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The 23 Most Expensive Watches Ever Sold At Auction

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sotheby's watchThe collectible market is booming, with art, cars, and jewelry all breaking records in recent months.

Watches are no different. Google, Apple, and Samsung may all be rushing to make smart watches, but the classic chronograph continues to sell.

Since May 2012, Christie's and Sotheby's  the major players in the watch auction market  have sold six watches for more than $2 million apiece. 

These are the most expensive watches ever sold at auction, as of May 2013*.

An earlier version of this feature was incomplete; it's since been updated.

#23 In November 2009, Antiquorum sold a pocket watch that belonged to Gandhi, along with other objects that belonged to him, for $2.096 million.



#22 An 18-karat yellow gold chronograph by George Daniels sold for $2.1 million at a Sotheby's auction in London in November 2012.



#21 A 1944 stainless steel, water-resistant perpetual calendar Patek Philippe wristwatch sold for $2.26 million to a private Swiss museum at Christie's in November 2007.

Source: Bloomberg



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The 10 Best Travel Sites On Tumblr

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The Looking Glass Tumblr

Reports this weekend from AllThingsD point to Tumblr being acquired by Yahoo for nearly $1.1 billion. Although popular, unlike Pinterest or Twitter it has yet to become a necessary part of any brand’s content strategy.

But that doesn’t mean people aren’t doing interesting things on the platform.

We looked at sites that are adding something new to the web or, if they’re curating something else they found, at least adding their own distinctive twist. It’s often used by bloggers looking for a fast way to share a distinctive, expert voice or brands looking to experiment under the radar. We’ve collected ten that tumbl travel well.

Tasmania Behind the Scenery

Tourism Tasmania uses its own photos and those of others from Tumblr and sources like Instagram to remind people why Tasmania's natural beauty is so impressive.

Click here to visit the Tumblr >



Reid on Travel

Ex-Lonely Planet U.S. editor Robert Reid shares his thoughts and videos, the latter being the most clever travel videos online.    

Click here to visit the Tumblr >



The Looking Glass

A Disney-run blog that curates photography by shooters invited to Disney parks.  

Click here to visit the Tumblr >



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There's A Mysterious Smell Emanating From The Barclays Center

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Barclays Center

PROSPECT HEIGHTS — The air at the Barclays Center buzzed with anticipation recently as the Brooklyn Nets headed into a playoff game against the Chicago Bulls.

The pumped-up crowd hurried into the arena, pausing just long enough to get wanded by security guards before taking their seats.

The announcer's voice boomed a welcome and the stands roared as fireworks marked the start of the 8 p.m. game.

But excitement over a potential championship wasn't the only sensation filling the air.

As the last few fans rushed through the arena's front doors, the brisk breeze that followed them gave way to a distinct aroma: a fresh-smelling fragrance with citrus notes that some call the arena's "signature scent," in the words of one Twitter observer.

What is the smell? A source familiar with the matter said it's the work of ScentAir, a company that manufactures custom fragrances pumped into the air at theme parks, stores and hotels around the world. The odors function like mood music for your nose. They're meant to enhance the consumer experience and build brand identities.

That cocoa-drenched cloud you inhale when you walk into the Times Square Hershey's store isn't candy — it's ScentAir.

In recent years the company's olfactory empire has expanded to include sports venues such as the Dallas Cowboys' and Atlanta Hawks' stadiums. At the St. Louis Rams' stadium the air is redolent with a "cotton candy" fragrance that's meant to "create a positive first impression for fans," a team spokesman told ESPN.com.

A ScentAir representative said he couldn't discuss what his firm does or doesn't do for the Barclays Center, and referred questions to a Barclays Center spokesman. Arena officials declined to comment.

But plenty of others have weighed in on the new arena's bouquet.

"Barclays Center an impressive venue but whole place smells like a Calvin Klein store. Exclusive olfactory sponsor of the Nets?" tweeted one visitor.

Calvin Klein, which does sponsor an exclusive lounge at the arena, did not reply to an inquiry about whether its famed fragrances play a role in the arena's nostril manipulations.

One visitor griped on Twitter, "If you dislike the intense smell of aroma therapy you might want to skip every hallway in this place! It's pumped into the ventilation or something. Too much!"

Members of the Prospect Nights meet-up group spent a recent evening puzzling over why the Barclays Center "smells like perfume," according to one member. Members weren't complaining about the scent, but it definitely tickled their curiosity.

"It became a topic of conversation and something they wanted to get to the bottom of," said the local resident, who didn't want his name used. "You have this stadium and it's big and metallic and industrial looking, and you have this smell of perfume coming out of it, so it was kind of amusing."

A member of the group tweeted a question about the smell to the Nets' official Twitter account, but got no response.

One fan at a recent game described the odor as "clean-smelling," while another said he assumed the scent was Jay-Z's Rocawear cologne. (The hip-hop mogul was until recently a part owner of the arena.)

One woman who attended a playoff game compared the odor to Axe body spray. "It was a weird, musky, cologne-y smell," she told DNAinfo New York.

