The wealthy acquire second homes, fancy cars, museum-quality art, and this season’s clothing and accessories. They hire assistants, house managers, gardeners, maids, drivers, nannies, and tutors – all in an effort to ensure they’ll have time to enjoy these possessions, and time to spend with loved ones. For even when money is no object, time remains elusive. In today’s frenetic, fast-paced world, time is the ultimate luxury.
For more than 30 years, a hallmark of my professional life has been global travel. I spent 20 years at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention working to prevent the spread of health conditions affecting people around the world. I did the same for several years at the Gates Foundation and then for almost a decade I was the President and CEO of CARE, a leading international humanitarian and development organization (originator of CARE packages sent to Europe post-World War II), that operates in over 80 countries around the world. My travels took me from rich world capitals to the most rural villages in poor countries where the average person earns less than $2 a day. I would often have to hop off of planes ready to meet with high level government officials, including Heads of State and then take a long car ride to a remote village and meet with village officials and the community. And most evenings included obligatory and often quite ceremonial dinners. Also as a woman, often meeting with men …
Super Bowl Sunday is – like Thanksgiving – one of those great American traditions that brings nearly everyone to the same table. Regional, class and political issues tend to fade, at least for one day, in the raucous ritual of watching the game, the ads, and the half-time show. And consuming lots of food and drink. That led us here at Dandelion Chandelier into a lively discussion about how to make this annual event even more special. We set out to round up the best/most fun/most over-the-top party ideas from our far-flung correspondents. The Sports Desk went into overdrive (many thanks, you guys!) and we’ve got lots of good input to share.
Have you ever wished that you had a rich and generous aunt or uncle with exquisite taste and an extensive timepiece collection, so that you could avoid the staggeringly high prices of luxury watches by borrowing what you need for the big events in your life?
Many people worry about the future, oftentimes to their own detriment. When you’re extremely wealthy, your ability to fund your darkest fears can lead you to some odd places. Like a reinforced bunker with 12-inch thick walls, a rifle range, a gym, an archery field and one of the world’s largest fountains that you share with 2,000 other like-minded people. Let us explain.
