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I can't tell for the rest of the World but in France the Linea de Oro doesn't sell, you can easily order any box from any shop.

Diavolo likes to show what makes him unique.

PLPC for a late lunchtime break today.

You need a pair of binoculars to look at it.

I like Partagas brand among all the cuban cigar brands. So, of course I am interested in the PARTAGÁS LÍNEA MAESTRA and I may try at least single cigar. However, I would like to say very loudly to Cuban government and Habanos S.A. to please re-produce Partagas Lonsdales and/or Coronas if you have time to produce such luxury cigars with extremely expensive pricing as MAESTRA.

If you happen to own an exotic and expensive supercar, this is how you'd want to garage it... Underfloor heating, custom lighting, $385,000 TVs: How the super-rich store their supercars By Simon Usborne, CNN Developers say clients want to display their cars much like pieces of art and commission custom spaces to help them look their best, as demonstrated here in one of the showroom garages of the 8899 Beverly apartment complex. 8899 Beverly CNN — Gil Dezer has a commanding view from his four-floor penthouse at the top of his 60-story residential tower in Miami. But the billionaire property developer is not that interested in looking out across the beach towards the Bahamas. He prefers to gaze through his large internal windows at 11 of his favorite cars. “From my living room I can see two cars, from my kitchen I can see two more cars, and then seven from my man cave,” Dezer, who is 48, told CNN via video call, preferring to describe, rather than show me, his apartment. “For me, it’s like an art collector with a Da Vinci: He doesn’t put it in storage, he puts it on the wall.” Dezer said his own Mona Lisa is one of his three exotic supercars: a McLaren Speedtail, a Porsche 918 and a Bugatti Chiron, each of which is worth more than a million dollars. It’s why, when he commissioned the tower, he helped design a central elevator that whisks vehicles up to personal, glass-walled sky garages. The 8899 Beverly apartment complex in West Hollywood boasts "showroom quality" parking facilities. 8899 Beverly For the super-rich car enthusiast, the humble garage — traditionally a utilitarian lock-up and object of the suburban dream that was cut off from the rest of the home — has become prized real estate, where drivers can not only keep their cars but commune with them alongside like-minded friends. “We call them ‘gallery spaces’ rather than garages now,” said Graham Harris, a founding partner at SHH Architecture and Interior Design in London, one of the world’s leading design studios for those of high net worth. “It’s all about drama and theater and backdrops and the right kind of lighting. Gone are the days when a garage was just a concrete bunker.” Harris — whose projects have included a £125 million ($US158 million) refurbished mansion on London’s prestigious Belgrave Square — told CNN garages are growing not only to house expanding car collections (he recently completed a 26-car basement garage under a new home in west London) but more living space, too. Personal, glass-walled "sky garages," which can show off car collections, are in demand amongst the super rich. Bentley Residences In merging the garage and the traditional American basement den, these super-luxe “man caves” can include advanced car racing simulators with wraparound screens or virtual-reality headsets, as well as elaborate bars, full-length bowling alleys, golf simulators and giant screens for watching sport. “A lot of clients are ordering the Samsung ‘Wall’ (a bespoke LED display), which can be any size you want, with a starting price of £300,000 ($385,000). It creates an incredible backdrop for any scene you want in your garage,” Harris added. Materials are also changing. Concrete floors are passé; Harris now commissions hand-poured resin that can be finished in any color and protects car tires while also repelling dirt or oil. Lighting can be recessed into the floors to highlight cars so that they appear to almost float. Turntables in personal garages at the Bentley Residences facilitate the easy movement of super cars. Bentley Residences Turntables in the floor and sophisticated hydraulic racking systems make it possible to stack, move and display cars easily, all the better for any in-house valets, mechanics or drivers to ensure a favored vehicle is on hand at any given time. Harris sends me a photo of a 16-car garage he created “somewhere in Europe.” Visible through a large window that can be frosted at the touch of a button, it has a resin floor and a central turntable with a high-gloss black ceiling designed to mirror the cars beneath. On the other side of the glass, the client’s study stands slightly raised above the garage, with crown-cut walnut walls with hexagonal leather panels and hand-gilded moldings. It’s all a world away from the functional spaces Dezer’s father Michael used to house his cars when he started the family’s property empire. The priority for Michael, a bus driver’s son from Tel Aviv who moved to the US aged 21, was simply finding room for them all. A client’s study stands slightly raised above their garage, with crown-cut walnut walls with hexagonal leather panels and hand-gilded moldings. Adam Woodward “He had 85 cars when I was in fifth grade and bought an old car dealership to keep them in,” Dezer Jr said. The family ended up buying a disused shopping mall in Orlando, where Michael now keeps more than 1,800 cars worth around $200 million in the Orlando Auto Museum, part of Dezerland Park, a theme park. Gil Dezer has taken a different approach, with his own collection of just 32 cars split between his home in the Hamptons and his Miami penthouse. He wants to see and drive them all the time, immersing himself, and his fellow residents, in a kind of autopia. His building, which was completed in 2017 at a cost of $480 million, is called the Porsche Design Tower and was one of the first such branded residential developments. The central car lift, patented as the “Dezervator,” made the tower a hit with those who valued privacy and security. Lionel Messi moved in when he signed with David Beckham’s Inter Miami soccer team (although Dezer said the footballer later moved to a house “in the middle of nowhere” when thousands of fans began to stake out the street outside the building). The new Bentley Residences in Miami will feature four car elevators and space for three or four cars for each of the 216 apartments. Bentley Residences The Dezers are about to start building the 62-floor Bentley Residences, also in Miami. It will include design cues from the car brand as well as four Dezervators and space for three or four cars for each of the 216 apartments, which will also have balcony swimming pools and range in price from $5.5 million to $35 million. “Bentley wants (the development) to be a continuation of the automobile experience,” Dezer said. “We’re working on a system where the music playing in your car will continue when you step into your apartment.” Of course you’d be mad to buy an apartment in the Porsche or Bentley tower if you didn’t own a car, but do you have to want to stare at your cars all day to live there? “You’re asking a very hurtful question right now,” Dezer said, laughing. “About 5% of residents have drywalled over the windows (into the garage). My sister has a beautiful apartment here and I walked in there and she had done it and I was about ready to kill her.” Source: https://edition.cnn.com/style/gil-dezer-billionaire-cars/index.html

