Arts and Culture
The Trans-Siberian Railroad
For the trip of a lifetime, we recommend traveling the Trans-Siberian Railroad aboard luxury private railway train Tsars Gold.
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...
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More Arts and Culture
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 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”.
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 LAPADA showcasing a selection of purchasable antiques at...
The fair will play host to 100 exhibitors showcasing the finest selection of trinkets and antiquities across art, antique, design and the decorative arts spectrum with prices ranging from £500 to £500,000 and above. A showcase of the most sought-after pieces is not one that an art collector should miss. Besides presenting at Berkeley Square, LAPADA will also feature a selection of antiques belonging to the 18th and 19th century at Mr. Fogg’s – a bar modeled after the drawing room of fictional explorer Phileas Fogg from the 1873 Around the World in 80 Days novel. LAPADA has selected objects befitting the bar’s theme and will adorn the space transporting visitors to another world of discovery and unique finds. Some pieces one can expect is a late Victorian four-fold screen, a regency convex mirror and an oil painting of the three-masted, 588 –tonne carvel-built ship, Lady Macnaghten, sailing under reduced sail in the original gilt frame.
Featuring Standing the test of time - The Art of Bookmaking
It seems that the art of publishing printed books is heading towards something that will forever be ‘merely in the past’. That is why preservation is – and should – remain an important feat for companies that have been dedicating truly one of a kind objects that we hope, can stand the test of time. Afterall, there will always inevitably be, a need for a beautifully printed hardcover book.
Featuring Explore Europe’s ‘off the beaten track’ waterways aboard...
It is rather fascinating with so many waterways to be discovered – through the vineyards of Burgundy, the historic Po Valley in Italy to the Caledonian Canal in Scotland and the more open waters of Loch Ness, cruising along Europe’s waterways is one adventure to add to that bucket list – we think. The best way to explore Europe’s waterways is of course a gentle cruise on a hotel barge; one that is replete with perfectly adorned suites and a well-rounded crew. European Waterways has been pioneering hotel barges for nearly 40 years and currently has a fleet of hotel barges to suit different passengers – an example is the Hotel Barge Finesse, a luxury double-decker hotel barge that is currently being commissioned. The Finesse offers room for 8 passengers in four spacious twin or double-bedded suites with air-conditioning and private shower rooms to match. “She will also boast a large saloon with panoramic windows and a demonstration galley where guests can watch their chef preparing delicious gourmet meals”. Cruising for the Finesse will begin from May 2016 travelling through River Saone and Southern Burgundy where one can discover its vineyards.
Featuring For the tourist-goer this is not for you – Bali’s best...
Located off the beaten track, crossing many a rice fields, small villages and lakes you could not imagine that a resort would be this remote. Once the car reaches the inclined hill, you find yourself atop a historical village greeted by the sounds of xylophone music, the smell of fresh air and a view that has you deeply exhaling that tension away. It is quite an experience for the Bali holiday goer as there aren’t too many guests either. It feels private and quite frankly, it feels wonderful. In short, it is a true find. The aim for the Puri Sebatu Resort is to offer its guests a place of tranquility and respite from the many tourists who often holiday in Bali. That is why its location is rather difficult to find but The Sybarite promises you that upon reaching, one will find that this is a truly special escape. Its design “incorporates traditional Balinese architecture. Guests are surrounded by the textures and color of nature, dressed slate, terracotta floor, smooth unpainted wood, soft homespun fabrics, intricate worked copper, fragrant alang-alang grass roofing, natural bamboo, rough cut stone, flowers and foliage”
Featuring A modern day palace that will leave nothing short of...
It is dedication that has led to the expansion of the Peninsula Hotel with chains across Hong Kong, its original “birth place”, Shanghai, Beijing, Manila, Tokyo to New York, Beverly Hills, Chicago and recently, the first of its kind in Europe, Paris. In an exclusive interview with Peninsula Paris’ Hotel Manager Vincent Pimont, The Sybarite gets a first glance at this modern day palace to discover what makes this gem so gratifyingly memorable and how it is able to carry the spirit wherever it sets up – be it Tokyo, New York or Paris, ultimately leaving guests with the ‘Peninsula experience’ imprinted in their sensory world. It is no wonder at all that the hotel has a record of many returning guests and although Peninsula Paris has only just recently joined the family in August 2014, guests are returning like never before which is only testament to the hotel’s approach in nurturing exceptional hospitality and attention to detail.
Remy Cointreau experience
Remy Cointreau is currently made up of 9 brands united with 2 divisions: The House of Remy Martin, which offer a great cognacs range of Remy Martin and Louis XIII, and its Liqueurs and Spirits section which include Cointreau, Metaxa, Mount Gay Rum, Bruichladdich, St Remy, Passoa and Izarra. However, it is surprising to know that even the wines and spirits industry has to compete and constantly deliver innovative products in order to continue attracting its audience. For 2014/15, The House of Remy Martin is seemingly confident with its approach for the financial year as they are “boosted by a new packaging facility and a new spirits cellar both of which were built while respecting the traditions and expertise of a House dating back almost 300 years, yet are modern. Beyond pricing, the ultra-premium strategy is based on a pursuit of excellence allied to renewed creativity, a source of modernity, innovations in the products and in the fields of digital and customer relations.”
Featuring Meditation packages and the Dalai Lama, to find your Zen
What if you could venture to a place where your mind’s noise and distractions are taken even farther to a place of deep serenity and calm – that is, if you can focus and find it. This month, The Sybarite focuses on finding your inner Zen, through some of these unique destinations around the world.
Featuring Beautiful Contradictions: Luxury for the Culture Aficionado
Sipping a cocktail on one of the many rooftop bars in the ancient district of Beyoğlu, Istanbul, it is safe to say your impression is both one of contradictions, and one-of-a-kind synthesis. As our conception of luxury moves further away from objects towards experiences, how we synthesise these unique contradictions in culture – scale and intimacy, spectacle and conversation – become unforgettable moments. Our desire for unique experiences is stronger than ever. Equal parts invigorating and dizzying, Istanbul has an abundance of them. Rest assured, your head will be spinning with (Turkish) delight once back on the plane, but undoubtedly, it’s worth every moment. For the one in the know, the historic capital offers a contemporary haven for the culture-seeking, discerning individual. Why not check into the newly designed Soho House Istanbul: a 19th-century Genoese palazzo complete with frescoed walls and Corinthian columns. With 87 rooms and two rooftop pools overlooking the Bosphorus, an aromatic Turkish coffee from its award-winning Cecconi’s restaurant will certainly rejuvenate you for the day ahead, if it’s Turkish-tiled rainforest showers haven’t already.
Featuring Chateau de Vallery, a destination without boundaries
Look no further, as The Sybarite thinks it’s found the ideal gem of a Chateau, where freedom and space is everything. You will often find, that on your search for the ideal Chateau, most will have time restrictions in how long you can dance and drink the night away, if not the capacity to accommodate guests overnight. It seems that there is always that “win or lose” situation when venue hunting for your wedding celebration – either you host your guests for a reception at a fancy restaurant by which it then becomes the dance floor for evening festivities only to manage to say farewell (if one is sober enough by then) to everyone and realize that it went by all too quickly, there was not substantial time to ask how everyone was. Most celebrations might happen that way and most couples might prefer it that way too, but if you’re one of those couples who have big families and intend to invite many guests (especially guests flying in from abroad) but prefer to have time for intimate gatherings and conversations, than why not consider renting out an entire Chateau that is exclusive to you and your guests only, for 1 or 2 nights?