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

Sirin Labs Launches Ultra High Security Smartphone

United Kingdom based Sirin Labs, is set to release an ultra high security line of smartphones, they will be opening there flagship store in Mayfair, London this month to debut the Solarin Smartphone range offering high levels of cyber and military grade protection along with exceptional audio and visual capabilities.  Solarin phones will be priced from of £9,500 ($13,765) for basic models, this puts there collection around the same market price as other high-quality smartphone manufacturers such as Vertu.

Sirin Labs, has raised more than $70 million in seed funds to launch their first collection, which had been in development for over two years.  The Solarin range is very different from many “jewelry” phone manufacturers, because of its focus on quality of the hardware and the technology behind its security.  The device features a mobile threat protection that claims to address mobile cyber attacks, as well as privacy technology that it says is “currently unavailable outside the agency world.”  The Solarin range has an additional focus in luxury design, however.  The phone uses the Android operating system, a 23.8-megapixel camera and 2k resolution screen.  The metal and titanium phone uses Gorilla Glass to protect a curved display screen and camera lens, with a leather back panel.  Solarin has spared no expense to bring this amazing smartphone to life.

Ben Wood, an analyst at CCS Insight stated “In a global market where 1.5 billion smartphones will be sold this year there is always going to be a ‘long tail’ opportunity for a very exclusive device to be in demand.  However as Vertu has found, the allure of the iPhone continues to draw even the most affluent users limiting the market opportunity.”  Mr Wood also stated that the security software may provide a bigger draw, nonetheless. “There appears to be a small number of users who will pay a significant premium for a very secure smartphone — however even with encryption and other security measures there will always be digital footprint left by a user.”

For more information visit: www.sirinlabs.com

Rolls Royce opens a Summer Showroom in Porto Cervo

Rolls Royce is introducing a chic studio to the Italian Island of Sardinia, held seasonally once per year in the beautiful Mediterranean resort town of Porto Cervo, Sardinia.  The city is one of the most popular for the world’s elite; hailed as one of the major Super Yacht destinations in the Western Med.  This is exactly the demographic that Rolls Royce hopes to gain with the addition of this seasonal studio.

From June through September, Rolls-Royce offers travelers a glimpse into the high quality world of the leader in bespoke autos, while showcasing their newest release: the Dawn, a sleek 4 seat drophead totting a 6.6-litre V12 twin-turbo engine that Rolls Royce describes as “the most sociable Rolls-Royce model available.” The bespoke models commissioned for Porto Cervo have been inspired by the coastal destination of the island, though customers familiar with the company know that all of the company’s models can be entirely customized through the Bespoke program.

While test driving the Dawn through the islands twisting roads, guests can learn more about the luxury brand’s additional offering and take in the magnificent vistas this magical Mediterranean island offers its visitors.

For more information visit: www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/summer-in-sardinia

The Golden Phoenix Cupcake

Bloomsbury has done it, they have created the most luxurious cupcake in the world.  This tasty treat is an edible work of art that is perfect for individuals with a discerning taste for the most extravagant epicurean delights, backed with an unyielding philanthropic nature.  The only problem is that you might miss it once it’s gone, so you better take a picture because this delectable final course wont last forever.  The Golden Phoenix is currently available at Bloomsbury’s Mushrif Mall location in Abu Dhabi at a whopping $1,010 per cupcake.

The Golden Phoenix has left its mark on the world with its Italian premium Amedei Porcelena Cocoa, its super high quality gold Ugandan Vanilla Beans, and its incredibly delicious organic strawberries.  The dessert uses the Amedei Cocoa for the base of the cupcake that they then wrap in a 23-carat gold sheet, afterward they add frosting and top it off with decor that is dusted in edible gold.  They place chocolate covered strawberries, that too have been dusted in edible gold, along with vanilla beans that are turned into a cream along side the cupcake, and it is all served on a 24-carat gold empire stand by Villari.  Only the finest of ingredients are used to give life to the Golden Phoenix.

Bloomsbury’s founder Shafeena Yusuff Ali spent over five weeks to develop this delectable confection.   Bloomsbury and World Food Programme (WFP) who are both business partners even agreed to donate half of the commission from the cupcake to go to the aid of children in times of humanitarian crises.  In fact, at least 1,850 disadvantaged children are fed for every cupcake sold, now that’s amazing.

