Due north of New Zealand’s popular resort city of Queenstown, a vast and beautiful wilderness remains largely inaccessible to tourists. Hikers can tramp into the South Island’s 1,373-square-mile Mount Aspiring National Park to pitch a tent or stay in a government-run bunkhouse, but travelers seeking a higher level of comfort (and warmth) in the backcountry […]
Italy’s riches are innumerable, as any aficionado of art, architecture, automobiles, food, or wine will surely attest. But when it comes to golf, Italians have never embraced the sport with the same gusto they reserve for a Michelangelo or a Maserati. Recently, however, the emergence and growing popularity of Italian professional golfers Matteo Manassero and […]
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Since it opened on the north coast of Sardinia more than 40 years ago, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Porto Cervo has been one of the Mediterranean’s top yachting destinations. The facility, which includes a 62,000-square-foot clubhouse and 24 guest suites for members, offers direct access to Porto Cervo’s massive megayacht marina but is […]
Tutima owner Dieter Delecate did not reestablish the German watch manufacturer’s presence in the town of Glashütte in a quiet manner. Although the inauguration of the company’s new facility lacked the fanfare and pomp that usually attends such moments elsewhere in the watch industry, the ring of the brand’s new minute repeater—the first of its […]
Chef Dean Fearing was in the galley, and the galley was 10,000 feet up—a burled-wood kitchenette inside a private jet making lazy loops above California’s Monterey Peninsula. On the cragged coastline below, the fourth-annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine festival was in high gear. The long April weekend of extravagant dining and revelry had attracted […]
When you drive the 2012 Nissan GT-R, red lights mean go. Flick the toggle beside each of the three letters R on the instrument panel—to set the transmission, suspension, and stability control to launch-control mode—see the bar above each R shine red, stomp on the throttle, and then enjoy or just try to endure the […]
A parade of Abraham Lincoln–related milestones began two years ago with the bicentennial of his birth and will conclude, temporarily at least, in 2015, with the 150th anniversary of his assassination. But interest in Lincolniana has thrived regardless of what the calendar says. The term, coined while Lincoln was alive, refers to an extraordinary range of […]
In February, during Duravit’s biennial bash at the company’s Philippe Starck–designed headquarters in Hornberg, Germany, world-renowned designers and other guests enjoyed free-flowing Champagne and a performance by French illusionist Jean Garin. But it was the firm’s latest product lines for the bathroom—14 in all—that were the true showstoppers. This assemblage of fresh designs—Duravit’s largest and […]
Araujo Estate did not begin with the arrival in Napa Valley of its eponymous owners, Daphne and Bart Araujo. Its history, like its soils, is more richly layered than those of the many boutique vineyards launched in the past two decades by enthusiasts who, flush with success in other lines of business, merely wanted to […]
McLaren Automotive’s launch this year of the MP4-12C is a laudable achievement. Not since Lamborghini in the 1960s has a super-performance marque emerged with a car in which every major component is unique to the brand. Engine-development cost is the Achilles’ heel of most automotive start-ups, and so high-end newcomers rarely if ever see fit […]
1970 Porsche 908/3 Less than two decades after its humble beginnings in sports-car racing in the early 1950s, Porsche was engaged in prototype racing with such sophisticated machines as the 906, the 908, and the all-conquering 12-cylinder 917. In the 908/3’s debut year, 1970, Porsche scored wins with examples of the car on the Targa […]
Three generations of Atlanta’s Moulthrop family (www.moulthropstudios.com) have yielded to the allure of wood turning. In the 1970s, after decades of hobbyist wood turning—a process that uses a lathe to transform logs into sculptural vessels—Ed Moulthrop left his successful architectural career and helped lead this burgeoning art movement. His son Philip departed the legal world […]
Earlier this summer, as the 61st annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was approaching, we enlisted 20 automotive-design authorities to choose the most elegant cars ever made. The following pages feature the 10 models that received the most votes, along with background information about each car; the cars are arranged chronologically according to their initial release […]
Mr. C Beverly hills is technically not in Beverly Hills: The 138-room hotel, which debuted in June, occupies a 12-?story tower on the Los Angeles corner of Pico Boulevard and Beverwil Drive. But if a Beverly Hills–adjacent address is a perceived blemish, it has not prevented Mr. C from becoming one of the hottest spots on […]
A new riverfront lodge in Malawi offers guests a rare treat: 173,000 acres of untouched African wilderness all to themselves. Opened in July, the eight-chalet complex of Mkulumadzi—the only property in the Majete Wildlife Reserve—is 25-year-old Robin Pope Safaris’ second bush camp in Malawi, one of the safest and least-visited countries on the continent. Mkulumadzi guests […]
The 36 cottages at Amanruya peek out inconspicuously from a pine grove overlooking a quiet Mediterranean bay on the Bodrum peninsula. The 25th hotel from Singapore-based Amanresorts, Amanruya opened in August as one of the most exclusive retreats on Turkey’s increasingly popular Turquoise Coast. Set among the pines and ancient olive groves, Amanruya’s stone cottages […]
“Welcome to Italy,” executive chef Leonardo Concezzi says as he opens the door to a refrigerated cheese room at the St. Regis Bangkok’s Jojo restaurant. Blocks and bags of pecorino dei Templari, formaggio di fossa, and casciotta d’Urbino line the shelves, and Concezzi has a story to tell about each selection—of which there are 31 […]
