Filed under: Wine

Unlike the west coast which could host a different wine event everyday, the east coast doesn’t have as many opportunities to showcase such a variety of wines without having to fly in cases and cases. Sure, the Finger Lakes region in upstate New York has wonderful wines to taste but the breadth of options is far overshadowed by the large tastings that can easily take place in California. All of that is to say if you live in NYC you don’t want to miss this tasting event, The Top of the List Tasting, featuring honored wines from the annual Restaurant Awards conducted by Wine & Spirits Magazine.

On June 2nd at City Winery over 100 vintners will pour wine to expand and please your palate accompanied by food offerings from such restaurants as Milos, The River Cafe, and Convivo along with an oyster bar. Tickets can be purchased in advance online for $75 and there are separate retrospective tastings that you can express your interest for on the event’s website…the cost of those isn’t clearly stated. The Top of the List Tasting is a great excuse to introduce someone to the wonder of wine or just enjoy an evening out with a great purpose. Who doesn’t need to sniff, swirl and savor a little wine on a Tuesday night?

[via Vinography]

NYC’s Wine & Spirits Restaurant Tasting, June 2nd originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 31 May 2009 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Estates

When a woman can afford to lose a few million on a home she’s never lived in then you know she’s got some money to throw around. While arts philanthropist Iris Cantor is willing to reduce the price her four-bedroom penthouse in New York several million below what she paid for it (she paid $15 million in 2006, it is now listed at $11.9 million) so far her home in Bel Air, California hasn’t had a price drop. Give it time, it’s only been on the market a couple of months. At $53 million, it enjoys some pretty rarefied air at the top of the Los Angeles real estate market.

The home on St. Cloud Road bears the name La Belle Vie, and showcases a spectacularly lavish lifestyle. The home is approximately 35,000 square feet with nine bedrooms and 21 bathrooms. As the Real Estalker reported back in February, Iris Cantor and her husband, the late Bernie Cantor of Cantor Fitzgerald bought the land and built this house in the early 1990s. It’s more house than any one couple could ever need and has three kitchens, 12 wood burning fireplaces and underground parking for up to 10 luxury automobiles. The decor is unbearably fancy aspiring to a Marie Antoinette level of fripperty and flounce, flawless in every detail but lacking even the vaguest nod to livability. Crystal chandeliers, marble floors and huge draperies give this home the look of a very elegant hotel. The home features fine sculpture and rooms include a family room, den, office, media room, billiard room and a beauty parlor. Will she get her price? She had the home on the market way back in 200 for $45 million but after two years there was no sale. It seems like she couldn’t have picked a worse time to try again.

Experience more lush living in luxury homes and mansions or see the stars living large with celebrity homes galleries at AOL Real Estate.

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Continue reading La Belle Vie, Estate of the Day

La Belle Vie, Estate of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 31 May 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces

Now up to 45mm wide (up from 43mm) the Baume & Mercier Riviera Magnum XXL beats the older XL in size and design for the look of the sportier version of the standard Riviera watch that wasn’t exactly stuffy to begin with. Complications include a 30 minute flyback chronograph powered by the automatic mechanical Ref. 8834 movement that is likely a modified Valjoux 7750. The dial of the watch is something you’ve probably noticed. Call it skeletonized, call it a “view to the movement,” the dial is actually a black tinted sapphire crystal. The text and Roman numerals are applied directly on the tinted dial in luminant.

The case is PVD coated steel with a cool looking sandblasted look. Everything about it is big from the four large hex screws, chronograph pushers, and massive crown. It is hard to tell in the images but the left side of the case is decorated with vertical cutaway slits (Baume & Mercier says they are meant to remind you of a car grill). The case is also 200 meters water resistant and features a exhibition caseback. Despite what is likely broad appeal, the Baume & Mercier Riviera Magnum XXL Flyback Chronograph watch will be limited to just 1000 pieces. A nice action version of the already sporty Riviera Magnum watch line.

Ariel Adams publishes the popular watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Baume & Mercier Riviera Magnum XXL Flyback Chronograph Watch originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 31 May 2009 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Jewelry

Jewel thieves have struck in Paris once again. BBC News reports that a man in a suit and a fedora went into the Chopard store on Place Vendome and forced the staff to give him 15 pieces of jewelry at gunpoint. His haul is worth mroe than $8 million. The hold-up took place in the mid-afternoon and lasted just a couple minutes. The dapper thief, estimated to be in his 50s, then simply walked out of the store. What a way to spend a weekend.

