British Airways buys France's l'Avion

British Airways, Europe's third-largest flag carrier, on Wednesday said it is going to buy the French all-business airline l'Avion for 54 million pounds ($107 million) as it steps up efforts to take advantage of the recent liberalization of transatlantic travel.

The privately owned airline flies two Boeing 757 aircraft with 90 seats each between Paris and New York. L'Avion has flown 65,000 passengers since its January 2007 launch.

The deal, which includes £26m of net cash on L'Avion's balance sheet, will allow OpenSkies to raise its Paris Orly-New York flights to three per day. Both carriers use reconfigured Boeing 757 aircraft.

The idea behind Open Skies was to capitalize on the deregulation of traffic between the U.S. and Europe that took effect at the end of March. Until then, BA couldn't offer direct flights from Paris to the U.S.

L'Avion is the sole survivor of the four all-business class airlines launched in recent years following the collapse of Maxjet, Eos and Silverjet. But given oil at around $140 a barrel, industry observers doubted that l'Avion ever turned a profit.

BA plans to integrate L'Avion under the OpenSkies brand. L'Avion's aircraft have 90 seats in a single-class cabin, while OpenSkies has 82 seats in three classes : 24 seats that convert into beds, 28 in premium economy and 30 in economy making it closer to the l'Avion model than traditional British Airways flights.

Luxury Helicopter Packages

Representing a fresh, new approach to luxury air travel, Halcyon Jets a premiere broker of private jet charter services, announced it will be arranging helicopter packages operating between New York City and eastern Long Island for travelers eager to avoid the traffic-snarled Long Island Expressway en route to the Hamptons exclusive beach vacation areas this summer season.

"For our clients, time is more important than money. A helicopter flight arranged by Halcyon takes about 45 minutes from Manhattan to the East Hampton Airport. The same trip via car can take upwards of four hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic."

Halcyon Jets’ aircrafts, which include the Bell Jet Ranger, Long Ranger, Augusta, or Eurocopter, are replete with luxurious cabins that can comfortably accommodate up to four passengers.

Halcyon clients can choose to purchase helicopter packages through either the Southampton Flight Club Card or East Hampton Flight Club Card. Halcyon's Southampton Flight Club Card, which costs $7,700 (plus fees) includes two one-way transfers from NYC to East Hampton or vice versa. The East Hampton Flight Club Card costs $22,500 (plus fees), and includes six one-way transfers.

Clients who purchase a Flight Club Cards will receive a complimentary bottle of champagne, strawberries, and a Halcyon Jets' gift basket which includes Keihl's Sunscreen, a Lauren Ralph Lauren Towel, Origins organic lip balm and a bottle of Evian Mineral Water Spray so as to go straight to the beach when you arrive ! (source : press release)

The New York City Waterfalls

Visitors to New York this summer will find something unusual even for this celebrated city — four monumental, man-made waterfalls in the East River along the shores of Brooklyn, Manhattan and Governors Island.

Danish artist Olafur Eliasson is the creator of the public art, titled "The New York City Waterfalls,". Commissioned by the Public Art Fund (they cost about $15 million), the project is said to have been designed to protect water quality and aquatic life.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg - unveiling the work last week - said: “New York is a place where big ideas are realized […] These waterfalls will be just as awe-inspiring as any found in nature. They really must be seen to be believed."

The waterfalls are between 80 feet and 120 feet high and will be installed temporarily on the Brooklyn anchorage of the Brooklyn Bridge, between Piers 4 and 5 below the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, in Lower Manhattan at Pier 35 north of the Manhattan Bridge and on the north shore of Governors Island.

To be energy efficient, project organizers have pledged to use pumps powered by the East River’s tidal water current and utilize low-impact lighting such as the LEDs used for the new New Year’s Ever ball. They’ll also tithe the guilt away by buying carbon offsets to neutralize the project's emissions.

It is the city's biggest public art project since artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude erected 'The Gates' in Central Park in 2005, adorning 23 miles of footpaths with 7,500 saffron panels.

The waterworks will flow from 7am to 10pm seven days a week, will be lit after sunset, and operate from July to October. A limited number of free tickets will be available every day for a boat tour of all four; anyone who misses out on the free ride can pay $10. The installation is expected to generate more than $60 million in tourism and economic activity.

Source : stltoday / dailymail

Titanic life jacket sells for $70k

An unused life jacket from the doomed transatlantic cruise ship "Titanic," which struck an iceberg in 1912 and sank, fetched 68,500 dollars at auction at Christie's in New York late Wednesday.

The cork-filled life preserver - still largely intact, but stained and torn in parts - was thought to have been found by farmer John James Dunbar on the Halifax shoreline after the passenger ship sank off Newfoundland in April, 1912.

