Where is the best place to make a living?

In today's tough economy, it's an especially relevant question.

A recent CareerBuilder survey found that 44 percent of workers said they'd be willing to relocate for a job opportunity.

Check out the states >

For the second year in a row, MoneyRates.com sought to answer this question through a state-by-state look at four things:

• Average income
• Cost of living, based on the ACCRA Cost of Living Index
• State income tax rate (based on the bracket for the state's average income)
• Unemployment rate

To determine rankings, this study uses an adjusted average income figure based on these factors.

This figure is intended to provide insight into the earning environment of each state, and determine which places fare best — and worst — when all four variables are taken into account.

The 2012 winners

When compared to the 2011 results, the 2012 rankings reveal a high degree of consistency in the top 10 states. Seven states from last year's top 10 repeated that feat this year.

However, the analysis did yield a new champion: Virginia jumped from fourth place in 2011 to first place this year, while last year's number one, Illinois, swapped places with Virginia, falling to number four.

10. Massachusetts

Adjusted average income: $38,793

Another state that benefits from high incomes but is also experiencing a rapid rise in cost of living, Massachusetts slipped from the sixth position in last year's standings.

9. Delaware

Adjusted average income: $38,802

Ranked fifth last year, Delaware slipped a bit this year, but still hung onto a top 10 position.

Delaware benefits from a high average income, though over the past year the state's cost of living grew faster than the national average.

8. Utah

Adjusted average income: $39,250

Another newcomer to the top 10 this year is Utah, which climbed 13 places from last year.

Utah benefits from having cost of living and unemployment figures that are well below the national averages.

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We finally made it to http://dealnews.com/features/The-Best-and-Worst-Things-to-Buy-in-November/513376.html, one of the happiest months for budget-conscious shopping.

Many categories hit their lowest points during this month, usually around Black Friday (not surprisingly). But let's not forget that the month is made up of 30 full days, not to mention the fact that daylight savings ends. (That gives us one more hour to shop!) That means there are deals to be had all month long, not just around the major shopping event.

Contrary to popular belief, however, November isn't the best time to buy everything. That said, many product categories will see great deals — there are just a few caveats.

Home Furniture Surprises with Strong Deals:

Many other media outlets will tell you that January is the best time to buy furniture, since manufacturers begin introducing new styles in February.

Our archives reflect that January is indeed a good month for bargains on home furniture, but November may be even stronger. Two years of data show that November featured the greatest volume of Editors' Choice offerings, as well as the most furniture deals in general. In fact, last year, we saw 39% more home furniture deals in November than we did in January 2011.

Expect to see discounted pieces from Walmart, Target, Kohl's, JCPenney, Sears, Amazon, Overstock, and more. One caveat: January did offer a few more general furniture sales of note (like from Pier 1 Imports) than November.

Current Season Apparel, the Good and the Bad:

Last month we noted that winter season apparel items will likely see their greatest sales beginning in January.

However, last year, a number of apparel stores offered their best online coupons of the year in the weeks leading up to (and around) Black Friday, and most stacked with existing sales and markdowns.

Expect to see an abundance of "best of the year" coupons that take 20% to 40% off, with some reaching even higher discounts. (In fact, 57% of last year's Editors' Choice apparel coupons available during the week of Black Friday took a full 30% off or more.)

Tis Not Yet the Season for Toys:

With all the holiday shopping you'll likely be doing at the end of this month, you may start to get overly confident and think, "I can save on toys for the kids too!"

As we reported a few weeks ago, however, the best time to get the greatest discounts on toys for the holidays is during the 14 days leading up to Christmas.

Moreover, if you're considering buying a new game console for your kid, keep in mind that there are rumored new releases — finally! — from both Wii and Xbox next year, which should push down the retail prices of today's "current" systems (which are actually several years old

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December is a month when you almost can't avoid shopping.

You may have skipped Black Friday — overwhelmed by the offers, hype, and crowds — but the holiday season is a different beast all together, with gifts from loved ones, friends, and people you barely know, coming at you from all angles.

Maintain lots of holiday cheer by shopping wisely with our December buying guide. We've pored over the extensive dealnews archives of sales, coupons, and daily deals from years past to guide you in your quest for the most savvy purchases in December. 

Get Good Deals on Toys ... By Still Waiting

Finally, it's the best time to buy holiday toys! Almost.

In 2011, many of the year's top toys hit their lowest prices of the season in the two weeks before Christmas.

In fact, that middle week of December specifically saw a staggering number of Editors' Choice toy deals.

Keep in mind, however, that shopping mere days before Christmas is probably not wise; retailers realize last-minute shoppers are desperate and less able to effectively comparison shop, so prices often reflect that.

Put Off Buying a 2013 Wall Calendar

You may see some modest discounts this month and early in 2013 that will entice you to purchase a calendar, but the first significant sales we'll see on these items come at the end of January and beginning of February.

(You can of course see even bigger discounts the longer you put it off, but you actually want to use the calendar, right?)

Keep an Eye Out for Gift Card Freebies

A popular promotion throughout the month of December, especially amongst restaurants, is to offer a free gift card to shoppers who purchase one as a gift.

For example, last year California Pizza Kitchen offered a $40 gift card to anyone who purchased $100 or more in gift cards.

However, retailers are more like to offer a gift card with purchases that reach a certain threshold: L.L.Bean offered a free $10 gift card to any customer that spent $50 or more.

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During a coffee break one recent afternoon in the Starbucks at Millennium Station, co-workers Yam Chan and Tichina Moore noticed a letter tucked amid the coffee bags in the display stand.

"Pssst ... Hey Coffee Lover," read the envelope. Chan and Moore hesitated momentarily before slicing it open.

Inside, a pretty striped card bore a handwritten note that quoted F. Scott Fitzgerald, offered "a good dose of random love" and was signed, "a friend."

It was an anonymous love letter meant for whomever chanced upon it. And in the corner of the card, a clue to its origins: moreloveletters.com.

Since its official launch a bit over a year ago, the World Needs More Love Letters project has sprinkled some 5,500 handwritten love letters across the country and around the world, from Brazil to Australia, with the goal of brightening the day of whoever happens to find them, said the project's 24-year-old founder, Hannah Brencher, who lives in North Haven, Conn. A few have popped up in Chicago.

