McCall’s Motorworks Revival Sold to Car Collector Insurance Giant Hagerty

Following the 30th year anniversary of their award winning event, Gordon & Molly McCall, the husband and wife duo behind McCall’s Motorworks Revival, have announced the sale of their event to collector car insurance giant, Hagerty. McCall’s event often referred to as the Jet Center Party, is one of Monterey Car Week’s most prominent events. Many collectors and aficionados annually arrive for the Wednesday night party as the precursor to the famed Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Founded in 1991, the McCall’s have created an event that regularly attracts over 3,000 auto, moto, and aero enthusiasts as well as 60 prominent luxury sponsors. This year’s event featured corporate sponsors such as, Gulfstream, Louis Roederer, and the Hotel Espacio, which sponsored this year’s Style Award. Gordon McCall who will stay with the event as a consultant, stated “Motorworks grew from a small gathering of friends getting ready for car week into a large car culture festival almost overnight.” Adding, “however, the spirit has always remained the same – a passionate focus on the best cars, aircraft and culture all wrapped-up in the allure of an intimate, strolling dinner party. Molly and I are thrilled to assist the Hagerty team as we continue to find innovative ways to delight our guests.” Highlights of this year’s event included an Aston Martin DB5 Superleggera, Caviar, Gold Leaf Sushi Rolls, and a stunning Gulfstream G500.

Over the past two years, as part of Hagerty’s marketing efforts, their firm has acquired a number of celebrated events to their annual roster, including the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, the California Mille, the Concours d’Elegance of America and the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Hagerty also participants in the annual classic car auction week in Scottsdale, Arizona and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance as well as more than 2,000 other car events annually. As of yet, Hagerty’s most anticipated event is the ‘Festival of the Unexceptional, a light-hearted, concours-style event’ which is one of the UK’s most acclaimed automotive events. 

The 31^st annual Motorworks Revival is scheduled to occur on Wednesday, August 17, 2022 under Hagerty’s management.

Gull House, the former residence of Kim Novak

Following a celebrated Hollywood career, that included iconic leading roles in Picnic and Vertigo alongside James Stewart, Kim Novak found refuge along the dramatic coast of Carmel Highlands. Although now a respected artist in Oregon, Novak had purchased “Gull House” and used the residence as a retreat from 1961 to 1973. The oceanfront estate situated along Spindrift Lane was built in 1957, and the property offers some of the most majestic views of the Pacific Ocean.

GULL HOUSE
THE FORMER RESIDENCE OF
FILM LEGEND KIM NOVAK
CARMEL HIGHLANDS,
CALIFORNIA

Regular sights from the private estate are said to include sea otters and migrating whales. Currently, the property features a 1 bedroom and 1.5 bathroom main house in addition to a one bedroom, one bathroom, guest house with an attached 1-car garage; however according to listing agent Jonathan Spencer of Compass, the property has received planning approval to build a new 4,300 square foot, three bedroom and three bathroom main house.

Image credit: Jonathan Spencer Properties

The Aston Martin Valhalla is Set to Make its Debuts at Monterey Car Week

Seven decades after selling their first DB2 in the United States, Aston Martin will unveil an incredible vehicle said to bolster the manufacturer’s performance identity to an all new height. This cutting edge model from Aston Martin will debut on Thursday, August 12th at a private VIP event at Monterey Car Week, just days before the celebrated Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Little is known of this vehicle aside from a teaser image of what appears to be a convertible version of the Valkyrie. This guess is principally due to the vehicle’s scissor style doors, as opposed to the model’s typical gull-wing doors.

Speaking on the 70 year relationship between the brand and north america Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Tobias Moers, said: “For seven decades now, enthusiast drivers in the United States and Canada have had the chance to enjoy some of the greatest cars we have yet made. Around a quarter of all the cars we have ever made have been sold in North America; American and Canadian investment, management and support have played a major part in the company’s history. I am very happy to see us celebrate not only this important anniversary, but also the enduring link between our brand and the knowledgeable and hugely enthusiastic brand of owners who enjoy our cars in North America today.”   

