Ways to Treat Yourself After a Stressful House Move

LuxuryActivist
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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Moving isn’t easy, and it certainly isn’t fun. In fact, moving can be one of the most stressful things that you’ll ever do. So after you’ve completed a house move, it’s time to relax and treat yourself. How can you go about doing so? Check out the tips below that will help you unwind in no time at all.

Go on a Holiday

You’ve bought or rented a new place and gone through all of the trouble of signing the important paperwork, paying the appropriate fees, and moving all of your things into your new place. Now it’s time to book a trip and go on a nice holiday so you can relax all of your cares away. And there are a lot of affordable trips that you can take, even if you’re on a tight budget as a result of your move. For example, you can check out this Balkan holidays voucher that will allow you to have an unforgettable holiday without breaking the bank. Getting away for a bit will allow you to come home feeling refreshed and ready to remodel and redecorate your new place, and you’ll have a whole new appreciation for the effort that you put into your move.

Bulgaria-holidays-sea

Host a Housewarming Party

There’s no better way to relieve stress than by partying with your friends, enjoying a few drinks with them, turning on some music to sing and dance to, and having a great night just laughing and making new memories. So, go ahead and plan a housewarming party in your new abode. You’ll be able to welcome all of your friends and family into your new place and give them a tour, and they’ll be more than happy to give you a little gift that will help you settle right into your new house.

Go to the Spa

Going to the spa and getting pampered for a day is a wonderful way to let all of the tension that’s in your body and mind melt away. Have a few healing treatments, from facials to massages, so you can just relax without having a care in the world. Plus, if you’re sore at all from moving heavy furniture, the massage and special spa treatments that you’ll receive will help your muscles feel fantastic again sooner rather than later.

spa-treatments

Go Out to Dinner

Invite your family and friends out to a special dinner to celebrate the fact that you’ve purchased a new house and completed a difficult move. Go for your favourite cuisine and simply indulge. Stick to your budget, of course, but don’t feel like you have to hold yourself back from enjoying a delicious dessert at the end of your meal or a glass of wine with your dinner.

By focusing on yourself after a stressful move, you can think up a variety of ways that you can unwind and de-stress after a frantic move. From throwing a party to spending some time on holiday, the key is finding something that will help you find your centre again, as you don’t want to continue being frazzled.

Carol

Info sourced by the author for LuxuryActivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only. 

How to add some style to your dining room

LuxuryActivist
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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Luxury-design-interior-decoration

If you’re looking to bring some vibrance and current style to your dining area then there are a number of ways to achieve this. According to Vogue, some of the top decorating trends to look out for in 2017 include; the use of green colours, muted colours, quirky lighting and artisan-crafted furniture. Now if you’re looking to make a few quick changes rather than a complete overhaul, then you might want to consider a change of dining table and seating. Whether you opt for artisan-crafted furniture or the modern stylish gloss finish table from stores like Danetti, you will probably be influenced by the current style of the room. If you are looking for a complete change, this is your opportunity to transform your dining room entirely.

luxury-living-rooms-design

 If you’re going to go to the trouble of transforming your room then don’t forget the flooring. Often neglected in the plans but an important part of your dining room design. Do you go for the practicality of a wooden or tiled floor or the warmth of a carpeted floor? Your family life may influence this more than the style that you choose. Quirky lighting can be a fun addition to the room and again, it doesn’t involve a huge amount of work. There is a huge selection of stylish lamps, wall lights and fixed ceiling lights that can brighten up the room and bring elegance and style. If you are thinking of changing the colours, then there can be a number of beneficial factors from giving your walls a new lease of life by a simple coat of paint. You can base your decision on the trends predicted by many interior design experts, or you can even look into the psychological influence of particular colours.

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luxury-living-rooms-interior-design

The psychology of colour shouldn’t be taken lightly. The colour you choose is said to have an emotional impact on you. If you have been feeling a little bit down, then a change of colour could actually lift you mood. Did you know that green is associated with being calming and restful? Or that black can be depressing as it brings feelings related to death and drama? Offices and studies have seen more use of the colour blue as it is linked to being creative and thought-provoking. The colour you choose for your walls could have a seriously significant impact on your over-all wellbeing.

Another trend that interior design experts are predicting for this year is the use of mixed metals. Whilst once regarded as a real faux-pas, 2017 is the year that style turns on its head when it comes to metals in the home. Designer Lori Morris describes the appeal as: “It’s the unexpected contradiction of the two finishes that brings synergy to these living, breathing spaces.” This is definitely an idea for you to take forward when planning a redesign of your dining room.

Whether you are looking for small or large changes, the latest trends of 2017 interiors certainly provides some interesting concepts to consider.

