Yes, you’d better believe it. Aleksandr Donskoy – former mayor of Arkhangelsk – burst into a Moscow mall in his Ferari California, in the wee hours of the morning—and he claims it was all a joke. Donskoy kept doing ‘doughnuts’ with his Ferrari inside the mall for 15 whole minutes before the security guards managed to stop him. Donskoy insisted that his stunt was a ‘comic performance’, a way to attract attention and not a crime!
Bulgari just unveiled what it terms as the fifth pillar of the Octo universe—timepieces that break with convention in their octagon shaped dials—and it’s called the Octo Roma. Officially unveiled in Geneva earlier this year the Octo Roma is 41 millimetres in size, features a self-winding Calibre BVL191 Solotempo movement with date and has a 42-hour power reserve. The watch is water resistant to 100 metres and comes in three variations: pink gold, steel or pink gold and steel, with black or brown alligator straps or steel bracelet. Bulgari states that the goal with the Octo Roma was to distil the spirit of the collection to its purest form, which it does with the new 41-millimetres size, and “smoother edges” that enhance the wearer’s comfort level.
The long awaited Mercedes-Benz S-Class facelift has been revealed at the Auto Shanghai 2017, with both cosmetic and mechanical changes. In terms of looks, the S-Class has been a major winner since it was launched in this generation in 2014 and the facelift builds further on the looks. The car now gets a revised grille, three-stripe full LED headlamps, sporty bumpers and re-profiled tail lamps. The cabin gets bigger screens both for the instrument panel as well as the passenger while the steering has moved from the classic two-spoke unit to a more conventional three spoke unit that is in line with Mercedes’ latest design philosophy. What’s more, the cabin features four-zone climate control, infotainment system, electric massaging seats and 64 hue mood lighting along with 36 speaker Burmester audio system—and they can all be programmed to work together in different combinations, for different kind of ambiances! Now that’s what we call the new definition of cool! Under the hood, the facelifted S-Class gets a revised petrol engine in the S 560 variant, a 4.0-litre V8 petrol motor that’s tuned to produce 469bhp/700Nm. There are two diesel options in the S350d and S400d, both 3.0-litre six-cylinder producing 286bhp/600Nm and 340bhp/700Nm respectively. There will also be a new six-cylinder petrol unit which will be a hybrid model. However, the newest feature additions are the ‘Intelligent Drive’ assisted driving systems with a variety of driver aid technologies.
Jaeger-LeCoultre has just announced three new dial options for the men’s Reverso Classic Duo Small Second watch. And these are in addition to the 5277 combinations made possible through the Jaeger-LeCoultre Atelier Reverso program launched last year, which allowed watch lovers to customize these watches with dozens of dial and strap options. The three newly unveiled options are Electric Blue, Military Marble, and Tiger’s Eye. The watch still comes in stainless steel case and measures 47mm by 28.3mm and is 10.3mm thick, with two faces – hence the Duo name – driven by a single movement, allowing it to display time in two time zones. Water-resistance is 30 meters. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Classic Large Duo Small Second watch comes with two dials that the wearer can flip between with the watch still on the wrist. The main watch dial is in silver and features a vertical brushed finish and a hand guilloche center with a small seconds indicator at 6 o’clock. The hands are blued for an added touch of elegance.
What’s the best way to escape the cares of the world and recharge your mental and physical batteries—and do it in style, too? Yoga retreats are fast catching on as the preferred vacation choices that don’t just rejuvenate you; they equip you with a lot more fuel for the challenging days ahead. Here is The Luxe Café’s curated list of the best yoga retreats in the country:
Vana Malsi Estate
Vana Malsi Estate is a picturesque property in Dehradun, perfect to refresh yourself amidst nature with incredibly attentive and warm-hearted staff. Along with Yoga, Vana Malsi also offers Ayurveda, Traditional Tibetan medicine, natural therapies and spa treatments to address health issues. In addition to the treatments, you can also choose the special Ayurvedic cuisine created at the Anayu restaurant for perfect inner and outer balance.
Shreyas Retreat
A unique aspect of visiting Shreyas Retreat in Bangalore is the variety of accommodation options. In addition to rooms, you also have the choice to stay in a cottage with views of the pool or reconnect with nature in a tent with an en suite bathroom and a private walled courtyard. With four courses served at both lunch and dinner, you can use your energy to participate in yoga classes or complete independent exercise at the gym. The beautifully-styled yoga hideout is also equipped with a swimming pool and indoor steam rooms to facilitate complete relaxation.
