[credit provider=”Courtesy Christie’s” url=”http://www.christies.com”] It’s a huge week in the art auction world in New York, with both Christie’s and Sotheby’s holding major sales of impressionist and modern art.But things got off to a rough start last night, when Christie’s evening sale yielded disappointing results and failed to attract bidders […]

[credit provider=”Dan Goodman/Business Insider”] Last night was the 39th annual Village Halloween Parade in downtown Manhattan.As usual, it was an absolute madhouse, with spectators vying for a glimpse of the oversized puppets and extreme costumes marching up Sixth Avenue.

Richard Branson is known daredevil, but his recent encounter with a great white shark seemed pretty adventurous, even for him.

[credit provider=”via Heritage Auctions”] The extensive Batman memorabilia collection of Ben Novack Jr., the south Florida millionaire who was found murdered at a hotel in 2009, is available for auction.The collection includes a copy of DC Comics’ first Batman edition from 1940 and a 1939 comic in which “The Batman” […]

[credit provider=”AP Images/Geary’s”] Someone has posted a Craiglist ad for a vigil in memoriam of the short-lived marriage between Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries (via Buzzfeed).Fittingly, the vigil will take place at the Kardashian sisters’ SoHo clothing store, Dash.

[credit provider=”jade_vader via Flickr” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/youpos/1872706677/sizes/m/in/photostream/”] Not all dogs are natural city-dwellers. While some breeds have a suitable temperament, personality, and sociability that meets the demands of city living, others require large homes in suburbia, where there is plenty of room to roam in the great outdoors.

Ellen Degeneres and wife Portia DeRossi are among the investors in a vegan restaurant that’s slated to open on Ventura Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley, according to the Hollywood Reporter (via Zagat Buzz).

We just came across this video of a stunning sculpture on display at the Asia Society Museum in New York.

[credit provider=”Christian Steen via Flickr” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/cs-jay/4482585012/sizes/o/in/photostream/”] Some people don’t care where they drink as long as the booze is flowing.These 13 bars are a great watering holes for people who want their drinks served in an unusual setting.

[credit provider=”Wikimedia Commons” url=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mercedes-Benz_Sprinter_front_20081206.jpg”] Traffic in Seoul can get pretty awful.So Chung Yong-jin, vice chairman of Korean retail giant Shinsegae Group, has taken a new tactic to reduce the time of his daily commute from the suburbs to the main branch of the department store.

[credit provider=”jemingway via Flickr” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/jemingway3/6239102533/sizes/o/in/photostream/”] The vampires, goblins, and ghouls all come out on Halloween, and so do the slutty costumes.For decades, women have seized the holiday to show off more skin than is normally socially appropriate.

[credit provider=”Meredith Galante/Business Insider”] We were invited to lunch at The Kitchen in New York City by Heinz Ketchup for its launch of its new flavour: Balsamic Vinegar, which is available exclusively through the company’s Facebook page.Chef Spike Mendelsohn, a former contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef and past winner of […]

[credit provider=”Photo courtesy CreativeFan” url=”http://www.snooth.com/articles/10-awesome-wine-labels/”] When shopping, a wine label is likely the first thing to call your attention to any particular wine bottle. But do you know just how much that label influences your purchasing habits? Research shows that when browsing a store’s shelf, 100% of people said that […]

[credit provider=”Net-a-Porter” url=”http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/172490?cm_mmc=LinkshareUK-_-Custom-_-Link-_-Builder&siteID=0RpXOIXA500-QUXTajxbTXrG2vaNgFFPHg#”] The new trend for luxury designer hand bands is to not flaunt their logos, according to the Financial Times.High-end brands such as Victoria Beckham and Céline seem to have decided that being anonymous is the real key to consumers’ hearts.

[credit provider=”Cupcakes and Chasmere ” url=”http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/kpicasa-outfits/?album=September2011″] Emily Schuman has what the fashion industry calls “Street Style.”Schuman was bored at her sales job at AOL in 2008, and needed more creativity in her life.