Everything to Know About the World’s Tallest Residential Clock Tower Coming to Dubai Photo: Courtesy of Franck Muller Dubai is on its way to adding another groundbreaking structure to its already impressive skyline. The new building is set to be Dubai’s first residential clock tower and will be the tallest of its kind in the world, in line with the UAE’s affinity for record-breaking developments. The announcement was made this week in Dubai by London Gate, known as the UAE’s premium real estate developer, and Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Franck Muller. Named The Franck Muller Aeternitas Tower, the building will be the watchmakers’ first venture into the world of real estate, making the project that much more remarkable, given the brand’s reputation within the industry. The tower will be located in Dubai’s Marina area and will stand at a height of 450 meters. Renderings of the tower show an angular structure at the top of the building, with the clock displaying numbers in various sizes and a classic font, with the views possibly being that of the Palm Jumeirah. According to Franck Muller, “The luxurious residential project will be officially unveiled in January 2024 and residents can expect a handover by 2026.” “We are delighted to expand in the Middle East with this partnership with London Gate,” says Erol Baliyan, managing director at Franck Muller. “We have been strategically exploring the branded residential market in the UAE to bring the heritage of brand excellence to the realm of real estate. It is incredible to launch Franck Muller’s first-ever real estate collaboration in a world-class city like Dubai, known to be one of the most vibrant, luxurious, and developed cities in the world. This marks the beginning of a new chapter for our brand. We are excited to introduce a record-breaking legacy for Franck Muller— which is slated to be the first of many iconic ventures that will unfold globally.” Source: https://en.vogue.me/culture/dubai-tallest-residential-clock-tower-franck-muller-london-gate/

