Robb Report’s Travel, Dining, and Shopping Guide to Art Basel Miami Beach 2015

For both first-time attendees and veterans of the show, Art Basel Miami Beach can be an overwhelming slew of activity. As Art Basel begins taking over Miami’s booming Design District, Robb Report offers its top recommendations for travel, dining, and shopping to help show-goers navigate this extraordinary weekend of luxury fashion and design.
 

Come for Art Basel Miami, Stay for Some of the World’s Best Shopping [SLIDESHOW]
In between Art Basel exhibits, shop in Miami’s booming Design District…
S…

The Seven Best Restaurants for Art Basel Miami [SLIDESHOW]

Hundreds of artisans, celebrities, and sightseers will soon descend upon the streets of Miami for Art Basel, taking place December 3 through 6. After feasting their eyes on some of the world’s newest and most compelling art across all mediums, attendees can satiate their appetites in some of the Magic City’s best restaurants. From trendy Japanese joints to understated neighborhood bistros, each eatery is an ideal setting for decompressing and discussing the most exciting compositions from the day. (a…

The Top Five Luxury Car Debuts from the Los Angeles Auto Show [SLIDESHOW]

Although many of the year’s hottest cars already made their first appearances a few months ago in Frankfurt, a few manufacturers saved some love for the Los Angeles Auto Show with world debuts from Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Lincoln, Porsche, and Range Rover. Conspicuously, Bentley and Lamborghini were missing from the show floor, with their parent company Volkswagen still embroiled in a scandal over its diesel emissions, but there were plenty of other beautiful exotics to admire. Here are the five most exciting world debuts from the We…

Pretend You’re a Racecar Driver in Lamborghini’s New Rear-Wheel-Drive Huracán

All-wheel drive too tame for you? The new rear-wheel-drive Lamborghini Huracán LP 580-2 provides the responsive feel of a racecar for drivers who want to add a little spice to their Sant’Agata bull. Building on the popularity of the original all-wheel-drive Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 (introduced in 2014), the new version offers the sportier handling and performance dynamics delivered by the alternate differential.

Weighing in at only 3,062 pounds, thanks to its aluminum and carbon-fiber chassis, the n…

The World’s Second-Largest Diamond Unearthed in Botswana

Earlier this month, Lucara Diamond, a Canadian-based mining company with quarries in Botswana and Lesotho, unearthed the second-largest diamond ever discovered, the Karowe AK6. Discovered in Botswana using newly installed X-ray technology, the 1,111-carat gem is roughly the size of a tennis ball. It is second only to the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond that was discovered in 1905 and cut into the Crown Jewels of the British monarchy.

Hailed as one of the most significant gemological discoveries in over a centu…

Vacheron Constantin’s Latest Timepiece Is a 21st-Century Beauty Born in the ’50s

With Vacheron Constantin’s Historiques Cornes de Vache 1955, the world’s oldest continuously operating manufacture advances the art of horology while remaining true to its past. The new timepiece pays tribute to the watchmaker’s first water-resistant and anti-magnetic chronograph—born in the 1950s and carrying the reference number 6087—which has gone on to become one of the three most sought-after models by collectors of the brand.

Named for the same distinctive cow-horn-shaped lugs that graced the original…

Indian’s Latest Bike Proves the Legendary Brand Is Back on Track

Indian Motorcycle, the first American motorbike manufacturer and a mainstay of the motorsport for the first half of the 20th century, has been going full-throttle since its return in 2013—and the new 2016 Indian Scout Sixty is the latest feather in its headdress. Based on the popular Scout model that debuted at the Black Hills Motor Classic in 2014, the 542-pound Scout Sixty has the look and feel of the latter, while being friendlier to first-time riders.

Still a powerful performer, the 999 cc midsize f…

You Can Now Own and Fly a Replica of the German Junkers F13 Aircraft

Rimowa (a 117-year-old German luggage manufacturer) has built a stunning modern replica of the historic Junkers F13 airplane, which was built by the Germans at the end of World War I (and named for its designer Hugo Junkers) as the world’s first all-metal transport aircraft. The company is now taking orders to custom-build more examples for private owners. Rimowa worked alongside Kaelin Aero Technologies, also based in Germany, copying original parts borrowed from the five remaining F13s (all housed in museums…

Robb Report Club Members Take a Fall New England Drive with Aston Martin…

In October, Robb Report Club Members took in the brilliant oranges, reds, and yellows of New England’s fall foliage through Aston Martin windshields, stopping throughout the drive at a curated selection of must-see destinations. The five-night excursion began in Greenwich, Conn., at the Homestead Inn, where guests enjoyed multiple courses at the hotel’s French restaurant Thomas Henkelmann, along with wine pairings by Sequoia Grove. During the next day’s drive, Westchester County’s Union Church, home to artist …

A New Resort in the Epicenter of Bali’s Hindu Culture

Originally published in the December issue of Robb Report as “Spirit of Bali”

The village of Ubud is the epicenter of Bali’s Hindu culture, where ancient temples rise from forests filled with sacred trees. The best way to tour the town and its mystical surrounds is from the back of Mandapa’s (ritzcarlton.com) vintage Volkswagen 181, a model that served as transport for the Indonesian island’s mayors during the 1960s and ’70s. 

Opened in September as Ritz-Carlton’s third Reserve property, Mandapa…