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Smooth Operator Steals French Jewels In Broad Daylight originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 31 May 2009 02:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces, Events

Swiss makers Thomas Prescher and Angular Momentum have organized a special multi-day presentation of some of the most interesting and exclusive independent luxury watch brands out there. Such makers often struggle to get the message out about their watches, but once their timepieces are known, they are often very well received by the watch lover population. By banding together, they draw on each others’ products resulting in what should be a very interesting exhibition of watches and watch makers. The event will take place from June 18 - June 21 at the Angular Momentum Time Gallery (located at Brunngasse 58 in 3011 Bern, Switzerland).

The Time Gallery is a special multipurpose watch store and gallery which is a perfect location to showcase the wonderful watches. Aside from luxury novelties from both Angular Momentum and Thomas Prescher, notable brands will include Svend Andersen, Vianney Halter, Voutilainen, Pita, and Louis Moinet - among a few others as well. In addition to the watches being on display (and for sale most likely) the watch makers themselves will be present during the duration of the exhibit available to discuss their fine timepieces. And excellent opportunity to meet and mingle with true modern masters.

For more information contact Thomas Prescher or Angular Momentum (link to e-mail addresses), or call 41 (0)32 315 28 66.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

“Handcrafted Time” High-Luxury Independent Timepiece Event In Switzerland originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 31 May 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping, Crimes and Misdemeanors

The infamous Pyrenees Castle in Alhambra, California may soon be on the market. The London Times says that now that Phil Spector has received a !9-year sentence for the murder of Lana Clarkson he is looking to sell the home and his collection of music memorabilia, much of it from people he worked with as a music producer, to fund his appeal. Spector bought the castle in 1998 for $1.1 million, telling Esquire magazine: “I’ve brought myself a beautiful and enchanting castle in a hick town.” The hilltop abode’s surrounding walls bear a sign that reads “Phil Spector’s Pyrenees Castle.”

The 30-room mansion has a past of its own. It was built by Sylvester Dupuy who spared no expense to create a home that replicated a chateau he had seen in France. His version has 10-bedrooms, a game room, breakfast room and a large wine cellar. Dupuy lost most of his fortune in oil investments shortly before his death in 1936 and in 1946, the castle was sold and converted into an eight-unit apartment dwelling. It changed hands a few more times over the years and all sorts of legends have sprung up about the home. Jurors got a tour of the home during Spector’s murder trial. How much is the castle worth? According to the Times article, the home where Clarkson was murdered could only be worth around $1 million which seems a bit low to me even given the home’s infamy.

Will Phil Spector Sell His Home To Raise Cash? originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 31 May 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

From Berg Properties Big Time Listings:
–Actor Patrick Dempsey may have found a buyer for his four-bedroom Bel-Air home which was most recently on the market for $3.295 million.
–Los Angeles weather forecaster Kaj Goldberg has placed his three-bedroom house in the Sherman Oaks area of Los Angeles, shown above, up for sale for $1.249 million. The property website is here.
–Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich has placed his Washington DC condo on the market for $570,000. The listing is here.
A renovated, Cape Cod-style home in Beverly Hills owned by the late actor Darren McGavin until he sold it just before his death in early 2006 has come back on the market for $2.795 million. The listing is here.
–The home that was used in the Ferris Bueller movie as his best friend’s home is on the market in Highland Park, Illinois for $2.3 million.

From the LA Times Hot Property:
–Actor Hank Azaria paid $10 million for a seven-bedroom home in Bel-Air. As the Real Estalker reported last month this home was last listed $13.975 million.
–Oakland Raiders quarterback Jeff Garcia and his Playboy model wife, Carmella, have sold their Manhattan Beach home for $2.5 million.
Former NFL linebacker Mike Croel and his wife, Cassaundra, have sold their Sunset Strip-area home for $1.912 million.
–Actor Jim Belushi has leased out a Brentwood house he owns for $11,500 a month.
–L.A. Kings player Tom Preissing has put his Manhattan Beach home on the market. We checked this one out on Saturday.
–Shannen Doherty has listed her Malibu mansion for $4 million.

