SouthAfrica

A Black Rhino Airlift from South Africa to East Africa

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Charity, Green

Even the most jaded traveler is thrilled by the view out the window while landing in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, but one has to imagine that five particular passengers who were indeed on a trip of a lifetime last week were somewhat less than delighted -- not that they had much of a view.

Five endangered black rhinoceros were transported by air from South Africa's Addo Reserve to the Serengeti Park yesterday -- funded in part by Singita Grumeti Reserves, the Tanzania arm of Singita, which runs a group of ultra-luxury African safari lodges. (Other benefactors:The US Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Nduna Foundation.)The rhino relocation was part of a species preservation project over forty years in the making.

Gallery: Black Rhino Transport to East Africa

Tags: africa, conservation, preservation, rhino, Rhinoceros, safari, SouthAfrica, Tanzania

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Porsche Tuner Uwe Gemballa "Missing", Shadow Company Established

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Crimes and Misdemeanors

It wasn't so long ago – just a matter of weeks, really – that Gemballa had one of the best names in the business. And that business was tuning Porsches, among other exotic automobiles. But that was before the company's founder and chief Uwe Gemballa dropped off the radar, and things began to unravel in his absence.

The initial reports began surfacing last week, indicating that Uwe Gemballa had gone missing while on a trip to Johannesburg, South Africa. The reports seemed credible enough, as Jo'burg is known as one of the most dangerous cities in the world, where kidnapping is commonplace and violent crimes the order of the day. But while German authorities and Interpol began coordinating with their counterparts in South Africa, things started getting a little shady.

First came reports that the authorities had raided the Gemballa headquarters and seized the cars on the premises. Now further reports indicate that shortly before his disappearance, Uwe set up a second company with his 79-year-old mother as the sole shareholder, and granted his wife power of attorney to declare the principle company insolvent. The plot keeps thickening, and we doubt this will be the last we've heard of Gemballa and his trouble with the law.

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Tags: gemballa, germany, interpol, johannesburg, missing, missing person, MissingPerson, south africa, SouthAfrica, uwe gemballa, UweGemballa

Is Contemporary African Art Ready to Jump?

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

The first decade of the new millennium was the domain of Latin America, Asia, Turkey and Russia. A robust art market emerged in the Middle East, which brought with it plenty of interest in the region's artist. But, what about Africa? The continent has been underrepresented in galleries and at auction, but it looks like collectors eager to try something new may be developing an appetite for African art.

The region's offering is both large and incredibly diversified, according to a report by Artprice, and over the past 20 years, several African artists have been able to garner some attention at international art fairs and major exhibitions. Pieces have been featured sporadically, with a show at the Centre Pompidou in Paris in 1989 and anther two years later at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York. The Africa Remix exhibition toured from 2004 to 2007 ... and that's about it.

There's been a bit more action in the auction market, with Sotheby's becoming the first major house to sell contemporary African art in June 1999, when it sent the Jean Pigozzi collection under the gavel in London. It generated less than $16,000 but still set a record. Since then, Sotheby's hasn't dedicated any London or New York sales to African art (aside from its work with South African auctioneer, Stephan Welz & Co). Bonhams has taken more of an interest in the category, holding an African art sale back in April and moving 64 percent of the lots offered.

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Tags: africa, art, art auction, art auctions, art market, ArtAuction, ArtAuctions, artist, Artists, ArtMarket, artwork, auction, auction house, auction houses, AuctionHouse, AuctionHouses, auctions, bonhams, BonhamsAuction, Christies, contemporary art, ContemporaryArt, sothebys, south africa, SouthAfrica

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Charlize Theron Turns Shoe Designer For A Good Cause

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Shoes, Charity, Celebrity Design

The latest charity effort by a celebrity puts together Charlize Theron and Toms Shoes in a project to aid her home country of South Africa. Her version of the classic slip-on cloth Toms shoe features an African baobab tree and a custom lining with the Africa Outreach Project logo. The vegan-friendly shoes sell for $54 and will benefit the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, which seeks to improve the lives of teenagers in South Africa. Also 10,000 pairs of the shoes will be given to impoverished children living in remote communities in South Africa. The shoes have proved popular, they are already backordered.

[via People Magazine]

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Tags: charity shopping, CharityShopping, charlize theron, CharlizeTheron, south africa, SouthAfrica, toms shoes, TomsShoes

What are the Next Hot-Spots in the Luxury Resort Scene?

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Video

Luxist Awards asked three of our Expert Panelists, all veterans of the travel industry, about the hot destinations of the future. Their answers may surprise you.

