Category: Fashion

There are but a handful of characteristics that uplift a luxury hotel from the fields of the elite into the world of the truly sublime. For some, it’s provenance—a history unlike any other that carves itself into the stones of legend. Think the Ritz Paris, the original Raffles in Singapore or the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc on the French Riviera. For others, heightened levels of luxury previously unseen make their mark. Consider Dubai’s sailship-inspired Jumeirah Burj Al Arab. And for a select few, it’s location that consecrates their singularity. The Brando, plopped in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on an atoll 15 miles from the closest human being, comes to mind.

It’s in this world where the D Maris Bay in Türkiye exists. Located on a verdant 39-acre nook nestled among several national parks, the D Maris Bay rests among nearly 557 square miles of untouched coastline in every direction. While in and of itself this pristine surrounding is a stirring characteristic, what elevates the hotel to unique levels is literally its elevation. Meaning, squatting atop a 200-foot bluff on the edge of the Datça Peninsula.

“The sense of vast space, idyllic nature and profound serenity suddenly and intensely elates the spirit.”

When one first enters the D Maris Bay after a winding three-mile drive up from the nearest road, you don’t wait in any line to check in. Rather you’re instantly greeted with a cold prosecco and hibiscus tea cocktail, bags swept away, and you’re ushered through the grand white marble lobby to a wide terrace in the back.

This is when the D Maris Bay location hits you like a thunderbolt from the fabled Ottoman sultan Bayezid. Looking out, untouched nature is all you see: across distant bays and shorelines, over the shrub-carpeted mountains in every direction, not a single human building or man-made scar. If you squint you can almost see Odysseus navigating his galley between the Greek islands of Symi and Nisyros straight ahead. The sense of vast space, idyllic nature and profound serenity suddenly and intensely elates the spirit.

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Two floors below, the shimmering Christian Dior pool glitters in the Mediterranean sun like a beautifully cut sapphire, beckoning you to its edge like a postcard filed from a Slim Aarons fantasy. Beyond that and further below, the five beaches of D Maris Bay extend in a horseshoe into the water—a sugar-sanded “C” defining where the Aegean Sea meets the Mediterranean. These beaches are a thing of singular attraction, for when the founder of D Maris Bay, Ayhan Şahenk, opened the hotel in 2013 he had the prescience to partner with some of the best culinary brands in the world.

Şahenk was one of the first hoteliers in Türkiye to foresee the future of luxury and invite some of the top names in hospitality to his crown jewel. First came La Guérite, the famed French Riviera property found in posh destinations of the well-heeled like Cannes and St. Barths. Located at the tip of D Maris Bay’s property as the small peninsula reaches into the azure water, the La Guérite Beach Club offers seafood delicacies paired with an impressive wine and Champagne cellar. The hotel offers complimentary shuttle boats to all the private yachts that moor here for both sustenance and entertainment.

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Soon after came Zuma, the world-renowned Japanese concept from Rainer Becker. You can find Zuma’s izakaya, sushi and robata specialties like scorched salmon, succulently grilled A5 Wagyu steak and hoba leaf-wrapped sweet miso black cod plated in locations from Hong Kong to Miami, from Bangkok to Abu Dhabi.

Then there’s Manos, a traditional Greek taverna from the nearby island of Symi. Here head fishmonger Mixalis will walk you to the ice boxes and aquariums overflowing with seafood captured within the last 48 hours, tempting you with rare options like giant Spanish carabinero prawns, primitive slipper lobsters and rock fish. He’ll tell you, whether you want to hear it or not, how all the Turkish dishes are actually of Greek origin. And perhaps, if you’re lucky, force you to partake in a couple shots of Arak, cloudy and cold, as you watch the syrtaki dancers storm the floor. An evening meal at Manos is nearly always capped off with a rambunctious ceremony of plate smashing. As in, servers bring endless piles of clay plates for diners to feverishly smash on the floor to their heart’s delight. 

Located on a verdant 39-acre nook nestled among several national parks, the D Maris Bay rests among nearly 557 square miles of untouched coastline in every direction.

