umaid bhawan palace jodhpur

India’s Leela Palace in Udaipur and Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur have scored a place among the top 25 in the Top Hotels Overall Travellers’ Choice list by TripAdvisor. The Leela Palace, Udaipur is ranked 19 among Top Hotels Overall, while Umaid Bhawan Palace Jodhpur is at the 21st spot in the same category. TripAdvisor has highlighted the world’s top 7,612 properties in 109 countries and eight regions worldwide, in categories that include top hotels overall, luxury, bargain, small, service, B&Bs and inns, romance and family.

Estimated at $800,000-900,000 this painting was created in 1980 over 6 months of relentless daily work
Estimated at $800,000-900,000 this painting was created in 1980 over 6 months of relentless daily work

Leading Christie’s Spring Auction Season in Dubai this time will be ‘Odyssey of a People’, an impressive 6 meter long painting by Ismail Shammout depicting the history of Palestine as well as the important life experiences of this master of Arab modern art. Estimated at $800,000-900,000, this painting was created in 1980 over 6 months of relentless days spent working upon it. Driven by emotion and passion it is the most important seminal work of the artist’s career. Initially exhibited in 1981 in Beirut, the painting was later loaned to Damascus, Malaysia, Kuwait, The Jordan National Museum, Abu Dhabi and finally Ramallah.

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The 6-meter long painting will be on preview in Dubai from March 15 to 17 at Christie’s and will be offered for sale on March 18

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It was at this location in 2002 that during an Israeli incursion this painting was hidden away in a pillow case by the director of the museum and not displayed publicly since. It was not until the artist’s death in 2006 and the director’s death in 2008 that Shammout’s wife Tamam al Akhal established contact with the driector’s wife and reclaimed the work, which was then kept safely at the Shammout home in Amman, Jordan.  This painting will be on preview in Dubai from March 15 to 17 at Christie’s and will be offered for sale on March 18 in the spring auction of Modern and Contemporary Art taking place at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel.

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In 2002 during an Israeli incursion this painting was hidden away in a pillow case by the director of the Ramallah museum and not displayed publicly since

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The canvas reads from right to left on the pattern of the Arabic language, and retraces historic events of Palestinian history from the Nakba, the subsequent wars of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s to the establishment of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation. This is juxtaposed against a sense of hope and unity against the symbol of the Palestinian flag and Kuffiyeh, all the way to a dreamlike expression of liberation and hope in peace and freedom. It was Shammout’s intention to map out the odyssey of his own people and represent his dream of returning home which was never to be realised in his lifetime.

Born under the British Mandate of Palestine, Shammout and his family were among the 25,000 residents of Lydda who feld their homes in 1948 and were relocated the the Gaza refugee camp of Khan Younis. Shammout then later moved to neighbouring Egypt and then Rome to study art. Upon his return to Gaza three years later, he established himself as a distinguished painter and activist.

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Shammout joined PLO as Director of Arts and National Culture while also holding the positions of Secretary General of Union of Palestinian Arts and Secretary General of the Union of Arab Artists

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After completing his studies in Rome, he settled in Beirut where he joined the Palestinian Liberation Organisation as the Director of Arts and National Culture in 1965 while also holding the positions of Secretary General of theUnion of Palestinian Arts and Secretary General of the Union of Arab Artists. Additionally he established Art in Palestine, one of the first English language publications on Palestinian Art. After the Isralei invasion of Beirut in 1982, Shammout relocated to Kuwait where he was once again forced to leave in the wake of the Gulf War. He finally settled in Amman until his untimely death.

atlantis the palm

Named one of the Top Ten Places in the world to propose by leading travel experts, Destinology, Atlantis, The Palm has a variety of options, away from the regular romantic fare this Valentine’s Day. Along with all those intimate dinners and spa treatments, Atlantis has some really cool adventurous experiences for couples that like their adrenaline rush served up hot. So, courageous duos can book a date night with the predators of the ocean with Atlantis DIVE, navigating the largest aquarium in the Middle East coming face to face with sharks, sting rays and 18000 different kinds of fish. A less daring date but still adventurous would be the one with a hungry Sting Ray, allowing an exquisite bonding exercise with an adventurous loved one. Or a more relaxed, luxurious option would be the Royal Swim at Dolphin Bay, where couples can enjoy a private session in the depths of the lagoon. Activities in the lagoon include the foot push where dolphins glide guests magically across the waters using all of their strength and a dorsal tow, where guests are taken for a ride while they hold the dolphin’s dorsal fins. And of course, there’s always the most ultimate experience of booking one of the Atlantis Seven Signature Suites that give you a floor to ceiling window looking directly into a Lagoon with 65,000 marine animals.

fall winter fashion week

Fashion Week returns to New York City this month, showcasing fashions for the upcoming fall season. Hundreds of thousands of industry insiders will descend upon the City for eight days of shows and presentations by some of the world’s most sought-after designers. Score an invite, and you’ll be able to see the latest from the likes of Rebecca Minkoff, Alexander Wang, Victoria Beckham, Ralph Lauren and more. Meanwhile, downtown, emerging designers show at the attendant festival, MADE Fashion Week.

chocolate shoes

The Rihga Royal Hotel in Osaka, Japan has come up with a completely novel idea for Valentine’s Day: “Shinshi no Kagayaki”, a pair of shoes made entirely from chocolate, priced at 29,160 yen a pair, about $260. Such is the attention to detail that even a trained eye can mistake them for leather shoes, despite the fact that from the polished toes to the soles and laces and even the seams are all made of chocolate. Only nine pairs of the chocolate shoes have been made and yes, all of them have already been sold out.

