oil

"Earth Leak": Art Brings Disaster to Manhattan

Filed under: Art

As I walked the aisles of New York's Affordable Art Fair this past weekend, hoping to meet artists who'll someday become the mainstays of the auction scene, a powerful installation stopped me dead in my tracks. Black paint dripped from a white orb, which was suspended above a pile of once-white everyday household items. A milk carton and shoe, among other things, slowly turned black, as did the map of the world upon which they rested. An entanglement of pipes spread out from the dirtying action, and a quiet man sat on the floor beneath one of them, looking content and relaxed.

So, I had to interrupt his piece.

This is how I met Kamol Akhunov, the artist responsible for "Earth Leak". Inspired by the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Akhunov's installation drives home the message that a disaster thousands of miles away can affect our daily lives, as suggested by the black paint falling upon the pile of household goods, as well as the map beneath them.

Gallery: Earth Leak at the Affordable Art Fair

Artist Kamol Akhumov with Earth Leak at the Affordable Art Fair

Tags: affordable art, affordable art fair, affordable artwork, art exhibit, Art Exhibition, art exhibits, art fair, art show, artist, Artists, artwork, gulf of mexico, Gulf of Mexico oil leak, Gulf of Mexico oil spill, Gulf of Mexico spill, manhattan, new york, new york city, oil, oil spill

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$308 Million Monaco Penthouse Purchased by Abramovich Associate? [UPDATED]

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Wealth

A well-connected Luxist follower has written in to inform us of the identity of the buyer of the record-shattering $308 million Monaco penthouse (above) we just reported on. The new owner of the world's most expensive apartment we're told is Greek billionaire Constantine Alexander-Goulandris, a close friend and business associate of Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich. According to Wikipedia, the American-born Alexander-Goulandris, 47, who's based in Monaco, is an influential adviser to the Saudi royal family and the emirs of Qatar and Kuwait, as well as the leaders of the UAE and many of the world's largest oil companies.

In addition to Abramovich he's also close to Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin. Though not on Forbes' list of the world's richest people, he's said to be worth an estimated $15 billion thanks to investments in petroleum and energy shipping and real estate, including the Olympic Tower building in NYC. In addition to Monaco Alexander-Goulandris reportedly maintains residences in Paris, London, Antibes, New York and Hawaii. He also owns one of the largest yachts in the world, the Dubai-registered, 279-ft. Delma, and jets around on a Boeing 767 and two Gulfstream G550s.

UPDATE: The buyer was in fact a member of Dubai's royal family; Alexander-Goulandris acted as an adviser - read more here.

Gallery: $308 Million in Monaco

Tags: apartment, Dubai, Lily Safra, Monaco, most expensive, oil, penthouse, real estate, Roman Abramovich, Saudi, UAE, Vladimir Putin, wealth, worlds most expensive

Shiekh Wheels: Rolls-Royce Debuts Bespoke Editions for Abu Dhabi

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wealth

A regular old Rolls-Royce? Strictly for peasants, my friend. No filthy rich oil sheikh would be caught dead in one. Hence the new bespoke Phantom editions built specially for Abu Dhabi, which as we all know has the actual cash, as opposed to Dubai which thrives on flash and debt thanks to Abu Dhabi's indulgence. Inspired by the emirate's "rich culture and landscape" emphasis on rich – the new models are of course extremely vulgar and insanely expensive. The special edition Phantom Drophead Coupe (above) is called Shaheen, after the local word for the prestigious peregrine falcon used for hunting. It features a marquise-white exterior with Tudor red lines and a red and seashell leather interior, brass falcon inlays and falcon embroidered head-rests. The Phantom sedan meanwhile is named Baynunah after Abu Dhabi's sand dune covered western region. Fittingly finished in shades of brown and tan, it features hand-crafted inlay and marquetry, some of it applied with tweezers to ensure maximum precision, and a solid gold Spirit of Ecstasy on the hood. Better bring a solid gold bucket.

Gallery: Rolls-Royce Abu Dhabi Editions

Tags: Abu Dhabi, bespoke, custom cars, Dubai, hunting, oil, Rolls Royce, Rolls-Royce, Rolls-Royce Phantom, sheikh, UAE, wealth

Slatkin & Co. Tropical Escape Collection

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

Slatkin & Co. Tropical Escape Collection

Luxist Beauty Expert and "Home Fragrance King" Harry Slatkin and his Slatkin & Co. have released -- in the nick of time to beat the winter blues -- the Tropical Escape Collection. And I admit, after just one whiff of these concentrated scents, I had a vision of myself on a beach, far away from the cold temps and dry air of NYC.

Slatkin & Co.'s three new island-inspired fragrances (think fruit, florals, and spice) are available in candles, home fragrance oils, concentrated room fragrances, and plug-in electric diffusers. In addition to the new scents, some classic favorite fragrances will round out the collection, which comprises:

Caribbean Escape (new): A tropical blend of melon, raspberry nectar, and Italian lemon, tempered with creamy coconut milk and raw sugarcane.
Island Margarita (new): An exotic blend of mandarin, blue iris, and green plum highlighted with sweet tangelo and rare sandalwood.
Seaside Escape (new): A delightful blend of bright citrus, jasmine, and dark rum layered with guava, rich vanilla, and musk.
Cool Tropical Breeze (odor-eliminating): A light, fruity blend of citrus, berry, and papaya layered with warm rum, sheer white freesia and musk

Saudi Arabian Gold Rush

by Tracy Chait (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Luxury Travel & Hotels

As it turns out, Saudi Arabia may have not one of the world's most lucrative resources (duh, oil) but two. Recent prospectors have set their sights on Saudi Arabian sands to dig for gold in addition to other precious metals. The first commercial prospector allowed to set up mines in Saudi Arabia is Ma'aden, which has already invested $5.5 billion in equipment and development costs. When it comes to digging for financial rewards, who knew sand could be so fertile?

