Arts & Culture: For the first time, the world famous Cirque du Soleil will take the stage on the island of Hawaii.
Cirque du Soleil is performing Saltimbanco, Cirque's longest-running show, which has been redesigned for an arena setting, making it a perfect fit for Hawaii's Neil S Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu.
"This is one of the best arenas," stage manager Gabriel Dube-Dupuis, told Hawai'i Magazine's Derek Paiva. "It's the right size for the show. Very intimate. Everything will seem up-close."
Saltimbanco -from the Italian "saltare in banco", which literally means "to jump on a bench" celebrates the urban city and its conglomeration of characters. In the fictional city of Saltimbanco, anything is possible from seemingly impossibly acrobatics to aerial performances celebrating the skyscraper.
In keeping with Cirque's signature shows, the performance features a stunning array of visual images to keep the audience on the edge of their seats at all times, from settings to costumes.
Despite never having shown in Hawaii until now, Cirque actually has a long history with the islands. Founder Guy Laliberte was searching for a name for the troupe when he came up with the name Cirque du Soleil while watching the sunset on a Hawaiian vacation. Later at home he researched sun symbolisms and came up with references to youth, energy, dynamism, which all describe the many incarnations of Cirque.
Saltimbanco carries a message of diversity through its assorted characters, costumes and settings and is sure to find a new group of fans in its excursion to the 50th state.
Performances will be held from October 30 to November 16, 2008, with ticket prices ranging from $40 to $95 for adults, $32 to $76 for ages 12 and under, considerably less than its Las Vegas counterparts, but with all the color.
Arts & Culture: It is the oddity that is a commodity! What else could be said after an art auction made up of pieces consisting animal carcasses and assorted garbage mixed with precious metals and gemstones sells for more than $200 million? The proof is in the numbers. According to Sotheby's press release, final sales resulting from Damien Hirst's Beautiful Inside My Head Forever auction were $200.75 million.
A record number of visitors, more than 21,000 people, attended the 11-day pre-sale viewings, and more than 4,500 attendees came through the turnstiles in just one day for a look-see. All 13 galleries at Sotheby's Bond Street location were required to handle the action of this auction, a first in Sotheby's 264-year history.
The event, which was Hirst's largest exhibition of works ever staged, also was the first-ever auction dedicated to the work of a single living artist. The final tally turned out to be more than twice the amount originally predicted by industry experts. Four pieces sold for more than $5 million, and 48 works sold for more than $1 million. Only three lots remained unsold at the last tap of the gavel, marking a sales-to-goods-auctioned ratio of 98.5 percent.
Holy Cow!
The Golden Calf, an embalmed calf made with 18 carat gold, glass, gold-plated steel, and formaldehyde solution with Carrara marble plinth, sold for the highest amount at more than $18.6 million. The Kingdom, a preserved tiger shark augmented by glass, steel, silicone, and formaldehyde solution with steel plinth, sold for approximately $17.2 million. Fragments of Paradise, which was the only one of the top four sans a preserved carcass of some sort, went for more than $5.3 million, and Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, consisting of fish, fish skeletons, formaldehyde solution, netted more than $5.3 million. The "four tops" of the auction sold for a combined total in excess of $50.4 million.
The registered bidders for the sale included many first-timers and newcomers to Sotheby's, as 16 percent of the total were new to Sotheby's, and 35 percent were new to its contemporary art department. Although many have criticize the assembly-line rollout of Hirst's renderings, as the artist does employ numerous artistic employees to complete his work, the number of folk interested in his work is staggering.
"I think the market is bigger than anyone knows. I love art and this proves I'm not alone and the future looks great for everyone!" said Damien Hurst at the conclusion of the Beautiful Inside My Head Forever auction.
While beauty may be in the eye of the holder, owners of art by Damien Hirst are holders of bona fide appreciating assets. Somewhere the spirit of Andy Warhol is either smiling or smirking.
