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The
Ultimate Fantasy List
Gifts worth breaking the bank for – or,
if you have to ask the price…
By
Tim McNellie
 Virgin
Galactic Space Flight
Launching in 2009, Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic
promises to be the first company offering space tourism.
A $200,000 ticket includes three days of pre-flight prep
and training, followed by lift off from California’s
Mojave Desert, acceleration through the Earth’s
atmosphere at 2,500 miles-per-hour into space and back
again – all in the course of a day.
Price: $200,000 / www.virgingalactic.com
Rolls Royce
Phantom
Take your family to Giant Eagle in style in this
$375,000 hand-built car that’s so luxurious the cell
phone tray is lined with velvet. The Phantom takes 260
hours to build, compared to about 30 for your typical
car, and it shows in every detail, from the eerily-quiet
engine to the complete lack of road feedback. As one
reviewer put it, “People who drive Phantoms master the
world, the world doesn’t master them.” At 19-feet
long, the Phantom has plenty of head, leg, arm, and
trunk-room, and the 453-horsepower V-12 engine will keep
the ride smooth under even the heaviest grocery load,
though it may put a strain on your Fuel Perks card.
Price: $375,000 / www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com
Hermes
Birkin Bag
Star Magazine once said that you’re nothing in
Hollywood without a Birkin bag, but if you’re looking
to become somebody, it might take a while. Allegedly,
there’s a waiting list of up to two years to purchase
one of these bags, which start at $7,500. Much of the
appeal is the iconic status of the bag, but there’s
also an investment factor to purchasing a Birkin – it’s
one of the few fashion goods that may actually
appreciate in value. If you’re not in the waiting
vein, you can try eBay, where Birkins go for prices
ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. Do your homework,
though, and make sure you’re not buying an imitation.
Price: $7,500 and up / www.hermes.com
Kid’s
Luxury Country Playhouse
Let your children play in luxury in a toy house so nice
the county will want to assess it. This two-story custom
playhouse comes with such options as cable, running
water, electricity, central air or a wireless
communication system, not to mention comprehensive
interior design services, such as window treatments,
moldings, paint colors, furnishings, rugs and flooring,
including wood, marble, or Mexican tile.
Price: $36,000 and up / www.netkidswear.com
The Rolling
Stones in Concert
If the hassles of crowds and parking at stadium shows
are too much to bear, you can have the World’s
Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band play in your backyard
for about $8 million. The group’s private party rate
also makes them the world’s most expensive rock ‘n’
roll band. By comparison, Celine Dion demands $6.6
million for a private affair. Elton John asks $2
million, and rapper 50 Cent gets about $500,000 for a
half-hour show.
Price: $8 million / www.rollingstones.com
 Phoenix
1000 Personal Luxury Submarine
Torpedo the smugness of your yacht-owning neighbors with
this 213-feet luxury submarine. Capable of cruising at
18 knots and diving 305 meters below sea level, the
Phoenix 1000 even includes a built-in mini-sub that can
go nearly a mile below the surface (and is useful during
undersea emergencies). With 5,000 square feet of
interior space, the Phoenix is far from cramped, and
includes spacious cabin windows and sofas for undersea
viewing, along with separate quarters for your crew.
Price: $78 million / www.ussubs.com
Michael
Jordan’s Flight School
You might be The Man at your local rec-league hoops
game, but how would you fare against His Airness
himself? Find out at MJ’s annual four-day basketball
camp for the 35-and-over set. For a five-figure cover
charge, older ballers get assigned to 5-on-5 teams and
put through their paces by Jordan and legendary coaches
like John Thompson, Rick Pitino, and Chuck Daly.
Price: $17,500 / www.mjflightschool.com
The $1,000
Omelet
Take that special someone on your list to Norma’s,
located in the lobby level of the Le Meridien Parker
Hotel in Manhattan, to share the dish otherwise known as
the “Super-size Lobster Frittata,” which consists of
a six-egg Spanish omelet, a lobster, and about 10 ounces
of Sevruga caviar. Coffee is $5.
Price: $1,000 / www.parkermeridien.com
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'Tis
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