Monthly Archives: January 2011

armani hotel russia

Russia’s Caucasus to get Armani hotel

armani hotel russia

Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani’s luxury hotel brand is planning to develop a hotel in Russia’s Caucasus region, a report said Friday.

Armani Hotels and Resorts, which opened its first development in Dubai last year, will launch another one in the Stavropol region’s mineral springs resort area, together with other investors, Kommersant daily reported.

Investment in the project, which is to be unveiled at the upscale MIPIM real estate show in Cannes in March, could surpass 150 million dollars, the report said.
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Auctioneers Christies picasso

Auctioneers Christie’s notch up record year

Auctioneers Christies picasso

Christie’s notched up the biggest sales figures in the art auction industry’s history last year, the firm announced Thursday, with record global sales of $5 billion.

And Chinese collectors continued to increase their prominence in the auction rooms as the number of buyers from China, Taiwan and HK accounted for a fifth of the total.

Sales in 2010 were up 53 percent with the firm selling more than half the world’s works over $50 million, including the most expensive painting ever to sell at auction: Pablo Picasso’s “Nude, Green Leaves, and Bust” for $106.5 million.
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gucci guilty

Gucci to launch beauty products

gucci guilty

Following similar moves by fellow fashion brands including Burberry and Dolce & Gabbana, Italian fashion brand Gucci is expanding into cosmetics.

The label has renewed its beauty license with beauty giant Product & Gamble, which to this date only included fragrances such as the latest release, Guilty.

New conditions in the deal foresee that Gucci will shortly branch out into cosmetics and skincare. A launch date and details of the Gucci palette are yet to be disclosed.
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A Sacra Conversazione Titian

Titian painting auctions for record $16.8 mln

A Sacra Conversazione Titian

A sumptuous painting of the Madonna and child by Renaissance master Titian sold for a record $16,882,500 Thursday in New York.

The Sotheby’s auction easily broke a 20-year-old record of $13.6 million for a Titian.

The painting, “A Sacra Conversazione: The Madonna and Child with Saints Luke and Catherine of Alexandria,” depicts the Virgin Mary and the two saints posed around a chubby infant Jesus as he stretches out his left hand.
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Hublot La Cle Du Temps watch

Hublot La Clé Du Temps Watch

Hublot La Cle Du Temps watch

Hublot has recently unveiled a new version of the La Clef du Temps watch, called “La Clé Du Temps” that is different from any other watch the brand has created before.

The name La Clé Du Temps translates to English as “the key of time”, chosen for this watch due to a special set of functionality.

Upon the owner’s command, time will slow down or speed up as displayed on the watch, ready to revert to the proper time as needed.
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D&G Spring Summer 2011 Ad Campaign

D&G Spring Summer 2011 Ad Campaign

Here is a look at the new D&G S/S 2011 campaign with Zuzana Gregorova, Keke Lindgard, Julia Turenkova, Jessica Clarke, Mariana Idzkowska, Tobias Sorensen, Simon Nessman and Alexandre Cunha photographed by Mario Testino.

Shot in a picnic at a park setting, these models are having a time of their lives in fun floral prints, gingham, and denim.

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Estate of the Day: 5102 Montclair Drive

5102 Montclair Drive

A European inspired masterpiece located in the Colleyville suburb, offered at $8.95M.

Of high class is an estate proudly poised in a sublime fashion at the head of a lush parcel, an estate embellished with true care.

Spectacularly representing a new era of the infamous French Chateau, graciously taking this to a new level in 21st century design and technology.
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Hamburg 2010 Cruise Days

Hamburg to host Celebrity Silhouette naming

Hamburg 2010 Cruise Days

Celebrity Cruises has announced that the naming ceremony for its new ship Silhouette will be held in the booming German port of Hamburg.

The ceremony, which is scheduled for July 21, is the first time that one of Celebrity’s 122,000 ton Solstice-class ships has been named outside of the United States or United Kingdom and reflects the European character of Silhouette.

In a statement January 26, Royal Caribbean’s Tom Fecke said that the selection of Hamburg was a “clear commitment to the German cruise market.”
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Pagani Huayra

Pagani unveils the Huayra

Pagani Huayra

Pagani has finally revealed its much rumoured and much anticipated successor to the Zonda: the Pagani Huayra., named after the Argentinean god of wind.

the new supercar is powered by an AMG-sourced 6.0-liter biturbo V12 engine with over 700 hp (522 kW / 710 PS) and 1000 Nm (737 Nm) of torque.

The top speed is claimed to be over 370 km/h (235mph) and 0-100 km/h is expected to take just 3.2sec.
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ricard new bottle

Pernod Ricard Launches New Ricard Bottle

ricard new bottle

Following extensive redesigns for a number of its brands, Pernod Ricard has revamped its flagship brand for the first time in its nearly 80-year history.