There are also annual popups to cement every season at D Maris Bay as unique. For 2024 General Manager Vito Romeo invited Michelin Star and Michelin Green Star Chef Maksut Aşkar to helm Divia, an evening-only concept using exclusively local products inspired by the sea and nature, aided by generous vegetarian options and Turkish wines. In total six restaurants and seven bars cater to a guest’s nearly every culinary whim or desire. 

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While nourishment and entertainment rank high, one of the finest beaches D Maris Bay offers is the aptly named Silence Beach—a stretch of fine white sand, imported from Egypt, absent of music, loud talking or children. Here you’ll happily pass the day away sipping a Campari Americano, flipping through a dog-eared novel or swiping your Kindle. The only way to tell the passage of time is the shuttle boat intermittently ferrying guests from one beach to the other.

There’s also the exclusive Maris Beach lined with orange canopied daybeds. The sand smells of sun and warm pine wafting down from the hills. There’s even a Hidden Beach you can book for private afternoons, replete with its own butler. It becomes clear on the lush grounds—rife with almost 200 plant species and three acres of manicured grass—why hordes of supermodels, actors and European royalty regularly call D Maris Bay home, returning annually to this Turkish oasis. Seal, Alessandra Ambrosio, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and allegedly a secretive Kardashian and Pussycat Doll or two have all checked into the two-story Presidential Suite—a 1,883-square-foot spread sitting atop the hotel with a giant terrace and private jacuzzi that boast the best view in the land.

While less than a two-hour drive from the exploding tourist mecca of Bodrum—littered with luxury hotel brands like Kempinski, EDITION, Mandarin Oriental, Le Méridien and more—D Maris Bay feels like a different world. If Bodrum is the Tulum of Türkiye, then this place feels like a still undiscovered idyllic island on the Mexican Riviera—pristine, remote and yet overflowing with a surfeit of opulent amenities and culinary delights.

On the last twilight of our stay we enjoy the bittersweet splendor of this Turkish sanctuary, sipping Jeeper Premier Cru on the emerald lawn of Green Hill with the impeccably dressed GM, Romeo. Green Hill charms with its pleasant breeze and the chattering of plump Iranian chickens squawking all around, the ideal spot to catch the drama as the sun dips behind the distant hills. 

“The Christian Dior pool shimmers in the Mediterranean sun like a beautifully cut sapphire, beckoning you to its white-tiled edge.”

“Everybody was saying, ‘What are you, crazy? It’s not going to work! Nobody is going to come here,” Romeo shares as we sip our champagne flutes, recalling those who questioned the hotel’s founder when he first opened his doors. “What are you doing bringing Zuma to the middle of nowhere?”

The Italian GM chuckles at the doubters as we stare into the distance—quiet, serene, watching the orange sun slowly hide behind the hazy purple peaks. The mountains feel ancient, the horizon vast like the Grand Canyon. The view calls on you, inexorably, like the Sirens who beckoned Odysseus to these rocky shores so many millennia ago. It is something that cannot be ignored.

“But Mr. Şahenk said, ‘No, no, I believe the place is unique,’ ” Romeo continues, just as the sun finally blinks farewell for the day. “I think he might have been onto something.

Follow Deputy Editor Nicolas Stecher on Instagram at @nickstecher and @boozeoftheday.

Ana de Armas wasn’t done with action franchises after her buzzy Bond Girl turn in the latest 007 film, No Time To Die. The Cuban-born bombshell is now demolishing bad guys in the lead role of a John Wick spin-off movie.

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4, stars de Armas as Eve Macarro, who is “beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma,” according to the official plot synopsis.

The trailer’s highlights include de Armas wielding a flamethrower, beating down a hapless opponent during martial arts training, and asking Keanu Reeves for advice to the strains of the “Ballerina” chorus from Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer.”

“How do I start doing what you do?,” de Armas’ character asks Reeves’ Wick, who responds, “Looks like you already have.”

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina also stars Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus—and, from the John Wick films—Ian McShane, the late Lance Reddick, and Reeves himself.