[via Fortune]

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Tags: gold, gold mine, GoldMine, maaden, oil, saudi arabia, SaudiArabia

Fuel Prices Cause Airlines to Cut Costs Any Way They Can

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

Last week I mentioned the fact that MAXJet was ceasing operations this week also brought news that Big Sky Airlines, which has had a partnership with Delta Airlines, plans to close up shop and sell their planes. With the price of oil shooting up to the magic $100-a-barrel mark, airlines are on a frantic quest to either reduce costs or risk going out of business. Some are raising fares or put more passengers on each flight but others are trying to lighten the load anyway they can. The changes sound minor, like using less paint or beverage carts that weigh less but little changes can make a big difference.

And it may be that planes in the U.S. need it most. A recent report from the International Air Transport Association said that profit probably would fall from $5.6 billion in 2007 to $5 billion in 2008 worldwide, with most of the decline coming in North America. Why? Because many planes used here are older gas guzzlers. But there is hope, Alaska Airlines plans to replace 16 MD-80 planes with more fuel-efficient 737-800s and American is modifying the tail cones on their MD-80 planes to be more aerodynamic. US Airways is carrying less extra fuel on flights and ordering new aircraft and Delta is retrofitting planes with wingtip extensions that improve fuel efficiency. Delta is also trying to fly less half-empty planes.

Unfortunately it seems that airlines are in a difficult predicament, one that, if you check out this WaPo article, they've been fretting about since 2005. They can't raise airfares too much unless everyone does it and they can't buy new, more fuel-efficient planes unless they are making a profit. It does make me think though that the days of lucking into a flight where you have an empty seat next to you, or even the infinitely desirable row to yourself may be a thing of the past. Given the global warming factor, I might even find myself feeling a bit guilty if the seat next to me isn't filled.

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Tags: airlines, expire-images:2009-1-4, fuel, oil

Usiku Organic Bath & Body Collection

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

We're not there yet but the holidays are just around the corner, and along with them all the stress of thinking up gift ideas for everybody and finding time to shop. Some bath and body products probably belong on your shopping list regardless, whether as a gift for someone or just a way to help yourself relax amidst the annual holiday stresses, and I'm thinking the Usiku Organic Bath Collection sounds particularly good since they work for men or women and I love all things organic (not to mention the fragrance description sounds heavenly).

The collection from Jo Wood includes body soap, body lotion, body oil, and bath oil, and prices range from $24-$125 each.

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Tags: bath, bath collection, bath oil, BathCollection, BathOil, body, gift, gifts, holidash, holidays, Jo wood, JoWood, lotion, neiman marcus, NeimanMarcus, oil, organic, relax, shopping, soap, stress, usiku

Luxury In Excess?

by Erin Mays (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Luxury cars are special in every way, from the state-of-the-art technology powering them and rare materials appointing their interiors to the aerospace-grade compounds they're built with to keep their weight down. Unlike most of the cars the rest of us drive, luxury cars are the epitome of wealth in another way -- the amount of gas it takes to power them.

Forbes has come out with a list of the "Top 10 Gas Guzzlers of 2007," or as we like to call them, the "Top 10 Ways to Support the Petroleum Market Via Automobiles" for a more positive spin. Topping the list (after a long list of disclaimers including how the 2007 GM HUMMER SUV doesn't appear on the list because the EPA hasn't rated it yet and other qualifiers) is the Lamborghini Murciélago two-door, which costs $3,505 per year to operate. In a three-way tie for second, the Bentley Arnage sedan, Bentley Azure convertible and Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano coupe all come in at $3,213.

These and other cars on the list, such as the Aston Martin DB9 and the Ferrari F430, are unlikely to be daily drivers; however, other vehicles on the list, like the GMC Sierra, Nissan Armada and Jeep Grand Cherokee do a bit more traveling. The moral of the story for the environmentally aware? If you're not up for one of the newfangled electric supercars, you won't feel too bad taking your Maybach out on the weekends if your daily driver gets great mileage.

[Source: Forbes]

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Tags: aston martin, AstonMartin, bentley, bmw, ferrari, gas guzzler, GasGuzzler, gasoline, maybach, oil, petrol, porsche

Table Top Fireplace

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Gadgets

Fireplaces are not relied upon for light and heat to the degree that they once were, if at all, and now serve more often as an accent piece, a live-action art display. The Table Top Fireplace is a miniature oil-burning fireplace that looks like a work of art but doubles as a light source, giving it a degree of functionality that most other fireplaces lack. It measures only 10"x14" and is made of stainless steel "logs" on a slate base. Use it as an accent in an office or take it outside when entertaining as a substitute for a firepit. Price: $340.

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Tags: fire, fireplace, generate, office, oil, oil lamp, slate, table, table top fireplace, TableTopFireplace