Adam Stewart the chief executive of Sandals Resorts International; Nikheel Advani, Chief Operating Officer and Principal of Grace Bay Resorts; and Ed Steiner, Senior Vice President, Latin America and the Caribbean, One&Only Resorts share their vision with Luxist.

Tags: beaches, buenos aires, BuenosAires, grace bat resorts, grace bay club, GraceBatResorts, GraceBayClub, great exuma, GreatExuma, kerznerinternational, luxist-awards, main-pedia, montenegro, ocean club, OceanClub, oneonly palmilla, OneonlyPalmilla, royal plantation collection, RoyalPlantationCollection, sandals resorts international, SandalsResortsInternational, south africa, SouthAfrica, summer-travel-pedia, summertravel-pedia, winter-travel-pedia

Experience Sophisticated South Africa with Kensington Tours

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Lion in Kruger National Park, South Africa

Tour operator Kensington is offering a deal on its "Sophisticated South Africa" package. For $8,995 per person, a savings of about $5,000 off the regular price, visit Cape Town for four nights, and then head on to Kruger National Park for another four, where your accommodations will be at the incomparable Singita properties, the adjoining Singita Sweni or Lebombo.

These properties spare no luxury while also keeping you mindful of your location which is smack in the middle of wild African nature -- you're asked to never go to your room at night without a watchman, and staff will keep a watchful eye out to to make sure mischievous vervet monkeys don't snatch away your mid-day snack. (When I stayed at Singita Sweni a couple of years ago, on a visit arranged through Premier Tours, I received my most favorite answer to a question I posed to a bell man, ever: "oh yes, just last week, two lions killed an impala near the pool.")

Kensington's specially priced deal is based on double occupancy. The offer is good January 15th – May 31st, 2010 and August 1st – December 15th, 2010.

Gallery: Singita Sweni Safari in Kruger National Park

Singita Sweni Safari in Kruger Park - Encounter with a Lion

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Tags: capetown, krugernationalpark, safari, south africa, SouthAfrica

World's Most Expensive Supercar, Diamond Carbon Koenigsegg Trevita for Sale at $5 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

A limited edition Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita diamond-weave carbon fiber supercar (above), the first of only three being built for collectors worldwide, is for sale in South Africa with a whopping pricetag of $5 million, making it the world's most expensive supercar - easily beating out the Bugatti Pur Sang. The Swedish supercar is a special version of the marque's already exotic carbon fiber CCXR model, which goes for about $2 million. Both cars feature a 5.0 liter twin supercharged V8 engine producing 1,018 hp, and can do 0-62 mph in 2.9 seconds with a top speed of over 250 mph. The Trevita's unique diamond weave finish means that when exposed to sunlight it "sparkles like millions of silvery white diamonds infused inside the visible carbon fiber weave bodywork."

Gallery: Koenigsegg Trevita

Tags: Bugatti Pur Sang, BugattiPurSang, carbon fiber, CarbonFiber, diamond, Koenigsegg, South Africa, SouthAfrica, supercar, Sweden

Charlize Theron's Kiss Worth $140,000

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Charity

I haven't heard much lately about Charlize Theron, but she made it back into this news this past week with her part in the OneXOne charity event on October 22 in San Francisco, where she took the stage to auction off a prize that included a two-week trip to her native South Africa to watch soccer's World Cup in summer 2010, a safari, and a meet-and-greet with Nelson Mandela. The winning bidder, a woman, received an extra item for her $140,000 donation -- a kiss with Theron, who had tossed in the offer of a kiss to increase bidding when the offers plateaued at $37,000.

Theron was at the event to help raise money for the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project, which is teaming with the OneXOne Foundation to bring soccer fields and clean water to the children of South Africa by 2010, in time for the World Cup. Theron is in a long-term relationship with actor Stuart Townsend. "My boyfriend is not here tonight," she joked during the auction.

Tags: auction, charity, charlize, Charlize Theron, CharlizeTheron, South Africa, SouthAfrica

Small Splurge: Fall Wines Under $25 from Dreyfus Ashby & Co.

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

New York-based Dreyfus, Ashby & Co., a national independent importer and marketer of fine wine and spirits, has put together a list of great fall wines from around the globe, ideal for various cuisines and all priced under $25. France's Château de Campuget "1753" stems from an 18th century document mentioning the historic property. The 100% Syrah is aged in stainless steel, seeing no oak. Deep purple in color, it is elegant and herbal with nice tannin and a crisp finish, paring nicely with spicy foods as well as hearty cold weather dishes like beef and pastas in red sauce. SRP: $14.99. Under the discerning eye of consulting winemaker Véronique Drouhin-Boss, the light, fruity quality of Cloudline Pinot Noir (2007) from Oregon never waivers and pairs perfectly with everything from a fatty fish, such as salmon, to lamb. SRP: $19.99. Nederburg Cabernet Sauvignon (2007) from South Africa is a full-bodied, mouth-filling and rich wine with ripe fruit, delicate spice, firm tannins and a lasting aftertaste, pairing perfectly with robust winter stews, roasts and mature cheeses. SRP: $11.99.