Carol

Info sourced by the author for LuxuryActivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.

3 New Desserts at the Lausanne Royal Savoy – New Menu.

José Amorim
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0
Reading Time: 5 minutes

During a very inspiring morning at the Royal Savoy in Lausanne, we were able to discover 3 new desserts that will complete the new menu for this Spring. It was the opportunity to meet the talents behind this extraordinary cuisine like Julien Krauss (Executive Chef), Adam Bentalha (Brasserie Chef) or Marc Haeberlin (Signature Chef).

This morning was actually a “tasting session” in which we would discover and taste 3 new desserts. These new three creation will be part of the new menu to be launched in February 7th. The 3 desserts are revisits to great classics and the talented team at the Royal Savoy found a new way to review these amazing desserts. Between poetry and design, the Royal Savoy customers will be amazed. The following desserts were prepared by Charlotte Marchal operating in the Royal Savoy kitchen.

Charlotte-Marchal

The three new desserts were chosen by being classics. Still, the Royal Savoy team decided to revisit these classics into something more contemporary and stylish. We have a great pleasure to rediscover these desserts in a very different way, they are almost too pretty to be eaten.

1- Profiteroles de la Brasserie, Chocolat Noix de Pecan Caramélisées

Profiteroles-Royal-Savoy

This is by far one of the most traditional French Brasserie dessert: Profiteroles – Cream puffs.  is a filled French choux pastry ball with a typically sweet and moist filling of whipped cream, custard, pastry cream, or (particularly in the US) ice cream. The puffs may be decorated or left plain or garnished with chocolate sauce, caramel, or a dusting of powdered sugar. The word profiterole (also spelled prophitrole, profitrolle, profiterolle) has existed in English since 1604, borrowed from French. The original meaning in both English and French is unclear, but later it came to mean a kind of roll ‘baked under the ashes’. A 17th-century French recipe for a Potage de profiteolles or profiterolles describes a soup of dried small breads (presumably the profiteroles) simmered in almond broth and garnished with coxscombs, truffles, and so on. The current meaning is only clearly attested in the 19th century. Although both the pastry and the name profiterole initially came from France, profiteroles are one of the main national dishes in Gibraltar.

In this version, The Lausanne Royal Savoy has reinvented the way a Profiterole dessert looks like. In the images above we sense almost a miniature landscape. It is clean, fresh and nice to look at. The tasting is fantastic. The cream inside the “choux” is light, not too sugary and blends perfect with the crusty side of the outside. Pecan nuts are caramelized and decorated with gold leaf. Pure poetry in a plate.

2- Le Millefeuilles Léger à la Vanille, Caramel Beurre Salée, Glace Vanille Bourbon

Millefeuilles-Royal-Savoy

Here is the revisit of a Millefeuilles, again a great classic in gastronomy cuisine. Traditionally, a mille-feuille is made up of three layers of puff pastry (pâte feuilletée), alternating with two layers of pastry cream (crème pâtissière), but sometimes whipped cream or jam are substituted. The top pastry layer is dusted with confectioner’s sugar, and sometimes cocoa, pastry crumbs, or pulverized seeds (e.g. roasted almonds). All the elements of the recipe are present in numerous cookbooks since, at least, the 16th century but the exact origin of the mille-feuille is unknown. The earliest mention of the name Mille-feuille itself appears in 1733 in an English-language cookbook written by French chef Vincent La Chapelle. Unlike the modern cake, the 18th-century Mille-feuille is served stuffed with jam and marmalade instead of cream.

In the version of the Lausanne Royal Savoy, the Mille-feuille was built vertically (usually horizontal) and the hint of Caramel Beurre salée is wonderland!

3- Baba au Rhum “Don Papa”, Salade d’Orange Taroco aux épices

baba-au-rhum-Roal-Savoy

The Baba au Rhum is a small yeast cake saturated in syrup made with hard liquor, usually rum, and sometimes filled with whipped cream or pastry cream. It is part of the great traditions of western gastronomy. The original form of the baba was similar to the babka, a tall, cylindrical yeast cake (babka is still cooked in Ukraine, Poland and in Ukrainian and Polish communities over the world). The name means “old woman” or “grandmother” in the Slavic languages; babka is a diminutive of baba. The modern baba au rhum (rum baba), with dried fruit and soaking in rum, was invented in the rue Montorgueil in Paris, France, in 1835 or before. Today, the word “baba” in France and almost everywhere else outside eastern Europe usually refers specifically to the rum baba.

