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What Victoria's Secret Feeds Its Supermodels Backstage

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erin heatherton

Some Victoria's Secret models have openly talked about their extreme diets leading up to the show.

Other models, like Miranda Kerr insisted they weren't dieting to prepare.

But at the taping yesterday, models had a feast to choose from backstage. 

"The hearty lunch menu consisted of tomato bisque soup, pasta, salad, roast beef with creamy horseradish sauce, stuffed chicken, ice cream, cookies and chocolate-covered strawberries," reported Karyn Monget at Women's Wear Daily.

The models don't have much time to eat before the show, though. They spend hours in hair and make-up in the time leading up to the show.

Because Adriana Lima doesn't consume liquids for 12 hours before the show, we doubt she was eating much.

But backstage at the show last year, we did see her eat a piece of chicken.

DON'T MISS: Here's What You Missed At The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show >

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See How Much House You Can Get For $600,000

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Each week we take a look at how much house you can expect to get at a specific price point. This week, we’re looking at homes priced around $600,000.

Seattle, WA

3103 E Olive St, Seattle WA
For sale: $599,999

house in seattle zillow

This Madrona neighborhood home recently had a $39,001 price cut. The 3-bed, 3-bath Seattle home was built in 1929 and has refinished hardwoods, territorial views and new Marmoleum in the kitchen.

Tucson, AZ

1855 N Camino De Oeste, Tucson AZ
For sale: $599,000

This stunning stucco home has 6 bedrooms and is located on 3 acres in Tucson. Built in 1997, the home has a spacious floor plan highlighted by a remodeled master suite and kitchen.

San Antonio, TX

4154 Fossil Fern, San Antonio TX
For sale: $600,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everything is bigger in Texas. This custom San Antonio home measures 3,375 square feet on 1.6 acres. The stone home has vaulted ceilings, a floor-to-ceiling fireplace, built-in bookcases and an outdoor pool with waterfall.

Memphis, TN

2256 Court Ave, Memphis TN
For sale: $599,900

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This classic brick colonial is in a desirable neighborhood on a tree-lined street in Memphis. The 1930 home measures 3,800 square feet with 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths and large living spaces, including formal living and dining rooms.

Erie, PA

3834 Montrose Ave, Erie PA
For sale: $599,900

This pastoral property in Erie just got a $20,000 slash in price. Sitting on a little over 2 acres, the 3,450-square-foot home has 4 bedrooms and 2 baths.

NOW READ: 6 Features Every Home Buyer Should Have On Her Wish List >

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Now You Can Turn Your Bentley Into A Corner Office On Wheels

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bentley mulsanne executive interiorbentley mulsanne executive interior

When it comes to luxury on the road, Bentley is hard to beat. Its grand tourer Mulsanne may be great to drive, but looking at the "Executive Interior," the back row is the place to be.

The option, available upon special order, turns the back of the Mulsanne into a lavish, fully equipped office.

The two iPads, high definition television, headrest screens, and WiFi connection make it the perfect place for catching up on work or watching a movie.

Bentley has not yet released the price for the Executive Interior. The 2013 Mulsanne has a base price of $325,000.

Here's the exterior of the Mulsanne.



Of course, the interior is spacious and clad in leather.



Both headrests have built-in screens, and twin iPads fold down from the front seats. Each has a wireless keyboard.



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Eton Boost Turbine For Your Smartphone

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This is the Boost Turbine 2000 from Eton, a manufacturer of solar and self-powered technology.

Why We Love It: One of the biggest concerns for those affected by Hurricane Sandy on the East Coast was the lack of power to charge their cellphones. This portable power pack has a 2000 mAH lithium-ion battery, an aluminum body, and an LED charge indicator with Micro-USB input to use with your phone charger so you can power-up on the go. The casing comes in four colors, including black, red, white, and silver.

But the best part of this device is the built-in hand turbine power generator, which lets the user recharge the battery manually. Users of the Boost Turbine 2000 can charge their phones from wherever they may be — no need to search for an outlet.