[credit provider=”Julia La Roche for Business Insider”] If you’re just starting out on Wall Street, you’ll need to know exactly what you should bring with you to work. We’ve compiled a list of ideas for accessories for what to bring to the office and what to never be caught owning.

[credit provider=”bargainmoose via Flickr” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/5134992157/sizes/l/in/photostream/”] New York senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer want to crack down on fraudulent maple syrup sellers.The pair are co-sponsoring a bill that would make mislabeling the product a felony, one that carries a five-year prison sentence, according to the Times Union.

[credit provider=”James Mollison”] In typical charity photographs, there’s a small child flashing a toothy grin or a frown.”It’s kind of cold, and lifeless,” said photographer James Mollison. “But you’re expected to connect and donate.”

[credit provider=”Courtesy of the Herbfarm” url=”http://www.theherbfarm.com/about/#”] At the most expensive restaurants in America, a meal will cost you about the same as an iPhone.Zagat’s America’s Top Restaurants 2012 guide was released today, and we’ve put together a list of the priciest eateries in the nation.

Morgan Stanley’s solution to prevent Goldman Sachs from taking their top talents: a promotion.

[credit provider=”Thomas Purves via Flickr” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomaspurves/4730780976/sizes/l/in/photostream/”] Looking for a good excuse to strip off your clothes, for good?Here’s a new one, from science.

Guest of a Guest

[credit provider=”AP Images”] Luxury train travel really is making a comeback. The royal couple of Bhutan, who wed earlier this month, are set to board a train across India to celebrate their honeymoon, according to the Times of India (via the Rich Times).The newlyweds, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and […]

[credit provider=”Google Maps” url=”http://maps.google.com/maps?q=La+Nueva+Espana+Restaurant,+nyc&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&sa=N&tab=wl”] Are you sure you want to go to a restaurant tonight?Some New York restaurants are infested with roaches and mice, their employees don’t wash their hands, or food is improperly stored.

[credit provider=”via Sotheby’s” url=”http://www.sothebys.com/en/catalogues/ecatalogue.html/2011/magnificent-jewels-and-noble-jewels-ge1102#/r=/en/ecat.fhtml.GE1102.html+r.m=/en/ecat.lot.GE1102.html/443/”] From tiaras to rings, wealthy connoisseurs have spared no expense buying up the world’s priciest jewelry.Many of the jewels on this list, sold at the world’s biggest auction houses, have impressive histories and famous owners.

Despite the economic downturn, Scotland’s National Gallery has vowed to raise the requisite $80 million to buy a famous Titian after its Scottish owner threatened to sell the work on the open market, possibly to a rich collector abroad, according to Scotsman.com.

[credit provider=”Julien’s Auctions”] The emerald green dress that Marilyn Monroe wore in River of No Return just sold at an auction in China for $504,000, far above pre-sale estimates of $200,000 to $300,000.The identity of the buyer was not revealed.

[credit provider=”Wikimedia Commons” url=”http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pravoslavn%C3%A1_svatba.jpg”] Weddings have always been steeped in tradition, with rules and logistics that have been culturally ingrained decade after decade.Time will tell how the increasing legality of same-sex marriages will influence the institution. But brides and grooms have already been adding wrinkles to the longstanding matrimonial blueprint, […]

Liquor ads have traditionally targeted men, but these days, alcohol makers are putting a new emphasis on the ladies by creating products and gearing marketing specifically towards them.

[credit provider=”gfitzp via Flickr” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/gfitzp/4668143322/sizes/l/in/photostream/”] The Yunessun Spa in Hakone, Japan, suggests the best way to rejuvenate your body is to take a bath—in red wine.The spa has a 12-foot tall bottle of wine towering over its outdoor pool, and claims to be similar to wine baths Cleopatra took.

Bing/YouTube

[credit provider=”Julie Zeveloff/Business Insider”] According to Brandon Wade, CEO and founder of SeekingArrangement.com, all relationships, regardless of whether they start on the internet or in a bar, are monetary exchanges in some respect.His website, a matchmaking service for “Sugar Daddies,” just makes those exchanges a little more transparent.