From the NY Post’s Gimme Shelter:
–James Marden, whose father, Bernard, was one of Berni Madoff’s largest victims, has sold his Wainscott home at 42 Beach Lane. It is in contract for around $11.2 million.
–Another Madoff victim, David Silver, is also selling his oceanfront beach house, which is in contract for around $6.9 million but was originally listed at $14 million.
–Marden’s ex-wife, Iris, a broker at Stribling, is selling her three-bedroom, 3 1/2-bath TriBeCa penthouse at 7 Hubert St. for $12.5 million. The listing is here.
–Hamptons developer Joe Farrell has bought property for the first time in 18 months picking up a couple acres in Bridgehampton and an acre in Southampton Village. He’s planning to build two “small” houses. For him that means a house priced at just under $5 million and one for around $3 million.
–Seth Meyers looked at a one-bedroom $1.195 million condo at 380 W. 12th St. The listing is here.

From Newsday’s Real LI:
–A piece of land just under nine acres in Amagansett has gone on the market for the steep price of $200 million.

From Cityfile’s Buyers & Sellers:
–via the NY Post, Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. has a NYC apartment but now he has a second home in Eldred, New York. His 10 acres of land also includes a barn with a recording studio.
–via the Real Deal, a full-floor apartment at the former Stanhope Hotel sold for $17 million. It was originally listed at $31 million.
–Furniture designer Stuart Parr has sold his condo at 25 Fifth Avenue for $1.35 million.
via Page Six, poker champ Vadim Trincher has picked up a condo at Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue for $5 million which is $1 million less than the asking price.
Hedge fund manager/art collector Adam Sender and his wife Lenore have sold their fourth-floor apartment at 109 Greene Street for $3.695 million.
–Padma Lakshmi has transferred ownership of a full-floor loft at 211 East 2nd Street to a trust called “The Delicious Trust” for $0. Lakshmi purchased the loft in early 2008 for $1.65 million.
–JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon’s Chicago home is now listed for $10.5 million, $3 million less than it was back in 2007.

From the Real Estalker:
–Nicole Kidman has sold off her Sydney, Australia home in Darling Point for $13,200,000 (AUS) and picked up a duplex penthouse for around $6,000,000 (AUS).
–Actor/singer Jesse McCartney has put his two bedroom home in the Hollywood Hills on the market for $1.199 million. The listing is here.
–David Niven Jr. has put his home on Blue Jay Way in Los Angeles on the market for $5.75 million. The listing is here.
Kirsten Dunst has listed her home for $1.7 million.

Continue reading Sunday Real Estate Round-Up, 05/31/09

Sunday Real Estate Round-Up, 05/31/09 originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 31 May 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handbags

Rebecca Minkoff must love rustic shades of orange because last month we posted on papaya-colored ‘Stud Devote Belted Tote‘ and now today we have this Mini Mini-MAB bag that comes in the same shade. It’s tiny and boxy and full of personality despite having very little adornments aside from decorative tassels on the zippers. It has lots of pockets, one outside on the front and two on each side plus several zip, slip, and cell phone pockets inside. A nice, functional way to add a blast of color to your outfit without making too large a statement. $295

Mini Mini-MAB Bag, Handbag of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 31 May 2009 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys, Art

The owner of the Coco Reef Resort in Bermuda really wants you to buy a painting when you visit a new fine art gallery and restaurant in Paget, so much so that he’ll make your vacation free if you buy some art. The new Caribbean fine arts gallery will be located in the former Triminghams store on South Road in Paget near the hotel. The Royal Gazette reports that the gallery will have an artist in residence available for visitors to watch working. The $7 million gallery, wine and tapas bar is due to open soon and will have a lavish look with marble floors, crystal chandeliers and “the most luxurious bathrooms in the region.” As for the painting deal, a minimum purchase will be required. Rates at the Coco Reef start around $450 a night.

Buy Art, Get A Free Vacation In Bermuda originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 31 May 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The new bean-to-cup machine, Piacere by German firm Sielaff, is a pure coffee delight. Its elegant design with a mirror-finish and striking LED lighting draws you into the coffee experience. Piacere (meaning pleasure in Italian) is a compact…

Filed under: Journeys, Wings

London’s Heathrow Airport seems to be the spot if you want to wile away a layover in a luxury airport lounge. The latest comes from an alliance between Delta Air Lines and the Air France KLM group. The two-level minimalist styled lounge features a spa, restaurant, wine bar, oxygen bar and entertainment hub. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also reports that the lounge has an indoor “living wall” made up of over 60 types of plants which is located near various seating areas. Weary travelers can sit in full-body massage chairs, use personal computers, take a shower or grab a nap in a daybed.

