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The success of his namesake Italian fashion brand provided BRUNELLO CUCINELLI the resources to acquire and restore the historic properties in the center of Solomeo, a medieval village in Umbria. He began the project in 1985 and relocated his company to Solomeo from the nearby city of Perugia two years later. The restoration has transformed the village into a self-sustaining community and a veritable work utopia.  

“When I first started the company in 1978, …

Benetti’s FB265 M/Y 11?11 superyacht is a sleek and stylish superyacht marked by graceful, arching curves; 180-degree windows; and an open-concept interior. With luxurious lounges and an abundance of entertaining spaces, the 207-foot masterpiece promises plenty of fun at sea. (benettiyachts.it)

 

The artists Cao Fei and John Baldessari will create the next BMW Art Cars (bmw-welt.com)—numbers 18 and 19 in a series that began in 1975, when Alexander Calder painted a 3.0 CSL. Every few years, BMW assembles a panel of art experts who select an artist (or two, for this year) and invite her or him to use a current BMW racecar or road car as a canvas. Jeff Koons painted the last Art Car, an M3 GT2 (shown above), in 2010. The collection is on display at the BMW Museum in Munich. Cao and Baldessari will each wo…

Hailing back to 1692, South Africa’s Babylonstoren is a historic Cape Dutch farm that evokes images of the Garden of Eden. Spread across eight acres, the property’s gardens are woven together in a maze-like tapestry of sectional plots, each one brimming with different types of plants, trees, berries, fruits, vegetables, and beehives. Inspired equally by the hanging gardens of Babylon and van Riebeeck’s garden (which supplied ships sailing between Asia and Europe), the rural retreat now functions as a working f…

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MALCOLM ROGERS, the former director of Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, long coveted a sculpture that he had seen featured on the cover of a magazine. By chance, decades later he came to own that very work of art.  

“I am a naturally acquisitive collector of painting, sculpture, and decorative art, and I most prefer the three-dimensional. I’m so omnivorous, some might consider me a pack rat, but I feel differently. I love beauty, and I love bringing beauty int…

Introduced in January in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show, the new Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S (porsche.com) deliver more power than their predecessors and display revised styling. Both models are available as a coupe or cabriolet. The redesign includes a new front valance, narrower LED headlights, and an array of new scoops and aerodynamic details. Together, the changes lend the cars a sleeker look. For both models, the power output has been increased by 20 hp: The 911 Turbo’s twin-turb…

Epicures enticed by tony tipples will not want to miss the Nth 2016 Ultimate Whisky Experience at the Encore at Wynn Las Vegas from March 2 through 5. Presented by Mahesh Patel, founder of Universal Whisky Experience, the four-day devotional to the dram will feature master classes, rare tastings, and paired culinary events—all with many A-List aficionados.

The bespoke bacchanal begins on Wednesday, March 2, with a dinner hosted by Joël Robuchon at his eponymous, Michelin three-star restaurant within the…

For travelers who enjoy the comforts of traditional train travel but need the speed of an intercontinental jet, a new interior from Airbus aims to satisfy. The Airbus Corporate Jet Centre, in Toulouse, France, has completed an art deco–inspired custom cabin in an ACJ319 jet for a company in Asia. Combining comfort, function, and innovative design, the interior (for up to 19 passengers) features five individual mini-suites—each with its own storage spaces—that evoke the privacy and coziness of a vintage-tr…

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Sixteen years ago, the British jeweler STEPHEN WEBSTER bought an all-original 1959 Ford Thunderbird for $5,000. Three years later he enlisted the help of his friend Jeff Feero to restore it. When the car was finished in 2007, Webster and Feero celebrated by taking it on a 10-day road trip from New York City to Santa Monica, Calif.

“The significance of a cross-country road trip hits you almost immediately. You don’t have to go very far beyond the first gas station bef…

This year, Chinese New Year falls on February 8, kicking off a 15-day festival in which Chinese communities around the world will celebrate the beginning of the Year of the Fire Monkey. Every year in the Chinese Zodiac, one of five elements (wood, fire, earth, or metal) is attached to the animal sign. Those born in the Year of the Monkey are said to be energetic, quick-witted, self-assured, and sociable—an ideal personality type for those who like to make a statement. So, in honor of the event, here …