Monthly Archives: December 2010

superbus

Meet the high-speed bus of the future

superbus

Today’s buses have a reputation for being large, slow and — even when powered by electricity — rather inefficient.

However, this could all be about to change thanks to a pioneering design from a Dutch scientist which was shown last week in Amsterdam.

The “Superbus” is the work of the Delft University of Technology and Prof. Dr. Wubbo J Ockels, a Dutch physicist and astronaut, to provide a realistic alternative to cars.
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Versace Jewellery boutique Beijing

Versace pursues retail expansion in China

Versace Jewellery boutique Beijing

The Italian luxury house, which just opened a jewelry boutique in Beijing on December 10, has other imminent plans in the pipeline for China.

The company will debut a new retail concept before Christmas in the Village North, a shopping complex in Sanlitun, an affluent area filled with shops and eateries.

Additionally, Versace is planning to unveil another flagship in Shanghai’s Plaza 66 shopping center as well as another location in Zhengzhou, sometime in 2011.
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travelteq leather ipad case

TravelTeq Leather iPad Case

travelteq leather ipad case

Dutch design company TravelTeq presents a new leather case for the iPad, giving us yet another case option for this Christmas season.

The luxury iPad case is handmade from Florentine Vacchetta leather and features three viewing angles and a pocket for business cards.

Priced at $300, this latest creation from TravelTeq is now available directly through the brand’s online store.
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Kate Middleton Prince William

Kate Middleton Reiss engagement dress causes frenzy

Kate Middleton Prince William

The official engagement photos of Prince William and Kate Middleton released on December 12 caused a flurry of media interest.

Of particular interest was the white Reiss dress that Middleton wore. Capitalizing on the frenzy, the label announced on Monday that it will re-release the dress.

The “Nannette” dress, which retails for $325, will re-launch in stores next month.

The simple, belted number with a ruffle detail across the front is actually from the fall 2010 collection, so it can no longer be found at any Reiss boutique.
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Richard Branson airasiaX

Branson to be AirAsia stewardess February next year

Richard Branson airasiaX

Richard Branson will serve as a flight attendant on an AirAsia X flight in February next year after losing a cross-dressing bet to rival Tony Fernandes.

The two men laid the wager over whose Formula One team would place higher in this year’s rankings.

Although both teams completed the season with zero points, Lotus F1 team was placed ahead of Virgin Racing by virtue of their better race finishing positions.
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Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport

Jay-Z Gets Bugatti Grand Sport From Wife Beyonce

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport

Famous musical couple Beyonce and Jay-Z will be celebrating the rap mogul’s 41st birthday in style after Beyonce gifted him with a Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport.

Knowles had to order the $2 million Bugatti — at zero to sixty in 2.5 seconds, the fastest road car in the world — a full year in advance.

Jay-Z, who is an ambassador for American motor giant GMC, already owns a Maybach 62S, a Ferrari F430 Spider and a Pagani Zonda Roadster.
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Cessna Jet Access

CitationAir by Cessna rolls out Jet Access program

Cessna Jet Access

Fractional jet operator CitationAir by Cessna has launched a new initiative called Jet Access, which allows customers to fly without buying a share of an aircraft.

Customers can fly on the company’s fleet of Citation XLS or Sovereign aircraft.

The program allows customers with a 50 hours annual commitment all the benefits of fractional ownership, together with the flexibility and risk-free benefits of a Jet Card.

“The Jet Access product requires no aircraft ownership, thereby eliminating any concerns about future residual values,” said Steve O’Neill, CitationAir’s CEO.
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The London International Boat Show 2008

New Look London Boat Show to Include Used Boats

The London International Boat Show 2008

The London International Boat Show is set to feature a used boat marina for the first time when it opens its doors to the public again on January 7.

The show, which prides itself on being a family friendly affair as much as a place for the super-rich to splash their cash, says that it is responding to visitor demand in introducing the used boat marina at the annual event.

