Casino Royale

Le Mans-Winning Aston Martin That Inspired Bond's DBS for Sale at $1.5 Million

The incredible Aston Martin DBR9 race car (above) that was the 2008 Le Mans GT1 class winner and fifth vehicle overall is a pretty mean piece of machinery in its own right. But the car, which was built in 2006, has an even more impressive item on its resumé: the DBR9's styling lead to the ultra-cool Aston Martin DBS driven by Daniel Craig as James Bond in Casino Royale. Now the iconic DBR9 has been listed for sale in the UK for about $1.5 million. Based on the DB9 road car, the name DBR9 is derived from the original 24 Hours of Le Mans-winning DBR1 car which not only won the 24 Hour race in 1959 but also the World Sportscar title. The DBR9 features custom carbon fiber composite body panels for racing to help make the most of the 600 hp engine along with some other modifications built for speed. The racing history of the car with its famed blue and orange Gulf livery is varied and successful with 3 wins and 2 second places in the 2006 American Le Mans Series, and a win in the FIA GT1 Championship at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps as well.

Tags: Aston Martin, Aston Martin DBR9, Aston Martin DBS, carbon fiber, Casino Royale, Daniel Craig, James Bond, Le Mans, race car, supercar, UK

The $100,000 Monte Carlo Desk from Viscount Linley

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Architecture & Design

Viscount David Linley, the bespoke cabinetmaker who's a nephew of the Queen of England, has created an incredible one-of-a-kind $100,000 writing desk in homage to one of Monaco's most notable landmarks – the Monte Carlo Casino. Featuring the famed Beaux-Arts building as its central gallery, with stylized archways on either side, it bears marquetry detailing in various veneers representing the windows, columns, galleries and balusters of the casino, which was used as a location for the James Bond films Never Say Never Again, GoldenEye, and of course Casino Royale. The main body of the desk is constructed in American walnut with inlays of Santos rosewood and sycamore, while the writing surface is covered in rich dark red leather. On the underside of the domed lid of the architectural box is a marquetry depiction of Monaco's flag in red sycamore and holly. Six hand-carved figurines surmount the rooftop, and six secret drawers are each opened by a different mechanism.

Gallery: Monte Carlo Desk by Viscount Linley

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: architecture, Beaux-Arts, casino, Casino Royale, David Linley, desk, furniture, gambling, James Bond, leather, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Queen of England, viscount+linley, viscountlinley

Stars Celebrate Greenbrier Casino Opening

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Jennifer Garner, Jessica Simpson and Brooke Shields were just a few of the celebrities that showed up at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia on Friday for the grand opening of its new Casino Club. The Roanoke Times reports that Barbara Eden, Raquel Welch, Jennifer Garner's husband Ben Affleck and basketball stars Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal were also in attendance to celebrate the latest addition to the multimillion dollar resort.

Last year we first learned that new owner Jim Justice some big plans for the resort including luxury train trips from Washington, D.C., to the Greenbrier and a $25 million, 75,000-square-foot casino. The Casino at The Greenbrier was originally planned to open in April. Justice bought the Greenbrier out of bankruptcy for $20.1 million last year. The star-studded opening which included a gourmet dinner, a concert by Lionel Richie, and an evening of gambling at the Monte Carlo-style casino was said to cost around $2 million. The event was open to the public for $850 per person not including an overnight stay. Garner, a West Virginia native, said that the resort's new life is important for the state. The casino offers table games, craps, roulette, poker tables and slot machines. The underground club is located beneath the front entrance and is only open to overnight guests or by other special arrangement.

Tags: ben affleck, brooke shields, casino royale, charles barkley, gambling, greenbrier, jennifer garner, jessica simpson, Raquel Welch, shaquille oneal, west virginia

James Bond Items on Offer in Pop Culture Auction

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Auctions, Men's Style

Daniel Craig's aviator sunglasses designed by Tom Ford for last year's Quantum of Solace (above) are among a collection of James Bond items in Christie's London's Vintage Film Posters and Entertainment Memorabilia auction on Nov. 24. The shades, estimated at £1,000 - £1,500, are among the more modern 007 mementos in the sale, along with a poker table chair and barstool graced by Mr. Craig's derriere in 2006's Casino Royale, estimated at £1,000 - £1,500. On the vintage front there are some key items from 1974's The Man With the Golden Gun, such as a two-piece black silk evening suit made for Roger Moore for the film, offered at £3,000 - £5,000. Also from that film are the arch villain Scaramanga's custom triggers for the golden gun itself, made in the form of cufflinks which he used to assemble the lethal weapon, estimated at £2,000 - £3,000. On offer as well are a pair of black leather of Salvatore Ferragamo dress shoes worn by Moore in 1977's The Spy Who Loved Me, signed on the inside in gold ink along with a jocular note from the actor, for £800 - £1,200.