The group has unveiled a new design for the Ricard bottle by a British company, in an attempt to boost sales for a drink that is synonymous with the French way of life.

Described as a “daring metamorphosis” by the Ricard company chairman Philippe Savinel, the new design aims to refresh the heritage pastis brand.
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Aston Martin V8 Vantage S

Aston Martin V8 Vantage S

Aston Martin V8 Vantage S

Aston Martin has trotted out another special edition, the V8 Vantage S, to be formally unveiled in early March at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show.

The S features a unique appearance with a carbon fiber front splitter, a larger air intake, a new rear bumper, and a carbon fiber diffuser.

Other changes include modified side sills, a bigger rear spoiler and 19-inch alloy wheels with bespoke Bridgestone tires.
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absolut wild tea

New Wild Tea Vodka by Absolut

absolut wild tea

Noting the burgeoning tea trend within the cocktail community, Absolut Wild Tea makes its debut as the latest flavor in the iconic vodka brand’s extensive portfolio.

Absolut Wild Tea features dark tones of Oolong Tea and Nordic white elderflower, red apples, and citrus.

The company said that Wild Tea could be tried with iced fresh lime juice and pure sugar and lemon-lime soda or ginger ale.
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Kofoed Rasmus

Danish Chef wins 2011 Boucuse d’Or

Kofoed Rasmus

Chef Kofoed Rasmus of Denmark today won the Bocuse d’Or, a biannual cooking contest that draws the elite of the culinary world to the French city of Lyon.

Rasmus was victorious in a competition where spectators pack the grandstands to cheer on their national teams. The runner-up was Tommy Myllymaki Sweden.

The third place went to Gunnar Hvarnes Norway. The best meat platter prize was won by France and the best fish award by Switzerland.
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MINI Cooper Matt Edition

MINI Cooper Matt Edition

MINI Cooper Matt Edition

MINI has announced plans to offer in France a limited edition Cooper Hatch, called the Mat Edition.

The car features a matt black exterior wrap, checked mirror covers, unique side vents, and an individually-numbered key ring.

Production will be limited to 250 units. The €2800 package will be available to order as a MINI Cooper, Cooper D, Cooper S and John Cooper Works.

Zurich Airport Center Bar

Zurich Airport boasts “best airport bar”

Zurich Airport Center Bar

A bar at Switzerland’s Zurich Airport has been named as the best airport bar in the world at the Airport Food and Beverage Awards, held in Manchester earlier this week.

The Center Bar, which stretches along one side of Zurich’s departure terminal, beat contenders that included Harry’s Bar, an open air lounge on the roof of Singapore’s Changi Airport, and Saji Bumi at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Bars at Brussels Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport shared the prize for the best wine bar category, with the Beaudevin Wine and Tapas bar winning in Belgium and Vino Volo taking the prize in the US.
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The Minibar for the Mind

Morgans hotels offer luxury minibar for the mind

The Minibar for the Mind

Luxury hotel chain Morgans Hotel Group is to introduce a program to ensure that the minds of its guests are as well exercised as their bodies.

Morgans will partner with The School of Life, an organization that runs programs and services aimed at increasing personal fulfillment.

The first product of the collaboration will be a “Minibar for the Mind,” which is described as a “midnight feast of intellect, inspirations and ideas.”
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givenchy spring 2011 couture collection

Givenchy Couture Casts All Asian Models

givenchy spring 2011 couture collection

French fashion label Givenchy showed its haute couture collection exclusively on Asian models, demonstrating to what extent Asia has moved to fashion’s forefront.

Inspired by Japanese Butoh dancer Kazuo Ohn, the lightweight dresses featured clear Asian style elements such as structural shapes, warrior-inspired headgear by Philip Treacy, and folding techniques.

Declared “works of art” by the likes of fashion journalist Suzy Menkes, the dresses took an accumulated 6,000 hours to create.
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Porsche 911 Black Edition

Porsche 911 Black Edition

Porsche 911 Black Edition

German sports car manufacturer Porsche revealed today a new limited edition variant of its 911 model, dubbed Black Edition.

Available as a coupe or convertible, it features a unique appearance with a plain black exterior, black brake calipers, and 19-inch 911 Turbo II bi-color wheels.

Inside, the cabin is nicely equipped with partial leather seats, a sport steering wheel, aluminum look trim, a painted center console, and Black Edition door entry guards.
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hotel bristol Penthouse

Le Bristol to Unveil One of World’s Most Expensive Suites

lebristol

Paris’s Hotel Le Bristol is about to unveil a $33 million revamp that includes an ultra-luxe penthouse occupying the top floor of the hotel.

The 2,583-square-foot, two bedroom suite encompassing the entire eighth floor is set to become one of the most expensive hotel suites in the world.

It will feature incredible views of the rue de Faubourg Saint Honoré and the famed Le Bristol gardens-the largest of any Parisian hotel.
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