The liner sank during its maiden voyage from the British port of Southampton to New York when it hit an iceberg, causing some 1,500 people to die. About 700 people are believed to have survived the sinking, one of the worst maritime disasters ever.

There is still huge public interest in Titanic memorabilia as the sinking of the ship, which had been billed as unsinkable, caused such a loss of life and was one of the first world-wide news events

Maritime specialist Gregg Dietrich said the jacket - believed to be one of six remaining - appeared to have been unused because the shoulder straps were still intact. Titanic passengers tended to have had their life preservers cut off to ease removal from their damaged skin.

Mr Dietrich said that the cork filling the jackets was so heavy that many of the survivors and victims of Titanic were found to have broken their jaws on them when they hit the water after jumping from the ship.

Source : reuters

Caviar pizza goes for $700

An authentic New York pizzeria in Notting Hill, has just launched the UK’s most expensive pizza, worth over $700 usd.

Mulberry Street has introduced the 20 inch Beluga King to their menu, which is topped with mozzarella, onion, Italian chicken eggs and caviar.

“I’ve lived in the area for 16 years and I know that we have a lot of Americans and a lot of wealthy people here,” the owner, Maria O’Connor, said. “They are partial to our Louis Roederer Cristal, and I thought, what better to go with Champagne than caviar. And if they don’t buy it, then I’ll eat it!”

And it’s already a success even though there is a credit crunch in the UK : Mulberry Street have sold six Beluga’s in just two weeks!.

New York restaurateur Nino Semilaj holds expensive pizza record : he launched last year the $1,000, 12 inch Luxury Pizza, topped with six types of caviar, fresh lobster, crËme fraiche and chives !

Rare South American Stamps

Luxist inform us that rare South American stamps, in fact the world's most valuable private collection of South American postage stamps, will be offered in a public auction in New York City on June 5 and 6, 2008.

The auction includes for instance the only surviving example of the 1859 one-peso "tête-bêche," which has a pre-sale estimate of $400,000 to $500,000.
There is also an envelope from Chile with a unique block of 14 lithographed 5-centavo stamps of 1854 which is $400,000 to $500,000.
From Colombia there is a letter with a 5-centavo and a10-centavo stamp dated September 1, 1859, the first day these very first stamps of Colombia were issued The pre-sale estimate is $200,000 to $300,000.
You'll find out more information on luxist and on siegelauctions

Unlimited Plastic Surgery Package in the Hamptons for $500,000

A New York plastic surgeon is offering a $500,000 package deal that includes a summer house rental in the Hamptons, and all the plastic surgery you want, "Within reason," !
He's also throwing in a chauffeur, personal chef, and a nurse to tend to the surgically wounded.

Via : gawker

The $175 hamburger :The most expensive burger in New York

Its creators admit it is the ultimate in decadence: a $175 hamburger.

The Wall Street Burger Shoppe just raised its price from $150 to assure its designation as the costliest burger in the city as determined by Pocket Change, an online newsletter about the most expensive things in New York.

"Wall Street has good days and bad days. We wanted to have the everyday burger (for $4) ... and then something special if you really have a good day on Wall Street," said co-owner Heather Tierney.

The burger, created by chef and co-owner Kevin O'Connell, seeks to justify its price with a Kobe beef patty, lots of black truffles, seared foie gras, aged Gruyere cheese, wild mushrooms and flecks of gold leaf on a brioche bun.

The eatery sells 20 or 25 per month in the fine dining room upstairs versus hundreds of $4 burgers each day at the diner counter downstairs, Tierney said.

Pocket Change previously designated the double truffle burger at Daniel Boulud's DB Bistro Moderne as the most expensive at $120, and the Burger Shoppe set out to top that. Boulud's creation -- available only during black truffle season from December to March -- rose to $150 this past season, so the Burger Shoppe raised its price on Monday to $175.

"Our burger is not about the price," said Georgette Farkas, a Boulud spokeswoman. "If you are making something concerned only about the price, you are off in the wrong direction." [..]

Via reuters

Video : Pet Pavilion Pet Incubator & Hotel

Autoelex's Pet Pavilion Digital Pet Incubator is a one of a kind product. It's a 7 star hotel for your pet.

When your beloved pet is not feeling well just pop it in and you can control the chamber’s humidity, temperature, lighting and ventilation all the way to a speedy recovery.Until now, you could only find this product in Korea, at $10,000 a piece !

Autoelex's Digital Incubator series were featured last week at Koreannovation, the Korean Trade Show in New York City, among other products ranging from Corporate Commercial products to Home Appliances.

