Jump Aboard The 2013 Harrods Christmas Express Windows

Harrods revives the golden age of travel by chugging in the Harrods Christmas Express in to its windows this season. Jump aboard the exclusively designed X’mas Express to celebrate the magnificence of 2013 Christmas.

Harrods and the steam train, both are iconic to the British and brings to life, the country’s love for grandeur lifestyle.

Each window from this year’s magical and creative theme brings to life one of their departments depicted as a scene from one of the carriages.

Calling out to all revelers to celebrate Christmas in true luxury style, Harrods is luring shoppers with everything from glamorous evening wear, leather accessories, dazzling jewelry and spectacular gifts as well. Don’t miss out the well-dressed mannequins paired along with their cute pets and assisted by handsome doormen.

The wheels keep rolling as the onlookers and shoppers keep pouring. The ongoing videos with landscapes in the background add a sense of motion too.

Pulling out all stops to attract shoppers, the windows are festooned with twinkling fairly lights.

Enthralling all visitors, the 2013 steam train themed setup ensures a mesmerizing fashion-filled journey. An enchanting travel-inspired window with loads of buyable attractions thrown in, guarantees a fun-filled experience to remember.

Harrods

Read More

Airstream partners with Mercedes to create luxury touring coach

Airstream has teamed up with Mercedes-Benz to create the Interstate – a new luxury motor coach. The Interstate is built on the 2014 Mercedes Benz Sprinter platform. Airstream and Mercedes have been collaborating on upscale motor homes since 2010.

The new Interstate is available in two trim levels of different lengths. On the inside, the cabin has 22-inch Samsung flat-screen TV fitted with a Blu-Ray player, plus a Kenwood multimedia system. The vehicle can seat nine passengers, but for sleeping, it only accommodates two people. Under the hood it sports a 3.0 liter turbodiesel V-6 that gets 18 mpg.

The 2014 Interstate starts at $146,300.

Read More

Unusual Art and Technology Symbiosis: Skull-ptures by Hedi Xandt

Now that Halloween is closing in, it’s the perfect time to take into consideration some intriguing designs that showcase macabre inspiration. German-born Norwegian artist Hedi Xandt imagined four interesting sculptures representing the image of a human skull in one shape or another. Using different materials to shape the images in his mind, the artist came up with a series of sculptures that combine the appearance of naturally shaped bone with modern and experimental production technologies and techniques.

“I believe in diversity.”

This artist statement presents a childhood spent in “a family composed of painters, illustrators, draughtsmen and writers as well as skilled craftsmen.” Seen in each piece, this curiosity led to the creation of these filigree sculptures depicting the human skull in different variations.



“My Die-Cast Soul” is part one of the skull-ptures series, showcasing an expression captured by a mold via explosion. This thin metal layer was later galvanized and plated with 24k gold, then placed on slim tubes on a custom-made marble platform.

“The God Of The Grove” is a gold-plated brass, polymer, and marble sculpture with a distressed black finish. The third part in the series is named “The Longer You Last” – a gold-plated 18th century skull pinned in nails, supported by a custom-made black-red perspex fixture. The last one – Apollo Rey – is cast in all-gold and marble, combining the precious metal with the beloved stone.

I’m sure you already have a favorite – which one is it?

Read More

Cave-Like Traditional Villa with Impressive Views in Santorini, Greece

The peaceful and spectacular Imerovigli, having a privileged location on the island of Santorini in Greece, is home to some of the world’s most appealing holiday villas. Influences of classical Cycladic architecture blended with modern functionality, exquisite terraces with sea views and traditional interiors spiced up with color are the main elements embraced by Villa Gaia, a three bedroom luxury retreat, available for rent at $1,033 during high season.



According to the official description, Villa Gaia consists of two cave houses set on two levels. The house on the upper floor, Villa Nefeli, can be rented separately or together with the house on the lower level. Moreover, “both units have whitewashed interiors with a smooth transition from one room to another, which resembles cave houses with minimalist design and airy aesthetics. The outdoor Jacuzzi tub on the lower floor, with breathtaking views of the Aegean Sea, offers relaxing moments.” Enjoy the photos!

Read More

The Macallan in Lalique V: The Spiritual Home is valued at $25,000

The Macallan in Lalique V: The Spiritual Home is the latest work of art resulted out of the collaboration between the two renowned brands.

Harping ‘home is where the heart is’, the fifth decanter created for the six-series collection has been inspired by the Easter Elchies House on Macallan’s Speyside Estate in Scotland. Parisian art blends well with Scottish flavor to launch the rare 62 years old Macallan single malt whisky encased in beautifully engraved crystal.

The rich cherry colored whisky has a strong treacle toffee opening leading into raisin and blood orange. This is followed by notes of sweet ginger figs, cigar leaf and woody oak flavors. Till now, the Lalique Macallan collection included 50-, 55-, 57-, 60-years old whiskies. Claimed to be the second oldest Macallan ever released by their distillery since its foundation in 1824, this 62 years old Macallan was originally filled in American oak sherry seasoned casks in November 1950.

Lalique’s Marc Larminaux matched the sandstone walls of Easter Elchies House to the three sides of the decanter by creating a textured frosted surface. Also one of the frosted sides features the bold initials, JEG, replicating the initials which are incorporated in the original date stone. These initials belong to Captain John Grant, who oversaw the building of the Jacobean manor house in 1700.

The Scottish whiskey distiller states that ‘This collection has inspired interest from connoisseurs and collectors since its inception in 2005, representing a marriage of the finest and rarest Macallan single malt whiskies and bespoke designed decanters, interpreting our Six Pillars, from the master crystal craftsmen at Lalique’.

Valued at $25,000, the The Macallan in Lalique V: The Spiritual Home will be exclusively limited to 400 decanters only. Following the success of the first four editions from The Macallan in Lalique Six Pillars Collection, this fifth decanter is sure to surge up the tide as the most coveted collectible.

Read More

The Porsche Macan gets its global reveal

Porsche has unveiled the new Macan, its second SUV and fifth model on sale overall. The company claims that the car will set new “standards in the field of driving dynamics and enjoyment.”

The range will initially consist of three models, the entry-range S1 (3-liter V6 biturbo engine, 340bhp); S Diesel (3-liter V6 turbo diesel and 258bhp); and the top of the line, spills and thrills Turbo which has a 3.6-liter biturbo V6 engine that can churn out 400bph and a 0-100km/h time of just 4.8 seconds.

Impressive stuff on flat surfaces, but if the Macan is to hold its own, it had better be good off road as well as on the track or the highway.

In this regard, all models have permanent four-wheel drive, a seven-speed paddle shift gearbox, and something called Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus which as a cost option will vary the amounts of torque to each of the rear wheels and works with the rear-axle differential lock.



Standard kit keeping the wheels turning when the going gets tough includes traction management, automatic brake differential (which limits the speed of individual wheels) and anti-slip regulation. Simply hit the off-road mode button and the car should turn from a racer and into a jeep.

However, the emphasis is still on performance; the cabin is best described as elegant yet sporty thanks to body-hugging seats, a multi-function steering wheel not dissimilar to that found in the 918 Spyder and the addition of a Sport Mode button.

The base Macan S is expected to cost €57,930 in Europe ($52,000 in the US) and the Macan Turbo €79,826 ($75,000 in the US). The first European deliveries will take place on April 5, 2014.

Read More