The original baba was introduced into France in the 18th century via Lorraine. This is attributed to Stanislaus I, the exiled king of Poland. The Larousse Gastronomique has reported that Stanislaus had the idea of soaking a dried Gugelhupf (a cake roughly similar to the baba and common in Alsace-Lorraine when he arrived there) or a baba with alcoholic spirit.

The Lausanne Royal Savoy reinvented the Baba by adding a pipette dosage of Rhum as well as creating a citrus treat of Taroco oranges. Again this was done with love and caring which makes one of the most original presentations of the Baba au Rhum.

Cannot wait to try the new menu, still a week to go. The Royal Savoy Cuisine is fresh, contemporary and pleases the customers with the great quality of its products. Every detail is taken care of like if you get the best experience of your life each time you go there.

Hotel Royal Savoy
Avenue d’Ouchy 40
1006 Lausanne
Tel: +41 (0)21 614 88 88
http://www.royalsavoy.ch

 

José Amorim

Info sourced at the Royal Savoy and Moet & Chandon presentation – #BubblyBreakfast, Wikipedia, Jamie Oliver’s book, Larousse. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only. 

“Bubbly Breakfast” at the Lausanne Royal Savoy. When talent and creativity meet.

José Amorim
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Reading Time: 8 minutes

Bubbly-Breakfast-Royal-Savoy-Moet-chandon

This morning there was only one place where LuxuryActivist could be. It is a exceptional place where luxury, art and know-how meet. This place is called the Lausanne Royal Savoy. Around this very exclusive breakfast table 5 amazing talents:

  • Mr Benoît Gouez, Chef de Cave at Moët & Chandon
  • Mr Marc Haeberlin, 3 stars Michelin and Signature Chef at the Lausanne Royal Savoy
  • Mr Julien Krauss, Executive Chef at Lausanne Royal Savoy
  • Mr Adam Bentalha, Brasserie Chef at Lausanne Royal Savoy
  • Mr Reza Nahaboo, Chef Sommelier at Lausanne Royal Savoy

The idea was to discover the new desserts coming in the new menu and to taste the unique and amazing Moët & Chandon Millésime 2008. It was a true Bubbly Breakfast. Several journalists and bloggers were invited to this very special occasion. Having these 5 great talents around the table was definitely our most inspiring experience of this year so far.

Benoît Gouez, Chef de Cave at Moët & Chandon

Benoit-Gouet-Moet-Chandon

When we hear Mr Benoît Gouez talking about the fine art of champagne wines, we could listen to him for hours. We can see his profound love for the Champagne region and for the true nature of things. Mr Gouez explained that each year the Champagne region suffers from very different weather conditions. This makes the wine very different from one year to another. This means that all champagne houses need to keep great years in order to blend with the following ones. So a champagne wine by definition is what we call in French an “Assemblage”, meaning a blend of several wines from the region. Moët & Chandon has more than 1’000 ha of vineyard and still harvest grapes from more than 100 producers. This flexibility allows to maintain the same quality and character year after year.
This annual weather variation allows the Chef de Cave to create special blends, called Millésimes. They are exceptional Champagne wines. In general 90% of total Champagne production are non-millésime wines and 10% are millésimes. While the non-millésime wines keep the same tasting signature year after year, at Moët & Chandon, they allow themselves to a great creativity approach. Each Millésime is unique and the olfactory and tasting work starts from scratch.

“The 2008 Millésime has a very Champenois character. Cold nights allowed to preserve the acidity from deteriorating because of the heat. . It provides strength and vibrancy to the wine. The Chardonnay is present at 40%, bringing the acidity while other blends especially the Pinot Noir rounds up this exceptional millésime.” – Benoît Gouez

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Moet-chandon-bubbly-breakfast

When we ask to Mr Gouez about his inspiration to create a new millésime, he has a very thoughtful speech. He speaks about the respect of nature. That a good Chef de Cave should respect the nature of grapes. He says that we do not force nature, we can only guide it. Each Millésime is a new adventure and with a precise know-how, Benoît Gouez understands the new wines, prepares the blends and shapes the assemblage in order to highlight the very best nature has to offer in that precise year.

Tasting the new 2008 Millésime was a thrill. In general a Champagne can become a Millésime after 3 years. That is the standards in the wine industry. At Moët & Chandon, the average is about 7 years. This allows the chemistry of the precious liquid to blend and to reveal its characteristics in a more sharp way, making each Moët & Chandon Millésime a one in a kind.

