Tuesday, May 6, 2008

CRYSTAL STORY


Crystal Barware
by Ted Muehling
Starting at $210.00

Inspired by the whimsical sensibilities of warm weather and the fantastical nature of soaring butterflies, this delicate, lead-free Austrian crystal collection is an absolute treasure.


Cylinder Jar
by More Fire Glass Studio
$775.00

These animated hand-crafted jars are made even more vivid by their neon tones and inflated stoppers. They are the ideal prescription for brilliant spring décor. Choose green, orange, or ruby. Cylinder measures approximately 19" x 8".


Tall Teardrop Jar
by More Fire Glass Studio
$795.00

These animated hand-crafted jars are made even more vivid by their neon tones and inflated stoppers. They are the ideal prescription for brilliant spring décor. Blue. Tall teardrop measures approximately 21" x 10".


Elephant Champagne Flute
by Siecle
$195.00

The triumphant trumpet of an elephant held in time as the foot of this innovative flute, balancing between tusk and trunk. 24K gold or sterling silver-plated pewter pachyderms support crystal flute. Created especially for Vivre by Philippe Chupin in the tradition of the "cul sec" glasses of the Black Forest during the 17th century. Glassware was presented upside down—to avoid being poisoned—and following, the feet of the glasses became very decorative, often with ornate heads of animals. Measures 2¾" x 6½".


Decanter and Liqueur Glass Set
by Artel
$375.00

Clean lines of the opalescent crystal decanter set are inspired by a playful beehive figure. The traditional Czech design is realized by master craftsmen in Prague, resulting in a whimsical way to attain maximum satisfaction from your liqueurs and spirits.


Large Murano Tumbler
by Vivre Selection
$115.00

The allure of Venetian hand-blown glass comes alive in our traditional "goti" tumblers. Meant for sipping wine on warm summer nights but great for toasting just about anything, you will find endless uses for these vibrant glasses. Choose black, gold, clear, lime, light pink, white, yellow, or blue. Measures 4½" high.


Bacchus Bottle Stoppers
by Lladro
Starting at $95.00

Designed by Bodo Sperlein for Lladro, these pieces add a touch of refined whimsy to your bar.

Available at www.vivre.com

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Madonna's Hard Candy









iTUNES Reviews

Approaching 50 years old with this release, Madonna can no longer pretend to be the young seductress. So 50 is the new 40? The new 30? Madonna doesn't aim for a precise number. Instead, she works to make time itself irrelevant. 2008's Hard Candy, a few technological tones aside, could just as easily have come out in the mid-80s, the mid-90, or anytime during her long, enduring career. It's Madonna on the dancefloor, letting the rhythms and producers do the heavy lifting while her voice skates over the grooves with a sultry reassurance that at this point is the sound of an old familiar comrade letting you know she's still fighting the good fight. Timbaland, the Nepturnes, and Nate "Danja" Hills add their production touches, but it's Madonna's reflective touch that delivers the somber twists of "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You," the nostalgic glaze of "Incredible" where she admits, "I Wanna go back to then," and the "Everybody" tint of "heartbeat" where she states, "It may be old to you but it feels new to me." At this point she's riding the wave, hanging on for dear life and making it every bit the adventure we've come to expect from her career.


Amazon Reviews

Madonna’s eleventh, and final, studio album for Warner Bros., Hard Candy is a brilliant up-tempo collection that adds a hip-hop beat to the cultural icon’s club sensibilities, thanks to collaborations with Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, and Nate "Danja" Hills. Following her previous studio album, 2005’s Confessions On A Dance Floor, which debuted #1 and has sold more than 8 million copies around the globe, Hard Candy punctuates the first 25 years of the album career of the most successful female artist in history with a musical exclamation point.

www.madonna.com