The annual Universal Whisky Experience in Las Vegas has become a celebrated gathering for aficionados of rare spirits to discover some of the most exclusive whiskeys in the world. This year’s event kicked off with a specially arranged tasting of some recently rediscovered bourbons, attracting a packed room of connoisseurs. These were very old bourbons that had been aging in barrels in Louisville, Kentucky’s historic Stitzel-Weller distillery, which dates back to 1935. Although the distillery has been shuttered…

Injecting patients with small amounts of purified allergens has the potential to greatly reduce their allergic symptoms, making life more bearable during allergy season. But allergy shots are literally a pain. Many patients cannot comply with receiving injections on a regular basis for up to five years, getting them once or twice a week for the first year. However, says otolaryngologist Sandra Lin, there’s an alternative that could work just as well without the drawbacks of allergy shots. She and her colleague…

Precise stitching, flawless crystal, unmarred animal skins, and perfectly dyed silks are just some of the hallmarks of Hermès’s uncompromising designs, which helped earn them a win in this year’s Best of the Best issue. Countless hours and numerous trials go into creating the 177-year-old brand’s wares, naturally with some mistakes and flawed goods along the way. However, rather than relinquishing the less-than-perfect items to the waste bin, Hermès has given them new life under the Petit h label. The sub-bran…

An annual tradition for the past nine years, Napa Valley Festival del Sole returns this summer from July 11 through 20. The 10-day festival offers live performances by world-class musicians, dancers, and opera singers, along with some of the finest wine and cuisine available in the winegrowing region. This year, the event also includes a deeper focus on wellness.
On Saturday, July 12, practice your poses en plein air with a 9 am yoga session at the Harvest Inn in St. Helena, Calif. The class culminates with a…

Obexer’s Boat Co., a family-owned marina since 1911, could be considered the birthplace of wooden boating on Lake Tahoe, because the founder was responsible for introducing Gar Wood boats to the area. So it is fitting that Obexer’s will be the new venue for the 2014 Lake Tahoe Concours d’Elegance (www.laketahoeconcours.com)on August 8 and 9. This will be the 44th year for the event that honors classic wooden boats.
This year’s featured marque class is barrelbacks. Originally designed by the naval architects J…

When Secret Service agents seized 2,200 fine-art photographs from a New York warehouse in 2012, they called on New York Fine Art Appraisers (www.nyfaa.com) to determine the worth of the trove of works by masters such as André Kertész, Edward Weston, and Alfred Stieglitz. The firm’s consultants have appraised everything from the art and furnishings at Rockefeller Center to Old Master paintings for a West Coast estate, but their expertise also extends to collectibles, fashion, and even wine. Following the launch…

As anyone who loves single-malt whisky knows, even the most readily available drams—such as Macallan 18 Year Old and Lagavulin 16 Year Old—have seen dramatic increases in prices. The phenomenon is even more pronounced among the rarefied out-of-production classics, such as the 1964 Black Bowmore, a whisky that was first released at 27 years old in 1993 and priced at about $130 a bottle. By 2006, the remaining liquid from this same barrel, then aged to 42 years, sold for $4,200 per bottle.
It is no wonder whisk…

The name given to a certain breast condition—ductal carcinoma in situ—contains a word almost everyone finds terrifying: carcinoma. At an NIH conference on the diagnosis and management of DCIS in 2009, a proposal was made to remove that word from the DCIS name in hopes of eliminating fear and stemming a trend of overtreatment. Though no action was taken, the name remains a point of contention among clinicians. The clue to the problem lies in the rest of the name: In situ, Latin for “in place,” implies that the …

This year marks the 450th anniversary of the birth of the incomparable English poet and playwright William Shakespeare. To celebrate in appropriate fashion, the Italian pen maker Omas has released the William Shakespeare Anniversary Edition collection of writing instruments.
Quite an upgrade from the quill Shakespeare would have used to write with, the Anniversary Edition was designed in collaboration with the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, a charity dedicated to promoting his life and works. This partnership …

Founded by the car collectors Peter and Merle Mullin, Southern California’s Mullin Automotive Museum is dedicated to the preservation and appreciation of French art deco automobiles and artwork. However, the museum’s latest attraction is a departure from the earthbound Delahayes, Hispano-Suizas, and Talbot-Lagos that crowd its showroom. Now through July 12, the museum will display a one-of-a-kind re-creation of the Bugatti 100P, the only aircraft ever designed by Bugatti’s founder, Ettore Bugatti.
In the mid-…