Eton Boost Turbine

 

Eton Boost Turbine

Where To Buy: Available through Eton's web store.

Cost: $60.

Want to nominate a cool product for Stuff We Love? Send an email to Megan Willett at mwillett@businessinsider.com with "Stuff We Love" in the subject line.

See Also: UCO Stormproof Matches

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How The Heck Do They Serve 5-Star Food In The Middle Of The Serengeti?

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singita grumeti

I recently had the opportunity to visit Singita Grumeti, a 340,000-acre private game reserve in northern Tanzania that's been named the "best hotel in the world" by Travel + Leisure for two years running.

From the setting to the accommodations, it was easy to see why the hotel gets rave reviews. But one of the most remarkable things about Singita Grumeti was the cuisine. It was truly five-star, from a dinner of pumpkin soup and king fish to a prosciutto and Camembert breakfast sandwich on a warm croissant.

Click here to see a typical lunch >

Singita Grumeti is hours by car from the nearest city; most guests arrive by chartered flight to a barren airstrip. But with prices over $1,000 per person per night and the promise of a luxury safari experience, it needs to deliver on food.

It's a huge challenge.

Frank Louw, a South African-trained chef, has been the executive chef at Singita Grumeti for four years. He oversees dining at the hotel's three main lodges, each of which can accommodate 18 to 34 guests, as well as its smaller lodges and the staff kitchen, which feeds 200 people daily.

For him, the toughest part of his job is getting fresh produce.

"Sometimes people expect more, but once I explain to them what we are doing at Singita, they are amazed by what we can deliver," he said.

Over the past several years, Louw has worked with Singita's community outreach team to teach local farmers in the communities surrounding the reserve to grow high quality, organic produce. These days, about 75 percent of the produce served at the resort is grown locally, including lettuce, tomatoes, and carrots.

Louw places his orders with the farmers six days in advance, and anything they don't sell to the hotel  or doesn't meet Louw's high standards  can be sold elsewhere.

Hard-to-grow produce like strawberries and raspberries are shipped in from Arusha, a small city several hours away, as are proteins like beef and chicken, and dry goods. Seafood arrives from the port of Dar es Salaam several times a week.

The other major challenge for Louw is working with a limited number of proteins. Singita Grumeti is devoted to conservation and doesn't serve game meat, so Louw and his sous chefs have to get creative.

Most of Louw's kitchen workers come from local communities, and the resort has an extensive training program to educate them.

Running the resort's kitchens is a vast effort, but from the varied menus and seamless service, most guests would never suspect a thing. Click through to see what a typical lunch is like at Singita Grumeti's flagship lodge, Sasakwa.

Disclosure: Our trip to Tanzania, including travel and lodging expenses, was sponsored by the Tanzania Tourist Board, Africa Adventure Company, Singita Grumeti Group, Coastal Aviation, Qatar Airways, Tanzania National Parks, Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority and Wildlife Division.

Sasakwa is the flagship lodge at Singita Grumeti. It was the first lodge on the property and is still the largest, and has a reputation for having the most formal fare.



Sasakwa "has fine dining," said executive chef Frank Louw (pictured). "And it's known for having an extravagant high tea."



The lodge has a formal dining room, but it's only really used on rainy nights.



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10 Cities Where House Flipping Pays Off Most

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House flipping’s status as an aspirational American pastime took some hits during the recession but, like disco or SUVs, it has never gone extinct. On the contrary, it is back with a vengeance. Cable TV shows glorify expert flippers and infomercials flog seminars for novice investors eager to dive into this risky market.

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The 15 Most Expensive Mansions For Sale In London

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heath hall

Several New York City apartments have hit the market with eye-popping asking prices near $100 million in the past few months.

But that's nothing compared to the most expensive homes currently for sale in the United Kingdom, which include a $484 million home in London's Hyde Park neighborhood.

With One Cornwall Terrace recently hitting the market for $160 million, we decided to take a look at the most expensive properties currently for sale in London.