In addition to the aforementioned mystery debut, Aston Martin will be showcasing the Valhalla super car to the North American market, following it’s debut at the British Grand Prix in July. Limited to just two years of production and 999 examples, the Valhalla developed by Aston Martin chief Tobias Moers, ushers in a new facet to the British manufacturers portfolio. As part of the brand’s Project Horizon strategy, the Valhalla will pay homage to Aston Martin’s Formula One® presence, dynamic experience, and commitment to “transition from internal combustion to hybrid and later, full-electric powertrains.” Potential buyers will likely be impressed by Valhalla’s impressive performance highlights which include a 937 horsepower mid engine plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain. Additional design elements of note are the shared structural and aerodynamic elements first introduced in the Valkyrie. Aston Martin promises that the Valhalla will “bring the perfect balance of hypercar performance and advanced powertrain, driving dynamics and uniquely sophisticated design materials to truly redefine the supercar sector.”

Select Aston Martin enthusiasts and prospective owners will be able to view the Valhalla and what we guess is a Valkyrie Roadster at Aston Martin Club 1913 an 11,300 square foot luxury club house overlooking the 18^th fairway of the Pebble Beach Golf Links from Friday, 13 August, by invitation only.

Image courtesy of: Aston Martin

The Cutting Edge of Yacht Charter With Ellie Malouf

Not many yacht charter firms can get you on a yacht in a matter of hours, however, one of those few organizations is a family-owned firm based in Sydney, Australia. Founded by the Malouf family, Ahoy Club is meant to bring together the best of service and convenience in a club-like atmosphere. On the origin of Ahoy Club’s name, COO Ellie Malouf states “family table talk. 2015 was probably the inception of Ahoy Club and then we launched in 2018. It was really just family table talk, we started saying “Ahoy” one day and we wanted a ‘clubby feel’ so that when customers chartered with us [they’d] feel a sense of trust.”

Often compared to app-based ride-hailing services because of their similarities in convenience, Ahoy Club offers clients a special touch around service. From dining preferences to your ideal toothpaste color, Ahoy Club exceeds the demands of even the most discerning charter guests. To learn more about Ahoy Club, we caught up with the charming Ellie Malouf during Australia’s current lockdown to discuss how Ahoy Club is bringing yacht charter into the 21st century.

For those of us who are not already familiar, can you tell us a little about Ahoy Club and how your service is different from a typical charter company?

“Ahoy Club is an online marketplace for yachts, so we offer 4,000 yachts for charter all around the world. I guess there [are] three core elements that make us stand out. So, [the] first thing is our [wide] selection, on our platform you can search and refine 4,000 crewed yachts of any style and price, whether that be a day charter in Miami or a sailing yacht [in Sydney] on Sunday, or a superyacht in the Mediterranean. If it floats it’s probably on our platform. Before Ahoy Club there was no global marketplace to find and book yachts online. Our second point of difference is our customer service, as a family we’ve owned and chartered yachts for decades and one of the main reasons we started Ahoy Club was that we thought there was a lot to be desired in the customer service [part] of the industry. I think the third point of differentiation is that we have the best prices in the industry. Being a global technology platform means that we can offer more competitive rates.”

With Ahoy Club, being a family business, is there a certain place you trace your family’s passion for the ocean to?

“It definitely all started on Sydney Harbor. [Having been] born and raised here it’s hard not to develop a love for the ocean when you’re surrounded by it. My earliest memories are really just spending weekends on Sydney Harbor with the family, [anchored] on the harbor, but we now spend a few weeks each year on the Med, Capri is definitely a family favorite.”

Have you found that your digital services attract a younger or better-informed charter client?

