Living Luxe in Miami

In sunny Miami, there’s no shortage of new development properties offering sleek architecture, modern interiors, and beach front views; but, there are few that amaze quite like these two.

Penthouse 5101, Biscayne Beach Residences 

Firstly, this penthouse offers stunning, nearly-panoramic views of Biscayne Bay and, in the distance, Miami Beach. Listed at $9,453,900, it also features a private rooftop pool, summer kitchen, sauna in the master bath, and over 10,000 square feet of living space. The space includes four bedrooms, five bathrooms and two half baths, a den, and a study. Represented by The Elmir Group, the penthouse is on the top floor of the Biscayne Beach Residences. The building, designed by renowned interior designer Thom Felicia, is one of the premiere luxury buildings in the city. It offers residents premium access to a residential spa with a sauna, a steam room, a blow-dry bar and massage treatment rooms, a fitness center with floor-to-ceiling windows, a 24-hour concierge, and a beach club compete with private cabanas, volleyball courts, and a sanded area.

7311 Belle Meade Island Drive 

This L-shaped property in the gated community of Belle Meade Island is brand new, from the ground up. The over 7,000 square foot space offers a vestibule with soaring 20 foot ceilings, modern fittings, and an open concept layout. It is also outfitted with SAVANT smart home technology, so the home’s amenities can be monitored through an iPad. Alongside the seven bedrooms, den and 6 ½ bathrooms, the home has a gorgeous water-facing deck, an outdoor pool, and a private dock. Listed at $8.45 million, the home defines modern luxury.

Images courtesy of: Alicia Rivas at Levy Public Relations

Bang & Olufsen Releases The BeoVision Eclipse Wood Edition

Bang & Olufsen, which was founded in 1925 by the two audio reproduction innovators Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen, have now created yet another revolutionary product for the audio and motion picture industries with the release of the BeoVision Eclipse Wood Edition: “the latest variant of the world’s best sounding TV.”  Utilizing the latest 4K HDR OLED screen technology, the BeoVision Eclipse Wood Edition features an elegant handmade speaker cover in oak, which gives off a sophisticated and warmhearted feeling to the ambiance of any kind of home.

Designed by award-winning Torsten Valeur – David Lewis Designers, the new BeoVision Eclipse Wood Edition offers stunning oak to complement its slender frame and sleek aluminum components; as it also simultaneously pays homage to Bang & Olufsen’s time-honored use of wood elements in their products.  Senior Concept Lead from Bang & Olufsen Kresten Bjørn Krab-Bjerre agrees with this statement as he later goes on saying that: “We feel obliged to keep innovating the use of a material that has played an integral part in our products since 1925. Oak is a material that patinates beautifully, and by adding this option to our flagship TV we reinforce our commitment to provide people with the flexibility to match our designs to their personal interior style.”

Ever since the company was started, it has turned into a symbol of the highest grade performance and the forefront of design; a name that fully commits to its history in traditional craftsmanship and highly advanced tech R&D.  Long-standing as one of the most prominent domestic technology innovators of our time, Bang & Olufsen has been rapidly expanding their reaches by integrating its audio and video solutions, which were primarily utilized at home, to the hospitality and automotive industries.  For example, Bang & Olufsen’s latest products that relate to media and audio functions used in your home can now be seen in the car while on the go.

Merging the best of two worlds

The BeoVision Eclipse incorporates Bang & Olufsen’s remarkable design, high-quality craftsmanship and impressive acoustic capabilities together with LG Electronics’ technological expertise on OLED TV mechanics, which encompassed their webOS and 4K video processing capabilities.  Combined with a 450 watt 3-channel SoundCentre, the TV features both stereo performance and center channel control, which makes it superior to most integrated solutions and soundbars presently available in the market.  Furthermore, the BeoVision Eclipse also includes music streaming services and built-in internet radio, which alone make it a music system in a class of its own.

The BeoVision Eclipse comes with a motorized floor stand underneath.  Just a press of a button, and the TV is able to move across the floor so silently that it looks as if it is hovering towards your direction.  The stand can even turn 90 degrees to either side with a touch of a button, which allows for a more enjoyable viewing experience and a good way for it to blend with the room’s decor.  Additionally, besides having the motorized floor stand, BeoVision Eclipse can be mounted on the wall with a motorized manual bracket.