The Golden Phoenix was even on BBC’s most expensive dish list along with the chocolate gold-flake dessert that is priced at $18,713, a sushi roll wrapped in gold leaves for $4541.92 from the Philippines, and a $293 burger from New York. This golden one-of-a-kind cupcake doesn’t just go above extravagant, it goes beyond it with its extraordinary ingredients and creative touches.

For more information visit: www.ilovebloomsburys.com

The Most Luxurious Resort in Saint Barthelemy

St. Bart’s is without a doubt one of the worlds most incredible escapes, with its undeniably beautiful scenery, wildlife, food, and culture.  When traveling to the island you should try staying at the premiere resort, Eden Rock.  This jutted out resort is located on a craggy quartzite bluff that overlooks the Baie de Saint Jean on the central north coast of the island.  The resort is consistently ranked as the best resort in all of St. Barts by U.S. News travel, as well as being ranked as one of the finest resorts in the Caribbean.

Eden Rock contains 32 sumptuous rooms and suites, plus an additional two villas.  All of which are beautifully decorated with antiques, silver fixtures, Steam trunks, and water colored paintings of local areas.  In particular they are as follows:  The Howard Hughes Loft is located directly above the main building and features three verandas that offer 360 degree panoramas, two bathrooms specially clad in wielded copper, and over 1,500 square feet of living space.  Villa Rockstar, which was opened in 2010 and features over 16,000 square feet of plush living space, four master suites, a screening room, a private pool, a recording studio, a pool table, and a fully committed butler.  Villa Rockstar can be had for 130,000 Euros per week.  Additionally there are Beach House’s that feature between two and three bedrooms, and also the Nina villa featuring two bedrooms and its own pool and art gallery.

The resort was established in the 1950’s by Remy de Haenen, who was a local politician at the time.  He sold the resort to Jane and David Mathews, who are the current owner’s of Eden Rock.  The Property has a unique position called an Artist-in-Residence, (a position that only a hand-full of hotel’s have) and is occupied by the current owner’s Jane & David.  This To-Die-For resort was apparently frequented by Swedish film actress Greta Garbo and American business tycoon Howard Hughes.  Greta Garbo even stayed at the resort under an alias for three days, but she loved the resort so much she extended her three day stay to three weeks, and Howard Hughes even has a suite named in his honor.

The resort has two restaurants: On The Rocks and The Sand Bar that are both of which are headed by Executive Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.  Eden Rock Resort is the perfect place to spend your time in St. Barts, with water skiing, surfing, swimming, and Spa activities will keep you relaxed and refreshed.  Prices range from between 650 euros to 14,000 euros per night.

For more information visit: www.EdenRockHotel.com

Bang & Olufsen’s Remarkable BeoSound Essence

Bang & Olufsen have taken their technology to even greater strides with their newest music controller, the BeoSound Essence.  This amazing device can fit in the palm of your hand and is capable of being attached to the wall, like a light switch.  You can play music in a touch of a button, making it easy to use and very convenient when feeling like listening to some soothing melodies.  Bang & Olufsen has made remarkable advancements in their technology and to no ones surprise they are once again selling the hottest products on the market escalating the Bang & Olufsen name to new heights.

There are three separate components to the BeoSound Essence: a remote that goes on your wall (as pictured above),  the BeoLab Transmitter 1 (as pictured below), and the BeoLab Receiver 1 (also pictured below).  These three devices allow you to convert hard-wired legacy products into a wireless system.  Just one transmitter can convey up to eight receivers.  The transmitter is available for $525 and the receivers will be available for $265, plus you’ll need one for each legacy channel that you’re trying to connect to.  This allows you to set it to play music throughout your entire house with it being as easy as a push of a button.  The BeoSound Essence gives you the power to control how you listen to music.  You can even set the BeoSound to play music as you walk into a particular room.  To turn the remote on or pause the music just tap it and to skip tracks simply tap it again, you can also use the metal ring to turn up and down the volume.

The BeoSound Essence is priced at $895 plus an additional $260 for each remote, adding up to a retail price of $1,155.  If you love listening to music then this new and innovative device may be just what your looking for.