Arts & Culture: It is said the Fabergé Trans-Siberian Railway egg, gifted by Tsar Nicholas II as an Easter gift to his wife, the Tsaritsa Alexandra Fyodorovna in 1900, is one of the finest of the 69 jeweled eggs made by Peter Carl Fabergé and his assistants between 1885 and 1917. It is currently on display in the Kremlin Armoury museum in Moscow.
The exterior of the exqusite egg is made of onyx, silver, gold, and quartz. It is decorated with colored enamel and the interior is lined with velvet. The egg is supported by three gold-plated griffins, and the surprise inside is a miniature replica of a steam locomotive made of gold and platinum.
The term "Fabergé egg" has become a synonym of luxury and the eggs are regarded as masterpieces of the jeweller's art. Fifty Imperial Fabergé Easter eggs were made and presented to Czars Alexander III and Nicholas II of Russia. The eggs are made of precious metals or hard stones decorated with combinations of enamel and gem stones.
Carl Fabergé and his goldsmiths designed and constructed the first egg in 1885. It was commissioned by Czar Alexander III of Russia as an Easter surprise for his wife Maria Fyodorovna. On the outside it looked like a simple egg of white enameled gold, but it opened up to reveal a golden yolk. The yolk itself had a golden hen inside it, which in turn had a tiny crown with a ruby hanging inside, reminiscent of the nesting dolls.
Empress Maria was so delighted by this gift that Alexander appointed Fabergé a "Court Supplier" and commissioned an Easter gift each year thereafter, stipulating only that it be unique and contain a surprise. His son, Nicholas II of Russia continued the tradition, annually presenting an egg each spring to his wife Alexandra Fyodorovna as well as his then-widowed mother.
Arts & Culture: Whether you are an art connoisseur or just looking for a breezy way to take in as much as possible at Madrid's Prado Museum, it is likely going to take more than one trip to see all the wonderful exhibits throughout the galleries. So, the museum has devised three culturally correct time-management tours for patrons to consider. There are one-, two-, and three-hour routes that cover most of important artists from the museum's permanent collection.
Visitors adhering to the recommended routes see 15, 30, or 50 masterpieces of European art. Classics on display include The Annunciation by Fra Angelico; Christ Washing the Disciples' Feet by Tintoretto; The Descent from the Cross by Rogier van der Weyden; The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymous Bosch; and The Three Graces by Rubens. Major Spanish artists include Las Meninas by Velázquez; Jacob's Dream by Ribera; and The Third of May: the Executions on Príncipe Pío by Goya.
Upcoming shows include Rembrandt, History Painter, from October 15 to January 6, 2009. Since the museum has but one Rembrandt work of its own, it has borrowed 30 paintings and five prints from various American and European museums. The exhibit focuses on Rembrandt's narrative works. The Renaissance Revival, which is the largest gathering of Renaissance artists ever shown at one exhibition in Spain, runs through September 7, 2008.
Check out JustLuxe's City Guide to read more about happenings in Madrid.
Collectibles and Artifacts: Our original attraction to this firm, Profiles in History, stemmed from an article published in the L.A. Times regarding a special collection of Hollywood memorabilia to be sold at auction in the future, and the firm coordinating the affair was Profiles in History. The company is a leading dealer in guaranteed-authentic original items, such as historical autographs, letters, documents, vintage photographs and manuscripts signed by truly significant in individuals of various walks in life.
True to its name, Profiles in History has extensive catalogs of famous, infamous, notable, and notorious individuals who literally have shaped the world. There are signed photographs, letters, and documents from the likes of Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and Alexander Graham Bell. A sentence containing all the signatures of U.S. presidents on hand would be nearly as long as the list of all who served in the Oval Office. From John Quincy Adams to Fred Astaire to the Beatles to Winston Churchill to Abner Doubleday to Marilyn Monroe to Charles Lindbergh and the Wright brothers, a view of even one of the catalogs containing these signatures and more is very entertaining.