“So we’ve found that our digital services attract both millennial charterers and seasoned charterers. Our team provides a very high touch service from start to finish. So when [you] combine this with our tech it makes the whole process faster, easier, and more fun. We believe in the [ability] to book a charter on the same day with us, whereas typically that would take weeks. I think a great example of this was [when] a few years ago I had a client staying in Ibiza and he was staying at a hotel and not enjoying his experience there at all. So, I got a call saying “I need to get on a yacht today, for the next week.” And by the time he’d packed up his belongings and got a taxi to the marina, we’d found him a yacht and they were sipping on a cocktail on the sundeck two hours later.”

Ahoy Club has been called many things including the Uber of luxury yacht charter, with that said, what do you personally believe sets you apart?

“Like Uber, we think of ourselves as a tech company, so we’ve invested a lot of time and effort to create a great digital experience for our customers. Probably unlike Uber we have an extremely high focus on customer service, as I’ve mentioned in creating those customer experiences. You know you’ll never have a yacht cancelling at the last minute with Ahoy Club. So we are very similar in some ways, but there is an important balance being such a luxury product to have the service coupled with tech is probably the most important.”

Please tell us about Ahoy Day; has the ability to charter a yacht for one day or just one hour, opened the market to a new demographic of yachting enthusiasts?

“Yeah definitely, you can book day charters on our website instantly, so you can book and pay online which has opened up our market, especially to [the] corporate market, Christmas parties, and end of year celebrations in cities with a great harbor. This is [especially popular] in Sydney, Miami, and Monaco. It’s also been [popular] for friends just wanting to have a fun day out. It’s accessible to any type of group, so we have yachts for any type of occasion. Our range is from about 2,000 dollars for a day [or] a couple of hours, [up to] our biggest yacht, one on the platform [that’s] three million euros a week. We have specialists in each range to make sure that you’re getting the right service. What we’ve found is important is you’ve got the customer who charters the yacht for a day and then next year they want to charter for a weekend, and after that they want to go overseas for a week. We want to be that one stop shop for the customers.”

What do you believe is the key to your success in the industry?

“We believe success all comes back to providing the best customer experience. We deliver this through our focus on three things, which are the greatest selection of yachts globally, providing excellent customer service, and for the best possible price.”

What unique concierge services does Ahoy Club offer?

“Once you a book a charter with Ahoy Club the fun really begins. We’ve got an online booking platform that guests can use to build [a set of] preferences, everyone in the group can detail what they want to do, eat, and drink on the charter. If [charter guests] have any restaurant requests or really any land excursion requests we will handle all of that on our side. So that’s where our customer service team comes in; guests tell us everything they want to do, but we hold their hand every step of the way to make sure that we get all of that information. [I mean] we have people that have requested a [certain] color of toothpaste. Any kind of request that you have, we will deliver on. We also have a fantastic interactive itinerary builder; which we put a lot of effort into it. [For example] our team before each season will fly around and try the restaurants, so we can advise on the best ones to see this season.”

What’s next for Ahoy Club?

“Global expansion; we currently have offices in Australia and France, [and] soon we’ll be opening offices in the U.S. [where] we have some reps on the ground there already. We’re looking elsewhere across the world to strengthen our presence in new and exciting charter markets.”

Where can we follow you?

“On Instagram we have Ahoy.Club that’s our global account and you can also create a free account on ahoycub.com if you want to get special offers, the latest news, and yachts available for charter around the world.”

Images Courtesy of: Ahoy Club

Featured Image Credit: Jake Terrey

McCall’s Motorworks Revival is set to Wow on it’s 30th Anniversary!

Following a one year absence due to the global pandemic, McCall Events is gearing up for the 30^th year anniversary of their acclaimed McCall’s Motorworks Revival. The event is often referred to by many as the kickoff to Monterey Car Week. Wednesday August 11^th will mark the return of the party which features only the most iconic automobiles both new and classic as well as an impressive fleet of aircraft, epicurean delights, libations and live music at the Monterey Jet Center.