De Armas told Collider that the film’s reshoots, which delayed the release by a year, turned out to be “really spectacular.” Returning John Wick director Chad Stahelski helmed the additional action sequences. “All we did in those reshoots had to be there,” de Armas said. “We got amazing footage. It’s really spectacular.”

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina opens in theaters on June 6, 2025. Watch the trailer above.

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life—and maybe check into a Purple Rain-themed Airbnb while we’re at it.

The property rental giant is marking the 40th anniversary of Purple Rain by offering overnight stays at the Minneapolis home where Prince’s character The Kid lived in the iconic 1984 movie. Prince purchased the two-bedroom, two-bathroom abode a year before his death in 2016, and it’s the first time it will be open to the public.

The 1,800-square-foot Airbnb listing is “hosted” by Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, Prince’s former musical collaborators and members of his band The Revolution, and is available for 25 one-night stays from October 26 to December 14. Up to four guests at a time can book the house at just $7 per person, which is a nod to Prince’s favorite number. 

While the house’s exterior appeared in Purple Rain, interior scenes were filmed at another location. But the newly-restored property has nevertheless been whimsically remodeled for the benefit of visiting Prince nostalgists. Downstairs, there’s purple velvet wallpaper and a vintage ‘80s stereo “preloaded with songs that inspired The Kid,” complete with scannable QR codes with commentary from Melvoin and Coleman. 

The spa-like bathroom takes cues from the steamy music video for “When Doves Cry” with a clawfoot bathtub, stained glass windows, plush purple robes and lavender bath bombs. A walk-in closet showcases Prince’s Purple Rain-era tour outfits behind glass and throwback attire that guests can try on, presumably while blasting “Let’s Go Crazy,” “1999,” “Little Red Corvette” or Prince’s many other certified bangers. 

A “Muse Lounge” comes equipped with a piano, guitar and drums, plus instructions on how to play the chorus of “Purple Rain” with pre-recorded audio of The Purple One himself. One of the two bedrooms is modeled after The Kid’s in the movie, and features a retro cassette collection that includes one of Prince’s original demo recordings. 

“The Purple Rain house stands as a tribute to our dear friend Prince, the timeless character he brought to life, and the lasting impact he continues to have,” Melvoin and Coleman said in a joint statement. “We hope the space gives fans a glimpse into the eclectic world Prince created, and visitors walk away feeling a little bit closer to him as an artist and person.”

The cinematic listing comes from Airbnb’s Icons Series, which previously offered stays at a mid-century modern L.A. getaway inspired by Seth Rogen’s Houseplant cannabis lifestyle brand, Ted Lasso’s favorite London pub and the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, Italy.

It also comes on the heels of a recent New York Times article detailing how Oscar-winning O.J.: Made In America director Ezra Edelman’s nine-hour documentary about Prince for Netflix has been stalled indefinitely due to a dispute with the late artist’s estate.

Prince superfans interested in booking a stay at the Purple Rain house can try their luck beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on October 2 at airbnb.com/prince. 

“I’m looking out the window here, and I’m a stone’s throw from the sea,” Bruichladdich Master Distiller Adam Hannett tells us over Zoom, describing the importance the Islay distillery places on terroir. “Every cask we fill stays at Bruichladdich and matures for its whole life here, which is really, really important. As we are losing the angel share, we’re breathing in that wonderful maritime air—and that’s having an influence on our spirit.”

It is precisely this focus on terroir that has made Bruichladdich so beloved among scotch aficionados, as no other distillery releases a bottle using barley exclusively from the famed Hebrides Isle. Which is why Bruichladdich’s Octomore series tantalizes fans of single malt—especially those who prefer a smoky spirit—like Christmas. 

For 2024 and the 15th edition of the series, Bruichladdich releases a trinity of offerings: Its 15.1 matures in first-fill bourbon barrels and re-charred ex bourbon casks, a nod to sustainability by finding new life in old barrels via the char’s flames. Then 15.2 initially ages in both second-fill wine and second-fill bourbon casks. After blending the whisky is finished in first-fill Cognac casks. 