"I don't really know if I liked it or didn't like it, it just seemed odd. I guess it’s nicer than smelling fried food."

To her, the aroma seemed to indicate that the Barclays Center "was spending a lot of money to make [visiting the arena] special."

At some sports arenas, fragrances are used near luxury boxes to enrich the experience of ticket holders paying top dollar, said ScentAir spokesman Ed Burke. The company also works with high-end clothing brands who want to provide a special shopping experience at their retail outlets. Scent is a way to "convey that message of quality...but also to make [customers] feel comfortable and stay there longer," Burke said.

For sports writer Josh Newman, the nose-tickling emanations at the Barclays Center are a workplace amenity.

Newman, who's covered 25 or 30 Nets games at the arena for SNYNets.com, said he noticed the smell as soon as he sat down at his first game. At first, he thought it was someone sitting near him. After his third or fourth visit, he realized the scent was a permanent part of the smellscape.

Newman describes the aroma as similar to high-end men's cologne.

"It's kind of pleasant," Newman said. "It just makes the atmosphere more enjoyable. You don't have to smell the food or anything else."

To him, the fragrance fits in with the larger-than-life style of the Nets' ultra-wealthy owner Mikhail Prokhorov and the $1 billion arena.

"The owner of the Nets is a Russian billionaire oligarch and it became very clear early on that they were going to spare no expense," Newman said.

"It's a brand-new building. They've spent over a billion dollars. [The scent] kind of goes along with the whole over-the-top nature of the building."

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The World's Most Expensive Bottle Of Cognac Is Going Up For Sale In NYC

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croizet cognac leonie 1858

A high-end wine and liquor store in New York City has the only bottle in the United States of the most expensive Cognac in the world.

Croizet Cognac Leonie 1858 is currently on display at Financial District Wine and Liquor and can be purchased for the mere price of $156,760.

The bottle, which has been carefully preserved by the Croizet (pronounced KWA-ZAY) family for more than 150 years, was sold at auction in Shanghai, China, for 1 million yuan (approx. $156,760) and is recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the most expensive cognac sold at auction.

“What makes this bottle so special is that, unlike other popular cognacs which are blends, every drop of cognac in this bottle is from 1858. It’s not a blend; it doesn’t have linings of gold on it. It’s just an old bottle that you can’t get anywhere else,” FiDi Wine and Liquor owner Lee Tachman said.

Tachman goes on to suggests that the bottle is also pre-phylloxera -- a term which refers to the period before the Great French Wine Blight that occurred when a large group of tiny yellow insects destroyed a large number of grapevines by killing their roots.

The insects were introduced to Europe around 1860, almost two years after Croizet Cognac Leonie had been locked away in the Croizet family “paradis.”

Cognac Croizet Americas president Gennady Agrest confirmed in an email that FiDi Wine and Liquor will have the first bottle of Croizet Leonie 1858 in the US for sale, although it is not for sale right now, as it is pending clearance by the TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) and the New York State Liquor Authority.

Once someone shells out the astronomical fee that's required to own the extremely rare bottle of cognac, one question comes to mind: Will they open it?

“I don’t know, it’s really 50/50,” Tachman said. “People think that whoever buys it, it’s not going to matter if they open it up. It’s probably be something they keep in their house. But then there are people who say, ‘Why would you open it if you know you can’t get any more of it?’ So I don’t know. I don’t know what the buyer is going to do.”

Agrest expects Croizet Cognac Leonie 1858 to be available for purchase at FiDi Wine and Liquor in mid-July.

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Restaurant Critic Reveals The Best Thing He's Ever Eaten

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As a restaurant critic there's one question – other than "how do you live with yourself?" – that I'm asked more regularly than any other. It's this: what's the best meal you've ever eaten? If only all questions were so easy.

Boiled CrabIt has to be the 42 courses I was served at the now closed El Bulli, Ferran Adrià's famed modernist temple by the sea, two hours north of Barcelona: the spherified gel olive that burst with pure essence of olive, the gnocchi made from jellified egg yolk, the ham consommé bobbing with cubes of melon and the rest. Of course, it was irritating that the best things, being so small, had gone before they'd barely started. And a few dishes felt like repeated riffs which quickly became tiresome. But even so, it was still the very best meal I've eaten. Ever.

Except for the whole suckling pig at Fergus Henderson's St John. That was brilliant. Undoubtedly the best. It had been baked in the bread oven for eight hours until the skin was the colour of the caramel on a crème brûlée and just as crisp. That, with a bitter-sharp watercress salad. Just me and 15 of my greediest mates. Perfect.

Although when I say 15 of my greediest mates, I didn't actually like all of them. I mean, how could I? Nobody can like 15 people can they? Most days I struggle to like myself.

So in truth the best meal I've ever eaten was the freshly boiled crab at the Company Shed on West Mersea. That, a loaf of crusty bread and a pot of Hellmann's mayonnaise. With one friend. Perfect. The best meal I have ever eaten. End of. Well I say end of. The crab thing demanded an awful lot of work and I am quite lazy.

