'Toy' time: Got some extra cash? Check out these expensive playthings

By ELIZABETH ROSS WHITE
Special to Essex County Newspapers

From exquisite automobiles with the latest high-tech equipment to gorgeous yachts and seafaring vessels, from state-of-the-art outdoor grills to convenient cell phones, the North Shore is home to the latest luxury necessities _ for now and into the millennium.

For a first-rate set of wheels, look no further than Flagship Motors in Lynnfield. Here you'll find the ultimate of automotive excellence, the 2000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

With a high-tech navigation system, traveling is a breeze. Punch in your destination, and the video screen maps out a route and gives spoken directions. The system also will point you to the nearest restaurants, ATMs, gas stations and hospitals.

Need to make dinner reservations after a night at the theater? Just press the "i" button and say what you need. The computerized "concierge service" will take care of everything while you drive.

For comfort and ease of driving, the S-Class has a powerful 5-liter, V-8 engine with phenomenal pickup. Special sensors in the car's front and rear guide you during parking, alerting you with audiovisual indicators to the proximity of objects outside. Front seats power-adjust 14 ways and will massage your back while you drive.

Safety ranks high on the list, too. The TeleAid communication system puts you directly in touch with people at the Mercedes-Benz Client Assistance Center. It handles questions about your car and dispatches emergency roadside service 24 hours a day. Each car is equipped with eight air bags.

"It is without question the most technologically advanced vehicle ever made," says Bernie Moreno, general manager of Flagship Motors.

Too expensive? At Ira Lexus in Danvers, the Lexus LS 400, for about $15,000 less, comes equipped with a 290-horsepower V8 engine, plush leather upholstery, heated front seats, moon roof, six-disc CD auto changer, complete navigation system and a 215-watt, seven-speaker audio system.

Nor can you hear all the machinery working behind the scenes _ or even on the highway. "It's very quiet and it's smooth," says Leo Markarian, sales consultant at Ira Lexus. "You can't hear loud noises or road noise. It's very quiet."

If you'd rather travel by water, check out the luxury yachts at Wells Yachts in Marblehead. For several hundred thousand dollars, the Catalina 4700, a 47-foot fiberglass sailing vessel, includes two large bedrooms, a luxurious living room with cushioned chairs and dining table and a galley with three-burner stove, microwave oven and refrigerator/freezer.

Other amenities include a TV and VCR, washer and dryer and large cockpit with two drop-leaf tables.

If you're looking for a slightly less expensive yacht, opt for the 42-foot Catalina 4200.

More hands-on seafaring types can paddle over to Fernald's Marine in Newbury for kayaks, sailboats and canoes. Kayaks, in particular, are in high demand these days, says owner Bunny Fernald. One of the most popular is the lightweight, 9.5-foot Old Town "Otter," with a kayak vest and double paddle.

For a more deluxe model, try the 16-foot BorealDesign. "You can never find a flaw in these kayaks," says Fernald. "The workmanship is perfection."

Fernald's has a line of sailboats, too. Com Pac Yacht's 14-foot Picnic Cat has a special Quick Rig Sailing System that lets you set up in less than 10 minutes.

Fernald's canoes will keep you afloat in style. The store's handsome 100th anniversary Old Town wooden canoe is a gem. All handmade, the 16-foot, mahogany-colored, three-person vessel has cedar floor planks, brass diamond-head bolts and hand-caned seats.

If you're not too burned out after your canoe trip, you might be hankering for a sizzling, outdoor-grilled steak. Yankee Fireplace and Grill City in Middleton has the largest inventory of grills around. The top-of-the line, 48-inch, stainless-steel gas grill by Lynx includes a cabinet, infrared rotisserie, two side burners and a tiled counter top.

"This is something you would build in a pool area and make part of the patio," says Yankee's president, Bill Harris.

A smaller, 27-inch version of the Lynx is also available. Or choose the Weber Summit gas grill with four burners and a cabinet underneath.

You don't have to be a gourmet cook to appreciate state-of-the-art grilling equipment, says Harris. "Grills used to be for just a couple of months during the heat of the summer," he says. "But people we talk to say, `We grill year round.' They don't have to smoke up the house. Grills are becoming more like outdoor kitchens than items you just throw hamburgers on."

An outdoor grill must mean it's barbecue time. Why not call up some friends and invite them over to sample those mouth-watering steaks? If you're out in your sailboat, you'll need some way to contact them.

Phil DePalma's Cellular One in Danvers has a great selection of cell phones. The Nokia 6120 digital phone delivers 3 1/4 hours of talk time, stores up to 200 phone numbers and has a calculator and four electronic games. Weighing in at a mere six ounces, the phone comes with 35 distinctive rings and in three colors: Earth, Ocean and Sky.

Or look into the Nokia 5120, which offers three to five hours of talk time and can store up to 100 numbers. Personalize it with snap-on covers in colors that include Tango Orange, Antigua Red, Gecko Green, Bermuda Blue and Dolphin Silver.

Either cell phone will work and look great when you're tooling around town in your Mercedes S-Class or Lexus LS-400, and plying the North Shore waters in your Catalina yacht or Old Town kayak.