And then there is 15.3, our Spirit of the Week. What separates 15.3 from its Octomore brethren is four-fold: First, it uses exclusively barley from Islay—specifically Concerto barley grown on MacTaggert’s Field on the Octomore Farm. In fact the entire series was named after that eponymous farm, which was once home to a small distillery over a century ago. 

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Second is the unique wood combo in which its aged—a mix of first-fill bourbon casks and first-fill Oloroso hogsheads sourced from the Bodegas of Fernando de Castilla, in Jerez, Spain. Then third comes the punch: bottled at cask strength, Octomore 15.3’s lofty 61.3 percent ABV separates it from all its Islay peers. 

And last but certainly not least: the smoke. Consider Octomore 15.3 the George Foreman of the peated whisky world, weighing in at a gargantuan 307.2 parts per million (PPM) on the phenolic scale. Compare that to Islay peers like Laphroig, Ardbeg and Lagavulin, which usually release expressions between 40-50 ppm. Never mind the other two bottles in the 15th series, which both measure in at a more restrained 108.2 PPM. Octomore 15.3 is the sort of whisky that coined the phrase “smoke monster.”

It is the second-most heavily peated whisky the world has ever seen—deferring only to the now legendary Octomore 8.3, widely acknowledged as the all-time super heavyweight champ at 309 PPM.

“Our Islay barley works exceptionally well with high phenol levels, and Octomore 15.3 balances intense peat smoke with our cereal-forward, malt-sugar spirit,” explains the young master distiller. 

“Contrary to popular belief, we’re not looking to intentionally create the most super-heavily peated single malt whisky in the world, but rather create an extraordinary dram which demonstrates the perfect alchemy of peat, maturation, barley varietal and cask type,” Hannett adds. “And that’s Octomore 15.3 for me.”

Because of its potent ABV, Octomore allows the drinker to modulate to their own personal preference how much water they drop into the heady single malt. With even a few drops, the whisky’s soft texture comes out to play. Hannett points out whiffs of smoked toffee and malted barley sugar, and notes of dried fruit and orange zest. The series’ unmatched peat smoke then gives way to toasted coconut on the finish.

“If I’m honest, Octomore shouldn’t work,” Hannett admits as we sip our drams. “When you think about it, what we’re told is that the older the whisky the better; that peaty whisky is an acquired taste, you can’t just dive into it. If you think 40 PPM is heavily peated, what are we doing releasing something at 80 or 200 PPM?” he asks no one in particular. 

“A whisky that is so peaty, so strong and so young is undrinkable, it shouldn’t work,” he admits. “But we need to forget about those kind of things—we need to just experience that whisky, we need to think about what makes a good whisky.” Find Octomore 15.3 at specialist whisky retailers for $280.

Follow Deputy Editor Nicolas Stecher on Instagram at @nickstecher and @boozeoftheday.

Bellissima!

I Just Recreated Rochelle Humes’ Expensive-Looking Outfit With These Elegant High-Street Buys

Wait until you see these accessories.

Precision timekeeping remains an essential part of high-octane racing, the same now as decades ago — including when Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer first introduced the Tag Heuer Monaco. The company’s legacy of race-ready timepieces now enters a new, illustrious and stylish chapter with the introduction of the Tag Heuer Monaco Chronograph in Racing Green, which manages to chart the past, present and future on (and off) roadways.

The Tag Heuer Monaco already boasts proper pedigree, performance and style winding its way through racing’s most iconic moments, as the Monaco was a trusted favorite of Steve McQueen (among others). The actor and famed driver “quickly became a style icon in his own right,” the watchmaker said, sporting a Monaco all the while. With its distinctive square case, Calibre 11 movement and water-resistant design, the timepiece was built for practically anything both beyond the wheel and off the track.

Fast-forward to 2024. The latest edition of the Monaco, in addition to its customary precision performance, pays tribute to old-school racing liveries, when drivers used country-specific colors rather than sponsors to differentiate their vehicles. British racing green makes a bold splash on the sleek 39mm chronograph in this instance.