The BeoVision Eclipse Wood Edition is currently available in two different sizes.  The first is the 55” version that retails for a suggested price of DKK 68,995 / USD 10,995 / EUR 9,095 / GBP 8,195.  The other is the 65” version, which has a suggested retail price of DKK 95,995 / USD 15,995 / EUR 12,795 / GBP 11,495.  In addition, owners of the BeoVision Eclipse can also purchase a separate speaker cover for a proposed retail price of DKK 7,595 / USD 1,295 / EUR 995 / GBP 895.

The brand new BeoVision Eclipse Wood Edition as well as the separate speaker cover will be available for customers in any Bang & Olufsen store worldwide, starting from the beginning of April 2018.  However, aluminium and fabric covers for BeoVision Eclipse are currently available at Bang & Olufsen stores.

For more information about Bang & Olufsen’s new BeoVision Eclipse, visit:  Bang-Olufsen.com/BeoVision-Eclipse

Connect on Facebook:  bangolufsen
Connect on Instagram:  @bangolufsen

Images Courtesy of: Bang & Olufsen

An Interview With Alex Assouline

Alex Assouline carries himself differently than most people his age. At first impression, it takes a second to remember that he’s only in his mid-twenties. When I met him in his office one afternoon, he greets me in a three piece suit, immediately apologizing for making me wait an extra three minutes. He’s had a busy day, he explains. I, however, hadn’t even noticed those three minutes as, sitting in the lobby, I’m intrigued by the gorgeous coffee table books that surround me. Highlighted in a striking red, all-encompassing book case, the titles catch my attention. Dior. Chanel. Bentley. Vintage Cars. Up next, he tells me, is a book with design family Missoni. But, it’s not the book you’d expect: it’s a cookbook. It’s unique, and it’s on brand with Assouline, the publishing company Alex’s parents started that records culture in an elegant, timeless way.

Our conversation took us through some of that culture, with more upcoming additions to the Assouline catalogue, his passion project, and his fashion inspirations.

For those of us who are not already familiar with your family’s publishing house, give us an introduction to Assouline and your role within the company.

“So Assouline is a nearly 25 year old coffee table book publisher. We specialize in books about art, lifestyle and culture. I joined a few years ago after working in consulting. I’m now the director of marketing, and I work a lot on interior design, where I curate libraries, especially in New York.”

Other than the Missoni book, can you tell us what’s coming up for you? 

“I’m working on a fantastic book on [Azzedine] Alaia, who passed away a few months ago. It’s a very dear project to me because he was my godfather. We’re working on a special edition as well, leather bound with three different covers. It’s going to be a good homage.”

Tell me about the process of curating a library.

“So I started that a few months ago as an organic extension of what I was doing, but just on the side. So I met with a friend of mine for lunch and she was working on a building with her family as well, and she was just saying that she needed a space where–she needed a library, you know? She needed a space where people could just sit down and unplug from everything and feel safe and troubles with their minds are gone. And it just was a perfect fit, so I started one there, at The Shephard with the Naftali Group. Then I started having some requests, from word of mouth, and then started to structure it as a part of the business. So I go to a very specific place, whether it’s a hotel, restaurant, office, apartment or amenities for a library building, I just study the place, the neighborhood, the tenants, who goes there and their interests, and after a few days or weeks I just come up with something. A little drawing, a proposition. It’s a passion at this point.”

I can tell. 

“It’s my own thing. Something I developed that I’m happy about and proud of. It’s kind of the extension, when you have a family business, that you need to find your area to develop, while still being in the family business. And I found it, so I can have my own thing on the side.”

So let’s talk about style. Do you have a style philosophy? Do you have some icons you look up to? 

“I just saw a documentary on Gianni Agnelli. It absolutely changed my philosophy of fashion. It was so interesting because this guy was super well dressed, and he wasn’t scared of going his own way and his own style. Like putting the watch over the cuff, for example. And he did it in such a stylish way, that’s very inspiring. There’s no real boundary that you have to set for your style.

