They are lovable, loyal and are considered man's best friend. But would you fork thousands or millions to buy one?

For billionaires, any dog will not do. It’s not only the pooch that matters but its lineage as well.

Here's our list of the priciest puppies up for grabs for the elite dog lover.

Check out the 12 most expensive dog breeds in the world >

Tibetan Mastiff

Price: $2,200—$7,000.

The most expensive dog in the world was a Tibetan Mastiff called Big Splash. He was sold for $1.5 million to a Chinese coal baron. The massive build of a Tibetan Mastiff hides a loyal, calm and good-natured pet. The breed loves open spaces—a farmhouse or a sprawling bungalow is perfect for this big ball of fur (they are known to weigh as much as a 100 kgs).

French Mastiff

Price: $3,000

A breed slightly easier to procure than the Tibetan variety, the French Mastiff grows up to be a strong and imposing dog. Pure brawn and high maintenance, the French Mastiff is often considered as status symbols by the elite. Salman Khan popularly named his two French Mastiffs "Myson and Myjaan."

Pembroke Welsh Corgi

Price: $1,000

The Welsh Corgi has a folklore attached to its breed; according to legend, it served as a steed for fairies (hence the saddle-like pattern on it coat). Most famous for being the favorite breed of Queen Elizabeth II, the Corgi has been the most preferred pet of British royalty for more than seven decades. Its price matches its elite status—the pint sized pooch costs at least $1,000, but may increase depending on breed and pure blood line.

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Adventures….

The Pursuitist was recently in Paris…

Here’s our photo tour of the City of Lights…

No comment…

The pictures speak for themselves…

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Experienced business travelers know the deal with New York City and its hotels: if you want to stay in Manhattan, and you don't want to sleep in a dirty room or kip on someone's sofa, you should be prepared to pay a lot.

The same goes for other big, expensive cities like Moscow, London and, of course, Tokyo. 

Now the New York Times reports that, in New York at least, hoteliers are increasingly embracing a trend close to your correspondent's heart the smaller, cheaper hotel room.

After all, in the modern world, who needs all the space you get in a classicly sized hotel room? For many business travellers, a hotel room is just a place to sleep and shower. The bathroom doesn't need to be huge. And since almost all of us have laptops now, we can work sitting up in bed.

Ditch the desk, the mini-kitchen, and the extra table and chair. We're not using them anyway. Save the big rooms and the extended-stay amenities for people who are actually making extended stays. Finally, the industry seems to be listening. Here's the Times: 

The latest iteration [of the small hotel room], which appeared first in Europe, offers a complete hotel room, typically under 100 square feet and usually with a private bathroom. These hotels first appeared at Europes airports, and some rent rooms hourly, enabling passengers on stopovers to nap, shower and rejuvenate.

The first entry in New York was the 345-room Pod Hotel on East 51st Street in Midtown East, which opened in early 2007 with room rates that started at $89 a night.

Last year, a competitor appeared: the 669-room Yotel at West 42nd Street on the Far West Side, with an introductory rate of $149 a night.

The developer of the Pod, BD Hotels, said that it would open another in Manhattan, the 366-room Pod 39 on East 39th Street in Murray Hill, sometime this month.

Prices of $89 a night for a clean room in Manhattan with a private bathroom are almost unheard of; indeed, even $200 a night (the actual average daily rate at the New York Yotel) sounds like a pretty good deal for mid-town Manhattan.

So far, it seems as if business travellers are embracing this trendthe Manhattan Yotel had a gross operating profit of 50% its first 11 months, the hotel chain's CEO told the Times. If you want to see more innovative business ideas like this, reward the innovators: give staying in a smaller room a shot. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it can be and how much thicker your wallet is at the end of your stay.

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As real estate bidding wars become commonplace, it’s important to remember these adages:

1.  The early bird gets the worm.
2.  Always put your best foot forward.

Especially in areas where inventories are limited, three or more offers may be submitted within the first 24 hours after a property goes on the market. By the time your Day 3 offer rolls in, the deal is done – especially on short sales or bank-owned properties.

How do the early birds get in, tour the property and make offers so quickly? Chances are, they didn’t go see the property. That’s right. The savvy investor knows the areas in which he wants to buy, he knows what size and type of properties he’s after, and he knows what he’s willing to spend. So, when he sees a listing that meets his criteria — he’s able to pounce. If the offer is accepted, Mr. Early Bird can go see the property; if he doesn’t like it, he can back out of the deal, generally at no cost (be sure to read your contract!)

This process may be frustrating for real estate novices, but it’s just the way it is. And, honestly, if you don’t know enough about your target properties and neighborhoods so that you, too, can make a quick offer — you need to do more homework.

Becoming the early bird means you need to be well-versed with the offer process. Smart buyers know the standard contract terms and many go so far as to arm their real estate agents with signed, blank offering templates. If they see a listing they like, they can have their agent fill in the price and terms and forward the offer – all within hours of when the property first hits the MLS list.

Of course, first to bid doesn’t always win the property. You can improve your chances by ensuring you’re submitting the best possible offer. Some tips:

• Include a letter that pleads your case. Tell the seller why this is the perfect neighborhood for you, how long you’ve been looking, why you love the property (if you’ve been inside), and how you need a home to raise (or start) your family. Emphasize the aspects of your specific situation that might tug on the heartstrings of the seller or listing agent.
• If it’s a traditional sale, ask to make your offer in person to the seller. Or, you might try to go see the property when the seller is at the house so they know who you are. Even having your agent personally deliver your offer may give you an edge. (Of course, this all takes substantial time so don’t go this route unless you are 95 percent sure you will move forward on the terms you offer!)
• Some listings require a lender pre-qualification letter and proof of funds. Whether they’re requested or not, you should always include those with your offer (a pre-approval letter from a lender would be even better).