Marc Haeberlin, Signature Chef at Lausanne Royal Savoy

Marc-Haeberlin

Some people work in gastronomy and others write the history of Cuisine with golden letters. This is the case of the Haeberlin family. Around the table today there was Marc Haeberlin. He is a true legend in European gastronomy and he partners with the Lausanne Royal Savoy as a Signature Chef. He is the fourth generation of Chefs in his family. When you ask who was the biggest influence that gave him this passion, he will say that he got it from his father. He likes to recreate family recipes and recreate some specials from his father. He loves good quality and authentic products. He enjoys playing with the precise balance between tradition and modernity. Each creation, each dish, each meal should reflects a good cuisine and something that people could relate to. If it is complex, it means it is complicated. Marc Haeberlin has a very humble approach. A Chef should highlight products produced by farmers. Not more. He is also profoundly attached to Terroir, meaning the feeling of belonging to a place, an origin and a know-how. He loves Switzerland.

“In Switzerland we have magnificent products. From fish in the lakes to meat and vegetables. There is a high quality in the way things are done” – Marc Haeberlin

Marc Haeberlin collaboration with the Lausanne Royal Savoy is a very interesting style exercice. Bringing his charisma and know-how and yet respecting the Royal’s cuisine signature is a great exercice for a Chef as Mr Haeberlin.

Julien Krauss, Executive Chef at Lausanne Royal Savoy

Julien-Krauss

Originally from Alsace region, Julien Krauss started his career among the stars of gastronomy. First at the Vieux Couvent in Alsace, then at the Auberge de la Charme in Dijon and then from 2006 to 2008 at the Auberge de l’Ill in  Illhaeusern, the restaurant of the Haeberlin family. All these restaurants have stars in the famous Michelin guide. Julien Krauss learned the love for good quality ingredients, play with seasons and origins and above all, the respect of the customer. His approach of Cuisine is very client focus. He will not hesitate to change the way things are done if he believes will procure a good benefit for the experience customers would have.

“When we create a new menu, obviously we have our ideas, but at the end the customer is always right. So we try to make the best experience possible for them” – Julien Krauss

When we asked about the collaboration with Marc Haeberlin, he explained that he and his team prepare new ideas for the incoming menu and submit them to Marc Haeberlin judgement and collaboration. There is a very constructive discussion in which the main goal is to support and respect the Royal Savoy’s signature. In parallel of the menu, customers can of course taste family recipes from Mr Haeberlin like the Haeberlin Peach. Mr Krauss, by his experience back in the time he used to work at the Auberge de l’Ill, can execute perfectly these recipes.

Adam Bentalha, Brasserie Chef at Lausanne Royal Savoy

Adam-Bentalha

The Lausanne Royal Savoy has a dream team in the kitchen. Adam Bentalha also has an amazing parcour. When we look to his career so far he shaped his cuisine in some of the best places around the world. The luxury hotel and restaurant is something he understands as he previously worked for the luxury palaces in Paris The Ritz, the Shangri-la and the Royal Monceau. Moving to the prestigious Royal Savoy is a logical move to his career where he has been working for since 2015. By listening to him we can see he loves cuisine and the quest for the perfect gesture. He is very dedicated and responsable for what he does.

“We always try to do our best and work with great products” – Adam Bentalha

Adam Bentalha works hand in hand with Julien Krauss in order to create a beautiful cuisine and hope that customers will be delighted.

Reza Nahaboo, Chef Sommelier at Lausanne Royal Savoy

Reza-Nahaboo

You cannot have a great gastronomic meal without a great wine. If the Chef is a key person, the Sommelier will highlight the work of a Chef. At the Lausanne Royal Savoy, the Sommelier is by far a strong reference in Switzerland, Elected as the best sommelier in Switzerland in 2016, Reza Nahaboo is a very talented man. His great knowledge and his modest personality make him a fascinating person. He will pay attention to his customers tastes, desires and reactions in order to match the perfect wine to the perfect meal.

“We try to understand the customer. We do not overwhelm them with technical words. We adapt the proposals and generally we try to respect the Chef’s Cuisine.” – Reza Nahaboo

Reza Nahaboo is young and yet has already a great parcours. After great positions as Sommelier at the Four Seasons in Geneva or at the Hostellerie du Pas de L’ours in Cran-Montana, Reza Nahaboo joined the Lausanne Royal Savoy in June 2015. In 2016 he received the prestigious prize of Best Sommelier in Switzerland. His knowledge allows him to build a cave made of great legendary bottle names as well as specials, local wines and regular wines. Each reference will be picked up with great care and will constitute his playground to build the best companion to your meal.

This breakfast session was very inspiring. So many talents gathered around the same table was a promise of great discussions. Switzerland gathers amazing talents and it is all for the best.

José Amorim

Info sourced at the event. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only. 

The World’s most expensive trip by DreamMaker – Bespoke Luxury at all levels.