Check out the BeoSound Essence and other B&O products at: www.bang-olufsen.com

The Outrageous Brabus-tuned Mercedes G500 4×4

The standard Mercedes Benz G500 Squared is an off-roading monster that produces 415-horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque.  Those already truly massive figures just were not good enough for the guys at Brabus.  The company’s new modification kit for the 4×4 Squared pushes horsepower up to nearly 500, and over 500 pound feet of torque.  Discerning buyers can also select from an extensive array of options to create an even more aggressive looking 4×4.

The center of this Brabus power modification is the custom built control module to adjust the engine power management, utilizing complex test cycles on state-of-the-art dynamo meters as well as in terrain and on the road to re-calibrate the electronic boost pressure control and reprogram the mapping for injection and ignition.  The end result gets this monster from not to 60 miles per hour in under 7 seconds, and the over-sized off-road tires mandate a top speed limited to 130 mph.  Other highlights of the new control module include far superior off-road ability when compared to the standard vehicle.  In addition, there is also a stainless steel exhaust with multiple electronically controlled note variations.

For the buyer searching for a vehicle with ultimate off-road ability, power, and luxury there are few alternatives.  Brabus also offers several body kit choices for the G500 Squared;  they include under-body guards, larger air intakes on the hood, a lower bumper, and multiple headlight updates which add black-tinted Xenon lights with LED turn signals.  Throughout the interior you will find a mixture of quilted leather seats & floors, Alcantara headliner, Carbon Fiber trim, and bright red stitches finish the Mastik leather.  Prices start at 340,000 Euros.

For more information visit: www.Brabus.com

Hôtel Ritz Paris – Reborn

In August of 2012 when the Ritz Paris closed its doors to begin a nearly four year renovation, it was an odd moment for the hotel considering it had never been closed in its nearly 120-year history. Even during the second world war, when the German Military moved in.  For others, it was an acknowledgement of the changing times.  The Hotel was purchased in 1979 by the current owner, billionaire Mohamed al-Fayed.  Western customers had for decades been the bread and butter of the success of the Hotel. Now a new generation of customers from The Far East and other emerging markets are producing a new breed of ultra wealthy individuals with demands exceeding anything an ageing Parisian hotel could offer.

Foremost impressions of the Hotel’s extensive remodel, are subtle & splendidly unexpected.  The red-carpet Entrance from the city’s elegant Place Vendôme is still intact.  Travel further down the hall and you will discover the blue and yellow runners that stretch down the long hall are still there as well.  The extravagantly appointed gilt wooden frames are the very same ones that adorned the corridor before the hotel closed for renovations.  The only significant difference is that the Hotel appears to be cleaner and lighter.  Yes, you may remissness in over a century of history will still receiving the feeling only a new hotel affords.  The identical classic appearance will reaffirm former Ritz guests who were afraid that the renovations would obliterate all spirit from the building, originally constructed as a palace in the 1700’s.  Famous guests of the Ritz’s past included Coco Chanel, Ernest Hemingway, and many other notable individuals.  Hemingway once wrote, “When I dream of afterlife in heaven, the action always takes place in the Paris Ritz.”

The main highlight of the hotel’s renovations is the underground swimming pool & spa, which has a new floor made from over 800,000 mosaic tiles, not to mention that the Chanel spa was created in conjunction with the Chanel fashion house.  Coco Chanel, the brand’s founder, lived in the hotel for over 30 until her death in 1971.  In addition the renowned Coco Chanel suite, which was previously located on the third floor, has been moved to the second and has been decorated in a style reminiscent of the Art Deco period and contains marvelous views of the Place Vendôme.  It is one of the 71 suites that the hotel now offers as part of its 142-room total (previously 159 before the renovation).  Other notable upgrades include the dinning facilities such as; Bar Vendome (The French brasserie of the Ritz),  L’Espadon (a culinary experience by Nicolas Sale), Ritz Bar (The elegant Parisian bistro),  Bar Hemingway (the most legendary bar of them all),  and Salon Proust (Tea at the Ritz Paris).

Though the Ritz remains quintessentially old-school French, showcasing rates starting from €1,000 per night and rising up to €28,000 for the Imperial suite, guests are greeted by lavishly upholstered sofas, bathrooms with golden taps in the shape of swans.  Guests are now served by more than 600 staff, as opposed to the 500 before the closure.  It is the true definition of a Parisian palace.

For more information visit: www.RitzParis.com