egypt

National Geographic's Egypt Week Highlights Ancient Treasures

In light of the recent historic events in Egypt, the National Geographic Channel is presenting a week of programs, Treasures of Egypt, showcasing the antiquities of one of mankind's most significant ancient cultures. Starting on February 22 and all week long at 8PM ET/PT, Treasures of Egypt features the best of National Geographic Channel's Egypt programming, with newly produced segments to introduce the subjects of the shows within the context of recent events.

Tags: egypt, king tut, King Tutankhamun, zahi hawass

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Rare Objects Missing From the Egyptian Museum

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

Now that the dust has settled a little in Cairo, a full inventory of the Egyptian Museum has been done to assess the damage. The AP reports that according to the Ministry of Antiquities 18 items were taken by looters. On January 28, during the turmoil and chaos around Tahrir Square, thieves climbed a fire escape to the museum's roof and lowered themselves on ropes from a glass-paneled ceiling to the museum's top floor. Around 70 objects were damaged but it wasn't known until an announcement on Sunday night that anything had gone missing. Among the casualties were two gilded wooden statues of King Tut.

Tags: cairo, egypt, egyptian museum, museum

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Osirec Ancient Egypt Themed Watches

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

New in 2010 is a watch brand started by two French brothers with a passion for Egypt called Osirec. The brand follows design themes set forth by ancient Egypt. As such, you'll find some popular ancient Egypt imagery on the interesting dials of their Lotus and Horus timepieces. This includes a periphery ring lined with hieroglyphics.

Aside from the artistic dials, the watches themselves have a classic sport style to them. Cases are steel and 42mm wide. Crystal is sapphire, and the cases are water resistant to 100 meters. Osirec interestingly uses very large chronograph pushers in addition to a nicely sized crown - though I would have liked the crown to have some thematic imagery on it. Inside the watches are Swiss ETA 7750 automatic chronograph movements that have been decorated with perlage polishing.

The watches are available with and without rotating diver's bezels. Without a rotating bezel they have smooth polished bezels. Osirec watches come leather straps available in a few different colors. The brand will offer their full collection of timepieces online via their website. Price for Osirec Lotus and Horus watches will be about $2,000. Sales start online at the end of October, 2010.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: Orisec Ancient Egypt Themed Watches

Tags: ancient, egypt, egyptian, horus, lotus, orisec, review, watch, watches

$50 Million Van Gogh Stolen, Again

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art, Crimes and Misdemeanors

Not too many paintings get stolen twice from the same museum. A painting of a vase of flowers by Vincent van Gogh was stolen for the second time recently from the Mahmoud Khalil Museum in Cairo, Egypt. The AP reports that the painting was also stolen in 1978 and was recovered two years later in Kuwait. The painting is worth a lot more now, an estimated $50 million. The painting known as both "Poppy Flowers" and "Vase and Flowers," was cut from the frame. Egypt's top prosecutor, Abdel Meguid Mahmoud has said that none of the alarms and only a handful of surveillance cameras were working when the painting was stolen. On Sunday, Egypt's culture minister, Farouk Hosni, announced that the painting had been recovered but later it was reported that the painting is still among the missing.

The small one-foot-by-one-foot painting is similar to a flower scene painted by the French artist Adolphe Monticelli and the Monticelli painting also is part of the Khalil collection. It is believed the van Gogh was painted in 1887, during the phase of rapid productivity that marked the years before his suicide in 1890.

Tags: art theft, cairo, egypt, mahmoud khalil museum, poppy flowers, van gogh, vase and flowers, vincent van gogh

The Zein Nile Chateau

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Yachts & Sailing

There are some who believe that the only truly elegant way to see Egypt is by dahabieh, or private boat. Even in this highly exclusive niche, a few vessels stand heads and shoulders above the rest, like The Zein Nile Chateau -- the first dahabieh built to international luxury standards, complete with air conditioning, expansive windows and graceful, enchanting decor inspired by Egyptian history.

The Zein Nile Chateau consists of four rooms and two suites and can accommodate up to 12 guests for trips up and down the Nile, docking virtually anywhere. "With a dahabieh serving as a floating hotel, it is possible to go beyond Luxor and the Valley of the Kings, continuing past some of the most beautiful scenery along the river. The Temple of Horemheb is cut into the riverside rocks at Gebel Silsila; the pre-Dynastic capital of Upper Egypt, El-Kab, has tombs and temples dedicated to the vulture goddess, Nekhbet," says a statement from Abercrombie & Kent about the advantages of traveling this way.