Italy's Renato Ratti Barbera D'Alba Torriglione (2007) is structured and rich with a pleasing and harmonious bouquet. The result is a full- bodied wine with an excellent balance between acidity and tannin that lends itself particularly well to pastas with lean protein, such as pork or chicken. SRP: $18.99. Tedeschi Valpolicella Capitel Dei Nicalò (2006) is made from local Veronese grape varieties including Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara in the traditional style of the region. It is complex and elegant with lively acidity and an alcohol content that is balanced nicely by its tannins. SRP: $17.99. Argentina's Enrique Foster Reserva Malbec (2006) is made of selected grapes from old vines and production is limited to 5,000 lbs per acre. The wine is then aged in French and American oak for 12 months and in bottles for an additional six months. It's a huge wine with fruity aroma and berry
flavors perfectly suited to richly spiced dishes and roasted or grilled meats. SRP: $24.99.

Tags: Argentina, dreyfus ashby co., DreyfusAshbyCo., France, Italy, Oregon, South Africa, SouthAfrica

507-Carat Rough Diamond Found

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

It looks like a chunk of clouded ice but the stone shown at right is a 507-carat rough diamond found at the Petra Diamonds Cullinan Mine in South Africa. The 507.55 carat stone is believed to be of exceptional color and clarity, and is most likely a Type II diamond. The rough was found as part of a run that also included a 168-carat piece of rough and two other stones of 58.5 and 53.3 carats. A lucky day indeed, the stone is one of the top 20 largest high-quality rough diamonds ever found making it incredibly rare.

The Cullinan Mine has yielded some of the world's great diamonds including the largest "gem-quality" stone ever recovered, the "Cullinan," 3,106 carats rough, and was the source for the Golden Jubilee, at 755 carats rough, and the Centenary, at 599 carats rough. Cullinan also produced the piece of rough that became the Taylor-Burton diamond, a stone that is 69 carats polished. The diamonds will be analyzed by a team of experts and then the long process of determining how to best cut them can begin.

[via National Jeweler]

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Tags: diamond mine, DiamondMine, diamonds, south africa, SouthAfrica

South Africa's "King Of Teaze" Puts Home Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Is South Africa's answer to Hugh Hefner ready to leave the country? Lolly Jackson, who owns a string of Teazers nightclub,s has been saying since 2006 that he was ready to leave the country. Now his home in the Befordview area is one of the properties up for auction by Saville Row Auctions on October 1. The fast-living, poker-playing beacon of controversy is selling a home that has five bedrooms, a gym, a sauna, and a Jacuzzi. Jackson is an exotic car collector and so the home has five garages. The grounds also include a garden, pool and aviary.

Jackson has long complained over bad treatment in South Africa saying that he receives harsher treatment than other people because of the business he is in. Most recently he was in court over complaints that he illegally employed Eastern Europeans at his Teazers clubs. He is also being investigated by the South African Revenue Service.

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Tags: lolly jackson, LollyJackson, south africa, SouthAfrica

Molori Lodge, Luxe Safari Style in South Africa

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

South Africa's Molori Safari Lodge is the epitome of the new luxury safari style. Situated on a 185,000-acre game reserve on the border with Botswana, the lodge features five luxe bungalows with spacious wooden decks, private infinity pools and floor-to-ceiling fully retractable glass walls. A staff of 44, including a chef serving local delicacies like pan roasted gazelle, looks after a maximum of 14 guests. Upon arrival the Lodge's butler unpacks your bags, presses your safari suit, provides a selection of Aqua di Parma toiletries and stocks each suite with an assortment of homemade cured meats and dried fruit. Up at the main lodge a well-stocked library also features a great selection of whisky, brandy and cigars, while the wine cellar is of course stocked with the finest South African vintages. There's also one of the largest private telescopes in southern Africa as well as a holistic indoor-outdoor spa.