And since the Monaco’s 1969 arrival, the watchmaker notes that “the brand has continuously been drawing a line through decades of history connecting the Maison to the world of motorsport.” Fittingly, Dutch champion Formula 1 racer Max Verstappen showcases the new Monaco Chronograph in Racing Green, a move that secures Tag Heuer’s legacy now and in the future (at least, if Verstappen’s streak of lightning-fast racing performance holds true).

The use of racing green in British autosports runs deep, as the winning shade made its first appearance in a 1902 Gordon Bennett Cup victory by driver Selwyn Edge. As the watchmaker notes, the color continues to appear today in impressive cars both on and off the course.

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Indeed, “every element of the TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Green is inspired by historical British racing cars and their white and yellow touches,” Tag Heuer said. Even the dial design nods to 1920s and ’30s-era engine-tuned dashboard designs.

Tag Heuer took care in engineering this watch for streamlined performance, using a lightweight Grade 2 titanium case and a green perforated racing strap, which the company notes nods to “classic British gentlemen aesthetics.” Tag Heuer also calls the timepiece the “perfect watch for the perfect gentleman driver,” with just 1,000 individually numbered timepieces on the market. For about $10,800, another handsome piece of Tag Heuer racing history can grace your watch collection.

Since 1926 the stately and laureled InterContinental Mark Hopkins hotel has captivated its San Francisco-visiting guests from the moment they walk through the French Chateau-inspired marble arches into the opulent entrance. They’re even more entranced when they elevate up its 19 stories to the glass-walled Top of the Mark, the iconic Art Deco cocktail lounge and restaurant famous for its spectacular views.

The highest bar in all of San Francisco, and one of the most historic, it offers priceless panoramas of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz, and its character-rich Nob Hill neighborhood with the mysterious Pacific-Union Club next door on its manicured grounds.

A triple-A Designated San Francisco Landmark, the 5-star property is the oldest in the impressive InterContinental portfolio, which it joined in 1973. The hotel is named after railroad magnate Mark Hopkins, who built an elaborate mansion for his wife on the site, at that time the highest perch in Nob Hill, in 1878. The mansion was destroyed by fire after the 1906 earthquake.

The former mansion set the grounds for the pedigree that would see the French-and-Spanish-influenced hotel designed by the estimable Weeks and Day architectural firm, open in 1926. Opulence, refined taste, and escapism where channeled into an imposing 380-room structure with 33 suites for guests who cherished history, comfort, and a feeling, well, of being above it all.

The Top of the Mark always attracted its share of affluent swells. But it also hosted countless uniformed servicemen and their gals before the men set off for the Pacific in WWII. A tradition of officers buying bottles for their battle-bound soldiers evolved into a tradition of “squadron shots,” and continued after wartime with a cabinet of bottles purchased by those wishing to do the same; the tradition continues to this day.

In its hallowed past, the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland, Betty Grable, and Elvis Presley all made the Mark Hopkins their escape hatch from the press and paparazzi. Plus the likes of Charles de Gaulle, Britain’s Prince Philip, Herbert Hoover, and FDR. Many were entertained by Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey who performed at the hotel in the Big Band era.

Now you can keep up with the A-listers in a modernized but still classically elegant hotel. Buckwheat blinis with Beluga caviar and a Champagne tasting are a great way to experience the Top of the Mark; the favored hour being, of course, sunset. Open for all meals, the more casual Nob Hill Club, off the lobby and serving traditional American and San Francisco-inspired cuisine, is where to have classic Eggs Benedict, Dungeness crab rolls, or a fresh-caught salmon entrée.

Equally edifying is the treasure trove of artwork throughout the hotel. The nine historic seven-foot-tall murals in the stunning Room of the Dons depict various scenes from California’s history. They were unveiled at the hotel’s opening in 1926 and were created by Maynard Dixon and Frank Van Sloun. Most recapture “discoveries,” such as Sir Francis Drake’s landing in 1579.

The Continental-evocative rooms and suites feature all the modern amenities. And the higher-floor aeries are of course all about the views, views of all the landmarks and the Bay from nearly every room. The top suites, including the California Suite, Penthouse Suite, Presidential Suite, Nob Hill Suite, and, best of all, the Mark Hopkins suite, are a lot like checking into your own private Nob Hill mansion, some complete with wood paneling and fireplaces.

