The Extravagant Golden Opulence Sundae

The Golden Opulence Sundae, served by special order for $1,000 at the legendary New York City restaurant Serendipity 3.  The dessert was created in celebration of the restaurants 50th anniversary.  The restaurant has said that they sell approximately one Golden Opulence Sundae per month, in 2005 Owner Stephen Bruce stated that a notice of 48 hours in advance is needed when requesting this extravagant Sundae, since ingredients must be flown in from many different areas around the world.

The Golden Opulence Sundae is covered in 23-carat edible gold leaf and is rich in flavor thanks to three scoops of Tahitian vanilla ice cream infused with Madagascar vanilla beans and chunks of rare Chuao chocolate harvested from the Caribbean Sea on Venezuela’s coast.  The sundae is sprinkled with one of the world’s most expensive chocolates, from Amedei Porcelana, and then adorned with exotic candied fruits, gold covered almonds, chocolate truffles and marzipan cherries.  It features a bowl of Grande Passion caviar served with a mother of pearl spoon and topped off with a gilded sugar flower.  This magnificent sundae is all served in a Baccarat crystal goblet (which is yours to keep) and with an 18-carat gold spoon.

This epicurean delight was previously featured on Forbes most expensive dessert list with another Serendipity 3 treat known as the $25,000 Frozen Haute Chocolate.  The sundae comes in a variety of flavors, such as: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, mint chocolate chip, pistachio, rocky road, Neapolitan, raspberry ripple, spumoni, tiger tail, biscuit tortoni, blue moon, green tea, grape, superman and many more.

For more information visit: www.serendipity3.com

Airbus Showcases The First Ever 3-D Printed Motorbike

Airbus, a major name in aviation has just unveiled a fully operated 3-D Printed Motorbike, this top secret project was personally test driven by Airbus’ boss Tom Enders on may 20th.  You may be wondering what is an aviation manufacturer doing creating a motorbike and when will we be seeing the full production line?  At the moment no one can really answer these questions, but here is a few things we do know about airbus’s new creation.  It is fully electric, weighs 77 pounds or 35 kilograms, and is 30% lighter than any other electrical motorcycle stated by Airbus Subsidiary APWorks.

The Motorbike was nicknamed “Light Rider”, for its hollow-looking frame that reduces the overall weight and allows for a powerful 6 kilowatt engine.  Airbus has applied the the same fundamentals on aircraft’s, in fact Airbus introduced a 3-D printed twin-engined prototype at Berlins Air Show in early June.  Joachim Zettler, Chief Executive of APWorks, said 3-D printing had made it possible to produce the bikes hollow-looking frame.  “The complex and branched hollow structure couldn’t have been produced using conventional production technologies such as milling or welding,” he said.  Prices will start at 50,000 euros.

For more information please visit: www.AirbusGroup.com

A 96 Meter Feadship Hits the Market

Currently undergoing the last stages of construction at Feadship; is the 96 meter project Vertigo (known as Hull Number 1006) with exterior design by Redman Whiteley Dixon and an interior created by Chahan Interior Design.  Vertigo has just been listed for sale in early May, offering prospective buyers a one of a kind opportunity to take delivery of a brand new nearly 100 meter vessel in an unparalleled short time frame.  Project Vertigo is scheduled to be delivered in early 2017.

The sleek exterior is the result of a close collaboration between the owners and famed British studio Redman Whitely Dixon.  The Vessel’s appearance is characterized by elegant curves and a functional deck layout to boast outdoor areas.  Common Feadship signatures like a stretching bow have remained, which will allow for a helicopter landing pad and hangar below able to house a Bell 429.

Inside, Vertigo will accommodate up to 18 guests and a crew of 34.  Paris-based interior design house Chahan Interior Design has created a tasteful mix of elegance and sophistication among the yachts interior spaces.  Open and clean living areas throughout blend clearly into the exterior living areas.  A dedicated owner’s deck is found above the bridge deck that houses a full width forward-facing master suite.  A passage way leads aft to a private lounge that looks out onto the aft deck to Vertigo’s most impressive feature her 9m x 4m swimming pool.  Heavy duty laminated glass panels were created to construct the pool and form the ceiling of the beach club that sits below.