Tesla laying off more than 10% of staff globally as sales fall By Victoria Waldersee - April 16, 2024 BERLIN, April 15 (Reuters) - Tesla is laying off more than 10% of its global workforce, an internal memo seen by Reuters on Monday shows, as it grapples with falling sales and an intensifying price war for electric vehicles (EVs). "About every five years, we need to reorganize and streamline the company for the next phase of growth," CEO Elon Musk commented in a post on X. Two senior leaders, battery development chief Drew Baglino and vice president for public policy Rohan Patel, also announced their departures, drawing posts of thanks from Musk although some investors were concerned. Musk last announced a round of job cuts in 2022, after telling executives he had a "super bad feeling" about the economy. Still, Tesla headcount has risen from around 100,000 in late 2021 to over 140,000 in late 2023, according to filings with U.S. regulators. Baglino was a Tesla veteran and one of four members, along with Musk, of the leadership team listed on the company's investor relations website. Scott Acheychek, CEO of Rex Shares - which manages ETFs with high exposure to Tesla stock - described the headcount reductions as strategic, but Michael Ashley Schulman, chief investment officer at Running Point Capital Advisors, deemed the departures of the senior executives as "the larger negative signal today" that Tesla's growth was in trouble. Less than a year ago, Tesla's chief financial officer, Zach Kirkhorn, left the company, fueling concerns about succession planning. Tesla shares closed 5.6% lower at $161.48 on Monday. Shares of EV makers Rivian Automotive, Lucid Group and VinFast Auto also dropped between 2.4% and 9.4%. "As we prepare the company for our next phase of growth, it is extremely important to look at every aspect of the company for cost reductions and increasing productivity," Musk said in the memo sent to all staff. "As part of this effort, we have done a thorough review of the organization and made the difficult decision to reduce our headcount by more than 10% globally," it said. Reuters saw an email sent to at least three U.S. employees notifying them their dismissal was effective immediately. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. MASS MARKET The layoffs follow an exclusive Reuters report on April 5 that Tesla had cancelled a long-promised inexpensive car, expected to cost $25,000, that investors have been counting on to drive mass-market growth. Musk had said the car, known as the Model 2, would start production in late 2025. Shortly after the story published, Musk posted "Reuters is lying" on his social media site X, without detailing any inaccuracies. He has not commented on the car since, leaving investors and analysts to speculate on its future. , opens new tab A Tesla car is seen in Santa Monica, California, United States, October 23, 2018. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo Tech publication Electrek, which first reported the latest job cuts, said on Monday that the inexpensive car project had been defunded and that many people working on it had been laid off. Reuters also reported on April 5 that Tesla would shift its focus to self-driving robotaxis built on the same small-car platform. Musk posted on X that evening: "Tesla Robotaxi unveil on 8/8," with no further details. Tesla could be years away from releasing a fully autonomous vehicle with regulatory approval, according to experts in self-driving cars and regulation. Tesla shares have fallen about 33% so far this year, underperforming legacy automakers such as Toyota Motor and General Motors, whose shares have rallied 45% and about 20% respectively. Energy major BP has also cut more than a tenth of the workforce in its EV charging business after a bet on rapid growth in commercial EV fleets did not pay off, Reuters reported on Monday, underscoring the broader impact of slowing EV demand. WORKS COUNCIL A newly elected works council of labour representatives at Tesla's German plant was not informed or consulted ahead of the announcement to staff, said Dirk Schulze, head of the IG Metall union in the region. "It is the legal obligation of management not only to inform the works council but to consult with it on how jobs can be secured," Schulze said. Analysts from Gartner and Hargreaves Lansdown said the cuts were a sign of cost pressures as the carmaker invests in new models and artificial intelligence. Tesla reported this month that its global vehicle deliveries in the first quarter fell for the first time in nearly four years, as price cuts failed to stir demand. The EV maker has been slow to refresh its aging models as high interest rates have sapped consumer appetite for big-ticket items, while rivals in China, the world's largest auto market, are rolling out cheaper models. China's BYD briefly overtook the U.S. company as the world's largest EV maker in the fourth quarter, and new entrant Xiaomi has garnered substantial positive press. Tesla is gearing up to start sales in India, the world's third-largest auto market, this year, producing cars in Germany for export to India and scouting locations for showrooms and service hubs in major cities. Tesla recorded a gross profit margin of 17.6% in the fourth quarter, the lowest in more than four years. Source: https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tesla-lay-off-more-than-10-its-staff-electrek-reports-2024-04-15/

