One&Only Le Saint Géran, Mauritius, will reopen its doors from 1 December 2017 following a multimillion dollar investment which will transform the legendary resort into a modern icon. Colonial-style architecture is being preserved at the resort whilst a cool, contemporary beach inspired design will be introduced celebrating Mauritian lifestyle and architecture. In advance of the opening, One&Only has unveiled new culinary experiences and signature concepts. The resort will celebrate Mauritius through authentic culinary experience of every restaurant and lounge with spices, rums and local foods fused together in new open cooking areas, with what the resort describes as ‘theatrical and romantic settings.’ The resort’s new Executive Chef, Marc de Passorio from Michelin star restaurant L’Esprit de la Violette in the South of France, has completely reimagined the culinary experience. Various signature experiences will be up on offer at the Tapasake restaurant and the steakhouse ‘Prime’, along with L’Artisan, the new artisanal bakery and specialist coffee lounge. La Terrasse restaurant has been reborn closer to the azure waters of the ocean to provide even more stunning views. The Le Carré Lounge sits above La Terrasse and offers wide terraces overlooking the deep blue ocean and expansive skies. One&Only has also introduced La Pointe beach restaurant at Palm Grove, at the very tip of the peninsula.
Porsche has revealed the range-topping GTS versions of the 718 Cayman & Boxster sports cars, which will be making their global debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Both the GTS versions of the 718 Cayman & 718 Boxster get power upgrades, 25bhp for the Cayman and 35bhp for the Boxster and use upgraded versions of the 2.5-litre turbocharged flat-four engine powering the Cayman S and Boxster S. The mid-mounted turbo 2.5-litre flat-four engine belts out 361bhp and 470Nm of torque which is available between 1,900 and 5,000rpm. The engines on the 718 Boxster and Cayman GTS models are mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox with a 7-speed automatic available as an option, both of which send power to the rear wheels. Both cars supposedly do the 0-100kph sprint in 4.1 seconds with top speeds of 290kph, which is 0.2 seconds and 6.5 kilometres more than the models they replace. Deliveries of both the 718 Cayman GTS and the 718 Boxster GTS start in December.
Sotheby’s is all set to auction the world’s largest pink diamond at Geneva. Grandiosely named the ‘Raj Pink’ after its anonymous owner, the huge 37.3 carat rock will be sold at the Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels sale this November. Certified as ‘fancy intense pink’—a status accorded to only 0.2% diamonds in the world—by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the diamond’s colour and brilliance are considered a rare feat, particularly when its impressive weight is taken into consideration. The Raj Pink will be displayed in London, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and New York during the month of October, before finally making it to Geneva in November. The huge, intense pink rock is estimated to fetch upwards of $30 million.
The Masters Collection, a delightful collaboration between Jeff Koons and Louis Vuitton, now comes with its second instalment that features masterpieces from Monet, Turner and Gauguin among a host of illustrious names—while the first instalment had displayed works of Da Vinci, Van Gogh, Fragonard, Rubens and Titian. The artworks will be splashed in all their glory across LV handbags like the Neverfull, Speedy and Keepall along with accessories and small leather goods. Edouard Manet’s 1863 work ‘Luncheon on the Grass’ features among the chosen ones, along with the impressionist Monet’s 1916 painting ‘Water Lilies’, J.M.W Turner’s ‘Ancient Rome’, Francois Boucher’s ‘Reclining Girl’ and Paul Gauguin’s Delightful Land. The LV monogram motif and logo features on the bags along with the Master’s names and Koons’ initials. Prices range from $585 for a bag charm to $4000 for the Keepall.
Montblanc has now unveiled the M Ultra Black writing instrument, enhanced by a new texture and a hint of colour along with a special magnetic mechanism. Designed by Marc Newson, the man behind the stunning predecessor, the M Ultra Black also boasts of a magnetic closing amidst the cap and barrel that facilitates a seamless alignment of the clip and a unique ‘plateau’ at the barrel end. With a design featuring precious black resin and the white Montblanc emblem, the M Ultra Black features a dash of orange for style, and a regal AU585 gold nib that comes in two tones, using both rhodium and ruthenium. The writing instrument is available in three avatars: Fountain Pen, Rollerball and Ballpoint Pen.
California-based Rezvani Motors have created this rugged beast, the military-inspired five-seater Tank SUV—the toughest extreme utility vehicle in the world, if you believe the brand—and hold your breath for it comes with the option of ballistic armor protection and night vision technology. Marketed as a military-inspired vehicle built for civilians, the Tank SUV is powered by a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 engine producing 493bhp which is delivered to all the four wheels. The exterior design of the Tank SUV features angular lines, small, military-like windows, auxiliary lights and chunky tyres, with a massive ground clearance that boasts of incredible off-roading capabilities. The rear of the Tank features suicide doors for easy access and enhanced visual appeal. The side profile reveals front-hinged front doors and rear-hinged rear doors which open in the opposite direction. The interiors features leather seats, an infotainment system in the centre of the dashboard and a single-zone climate control. Priced upwards of $178,000 (approximately Rs 1.15 crore), orders for the civilian-military vehicle are already being taken by the brand.