Profiles in History is a top source of entertainment collectibles as well. The firm offers items that include costumes, props, and pieces directly from the sets of vintage, classic, and contemporary films and TV programs. Collectibles from the music industry also are part of the organization's valued goods. Some of the truly coveted items, as indicated by what the buyers paid, include souvenirs TV shows. Items of sci-fi shows in particular were desired. The command chair of the USS Enterprise manned by Captain Kirk from the original Star Trek TV show fetched $304,750. The robot, B-9, of the 1960s TV show Lost in Space sold for a $264,500.
The vast entertainment-industry collectibles collection reported in the Los Angeles Times story is among the largest collection of its kind. The collection is the property of the proprietor of the L.A.-based Collectors Book Store. It was amassed over 43 years. Only the collection of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is known to be larger.
It is a click, enjoy and learning event worthy of a second look. Visit Profiles in History at www.ProfilesinHistory.com.
Trading Cards: Three trading cards of the Three Stooges, America's three most beloved knuckleheads of any era, recently sold for more than $75,000 on eBay. While many card collectors place emphasis on sports collectibles, it is somewhat of a twist that one of the largest trading-card transactions of the year consists of non-sports cards featuring Larry, Moe, and Curly.
The three trading cards in question are 1959 non-sports trading cards in mint condition issued by Fleer. All three are checklist cards, meaning the backside of each card lists out the cards in the series. There are only 223 of these cards known to be in circulation: 68 of Card #16; 73 of Card # 63; and 82 of Card #64. Additionally, only 13 of the 223 cards are in mint condition. PSA rates all three cards a 9--mint condition.
The limited production of the cards was due to technical difficulties. It was a list-minute decision by Fleer to even release the cards. Unlike the other cards in this series, the checklist cards were available only in gum packs and could not be ordered separately.
It is not the first significant sale involving the comedic trio, another Card #16, which was rated 10 by PSA, recently sold for $11,400, and a complete Three Stooges 96-card set went for $35,000 on eBay.
Star Cards of Value
The hoopla surrounding non-sports trading cards prompted Beckett's Graded Card Investor bi-monthly to add a six-page section that covers major non-sports trading cards released from 1933 to 1985. Also check out "The Sports Americana Non-Sports Cards 1930-1960" annual guide by Christopher Benjamin for further information.
More Nyuk! Nyuk! Nyuk!
C3 Entertainment keeps the Three Stooges a mainstream commodity worldwide with DVDs, video games, and general merchandise.
It soitently is worth a look-see at www.threestooges.com.
Luxury Travel Services: If you love travel and have a passion for music, Elite Music Tours was developed with just you in mind. A newly founded company, EMT provides its clients with top-notch service and accommodations while traveling around the world to attend some of the largest musical festivals and events on the globe.
Based in New York, Elite Music Tours was founded by J.R. Smalling, a music industry veteran with more than 30 years experience in road management, artist management, tour coordination and concert promotion. After traveling extensively throughout the world and working thousands of shows for dozens of well known artists like Gladys Night, David Bowie, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, The Temptations and Luther Vandross, J.R. is utilizing his experience to bring you the very best service for all of your festival, concert and travel needs. Who better do so than a man who was the original road manager for KISS?
Currently, Elite Music Tours has several events planned for 2008, and more tours are in the works for locations in Australia, the Caribbean, South America, and the South Pacific. Many of the celebrations on the calendar this year are jazz-centric, such as the JVC Paris Jazz Festival, Freihofer's Jazz Festival and the JVC Newport Jazz Festival, which boasts a history of famous musicians like Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Hugely popular, The North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, Netherlands is expected to exceed 60,000 attendees this year, and plays host to a plethora of artists from fresh faces to Grammy-winners. This event covers a broad spectrum of music from traditional, electronic or avant-garde jazz stylings to Latin, soul, R & B and hip hop. Jazz is not the only focus of Elite Music Tours; the world-famous Oktoberfest in Munich is also on the agenda, as well as the Monaco Festival de Musique.