When seven offers come in and your offer includes your personal letter, plus a pre-approval letter from the bank, plus your proof of funds, plus your agent introducing herself to the listing agent, well, you might just beat out the cash-buying investors.

Knowing your target neighborhoods and markets, plus the process and contract terms, will allow you to act quickly when the right property becomes available.

From personal experience, I can tell you it does work. I’d love to write more but I just received an email about a listing for a property I know meets my criteria and I hope to have my offer in to the listing agent by the time you’ve finished reading this sentence. Good luck!

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Although it's just a sliver of the broader housing market in ultra-competitive New York City, experts are seeing a growing number of high net worth individuals opting to sign a rental lease agreement instead of a mortgage.

"The high-end rental market's strength is a phenomenon that has been growing along with the purchase market," says Jonathan Miller, president of New York City-based Miller Samuel Real Estate Appraisers, alluding to the uptick in sales of luxury properties in hot real estate markets around the country. "In other words, the high-end housing market has expanded."

But if you have enough money to own a property, why would you choose to rent instead and give up benefits like building equity?

The answer is complicated and centers on the changing dynamics of the housing market and the uncertainty that still pervades global financial markets.

U.S. News talked to the experts to find out why some wealthy would-be buyers are hesitant to put roots down:

Increased availability of high-end rental properties.

Although New York City avoided the worst of the housing bust thanks to its standing as one of the most important financial centers in the world, real estate values still took a hit during the downturn.

As a result, homeowners—many of whom bought at the peak of the market—who would've unloaded properties by selling them, have instead hung onto them waiting for prices to rebound. In the meantime, they're renting those properties out, experts say, making high-end rentals more accessible than they would have been just a few years ago.

"It sounds strange, but this is supply driven," Miller says. "You're seeing listing product that's not usually available."

Now, those same people who might have felt rushed into making a big-ticket home purchase have the option to rent a comparable property while they scope out the area.

"Renting is a very viable option, especially for those leaving the suburbs and getting back to the city for the first time in many years," say Gary Malin, president of Citi Habitats, a New York City-based real estate firm. "They don't need to rush into a decision because they can rent a very beautiful apartment that suits every need they have."

"They don't have to marry that apartment—they can date it and make sure they like the city, the neighborhood, high-rise living," he adds. "If they do, then they can start looking to purchase down the line."

Mobility and convenience.

Many high net worth individuals have properties in various locations and would rather skip the cost and maintenance associated with owning a place in New York City, Malin says.

"People are willing pay a premium to have this kind of carefree living situation," he adds, noting that some developers have responded to this demand by reserving penthouse suites in new developments for renters.

"People in that sort of stratosphere financially have a lot ideas put in front of them but if they see something and they don't feel like they're sacrificing anything in standard of living [they could choose to rent]," Malin says. "Especially if they're not sure it's going to be a long-term investment for them."

Limited sense of urgency.

With the current low-rate environment and the near-assurance from the Federal Reserve that money will be cheap to borrow for the next couple of years, there's little sense of urgency among buyers to lock in a low rate on a mortgage.

That's made some would-be buyers sit it out for awhile and contemplate their home purchase decision longer, Miller says.

"It's more of timing and lack of a sense of urgency affirmed by the Fed's policy of keeping rates low because they anticipate some challenges ahead domestically," he adds.

Uncertainty.

Although pockets of markets have seen appreciation in prices, nationally values continue to edge downward. That, coupled with economic distress in Europe and uncertainty about the future of the U.S. economy has kept some people on the defensive when it comes to spending large amounts of money.

"Especially in a shaky economy, people don't necessarily feel like they want to deploy their capital in something because maybe the market hasn't hit bottom yet," Malin says. "They don't want to risk that, but they do need to live in the city and the rental market definitely speaks to them."

Meg Handley is a business reporter for U.S. News & World Report. You can reach her at mhandley@usnews.com and follow her on Twitter at @mmhandley.

Now check out the hottest NYC neighborhoods to invest in right now > 

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According to a recent survey by TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com, the average cost of a New York City wedding is $65,824 -- more than twice the national average.  

But for some Manhattan brides-to-be, that number would barely cover the cost of the dress, never mind the flowers, the wine, the catering, the band, and... ah yes, the venue.

For the girl who's about to have it all, here are 9 of the city's most lavish places to get hitched.

Read the full article at Guest of a Guest >

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The Walt Disney Company has invited The Pursuitist to visit the new, ultra-luxurious Golden Oak community — and to experience magical VIP tours, rides and dinners at Disney World. We’re arriving in Orlando later this afternoon — follow us on Twitter for live updates from Disney World, and exclusive photos and videos from Golden Oak.

Golden Oak is a new luxury residential resort community from the Mouse House, designed by the Disney Imagineers. Have you ever wanted to live at Disney World? Well, now you can.

Homeowners will have full access to the Disney theme parks, as well as resident-only facilities, including private VIP tours of the parks, holiday home decorating, grocery delivery, an on-call concierge service, a yoga studio, a fitness facility, and a full-service spa.

The Golden Oak community is named after Walt Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch in California. They offer single-family, custom homes priced between $1.5 million and $8 million — and they plan to build fewer than 30 homes this year. Ultimately, Disney plans to build 450 homes and a 445-room Four Seasons hotel at the location.