For $42.3 million, live in this detached Italian villa in Holland Park, London. The home has nine bedrooms and eight bathrooms.

Click here to see more about the house >



For $46.3 million, this nearly 9,000-square-foot home in London can be yours. The home has seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms.

Click here to see more photos of the home >



For $47.9 million, buy this five-bedroom apartment in Kensington, London. The duplex apartment has a porter, gym, and pool.

Click here to see more photos of the apartment >



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An Award-Winning Mansion In Bel Air Is Supposedly Being Shopped Around For $150 Million

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A 40,000-square-foot mansion with 28 bedrooms in Bel Air, Calif. is rumored to be on sale for $150 million, according to real estate blogger The Real Estalker.

It doesn't have an official listing, but is reportedly being shopped around by a high-end agent. And the seller is unknown, but it's supposedly a Saudi prince.

In 2011, the home was featured as the "Above and Beyond Ultimate Home" in the Robb Report.The $150 million price tag puts the home among the most expensive homes currently on the market. 

The home sits on 1.5 acres of land and has a roof terrace and a barbecue terrace. It has a 180-degree view of the skyline and the water.

The mansion was built by Richard Landry of Los Angeles–based Landry Design Group. Landry's creations have won the "Ultimate Home" award two years back-to-back.

$150 million listing in bel air

 

$150 million listing in bel air

 

$150 million listing in bel air

 

$150 million listing in bel air

 

DON'T MISS: A Goliath Mansion In London Just Hit The Market For $160 Million

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The Best Restaurant In The World Has A Brand New Look

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Noma Restaurant New Interior

Noma in Copenhagen was recently named the best restaurant in the world in San Pellegrino's World's 50 Best for the second year in a row.

The kitchen, run by chef René Redzepi, is known for its small plates and out-of-the-ordinary specialties, such as pickled and smoked quail eggs or Nordic-style pancakes wrapped around preserved fish. The tasting menu alone costs $267, not counting the additional $170 wine pairing.

Now this Danish gastronomic paradise has been revamped. Partnering with deign studio SPACE, the Noma team wanted a complete renovation before they returned from the 2012 London Olympics. That left SPACE with a mere three weeks for the redesign.

"In the beginning we all thought that Noma should be turned upside down, that we should do something completely new and unexpected," comments SPACE partners Peter Bundgaard Rützou and Signe Bindslev Henriksen. "After quite a long initial sketching period, we all came to the conclusion that it seemed forced and pretentious for a place like Noma to do something too conceptual or formally upscale...it is important that the space is not perceived as a superficial layer between the customer and the actual food experience."

The design team worked within the fundamental elements of the original warehouse, changing the color scheme, tables, and chairs instead of the actual layout of the restaurant itself. The biggest change was erecting a brick wall in the lounge and replacing the flooring with wider oak panels.

The result is a cool, sleek interior that provides an elegant backdrop to Noma's world-renowned dishes.

Welcome to Noma, the best restaurant in the world.



This is what the old interior looked like. The black curtains made tables feel more private, and the wood was warm against the stark warehouse interior.



The entrance to Noma used to be a long, wood sectional with back granite counters.



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Beachfront Mansion In Southampton Hits The Market For $30 Million Days After Hurricane Sandy

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While parts of the East Coast are still recovering from Hurricane Sandy, one Hamptons homeowner thought it was the right time to list his waterfront home.

The Southampton mansion was listed for $30 million just a week and a half after Sandy ravaged the shorelines, according to Curbed.

It appears that this is the first waterfront property in the Hamptons to be listed since the hurricane.

The house has five bedrooms, 5.5 baths, and spans 7,000 square feet.

The listing photos look gorgeous, but one has to wonder if Sandy really did no damage to this house.