Gallery: The Zein Nile Chateau

Tags: abercrombie and kent, books, cruise, dahabieh, egypt, luxury travel, nile, travel

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LVMH to Open New Luxury Hotels

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

cheval blanc hotel
Luxury Goods conglomerate LVMH, owner of Louis Vuitton, plans to open a series of new luxury hotels starting in Oman and Egypt. The hotels will incorporate LVMH brands such as Vuitton and Dior boutiques and Givenchy spas. The company has created LVMH Hotel Management to "oversee the group's activities in the luxury hotel sector" and "maximize the value of its brands". The two new hotels, named Cheval Blanc after one of LVMH's famed Bordeaux vineyards, are slated to open in 2012. The move follows the successful 2006 opening of the LVMH-backed Cheval Blanc hotel in Courchevel, France (above). The Maison Cheval Blanc in Oman is sited on the 11 square- kilometer island of Al Sodah and will include 32 private villas. The development in Egypt is on the private island of Amoun in Aswan and will include about 40 suites overlooking the Nile. LVMH notes that "other projects are currently under study in exceptional destinations". The company won't own the real estate or finance construction, but will instead run the resorts under management contract.

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Tags: Cheval Blanc, Courchevel, Dior, Egypt, Givenchy, hotel, Louis Vuitton, LVMH, Nile, Oman

Ritz-Carlton Opening in Egypt in 2012

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Rendering of the Ritz-Carlton Palm Hills in Cairo, Egypt

Ritz-Carlton is coming to Cairo, with the ritzy, 160-room design rendered above. OBMI Resort Design is working to make this hotel not just grand, but green, with the help of 13 LEED certified professionals.

The new Ritz-Carlton Palm Hills (not to be confused with the Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo, also on the way), will feature spectacular views of the pyramids of Giza (!!), a huge spa, a golf clubhouse, two ballrooms, and the fabulous swimming pool you see here (we love those little islands).

"It is our privilege to lead such a remarkable project in one of the world's most iconic destinations. Egypt offers a perfect canvas for us to create a timeless yet contemporary resort that greatly incorporates regional materials and historic traditions. Our holistic approach reflects the principles of sustainability as well as our dedication and attention to the sensitivity of local customs," says OBMI's CEO Doug Kulig. The resort will feature "metal columns designed to resemble the structural elegance of the papyrus plant," as well as "various water systems, inspired by ancient irrigation canals settled along the famous Nile Basin." Guests can also look forward to multiple courtyards and views of the Cairo skyline.

We'll let you know when they're taking reservations (after we make our own)!

Tags: cairo, egypt, OBMI, Ritz-Carlton

Experience Egypt With Zahi Hawass

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

President Obama got a tour of the Pyramids with Dr. Zahi Hawass, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities and you can too. The charismatic Dr. Hawass, who has also been part of a host of documentaries on Egypt's rich past, headlines a weekend discovering the wonders of Cairo November 27-30, 2009. The Wonder With One Of The Seven Wonders package features one night at Fairmont Towers, Heliopolis and two nights at Fairmont Nile City with breakfast and dinner; a full day tour of the Great Pyramids of Giza and Saqqara; a guided tour of the Cairo Museum, Nile Felucca ride and a dinner lecture with Dr. Zahi Hawass. Rates for the three-night package start from $960 per person.

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Tags: cairo, egypt, fairmont, giza, pyramids, zahi hawass, ZahiHawass

MGM Mirage Announces Egypt Hotel

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Real Estate Developments

MGM Mirage and New Giza for Real Estate Development have announced plans for the MGM Grand New Giza on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. Equity funding for the development will be provided by New Giza for Real Estate Development while MGM Mirage will provide management services and branding. The 550-room MGM Grand will have views of the city of Cairo and the pyramids of Giza and will be connected via electric train to the new Egyptian antiquities museum currently under construction.

The New Giza development is a new master-planned community that is built over 1,500 acres of land and will include homes, hotels, restaurants, malls and a golf course. Around 80 percent of the 2,500 villas and townhomes will enjoy all-around views of Cairo and the Pyramids of Giza. The hotel is currently under design and is expected to open in 2013.

