Famed French brand Louis Vuitton, owned by luxury industry giant LVMH, recently announced their acquisition of Geneva-based La Fabrique du Temps, the high-end timepiece manufacturer that specializes in conception and fabrication of celebrated movements like tourbillons and minute repeaters. This is not the first time the brands have collided; since La Fabrique du Temps’ inception in 2007, the watchmaker has worked with Louis Vuitton ever since. This deal comes after LVMH’s rival PPR acquired high-end watchmaker Sowind Group last week.

After a long day of traveling from London to Milan, I arrived at the Milano-Malpensa airport mid-day. Upon getting settled, I decided to take a walk through the neighborhood of my hotel, Porta Garibaldi.

The festivities of Bastille Day occur this Thursday, July 14. Whether you are from France, or just dream of living there, experience the celebration of French Culture here in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Last night, music sensation Mya performed in front of a packed house at LAX Nightclub inside the Luxor. The songstress looked stunning as she arrived wearing a colorful print mini-dress with gold sparkle platform pumps.

With all the exciting happenings about to kick off for Miami Swim, it’s hard to keep track of what’s really haute and what’s just, not.

The building of the new West Hollywood Library and community center, part of The West Hollywood Park Master Plan in West Hollywood, broke ground in early 2009. Two years later, phase 1 of the complex is almost complete (ahead of time) and set to debut this Fall with the Community Dedication and Grand Opening set for Saturday, October 1. The opening of the complex comes at the perfect time coordinating with the 25th Anniversary of the West Hollywood community.

When the popular Chipotle chain of tasty Mexican grill restaurants hit the U.S., it did so with fervor. Quickly sweeping the nation with spots opening up on what seemed like every corner and strip mall, the delicious craze was undoubtedly a success. According to Grub Street, rumors abounded earlier this week that the popular chain is now looking to open 200 locations in the U.K., with only one currently existing in London.

Although you may still be recovering from your Fourth of July festivities in the Hamptons, it's time for New Yorkers to gear up for another Independence celebration. C'est la vie! Tomorrow, July 14th is Bastille day- the French Independence Day. In honor of the holiday, have a glass of champagne and fancy feast at one of these top ten French restaurants in NYC.

On Thursday, July 21, Sixteen, the sixteenth-floor modern American restaurant and bar at Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, will welcome Cold Heaven Cellars for an intimate dinner and wine tasting. The evening, hosted by Rachael Lowe, the downtown Chicago hotel's beverage director - along with Cold Heaven Cellars Winemaker/Owner Morgan Clendenen and Partner Scott Manlin, is a continuation of the restaurant's innovative wine programming.

New York City is fabulous. There has never been any doubt about that. It’s also one of the most sought-after places to call home, as evidenced by legendary real estate prices for some of the city’s prime spots. Curbed’s calculation of this year’s ten biggest real estate deals added up to a jaw-dropping $233,495,000 in sales with some bigwig names involved in many of those, including the Murdoch family (more than once), some movie stars, and a certain Facebook founder. Here’s the breakdown of the top ten:

Do you love reading about luxury watches? Check out HauteTime.com, your #1 online luxury watch resource featuring real time news, interviews with collectors and brand VIPs and weekly reviews on models that have not yet hit the market by Jack Forster, editor in chief of Revolution Magazine. Be the first to know all about the newest and hottest timepieces from your favorite luxury brands like Audemars Piguet, Cartier, Ulysse Nardin and Richard Mille by visiting HauteTime.com

Summertime, especially early July, is my favorite time of year to vacation in St. Tropez. The restaurants aren’t too crowded and hotspots such as Club 55 have a nice mix of patrons.

In 2006, Updown Court, one of the largest and lavish private residences in the UK – about 20 or so miles outside of London – was spec-built and put on the market for £75,000,000 (about $145,000,000). Recently, the luxe residences were seized by the Irish government in a foreclosure proceeding after the property developer, Leslie Allen-Vercoe, failed to keep up the mortgage payments secured by the state – about £50,000,000, according to RealEstalker.

Last night downtown met uptown as stars came out to celebrate the national launch of Rémy Martin’s first ever clear spirit – Rémy Martin V at LAVO NYC with a very special performance by Robin Thicke. Celebrities including supermodel Jessica White, “Gossip Girl” star and actress Tika Sumpter, male supermodel and NYC man-about-town Tyson Beckford, “Jumping The Broom” star and actor Laz Alonso, Real Housewife of New York Cindy Barshop, Latin pop star Kat Deluna, the new face of Ralph Lauren Chris Collins and many others partied the evening away as the famed DJ KISS energized the night.

Etoile, one of Dubai's best-loved multi-brand and locally-based boutiques has opened its doors in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The new flagship store is located at Al Khayyat Centre and contains 400 square meters of fashion's favorite brands including Alaia, Azzaro, Cher Michel Klein, Collette Dinnigan, Ingie Paris, John Galliano, Luisa Beccaria, Mara Hoffman, Rochas and Roksanda Ilincic.

Prominent Lebanese social figures joined Christian Louboutin last night to celebrate the one-year anniversary of his flagship store in Beirut. The designer arrived with Lebanese singer Elissa to over 250 adoring fans.

This just in hotel news: The Grand Hyatt is set to open a property in Kuala Lumpur in 2012. The move marks the brand's introduction into Malaysia, further increasing the presence of Hyatt-branded hotels in Southeast Asia. The news comes shortly after the announcement of the opening of another Hyatt brand, Andaz, in Shanghai (we covered it here). In the past year, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts have been on the uprise, expanding dramatically around the world and especially in the Asian countries where tourism is at an all-time high. Tourism projections for 2012 are positive and expected to rise as well, beating out the statistics for 2010 and 2011.

I want to get away… I want to fly away… Miami, you won’t want to fly anywhere after you heard what sex-symbol-musician Lenny Kravitz has rolled up his sleeves. Our Miami native is teaming up with legendary hotel designer Philippe Starck, to embark on the long-awaited SLS hotel come spring 2012 to South Beach at 17th and Collins Avenue.