$30 million hamptons estate

 

$30 million hamptons estate

 

$30 million hamptons estate

 

$30 million hamptons estate

 

DON'T MISS: 10 Awesome Islands You Can Buy Right Now

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Colorado And Washington Are The First Places In The World Where Weed Is Truly Legal

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colorado marijuana

The marijuana legalization initiatives passed this week in Colorado and Washington state are completely unprecedented around the world, according to a leading drug policy expert.

Beau Kilmer, Codirector of RAND Drug Policy Research Center and coauthor of Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know, told BI that what happened on Tuesday "was really groundbreaking. No modern jurisdiction has removed the prohibition on commercial production, distribution and possession of marijuana for non-medical purposes. Not even Holland."

Kilmer explained that while many people think marijuana is legal in Amsterdam, the governments have simply decided on a formal policy of not enforcing the law against small transactions.

"If you're over 18 you can walk into one of those coffee shops and buy up to five grams," Kilmer said. "Think of it being legal in the front door. However, it's illegal to grow it, distribute it and sell it to the coffee shops in the Netherlands—so it's actually illegal in the backdoor."

Marijuana being illegal keeps prices inflated as an extra price has to be paid to compensate for the risk of arrest and incarceration. The big difference with the initiatives in Colorado and Washington, according to Kilmer, is that the risk cost "goes away with legalization."

So the wholesale price of the drug will drop and an entirely new system will emerge, but what it looks like depends on how it's regulated.

Over the next year the state liquor board in Washington and the Department of Revenue in Colorado will make key decisions such as how marijuana is taxed, the type of grow operations that will be allowed, how large they can be and how many commercial producers are allowed in each state.

(Note: In Colorado it will be legal to privately grow up to six plants—with no more than three being mature at any given time—while in Washington it will still be illegal to grow at home.)

"If production moves from basements and backyards to industrial farms and huge greenhouses … we would expect the production cost to plummet," Kilmer said. 

But don't expect the federal government to be quiet. Several government departments including the DEA, the IRS and the Department of Justice will still have a hand in shaping the market and Kilmer said that it will "be interesting to see how these agencies react to this."

Kilmer noted that the agencies have a number of options—like signaling that they will target big operations or those who openly advertise their product—and they probably won't completely crack down or be completely hands-off. 

"So much depends on not only the federal response but the type of production [the state regulations] allow," Kilmer said. "Ultimately that will influence the retail prices and the tax revenues."

Since it will take some time for them to create the regulatory body, it will be at least a year before marijuana is sold in retail establishments. Until then the beneficiaries are individuals who can grow, share and sell weed in a market that's literally free.

"In the short run you're going to be able to grow your own, give it away, possess it and there won't be a commercial market," Kilmer said. "That in-and-of-itself is another interesting policy experiment." 

SEE ALSO: What You Need To Know About Getting High In Colorado And Washington >

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The Top 10 Hotels In The World

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Qualia hotel, Australia, relaxing, ocean

Luxury travelers know that a hotel is much more than just a place to lay your head. With great service, breathtaking facilities, and a prime location, an extraordinary hotel can transform your trip into an unforgettable experience.

Condé Nast Traveler recently released its list of the Top 100 Hotels & Resorts in the World as part of its 2012 Readers' Choice Awards.

The magazine's readers voted for their favorite hotels around the world, ranking them based on the quality of the rooms, service, food, location, design, and activities. The readers voted on Qualia, a luxurious retreat in the middle of Australia's Great Barrier Reef as the best hotel in the world.

From Europe's grand palaces to luxurious safari lodges, it may be hard to leave your room if you're staying in one of these top properties.