Here’s the first look at the luxury homes from Golden Oak:

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I'm a single guy in my late twenties who recently crossed coasts to live in the best city on earth.

Having no doubts in my assessment of NYC, I immediately began the process of putting a $200-300K salary and $100K down payment to work finding an apartment.

Over the four months it took from start to finish, I kept detailed records and applied my analytical background towards developing a realistic picture of the costs and benefits. My final rent versus buy analysis I share with you in the hope that it clarifies your decision-making process.

I bought a 525 square foot one-bedroom co-op in a Chelsea elevator building for $455,000, putting 20% down plus about $5,000 in closing costs (roughly equivalent to a rental broker fee if I had decided to rent instead of buy).  I took out a 30-year fixed mortgage at 4%, which works out to $1,738 per month. Tack on my co-op's $1,112 monthly maintenance charges, and my monthly expenses rise to $2,850 per month.

But $2,850 is my out-of-pocket expense. Taking into account tax deductions, my actual (net) cost is actually just a little over half that. And if you are optimistic, as I am, that NYC property values will increase at least 3.5% a year, I'm actually living for free.

Here's the deal:

• Fifty-three percent of my $1,112/month maintenance payment is tax deductible. If we assume, for this article, that my taxes are a flat 35%, I'll get $2,475 back via tax deductions at the end of the year. The building itself also has a tax credit that cuts one maintenance payment roughly in half each year, effectively knocking an additional $40 off the price each month. This puts the true monthly cost of the maintenance at $866 per month.
• Approximately $530 of my monthly $1,738 mortgage payment is applied to principal and $1,207 to interest, and all of the interest is tax deductible. Let's break this down a bit:
  • The $530 I pay towards principal each month is pure profit to me upon sale of the unit. If I were to sell the apartment the very next day after my first mortgage payment for the same price, I'd get that $530 back (ignoring, of course, the many wonderful fees--like a broker's fee--that go along with selling). This means that it's more accurate, from my perspective, to think of the $530 I pay towards the mortgage balance as an investment, not a part of my housing costs.  
  • On the interest side, just as with some of the maintenance, I can subtract 35% of $1,207 per month from whatever taxes I owe at the end of the year, effectively a $422/month deduction. Taken together, these benefits knock my mortgage payment down to an effective $785 per month. Wow, but true.
• Bringing it all together, the net effective $866 per month of maintenance and $785 of mortgage amounts to a grand total of...$1,650. That's right, $1,650 per month to live in a one-bedroom apartment in the heart of Chelsea,where median rent for a one-bedroom right now is $3,825, according to StreetEasy.com.

But wait, there's more. In my view, there is every reason to expect that rents in this city will continue to trend upward over the next three decades. My mortgage, however, will be locked in at $1,738 (although it should be noted that the maintenance portion will likely increase).  

Better yet, each month the split between principal payment and interest shifts towards principal (by about $2 per month) as the loan is paid down, swapping 35% tax deduction dollars into 100% 'investment' dollars. 

Morever, all of these calculations assume the price of my property stays flat--which is, hopefully, unlikely!  Any increase in price is pure cash in my pocket when I sell, (minus those pesky transactional costs of course).

Bottom line: If I assume 3.5% average increase per anum in Chelsea properties and sell after 5 years (and according to the Miller Samuel decade report, median prices for Chelsea one-bedroom co-ops have, in fact, appreciated 4.02% per year from 2002 to 2011),  I will have made enough profit on the sale to almost cover all of my effective monthly payments--in other words, I will live in the apartment for free.

What does all this mean for you? Exactly what I tell all my friends. If you have good credit, love NYC, and can swing a down payment with higher upfront cash outlay each month, now is a fantastic time to buy vs rent.

Related:

Don't even think about buying a new condo until you read this

Unraveling NY real estate spin--one white lie at a time

To pass your co-op board interview, read this first

SEE ALSO: How this incredible treehouse was built for free using Craigslist > 

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Getting to Hawaii’s Papakolea Beach isn’t easy—travelers must endure a hot, rugged nearly three-mile hike along sea cliffs to reach it.

Yet people make the trek every day.

Why? Papakolea’s sand isn’t golden or white—or even black. It’s a deep olive green.

Click here to see the world's strangest beaches >

Most of us would relish a day at any old beach. But there’s a certain thrill in sinking your toes into sand at a different kind of shore—one, like Papakolea, that looks so fantastical it could be straight out of a movie.

To say that Americans love beaches is an understatement. Approximately 85 percent of us visit a beach on vacation, according to Stephen P. Leatherman, Ph.D., a.k.a Dr. Beach, director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research. “There’s nothing like them,” says Leatherman. “You’ve got sand, water and waves, plus cool, fresh air. Plus there’s the nostalgia factor: everyone loved sand as a kid.”

Quirky beaches just add another layer to the enjoyment. And the fact that only Mother Nature created these strange beaches is perhaps what’s most astounding. No human hands were involved—just the perfect geologic storms of air, water, temperature, and pressure.

Our 50th state is rife with such occurrences. “We have black, black and green, black and red, green, and gray sand beaches in Hawaii,” says Ken Hon, Ph.D., assistant professor of geology at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. “The colored beaches are almost all related to recent volcanic activity, except the white beaches, which are tied to coral reef erosion.”

Halfway around the world, years of erosion unearthed immense rounded stones along Cape Town’s coast. Today, Boulders Beach is a beloved spot to swim, sunbathe, and spot African penguins in the shadows of the giant rocks.

