Uruguay’s Punta del Este is often thought of as a destination for the jet set but it’s much more than an expensive playground for the famous and glamourous. It is located on a peninsula jutting into the ocean, with the wild Atlantic to the east and the calmer Rio de la Plata to the west and its name lends itself to the wider area embracing the communities of La Barra, José Ignacio and Manantiales. These sleepy, secluded communities retain that famous Latin-American laid-back vibe with dirt roads and hand painted road signs.

The briolette is one of the oldest cuts used in gem faceting, reaching its height of popularity in the 17th century. A briolette cut is a pear shaped stone whose surface is entirely cut with small, triangular facets. It was developed in India and before the full refractive properties of diamonds were fully understood, in the 16th century it was probably the cut that reflected most light out of the stone. The name probably comes from the Italian word ‘brio’, or vivacity, which is probably the most loquacious way of describing the way this cut reflects light, especially in diamonds.

After an informative morning steeped in oenology, and a lot of spitting and no swallowing (well in my case anyway) we got back in the Bentley V8 S, placed our Blanc de Blancs 2008 in the Bentley’s wine cooler, with its two designer glasses and Star Trek swooshing glass door, and headed back out on to the country lanes. We were now bound for Ridgeview Estate Winery, a vineyard in the Sussex Downs and official suppliers to Downing Street. Rolling along in the Bentley was as usual a distinct pleasure. The comfort specification now coming into its own as we had been driving a few hours.

Russell Kane has a new show out entitled Right Man Wrong Age which we caught at Glive in Guildford. His performance is as energetic, hilarious, electric, hysterical and as explosive as ever. However one thing has changed, he now has a baby daughter and like most great comedians (he is one of the very best of this generation) he takes his material from his own experiences and life. Clearly having a baby was a life changing moment and Russell is keen to share this in all its glories and vertiginous pitfalls.

What better way to tour the best English vineyards producing award winning sparkling wines than in the Bentley Flying Spur V8 S? The Flying Spur is without doubt one of the most comfortable luxury cars ever made and ideal for a luxury tour of the chalk and clay landscapes of southern England that now host some of the finest wines in the world.

So IX Magazine had the Bentley Flying Spur V8 S for a week to review, so we took it out for a luxury tour of the finest English vineyards, mostly specialising in fine sparkling wine.
I reviewed the Bentley Mulsanne a little while ago in Bavaria and the aim of that car is pretty self explanatory. It targets the top end of the luxury market looking to be chauffeured around in total luxury. But I was not so sure about the Flying Spur, who is it aimed at and what is its purpose?

Design Dodge 2016

Baroness Gail Rebuck, Chair of The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, said: “There will be a chance to meet some of the leading figures in film, art, design and food – while also discovering fresh literary voices. And Cheltenham, Britain’s oldest literature festival will also showcase millennial talent from bloggers to spoken word poets, offering up yet another year of inspired curation and intellectual challenge.”

I’ve been mouching around Cumbria recently and it really is quite bloody marvellous. So if you’re heading up there for some grub it’s worth noting that the Lake District is extremely good with food and its restaurants are some of the best on this planet. So without any waffling or further hyperbole, here is my top 10 (so far!)
 

Marané Swimwear’s Horizon Collection Can Now Be Found In The Faena Hotel Miami beach
Luxury men’s swimwear label Marané has just announced that its Manantiales swimshorts will be available at the newly opened Faena Hotel Miami beach.
The luxury 169 room hotel is one element of an incredible arts and culture quarter developed by industrialist Len Blavatnik and real estate tycoon Alan Faena, who is known for his buzzy, Philippe Starck designed boutique hotel in Buenos Aires.