#10 Perivolas, Santorini, Greece

Condé Nast Readers' Choice Rating: 98.1

Rooms:98.3
Service: 100
Food: 95.8
Location: 100
Design: 98.3
Activities: 95.7

Source: Condé Nast Traveler



#9 Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, Bora Bora

Condé Nast Readers' Choice Rating: 98.1

Rooms:100
Service: 100
Food: 92.3
Location: 100
Design: 100
Activities: 96.2

Source: Condé Nast Traveler



#8 La Villa Gallici, Aix-en-Provence, France

Condé Nast Readers' Choice Rating: 98.2

Rooms:100
Service: 100
Food: 100
Location: 95.5
Design: 95.5

Source: Condé Nast Traveler



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Now You Can Score Daniel Craig's Tom Ford 'Skyfall' Sunglasses For $390

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Skyfall Tom Ford Glasses

In Skyfall, the new James Bond movie wherein the secret agent once again battles against evil villains with a little help from some beautiful women, cool cars, and great tailoring, Daniel Craig continues his loyalty to luxury designer Tom Ford. Not only in the matter of clothing, but with his sunglasses as well.

Frank Scious, owner of chic online eyewear boutique Eyegoodies and our go-to expert on optic style, informs us that the tough-guy actor sported a pair of Ford’s Mako style shades from his latest collection in key Skyfall scenes as well as on the set.

The Marko, a classic aviator style with a modern line and subtle detailing that echoes Craig’s evolution of the 007 role while staying true to its heritage, is available in four colors. On screen, Craig wears the silver frame with smoke blue lenses, the same color combination as the now highly collectible Tom Ford 108 sunglasses he wore in the previous Bond film Quantum of Solace, and a nod to the great Steve McQueen, who also favored blue lenses and inspired much of the current Bond’s rugged style.

Made in Italy, the frames are also available in gunmetal grey with grey gradient lenses, gunmetal grey with brown lenses, and shiny rose gold with green gradient lenses for $390 per pair.

This post originally appeared on JustLuxe.

JustLuxe is a luxury Web publication providing objective analysis and information to affluent consumers to assist with their decision making, such as chartering a yacht, purchasing a jet membership card, booking a luxury hotel, traveling to a specific destination, or buying real estate. Our writers conduct interviews with industry executives and leaders in their fields, analyze product offerings and review the Web sites of leading companies to ensure our readers have up-to-date data to make informed decisions. Consumers can find purveyors of fine luxury goods, services and travel solutions throughout the pages of JustLuxe via content or with our advertising partners. See our Best of Luxury high-end brands and partners.

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Smart Investors Know Exactly How To Work Charity In Their Favor

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oprah school south africa girls charity

The beginning of 2013 will likely spell the end of Bush Era tax cuts and mean higher taxes on wealthy individuals, long-term capital gains, and qualified dividends. 

And now that the dust has nearly settled from the election, it's time for higher earners to make the most of these lower tax brackets while they still can.

“The 2012 federal income tax environment is still quite favorable, but we may not be able to say that for long," says Robin Christian, a senior tax analyst for Thomson Reuters. "Tax planning actions taken between now and year-end may be more important than ever."

One of the first steps an advisor will suggest is finding a few creative ways to maximize charitable giving –– and no one knows how to leverage their own generosity better than the wealthy.

Here are a few ways to follow their lead:

When charities come calling, leave your checkbook out of it

Instead of doling out cash this year, think about giving away stock to charities.  This can work in your favor in a couple of ways. 

"The individual will avoid paying tax on the [stock's] appreciation, but will still be able to deduct the donated property’s full value," Christian says. "If a taxpayer wants to maintain a position in the donated securities, he or she can immediately buy back a like number of shares."

This strategy works even better for investors with "no load" mutual funds, since they're able to make withdrawals and transfers from their accounts without any fees.

Just remember to play by the rules –– investors aren't allowed to buy back stocks sooner than 31 days after selling. If they do, they trigger "wash sale rules," which makes it impossible to deduct their loss from their taxable income, Christian says.

Liquidate stocks for charity instead

If you took a bad gamble on stocks that have depreciated, it might be a better idea to sell them off, take a loss, and donate that cash to charity.

This way, "if your investment is a loser ... you can claim a loss on the sale and deduct a charitable contribution equivalent to the proceeds," says Bill Losey, a certified financial planner. 

Of course, there's a little extra paperwork involved if you decide to take this route.