Rolls Royce gets the world's most expensive hood ornament

The New York International Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Center features a stunning Rolls-Royce motorcar mascot designed by a Manhattan-based jeweler.

The mascot, known as the Spirit of Ecstasy, sits on every Rolls-Royce coming out of the factory. A one-of-a-kind mascot was commissioned by local luxury car dealership Manhattan Motorcars. Designer Jean Kemanjian described his creation, valued at $200,000, and the design process.

Four inches high by two inches across, the mascot is original to the car. "What inspired me was using the materials we used—the diamonds, platinum, and rare metals. We felt that doing something like this would be a tribute to the car itself."

Diamonds clearly define the work. "It wasn't too hard to come up with an idea to add diamonds to a vehicle," said Kemanjian. "That's never been done before." On such a delicate piece, jewels glow from every fold and indentation. "What we did was to add 150 carats of D color VVS1 quality diamonds and some fancy intense yellow diamonds on the wings."

The skill of the jeweler comes into play at the base. According to Kemanjian, "Pave (pah-vay) is a technique that we use to actually create the surface, which is actually a diamond surface. What you're looking at is actually diamond after diamond. It's like laying down tiles. It's the most expensive surface you can create known to man."

Based on a sculpture of a woman in fluttering robes by Charles Robinson Sykes, the mascot has adorned the hoods of Rolls-Royce motorcars since 1911. The mascot is commonly known as "Silver Lady" or "Flying Lady." (The figure is an interpretation of the 3rd-century B.C. Greek sculpture, the Nike of Samothrace, a Greek symbol of victory.)

Kemanjian stated his diamond-studded mascot is exclusive to Manhattan Motorcars. "This is what Rolls-Royce base their whole emblem on. This goes on every car but without the diamonds. This is the only one in existence,"

Although he designed the prototype for the New York dealership, he is quick to point out that the car itself is all Rolls. "The whole car is original, from top to bottom. This is the original mascot that comes with the car. There's no after market, there's nothing added to the car. This is all original Rolls-Royce."

Kemanjian indicated that everything is done by hand—the polishing, placement—and the designer says these diamonds are really forever. "Diamonds are the hardest surface in the world. They'll never scratch, they'll never rust. This will stay like this for eternity."

For more information on the motorcar mascot visit manhattanmotorcars.com and Jean Kemanjian's other jewelry creations at oisdiamond.com.

Via epochtimes

New York 2008: Saleen S5S Raptor revealed

Developed in partnership between Saleen and specialty builder ASC, the car is scores well in its specs as well as looks. The aluminum chassis 2-seater can get from 0-60 in a supercar-standard 3.2 seconds.Powered by a supercharged 5.0L engine and running off E85 ethanol, the S5S Raptor produces 650 hp and 630 lb-ft. of torque, allowing the car to race from 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds. While the car’s design isn’t extremely unique, the car does sport some aggressive features, like a large front grille and 20-inch rims.
For $185,000, it will hit the production level in 2010.

Source : luxurylaunches

The Plaza Hotel Reopens In Style

After almost three years of extensive renovations at a staggering cost of US$400 million, New York’s most famous hotel finally reopens its doors.

The Plaza, which is now a National Historic landmark, first opened in 1907.

With 282 rooms and 182 private residences, each furnished in Louis XV French décor style, the six-star Plaza Hotel at the crossroads between Fifth Avenue and Central Park continues to re-define luxury since its doors open to receive guests a century ago.

A wireless touch-screen panel in each room connects you to the hotel’s concierge services while also serving as a remote for the room’s ambience.

The hotel’s iconic Palm Court, Oak Room and Bar, and the famous Grand Ballroom – scene of author Truman Capote’s masked extravaganza, the Black & White Ball in 1966 – have also been painstakingly restored to their former glories.

Via goldarths

World's Largest Gucci Store - Gucci New York

New York can add another feature and tourist attraction to its already long list - the new Gucci flagship store about to be opened on 725 Fifth Avenue.

The new store will be the world’s largest Gucci store oozing elegance and architectural artistry. The architect is the world renowned James Carpenter and his fingerprints are all over this new store - along with those of Creative Director Frida Giannini who collaborated on the building design.

The floor to ceiling glass facade encases three floors of shoppers heaven and creates a stunning landmark for those just passing-by. The Gucci store is as beautiful from the outside as it is from the inside - and that’s not even taking into consideration the glamorous products - the neutral space is filled with natural light and the highest quality materials.

Catering for both men and women the new flagship store, Gucci New York, is making a bold and beautiful statement in New York, and makes it with the luxurious style one associates with Gucci.

Source : trendhunter magazine