Kristen Shirley
Author
Kristen Shirley

Kristen is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of La Patiala. She is a luxury expert specializing in travel, fine food, wine and spirits, watches, and jewelry. Before founding La Patiala, Kristen was the Luxury Editorial Director at Elite Traveler magazine and spent six years in the fashion department of ELLE magazine. She is a freelance writer, editor, and stylist for some of the world’s top publications, including Forbes.com, Bloomberg Businessweek, Departures, Robb Report, Nobleman, Business Insider, Watchonista, and World of Fine Wine. In the course of her career, Kristen has styled fashion shoots, written countless features, and conducted interviews with designers, chefs, winemakers, master distillers, and hoteliers, as well as fashion, watch, jewelry, and travel executives. Kristen holds the Applied Jewelry Professional certificate from the Gemological Institution of America and earned the Level Two Award in Wine and Spirits with distinction and the Level Three Award in Wine with distinction from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust. Kristen studied at international high schools outside of Frankfurt and London before graduating from Georgetown University with a bachelor of arts in French. During university, she studied abroad in Paris, attended classes at Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, and learned Italian and Spanish. When she isn't traveling the world for a feature, her favorite place to be is on a beach with a glass of Champagne.

The Best Rosé Champagne

Whether you’re looking for a fine vintage rosé Champagne for a special occasion or a wonderful nonvintage bottle, you’ll find it here. Some people make the mistake of thinking rosé Champagne is a sweet wine and disregard it completely. However, rosé Champagne can be wonderfully complex and…

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The Best Fall & Winter Tequila Cocktails

Who says you can’t enjoy a margarita once it gets cold? Discover the best mezcal and tequila cocktail recipes for the chilly season. Just because summer is over doesn’t mean you need to give up fun tequila cocktails. While mezcal and tequila cocktails are indeed wonderful by the beach or the pool…

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The Best Caviar Companies in the US

Discover the best caviar companies here, whether you’re looking for rare Osetra or the perfect caviar for a party. Looking for the best caviar company can be a confusing process. There’s far more choice today than there was a decade ago, but there are two main types of caviar companies. The first is…

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The Best Private Jet Companies in the US

Whether you're looking for fractional ownership, jet cards, or charter, you'll find the perfect company for you here. There are many ways to fly aboard private jets, and the sheer number of private-jet companies in the US can feel overwhelming. Our selection of the best private-jet companies in the…

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The Perfect Long Weekend in Vail, Colorado

Heading to Vail for a ski break? Our guide tells you everything you need to know to have a fabulous weekend. Vail is one of the most popular ski destinations in the US, and it's perfect for a weekend ski trip. Vail Mountain has nearly 5,300 acres of skiable terrain, including 3,000 on its legendary…

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The Best Champagnes to Gift for Every Occasion

Need the perfect bottle for a birthday, promotion, or housewarming party? You'll find it here. Have you ever stood in front of a wall of Champagne, wondering which bottle to bring to a party or give to a friend? With so many excellent Champagne houses with different cuvées, picking the right bottle…

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How to Buy a Watch at Auction

Whether you want to buy a hard-to-find watch or are looking for a great deal on a vintage timepiece, auction houses are a great place to buy a watch. While most of the news regarding watch auctions focuses on record-breaking — and eye-popping — sales of iconic watches such as Paul Newman's Rolex…

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