José Amorim
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Reading Time: 4 minutes

DreamMaker is a 28-year old-experiential travel and event design boutique. The DreamMaker crafts uniquely creative design concepts for their clients’ vacations with an emphasis on experiences that have never been done before. This time DreamMaker offers a world premiere, the most expensive trip ever made, costing USD 14 million for 50 people.
The trip involves flying on two outfitted Boeing business jets, traveling 20 cities in 20 days, while covering 50,000 kilometers in the air. Highlights include a one-to-one ratio of guest to staff, a USD 500,000 charity poker tournament with the world’s top-ranked poker player in the air, and a hotel which will rebrand its identity to “Hotel 50” (including chipping out its marble tile in the foyer). Mining conglomerate World of Diamonds Group was commissioned to create the trip’s most luxurious amenity; a set of 18-karat gold swizzle sticks set with white and blue diamonds worth a total of USD 1 million – these are the world’s most expensive swizzle sticks. “DreamMaker’s commission demonstrates the expertise in creating spectacularly bespoke pieces out of fancy colored diamonds,” said Director Karan Tilani. Crafted into a spinning globe atop the 50 swizzle sticks are 20 white sparklers, each representing every city landing of Passport to 50. One rare fancy blue diamond, a specialty of the diamond mining conglomerate, evokes the blue skies traversed on this trip.
Swizzle-Sticks
Swizzle-Sticks-Diamond-Group
World of Diamonds Group is one of the largest privately held diamond mining corporations in the world. The Group is almost fully integrated in diamond mining, polishing, high jewelry creation, and distribution to leading houses of the world, providing fancy colored diamonds and jewelry to celebrities and members of royalty alike.

DreamMaker, the company

Founder Gregory Patrick started his career by pioneering the rental of private estates.  Being the first in the world to offer luxury hotel services in a private property environment in an effort to control the guest experience from top to bottom, his mark ensured excellence through the personalized synchronization of services.  Patrick soon diversified and established Tours of Enchantment in 1988, offering highly personalized, experiential luxury vacations and events with his own signature multi-layered creative design.  In 2009, the company rebranded to DreamMaker, a direct play on the fond moniker bestowed on him by longtime clients. You can find more information here:

private-dining

DreamMaker-mirror-grand-hotel-villa-cora

Dreammaker-travel-experience

Dreammaker-travel-jet

DreamMaker will craft your trip in ways you would never imagine. They will take you to the next level of private flight. Luxury planes including amazing features like yoga sessions, spa services, fashion shows, etc. Pushing further the usual cabin amenities, guests will receive a monogrammed silk pajamas, cashmere eye masks and slippers and more. DreamMaker’s Butler accompanies the client throughout the trip, orchestrating a seamless client experience with the support and direction of the 24-hour command centre. DreamMaker’s butler assists with packing and unpacking of luggage in each locale, advances stores for requested items and everything to make your trip the perfect journey.

DreamMaker’s 24-hour Command Center makes sure every moving part is going to be executed perfectly for the optimum guest experience. The more-out-of-the-box the design, the more one is prone to challenges – identifying that which can fall off the tracks is key rather than hearing about it afterwards. This is the ultimate bespoke experience for hyper-luxury customers.

The world most expensive trip ever made

The Passport to 50 experience directly benefits children around the world through Experiential Giving, such as the distribution of 2,500 bicycles to enable rural children in Cambodia to attend school, the provision of clean drinking water for 50,000 at-risk children in the Philippines, as well as building “fun centers” for 50,000 children battling life-threatening illnesses in the United Kingdom.

“Through this trip, we have a way to act as a conduit to positively impact children’s lives, it makes no sense to work so hard to please the most discerning of clientele without making the same effort to balance the decadence with an element of kindness that delivers higher levels of fulfillment.” says Gregory Patrick.

Charity partners include Water.org, Starlight Children’s Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Whole Child International. Passport to 50 begins in Koh Samui and continues through Siem Reap, Kathmandu, Agra, Florence, Siena, Cannes, Moulinet, London, Barcelona, Ibiza, Marbella, Marrakech, Havana, Knoxville, Kona, El Nido, A Secret Island, before concluding in Manila. The trip is currently being offered at $13,875,000 for a party of up to 50 people in August of 2017. You can discover more about this amazing and unique offer by checking the official website here:
http://passportto50.com

José Amorim

Info sourced in official communication release and brand website. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only. 

Top 10 Most Expensive Wedding Dresses

LuxuryActivist
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Reading Time: 3 minutes

For many brides getting married means searching boutiques for wedding dresses and designer dresses to find ‘the one’ and for some brides where money is no object, the wedding gown they choose to wear will be impressive and stylish.

