Category Archives: Breaking News

Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona Reviewed

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There may not be a more stylish city in all of Europe than Barcelona, and if you don’t believe any hotel could possibly match the mood, the style and the attitude of Spain’s second largest city, then you haven’t experienced the Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona.

Located on the city’s famous Passeig de Gracia, in a mid 20th century building that was a bank in a previous life, the light and airy minimalist décor, with Asian influence, is the perfect home base from which to experience all that Barcelona has to offer. Fashion, dining, nightlife and a myriad of cultural venues, including the famous Gaudi Houses, Casa Batllo and Le Pedrera, are walking distance from the hotel. And it is only a short ride in a taxi to Gaudi’s masterpiece, the spectacular Sagrada Familia church.

Inside the Mandarin Oriental, spacious rooms boast balconies and views of either the Passeig de Gracia or the stunningly landscaped interior garden, while a highly attentive staff is there to meet your every need. With five restaurants to choose from on the property, you can choose based upon your culinary mood from among the Mimosa Garden for seasonal tapas or the funky, all-white, chic Blanc restaurant serving Mediterranean dishes that also boasts an Epicurean Table for breakfast offering Spanish cheeses, meats and breads. For a more formal experience, don’t miss the innovative cuisine by a Michelin star rated chef at the hotel’s Moments restaurant.

Once you’ve experienced the outstanding cuisine, work it all off with a few miles in the lap pool or fitness and wellness center. Or, you can skip the gym and instead head straight to the stunning spa to experience the herbal steam room or any of the holistic treatments in private rooms, or for a uniquely romantic experience, try the couples treatment rooms for luxurious quality time with your significant other.

With an ideal location, unbeatable selection of fine dining and amazingly attentive staff, the Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona is the perfect hotel, in the perfect city, for the most perfectly sophisticated of vacations.


Actress Daryl Hannah Lists Malibu Home For $5 Million

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Actress and environmental activist Daryl Hannah recently put her 2-bed, 2-bath hideaway in Malibu, California, on the market. The 1,540 square foot home, set on 17.6 acres on the Malibu bluffs, is listed for $4.995 million.

According to Real Estalker, Hannah bought the property, a former plant nursery, as two separate parcels in the early 2000′s for an estimated $1.325 million. As per the listing, the property includes two houses. The first  is “an original 1927 river-stone hunting lodge surrounded by an outdoor moss deck”, featuring radiant heat flooring, an indoor/outdoor shower, and a Japanese soaking tub. The second house is “a rustic and casual lodge”. The beautiful grounds include a deer-fenced vegetable garden, a pasture, and native and exotic gardens. Also included are several flat, terraced acres ready to be used as an orchard or vineyard.

Daryl Hannah made a name for herself in Hollywood, starring in films such as “Splash” (1984) and “Steel Magnolias” (1989). While she continues to appear on screen, Hannah’s recent endeavors have focused on her environmental activism, including three arrests for unlawful protests, the most recent for participating in a sit-in against the proposed Keystone Pipeline.

This listing is presented by Michael Novotny of Prudential Realty.

See the complete listing on REALTOR.com.


Apple Now Worth More Than Google And Microsoft Combined

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Via Business Insider: “Apple’s stock is hitting new highs during today’s trading. It’s currently at $494. That makes its market cap ($460 billion) greater than Google ($198 billion) and Microsoft ($257 billion) combined. The crazy thing is that Apple is just getting started. It could sell a ton of iPhones, iPads, and even TVs this year. Don’t be shocked if it’s a $1 trillion company some day.”

Also, Fortune has posted a few comparative metrics to AAPL’s valuation and finds that the company is now worth more than the gross domestic product of Sweden ($458 billion), all the gold in the Federal Reserve ($350 billion), and more than 2.5 Apollo space programs ($145-$170 billion apiece), among others.


Diane von Furstenberg teams with Diet Coke for limited-edition bottles

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Diane von Furstenberg has joined the list of Diet Coke bottle designers. Karl Lagerfeld has done a couple of limited edition containers, but this will DVF’s first.

Coke will debut limited-edition collection of DVF designed aluminum bottles  – splashed with her signature prints in red and black – in February at select Diane von Furstenberg boutiques.

A set of four will cost about $30, with 100% of the proceeds going to the
National Institutes of Health (FNIH) in support of The Heart Truth program for women’s heart health research.


Daily Dream Home – House of the Tree

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Displaying 616 square meters of contemporary interior spaces, today’s dream home is located in Shenzhen, China. Occupying the 48th and 49th floor of a luxurious residential tower, this amazing residence was named House of the Tree. Based on the concept of “living between the city and the nature”, this exceptional living space was designed by Kokaistudios.

Welcoming dwellers and guests with an impressive double height entrance adorned with a planted tree and astounding panoramas of the city, the two-floor apartment was modified to respond to the client’s requests. By removing some of the walls in the center of the apartment, the design was opened and this new core space is defined by dynamic kitchen and dining areas, flooded with natural light. Part of the outdoor terrace was enclosed in order to create this fantastic double-height space and allow the inhabitants to take advantage of the penthouse apartment’s spatial opportunities. Completed by an outdoor swimming pool, the luxury apartment offers superb living, entertaining and private spaces.