Even postcard-perfect white-sand beaches have their quirks. In his ratings of 650 United States beaches, Dr. Leatherman ranked Siesta Beach, in Sarasota, FL, as number one. It’s not visibly that different from other pristine shores, but its sand is made up of 99.9 percent quartz crystals. It never heats up and is so pure that it squeaks like powdered sugar when you walk on it.

Intrigued yet? Read on for even more strange beaches you’ve got to see to believe.

More from Travel + Leisure:

London Insider's Guide

Best Affordable Beach Resorts

Best Secret Beaches On Earth

Disney's Best Original Rides

England's Best Pubs

Pink Sands Beach, Harbor Island, Bahamas

Harbour Island is just 3.5 miles long and 1.5 miles wide, but this tiny slice of the Bahamas has one of the Caribbean’s prettiest beaches: three miles of pink sand that stretches along the island’s east coast.

The red shells of foraminifera—single-celled marine animals—mix with the island’s white sand, thus creating the soft rosy hue.

Papakolea Beach, Hawaii

It takes effort to reach Papakolea. The beach is located near Ka Lae, the southernmost point in Hawaii—and the entire United States.

To reach it, visitors endure a hot and rugged hike for nearly three miles along sea cliffs. The reward: ending up on a green-sand beach. The grains are almost pure olivine, a green mineral, and come from Puu Mahana, a volcanic cone that sits above the beach.

Genipabu Beach, Natal, Brazil

Standing amid giant sand dunes could make travelers believe they’re in the middle of a desert—until they realize the Atlantic Ocean is just minutes away.

Thrill seekers can explore the dunes several ways: hop aboard a buggy for a roller coaster–esque ride, climb onto a camel for a Lawrence of Arabia–meets South America lope, or go sandboarding (like snowboarding, only over the dunes).

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Aging wine is kind of a myth. Truth to tell, most don’t get better. Only the top wines in the world will benefit from aging. However, we have to remember that most wine is locally produced and locally consumed. Most of us don’t drink local wine in a sidewalk trattoria, but much of the world’s wine is consumed this way. Those folks aren’t concerned with aging wine.

Aging Wine: Which Ones?

The wine we buy in stores is some of the top stuff in the world. Even some of the top stuff won’t get any better with aging. If it has a screw cap, most people say drink it now. Although recent information seems to show that wines with a screw cap will age as well as wines with a cork, the industry is not 100% sure yet.  White wines from the U.S., South America, or Australia are probably best to drink now. Some French whites will change/improve with age. Almost any Champagne or other sparkling wine can be consumed as soon as you buy it, even though Champagne can age for a long time. Other than collectors, most people won’t wait that long. They are not concerned with aging wine either.

Red wines are generally considered better candidates for aging. A good rule of thumb is this: the more expensive the wine, the more aging potential it has. In general, European reds will age longer than U.S. red wines. Again, in general, the lighter the wine, the sooner you should drink it. Sorry to get geeky, but a wine’s structure and balance determine its aging potential. Stuff like tannin, acid, alcohol and fruit – that kind of thing. Whenever I recommend a wine that should be aged, I’ll say so. If you have a red with gobs of fruit, but little tannin or acid, don’t bother to age it. It won’t be worth the effort. That doesn’t mean the wine won’t be OK for a couple of years; it just isn’t going to get any better.

Aging Wine: How To Start

You have to be pretty serious about wine to think about “laying some down”, which is wine geekspeak for aging wine. The first thing it requires is will power and patience. If you bought a case of a beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon for 60-70 bucks a bottle, and it needed about 10 years to reach its potential, would you wait 10 years to drink it? I won’t mention what happened when I did that. Let’s just say I’m not sure I ever drank any of it at its peak. It was pretty good, though.

We’ll assume for the sake of discussion that 1) you spent the money, and 2) you’ll wait the 10 years. Now it’s time to talk about how much wine you want to hold on to and how much more you want to spend to store it properly. Yes, I’m talking about more money. Proper wine storage is not cheap. We’ll get into specifics in another article, but know this: even buying something as simple as a temperature controlled cabinet could be the first step toward wine geekdom. Tread carefully.

DON'T MISS: How To Buy The Perfect Wine For Your Wedding >

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Father's Day is around the corner, but any sunny day is a good day to hit the golf course.

We asked our pals at Golfslope, the excellent private golf course review and information site, for the best places to play around the United States.

And don't miss the Los Angeles and New York City golf guides.

A Course Of A Lifetime

Pebble Beach Golf

Pebble Beach, California

The Lowdown: What hasn't already been said about Pebble Beach? Impressive views, a legendary course, a stunning location. For those making a journey, it's the place to be.

Caddie Tip: With thick rough and fast greens, the course is meant for skilled players. And be ready to fork over big bucks: Rounds cost around $500.

More Info: Golfslope Review

Best Course For Your Short Game

Pinehurst Resort

Pinehurst, North Carolina

The Lowdown: Pinehurst is constantly lauded as one of the best courses in the United States. Believe the hype: With a bevy of courses to choose from, any golfer would be hard-pressed to find fault with Pinehurst.

Caddie Tip: Practice your putting and bring your short game.

More Info: Golfslope Review

A Real Players Course

TPC Sawgrass

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

The Lowdown: A signature course with signature details and full stadium seating for spectators, Sawgrass is one of the best championship courses in the country and recently hosted the 2012 Players Championship.

Caddie Tip: The 17th hole gets a lot of attention, but the 18th —  a 462-yard, par-4 guarded by water down the left side — is the more formidable one.