It’s been a rough couple of months for Carlos Slim Helu, the world’s richest man.

[credit provider=”andydr via Flickr” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/andydr/5487152/sizes/l/in/photostream/”] College kids see the world through a completely different set of eyes than people who are a few years older, and we’re not just talking about beer goggles.To get some perspective on how the class of 2015 sees the world — keep in mind, this […]

[credit provider=”ap”] In the era of Occupy Wall Street, people are wondering: what happened to corporate accountability?For the answers to those questions, we look to Japan, where corporate culture reflects Japanese society as a whole.

[credit provider=”Blogspot” url=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oZRuj62fehk/SinIOpeOt-I/AAAAAAAAB04/xibqUZZZCsM/s1600/CondemnedInmateHousing-AdjustmentCenter.jpg”] Last month, Texas prison officials stopped the age-old tradition of serving condemned prisoners a final meal of their choosing.The New York Times‘ Timothy Williams spoke with Brian D. Price, a former inmate and death row chef who cooked hundreds of final meals, often stretching his imagination and […]

[credit provider=”doioutsidethebox via Flickr” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/doioutsidethebox/1819895704/sizes/l/in/photostream/”] It’s one of the most universal traditions in the world. But, it’s celebrated differently by everyone.Each culture has its own ways of making someone’s special day extra special.

[credit provider=”Trulia”] Forget East Hampton’s 11937 and Beverly Hills’ 90210–the most prestigious zip code in America is officially 07620. It belongs to Alpine, New Jersey, an enclave of around 2,400 that counts some of business and pop culture’s best known names among its residents.The borough, less than nine miles from […]

[credit provider=”Olympus”] Michael Woodford, the British ex-CEO of Olympus, learned that Japanese chairman don’t appreciate outspoken executives.He was axed after asking Tsuyoshi Kikukawa to step down over fraudulent accounting practices that took place before he became CEO earlier this year.

[credit provider=”Flickr Paul Lowry” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/paul_lowry/3438775199/”] Joshua Jian started his professional career in the analyst program at an investment bank straight out of college, but recently, he quit.He first considered trading the “considerable wealth” he says he knew he’d gain in the banking sector thanks to one moment in particular.

Guest of a Guest

[credit provider=”The Darkness Haunted House” url=”http://www.hauntworld.com/featured_article/americas_best_haunted_houses_scariest_attractions_halloween_2011″] Every year Hauntworld.com releases the premier list of haunted houses, haunted hayrides, scream parks, Halloween attractions, corn mazes, real haunted houses and even home haunted houses. By doing so, Hauntworld.com has helped even the smallest home haunts become nationally recognised, allowing some to even progress […]

[credit provider=”kevinmarsh via Flickr” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinmarsh/413075657/sizes/l/in/photostream/”] Real estate may be expensive, but sometimes the buildings constructed on top of that land are far pricier.Construction started this week on Yongsan Landmark Tower in downtown Seoul, South Korea, which is expected to cost a record-breaking $3.43 billion to build.

Chinese tourists are visiting New York City in droves, and bringing with them a “spend, spend, spend” mentality that’s been a huge boon to retailers.

[credit provider=”satanoid via Flickr/Pew Research centre”] People just aren’t getting married like they used to.Marriage has sharply declined over the past 50 years, from 68% of 20-somethings being wed in 1960 versus only 26% of the same age group in 2008, according to a 2010 study from the Pew Research […]

[credit provider=”Adrian Fisk” url=”http://adrianfisk.com/”] Photographer Adrian Fisk traveled 2,700 kilometers across China and India to discover that most young people are, in essence, exactly the same. While living in India, Fisk realised he knew nothing about young people in the nearby country of China, and neither did anyone else in India. […]

[credit provider=”en.wikipedia.org” url=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Naked_ai_weiwei.jpg”] Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, who is as famous for his provocative art installations as he is for his outspoken criticism of the Chinese government, has been named the most powerful man in art by ArtReview magazine.According to ArtReview:

[credit provider=”danpeng1 via Flickr” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/357223772/sizes/l/in/photostream/”] Maybe your first bonus just got paid, or you won the lottery. Or you just REALLY want to impress your date.In any case, it’s time to splurge.