Though written by and to perfect strangers, the human connection and tangibility of handwriting on stationery strike a personal chord.

"It made my whole week better," said Moore, 25, an editor at McGraw-Hill Companies. The random kindness inspired her to mail her mother a letter saying she loved her.

Brencher hatched the idea during a particularly bad day in October 2010. Recently graduated from Assumption College in Worcester, Mass., Brencher had moved to New York City to work with the Augustinian Volunteers, a Catholic community service program, and found herself so lonely and depressed that she would "cry pretty profusely" on the train.

One day, Brencher noticed a woman on the train who appeared similarly downtrodden. Impulsively, she started writing her a letter of encouragement and felt her own mood lift.

Brencher started writing love letters and leaving them in coffee shops, coat pockets, bathrooms and lobbies. She wrote a blog post about it, and within 24 hours received 100 requests from people asking that she write letters to loved ones who could use a dose of cheer.

The project today has an army of anonymous love-letter leavers, including a core team of 11 writers and thousands more contributors who could write letters at any time. People who find the letters — in library books, shopping carts, in the doggie waste bag holder at the park — post grateful testimonials on the website: A woman found one on the train the day her mother was diagnosed with cancer, another in a bathroom a week after her fiance broke up with her.

It can seem that the letters find the people.

Ruth Werstler, founder of the New Life for Old Bags project that turns plastic bags into sleeping mats for homeless people, was working a booth at the Chicago Green Festival at Navy Pier this May when she noticed an envelope on a nearby table. It read, "For you."

The handwritten letter inside was long and tender: "I love you for all the amazing things you do you think no one notices," it said. "I love you for the uniquely caring way you approach everything in your life."

"I get choked up reading it, which is crazy," said Werstler, 45, who keeps the letter on her dresser. "That's what everyone wants to hear, that you matter."

aelejalderuiz@tribune.com

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If you haven't flown much recently but have miles sitting in a frequent flier account, they could vanish before your eyes.

Back when frequent flier programs began in the 1980s, miles either never expired or had a shelf-life of at least three years.

Today, however, airlines put tighter limits on the lifespan of your hard-earned miles, and expiration policies vary by airline.

Should you find your balance suddenly showing zero, don't panic.

Many airlines offer the ability to reinstate expired miles for a fee.  (Read more: How to Quickly Rack Up Frequent Flier Miles)

Here's a breakdown of U.S. airline policies on mileage expiration and how to get them back or extend their life.

AirTran: Points in AirTran's A+ Rewards program expire one year after their posting date. Members can extend the life of the credits by one year for $29 each (plus tax), but cannot buy them back after expiration.

Alaska Airlines: Mileage accrued in Alaska's Mileage Plan program are subject to expiration after two years of account inactivity. Deleted mileage can be reinstated for a $75 fee for up to one year.

American Airlines: Miles earned in the AAdvantage program expire after 18 months of inactivity. Miles that expired on or after December 31, 2002 are eligible for reactivation at a rate of $200-$600 (plus tax), depending on the number of miles reactivated.

Delta:Delta bucks the industry and is the only major U.S. airline without a mileage expiration policy. However, the airline reserves the right to close a member's account if repeated communication attempts to a member go unanswered.

JetBlue: Points don't expire as long as you earn points by flying JetBlue or using the JetBlue Card from American Expresson eligible purchases at least once in a 12-month period. JetBlue does not offer a program to reinstate expired points.

Southwest: Points in Southwest's Rapid Rewards program don’t expire as long as you have flight or partner earning activity every 24 months. Southwest does not offer a program to reinstate expired points.

United: Miles in United's MileagePlus program expire after 18 months of inactivity. Miles may be reinstated within 18 months following expiration for $50-$400, depending on the amount of miles reactivated.

US Airways: Miles are subject to forfeiture if no miles have been earned or redeemed within a consecutive 18-month period. US Airways charges between $10-$400 to reinstate expired Dividend Miles for an additional 18 months. If you do not reinstate forfeited miles within 36 months of the last activity date, they will be permanently deleted.

Coming soon on Road Warrior, I'll provide inexpensive tips to avoid mileage expiration in the first place — some as cheap as $2.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best winter getaways for travelers on a budget >

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This post originally appeared at Bundle.

We're a nation of shopaholics, with Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw (obsessed with shoes and designer labels) and How I Met Your Mother's Barney Stinson (obsessed with suits and luxury goods) representing on our television sets what two of America's estimated 18 million shopaholics might look like in real life.

So where do all these shopaholics live? We looked at the top 100 cities in the U.S. by population to see which cities have households spending the most on clothes, shoes and other wear.

Click here to see the top 10 >

The spending data, which comes from the US. government, from anonymous and aggregated spending transactions from Citi, and third party data providers, was tracked for a full year from March 2010 to March 2011. Cities were then ranked by highest average monthly spending.

The most shopaholic city: Washington D.C., our nation's capital. Travel guide Fodor's says that the number of designer boutiques in the city is on the rise, and tourists can't resist picking up a few souvenirs when visiting the place where our nation's laws are passed, including African-inspired clothing, accessories, and art.

And as we all know, D.C. is a metro area run by people in suits, and suits aren't cheap, especially if they're designer. And you can bet on seeing very fine suits in Congress — half of our leaders in Congress are millionaires.

10. Bakersfield, California

Residents average monthly spending in clothes, shoes and other wear: $201.50

9. Austin, Texas

Residents average monthly spending in clothes, shoes and other wear: $213

8. Seattle, Washington

Residents average monthly spending in clothes, shoes and other wear: $221.17

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A dull duopoly crushes microbrewers

THEIR cuisine is one of the world's most exciting. South Korean diners would not tolerate bland kimchi (cabbage pickled in garlic and chili) or sannakji (fresh chopped octopus, still wriggling on the plate). So why do they swill boring beer?

Local brews such as Cass and Hite go down easily enough (which is not always true of those writhing tentacles with their little suction cups). Yet they leave little impression on the palate.