More Info: Golfslope Review

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It might be hard to believe, but summer is almost here. Hard to believe, at least, from my East Coast vantage point. As we roll into summer, we tend to roll into a new season of eating and celebrating, and the wines that match.

Summertime for me means trying to relive my youth — youthful as I may be. That means taking things easy and not too seriously. I want to kick back and drink beer out of a red Solo cup. Except it’s not really beer, it's red wine. It’s not really a red Solo cup, but a nice tumbler will do! All-white party? How about a footwear optional afternoon in the backyard instead?

As you can see, summers of my youth were — how shall we say — somewhat frivolous and filled with simple pleasures. These simple pleasures were the rationale for this selection of red wines.

Summer’s here, so let’s not worry too much about the details. Instead, just find a few wines that’ll make spending time with friends and family easy and carefree.

Schiava aka Vernatsch aka Trollinger

This is almost embarrassing. Just last week, I included a specific bottling of Schiava in my Italian Wine Bucket list because it was great and not imported into the states. Well, lo and behold, Girlan Gschleier is now available here, at least in New Jersey, and is only $23 a bottle. Quite the deal for a bucket list wine!

Schiava, or Vernatsch as it is known in the Alto Adige, where the bulk of production comes from, is an ideal summer red. It drinks almost like a rosé and takes a slight chill eminently well. Pair Schiava with salumi and cheese on your next picnic or with simply prepared grilled pork for a fabulously refreshing summer red experience

Two to try:

• Girlan Gschleier $23
• Nalles Magre $15

If you’re looking for something as offbeat as Schiava, but a bit richer with that same crunchy fruit profile and all in a decidedly darker vein, you can swap out Schiava’s strawberries for Blaufränkisch’s peppery, wild berry character. The two grapes aren’t really that similar, except for their mountain terroir. You’ll find one (Schiava) living mostly south of the border in Italy and the other primarily in Austria.

While Blaufränkisch comes in many styles, the lighter and perhaps more traditional style is what I would reach for this summer. Another favorite with pork, this is a great wine when we start to dip into spicy sausages of both the pork and poultry persuasions.

Two to try:

• Weninger Hochäcker Blaufränkisch $21
• Paul Achs Blaufränkisch $20

Freisa

Piedmont is famous for famous wine. Its less-famous wine? Well, they’re not very famous! Pelaverga is one of the hidden gems: light-bodied, peppery, bright and fresh with a wildly perfumed combination of pink peppercorn, red berry fruit and a little raspy minerality. Pelaverga’s home is the sleepy village of Verduno, which has mostly escaped much attention from wine lovers in the USA, even though it is home to several wonderful producers. Pelaverga is a great wine to pair with game birds. Duck grilled rare and served rare is a lovely match here, especially when it’s served with a little ratatouille and some pasta with arugula pesto.

Two to try:

• Castello di Verduno Pelaverga $20
• G. B. Burlotto Pelaverga $20

Carmenere

Summer is not all about light fare. Sometimes, you just need a thick, juicy steak. Finding a wine that pairs well with that grilled steak without being just too big for the weather can be a challenge. This is where Chilean Carmenere comes into the picture. Carmenere, a lost grape of Bordeaux that was rediscovered thriving in Chile, combines the softness of Merlot with the freshness and herbaceousness of Cabernet Franc. In fact, Carmenere can be way more herbal than even Cabernet Franc, but like with Chimichurri sauce, that herbal quality and bright, juicy acidity works like a charm when complementing grilled red meats. At your next BBQ, go easy on the sauce and instead pop some Carmenere!

Two to try:

• Carmen Carmenere $18
• Lapostolle Carmenere $12

Petite Sirah

Okay, I surrender. Even in summer, you might need something kind of big but still juicy and not too overwhelming. Petite Sirah is just the ticket. Plump with rich fruit, Petite Sirah tends to be a little less rich than say, Zinfandel, with alcohol that is a touch lower and acidity that is a touch higher. The resultant wine was born to wash smoky BBQ from your greasy, little, upturned lips. It’s just that good. Weirdly, my favorite pairing with Petite Sirah, though admittedly one of the lighter styles, has always been spicy, smoky jerk chicken. It is a versatile wine that can take a bit of a chill, while still being ready to battle your boldest BBQ adventures.

Two to try:

• Pedroncelli Petite Sirah $12
• Clayhouse Petite Sirah $18

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Renowned food writer M.F.K. Fisher once wrote, “First we eat, then we do everything else.” That might sound startlingly unromantic at first, but Fisher revered, as all gourmands do, the dual role that eating plays in our lives: physical necessity and opportunity for transcendence.

When it comes to the art of the tasting menu, it’s all about elevating the everyday. Simple sustenance takes a backseat as a chef seizes the opportunity to display his or her artistry, versatility and imagination. (And with the number of courses often reaching double digits, basic hunger is rarely on most diners’ minds.)

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The beauty of tasting menus is how much they vary from restaurant to restaurant and chef to chef. At n/naka in Los Angeles, chef Niki Nakayama’s 13-course Modern Kaiseki riffs on the traditional Japanese kaisekihaute cuisine banquet, which strictly dictates the progression of the meal (it requires, for instance, an amuse-bouche of “something common and something unique”).