This is not the type of item you see hit the auction market on a daily basis.A bronze buttock from the statue of Saddam Hussein, which was famously toppled in Baghdad after U.S. troops invaded in 2003 is about to be sold to the highest bidder, AFP reports.

[credit provider=”via Christie’s”] Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein’s I Can See the Whole Room!…and There’s Nobody in It! is expected to sell for a whopping $35 to $45 million at a Christie’s auction in New York next month.The painting, a comic book-style work that depicts a man looking through a peephole, […]

Someone working in Citigroup’s Institutional Clients Group in Australia has apparently sent a bulk of the employees at Citi a hilariously cocky email welcoming himself to the company.

[credit provider=”Atoll Floating Islands”] Two Dubai-based developers have just announced a new design plan they think will save The World, the manmade archipelago that faces financial and physical ruin after interest waned in the economic downturn.The plan calls for the construction of “floating islands” that could manoeuvre between Dubai’s coast […]

[credit provider=”AP/Eugene Hoshiko”] Gucci headquarters have made some management changes at the Gucci flagship store in Shenzhen, China, after employees complained they were abused so badly that some pregnant staff suffered miscarriages, according to AFP.AFP reported:

[credit provider=”brh_images via Flickr” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/brh_images/4629570540/sizes/l/in/photostream/”] Just like everyone subscribes to Playboy for the articles, most people frequent strip clubs for the cuisine–right?Using lists from Chow.com and Time Out New York, among others, we compiled a list of the best strip club food.

The cost of luxury goods in Switzerland for high-net worth individuals was up 1.2% in the past 12 months, according to the Stonehage Group, a Swiss advisory firm (via FMAG).

[credit provider=”© Deborah Jones”] Outgoing New York Times restaurant critic Sam Sifton has finally revealed his pick for the best restaurant in New York City.The honour goes to Per Se, the Thomas Keller restaurant in the Time Warner centre that’s known as much for its astronomical prices as the ornate […]

[credit provider=”ap”] Huaxi, in Jiangsu Province, is not your average Chinese village.In the past few decades it has transformed from a sleepy farming town to a surreal version of utopia where every person is entitled to free healthcare and education, a luxurious home, and cooking oil.

It was reported today that business mogul Bethenny Frankel’s recent dramatic tale of being lost at sea was not so dramatic at all. In fact it didn’t really happen even though Bethenny told any media outlet that would listen that it went down that way. The man who “rescued” the […]

In 2001, when I was 28, I broke up with my boyfriend. Allan and I had been together for three years, and there was no good reason to end things. He was (and remains) an exceptional person, intelligent, good-looking, loyal, kind. My friends, many of whom were married or in […]

Marni Kotak, a Brooklyn, New York performance artist, has announced plans to deliver her first child in front of an art gallery crowd, calling giving birth “the highest form of art.”

[credit provider=”Tom via Flickr” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/tuguriodetom/2334279771/sizes/l/in/photostream/”] The Metropolitan Opera hauled in an incredible $182 million in donations for the fiscal year that ended in July–a number that breaks the previous donation record and is 50 per cent more than the amount the opera raised the year before, according to the New […]

[credit provider=”Wikimedia Commons” url=”http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Acoma_Pueblo_New_Mexico_12-27-2006_11-01-45_AM_0065.jpg”] Every year the World Monuments Fund releases lists of endangered buildings around the world.While many are in foreign countries, others are right outside your local subway stop.

It’s no secret that China’s newly minted wealthy have a thing for luxury handbags–remember the frenzy that ensued when Vogue China gave away paper Gucci folders with the purchase of a magazine?

