Sin City + Wonderlust

I heart the W


new news to me, but old news to some:

DEVELOPMENT: W hotel takes Sin City spin $1.7 billion luxury condo-hotel aims for hip clientele

Starwood Hotels and Resorts plan to make its W hotel in Las Vegas a flagship property for the upscale brand's "global footprint," W Hotels Worldwide's president said Tuesday while giving details about the $1.7 billion
project.

The hotel at Harmon Avenue and Koval Lane will have a mix of 3,000 hotel and residential units, more than 10 restaurants and nightclubs, a 75,000-square-foot casino, 300,000 square feet of meeting space and a spa and gym, W's Ross Klein said. It's scheduled to open in 2008.

Klein said Las Vegas has been at the top of W Hotels' development
strategy for years, ranking No. 1 or No. 2 on the request list of W guests along
with South Beach in Miami, where a W Hotel is already under construction.

"It's also an opportunity for us to redefine and reinvent what an urban oasis is," he said. "The W in New York came into an urban environment with a different point of view. When you come in off the street in New York, it's a retreat, an escape. That's going to be the same design point of view we put into the W in Las Vegas."

Adam Frank and his partners at Edge Resorts started talking with
Starwood about developing a W hotel in Las Vegas at the site of Bourbon Street
casino on east Flamingo Road. Even after acquiring an adjacent apartment complex
for a total of 8 acres, it wasn't enough land.
Edge Resorts sold the Bourbon Street property to Harrah's Entertainment last month and bought 21 acres at Harmon and Koval, including the existing Ice nightclub and two separate parcels
from Fort Worth, Texas-based home builder D.R. Horton, for $108 million.

Edge Resorts entered a joint venture with Starwood Hotels and Resorts
and will be a 75 percent owner of the W hotel. Starwood owns the remaining 25
percent and will manage the hotel.

"They wanted a bigger property and they really wanted to be on Harmon,"
Frank said. "Twenty-one acres really gives us a lot more flexibility to do what
we want to accomplish. We want to build a destination resort, but at the same
time, we want to have an intimate feel to it, that signature W feel with great
night life and a blend of restaurants."

Frank said the project combines the hottest, most sought-after hotel brand in the world with one of the most vibrant hospitality markets in the United States.

"We really think that location is the future of Las Vegas," he said.
"There's so much happening right around us."

With some $20 billion in planned development, from the Hard Rock Hotel
expansion to MGM Mirage's Project CityCenter to the Palms' new hotel and condo
towers, the Harmon corridor is poised to become a hip, happening location, Klein
said.

"I think it's going to be a destination with a very specific offering, sort of a pop culture, and I think we're going to be sort of an anchor," he said.

W Hotel Las Vegas will offer guests "extraordinary experiences" at
every turn through the brand's lifestyle elements, including indulgences and
experiential surprises that will be unheard of even for Las Vegas, Klein
said.

Klein said he expects the new resort to compete with the Hard Rock Hotel, Mandalay Bay, the Palms, Wynn Las Vegas and Four Seasons.

Deutsche Bank analyst Marc Falcone said it was important for W to
finally land in Las Vegas. "I think W needs exposure in Vegas given what the
brand stands for," he said. "It's going to be a strong fit for Las Vegas. This
is a very powerful location."

Condo-hotel and residential units will go on sale in the fourth
quarter, priced from $550,000, offering a combination of poolside cabanas,
studios and one- and two-bedroom condominiums, all attached to the W
hotel.

Klein said the project is in the final stages of architectural plans
and design reviews.

The first W hotel opened in New York in December 1998. There are now
five hotels in New York and 20 more around the United States and worldwide with
another 20 under development, Klein said.

PROJECT CANCELLED as of 5/12/07

W was coming to town. (no, not Bush) Edge Group and Starwood's 'W Hotel' brand of chic-modern-hip-ultra cool resorts has confirmed that they have cancelled their plans of building a 4000-room resort and casino at the NE corner of Harmon and Koval.