Every country, however democratically inclined, requires some form of royalty—crowned or not—to cement the seams of national identity and to bring to the gray procession of life a flash of color and a touch of style. This role, which the Kennedys once fulfilled in the United States, a new generation of Windsors assumes in Britain; […]
The highway fuel consumption of the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid (www.porsche.com) rates just two mpg better than that of the 2011 Cayenne S—not a big splash for the automaker’s first-ever production hybrid vehicle. Porsche made more notable advances across the 2011 Cayenne lineup: a redesigned exterior with a longer wheelbase, increased cargo space, and […]
To own a Ferrari Enzo, you first had to be invited by the Italian automaker to buy one; Ferrari made only 401 examples of the coveted supercar from 2003 to 2004. The publishers of a new book titled The Official Ferrari Opus (www.krakenopus.com) hope the Ferrari faithful will see similar value in owning what they […]
Liter bikes might get all the glory from speed freaks and sportbike fanatics who have their fancies tickled by machines that achieve the 1000 cc displacement mark, but enthusiasts who do not feel the inexplicable need to push 100 mph in first gear prefer middleweights. This often-overlooked segment offers lightweight construction and instant maneuverability while […]
The sale of Property from the Collections of Lily & Edmond J. Safra (www.sothebys.com), scheduled for October 18 through 21 at Sotheby’s New York, will include 1,500 lots of European furniture, silver, turned ivory, Russian porcelain, and 19th-century watercolors. “It’s a pretty great collection,” says Elaine Whitmire, head of Sotheby’s single-owner sales department. Receiving top […]
Those privileged to taste Grand Marnier Quintessence can sincerely boast that they have sampled paradise. After all, this new expression of Grand Marnier—the first to be released since distiller Marnier Lapostolle debuted Cent Cinquantenaire in 1977 to celebrate its sesquicentennial—includes rare eaux-de-vie selected from the Grand Marnier Paradise, an exclusive reserve cellar at the distillery […]
The classic suit is getting a dynamic remake this season, with trimmer lines, pops of color, and a richer mix of textures—all fitting a confident main character adventurously forging his own style. Photos 1-3: Corneliani cotton-and-polyamide trench coat, $1,650; Brioni wool-and-cashmere three-piece suit, $6,850, shirt, $500, crocodile belt, $800, and leather-and-cashmere gloves, $395; Louis Vuitton […]
The Ultimate Jacket Without question, Kiton (www.kiton.it) makes some of the best tailored clothing on the planet, and it is raising the bar even higher with the new Lasa jacket for fall. Each one is made by a single tailor from start to finish in a meticulous process that takes 40 hours—a full 15 hours […]
As the fourth-generation family member at the helm of one of Italy’s most successful fashion brands, Gildo Zegna is adept at balancing his business and personal lives. “Family is the most important part of my life, and the family business is my passion,” says the Ermenegildo Zegna Group’s 55-year-old CEO, who is based in Milan […]
Elegant and expressive, long necklaces have captured the imaginations of designers, who are creating pieces with unique combinations of precious materials and organic stones. From a slinky swag of black diamonds to a glowing strand of Australian opals to a playful pendant modeled on an ancient theory of the universe, these are modern-day talismans to […]
The private aviation industry shows signs of recovery, but conditions remain ideal for buying a pre-owned private jet. Demand for these secondary-market aircraft is still low; inventory is high; and so prices are still far below their usual levels. However, the best buys might be the aircraft with near normal prices. When our clients want […]
In pursuit ofprofits that have proved elusive, fractional-jet providers have altered the industry’s basic business model. Where once fractional ownership enabled you to enjoy the conveniences of private flight while assuming only a small portion of the investment risk associated with full ownership, now the fractional companies are expecting you to take on the bulk […]
While flying privately is unquestionably a more pleasant experience than braving commercial air travel, choosing a fractional, flight-card, or charter provider can be a daunting task. Beyond the myriad options available for fractional ownership and flight-card membership, the current Air Charter Guide lists nearly 1,900 charter operators in the United States, with high-traffic states such […]
Traveling abroad, even flying privately, can be a turbulent experience. Long flight legs and limited services in some foreign markets can raise stress levels and result in last-minute itinerary changes; these in turn consume time and energy that would be better spent engaged in business or leisure. In an effort to smooth these bumps, private […]
Making private flight arrangements when traveling abroad certainly helps maximize comfort and minimize stress for the traveler, but orchestrating a detailed intracountry itinerary in some regions may stress the capabilities of even veteran domestic flight service providers. To assist American travelers undertaking such trips in the world’s leading four emerging luxury markets—China, India, Russia, and […]
Great emphasis is placed on an aircraft’s capabilities—its range, cruise speed, climb rate, and fuel efficiency. Once the plane leaves the ground, however, the cabin design becomes of paramount importance: If you are comfortable on board and have all the amenities you need, you will not mind spending that extra time aloft that a speedier […]
The people in charge of the best FBOs—fixed-based operators—understand that their businesses are not just portals through which passengers pass from sidewalk to aircraft. They are a crucial part of the private travel experience, the point where it begins and ends, and as such their customer service and facilities must be on par with the […]
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