Some South Korean beers skimp on barley malt, using the likes of rice in its place. Others are full of corn. And despite the recent creation of Hite Dry Finish--a step in the right direction--brewing remains just about the only useful activity at which North Korea beats the South. The North's Taedonggang Beer, made with equipment imported from Britain, tastes surprisingly good.

The problem for South Korean boozers is that their national market is a cramped duopoly. Hite-Jinro and Oriental Brewery (OB) have nearly 100% of it. Their beers are hard to tell apart; their prices, even harder. At five out of five shops visited by The Economist, their main brands all cost precisely 1,850 won ($1.70) per 330ml can.

Until 2011, regulations required all brewers to have enough capacity to brew well over 1m liters at a time. This in effect kept all but Hite and OB from bringing foamy goodness to the masses. Smaller producers were allowed to sell their beer only on their own premises.

Today, anyone with the capacity to produce 120,000 litres can apply for a wholesale license. This is still a lot, but there are short cuts. One brewer says the loose wording of the law means some have bought gigantic but shoddy old vats to make up the difference, and simply left them unused.

However, only a handful of small brewers have risen to the challenge. One of them, Craftworks Brewing Company, is owned by a Canadian, Dan Vroon. Mr Vroon's pub in Seoul is packed every night. But several hurdles still make it hard for him to sell his pilsners, stouts and pale ales more widely, he says.

Brewers are taxed heavily if they deliver their own beer. Craftworks' unpasteurized brews must be kept chilled from the vat to the tap, which creates a problem. Cold distribution is a tiny, pricey niche. This is because the big boys don't use it: their beers have their tasty, bureaucrat-bothering bacteria removed at the brewery. They can thus be delivered warm and then chilled in the pub.

Punitive tariffs prevent brewing experimentation. The Korean taxman treats malt, hops and yeast as beer ingredients, which are subject to low import duties. Anything else you might put in the brew is deemed an agricultural import, and thus a threat to the nation's farmers. "Speciality grains like oats aren't on the approved list, so we must pay more than 500% if we want to use them," says Park Chul, another frustrated brewer.

Those who do not qualify for a wholesale licence have it even worse. Though they sell only through their own pubs, government inspectors place meters on their vats. These can become contaminated, causing costly stoppages. "It's enough to drive you to drink," sighs Mr Vroon.

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If you’ve been learning about menswear you’ve most likely heard these words.

- Bespoke 

- Made To Measure 

- Off The Rack

But what do they mean?

What’s the difference?

And most importantly why should you even care?

In this article and video (below) I help you understand the main differences between these types of menswear and why knowing these details is important to your pocketbook.

First – understand this.  One type of build is not necessarily better than any other – each has its place.

Depending on your individual need you may be better served by any one of the three.  

The amount of money you spend does not guarantee better fitting or higher quality clothing.

Instead, the difference in terminology is about control.

It’s about an art form vs. factory efficiency.  It’s about something being hand-made and 100% unique vs  another piece of clothing being uniform, mass produced, and economically affordable for even the poorest student.

So Why Is This Important?

It’s all about the money really.

It’s about what we are conditioned to pay for, and what we value and define to be quality clothing.

It signifies prestige and enables the art of bespoke to charge a premium which makes it sustainable and forces the ready to wear industry to keep its costs down and efficiency up as in that realm price is the driver of purchase decision.

In the video I use the example of USDA Beef Quality Grades - as a Texan I felt this was an easy to understand example because we purchase food more often that we purchase clothing (at least I do).

The Gray Area Between Clothing Definitions 

Technological change has made the distinction between Made to Measure and Bespoke more subtle.  Within this confusion has emerged a battle for profitable relationships.

Initially all clothing was handmade – wealthy men had their clothing made by tailors and the rest of us made it within the family unit.  The industrial revolution changed this and made mass manufactured clothing affordable, but the distinction between the two was clear cut as professional handmade clothing was superior in cut, fabric quality, and fit.

Made to measure however has evolved over the last few decades from a simple offshoot of ready-to-wear to being almost indistinguishable from the custom hand-made process – at least in the eyes of the consumer.  Fittings are increasingly required for both bespoke and made-to-measure; a bespoke service may require an individually-cut pattern, which is then kept should further suits be required, and now made-to-measure measurements are often stored on a computer. Even hand-work is now increasingly found in made-to-measure garments – this used to only be found in custom bespoke.  And cash or skill strapped bespoke makers are now starting to utilize machines in the process.

Basically – the two worlds are getting closer.  Bespoke still commands a premium, while made to measure is closer to off the rack prices.  Yet if the difference is hazy, you can bet that the merchants will look to find a way to make a higher profit.  And that’s where the fighting has started.

Word Protection – Bespoke clearly defined by law?

The precedent was set by the French – the word “haute couture” is protected by law in France and any one using this term must abide by a set of rules.

Vested parties in the UK have pushed to have similar protections for the word “bespoke”, however the British Advertising Standards Authority has ruled it is a fair practice to use the term bespoke for products which do not fully incorporate traditional construction methods.

But the fight won’t end here – as long as there is money involved and one well heeled manufacturer is threatened there will be a push for protection.

Quick Menswear Definitions – The 3 Classifications

1. Off The Rack or Ready To Wear

The vast majority of clothing made and worn in the world fits within this category. Ready to wear clothing is factory made in finished condition and standardized sizes, and has a wide range in quality standards depending on manufacturer.  Of the three types ready to wear has the least control.

2. Made To Measure

Menswear produced to order from an adjusted block pattern.  Usually a paper pattern is not built, rather pieces that match those needed are collected and assembled. It is differentiated from bespoke in that Men who choose to buy made to measure have some, but not all control over the process. The degree of control varies considerably – expect more control to cost more.  However it is very possible to get a perfect fit – the same as in bespoke, from a made to measure garment.

3. Bespoke

The word bespoke itself is derived from the verb to bespeak or to “speak for something”.  Specifically it means “to give an order for it to be made”. It is a term analogous to women’s haute couture, and enjoys widespread use in UK and Europe while being rare in the United States.

