Seven Yachts A-Sailing, Six...
With a record number of billionaires in the U.S., and even more consumers who want to spend like them, retailers are dreaming up ever-more-outrageous and excessive holiday gift ideas for the new Gilded Age.
Most are just for show. Neiman Marcus's Triton 1000 submarine (price: $1.4 million, leather seats included) and its $1.59 million private concert by the Kirov Orchestra have generated more publicity than buyers so far.
Yet the rich are truly spending, seemingly unrattled by the quakes in the financial markets. According to a survey done by Prince & Associates, a Connecticut-based wealth research firm, shoppers worth $10 million or more plan to boost their holiday spending by up to 67% this year. Most will be putting money into jewelry (average expenditure of $152,400), fashion items ($46,200) and yacht charters ($487,000).
Credit crisis? What credit crisis?
The Robb Report, a monthly bible of conspicuousconsumption, recently published its '21 Ultimate Gifts' in time for the holidays. The list includes Beechwood, an Astor family estate in Newport, R.I. (asking price: $18 million) as well as a 300-carat diamond necklace created by a division of Sotheby's in conjunction with Steinmetz Diamond Group of Geneva, for $16 million.
Those who actually advise the wealthy (or their families) on gifts say that travel and family vacations are at the top of the list this year. Mint Lifestyle LLC, a concierge company based in Beverly Hills, Calif., says four of its clients have booked yachts for the holidays, while others are taking dozens of family members to tropical islands or on ski trips in the mountains.
Mint Lifestyle produced a mini gift guide for its clients this fall. The most popular item was a commissioned biography, which it says wives are buying for their husbands. The books, which cost around $30,000, tell a person's life and business story.
'It's perfect for that someone who is no one but made a billion dollars selling his widget business,' says Gordon MacGeachy, co-founder of Mint.
Mint's other top seller was a donation to an elephant refuge in Thailand that rescues elephants used for tourism on the streets of Bangkok and gives them a safe, rural home. An added bonus: This gift counts as charity. 'It's getting to the end of the year and people are starting to think about tax deductions,' Mr. McGeachy said.
Aston Pearl, a New York concierge firm, is recommending more soulful gifts. Natasha Pearl, Aston Pearl's founder, advises giving billionaires personalized services, like life coaching (focusing more on the spiritual than material), a session with a philanthropy adviser or a consultation with an image consultant -- a useful gift for today's new rich. 'Maybe you were one person for most of your life, but now you're someone different,' she says. 'An image consultant can help you think about that.'
As for the wealthy themselves, many are asking for more basic gifts. Mark Cuban, the dot-com billionaire who recently appeared on ABC's 'Dancing with the Stars,' says he has three wishes this holiday season: An NBA trophy for the team he owns, the Dallas Mavericks; a 32-gigabyte flash drive; and a new pair of ballroom-dancing shoes.
Billionaire Sam Wyly, the tech baron and bookworm who recently purchased the tiny Explore Booksellers in Aspen, Colo., says he wants books for Christmas. All of them are nonfiction: 'Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers, 1941-1942,' by Daniel Ford; 'Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in the World Came Into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming,' by Paul Hawkin; and 'Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility' by Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger.
One more thing: Mr. Wyly also wants his favorite pecan pie, baked by his assistant.
美国的亿万富翁人数刷新了历史纪录，而希望能像他们那样一掷千金的消费者就更多了。零售商们都在编织着美梦，一心趁这个新镀金时代推出在奢华无度方面更上一层楼的假日礼物。
这些礼物中的绝大多数只是为了炫耀一把。Neiman Marcus的Triton 1000潜艇（价格140万美元，包括皮质座椅）和基洛夫管弦乐团(Kirov Orchestra)开价159万美元私人音乐会吸引了很多眼球，但迄今为止应者寥寥。
不过富豪们也的确在大把花钱，似乎没有受到金融市场动荡的影响。根据康涅狄格州财富研究机构Prince & Associates的调查，身价1,000万美元以上的消费者计划将今年的假日支出增加67%。大多数人希望把钱花到珠宝（平均支出152,400美元）、时尚用品（46,200美元）和包租游艇（487,000美元）上。
跟踪炫耀性消费的月刊《罗博报告》(Robb Report)最近公布了今年假日期间的"21件终极大礼"。在这份清单中包括：阿斯泰(Astor)家族的豪宅Beechwood以及一条300克拉的钻石项链；前者位于罗得岛新港，报价1,800万美元；后者由苏富比拍卖公司(Sotheby's)旗下一个与日内瓦Steinmetz Diamond Group有关的部门制作，开价1,600万美元。
