Arts and Culture
Chinese New Year in London
Hand-crafted, luxury experiences curated by our team—speak to our concierge to learn more
Chinese New Year is a time for families, relatives and friends to gather together over festive meal times and celebrations.
In short, it is two weeks of constant eating, merriment and customary rituals. 2016 is said to be the ‘Year of the Monkey’, specifically the 'Fire Monkey'. Zodiac observers will expect “an element of vitality, a little bit more power and energy” in the year ahead. For those born under the Monkey sign, the upcoming year is expected bring more “focus” and a lot more “attention to detail” in all that they...
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Featuring Sneak Peak: The Oscars ‘Swag Bag’ is here
The fabulous people, couture outfits, high-profile events and celebrity gossip are already making it into the media. Next on our radar is possibly the most famous awards ceremony in the world. The 88th Academy Awards is set to take place on the 28th of this month and will be hosted by comedian and actor Chris Rock. Arguably the souvenir every guest would like to get their hands on is the highly renowned golden statue. However, seeing as our acting skills aren’t quite up to scratch, we've decided to turn our attention to the next best thing - the Oscar-worthy goodie bag. No A-List celebrity will go home empty handed as each will receive one of these ‘swag bags’, the ultimate metaphor for the surreal nature of the Hollywood lifestyle - this year rumoured to be worth a staggering $200,000. So what could possibly be in such a goodie bag to result in such an amount you wonder? It’s a far cry from a balloon and a slice of cake, but then again this is Hollywood, and here’s a sneak peak…
Featuring Event of the week for Sybarites: Chanel couture S/S 2016
For Karl Lagerfield’s latest showcase for Couture Fashion Week in Paris, the glitteratti were out in force to ogle at his latest haute couture fashion line. It wasn’t just the FROW that was suitably starry. Infact, Paris' Grand Palais was transformed into an elegant and eco-friendly setting, consisting of a wooden house surrounded by a minimalist garden of lotus-filled ponds and a spread of lush green grass, reflecting the graphic illustration of his eco-inspiration vision (even the designs used wood shavings within the fabric). Familiar faces such as supermodels Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid led the catwalk path, adorned in stunning designs, one off pieces and eye-catching looks. Cara Delevingne was spotted sitting front row with her dog Leo.
Featuring Luxury meets history in the heart of Venice
From cabarets to banquets, masked balls to classical concerts, the city comes to life in a celebration of Italian culture. The global appeal of Venice continues to grow but it still remains one of the most unspoilt cities in Europe, with its beautiful piazzas and winding canals. And now there is a new reason to visit the city, and maybe never leave again, after paying a visit to the new luxury apartments recently developed and now on the market. The importance of preserving the city’s oldest buildings has been honoured in the award winning development of Palazzo Molin, a 15th Century palace, into eighteen individually designed apartments. Classic Venetian architecture has been combined with contemporary design and facilities to create a modern haven in a traditional space. The facade of the palace has not been altered, it still showcases the Gothic Fiorito style which is widely celebrated for its artistic importance.
Own a private vineyard home and, if you choose, let...
Production plots start at 7,000 sq. m. and owners will have the freedom to control the use of their vineyards, whether producing their own wines guided by Casa de Uco’s experienced winemakers or renting out their vineyards for a yearly profit. What we find most appealing about Casa de Uco is that it offers wine connoisseurs the opportunity not only to own a private vineyard in one of the best regions for winemaking, but also to avail themselves of the resort’s expertise. Wine experts will be on hand to guide proprietors through the entire process – from harvesting young grapes to handling the business and profit-making side of things. Owning a Casa de Uco private villa is an idyllic experience: Nestled within the vineyard and surrounded by amazing vegetation and picturesque views of the Andes Mountain, the villa comes with round-the-clock concierge service, offering hotel-like hospitality. Some might consider this a fine way to retire.
Featuring Reserve a luxurious dinner at Royal Albert Hall’s Coda...
This time, the theme is ‘Amaluna’, ‘an island ruled by goddesses and guided by the cycles of the moon’. The plot: ‘Their queen, Prospera, directs her daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony in a rite that honours femininity, renewal, rebirth and balance which marks the passing of these insights and values from one generation to the next. ‘In the wake of a storm caused by Prospera, a group of young men lands on the island, triggering an epic, emotional story of love between Prospera’s daughter and a brave young suitor. But theirs is a love that will be put to the test. The couple must face numerous demanding trials and overcome daunting setbacks before they can achieve mutual trust, faith and harmony.’
Featuring Create your own Swiss timepiece
But what if you had all the quality components in front of you, a Swiss watchmaker beside you to guide you in creating your own genuine Swiss timepiece? Not only will you have made it yourself, but the learning experience will certainly enhance your knowledge in watchmaking technique, beauty and tradition.