Unfortunately, most brides-to-be will be working to a budget though the average wedding dress in the UK costs around £2,000 and not every bride will be restricted by a budget.

Indeed, some of the world’s most expensive wedding dresses are extravagant gowns that impress.

1 Kim Kardashian

For her 2014 wedding to Kanye West, Kim Kardashian is rumoured to have spent $2 million on a Givenchy gown.

Kim-Kardashian-wedding-Dress

2 Grace Kelly

One of the world’s most famous wedding dresses was warned by the actress Grace Kelly when she married Prince Rainier of Monaco in 1956 and the extravagant gown, which consisted of 100 metres of fine silk, would cost around £50,000 today.

3 The billionaire

When Donald Trump married the model Melanie Knauss in 2005, she went down the aisle in a dress rumoured to be designed by her husband-to-be, and worth more than £115,000. The gown had a 13 ft train and weighed more than 50 lbs.

4 Princess Diana

Another iconic wedding down was worn by Princess Diana which is rumoured to have cost £100,000. The silk and taffeta dress is still highly regarded after it was worn in 1981.

Princess-Diana-wedding-dress

5 Catherine Zeta Jones

When Catherine Zita Jones married the actor Michael Douglas in 2000, her custom-made Christian Lacroix gown was worth around £120,000. The hand-beaded gown really did impress the wedding dress industry.

6 Duchess of Cambridge

Probably one of the most famous and iconic wedding dresses of modern times, the Alexander McQueen gown worn by the Duchess of Cambridge for her impressive wedding cost £250,000.

7 Platinum

A close runner-up to the Duchess of Cambridge’s dress is a luxurious wedding dress created in 2008 by Mauro Adami which contained more than 100 metres of fabric that were sewn with platinum and silk thread and worth £240,000.

8 Katsura

One of the world’s most expensive wedding dresses was designed by Yumi Katsura, a Japanese designer who created the white gold diamond dress. It is yet to be worn but the five carat gold diamond dress, complete with 1,000 pearls, cost £5 million.

9 Amal Clooney

When Amal Alamuddin married the actor George Clooney, her custom-made Oscar de la Renta gown was worth a rumored £300,000. Not bad though many experts say her wedding cost around £8million.

10 The most expensive wedding dress in the world

Claiming the top spot for the world’s most expensive wedding dress is a creation by the designer Renee Strauss and Martin Katz Jewellers with a diamond encrusted gown worth £7.4 million. There are 150 carats worth of diamonds on the gown which was created especially for a bridal show.

Most-expensive-wedding-dress-in-the-world

Not all of the most impressive wedding dresses and designer dresses are worn by rich people and there are some incredible creations being made for a reasonable price but to the bride they are priceless.

Info sourced by the author for luxuryactivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only. 

How to Pick the Perfect Luxury Hotel

LuxuryActivist
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0
Reading Time: 3 minutes

You will want to feel relaxed and comfortable on holiday, which is why you should look for a luxury hotel that will make you feel a million miles away from home. However, finding the perfect hotel can sometimes feel like an uphill challenge if there are so many places to choose from. Here are some helpful tips for picking the perfect hotel…

Ask Questions

If you are torn between many hotels, nothing is stopping you from telephoning or emailing a hotel with some questions about their facilities. Ask different questions to make an informed decision, such as what is their best room? What makes the hotel different to their rivals? What is their restaurant’s signature dish? A hotel will want your custom, so they will most likely be more than happy to answer any questions you might have. However, if they are rude or fail to reply, this could reflect the customer service experience, so it might be worth considering another hotel.

Considerations

There are many things you should consider before you book a hotel. Identify what it is you are looking for from your break. For example, if you want to experience a quiet hotel that is off the beaten track, it might be wise to book a hotel away from the centre of a city or town. Also, if you want to enjoy a seaside break, select a hotel located near the water instead of the centre, so you can experience great views from your hotel room. Mr Hudson Explores can help you discover the best hotels and vacation destinations to ensure you have a truly unforgettable holiday.

Quiet-Luxury-Hotels

Compare the Price to the Facilities

An expensive hotel stay might not be an indication of a hotel’s services – the hotelier could just be charging an extortionate amount for accommodation that offers little value for money. If you want to book a hotel that is steeped in luxury, compare the price to the facilities. For example, do they provide room service, a mini bar, a concierge service or a turndown service? Do not be fooled by an expensive price tag and make an informed decision. You might just discover there’s a better hotel available for a fraction of the price.