[via Duncan Quinn]

Tags: 007, Casino Royale, CasinoRoyale, Christies, cufflinks, Daniel Craig, DanielCraig, David Niven, DavidNiven, James Bond, JamesBond, Quantum of Solace, QuantumOfSolace, Roger Moore, RogerMoore, Salvatore Ferragamo, SalvatoreFerragamo, sunglasses, Tom Ford, TomFord

Quantum of Solace Trailer Unveiled

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

You've read about the Aston Martin mishaps and the Tom Ford tailoring; now Sony has released the trailer for Quantum of Solace, the new James Bond flick premiering this fall. Daniel Craig stylishly reprises his role as 007 in what looks to be an action-packed installment of the classic series, with Olga Kurylenko and Gemma Arterton doing the Bond Girl honors.

In the flick based on a 1959 Ian Fleming short story, Bond sets out to seek revenge for the death of Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) from Casino Royale. Craig has said filming Quantum was much more physically demanding that Casino, and he has suffered some injuries along the way. See the trailer here and check out the gallery for production pix.

Gallery: Quantum of Solace

Craig and Gemma Arterton (Agent Fields).

Tags: 007, Aston Martin, AstonMartin, Casino Royale, CasinoRoyale, Daniel Craig, DanielCraig, Ian Fleming, IanFleming, James Bond, JamesBond, Quantum of Solace, QuantumOfSolace, Tom Ford, TomFord

The World's Most Luxurious Private Landscapes

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Garden, Books

The lush oases pictured in Luxury Private Gardens, the newest title in teNeues' brilliant Luxury Books series, veer between the pleasantly inspirational and oppressively beautiful. In other words, while looking at it made us want to rush outside and start planting things, it also made us despair of ever creating anything one tenth as attractive as the private paradises portrayed between its covers. Much better, we feel, to simply sit back, mix a drink, read the damned book and let someone else do the digging, pruning, weeding and whatnot. But we digress.

Even the most lavish gardens in these pages displaying "the highest standards of horticultural excellence" are founded on simplicity, the book assures us: "Stripped down to their bare essentials, they are like a well-cut couturier's gown - nothing but an utterly simple response to the unadorned landscape or the naked human body they are designed to fit." The incredible Villa d'Este in Lake Como, Italy (where part of Casino Royale was filmed) pictured on the cover, with its elegant, elaborate parterres doesn't exactly scream simplicity to us, but we could stare at it all day. See the gallery for a luxe garden tour.

Gallery: Luxury Private Gardens

Villa Libellule, Terres Basses, St. Martin.

Villa d'Este, Gernobbio, Lake Como, Italy.

Source

Tags: Casino Royale, CasinoRoyale, Gardening, Gardens, Horticulture, Italy, Lake Como, LakeComo, Landscaping, teNeues, Villa dEste, VillaDeste

Casino Royale Star Collection

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Actress Caterina Murino wears jewelry from French jewelry designer Fred in the movie Casino Royale. Now that the movie is out, Fred will be selling the Star Collection in boutiques so that anyone interested will be able to take home a bit of Bond intrigue. The collection includes pendants, rings and earrings in three color combinations: yellow gold with diamonds and citrine; white gold with diamonds and amethyst; and white gold with diamonds and rubelite.

Source

Tags: casino royale, fred, james bond, jewelry, star collection, StarCollection

Aston Martin DBS - The New BondMobile

by Anton Friant (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

A new 007 movie is on the horizon, and therefore a beautiful new top-secret Aston Martin, dubbed the DBS, which we first covered back in May. Very little is known about the super-car's engineering at the moment, but as Aston Martin Design Director, Marek Reichman, puts it, "This car encapsulates a link between our elegant DB9 road car and the powerful DBR9 race car", so it's safe to assume that it'll easily allow Bond - James Bond - to save the world with his usual style and grace. No word on the car's price or availability, but in the meantime you can start polishing your secret agent demeanor with Casino Royale Spy Gear.

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Tags: aston martin, AstonMartin, automobile, car, casino royale, james bond

Chateau Angelus, Bond's New Tipple

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Some things in the new Bond movie are the same, he still drives an Aston Martin and has a penchant for dangerous gadgets, but some things are definitely different. The new blond Bond even has a new drink. Bond has been linked with Bollinger but now has a new wine favorite. Decanter reports that Daniel Craig's Bond drinks Chateau Angelus, the 1982 Angelus. The wine is featured during Bond's dinner with Vesper Lynd, played by Eva Green. The 1982 isn't easy to find but can be bought for around $220 a bottle. Bollinger is still in the movie briefly, Bond orders a bottle of the Bollinger Grande Année (no year given but usually priced around $80 for the more recent vintages). Maybe this will bring a little much needed attention to French wine which has been suffering from an image problem of late.

For more on the history of Angelus and info on this classic Bordeaux check out Wine Journal's entry on their trip to Chateau Angelus.

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Tags: bordeaux, casino royale, james bond, JamesBond, wine

Sunseeker Yachts To Be Featured In James Bond Movie

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing

We already know what James Bond will be driving on land in "Casino Royale" now we know what he will be using on the water. Once again Sunseeker yachts will be featured in a James Bond movie. Sunseeker motoryachts have appeared both in "Die Another Day" and memorably in "The World Is Not Enough" when a Sunseeker Superhawk 34 zipped down the Thames river in the pre-title sequence. The Sunseeker Predator 108 is among the yachts which have been filmed.

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Tags: casino royale, james bond, predator 108, sunseeker, yacht news, YachtNews