Any non-cash contributions over $500 require taxpayers to fill out Form 8283. The IRS has a useful list of charities that allow non-cash donations here: www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-Profits/Exempt-Organizations-Select-Check.

Keep a clean paper trail

"The paper trail is important here," Losey emphasizes. "Even small contributions need to be demonstrated by a bank record, payroll deduction record, credit card statement, or written communication from the charity with the date and amount."

For any donations under $250, that means keeping some kind of bank record (cancelled check, bank statement, or credit card receipt), or a written statement from the charity itself. 

For donations over $250, you'll need a full-fledged charity statement showing the total deduction and stating whether or not you received any tangible goods for your donation.  

Gain leverage by bundling donations

If possible, it's always best to max out your charitable deductions each year, which lowers your taxable income overall. But if you're approaching the end of 2012 and realize you're either way over your limit or haven't quite reached it yet, bundling expenditures together might be the answer.

For example, you might move your planned charitable donations for 2013 up to this year instead in order to meet your standard deduction limit, Christian suggests.

"If temporarily short on cash, a taxpayer can charge the contribution to a credit card," she says, because "it is deductible in the year charged, not when payment is made on the card."

On the other hand, people expecting to enter a higher tax bracket next year might want to think about rolling some tax-deductible expenditures over to 2013, which would decrease your taxable income.  

The standard deduction for 2012 is $11,900 for married joint filers, $5,950 for single and married filing separate filers, and $8,700 for heads of households.

Here's a helpful chart compiled by Merrill Edge (a research arm of Bank of America) on the tax changes that lie ahead in 2013:

merrill-chart


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Larry Ellison Has Not Yet Spoken To The People Who Live On His Personal Hawaiian Island* (ORCL)

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Larry Ellison

It's been more than four months since Larry Ellison bought most of the Hawaiian island of Lanai, and residents say they still have qualms about the guy.

They're nervous because the billionaire CEO of tech giant Oracle has yet to speak with citizens or give an interview to the local newspaper, reports Dan Nakaso at the San Jose Mercury News.

The most locals have heard about his plans is what Ellison said during an interview with Maria Bartiromo on CNBC last month. He said he would turn the island into one big experiment in sustainable living, green energy, and organic farming.

He also caused a stir when he made plans to use Lanai's only commercial harbor as a winter base for his fleet of America's Cup sailboats without consulting residents.To his credit, he changed his mind when residents protested.

On the other hand, most admit that life under his rule has been way better, so far, than the last guy, David Murdock. Ellison reopened the island's only community pool, Nakaso reports. Murdock had closed it years ago in an effort to cut his expenses on the island.

Ellison has also been upgrading the island's two luxe resorts, which has led to lots of construction jobs and low unemployment. 

But, with a population of 3,200 people, Lanai is more or less a small town, with small-town attitudes. And its people would like to meet their new landlord sooner rather than later.

Update: An earlier version of this story said the Mercury News had reported Ellison had not visited the island. The newspaper reported that Ellison had not spoken to residents.

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The 10 Coolest Porsche Products That Aren't Cars

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2013 Porsche Boxster S

When Porsche isn't making luxury vehicles, the famous auto company is developing some pretty awesome products for our everyday lives.

The Porsche Design online store features everything from pocket knives to sports equipment, and even a line of its own writing utensils. The company also operates more than a dozen stores around the globe.

Porsche uses some of the technology and design elements that make its automobiles so popular in its products — including a car-inspired suspension system in its Porsche running shoes and a watch inspired by the brand's dashboards.

Navigator Sports Bag

This bag was co-designed by Porsche and three-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time America's Cup winner Jochen Schümann. It's seam-sealed and even has a neoprene laptop protector and Ziploc pouch for liquids, making it the ideal sports bag.

Cost: $450

Source: Porsche Design



PTC Edition 3 Automatic Watch

The face of this water-resistant timepiece was designed to look like the dashboard in a Porsche sports car. It's made of an anthracite gray titanium coated case and is branded with a sapphire crystal and the Porsche Design logo.