Featuring A different kind of escape in the Loire Valley
An estate spanning 1400 acres takes you back in time to a place of complete serenity, nature and purity – even pictures don’t do justice to the beauty of Les Bordes. Located in the heart of the Loire Valley, the estate is made up of the 20th-century Château Bel Air featuring eight suites, a restaurant in a glass orangery and a cigar, whisky and wine bar. In addition to a cosy clubhouse, there is a spa and wellness centre under the canopy of trees, accompanied by swimming pools, tennis courts and a gym. Need more convincing? How about lighting up a fine cigar while sipping on some rare whisky complemented by a delectable meal in the Club du Baron? According to Les Bordes, ‘It’s the feeling of homecoming as you sink into an armchair beside grand, leaping fires. The way the outside world fades away – and all that matters are the people around your table.’ But if you would rather take refuge in a good book or a play a game, the clubhouse has a library and games room.
Featuring Luxuriously design your private jet
Time to add those spectacular touches to make it feel like your very own, of course. The Sybarite recommends award-winning luxury interior studio AirJet Designs, based in Toulouse, France, with commercial presence across Miami, Hong Kong and Sao Paolo. The studio provides tailor-made design solutions or à la carte services to reflect their clients’ tastes. From design proposals, layout definition and 3D mock-up generation to completion and follow-up, just about every request can be catered to. Of course, safety comes first, which means every component must pass certain safety standards approved by the Federal Aviation Administration. AirJet Designs’ aesthetic approach leans toward the avant-garde. Its founder, Jean-Pierre Alfano, is also its Creative Director. The studio specializes in ‘corporate jet, VIP and Head of State aircraft interior design’. The company has won two prestigious International Yacht & Aviation Awards for its ‘Dolce Vita’ interior design concept, which incorporates neo-baroque elements and is a tribute to Jean-Pierre Alfano’s Italian and French background.
Featuring Experience the Trans-Siberian Railroad on this 15-day...
The adventure lasts 15 days, departing from Beijing and Moscow, with expected stops including Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Ulan Ude and Ulaanbaatar, among others. The experience will be very unique, as guests will be able to travel the normally closed original route of the Trans-Siberian Railroad and be accommodated in one of Tsar Gold’s five cabin categories, ranging from four berth cabins to luxury cabins with en suite facilities. The views are, without question, spectacular. One example is the frontier between Mongolia and Russia, which also happens to be an immigration stop-point with a twist: Passengers can literally present their passports while in their sleepwear, as immigration officials board the train.
Featuring Rio: The city with art and Jazz at heart
Today, its international profile is rising with the upcoming Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympics games, and it’s not just sports fans who have their eye on this vibrant city. Art exhibitions put on here are among the world's most-attended, while both Rio and Sao Paolo have art fairs and talent strong enough to rival any emerging cultural hotspot. Last year, Brazillian artist Beatriz Milhazes' set a new record for Brazilian art, selling a piece for $2.1 million at a Sotheby's auction in New York. A host of new international galleries single the city out as the must-see destination for any global art connoisseur: Emmanuel Hervé (Paris), Société (Berlin) and Thomas Brambilla (Milan,) are some who have made Rio their next home. A perfect time to experience this vibrant city can begin with ArtRio, Rio’s first contemporary international art fair launched in 2010. Every September, a week is packed with stimulating events and private dinners; those looking for a truly exclusive experience may want to brush shoulders with the most exciting creative minds and the glitterati of the city at the black-tie gala ball held at MAR, one of the city’s leading contemporary art museums.
Featuring Take diving to a more luxurious level – all you need to...
How? By having it tailor-made just for you, of course. One company that specializes in creating tailor-made diving holidays is Original Diving. The company sets out to create itineraries for the individual based on precisely what that individual is seeking during their experience. Not only that, but the company sees to it that every single detail is taken care of so that the only thing one needs to remember is their passport. For convenience, a 24-hour helpline is just a phone call away; customers can rest assured that they will always have someone at the other end to answer quick questions or to rely on should anything go wrong. Of course, it goes without saying that Original Diving is made up of expert divers. Let us, however, get to the more exciting bits, like where to go diving. The choices seem endless: From North America, the Caribbean, Antarctica and Africa to the Far East, Australia and the Pacific Islands, how do you choose?
Featuring The art of calligraphy
His studio in Linton House is where all the magic happens – from wedding invitations, corporate events, non-English calligraphy, and poems to historical scriptures, this is one calligrapher who has spent years training in letterforms, Arabic Calligraphy and Archeological illustration. It has has also led him to work at the Metropolitan Museum in New York based out in Egypt where he was replicating hieroglyphs in a pyramid. For Paul Antonio, calligraphy is all about structure and accuracy “it is this accuracy that gives the Paul Antonio studio the ability to incite wonder”. The beauty in a Paul Antonio calligraphic work is that each letter contains a flow almost as if taking the reader on a journey. There is - in essence - a true form of poetic art that today may seem rather old-school but in fact does retain that certain edge especially when beautifully addressed on an envelope – one can’t help but spend a mere seconds or minutes admiring the penmanship. “Calligraphic accuracy is contained within letter angles, heights, weights, shapes and underlying rhythm. The letters should move across the page and take the reader on a journey with them”.