Staying true to providing the best service for all of the events available, every tour put on by EMT is orchestrated by music industry professionals and includes round-trip airfare from New York City, first-class hotels, ground transportation to and from concert sites, as well as scheduled side trips. While music is the main focus of every trip, none of the pleasures of a well-rounded vacation are neglected. Shopping, nightlife, local cuisine, and major attractions are all important indulgences that are well taken advantage of. After all, Gene Simmons would certainly not have settled for just the bare minimum from his road manager, why should you?
Arts & Culture: The SeaFair's Grand Luxe is the world's first luxury-exposition megayacht. This soon-to-set-sail 228-foot vessel will display art,
jewelry, and antiques from prestigious U.S. and European museums, art galleries, and jewelers. The exhibits will take place at ports in 34 affluent U.S. cities along the eastern seaboard and the Gulf Coast of Florida beginning this June. The premiere will be in Greenwich, Connecticut. The massive three-tiered $20 million Grand Luxe, is currently undergoing ship modifications, and marketing adjustments and enhanced dealer services for 2008 are also in the works.
The Grand Luxe will not be a cruising or passenger ship, as all events will occur portside only. Attendance to these prestigious affairs will be by invitation only through the SeaFair Society, the exhibiting galleries, the Gala Preview Charity partners, or the SeaFair partners. However, an invitation request may be submitted via the SeaFair's website. If accepted, membership to join the society also is extended.
Designer previews will precede each official showing. Exhibitors of fine art and jewelry applying to participate in these showings include ACA of New York, Cohen & Cohen of London, the Galerie du Post Impressionnisme of Paris, and Eckert of Naples. Twenty-eight exhibitors will participate in these lavish showcases. Cohen & Cohen of London will exhibit its Chinese porcelain and Oriental art collections.
The full roster of exhibitors will be announced soon.
The SeaFair's Grand Luxe will also be available for private events, offering two five-star quality restaurants, open-air caviar and champagne lounges, and cocktail areas in conjunction with the
exhibitions.Check out the SeaFair Society's website for details.
Arts Galleries: The Hollander family is a five-pronged creative outlet with electrifying talent in painting, sculpting, writing and photography. Gino, the father, is an abstract-impressionist painter with numerous paintings of surrealistic perspectives. He began painting with
acrylics in 1960, when such applications were nouveau. He offers no apologies or afterthoughts on finished work, as each represents his honest emotions at the time of its creation. For years Gino has given
one-man shows worldwide. Mother Barbara's poetry vividly describes her life and feelings in "Love & Lamentation." She also penned "Bits & Pieces, The Early Years," which is autobiographical, covering her life from 1924 to 1953.
In 1982, the couple established the Museo Hollander, located in Cortijo de las Yeguas, Spain, to exhibit a
collection of Spanish antiques and artifacts that span 2,000 years of history. The Hollanders donated their
museum to the government of Spain and were nationally awarded for greatly contributing to country's growth
in tourism.
The equine nature of daughter Siri's sculpting coveys her unbridled attachment to horses. Many of her
sculptures are large and suited for outdoors. The airport in Malaga, Spain, features a 25-feet tall bronze horse standing on its hind legs. Like her father, she seeks to capture emotional essence instead of photo-like accuracy.
Jim and Scott Hollander are photographers. Jim has lived and worked in Israel since 1983 as a photographer for the Reuters News Agency. He has captured numerous depictions on film of the region's
infamous conflict. Jim's published works include "Until Peace," a photo essay of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and "Run to the Sun," a
book consisting of photos over the past 20 years from the yearly "Running of the Bulls" in Pamplona, Spain.
Scott, a working Hollywood cameraman, specializes in outdoor photography and has amassed a stellar collection of photos from around the world while
skiing, snowboarding, biking and rock climbing.
In the same manner that genes leave similar features
and traits, soul bearing is an innate characteristic
unifying all the Hollander's artistic endeavors. Read more about them and their fascinating lives at www.hollanderart.com
Despite his subjects having journeyed from one end of the country to the other on major freeways, historic highways and back country roads, artist Aaron Foster has definitely taken the road less traveled. His artwork, fashioned out of vintage license plates, has earned him a loyal following and critical acclaim--his rendering of a United States map out of old license plates was featured on ABC's "Extreme Makeover, The Home Edition."