Bespoke clothing offers a man full control. Bespoke standards particularly stress:
1) hand work used almost entirely on all garments
2) the individual cut of a paper pattern
3) personal service such as qualified advice
4) a large selection of fabrics
5)keeping of all records for future orders
6) involvement in approved training that ensure standards are adhered to.

This post originally appeared at Real Men Real Style.

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Skulduggery amid the gently rolling vineyards of Tuscany has sent at least £10 million worth of one of Italy’s most celebrated red wines gurgling down the drain.

Saboteurs broke into the cellars of the Case Basse winery in the middle of the night, turned on the taps of the giant wooden casks in which the wine was maturing and allowed 60,000 litres of prized Brunello di Montalcino to pour onto the ground.

The huge lake of wine represented 80,000 bottles, each of which can sell for 170 euros or more – a total value of more than 13 million euros.

The nocturnal raiders did no other damage to the estate’s “cantina”, nor did they steal anything, deepening the mystery and suggesting that it was less a random episode of vandalism and more a deliberate act of spite.

The raid wiped out the last six vintages of the 6.5 hectare vineyard in the hills of southern Tuscany.

Gianfranco Soldera, who worked as an insurance broker in Milan before buying the estate in 1972, said he had no idea who might have been behind the raid on Monday night.

His family described it as “a mafia-style attack”.

“We cannot come to terms with what happened,” Mauro Soldera, his son, told Corriere della Sera newspaper.

“We’ve never been involved in controversy and we’ve never received threats. We’ve suffered a serious blow, not just in economic terms, but we will not give up. The estate will survive, we have the strength and the courage not to quit.”

Case Basse is a small but highly acclaimed producer of Brunello di Montalcino, making around 15,000 bottles a year, which sell for up to 170 euros a bottle.

The wine has to be matured in barrels for at least four years before it can be sold under the Brunello di Montalcino name, so the vineyard will have nothing to sell until 2016 at the earliest.

The sabotage is being investigated by Carabinieri police from nearby Montalcino, a town popular with British summer tourists which is dominated by a 14th century fortress.

Fabrizio Bindocci, the president of the Brunello di Montalcino Consortium, said the sabotage would shock all 250 producers of the esteemed red in Tuscany.

Donatella Cinelli Colombini, the vice-president of the consortium, said: “I cannot think of a similar incident in this region in living memory. It is a dismaying affair.”

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Apparently, money can't buy happiness, and if you are using a credit card, that's not the only thing your money won't be able to buy.

Despite the belief credit cards can take you 'everywhere you want to be' — as the old Visa slogan went — the reality is there some places where your plastic won't be gladly accepted.

Here are ten items for which you might need to pocket the card and pull out the cash or checkbook.

1. Lottery tickets

If you dream of winning millions through your state's lottery program, you'll probably have to have some cash ready when you reach the register.

Most states prohibit the use of the credit cards for lottery purchases.

Even in the handful of states that accept credit cards, your card issuer may put the kibosh on lottery sales.

For example, even though Massachusetts allows credit card sales, American Express won't authorize payments for the state's Season Ticket program.

2. Gaming chips and slot machines

Like lottery tickets, many states and card issuers have made it difficult to use credit cards for casino gaming.

Many casinos are dedicated to responsible gaming practices that work to prevent behaviors that will fuel compulsive gambling.

Therefore, credit cards are off-limits for some forms of gaming while issuers may tack on additional fees for other usages.

For example, Nevada law prohibits the transfer of money directly from a credit card to many games or gaming devices such as slot machines.

Even when credit cards can be used, issuers often treat gaming purchases as a cash-equivalent purchase which can mean interest rates of up to 30 percent on your gambling habit.

3. Cars

If your limit is high enough, your credit card company would probably be thrilled to have you pay for your next vehicle with plastic.

Your dealer may not be quite so enthusiastic.

Since merchants pay a fee — typically between 1.5 and 3 percent of the purchase price — every time they process a transaction, some dealers just say no to credit card purchases.

In addition, private sellers are often not equipped to accept credit cards.

Of course, you could get a cash advance, but then you are the one stuck paying an extra fee of up to 5 percent, and you most likely get hit with an exorbitant interest rate to boot.

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Editor's note — Whether they’re looking to sell their mansion-in-the-sky or buy a multimillion dollar mega-home, over and over again, the super rich turn to one woman to get the job done.

She’s been called “The Queen of Real Estate” and even “Jaws,” but the wealthiest people on Earth just call her Dolly. She’s earned their trust and with it she’s moved more than $8 billion in high-end real estate. Here are some of her tips:

1. Focus On the Relationship, Not the Transaction

Brokers are instinctively transactional in their thinking. This stems from the fact that if there is no deal they don’t get paid. Not surprisingly this leads them to focus on how they can bring about a meeting of the minds between buyer and seller. This approach may be good in closing a particular deal, but it is not always conducive to serving your client. I have always strived to achieve long term relationships, where appropriate, with my clients by representing them to a very high standard. I make it my business to represent their interests even if this means advising them to back out of a potential deal if the terms are unfavorable to them.

No one deal is worth losing the confidence and respect of a client. I live that.

2. Don’t Avoid Confrontation. It’s Part of the Job

Dennis Kozlowski, the former CEO of Tyco nicknamed me “Jaws.” When I was asked by Bill Griffeth, the CNBC anchor, whether I liked that name and I responded, “I don’t know if I like it, but sometimes it’s necessary.”

It is amazing to me how many people in all walks of life, but especially in my business, are so uncomfortable with confrontation that they avoid it like the plague. Look, who doesn’t want to be liked? I know I do, but you can’t let that interfere with your responsibility to represent your client to the fullest extent possible. Real estate transactions are confrontational by nature because you generally have a buyer and seller with diametrically opposed interests. Because of that, negotiations sometimes get heated, and you better be prepared to hold your own. Your client is watching and evaluating your performance and couldn’t care less about your comfort zone. Get the job done, no excuses, and you will have a client for life. If you want to make it in the high-end pressure cooker that is New York real estate, that’s what it takes.