At the Catbird Seat, a new James Beard–nominated restaurant in Nashville, the menu changes nightly according to the whims of Erik Anderson (who cooked for a time at Noma in Copenhagen) and Josh Habiger (formerly of Alinea in Chicago). The two chefs team up to create a seven-course tasting menu as 32 guests look on, serving up dishes like arctic char with lardon and clover or spring ramp vichyssoise with violets. And at La Terraza del Casino de Madrid, the menu—crafted personally by Ferran Adrià, the creator of El Bulli—is tapas-style, offering perfect bites like pine-nut marshmallows and oysters with lychee gelée.

Whether found in Cape Town or Brooklyn, the unforgettable tasting menus on this list offer the opportunity to not just eat, but to eat sumptuously.

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La Pergola, Rome

There’s no shortage of stellar food in Rome, but La

Pergola at the Rome Cavalieri hotel is the city’s only restaurant to be honored with three Michelin stars. From the wine cellar (which contains 53,000 bottles) to the water list (choose from 29 options) to the setting (panoramic views of the city), everything about the restaurant is opulent—especially the food.

Choose the nine-course tasting menu, which consists of elevated takes on classic Roman dishes: tangerine risotto with scampi carpaccio; fish on a salt brick with lemon perfume and spicy foam; and pigeon with black salsifies, pine nuts and grappa sauce. 

Nine courses, $275; Via Alberto Cadlolo 101; 39-06/3509-1; romecavalieri.com.

Restaurant Le Meurice, Paris

It’s been five years since Restaurant Le Meurice, the fine dining fixture in one of Paris’s most venerated luxury hotels, earned its third Michelin star. To celebrate, the restaurant is launching a new lunch menu that is an ode to classic French cuisine.

The four-course lunch includes dishes like crayfish aspic, and tuna mousse with olive oil and argan-oil tuile. Guests who can manage to look up from their stunningly sculptural dishes will find much to admire here—the dining room, which is Philippe Starck’s reinterpretation of the Salon de la Paix at Château de Versailles, is as grand as the cuisine. 

Four courses with wine pairings, $140; 228 Rue de Rivoli; 33-1/44-58-10-10; lemeurice.com

Roberta’s Pizza, Brooklyn

Few would expect to find New York’s hottest tasting menu in a pizza restaurant—especially the kind where shakers of red-pepper flakes top the bare wooden tables. But Roberta’s Pizza, nestled deep in the sparsely industrial neighborhood of Bushwick, Brooklyn, has become something of a foodie legend thanks to its private tasting menu.

The menu—which is offered to only 12 people a night on Wednesdays through Saturdays at 6P.M.—features 15 courses based on what chef Carlo Mirarchi feels like serving. Mirarchi has won raves for his dry-aged Normandy duck, Waygu beef and watercress sorbet. More recent creations include garganelli with goat and chickweed. 1

5 courses, from $180; 261 Moore St.; 718-417-1118; robertaspizza.com

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Opportunities to sleep outside in NYC, safely removed from traffic and filth, are few: The Bronx Zoo offers summer overnight family safaris with a sea lion wake-up call. On select summer nights, families can sleep out in the city parks, watched over by rangers. But for the most part, unless you drag a mattress onto your fire escape like the Kramdens, you’ll probably be sleeping inside.

Except if you go five-star. AKA Central Park, a luxury residence/hotel combo, is offering a night out on the 1,000-square-foot wrap-around terrace of its 17th-floor penthouse suite. You’ll get cocktails, s’mores (ingredients from Jacques Torres) to toast in front of the fireplace, champagne, a Nook e-reader loaded with campfire stories, a telescope, a TV (really?), and a bed under the stars.

Be prepared to pay a sky-high price for your al fresco evening: $1,999 will buy you the moon (overhead) for a night. For information or to book, please visit AKA, or call (888) 381-4488.

Ann Shields is a senior digital editor at Travel + Leisure.

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Today, as captains of industry, they're the most recognized faces in the country. But what did they look like then, when they were younger, emerging business titans? 

Here's a look at some of India's richest men, then and now.

Ratan Tatal

From baby-faced youth (see inset) to chairman of Tata Industries—he's seen here with West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu in Kolkata in 1990, one year before he took over as chairman of the Tata Group—Tata apparently joined the family business to please his ailing grandmother, Lady Navajbai.

Ratan Tatal

Today, the 75-year-old captain of industry and Padmavibhushan winner has been credited with reshaping the fortunes of the group.

Kumar Mangalam Birla

A baby-faced Kumar Mangalam Birla looks pensive as he sits in his Delhi office in 1997, just two years after taking over as chairman of the Aditya Vikram Birla group at age 28.

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Relaxing with a highball of Scotch or enjoying a well-made drink is a pleasure (or near ritual) enjoyed by many. With the continuing popularity of classic cocktails and the resurgence of cocktail culture in general — not to mention the copious imbibing on Mad Men —liquor has taken on an increasingly prominent position in the zeitgeist.

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With that comes a desire to really know a thing or two about the spirits that fill one’s glass or shaker. And now, thanks to tours offered by distilleries around the globe, travelers can get a glimpse behind the scenes of some of their favorite brands.

Spending an afternoon at a distillery can offer an unprecedented peek into a spirit’s lineage, place in history and production. It can also lead to interesting discoveries, like how a favorite whiskey, for instance, matures in barrels that once held sherry, port or even rum.

Many tours start at the very beginning. From barley destined for whiskey to sugarcane earmarked for rum, raw ingredients lay a foundation for an experience that excites — and challenges — all the senses. (Try to detect the notes of spice, toffee and berries in Ireland’s Bushmills 16-Year-Old Malt, and you’ll see how.)