为富人及其家人提供礼品顾问服务的公司称，旅行和全家度假排在今年支出的榜首位置。加州管家公司Mint Lifestyle LLC表示，有四位客户为今年的假日预订了游艇，还有人带上几十位家人到热带海岛或是山区滑雪。
广告Mint Lifestyle今年秋季为其客户制作了微型礼品指南。最受欢迎的是授权编写传记，据说这主要由妻子为丈夫购买的。写这么一套书主要是讲述一个人的人生故事和商业历练，成本约为3万美元。
Mint的创始人之一戈登•迈克基奇(Gordon MacGeachy)说，有些从小生意起家而攒下亿万家财的富翁们仍是籍籍无名，现在如果能出版自己的故事那简直是太棒了。
Mint的另一个畅销礼品是捐钱建设泰国大象避难所，主要用于救助曼谷街头为旅游业服务的大象，给它们在农村建设一个安全的家园。额外的收获是：这件礼品可视为慈善行为。迈克基奇说，到了年底，人们都开始考虑避税的问题了。
纽约管家公司Aston Pearl推荐了更注重精神层面的礼品。该公司创始人娜塔莎•珀尔(Natasha Pearl)建议给亿万富翁一些人性化的服务，例如由慈善顾问或是形象咨询师提供人生指导，这样的课程更多地关注精神领域而非物质方面，这对当今的新富人来说可能是个有用的礼物。珀尔说："也许你的多半辈子都是像个普通人那样度过的，但现在已脱胎换骨了。一位形象咨询师能帮你考虑到这点。"
就富人本身而言，许多人希望得到的是更基本的礼品。最近参加美国广播公司(ABC)"与星共舞"(Dancing with the Stars)节目的互联网亿万富翁马克•库班(Mark Cuban)说，今年假日他有三个愿望：他拥有的NBA球队达拉斯小牛队(Dallas Mavericks)能够获胜；一个32G的闪存；还有一双新舞鞋。
亿万富翁萨姆•维利(Sam Wyly)既是技术专家，也是读书迷，他最近收购了科罗拉多州的小型书店Explore Booksellers。他说，他想在圣诞节期间得到的礼品是图书，而且都是非小说类作品：丹尼尔•福特(Daniel Ford)所着的《飞虎队：陈纳德和他的美国志愿者，1941-1942》(Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers, 1941-1942)；保罗•霍金(Paul Hawkin)的《Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in the World Came Into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming》，以及泰德•诺德豪斯(Ted Nordhaus)和迈克尔•塞伦博格(Michael Shellenberger)合着的《Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility》。
维利还想得到一样东西：他的助理烤制的美味核桃派。
关键字:双语新闻
生词表:
With a record number of billionaires in the U.S., and even more consumers who want to spend like them, retailers are dreaming up ever-more-outrageous and excessive holiday gift ideas for the new Gilded Age.
Most are just for show. Neiman Marcus's Triton 1000 submarine (price: $1.4 million, leather seats included) and its $1.59 million private concert by the Kirov Orchestra have generated more publicity than buyers so far.
Yet the rich are truly spending, seemingly unrattled by the quakes in the financial markets. According to a survey done by Prince & Associates, a Connecticut-based wealth research firm, shoppers worth $10 million or more plan to boost their holiday spending by up to 67% this year. Most will be putting money into jewelry (average expenditure of $152,400), fashion items ($46,200) and yacht charters ($487,000).
Credit crisis? What credit crisis?
The Robb Report, a monthly bible of conspicuousconsumption, recently published its '21 Ultimate Gifts' in time for the holidays. The list includes Beechwood, an Astor family estate in Newport, R.I. (asking price: $18 million) as well as a 300-carat diamond necklace created by a division of Sotheby's in conjunction with Steinmetz Diamond Group of Geneva, for $16 million.
Those who actually advise the wealthy (or their families) on gifts say that travel and family vacations are at the top of the list this year. Mint Lifestyle LLC, a concierge company based in Beverly Hills, Calif., says four of its clients have booked yachts for the holidays, while others are taking dozens of family members to tropical islands or on ski trips in the mountains.
Mint Lifestyle produced a mini gift guide for its clients this fall. The most popular item was a commissioned biography, which it says wives are buying for their husbands. The books, which cost around $30,000, tell a person's life and business story.
'It's perfect for that someone who is no one but made a billion dollars selling his widget business,' says Gordon MacGeachy, co-founder of Mint.
Mint's other top seller was a donation to an elephant refuge in Thailand that rescues elephants used for tourism on the streets of Bangkok and gives them a safe, rural home. An added bonus: This gift counts as charity. 'It's getting to the end of the year and people are starting to think about tax deductions,' Mr. McGeachy said.
Aston Pearl, a New York concierge firm, is recommending more soulful gifts. Natasha Pearl, Aston Pearl's founder, advises giving billionaires personalized services, like life coaching (focusing more on the spiritual than material), a session with a philanthropy adviser or a consultation with an image consultant -- a useful gift for today's new rich. 'Maybe you were one person for most of your life, but now you're someone different,' she says. 'An image consultant can help you think about that.'
As for the wealthy themselves, many are asking for more basic gifts. Mark Cuban, the dot-com billionaire who recently appeared on ABC's 'Dancing with the Stars,' says he has three wishes this holiday season: An NBA trophy for the team he owns, the Dallas Mavericks; a 32-gigabyte flash drive; and a new pair of ballroom-dancing shoes.
Billionaire Sam Wyly, the tech baron and bookworm who recently purchased the tiny Explore Booksellers in Aspen, Colo., says he wants books for Christmas. All of them are nonfiction: 'Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers, 1941-1942,' by Daniel Ford; 'Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in the World Came Into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming,' by Paul Hawkin; and 'Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility' by Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger.
One more thing: Mr. Wyly also wants his favorite pecan pie, baked by his assistant.
美国的亿万富翁人数刷新了历史纪录，而希望能像他们那样一掷千金的消费者就更多了。零售商们都在编织着美梦，一心趁这个新镀金时代推出在奢华无度方面更上一层楼的假日礼物。
这些礼物中的绝大多数只是为了炫耀一把。Neiman Marcus的Triton 1000潜艇（价格140万美元，包括皮质座椅）和基洛夫管弦乐团(Kirov Orchestra)开价159万美元私人音乐会吸引了很多眼球，但迄今为止应者寥寥。
不过富豪们也的确在大把花钱，似乎没有受到金融市场动荡的影响。根据康涅狄格州财富研究机构Prince & Associates的调查，身价1,000万美元以上的消费者计划将今年的假日支出增加67%。大多数人希望把钱花到珠宝（平均支出152,400美元）、时尚用品（46,200美元）和包租游艇（487,000美元）上。
跟踪炫耀性消费的月刊《罗博报告》(Robb Report)最近公布了今年假日期间的"21件终极大礼"。在这份清单中包括：阿斯泰(Astor)家族的豪宅Beechwood以及一条300克拉的钻石项链；前者位于罗得岛新港，报价1,800万美元；后者由苏富比拍卖公司(Sotheby's)旗下一个与日内瓦Steinmetz Diamond Group有关的部门制作，开价1,600万美元。
为富人及其家人提供礼品顾问服务的公司称，旅行和全家度假排在今年支出的榜首位置。加州管家公司Mint Lifestyle LLC表示，有四位客户为今年的假日预订了游艇，还有人带上几十位家人到热带海岛或是山区滑雪。
广告Mint Lifestyle今年秋季为其客户制作了微型礼品指南。最受欢迎的是授权编写传记，据说这主要由妻子为丈夫购买的。写这么一套书主要是讲述一个人的人生故事和商业历练，成本约为3万美元。
Mint的创始人之一戈登•迈克基奇(Gordon MacGeachy)说，有些从小生意起家而攒下亿万家财的富翁们仍是籍籍无名，现在如果能出版自己的故事那简直是太棒了。
Mint的另一个畅销礼品是捐钱建设泰国大象避难所，主要用于救助曼谷街头为旅游业服务的大象，给它们在农村建设一个安全的家园。额外的收获是：这件礼品可视为慈善行为。迈克基奇说，到了年底，人们都开始考虑避税的问题了。
纽约管家公司Aston Pearl推荐了更注重精神层面的礼品。该公司创始人娜塔莎•珀尔(Natasha Pearl)建议给亿万富翁一些人性化的服务，例如由慈善顾问或是形象咨询师提供人生指导，这样的课程更多地关注精神领域而非物质方面，这对当今的新富人来说可能是个有用的礼物。珀尔说："也许你的多半辈子都是像个普通人那样度过的，但现在已脱胎换骨了。一位形象咨询师能帮你考虑到这点。"
就富人本身而言，许多人希望得到的是更基本的礼品。最近参加美国广播公司(ABC)"与星共舞"(Dancing with the Stars)节目的互联网亿万富翁马克•库班(Mark Cuban)说，今年假日他有三个愿望：他拥有的NBA球队达拉斯小牛队(Dallas Mavericks)能够获胜；一个32G的闪存；还有一双新舞鞋。
亿万富翁萨姆•维利(Sam Wyly)既是技术专家，也是读书迷，他最近收购了科罗拉多州的小型书店Explore Booksellers。他说，他想在圣诞节期间得到的礼品是图书，而且都是非小说类作品：丹尼尔•福特(Daniel Ford)所着的《飞虎队：陈纳德和他的美国志愿者，1941-1942》(Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers, 1941-1942)；保罗•霍金(Paul Hawkin)的《Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in the World Came Into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming》，以及泰德•诺德豪斯(Ted Nordhaus)和迈克尔•塞伦博格(Michael Shellenberger)合着的《Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility》。
维利还想得到一样东西：他的助理烤制的美味核桃派。
关键字:双语新闻
生词表:
- seemingly [´si:miŋli]
ad.表面上；似乎 四级词汇 - necklace [´neklis] n.项链 四级词汇
- conjunction [kən´dʒʌŋkʃən] n.联合；巧合；接近 四级词汇
- taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 六级词汇
- biography [bai´ɔgrəfi] n.传记(文学) 四级词汇
- consultation [,kɔnsəl´teiʃən] n.商量；会诊；查阅 四级词汇
- trophy [´trəufi] n.战利品；奖品 四级词汇
- dallas [´dæləs] n.达拉斯 四级词汇
- unrest [ʌn´rest] n.不安；不稳；动乱 四级词汇
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