Ananda Spa
Also abutting the breathtaking expanse of the Himalayas, Ananda Spa aims not just to help guests relax but to fully redefine their lifestyles. Billed as one of the best yoga retreats in India, the wellness offerings here range from over 80 treatments in the 24-room spa along with yoga classes with options of choosing one from five different programmes: Hatha, Gatyatmak, Kriya, Pranayama, and Advanced Pranayama with Bandhas.
SwaSwara
Palm trees, coconut groves, balmy breezes and pristine shores: when you’re at SwaSwara, you forget the rest of the world. A wellness centre operated by CGH Earth and one of the best yoga retreats in India, SwaSwara is located at Gokarna in Karnataka. The retreat encourages holistic healing, and offers 10-day stays at minimum to ensure guests can fully relax. In addition to Ayurveda, meditation, swimming, locally sourced vegetarian cooking, and nature excursions, yoga is an essential aspect of SwaSwara’s offerings. The unique programme combines postures with mantras, breathing techniques, meditation and other deeply relaxing elements.
Soukya
Soukya in Bangalore has hosted the likes of Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall from the British royal family. Under the watchful eyes of Dr. Mathai, an acclaimed holistic health professional, Soukya is a holistic health center ideal for those who would like to sort out more serious health problems. From meals to oil mixtures, every treatment is selected by experts to align with individual visitors’ temperaments and healing goals. Easily accessible, given its location on the outskirts of Bangalore, the retreat is nevertheless surrounded by lush and peaceful gardens. They offer you the best personal attention and the rooms and cottages all feature private gardens with open air showers. While it is recommended that you spend at least one week healing in this lush haven, the Panchakarma retreat is offered for 21 or 28 days to fully revitalize your body.
Moschino’s Jeremy Scott has created a capsule collection inspired by the insanely addictive and hugely successful game Candy Crush. Moschino has partnered with King, the creator of Candy Crush, for this collection that celebrates the fifth anniversary of the game. Jeremy Scott has emblazoned the candy crush print on swimwear, a backpack, and an iPhone case.
Prices include $70 for the iPhone case, $300 for the women’s swimsuit, $205 for the men’s swimming trunks and $650 for the backpack. Each of the pieces features the colorful candy in a grid print with the word ‘Moschino’ written across in Candy Crush’s yellow font. Moschino and Candy Crush will host a ‘Candy Kingdom’ themed party at Coachella this year.
The new Hysek Colossal Grande Complication Watch boasts multiple incredible complications, some of them patented too. The use of a circular time display to give a 24-hour digital-looking readout has a special ‘jumping’ feature to correctly show Midnight as well as vertical gears to produce linear displays. What’s more, the Date also displays from rolling cylinders. Another first is the domed Moon Phase complication which rotates the dome on ceramic bearings to show the phases. There is a power reserve complication, as well as seasonal day-night indicators, a GMT dual time zone display, a leap indicator, and other features all contained within the 18K, rose gold case, that is more a framework to showcase the movements both front and back. Powered by the in-house 186-jewel Hysek HW80 automatic movement with a twin-barreled winding system, the Colossal has a 42-hour power reserve and is fantastically water resistant to 100 feet. And they’re extremely limited edition too, for only eight of these Swiss-made spectacular timepieces will be created.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee TrackHawk is a super speedy SUV that goes from 0 to 100 in 3.5 seconds straight, and the quarter mile in 11.6 seconds. Powered by a Dodge Hellcat 707 horsepower supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 engine, the beast boasts top speeds of 290 kmph. The brakes are also supersized: 15.75″ Brembo vented brakes that feature six-piston calipers on the front end (which make them the largest ever put on a Jeep.) The stopping power lets you go from 100 kmph to a full stop in just 114 feet. What’s more the Trackhawk has enough muscle to tow a massive a 3,265 kg load (7,200 lbs). With its fortified 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, this is the perfect charge for the wildly adventurous.
Adidas has been experimenting with 3D printing lately, and now using the new technology called Digital Light Synthesis they have taken 3D printed midsoles from the limited edition market, developing it to be used in full production runs. The Adidas Futurecraft 4D Athletic Shoe is a result of this innovation, which uses a liquid resin that hardens, as a precise projection of light forms it in one piece as it’s raised from the vat. Most importantly, it will eventually allow midsoles to be custom created to function best for different sports, and adapt to different body weights.
Luxury brand distributor Genesis Luxury, which markets and distributes global luxury and premium brands in India, has entered into a partnership with digital wallet player Paytm for the provision of payment gateways for luxury brands in offline stores. Through this collaboration, users can scan the store QR codes and pay using the balance on their Paytm wallet. The collaboration means that Paytm now has an official tie up with offline retail stores in the premium segment, increasing the transaction value for the digital brand, along with increased benefits from high ticket purchases by their users.
