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Life of Luxury

Life of Luxury

How now, Macau?

Macao is an autonomous region on the south coast of China, across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong. A Portuguese territory until 1999, it reflects a mix of cultural influences. Its giant casinos and malls on the Cotai Strip, which joins the islands of Taipa and Coloane, have earned it the nickname, "Las Vegas of…

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Nutmeg Grenada

As much fun as it would be to wax on about this classy ride  from the 1970's (assuming that there are even any left that have not rusted their way back to Mother Earth.) No, this article is about a savoury Grenada of a different kind - Grenada, where more than 20% of the world’s…

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Some people have all the luck

Etihad Airways, our affiliate friends, have launched the third step of its golden jubilee celebrations as the UAE (United Arab Emirates) proclaims fifty years since its establishment.  In a group of videos released over the next few weeks, Etihad will pull together experts from the Formula 1, music and fashion  pundits from around the world, with…

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I’m still standing

Yeah, yeah yeah. We love old.  Old places, old things, old ideas, old values. And we love the fact that there's stuff  even older than us. So it thrills us to let you know (if you don't already) about Historic Hotels Worldwide.  As you might guess, they're exactly what it says on the label:  hotels of note…

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Tommie can you hear me?

It's always fun to see a new hotel opening, especially since designers have access to new and exploratorive materials with which to build them.  Bends and twists and supple to the touch, it never gets boring. So, please welcome Hyatt's new tommie Hollywood hotel (yes, small t.) Discover a hotel in the heart of Hollywood that…

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Right, said Fred again

We've featured Fred. Olsen cruises here -  they're one of our affiliate friends.  One of the reasons we like them is that they seem to come from a different angle than other cruise lines - a little playful, a little artistic. They also travel to places that are not frequented by other cruise lines.  And, in…

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Just itching to go

If you're a regular of our site, you'll know that we're fans of Sir Richard Branson, he of the Virgin empire.  Yes, he's wealthy, but we feel like his heart (and wallet) are in the right place. Well, hold your breath and have a look at Moskito Island.  Sir Richard owns the entire island, near Virgin…

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Here’s looking at Loo, kid

Loo =  toilet (UK) Public works are often joyless, utilitarian, just-get-it-done affairs.  Whether it's a road, or a bridge or even public restrooms, it makes you wonder why a little je ne sais quoi can't be in the building specifications. Happily, though, that's not always the case.  And here are some fine examples of where good taste…

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Echo Bay, far away in time

It is sometime a surprise (and sometimes a disapointment) when legendary places seem to blow away in the wind overnight, even after years of shining in the sun. In this case, we're featuring Lake Mead's Lodge, in Nevada, USA. The lake itself is famous for its shining blue presence in the dry, dry desert, and, also, a…

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Even the building is McChic

Who doesn't love Paris?  The home of art, style, fashion, history and style. Especially the latter.  Paris is SO chic that even its McDonalds is skinny. Close to Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris, it is located in a timberframe building and extremely narrow. The interior of this restaurant is very special too. Decorations in the same…

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Message in a bottle

Sending out an SOS . .  Some things are just not meant to be. The beautiful island of Montserrat is known for many things - breathtaking - almost otherworldly - scenery, surrounded by glorious seas, world-class architecture and, at one point, one of the top recording studios in the world. George Martin (probably the fifth…

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Like, how much actual money is there in the world?

If you added up all the money from all the countries in the world, how much would it amount to?  The short answer is, probably a lot. All jokes aside, to make this question answerable, let's start by asking, "How much money is there in actual United States dollars?" Since the statistics for the U.S. are…

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A penny for your plots, my dear

Buying a home is pricey, unless you plan on moving to the small town of Legrad in Croatia, in which case, it’s unbelievably cheap - as low as 1¢ US. Legrad once had the second-biggest population in Croatia, but when the Austro-Hungarian empire collapsed, new borders were formed. And the town — which is on the…

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Liechtenswhere?

One of the only two doubly landlocked nations in the world, the ‘Principality of Liechtenstein’ is unquestionably a European country worth exploring. As of July 2010, the nation accommodates a meagre population of 35,002. It is widely acknowledged as a tax haven and was accused of assisting wealthy Germans in tax evasions involving millions of Euros. Liechtenstein…

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Watch your step

We think this is a good thing:  recycling is the way forward.  And here's an unusual and creative take on it. A massive new theme park is being built in the Middle East - on an oil rig. The project, called The Rig, will be spread over a whopping 1.6 million sqft in Saudi Arabia…

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Never too small

There's a wonderful series on YouTube called Never Too Small.  It's short videos created by clever (usually young) people who, by choice or by necessity have taken an often tiny space and turned it into a comfortable and sensible dwelling. What we like about this channel is that, although the individuals have likely been forced…

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Red Sea spree

The Middle East is a hotbed of activity and promise, that's for sure.   And it seems like every day something new that's exciting, innovative and - in some cases - larger-than-life is underway in the region.(Have a look at some of our articles here for more.) In this case,  the Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) has…

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Where blue equals orange

We're uncomplicated, here.  Some of the most simple things make us the happiest.  In this case, we're really excited about a new joint venture that's just been announced. Canada's Air Transat and the UK's Easyjet have created a new cooperative to combine Air Transat and EasyJet flights to open up travel to over 130 additional…

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Harvey, get serious!

For those of you who are vaguely aware of Harvey Nichols (Harvey Nick's) in London, you might recall them as being targeted toward a more upper-crust audience.  Perhaps a bit dry. But, if you haven't had a look lately, you're in for a treat, especially if you're the playful type, no matter what your age.…

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