3. 'The Customer Is Always Right' Myth

The clients I deal with are extremely intelligent and savvy, and they negotiate mega-deals for a living. Many of them are household names, and they know what they want and how they want it. But one of the main reasons they seek me out is I have something they don’t have, and that’s specific information. And it is my job to listen to their preconceived ideas and give them the good, the bad and the ugly of what they are telling me. I don’t tell them what I think they want to hear, I tell them what they need to hear. Then they make their own decisions and I help them bring it about. Only a fully informed customer is always right, and if I believe a client is making a mistake I will tell him so. It is all part of gaining trust and respect, which are fundamental tenets of a fruitful business relationship.

4. 'The Property Sells Itself' Myth

If the property sells itself, then what do they need to pay you 6 percent of the purchase price for? To open a door? They can get a robot to do that and for a lot less than 6 percent. The homes of the mega-wealthy are unique, one-of-a-kind properties that have unique features that are highly valued. These sellers don’t just want you to sell their property; they want you to achieve the highest possible sales price in the market you’re selling into. They want your guidance as to what that number is, and believe me they will hold you to that number. Achieving that number is the added value that a savvy broker can provide, and that is why they are paying you a commission. Otherwise they can give the listing to cousin Ricky, who got a real estate license last week.

5. The Rich and Powerful Work in Real Time — You Better, Too

Many of the wealthy clients I deal with are no nonsense, "give it to me straight and give it to me now" kind of people. They didn’t get to where they are by having lots of patience, and they expect you to respond to them in real time. That’s how they work, and they expect you to act accordingly. Lucky for me that is exactly how I work and always have. In an active market, I will typically get hundreds of client emails per day, and I will respond to each and every one within a matter of minutes. New clients are initially surprised by such fast responses, but I don’t know any other way of working. I guess it is partly due to the fact that over 50 percent of my clients are based in Asia and it is my way of dealing with the time difference. Yes, I sleep with my BlackBerry. Does this impact my private life? It sure does, but that’s what my clients expect, and that’s one of the reasons they keep coming back and referring their friends.

6. How I Learned to Love Co-Op Boards

I don’t know why co-op boards get such a bad rap by the public. Having been elected as treasurer to my first Park Avenue Co-Op Board when I was 20, and remembering my experiences with great fondness, I admit that I am a bit biased. Still, the general level of vitriol is not commensurate with reality as I see it. Maybe it has to do with the notion that a co-op is a form of housing, and the power that co-op boards have to reject potential buyers is inconsistent with a nation that prides itself on the idea of equal housing for all. But this view highlights a misconception in the public’s mind that views high-end co-ops as just another form of housing. Luxury co-ops are not housing; they are a club. By entering into a contract to purchase a unit in a co-op and filling out what is admittedly an extensive and some would say intrusive application, you are requesting admission to an exclusive club of residents whose board is in fact an admittance committee whose function is to be particularly discerning. By this standard, whether you are financially capable of purchasing the apartment is not the main focus, since most applicants are financially sound. The real question is whether the applicant will “fit in” harmoniously with the rest of the resident club members, an admittedly less objective evaluation.

When viewed from this perspective, co-op boards should hardly be criticized for conducting the thankless duties they were created to perform.

Dolly Lenz is the vice chairman of Prudential Douglas Elliman.

SEE ALSO: Some Real Estate Agents Will Go To Crazy Extremes To Sell A House

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BrickUnderground hit the streets recently to conduct a friendly interrogation of 30 New Yorkers about their holiday tipping habits. While the overwhelming majority planned to tip their building staff this year, they did not plan to tip them equally.

Many said they planned to tip the friendly/helpful/longtime doormen more than rude and/or unhelpful staff. (Take BrickUnderground's 'Naughty vs. Nice' 2012 Holiday Tipping poll to find out exactly how much.)

Some said they would go as high as high as $700 for their favorites, and most planned to save the biggest tip for their super. Many said it would also depend on their own personal financial situation.

Here's what they told us influenced their sliding scale of tips:

• “The amount we tip depends on length of time in the building and what they’ve done for us…some make inquiries, take care of problems, go the extra mile.... The most we would give is $150-$200 for excellent service.” - Helen and Neil, Yorkville

• “I tip one person, the super, and it depends on how much they help. This year I’ll give $100, because I received a lot of help, but generally, I’m a low maintenance guy.” -Dior, Upper West Side

• “It all depends on how friendly they are.” -  Scott, Upper West Side

• “When I do tip, everyone gets the same amount. It depends on whether or not I have enough money for Christmas for my own family. Once I set my doorman on a blind date with my friend, so that’s sort of a tip I guess… They ended up together for six years!” -Effie, Park Slope

• "It depends on who I think deserves it. The doorman who helps with groceries and taxis is worthy of tipping and will get something.  It also depends on my income and my own ability to do it. This year I'm not tipping the super because I already paid him for his services--like helping me hang paintings on concrete walls. I pay him for individual things throughout the years, so I won't tip him again during the holidays." -- Peni, Yorkville

• “The most I ever tipped was $700, and that was because he did a lot for me. He took packages, helped fix my toilets. But if someone isn’t nice, I won’t tip. One staff person in my building ignored the needs of an elderly woman, and wouldn’t clear ice in inclement weather.  I also tried to buy her groceries and have them delivered, and the doorman rejected the package. He didn’t get a tip.” -Walter, Upper West Side

• “The amount I give depends on tenure. I also will give less if I feel they’ve shirked their work.” - Susan, Carnegie Hill

• “I have my favorites—the people who have really helped me out in the past and I give them more than others. It does depend on my own personal circumstances, like how much of a holiday bonus I’m getting at my job.” -Jackie, Upper West Side

• “The most I’ve ever given is $50 to the super. It depends on how well they work, if they pay attention to detail and do what they need to do. If the super does not blame the damn tenants for everything that goes wrong I’ll tip." - Walter, Carnegie Hill 

• “I’ll give as little as $20 to workers I don’t know. But the super gets more. I also give more to whomever I encountered more, who did more for me directly and who was more pleasant. I would never stiff someone, but I might give them less.” -Brad, Midtown

• “The amount I give depends on the degree of responsibility and seniority. I once gave $500 to the super because he did a great job throughout the year.” -Anonymous, Carnegie Hill

• “I pretty much pay everyone the same, but maybe $5-10 more for one than the other. I acknowledge that I have to play the politics and be nice to the super. I’m less likely to tip the building’s handyman because he’s given money for jobs over the course of the year.” -Bob, Upper East Side

• “Once I had words with one of the doormen in my building and I left him out of my cash gifts for that year.” -Kara, Gramercy

• “The most we ever gave was $200. I liked the person and knew he was having some issues and needed the money. If you feel that you were treated really well, your tip should reflect that. Alsom, building staff often keep records and compare notes.” -Steven & Sarah, Park Slope

• “It depends on my own personal earnings for that year. I don’t tip slackers.” -Semona, Gramercy/Union Square

• “I don’t tip everyone, but for those that I do tip, yes, everyone gets the same.” -Sheila, Williamsburg

This post originally appeared at BrickUnderground.