So here it is, my number one best meal, the one that could not be bettered: a two-inch thick ribeye steak, crisp, rustling homemade chips, a good bottle of Bordeaux eaten alone with my wife one New Year's Eve.

If I sound confused, it's because I am. Not that I'm meant to be. I'm meant to be belly deep in clarity and superlatives, capable of scoring one thing over the other.

After all we live in the age of the rating, when everything can be marked out of five stars, or 10 stars or 100; when no restaurant experience is regarded as worth considering unless it can be shifted into a position on a list. Napkin-sniffing food bloggers photograph every dish that passes, like butterfly collectors pinning their collection to a board, and killing it just as effectively. This one is better than that one; that one goes to the bottom of the class.

The reality is far more banal. All the food experiences I have described are the best. Each of them had their moment and their sense signature: the warm breezes of a Catalan evening at El Bulli, the abattoir chic of St John, the salt tang on the air at the Company Shed. And, of course, there are the people. I remember each meal not just because of how it tasted but also because of who was there.

That's the great thing about eating well: you can keep doing it, and keep finding new and lovely ways in which to do it. For example right now I'm going to make a sandwich from treacle-cured bacon: crisp sweet-salty fat, soft white bread, a smear of Korean chilli sauce.

I promise you: it will be the best thing I've ever eaten. Until, that is, the next best thing.

This article originally appeared on guardian.co.uk

SEE ALSO: The 45 Best Restaurants In America >

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PHOTOS: Brooklyn's Giant Food And Music Festival Was A Blast Until It Got Cancelled

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the main stage at the great googamooga 2013 prospect park brooklyn

It was supposed to be a weekend filled with eating, drinking, and music in Brooklyn's Prospect Park.

But rain put a damper on The Great GoogaMooga, the outdoor food and music festival billed as an "Amusement park of food and drink." 

The festival, now in its second year, got off to a very strong start Friday night, with beautiful weather, short lines for food, and some awesome music. Everything was set for a strong comeback after last year's mixed reviews

Saturday started off nice but quickly descended into gray skies and intermittent showers. And Sunday the weather was so unpleasant that concert organizers, in agreement with the New York City Parks Department and the Prospect Park Alliance, decided to cancel the day altogether.

We don't know what this bodes for next year, but here are some highlights from Friday night at the Great GoogaMooga in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.

The entry lines moved smoothly at the Great GoogaMooga on Friday.



The main stage looked impressive and there lots of people enjoying the scene. Volunteers from Clean Vibes helping keep the place looking good.



There were plenty of food options and more vendors and vendor locations than last year. Lines were short, and moved quickly.



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Dubai's Most Luxurious Hotel Is Giving Guests 24-Carat Gold iPads

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Burj Al Arab Gold iPads

Dubai's Burj Al Arab hotel, arguably the world's most luxurious hotel, just unveiled its newest luxury amenity: 24-carat gold iPads.

When guests check in, they'll be given their own gold iPads, which will serve as a "virtual concierge" that offers information on everything from the hotel's restaurant menus and spa treatments to housekeeping and butler services.

The gold iPads were custom created for the hotel by British brand Gold & Co. 

The hotel already has an iMac in each of its 202 rooms, in addition to other luxury amenities, like walk-in showers and Jacuzzis, large plasma TVs, and private butler service.

This isn't the first time the hotel has introduced iPads in its rooms: In October 2012, the hotel showed off a 24-carat rose gold iPad in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which was engraved with a pink ribbon and the hotel's logo.

Guests will be given the iPads just during the course of their stay at the hotel. If they want to take the luxury gadgets home with them, they'll have to buy it from the hotel's boutique.

The gold iPads may seem like an absurd and unnecessary extravagance, but when you're paying $1,500 per night (the starting rate for a double room), you expect the ultimate in luxury—and Burj Al Arab delivers.

SEE ALSO: The 25 Best Hotels In Asia >

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Aston Martin Had A 100-Car Parade On The World's Scariest Racetrack

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Aston Martin is celebrating its 100th birthday this year, and it took the opportunity to show off its racing chops Sunday at the Nurburgring 24 Hours, a day-long race around the world's scariest track.

Before the race began, Aston Martin revealed its sweet speedster concept car, the CC100, which both reflects on past designs and hints at the future of the luxury brand.

The CC100, driven by Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez, led a parade of more than 100 Aston Martins around the 13.6-mile track (which is for sale, by the way).

Other noteworthy rides included the DB5 used in the James Bond film "Skyfall," a super-rare One77, and a DBR-1 with Sir Stirling Moss at the wheel, who drove the car to victory in the 1959 Nurburgring 24 Hours.

Aston Martin also contended in the race itself. Its 007 V12 Vantage GT3 led for much of the 24 hours, but ultimately lost out to Mercedes.

