Supervisors in Santa Barbara County vote to approve the L.A. developer’s proposal to refurbish the 15-acre seaside hotel into a luxury resort.

By Catherine Saillant (LA Times)

It was a project that nearly slipped out of developer Rick Caruso’s grasp. But after many delays, Los Angeles’ builder of uber-malls this week won approval for his first foray into resort development.

Caruso’s plan to transform the aging Miramar Hotel from a Montecito eyesore into a 192-room luxury seaside hotel won the backing of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.

The go-ahead came after months of contentious hearings and nearly two years after Caruso bought the 15-acre coastal property east of Santa Barbara. The process included multiple hearings at which opponents attacked the project before the Montecito Planning Commission.

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Just curious, please submit your answer below.

By PAOLA SINGER (NY Times)

When the socialites are in town, don’t bother trying to park anywhere near Brava Beach in José Ignacio. The dirt roads are narrow, the Porsches wide, and there are too many drivers anxiously vying for a spot. After all, everyone’s eager to check out the scene unfolding by the shore: models in micro bikinis, wealthy Americans trying hard not to stare, European bon vivants staring unabashedly, and Argentine beauties blowing air kisses every which way.

To the old timers of José Ignacio, a small village on the southern coast of Uruguay, the traffic jams are something of a shock. Not long ago, this was a sleepy fishing outpost, a refuge for loners and the occasional celebrity seeking to escape the paparazzi in nearby Punta del Este, a glamorous playground often compared to St.-Tropez.

But in the last five years, José Ignacio has evolved into arguably the chicest spot in Latin America, favored by jet-setters from around the world.

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The economic agendas of hopefuls and woeful market conditions have many of us consulting our financial sources, like Forbes Magazine, more than ever. 

Globally, we are tailoring our portfolios and lifestyle silhouettes to ensure our security during the looming “recession.” In the midst of the of the shuffle and high on aspiration, I was introduced to the “Forbes Life”, a lifestyle section supplement to Forbes Magazine. 

By Jesse Mills | Continue Reading »