These facilities also happen to be located in beautiful places. The rolling hills of Kentucky set the scene for a host of distilleries that make up the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Maker’s Mark — with its signature red wax–dipped bottles — attracts 100,000 visitors a year to its 650-acre location. Head to Scotland, where the Macallan Distillery, located on a 370-acre estate that borders the River Spey, produces a distinguished array of single malts. And if rum is your drink of choice, visit the stunning Aragua Valley in Venezuela, where the fifth generation of the family behind Santa Teresa rum carries on the tradition. 

Pack your bags and get a taste of the spirited life at these ten distilleries that are worth the trip.

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The Macallan Distillery — Craigellachie, Scotland

The Macallan Distillery is located on its own 370-acre estate bordering the River Spey. The original farm is where The Macallan gets some of its barley — a special strain called Minstrel; the rest is grown throughout Scotland specifically for the brand. Choose from either a full tour (80 minutes) or an extended tour (135 minutes), which culminates with a taste of four different Macallan single malts.

Visit the Still House 2, where the entire distillation process is on display, and Warehouse 7, where an exhibit called “Mastery of Wood” spotlights the oak casks that the Macallan uses — most of which have previously held sherry and help give the whisky its signature flavor. There is also a private salmon fishing boat and hut available during the fishing season.

Easter Elchies

44-1340/872-280

themacallan.com

Maker’s Mark Distillery — Loretto, KY

Maker’s Mark has welcomed guests since 1952. Located on 650 acres in the heart of Kentucky (the distillery sits on 20 acres; the remaining land is a nature preserve), the brand gets 100,000 visitors a year and offers a comprehensive look at the making of its two bourbons: original Maker’s Mark and the longer-aged Maker’s 46 (the brand’s first new offering in more than 50 years).

“They get to see every inch of what we do,” says Rob Samuels, COO of Maker’s Mark and an eighth-generation distiller. Three tasting rooms in a functioning warehouse welcome guests, and tours cap off with a tasting and the opportunity to hand-dip a bottle in the bourbon’s signature red wax.

3350 Burk Spring Rd.

270-865-2099

makersmark.com

New York Distilling Company — Brooklyn, NY

Leave it to Brooklyn to house a fully functioning gin distillery attached to a neighborhood bar. Owner Allen Katz, a renowned cocktail and spirits expert, uses a pot-and-column still custom made in Germany to make his signature gins: the 114-proof Perry’s Tot Navy Strength (named for Matthew Calbraith Perry, who was commandant of the Brooklyn Navy Yard in the mid-1800s), and Dorothy Parker American, a lighter offering featuring botanicals like juniper, cinnamon and hibiscus.

“There is a current gin craze among professionals and cocktail enthusiasts,” says Katz, who also makes a rye whiskey. “It is enticing to be able to add something new to the category.” Everything in the operation is done by hand, and the Shanty—the distillery’s in-house bar—shows off the end product in a variety of delicious cocktails.

79 Richardson St.

718-412-0874

nydistilling.com

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Float like a butterfly, sting like a… handbag? Heavyweight boxing champion, Muhammad Ali, has joined Angelina Jolie, Francis Ford Coppola as the new face of Louis Vuitton’s Core Values campaign. The three-time world champion was joined by C J, the four-year-old son of his daughter Laila Ali in the campaign.

The campaign image has been taken by renowned American photographer Annie Leibovitz at Ali’s home in the US. The tagline for the campaign reads: “Some stars show you the way. Muhammad Ali and a rising star. Phoenix, Arizona.”

A statement by Yves Carcelle, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton mentions that “Muhammad Ali is the epitome of an outstanding personality – a true living legend in boxing and far beyond. We are honoured that he agreed to be photographed for the Core Values campaign, and delighted with the way this beautiful portrait of the champion and his grandson captures the idea of transmission, which is of great significance to Louis Vuitton.”

Nicknamed “The Greatest,” Ali was involved in several historic boxing matches during his career. Notable among these were three with rival Joe Frazier, which are considered among the greatest in boxing history, and one with George Foreman, where he finally regained his stripped titles seven years later. Ali was well known for his unorthodox fighting style and unique techniques.

The Telegraph reports that “Core Values” celebrates Vuitton’s timeless classics in real situations on ‘real’ people – meaning celebrities rather than models – and runs alongside their seasonal ‘fashion’ campaigns.

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The standard story about men is that they do not go shopping; they restock.

Their closets are filled with indistinguishable white shirts and gray suits, drawers packed with black socks and identical jeans.

Click here to see NYC's best stores for men >

This is not true. During the recent economic turmoil, men’s clothing—especially the most luxurious—has been a bright spot. More than ever, men are going to stores seeking clothes that go well beyond the blue button-downs they bought the year before—and the year before that.

In recognition of this change, we’ve put together a guide to one of the world’s best shopping streets: New York’s Madison Avenue. We wanted it to be useful for men who have been interested in clothes for years, as well as for those who might be branching out for the first time, so the focus is on the lesser-known aspects of the best-known stores.

We’ve found hidden lounges, new bespoke services, a place where you can work on your golf swing while buying a shirt and find a salesman who can help locate things you’ve never known you needed.

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Saks Fifth Avenue

Inside the Fifth Avenue Club of the Saks men’s department, hidden among the Italian tailoring, the Kiton and Brioni, the Isaia and Cucinelli, there’s a small lounge. Within are leather club chairs and a window with a view of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It’s quiet enough that you can sit, have a drink and read The New York Times. But it’s not so hushed that you can’t go over fabric books with your tailor and talk about what to use for your latest suit. Something in a Scottish worsted, maybe, or even a cashmere?