Heathrow Airport also has a lavish British Airways airport lounge and Virgin’s Heathrow clubhouse is more like a resort with a Cowshed spa that includes tanning booths, a Bumble and bumble hair salon, a pool, cinema, cocktail bar and a business center. The airport boasts a variety of restaurants including one by Gordon Ramsay and shopping that includes Burberry, Versace, Hermes and Cartier.

Delta and KLM Offer A New Reason To Hang At Heathrow originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 30 May 2009 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handbags

I posted on this plastic Mulberry Ice-Cream tote earlier this month and now here’s another clear plastic handbag: the Tattoo Tote from Coach. There’s a whole group of Coach bags with their new “Tattoo” styling, this one in the form of a transparent PVC tote bag with white leather trim and braided goldtone double chain link handles. It comes with the little leather pouch shown, that attaches with a gold chain, and the tote has no interior pockets but it does have a ring inside for clipping accessories or keys. $648

Coach Tattoo Tote, Handbag of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 30 May 2009 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Jewelry

We’ve been seeing exposed zippers on many handbags lately. From Alexander Wang’s Donna Washed Hobo to Lockheart’s Zip It Addie Tote. It’s an unusual accent that adds an unexpected edge to any bag, especially ones as creative as Lockheart’s Zip It Alana where they were able to use expose the zipper throughout the entire front and create a tasteful flower. And now exposed zippers have made it’s way to jewelry as well. Designer Kate Cusack creates pins, bracelets and necklaces by manipulating zippers to create intricate patterns and shapes that results in a one of a kind design. Featured is the Zipper Bracelet ($300) shown here with figure eight shapes throughout. Check out the rest of her collection below.

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Kate Cusack Zippered Jewelry originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 30 May 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Estates

Actress Shannen Doherty has put her ultra-mod ocean-view Malibu mansion (above) on the market for $4 million because she plans to relocate to New York. The gated contemporary 3,410-sq.-ft. eyesore has five bedrooms and 4 1/2 baths and sits on more than an acre of landscaped grounds with mature trees, a swimming pool, a spa and an expansive patio with a waterfall, the L.A. Times reports. The interior features beamed vaulted ceilings, terracotta floors and multiple skylights. A “dramatic” fireplace is flanked by picture windows in the sunken living room. The master bedroom has a corner fireplace, and there’s another fireplace located off the open-plan kitchen.

Shannen Doherty Lists Malibu Mansion for $4 Million originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 30 May 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces, Events

This is something you should certainly see if you are in, or going to be in Paris at the right time. Breguet watches will be having a special exhibition at the splendid Louvre museum in Paris, France from June 25 until September 7, 2009. The special exhibit is will be known as the “Apogee of Watch Making” a pretty lofty title, for what is essentially a history of Breguet, but what a history it is! Abraham-Louis Breguet is often known as the father of modern watch making. A lot of what he developed in his lifespan in the latter half of the 18th century (up to 1823) is still used in many of today’s luxury wrist watches, even though he never made a wrist watch during his life (just clocks and pocket watches). The exhibit will showcase historical pocket watches and clocks, watch making tools, art, and historical documents and watch-related patents. Breguet watches were, and are today extremely inventive and also beautiful. They are probably the “favorite-child brand” of Nicolas Hayek, leader of the Swatch Group that has Breguet under its brand umbrella. The exhibit of course was helped by a generous contribution from Breguet to the Louvre.

The exhibit will require a separate entrance fee and will be open regular hours, and until 10pm on Wednesdays and Fridays. For more information please visit www.louvre.fr or call 01 40 20 53 17 (France number).