Here are images from the pre-race parade:

aston martin centenery rally nurburgring


aston martin centenery rally nurburgring

And the GT3 during the race:

aston martin v12 vantage 24 hours nurburgring race

SEE ALSO: Unbelievable Photos From Lamborghini's Birthday Tour Of Italy

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Chinese Company Says Construction On World's Tallest Building Will Begin Next Month

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Construction on what may just be the world's next tallest building is (finally) due to begin, Lloyd Alter of Treehugger reports.

Broad Sustainable Construction told Atler that the construction of Sky City would begin in June, after a lengthy delay due to a "long and arduous approval process".

When complete, Sky City should be the tallest building in the world at 838 meters — 10 meters higher than the Burj Khalifa.

The building, being built in an empty field near the city of Changsha, is being billed as the future of sustainable urbanization, a city-in-a-skyscraper that will eventually house 30,000 people.

This promotional video gives you a sense of what BSC is aiming for:

It's pretty awe-inspiring, but we haven't even got to the perhaps the most audacious part yet. When BSC announced the building, they said that they would complete the building in just 90-days.

While they now appear to have pushed that timeframe up to seven months, that's still not much time at all — for example, the Burj took five years to build.

The company also says that the cost of the construction will be $628 million; in comparison the Burj cost an estimated $1.5 billion.

Is that even possible? Last year Christian Sottile, the Dean of the School of Building Arts at the Savannah College of Art and Design, told Business Insider that though the concept might work, "if you look at the outcome of this endeavor urbanistically, it is at best a folly, and at worst, madness."

BSC has a history of fast constructions, however. The group was behind a three-story building that went up in nine days and a 30-story hotel constructed in just 15 days.

Check out time lapse video of the 30-story hotel being built below:

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The Men's Makeup Industry Is Booming

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man looking in the mirror

Move over mantyhose— men's makeup is the next big gender-bending business.

Though it's dwarfed by what the female beauty industry rakes in annually, men's skin-care products are trumping expected sales, according to Alessandra Codinha in The Daily Beast.

She reports that American consumers spent over $5 billion on men's grooming products in 2012, more than twice what they spent in 1997.

Men aren't just buying shower gels and shaving cream, either. Men's makeup is also on the rise.

We can thank savvy marketers, in part. Advertisements rarely describe men's cosmetics the same way they do women's: Eyebrow pencils are "brow and beard correctors." Foundation is now a "sculpting face stick" or "urban camouflage." And concealer — one of the most popular products — is a "confidence corrector."

Men's cosmetic companies such as 4Voo, Menaji, and Kenmen strive to make products and packaging seem as far from the female beauty industry as possible, writes Codinha.

Even big brands like Sephora and Clinique are cashing in on men's desire for "manly" concealer and lip balm. The goal is stealth makeup that makes men look more handsome, not more feminine.

“The world has come to a different place now when it comes to men taking care of themselves," MAC makeup artist John Stapleton says in a men’s cosmetics instructional video. "I think men spend more time looking in the mirror than women do. Why should the girl get all the attention?"

SEE ALSO: Meet The YouTube Makeup Artist Who Can Transform Into Anyone

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13 Things You Never Knew About Walt Disney World

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Mainstreet USA walt disney world orlando

It's a well-known fact that Walt Disney World is the most magical place on earth.

From the Magic Kingdom to Epcot, the Orlando, Fla. theme park was planned in exquisite detail by both Walt Disney and his creative designers — "The Imagineers."

But even frequent visitors to the park don't know many of its secrets.

Author Susan Veness reveals some of that hidden magic in her book The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World. The book is chock full of fascinating facts from behind the scenes at the park. She shared some of her insider scoops with us.

Walt Disney called his plan to purchase property around Orlando "Project X." He bought the land using dummy companies that were chaired by a "Mr. M Mouse".

Source: The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World



There's a lot more to Disney World than meets the eye: The park is built above a nine-acre network of tunnels called "utilidors," which Cast Members use to get around.

The underground network also houses locker rooms, kitchens, break rooms, and the central trash collection system. YouTube user DarkSideDisney took hidden video so you can see what the tunnels look like on inside.

Source: The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World



Thanks to an Imagineers' trick called "forced perspective," Cinderella Castle is actually much smaller than it looks. The bricks and castle windows are smaller at the top, and the Main Street buildings are angled to make the castle seem further away.

Source: The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World




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Each 'Game Of Thrones' House Reimagined As A Global Corporation

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Daenerys Targaryen dragon game of thrones

Within the fantasy-context of "Game of Thrones," the show's different houses are easily identified by their penchant for dragons, piracy, or maiming capabilities.

But what if they existed in our modern corporate culture? While characters have been paired with NBA Playoff star doppelgangers and matched by OKCupid's compatibility algorithm, Shutterstock had another way to reimagine the houses.

Rather than prepping for battle on the field, Shutterstock wondered what it would be like if the houses were preparing for battle in the boardroom.

The photo sharing platform recreated the "Game of Throne" houses as modern corporations using its stock photos.

As Joe Berkowitz at Fast Company points out, "It’s not that big a leap to see an analog in the rancorous ongoing battle between, say, Apple and Samsung."

