CURRENT ISSUE VOLUME 19 NO. 3 MAY/JUNE 2008
deLUXE
By Glenn MacDonald
Excerpts from our catalogue of high quality products - sure to appeal to even the most discerning consumers.
Everyday Couture
Louis Vuitton Beverly Handbag
The elegantly modern extra large Beverly handbag is a superior example of Louis Vuitton's timeless elegance and fashionable practicality. Key features include: monogram canvas with natural cowhide leather trim; golden brass hardware; signature red edge dyeing and yellow topstitching; oft and comfortable leather shoulder straps with link attachments; and, top flap with logo-engraved push-lock closure. Price: $1,850
Bulletproof Raincoat
Special agent and spy wannabes, here is the coat for you. Not only is it weatherproof, the long black trench is, according to the Spycatcher of Knightsbridge website, bulletproof and stab-proof, so "no bullets, knives, hypodermic needles, ice picks, knives and broken bottles" will penetrate it. It's stylish full-body armour. Suggested price: $2,500 U.S.
Finishing Touches
Polar Bear Diamonds
Mined exclusively in the Arctic, Polar Bear Diamonds are reportedly harvested in an environmentally and politically sensitive manner. As Canada's first branded diamond manufacturer, Polar Bear Diamonds has received distinction domestically and abroad for the cut and quality of its products which can be identified by the trademarked logos engraved on each diamond. Price: $7,400 1 karat ring; $4,699 necklace
Jean Dunand Shabaka
Four years in the making, the Swiss watch company Jean Dunand announced the release of the Shabaka for later this year. This timepiece has a whopping 721 parts and 54 jewels, a perpetual calendar, two- and three-dimensional pyramid shaped hands, a minute repeater (chiming gongs), moonphase and leap-year cycle. Only 20 models a year are planned for production. Estimated price: $490,000
Executive Electronics
103-inch Plasma TV
Why settle for a conventional 36-inch TV when you can have nearly nine feet of high-definition plasma display for private movie screenings in your own home? This titanic television, the world's largest flat screen tv, includes expanded configurations for multi-screen displays and the ability to enlarge an image up to 4x its original size, both vertically and horizontally. Suggested retail price: $69,999.95
Blackberry Pearl
The most ubiquitous communications device of the new millennium may well be the 'crackberry,' the name obsessed executives have given to their Blackberry wireless devices. The best advert for the slim, portable do-everything handhelds may be the recent film, A Good Year, in which actor Russell Crowe wields a chic Blackberry Pearl, using it as a speaker and video phone, a camera, a GPS and for e-mail, among other things. Price: $249.99 on a three-year voice-data contract.
Dream Machines
BMW X5 SAV
The car which set new benchmarks for luxury four-wheel drives has remained popular throughout its relatively short seven-year span. BMW, taking into account its reputation for building sporty cars, chose not to adopt the "utility" part of the SUV segment, opting to label its X5 a "sports activity vehicle" instead. The exclusive design and sheer luxury set it apart from other SUVs, (or SAVs). The X5 has a spacious interior, sporty and elegant exterior and a powerful, fuel-efficient engine. Price: $73,500 for the 4.8 litre engine
Lamborghini Murcielago LP640
Car enthusiasts all over the world dream of owning a Lamborghini, the most powerful, expensive and exclusive serial-manufactured automobiles on the road today. The LP640 version features considerable innovations in terms of body design and mechanics, including a 6.5 litre engine and improved performance. With its sleek design and trademark scissor-opening doors, the Murcielago continues Lamborghini's tradition of being one of the most desired super cars of all time. Suggested retail price: $350,000 U.S.
Smooth Sailers
Doral Boca Grande Express Cruiser
The ultimate choice in cruising and entertaining is the Boca Grande, Doral's sleek flagship express cruiser. Standard features include an integrated swim platform with telescopic ladder, extended welded 316 stainless steel heavy duty bow rail with extra safety line and lighted path, eight-foot non-skid deck walk-around and a fiberglass retractable radar arch with built-in lights and night lighting. Climb aboard and enjoy the cockpit's deluxe Berber carpets, u-shaped cockpit seat with fiberglass lined storage, double helm seat with standing driving position system and a refreshment area with bar. Price: $261,309 U.S.
Beneteau 423
Sailing luxury at its finest, the 54-foot mast length was designed by the famous Groupe Finot, naval architects with more production yachts afloat than any other design firm. The Beneteau 423, equipped with a Volvo engine, has both brawn and beauty. A confident bluewater hull combined with extraordinary comfort, gorgeous interior woodwork, loads of volume and plenty of light will satisfy the most demanding sailors whether it is for offshore sailing or cruising in the harbour. Price: $241,000
Exclusive Hideaways
Antarctica
Witness the March of the Penguins live in person! Luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent offers an epic journey to the bottom of the world. The itinerary incorporates an overnight stay in Buenos Aires before setting sail for the remote Falkland Islands, the stunning South Georgia Island, Shackleton's grave, glacier-covered mountains and iceberg-strewn channels. Watch birds, penguins and seals in their natural habitat from the comfort, safety and style of the Explorer II cruise ship. Starting price: $9,000
Fishing the Miramichi
When someone imagines luxury getaways, fly fishing the waters of northern New Brunswick likely wouldn't immediately come to mind. However, numerous celebrities have graced the rivers, including baseball great Ted Williams, golfing legend Jack Nicklaus and former President George H. W. Bush. The Miramichi Inn Lodge offers a multi-day fly fishing vacation that includes a licensed fishing guide and seafood cuisine for dinner. The Canada Select four-star resort will be featured on the U.S. cable network Outdoor Life Network later this year. Price: $925 per person for four-night package.