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Hermès is adding its own touch of luxury to the annual “Heart” stamp collection issued by France’s postal services, La Poste.

Designers were inspired to turn some of the French luxury brand’s iconic scarves into stamps and Zoé Pauwels’s design was chosen to feature in La Poste’s 2013 Valentine’s Day collection.

Pauwels’s illustration includes birds, hearts and shooting stars brought together by cloudy ribbons around swans symbolizing love.

In the past, a number of famous designers have teamed up with La Poste for the heart edition, including Christian Lacroix, Chanel, Givenchy, Ungaro, Lanvin and Adeline André.

The stamps featuring Zoé Pauwels’s designs will be available from Jan 28, 2013.

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If you’re looking for a luxurious bathtub that will remain in the spotlight for a long, long time, check out the Diamond Bathtub. This exquisite Swarovski studded piece of bathroom furniture was designed to pamper your youngest family member, but it had such a success that the designers decided to make a Diamond Bathtub version for pets. Designed by Lori Gardner, the luxurious crystal-studded bathtub features a multitude of Swarovski crystal, all applied by hand on a quality bathtub body.

No wonder the bathtub is loved by little princesses – the price of $5,200 makes this special bathtub is not the first of its kind – the designer presented a similar Diamond Bathtub for grownups.  This Diamond Bathtub is available in two versions – one for your child and one for your other child, the family pet. Available in all the Swarovski colors, the bathtub can even be used as a beverage chiller for parties – a creative and fascinating focal point for luxurious get-togethers. See the collection here!

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Hong Kong has reversed a decision to declare one of the city's last colonial-era mansions a heritage site after objections from the owner who plans to demolish the property, officials said Tuesday.

Built by and named after Sir Robert Ho Tung in 1927, the Ho Tung Gardens sits on a site of just over a hectare (two and a half acres) in a high-end residential neighborhood on The Peak.

The city announced plans in October last year to preserve the site, but the bid faced fierce opposition from the owner -- Ho's granddaughter -- who reportedly wanted to demolish the mansion and replace it with 10 cottages.

"The owner has objected and appealed to the chief executive," development minister Paul Chan told reporters, saying that the government could have faced legal action if it was to continue with the plan without the owner's consent.

"The owner can now go ahead...with the redevelopment plan," Chan said.

Government officials said they had met with the owner, Ho Min-kwan, and representatives to discuss options for preservation despite their differences. She reportedly rejected a government offer for a land swap.

Ho Tung Gardens is the only remaining residence directly related to Ho, who was a prominent community leader and the first non-European to receive permission from the then British colonial administration to reside on The Peak.

Authorities have called the house a "rare history building" and "probably the earliest surviving example, of Chinese renaissance architecture in Hong Kong".

Hong Kong, a former British colony, was returned to China in 1997 and remains a semi-autonomous city with its own legal and administrative system.

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This post originally appeared on Dealnews.

Sometimes, your family and friends put gifts on their wish list that, as a savvy shopper, you know won't offer them the best value possible.

For example, while many people will request an iTunes gift card during the holidays, you'll learn that an Amazon card could actually provide the recipient with far more music in the long run.

So instead of springing for, say, the new iPad mini, what should you buy in its place?

Below are our top 10 items you shouldn't buy this holiday season, and 10 alternatives to consider instead.

They want an iPad mini? Give them an iPad 2 instead.

Despite being a more recent release, the new iPad mini packs the same 1024x768 display that's found in the iPad 2.

In fact, everything about the iPad mini, from its screen resolution to its performance, is comparable to the iPad 2; the only difference is that it's smaller.

And yet, at $329 for the 16GB model, the iPad mini costs $10 more than a refurbished iPad 2 16GB WiFi Tablet.

We thus recommend opting for the latter, which comes in immaculate condition from Apple with the same 1-year warranty, as well as more screen real estate for media streaming, all for $10 less than the mini.

They want a NOOK HD? Give them a Kindle Fire HD instead.

Make no mistake, the NOOK HD is a perfectly capable tablet with very similar performance and features to its rival, the Kindle Fire HD.

However, when it comes to the ecosystem of each, Amazon has the upper hand.

The store has more consistently offered aggressive pricing on media like eBooks and MP3s, it has a more robust app marketplace, and Fire owners can stream Prime-related film and TV whenever they want.

Moreover, Barnes & Noble is experiencing a slowdown in its core business of book-selling, which financially affects the NOOK and its supporting services; meanwhile, Amazon is enjoying record-breaking sales of its Kindle devices.

As a result, Amazon's Kindle Fire environment will continue to flourish and will likely remain stronger than that of the Barnes & Noble NOOK.

They want an iPhone 5? Give them an iPhone 4 or 4S instead.

While it's now possible to find deals on a refurb iPhone 5, when it comes to saving money, the iPhone 4 and 4S are still your best options.

Like the iPhone 5, both models can run iOS 6, however, the 4S now retails for $100 less.

We've even seen deals that drop to as low as $1 (with a 2-year contract).

Meanwhile, the iPhone 4 is always available for free with a contract, and both previous generations see more deals than the iPhone 5 does.