As Mark Hopkins with its elevated anchor, Nob Hill is one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in the city. Nearly every adjacent residence has its own intricate details. And besides all the restaurants, bars, and upscale retail, it is strategically located to take in all of the City on the Bay, with the Financial District and Chinatown just East and Fisherman’s Wharf to the north. Take one of the fabled cable cars on its 90-degree angle street, and visitors will pass emblems of historical and cultural divides, such as Grace Cathedral and roads that Steve McQueen made famous in car chases.

With the Pacific minutes away, as well as Napa and Sonoma wine country just to the north, it is clear why San Francisco is considered easily one of the finest culinary ports in the States. Gastronauts plan trips there annually to sample its seafood and other delights. And do not leave the city, or hotel, without asking concierges where to find the best cioppino, the port’s signature seafood stew first cooked up in the 1800s, or the intel on who has the best oysters in town.

Horror movie sequels rarely live up to expectations, but when it comes to scary cigars, Tatuaje just dropped another special-edition stogie collection that’s perfect for spooky season.

The Tatuaje Monsters package is an annual limited series of cigars. Each release since 2008 has been themed after a horror icon, from Frankenstein’s Monster to Dracula, Chucky to Jason Vorhees. Founder Pete Johnson created a total of 14 blends for the monstrous collection, but if you missed out on those releases, you’re in luck because he’s brought them all back for a gift set called the “Monster Smash.” For this 2024 collector’s set, each previous release has been recreated in a uniform size—a 5 1/4 x 52 box-pressed robusto.

That includes all 14 monsters, described somewhat cryptically in the special edition box as follows:

• Frank 
• Drac 
• Face 
• Wolf 
• Mummy 
• JV13 
• Jekyll 
• Hyde 
• Krueger 
• Michael 
• Chuck
• Tiff 
• Bride
• Creature

Tatuaje may not be a luxury name alongside Davidoff and the well-known Cuban brands, but for 21 years, founder Pete Johnson has employed some of the best factories and cigar rollers in Nicaragua and the U.S., and for nearly all of that time his cigars have found their way onto revered lists like the Cigar Aficionado Top 25. 

But the Tatuaje Monster series has an equally long (and for its creator, exhausting) history. Johnson debuted the first Monster—The Frank — in 2008. In homage to Frankenstein’s monster, the cigar was big and squarish. At the time, Johnson sold the limited collection to just 13 brick-and-mortar stores because that was the number he could supply with the tiny run of smokes. The Frank was released in a production of just 666 13-count boxes. 

Those boxes, shaped like coffins, were numbered and decorated differently each year with (fake) blood spatters, ski masks, and other gorgeous artworks in the campy spirit of classic horror films. Johnson released The Drac (a sharply pointed torpedo), The Wolfman (a shaggy-footed torpedo), and a number of other monster-inspired smokes. 

Johnson kept the 13-store format for his future releases, but almost everything else changed—especially demand. “It caught on a little sooner than I expected it to,” Johnson told CigarPress a few years ago.  The 666-box production run was amended with non-collector boxes for fans who just wanted one or two cigars—those afraid of missing out on the occasion but not about to commit to (or even find) a $200 box. 

There have been a few sequels and remakes of these cigars over the years. Johnson released the Littler Monsters about a decade ago, then the Skinny Monsters in 2017, and a 13-cigar Monster Mash in 2021. Halfwheel has a fantastic comprehensive guide if you want to see a release timeline.

This year’s package includes all 14 cigars in a book-like hinged double slide box. For $175, it’s a great way to light up some nostalgia—cinema and cigar alike .But the best news is that Tatuaje produced a total of 13,000 boxes for 2024. While it’s still a relatively small run, at least the prospect of tracking a set down for yourself isn’t as scary as it has been in the past. 

G. Clay Whittaker is a Maxim contributor covering lifestyle, whiskey, cannabis and travel. His work has also appeared in Bon Appetit, Men’s Journal, Cigar Aficionado, Playboy and Esquire. Subscribe to his newsletter Drinks & Stuff for perspectives on drinks, and stuff.