Travel Review Websites

A hotel might claim to be luxurious, but sometimes the only thing you can trust are online travel reviews. The fact a previous guest has taken the time to leave a review means they were either very impressed or deeply disappointed, so they are worth a read. Positive reviews will prove just how pleased a guest has been with a hotel’s facilities and customer service, but consistently poor reviews should not be ignored, because they could be a warning sign that you might be in for a terrible hotel stay – so read the reviews before you make a booking.

Trust your gut when booking a hotel room. If you have a bad feeling about a stay, look elsewhere or ask for a refund. You will be glad you did.

Carol

Info sourced by the author for LuxuryActivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only. 

How To Choose The Right Haircut For Your Face Shape [Infographics]

LuxuryActivist
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1
Reading Time: 2 minutes

All guys want a stylish yet versatile haircut – one that looks good at the office, on a date, or while working out, but doesn’t require a lot of styling or maintenance. Although there are plenty of trendy men’s hairstyles to pick from these days, the most common problem is that guys don’t know how to pick the best look for them.

Ultimately, many of you will see a haircut online and fall in love with it because it looks awesome on the person wearing it. The issue is that guys forget that hairstyles, like most things in life, aren’t a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. They visit their local barber, ask for the cut they saw, style their hair at home, and then blame the barbershop for a “bad” haircut without realizing that the style they picked was never right for them to begin with. Like all things aesthetic and fashion, the best hairstyle for you is based on geometry and symmetry. Each guy has a very different face shape, and based on the structure of their jawline, cheeks and forehead, certain haircuts and facial hair features look better on certain guys. To help guys figure out their face shapes and find the best haircuts for them, the styling experts at Mens Haircuts Today have developed this incredibly resourceful guide with illustrations.

Below, you’ll find the graphic with details on how to identify your face shape – oval, square, round, etc. – and the types of cuts that are ideal for you. Finally, if all else fails and you want one of the most “in” haircuts of 2017, you’ll definitely want to give the undercut hairstyle a try.

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Gary

Info sourced by the author for LuxuryActivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.

La Brasserie du Royal by Marc Haeberlin – beautiful.

José Amorim
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Reading Time: 4 minutes

There are places that you go once and you want to go back again and again. This is the case for the Brasserie du Royal at the Royal Savoy Hotel in Lausanne. The menu of the Brasserie du Royal reflects the craftsmanship of Michelin-starred chef Marc Haeberlin. Recognized in France and around the world as one of the best Chefs of his generation, Marc Haeberlin is the worthy heir of a family of experts in the art of cooking. The glorious adventure of Marc Haeberlin continues today thanks to his involvement in La Brasserie du Royal as Signature Chef. His expertise will complement the offer of the Executive Chef Julien Krauss and will allow connoisseurs to discover and enjoy high-end Brasserie food.

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The terasse is an amazing place. You can hear a small background noise that reminds you that you are at the heart of Lausanne, and still you feel relaxed in this stylish oasis. Everything is done to make you feel at ease. From the kindness of the personnel, the quality of details like the small country side style bread or the small bottles of traditional olive oil on the tables, everything is ready to offer you a subtle and luxury moment. Each table is organized in ways that allow you sufficient space, so no matter if you are with your family or your business partner, you will be at ease to have your discussions.

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The Royal Savoy is for sure one of the best addresses in Lausanne. Considered as an urban paradise, the hotel was completely reviewed and offers today an unique experience in the heart of the city. Once you get inside, you feel like in a different world made of tradition yet contemporary style. The brasserie proposes a subtle and consistent cuisine made of quality, distinction and daring with manners.

Marc Haeberlin is not only a chef but he is also a virtuous artist blending textures, tastes and flavors like few chefs would do. He was born under the gastronomy star as his family has been a 3 stars Michelin since 1967 in Alsace. From his father he learned cuisine. He learned the passion for good, healthy and qualitative ingredients. He knows that only with the best ingredients you can achieve something sublime. The Royal Savoy gave free space for him to build and carefully craft a delightful menu. It navigates according to the seasons and the imagination of Marc Haeberlin. I tried the brasserie today and I must confess that everything was tasteful, with a right balance between original and good. The terrace is an amazing paradise in the heart of Lausanne. Time get suspended and you imagine you have all the time to please yourself with a culinary experience.

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Different menus and choices are possible, from the weekly menu to the menu of the day or “à la carte”, you can choose what will please you the most. The highlight of the brasserie is what they call The Menu of Monsieur Marc.