Need to Know: The tailor you want is Peter Johnston, formerly of Dunhill and Chester Barrie. Until recently, getting Johnston’s clothing without visiting his Edinburgh, Scotland, townhouse-cum-workshop would have been a challenge. But now clients can meet him by appointment in the club lounge, next to Johnston’s ready-to-wear and made-to-measure shop, to be fitted for his bespoke suits (from $8,000), all of which are hand-sewn under his supervision on Savile Row. It takes three trips to really dial everything in, but the result is more than worth the effort.

Insider Tip: In honor of Johnston’s Scotish heritage, Saks created its own black-and-white plaid. Ask and he’ll use it to run up a bespoke kilt (if you already have a clan, Johnston will use whatever plaid you’re loyal to). 611 Fifth Ave. saks.com.

Bergdorf Goodman

There’s a lot going on at Bergdorf’s: vicuña coats from Loro Piana and vintage cuff links on the first floor; impeccable Neapolitan tailoring from Kiton and Brunello Cucinelli on the second; and Thom Browne’s highly stylized version of preppy gear on the third. Michael Bastian’s new-made classics are there too (look out for the tan suede jacket, a perfect meeting of 1970s vintage and modern).

Need to Know: The selection is incredible, but that also makes it easy to miss things. You may find the perfect Charvet shirts and ties just off the front entrance and not even realize that it’s possible to get them made-to-measure (from $605). And you’ll almost certainly miss the Charvet boxer shorts in a little alcove beside the ties; they’re gorgeous, created from the same material as the shirts, with the same mother-of-pearl buttons. And you can get these made-to-measure too, complete with monogram (from $155).

Insider Tip: The best way to ensure you get the perfect thing is to find a good salesman. Try Nelson Hennesy. He’s in Loro Piana, so he knows classic clothes, but he also ran the designer-driven third floor for several years, so he can search anywhere in the store for the thing you didn’t know you absolutely had to have. 754 Fifth Ave. bergdorfgoodman.com.

Brooks Brothers

Brooks Brothers has been selling button-downs since button-downs were invented. So it makes perfect sense that they’d team up with also legendarily venerable St. Andrews Links to produce a line of technical clothes, like the Scotland essentials: wind- and rainproof jackets (from $350) and sportswear, such as the also—presumably—essential soft-cotton argyle sweaters (from $150), for golfing.

Need to Know: On the recently redone third floor, next to the fireplace and the curving staircase that leads to the sports coats, Brooks Brothers’ new golf simulator offers courses from all over the world, including, of course, St. Andrews. It’s the only place in Midtown to play nine holes with Callaway clubs, pick up a silk-cotton sweater for an upcoming golf trip to Scotland and make it back to the office before lunch is over.

Insider Tip: Brooks offers a chance to book free lessons with a pro. I asked Jeff, Brooks Brothers’ golf guru (and owner of Golf Manhattan), if people use the simulator to test out the clothes. “Not so much. I would, though,” he says. “You want to know how the Windbreaker affects your backswing, right?” 346 Madison Ave. brooksbrothers.com.

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Some people plan summer road trips. For others, a summer adventure involves sailing or yachting on the high seas. But long boating trips are no fun without stopping to see the sights on land and stretching out your sea legs.

Luckily, these nine hotels, in beautiful locales ranging from the Caribbean to the Northeastern U.S., are situated right on marinas — so yachties can park and fuel up both their bodies and their boats.

Some resorts, such as Hawks Cay Resort in the Florida Keys, let boaters sleep on board and still access all of the pools, restaurants, and activities on-site — all for no more than the docking fee.

Bitter End Yacht Club — Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

Bitter End Yacht Club  Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

The Bitter End Yacht Club, snuggled into a steep hill on the scenic North Sound, is a relaxed, family-friendly resort. The on-site Quarterdeck Marina can accommodate 18 yachts (up to 150 feet long, with drafts up to 15 feet), and is arguably one of the most popular destination marinas in the Caribbean.

For those staying on land for the night, the resort's tech-free rooms (no TVs or Wi-Fi here) feature stunning views from the balconies, and the sliding doors allows breezes to sweep through. The white-sand beaches at the hotel are narrow, but they are still the highlight here, offering plenty of water sports and relatively calm waters.

Montauk Yacht Club Resort & Marina — Montauk, The Hamptons, Long Island

Montauk Yacht Club Resort & Marina, Montauk, The Hamptons, Long Island

This family-friendly resort has a variety of renovated rooms, suites, and villas overlooking Lake Montauk. The views take advantage of the attached marina, bobbing with boats galore, and are crowned by a white lighthouse.

The marina can accommodate large yachts and has amenities for refueling and restocking. The resort has more than 80 years of intriguing history. Rooms are pricey, but nicely decorated in nautical style. Though the location is not directly on the ocean, on-site activities and restaurants and the free shuttles to town make it a draw for an amenities-filled Hamptons getaway.

Fisher Island Hotel and Resort — Fisher Island, Miami, Florida

Fisher Island Hotel And Resort,  Fisher Island, Miami, Florida

This 45-room hotel is located among homes of the super-rich on a lush, private island that is a 10-minute ferry ride from the Miami mainland. It doesn't have the party scene, the high-design rooms, or the gourmet restaurants of the mainland luxury hotels.

But its history, charm, and beautiful golf and tennis facilities make it a great choice for couples and families looking for something special. The two marinas on-site are the only deep-water marinas in Miami; they feature over 100 slips and can accommodate yachts of up to 250 feet.

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