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Here’s the first look inside the ultra-luxurious yet adventurous Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti, Tanzania. The Serengeti National Park is considered by many as the best in Africa and is one of Tanzania’s most famous natural wonders. The Lodge is the first Four Seasons in Sub-Saharan Africa and marks the introduction of the brand to the region with two additional properties planned in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and an exclusive beach resort on the island of Zanzibar.

With a total of 77 guest rooms, including 12 suites with plunge pools and five free-standing villas with private swimming pools, the Lodge offers guests the ultimate in privacy. Each room has an elevated open-air sundeck, which provides views over the Serengeti and a truly intimate wildlife experience to its guests.

The design of the property reflects both contemporary African architectural style and its surrounding landscape – with the centrepiece of the Lodge comprising of a two story great house that includes a choice of both indoor and outdoor dining options: Kula’s,an international and African buffet-style restaurant; Maji Bar, an à la carte restaurant and bar; and Boma Grill, offering authentic African grilled dishes using locally sourced produce. The Sundowner Barboasts spectacular sunset views and a wine cellar where guests can sample wines from across the African continent.

Four Seasons Safari Lodge offers guests a unique opportunity to be immersed in the Serengeti from a safe and ecologically responsible environment, while still being pampered amid the unspoiled wilderness. Elevated wooden walkways weave throughout the property, connecting the great house and guest rooms with a free-standing Spa complex housing six treatment pavilions and a fitness centre. From the serenity of the Lodge’s outdoor infinity pool, guests overlook an active watering hole that attracts a daily variety of wildlife, including elephants.

Suitable for guests age eight years and above, Four Seasons Safari Lodge is also home to its own Discovery Centre featuring museum quality exhibits and a lecture hall for guests to learn about the local wildlife, environment and culture.

“It’s great to be in Africa, where each day brings a new wonder,” says James Kostecky, general manager and Four Seasons veteran. As an avid photographer with a keen sense of adventure, he points out, “this Lodge is an excellent opportunity for first time safari travellers, families and groups to experience the natural beauty, astounding wildlife and fascinating culture of the Serengeti.”

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I have a wedding coming up this week, and it’s black tie.

I have a terrible confession though…I do not own a tuxedo.

I know, I know, what kind of respectable menswear blogger lacks this true staple of formalwear?

But, I just have not attended the necessary events to warrant the dough for quality cloth like that.

So I am improvising with a slick black suit, a crisp white shirt, and a sharp charcoal wool tie to give it a little texture.

I had a thought that suspenders could add a little sophistication to the look and little old-school flair.

Let’s take a closer look at the historical menswear staple common to every level of style from the skinhead/punk, to the banker on Wall Street, to the black tie gala, and of course now, the stylish hipster.

The Belt Starts Here

Suspenders originated over 300 years ago. At the core, they are simply fabric worn over your shoulders to help hold your pants up from the front and the back.

Unlike a belt, which cinches your pants tight around your waist to keep trousers from falling, suspenders merely hold them in place. This is important to consider when thinking about your silhouette, and your pants. If the waist is too big, suspenders won't help the pants look tighter; they merely help keep pants in place…literally suspended around the waist.

Albert Thurston introduced the first modern suspenders in 1822. Thurston invented the suspender in response to the high cut of pants at the time, which made a belt unrealistic. Still, men continued to view suspenders as an undergarment.

The belts we know and love today returned to prominence by the 1930s as the stylish waistcoats (that were used to hide suspenders from view) became less worn. But suspenders live on.

When to Suspender

Are suspenders formalwear only? As you’ll see above, they were historically viewed as undergarments. However, high quality suspenders—often made of silk—are notably white collar wear, only to be attached by buttons that are placed on the inside of a waistband.

RULE: If you do choose to go the button route, be sure your shoes match the leather of the suspenders! Clip on suspenders, which attach to the waistband of any pants are also a viable option. TIME.com notes, “In the 1960s, British skinheads adopted suspenders as part of their working-class look—often attaching them to tight blue jeans that didn't really need help staying in place.”

Though perhaps not as formal, many writers agree that it is OK to wear them with pants that even have belt loops. No matter how they attach, they are not formalwear only. If you’re as cool as Larry King you can get away with them anywhere.

Why not try it out to add some texture and a layer to your daily wear. Just be sure the fabric color matches or contrasts your shirt, pants, socks…you know, the usual rules of matching.

The Conclusion

In my opinion, it depends entirely on the material and the make. If they are silk then wear them to your next cocktail party or black tie event. Whether they clip or button, I'm not concerned—if they look sharp, and you know how to match, then break the rules.

However, be forewarned: This sartorial staple is not on trend yet, so be prepared to stand out. My only piece of absolute advice is widely agreed upon by every style writer—never wear suspenders and a belt together!

The GQ Style Guy puts it best: “Whenever I see a man wearing a belt and suspenders, which is not all that often, I think, Now, here is a pessimist. Guys who wear a belt and suspenders probably carry umbrellas on sunny days and wear more than one condom.”

Essentially, this modern man is explaining that one would only wear both pieces if he was that worried about his pants falling down, in which case he probably worries about the sky falling daily, the world ending tomorrow, and spilt milk. What are you so worried about hiding?

As we enter the holiday season, whether it’s a holiday party, a new years bash, or a gift, check out some of these modern sharp suspenders and find the one that’s right for your style from street, to punk, to heritage, to classic, to formal.

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Are you one of the millions of Americans who are taking a conservative approach to gift giving this holiday season?

Me too! And you know what? We aren’t alone.

Check out these great gift ideas >

The National Retail Federation’s holiday spending survey found that over 52% of holiday shoppers are scaling back on their holiday shopping for 2012, with most citing the economy as the main factor.

According to NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay, “More than half of Americans this holiday season will feel the impact of the economy and will compensate by doing what they’ve been doing for several years – looking for ways to cut any corners, comparative shop online and in stores more often, and even planning to travel less or not at all,” stated Shay.

Despite the recent shift towards better spending habits, consumers still plan on spending a good chunk of change on the holidays. According to NRF’s holiday consumer spending survey conducted by BIGinsight, the average consumer will spend $749.51 this holiday season, with gifts accounting for the largest portion of that figure.

That’s a lot of candy canes!