Goose foie gras «H»
apple-ginger chutney, kougelhopf brioche
or
The perfect egg florentine style, summer truffle
Departure from Italia: Etna Bianco
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Lobster mousse line prepared according to Paul Haeberlin’s recipe
Stopover in the Valais: Rue de Fontaine, Christophe Abbet
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Corn-fed chicken breast from the Vandée region
fregola sarda, mushrooms, fava beans
Onwards to France: Faugères de Didier Barral
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La pêche « Haeberlin »
candied peach, Champagne zabaione, pistachio ice-cream
Arrival in Fribourg: Cidrerie du Vulcain, Poire à Botsy

Several of these dishes are family recipes that made the reputation of the Haeberlin. So it is a chance for us to be able to taste and enjoy these unique experiences.

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3 courses menu (starters, main, dessert)            CHF  80
4 courses menu (starters,fish, meat, dessert)    CHF 100

The legendary Royal Savoy is writing a new chapter in hotel history: 196 rooms and suites, business facilities, an exclusive terrace restaurant, lobby lounge, cigar lounge, a Sky Terrace on the roof with its unique 360° panoramic view and an extensive spa area. The historic building in the “Grand Château look” is being complemented by a new construction. The hotel’s own 5,000 sqm park, situated between the new and historical building, will become an incomparable oasis of tranquility, right in the middle of the city.

José Amorim

Info sourced at Hotel Royal Savoy in Lausanne. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. 

(BELVEDERE)RED Vodka – Fighting AIDS

José Amorim
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Reading Time: 3 minutes

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Last summer, Belvedere Vodka, one of the world most prestigious Vodka brand revealed the new (BELVEDERE)RED limited edition bottle. 50% of profits will go to the Global Fund, the leading financier program to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa. In support of Belvedere’s partnership with (RED), #MAKETHEDIFFERENCE campaign ambassador, musician John Legend, has collaborated with celebrated Ndebele artist Esther Mahlangu to design the colorful and bold bottle, inspired by the campaign’s four values: security, support, change and unity.

Esther-Mahlangu
Esther Mahlangu is a South African Ndebele artist. She is known for her bold large scale contemporary work inspired by the Ndebele heritage. She uses traditional coloful patterns you usually find in Ndebele jewelry and clothes. Mahlangu is one of the African artists whose art is often exhibited internationally. Her works are in major private collections including that of The Contemporary African Art Collection (CAAC) of Jean Pigozzi and in many Western museums. Despite being an internationally recognized artist, Esther Mahalangu lives in her village in close contact with her culture. By working with Belvedere, she contributed to a tremendous cause that hits her country: Fighting HIV/AIDS.
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The (BELVEDERE)RED product is supported by the brand Ambassador and super star singer John Legend. He decided to bring Esther Mahalangu into this collaboration. The South African Artist perfectly translated the values of this very Limited Edition: Security, Change, Support and Unity.

Buy, Give and Save lives

HIV/AIDS in South Africa is a prominent health concern; South Africa is believed to have more people with HIV/AIDS than any other country in the world. The 2007 UNAIDS report estimated that 5,700,000 South Africans had HIV/AIDS, or just under 12% of South Africa’s population of 48 million. In the adult population the rate is 18.5%. The number of infected is larger than in any other single country in the world. The other top five countries with the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence are all neighbours of South Africa. In 2010, an estimated 280,000 South Africans died from the effects of HIV/AIDS. In ten years preceding, it is estimated that between 42% and 47% of all deaths among South Africans were HIV/AIDS deaths.  Although new infections among mature age groups in South Africa remain high, new infections among teenagers seem to be on the decline.

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In 2006, Bono (leading singer for U2) and Bobby Shriver began paving the way for a new generation. An AIDS free generation. They founded (RED) with a simple mission, to make it easy for people and businesses to join the fight against the deadly virus. Since its launch, (RED) has raised more than 365 million USD$ thanks to the help of commercial partners. (BELVEDERE)RED Product is the perfect example of how a global brand can attract the attention to an important cause. The bottle itself is a very beautiful piece of art. We recognize the minimalistic style of Belvedere as one of the leading luxury Vodka in the world. Of course we see the distinguished style of Esther Mahalangu and the signature of John Legend.
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For the connoisseurs, here are the tasting notes:

  • Nose: Faint hint of vanilla along with some gentle, soft cream characteristics.
  • Palate: Full and round with a medium bodied weight and rich, velvety texture. Some vanilla swaying between sweet and savory with a hint of white pepper and spice.
  • Finish: Good length with notes of almond, clotted cream and some faint almond and Brazil nut characteristics.

You can visit the brand website to discover more about this project and about the amazing world of Belvedere Vodka: https://www.belvederevodka.com/en-int/collection/vodka/belvedere-red-vodka

José Amorim

Info sourced in the official Belvedere communication release and wikipedia. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.  

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