Israel

Waldorf=Astoria plans New Location in Tel Aviv

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Real Estate Developments

The Waldorf-Astoria is a veritable New York City landmark. But what was once a single establishment has since grown, under the direction of Hilton Hotels, into The Waldorf=Astoria Collection.

In addition to the flagship location in Manhattan, four more opened in the United States (including the Arizona Biltmore, La Quinta in California, the Dakota Mountain Lodge in Utah and the Grand Wailea in Maui), but the expansion isn't limited to America alone. The Calalieri in Rome joined the collection in 2008, which was preceded by the Qasr Al Sharq in Jeddah. The roster has since expanded to include dozens of locations, but Saudi Arabia isn't even the only country to put The Waldorf on the map in the Middle East.

Visitors to Jerusalem will invariably notice the construction of the latest location in the Israeli capital, opposite the boutique Mamila Hotel and the modern David Citadel, and just down the street from the historic King David. But soon that development is set to be joined by an additional location in Tel Aviv.

The Mediterranean development is planned for the Tel Aviv beachfront on a plot next to the expansive Tel Aviv Hilton. Although details of the project have yet to be confirmed, the Jerusalem location is set to feature 220 guest suites along with 30 residential condos.

[Source: Yedioth Aharonoth]

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Tags: hilton, hotel, israel, jerusalem, tel aviv, waldorf, waldorf astoria, waldorfastoria

Ritz-Carlton Plans First Kosher Hotel

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

The latest Ritz-Carlton will be in Herzliya, Israel, located just north of Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean Sea marks a first for the luxury hotel chain, it's the first kosher Ritz-Carlton. The property features a Ritz-Carlton hotel with the top six floors dedicated to The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton. The project is being developed by Tidhar Group and Adi's Marina, and represents an investment of approximately $160 million. Architect Rani Ziss, who worked on the renovation of the Plaza in New York City designed the project and Studio Gaia, a New York-based interior design firm is creating an elegant seaside retreat.

The project overlooks the Herzliya Marina and has approximately 80 luxury vacation residences, everything from studios to large penthouses. Residences owners will have access to the hotel's five-star facilities and amenities which will include the rooftop outdoor pool, spa and fitness center. The property will be outfitted with Shabbat elevators and a fully equipped upscale kosher restaurant. The project is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2012.

Tags: herzliya, hotel development, israel, new hotel, new hotels, ritz carlton, ritz-carlton

Lev Leviev Seeks To Restructure, Hopes For The Best

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth

Things haven't been so sparkly lately for diamantaire Lev Leviev. The Israeli billionaire has seen his fortune plummet in recent months. Back in August he told reporters that he would restructure about $2 billion of debt.

Leviev's downfall wasn't diamonds, it was real estate. He invested heavily in the New York City real estate boom. Now Leviev, who made his fortune in the diamond cutting and polishing industry is trying to reach an agreement with the creditors chasing his Africa-Israel company in a bid to stave off having to file for bankruptcy. Bloomberg News reports that a recent proposal presented to the court on Dec. 2 would cut Leviev's personal stake in the company from to 53 percent from 75 percent and he will spend $200 million of his own money shoring up the company.

But let's not feel too sorry for Leviev. He still has plenty of money, lives in a lavish mansion in London and has weathered tough times before. His best hope for a fast financial recovery may come from Russia where he has also heavily invested. In the Bloomberg article, Yuval Ben-Zeev, an analyst at Clal Finance Brokerage Ltd., says that Leviev's recovery depends on Russia and specifically the Mall of Moscow.

Leviev's own high-handed behavior may affect the court's decision on his status as controlling shareholder of Africa Israel. According to an article in Haaretz, Judge Varda Alshech didn't take too kindly to the fact that Leviev had repaid some private debt to banks skirting around the bondholders. Alsech said that any money that hadn't been transferred already should not be and chided the company for pleading insolvency and saying it could not pay bondholders while going on to repay other creditors.

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Tags: diamonds, israel, lev leviev, LevLeviev, real estate, RealEstate, russia

Karat Caviar, Outstanding Osetra from Israel

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Crystal Clear spring water from Mount Herman and the finest selection of many generations of pure Russian Sturgeon go into making Karat Caviar, a recently introduced aquacultured Osetra caviar from Israel that took 16 years to develop, with incredibly delicious results. Karat uses the same Russian Sturgeon species (Acipenser Gueldenstaedtii) found in the famed Caspian Sea, raised in the most natural settings under pristine conditions to produce an imperial grade product usually associated only with increasingly scarce wild sturgeon.

Karat Caviar is produced by Caviar Galilee, one of the longest running fish farms in Israel, which has been involved in aquaculture since 1939. The Caviar Galilee Farm began growing Russian Sturgeon in 1992, when the first fertilized eggs were imported directly from Russia. The Farm is located in close proximity to the main source of the Jordan River – the Dan Springs, which flow with crystal clear snow waters from the peaks of Mount Hermon. The natural flow of water which gravitates through the Farm enables fish breeding in water that is clear, pure and rich in oxygen.