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Breguet Timepiece Exhibit June 25 - September 7 At The Louvre Museum In Paris originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 30 May 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Wine

France’s esteemed Chateau Cheval Blanc is auctioning off rare vintages right from the cellar through Sotheby’s next month. On June 17 at Sotheby’s London, collectors can get their hands on over 1,000 bottles from nearly a century of vintages including the 1921, 1928, 1947 and 1949 being sold by the chateau. Each comes in an original wooden case. Older vintages (1900 to 1976 )were recently re-labelled and re-capsuled at Cheval Blanc. Some of the older bottles have been recorked and sometimes topped up with a wine of the same vintage over the past few decades. Serena Sutcliffe MW, International Head of Wine at Sotheby’s, is quoted in the press release as sayiing: “We are honoured to be offering this unique collection of Cheval Blanc that has never before left the cellars at the Château. Cheval Blanc is a wine like no other. It has opulence, finesse and enormous originality.”

The various lots includes a number of verticals including one of over 30 bottles covering 60 years from 1905
that is estimated at £15,000 - 20,000. Château Cheval Blanc dates from 1832 when the first part of what is now the Cheval Blanc estate was acquired from the Figeac estate. The won medals in the London and Paris International Exhibitions in 1862 and 1867 that are still displayed on the labels today. Château Cheval Blanc is one of only two St Emilion Châteaux to be awarded the top Class A classification. No matter what the economy may be doing, I suspect wine collectors will be coming out of the woodwork for this one.

Chateau Cheval Blanc To Auction Off Rare Vintages originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 30 May 2009 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Wine, Auctions

If you’ve got vintage wine to sell your best customers just might be a half a world away. Xinhua reveals in Beijing an auction of fine French wine did very well this week. The auction sold around 1,000 bottles of Bordeaux from famous chateaux ranging from Lafite to Margaux and Mouton. The wines were shipped directly from chateaux in France and are currently stored in Hong Kong. Around 94 percent of all bottles listed were sold with the bulk of the buyers planning to sample them themselves rather than sell or cellar them for investment purposes.

The wines were chosen by French wine expert Claude Maratier and all were given more than 90 points by Robert Parker. After the auction, Maratier told Xinhua that he was “very satisfied” with the result. Given that Bordeaux first growth Chateau Lafite is working on a vineyard in China, the Chinese may be soon producing greater quality wine but for now, their growing appetite for fine wine is Bordeaux’s blessing.

China’s Bordeaux Auction A Big Success originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 30 May 2009 21:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance, Men’s Style

Ralph Lauren is celebrating thirty years of its signature fragrance with a new sensational scent, Polo Modern Reserve. Today’s gentleman can embrace a fresh yet sensual combination crafted for the next generation of Polo men. The eight ounce bottle showcases 24-carat gold details and arrives in a luxurious leather box making a bold statement. Nobody wants to smell just like everyone else — here’s your chance to stand out in the crowd wearing a subtle yet tantalizing limited edition scent that only Polo can create available for $200. There is also a four-ounce bottle of the eau de toilette for $62.50.

Polo Modern Reserve from Ralph Lauren originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 30 May 2009 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces, Cosmetics and Fragrance

Now here is an idea that will likely appeal to at least some people. Though I have a feeling many of the interested people are guys who wear too much jewelry and frequent night clubs while wearing too much cologne. This however is a collection of watches for women, and are the “Perfume Watches” by Venexx. The watches come in four model ranges and feature many strap and dial options along with 39mm wide and 36mm steel case sizes (with 60 and 50 sprays accordingly in each). You can visit their site to see the many different styles available. The Perfume Watches comes with a little filling kit complete with a funnel, vial, and pipette to load the watch with your favorite perfume. To spray the perfume you need to twist away the shield over the atomizer at 2 o’clock and press down on the pusher.

The watches have Swiss quartz movements and are remarkably wearable from a design standpoint given their dual purposes. They look decent too, with a lot of acceptable dial and strap options that aren’t exactly design award worthy, but attractive nonetheless. I like ideas like this, but I hope it isn’t a signal for people to stop taking showers. It is probably a good idea for women who want to go out carrying as little possible, but still being able to have their favorite scent handy. Also, the watches are cost effective enough to have the option of owning a few for each of your favorite perfumes. Priced at about 110 - 150 euros with additional straps being about 20 euros each. Also comes with Venexx’s own perfume sample.

Ariel Adams publishes the popular watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

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Venexx Perfume Watches With Built In Atomizer originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 30 May 2009 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Complete with its very own 15-berth nuclear shelter, a 34-seat cinema and an underground aquarium, the Goldenhill is the crowning jewel of AB Homes’ luxury developments. Attention has been paid to every detail of the property, including its…