If your idea of luxury is gourmet food, and your idea of luxurious food is the highest quality smoked fish, caviar and cream cheeses, then you can’t go past Russ and Daughters, a New York institution in the Lower East Side since 1914.

Russ and Daughters is a tiny little shop, with the freshest dried fruits, chocolates and other sweets to your right as you walk in, and a mouth-watering array of smoked fish on the left side. The place is popular, and that means crowded – but after a short wait, you’ll have some of the most delectable salmon you’ve ever tasted, wrapped in Russ and Daughter’s signature waxy white paper, in your hot little hands.

The array of smoked salmon options is simply delightful – there are Danish, Norwegian, Irish, Gaspe Nova and Western Nova varieties of salmon, available in double smoked and organic options, as well as pastrami cured salmon, loin cut-smoked salmon, belly lox and more. Cream cheeses range from scallion and horseradish to lox, green olive and tofu.

A Russ and Daughters smoked salmon bagel with cream cheese, and tomato and red onion too, if you like, is a taste sensation to behold.

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Improving your vocabulary is something everyone aspires towards. But what about your vinous vocab? Ever tasted a wine and been lost for words? Not because of the taste, but because you literally don’t know how to describe it? Here are ten of the best words to express your appreciation for a fine wine.

1. Crisp: a young wine usually has these flavors. Sauvignon Blanc and Italian whites often fall into this category.

2. Fruity: often given a bad name, this word suggests tastes that may be dry or off-dry (sweet).

3. Grassy: a classic term used to describe Sauvignon Blanc.

4. Hearty: used to describe complex tannins, this word applies to reds like Syrah or Malbec.

5. Oaky: a popular word derived from the casks in which wines, particularly Cabernets, marinate.

6. Rich: often used to describe full-bodied and weighty wines with lots of flavor, like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah.

7. Soft:  use it to describe wines with fruity accents, low acidity, and mild tannins.

8. Spicy: associated frequently with Syrah, “peppery” is a complementary word to use.

9. Supple: describe Pinot Noirs and Bordeaux with this word, for their low tannins and texture.

10. Velvety: much like #’s 6 and 9, this word is better than “smooth.”

There you have it my fellow wine-drinkers. These words will take you one step closer to becoming an oenologist.

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This week the British Advertising Standards Authority made Louis Vuitton remove their ads that say their bags and clothing are made by hand. In point of fact, these bags are now made by sewing machines, not with “needle, linen thread, beeswax, and infinite patience.”

Does it matter if a hand stitches these bags? Some machines can do it just as well.  In the organic food market particularly, there is an attempt to discover a more human fruit, without the effects of machined fertilizers and non human love and care. Does it make a difference?

Ferrari’s engines are fine tuned by hand, and Persian carpets often have the flaws that define craftsmanship. Something that is made by hand should not necessarily be as important as the materials that go into making it. Yet the idea of a factory line churning out cars and carpets implies that there are millions of others just like them. We humans like to imagine that we, and everything we posses, is an individualized snowflake. The cheapness that is associated with machine manufacturing is not necessarily the case, but even so, something about the handmade product means that it was refined to be a certain way, even if it retains one or two imperfections.

The question is, what happens if machines start tricking us by making imperfect products?

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You don’t just buy a $50,000 fine watch for anyone — you buy it for someone that can enjoy this kind of pampering! Hey, not everyone is comfortable with money, or has it. But for those of you that do, you should really enjoy this post — it might even give you ideas for your next trip to buy a gift for someone!

Want a classical gift for your boss? You might want to consider something like an On The Rocks gift set. It’s affordable, but still an elegant gift which includes four petal cut glasses in a gift box. This can also be customized with a one letter monogram as well.

Next in line is the ever popular cigar box with an additional cigar cutter. My grandfather smokes cigars, and this is something he would simply love to have. I would choose a wooden box like oak or cherry with various “shelves” or compartments for the cigars. Also, when selecting cigar cutters it’s important to give preference to well-known brands such as St Dupont or Wenger. Already have a cutter? No problem, try for a humidor (personal), or a cigar lighter!

Alternatively, perhaps you know a foodie that would be really impressed with a personal pizza oven. These are not like those itsy-bitsy toaster ovens. You can actually fit two medium sized pizzas in the top portion of this oven. Many even come with a built-in pizza stone, which is going to give your creations the most amazing crust.

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People are always giving each other wine. It’s the perfect present for housewarmings, dinner parties, special occasions, and romantic evenings — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. With so much wine being exchanged, it takes a lot these days to gift a truly memorable bottle (or bottles). Of course, if you’re willing to spend a little extra, anything is possible. Read on for two of our favorite luxury wine gifts.

First on our list is the Living Large basket from Mel & Rose, a $2,700 gift package featuring some of the most desired wines — Duckhorn Estate magnum merlot, Kistler chardonnay, Colgin, and Insignia — in addition to a bottle of luxurious Louis Roederer Cristal champagne. But that’s not all! Recipients of this package will also enjoy a package of French truffles, as well as a book on decanting.

Next, might we recommend the Joseph Phelps Insignia basket, another deluxe package that runs for slightly over $500. This basket includes three wines: the 2005 Joseph Phelps Insignia Red, the 2005 Leonetti Reserve Blend, and a bottle of Napa Valley’s Bordeaux-style Virtu, a white. Along with these bottles, the Joseph Phelps package also features a variety of delectable foods and confections.

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