When Villa Rockledge was built in 1918, Laguna Beach was unspoiled and idyllic. Plein air painters had arrived at the turn of the century to capture the scenic beauty of the seaside community, and Hollywood’s upper echelon had started driving the couple of hours south to film and vacation.

Completed in 1921 with no use of machinery, the 12-bedroom, 11-bathroom estate (listed on the National Register of Historic Places) is a Mediterranean Revival work of art, with no identical nor perfectly rectangular rooms…

Originally published in the Fall 2015 issue of Robb Report Health & Wellness as “Cognitive Concerto”

A celebratory score for the gains made in brain health

The late neurologist Oliver Sacks famously likened the brain to a “vastly complicated orchestra with thousands of instruments, an orchestra that conducts itself, with an ever-changing score and repertoire.” Remarkably, that entire orchestra weighs just 3 pounds, a mere 2 percent of the average person’s total body weight, but it requires 20 percent…

Whereas many new yachts and concepts are named for a Greek god or an exotic-sounding word that translates into something benign like “the good life,” the name of the Komorebi concept trimaran superyacht goes a little deeper. The 282-foot sailing yacht concept, penned by the Parisian design firm VPLP, is named after the Japanese word komorebi (“curtain of light”)—referring to the beauty of nature enhanced by the sun as its rays filter through the leaves of trees or through clouds after a rainstorm—a fitting nam…

Founded in 1897, Betteridge is one of the premier high-end watch and jewelry boutiques in the United States. So, when the RobbReport.com editorial team decided to compile a roundup of watches every well-dressed man should own, we knew just who to contact. Win Betteridge, director of business development at the prestigious Greenwich, Conn., emporium, shares five of his favorite timepieces (available at Betteridge) for the well-heeled gentleman. (betteridge.com)

For a little inspiration for your holiday feast, here is a list of master sommelier Ian Cauble’s top 10 Thanksgiving wines. In addition to starring in the documentary films Somm and Somm: Into the Bottle, Cauble is a cofounder of the e-commerce wine business SommSelect. Each day, he offers a unique wine selection from around the world to a list of clients via e-mail who receive access to some of the best prices online. Shipping is included on most orders. Join SommSelect.

I am the wine guy in the family, …

An epicurean extravaganza awaits attendees of the third annual Ultimo, a Weekend of Excellence, in Las Vegas. Taking place at the Venetian and the Palazzo Las Vegas from December 17 through 20, the event will be hosted by 15 award-winning chefs including Jérôme Bocuse, Thomas Keller, and Daniel Boulud.

The event kicks off with a cooking competition where up-and-coming chefs vie for a chance to represent the United States in 2017 at the Bocuse d’Or, the biennial world chef championship. Following the competi…

For most of the United States, overcoats are a necessity for the winter months, but they do not have to be bulky and unsightly. Here are RobbReport.com’s favorites for this season—unsurprisingly, they are all Italian. 

Strictly by the numbers, the 25th edition of the Monaco Yacht Show was a record breaker. Visitor attendance this year was 34,500—1,500 more than last year’s show. There were 121 superyachts at the show, with over 530 exhibiting companies, making it the largest show in its 24-year history.

But the world’s largest superyacht event is about more than just numbers. This year the docks were abuzz with a positive mood, and yacht builders appeared happier than they had been for years. With a focus on expansion, the show organizers added a Monte Carlo Tender Show, a water-toys show, a p…

Taking a 150-year horologic legacy to the next level, the Tag Heuer Connected Watch brings an interconnected world to the wrist. A collaborative effort between the Swiss manufacture, the Intel Corporation, and Google, the high-tech timepiece combines traditional craftsmanship with state-of-the-art smart processing—a tribute to the past that beats a path to the future.

Though digital, the watch replicates Tag Heuer’s mechanical Carrera collection for its three virtual dial selections (a chronograph, standard…

A stunning 1933 Chrysler Custom Imperial Phaeton won Best in Show at the 14th annual Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival and Concours d’Elegance, which took place October 23 to November 1. The event brought hundreds of collectible vehicles to the Port Royal Golf Club and the roads of South Carolina’s Low Country.

The Imperial, belonging to Joseph and Margie Cassini of West Orange, N.J., brought additional limelight to Chrysler, which was also this year’s featured marque. The custom Phaeton features a long …