[credit provider=”Paul Schultz via Flickr” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/pasfam/180452192/sizes/l/in/photostream/”] Imagine a day at school spent speaking Spanish, playing the violin, cooking, learning mathematics and getting plenty of exercise.That’s a peek into the routine at some of the most exclusive preschools in the country. 

As the 99% continue to demonstrate in Zuccotti Park, Bloomberg hasn’t forgotten about the core group that permanently occupies Wall Street.

Some styles are too excessive for the Wall Street office, but we have great news about leopard print shoes.They’ve been spotted at Goldman Sachs on multiple women, so they must be OK to wear.

Courtesy Maria Hatzistefanis

[credit provider=”visual_dichotomy via Flickr” url=”http://upload.wikimedia.orghttp//www.flickr.com/photos/visual_dichotomy/4240056336/sizes/l/in/photostream/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Wfm_stata_center.jpg”] The best university in the world sits on a sprawling campus not far from Hollywood, according to a new list from the Times Higher Education.Using data provided by Thomson Reuters, the London-based industry magazine just published a list of the 400 best universities in the […]

[credit provider=”via Sotheby’s”] China’s nouveau riche have a taste for art and the money to back up their hobbies.At this point, wealthy collectors are breaking auction records on a weekly basis–a private investor spent $2.9 million on the most expensive fancy vivid orange diamond ever sold at auction over the […]

[credit provider=”scarlettgreen via Flickr” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/5279137994/sizes/l/in/photostream/”] Hermès may have just won itself the “employer of the year award.”The French luxury retailer shuttered all 24 of its U.S. retail stores for three days last week so it could fly its employees, all 515 of them, to a “family reunion” at the Hyatt […]

[credit provider=”via Zagat Buzz” url=”http://www.zagat.com/buzz/recap-zagat%E2%80%99s-2012-new-york-survey-launch-at-la-mar”] Last night, Zagat Survey threw a huge party to celebrate the launch of its 2012 New York City Restaurant Guide.But there was more than one reason to celebrate; the company was also clearly feting the news that it had been purchased by Google last month […]

Exis Capital founder and noted art collector Adam Sender will put his massive contemporary art collection up for display during Miami’s upcoming Art Basel event, according to Gallerist NY.

Guillaume Rambourg’s new long/short equity hedge fund, Verrazzano Capital might be the biggest hedge fund launch of the year.

[credit provider=”andersc77 via Flickr” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/andersc77/6050348545/sizes/l/in/photostream/”] The Michelin Guide for New York City 2012 just came out, and two restaurants have received the highly coveted three-star ranking for the first time.Congratulations to Eleven Madison Park and Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare.

This morning we were lucky enough to be on hand when Business Insider rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange.

[credit provider=”Meredith Galante/Business Insider”] Tucked away inside the confines of Port Authority Bus Terminal, there’s a party going on. Mood lighting, European beer towers and dancing poles, abound at Frames, the high-end bowling alley formerly called Leisure Time Bowl.

[credit provider=”Or Hiltch via Flickr” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/orcaman/5688169195/sizes/l/in/photostream/”] New Google property Zagat Survey has just released the results of its 2012 New York City restaurant survey, and there were some surprising shakeups among the city’s finest dining rooms. Click here for the list > In an upset, Maguy LeCoze and Eric Ripert’s […]

[credit provider=”Gabrien Symon/Business Insider”] Finding a quiet and crowd-free spot in Manhattan isn’t exactly easy.But nestled between Midtown’s brick and steel buildings are some hidden getaways.

Over the weekend, 357 Australian women donning only bikinis and pink visors marched down a beach in Gold Coast City to break the world record for the largest bikini parade ever.

The wedding dress worn by the Duchess of Cambridge brought in a whopping $15 million for Buckingham Palace, according to the Telegraph.