According to the event’s host, Gordon McCall, the party’s aviation sponsors are coming out in full force. Expect an impressive display from Airbus, Cirrus  Aircraft, Pilatus, Dassault  Falcon,  Textron Aviation, Gulfstream, and  Jet  It to rival some airshows. “We have been overwhelmed this year by the support from our friends in the aviation community.” McCall says, “Most airplane manufacturers are bringing two or three aircraft and the line-up is going to be spectacular. This is our 30th year and we’re ready to celebrate it with all of our friends!” On the culinary side of things, highlights will include delectable bites crafted by local celebrity chefs, handcrafted bespoke cocktails, tantalizing beers, and award-winning wines Roederer Estate, Pine Ridge Vineyards, and Archery Summit Winery among others.

Unique to this year’s event are three fantastic awards and prizes for the remarkable machines on display. “The Hagerty Award” will be presented by Diane Parker from the Hagerty Foundation, in collaboration with FIVA for the vehicle with the most interesting historical significance. The winner of “The Hagerty Award” will receive a behind-the-scenes pass to the ‘Hagerty Drivers Foundation Cars at the Capital’ installation, as well as access to the ‘Hagerty Drivers Foudation Cars at the Capital and Coffee’. “The Esprit de Corps” Award presented by Gordon McCall on behalf of Pine Ridge Vineyards will go to the “car, airplane, or motorcycle that embodies the spirit of our event; fastest, farthest, most innovative, most creative, etc…” The winner of this award will receive a Magnum of wine signed by Pine Ridge Vineyards Estate Winemaker, Joshua Mendoza Widaman as well as a highly coveted Cellar 47 Tasting Lounge Wine Cave Experience and wine educator lead tour for 4 guests. Last but certainly not least, is our very own The Extravagant “Style Award” which will be awarded to the most aesthetically pleasing vehicle on display at this year’s McCall’s Motorworks Revival. The fortunate recipient of The Extravagant “Style Award” will be gifted with a two-night stay at ESPACIO for up to four guests within a suite that occupies a private 2,250 square-foot floor with Jacuzzi-clad ocean-facing balcony, in-suite sauna, designer kitchen and personal elevator entry. The gift includes a tasting experience at ESPACIO’s onsite Japanese-French dining concept Mugen for up to four guests.

Red Carpet ticket holders will continue to enjoy valet parking, early entry at 4:00 pm, a special Red Carpet Reception, and access to the exclusive Red Carpet Club. VIP ticket holders enter one hour later and are welcomed with exceptional hospitality including light delicacies, craft cocktails cocktails and beer, in addition to a selection of fine wines among much more. For tickets and additional information, please visit the McCall Events website.

Images courtesy of: McCall Events

Creating Magic With Roxy Marrone

House of Roxy founder, Roxy Marrone is working to turn her passion project into the quintessential health and wellness lifestyle brand. Producing a range of goods, including bath products and jewelry focused on manifestation and spiritual healing. The brand is now taking its next step with the development of organic super food powders and a super chic pop up tea & juice bar to demonstrate the powder’s many applications and uses through July.

The Extravagant recently caught up with Roxy to discuss her upcoming product launches and the brand’s new pop up shop. The Tea and Juice bar launched by House of Roxy earlier this spring is located within The Organic Pharmacy’s Marylebone Flagship Store near Regent’s Park in London. The Organic Pharmacy, a staple in London’s health & wellness scene, was founded by Roxy’s parents, Francesco and Margo Marrone, in 2002. Currently, Roxy splits her time between managing events for The Organic Pharmacy and running House of Roxy.

In addition to making some of the best Matcha in London, the tea & juice bar offers customers a variety of House of Roxy products including candles, crystals, body oils, and dog treats. However, the most impressive offering is Roxy’s own super food powders which she mixes into a variety of drinks. According to Roxy the product “increases the production of collagen in your body” and can be mixed with a variety of foods and drinks, stating “you can put them in your porridge” and adding, you can mix them with “really anything hot or even a smoothie.” House of Roxy produces four powders in the United Kingdom, including the Cosmic Collagen Booster (a blend of acai, camu camu, acerola, maqui and goji berries), the Magic Matcha Latte (a blend of green phytonutrients and ceremonial grade matcha), Shroom Mood Latte (an adaptogenic latte filled with ashwagandha, mushrooms, antioxidant rich cacao, and sweet flavors of cinnamon and vanilla), and lastly Glow Seeds (crafted from an adaptogenic concoction of linseed, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower seeds, and tumeric). Roxy boasts that the Glow Seeds “will increase brain function, elasticity [in] skin and leave you glowing from within.” As of right now Roxy manages the production and packaging of the powders in-house as well as the production of her brand’s incense.

