Espa Arrives in Vegas

The spa and skin-care brand Espa recently opened a spa at the Vdara Hotel and Spa in Las Vegas—its first outpost in the western United States. While the British company has more than 350 spas in 55 countries, this is only its third U.S. spa, after the Acqualina Spa by Espa, in Miami, and Espa at the Joule, in Dallas. The new facility occupies two levels at the hotel and spans some 18,000 square feet. Its interiors feature sapele wood and river-stone flooring, mink-marble accents, and a gleaming two-story water…

Espa Arrives in Vegas

The spa and skin-care brand Espa recently opened a spa at the Vdara Hotel and Spa in Las Vegas—its first outpost in the western United States. While the British company has more than 350 spas in 55 countries, this is only its third U.S. spa, after the Acqualina Spa by Espa, in Miami, and Espa at the Joule, in Dallas. The new facility occupies two levels at the hotel and spans some 18,000 square feet. Its interiors feature sapele wood and river-stone flooring, mink-marble accents, and a gleaming two-story water…

Cheoy Lee Shipyards Unveils Its New Sporty Cruiser

Family owned and operated for more than 140 years, the Hong Kong–based Cheoy Lee Shipyards has debuted the newest addition to its Alpha line of sporty cruisers, the Alpha 87 Express Sportbridge. At 87 feet in length, it is the longest yacht in the Alpha series. The yacht designer Michael Peters penned the boat’s naval architecture, whose sweeping lines and long windows suggest speed. When equipped with a pair of optional 2,600 hp MTU engines (rather than the standard dual 1,900 hp Caterpillars), the Alpha 87 a…

Boulder Amplifiers Debuts Its 2000-Series Amps

Two years ago, when Boulder Amplifiers first delivered its 3050 monoblocks—the manufacturer’s $205,000-per-pair flagship power amps, which were included in Robb Report’s Best of the Best for 2013—the audio community gasped at their more than 6,000 watts of maximum power, 438-pound weight with granite bases, and ability to drive music like few amps can. The Boulder, Colo., company’s new 2150 class-A monoblock power amplifiers, priced at $98,000 per pair, incorporate much of the technology that went into 3050, b…

Ever Wanted to Drive a Bentley on Ice?

Driving in icy conditions is usually something to be avoided, but now thanks to Bentley Motors, it is something to look forward to. Bentley Power on Ice—a series of four-day all-inclusive trips taking place from February 6 to March 6 in the snowy expanses of northern Finland—gives attendees the unique opportunity to experience the white-knuckle thrills of driving a Bentley on ice. Guests will be paired together and, accompanied by a professional instructor, take turns behind the wheel of either a Bentley Conti…

Sneak Peek: Anantara Phuket Layan Resort and Spa, Thailand

With more villa accommodations than rooms and suites, Anantara Phuket Layan Resort and Spa lands on Thailand’s white-sand shores.
Why Go: The jagged shape of Phuket island accounts for some of Southeast Asia’s most beautiful beaches, tucked into coves and natural recesses. The world-famous sands get quite crowded at times, but Layan Beach in front of the Anantara is nestled in a shallow bay away from heavy foot traffic. The surrounding Andaman Sea is breathtaking, and the Anantara lends kayaks, canoes, and su…

Artist Brady Legler Launches a Fine-Jewelry Collection

At 24 years old, Brady Legler, a student at New York’s Parsons the New School for Design, is already making a name for himself with his bright abstract paintings, which are selling for thousands of dollars—and now he has launched a collection of equally striking fine jewelry. Legler cites his Italian grandmother’s elegant style as the inspiration for his new range of sleek contemporary jewels. A fashion model from the 1940s to the 1960s, she was “definitely ahead of her time,” says Legler, with a “simple, stre…

Sneak Peek: Streamsong Resort, Streamsong, Florida

Florida’s Streamsong opens alongside two of the most praised new U.S. golf courses.
Why Go: Go to golf or to appease a golf-loving spouse. This 216-room resort in Polk County, Fla., was not built in an existing vacation destination. Rather, it was built on a former phosphate mine owned by Streamsong’s parent company. The site—with drastic elevation changes, huge bunkers, and deep ponds leftover from the mine, and the expertise of Tom Doak’s Renaissance Design on one set of 18 holes and Bill Coore and Ben Cren…

Sneak Peek: Andaz Peninsula Papagayo, Culebra, Costa Rica

Meet Costa Rica’s newest beach resort: Andaz Peninsula Papagayo.
Why Go: Established in 1982, the private community of Peninsula Papagayo in Costa Rica’s Guanacaste region encompasses more than 2,200 forested acres. A Four Seasons opened in 2004 on the tip of the jagged S-shaped peninsula, and Hyatt’s seven-year-old Andaz brand welcomed its first guests to the resort, located at the base of the peninsula, in December. The community also includes an Arnold Palmer–designed golf course, 31 beaches, a 180-slip ma…

Brioni’s Latest Footwear Showcases Italian Quality

The Italian fashion house Brioni has introduced three new shoe designs, each limited to just 500 pairs. The recently released Oxford, Derby, and Loafer shoes (prices upon request) are handcrafted from calfskin and polished with one of three finishes: natural leather, dyed ebony, or burgundy. The Goodyear-welted soles, also applied by hand, employ an antishock layer of padding, combined with additional cushioning made to retain the shape of the wearer’s foot. Each pair is numbered and delivered with shoe trees …