To all my dear family, friends, colleagues, and Secret Santa/White Elephant gift exchange recipients: I am not spending $750 on the holidays this year. In fact, I’m shooting for a figure more like $150.

I know how hard it is to stay on budget, especially during this time of year. It’s even harder to find holiday gifts that are unique, thoughtful, and inexpensive.

But, just because you are on a tight budget, doesn’t mean you have to go the predictable gift card route or risk cutting your fingertip off making a felt flower brooch for your sister-in-law (true story).

I’ve scoured the earth (ok, the Internet) high and low, and here are ten awesome holiday gifts that are $10 and under.

Theo Caramels by Theo Chocolate in Seattle, WA – $9

These fair trade, organic specialty caramels come in holiday flavors like gingersnap with milk chocolate (a peppery molasses caramel) and apple cider in dark chocolate (a fresh apple cider reduction and mulling spices).

Illustrated Stateside Tote by Madewell – $5

These totes feature fun state facts that have been translated into illustrations. State bird? Local delicacies? World-record-breaking pie eaters? Yup, they’re all here—on a sturdy canvas designed to be taken everywhere (12 state designs available).

5 Life Playbook by Dan Zadra — $10

(retails for $14.95 – use the code “Buy5″ for a $4.95 discount – expires 12/26/12)

Where will you be 5 years from today? This “playbook for life” features thought-provoking quotations and real-life examples to serve as both a spark and a road map for your life. It encourages you to celebrate and embrace the “want to’s,” the “choose to’s” and the “I can’t wait to’s” in your life.

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The holiday season is prime dessert wine drinking time for several reasons. But it’s hard to drink a lot of sweet wines. They come after a huge meal and many other wines. Most of the time, we are already full.

Add in the fact that many dessert wines are high in alcohol and pack in a ton of sugar and you can see why it can be so challenging to finish a bottle. That’s where your friends and family come in! They’ll finish a bottle of dessert wine in no time, right? Heck, they’ll drink anything if they're like my friends and family.

That means we can’t break out the swill for their disposal. Looks like it’s going to have to be something decent that won't break the bank.

The signature house style Ports from the big houses fit the bill perfectly. They are great values at usually under $20 a bottle, are produced in a consistent style and are typically delicious! I’ve tried a few recently, along with a Late Bottle Vintage-style Port from California just for fun, and they’re all worth checking out as each offers a slightly different expression of what Port should be.

Share one or more with your besties this holiday season, and here’s a tip, don’t save it for the end of the meal. Port makes for a great post-dinner drink as well. Serve it with a few nuts (not your friends, the other kind) and some cheese and it’ll drive the conviviality well into the night!

Fonseca Bin 27, $20
This selection comes directly from the Porto in Portugal, making it a true Porto wine.

Tasting Notes:
Very floral and decidedly spicy with hints of juniper, coriander and balsam as well as a touch of pencil eraser framing the black raspberry and fig fruit aromas. Very smooth on entry, silky even and a touch lighter in weight than many Ports. The palate shows a fine base of tannins with unusually clear plum and cherry fruit. This is fairly structured in the mouth with good freshness to the flavors that turn spicy on the moderately long finish. Exemplary, this has it all. Balance, complexity and a wonderful texture. 90pts

Sandeman Founder’s Reserve, $20
Another Porto native, the Porto from Sandeman Winery is world-renowned and still family owned even after 7 generations.

Tasting Notes:
Lightly aromatic on the nose with hints of evolution that make the nose reminiscent of a tawny Port. Light touches of caramel and sweet root vegetables mingle with tight candied blackberry aromas. A bit sweet on entry, this uses its sweetness well, balancing it with flavors that mimic the edge of evolution shown on the nose. The fruit here is pretty red for Port, featuring cut plums, raspberries and a really fine edge of dried orange peel. Complexity replaces power, with lovely chocolate and liquorice tones popping on the long, very focused finish. 89pts

Graham’s Six Grapes, $20
Another hailing from the Douro of Portugal, this winery was founded the early 1800s by Scottish brothers and they have been producing high-quality ports ever since.

Tasting Notes:
Floral and almost herbal on the nose with layers of tea like aromas adding really intriguing complexity to the base of cocoa-dusted, dried cherry fruit. Soft and easy going in the mouth, this doesn’t come off as particularly sweet but might benefit from a little more acidity adding some liveliness to the palate. The flavor profile is lovely and full of black cherry. Faint medicinal tones, hints of pollen, raspberry, black currant and caramel are all melded together into one subtle and smooth package. The finish is kind of structured with dusty tannins and more than enough acidity to refresh the palate. 88pts

Cockburns Special Reserve, $20
Arguably one of the most famous Port producers, Cockburns was also founded by a Scotsman in the early 1800s and it's still a family business.

Tasting Notes:
Tarry and licorice scented with some pencil shavings and Tootsie Rolls adding complexity over spicy, slightly jammy grapey fruit. Moderately sweet but well balanced and medium-bodied on the palate, with a nice, gentle spiciness surrounding the black grape, currant and blackberry fruit. The sweetness is a bit more obvious on the finish, which shows decent length and a nice licorice liqueur note on the finale. 88pts

Valley of the Moon LBV 2007, $30 (for 500ml)
Unlike the four Ports we've already discussed, Valley of the Moon is made in California. So this selection is more accurately a Port-style wine but it is still worth trying.

Tasting Notes:
With a dusty, slightly vegetal and yet sweet nose, this is very much in the classic Port model, featuring an underlay of earthy black currant and tobacco aromas. One is immediately struck by how smooth this is. The tannins slowly work their way out, but this is one velvety wine right off the bat. The fruit is a bit candied with mint, chamomile and peppermint patty nuances on the palate. The finish is a bit short with a nice if subtle return of peppery blackberry and plum skin flavors. 87pts

Want To Learn More?
Interested in learning how to pair wines from Portugal? Check out this fantastic pairing guide from Eric Guido!

And visit Snooth.com to get more wine news and reviews from Gregory Dal Piaz or add him to your Google+ Circles.

You may also like:
Basics of Holiday Wine Pairing
8 Affordable Wine Gifts for Wine Lovers
7 Dessert Wines for the Holidays

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