BMW 330i Gran Turismo M Sport has made its India debut, priced at priced at Rs 49.40 lakh (Ex-showroom). Flaunting a sporty exterior, the BMW 330i Gran Turismo is available in Alpine White as non-metallic colour and Estoril Blue as metallic colour. With several exterior upgrades to enhance sportiness, the new BMW also offers range of excellent upholstery combinations in M Sport including Leather Dakota Veneto Beige/Oyster dark highlight – Veneto Beige and Leather Dakota Cognac/Brown highlight – Black. Mechanically, the BMW 330i Gran Turismo M Sport is powered by the four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that belts out 250bhp and 350Nm of torque, enabling the 0-100 km/hr sprint in in 6.1 seconds. The engine is married to the 8-speed Steptronic automatic gearbox and available with steering wheel paddle shifters. The BMW 330i Gran Turismo M Sport comes with cruise control with braking functions as standard, as well as excellent safety features.
Freaky parties, brutal brunches and eerie events that will all be set up at Atlantis The Palm this Halloween from 26th till 31st October 2017. On Friday 27th October, Atlantis Kids ClubMonster House will organise an event for kids aged 3 – 12, from 2pm to 5pm and 6pm to 9pm, which will include monster cookie making, spooktacular dance performances and creepy crafts, with a chance to win some petrifying prizes. For those aged 13 – 18, Club Rush will provide a thrilling experience from 8:30pm onwards. Teens can make use of their survival skills and instincts to fight off Atlantis zombies and take part in dare games and contests to win a host of prizes. For families, Bread Street Kitchen & Bar will hold its weekly Family Friday Brunch with a beastly twist from 12:30pm to 4pm, featuring haunting stories, a Halloween themed culinary master class and ghostly decorations. Diners also get free entry into The Lost Chambers Aquarium. On Saturday 28th October, guests can celebrate Halloween with the family at Ronda Locatelli’s gory Saturday brunch from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Little ones will be able to paint their own monster-piece and make petrifying pizzas, whilst enjoying haunting magic tricks. From 7 pm to 9 pm The Lost Chambers Aquarium will offer activities including mysterious scavenger hunts and games, encounters with fang-tastic creatures, Halloween dance performances. Ultimate Snorkel experiences and fish tales tours will also be awarded to those in the best costumes. Especially for adults, On Thursday 26th October from 7pm to 3am, Nasimi Beach will hold its Halloween extravaganza, featuring BBC Radio 1’s Danny Howard and including a midnight freak show complete with creepy circus acts, carnival freaks, sideshows and clowns to rival Pennywise.
British luxury car maker Aston Martin has unveiled the DB11 Volante that is sure to woo even the hardest to please drop-top lovers.
The sportiest drop-top model from the company, the DB11 Volante strikes a perfect balance between engineering and tasteful design with a new body style constructed from a lightweight bonded structure that is 26kg lighter and five per cent stiffer than the DB9 Volante.
The prominent difference between the DB11 coupe and Volante is the absence of the aeroblades equipped on the hard-top model. The aeroblades sits at the base of C-pillar of the DB11 coupe, but the Volante does not get the C-pillars. The rear deck is also new on the soft-top variant of the DB11.
On the design front, the DB11 Volante features single-piece aluminium bonnet and innovative ‘Curlicue’ aerodynamic feature from the DB11 Coupe. The back of the seats get new wood or carbon fibre veneer panels. The rear of the car sports dramatic ultra-slim ‘light blade’ tail lights that create a bold C graphic.
The DB 11 Volante features an AMG-sourced V8 engine which gives sharper handling to the drop top. The 4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine produces 503bhp and 695Nm of torque. The engine is coupled to an 8-speed automatic gearbox delivering power to the rear wheels. A bigger V12 engine powered model is expected to be added at a later phase.
The other highlights of the Aston Martin DB11 Volante are the newly designed roof and folding mechanism. The soft-top comprises of eight layers which are folded in 14 seconds and raised in 16. The roof can be operated at speeds of up to 50km/h and comes in red, black silver or grey silver colour options.
Aston Martin puts its DB11 to the toughest tests as well— the steering wheel is heated and the fabric roof made up of eight insulating layers has been tested to destruction; first in weather chambers and then in Death Valley and around the Arctic Circle.
Priced at $216,495 in the US, the deliveries of the DB11 Volante will commence in the first quarter of 2018.
The very successful Royal Oak Frosted Gold timepiece for women has now been officially translated into the 41mm Royal Oak Frosted Gold for men by Audemars Piguet, in a Limited Edition run of 200 pieces. The timepiece boasts the same elegant features as the smaller version for women, namely the 18-carat white gold case and bracelet, gorgeous blue “Grande Tapisserie” dial and the iconic Royal Oak hands which glow in the twilight hours. The white gold integrated bracelet baosts the ‘Florentine Finish’, which provides a textured surface decoration on precious metal by beating the gold with a diamond tipped tool and creating a tapestry of glittering surfaces through countless tiny indentations, producing a shimmering ‘diamond dust’ effect. The 41mm Royal Oak Frosted Gold comes in white gold only with blue tapisserie dial, and is powered by the manufacture 3120 with 60 hours power reserve. It offers 50 metre water resistance. Comes with a price tageof $55,000.