Younique Health Club, Milan

Leave it to the Milanese – led by the likes of glitzy fashion duo Dolce & Gabbana – to turn even a day at the spa into an über-stylish experience. Just around the corner from the piazza del Duomo, the 2,000-square metre Younique is a serenely theatrical two-storey health club, replete with indulgent spa treatments and, for those so inclined, vigorous gym workouts.


The reception

The bar

The black stone pools of the main salon

The sauna

The pool

Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé

When we sampled Rolls-Royce's delectable Phantom Drophead Coupé (the perfect complement to warm Tuscan sun), the Goodwood-based manufacturer was already putting the finishing touches to the final piece in the Phantom fleet. Joining the Drophead, and sitting alongside the hugely accomplished saloon and extended wheelbase versions, is this new Drophead Coupé, a peerless four-seater based on the 2006 101EX concept

While the Drophead had more than a hint of nautical elegance, with its teak rear deck and sisal floor mats, the Coupé is a more elegant, sporting affair, if something with the inherent grace and presence of a Rolls-Royce could be defined as sporting. Ample power is provided by the company's vast 6.75-litre V12 (kiss goodbye to your congestion charge discount), giving the car performance that belies its hefty proportions.
The company's designers have done well to soften the bulk, creating flowing lines that accommodate rear-hinged doors (with push-button closing, naturally), and a drop down picnic boot for two. Forward vision at tricky junctions is provided by a bumper-mounted camera, while there's the option of having a 'starlight headlining', a fibre-optic light show embedded in the roof lining.
Craftsmanship, engineering, materials and finish are all first rate. Although Rolls-Royce are readying a more mass-market saloon to tap into the sub £200,000 market, the Phantom Coupé demonstrates more than ever that their core customer base has no need to fret.

New House, Tasmania

The New House in Kingston occupies the bush block in this Hobart suburb. A slope of twenty-five degrees may have been one reason the site remained vacant for so long, but with panoramic views stretching from Mt. Wellington to Kingston beach, the property was calling out for something quite special. 'Our clients wanted a house that was calm and tranquil, a place to retreat at the end of each day,' says designer Aaron Roberts, who worked closely with founding member of Room 11, Thomas Bailey, along with colleagues Nathan Crump and James Wilson


The Kingston house, clad in plywood and stained dark brown, is built on a concrete slab, supported by steel columns. On the ground floor of the 240 square metre dwelling are two guest bedrooms and a bathroom, while the first floor - which is also the point of entry - contains the living areas, a kitchen, studio, main bedroom, ensuite and dressing room. Two voids run between the two levels, one of which provides space for three ornamental pear trees, while the second, visible only from the main bedroom, features a Japanese maple. 'We wanted to create a seasonal clock, with deciduous trees indicating the seasons,' says Roberts.


Given the pristine site, Room 11 was keen to design a house that receded into the landscape, rather than dominated it. 'Our first ideas came from sitting on this rock shelf. We didn’t want to eliminate any views, from the mountain to the beach,' says Roberts, who designed the living areas with a 180-degree panorama through floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The house is essentially a floating platform, with the dramatic living areas elevated 3.5 metres above the ground.
While the exterior recedes into the Tasmanian bush, there are pockets of ‘intensity’ within the house, like the white gloss joinery that illuminates the darkened shell and the bathroom, adjacent to the main bedroom, with its flamboyant baroque patterned tiles. The downstairs bathroom is also bold, with large gloss red tiles adorning the walls. 'It’s about the site. Even when you’re looking in the bathroom mirror, you can see the reflection of the trees,' says Roberts. Nature is never far away.

Mr.Gandy is comming....

Exlucisve Pre-view: Madonna & 4 Minutes

Here is what was leaked from a french radio....her new single, which is officially comming out at the end of march....enjoy and discuss if you like it or not!
Moi...every time i re-listen it, i like it more and more....

Photographic story: PLAYGIRL