Cost: $3,800

Source: Porsche Design



Porsche-Designed BlackBerry

Porsche teamed up with BlackBerry to design this smartphone. It has all the features and capabilities of the average BlackBerry Bold 9900, with the exception that it's made of stainless steel and comes emblazoned with the Porsche logo.

Cost: $1,800

Source: Porsche Design



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HOUSE OF THE DAY: A Duplex At Trump Park Avenue Is On Sale For $25.9 Million

SPOTTED: A Menacing Black Lamborghini Murcielago In China

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Just about any Lamborghini Murcielago is a beautiful thing. But this one, spotted in Chengdu, China, is gorgeous in a scary way.

The limited edition LP670-4 SV is all black, with tinted windows. The few orange marks are all that make it visible against a dark background.

This photo was posted on Car News China, which shared it with us.

Have you spotted a rare or unusual way of getting around in your travels? Did you take a photo? Do you like sharing? Let me know via e-mail: adavies@businessinsider.com or on Twitter@adavies47.

lamborghini murcielago

SEE MORE: Turn Your Bentley Into A Corner Office On Wheels

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Chinese Police Discover 10,000 Bottles Of Red Wine In An Abandoned House

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LafiteSome 10,000 bottles of Chateau Lafite Rothschild red wine has been found in a derelict house in China.

Police are yet to determine whether the wine - one of the most expensive reds in the world - is fake or genuine but if they are the real they could be worth up to £10 million ($16 million).

The home owner, who goes by the name of Zou, told police his house has been empty for nine years and he knew nothing about the potentially valuable find.

However, as there are only 50,000 bottles of genuine Chateau Lafite Rothschild imported into China each year, police believe it may be a fake stash and are now searching for the illicit workshop where it may have been produced.

As of March, Chateau Lafite Rothschild has won six lawsuits against Chinese companies over fake wine and was awarded at least £80,000 in compensation.

Chateau Lafite Rothschild is a wine estate in France, owned by members of the Rothschild family since the 19th century.

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How Design Bloggers Are Taking On Pinterest And Tumblr

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design sponge

The young, social-media crowd wants to take in design and decorating inspiration almost exclusively in one way: through photos.

As magazines once saw readers head to the internet, now design bloggers are losing their audiences to Pinterest, Tumblr, and Instagram, sites made for photo-sharing.

But some design bloggers have figured out a way to rise above the fray and attract traffic because of their clear focus, beautiful photography, and DIY posts.

"Readers don't want to communicate online the same way anymore," said Grace Bonney, the founder of Design Sponge. "We try to engage readers on Pinterest, and a select few still want to have a longer conversation about design. But it's mainly about great photos."

"Design Sponge is dedicated to fresh, handmade design and inspiration, and making your home look more like your personality," she said.

The blog, which has been around since 2004, has around 80,000 hits and day and focuses on home tours, DIY projects, recipes, and makeovers. Bonney, who is based in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, said she gets a lot of her inspiration from Greenpoint markets, and more recently, student designers.

Ashlina Kaposta, better known as The Decorista, posts multiple photos in one post of cool visuals she sees each day or the best-of-the-best interior design she wants to share with her readers.

"I am definitely a nerd and read every marketing and branding book out there. At that time I was laid off so I just devoured videos online on how to brand yourself," she said. "If you are producing consistent content that is focused and has a vision, that will help you stick out."

Kaposta was later recruited by an Los Angeles interior design firm. But when she came to New York on a business trip to help decorate Courtney Love's new apartment, she decided not to leave. She now runs her blog and an e-decorating business.

After reviewing analytics, Kaposta saw that readers weer spending more time on her Pinterest board, which was taking away from time spent on her blog. But she considers it all part of her brand. The Decorista has about 11,000 unique visitors a day.

"What sets my blog apart is I don't use a lot of words," said Kaposta, who is based in Manhattan. "I use images and it's very visually friendly. I think there's something to that; people used to read a lot more, but now are inspired by photos."

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