In addition to tea and juice, the bar features house made granola, energy balls, yogurt balls, and a couple other treats featuring Roxy’s super food powders.  And a unique perk of visiting the House of Roxy Tea & Juice Bar is the convenient access to the adjacent spa treatments at The Organic Pharmacy. A recent installation at the pop up was a dog focused event with a pet cookbook author and a doga class (doggie yoga).

Speaking on her products mission, Roxy states “[The Organic Pharmacy and House of Roxy’s] brand values and goals are really with benefiting people in a way that is healthy and sustainable,” adding “both my products and Organic Pharmacy products are all made to benefit the user in some way shape or form. So, my ideology is that I’m bringing magic into your everyday routine.” House of Roxy Super Food Powders are now available online and in-store at the brand’s Tea & Juice bar. To keep up with House of Roxy follow them on Instagram @houseofroxylondon

Images Courtesy of: Roxy Marrone

The 18th Annual The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering is set to feature over 200 Remarkable Automobiles

_{1978 Lamborghini LP400 Countach Periscopio}

Following a one year absence, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering is returning to Carmel, California with more than 200 rare automobiles. The 18^th iteration of The Quail is set to pay tribute to the “50th Anniversary of the Alfa Romeo Montreal” and “Automotive Couture, French Cars Featuring the 50th Anniversary of the Citroën SM.” 

“What makes The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering a truly remarkable event, aside from the extravagant setting and fine culinary offerings, is its unbeatable selection of vehicles from a variety of genres, manufacturers and time periods,” said Kai Lermen, General Manager of Quail Lodge & Golf Club. “Pre- and post-war sports and racing machines meet the newest innovations from leading manufacturers at our event. It’s a wonderland for the automotive enthusiast.”

Some particularly noteworthy vehicles that will be displayed during the August 13^th event include a ‘1931 Duesenberg Derham Tourster, 1937 Bugatti 57S Gangloff, 1967 Shelby American King Cobra Can-Am and 1978 Lamborghini LP400 Countach Periscopio.’ The 1937 Bugatti is celebrated for having one of the earliest supercharged engines, whereas the Countach Periscopio is a rare model of just 150 examples. In addition to these remarkable vehicles, guests can expect to see a full range of pre and post war automobiles, including race cars.

Once again, the event will feature the ultimate garden party with five culinary pavilions as well as the event’s highly anticipated fireside chats. The Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction will also be returning and taking place concurrently with the event. To get on the wait list for the The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering tickets, you can visit the event website and follow The Quail Events on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

_{Featured image courtesy of: Peninsula Signature Events via Kahn Media}

Lamborghini Countach to celebrate its 50th Birthday at the Pebble Beach Concours

At the 70^th Annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, tribute will be paid to a half century of the Lamborghini Countach. To mark the 50^th anniversary of one of the world’s original supercars, the 2021 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance will feature a collection of some of the most important Countach models and prototypes. Launched in 1971, just five years after the ground breaking Miura, the Countach inspired a new generation of more aggressive supercars. Some say the Marcello Gandini designed masterpiece with its sharp lines and scissor doors gave birth to the idea of hyper cars that were to come in the following decades.

“The Countach redefined the super sports car segment and became an icon with design language that is still applied to every modern Lamborghini today,” said Stephan Winkelmann, President & CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is the perfect backdrop to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this legendary Lamborghini with a special gathering of Countach examples that will likely never be seen again in one place.”