Luxurious Spa House in Cape Town, South Africa

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Modern home architecture usually focuses on a certain type of construction material, or  tries to make the most of a design theme. However, this contemporary residence envisioned by Metropolis Design and entitled Spa House was developed in strong connection to a different type of element: water. Located in a coastal suburb of Cape Town, South Africa, this spectacular looking building is multi-functional and houses living, recreational and spa facilities.

The idea to integrate a spa in this modern residence was probably not difficult to find, as the site of the property can only inspire serenity and relaxation. Here is an excerpt from the official description of the architects: “The house is conceived of as a hovering set of elements, suspended over a large waterscape, which forms an extended terrace on the mountainside. Water constitutes the primary experience of the building. The floor planes are arranged to provide contrasting experiences of water, and the underwater spa with large viewing windows into the pool has a sense of stillness and mystery.”

With an impeccable contemporary design, the Spa House provides fascination, no matter what the stand point. The interiors are spacious and each room communicates well with the surrounding environment, through generously-sized windows.


iPad 3 coming in March

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Apple is reportedly on track to unveil the latest version its iPad tablet next month.

The most likely updates for the iPad 3 will be a faster chip (going from the A5 to the A6 chip), improved graphics processor and better resolution. It could sport a 2048 x 1536 Retina Display, which would bring it inline with the iPhone 4 and 4S.

The iPad 3 should continue Apple’s dominance in the tablet market, bringing it out in front or on par with its competitors.

The likely unveiling will be in the first week of March at an event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.

 


Ferrari 250 GTO Sells for $31Mil

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An extremely rare Ferrari 250 GTO which had a £6,000 price tag when it was manufactured in 1963 has been sold for more than £20m ($31m).

This 1963 model – number 5095 – is believed to have been sold by British businessman Jon Hunt, who bought it in 2008 for a then world record £15.7million.

This makes the Ferrari classic sportscar, second most expensive car in the world today, and definitely the most expensive in Great Britain.

The title for the most expensive car belongs to 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC, which was sold for approximately $40 million back in 2010.

Ferrari produced on 39 units of 250 GTO sportscar ever, which were built between 1962 to 1964. Back then, Enzo Ferrari himself selected who can own a 250 GTO.

The 250 GTO was fitted with a 3-litre V12 engine developing 300bhp – meaning a 0-60mph time of 6.1 seconds and reach a top speed of 174mph.


Qantas Has Best Wine

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Qantas has kept its reputation sky high in the annual competition to determine the best wines served aboard the world’s airlines.

The Cellars in the Sky Awards, organized by Business Traveller Magazine UK, were announced at the Grosvenor Hotel in London on Monday, with Qantas triumphing in no fewer than six categories. Delta, Jetstar, LAN, Qatar Airways, TAM, Emirates, Air France and Cathay Pacific also won awards.

Some 250 wines were entered by a total of 32 carriers, with the awards recognizing excellence in wines served in business and first class.

The Mount Langi Ghiran Cliff Edge Shiraz 2008 served by Qantas took the award for the best Business Class Red, in a tie with The Lucky Country Shiraz 2010, from McLaren Vale in South Australia, poured by All Nippon Airways.

The Australian carrier also shared first place with Air France in the First Class Sparkling category for its Champagne Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 1999.

As well as having its individual wines recognized, Qantas won the top awards for Wine List Presentation, Business Class Cellar, First Class Cellar and Consistency of Wines.

Jetstar Airways, a Qantas subsidiary, was also a winner, sharing the Business Class White category with the Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay 2010 served by Delta Airlines.

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific took two awards, for the Ramos Pinto Quinta de Ervamoira Two Year Old Tawny Port in the First Class Fortified and Sweet category, and for the Most Improved Business Class Cellar.

Brazil’s TAM also walked away with two awards, for its First Class Red — a Clos Canon 2008 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru — and as the Most Improved First Class Cellar.

Emirates was recognized in the First Class White category for its Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 2006, LAN Airlines took the plaudits in the Business Class Sparkling contest for its Champagne Louis Roederer Brut Premier, and the Kopke Colheita Port, from 1974, that is served up on Qatar Airways won the award for the best Business Class Fortified and Sweet wine.

The five judges — who included Charles Metcalfe, television wine presenter and co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge — carried out blind tastings in November of last year before announcing their decisions.


Liv Tyler Does INXS Cover For Givenchy

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Givenchy has unveiled the recording of actress Liv Tyler singing her own rendition of INXS’s “Need You Tonight” ahead of the launch of new fragrance Very Irrésistible Givenchy Electric Rose.

The track reveals Tyler’s modern take on the 1987 hit by Australian rock band INXS. The accompanying music video will be unleashed prior to the release of Electric Rose — due to reach stores this April.

As well as representing beauty brands including Pantene haircare, Tyler — whose father is Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler — has modeled for Givenchy since 2003.

It was announced back in December that she would be the voice of the French brand’s latest scent, collaborating with Sony Music Entertainment on “an electrifying meeting between the world of rock and the universe of perfume.”

New York-based musician David Andrew Sitek, who has collaborated with indie bands including Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Liars and Foals, produced the record.