You know "Game of Thrones" ...



Welcome to Shutterstock's "Game of Brands."



Daenerys Targaryen has made a name for herself as the mother to dragons.



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How An Addiction To Beauty Nearly Destroyed My Life

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Lisa hickey“Here we go again,” I think, as I impatiently wait for the hair straighter to warm up.

I’ve washed my hair, deep conditioned it, shaved my legs, tweezed my eyebrows.

I’ve blown dry my hair, but it’s still a wreck. It’s always a wreck. It’s thin, so thin that when I put it into a ponytail, a pencil is thicker. I plaster down the worst of the flyaways with a hair product that promises something it can’t deliver.

What I really want to be doing — instead of going through that same-same ritual — is learning to write code. Studying analytics. Talking with someone halfway ‘round the world about real oppression. Not the kind of oppression that I feel because of my addiction to beauty.

♦◊♦

Sometimes I’ll look in the mirror, and I’ll catch the light just right. The sun will be setting, the image in the mirror gets dim, the wrinkles and age spots and flyaway hairs meld into the twilight. The angle of my chin clicks into place. And at those times I’ll look in the mirror and say to myself: “Oh, I’m not as hideous as I thought.”

There is nothing about that statement that is good, or healthy, or intelligent, or perhaps even logical. But it is 100% honest. And every day, that’s as good as it gets.

♦◊♦

It’s weird, this thing called beauty. I used to be beautiful twice in my life. You just know. There’s simply a different look in people’s eyes. They actually look at you. They actually see you.

I was 22, and out on a date and I overheard a stranger talking to the guy I was dating. “Man, you don’t see that she’s the most beautiful girl in this place?”  My boyfriend shook his head. “If you don’t, you’re crazy…here…” said the guy, giving my boyfriend his number. “Call me if you break up with her.”

 ♦◊♦

Anti-aging skin care products are reported to be a $3.5 billion dollar industry. Products are designed to “remove 33% of fine lines and wrinkles.” But do you know what I look like with 33% less fine lines and wrinkles? I look like plain old ordinary almost-hideous me, just with 33% less fine lines and wrinkles. Except I’m standing there holding a $70 container of face cream that could have been a night out, or a textbook, or partial payment on a new laptop. It’s pretty laughable. And yet, I still walk into CVS and longingly stalk the skincare aisle, picking up containers. “Maybe this will be the one.”

 ♦◊♦

I remember reading a book called “The Condition.” One of the main characters has Turners Syndrome, which causes her not to develop into puberty; to remain as small as a middle-schooler. And this woman feels marginalized most of her life, keeps to herself, doesn’t have relationships. Until she travels to a Caribbean island and a man there falls in love with her. And I remember this next sentence perfectly: “He kept saying to her, over and over, 'I love that you’re so small,' until gradually she learned to love that about herself, too.” But who says, “I love that you’re so ugly?” Or, “I love that you’re so old?” Of course I believe that love exists for the old and the ugly — as long as they were young and beautiful when you first met them.

 ♦◊♦

A commenter on my last my post “Beauty, Obsession, Men, Women” said, “At 80 years old, everyone is marginalized,” in response to what I’ve found, in talking to other women and hearing them say that they don’t want to grow old because they are afraid they will lose their beauty and become marginalized. But…if people are marginalized at 80, isn’t that because of their LOOKS? Are you telling me that if an 80-year-old looked like a really hot 40-year-old that people wouldn’t pay attention to her?

 ♦◊♦

At 42 years old, after four kids and a train-wreck of a self-image, I became obsessed with beauty again. It started like it always does; I went running. And running — I have to run a lot, five to 10 miles a day — but running does it for me. Eventually my body started to look great. And then, even better, I added to my workout pilates, yoga, strength-training, and ballet. And more running. I got leaner and longer and stretched. My posture was perfect. My shoulders thrown back; emerging shoulder blades. I could feel my hipbones again. And then the facials, chemical peels, microdermabrasion’s, Botox. I was in some salon or another every week. Manicures. Pedicures. Hair colored on Boston’s ritzy Newbury Street, “chocolate and caramel swirl for your hair so you look delicious,” the stylist would laugh. New clothing. The perfect bra. A funky pair of shoes. Just the right earrings. A silk dress.

You don’t set out to spend money that should be going to your kids' schooling, but instead is going to your beauty regime — at least I certainly didn’t. But a treatment of Botox is a tuition payment. A month's worth of yoga classes is a textbook. A mani-pedi is an hour of tutoring. Not to mention the time not being with my kids. I’d get nervous if I couldn’t fit the three hours of exercise in. If a yoga class was at suppertime, yoga it was.

It was totally and completely and utterly selfish, of course. Addictions are always selfish. You justify them any way you can — “It’s important to have ‘me’ time,” “I work so hard, I deserve to relax,” “I need to look good to get ahead in work. I’ll earn more for my family.” “I’m healthier when I’m in shape. More relaxed. More confident. I’m a better person.” But an addiction is an addiction is an addiction, and you start feeding that addiction at the expense of connecting with the people you love.