The Russian Osetra is produced from ten to eleven year-old fish. During the production process, the caviar is produced separately from each single fish and is then packed separately ensuring the product's purity, without mixing caviar from different fish. Freshness, consistent high quality, large pearl size, fine taste and texture and sustainability are the watchwords of Karat, which aims to put the rest of the farmed caviar trade to shame. Karat's exclusive 100% pure Russian Osetra is now available at Dean & DeLuca under the Galilee label, as well as at Zabar's and Whole Foods in the Southeast.

Tags: Caspian Sea, CaspianSea, caviar, Dean DeLuca, DeanDeluca, food-awards, Israel, Karat Caviar, KaratCaviar, luxist-awards, Russia, sturgeon

Trial over "The Trial": Kafka's Letters Headed to Israeli Court

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art, Books

Academics are desperate to get their hands on a collection of letters that once belonged to author Franz Kafka, the genius behind "The Metamorphosis" and "The Trial." But, their efforts have been stymied by Have Hoffe and her sister, Ruth Wisler. The two ladies received the documents from their mother two years ago (when she died at the age of 101). Previously, the materials belonged to Max Brod, a German author who wrote a biography of Kafka. Brod died in 1968 and left the letters to Hoffe's and Wisler's mother, Esther.

The battle over the literary booty is on its way to Tel Aviv Family Court. The letters currently sit in two bank vaults, though scholars are worried that they aren't being stored properly. They see in the letters a potential treasure map: they may indicate the location of some notebooks confiscated from Kafka by the Gestapo. The issue became a legal matter when the sisters sought to ratify their mother's will, at which point the Israeli government became involved. Esther Hoffe only allowed a handful of researchers to view the letters and didn't make them available to the public -- a sore spot for interested scholars.

Had Kafka's wishes been respected, there would be no problem right now. The letters would have been burned.

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Tags: antique, antiques, franz kafka, FranzKafka, israel, kafka, tel aviv, TelAviv

Continue reading “Trial over "The Trial": Kafka's Letters Headed to Israeli Court”

Deal On Limited Edition Itay Noy City Square Piazza di San Pietro Watch Collection, May 8 - 15 Only

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

This is a good deal from Israeli luxury watch maker Itay Noy, in celebration of the Pope's pilgrimage to the Holy Land (Israel, or course) that will take place this year from May 8th through the 15th. During this time, you can get one of five Itay Noy City Square Collection Piazza di San Pietro (Saint Peter's Square) watches for $2,500 down from the standard price of $3,300. This is a significant discount, and apt for the occasion. I'll be the first to say that it is ironic that an Israeli brand is celebrating a Catholic event, but that event will take place in Israel - so it's all good.

The Itay Noy City Square Collection of watches is pretty cool. They take an aerial view map of an area, and turn it into a Google Maps like image for the dial of the watch. Looking at the dial, you are reminded of the region all the time. Saint Peter's square in the Vatican City within Rome, is one of the most famous landmarks in the world, and makes a great center for a watch face given its relative radial symmetry. The watch itself is 42.4mm wide in stainless steel all hand assembled with a Swiss ETA 2824-2 automatic mechanical movement inside. The Itay Noy City Square Piazza di San Pietro is part of a limited edition of just 99 watches, so this special offer is made even better by that fact. The $2,500 price is available only during May 8 - 15, 2009. To learn more or get your watch visit Itay Noy here.

Ariel Adams publishes the popular watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: city square, CitySquare, collection, israel, itay noy, ItayNoy, piazza di san pietro, PiazzaDiSanPietro, saint peters square, SaintPetersSquare, sale, watch

A Hanukkah Surprise For Israeli Archaeologists

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

During Hanukkah, children, like the ones shown above, often receive gelt in the form of gold foil-covered chocolate coins. But some Israeli archaeologists got some gelt of their own this week when a British volunteer found a hoard of gold coins from the 7th century in Jerusalem on Sunday right around the start of the Hanukkah holiday at sunset. The hoard of 264 ancient gold coins minted during the early 7th Century was found in Jerusalem National Park. It is one of the biggest and most impressive gold coin finds ever discovered in Jerusalem. The coins were in a collapsed building that dates back to the 7th century, the end of the Byzantine period and they bear the face of Heraclius, who was the Byzantine emperor from 610 to 641. On one side, the emperor is wearing military garb and is holding a cross in his right hand. On the other side is the sign of the cross. The excavation of the building is continuing as archaeologists try to find out more about the building and how it was destroyed.

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Tags: coins, gelt, gold, israel, jerusalem

DiCaprio's Gorgeous Girlfriend Lands Hurley Campaign

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Leonardo DiCaprio's gorgeous Israeli model girlfriend Bar Refaeli has landed the fall ad campaign for classic California surf company Hurley. The ads (above) which showcase Refaeli's ample charms will debut in magazines this fall, and she will also appear in the brand's Spring 2009 runway show during Los Angeles Fashion Week in October. You can watch a video of her shooting the campaign here. Refaeli, the first Israeli model to appear in Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue, was also recently named Best Body of 2008 by Arena magazine, and will appear in Tommy Hilfiger's Iconic America TV special this fall.

