Big Spender story gallery

July 4, 2008

Big Spender: Luxury summer digs in town

The kitchen remodel on your Bel-Air mansion isn't quite finished. You're sick of the construction crews, the dust, the noise. Pack up some clothes and head this summer to a fully furnished luxury apartment in town. Some options:

June 6, 2008

A posh ride, for a day

Next time you see an A-list celebrity sliding behind the wheel of an Aston Martin or Bentley, don't be so sure it wasn't rented for the night. You too can cruise down PCH in a convertible Lamborghini. Beverly Hills Rent-A-Car stocks a wide selection of exotic and prestige autos -- and it'll deliver to your driveway. Clients, mostly men, include celebrities, sports stars, Middle Eastern royalty and CEOs. "These cars go hand in hand with the male ego," company spokesman Kurt Siejkowski says. Hmmm . . . maybe it's time for the single gals out there to rent a Ferrari for a day and see what gets reeled in.

May 23, 2008

Another buck on the barbie

Eat your heart out, Bobby Flay. These sleek, shiny grills and accessories from Viking -- the Rolls-Royce of kitchen appliances -- will have neighbors scaling your fence in hot pursuit of the wafting smell of smoked rib-eyes. Jeff Black, whose family has owned California Home Spas & Patio in Long Beach for 31 years, offers tips on how to burn a hole in your wallet and get your grill on:

April 25, 2008

The sound of excess

Big Spender keeps her ear to the ground, and recently heard the sound of money emanating from a luxury home in the hills of Tarzana. Listen up, audiophiles. Swiss manufacturer Goldmund bought the pad, installed $1.5 million in woofers, tweeters, projectors and other equipment and now uses it as a showroom to woo buyers. Incidentally, the highest-end gear comes with plenty of extra customer service, including visits from Goldmund's chief operation and technical managers. Here's how to crank up the volume:

April 11, 2008

Haute Tea

Don't even think of tossing this tea into the harbor. Relax, sip, maybe even raise that pinkie finger in the air. At Le Palais des Thes in Beverly Hills -- an offshoot of the France-based tea emporium -- co-owners Randy Arnold and David Barenholtz stock 250 teas, including more than a dozen green and organic varieties for health-conscious Southern Californians. Although the shop has plenty of affordable brews, it has been known to package teas for celebrities including Kate Bosworth and Selma Blair. A Saudi princess even paid a visit. Can't tell the difference from Lipton? The shop will let you sniff tea canisters to your heart's content. Tastings are also offered to novices.

March 28, 2008

Munchies fit for a king

"A little madness in the spring is wholesome even for the king!" said no less an authority than Emily Dickinson. That's license for gourmands with pockets as deep as royalty's to pack an extravagant picnic and head for the beach. We asked Norbert Wabnig, right, owner of the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills, for a few pointers on how to put together an over-the-top basket of afternoon snacks. His shop, a fixture since 1967, carries 500 to 600 varieties of cheese. Hard-to-find wines and other gourmet treasures also line the shelves of the tiny store. His picks:

March 14, 2008

Make the ride luxurious

Beau Boeckmann of Galpin Auto Sports in Van Nuys knows a few things about tricking out cars, such as the Navigator at right that boasts a diamond clock. One of the stars of MTV's "Pimp My Ride," Boeckmann has helped turn an El Camino into a mobile tailgating machine complete with barbecue grill, and modernized a Long Beach ice cream truck by adding a robotic dispensing arm and touch-screen ordering. To make the freeways more bearable, he suggests these add-ons:

February 29, 2008

Diamond dogs living it up

Some of us toss Fido some scraps off the dinner plate and call it a night. But for those channeling Leona Helmsley, the hotel magnate who left $12 million to her Maltese, Trouble, there's no shortage of over-the-top products to pamper a pet. At Three Dog Bakery in Santa Monica, owners Rocky and Hannah Keever are experts. Customers routinely ask to see the priciest pet paraphernalia, without even looking around the store. For the pooch who has nearly everything:

February 15, 2008

A toast to liquid assets

Put away the quarters and funnels and break out the crystal. Big spenders sip and swish rather than gulp and chug. And their bar accouterments are as swanky as their spirits. New on the shelves:

February 1, 2008

Oh, the places you'll go

I'm leavin' on a jet plane. No security lines, no revolting airplane food, no middle seats. Instead, circle the globe in 25 days on a private jet -- go four-wheeling through the Serengeti, climb the ruins of Machu Picchu, dive the Great Barrier Reef. All this and more for $55,950 a person.

January 18, 2008

It's how, not whom, you call

GoldVish Illusion. For the jewelry lover who has everything, this diamond-encrusted phone comes in a solid 18-karat casing in yellow, rose or white gold with crocodile leather inlays available in 12 colors. And this phone is more than just pretty to look at. Standard features: a photo/video camera, MP3 player, FM radio receiver and personal organizer. $28,000 to $171,550

January 4, 2008

Rough is not in play here

Pimp your ride. Chino-based American Custom Golf Cars Inc. sells tricked-out GM-licensed electric buggies made to look like Hummer H3s and 2007 Cadillac Escalades. The four-seaters can be upgraded with 18-inch wheels, DVD players, satellite radio, leather interiors, tilt steering and a hard top. The fully loaded "Escalade," costs $21,000; the "H3" about $19,000.

December 21, 2007

Puttin' on the glitz for nuptials

We asked Yifat Oren, party planner to the socialites and stars, for the dish on how affluent Southern Californian brides and grooms are spending big for their big day beyond carats and couture. ¶ She should know: Kevin Costner, Mariska Hargitay and designer Jenni Kayne are on her client list, and most drop $1,000 to $6,000 per guest. Oren's fee is about 15% of the total cost. Here's where the cash goes: