Things Not (Yet) Available In The U.S.: Fiat 500L

If you think the scrappy Fiat 500 is the height of pint-sized sophistication, the Italian auto maker has a surprise in store.

Fiat plans to bring a roomier five-seat version to the U.S. in 2013.

The 500L ("L" stands for "large") debuted earlier this year at the Geneva Auto Show and is available currently only in Europe.

U.S. sales of the original chic but slight 500 coupe have proved disappointing. Fiat is counting on the longer, taller four-door L model to drive more customers to its showrooms.

The move echoes the course BMW charted when it followed the Mini Cooper Hatchback a few years later with the bigger Mini Countryman.

Styling-wise, the 500L lacks the aren't-I-oh-so-cute? appeal of the 500. Some will find it downright unattractive.

Car and Driver likened it to a 500 that "stuck its thumb in its mouth." Ouch!

It remains to be seen whether U.S. buyers will stand up and salute the 500L or give it a raspberry.

Things Not Available in the U.S.:American Cars Made for the Chinese Market

The big news in the automobile industry isn't about new luxury models American and German car companies are introducing in the U.S. It's about new models they are rolling out in China – ones that won't be sold here.

That is because a few years ago China topped the U.S. as the world's largest auto market. By 2015 it will become the biggest market for premium cars such as BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Cadillac, and the like.

"Home, Jiang. And step on it!"

It's already the largest market for Bentley. Of the 1700 cars sold worldwide in the first quarter of this year, 468 were delivered in China.

Luxury car makers are falling all over themselves with new designs and features that cater to Chinese preferences and tastes.

Nissan, Toyota, and Audi presented new premium models just for China at April's Beijing International Auto Show. These typically have a longer wheel base to allow more room in the backseat, a prime consideration for wealthy Chinese who like to be chauffeured around town.

BMW also showed a stretch version of its 3-series at the Beijing event.

Only for sale in China: a Jeep with dragons on it

More leg room isn't the only thing car makers are offering wealthy Chinese.

Chrysler announced that it is planning a dragon-themed Jeep Wrangler with gold-tone accents and dragon motifs on the outside and inside of the vehicle. China is Jeep's number two market after the U.S.

Too bad for you if you would like to drive one of these cars on your daily commute. To do that you'll have to get transferred to your Shanghai office.
 

Letter from Buenos Aires: The Cost of Visiting Argentina Is On The Rise, Sort Of. Plus Where To Eat Now in BA.

Regular readers of But I Digress know that THE LUXURIST loves pretty much everything about Argentina.

It used to be a great bargain, but is it still a good value for budget-conscious visitors?

The answer is yes – and no – according to our friend and correspondent Alexandra Lazar, author of the terrific, informative blog on food and restaurants in Buenos Aires, Pick Up The Fork.

Pick Up The Fork recommends this hot new eatery in the oh-so-hip Palermo Hollywood quarter of BA

Allie writes:

Argentina isn't as great of a deal as it used to be. Inflation is a killer, and prices are constantly rising. 

Those who have already traveled to Argentina within the last few years will notice that it is much more expensive now. That being said, for first time visitors Argentina would be quite the bargain. 

They can find great deals staying in very nice apartments (instead of hotels) and eating out at wonderful restaurants, spending a fraction of the price that they would in the U.S. Shopping (leather and wine, for example) is more affordable. Public transportation and taxis are relatively cheap, too. 

Superclassico: River Plate vs. Boca Juniors. Not to be missed!

The type of things that are more expensive, or the same as the U.S., are small items like a good cup of coffee (which costs around US$ 3-5). Ethnic food is expensive compared to the U.S. (although tourists probably won't be eating much of this). So are toiletries and, of course, anything imported.

Even though it's about 4.39 pesos to the dollar, and local prices are pretty inflated, it's still a good time to travel to Argentina. 

Allie adds that Spring or Fall are the best times to be in Argentina.

She also makes this recommendation:

Those who want to experience Buenos Aires to the fullest should contact Madi Lang, who runs BA Cultural Concierge. She'll organize a customized itinerary for your visit, book you into a smart boutique hotel or charming apartment (at a fair price), arrange a guide, driver, or cell phone, and generally ensure that your entire visit will go smoothly and be memorable.

That's good enough for us, and it should be for you, too.  Contact Madi at www.baculturalconcierge.com.

THE LUXURIST
SUGGESTS

Alexandra Lazar's lively blog, Pick Up The Fork, is our go to source for anything and everything to do with food in Buenos Aires. We especially recommend her recent post Eat As The Porteños Do – Lazar's take on the best places to eat the most typical local breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  

Residents call themselves Porteños because BA is a port city situated on the Rio de la Plata, or River Plate, after which the beloved Argentine soccer club is named. 

Be sure, too, to catch an Argentine soccer match. It's an experience. Because the fans are usually more excitable than the players, don't go on your own unless you speak Spanish well and feel very comfortable in a dark alley around 3AM. Your hotel, or Madi Lang, will make arrangements for a group visit with an escort.

The Artful Traveler: Budapest's Spectacular Summer

The Hungarian composer Gyorgy Ligeti once remarked, "If you come from Paris to Budapest you think you are in Moscow. But if you go from Moscow to Budapest you think you are in Paris."

While that may have been true a few generations ago, Budapest today is a major destination for savvy  travelers.

We haven't visited in some time. We are itching to return after reading a dispatch in The Economist on the grand Hungarian capital's summer arts and festival scene.

"This central European nation’s dazzling cultural and musical heritage is now enjoying a renaissance," gushed A.L.B. in The Economist.

The Danube divides the two halves of Budapest, gloriously illuminated at night

While the Budapest Spring Festival just ended in March – a show starring John Malkovich and based on the autobiography of Jack Unterweger, an Austrian serial killer, apparently was one of the highlights – April brings both the Titanic International Film Festival, a mammoth celebration of Hungarian cinema,  and Budapest 100, paying homage to the city's arresting architecture with tours of  the city's historic buildings and lesser known treasures.

Many other festivals and cultural events abound throughout the Summer.

"Evita" at the Budapest Summer Festival in 2009

From June 8 to September 8 the Budapest Summer Festival offers scores of open-air concerts, dramas, operas, and musicals on Margaret Island in the middle of the Danube. This year there's a musical based on Count of Monte Cristo, Moliere's The Misanthrope in Hungarian, and Puccini's Turandot, presumably not in a Magyar translation.

On June 23 the city's varied fine arts, history, science, and specialty museums remain open until 2:30am for the popular annual Night of the Museums. One ticket affords admission to all of them, as well as free transit on the municipal bus system until 5:00am, with special bus routes between collections to speed you safely on your nocturnal itinerary.

And then there's Sziget, one of the largest indie and alternative music festivals anywhere. Some 400,000 high-spirited spectators are expected this year between August 6-13.

With seven venues, including a pop-rock mainstage, a Europe stage, World Music stage, a Rock and Metal stage, and a party arena, there will be something for nearly everyone.

Enthusiastic fans at the Sziget Festival

On the program are international stars, such as the Chemical Brothers, Judas Priest, Kaiser Chiefs, Good Charlotte, and The Gotan Project plus less well known acts with intriguing names like Manic Street Preachers, Flogging Molly, Gogol Bordello, La Shica, Goran Bregovic Wedding And Funeral Band, and The Bloody Beetroots Death Crew 77.

And those are just the ones we can pronounce. Coachella is bound to be pretty tame by comparison.

Certain to prove less intense is the Festival of Folk Arts, taking place from August 18-21. The event brings the finest Hungarian craftsmen and their work to Buda Castle from across the country. A variety of different folk crafts ranging from woodcarving to egg painting will be on display, and visitors can partake in many of the activities, as well as enjoy live folk music and dance performances.

When you've had your fill of music, drama, arts and egg painting, Budapest's summer food festivals are just the ticket.

Budapest's famous Széchenyi Bath. Not too shabby!

Restore yourself at the Foie Gras Festival (May 18-20), Budai Gourmet (June 7-20), Czech Beer Festival (June 6-12), or the Palinka Festival (May 10-13). Palinka is a type of potent Hungarian brandy. Three hundred different varieties will be offered, assuring both a good time and a splitting headache the next morning.

That's when you should take the day off and head to one of the numerous spas and thermal baths for which Budapest is famous.

Two of the most famous are the spa at the Hotel Gellért and Széchenyi Thermal Bath, a sprawling Baroque complex built in 1913. This palatial bath "includes a whirling corridor, underwater effervescence production, neck shower, water beam back massage installed in the sitting banks and many other services," according to budapest.com.

The translation may be a bit shaky, but you get the idea.

After a heady week or two of concerts, plays, brandy, quaint crafts, and raucous partying at Sziget, what could be a better way to bring your Hungarian idyll to a satisfying close?
 

The Enlightened Traveler: What's Going On In Paris And London

If you think you are a savvy traveler, then you'll want to always know what's going on in Paris and London.

Here are two web resources we rely on to keep au courant:

There's so much to do in Paris, one of the great destinations for art, food, strolling, and... shopping! That is why we frequently check Chic Shopping Paris for the latest boutique openings and sales. Lots of terrific shopping tips, too.

We also are dutiful readers of the weekly arts and culture e-mail published by London's Telegraph. In it you'll find useful, up-to-the-minute information about theatre, art exhibits, music and more. Sign up for the paper's Arts Agenda here.
 

The Enlightened Traveler: Brazil, Mexico City - What Are You Waiting For?

If you believe the Wall St. Journal – and you should, so long as you avoid the editorial pages at all cost – two of the top tourist destinations right now are Mexico and Brazil.

Then, again, we've been saying that for years now.

Despite drug wars and scare inducing headlines, Mexico ranks 10th globally in tourism. Americans still make up the largest group of visitors. Tourism overall has picked up in Mexico and is expected to reach record levels in 2012.

Most of the drug-related violence has been concentrated in the North.

Not to be missed in Mexico City: murals by Orozco, Rivera, Siqueiros

Mexico City remains one of the safer parts of the country. That's a good thing, as the seat of government is home to the kind of world-class cultural institutions, restaurants, and shopping that artful travelers appreciate.

Another plus: it's one of the less expensive major capitals and can be reached by plane from the U.S. in just a few hours.

Read our post from 2009 on what to do in fabulous Mexico City.

Brazil, too, has experienced an uptick in violence, although we've never felt unsafe in the parts of Rio de Janeiro that tourists prefer.

Rio's Santa Teresa hotel, its highly rated restaurant, and arty
surrounding neighborhood are hot, hot hot right now

If anything, Brazil is more secure and more enjoyable today than ever, thanks to a booming economy, rising standard of living, and government preparations for the Olympics in 2016 and World Cup in 2014.

Don't wait for those events to visit. Brazil is ready right now for its close-up.

There's so much to do in the planet's third largest democracy. The Wall St. Journal has just devoted its entire weekend edition to amazing Brazil. It's full of great, up-to-the-minute restaurant and shopping tips. Make sure to devour it before you plan your trip.

Read The Luxurist's Rio de Janeiro suggestions right here.
 

Very Hip iPod Speakers and Other Small Electronics for Very Cool People

When it comes to portable and home electronics, we sell some choice stuff.

We offer quality audio products from top lines like Sony, Zennheiser, Shure, JBL, and Apple.

We also sell several hard-to-find audiophile brands that make memorable gifts for your most important clients and VIPs. These are the kinds of things preferred by celebrities and other show business VIPs.

Introducing award-winning Tivoli Audio - the finest, coolest table radios, CD players, and iPod speakers you've never heard of.

Tivoli iPod speakers, alarm radios, and Internet radios come in multiple finishes

Tivoli products will please and amaze critical listeners and sophisticated design purists alike.

With exceptional tone, rich bass, stunning clarity, and handsome wood cabinets, they represent a level of sound quality, fit, and finish unequaled in their price range.

Every model begins with a handmade wood cabinet that is both beautiful and is the ideal acoustically inert speaker housing.

Tivoli uses cherry, ash, walnut and sometimes exotic woods, burnished to a lustrous finish or spiffed up in luminous stains or sleek enamels in shades of high gloss red, blue, silver, piano black, and others.

Each speaker contains a heavy-magnet, long-throw driver that is mated to a frequency contouring circuit. This automatically adjusts output over half-octave increments, resulting in musically accurate tonal balance and bass response.

Technical specs aside, the main thing is whether or not you like what you are hearing from any piece of audio equipment. Trust us, the folks you give Tivoli products to are going to like them a lot.

Tivoli CD, iPod player and radio component system.
Sounds great, looks smart, timeless at home or office

Tivoli's complete range of Internet radios, table radios, iPod speakers, and bookshelf component systems start at a very reasonable $200. Most cost no more than about $700.

They all make wonderful, appreciated gifts for start or end of production, awards recipients, birthdays, or other special occasions.

And, as we said before, they're not the same old, same old.

Call us at (310) 581-6710.

We will be happy to show you our full line of stunning Tivoli Audio products and help you select the ones that will make the impression you require.