FUCK.

Crista Takes On The Minne City

Shopping

No doubt, I am an avid consumer of material goods.

The Mall Of America (MOA):

• is the second largest enclosed mall in terms of retail space but is largest in terms of total enclosed floor area
• has a gross area of 4.2 million sq ft., with 2.5 million sq ft. available as retail space
• over 520 stores are arranged along three levels of pedestrian walkways on the sides of the rectangle, with a fourth level on one side
• opened in 1992, the mall received 40 million visitors in 2006

All that being said, you would think that one would be beside themselves to reside downtown Minneapolis, within 10 miles of this absurdly gigantic shopping center.

In view of the Redken Symposium happening this weekend, and a lack of spare time, I found it necessary to take a quick shopping trip to the MOA* – in search of a few swank & voguish pieces/accessories to wear.

After all, RS09 is THE place to be noticed, being that there will be 10,000** hairdressers in attendance. I am unwilling to show up unrehearsed and ill-considered, providing a perception of the mid-western Minnesota girl that is flourishing within me.

*Options for shopping in the Twin Cities:

• Mall Of America - the LARGEST selection of shopping
• downtown Minneapolis -which includes Macy’s, Off Saks, and Banana Republic
• the Premium Outlet Mall in Albertville -Puma, Banana Republic, BCBG, K. Cole
• Southdale/Edina that provides the option of Len Druskin.
• TJ Maxx
• OR Buffalo Exchange (the Minneapolis edition)

Plenty of money in hand (OK, daddy’s credit card that I am responsible for paying), I was ready to purchase any and every voguish item that caught my eye.

After hitting Bloomingdales, Nordstrom Rack, H&M, AND Forever 21 – using ALL of my resources @ MOA- I walked out of the mall empty-handed, forced to head back home to my closet full of yesterdays clothing.

(There was NO DOUBT at the very least, I would find a few disposable, on-trend items at Forever 21. WTF )

I went ahead and packed every piece of yesterdays clothing I own, and will make do.

**give or take a few thousand – we’re in a recession.

north bound

Unwillingly, and not without kicking and screaming, moaning and complaining.... I am headed to Duluth this afternoon. Driving. Here is the weather forecast:

Today: Sun and clouds mixed. Cold. High 2F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight: Variably cloudy with snow showers. Low -6F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 80%. Snow accumulating 1 to 2 inches.
Tomorrow: Variable clouds and windy with scattered snow flurries and snow showers. Cold. Dangerous wind chills as low as -25F. High 2F. Winds NNW at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of snow 40%.
Tomorrow night: Bitterly cold. A few clouds from time to time. Dangerous wind chills may approach -40F. Low -19F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph.

WTF (in bright red to represent my terror)

The only thing that I am moderately excited about is scoring a pair of Minnetonka Moccasins while cruising the lands of Minnesota. Nina Garcia recommends that every stylish woman should have a pair of MM in The One Hundred.

I will not fail to mention the recent headlines:

Minnetonka moccasins soar in fashion world
By Sara Glassman,
MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE
Monday, November 24, 2008

MINNEAPOLIS -- When it comes to shoes and boots
this season, fringe is on top. Soft Minnetonka Moccasins, with their signature
hanging strips of suede, have inspired designers and urban bohemians for
decades. Over the past year, their popularity has been soaring.

In light of the uncertain economy, they are
relatively affordable -- basic shoes start at $30, and more elaborate boots with
three tiers of fringe are $86. Plus, every style is completely flat, making them
far more comfortable and practical than stilettos.

With these populist perks, it's not surprising that moccasins are
having a fashion moment. But even trendsetters who theoretically would be able
to afford much pricier versions by Jimmy Choo ($495) and Michael Kors ($475)
favor the Minnetonka brand. Fashion muse Kate Moss has been sporting them for
years. Last month, she was spotted in brown knee-high Minnetonka mocs with a
pair of denim cutoffs in London. Young stars Lindsay Lohan, Blake Lively and
Mischa Barton also have been photographed in them.