I like to wear suits. I feel good in a suit, I feel comfortable in a suit, which may sound a bit not genuine, but to me I really feel comfortable. You need to present yourself in a way that people can receive well. It’s an action of respect as well. I keep t-shirts for Sundays.”

Where are some of your favorite places to buy suits? 

“I have the two extremes. I have a tailor in Hong Kong that comes once a year or once every two years. So I just see everything, all the patterns that I can do. I’m very into plaid, so I’m very experimental in that way. So that’s fun. And then, I have a store in Paris where I buy most of my suits called Wicket. I trust them, I know every time I go I’m going to leave with a couple. It’s exactly my taste. In New York, I just buy my shirts at Brooks Brothers. Cufflinks, only vintage and on eBay. And suspenders as well, only on eBay. I have a big collection of suspenders. I’m very proud of it. I used to go on eBay and start betting on crazy suspenders and I would try to get a pair once a week. I cannot stop, but I don’t have space anymore.”

Do you have any brands of suspenders that we would recognize? 

“There’s vintage Ralph Lauren and there’s Trafalgar. These are the only two I find, but when I go to a vintage store or something, I might stumble upon something unusual, but it’s very rare. It’s not really in today’s culture, even to carry in vintage stores.”

Where did your love of suspenders come from? 

“That’s the thing. I didn’t see them anywhere, and I wanted to have something different. I wanted them with different colors, like an accessory that wasn’t something you couldn’t see on everyone. I wanted to build my own identity from that.”

What about timepieces?

“I don’t like extravagant or showy timepieces. I love my Cartier Tank because it’s meaningful to me. I got it when I was 18, and there was a big story behind it. My father, when he was an assistant and he was 18, saw it on his boss at the time in an elevator. And he said, “wow, this is what I want for my son one day.” And he got it for me when I was 18. So I just keep it at all times.”

Take me through a day in your life. 

“I wake up at 6:30 or 7, depending on what I did the night before. Then I jump on my rowing machine for about 20 or 30 minutes. I have to do that every day because it keeps my body moving at all times. It gives me the right energy. Then I have a big glass of water, shower, go to the office, meet with my team around 9 or 9:30. I try to separate my day around the tasks in the aspects of marketing or the library or communications. Mostly, I start with working on the new products we’re going to release–for example, we’re working on bookstands, candles. Then I answer e-mails for partnerships that we’re doing, and work on marketing products for books–how to make the book come to life. And then quick lunch with my parents to debrief about what’s happening in the company. And after that go back to the office, until I finish the day and I take out my pencil and I just draw a library. For a client or just to practice. I leave the office around 7 or 7:30, depending on whether I have a drink with a client, or dinner, which usually happens.”

What’s your favorite drink? 

“I’m in my spicy margarita with salt phase. I don’t know how long that’s going to last. But, usually, I love a pisco sour. It’s a Peruvian drink made of pisco, lime juice, sugar and egg whites and a bit of tabasco.”

What do you feel like is different about New York? 

“What I see the most is the energy and the willingness for people to achieve. That’s a pretty cool trait.”

You can follow Alex on Instagram at @alexassouline and Assouline at @assouline. Assouline is on Twitter at @AssoulinePub.

Featured photo courtesy of: Assouline, by Josh Deveaux.

Dior Takes Canada

There’s no doubt about it: Christian Dior is legendary. And so, in a special exhibit at the Patricia Harris Gallery at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada, the French designer is celebrated in an exhibition of beauty, elegance and, of course, fashion.

Check out some photos from the exhibition below:

For more information visit:  www.rom.on.ca/en/dior

Oceanco Unveils Their New and Innovative 115-Metre Tuhura

Unveiled during the Dubai International Boat Show, one of Oceanco’s most recent projects “the new 115 metre Tuhura” has proven itself as a yacht of unparalleled innovativeness that also reflects upon a design of forgone ages.  This groundbreaking super yacht is the result of a brilliant collaboration with the Lobanov Design studio, BMT Nigel Gee and interior designer Achille Salvagni; with Lobanov Design doing the exterior of the vessel, BMT on the naval architecture, and Achille Salvagni obviously engaging in its interior design.