Where does Foster get inspiration? Believe it or not from his history studies at the University of California-Davis. He became fascinated with ever-changing old maps and globes, which represent the evolution of time. Similarly, the license plates used in the commission of his work represent changing times. Foster's timeless pieces, which fetch prices ranging $250-$3,000, can be found in galleries, boutiques and various stores throughout the country from New York to Austin, Texas to L.A. Visit Foster's website at www.aaronfoster.com
to locate a store near you.
Arts & Culture: To the detriment of the world of fashion Yves Saint Laurent passed away earlier this year at the age of 71. However, his luxurious tastes and contributions will live on in his art collection, which is to be sold off early next year.
The late Saint Laurent had one of the most extensive art collections in the world, from which he drew a lot of his inspiration for his fashions over the long duration of his career. Now, his pieces by such notable artists as Picasso, Matisse, Mondrian, Léger, Brancusi and de Chirico are expected to fetch around $500 million when they are auctioned off next year.
In February, Christie's auction house in Paris's Grand Palais will auction off the collection being sold by Laurent's business collaborator and life partner, Pierre Berge.
The Times Online reports that although little is known about the details of the pieces being sold, the collection is said to be "simply extraordinary, one of the most beautiful art collections in the world."
In addition to paintings, the luxurious collection also contains ancient Roman works, Renaissance statues, paintings by Ingres, Goya and Warhol, art deco furniture and silver.
The proceeds of the sale, which is associated with Berge's own auction house, Pierre Berge & Associates, will go to the Paris foundation created by Saint Laurent and Berge to preserve his work, which includes thousands of objects and pieces of clothing that Laurent created in his lifetime.
Arts & Culture: The Timken Museum of Art, which is located in beautiful downtown San Diego, Calif., is the permanent home of the acclaimed Putman Foundation Collection. The collection consists of paintings of European, American, and Russian artists acquired by Amy and Anne R. Putman. The Putnam sisters are heiresses of the Timken Company, which is the world's largest manufacturer of tapered roller bearings and mechanical seamless steel tubing. The firm was among the first to produce roller bearings for railroad cars.
A majority of the sisters' collection consists of artwork dating back to the 15th century. George Inness, Thomas Birch, and Benjamin West are some of the painters of the American Collection. Franz Hals, Gabriel Metsu, and Nicolaes Maes represent work of the Dutch/Flemish Collection. Collections of French and Italian artists include paintings of Claude Lorrain and Bartolomeo Veneto, respectively.
Some of the displayed artwork dates back to the 15th century. The Return of the Prodigal Son, Portrait of a Lady in a Green Dress, Still Life, Portrait of a Lady, and A View of Haarlem and Bleaching Fields serve as excellent representative samples of the masters' works permanently exhibited at the Timken.
Paintings from the elaborate Putnam Foundation Collection were loaned to museums worldwide until 1965, when the Timken Museum of Art opened its doors. Numerous paintings of the collection were on loan to esteemed museums, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the National Gallery in Washington, DC, and the Fogg Art Museum of Harvard University.
The Timken Museum of Art is located close to the San Diego Museum of Art in San Diego's scenic Balboa Park.
JustLuxe is a luxury Web publication providing objective analysis and information to affluent consumers to assist with their decision making, decisions such as charting a yacht, purchasing a jet membership card, booking a luxury hotel, traveling to a specific destination, or buying real estate. Our writers conduct interviews with industry executives and leaders in their fields, analyze product offerings and review the Web sites of leading companies to ensure our readers have up-to-date data to make informed decisions. Consumers can find purveyors of fine luxury goods, services and travel solutions throughout the pages of JustLuxe via content or with our advertising partners. See our Best of Luxury High end Brands and partners.