 ♦◊♦

One day a few months after my new regimen, I dashed straight from work to pick up my daughter from a birthday party. Parents that I had known for years didn’t recognize me. One eight-year-old eating ice cream said solemnly “Mrs. Hickey, did they turn you into a movie star?”

♦◊♦

 

Most of my life I’ve been afraid of men. Part of that fear was — and still is, quite frankly — I’m afraid I’m not beautiful enough. I like to think I’m intelligent, and funny, and kind, and that those qualities will be enough for any interaction.

But intelligence doesn’t walk in the door the same way beauty does.

 ♦◊♦

A few months later, I’m at a Boston Advertising Awards Show. The Hatch Awards, packed to the gills with people dressed to the nines and I know almost everyone. And five minutes after I walk in I hear a loud booming voice from across the room. “OMG, who’s the babe?”

I instinctively turn around to see who he was talking about. Then I realized I was “the babe.”

It happened all night. The variation on the theme was, “Who’s the baaaaaaaaaaabe?” Men who usually took care to conduct themselves with the utmost of professionalism seemed delirious. An old boss said, “I always wished you had looked this way back when we worked together. You know, for the clients.” One guy I had worked with for months, years earlier, turned around and dropped his drink on his shoe when he saw me. He didn’t lose a beat as he hugged me and whispered in my ear, “You look fucking gorgeous.”

You know what I hated most? I hated that I loved it. I hated that I couldn’t wait to see the look in guys’ eyes as they actually looked at me, as if they saw me for the first time. I couldn’t stand the way that for each of the previous 10 years, I had gone to that same awards show — and in all the other years I remembered the joy of hearing my name announced and getting an award, or being asked to interview for the perfect job, or making a hushed deal in the marble hallways of the Opera House. And I hated myself because this time, I didn’t want to hear any of those things. All I wanted to hear was “who’s the babe?” I hated that every accomplishment I had ever earned was replaced by the desire to hear guys tell me that I was once again beautiful.

 ♦◊♦

Gradually, of course, as what happens with all addictions, my life became unmanageable. My kids started begging me to go for cheaper haircuts, so I could afford clothes for them. They’d want to spend time with me when I wanted to go for longer and longer runs. A pre-teen daughter stormed out of Staples when a guy started flirting with me — while we were buying her school supplies. (The only thing worse than a not-hot mom is a hot one.) I’d sneak off from work to go to a “client meeting,” but I’d really be going to a yoga class. Walking back in the office two hours later and trying to hide the yoga mat didn’t exactly inspire confidence in my managerial capabilities. I’d get caught with thousands of dollars worth of bills for beauty services the way some people get caught with bills for phone sex.

 ♦◊♦

And so, reluctantly, I gave up my addiction. But there are still some signs I’m not fully cured. There’s my daily battle with the mirror and the hair straightener. And I’ve joined the ranks of Jezebel readers, who are horrified of the constant photoshopping of pictures of women in the media, like this “Photoshop Shop of Horrors.”

I hope Jezebel makes a dent in things. But until then, what do I do in response to my horror? I Photoshop pictures of myself before they go out in public.

♦◊♦

On The Good Men Project Facebook page, one of our fans once wrote: “What is wrong with men liking women who are beautiful? Why can’t we just like what we like? Why must you make us feel guilty?”

Lisa hickeyThe truth is, nothing is wrong with it. You can absolutely like whom you like. I am not trying to make anyone feel guilty. You own your own feelings, not me. And I am certainly not blaming you for my own screwed-up insecurities.

I am telling you my side of the story so you understand this — I am not a good a person when I am beautiful. I don’t want it to be so important — but I think it’s important to you, as guys, so it’s important to me. And this is my story, not every woman’s and I’m sure there are plenty of beautiful women who are not like me either. But when I’m beautiful — or close to beautiful — it’s all I think about. When I’m beautiful and I’m with you, I’m wondering if the guy across the room thinks I’m beautiful. I think beauty is going to connect us; but I’m not connecting with you, I’m connecting with a beautiful image of myself that I think you might like. It sucks. It sucks for both of us.

And my addiction to beauty hurts men because I don’t give you credit for being the guys you are — someone who likes the incredible complexity of women for who they are.

♦◊♦

Giving up my addiction meant giving up being beautiful. Some people here will tell me I am “fishing for compliments” by writing this. That’s what I am usually told when I talk about beauty.

♦◊♦

Even as I was writing this — even as I was remembering the guy who dropped the glass on his foot — I had a physical reaction. It was similar to a fight or flight response — I could either put these fighting words about beauty on a page, or I could go for a run. I was typing as I slid my feet into my sneakers. I was still thinking through sentences, and found I couldn’t get my headphones into my iPhone quick enough. It took an excruciatingly long time to untangle them. I had to run. I had to run through a beautiful day, and then later, at one in the morning, run again, run at a cost to a leg that doesn’t work anymore, run as hard and as fast as I could — chasing a beauty I know I can never catch up to.