Golf
Fox Harb'r Golf Resort and Spa
The jewel of Nova Scotia golf resorts, Fox Harb'r - voted Best New Course 2001 by Golf Digest - is a magnificent blend of both Scottish links and traditional parkland golf. The outward nine lures golfers away from the sea to sheltered forests, expansive wetlands and deep rock lined lakes. The inward nine, the Scottish flavour of the layout, is highlighted by the spectacular rugged sea coast of the Northumberland Strait. The five-star resort offers spa, fitness and aquatic facilities, a new grill-style restaurant and meeting centre. Accessible by land, sea or air, Fox Harb'r welcomes guests aboard private aircraft and yachts via a 5,000-foot runway or deep-water marina. Price: $840 for one night's stay in executive suite, one round of golf for two and breakfast.
Humber Valley Resort
With breathtaking views of the Humber Valley, this 7,200-yard championship course incorporates the forested character and rugged beauty of western Newfoundland.
The scenic River Course was named Best International Golf Development by the London, England-based Homes Overseas Magazine. The River Course defines world class golf in a remote destination surrounded by the mountains of the Appalachian chain's northern tip, a salmon river and fresh water lake. The world class Humber Valley Resort offers 140 premiere chalet accommodations for families and all sizes of golf groups. Price Range: $350-$1,100 a night.
Jet Set
Maritime Air Charter Ltd.
If you don't have $20 million hiding under your mattress, the next best option for luxury air travel is chartering. Aircraft charter remains one of the most convenient ways to reach the international destinations of your choice. Maritime Air Charter, a small charter airline based at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, flies three types of aircraft: the King Air A100; PA-31 Piper Navajo and Britten Norman Islander. The King Air A100 will carry up to nine passengers in style. With a cruising speed of approximately 385 kilometres per hour, a roomy interior with comfortable reclining leather seats and convenient stowaway tables, business passengers can make maximum use of time while en route. Rate: $1,697 + HST and airport fees, Halifax to Saint John, N.B., same-day return, up to nine passengers on King Air A100.
Provincial Airlines
Based out of St. John's, N.L., Provincial Airlines offers the luxury of comfortable and timely executive chartered flights across North America. Their eight-seat Citation SII Executive Jet has a 2,000-mile maximum range, allowing for non-stop trips from St. John's to Toronto or the eastern U.S. seaboard. That means no changing planes. According to the Provincial Airlines website, "travelers saved 379 hours through the use of business aviation versus its commercial counterpart." Rates: Provincial Airlines chose not to disclose its charter rates.
Palatable Pleasures
Grand Pre Ice Wine
Grand Pre Wines, in the heart of the upper reaches of the Annapolis Valley, has produced an award winner in its New York Muscat Ice Wine. A gold medallist at the All-Canadian Wine Championships and the InterVin International, as well as a bronze medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in London, England, the New York Muscat is a layered wine. It displays rich notes of papaya, preserved peach, dried apricot and Bartlett pear, in perfect balance with a crisp lively acidity that lingers on the palette. Price: $50 bottle of New York Muscat Ice Wine.
Glen Breton Rare Canadian Single Malt Whiskey
The only single malt whisky produced in Canada, the Glen Breton Rare is produced by Glenora Distillery in Inverness County, Nova Scotia by the traditional copper pot stills method using only three ingredients: barley, yeast and water. While it cannot be called 'scotch' unless it is produced in Scotland, Glen Breton Rare is an aromatic whisky presenting a pleasing golden amber colour with a creamy flow of toasty wood, almond and caramel. The finish is rounded, lingering and faintly sweet. Suggested retail price: $300 for 15-year-old bottle of Glen Breton Rare Canadian Single Malt Whisky.
Little Extras
Trek Madone SSL 6.9
Efficient, ultra-light and lightning-fast is how critics describe Trek's ultimate road bike. The Madone SSL 6.9 features a carbon race-ready frame and top-of-the-line fork and wheelset so you carve descents, float up the steepest climbs and fly down the road with ease. The integrated top tube and head tube add an aerodynamic edge to this fast machine while the fine Bontrager stem, bars and seat add a touch of class. Suggested retail price: $9,000.
Henckels Knives
If you're searching for a reliable set of knives for the kitchen, don't settle for anything less than the best. And Henckels represents stainless steel perfection in the cutlery industry. Henckels resist stains and rust like the finest stainless steel and sharpens and re-sharpens like the finest carbon steel. In fact, Henckels guarantees that the steel is so finely wrought, it is virtually indestructible. Retail price: $500 for six-piece set.
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