Azure Naval Architects have been employed since the early days of design & development and still remain as the owners on-site representatives.  Project Vertigo will feature two MTU 16V 4000 M63L engines that will provide a top speed of 17 knots and a range of 5,000 nautical miles at a speed of 12 knots.

“It is rare that one is so fortunate to be totally involved with a project such as Vertigo to the level and depth that I have been with this wonderful yacht.  The end result is becoming magnificent. Professionals from within the superyacht community are as one in declaring that Vertigo will become the next ‘Yacht of the Decade’.”  Said Peter Insull of Peter Insull’s Yacht Marketing.

For more information on Project Vertigo please visit: www.insull.com/motor-yacht-vertigo

The Palatial Penthouse at the Puck

The palatial Puck Penthouse I, located at the top of the Puck Building at 293 Lafayette Street, with a history that dates back to the late 1800’s.  The apartment is ravishing to say the least combining the classic charm and elegance of the building with a 21st century style, along with being featured as one of New York City’s most stunning homes in Curbed’s 11th Annual Awards.

You begin in the Foyer where your able to view the Center Hall with skylight and moreover into the spacious, sun-flooded Great Room.  The Puck Penthouse features over 7,000 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 7.5 baths, library, media room, studio, staff room, gym, wine cellar, three gas fireplaces, and unbelievably beguiling terraces on each level that includes an outdoor spa.  The apartment is brimming with phenomenal lighting from floor to ceiling and massive windows that display an incredible view that’s out-of-this-world.

The Extravagant Master Suite contains a sitting room, his and hers bathrooms, two dressing rooms, access to the East Terrace, and a studio that could be used as a home office or study.  The finishes to the penthouse are remarkable, which include the finest Italian marbles and ultramodern kitchen appliances, such as Sub-Zero, La Cornue, and Wolf and Smeg brands.  The Kitchen also includes custom cabinetry that blends seamlessly with the Italian lava stone amidst a sparkling glaze finish and two inch thick fine Arabescatto Oro Marble for the center island.

In addition the penthouse features a cutting-edge automation system, double-pane UV-resistant glass windows, and a central Control Room that pilots all A/V wiring.  The design elements throughout are unmatched on every single level.  The Puck Penthouse is currently priced at $58,500,000 USD.

For more information visit: www.puckpenthouses.com

The Sailing Yacht Inspired by an Albatross

Designed by Timur Bozca of Turkey, the Cauta yacht concept is a futuristic lightweight high performance sailing yacht with an extensive range of high-tech features. The 55m vesel is designed with a carbon fibre hull and fitted with a revolutionary Dynarig system to dramatically increase efficiency and contribute to an enhanced sailing pleasure on board.  Visually inspired by an albatross, the yacht is powered by a hybrid diesel-electric engine.  Two self-standing and rotating masts support 10 sails each; with both masts being fused into the carbon-fiber hull.

While keeping in mind the design philosophy and lightweight structure required a bare minimum of detailing, but the owner still required an elegant, unique and sophisticated interior design and layout. To achieve this balance of modernity and comfort, the luxurious interior reveals slate gray walls and OLED technology that lends to the interior creating a space ship like vibe.  This gives a dynamic modern structure to the interior as well as exterior ambiance.

Accommodating up to 10 guests in well appointed suites, in addition to a crew of 8, the yacht contains many unique features such as an aft cockpit that can be transformed into a small pool for children.  The full beam master stateroom, located at the stern offers unparalleled space and comfort.  In addition the yacht features bathrooms with rain shower systems and glass floor panels that allow for guests to view the ocean below.

For more information visit: www.timurbozca.com/cauta

The Finest Penthouse in The West Village

Located on the iconic curved southwest corner of The Shephard in Manhattan’s West Village, lies a luxurious penthouse boasting over 5,000 sqaure feet of living space, along with dazzling river and city views overlooking the landmarked neighborhood.  It is one of three penthouse’s in the Shephard building, but currently the only one on the market.