5 series touring

BMW recently unveiled the G31 Touring, the second body style addition to the new-gen 5 Series, all set to make its global debut at the upcoming 2017 Geneva Motor show. As with all the BMW Touring, the new-gen 5 Series appears elegant, modern and accentuates the practical air to the premium sedan. The 5 Series touring is 36mm longer, 8mm wider and 10mm taller than the sedan. The wheelbase is increased to 2,975mm translating into a boot capacity of 570litres, extendable up to 1,700litres by folding the split rear seats. The electric tailgate gets the automatic open/close function. To give it more load carrying capacity, BMW has given the Touring a special air suspension for the rear axle as standard along with Dynamic Damper Control, roll stabilisation, Integral Active Steering and optional M Sports suspension. The cabin contains a 10.25-inch centre-mounted screen, an adaptive iDrive controller with gesture control, a larger heads-up display, telephone connectivity and massage seats, with a panoramic sunroof tht is longer and wider than the one on the sedan. The car will go on sale in June right after the Geneva debut, but it is probability of an Indian debut appears quite slim.

pierre herme tokyo

After existing as a prime chocolate bar for over a decade, Pierre Hermé’ s luxury boutique has been renovated into their flagship store in Tokyo. Pierre Hermé, among the finest pastry chefs of the world, has created a super luxe experience with  Aayoma, which is what the store is called. From bakes and macarons to French viennoiseries, the most tantalising spread is laid out for the connoisseur. A section of the store titled the “Crossover” is marked off for display of original goods including more than 40 recipe books written by Pierre Hermé.The upper level called Heaven—quite appropriately—reveals an aerial kitchen where you can watch great hands at work.

game of throne

Montegrappa’s special pens are quite something to feast your eyes on and even more so when they’re dedicated to that raging fantasy phenomenon: Game of Thrones. The Game of Thrones series of pens are Montegrappa’s tribute to the ‘epic storylines of treachery and nobility, family and honor, ambition and love, and death and survival’. The writing instruments represents each of the four key families: Stark, Baratheon, Lannister and Targaryen. Each is available as a fountain pen, rollerball and a ballpoint pen, with each pen individualised for the family it represents through sigils and emblems representative of the clan. All barrels and caps are made with colourful lacquered surfaces, while the trims are fashioned from palladium, 18k gold or bronze – plate, with “Game of Thrones” engraved on the cap ring. All of the fountain pens’ nibs are formed in stainless steel, decorated with a sword, and are available in four writing grades: Extra Fine, Fine, Medium and Broad. The pens are presented in a double box consisting of a rich, black outer carton bearing each family’s symbol, with the inner box covered in material evoking the styles of the historical period that inspired Game of Thrones, with sigils and patterns relevant to the four families.

luxury hotels

Tapestry Collection by Hilton Hotels is a fresh brand and part of an endeavour to provide guests varied luxury options for an independent stay. It was curated by Hilton due to customer and owner demand for original upscale hotels that cater to guests seeking reliability and value in their independent hotel choices. Each hotel will maintain its individual spirit, offering guests an experience that is approachable and familiar as well as different from other hotels. In addition, each stay is backed by the reassurance of the Hilton name. Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton, stated: “Tapestry Collection by Hilton will enable us to provide the best of both worlds to travelers who are looking for an independent hotel experience but also want the consistency and reassurance they expect from Hilton.” The Tapestry Collection by Hilton is positioned in the upscale segment just below Curio – A Collection by Hilton, which has been highly successful since launching in 2014.

stephen hung

The world’s most expensive hotel, Macao’s The 13 boasts of two bespoke gold-infused Rolls Royce Phantoms, to be on offer for use by VIPs and most distinguished guests from among the already dripping rich list of the hotel’s select guests. The defining feature of the cars is an exterior finish that dazzles with fine particles of 23.75 carat gold, a weight chosen for even disbursement, achieving a perfectly executed finish. The resultant paint job is the most expensive and meticulously engineered paint the marque has ever produced. Vitreous enamel has been used to create the RR emblem and is surrounded by 336 pavé set brilliant-cut diamonds. A golden twin coachline is hand-painted by Mark Court, Rolls-Royce’s resident expert coachline painter, using a fine squirrel hair paintbrush. The Spirit of Ecstasy up front is 24-karat gold-plated, the grille is gold-colored, the Rolls-Royce badge is gold, and hand-painted gold details scattered around the cars, with gold-trimmed umbrellas in the doors, personalized with a gold handle and a golden trim to match the color themes of the hotel. Gold tread plates engraved with ‘PHANTOM Specially Commissioned by Stephen Hung’ adorn the cars. At the time of commissioning, these were the most expensive Phantoms to be built by the uber luxe carmaker.