Tuhura is in a league of its own, from an unconventional exterior design to a contemporary interior layout.  Its outer design is reminiscent of the early phases of canoes, in which it brings forth an archaic style to the vessel.  The idea of returning an ancient concept to the yacht was precisely for giving it an impression of voyaging to the unknown and seeking pure adventure.  In fact, the name “Tuhura” is adopted from the Maori verb, which meant to discover, ascertain, bring to light, and explore.

“Our Tuhura is a simple idea,” explains Igor Lobanov, “The thought was to take a natural shape similar to those seen in the earliest canoe-type craft and augment it multifold to a larger scale, using modern technology.”

The exterior design of Tuhura by Lobanov is incredibly flexible as it blends perfectly with the interior in such a way that allows the yacht to be designed seamlessly at a size anywhere from 80 to 120 metres in length.  The beauty of this design is that it could be adjusted to a yacht size of your preference, which is quite helpful for those looking for a “Tuhura” in their own specifications.

“This is a technically challenging and intriguing project,” says Dirk de Jong, Commercial Director at Oceanco. “It is 180-degrees different from our previous two yacht collaborations with Lobanov Design studio, the 86m launched in 2013 and the 110m Jubilee launched just last year. Yet Tuhura is still 100 percent Oceanco DNA.”

Cutting-edge technology can be seen throughout the yacht’s 115 metres (377 feet), which emphasized the level of innovation with the primal exterior design.  Numerous horizontal windows were added onto the hull, which employed avant-garde glass technology with countless dots that lets the view from the inside to be entirely clear, whereas from the exterior, the windows fully blend among the colour of the hull, thus masking its presence on the outside.  In addition, more glass features can be integrated to Tuhura’s black superstructure, of which is inclusive of flat glass paneling.

As referred to as a “brushed Teak habitat” by Achille Salvagni, the interior design of Tuhura (mainly the floors, walls, and ceiling) gathered inspiration from East Asia and the Pacific islands.  This “brushed Teak habitat” introduced thin reveals in gunmetal and natural bronze with tatami floors throughout the interior.  “Tuhura is a megayacht conceived for a dynamic owner, nevertheless the timeless sense of peace and calmness are the main characteristics,” stated Salvagni. “This softness and dynamicity are reflected in the humble elegance and sensuality of the primitive organic shapes echoed throughout.”

The ship’s hull as well as its propulsion system, have both been developed together with the collaboration of BMT.  Thanks to its uncomplicated form, the hull has lowered resistance, natural adeptness, high endurance, and top-notch maneuverability.  Because of how the current propulsion systems were too difficult in setting up on the yacht’s canoe like form, the BMT team instead chose to go with a hybrid Azipod® CRP (contra-rotating) propulsion system from ABB.

James Roy, Yacht Design Director at BMT, stated, “The hybrid CRP system is inherently efficient and perfectly suited to the canoe form, there is a synergy between the efficiency of the hull form, and that of the propulsion system, leading to a yacht which marries an evolutionary simple hull with an evolutionary advanced propulsion system”

The creation of Tuhura can also be contributed to LuxLab, the custom design label from Van Berge Henegouwen (VBH), which joined the team to provide the yacht with the latest leading-edge technology from bow to stern.  To turn Tuhura into a technologically advanced vessel, not only were controls for HVAC, lighting, audio, video, curtains, and others added, but controls for monitoring preferences, such as temperature and music, will also be available for her owner’s enjoyment.  Another unique part about the ship is that there are plans underway for the creation of a 360° room.  So, it could be said that the 115-metre Tuhura is the perfect sailing vessel for thrill seekers and innovators alike.

Images courtesy of: Oceanco/Lobanov Design

Talking Art: Interview with Dale Lewis

Dale Lewis is undeniably one of the most talented as well as creative up and coming abstract British artists of today; his work is awe inspiring and thought provoking, reaching deep into the mind of the viewer and bringing out emotions they may not have known they possessed.