[via Duncan Quinn]

Tags: Africa, Aqua di Parma, AquaDiParma, safari, safari lodge, SafariLodge, South Africa, SouthAfrica, spa

The Nines Hotel and The Question of Design Moxie

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Luxury Travel & Hotels

The night before I stayed at the Nines, in Portland, Oregon, I spent the night at the White House in Yakima, a bed and breakfast. It's actually a couple of bedrooms that are available to let on the second floor of the White House Café, which serves an amazingly delicious breakfast. But the rooms themselves weren't to my personal taste -- an exuberant bride/doily/doll meets shabby chic theme. I know that many people, particularly those who, say, enjoy weddings (I don't) would be charmed, but that's the chance you take when you stay at a B&B -- you are really immersed in a particular taste.

I've also had the experience of staying in a smaller hotel that was more to my taste, but my travel companion was non-plussed by it -- I'm thinking of Le Quartier Français in Franschoek, South Africa, where the Four Quarters suite is a cream and brown palette punched up with accents of bright hot orange and pink. I loved it, although I could see why it wouldn't be for everyone. Human variability in taste is why most hotels resort to the kind of utter blandness that has you calling the front desk in the morning to find out what city you're in.

So when I walked into the Nines -- a 331 room Starwood-owned hotel occupying the top floors of the former Meier & Frank department store in downtown Portland -- and one that's known for its distinctive interiors, I was really thinking about décor and what a challenge it is for a large hotel, to create rooms with some consistency that have a distinct yet relatively universally appealing personality.

Check out the photo gallery and let me know what you think, but I think the Nines manages to strike the right balance. The décor is described as "nostalgic modern", and the rooms are done out in rich brown, charcoal gray, creamy white and a Tiffany turquoise. There are a few fun frou-frou touches -- a beaded light fixture, for instance -- but nothing that should make a buttoned up business man feel uncomfortable (I assume, not being a business man or a man for that matter.) It also felt very Portland-elegant to me, if I were going to an affair in PDX, I'd hit a vintage shop over a department store. Beyond that, there's also a good sense of the local community, as the hotel commissioned some 400 original art pieces to display throughout the hotel, a library on the hotel's main level is stocked with a selection of books from Powell's, Portland's incredibly amazing book store, and Urban Farmer, the hotel's restaurant, works with local purveyors.

Gallery: The Nines in Portland

Tags: bed and breakfast, BedAndBreakfast, hotels, portland, portland oregon, PortlandOregon, southafrica, starwood

Chocolate High Tea in Cape Town

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

Although traditionalists may not approve of the way the term "high tea" is bandied about these days -- it used to mean an elaborate early dinner, with meat -- who could really disapprove of The Table Bay Hotel's interpretation: a celebration of chocolate?

From 2:30 to 5:30 pm each day, dive into all things chocolate, from white chocolate madeleines with candied lime zest to rum chocolate truffles. You could have all this chocolate with tea, which costs 160 Rand (about $20), but why not throw tradition totally to the wind and pair it with a glass of champagne? (240 Rand.) And if you love chocolate so much that you feel like you'd just like to be immersed in it, the hotel's Camelot Spa is offering a 75 minute treatment which includes body scrubs of cocoa and sugar, vanilla massage, a cocoa mask, ending with a glass of hot chocolate. The Chocolate Delight spa special runs through the end of August.

Tags: cape town, CapeTown, chocolate, south africa, SouthAfrica

Design with a Conscience at The Sky Lodge in Park City

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Jewelry, Luxury Travel & Hotels

I was already loving the look of The Sky Lodge, a boutique five-star condo hotel in Park City, Utah, before I spotted these really cool screen-style doors that divides the bathroom from one of the three bedrooms in the penthouse suite. It turns out that those screens have a very interesting story, and it made me love the property even more.

But first let me back up and say that Sky Lodge's penthouse is where I'd want to a host a party during Sundance, since it's got 2,736 square feet inside, and almost as much -- 2,600 feet -- outside in the form of an enormous wrap-around deck with views of the mountains and Park City, all easily enjoyed from the hot tub. (Check it out in the gallery.) I'll further digress and say that while this suite runs approximately $5,000 a night during the winter season, if you visit during the summer, you can get this three bedroom suite for around $1,500 a night.

Back to the doors: they're made from an opaque ecoresin, into which is embedded beads and coiled copper wire. It turns out that these are "Ithemba", a product of 3form USA's "Full Circle" program, which attempts to marry environmental consciousness with social awareness to create beautiful design products. The beads and woven copper are created by South African women who are impacted with HIV, they recieve training in business skills, job skills training, marketing assistance while they're earning a living by maintaining traditional crafts. "Ithemba" means hope in Xosi. Just knowing this made me enjoy my time in Sky Lodge's Amatsu spa all the more.

If you're not in the market for a screen or a door, check out the cuff bracelet in the gallery below, which you can order here.

Gallery: Sky Lodge Park City Penthouse