The apartment features four bedrooms, four full baths, two powder rooms, a downstairs living room with fireplace, a beautiful upstairs library, that also features a fireplace, and an eat in kitchen.  There are three distinctive terraces totaling nearly 1500 square feet, one fully equipped with an outdoor kitchen, and a remarkable roof top deck showcasing 360-degree views of the river and city.  All windows are double pane, triple glazed, landmark approved from Skyline, the floors are solid hardwood oak in a herringbone pattern, the master baths contain finely hand-crafted mahogany vanities with Lefroy Brooks fixtures, white mosaic fan tiles for the floors and walls, Dolomiti white stone slab and palest grey painted millwork, the kitchen is custom made by Smallbone of Devize, designed by Gachot Studios, and are fitted with custom painted and mahogany cabinetry with brushed stainless steel fixtures, and brass hardware from Valli.

The Shephard building has been thoroughly redesigned and totally renovated to be one of most luxurious residential buildings in all of Manhattan, placed on a peaceful, tree-lined street in the finest part of the West Village.  The interior design by Gachot, brings the feel of elegance as they use the finest and most alluring materials to bring attention to the building’s unique atmosphere.  An all new lobby and garden has even been built by mixing a neighboring historical carriage house into the building’s plan.  The Shehpard contains 38 apartments including three penthouses, with all new systems of the highest caliber such as the VRF heating and cooling systems, in addition to many luxuries that include a basketball court, gym, golf simulator, steam rooms, an arcade and ping pong club room, as well as a paneled library that opens to the building’s landscaped garden.  The building has a very tranquil and serene feeling that makes it perfect for one to call home.  Penthouse B is currently priced at $24,500,000 USD.

For more information visit: 275w10.com

The Bentley Bentayga

Meet Clarisse Lafleur

Meet 18 year old Clarisse Lafleur, business student and granddaughter of Jacques Lafleur former New Caledonian president and businessman.

Clarisse left her family home in New Caledonia, to study at the Bond University on the Gold Coast of Australia.  Relishing in the beauty of her privately gated residence that is located right beside one of Australia’s most premiere golf courses.  Her luxurious home away from home has been more irreplaceable than she ever imagined, as Lafleur was almost instantaneously bewitched by the calm and ravishing lifestyle that it provided. Clarisse is always on her toes, When she is not busy with school she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, traveling, shopping, and playing with her two dogs.  We spoke exclusively with Clarisse about all things lifestyle.

What inspires you?
“Passion! It really inspires me. I am inspired by passionate people, they are in love with what they do so they do it well: it motivates me and inspires me to follow my dreams with the same passion. I am passionate about fashion, so I read fashion magazines, I spend hours on Tumblr and Instagram looking for fashion inspirations and ideas.”

What items could you not live without? 
“My phone… How cliché is that? I have all my meetings and appointments on my phone, my notes, my music, my photos, my contacts… and of course my social media apps! I use Facebook and Instagram very often, Twitter not so much.

My wallet: I have my ID, my credit cards, my driver’s license… I never leave without it!

My handbag of course! I have several but I think the ultimate item I couldn’t live without would be a handbag. It carries my phone and wallet, my keys and a few other girly stuff like makeup, a scarf, perfume etc…”

Talk me through a day in the life of Clarisse Lafleur. 
“Most of the time I am in Australia because I study Business there (at Bond University). I get up at 7am and eat my breakfast: fruits and a glass of iced green tea, then I take my vitamins and I get ready for the day. Most of my classes are in the morning so after I’m done with University, I go to the gym and I train for about two hours! Then either I go back home and study for the next day, or I meet with my friends and we go shopping, have dinner together or go watch a movie! On the weekends I go to the gym in the morning and then I do my things until it’s time to go out! My friends and I love to party: restaurants, nightclubs, house parties, we love it!”

Being a frequent traveler, what have been your favorite destinations and why?
“Paris in summer: Because I have my family and my friends there! And also because the shopping and the museums are amazing! You never get bored in Paris, there is always something to do! And preferably in summer because the weather is much better, the trees have leaves and you can have a picnic in a park or near the Eiffel tower!

Dubai in winter: This city is amazing; I am blown away by what is in Dubai! Everything is bigger, shinier, people are nice and the weather is perfect. It doesn’t matter if you stay in the city or in the desert because both are fantastic. They have the most beautiful hotels. I also added the time of year to visit Dubai because apparently, in summer the heat is unbearable. I went there in winter and the temperature was perfect: warm during the day and cool at night!”

How would you describe luxury?
“To me, Luxury is being able to enjoy life to the fullest without having to worry about anything!”

What interests you most?
“Fashion, business, and dogs! I believe I got these interests from the environment I grew up in! I inherited my passion for fashion from my mother. She is such a fashionista! She always has the best outfits, latest handbags in fabulous colors, perfect jewelry… From a very young age we would read her fashion magazines together and comment on the clothes we saw! Then, I got my love for business from my father. He is a very successful businessman and we have a very similar strong personality. My mother and my brother make fun of us because we both hate to be wrong and always want to be right: it often gets me in trouble when we argue hahaha… And last, but not least: dogs! I grew up surrounded by Labradors; the family’s favorite dogs! I am passionate about dogs, they are the most loyal animals and love their owners unconditionally. At the moment I have two sand Labradors they are 6 and 7 but still act like puppies.”

Who is your favorite designer and why?
“Tough question! I love so many designers for different items! For example, Dior is killing it with their new sunglasses. Balmain creates amazing clothes, thank you Olivier Rousteing! Saint Laurent, Zanotti and Azzedine Alaia are making beautiful shoes… Chanel, Hermes and Céline have the best bags. It is way too hard to pick one!

Without looking at expensive brands, Australian designers also come up with beautiful items: I love Tony Bianco heels, I’m pretty sure I own at least 30 pairs of Tony Bianco shoes. Seafolly makes the best swimsuits, I mainly wear this brand because they always have the best colors for summer and are very durable! And of course Lorna Jane for everything active: my workout clothes are only from Lorna Jane!”

Where to next?
“Europe! I am going to Paris, Venice and the French Riviera in August/September to see my friends, family and of course go shopping… and eat great food! After I graduate from my Bachelor of Business next year I am going to start a Master in Europe, Paris or London… I don’t know yet!”

Visit Clarisse’s Instagram at: www.instagram.com/clarisselafleur

Christo’s Floating Pier Opens on Lake Iseo

Starting off this week, The Floating Pier installation by renowned artist Christo Vladimirov Javacheff is open, visitors can now walk on water over the Italian Lake Iseo.  And for anyone that is a fan of The Wizard of Oz, you can now travel to the Lake for a stroll on the elongated ‘yellow-brick road’.

“It’s not a painting, it’s not a sculpture.  You need to walk on it.  Feel it with the sun, with the rain, with the wind.  It’s physical, not virtual” Said Christo.  The project was originally thought up by his late wife Jeanne-Claude back in 1970 for the River Plate delta in Argentina.  The total cost exceeded 16 million USD, but it is open at no cost to the public and is expected to attract more than 500,000 visitors by the time it closes on July 3rd.  The pier was created using over 100,000 square meters of yellow fabric, carried by a floating dock system of 220,000 high-density polyethylene cubes, that move with the lake.

For the first time ever you can walk from Sulzano to Monte Isola and onto the island of San Paolo, which is framed by Floating Piers. “Like all of our projects, The Floating Piers is absolutely free and accessible 24 hours a day – weather permitting, there are no tickets, no openings, no reservations and no owners.   They are an extension of the street and belong to everyone.” Said Christo.

For more information visit: christojeanneclaude.net/the-floating-piers

The Remarkable Rolls Royce Vision 100