I heard it helps them cool down 🤣😂

What is it with dogs and sleeping on their backs like that?!?! My lab Hunter used to do that when he was younger. Doesn't do it anymore now that he's 15.

Went here on Friday late afternoon. Nice rooftop bar with a reasonable selection of rum, whisky and whiskey. A nice bloke called Jack was running the bar. He was happy to let you guys know that you can BYO cigars. I brought a HU half corona. A limited supply of cigars there but I purchased a small thin Cohiba. Nice little ashtrays for each brand you are smoking. They have cutters, lighter etc and I let Jack light mine. All good, although the cigar I brought was a touch wet for the cool conditions. I personally really liked it because it was casual and relaxed and the people were nice. Small menu of cocktails but Jack said you could order pretty much anything and he'll make it. Of course, I ordered an El Presidente. Ha ha! And a nice Macallan. Quick visit but an good starting point from 4pm to head out to dinner afterwards. Did my racing form. No good there. Doh! And my horse bombed. Back to the drawing board. Cheers. Here's a few pics.

Do it, do it, do it. Was fortunate to be invited to take part of an Eagle Rare barrel selection at Buffalo Trace last Friday and it was an absolutely incredible experience. What made the whole afternoon better was that our VIP guide and leader was the one and only hall of famer Freddie Johnson himself. I’ve never gotten lucky to time a regular tour at BT over the years or even score a hard hat, so for my first visit to be led by Freddie — don’t think I’ll ever be able to top it. Seeing the excavation work at the original OFC distillery and the saved “Old Taylor” fermenter in action was a highlight as was going through a high wine low wine exercise. But being able to sample a thieving at proof from the final barrel was absolutely the kicker. 10/10 would do again. Hoping I get lucky and can win one of those things myself one day!

Will be out of town for work or else I’d make the five hour drive down from the mountain. Sounds like an incredible event.

Yes, so bummed there's not an LA event!

I saw that slang being used in previous threads and assumed it was the hip thing to do around here 😜

Hello and welcome! I’ve seen enough people use the term “czars” on this forum and elsewhere to guess that this is slang for “cigars”? I am curious what regions use this term.

Evening…

Is that increase entirely due to price hikes in the Habanos lineup? 😅

Hello all, I have been enjoying czars for many years and have recently been acquainted with this forum. Excellent community you all have here and I am honored to be able to take part in it. I am a big fan of Habanos and, despite protests from the wife, been expanding my collection enthusiastically. H.Upmann is my favorite marca but I am really starting to appreciate some of the Por Larranga and Sancho Panza. I tend to stick to standard production czars but occasionally will get some RE, issue being with that is if I really love something I want to be able to buy buy buy! Thanks for having me, and I look forward to continuing to grow my hobby and knowledge here!

When will you be in LA? Is the trip for work or pleasure or bit of both?

He calls it the love float

What?!

Happy anniversary!

My nerves are fraying just at the thought of going to the airport that often... haha!

The stalwarts. Ninfas Minutos/PC- RG Perla, PC, Monte 4, Party Shorts, HUHC, RASCC,El Principe Robusto Trinity Toscano Classicos with a coffee JLP Cetros Evening smokes are generally all over the map.