One of Mr. Lewis’ latest shows, titled “Fat, Sugar and Salt”, brings together a collection of mural sized paintings which breathe life into the depiction of comical grotesque scenes of contemporary, lower class, urban existence packaged inside a quintessentially British set of modern dark humor.  The end result of viewing Lewis’ work can best be described as unforgettable.

Far flung from his days as a studio assistant to Damien Hirst and Raqib Shaw, where he worked on kaleidoscope and photorealist paintings; Lewis, now fueled by his absorption of past memories, paints in a frantic style of work that is often compared to that of the likes of David Hockney and Jean-Michel Basquiat. 

What has been the inspiration for some of your most recent works?

“The latest body of work shown at Edel Assanti was based on my home in East London, after spending quite a lot of time away last year I thought I’d focus more on what I see in my immediate surroundings.”

What does it mean to you to be a quintessentially British artist? What is your viewpoint in regards to the Art Scene in London today?

“There is lots of British humour in my work and looking at very ordinary day to day life of people that I’m surrounded by. I don’t think much of the art scene, it’s more important to look at life in general rather than look at what everybody else is doing.”

Take us through a day in the life of Dale Lewis.

“It’s quite ordinary. I wake up naturally and slowly make my way to the studio along the canal and think about what I’ll do when I get there. Arriving in the studio, I have some breakfast and start painting. I usually paint til quite late in the evening and drink wine and look at what I’ve made today. I’m usually filthy at the end of the day and head home to spend an hour or so in the bath before going to bed.”

Your work consistently explores both dark humor and religious references, which ultimately provokes and develops deep thought and emotion within the mind of the viewer, if there is just one thing that a viewer takes away with them from your work what would you like that to be?

“I would just like them to remember it. Or see something they see in their own life reflected back at them.”

How has your own London neighborhood helped inspire your paintings that depict scenes of the reality of urban life?

“I live in a very poor, miserable part of East London where I see people drinking in the morning. There is rubbish everywhere and people not doing very much, and I like that. No ambition and no future.”

Are there any artists in particular that have influenced you most?

“Yeah, probably Rose Wylie, she’s a real hero. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know her over the last few years. I find her work very freeing and enjoyable.”

Are there any other mediums outside of spray paint/acrylic on canvas that you are looking to explore further in the future?

“Not really. I’m a traditional painter. I like the smell of the paint. I like how oil moves and how instant spray paint is. It suits my often frantic way of working.”

Range Rover SV Coupe Makes its Debut at The Geneva Motor Show

It has been nearly 50 years since Land Rover introduced the luxury SUV segment known as Range Rover.  However, now in March of this year during the Geneva Motor Show, an amazing new addition to the class was presented as the world’s first full-size SUV Coupe: the limited-edition, two-door, Range Rover SV Coupe.

The SV Coupe has proven to be a masterful creation by Land Rover Design and Special Vehicle Operation; it is inherent of Range Rover as it offers oustanding capabilities, exemplary craftsmanship and superior design elements.  This new SUV Coupe, which boasts the next generation of cabin luxury, is quite proficient in a variety of terrains as well as in many different weather conditions.  Demonstrating the sheer exclusivity of the vehicle, it will be brilliantly hand-crafted and limited to approximately 999 examples.

“The introduction of the new SV Coupe brings a new level of individual expression to the Range Rover portfolio and builds on the success of Special Vehicle Operations’ existing bespoke Range Rover program,” said John Edwards, Land Rover Special Operations Managing Director. “Feedback from SV clients who have already seen the vehicle in confidential commissioning sessions has been overwhelmingly positive.”

With its luxurious interior finishes, sleek outer appearance and stellar high-performance capabilities, the Range Rover SV Coupe is synonymous of the words: elegance and speed.  Being a new addition to the Range Rover family, the SV Coupe can be easily recognized by its signature floating roof, unimpeded waistline and acicular tail, yet also has its own distinctive features.