♦◊♦

I want beauty not to matter.

♦◊♦

This post originally appeared at The Good Men Project.

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The Famous Mustang From 'Gone In 60 Seconds' Has Sold For $1 Million

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Eleanor MustangA 1967 Ford Mustang used during filming of 2000’s hit movie "Gone in 60 Seconds" has sold at auction for a staggering $1 million.

This was no ordinary Mustang, however, as the car in question was none other than the famous ‘Eleanor’ Mustang driven by actor Nicholas Cage in the movie’s closing stages.

Eleven of the fictional Eleanor Mustangs were created for the movie, although only three of these were working cars, and two of these were destroyed during filming. This one was Cage’s primary ‘beauty’ car, used mostly for close ups as well as promotional efforts.

The car was sold during the Dana Mecum 26th Original Spring Classic Auction in Indianapolis last week.

No details about the auction’s winner have been announced, though the price paid is not at all unexpected given the car’s fame as well as its pedigree.

Though not an original Shelby, the Eleanor Mustangs was based on a 1967 Mustang fastback and was built by Cinema Vehicle Services with the help of legendary coachbuilder Chip Foose. Key features of the car are its central-mounted driving lights, pumped fender flares, and unique hood and trunk. Power comes from a 351 Ford V-8 crate engine, rated at 400 horsepower.

Other specs include a four-speed manual transmission, lowered suspension with coilovers, 17-inch wheels shod with Goodyear F1 tires and a faux nitrous kit.

Included in the sale was certification of the vehicle’s authenticity from the company responsible for building it as well as a special plaque that includes the VIN.

Note, this is the second time in five years that this particular Eleanor Mustang has come up for sale. If you happened to miss out on the latest auction, you still can own an Eleanor Mustang since the good people at Classic Recreations will happily build you one using a 1967 Mustang restoration shell.

SEE ALSO: Unbelievable Photos From Lamborghini's Birthday Tour Of Italy

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ENDING SOON: Enter To Win A Kindle Fire From Business Insider

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We're giving you a chance to win a Kindle Fire HD.  Become a newsletter subscriber now to enter.  If you're the lucky winner you will have a host of features at your fingertips.  

Entry deadline is May 31.

As a newsletter subscriber, you'll get daily updates and alerts on topics that matter most to you. You must subscribe to at least one newsletter to be eligible, so if you haven't already, be sure to choose one or more before submitting your entry.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER >

On or after May 31, 2013, we'll announce the lucky winner.

You must be a legal resident of the U.S. and a newsletter subscriber to win.

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Wealthy Parents Are Spending A Crazy Amount Of Money On Their Kids' Summer Camp Clothes

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summer camp kidsInstead of Gap T-shirts and old jean shorts, New York's elite parents are turning to personal shoppers and designer duds for their child's summer camp wardrobe, according to Crain's New York.

"Camp is a tremendous business for us," Barry Cohen, a partner in popular tween store Lester's, told Crain's. "There is a real style to camp now. It's a competitive world, and you've got to keep up with your friends."

Lester's started selling camp merchandise eight years ago, and told Crain's they now employ 15 buyers who focus on products for summer camp. Some of the products include C&C California tees and True Religion jeans, which can cost over $100 for a pair of pants.

The price of all this monogrammed designer gear means parents could be blowing as much as  $2,500 to outfit their kids just for the summer, Crain's reports.

Sleepaway summer camps have substantially grown in status and popularity in recent years. It's not uncommon for elite summer retreats to cost parents more than $10,000 and offer activities like fencing, climbing walls, and zip lines.

Sources also told Crain's that some families are even paying "camp advisers" to help them decide which camp is the best fit for their child. The camp advisers help families set up visits and research the different camps, and can charge up to 20% of the camp's tuition for their services.

SEE ALSO: Send Your Kid To One Of These 18 Absurdly Expensive Summer Camps

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I've Never Seen A Better View Of New York City Than From A Boat In Its Harbor

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atlantic cup sailing nyc harbor

Last week, I was invited to take part in the Atlantic Cup Pro-Am, a brief race around New York City that's part of a larger sailing race up the East Coast.

Racing through the harbor on 40-foot boats was exciting in its own right, but just as exhilarating were the views from the water.

I live in Brooklyn and work in Manhattan, so it's easy to forget how beautiful New York can be. It turns out that the best views of the city can be had from the water.

On my trip around the harbor, I got to see lower Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, four different bridges, the Empire State Building, and more. Even New Jersey looked good.

The boats were anchored in the North Cove Marina, part of Battery Park City.



For those unfamiliar with New York City, Battery Park City is built on landfill on Manhattan's west side.



The marina is used by the Manhattan Yacht Club and the North Cove Sailing School.



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Women's Handbags Are Home To More Bacteria Than A Toilet, Study Finds

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Coach handbag

A study from UK-based hygiene services provider Initial reveals that about 20 percent of women's handbags are home to more bacteria than the average toilet.