Concours Chairman Sandra Button added “We’re excited to share the origin and development of the Countach. These cars have played a distinct role in reshaping the modern automobile, changing our eye for style, and shifting automotive desires.”

Despite the fact that many Countach coupes have competed on the lawn at Pebble Beach, 2021 will be the first time that a full class will be displayed at the event. The full evolution of the Countach will be on display starting with the oldest surviving prototype and ending with the a 25^th Anniversario model. The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance will be held on Sunday August 15 at the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links. To purchase tickets please visit the Pebble Beach Concours website.

Image courtesy of: Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Camper & Nicholsons Has Sold the Majestic Lady Moura

After 554 days on the market, Camper & Nicholsons has announced the in-house sale of the impressive 105 meter Lady Moura. Delivered in 1990 by Blohm+Voss, Lady Moura’s buyer was represented by broker Fernando Nicholson, whereas the seller was represented by Arne Ploch and Andrew LeBuhn. With an asking price of $125,000,000 USD, Lady Moura was both one of the largest and most expensive yachts on the brokerage market. According to Camper & Nicholsons “this sale represents the fastest known brokerage sale of a 100+ metre vessel in the last ten years.”

“I am extremely pleased we achieved such a result and the timeframe in which we achieve it makes it even more exceptional. I would like to thank all the people involved, across our Marketing, CRM, Legal, Brokerage and Management departments as this was a truly joint effort that makes me so very proud to work for this company, with every single team member we have today,” comments CEO Paolo Casani.

Lady Moura’s size, amenities, and pristine condition set her within a class all of her own. Following three decades of storied history hosting both royalty and the political elite, Lady Moura was placed on the market for the first time to great industry fan faire. Often regarded as a Monaco landmark, due to the fact that the vessel frequented Port Hercules, yet until Lady Moura was placed on the market, the vessel was shrouded in so much mystery. Only within the last couple years was Lady Moura’s marvelous Luigi Sturchio-styled interior revealed, as until then it remained a true secret. Lady Moura was primarily used as a private family residence and was never made available for charter.

At launch the seven deck Lady Moura was one of the most advanced and luxurious vessels afloat, boasting a cinema, helipad, top deck indoor pool, generous guest accommodations, and a cutting edge beach club with some of the first hydraulic fold-out balconies.

_{Image credit: Camper & Nicholsons}

The best of Bordeaux from Petrus to Haut-Brion

Nearly five hundred lots of fine Bordeaux will hit the auction block in Hong Kong on the 25^th of this month. The single owner auction features one of the largest private collections of Chateau Haut-Brion ever offered. Vintages in the collection span over 100 years and include rare bottles of 1945 Chateau Haut-Brion and 1961 Chateau Haut Brion in large format. Additional highlights are the over one dozen unique vintages of Petrus as well as verticals of Cheval Blanc. However, our personal favorites are the lot of 3 bottles of 1934 Chateau d’Yquem and the 5 bottles of 1967 d’Yquem. According to Sotheby’s, the auction is estimated to fetch between “HK$10.5 – 15 million/ US$1.4 – 1.9 million.”

“This is one of those rare windows into wine history that mark a lifetime of vinous discovery. When they come your way, it is always breathtaking, as they evoke times remembered, vintages that vary with the weather and social conditions, extraordinary memories of scent and taste, occasions of joy and wonder and the sheer delight of knowing that these bottles, magnums, double magnums, jeroboams and imperials still exist. It reminds me of childhood fairy tales, of treasures slumbering for decades and then miraculously revealed. In this case, the sleeping took place in perfect cellar conditions and these legendary wines emerge from over a century ago, in one instance, to shine a light on what fascinates us all – the mystery of how wines evolve. This collection provides an unrivalled opportunity to follow this thread, through the lens of the First Growths of Bordeaux” – SERENA SUTCLIFFE, M.W. HONORARY CHAIRMAN, SOTHEBY’S WINE

Image courtesy of: Sotheby’s