For a $20 investment, Chris Clark a tech entrepreneur, made the best decision in his life. He bought the domain name Pizza.com in 1994 for twenty bucks and sold it recently for almost $3 million.

A week’s worth of anonymous bidding at an online auction site had pushed the price to $2.6 million, compared to the fact that most domain names go for around $2000, we’d say Clark has a good deal on his hands and a great pie going in his favor.

The 10-course feast is being touted as a “once-in-a-lifetime inspirational dinner.” On April 5, Bangkok’s five-star Lebua hotel will treat 50 favored guests to a repast prepared by a glittering array of Michelin-starred chefs. To thank the guests for their loyalty to the hotel, Lebua plans to spend $300,000 for the meal. Accustomed though they may be to showy p.r. stunts, social activists are nonetheless up in arms over this particular act of epic extravagance. The reason? The banquet comes with a pre-dinner commitment to what the Lebua’s p.r. mavens have dubbed “emotional tourism.” Hours before digging into truffles and foie gras, the 50 diners will fly by private jet to a village in central Thailand to see how impoverished Thais manage to get by without regular infusions of Brittany lobster and Bresse chicken.

Originally, three Michelin-starred chefs — Alan Soliveres, Michel Trama and Jean-Michel Lorain — were to have catered the dinner, for a fee of $8,000 each. But the trio pulled out last month after European media assailed the hotel group for not committing any of its own money to helping the indigent Thai villagers. Lebua responded by saying it hopes the rural visit will spur some of the assembled guests to donate cash of their own. And the hotel assures potential diners that it has found Michelin-starred replacement chefs — although it will not release their names, presumably for fear that they, too, might be pressured by negative publicity into withdrawing from the event.

Lebua certainly knows all about hosting lavish feasts. Last year, the hotel organized an event it modestly titled “The Epicurean Masters of the World,” a Michelin-starred extravaganza at a cost per head of 1 million baht (around $28,000). Despite the hefty check, the dinner event was fully booked — and it received its share of official criticism, coming at a moment when Thailand’s then-ruling military junta was unveiling an economic policy based, in part, on scaling back ostentatious shows of wealth. The dinner also mystified many ordinary Thais, who are used to dining on some of the world’s tastiest street food for no more than a dollar a plate. [...]

24ct Gold Plated – 19 inch Jaguar Alloy Wheels available on goldstriker

This bling encrusted Nespresso Crystal Coffee Machine from Goldstriker International must be a contender.
Features include:

• Encrusted with 3100 original Swarovski crystals complete in the colour crystal
• Width: 22.6 cm depth: 23 cm height: 23 cm
• Weight: 4,50 kg Power: 1260 Watts
• Cup warmer in aluminum
• Removable grill for the preparation of Latte Macchiato

It is priced at £1,995

For £10 million ($20 million), this is the most expensive advert and not because of some highest paid model flashing a million dollar smile or hour glass figure. In fact the ad features hundreds of villagers who have no clue about acting or film making. However latest in the series of ‘Good Things Come to Those Who Wait’ ads, ‘Tipping Point’ got honored for being the most expensive and complex Guinness advert to be produced. The ad sees hundreds of villagers come together to create the ultimate domino effect, featuring 6,000 iconic black and white dominoes, alongside thousands of unexpected toppling objects, include suitcases, oil drums, fridges and cars.

Directed by Nicolai Fuglsig of Sony Bravia ‘Balls’ fame, he said that shooting the new Guinness advert was the biggest challenge of his career yet. You have to see it thru to believe that the toppling items included 6,000 dominoes, 10,000 books, 400 tyres, 75 mirrors, 50 fridges, 45 wardrobes and 6 cars!

The question is: would you pay $35.00 a ticket for one movie?

Even if each complex will have theaters with digital projection to screen 2-D and 3-D movies, 40 reclining armchair seats, the ones with footrest, just like home? Except these seats have a service button to call a waiter.

Why? Because patrons will be able to have made-to-order meals like sushi and other theater foods from on-site chefs. Oh Reeaaalllyy!! Of course, they’ll have to pay extra for that.

Would you pay $35.00 + even if they have lounges and bars serving cocktails and appetizers, concierge service and valet parking?

These people seem to think so. Village Roadshow Ltd., Act III, Lambert Entertainment and the Retirement Systems of Alabama pension fund will spend $200 million to build 50 theaters nationwide over the next five years to bring us mere mortals the luxury cinema circuit Village Roadshow Gold Class Cinemas. Are you ready to give in yet? I might if I don’t have to wear pearls and a little black dress!

The first two venues are set to open in South Barrington, Chicago, and the Seattle suburb of Redmond in October.

The Burbank-based company’s hoping to attract 10 million “upscale and affluent” consumers per year to its theaters that will be housed in high-end shopping centers and malls.

Each complex will typically house eight screens.”It’s a new way to go to the movies,” said Graham Burke, managing director and CEO of Village Roadshow Ltd.

“It’s like what Mercedes is to a Toyota or like flying first class in an airplane.” Company execs said bringing the chain to the U.S. is a “natural extension” of the brand. (variety)

Via trendhunter