That said, the footwear-of-the-moment isn't a one-season wonder.
In the recently published "The One Hundred: The Guide to the Pieces Every
Stylish Woman Must Own," authors Nina Garcia and Ruben Toledo identify
must-haves such as pencil skirts and red lipstick, but recognize Minnetonka
Moccasin by the brand name. They wrote: "Many people have made fashion versions
of the original, but the original is still the hands-down favorite."

Those originals, as the Minnetonka implies, have
Minneapolis roots. However, there are a few misconceptions to be cleared up
about them, starting with the fact that the company is headquartered in
Minneapolis and never has been based in or even affiliated with the city
identified in the moniker.

"Minnesota, Minnehaha, Minnetonka ... the name sounds Native
American and local in origin," says David Miller, president of the family-owned
shoe business.

His grandfather,
Philip Miller, started Minnetonka Moccasins in 1946, after World War II, as a
gift supplier for resorts. "There was more automobile traffic because of the
growing highway system in the United States," David Miller says. "Wherever
people went, from Yosemite to northern Minnesota, they would buy trinkets, and
the moccasins were part of that."

Tourist souvenirs aside, are there any authentic Indian roots?
"No, we've never associated ourselves with a Native American product or been
made by Native Americans," Miller says. "Moccasins are part of the Native
American culture. I'm sure at one time there was an authentic product being
sold, but not by us."

Specific
styles of Minnetonka Moccasins have had moments in the spotlight in recent
years: In 2005, it was the classic with beaded eagles, and a few years before
that, it was the lace-up boots.

Many of the styles, from shoes to ankle boots to
knee-highs, are hot now, especially in Los Angeles and New York. "We've been
involved in fashion cycles, but this is very broad," Miller says. "We're
honored, amused and flattered."

Much of the credit is because of the celebrity
connection. Miller is very familiar with the impact that model Moss has had on
business. "Kate will be in a magazine, wearing boots identified as Minnetonkas,
and our distributor in Japan will call the next day," he says. "That's the world
today -- small and instantaneous."

Jan. 13th 1:30 PM update: I NEVER made it to Duluth. My garage door would not open due to -19 degree weather. it only gets better with time....

amazon.com

i heart amazon.com. i fully understood that feeling shortly after the purchase of my iPhone. the amazon app. was one of the first to be downloaded in to my phone.

i have an obsession with books. amazon allows me an oversized wishlist full of books, dvd's, and an occasional handbag or iPhone accessory. the iPhone allows me to add items to my wishlist all day every day (via the app.)

i will not fail to mention that i am a habitual list-maker.

despite the many amazon purchases that i make on a monthly basis, the list keeps growing.

for my own entertainment (not necessarily yours), i blog my amazon.com wishlist (as of Jan. 06, 2009 12:06 PM - by the time I have completed this blog entry, there is a major possibility that more items will have been added to the wishlist):

• Flipping The Switch...: Unleash The Power of Personal Accountability using the QBQ by John G. Miller


• Dreams from my Father: A Story of Race & Inheritance by Barack Obama


• Vintage Fashion: Collecting and Wearing Designer Classics, 1900-1990 by Emma Baxter Wright


• New York Look Book: A Gallery Of Street Fashion by Amy Larocca


• Street: The Nylon Book of Global Style by Editors Of Nylon Magazine


• Haircutting for Dummies by J. Elaine Spear


• Real City New York City (REAL CITY GUIDES) by DK Publishing


• Real City Chicago (REAL CITY GUIDES) by DK Publishing


• Dreamgirls DVD


• Beverly Hills Cop (Special Collector's Edition) DVD


• Naked Ambition: An R-rated Look at an X-rated Industry by Dave Navarro & Larry Flynt