After swabbing 100 surfaces and items from 25 handbags, researchers found that the dirtiest parts of a woman's purse were the bag linings, makeup, and hand or face cream, which alone had more bacteria than the average toilet seat.

They didn't say if their tests looked for bacteria were disease-causing or if they were innocuous, normal bacteria that we are covered with every day.

Spongy leather bags also provided ideal conditions for bacteria growth and germs, and one in five handbag handles have enough bacteria to pose a risk to human health.

“Handbags come into regular contact with our hands and a variety of surfaces, so the risk of transferring different germs onto them is very high," explained Peter Baratt, the Technical Manager at Initial Hygiene. "Especially as bags are rarely cleaned."

The researchers suggested regular hand sanitation as well as thoroughly cleaning bags with antibacterial wipes or gels to prevent cross-contamination.

DON'T MISS: 12 Fashion Models Who Fell On The Catwalk

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How To Avoid Common Money Disasters When You're Traveling Abroad

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paris eiffel tower tourist travel

During a recent trip to Paris, one of my companions said he needed to find a bank to change money.

No, you don’t, I said. Changing money is so last century — like travelers’ checks and bank drafts.

Use an ATM, I advised. It’s the easiest way to get a good exchange rate without getting whacked with a big fee.

He declined, saying he was afraid of identity theft. Understandable — but there are ways to minimize exposure. I use a no-fee debit card linked to a separate checking account in which I keep only enough to cover my trip plus some online bill payments.

And I only use the ATMs at branches of well-known foreign banks; in Paris that was BNP Paribas. Just as I do at home, I avoid the freestanding machines in cafes or convenience stores; they’re likely to charge a big fee and are probably easier to tamper with.

Whenever I use an ATM in a foreign country, I’m hyper-vigilant, even a little paranoid. I’ll ask a companion to stand guard, and when I’m alone, I cover the keypad with my hand. If something doesn’t seem quite right about the ATM, or if I see anyone loitering nearby, I’ll pass it by and find another bank. Thieves do target tourists, and I never want to make the assumption that I don’t look like a tourist.

I don’t carry a large amount of cash, knowing I can charge most of my major purchases — hotel, restaurants, expensive souvenirs — as Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted. For charging purchases, I sometimes use a Capital One Venture card, which doesn’t impose fees for international use.

A partial list of no-fee cards includes the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, as well as a number of other Chase cards; American Express Platinum; some Bank of America cards; and Discover, which is accepted in Japan by stores displaying the JCB logo and in China through China Union Pay.

Some cards issued by credit unions either charge low fees (as little as 1%) or no fees at all.

Inquire about the fees your credit card company may assess before you leave home. If you don’t, you may be hit with a big bill — usually a 3% (minimum) cash advance fee, plus ATM fees. And the money you withdraw will be subject to the company’s highest interest rates, up to 20%, beginning the day you withdraw the money (no grace period) — and until you pay off your entire balance.

Also, be sure to inform your credit card company of your travel plans. If you don’t, your card may be declined. Fraud has become such a worldwide problem that companies are on the alert.

And if, for some reason, you do plan to change some cash on arrival, try to avoid the Travelex currency exchange desks in airports. On a day when the exchange rate was €75.95 for $100, Travelex was offering me only €68.81.

Know Before You Go

Track current exchange rates with converters on sites like Yahoo!Finance, exchangerate.com, and xe.com, to name just a couple. Xe.com is one of several companies offering a free smartphone app currency converter.

Since the introduction of the Euro, life has become easier for travelers to most European countries — no more change purses full of coins for every country visited. Euros are also widely accepted in some countries that have their own currencies, such as Switzerland and Turkey.

In hopeful anticipation of my next trip, I get extra cash whenever the exchange rate is favorable, as it has been recently.

Of course, on many trips you’ll never have to change money at all. In Jamaica, American dollars are more than welcome, even by small vendors at craft fairs.

This holds true for most Caribbean islands and many countries throughout Latin America, such as: Panama, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos, the British Virgin Islands, and members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines).

In fact, armed with American dollars and a fistful of Euros for St. Barths, my mother and I managed a two-week cruise of the Caribbean without even seeing foreign currency.

Several countries around the world have turned to the dollar to stabilize their troubled economies. In Cambodia, the dollar is more welcome than the local riel. Zimbabwe began using the dollar as one of its official currencies in 2009.

Their biggest problem now is a shortage of change, so if you go to this Southern African nation, bring plenty of small bills and coins. 

SEE ALSO: I Found The Best Cheesesteak In Philly In The Last Place I Ever Expected

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Timelapse Video Shows Picasso Finishing Entire Paintings In Seconds

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Pablo Picasso created some of the most iconic art in the world.

Now we can get a glimpse of how the artist worked, thanks to an old video unearthed by Open Culture.

The two-minute timelapse video is actually the trailer to Henri-Georges Clouzot's 1956 movie The Mystery of Picasso. It shows the artist's work coming to life in mere moments, and has been declared a national treasure by the French government.

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