The Range Rover SV Coupe integrates the panoramic roof, which allows for light to flood the cabin area, with its elegant power-close doors accompanying frameless glass to bring about a tranquil, contemporary and spirited atmosphere.  The cabin features heated and cooled 20-way electrically alterable front and 10-way electrically adjustable rear seats, seats available in Semi-Aniline leather from a single tannery established in 1905 and a one of a kind gradated diamond quilt design.  In addition to having much wider and deeper seats, which only increase the level of comfort, the SV Coupe introduced three elegant wood veneer choices (Nautica, Natural Black Ash and Santos Palisander) for the door casing, steering wheel rim, loadspace floor, instrument panel and central console.

“The Range Rover SV Coupe is a celebration of the Range Rover Bloodline,” said Gerry McGovern, Chief Design Officer, Land Rover. “With a dramatic two-door silhouette, this breath-taking four-seat Coupe alludes to its unique heritage while being thoroughly modern and contemporary. Beautifully realized and superbly engineered, the Range Rover SV Coupe delivers the most distinguished, luxurious and exclusive Range Rover ever built.”

Powered by a vigorous 557 hp 5.0-litre supercharged V8 powertrain, which is the most powerful engine presently available on the full-size Range Rover, the SV Coupe is unquestionably the fastest-ever full-size Range Rover.  Being fitted with extremely high performance capabilities, the SV Coupe can go not-to-60 in just 5.0 seconds (0-100 kmh in 5.3 seconds) and reach a top speed of 165 mph (265 kmh).  Furthermore, the vehicle has the 1700w, 23-speaker, Meridian™ 3D Signature Sound System paired with dual-channel subwoofer installed, which features Trifield™ 3D technology to allow for an unrivaled listening experience.

Every single Range Rover SV Coupe will be hand-assembled by specialists at the SVO Technical Center in the UK, which happens to be a first for the British marque.  “As you’d expect from Range Rover, the engineering integrity in the SV Coupe is more than skin deep. This is a meticulously honed vehicle that’s designed for SV clients who love driving,” said Mark Stanton, Special Vehicle Operations Director.

In comparison to the standard Range Rover model, the suspension of the SV Coupe is adjusted to become more driver-oriented with ride height reduced by 0.31 inches (8 mm), thus staying completely repressed and complacent.  The car includes the same dominant all-terrain capabilities as other Range Rovers, along with nearly three feet (900 mm) of maximum wading depth and a upper-limit towing intake of 7,716 lbs.  The SV Coupe also features a new 23-inch wheel option that expresses the body of the SUV in never before seen proportions.

Clients have the option of four opposing front-to-rear interior colorways as well as various single-tone interior color layouts.  As for the exterior appearance of the car, it was meticulously given a body color that is counterbalanced by the side vent and grille designs.

“Accentuating Range Rover SV Coupe’s proportions, and available as a unique feature for the first time, the new Contour Graphic is created by applying a contrasting paint to the flanks of the vehicle,” said McGovern. “Starting at the side vent, it flows rearwards and around to the opposite vent, and offers customers the opportunity to further personalize their specification.”

The exterior paint colors come in an array of eight tones and available in gloss or satin finish.  Four of these said tones are newly introduced to Range Rover: Constellation, Parallax, Liquesence and Obsidian; and the other four derived from the SV Premium Palette: Ethereal, Flux, Valloire and Desire.  The colors are further specified into one-of-four exclusive duo-tone gloss Contour Graphic options: Valloire/Flux, Valloire/Ethereal, Parallax/Ethereal, Obsidian/Desire.  Clients can also chose one-of-five SV paint finish options: pearlescent, tinted clear coat, tri-coat, ChromaFlair™ and satin matte.

Lens Position: 374

What’s sure to give customers the most memorable Range Rover experience are their choice of seven design packs that include exterior paint, bespoke badges and interior elements specially hand-picked by the Jaguar Land Rover Design team.  These design packs range from a ‘Modernist’ theme comprising of an Ethereal Silver exterior paint with a Liquesence finish and Rose Gold, Chrome Knurled badges to a ‘Heritage’ theme, which consists of a Modern Luxury Green exterior paint color and Vintage Tan front seats with Ebony rear seats.  This all allows the customer to have the most creative customization possible for his or her Range Rover SV Coupe.

The Range Rover SV Coupe is priced from $295,000 in the U.S. with sales expected to begin at the fourth quarter of 2018.