• Toilets of the World by Morna E. Gregory


• Monday Morning Choices: 12 Powerful Ways to Go from Everyday to Extraordinary by David Cottrell


• Covert Persuasion: Psychological Tactics and Tricks to Win the Game by Kevin Hogan & James Speakman


• Building a WordPress Blog People Want to Read by Scott McNulty


• The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson


• Darkside Zodiac by Stella Hyde


• Sex and the City - The Movie (Special Edition) DVD


• The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene


• Transsiberian DVD


• Junior Drake Zip Wallet -Denim*


• The iPhone Book: How to Do the Most Important, Useful & Fun Stuff with Your iPhone, 2nd Edition by Scott Kelby


• Hair Heroes byMichael Gordon


• Daily Candy A to Z: An Insider's Guide to the Sweet Life by Editors of DailyCandy


• The DailyCandy Lexicon: Words That Don't Exist But Should by Editors of Daily Candy


• Fictionary: Words That Don't Exist But Should by Editors of DailyCandy


• Vintage Fashion: Collecting and Wearing Designer Classics, 1900-1990 by Emma Baxter Wright

*randomness

naturally, all books on my "to read:" list have been put on hold until the Twilight Saga has been fully completed.

told you it was completely ridiculous and out of control.

i can feel you judging me based on the information that i have just revealed.

Sweetest Things of 2008 according to Me

2008 represented living the way I want to live without any apologies....

Lifestyle Changes:

• Going Vegetarian/Vegan-ish. I feel good - better than ever. It is certainly an addictive lifestyle.
• Becoming n NWA Worldperks Silver Elite member. Upgrade Me.
• Finding a Dog Sitter. Last year, I struggled with travel due to lack of places to put my dog while I was gone. My dog sitter/good friend has relieved that anxiety and stress.
  

Books:

• Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin
• The One Hundred by Nina Garcia
• A New Earth by Ekhart Tolle
• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
  

Movies:

• Slumdog Millionaire best movie ever.
• Sex & The City The Movie
  

Trips Taken:

• Maui, Hawaii
• STVI
  

Hotel Stays:

• W Hotel Chicago, IL & Minneapolis, MN there is no place like home. the W should be my home.
• ::Night Hotel NY ::
• Ritz Carlton Kapalua
• Blackhawk Hotel Cedar Rapids, IA very unique hotel in the middle of nowhere Cedar Rapids. every room is different - you choose your room from a list online

Restaurants:

• Ecopolitan - Minneapolis, MN vegan.
• Mafolie - STVI best grouper ever
• Scalintella - Manhattan, NY
• Japonais - Chicago, IL best sushi ever
• Acadia - Minneapolis, MN black bean buger. mmm
  

Nights:

• @ Hard Rock Cafe Maui w/Marty Dread i remember dancing the night away....
• @ Dakota Jazz Club w/ Amel Larrieux in Minneapolis this accounted for two nights. back-to-back
• in New York on Broadway w/Chicago best show yet.
• My Golden Birthday
• NYE @ The W Hotel Minneapolis *smiles*
  

Purchases:

• Furniture from Room & Board
• the '05 Acura TL
• Marciano Jacket
• the iPhone. the ONLY thing I am not sold on with this phone is the fact that you can not text & drive. I KNOW! Not Safe. BUT with the Blackberry, I could text by feeling the keypad - without using my eyes....
• Shuella. Talk about saving lives... the lives of my Stilettos!
• Big Soft Fuzzy Grey Blanket

Discoveries:

• Lemonade Flavored Toothpaste did I ever mention that anything mint or cinnamon gag me?
• Blogspot
• That I am moving back to Chicago
  






"If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right, you'll probably never do much of anything."

