountain Pen MARTE ($43,000)
The fifth slot again goes to Omas Fountain Pen Marte. Made from classic rose gold, this custom designed fountain pen worth $43,000 represents the pink-red hue of the planet. The pen comes with a cap encrusted with 2K of small diamonds similar to polar ice caps, rose gold nib, engraved with representation of Greek god Mars.
04. Visconti Fountain Pens RIPPLE HRH ($57,000)
In the fourth position stands Visconti Fountain Pens Ripple HRH. Fetching a solid price of $57,000, this custom design fountain pen, bathed in 650 of the finest expensive white diamonds boast of beautiful gold barrel, 18k gold nib, double reservoir and power filler system.
03. Visconti Pens FORBBIDEN CITY HRH ($57,000)
The third position goes to Visconti Pens Forbidden City HRH pen. It was sold at a stupendous price of $57,000. Made from black resin overlaying a stunning 18k white gold barrel, this fountain pen gives a tactile sensation to professional pen collectors.
02. Visconti Fountain Pens ALCHEMY HRH ($57,000)
The second position goes to Visconti Fountain Pens Alchemy HRH. It was sold at an eyebrow-raising price of $57,000. All set to make the pen making history with its breath taking dragon display unit, the designer fountain pen trimmed in exquisite gold and silver vermeil coupled with 4K diamonds and rubies, unlike others, come with two gold nibs and two ink reservoirs.
01. Omas Phoenix Platinum Fountain Pen Luxury Limited Edition with Diamonds
Meet Omas Phoenix Platinum Fountain pen - the topper. With overwhelming price tag of $60,000, this truncated cone shaped pen is a true embodiment of fact and fancy. Made with 950 platinum and yellow Enamel, with considerable length and diameter, 18K gold rhodiated engraving nib, the pen still holds the record of the most expensive and innovative, ever sold.