Lifestyle and Adventure
Luxury for the Culture Aficionado
The bell of the historic tram rings as it tries to urge hundreds of pedestrians out of the way; the delectable smells from food vendors on the street below infiltrate the senses; mellow lounge beats blend with the distant call to prayer from the minarets on the horizon.
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...
Read the full story
More Lifestyle and Adventure
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?
Velocity – The restaurant-billing app
Or ever caught yourself trying in vain to even catch a waiter’s attention that by the end of it, you are quite literally fed up and take it upon yourself to head to the till? Ok maybe not, but still, it is one of those things that you don’t want to be kept waiting for. Well, that dread of waiting for your bill to arrive at your table might no longer be an issue – for some 300 restaurants in London at least. Probably one of the best and most useful apps in town at the moment is the Velocity app , co-founded by childhood friends and ex Goldman Sachs employees, Zia Yusuf and Alex Macdonald. Of course, they were not the first to realize that restaurant-goers usually have to wait minutes till their bill arrives, but they are currently one of the few in the fintech world to deliver an app that is truly changing the way restaurants utilize mobile payment.
Featuring Open Book – meet the man behind private members’ club The...
But aside from his successful endeavours and business ventures, who is Ronald Ndoro really? And more importantly, what has the journey been like for a man who continues to wear many hats in an industry known for its numerous pitfalls. Like opening a book, The Sybarite sat down with Ronald Ndoro in one of The Library’s many eclectic rooms for an intimate conversation to explore the many adventurous and artistic voyages that ultimately led him to create a private members’ club. With an insatiable appetite for books, it seemed almost eerily fitting that after his mum’s charity shop in Holloway Street closed down, the plethora of leftover books would come to good use for his project so much so that it became the starting point for the concept of The Library. Covered in floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, patrons can easily reach out and grab a volume from every possible genre and indulge in a bit of reading whilst sipping a beverage from a drinks menu that presents itself as varied as the literary selection.
Featuring How to give Glastonbury a dusting of luxury this year
As one of summer's biggest Greenfield music and performing arts festivals, style is all the rage, even more so when it comes to finding accommodation that is just as tasteful. Much like the dazzling Coachella Festival in the Colorado Dessert, where they too offer exclusive campsites (and services) in the form of Safari Tents, it’s no surprise that Glastonbury has further amplified its variety of on-site accommodation with attractive extras to go along with it. Whether you’re looking to revel in the festivities or have your family in tow or maybe you prefer to indulge in the festival in style - well, this huge tented city is filled with options for the festivalgoer. Our mission is to discover how to appreciate Glastonbury in ultra comfort and style – take for example The Popup Hotel which offers a reserved site replete with security, private parking, spa, exquisite food bars, concierge service and a host of room types depending on the person’s preferences, and what’s more, the site is located a mere few minutes walk from Gate D.
Featuring Highlights of the London Art Fair 2015
Situated at the Business Design Centre in Islington, the UK’s premier fair for modern and contemporary British art housed 128 exhibitors from across the world, and played host to an exciting programme of exhibitions, films, talks and performances. As well as the inaugural Art Projects Artist Award, highlights this year included The Art Projects Film Programme, which took place in a purpose-built screening room curated by art journalist Pryle Behrman. The Art Projects also showcased a refreshing selection of contemporary and up-and-coming artists and installations. This year the fair provided a space entirely dedicated to photography. For their award-winning annual ‘Masters of Photography’ project, luxury spirit The Macallan partnered with famed photographer Mario Testino. There was even a 20-minute whisky tasting master class for visitors to enjoy. Other special events included a novel reading from Maeve Rendle exploring the curious relationship between freedom of thought and literal inspiration, and a Master Class in the Art of Interiors with Jade Thomson, Feature Editor at LuxDeco.
Learn more about luxury lifestyle by signing up for free
For our latest experiences and editorials, be the first in the know. You'll learn about upcoming experiences happening worldwide and the secrets and lifestyle of a sybarite.