Gallery: Bar Refaeli

[via Kempt]

Tags: ad campaigns, AdCampaigns, Bar Refaeli, BarRefaeli, Hurley, Israel, leonardo dicaprio, LeonardoDicaprio, Los Angeles Fashion Week, LosAngelesFashionWeek, Sports Illustrated, SportsIllustrated, Supermodels, Tommy Hilfiger, TommyHilfiger

Tel Aviv's $34 Million Apartment

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

In Tel Aviv, Israel, the G Tower offers Tel Aviv's most expensive apartment, a flat priced at $34-million apartment. The Gindi Group, which developed the G Tower recently announced the selling price for the triplex flat which combines a former duplex and penthouse apartment on the 24th, 25th and 26th floors. The new apartment is located just under the triplex which was purchased by the holder of controlling interest for Bank Hapoalim, Shari Arison, for $13 million.

The tower has 31 floors with 40 apartments. Building amenities include a culture center with a library and bar, a fitness center, swimming pool, conference center, underground parking and tight security. The new apartment has 360 degree views of the city and measures 1,500 square meters (around 15,145 square feet) for a price of over $22,000 per square meter. According to an article on Haaretz.com some real estate agents in Tel Aviv think the price is way too high, especially since a $25 million penthouse in the Sea One Project on Hayarkon Street failed to sell.

Gallery: Tel Aviv's G Tower

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Tags: apartment, g tower, GTower, israel, luxury real estate, tel aviv

Protesters Urge Leviev Diamonds Boycott

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Those hoping to dash into the Leviev store on Madison Avenue in New York City on Saturday found themselves running a bit of a gauntlet. National Jeweler reports that around 45 pro-Palestinian protesters clustered outside the store urging shoppers to boycott the jewelry store, which is owned by Israeli diamond king Lev Leviev. The group, Adalah-NY has protested in front of Leviev's store seven times since it opened last November (the pieces shown above were displayed during the store opening). They chose last Saturday to make their case to shoppers on a pre-Valentine's day shopping quest. The group says that Leviev, who is also a real estate developer, is building Israeli settlements on what they claim is occupied Palestinian land. Protesters also boycotted outside Leviev's London store (perhaps a more cutting blow since Leviev recently moved to London.

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Tags: boycott, expire-images:2009-2-11, israel, lev leviev, LevLeviev, new york, palestine, protest

Israel's Richest Man Moves to London, Sells Plane

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Celebrity Shopping

Israel's richest man, diamond billionaire, Lev Leviev, is moving to London. Uzbek-born Leviev is said to be making the move with his family in order to focus on the growth of AFI Development, the Russian property unit of Leviev's Africa Israel Investments. AFI raised $1.4 billion in May for its IPS but has since lost about 35 percent in trading on the London Stock exchange. Leviev is taking over as the AFI Development chairman.

In a related story, it has also been reported that he is looking to get a larger private jet. He has sold his Gulfstream Galaxy executive jet to Noam Lanir, the CEO of Livermore Investments Group Ltd. for $10-15 million. Leviev has homes in Moscow, Bnei Brak, New York and London so he's got quite the commute. Rumor has it that Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, a man once rumored to have bought the Airbus A380 for private use, may have already helped Leviev chose his new ride.

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Tags: gulfstream galaxy, israel, lev leviev, LevLeviev, london, private jet

Israir Airlines Introduces Sky Torah

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

We've seen all sorts of airline amenities but Israir Airlines has become the the first airline to maintain an authentic Torah scroll on the plane. The "Sky-Torah," was handwritten according by a professional Jewish Scribe for the airline. Each Torah scroll takes an entire year to complete and The Torah scroll on a plane was the idea of Rabbi Shlomo Elharar, Chief Rabbi of Colombia, South America. The Torah is only on one of the planes so far. Usrair Airlines is the second largest airline in Israel and flies between Israel and New York, the Mediterranean and Europe, as well as domesticly.

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Tags: airline, israel, israir, torah

Israel Creates First Pomegranate Wine

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Pomegranate juice has become popular and even pomegranate vodka has hit the market, now a winery in Israel is introducing pomegranate wine. The Rinon winery has created a pomegranate wine. Generally pomegranates don't have enough natural sugar to ferment on their own but the pomegranates grown in this region do. Their product line includes a dry white wine, a dessert wine, a port-style wine and a rosé. They plan to export to Europe and America later this year. Pomegranates are full of all sorts of antioxidants and vitamins so consider it health food.

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Tags: israel, pomegranate, wine

Trump Goes Luxe in Israel

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Donald Trump has announced his first foray into build in Israel. He will be spending $300 million to create a 70-story luxury apartment tower in Ramat Gan in the Tel Aviv district. The new Trump Tower will be the tallest building in the country and it is expected that the apartments will sell for around $1 million each. According to the article on Ynetnews, it took Trump a year to negotiate the deal but Trump is bullish on the future of luxury buildings in the region.

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Tags: israel, tel aviv, trump

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