WoW

W Hotel
+
Voss Water
+
Acura
+
Liquid Metal
+
Puma

+

♫♪ ♫ ★ ♫♪ ♫
=

ME

(seriously. I could swear the W Hotel caters to my EXACT needs and wants)

W Hotel = My Love

Tis The Season

The holidays are a time of year for bright lights, bling bling, snow-topped trees (and cars), glitteratti, gift wrap, overwhelmingly large ribbons and bows, ice skating, shopping, and gift giving. Oh, and ...pumpkin pie.

Gift-giving is by far my favorite part of the holidays (the EXACT reason there will be no Hannukah celebrating for me this year.) I equally enjoy wrapping paper (and bling.) Despite my previous anxiety over the fact that "thoughtful" gifts can be quite challenging to 'think of', I have made my final decisions and am confident in the gifts that I am gifting this year.

Although gift-giving is much more important to me than receiving, I need you to refer back to my Christmas List. There are important updates to share. (updates are hi-lited in red)

My Official 2008 Christmas List:

• a remote car starter (...no updates at this time)
• The Little Mermaid II (I purchased this for myself - could not wait!!)
• A new mobile phone (anything but a blackberry. must have GPS) (CHECK...100% sold on the iPhone. I have gotten wind that I will be receiving some $$ towards my new iPhone ..thx mom!)
• a gift certificate to MAC (this was a just in case kinda thing... a girl can always use more MAKEUP!)
• a new bed frame (...hm.. no updates)
• a blingin watch (I am ALWAYS looking for a watch that outblings my current one) (i just received a new watch for my birthday. gucci. out-blings the DKNY's that I'm always rockin....)
• a filing cabinet from West Elm (CHECK. i am staring at an un-assembled filing cabinet sitting in the middle of my living room... thx dad)
• book shelves from West Elm (CHECK. 250$ GC to West Elm arrived in the mail. whoppee!)
• for my (new) car to be fixed because someone backed in to it last night!! GC to the auto body shop? (...yeah... my car still sits with a slight amount of damage. makes me sick to my stomach to think about.)
• OR a vacation home in Bora Bora ((drool)) (yeah... no updates... maybe that will be the grande finale surprise.)
  

Did I mention the rice cooker and pots & pans that Santa will be leaving under the tree for me?

Originally, I created my Christmas list as a joke...


On a more serious note, here are a few items that I would like to add to my Holiday slash Everyday List:

• The diminishment of all ego
• A world full of vegans
• A new perspective
• Wisdom
• Children Who Behave (other peoples children -of COURSE my children would be angels)
• Parents who discipline
• Alternate identities
• Freedom from guilt and regret
• Every day to be a vacation day
• One of everything
• World Peace
• a 6 pack
• Vegan Dog Food
  

seriously.

xox. Bird*

let's... go... SHOPPING!

I have expressed my frustration with the challenge of Thinking of Thoughtful Gifts to give in celebration of Christmas.

This year, I will be going home (back to Indiana) for the first time in a year. I have not been back to see my family since Christmas of '07. For this reason, I would like to present my closest family members with some nice gifts.

I enjoy gift-giving, and most importantly I enjoy shopping. Gift giving requires I shop.

This past weekend, I took on my first round of "holiday shopping." My purchases included: 2 DVD's, 3 books, a bling license plate, multiple items from Victorias Secret (only to receive the GWP's,) and makeup. All for myself.

Round one of holiday shopping ended up to be a mini personal shopping spree. It just happened that I had to keep a few of those items that would have made great gifts for myself. I NEEDED them. I was tempted to purchase MORE items for myself but tried to stay on track - keeping my eye exclusively on gift items.

Oh well, technically, I still have 23 days.

Can anyone recommend "thoughtful" gifts for dads and brothers?

: : : : : sighs : : : : : :

xo bird.

Must Have's

I MUST have plenty of lacy socks before next spring. ((drool))

(this is not the best pic of lacy socks.)

look at the socks and metallic heels

i found this pic a while ago, but came across it again and am now drooling over lacy socks

se-xy