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Arts & Culture: For the first time, the world famous Cirque du Soleil will take the stage on the island of Hawaii.
Arts & Culture: It is the oddity that is a commodity! What else could be said after an art auction made up of pieces consisting animal carcasses and assorted garbage mixed with precious metals and gemstones sells for more than $200 million? The proof is in the numbers. According to Sotheby's press release, final sales resulting from Damien Hirst's Beautiful Inside My Head Forever auction were $200.75 million.
Arts & Culture: Whether you are an art connoisseur or just looking for a breezy way to take in as much as possible at Madrid's Prado Museum, it is likely going to take more than one trip to see all the wonderful exhibits throughout the galleries. So, the museum has devised three culturally correct time-management tours for patrons to consider. There are one-, two-, and three-hour routes that cover most of important artists from the museum's permanent collection. 
Collectibles and Artifacts: Our original attraction to this firm, Profiles in History, stemmed from an article published in the L.A. Times regarding a special collection of Hollywood memorabilia to be sold at auction in the future, and the firm coordinating the affair was Profiles in History. The company is a leading dealer in guaranteed-authentic original items, such as historical autographs, letters, documents, vintage photographs and manuscripts signed by truly significant in individuals of various walks in life.
Trading Cards: Three trading cards of the Three Stooges, America's three most beloved knuckleheads of any era, recently sold for more than $75,000 on eBay. While many card collectors place emphasis on sports collectibles, it is somewhat of a twist that one of the largest trading-card transactions of the year consists of non-sports cards featuring Larry, Moe, and Curly.
Luxury Travel Services: If you love travel and have a passion for music, Elite Music Tours was developed with just you in mind. A newly founded company, EMT provides its clients with top-notch service and accommodations while traveling around the world to attend some of the largest musical festivals and events on the globe. 
Arts & Culture: The SeaFair's Grand Luxe is the world's first luxury-exposition megayacht. This soon-to-set-sail 228-foot vessel will display art,
jewelry, and antiques from prestigious U.S. and European museums, art galleries, and jewelers. The exhibits will take place at ports in 34 affluent U.S. cities along the eastern seaboard and the Gulf Coast of Florida beginning this June. The premiere will be in Greenwich, Connecticut. The massive three-tiered $20 million Grand Luxe, is currently undergoing ship modifications, and marketing adjustments and enhanced dealer services for 2008 are also in the works.
Arts Galleries: The Hollander family is a five-pronged creative outlet with electrifying talent in painting, sculpting, writing and photography. Gino, the father, is an abstract-impressionist painter with numerous paintings of surrealistic perspectives. He began painting with
acrylics in 1960, when such applications were nouveau. He offers no apologies or afterthoughts on finished work, as each represents his honest emotions at the time of its creation. For years Gino has given
one-man shows worldwide. Mother Barbara's poetry vividly describes her life and feelings in "Love & Lamentation." She also penned "Bits & Pieces, The Early Years," which is autobiographical, covering her life from 1924 to 1953.
Despite his subjects having journeyed from one end of the country to the other on major freeways, historic highways and back country roads, artist Aaron Foster has definitely taken the road less traveled. His artwork, fashioned out of vintage license plates, has earned him a loyal following and critical acclaim--his rendering of a United States map out of old license plates was featured on ABC's "Extreme Makeover, The Home Edition."
Arts & Culture: To the detriment of the world of fashion Yves Saint Laurent passed away earlier this year at the age of 71. However, his luxurious tastes and contributions will live on in his art collection, which is to be sold off early next year.
Arts & Culture: The Timken Museum of Art, which is located in beautiful downtown San Diego, Calif., is the permanent home of the acclaimed Putman Foundation Collection. The collection consists of paintings of European, American, and Russian artists acquired by Amy and Anne R. Putman. The Putnam sisters are heiresses of the Timken Company, which is the world's largest manufacturer of tapered roller bearings and mechanical seamless steel tubing. The firm was among the first to produce roller bearings for railroad cars. 
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