[credit provider=”Douglas Holt Photography “] In the homes of the rich and famous, the most expensive items can often be found in the closet.Those $800 pairs of shoes, designer dresses and family heirlooms need to be stored somewhere, and one designer, Melanie Fascitelli, is taking closet design to a whole […]

[credit provider=”Wikimedia Commons” url=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PICASSO_Le_pigeon_aux_petits_pois_1911.jpg”] Authorities have arrested two men and a woman in connection with a massive art heist that occurred at Paris’s Musée d’Art Moderne in May of last year, according to AFP (via ArtInfo).The woman was suspected of taking part in the theft and then men were suspected […]

The iconic and world renowned Louvre museum in Paris is currently ablaze.

[credit provider=”www.flickr.com” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaysha/3015359511/”] The distinction of the most expensive city for foreigners doesn’t belong to Hong Kong, where billionaires pay over $10,000 per square foot for real estate, or Doha, the capital of Qatar, which has the highest per capita GDP.No, it belongs to Luanda, the capital of Angola, which […]

It’s easy to identify the world’s hottest restaurants: They come to your attention just as the possibility of ever snagging a seat in them begins to approach the likelihood of winning Mega Millions.

[credit provider=”wikipedia commons”] Throughout history much of the world has been ruled by empires.To be considered an empire an expanse of land must be politically led by either a monarch, an emperor, or be an oligarchy.

[credit provider=”Sharkey50 via Flickr” url=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/5420435274/sizes/l/in/photostream/”] The title of the “coolest brand in the U.K.” doesn’t belong to a trendy new product or popular retailer.It belongs to Aston Martin, the luxury sports car maker that has been around since 1913, according to the centre for Brand Analysis, a British consulting firm.

Starting tomorrow, Nike will sell an exclusive edition of its Nike Zoom Air Lebron 9 basketball shoes in China (via Jing Daily).

[credit provider=”via Pursuitist” url=”http://pursuitist.com/epicurean/wine-expert-anthony-giglio-exclusive-interview/”] Anthony Giglio is a wine expert that wears many hats – he’s a sommelier, journalist, author and educator all wrapped in one.Giglio currently serves as a wine columnist with La Cucina Italiana magazine, a writer with Food Wine magazine, and a contributing editor with Wine Spirits […]

The majestic fountain at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas is a major tourist trap in a city filled with over-the-top attractions.

[credit provider=”AP”] In a village just east of Moscow, in a dilapidated white building, hagged old woman pray to their patron saint: Russia’s prime minister, Vladimir Putin.Der Speigel reports that the building known as “The Church of Russian Resurrection” is home to a group of Orthodox Russian Christians who believe […]

The Times Square of the future is sleek, monotone and uncluttered.

As part of its $1 billion renovation, Madison Square Garden’s concession stand menu is also getting a major overhaul.

The rogue trading scandal at UBS revealed fundamental flaws in the Swiss bank’s risk management operations. 

Actor Ben Stiller and art dealer David Zwirner organised a charity auction, “Artists for Haiti,” at Christie’s Friday night, and raised well above the original estimated value of the $10 million they expected (via NY Observer).Four pieces at the auction set records.

[credit provider=”Business Insider”] These eateries have weathered some of America’s most tumultuous times and lived to tell the tale.They’ve witnessed the changes wrought by the Revolutionary War and survived the bleak days of Prohibition.

Courtesy of The Man Repeller

[credit provider=”via Red Luxury” url=”http://red-luxury.com/2010/08/09/conde-nast-launching-branded-cafe/”] Condé Nast plans to open at least two more restaurants abroad in 2012, according to Women’s Wear Daily).The publisher said it would open a Vogue Café in Kiev and a GQ Bar in Istanbul next year, adding to its already existing culinary establishments in Moscow.

Love it or hate it grunge music defined an era in the not-so-distant past, and Nirvana was the band that embodied that sound better than any other.

[credit provider=”Courtesy of The Affordable Art Fair”] The Affordable Art Fair opened Wednesday night in New York City, showcasing a variety of art for prices starting at $500 — which is actually a great price for an original.Photographs, abstract paintings, installations, paintings on Plexiglas and more are all available.