For more information visit:  LandRoverUSA.com/range-rover-sv-coupe

Images courtesy of LandRoverUSA.com

An Interview with Flynn McGarry: The Culinary Wunderkind

Flynn McGarry is exceptional. At the ripe age of nineteen, he opened his own restaurant GEM in New York City’s Lower East Side. It offers two components. The Living Room, a casual daytime space, is McGarry’s idea of a local coffee shop hang out, and serves house-made pastry creations as well as coffees and teas from small roasters. The Dining Room offers a $155, gratuity included set menu consisting of 12 to 15 courses. Also available is a $100 wine pairing. “The format follows a dinner party, like the ones I started throwing at 13,” McGarry, writes in an announcement detailing the opening. He was throwing elite dinner parties while his counterparts were in grade school, and he tells us about his life in cuisine.

Tell me about how you came to realize your love for food. 

“I think I came to realize my love for food around the age of 10, once I started researching and cooking. It was then that I learned how creative cooking can be.”

You’ve been called the Justin Bieber of food. How do you feel about that? 

“I think it’s very funny that that’s the thing that stuck with everyone… but, hey, Justin Bieber turned out okay, so I’m not mad at it. It’s just funny that that’s how everyone chooses to describe me.”

Where are your favorite places to eat in LA and in NYC?

“In Los Angeles – I love Sqirl, Badmaash, Felix, and Gjusta. In New York City – The Four Horsemen, Wildair, Le Coucou, and Wu’s Wonton King.”

Assorted Snacks

Tell me about GEM. What inspired you? What do you hope the guest will experience?

“It was inspired by dinner parties – the idea of coming to my house for dinner. Our guests start their night in the Living Room (like you would in someone’s home) with a glass of champagne and snacks. Then we move everyone into the Dining Room for the remainder of the meal. They can also choose to enjoy an after-dinner drink or coffee back in the Living Room after the meal. My hope is that people come in and relax – just as they would at a friend’s house.”

What’s your favorite food to eat?

“Pretzels!”

How would you like to see your career advance? 

“My goal has always been to be at the helm of my own restaurant – and now that it’s finally open, I’m sort of taking every day as it comes and evolving with the restaurant and the space.  I don’t think it can really be planned – we’re open, the public will have their opinion, and I can set new goals from there.”

Potatoes Cooked In Yogurt

Where do you get the inspiration for your menus at your pop ups and your restaurant? 

“I find inspiration from everywhere. Cooking is my creative outlet…. so anything that I see, encounter, think of…. it gets processed through my cooking and my food.”

Have you travelled anywhere that has inspired you?

“Everywhere! But the one place that has really stuck with me the most is Italy. I am inspired by the way people treat food there.”

Who would be your ideal collaborator? 

“Chef collaborator? I would have to say Rene Redzepi, just because no one else thinks about food the way he does. Another type of collaboration? Probably Glenn O’Brien.”

Lamb Loin

What’s your favorite dish from GEM’s menu? 

“I really love the Lamb Feast – it really breaks up the traditional experience of a tasting menu and drives home our idea of feeling like you’re at someone’s house for dinner. Right now, the Lamb Feast consists of four courses – lamb loin with vadouvan bagna cauda, lamb shank braised with warm spices and apple cider, grilled sunchokes with sunflower seed and chili salsa, and a simple bitter green salad.”

How do you hope to see the food/restaurant industry change in 10 years?

“I hope it becomes more inclusive – whether that’s inclusive of age, gender, orientation… The industry should be more accepting of different kinds of people, different ways of learning. I hope it will begin to adopt change the way other industries have started to. While I think food has adapted and evolved, I hope that the culture and the way restaurants are run will catch up.”

To keep up with Flynn and GEM, you can follow them on Instagram at: @diningwithflynn and @gem.nyc

Featured image credit: Chloe Horseman courtesy of Bolster Media.

Additional images courtesy of Gem.