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Tags: cairo, egypt, giza, hotel, mgm mirage, MgmMirage, pyramids

Panerai Ltd. Edition Radiomir Egiziano

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

As The Classicist noted in a column on Officine Panerai, the watchmaker founded in Florence in 1860, the firm got its start by supplying timepieces (and other instrumentation) to the Royal Italian Navy or Marina Militare. However they also produced special commissions for the elite branches of other countries' armed forces. One highly collectible example of such is a model made for the Egyptian Navy in 1956, limited to only 50 examples. Panerai has now ressurected the watch, dubbed the Radiomir Egiziano (above), for a new limited run. Only 300 pieces will be available at about $30,000 each. The watch features features a large lightweight brushed titanium case, a hand-wound movement with an 8-day power reserve, and a bi-directional rotating bezel. It comes on a thick tan leather strap fitted with a titanium buckle.

Tags: Diving, Egypt, Italy, Military, Officine Panerai, OfficinePanerai, Panerai

Armani Plans First Beach Residences

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Real Estate Developments

Armani's next design project has been revealed. Emaar Properties is working with Armani S.p.A to create beachfront residences in Marassi, Emaar's flagship resort development in Egypt on the Sidi Abdel Rahman Bay. Marassi is a gated community which will include a beach resort, town center, marina, golf course and hotels.

This will be the first villa offering under the Armani Residences collaboration (Armani's first residences project is at the Burj Dubai, the world's tallest building).The residences will include stacked villas and three- and four-bedroom villas facing the Mediterranean. Each unit will have a private pool and common amenities include a boardwalk lounge, health club, resort club, screening room, and public books. The furnishing and bespoke finishes will be designed by Armani and the homes will feature an exclusive range of Armani/Casa home furnishings.

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Tags: armani, design, egypt, resort

Azza Fahmy Egyptian Jewelry

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

At London's Fashion Week something other than new clothing designs were making an impression: the jewelry and accessories by designer Azza Fahmy were not only noticed but they were loved as well.

Formerly a "British Designer of the Year" and always an Egyptian native, Azza Fahmy has been working diligently with her two daughters to market her unique jewelry designs far from home in Western markets (due to Middle Eastern tastes leaning more towards karat weights and grams of gold than art and creative design). Western shoppers are eating up the beautiful jewelry, no matter the expensive prices ($250 and up), and Fahmy hopes that popularity in the West will lead to better business in the East.

There's always a balance to be had, of course, but I have to say I'm happy to be part of a culture that values art and design over cold hard cash value. She's got some really beautiful pieces, especially the necklace above!

Gallery: Azza Fahmy Egyptian Jewelry

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Tags: azza fahmy, AzzaFahmy, egypt, egyptian, fahmy, fashion week, FashionWeek, jewelry, london fashion week, LondonFashionWeek

The Luxor To Get De-Egypted

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The latest Las Vegas hotel to get a makeover will be the Luxor. As the Las Vegas Strip moves away from the its more theme park-like phase, the Egyptian theme of the Luxor seems a bit dated. Of course when your hotel has a giant pyramid it's a part of a challenge to stray from the original game plan. Nevertheless, the change is on. The pyramid and the beam of light will stay but the Egyptian theme inside will be toned down. Some changes are already underway such as the transformation of the Egyptian-themed RA nightclub being replaced by the soon-to-open LAX. The Egyptian-themed restaurants and shops are gone and according to this KVBC article, a possible name change, to The Pyramid, was even floated around.

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Tags: egypt, hotel, las vegas, las vegas strip, luxor, travel, vacation

Four Seasons Alexandria Set To Open In The Fall

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Alexandria, Egypt, a city rich in ancient ruins and also the home of the strikingly modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina will have a new place to stay. The Four Season Hotel Alexandria is part of San Stefano, a massive complex that includes residences, offices, a shopping mall and a marina all done on a grand scale that is nearly Dubai-esque. There are 127 rooms and suites overlooking the Mediterranean and the hotel has a restaurant, spa and a circular infinity pool on the fourth-floor terrace overlooking the Corniche and the Mediterranean. Reservations are available starting September 1 and rooms start at $250.

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Tags: alexandria, egypt, four seasons, hotel, travel, vacation

Serrenia

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Yachts & Sailing

Another mega marina is being created. This one, which has over 300 berths is part of a massive billion-dollar residential development called Serrenia on the Red Sea coast in Egypt, an hour's flight from Cairo. The complex includes a spa with an elevated infinity pool, a 200-bedroom, seven-star hotel, residential areas that include palaces, villas and apartments and something called the Hub, a shopping area beneath a floating roof. The marina features a flying-saucer-style yacht club that looks more like an airport lounge and in the center this blimp-on-end, the Serrenia Beacon. Work on the marina, which involves creating a big basin, will start at the tail end of this year with completion set for 2008.

[via The Yacht Report]

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Tags: development, egypt, red sea, serrenia