“This new feature has been introduced to the 2011 Show following overwhelming visitor feedback for used boats,” said the show’s boss Andrew Williams.
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The Shangri-La Paris

Shangri-La Paris Opens

The Shangri-La Paris

Next week see the opening of the Shangri-La Paris, adding 81 guest rooms with 27 suites to the center of the French capital.

Boasting a private suite that used to be the home of Napoleon’s grand-nephew Prince Roland, it is set to be a high-profile addition to Paris’ luxury hotel scene.

The building, which offers breathtaking views of the Eiffel Tower, will also hold French Cantonese and fusion restaurants and a “Napoleonic post-Egyptian” themed bar.
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Bernie Ecclestone

Bruised and battered Bernie Ecclestone in Hublot ad

Bernie Ecclestone

On November 25th, 2010, Bernie Ecclestone was mugged and his Hublot watch stolen from his wrist.

The 80-year-old, attacked a week ago, sent the snap to Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of Hublot, with the note: “See what people will do for a Hublot”.

Since the two share a certain sense of humor, they soon agreed to turn the incident into an advert.
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aloft hotels sign

Hotel offers bar discounts for Foursquare check-ins

aloft hotels sign

Aloft has joined competitors such as InterContinental and Four Seasons by embracing location-based services to offer consumers hotel deals.

The Starwood-owned chain said December 10 that it would offer a 20 percent discount at its bars to users who “check-in” for the first time using Foursquare.

Checking-in is used not in the traditional hotel sense, but to describe location-sharing using a smartphone and services such as Foursquare or Gowalla.
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caviar malossol petrossian

Caviar: the ultimate delicacy, from a farm near you?

caviar malossol petrossian

The grey pearls burst on the tongue to release their salty, marine aroma, lifted by notes of nut or fruit.

Caviar remains the ultimate luxury food — except these days the Caspian delicacy likely comes from a farm near you.

Exports of wild sturgeon eggs have been restricted since 1998 under UN quotas set to protect the species from chaotic overfishing after the fall of the Soviet Union.
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Cathay Pacific new business class seat

Airlines launch new premium products

Cathay Pacific new business class seat

As premium travelers take to the skies again, this week has seen the launch of new products catering to big-spending passengers from two major airlines.

Cathay Pacific launched its new business class seat at a glittering event in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, describing it as a “passenger-led design.”

The seat folds down into a flat bed offering more space than the existing business class cabins, along with a view out the windows and handy remotes to control the widescreen inflight entertainment system and the adjustable seat.
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The Lawn Club Celebrity Eclipse

Cook your own dinner onboard a cruise ship

The Lawn Club Celebrity Eclipse

Celebrity Cruises has revealed that its latest cruise ships will feature a restaurant where passengers can prepare their own meals while looking out to sea.

The cruise line revealed the new “Lawn Club Grill” restaurant concept in a December 9 sneak peak of some of the new features on its forthcoming cruise ships Silhouette and Reflection.

In an industry first, the new restaurant will give patrons access to the grills, pizza-making tables, large ovens and other appliances so that they can grill their own choice of meats in the evening, alongside the restaurant’s chefs.
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Louis vuitton 4motion sunglasses

Louis Vuitton 4Motion Performance Eyewear

Louis vuitton 4motion sunglasses

French luxury designer Louis Vuitton has released their new 4Motion Performance Eyewear frames this week.

The 4Motion line consists of styles for both water and snow sports with the frame adjusting to the wearer.

The 4Motion line is exclusively available from Louis Vuitton stores worldwide in yellow, black, blue and red.
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World’s Coolest Superyacht for $1 Million Per Month

Exuma Superyacht

For $1 million per month you can now charter the world’s coolest superyacht, the 164-ft. Exuma built by Perini Navi, in the South Pacific.

The Exuma, the first motor yacht from the world-famous builder of the Maltese Falcon, and can accommodate ten guests in five luxurious staterooms.

The aluminum-hulled Exuma is the first model in the Picchiotti Vitruvius series, a collaboration between Perini Navi, Vitruvius Ltd. and architect Philippe Briand.
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