Price Cut on Harry Styles’ Hollywood Hills Home

Just last month, Harry Styles reduced the asking price of his 4,100-square foot Hollywood Hills Bachelor Pad to $7,995,000 USD; Hilton & Hyland, an affiliate of Christies International Real Estate, is representing the property, which carried an initial asking price of $8.45 million when it was first listed by Mr. Styles in May of 2017.

Situated in the hills above the Sunset Strip with stunning city and ocean views, the 1960’s era residence is accessed via a long tree-lined gated drive, offering the pen-ultimate in privacy. The home which can be most notably characterized by sleek modern lines, features a three bedroom, five bathroom lay out with 10’ ceilings. Standout features include a gourmet kitchen, formal dining room, media room, gym, master suite with sprawling views, as well as a pool with a cabana and hot tub.

Styles, who is best known for his time serving as a member of the band “One Direction” and for his recent acting debut in Dunkirk, purchased the three-story contemporary home, just under 2 years ago, in June 2016. Subsequently after purchasing the property, Styles commissioned multiple modifications including the addition of silver travertine floors to stretch beyond the interior living areas out onto the terraces, allowing for a perfect blending of the residence’s indoor and outdoor living spaces. Additional updates consisted of a more modern open-air rooftop entertaining area, which now offers an enlarged seating area as well as a fire pit.

For more information visit:  HiltonHyland.com

Images courtesy of:  Christies International Real Estate and HiltonHyland.com

Living With A Panoramic View: Miami’s Panorama Tower

What would it be like to live on top of the world, high above everything and everyone else?  Imagine waking up every morning and going to bed every night with an unparalleled view of the Miami skyline. The new residents of Panorama Tower in Miami, Florida don’t have to imagine these delights, they can live them. Designed and developed by Florida East Coast Realty, LLC (FECR), Panorama Tower dominates 868 feet over the Miami skyline. Thus, labeling the tower the tallest residential building south of New York is no understatement. Panorama Tower boast 85 stories and 821 rental apartments (including a penthouse), as well as more than 200 hotel rooms; 90% of these residences also boast the most breathtaking views of the bay.

The construction of this extraordinary tower has been a long time in the making. Plans were first made for construction in 2006, but were postponed due to financial complications resulting from the Great Recession. Plans were rebooted in 2012-2013 and development began in 2014. Construction concluded in late 2017, and resident move-in begins early 2018. FECR has also owned and developed the Rivergate Plaza Complex, 888 Brickell, One Bayfront Plaza, and two US Treasury buildings, among many others. FECR, undoubtedly, has set a precedent for extravagance and the Panorama, it seems, will be no different.

Building amenities include yoga and pilates studios, private dining and wine tasting rooms, pet grooming and boarding facilities, three private movie theaters and “muse rooms” for jam sessions and recordings. Additionally, the center has kept the environment in mind and offers $1,000 in annual reduced rent for residents without cars, as well as car charging stations for hybrids and electric vehicles. Panorama certainly boasts an amenity for every character desiring to live the high life.

Panorama Tower is located in the Brickell District of Miami, which is also known as South Florida’s major financial district. Residents of Panorama are granted access to the best of Miami: the finest restaurants and stores in the Brickell district. In addition, Brickell offers public transportation to all popular Miami attractions, such as Frost Museum of Science, Perez Art Museum Miami and The Miami Heat. Panorama Tower itself accommodates over 50,000 square feet of high end retail space. Panorama boasts having the best address in all of Miami and that its residents have not only the most extravagant, but the highest level of living.

Panorama’s floor units start at around 1,100 square feet for a one bedroom (the average one bedroom Miami apartment is 720 square feet), and sizes increase by room size; two bedrooms start at 1,600 square feet and three bedrooms start at 2,100 square feet. Monthly rent starts at approximately $3,000 per month, which may seem steep, but with all that Panorama has to offer, surely it’s worth the price to pay. Panorama living includes nine foot ceilings and floor to ceiling windows, which are absolutely perfect for taking in the Miami bay views. Move in for these stellar apartment homes starts in March 2018, and spaces are filling up fast – obviously. Who wouldn’t want to live in this sky-high paradise?

For more information visit:  PanoramaTower.com

Images courtesy of Florida East Coast Reality/Levy Public Relations & Events